The weather has been atrocious, with winds and flooding blocking the roads. It could have been snow - and could still be, I suppose. We just need to get our tenants into our Devon house. I am hating the whole process of letting go and there have been many tears as I have packed up the house. I am still struggling with the Rectory and not being able to create a home that functions as a home for us. I don't know who designed our kitchen layout - but they never thought about how it would be used! A few of our earlier niggles have been dealt with - enough to shut us up for a while, I expect they hope. But our newly decorated ceiling now is stained with a water leak, which has been fixed but we have to redecorate again. We just do not have the time at the moment. It is certainly not home yet - as we are back to square one with a hall full of boxes and a garage full of furniture from our Devon home. We will get it sorted out
...but I just don't know when!
We had a fantastic Confirmation service with fourteen candidates - seven young people and seven adults. It was such a special occasion as there had not been a confirmation service for many years in the Benefice. The challenge is now to ensure those folk really feel that they have a role play in our churches and community. More ideas and projects are in the melting pot - so there goes the spare time that I thought I could see on the horizon.There are still nigglers who want the Rector to visit them 'like the old one did' but they don't come to church and see him, or ring or send a message to say who they are - or where they are. I feel the Rector's shoulders are broadening and he is able to point out that he isn't able to walk the streets of six parishes and just drop in for cups of tea - much as he would like to! Of course, when they see that he is in the Pantomime, I'm sure that they will feel that he does have time. If they only knew how hard it has been to fit in the rehearsals with all the other stuff that he does. First performance is next Friday - complete with custard pies and traditional cast. Being involved with the pantomime has been a wonderful contrast to our day to day life - with very many laughs - only now the nerves have set in and we are wondering if we will remember our lines (we have very few). The Rector@6 says it is worse than delivering a sermon from the pulpit!
Your days have certainly been extra full of 'to do' things. I don't know why some folk think that the Rector and yourself have more time than the average person, and my heart goes out to you both. It must be hard to find personal time. Perhaps, as the months go by things will get better, once the Devon house is taken care of, though it has been my experience that once something is marked off the list, something else soon comes to take its place. Our choir put on a play once, and we had more fun at rehearsals, that even though we were getting worn out, it was well worth it. We too enjoyed the laughs that were plentiful. God bless.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bonnie I do think things are getting better - it's all about attitude!
DeleteYou have been having such a busy month! Exciting, and yes, tiring. No wonder you feel like time has been flying!
ReplyDeleteOh, and did I mention that some time thieves have been at work? Apparently, one group takes minutes out of hours. Another, hours out of days. Still another, days out of weeks. No wonder there's not enough time to get things done. I had to deal with them all the time when I was working in the parish.
Blessings and Bear hugs!
Good to hear from you - time thieves seem to be very busy all the time!
DeleteWhere has January done? It's been washed away by the endless rain, I think. i can imagine how hard it has been to sort out the Devon house and I know just what you mean about the difficulty of making a church house into your home. It will come and I found I was very sorry to leave both the ones we had lived in when the time came.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the pantomime. You both need time away from work and yes, visiting as it was once done is totally impossible in today's multi-parish benefices.
Thank you - we moan if it's too hot, or too frosty, or too windy and I am glad it's not too snowy - perhaps us Brits just moan about the weather! The Pantomome was great fun!
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