Blogging silence due to overload

A brief moment of relaxation - the weather is glorious - so there must be time to swim!

The gaps get longer and longer between posting a blog due to the work load of this rector's wife (who doesn't do scones, Sunday school, flowers, rotas or clean brasses). Over the last few weeks, these have been a few of my 'duties':-

1. Make door curtains into 18th Century dress for myself

2. Research then find pattern for 18th Century Rector's costume and make.

3. Find / make suitable headwear for said costumes including wig for rector.

5. Fill in for church secretary at church warden's meeting and take minutes.

6. Write up minutes.

7. Meet with enthusiastic group to share ideas for church display during village fete.

8. Visit scrap store to find materials for previously mentioned project.

9. Poo pick horse fields in midday sun for owners x4

10. Back a young horse for first time and survive.

11. Rescue mauled pigeon and make decision over its future.

12. Attend lunch party, supper party x2 and not look tired.

13. Plan menu for 'come and share' August house groups being held at Rectory x5

14. Redecorate upstairs smallest room (not finished)

15. Remember to celebrate 33rd wedding anniversary

16. Find suitable clothes for supper at the Bishop's (what is suitable?)

17. Attend supper with Bishop and smile.

18. Keep newly planted garden vaguely alive with constant watering.

19. Chase grouse / partridge / pheasants out of the garden before they get vegetables or dogs get them.

20. Arrange / hid clutter so spare room is available for my mother's visit.

21. Visit beach, National Trust houses and sewing shop.

22. Organise my mother to sew on 24 buttons to rector's 18th century costume (now button holes to do)

23. Organise spare room for nephew to stay while on work placement - he won't mind clutter!

24. Pick the vast number of gooseberries - and try to find a home for them (I don't do jam / pickles)

25. Pick remaining white and black currants - the birds have got there first.

26. Write blog ....so here it is!

PS I forgot to mention the fantastic evening spent on the beach with my husband - life is good!

Returning relaxed, revived and raring to go.

What a difference a week away makes to how we view life. We have been back from Devon a week now and, as usual, The Rector@6 had to hit the ground running...and so did I, as I am now helping with some Andalusian horses (adding to the heavy horses and the Dutch friesians who I visit). Suddenly life seems exciting again. We have had a week together in the familiar surroundings of our PO days (pre ordination), the weather was kind to us. We travelled from South coast to North coast and spent a day riding on the bit between. We went to see a film (this is now a luxury as we are not near a cinema in Dorset). We watched Summer in February, which is about an Edwardian artist colony and the erratic artist, Sir Alfred Munnings. It was romantic, moody, with stirring music and a stunning setting on the Cornish coast - pure escapism. And we stopped talking church!

The dining room

It took several days to unwind and to discover that life was not totally centred around six parishes and their parishioners. Our three hundred year old cottage did what it has always done since we have lived here - it soothed and relaxed us and reminded us of who we are. The much loved garden, where I know almost every plant, is overgrown after months of neglect but the roses and wild flowers are stunning. Some evenings, the garden was framed with a huge expanse of inky blue night sky, scattered with handfuls of stars. This is the place to see shooting stars.

The Rector in high places

We were supposed to be doing repairs on the house - and we did do some - but the fine weather seduced us and we walked the coastal footpaths and paddled in the chilly sea. We had the beaches to ourselves (most of the time) and there is no better place to be reminded of how insignificant we are, than under the towering rocky cliffs. It was time to just stand and stare and breathe deeply. When we first moved to Devon, these were the secret beaches - the ones that you had to climb down a long, overgrown path to, or walk the fisherman's (smuggler's) path to find. Now there are footpath signs and even road signs sending people to the nearest parking places. I know it's good to share but sometimes......I would prefer not to. These are the places that need to be chanced upon or passed on by word of mouth. That way they keep their magic and do not succumb to the health and safety brigade and TV chef's latest, greatest authentic dining experience. But to tempt you to step out and chance upon these places yourself, I will share some of  the photos - then you must get the map out and find them for yourselves.                                                          

One path down to the beach

and another secret path..

 

view across to a well known island and hotel