Other clergy ....

... get e-mails from their parishioners asking erudite questions about theology, spirituality and liturgy.

I get this .....

Paddy is passing by Mick's hay shed one day when through a gap in the door he sees Mick doing a slow and sensual striptease in front of an old red Massey Ferguson.

Buttocks clenched he performs a slow pirouette and gently slides off first the right welly, followed by the left. He then hunches his shoulders forward and in a classic striptease move lets his braces fall down from his shoulders to dangle by his hips over his corduroy trousers.

Grabbing both sides of his check shirt he rips it apart to reveal his tea stained vest underneath and with a final flourish he hurls his flat cap on to a pile of hay.

"What the feck are you doing Mick" says Paddy.

"Jeez Paddy, ye frightened the livin bejasus out of me," says an obviously embarrassed Mick, "but me and the Missus been having some trouble lately in the bedroom department, and the Therapist suggested I do something sexy to a tractor".

The apple harvest begins

A better crop on the Parsonage trees this year. More bottles of juice to enjoy through the winter!

Boiling skies

A short but heavy storm swept over as I was driving to the evening office. Couldn't resist taking some pics.

I have just spent the evening watching ....

Angels & Demons - what a glorious romp through the Vatican!

Off, on, off, on, off again ....

I don't know if I'm coming or going ....

A day of power cuts in our village .... intermittent ones of just a couple of seconds at 11.30, 12.01, 12.08, 12.09, 12.31, 12.41, 12.48, 12.53 and 12.55. I gave up trying to work at the computer after the fourth time ,,,,

Then it went off again at 13.09 and didn't come back until 17.24. I took the opportunity to sort out a couple of cupboards.

I had just cooked supper and was about to boil the kettle when at 19.40 .... blackout! Luckily, being a vicarage, I have a plentiful supply of candles, and the downstairs rooms were soon lit. I found my small camping-gas burner and was just heating some water for a coffee when it came back on again at 20.10.

So far so good .....

London again

An overnight trip to London this last week, and the weather was perfect. Sunshine and warm, so I walked through from Kensington to Bishopgate via Victoria where I went to the Annual Picture Postcard Fair in the Royal Horticultural Halls. A distance of just over 6 miles all told, with a slight detour into Covent Garden on the way.

A couple of stops to let my shirt dry out from under the backpack and to take inner refreshment, as well as to give my feet a rest, and I enjoyed every minute, seeing some places I'd never visited such as the Guildhall.

The Albert Memorial in Hyde Park was looking stunning in the sunlight.


The Natural History Museum in Kensington was imposing. In 1980 I worked there for some 7 months doing market research on their new Hall of Human Biology exhibit.


St Paul's when viewed from the new square on the north side looks as it used to do before all the modern developments that now surround it.


And as it was a Friday evening, when I arrived early for my train at Liverpool Street station the local bars were overflowing into the piazza with the workers all enjoying the sunshine and starting their weekend relaxation.


I love walking through this vibrant city.
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