Long time no write...

Quite some time since there was some keyboard tapping in these parts. Since then, we have spent some time with his Lordship's folks at their caravan just outside Llanberis in North Wales and we have been to Greenbelt. Busy, busy, busy! Llanberis was lovely - we have had just about the cruddiest summer on record but the sun shone for us in Wales. We didn't do anything particularly out of the ordinary there but just spent time together, which was lovely. My dad-in-law has bought a couple of inflatable kayaks so the men and my two girls had loads of fun just messing about on the lake. It was lovely to see them all just having a laugh. Mum-in-law has armchair kayaking off to a fine art and shouted instructions from the bank, between pouring cups of hot tea. I do not do fun things. I am still traumatised from being crap at anything sporty when I was at school and the response it got from mildly sadistic PE teachers and thick but sporty fellow pupils. But I love to watch people enjoying themselves in sporting pursuits. I told my girls that I do not betray the ideal mother circa 1950 - I do nothing physical, instead I stand at the bank and call "Oh, do be careful!" like the lady who does the voiceover on Andy Pandy. We had some lovely food, the highlight of which was the food at the Peak Restaurant in Llanberis. Well recommended if you are in those parts. Excellent food and warm, hospitable service.

We were home a day and then off to Greenbelt. We had a fab time, as always. It didn't start so well with my eldest (21 years) being ill. She had left us early on Friday evening saying she didn't feel brilliant. At about 10.30 we were soaking up the atmosphere watching Fuse Factory when we got a call to say she had been sick. We hurried back to find two inflatable mattresses, one sleeping bag, a pillow and various other items covered in puke! I just looked and wondered how the hell we were going to sort it out with no electricity and no running water! How we managed to restore it to any semblence of normality with a roll of Andrex and a few litres of cold water, I don't know. Despite initial ranting like "We're just going to have to go home tonight!" we managed to put it behind us and enjoy the weekend. I'm afraid I wasn't as sympathetic as I could have been to my girl but I think she forgives me now! Highlights for me were Matt Redman, Mark Yaconelli, Greenbelt Communion and Delirious? And the weather was glorious!

Back home now and the new bunny is in residence - she is called Rosie (at least we think it's a 'she')

Thanks to Dave Walker over at the Cartoon Church for his wonderful witty cartoons.

The holiday starts here...

Check out this lovely piccy. We went to look at the bunnies yesterday and my littl'un has chosen this little beauty. Of course when you see them, you could take them all but you have to be practical. We will collect her after the bank holiday as we are off to Greenbelt and we don't want to leave her, being so little.

Well, bunny shopping was a nice way to end the week. I organised the annual art exhibition at church last week so I was there every day, virtually all day. It is worth it, though, because although you don't get knocked down in the rush, there are lots of blessings in the week. As the church doors are open, people drop in to light a candle, on an ad hoc basis. People pop in on the way to or from the shops. This year the highlight was that so many artists came in and worked in house. It was great on Friday because at one point I counted 6 people doing different things and although I had wanted to sell refreshments in aid of my pet project, it would end up just being tea and coffee all round for the workers. Also the number of cars in the car park attracted more visitors. It was lovely to stand back and see people interacting, visitors encouraging the artists, artists comparing notes in what is normally such a solitary pursuit. I got a real buzz from the sense of community.

I hope we can do it again next year. I am a bit fearful that the new priest won't be up for it but here's hoping. It is actually the only outreach type project that we do so I think it benefits the whole community.