22nd Sept 07

I am writing a day early in an attempt to get this out after a long period (about a month) of not writing. The reason has been essay preparation followed by a holiday that although only 10 days long manage to include two Sundays, the first through travelling up, the second because I was there and my internet connection was limited. Yes I still had wireless broadband, but at Morag's not where we were staying. That meant it was the time I could nab between demands from Jenny and Cait. The fact that my parents also wanted to read any family epistles, meant that there was a reduction even in that time.

Lets see if I can update people. First thing I can recall is worshipping at St. Andrew's Chesterfield for the first time. Problem one is how to make clear to the minister that the one thing I am definitely not there to do is to check how REFORMED it is!! I might be interested in how it embodies its Reformed position or even how it rejects it, but I will not make any judgement on whether it is making the grade as a REFORMED church. I am interested in "how" not "what". Of course you have to look at "what" to understand "how" but you are looking relationally. I am jokingly-serious thinking at present that I should get a t-shirt with "I am not the Spanish Inquisition" on the front and "nor have I any dealing with section O". Section O being the URC national disciplinary procedure which we seem to have inherited from the Congregationalists at least on my father's account. It rather functions in the same manner as the "men in grey suits" do in the Conservative Party, i.e. quietly efficient when necessary.

Then I have moved offices (again, and I doubt I will get through this year without a second move). Although I am technically in an open plan office, I have got a good space almost private surrounded with 5'6"(plus) screens and two windows (I am the only non-section person with two windows to myself! I may as well make myself comfy, as living in packing cases is miserable and the last time I did that I stayed put for three years. They told me it was temporary and then did not succeed in moving us out. The only worse experience of office space I can remember is when I basically had a open office to myself (technically I was sharing with a very part time guy). The rest of the space was huge and housed junk! So I am not a fan of big offices, I just like offices with plenty of bookshelves. At present am succeeding in keeping it tidy. I still would like my white board up and to put up a couple of photos.

We have also got as far as I think I can take St. Andrew's sound system. In that we have now put permanent supports for both the lectern microphone and a back up pulpit microphone. Both of these are wired. It now means I need to get the instructions re-written for doing the sound on a Sunday. Cliff has also shortened one of the leads for use in the pulpit.

Then there was holiday. Driving up was good, I am slowly finding a good place to stop at on the way up. I went to suss out Caerlaverock WWT site. It looks good and I am hoping to see a Barnacle Goose at Christmas time. For those who have not known me long, my M.Sc project was on Barnacle Geese. I wonder what would have happened if I had decided when I finished that that I really wanted to do was to do the job I had trained for and become an Ecological Statistician. Certainly I would have had a very different but interesting life. Not grumbling, my present life is interesting enough but it is one of those paths not taken that I am semi curious about. I don't think it occurred to me that it was a serious possibility at the time, there is really only entry for about one person per year into that field and something that was that exotic just felt totally out of my reach. If I had, I probably would have worked abroad for several years and even my jobs in the United Kingdom may well have been in out of the way places.

Well by going there I have discovered there is also a National Nature Reserve and a RSPB site at Mersehead. If you add in the cross at Ruthwell it should be easy to spend a day there and break the journey up. Coming down I think will need to be a single journey with lots of stops. There comes a time when getting home to your own bed out weighs the length of journey left. Of course choosing a date is important.

We did many of the things that a week up in the South Rhins includes. That means at least one visit to the RSPB Site on the Mull with a stop at the Gallie Craig from something to eat, a trip to Port Logan Botanical Gardens (my parents also managed to visit the Port Logan Fish Pond which is a rock-pool that was converted to house fish indefinitely. Originally this was so the laird could have fresh fish when he wanted it, but now is used rather as an aquarium for North Atlantic species although I do not think they have either whales or dolphins. We went also to Ardwell Gardens (because I got them mixed with Logan Botanical and thought we could get lunch there) and also saw the Kirkmadrine Stones .

The Saturday was my birthday and Morag and the girls had gone to town making a birthday cake in the shape of a church. As Morag says it was a bit high for me. The service was at 8:00 a.m. and signs of stained glass. However there was a goodly sized congregation of Jelly Babies including one of the doing the sound system! Some photos of the tripe are on Flickr.

I think the highlight was the "folk" concert we went to. Not because it was good. In many ways the event was just totally wrong for us. Three people with hearing aids and the fourth having to put her hands over her ears because the music was so loud. The main reason others seemed to have come was for a change in drinking venue. However we spent the whole of the first half sending messages to each other using pen and paper! A waitress came around to ask us if we wanted any more drinks, we said no but some more paper would be nice! Other people were trying to talk regardless of the performance but I think ours was the only conversation where every word was "heard" by all participants. In the Irish sense the crack was good even though we would not have chosen either the event or the venue if we had known more about it. The music was not bad being a person performing pop classic ballads, just loud (it was getting distortion from the speakers so even those with good hearing could not hear the words). Yes I knew some of them so I am pretty sure of my classification.

Another find was getting a Zen Stone plus and an Audiax FM Transmitter, means I can have music on to lower thought distraction when driving (almost essential on Motorways). I find that CDs need changing and radios have talk which actually is too distracting. Having the random selection playing from a good portion of my music collection (I have not put on my Christmas and Easter specifics) means that I get flow of music while I am driving without problems. The one thing I have discovered is I am eclectic in my music choices. Anything from pop balladeers (Chris de Burgh, Bruce Springsteen), some Jazz, through Celtic pop (Clannad, Runrig, Iona), Christian Praise, classics (both Mozart and moderns including Part) to world music particularly Indian and Jewish. Very little is particularly mainstream but it does cover a wide range.

I got back on Tuesday and since then have been trying to sort out precisely where I am supposed to be (with things going on it is nearly three weeks out of general circulation). I spent Thursday in Birmingham at a meeting of my supervisor's research students. My Supervisor has just been promoted to chair of liturgical and congregational studies! I am glad for him after a tough year in which he has lost both his parents. He is also deputy head of school and moved back to Edgebaston campus!

I think that is largely everyone up-to-date with what is going on, I will need to send a couple of notes to subgroups of you tomorrow with specific news (as I am at St. Andrew's Sheffield tomorrow it will have to wait until then), by the way we are having harvest at St. Andrew's tomorrow, I think global warming has brought the Scottish harvest forward to September from One World Week in October!! Does anyone with curiousity out there know what the theologising* behind "He was a master builder" is

Chattering 15th July 07

Last weekend was definitely hectic. It started with a walk near Chesterfield with Billie Anne on the Friday. It was a good walk and enjoyed by all. The terminus was at Old Whittington where some of the conspiracy for the Glorious Revolution took place. The Glorious Revolution is the one where Roman Catholic James II got kicked out in favour of his daughter Mary and her husband William of Orange. A most intriguing struggle where Parliamentary democracy was chosen over religious freedom. Then onto Chesterfield to get something to ear (the Pub stopped serving food half an hour before we got to it but was happy to give us juice and crisps). Yes I know that Thursday was a wet day elsewhere, we saw plenty of showers just none decided to empty itself over us for very long.

Saturday Mum and Dad were over. We waited for Tesco to deliver and extra shop for the Monday, and then went and bought a second bird feeder. During the wet spell the sparrows and green finches were emptying a feeder every day but since it has dried up they have found other sources of food and the feeders are taking about a week to empty. As we were walking down there was a schools music carnival going around Devonshire Green. We watched a bit .Then we went to my local Chinese, well noodle bar to be correct. Mum ordered Sweet and Sour chicken while Dad ordered a noodle beef dish. Now the only one having any proficiency with chopsticks is myself and this is a proper oriental place (I actually think more likely to be Thai than Chinese) so if you failed with chopsticks they did allow you a fork but no knives! Then we went back to my flat before wandering into town to get Decaffeinated Coffee beans for Dad. I think it threw him to discover the shop had both medium and strong decaffeinated beans. Well they actually used to roast their beans on site when I was first in Sheffield.

Sunday did not happen due to a migraine. I think I probably had been over doing it.

Monday Morag, Tony, Jenny and Cait came over from the cottage they were staying at just outside Hope. Tony needed to go to the bank as a cheque had bounced and when I mentioned that the nearest bank was just down from Boots, Morag said she wanted to go to Boots. So we walked down to Boots, while Tony nipped down to the Halifax, we went into Boots to get Jenny a new comb and a nit comb for Cait who insisted on getting a brush as well. Then we popped over the road to SPCK where I got Cait another Veggie Tale video and Jenny a bracelet to help her recall the Lord's Prayer. This was in replacement for the Easter Present that went missing. Then we came back and Jenny, Cait and I prepared lunch. The Tesco's order was essential for this as it gave me the ability to get things like baby carrots and other half prepared stuff. I got Cait and Jenny making up tooth pick skewer for a hedgehog, which both could do together working amiably while I got the rest ready. Adult food was cooked in advance.

Then it was off to Ecclesall Park for outdoor games. Only the games were barely played with. Two problems , they were all introduced at once so the girls tried random games and secondly Tony wanted an ice-cream, so there was pressure to get through the games a.s.a.p and get to the cafe. Well as it was Bradfield ice-cream I do not blame him. Yes its good high quality locally produced stuff so is very good I believe (I only discovered it after I stopped taking milk) then a spell at the children's play park with Cait being far more ready than Jenny to move outside her comfort zone. Then finally a trip to Waitrose for the week's shop for them while I entertained the two girls away from the food aisle. Then a quick turn around and they went home while I got ready for a directors meeting.

Tuesday was a none day, with a migraine, however I did manage to get myself up and organised so as to join Morag, Tony and the girls at the Millstone for dinner. I have managed to get myself fixed up with Whizzgo and as I had invited Sarah for the evening, on the grounds that I suspected she and Morag would enjoy each others company, I hired a car to take us both out there. It worked really well, they only had the front bar open so there were not huge crowds of people, the girls looked to me to entertain them, though Morag had brought a bucking camel which was as moody as any real life camel could be and definitely did not want to lie down so its load could be put on its back. The food was decent and as all I needed to do to entertain people seemed to be to take them to the toilet hardly arduous.

However by Wednesday I was up and active again. Thursday was my study day and I got a decent amount of an interview transcribed plus had coffee at the Botanic Gardens (well a J2O and a mineral water to be exact) then went on to explore the Greenhouses where the plants have really grown and I ended up pushing my way through some of the larger planets just to follow the path around. There are some explanatory boards but unfortunately I did not find it easy to spot which plants they referred to in the jungle that surrounded them.

Friday I managed to get back into work. This Saturday I went walked to Greek through Ecclesall park, then got a lift back. I then slept before doing more transcribing, finished the transcribing yesterday so now all I need to do is take the transcriptions from the package they are in and put them into the analysis package and then I can try doing some sort of analysis on them.

Chattering on 3rd July 07

I have been totally disorganised over this for about the last tend days. Partly I think because on Sunday 23rd June I was so careful over doing all the extras to stop a migraine, I forgot to take my basic medication and therefore I had a really vicious one the following morning. The net result was the whole rest of the week was out of sync really with doing the basics.

On Wednesday I went to Birmingham to meet with my academic advisor, Stephen Pattison. It was a bit of a mixed day as it was the day after the floods so I decided to go early in case of train delays. Of course having decided that, there weren't any. Secondly I was meeting him on the main campus rather than where I normally "hang-out" which is at the Selly Oak campus. Although I have not yet found the food hall at Selly Oak I know where to get a coffee, where to work and how to get around the library. The main campus (Edgebaston) however has a Waterstones on it that is second to none in selling reading accessories. Well since I have discovered book chairs and how much easier they make serious reading, I have a bit of an addiction to those. I spoilt myself to some but the one thing that really does what it says on the packet is a PageKeeper.I can see me needing more of those as I very rarely have only two on the go. The actual meeting was great, but then if you ever want to get into a PhD students good books, then just let them talk about their research for three quarters of an hour without interruption. Got the train back and was in safely.

Thursday I took my first refresher driving lesson. I did very well considering it was the awkward day of the month so I was on more painkillers than I would have liked to have been. Yes I thought that that was not until a week later. However intriguingly they did not appear to affect my driving too badly, indeed Saturday's lesson when I was not on them, but had not got up properly so my shoulder was giving jip, was a worse lesson. Hopefully tomorrow I will have a fine day. The weather was still damp.

Friday was going to be Greek and then a normal day at work only to get a phone call from Billie Anne saying "how about dinner tonight?" to which I said yes. Went into work and was just settling only to get a phone call from Bill Armstrong who was worrying about the cellar. I had been studiously not asking questions just in case I got lumbered with doing more than I had already. To satisfy Bill I met him at the church and let him into the cellar. I think Bill is right in that he has a key, but has misplaced it. Anyway there was only a couple of inches in the cellar and he checked the hall as well. The buildings are reasonably water tight though some leading has been nicked from the disabled toilet. Daft thing is it is such a small quantity that it hardly could have been worth the effort.

Then in the evening went with Billie Anne to East One a noodle bar in the West One building. This is a regular haunt with me at present. I go there most weeks with somebody. It started last year when it was where Sarah and I went for Sunday Lunch, but Stuart also likes going there and then it is a place where they will normally find me a seat even if it is very full. They did that this time as we got the "staff" table hidden away at the back. They serve huge portions, so much so that Sarah and I shared one this Sunday. Billie Anne is great fun to have around. She is considering at the moment finishing her PhD, and while she is doing this buying a share in a flat in Sheffield. So after the meal we walked down town afterwards to see the changes in the city centre since she left and because I wanted to see the new Cathedral centre, we walked back of the Cathedral. What I had forgotten is that that is the central housing agents area. So we ended up looking at what they had in their windows that Billie Anne might be interested in.

Saturday was rather wet, so mum and dad did not come over. Instead I went shopping for a waterproof, I having lost my previous one earlier in the year and my summer one is loosing its waterproofing. Finally my very old one is getting too small. I bought myself waterproof trousers as well. I am also considering getting flowery Wellingtons as there is a shop just back of Central URC that is selling them. I have not yet been persuaded that the church cellar is going to flood often enough when James is away for me to need them.

Sunday was communion. Realised one reason why St. Andrew's communion feels so complex is we all have imbibed the fluffs of our predecessors as tradition and are trying to keep them going. They are going to be in difficulties in the first Sunday in October as I will be in Chesterfield that Sunday (it is my first official observation Sunday). Unfortunately I did not get to the Muslim -Christian dialogues as I wanted to get the second interview transcribed for Monday.

Yesterday I was down to see my supervisor. A good day and I am so used to working on the train that I now get more work done on days I am in Birmingham than days I am not. I also have got a radio mouse so I do not need to struggle with wires (why do they always get knotted no matter how carefully you put them away or how short a time. Got the train back and then because I had not had any papers for Elders decided that with Ian and probably James away they had decided to postpone it to next week.

Chattering (24 Jun 07)

Tuesday 19th June

Well it is Tuesday and I have started this letter. Yesterday was a busy but good day not least as my neck has just reminded me I learnt how to avoid neck ache. When it comes sore it is just a sign that I need to sit straighter in my seat. Simple really only that you need to have built up the muscles in your lower torso so you can remain erect. Its funny once you learn a trick like that it is easy to do but until you do it remains so very very difficult. Other things include getting Cliff into inspect the electrics in the cellar apart from the heating stuff. I wanted to be sure that anything apart from the heating stuff was safe. I was pretty sure the lights were as they looked as if they ran along the ceiling but if there was anything else down there I could not be certain. As things was there was only an electric fan heater, which I think Barry must have put down there to stop people using. Either that or the Dickson's had it down there to help dry the place out. Then I managed to transcribe three sections of the interviews. If I manage that again and on do some serious work on it I will be getting ahead. Unfortunately Stuart rang me just as I settled to sleep.


Today after getting into work pretty well on time, I did some work on SPSS 16. No do not go and look in the shops for it, its a beta and I only have the copy until August when I need to send it back to the US. Whoever has been distributing beta's is onto a hiding for nothing. They can only really be used by people who are not worried by oddities. SPSS opened and it looked so like the old Unix version which was very clunky that I was quite worried. However although it runs noticeably slower that SPSS 15 the clunkiness isn't too bad.


Then on this afternoon to a meeting of the local community, well at least part of it. I am going to have to see if I can get hold of other bits as some sectors that are normally well represented weren't there. The West One development for instance, Gell Street and the Glossop Road Baths. However there were also local people who do not usually come. The Somali community seems to be reluctant to come unless there are interpreters. The problem is persuading them that there will be interpreters. I have been to meetings where there have been interpreters and no Somali's. I wonder what we need to do to do that.

Sunday 24th June

Heck, I have not written anything since Tuesday and my brain has gone completely blank on the rest of the week. Wednesday was a fairly normal day I think. Saw Theodora for what was a fairly straightforward session as sessions go. Then came home and I think did some transcription. Maybe around 6 minutes. By the way Lynne some years ago you gave me a wheat filled bag that you heat in the microwave for two minutes and it becomes nice and warm. It is the most useful thing. I have used it for multiple aches and pains over the years, the latest being that I put my shoulders when I am doing transcription and it stops them becoming quite so tight.

Thursday was also a very very normal day. I cannot think of anything special happening unless you call the mundane like talking to my parents and such. Wrote some wording for the Website but there is still a lot to do. Finally the person at Insight got in touch and I was able to say that I did not have the ability to do give the go ahead she wanted.

Friday was my day off, so went to Breakfast at Hanover. Then I came back and sorted things out at home, before going to St. Andrews to help set up the boards. James and Jean were back, James had been waiting for the boiler men to come, who had come early and condemned the electrics due to flood damage. That means no heat in the Church, Elders Vestry and Ministers Vestry for several months as we need to sort out both the boilers and the causes of the flooding. Evidence seems to be stepping up for a blocked outlet but where? The water having been stationary since Saturday suddenly dropped on Thursday night! Where did it go? Anyway James, Ted, Sarah and myself got the display boards up in record time. Jean Dickson returned from shopping expecting to have to help and found we had finished. Then Ted Sarah and I retired to my place to do some Greek. Took us around an hour to do four verses but we are getting there. Sarah is now talking of getting us to do Hebrew in a couple of years time. I want to leave it until then. Then went into tow to shop, and not think. I came back and did more transcription.

Transcribing an interview is very slow process. I work at about 1:10 on the interview:transcription time ratio. I am not really sure I ought not to be keeping a diary on transcription decisions. I am well aware I am sometimes consistent and sometimes I am not. One thing I have learnt is that emotion can get in the way of transcription.

Saturday was the day of the Mind, Body and Soul exhibition at St. Andrews. There were certainly lots of things on display and this time we did actually have several exhibitors who were not church members. Sarah certainly seems to be a lot better at getting us to go beyond our immediate community. There were fantastic painting in the hall and we had two gentlemen from the Muslim Welfare house doing scripts. Drinks and cakes were supplied by church ladies, Sarah having been let down at the last minute. Perhaps the hit this time was not Alan Sandland with his violins, impressive as that still is, but Elizabeth Cousley with her hats. She seems to have been going to Leeds to learn millinery and her hats were worthy of being worn to Ascot. Mrs Fotheringham was amongst the painters who displayed work. There also were a couple of taster sessions at the church, I went to the one by the local writers group which was probably 50% the normal group and 50% people trying it like me. This also included two Muslim women. There was a singing group held as well and a beading activity for children. Then there was stuff going on at the Broomhall Centre as well.

Today the activity of the last two days caught up with me and though I did make it to church I spent most of the afternoon in bed with a migraine. That meant that I did not help with the clearing away of the exhibition but then with a migraine I would have been a hindrance rather than a help.

Coming week

Well I am down to see Stephen Pattison on Wednesday, then have a reminder driving lesson on Thursday. I think I should be ok. Its a reminder less as I have my driving license but it is about ten years since I last drove and I will need something to get my confidence back up.

Chattering on 14th June 07

Thursday 14th June

So far not much written in this letter this week. Not that the week has been uneventful. Monday I was down in Birmingham to see my supervisor. I always aim to be at least half an hour before the actual meeting. This is very useful for me as I tend to go into the postgrad study and to check my emails on all accounts. Well on Monday I did just that only to find an email from my supervisor saying that as his mother had died the previous week and he was still sorting out things he could not make the meeting. I also for once had forgotten my student card, so I spent some time on the internet, had lunch and then wandered back along the canal to the University Train Stop (as opposed to Selly Oak which is where I usually go)

Tuesday ended up sorting things in work. Would not said I had done much but got some things straight. Finding it fascinating to be working with a Linguistics student and the way she deals with language. It seems as if every time she comes I end up sending her back for another bit of software. The latest is for SigmaPlot so she can draw proper graphs! The way her study works is that she asks people to supply synonyms for words. People are classed by age, gender and social class. What she is trying to find out is how the meanings of words differ across those groups. She then groups the supplied words according to meaning and then calculates what percentage that is of the words. Of course this relies on some words changing quicker than others. What she is trying to do is map the morphology of the language. However she has set my PhD mind working and I am beginning to think that we could talk of a community boundary where there is significant translation work to be done in talking across it. If a boundary exists if a person from one group talking to a person from another group has to do significant translation of ideas and thoughts in order to make themselves intelligible to each other. This using Wagner means that they are aware of cultural differences between them!

Wednesday it was over to Stockport to see my Uncle and Aunt who were staying with my Mum and Dad. I actually got going around time and things went relatively smoothly. Got the 11:10 train which meant I was over around 12 noon. Had to go to the department first to drop off a set of keys. Then caught a tram. Charles and Di seemed to have enjoyed their stay with my parents. My parents were saying they were tired tonight, and I would not be at all surprised if Charles and Di were feeling much the same. I got the train back and walked up to town and did little jobs there, mainly just small shopping ones.

In the evening went to a meeting at Hanover Methodist where the future of worship was being discussed. I do not know what will be the outcome but there needs to be something. I think there may be needs to widen a net. The building is not closed, in fact it is in use most days of the week, just not for worship.

Today I was in work, on time. Got and order from Amazon including a collection of poems selected by Neil Astley (who is really quite a brilliant selector) called "Soul Food". It is published by Bloodaxe and cost less than a tenner. I would suggest if you are looking for a present for anyone who has a liberal arts degree or just enjoys poetry, that it would be a brilliant gift.

Friday 15th June

Oh well nothing like a minor crisis for making you believe you are indispensable. So what has happened. The churches cellar has flooded. So an evening spent too and froing to the church to check depth (around a metre) and switch off the electrics. Calling the fire brigade (well actually Colin Anderson did that) and informing people about things. I think everything is done in correct order. Hopefully the fire brigade will only ring tomorrow and they will sort it fairly efficiently when they do come.

Saturday 16th June

The flooding in the church cellar is now down to reasonable levels i.e. wellie paddling level thanks to the fire brigade. Guess whose wellies are in Scotland! First time I have ever needed them properly and I hope never to need them again. There was a huge amount of water pumped out. We think between 30,000 and 40,000 litres or 76,000 gallons. This is presuming the fire-brigade pump was pumping at 1,000 litres per minute. Reasonable as the feeder pipe was 10 cm (2.5 inches) + across . The fire-brigade were happy for us to turn the electrics back on, and I got Ted Hunt out to switch off the boiler, so all safe for now. I just went to bed this afternoon and slept. Now I have a baking potato in the oven and will have tuna with lime chilli and tomato chutney with it.

Sunday 17th June

Well the flood was still Wellington boot level today. One new leek reported beside the elders vestry. I think I know where it is, but I do need a reply from Bill Armstrong on how to contact Roy Haigh, the builder. One good thing is the old dispute on whether the cellar is dry or not is over. So now all we have to do is decide how to solve the problem. Options seem three fold: reseal, fit a sump or move the heater boiler. Must tomorrow make a sign for the disabled loo! The rain is getting in via a route that runs right next to the main light filament. Anyway worship went ahead as usual and most of it will be in James' hands. I guess I have also made a small gain for women's equality in that the sorting of this should be a "man's role" but it is me who was trusted to do it.

Service went fine although the congregation was sparse due to Margaret Fall's holidays. Rather than having the gospel story read from the Bible, Sarah told it as a storyteller might. It was interesting how it brings different things to light. To tell the story Sarah either explained a lot of things and the one thing that struck me was how unusual today would be someone using a bottle of perfume as their savings for a rainy day. It also struck me that it was always women who had the expensive perfume.

Went to lunch with Sarah and then with her onto the Student Muslim Welfare House Open Day. This is the second time I had been shown around the premises and the guy showing us around was an eighteen year old local lad who was planning to be a doctor. The whole approach he gave was well nuanced in understanding of Islam and such was his confidence and demure I would have put him in his mid twenties. There was also a talk from an English woman who had converted to Islam about her own personal journey. She was from a devout but weak teaching Anglican background. For instance she was puzzled about how Jesus could be a Jew and the founder of Christianity. The Sunday School seems to have left the stories from the bible as just that stories and the relationship between faith and action had totally been left out of the equation. However her reasons for choosing Islam are just the reasons I would never choose it. To put it bluntly we both find with Christianity once I have run intellectually as hard as I can, there is still mystery and paradox. For her that was a reason to choose Islam, for me it is a reason to stick with Christianity.

Endings

This week I have to make sure I get fresh appointment with my supervisor, I will not trouble him until Tuesday, if he was only back at Birmingham at the end of last week then he will need a few days to get his bearings. Plus I also really do need to get a move on with transcribing the interview tapes.

Tuesday there is a meeting to talk about the petty crime in the area that has had one of its sporadic increases. The real reason being the the police have had some success against the local drug suppliers, so new suppliers are trying to move into the patch. Add that we look as if we might have a long hot summer and there are quite a few bored teenagers, who seem to think gang culture might enliven things up. the question is how do we nip it in the bud.

Next Saturday we have an exhibition at St. Andrew's called Body Mind and Spirit, Central has a model bus and train exhibition. David, I guess I should say if you are coming over for the bus and train exhibit I will take Sue to St. Andrew's instead.
Well with that and keeping an eye on water levels in the churches cellars, I do not think I will be bored.

Chattering (Sunday 10th Jun 07)

Wednesday 6th Jun

Not sure there is much to report today, finally got into work for this week having had a migraine at the start of the week. On the way to work noted that they have finally started work on Gell Street playing ground. There should be lots of new equipment for kids of all ages. The big worry is how to stop boredom vandalism from happening.

I should know by now that if Elder's play stroppy I pay for it with a migraine. Ironic in some ways as I needed to be in work to cover for someone who has had a persistent headache for four weeks. Got to reading through the stuff for them today, but will have to sort it tomorrow.

Went to Somerfield's on the way home basically to restock my fridge as stuff was getting very, very low. Nothing fancy just basics. Came back and caught sight of one of my neighbours called Sandra. So looked in her direction and noticed that there was a police van parked on Gell Street. Sandra assured me it was a publicity stunt. So I went to have a look. Not much doing but we had a neighbour hood meeting there and then. They were trying to get us to sign up for a neighbour watch at a meeting in a fortnights time. It will be interesting to see what comes of it.

Saturday 9th Jun

Not bad I actually get to write a second installment before Sunday. Lets see, not much gone on because I was second week recovering from tablet drop. I am just dopey/likely to crash this week, not totally out for the count. Was fairly busy at work. Saw Justyna twice and Sylvie twice. Sylvie came to see me with a couple of queries and then said "this light is doing my head in". My office is dark and coolish this time of year. So I sent her home to go to bed. Diagnosis, one migraine. She will be back next week to ask exactly the same questions. Reasons 1) because she nearly always is 2)I never take in anything with a migraine either.

I submitted the paper for next Monday's supervision, and generally have been trying to get into transcription. That is genuine. Its going slow with the latest interview I have not even managed to divide it up into stories yet. Maybe I will do some on the train down on Monday. Needless to say this is the part of the transcription that is going to be emotionally hard. Mum and Dad sent through an advert for a free driving check-up. I was able to use the internet to check why. It seems a pretty genuine offer, aimed partly at traffic safety and partly at getting people to have further lessons. Well as I intend to have further lessons anyway I am happy to take it up.

We also now have the rubber covers for the wires at church. Of course when we get the wires suddenly the organ wire is stored tidily under the organs so we cannot fit that one. It is at the back of church and I will talk with our Organist, Douglas tomorrow.

Finally I have have found this really super way to do Celtic Knot work. Its a font and you need to pay for it but you can do so much with it. Have a look at what the people at Clanbadge have done with it.

The park is still dug up which means local birds are displaced somewhat. There has therefore been a run on the bird seed in my feeder. Well today I was not quite with it, as I intended getting a second bird feeder but got to the shop to late, but did manage to get to the lock smith next door who sold me the ideal chain for securing it to the pole and a padlock for all of £2.50. The thing with the old one technique was that the ring that I had to thread and rethread was steadily getting more and more rusty.

Sunday 10th June

Today's news. Well David Hill had a nice tan today at worship having returned from Cyprus. Elizabeth Draper was ordained an elder and things went through very smoothly. Barry and Pat Thomas are leaving this coming week for Reading and planning to worship at St. Andrews Reading. Afterwards I came home and slept for a couple of hours before getting up and having something to eat. Dad rang, they seem to have had a good time so far. The weather has been mixed especially when they were by St. Andrews but things have gone to plan and yesterday on the boat trip Dad got sunburnt. The bird life has been good, they have seen puffins, guillemots and such. Today they worshipped in Iona Abbey.

Talking of birds I have had a couple of feathered visitors. I have had my lounge door open to allow air to circulate. The first was a pigeon who was a really cool customer and decided he would investigate this place that was the other side of the railings. He did not fly in, he just walked and I had to shoo him back out. The second was an accident by a greenfinch who was not nearly as calm and collected. I do not know who was the more panicky me or the finch. I have this thing about not touching wild animals, birds or fish. I just feel totally out of my depth. Anyway it knocked itself out in my kitchen where I did not see it. Came around and I heard the noise, managed to open the window somewhat wider and it escaped. Very relieved bird and very relieved me!

Other than that spent most of the afternoon tidying up bits and pieces on my website. Well that and putting a celtic knot tile in as a header. Some little things irritate me enormously, like how do I get the Title text centred correctly against its box. Mutter, Mutter, Mutter.

Any way off to Birmingham tomorrow and need to print out things I have submitted.