Saturday and the sun is shining so out go shirts, surplices and socks to dry in the fresh breeze that sweeps round the corner of the rectory. It is a lovely afternoon now, the rugby is working in Wales' favour and Eliot has had a good play so lies exhausted on his chair.
The lay figures were taken off the high shelf for a mini spring clean so this one had an outing for a photo shoot. Eliot ignored his/her warm embrace and plodded off to bark at Sooty next door. Sooty is a "proper" Collie and beautiful .... though I'd have to claim that my Collie/Spaniel is even more gorgeous! Mind you, yesterday, after he'd had a good roll in something very, very smelly I might not have been so enthusiastic. It was nothing that a shower couldn't sort out although that's not his favourite pass-time. However, he submits without a fuss and afterwards I'm always grateful that the bathroom is tiled from ceiling to floor - there's a lot of water in a Collie's coat.
Today, with the sunshine bouncing off every surface he had a wonderful time following reflections and sunbeams. His concentration on one tiny spot is amazing and then, when the light flickers, he's sent into a frenzy of jumping and chasing. How could you resist taking yet another picture?
For me, apart from the housework (which may or may not get done) I spent all morning at the computer typesetting the parish magazine ready for the last few articles. In spite of never being without the camera I seem to be very short of photographs for this edition so will take a few pictures tomorrow to fill out the blanks.
Most of the work is done at the laptop (from which I'm watching the rugby) but I don't like the wee keyboard so use this plug-in one instead. It is full size which suits me better - at school we learned to type on the old typewriters so my fingers know where to find the keys on this but not on the tiny laptop! How times have changed! Our class in school was taken on a Field Trip to see the electric typewriters that had been purchased by the local Technical College! We weren't allowed to touch them but the speed and silence of the new machines amazed those of us who were still thumping out our assignments on the noisy school typewriters.
Whatever technological developments there have been in recent years I am never far from this two volume "Shorter Oxford". The only trouble is (apart from the print that appears to have decreased in size every year) that once you begin to look up a word you're easily distracted and a lot of time passes very quickly.
Now, with Wales well in the lead it is time for a coffee and then off to tackle the Sunday Notice Sheet. Not only is this produced in paper copy each week but it now goes out by e-mail to any who request it. That means if you're not at church you can continue to pray for the events that are going on and are kept up to date with whatever's happening in the parish. The leaflet contains the Bible readings for the main Sunday service as well so that parishioners can continue to reflect on those scriptures during the week and there's almost always a word-search based on one of the readings.
So, that's my Saturday - at least this week. Next Saturday will be very different.
Most merciful God,
who by the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ
delivered and saved the world:
Grant that by faith in him who suffered on the cross,
we may triumph in the power of his victory;
though Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Book of Common Prayer
The Collect of the Fifth Sunday in Lent
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