Saturday 4 June 2011

Courage ...

... determination, guts ...
Although I've abseiled in the past I'm not sure that I can picture myself doing it just a couple of months short of my eightieth birthday!
This lady was one of dozens of parishioners who, with the Rector and his Curate, came down the clock tower of the Abbey this morning.  There was quite a breeze blowing and, since the Rector was dressed as Batman, his cloak billowed artistically in the wind!
 Batman and Robin (the Curate) descended together to loud cheers from the growing crowd at the front of the Abbey.
 The blue sky and sunshine added to the carnival atmosphere - though it was chilly enough in the shade - and that's where I was to try to get some decent photographs.
When folk complete an abseil the joy on their faces was delightful.  There's something wonderful about conquering your fears and anxieties and trusting other folk not to let you fall!
I'll resist the temptation to post the almost two hundred pictures of people hanging on ropes ... and I stayed only a short time.  (One of the reasons that I worked on Thursday was so Paul and I could take in a bit of Bangor this morning.)
So, after the Abbey it was off to the beach at Stricklands where Eliot found a friend who joined him in the water.
 The pair of them moved so quickly that it was hard enough to find a good picture.
 Eliot's ears are a good wind indicator!
 But do stand well back when he decides to have a good shake!
 He is, however, just as likely to sit down in the water!  Strange dog.
There aren't any food pictures today ... the lunch time photograph was out of focus and at tea time my camera was on "charge"!  However, that meal was spaghetti with a bolognese sauce (filled with onions, mushrooms and baby sweet corn).  Mushy peas were the side dish.  Dessert was a simple berry salad with blueberries, raspberries and strawberries!
Now ... final thinking for tomorrow's service and iron a shirt!

Preserve us, O Lord, while waking,
and guard us while sleeping
that awake we may watch with Christ,
and asleep we may rest in peace.


Book of Common Prayer
Compline. 

2 comments:

ROBERTA said...

Love the Good Shake picture...I wish I could do that with some of the emotional baggage I carry:)

It was gorgeous here today - close to 75 degrees after weeks of grey and cold but of course some of us were already whining about the intense heat!!! Ha!

Rev Elizabeth said...

"Me too"

Dreadfully heavy rain here this evening with thunder and lightning expected later. What a change from the two good days that we've had. Forecast is poor for the next while.