For all my sleepy friends....

It seems I am not alone in not sleeping very well at the moment, so this is for all my insomniac friends (and anyone else who appreciates cat humour!):


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You gotta love cats....don't you?

I have a favourite website that I visit because it makes me smile and more often than not laugh out loud. If you love cats then you too will enjoy it. But if you are more of a dog person then they have a doggie bit too. But for me the cats win!!

Today's new addition to the page is for all the students out there and for all of us who have spent today procrastinating - you know who you are!!



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On a lighter note....

I have a friend who must spend most of his life surfing the net for the weird, the daft, sometimes very serious and sometime stuff that makes me smile and laugh out loud - the following is one of them:

Top Ten Reasons why MEN shouldn't be ordained

Click on the link and have a chuckle.

Thanks Arni!

So much to do, so little time...

Its been a busy few days and the next 36 hours will be no different!

I set off for Rome at lunchtime on Tuesday and have to have a service and sermon ready before I go. The service is more or less done but the sermon has yet to begin! lol
I also have to sort out a wee list of things - euros, sandals, birthday cards, money for the kids, make up spare room for Suzie.....so much to do and so little time!

But I am also very excited about the rest of the week. Neil and I will be staying at the Church of Scotland in Rome - I am taking the service there on Sunday, whilst Rev Willie McCulloch is at the General Assembly. I feel so very fortunate to have this opportunity - and it was just a case of being in the right place at the right time. As well as seeing as many of the sights as we can squeeze in we are also going to get involved in an outreach that the church does amongst refugees in Rome - each week volunteers make up around 500 pack lunches on a Thursday morning and then give them out at lunchtime Thursday & Friday.

One of the highlights will be a visit to the Vatican. Apparently we will be able to see it from the roof terrace where the bed sit we are staying in is situated.

To cheer you all up - I checked the weather forecast for the next five days - lets just say I have packed the sun cream and shorts!

We get back next monday and after a quick turn around its off to my final probationers conference and a wedding at the end of that week.....life is tough :-)

Hot Chocolate Ministry

So we did it! We stepped out on to the steps of the church and reached out!
And it was great fun - the young people really appreciated the hot chocolate and we appreciated their politeness and laughter.

This project has been a wee dream of mine for a while - before I started on my placement I had noticed that on a Saturday afternoon young people liked to gather on the steps of the church. The church just so happens to be right in the middle of the pedestrian part of the high street - an obvious place to gather. Unfortunately there has been some problems with graffiti and litter and ALL the young people have been blamed by some - so a group of us decided that instead of scowling at the young people we would like to get to know who it is that shares our steps with us. And we hope over the next few weeks to build up a relationship with whoever is there.

What I really loved was that the young people not only enjoyed their hot drinks but they also did not seem to mind us being there in amongst them. Most sat on the steps and enjoyed their drinks and a bit of banter with their pals. But some asked if they could see inside the church, others if they could sit inside in the wee hall that we have (it was cold), some wanted to use the loo AND one asked if he could borrow a music edition of CH4 (Church of Scotland Hymnary version 4) - turns out he is a very talented pianist and plays the organ sometimes at a couple of local churches. He was also interested in the services we have at the church.

So you can see why we are all excited about next week - the young people asked would we be there and it was great to be able to say we would be. It really did feel good to be a church reaching out asking nothing in return...being the living witnesses to Christ in the world. We have no idea where our project might take us but are we are going......

The silliest of things...

Sometimes people come up with the silliest of ideas. Which member of the Tory PR machine thought this was a grand idea?

Here what you can achieve:





And that is just my feeble effort!More gifted people are coming up with much funnier and cleverer suggestions!

Thanks Malc for the Hat-tip!!

Air-Kissing in the North-East

The following is taken from a wee gem of a book I have bought and given to a few of my friends who recently were ordained and inducted into their first parishes. The book is a rather irreverent look at the Calvinistic nature of people in the North-East of Scotland. Some of it is funny, some of it brings back memories of phrases used by people no longer with us. The book is entitled "The Wee Book of Calvin - Air-Kissing in the North-East" by Bill Duncan. Enjoy these:

Are you Calvinist?

you are if:
1. You prefer travelling north to travelling south.
2. You remain unable, despite attending evening class, to greet acquaintances by air-kissing.
3. You fill a basinful of hot water to wash dishes, unwittingly allowing the water to become uncomfortably hot. You nevertheless close your eyes and plunge your hands and forearms into the scalding liquid, despite excessive heat and pain, mindful of your own responsibility and because to not do so would entail guilt.
4. You feel suddenly and unaccountably sad during moments of pleasure and relaxation with friends.
5. You prefer black and white to all other colour combinations, except black and black.
6. Your favourite confectionery product is 'Fisherman's Friend - Extra Strong.'
7. You recoil in lovemaking from experiencing those acts and sensations that you desire and enjoy most intensely.
8. You prefer saying No to Yes.

Recognise yourself in any of these? mmm...It is 500 years since the great man Jean Calvin was born.

This could be Scampi!

I was introduced to Simon's cat this morning by my supervisor. This particular clip is just so like my cat Scampi. Unless I shut her in the kitchen at bedtime - I will be visited in the early hours and treated to a similar performance!

Enjoy!

5 Things......

Thanks Stewart for giving me something to do during vestry hour! Here goes - 5 things I have always wanted to do:

1. Run a marathon - sadly I dont think this will happen. The most I have managed is 10k and my feet just dont hack it....well I blame my feet....

2. Change people's lives for the better...be the change I want to see in the world (where is that from?)

3. Visit the Holy Land. I dont think that needs and explanation.

4. See my children grow up (even more!) and be happy with what ever it is they choose to do. And in doing so squash all my ambition for them and allow them to make their own choices.

5. Celebrate my Diamond Wedding Anniversary with Neil and I still in good health. I will only be 80! Seriously I cannot imagine my life without him - he is my rock, my true love and best friend. besides which I dont think anyone else would put up with me!

Mmmm I thought that might take longer.....might come back and revise it some more.

And so I challange John, Allan, Chris, Dorothy and Stewart....5 Things you have always wanted to do?