It had everything – things which when I was an active Vicar would lead me to despair – like noise, children running around everywhere, indifference by adults. But also all that is so good in worship - and which outshone everything else – it's friendliness, it's holiness, it's sincerity, it's joy, and so many glimpses of God being so active in today's world, especially in Hucknall Parish Church, and the community it servies. It really was a great Easter day service and celebration. Thank you everybody for allowing me to be part of it.
Did I feel that Easter Day 2013, after all that had happened in the months before it was a day of celebration and that Jesus had truly risen for me – you bet I did!
Easter week itself saw me involved for much of the time with our family, including Easter Day after church.
On Wednesday I went with Mark to his sister Wendy's and husband Simon's farm on Anglesey. And that is where I pick up my notes.
Usually I come here for the New Year's eve celebrations, but this year events dictated otherwise, so here we are for our Easter trip!
It really is beautiful and all the farm animals are making their appropriate noises round the car where I am sat, by way of welcome.
Mark is busy unloading the car and saying his hellos – but his hellos seem to be taking longer than unloading the car at the moment as he hasn't unloaded me yet!
It has been a topsy-turvy sort of day – it started off with my four weekly visit to the oncologist at Kings Mill Hospital.
The eagerly awaited report regarding my lung function hadn't arrived, but because I have lost a further 5kg in weight due to my loss of appetite, he has decided to take me off the cancer drug and let my body recover from the onslaught of the medication.
This will hopefully sort out all the side-effects which are happening – funny things with my bowel and other parts of that region, my sore mouth, and a genuine tiredness at times. A CT scan is to happen before next visit, and if drug still appears to be working, he will put me back on it.
The couple of days in Wales have been wonderful. I slept so well in one of their caravans, although I have to admit when I got up in the morning my back and muscles hurt a great deal.
On Thursday we all went to Bangor, where we shopped, and I was dispatched on my boot scooter. But despite me having freedom, it wasn't the best experience as it was bitterly cold, and the pavements were far from even.
Saw a coat in Debenhams which I had looked at in Mansfield's Debenhams, but I had been put off by my eldest son saying that it looked a bit young for me. What excites me about it was its colour dark orange – and it has also got a hood. In Mansfield the said coat been reduced from £75 to £52, but as Daniel didn't particularly like it I moved on.
Anyway there in Bangor was the same coat this time reduced to £37.50. The problem there was they hadn't got it in my size. Well, on our visit to Llandudno on Friday, and making a beeline for Debenhams, there was the coat I wanted in my size.
One problem – there was a button missing. So off I went with the coat to the check-out to see what could be done with the price and I eventually got the coat for £30. Not a bad reduction £75-£30 – at least I haven't lost my touch.
Our day in Llandudno was bitterly cold and again the pavements were terribly uneven. We didn't really make a walk along the front, or as I really wanted to, the pier, because of the cold. But we did have a nice ice cream and coffee before returning back to Wendy and Simon's farm.
In the evening we went to a lovely restaurant at Rhosneiger on the coast. It was quite an upmarket restaurant which specialised in fish. I had a lovely crab starter, followed by Welsh lamb – but I'm afraid the Welsh lamb beat me totally and most of it went back uneaten!
Saturday saw us on our way home having had an absolute wonderful time. Despite some muscle pain I have to say the short trip away has done me an immense amount of good. The oncologist was right on Wednesday, the change of scenery and the change of has done me good.
I am only back just over a week, because a week on Monday I go with Mark and Kathryn and a few people from the parishes on our French trip. Once again the oncologist said I can go because he feels it will continue to be good – and that makes me feel good.
Sunday's only once again at Hucknall parish church – and I was amazed how many people were there with it being what is traditionally known as low Sunday. Again it was an excellent service and ended a wonderful Easter week from me.
I will put another posting on here before the weekend, and then it will be postings from France.
Blessings to you all.
An upbeat blog. Lovely. You haven't lost your humour which has to be a positive too!
ReplyDeleteLook forward to seeing the said coat. xx