England with Bonnie:
It has been a while since I last blogged. Largely I blame my wife.
Bonnie arrived on Wednesday 5th October, and it has been full on ever since, with no time for sitting down at this wee beasty writing blogs. So what have we been up to? This is what I am willing to share. I might reflect on some of this is a separate blog.
Bonnie’s arrival was a nightmare. I was going to be there early, so I went to the bus stop for the bus from Hemel Hempstead to Heathrow. It was well over half an hour late. I had been told I could buy a ticket from the driver. I couldn’t, and as it drove off without me, Bonnie texted me to say she was through customs (they had arrived ¾ hour early) and where was I? So much for my relaxed time at the airport, checking my emails, getting a coffee, being there when she arrived. I was not a happy man. But my aunt came to the rescue and drove me down. Thank God for aunts. I still glare at the national express busses whenever I see one.
That out of the way, and wanting to maximise the time we did have, we hired a car at Heathrow (yet another story) and drove to Windsor Castle, and St. George’s Chapel. A friend of long ago, Rev Michael Boag is the Succentor there. A Succentor? He looks after everything that happens inside the chapel (services) and the Precentor (his boss) looks after everything outside. I am not sure what that means, but Michael does organise and lead all the services, preaches at a lot of them, etc…. He got us in for free, then took us to the Castle while he went off and looked after a visiting choir, and then gave us tea, and shoed us around the chapel. It is a really interesting place. It belongs to no diocese, has it’s own bishop (the Dean) who is also the bishop overseeing the armed forces, so he spends most of his time doing that. They have a community that either lives or commutes into the castle that they care for, plus a huge number of services a week. It is a worshipping church community, and a tourist attraction.
Next day Thursday, we trained into London, and did St. Paul’s, walked along the Thames, crossed the Millennium bridge, visited Harrods, went on the London Eye, and then went to “We Will Rock You” the musical written by Queen and Ben Elton. It was great!!!! A Highlight. Sitting there among all these Queen fans singing along, clapping wildly, really getting into it.
Bonnie arrived on Wednesday 5th October, and it has been full on ever since, with no time for sitting down at this wee beasty writing blogs. So what have we been up to? This is what I am willing to share. I might reflect on some of this is a separate blog.
Bonnie’s arrival was a nightmare. I was going to be there early, so I went to the bus stop for the bus from Hemel Hempstead to Heathrow. It was well over half an hour late. I had been told I could buy a ticket from the driver. I couldn’t, and as it drove off without me, Bonnie texted me to say she was through customs (they had arrived ¾ hour early) and where was I? So much for my relaxed time at the airport, checking my emails, getting a coffee, being there when she arrived. I was not a happy man. But my aunt came to the rescue and drove me down. Thank God for aunts. I still glare at the national express busses whenever I see one.
That out of the way, and wanting to maximise the time we did have, we hired a car at Heathrow (yet another story) and drove to Windsor Castle, and St. George’s Chapel. A friend of long ago, Rev Michael Boag is the Succentor there. A Succentor? He looks after everything that happens inside the chapel (services) and the Precentor (his boss) looks after everything outside. I am not sure what that means, but Michael does organise and lead all the services, preaches at a lot of them, etc…. He got us in for free, then took us to the Castle while he went off and looked after a visiting choir, and then gave us tea, and shoed us around the chapel. It is a really interesting place. It belongs to no diocese, has it’s own bishop (the Dean) who is also the bishop overseeing the armed forces, so he spends most of his time doing that. They have a community that either lives or commutes into the castle that they care for, plus a huge number of services a week. It is a worshipping church community, and a tourist attraction.
Next day Thursday, we trained into London, and did St. Paul’s, walked along the Thames, crossed the Millennium bridge, visited Harrods, went on the London Eye, and then went to “We Will Rock You” the musical written by Queen and Ben Elton. It was great!!!! A Highlight. Sitting there among all these Queen fans singing along, clapping wildly, really getting into it.
Comments