Saturday 30 October 2010

Fall back

Yesterday a new small untreated wooden cupboard arrived to be used for storing table linen in the dining room. Clare took pride in giving it a coat of varnish to blend in with the rest of the wood in the room, yesterday and again today. We have new dining chairs to buy, and then our home making project will be complete - for the time being.

This morning I took the bike out of the shed and went for a ride across the park over to the big Tesco. It's only the second time I've used the bike since I retired. It took me an age to get started because I couldn't find the right tyre pump, and when I came to take the bike out through the back lane security gate, I found that the padlock had seized and had to deal with it. It wasn't until I got back that my state of annoyance subsided.

After lunch we went to Cefn Onn Park for an afternoon stroll in the sunshine. It's still pretty mild for the end of October. Normally we go there in the Spring to see the rhododendron collection flowering, but the variety of autumn colours is just as spectacular, due to deciduous conifers and wine red Acers (Japanese maples). We found a garden centre on the way back, but little worth buying at this time of year. Better to go again in the Spring.

The clocks go back tonight - already - how this first six months of retirement has flown by. After many minor hassles, I finally received my permission to officiate document for the Diocese in Europe this morning. Having this means I go on a list of clerics available for duty in chaplaincies needing locum cover. How this will work out in due course remains to be seen. Who knows? It may help get me out of my safe comfort zone into places where my experience can be of use, and maybe challenged afresh.

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