Saturday stroll

I attended the funeral at noon today of Gwynne James at St German's, another key figure in the life of the church who died just short of his ninetieth birthday without seeing the long awaited new Vicar inducted. I'd only known him as the man at the door with a kindly smile of welcome as he gave out books for every service I took there, until just before Christmas, when he went into hospital. I learned during the service that he'd been verger, head server and sacristan in times past. There were a dozen clergy present, and I was touched that after the Solemn Requiem Mass, the five servers who'd assisted escorted his coffin from the church.

Traffic was very slow moving on my return journey home, as shoppers descended on the city centre for the afternoon. I thought there might be a rugby match on, but was mistaken, that's next weekend. After lunch Clare and I went for a brisk walk in a strong chill wind around Bute Park, stopping off to take refuge and take tea in the outdoor snack bar in one corner of the walled garden, enclosing the greenhouses which are one of the city's major horticultural heritage assets, the heart of so much of the Council's success stories in floral city competitions. 

The umbrellas went up because of a brief shower. Thankfully it didn't last, so we were able to continue our walk down to the Castle, when I got a satisfying shot of the east face of the main buildings in the afternoon sun.

Then we walked across to the National Museum and spent an hour looking first at the Queen's jubilee exhibition, then the wonderful collection of Impressionist paintings and sculptures - some of them have been familiar to me, part of my visual for sixty years since my first childhood visit. I'm now a fan of Goscombe John's sculptures, and the Museum has a superb collection of them, both large and small.

We continued our walk into the centre, and called at the office to pick up a purchase I forgot to take home yesterday. It was the first time Clare had visited my current workplace. I wanted her to see it before we move next week to new accommodation with City Cente Management in the Motorpoint Arena office suite. "What a mess!" was her only comment. I had to admit it usually is like that - so many bits and pieces of work in progress. Will we have a chance to get tidy after the move I wonder?