New shoes

More work on student reports yesterday, and a trip to the CBS office to wrestle over the detail of the constitution until late. Even North Korea's nuclear sabre rattling young despot is overshadowed by the Thatcher demise debate. I bet Kim Jung Un is well fed up at being sidelined on the world stage by a former female western political heavy hitter. Serves him right. 

I had a funeral at St David's Caerau this morning and took along Phil from my tutor group to share in the service, having briefed him over the weekend about my exchanges with the bereaved family. He was at ease in the pastoral and liturgical roles assigned to him. He could have taken the whole thing with ease if I'd been unable to do so. To some liturgical performance come naturally, for others the beginning is a nerve wracking nightmare. The challenge is to give each one the right measure of support to enable them to develop their own gifts.

I arrived to collect Phil during the morning coffee break. Peter and John from the staff team were there chatting. Before we left, Peter came out and gave me a couple of bottles of fine Bordeaux Cab/Merlot as a thank you gift from the team. Such a nice surprise - one of Clare's favourite wines.

On my way in to the CB office for a final editorial scrutiny of the Constitution text, I stopped to buy some much needed new shoes and sandals. I was pleased to find just what I wanted, but when I came to pay discovered that I'd left my cards at home in a pocket of the shirt I was wearing before I changed to go out to the funeral. I started off for home and then wondered if Ashley was somewhere around the block and in a position to lend me the money. Ten minutes after a text message and a phone call and he appeared with cash in hand, and we were able to leave with the goods and walk to the office together.

My new sandals cost five times the 'el cheapos' I bought in the Vinaros Carrefour when I arrived last June. I wore them non-stop for six months and now they're falling apart, just about wearable in a crisis. At last they can go out on their own with the rubbish, leaving some good memories behind.