Happy arrival

After a night made restless with anticipation, I set out for Malaga airport, just as Clare was boarding her flight in Cardiff. I had enough time to drive the slow coast road that took me to La Cala de Mijas to visit Peter and Linda. I decided to trust my memory of the route, rather than rely on Google, especially for the last section of the original N340 expressway that runs close to the sea. My memory only failed me once,,, when I'd reached La Cala and took the wrong roundabout to get to their urbanizacion, but it soon came back to me. I drove straight to the house and parked outside, and then started wondering if this was the right house. 

'Casa Madreselva' I remembered, and then number nine came into my head as I got out to look, only the be greeted by Peter who'd heard me arrive. It was a happy reunion. We haven't met since I was lasr on locum in Malaga, and lots has happened since then. Linda's now wheelchair bound, having lost a leg as a result of an untreatable toe infection. Their way of life has had to adjust quickly to radical changes, and they are facing up to it with courage, determination and good humour. 

It was lovely to finish by praying together. I could have stayed a bit longer in reality, as I arrived at the airport just as Clare's 'plane landed, and it was another three quarters of an hour before we were re-united, and that means a hour's parking fee. The car park was busy, but I was fortunate to find a space easily and get out afterwards without hassle.

The traffic was slow and heavy on the return drive, so it took an hour and a half. It was quite taxing but I coped well and didn't make any mistakes. I cooked us hake cutlets with rice and veg for a meal at tea time, then once it had cooled down we went for a sunset walk on the senda litoral. It's so good to have company. It's been a lonely five weeks.

I learned from an email this morning that the wedding anniversary blessing I was due to celebrate on Saturday has been cancelled. No reason given. I put a fair amount of work into preparing for this event. I'm intrigued to know the reason, as the couple seemed so pleased with the plan for celebration I offered them, but their minds were changed since we met. Maybe a religious ceremony of this kind is perceived as a commodity like any other to be taken or left according to whim. In times past when I did wedding blessings while on locum duty, the event was arranged by a wedding planner who acted as a negotiator with hotels, restaurants, venues for celebration, and with the chaplaincy. This had 'commodity' written all over it, but we made the effort in the hope that something of the significance of the ritual and words would touch hearts and minds in a spiritual way. There was no wedding planner involved here, it was a DIY affair. I wonder if we'll find out eventually?