Night of Remembrance

This morning after breakfast, I took out my formal dress suit and shirt, immaculately preserved, thanks to Clare, ready to wear. I was relieved to find that it all fitted perfectly. I've not had occasion to wear it since November 2019, so this was a relief. It needed the accompaniment of a bow tie, cummerbund and braces, so I had to find them amongst the assortment of socks, a night cap and a yarmulka (ready for my next visit to a synagogue) and inspect them to ensure they were fit for purpose. All was well. 

Then I made a slide video of my twelve best photos since my cataract op, accompanied by 'cello music from Rachel, to send as a thank you to eye surgeon Andrew. Twelve out of the sixty taken since the op!  When I spoke with him yesterday, I didn't realise how many I'd taken in three and a half weeks. It's a third of what I might normally take in that time, but that wasn't what I remembered. It's just wonderful that my sight is now so much better, even with a second eye to get done eventually.

I prepared lunch - leftover split peas for me and prawns for Clare, with rice and veg for us both, but not too much for me with a five course banquet on tonight's horizon. Then I wrote my Remembrance Sunday Sermon for St German's and printed a copy of my table blessing prayer for tonight. 

Then there was time to head for the park to walk for over an hour before dressing up and going for a convenient 61 bus just ahead of the drinks hour before the Mess dinner with top table guests. I met some interesting people, including the first female captain of HMS Cambria, the local naval reserve shore establishment in South East Wales, and her colleague from HMS Dragon, the equivalent establishment in Swansea, who was my table companion. I found out he was an Anglican, well read with an enquiring mind, so our conversation over the meal was unusually interesting. 

On the other side I was seated next to John Wall, who has been Master of Ceremonies for this banquet and a key person in liaising with the Angel Hotel staff for as long as I have been invited, nearly twenty years. Both of us much the same age and conscious of the passage of time. The Mess is now in its 105th year and has survived the decimation of covid, despite an ageing membership, thanks to its dedicated core members. I felt honoured to be invited yet again to share in this unique military social occasion, saying Grace and taking part in the Act of Remembrance. 

When I stood up to say my lengthy table prayer, John couldn't work out how the microphone worked so I had to deliver it in my best stage voice to a room with over two hundred diners. I put heart and soul into delivery and the Amen at the end told me that I'd been heard. Several people afterwards said how they appreciated what they'd heard. I was grateful to think I'd got it right for this special crowd of people including the Lord Mayor of Cardiff (who arrived late) and Lord Lieutenant (who was on time). 

A splendid evening, and I was fortunate enough to catch a 61 bus home without waiting too long. Back home by eleven twenty. Gone are the days when I would go back to the Mess for the after dinner party. No longer do I have the stamina or the digestive system to cope. Late to bed for me, but not that late!