Back to sunshine and blue sky again today. We went to the Eucharist at St Catherine's. There were thirty three of us present, Sunday School children and some adults were absent with the start of the school, so twenty fewer than last week, missing from the front half of the nave. None of those who sit at the back to make room for the Sunday school think to move forward unfortunately. 'Twas always thus, sad to say.
We returned home straight after church and had lunch early followed by a siesta in the chair before a walk around the fields, with cricket matches going on in Llandaff and Pontcanna Fields. In contrast to when both were deserted due to rain, groups of friends and family were sitting around on the grass chatting and picnicking, and children with their parents practising on their bicycles, plus joggers and leisurely walkers like me. It's good to see our green spaces so well used by people of all cultures among city dwellers, each in their own way.
On return, there was an item in my newsfeed from Sky news saying that Eluned Morgan is being backed by a presumed leading contender for the role, as the Senedd's next First Minister. I messaged Fr Rhys her husband offering deepest sympathies. The last time I spoke to her in church months ago, before Vaughan Gething was elected First Minister she expressed dread at the prospect of being nominated for the role and didn't let her name go forward. Being Health Minister for Wales was already difficult enough for her.
Half an hour after reading the news, I heard her being interviewed on the six o'clock news saying she's still making up her mind. Nobody else seems to be seeking nomination at the moment, though there are three more days until nominations close, but if she has support from all factions of Welsh Labour, her election would be a mandate for reconciliation.
Eluned has a great track record, having been the youngest person elected to the European Parliament back in 1994. She was granted a peerage in 2011 and served as a Shadow Minister in the House of Lords. She took the title Baroness Morgan of Ely - the name of the Parish in which she grew up, where her Dad Bob was Vicar for most of his ministerial career and one of my earliest ministerial mentors. In his day he was a local Councillor and County Council Leader before he finished. For now, it's a matter of Watch and Pray.
In the same news bulletin President Biden announced that he would not be seeking re-election. Another dose of covid and calls for him to withdraw seem finally to have convinced him he's no longer up to the job. He's to be succeeded by Vice President Karmala Harris
Looking for something to watch, I found a crimmie on ITVX now in its fourth series called McDonald and Dodds, and watched its latest two hour episode. The stories featuring a partnership between chalk and cheese detectives: an ambitious young black female Detective Inspector and her quiet perceptive middle aged West Country Sergeant. Quite a complex story-line, with a twist in the eventual resolution in the final minutes. I wonder if other episodes available on-line are as good as this?
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