Leadership changes

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?  

Stations on Monday

Up at eight, on another cold damp day. Routine housework after breakfast, then preparation of the six month's worth of material I've used in making Sway to prepare for an afternoon session on Sway with Paul, who will be taking over the editorial job after Easter. Thankfully, she's tech' savvy, and introducing her to the basic process was less difficult than I thought it might be. After a two hour session Fr Andrew dropped in to say hello and answer a couple of enquiries, and then left with Paula to spend time getting to know her, as he'll be working with her as Sway editor in future.

I drove through rush hour traffic to reach St German's for Stations of the Cross followed by Mass at half past six. It took half an hour, but that's no worse than the journey in reverse on a Sunday lunchtime. There were eighteen of us for Stations, and nine stayed for Mass. Prof Norman Doe and his wife attended and gave much needed musical support to the singing of Stabat Mater verses in between Stations. Norman had a trip to Istanbul before Christmas to a gathering of Orthodox hierarchs convened by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholemew to celebrate the publication of an English edition of his research work on Orthodox Canon Law. As international Canon Law colleagues Norman had helped with preparing this publication, and he was treated to a private audience in addition to attending the public one. A unique experience!

I got home a lot quicker than it took me to drive to church, had a late supper, and then watched a crimmie called 'Above Suspicion' which I found on ITVX. Clare wanted to watch 'Mr Bates versus the Post Office' but discovered that our TalkTalk digibox wasn't upgrading the old ITV hub to ITVX, so she had to watch it on her tablet instead. There we were, the two of us, side by side with headphones on, watching different things on our mobile digital devices, with the telly in the corner switched off. The shape of things to come.

Basma emailed saying that her tribunal hearing had gone well. The judge had spoken to her reassuringly. She can expect a formal decision in a fortnight and has the right to submit a new appeal immediately after a refusal of residency. Let's hope it doesn't come to that. I sent her another talk, the fifteenth in the series I have done, to prepare her for baptism, and started writing a couple more. 

I think today is the first time since I was last poorly when I completed half of my daily walking distance. Too much else to do, not to mention the awful weather for much of the day.