On duty at St John's

A dry day, with sun occasionally piercing the cloud. Aware that I'd be back late for lunch, I started cooking a tomato sugo after breakfast to go with chicken pieces cooked earlier in the week. I went to St Catherine's to pick up keys from Fr Sion before the service for the St John's midday Eucharist. It's three months since I last took a service there, but I had no problem preparing the altar as nothing has changed in the sacristy arrangements. There were six of us today, as three of the regulars were away. 

On the way home I collected the veg bag from Chapter. The bags are stored in a large wooden chest in the courtyard. Recently a small chest has appeared next to it, but I had no desire to look what was inside it until today as our bag was always to be found in the main chest. But not today. Having inspected the bag labels in the larger chest twice without success, I wondered if we'd been forgotten, until I inspected the other one and found ours, much to my relief.

It was gone one by the time I reached home. Clare had eaten earlier, so I finished cooking the sauce and ate it with the rice she had cooked. Much to my surprise, although I slept well last night, I slept deeply for an hour and a quarter when I sat down to read my news feed after lunch. It's not that I felt tired, but I recall the same happening in times past after celebrating the Eucharist. I wonder if it reflects a need for the kind of space and quiet to absorb the experience of celebrating Mass, as it's rarely possible immediately after the service when the priest is expected to be outgoing and chat with members of the congregation.

I woke up refreshed and went on an errand to Boots to collect part of a prescription she'd been told would be ready after lunch when a fresh delivery of supplies came in. Well it wasn't. The delivery had arrived but not been checked or unpacked. Come back tomorrow. A wasted journey. Then I walked up to Sion's house near Llandaff Cathedral to return St John's keys. I spotted Clare walking around the periphery of the field about 200 yards ahead of me, and intercepted her near the far end, much to her surprise. A pause for a kiss, then we went our separate ways, and returned home within minutes of each other half an hour later.

After supper, I completed the Morning Prayer video slideshow of the recording I made yesterday and uploaded to YouTube. Then I watched some more of the 'Bordertown' series I started yesterday until it was time for bed.