Arrivaderci Roma

Just back from a quick birthday jaunt to Rome with Son #2. It was gloriouso in every way, not to mention very scorchio. there is not a sight that has not been seen and photographed from every angle by said son.  I have been to Rome before – just for the day many, many years ago with Brother Basil and two friends and we ‘did’ St Peter’s and the Vatican Museum. I remember coming away impressed and with fresco neck. This time it was less of the religious stuff and more of the ruins although many churches were visited en route. And Son #2 did want to do St P and Vatican so I was delighted to do it again. Much has changed, not least the amount of people and the noise.

But for now I must leave you with that tantalising tease for I must sleep before the parish outing to Lindisfarne tomorrow.

I’m back

Sometimes I have difficulty switching off when on holiday. It takes at least a week for all the stuff swirling round your head to settle in a quiet corner. I spent that week pottering, tidying, reading a little in the garden on the two sunny days this past fortnight. This fun was only broken by 2 visits -  one to the dentist and one to the gynaecologist. Both a riot.

I miss work. I miss the people. I miss the routine which is not really routine because every day is different. I miss it all.  And although I recognise that we do need to take some time out, I do get awfully bored without it all. You see, I love my job. It is the perfect job for me and why would I want to take time away from it? To do it better when I return refreshed, I hear you cry. OK, you got me on that one.

This week I went to stay with P in the Borders. That’s the place where you go for peace and quiet and a chance to restore your soul. P lives deep in the valley with just nature for company, and no TV or radio or music either.  On the 3rd day I couldn’t take it any more and hightailed it up the road back to concrete and noise. Although that’s not to say that the country is completely quiet what with the sheep, cows, cats crunching mice and rabbits, bees and the quad bike shepherds.

Throughout it all I gave up smoking. So far that’s 1 week 5 days 10 hours etc and I’ve saved £111 (which coincidentally was the cost of the purple Radley handbag in Melrose).  Must write to Bishop Martin’s wife who sat next to me at the Synod dinner and told me about Champix – a new drug to help giving up smoking with great results.  My sister and I both started taking it at the same time and although she gave up a few days before me because she just went off them, I held on to the last minute before I had to do it. I won’t say its been easy – there is a certain amount of willpower involved – but it certainly hasn’t been hard. And the benefits are immense, as you’d expect. Of course this is not the first time I’ve given up in my 38 years as a dedicated smoker. I did manage 2 years when I was a curate but that all fell apart after a rather stressful time and one too many G&Ts and a persuasive friend.

Champix does have some side effects but they are not too horrendous. You just have to look out for suicidal thoughts and so far I’ve not had any of them. Son #2 is on them now too but we’re keeping an eye of him as he has a very dark sense of humour.  And I should warn you not to mention my girth which was slowly declining and is now rapidly reappearing.

So back to work tomorrow and I expect a round of applause for making it through a couple of weeks without work – oh yes, and without fags.

Holiday update

Spent an hour in the chair with the lovely Pedro this morning having a little root canal treatment. Nothing better for your holiday enjoyment. Of course, now that he’s done it he reckons it won’t hold so I need a cap or crown. I am rather weary of the whole affair and fed up eating soft food (missing filling on other side too).

So what else have I done with this well-earned holiday?  3 DVDs have been watched while it poured rain outside. They were: Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (loved the book and love the movie); Doubt (scary Meryl Streep and scary story of nuns and a priest); Quantum of Solace (not short of car/boat/plane/people chases).

I’ve also done a bit of ferrying around of Son #1 and we haven’t been near a Historic Scotland site yet. Next week…

Oh yes, and I gave up smoking. Now on Day 5 and its a breeze. Thank you Champix.

Happy Holiday

It seems such a long time since I had a decent amount of time off so I am really looking forward to this break. Funds (or the lack of them) prevent any exotic locations other than my back garden and perhaps some exploration of the Historic Scotland sites which I’ve never seen, even though I’ve been a member for years. But all I really need to relax is a pile of novels. Oh, and I have a dental appointment somewhere in the middle. What joy.

I may blog – I may not.

I’m back

The holiday is over, the books have been read and the pile of unread ones has gone back into the bookcase for the next break, and Son #1 has finally finished his disseration and has moved out of my study. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

I’ve missed all you bloggers. I’ve missed procrastinating on Facebook. I’ve missed being part of Church. And I’ve missed people.

I only wish I had missed out all the food. Ah well, another resolution must begin.

Holiday snaps

Just back from a few days R&R at Langwoodbarn, the home of the beloved Patsy, somewhere deep in a valley miles from anywhere and Peebles.  It snowed. There was no TV, no Radio, no music – just peace and quiet and sheep. Bliss! Well, bliss for a few days. We extroverts can only cope with such silence in very small doses.  And I did get a bit panicked that it might freeze and I’d never get out. So I came home. But I am still on holiday and now the serious reading begins.

Here are some photos. The wonderful thing about this vista is that it is constantly changing.

Blog break… maybe

It is that time of year when clergy take a deep breath, give thanks for all that has been, and then collapse in a warm corner breathing a huge sigh of relief.  Yes, it is holiday time and as I didn’t fare very well last year with holidays, I am having two weeks off.  I may blog and I may not, but  be sure that books will be read, movies watched and relaxing done.

And we’re off to Gay Paris

Harvest Festival today and our parish lunch. Found another hole in a tooth. I think this shall be known as the year of the dentist in years to come.

Home to pack before heading off to Gay Paris tomorrow. Very gay, in fact, for I think we are staying near the Gay Quarter. That’ll be fun.

No blogging for a week. Bishop Alan is in charge so please be good for him. I don’t want any bad reports when I get back.

And burglars please note that the house is not empty. Son #2, who is big and burly, will be lounging around all week.

Holiday from hell

Frankly, my dears, I have just had the worst holiday ever. Forget cancelled flights, lost luggage, lousy weather. These are but nothing compared my holiday just past. The plan, of course, was to go and stay with a friend for a week and then to lounge around in the garden reading books. Of course the arrival of the new boiler put paid to going away the first week but I still was looking forward to a second week of R&R. Let me tell you what really happened and why I don’t want anyone asking if I had a nice break.

3 floods and 3 visits from Dynorod

Washing machine broke in the first flood, was repaired after 4 days, and blew up again within an hour.

Dodgy electricity meant getting a new power box into the house and suggestion that we get a new fuse box.

(This was all in the first week.)

Now for my second week of my holidays…

Boiler still being fitted and tuned in.

Carpet stained so carpet shampooer had to be purchased and used.

Tooth abcess returned with a vengeance which required an emergency wait for the mad dentist who finally agreed to remove the crown there and then. I now know it is best not to do this while you have an abcess in situ. Such severe pain, the likes of which I have never experienced except perhaps in childbirth, and swollen face 5 days later. (And one root still in there languishing perhaps to come back and bite me at a later date.)

New washing machine arrived but was unable to be fitted because the pipes are stuck. Had to wait another 2 days with dirty washing piling up around our ears before Keith, the lovely boiler fitter, came back and did it easily. Oh, but he did find another minor leak behind said washing machine which he will return to mend at a later date.

Gee, am I looking forward to getting back to work. I’m exhausted!

Holidays and boilers

I should be on holiday today for a fortnight. Tomorrow I should have been going down south with friends for some much-needed R&R. I really feel like I could do with a break from computers and pew sheets and preaching and the like.

However, those of you who have been following this Blog will know about the aga saga. The new boiler was to be fitted today and the job will last about 5 days. The work will mostly take place in my study so that involves moving computers and equipment and files to another room. +A, my glamourous assistant, has suggested that I do ‘light duties’ instead this week and take a week later on in the year. That seemed like a good idea.

Last night I got a phone call from the Boiler man. Unfortunately he can’t start the job until Wednesday so that means it will eat into my 2nd holiday week too. Bah! Oh well, no point in getting upset about it. What shall be shall be. Let’s hope the weather keeps up and I can get out into the garden with this pile of books I’ve been waiting to read.