On holiday

After the excitement of yesterday, we set off early to make the long journey to Kinlochbervie in time for dinner. Got the 10.00am ferry and arrived here at 7.40pm with only two short breaks. The last fifty miles were amazing - fabulous scenery on a single-track, uppy-downy, twisty-turny road which should not be attempted by those prone to car-sickness! Anyway, here we are and it's sheer heaven. The picture shows Jess and me exploring the hillside above the house. Ah bliss!

Civil Partnership

Well, my boys are hitched and it went pretty much without a hitch, save for the deluge of rain that ensured we all arrived soaking wet! The ceremony was lovely and the words well-chosen. It was just their best friends and immediate family who attended but we made a good crowd in the small marriage suite. Afterwards there was a party at The Pier where the grooms were only slightly upstaged by baby Dylan who'll make a fine spin bowler when he's older.

Thank you to everyone who sent good wishes and prayers for today. I couldn't have been prouder *huge silly grin*

Triple Whammy

They say bad things happen in threes, but good ones do too if yesterday was anything to go by. First I bought a new little car - a Hyundai i10, which is one of the new high economy, low emissions jobs. However, for a very modest price, this one comes with all kinds of toys not usually associated with basic models, and a five-year warranty to boot. My one is a black ex-demonstrator, six months old, with only 4000 on the clock.

Then the minute I got home, Michael and Charlie arrived all breathless with good news, that they've arranged to get married on July 3, just before we all go away, so that it'll be like a honeymoon! It's to be a very small civil ceremony, close family only and their two best friends as witnesses. We're hoping Charlie's granny will make it. A blessing has yet to be arranged, but will happen some time later in the summer I think and will be an excuse for a bigger party.

And finally, my dear friend Doo phoned up to tell me I'm a great-godmother to a little girl, Charlotte. The boys have chosen to get married on what will be Doo's sixtieth birthday, so it all ties up rather nicely, doesn't it?

Bambi

Look what Jonny found as we came down the hill through the bluebells and bracken this morning. He can only be days old. How fortunate that spaniels are gentle with other animals (except pheasants) and apart from giving a curious sniff, left him be so that I could photograph him.

Puppy dog tales

Alas! Jonny's epic is no more and is but a medium length tail with a plastic syringe cylinder and a blue bandage on the end.

The vet removed about six inches of tail yesterday because the blackened end of it was necrotic tissue that was beyond saving. He also has a bandage on his paw where a split and infected claw has been removed. Poor old boy - he's had a bad week!

He seems none the worse for the loss. In fact he's definitely much happier.

Jess has been flaunting her own perfect little tail. She gets her come-uppance on Monday when she goes to the furdresser for a number two all over.

Ouch!

My swim yesterday made my muscles sore - yowee! I think it must be to do with not warming up or cooling down because I was pushed for time - a hapless exam candidate awaited me at nine o' clock. I usually swim eight lengths slowly to warm up, then sixteen at full throttle (which for me is still slowly but with more oomph) followed by eight slower ones again. That way, I don't feel a thing the next day. Yesterday I just swam twenty lengths going all out because I wanted to have time for my breakfast before school. The feeling of still being slightly damp in my clothes reminded me of the old days when the wee wifie who handed out the towels would make you a mug of Bovril for a penny so you didn't catch a chill going home.

And talking of ouch - poor Jonny has a very sore tail which is probably the result of an unwise wag. It's going to need a trip to the vet's I think.

Healing

I feel as if I've been in a Susan Howatch novel these last few weeks. Difficult times cause strong emotions and strong emotions can wreak havoc if you're not careful. Well, havoc has been wreaked but healing is well on the way, thanks to a lot of arduous and difficult work. It's still not there because there are a couple of final bridges to be crossed but I'm still hopeful.

I just had to write a sermon about the Holy Spirit for Pentecost. It seemed rather apt really.

The 'S' Word

'I'm sorry' is such a simple little phrase - two wee words. Well, two and a half if you're going to be pedantic, and yes, you need all of them - 'sorry' by itself doesn't quite do it. And yet they're incredibly powerful. They have the power to change the direction of mood - turn anger towards reconciliation, hurt towards healing, coldness towards warmth. They can express strong emotion or else be merely polite, but I believe they're vital. I'm not much good at linguistics, but the word 'vital' was chosen carefully to express something I believe strongly. Those two little words have life. They can restore life and make it worth living again.