Chasing the Tail

Not much time for blogging at the moment. Writing sermons, preparing Service Sheets,  (unjaming the phocopier**!!**) Carol Services, Christmas School Assembly's, a funeral tomorrow and the last Diocesan Standing Committee Meeting of the year tonight at 6.00 pm which will mean navigating the Christmas Shoppers traffic in Inverness.

All this coupled with the seasonal good will that the Ministry of Defence are making massive cuts at RAF Kinloss, the Health Board are delaying the building of a new Health Centre in Forres and the Moray Council are massively overspent and think that the best way forward is to cut front line services, especially the education of special needs children.

Its enough to make you want to chase your tail!

Bells smells and Golf

What a great few days it has been here in Moray. On thursday, having been here for just over six years as priest in charge, I was installed as Rector at St John's Forres. The service was on thursday, the Feast Day of Francis Xavier and the fifteenth anniversary of my priesting. Bishop Mark presided and despite my anxious anticipation said nothing embarrassing in the sermon. The service was a High Mass with bells and smells followed by a sumptuous feast in the Rectory which turned into a very enjoyable evening indeed.

Today, tuesday, has been a wonderful day with clear blue skies, a bit of frost and an excellent game of golf on the Moray Old Course at Lossiemouth, made all the more enjoyable as my partner Bill and I cruised to an easy 3 & 2 victory.

Things go down hill a bit tomorrow as I have to be up at the crack of dawn to catch the 06.35 train from Inverness to Edinburgh to attend the Rural Futures Day Conference.