Quite a weekend it was. Various friends to stay at various times in Blogstead’s guest wing .. a hospital visit in Edinburgh .. Sunday morning in Forfar.
And the highlight? Well of course you’ll be thinking of Christine’s Ordination to the Priesthood in All Saints, St Andrews, on Sunday afternoon. I’ve really got beyond those ‘long way from Portadown’ thoughts which used to afflict me in such moments. Now I just stand or sit in the midst as my Chaplain directs while waves of pageantry, colour, incense and music swirl around me. It really was the sort of event which Piskie church does well. There were some awesome moments – particularly moments of silence. As long as I have a minder muttering ‘Hat on – hat off’ I’m just fine.
But – sorry Christine – it wasn’t the highlight. Even the Ordination Service was surpassed by the Cathedral Chapter’s ‘do’ at Blogstead to mark Janice Cameron’s retirement. Well – you can mark Janice’s retirement. Whether she’ll take any notice is a different question. But it did give us an opportunity to move beyond the simple pleasures of our usual Beetle Drive to test-drive the new St Andrews Monopoly [in the shops now £16.99 – 3 for the price of 2]. Here one can light upon Coupar Angus, pass quickly on to Ballintuim, sell Elie and Pittenweem, build the new toilets at Doune – or end up in Jail [now known as the SinBin] Hours of fun for the whole church family.