An evening - and a morning - with Auntie.......

Last night’s exercise was to entertain Auntie’s Argonauts – that intrepid band from Auntie who quest to produce The Ultimate Sunday Morning Service for the airwaves……...

Yup. The Cathedral is hosting Radio 4’s Sunday morning’s broadcast service this week – ‘twill be Matins (kerumbs – I have to dust off the memory banks to recall last time Chickpea sang Matins – was it at Salisbury in the days of the RSCM Cathedral Course ? Or was it in 1990, visiting all the (main) Cathedrals of Scotland in 24 hrs, singing a service in each, being Matins in both Oban and Inverness (different music for each service ? _ but OF COURSE !), Eucharist in Aberdeen, Evensongs (full choral OF COURSE – weren’t they ALL ?) in Perth and Dundee, with Complines in both Edinburgh and back home in Glasgow – under the scaffolding, and singing ‘The day Thou Gavest Lord, is ended’ – with n’er a dry eye in sight (NB - a 24 hour feat never yet repeated ! – come on next generation !!) – don’t believe me ? - visit Mr Lay Clerk’s blog to see the photographic record of the intrepid choristers involved !)

Anyway. Notwithstanding. So there they were, sorting out ‘timings’ last night, at the regular choir practice, rather than the usual ‘day before’ routine becos there’s an RSCM gathering in the place tomorrow. Sound levels, etc will all need to be sorted out on the day - roll on 7am !

So – if you’d like to invite TH and ChickPea into your home on Sunday morning, all you need do is tune in to Radio 4 at 8.10am. (Or surf the internet and visit the BBC website – either then for ‘Listen Live’, or during the seven days following for ‘Listen Again’ /Radio 4 Sunday morning service – available worldwide !)

Seriously, though, it’ll probably be The Provost preaching, and his sermons are usually well worth being awake to hear – visit the Cathedral’s website at http://www.thecathedral.org.uk/ and find out for yourself !

Have a great day !

Yawn.......Creak........Stretch......... (Groan..........)

Yup. ChickPea is getting fit(ter) – tho isn’t yet at the stage where she feels the benefit…….’hitting the wall’ seems to be the phraseology……

(How are you getting on, Mr Lay Clerk ? How is it for you ? You seem kinda silent just now…….)

Dear, much neglected Reader - you’ll maybe remember ChickPea’s joy at gaining 15 hours part time working, just 3 hours a day, Mondays to Fridays……..which started on Monday 5th January. She is kinda tall (5 foot 12 in her bare feet when last measured a while back), and junior school tables and chairs ….. and, er…. ‘things’……are kinda low to clean, clean around, hoover under, and generally maintain in a satisfactory state of cleanliness. Fine blue carpet in abundance – shows every last bit of detritus ! And Jollyface Hoover has a mind of his own as to Everywhichwaytogo…….. Three hours of frantic scrambling to accomplish the required tasks and Achieve A State Of Order And Cleanliness…….. (Who needs a gym ?)

Not to beat about the bush, ChickPea has been feeling a trifle ‘exercised’ when she gets home……. (This has been an excellent excuse to submerge herself in a hot bath...... lit candles.... incense stick............open window for a refreshing breeze.........and a charged glass within easy reach………. Ahhhhhhhhhh…………… Bliss). Past two days the glass was not utilized…….. but TODAY – aha ! (Maybe this is what’s got her onto the keyboard again….).

Unlike Lay Clerk, she’s not lost 30 pounds…....(meaning lbs......)…..though she remains hopeful...........

Most fortuitously TH is an Accomplished Man In The Kitchen (a previous present of a day at Nick Nairn’s Cook School proved inspirational). Current itinerary is allowing him The Opportunity To Remember. And he is. Brilliantly. And Most Supportively.

"Ooooops............"

There she was, ChickPea working steadily on the computer, conscientiously wading through her Outlook ‘Inbox’ and doing some (much needed) tidying up. All was going well. Considering the time of night and distraction levels of the TV and TH ………..

When……oops……..’NOW what’ve I done ?’ she thought….. Quietly……… To Herself. …………….

TH was rather close by………… but maybe busy enough not to notice……… HOW ON EARTH could the screen picture thingie rotate itself COMPLETELY by 180 degrees without so much as a ‘by the way, I’m going to…….’ ?! (HELP !)

(DON’T PANIC !)

She was sure she should be able to fix it. Herself. She’d just completed a module of the ECDL after all…… What had she done – had she pressed those keys ?....... mebbe…… wonder if repeating might sort it……. noooooooo…….. never mind, should be sortable from the desktop screen……..found the desktop…….right click………ummmmmmmmm…….not convinced that was right - tho it’s kind of tricky when it’s all upside down, and the cursor is moving back to front…….. (and TH is right by her left elbow……….but apparently not noticing)…………HOW is he not noticing ? …. (miracles DO still happen….)……………….maybe shutting it down and turning it off will sort it out……………….
………………………………………….

……Noooooooooooooooo……………………

…………..perhaps leave it till tomorrow………..maybe it’ll repent after a night off………….

….sooooooooo…

……………………………..Nooooooooooo.

Yup, ChickPea wuz having a fun time before Christmas. .......................


(Sorry - What was that ? – Oh ! – YES - She DID get it sorted out the next day, with technical guidance from The College, and yes, it was thru that right click on the ‘desktop’ manoeuvre (just a step beyond where she’d got to whilst trying to read, think and re-orientate upside down………)

................and now I guess she’ll find out how often TH is reading her blog………!

New year Greetings

Here’s hoping that 2009 has started well for you.

TH and Chickpea have been having loads of ‘chill and recover’ time this year, with both feeling on the verge of ‘going down with something’, but thankfully not quite succumbing. (Yet). This has tended to keep them ‘grounded’ at home, with the hatches battened down and drawbridge up. Having been intending/hoping to invite folks round for Conviviality, Fostering of Friendships and Partying with Pals, this has been a little disappointing. But bugs is bugs, and not nice to share.

Billy the Kid, our House Guest of the Season, thankfully seems immune to the nasties, steadily exploring and claiming the house as satisfactory territory, and checking that Ms Mog is not receiving Preferential Attention. He is a fine orange cat, allowing Mr Mutt to share his space so long as Mr Mutt is appropriately deferential. The chooks were most concerned to see a feline living next door to them, and made sure the neighbourhood were aware of their disgust. Billy, however, was totally non-plussed, especially when he realised the chair is ideally placed for the sun shining in through that window on a good morning ! And the chooks forgot he was there after about an hour of fussing.

So all is generally well with The Household Here – apart from poor Myna, still overcome by broodiness, determined to occupy the nestbox and desperately keen to hatch non-hatchable eggs, so making laying difficult for her companions. Advice to separate her from the flock and seclude her in a ‘broody-coop’ has been taken. She’s not impressed. We hate seeing her discomfited in this way, but hope this is the quickest way to help her back to normal. (More likely she’ll decide the conservatory is a preferable domicile and complain when returned to Outside !).

Soon it’ll be Epiphany, and time to take down the twinkling lights that gladden our hearts and remind us that this is also our ‘Wedding Anniversary Season’ – celebrated in style this year with loads of candles and the Cathedral’s Carol Concert. Thirteen years. Who’d have thought it !