Kerumbs !

Today held An Awesome Thrill ! David McMahon, in his truly inspired ‘authorblog’ has awarded the Souffle an accolade. Thank You, David. But Thank You Much More for your blog, putting your own visitors – even couch surfers like me – into such easy contact with so many and such varied blogs (which I for one mightn’t have discovered otherwise…..)

Thank you, too, all you lovely, lovely visitors - and for your kind comments …….. I tried to call back, but haven’t reached you all yet……. sorry……. (I just HAD to hack the lawn down while I could still see over it……… took three attempts as it was……..)

It Takes Time

“It takes time. Aye………..it certainly does.”
“And what’s that, then ?”
“Oh – you know”.

Lots of things. Loads of things, even. Waiting for Christmas……for paint to dry…..…for yeast to rise when you’re making bread…… for a cake to cook…….. time to gather together the ingredients for a risotto…….. or for a soufflé, come to that.

And time for the bereavement process to lumber along……….

ChickPea thought she’d finished blogging the other night. Guess she had, kindof. Had finally published that post that Started Before, But Wouldn’t Finish…….( it just wasn’t cooked – somehow it wasn’t ‘complete’…… but HOW to finish it ? – What else did it need ? ………. so it sat, and festered ……… ok, ok – it MATURED)………..

And then, earlier that night, there came an almighty kick to the buttparts, and ChickPea realized that A Most Significant Post had not yet been written. Time had slipped by. And For Life To Be OK, It Needed To Be Written……… but ….. How On Earth Would It Start ?

I’m sure you’ve been there …… writing a book…..a postcard……. a sermon…… a letter……a blog post….…. The Wish is there, but The Muse hides in a cupboard somewhere……..(presumably a-mused)…..

And suddenly, Light Dawns…. (the chooks start muttering to themselves = the clockwork brain starts to move )…. and Then You Realize It’s Already There….. And Waiting….. Biding Its Time..… Waiting Till The Time Is Right……

And when that time has finally arrived, it can happen that the words just appear on the screen, and it all makes sense somehow – and if it’s not exactly right immediately, you kinda know which re-wording is The One To Keep…..

So ChickPea wuz kinda chuffed that Things Had Fallen Into Place. And, moreover, apparently, into an appropriate – even ‘right’ – place. Peace had been made. Life was ok. TH was in bed with his bug, and some NightNurse (no – not plural….) ….and was hopefully asleep….. At Last…….and hopefully thru till morning this time.

Then ChickPea took Mr Mutt out for his Late Night Constitutional. Whereupon another cupboard door opened, and out crept ‘Bereavemment’ in his best finery. Well, second-best finery. (‘Thankfully’ was right behind him, and distracted him a little, allowing ChickPea space ). Nonetheless, the two of them dogged her footsteps. And the bright bubble aftermath of blogging Was No More…….

To outwit The Descending Cloud, ChickPea Pondered……

Bereavement cannot, after all, be (successfully) outrun, out-manoeuvred or otherwise evaded. If you get a headstart, it will still catch you up. If you are very quick on your feet, you may think you’ve won….. but it still catches you up………eventually. Probably At An Inopportune Moment. If you grab it by the lapels and make it sit down, thinking that at least you know where it is, it will get up and Take You By Surprise when you least expect it…...

No, the only REAL, effective way is to accept it into your life for the time it takes, accept it as a guest, hopefully bringing some good memories but accepting the myriad tears and regrets and sadness………

No, you cannot evade Bereavement……… so allow it in, give it a cup of tea and a piece of cake, sit down with it, if you can, when you can, and accept the visit……

Knowing The Way

ChickPea is pondering…..again. How do folk know which way when travelling life’s paths ?

“Good morning chookies. What matters to you in Life ?”
“Who ? Us ? You’ll ask us what matters ? Well, there’s a thing…… oooh – there’s another one ! And if we scratch here….. and there…… we’ll find more things…… some of them good, and tasty, some not….. some lost, some well hidden……. And of course we’ll tell you all about it – everyone will hear about what we think……..”
“Ah. So you’d have been out front, outside, last Sunday, fluffing your feathers and strutting about, finding something to nag at………. And maybe missing the Fundamental Truth…… but With The Best Intention….. I'm not so sure you’re Episcopal hens after all…..””

“What about yourself, Mistress Mog – what helps you in life – you’re not a map reader – what tells you The Way ?”
“Ah, well. I’ve seen Things Change. The ups and the downs. My first move is – if it’s sunny, sit still in the sunshine. Rest. Enjoy. Stretch. Wash and brush up. If it looks right, and interesting, explore it. (Carefully). If it tastes right, eat up and be given nourishment.”
“I see. And if not…. ?”
“Ah. They say ‘Curiosity killed the cat’ – so I’ve been kinda careful. For nineteen years. If In Doubt – Sleep. Has been ok for me so far. Worked for DJ. Worked Out Right for him eventually.”
“I see you’ve found a deep truth there, Ms Mog.”

“And you, Mr Mutt ?”
“Me ? You noticed me ? Wow ! Well – I say that if the walk is going along a fine path, good view, interesting smells, I’ll go too. Head up, tail up, bright eyes, great smile. If I don’t like the look of it, I’ll dig my feet in, drag behind and question the whole package. Should certainly be able to eat it – or give it a try, anyway. A certain decorum is appropriate…….if it’s LOUD and noisy, I’ll likely vamoose – and go another route. Offskie…… Most important of all – it’s got to smell right.”

“Not so different from the last posting, eh.”

Uh huh. There’s maybe a grain or two of good seed here, amongst the weeds and rubbish. The Big Man Himself, all those years ago, would have fondled these beasts. And I’m sure Mr Mutt wouldn’t have bitten Him……..

Reality Shows

What’s this ? Is ChickPea a closet ‘Big Brother’ fan ? Or is she trying to ‘Look Good Naked’ ?

Ha ! – NO !!!!!!

She considers such so-called ‘Reality Shows’ something of a poser. These facile TV programmes seem to show the viewer everything except ‘reality’ – ok, it may be happening ‘now’, maybe even in ‘real time’ - but is so unbelievably contrived that ‘REAL’ is hardly an appropriate description………Unreal maybe…..

No. ChickPea has Something Else in mind. She’s thinking that ‘reality’ shows in so very many ways ….. not just the hard things we all meet in our lives (usually when we’d rather not….), but the kind words, thoughtful gestures, affirming embrace that so unexpectedly manifest……. all of which demonstrate something ‘Real’ about the interaction, the friendship…… something honest……… something true…… something Loving…….. and Lovely.

And, somehow, ‘Real’ will always get through, come to light, be seen…….. ‘show’.

And that, is good. Even five days later, despite all the fog of intervening Life, that is very, VERY good.

And THAT is what we met last Sunday when +Gene visited S Mary’s to both Celebrate The Mystery of Christ (and Christianity) and to preach The Word (and this latter so very firmly based upon the words of the day’s readings of the lectionary).

Both the Eucharist and the sermon were so, SO ‘Real’.

If anyone there had previously doubted the true Reality of the man – let alone of the bishop – meeting +Gene that day, hearing him speaking from the depths of his faith, experience and insight, seeing his pastoral care and concern for several beloved who spoke with him ….. any Such a person, like Thomas touching the nail prints, would have Seen, And Believed……..

And, astonishingly, this particular incident of Reality certainly seems to me to transcend the limitations of recording. (Unlike ‘Big Bro’).

See For Yourself at http://thecathedral.org.uk (on 'Home Page' select 'Spirituality' and 'Preaching') or through the haze from the incense of http://thurible.net

The Dark Knight

Good film. Joker certainly deserved his Oscar. But very dark. Very violent. Quite gratuitous. Much be a '12' rating purely on technicality. Parents need to be aware.

"Socks.......... JUST what I always wanted......."

By the time you get to read this, TH will have Reached His Annual Auspicious Day. This year, ChickPea had Time To Prepare. Before the Partnership Blessing on Saturday, she dashed off into town to get TH a present. And what…. ?

Well, of course, there IS only one possible answer. What does the Man Who Has Everything always need ?

EXACTLY. Socks. So that’s what she got.

Now, for some obscure reason, TH does not much like getting socks. Through the years, ChickPea has given him cheap socks, good socks, silly socks, fancy socks, warm socks, Cool sox, Very Silly socks and Unbelievably Expensive socks – and his response is usually much the same……

So……..

She got him a book as well (about a puppy – aaaaaaaahhhhhh...)

TH never seems to read the books ChickPea buys for him. But he loves reading books……… (other books)……… So – she got him a book as well.

Happy Birthday, TH !

(Now…… how long d’you suppose it took before TH looked inside the front cover of the book, read the wee ‘post-it’ note, turned this over as directed to read the back of the ‘post-it’ note, and discovered there was another parcel hidden in the top cupboard downstairs……….. ?
(a) less than 0.03 seconds; (b) 0.03 seconds; (c) more than 3 minutes (plus prompting…..)

So - Now, at last, Him’n’Her can both play the Wii that TH bought (them) for ChickPea’s Unofficial Birthday a few months back ! ! )

Whistle, and the surplices come running........

There was a partnership blessing today, so the choir were being prised out of their Summer Cupboard, dust and mothballs shaken off, ready to wheel out for the occasion – the cassocks stood to attention, and when ChickPea whistled, the surplices all came running…….. then the singers arrived 10 minutes later…….

And all went well, all was well (apart from the organ sypher during the prayers), and the sun shone on the Happy Couple. Long may Happiness embrace them.

Tonight, TH is away singing in Strathallan.

While TH Cat is Away, Mouse Will Out To Play – yes – don’t tell ! - ChickPea’s having a fling !

Well…. several flings………. with Wally Washingmachine, Herbie Hanger, and Ivor Iron for starters, with C.Rumple and C.Rease muscling in on the action too… (oh dear - she’s evidently got to that age……)

Meantime, Mr Mutt yawns, looks bored and waits patiently for his late night stroll…….