Sunday Morning at Church

11/1/09 11:11 PM

Today was absolutely brilliant. I got up and headed over to the cathedral for a morning Eucharist. The processional hymn was “The First Noel,” which I could sing because I knew it, and for some reason, watching the procession as they moved through the church, winding their way around the pillars to come toward the altar, struck me as an incredibly powerful sight. I must have looked like a complete lunatic with how broadly I was beaming. John, who has been a very good friend of ours for many years, was in the procession, and he recognized me as he went past, despite not having seen me for three or four years and not knowing I was in the area. He gave me a big smile after his start of recognition, and when I caught up to him afterwards, he gave me a big hug and asked how everyone was doing. Ed, who is a canon at the cathedral, and the person I was told to contact for a job, was also in the procession. After the service, he and I talked about jobs and I’m to ring him tomorrow and come by to drop off my CV. He seemed positive about my library ideas but said he didn’t want to get my hopes up and that money was tight. I fully understand that, but still… wow! I never thought it might actually have a slim chance of working!

A boy was baptised today, Oliver, about 8 years old. This is the Sunday celebrating Christ’s baptism, so the sermon was about the Holy Spirit descending on him in the form of a dove. We didn’t have a dove, but a little sparrow flew around Oliver and the font several times during the process. That made me grin.

So, I left the cathedral today with a great uplifted spirit and a huge grin on my face. It was definitely a good day.

After church, I came back to Sally’s and watched Antiques Roadshow while brushing Gizmo. That poor kitty—I got about a fist-sized wad from her. She was purring up a storm, clearly loving the grooming. She’s too big to groom her back and butt properly, so that’s where most of it came from. She’s got kitty dandruff there too, so I’m trying to find a remedy for that. It much suck to have itchy, dry skin where you can’t reach it. That’s probably why she loves me brushing her there so much.

We had Sally’s next door neighbour, an elderly woman named Elizabeth, over for dinner. Elizabeth and Sally are both absolutely fascinating people, and they both love cats, and, even more impressive, all three of us together were able to quote the first twenty lines of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales over dinner… in Middle English! Sally started, then Elizabeth picked up the next few lines, then me, then Sally… Wow. I have found my people.

I did find out what my address was today. Here it is, probably for the next month at least, if anyone wants to send me anything. I don’t see why anyone would want to, when it’s cheaper to email, but oh well.

And if you want to come stalk me, you’d better be a cute British boy wanting to make me a British citizen. ~nods~

5 Ayleswade Road
Salisbury
SP2 8DW
UK

I won’t bother with the phone number. If anyone is interested in talking to me that much, just call me over an IM. I have a mic (and a webcam), so I can talk back.