A distant dream

Half term? What half term?

Oh, that one. But it was ages ago!

Well, it was lovely. We went to Centre Parcs in Wiltshire (unexpectedly hilly for those riding bikes. For those of me who had to travel on the little train because little daughter chose that week to refuse to sit in the carrier on the back of Mummy's bike, hills? What hills?) mostly for the lovely swimming pool. The playgrounds are wonderfully inventive, the games facilities comprehensive and the hot chocolate absolutely vile. And, them being only a few miles away, we spent our coming-home-day with friends who were Very Happy.

But hey-ho, three days into the new term and life is right back at full throttle. I noticed with horror that this week, it's my turn to host all three play-date groups that Sid belongs to. On the upside, it should mean that for the whole of next week I will not have to set eyes on any children whatsoever.

And I'm supposed to be updating the church website with the Easter events, but I keep getting too drunk. Ah - that sounds bad, doesn't it? I mean that, having been out the last couple of nights and taking alcoholic advantage of not having to drive home, I've put in an hour's work on the site, only to have to delete and re-write most of it, because that extra glass of wine has blunted me to the difference between A Serious Church Website and my own blog. My, but anyone happening across www.chalfontstgileschurch.org.uk would have thought us the most extraordinarily relaxed of churches. Chattery bordering on the indiscreet. Revealing much beside, but vanishingly little to, the point.

All using perfect grammar, though.

At tonight's book club we talked about Peter Hobbs' The Short Day Dying. A young 19th century methodist lay preacher wrestling with faith, unacknowleged love and grinding poverty. Surprisingly engaging. As a companion piece, our next one is Iain Banks' Whit, about
a young 20th century messiah wrestling with faith, unacknowleged love and grasping betrayal. I've read it before, and am so looking forward to reading it again. The only book I've ever only read one short chapter at a time, because I was enjoying it so much I didn't want it to end.