Deeside

Here I am in the kichen of our old friends looking out on the gently falling rain. This morning I am visiting the Thursday Morning Bible Study. That'll bring back memories of some of my favourite moments here in Deeside. One lady recently said "Do you know, I often think of what you used to say in our Thursday Bible studies - 'Yes, but what comes just before that in the passage' and how you stressed the importance of the context". That was so nice of her to share that reminiscence.

This afternoon I think I'll make a quick pilgrimage to Borders. It was my bolt hole in times of sadness (after funerals, for example). I seldom bought anything. I doubt if I will today. But it's good to browse.

Tomorrow I "hold court" in Bethany Books. One wag suggested I sign books there. Could do ! Bethany Books do a cracking coffee so it'll be good to lurk there and talk with the folks who come in.

Then Saturday down to Bath to spend Sunday at Widcombe. Tuesday I catch the plane.

The hire car : I booked a Ka and got a diesel Fiesta. I like it a lot more than I liked the Corsa I had last year. It's a nippy little thing and seems very economical.

I am working on the September visit. There are two weekends set up with churches new to me but where we have friends and I have a shortlist of other churches where we are known. I am wondering whether to focus on the area around Gloucester / Wiltshire / Monmoutshire - apart from a brief foray into Montgomeryshire (Newtown) and to have a go at doing it without a hire car. After all it's a lot of money to hire the thing and you can't read or catch up on sleep like you can in a train !