Three weeks in Blighty

 We just spent three weeks in the UK.

The first week was spent at our mission, UFM's, Summer Conference. We've always enjoyed these times - the conference centres are always clean and comfortable and you get catered for - our children used to think they were hotels. In addition you get some preaching and teaching - this time from an old acquaintance from Northern Ireland - and reports from people who serve in amazing places. We always feel like weaklings alongside the folk who paddle their way up the Amazon, or who work in remote parts of Central Asia. We had to do a seminar on preparing for retirement, which was well-received.

Ella took us quietly and smoothly up to Caen for the ferry and we stayed overnight near the terminal before taking the early morning crossing. To get to the conference centre we had to use the M25, and it lived up to its promise.

The second week was spent with my sisters and a nephew in a holiday cottage in Tenby. This was a straightforward trip down the M4. We broke the journey with an overnight stay in a basic but adequate Travelodge. Tenby is a charming town, crowded with holidaymakers. Parts of the town are quite noisy but we were staying off the main streets. We spent one afternoon with old friends who have retired near Tenby.

The third week was at the EMW conference in Aberystwyth. We drove up the coast road via St David's to visit the cathedral, and bumped into a friend from Bordeaux in the refectory.  The narrow roads are plagued by humungous SUVs as President Trump's security detail all took their holidays in Cardiganshire and followed the same roads as we did. Massive black Kias and Hyundais and Skodas - I suppose they're essential for taking to the kids to their primary schools in the suburban concrete jungle.

The EMW conference was a good time. We no longer make any attempt to attend everything or even want to. Nor is it possible as workshops, groups and seminars overlap. We did bump into lots of old friends, some even older than us.

Ella conveyed us down to the ferry with an overnight stop in Winchester so we could arrive at the ferry in good time without hurry, and so we could visit the cathedral and city. Then an afternoon crossing to Caen and the following day spent calmly hurtling down the empty French motorways before hitting the congested Bordeaux ring road.

It was a good time, and useful in our gear change from full-time service to retirement. Our retirement interview with the mission seemed to go well, and the plan for us to serve more widely with the international churches was approved by the group that met.

Now how to wash Ella... The roads have left her pretty filthy and she's parked under shelter so a good thunderstorm wouldn't achieve much. I have heard that it is illegal to wash your car in the street in France. How to find a decent car wash?