Not A Lot Of Blogging Lately...

I haven't had much time for the blogs this past week... I have been committing the gravest sin known to teacher-kind: going out on school nights. Several times. Tut tut! I shall have to give myself a detention and 300 lines. (That's Parents' Evening and a class set of reports, in case you were wondering!)

Monday, I went to Corpus Christi, Maiden Lane, for their Rogation Day Mass. This was followed by a most agreeable session in the Coal Hole, a local hostelry. I have it on the best authority (several Camra members) that the beer there is very good. I wouldn't know, as I'm nearly always driving, so I was on the Coca Cola.

Tuesday was the quietest day this week... but I needed to do some housework (mainly laundry) and cook lunch for the week ahead. I'm not a brilliant cook, but I have a few favourite dishes which I can rustle up when necessary. I was in the mood for a lamb-and-macaroni-cheese bake thingy which is a variation (ie. it's my attempt to remember it) of a Greek Cypriot recipe which a friend told me about many years ago. My main problem is that she didn't know what the herbs were - it was a special Greek mix - and so I have to guess. The end result, as far as I'm concerned, is edible, which is all that matters. A job-lot of that sorts out lunch for the week, except Friday.

Wednesday was pretty hectic. First a Year Team meeting after school. Then a session of spiritual direction. Then on to a session of Child Protection training at the parish. Information about procedures and form-filling. I was amused by the fact that I had to fill out an application form for the post of catechist, and toyed with the idea of not applying... but I suspect that I wouldn't be allowed to back out of Confirmation classes quite so easily!

Thursday was the Feast of the Ascension. Totally not obligatory. But it would have taken a whole troupe of wild horses to prevent me from going. Especially since it was a Missa Cantata. And this was then followed by a session in the Parish club. I believe that the beer isn't quite as good as that at the Coal Hole, but I was on Coca Cola again, so it made no difference.

Friday there was a Mass at St. Etheldreda's, Ely Place. I'm not quite sure why I allowed myself to be talked into going to that one rather than attending Mass in Chislehurst, but it seemed like a good idea at the time... and I'd never attended a Mass there before. This was followed by a brief sojourn in the Mitre Pub. There's a historical connection between the pub and the church, something to do with the Bishop of Ely's palace, but it escapes me for the moment. I am assured that the beer is very good... but I was almost Coca Cola'd to death by this time.

Saturday proved to be a day for recouping lost energy. The usual Saturday morning Low Mass was followed by some time for prayer and reflection (though Exposition & Benediction had been cancelled) before the First Communion Mass. I stayed for that because of the "promise" that a Plenary Indulgence was attached to First Communion Masses... and I need as many Holy Souls as possible waiting to meet me when my time comes!

After Mass on Sunday morning, I drove down to Marble Arch and parked the car outside Tyburn Convent. I then made my way back to the Old Bailey for the Tyburn Pilgrimage. The rain held off, and the weather was almost perfect for walking. However, mindful of the fact that I have one dodgy left knee and one dodgy right ankle, I cheated, and cabbed it from church to church. After Benediction at the Convent, and a brief visit to the Crypt Chapel to venerate the relics of the martyrs, I drove home with a friend who had done the walk properly.

Driving home, I noticed that the car was making rather worrying noises. I'd had it serviced and MOT'd while away in Ryde a couple of weeks back, and the exhaust had been partly replaced. I'd told my next-door neighbour (whose garage had fixed the car) but he couldn't hear any noise when he drove it. I was pretty sure it was the exhaust, but didn't understand why it only made a noise when I turned right with my foot on the brake. I wondered if I was imagining things...

...but as my neighbour's garage was open on the Bank Holiday, I drove down and demonstrated what I meant by "noises." The upshot was that I wasn't imagining things, but that the exhaust was just moving around a bit too much, so something was bolted into place. Luckily this didn't take long at all, and I was able to drive down to Aylesford for the Mass at the Altar Servers' Rally. I went back home almost immediately after Mass (coursework marking season!) but it was a lovely day for a drive... and I was also able to check that the noises had truly disappeared.

The coming week is going to be almost as hectic, but it'll be closer to home, so less tiring... at least, that's the theory!