A Holiday Of Sorts...

I usually visit Eastbourne in the Summer Holidays in order to look after my parents' two dogs while my parents go away on holiday. The dogs are quite sweet, but also more than a little irritating. Yorkshire terriers are not what I consider to be "real" dogs... they are small, yappy, and very needy. I do feel a little sorry for them - they are missing my parents dreadfully, and are moping around the house in a very forlorn manner. I thought a biscuit might cheer them up.

I am, of course, missing my own two hooligans dreadfully.

One consolation has been the opportunity to attend the TLM each morning. Fr. Charles Briggs and Fr. Tim Finigan are both in the area for a short break, and have been celebrating Mass at Our Lady of Ransom each morning - one priest at the High Altar and one at the Lady Altar (an agreeable form of concelebration, perhaps!)

After Mass today I met up with Annie who blogs for the Arundel & Brighton branch of the LMS and we had a lovely afternoon chatting over tea and scones at the Dickens Tea Cottage. Her husband, who had served one of the Masses, joined us for a while, but left after the first pot of tea. We ladies were made of sterner stuff and demonstrated real staying-power. I can heartily recommend the scones, by the way... and the tea... and the bacon sandwiches were rather good too...

Not sure what I'll do tomorrow... if it is sunny I shall try and get a few scenic photos for my collection...

A Wedding To Rejoice At...

On Saturday I was privileged to attend the wedding of friends of mine - two wonderful young people, and I wish them every possible happiness as they start their life together. I took a few photos which you can see on my Flickr page.

Quite apart from the solemnity of the occasion a couple of moments really made the day memorable for me personally.

The first was my (only partially successful) attempt to prevent the mother of the groom garotting the bride as they processed out at the end... to be fair, the bride had turned the corner of the aisle; unfortunately, her veil had not...

Next was my attempt to be helpful, taking His Hermeneuticalness' bag and Missal to the car while he had a brief word with Fr. Briggs. Halfway to the M25, I asked if he wanted the Missal brought back to Blackfen in time for the evening Mass...

"What Missal?" came a confused reply.

Alas, the Altar Missal that I had picked up was the one belonging to Chislehurst. I was soundly berated by my Parish Priest for making such a basic error...

Apparently next time I should accidentally pick up something worth keeping... like vestments, relics or candlesticks. Novus Ordo Missals are of no interest, it seems.