We were back late last night after a wonderful week away, mainly in Scotland with the Vicar’s family, but also visiting old friends and godchildren en route. Encouragement, laughter and sunshine has refreshed us; taking the kids to their first Melrose Sevens was a particular highlight.
Coming back is a bit different: the Vicar spent 2 hours on his email inbox this morning and I’ve been spending a similar amount of time with the laundry. Oh joys.
Our week has been tinged with gratitude and sadness as we’ve been remembering Mark Ashton, and mild panic as we realised that Mark’s memorial service (actually there are two, but we’re only going once), which we hope to attend next week, coincides with a particularly busy weekend here in the parish.
So I’d better get back to the laundry and start writing the evangelistic talk I’m committed to giving that weekend or I’ll be in even more of a panic this time next week. Hope you’ve had a good Easter break.
[Edit: I have just come across this article published in this month’s Evangelicals Now, in which Mark speaks about facing terminal cancer as a Christian]
The Vicar's Wife 
Good to have you back especially refreshed & relaxed!
Good to have you back – belated Happy Easter to you all.
All those people who go to Twickenham or various other rugby grounds should be made to go to Melrose or Hawick or Galashiels to discover what real rugby is all about. Or indeed to discover the real meaning of community. Fantastic events which help to define the Borders identity in the same way that rugby identifies the likes of Gloucester and the Forest of Dean. Sport at its very best.
Hi Julia and Tim. It’s good to be back, tho’ I suspect the ‘relaxed’ description may wear thin as the second week with the kids off school continues.
Tim, you’re totally right about the rugby sevens. Although it’s becoming more commercial than my first visit about 15 years ago, it’s still a family event. The kids were perched up on the rail by the touchline watching the final. It was lots of fun. The kids are at the age when they can enjoy a game that’s only 7 minutes each way so the plan is to go up as often as the dates of Easter allow.