"It must be a busy time for you..."

...is a comment we are now hearing more and more frequently (and seems to be the running joke among church workers generally). That's because everyone assumes that C doesn't do much work at any time of the year apart from Christmas time.
Of course, that assumption may be true...these church workers like to shroud their lives in mystery...(!)

Here IS what has been happening over the past few weeks:

1. The nights have closed in and it's now dark at 3.30pm. (Note to self-dog needs walking NOW)

2. It's cold (zero degrees in the day and night) and icicles form a significant element in our back garden. Huzzah!

3. We are sorely missing Thai food, Australian food courts, laksa and cafe culture. A week in Sydney was not good in quelling those cravings. Thankfully A has found an internet supplier of Thai ingredients, so as a early Christmas gift to ourselves, this was recently purchased:



Woo hoo!

4. Christmas services are full swing.
This means Advent Carols, Christingle, Children's Carols and Adult Carols have already been crossed off for this year with only the Christmas Eve Crib service, the 'Midnight' service and two Christmas Day meetings to go. Of course, this is addition to all the regular meetings and organisation that happens day by day, week to week.
Here are some pictures of the outside of The Priory and inside of St. Andrew's carol service that will show you nothing but how dark it is even with 1,000 candles. Click on the images for a close-up:






5. C has been progressing through the 'snakes and ladders' which is the process of selection for ordination in the Church of England. He has most recently met with the Bishop of Southampton and the pastoral and educational selectors and has this week received approval to advance to the final "knockout" round, which is likely to be in April.

If you haven't guessed by now, this means that C has come to the momentous decision to formally 'join' the CofE—after many months of soul-searching, head-scratching and deep-thinking. By no means does Cs positive route thus far mean that he will be approved in the final round of interviews and examinations and we ask for your continued prayers for us to graciously accept the decision—whatever it is—and the resulting future for us both.

Of course, if C is ordained, we are sure that every meal in the future will be like this (we're on the left of the photo evidently) :



6. A has decided to actively pursue illustration as a means to generating a small but vital source of (meagre) income. However she is still plagued by the migraine-elf which is not exactly the best for getting work of this nature done. Watch out for her flogging her greeting card samples on you very soon. You have been warned!

7. We are missing our Aussie friends.