It's hard to believe that I've only been back at work a month since my retreat/holiday in Wales, because it's been a very busy - enjoyably so - and exhausting month.  I'm not sorry that I have a long weekend 'off' which will include a guest preach in Dibley on Sunday.

So, my week...

Monday, with help from N-and-M clear kitchen, get vinyl fitted, alter and reinstall kickboards, put furniture back in kitchen, sweep new flooring how many times?!!

Tuesday, took kitties to the vet for their annual check up, admin, service prep, house group

Wednesday, Coffee Club, mentoring, supervision, sent apologies to meeting which would have been three back-to-back

Thursday, admin, pastoral, important meeting

Twice yesterday the conversation turned to the reality that chaplains have contracted hours, whilst pastoral ministers don't; twice I commented that chaplains are paid for their contracted hours whilst ministers are paid an overall stipend, but both are in ministry 24/7/365 because you can't just switch off.

It's been a manic week, a manic month, a manic year, but, overall it feels good.

This time last year, I was dog tired, irritable and not a nice person to know. 

This year I am dog tired, happy, energised, enthused and looking forward to Advent.

Whether I was clinically depressed this time last year, or whether it was a mix of life-experiences and surgically induced hormone changes, I can never prove; quite possibly it was a bit of all of them.  What I do know is that once I found a drug that suited me, I felt hugely better (and the monster has only reared it's ugly head once since).  A doctor friend wisely said that it was evident that I had 'depleted serotonin levels, even if it expressed itself in unsual ways' (well it is me, after all) which is a great way of expressing it... if iron levels are low, we take iron tablets, so if serotonin levels are low we take drugs to address that.

So, a busy day today and then a slow weekend as I mentally and spiritually prepare for Advent 2017.  Bring it on!