Having the prospect of ten days annual leave gives me the opportunity to attempt a new jigsaw - this one which I picked up for £1.99 in a charity shop in Stirling, where I met up recently with a friend who lives in Perth.

I absolutely love this painting - I first saw it as part of the 'Glasgow Boys' exhibition in Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery in August 2010.  A stunning, vast, colourful work, it captured my imagination and drew me into itself.   So when I spotted the jigsaw in the charity shop, I couldn't resist buying it... and now I have some time off I will attempt it.

8th August 2010, the night before I went with a friend, who was visiting me, to see this exhibition, I rolled over in bed and found the lump that catapulted me onto an unchosen journey with cancer... so it was fitting, I think, that the friend I was with when I found the jigsaw is someone I first 'met' online in a cancer support forum.  I didn't think of that at the time - I just caught sight of the box and knew I wanted to buy it!  It was only as I reflected on seeing the painting that I made the connection - that feels fairly healthy to me.  Of course I would rather not have travelled that particular journey, but it has resulted in me meeting and becoming friends with, so many great people, and I can't regret any of them. 

And of course there is another lovely irony that mistletoe, yew and other things associated with Druidic mysticism are now valued for chemotherapy purposes.

Reflection aside, I still love this painting, and I will enjoy very much attempting the jigsaw.

Little short of a miracle, but it has happened!  I can actually take tomorrow off as a lieu day for Easter Monday as I have done all my jobs for this week.  Perhaps as well cos I am bone-tired!

Weather permitting I'll take myself off somewhere for the day... I had an idea but it looks a tad tricky by public transport, so we'll see!

Miaow, purr, purr, never mind that Dave Tomlinson, here's our version (unfortunately, beyond the title, the Slave is not feeling everso creative today):

• To follow the way of Sky Cat's Kitten rather than rules and conventions created by V.E.T.s and other hu-beings
• To squirm and wriggle and never be compliant when being caged by Slave or V.E.T.s, and never, ever to do what the cat books say.
• To make a priority of eating and sleeping, and pursue justice for all kittens.
• To create domestic messiness conssitent with the feline perfection we already possess
• To live courageously, climbing curtains, scratching carpets and sleeping on beds without guilt or fear.
• To love the world and honour it as Sky Cat's body (we don't really understand this one but don't think hu-beings do either)
• To eat Dreamies, purr often, chase the red dot, entertain Slave and Slave's friends, and welcome strangers with a not-too-disdainful stare.
• To resist passing judgement, and befriend kittens and other creatures in the margins.
• To look for Sky Cat in every kitten, hu-being and situation.

Our group reading of Dave Tomlinson's "The Bad Christian's Manifesto" is now almost done, and we've enjoyed it I think.  Nothing that shocked us, nothing too much with which to disagree.  The final 'chapter' is his summary of the manifesto, which is worth sharing...

• To follow the way of Jesus rather than rules and conventios
• To doubt and question WITHOUT fear, and never be daunted by orthodoxies and authority figures
• To make a priority of kindness and compassion, and pursue justice for all people.
• To embrace messiness and imperfection while aspiring to be all that we can be.
• To live courageously, and resist being motivated by guilt or fear.
• To love the world and honour it as God's body.
• To have parties, laugh often, enjoy friends and welcome strangers.
• To resist passing judgement, and befriend people in the margins.
• To look for God in every person and situation.

This is quite a strange week, workwise, as I have the next two Sundays off, so no sermon to prepare (though some prep work undertaken for the service the first week I'm back!).

It ought to be a reflecting week, I suppose, but in practice it is a week of pastoral visits and meetings, consisting of several long days in the process.

But it is good to slow down, to spend time with some of the most frail and vulnerable of folk, rather than simply rushing on at my normal pace (which is half what it used to be!)

So a wind down week, then a week off and then full tilt into "Think, Pray, Vote" in the run up to the General Election in May.

And it does look as if spring is finally making an appearance - daffodils in bloom, bits of blue in the sky and a mysterious yellow orb has been spotted too!

Looking forward to some rest... which means even less blogging for a while, then looking forward to being back in harness again too.