I have now had two days at College, and it's been fun, if very tiring getting to know new people and new systems.  I have my own office, which is spacious and comfortable (and has a sign on the door so people know it's me!).

The commute is proving interesting - lots to learn about ticket prices, train times and how to make the best use of the travelling time.  By choosing Northern Rail trains, which take the longer, slower, route, I can get an hour's useful work done, for £3-£4 each way.  Alternatively, I can take a much faster train for twice or even three times the price - and probably have to stand.  It's all a mystery!

For the first time in nearly 25 years I will have regular colleagues to interact with - this feels both strange and positive. So far, it feels good!

I moved into this house on Wednesday 23rd August - and now, on 2nd September, I can finally see the floor in my bedroom.  It's not fully sorted out as yet, but it's certainly okay for the time being.

In the photo, Sophie is modelling the newly designed cat-sized bed (well it's where the removal people put the two singles, and it seems to be the only workable option in this space) - Six feet wide, it is just about eight for one human and two cats!

This is the last room that I have tackled, which means that the house is now almost there - at least for the time being.  My dining furniture will arrive on Friday, after which I will be ready to start welcoming visitors.

It's been a very busy few days, but I am really glad to have emptied all the cardboard boxes (which have been passed n to a friend who has an upcoming house move herself) and have a functioning set of rooms.

My last task will be to pray the house blessing that was given to me for my last manse, for this one...

God bless the corners of this house,
And be the lintel blest,
And bless the hearth and bless the board,
And bless each place of rest,
And bless each door that opens wide
To stranger as to kin,
And bless each crystal window pane
That lets the starlight in,
And bless the rooftree overhead
And every sturdy wall.
The peace of man,
the peace of God,
The peace of love on all.

Today I officially begin my two new jobs/roles, and someone sent me a 'happy first day at school' message today, so I thought maybe I should add a suitable photo!!

It has been a lot of admin so far - setting up new email accounts (one done, one in hand), adding oodles of appointments to my diary, and, strangely, shredding a whole file of paper that managed to escape the purge before I moved.

Tomorrow is offically my day off - at least for this week - so maybe I can get out and about and do some exploring before the real work begins.

I have now been in Railway Town for a full week, and I have, thankfully, emptied all the cardboard boxes that travelled down from Glasgow.

My new house is lovely, if a LOT smaller than my flat in Glasgow, which in turn was smaller than my manse in Leicestershire.  This week I have purchased a fridge and a washing machine - both already being well used - and today I have just spent the incredibly generous leaving gift on a new table and chairs, which will arrive next week.  Apart from my bedroom, which looks like Paddy's market, the house is pretty much sorted out :-). The photo is of my office - which looks out over the garden and, being south facing, will be very bright.

Work starts officially tomorrow - but in practice not until Sunday (church) and Monday (college).

More news to follow - but for now, I plan to rest after a very busy week - well that and find somewhere that sells picture hooks!!

After a long hiatus, the hope is that this blog will once again be a space to share stories and to reflect.  I am wrting this post using a shiny new, teeny tiny, laptop - an emergency purchase just three days before moving away from Glasgow to begin my new bi-vocational ministry in the North West of England.

I am excited to be taking up these new roles, and looking forward to being closer to the many people who have been constant and loyal friends through multiple moves.  At the same time, I will miss this beautiful city and the people who have become equally valued friends - I hope our friendships will last many years to come.

I have been in Glasgow just shy of fourteen years - almost a quarter of my life, and a third of my adult life.  Small wonder then, the letting go is quite a wrench.

From tomorrow, I will be living on the Chehsire/Staffordshire/West Midlands/Greater Mancesher border, in a town that owes is existence to the coming of the railway and the NIMBYism of a local landowner.  'Railway Town' is a town of around 70k people, home to Bentley motors (Rolls Royce cars) and the best-known railway interchange in the UK: "Crewe station, all change, all change!"  Which is perhaps as well, since half of my role will be as a Transitional Minister - a minister for change!

The other half of my ministry will be as Tutor for Ministerial Formation at Northern Baptist College - my old vicar school.  This is a non-academic role, overseeing the practicalties of training, and will build on my long experience of mentoring and supervision (both professional and pastoral),  I am excited to join the college at the time when it is beginning 'new things' and to devote my final working years to handing on to the next generation of Baptist ministers,,, it actually feels very 'Great Commission' in its esscence... 'make discioles and teach them everything....'  Well, not everything, but hopefuly something useful!!

Photos and more reflection will follow in the coming days, weeks and months, buy for now - THANK YOU GLASGOW, you did yourself proud.