The sabbatical clearly left me way too chilled out - yesterday I arrived at church with no watch, no phone and no diary.  So I ended up emailing myself a list of stuff to pick up and bring in today!!  It was a long day yesterday but a good one - just need to make sure I don't get sucked back onto the workaholic treadmill!

An email arrived this morning confirming that my paper has been accepted for the International Symposium on Theology, Spirituality and Cancer in Auckland, New Zealand next February.  It seems that I am the the only 'international' speaker among some very diverse New Zealanders and they have asked if I know what I'm doing by agreeing to go!

I am excited and a bit apprehensive because now not only do I have to write the thing, I have to organise getting there and back, having not a scooby what that means in terms of visas and things.  But it will be an adventure, a bit of carpe diem, a bit of living a little more spontenously and less cautiously, and that has to be good.

I just popped onto the BBC news website (having decided it is my lunch break!) and spotted this article about the Commonwealth Games ticketing story... so why it MY letter the one they cite as an example of a 'sorry'?  May not be mine, I am sure other Catrionas applied, but still pretty spooky!

That's it, sabbatical over, time to start the real work again.

So, here I am at just after 8 a.m., I've had my small skinny fairtrade latte, binned three months worth of junk mail, updated the virus protection on the church computer, checked emails and drawn up an extensive 'to do' list for today (three service outlines to sort from scratch - so plenty to keep me occupied!).  I realise that I have left my watch and both mobile phones at home so hope the clock in the vestry is somewhere near correct (it agrees with the computer so that's a start!).

I have stuff I need to chase up already, and a meeting this evening, for which I have two things to prepare...

It's as if I'd never been away...

Ah, but it's good to be back.

For the rest and refreshment of summer sabbaticalling, thank you God

For the challenges and routines of autumn ministry, guide me God

In the everyday and every day, keep me in your love

Amen.

Today the Glasgow 2014 ticket ballot for the Commonwealth Games began notifying people of the outcome... I got zero tickets.  I wasn't so fussed about the athletics or swimming but was very disappointed not to get in to the netball.  Evidently there is another opportunity to buy such tickets as are still available in the next week or two - presumably for the underwater basket weaving and other obscure/unpopular events.

I 'get' that a ballot is differently unfair from a straight sales system, but it still leads to lots of disappointment.

I know it's nothing in the scheme of things, and I can still watch on television, but I am disappointed.  The only positive spin on it is the money I've saved!!

If anyone has managed to secure their tickets, congratulations, I hope you have a wonderful time - I'm sure you will.