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Hello. I hope you are well. It has stopped raining for a while and, according to the babyfaced weatherman on Countryfile, the weather will continue to improve. I am writing this after having eaten a "Best Ever" chocolate eclair from Marks and Spencer and now, I feel slightly unwell. It's about twice the size of a normal eclair and I really shouldn't have eaten it but it was sort of a bet with HOH and now I'm regretting it. At my age, I should know a lot better. 

Not much to report today. I mean, the world is going to hell in a handcart but other than that - not much. Today was our pastor's last Sunday and we will miss him. He was normal. Not all of them are, as any Christians who are reading this will probably know. We were "on the door" as they say and, because after the service the pastor has to stand "on the door" shaking people's hands (it's the law) we watched him taking an array of compliments etc. from people leaving. That must have been quite hard work I think. Surely the idea of people lining up to tell you how wonderful they think you are is much better than the actual execution. A farewell tea had also been arranged. (also the law) Pulled pork and barms were provided but everything else was a bring-and-share kind of arrangement which usually works quite well at these events, except when it doesn't and everyone goes home with doggy bags full of rice salad. (Which I always throw away. I know it's wasteful but I make it a rule never to eat rice more than 15 minutes after it has been cooked. My mother never trusted it and neither do I). Maybe it is a cultural thing but I was in awe of a black lady who had to make five trips to and from her car to bring in all the foil trays that she had filled with food - I was really taken by the generosity of spirit which makes you do something like that. Also, she looked fantastic and I feel that just because she was two hours late and missed the actual service completely, we probably shouldn't hold it against her. Then a gentleman arrived who looked slightly dishevelled and he brought a box of Mr Kiplings. It was equally thoughtful and it put me in mind of the Widow's Mite a bit. I was also impressed that he knew that no Christian social event is allowed to take place without a box of Mr Kiplings. 

Anyway, to come back to my original thought, which seems a long time ago now, when we were chatting on the door, the pastor suddenly said "Thanks for being a constant encouragement". And we both laughed because we genuinely thought that he was joking. But he wasn't. It was a bit of a surprise really because I usually think of myself as more towards the "drain on your goodwill" end of the encouragement scale. As regular readers will know, I am not against the odd moan preferably when I am doing it and encouraging is not a word I would readily use about myself and neither would HOH about himself. But, maybe, if you are mostly doing your best to be kind, maybe it comes through in the end - a bit. In the main, maybe it pays to treat most people like they are doing their best. Life is often more complicated for people than we imagine. 

Next week HOH celebrates a big birthday. We have a few things lined up but, chief among them for me at least, is going to see "Hello Dolly". Now, I'll be honest, this is really more for me than for him but, in the spirit of generosity that was mentioned earlier and because he realised long ago that if he would like a quiet life, it's probably best to keep me as happy as possible, he has agreed to go. I LOVE Hello Dolly. I don't usually like Musical Theatre particularly - I much prefer the films (except Hamilton - does that count?) but the reviews are stellar so we will see. I am hoping that, as part of the experience, there will be an opportunity to come high kicking down the stairs while the cast and the band perform the theme tune. I would pay to do this so I think they are missing a trick if they don't do it. 

Actually, I have just remembered. I say I don't like Musical Theatre but one of the best things I was ever involved with and one of the first times I ever spent "Quality time" with future HOH was in a Christian Musical with the youth group. Appearing in these musicals was also the law for young Christians in those days. Well, there was no Internet - it passed the time. In fact, the guy who wrote our stuff was a cut above and we had funny scripts and good songs. We actually appeared in local theatres - not just churches who didn't feel that they could turn us down and a lady who used to be in Hot Gossip helped with the dancing (not THAT kind of dancing). I've put a photo above of me and HOH at rehearsals. He is dressed as Pharoah - that's not his usual Saturday night attire - and I am very much a backroom kind of person - helping with costumes. Blimey, it was a good laugh - mostly. 

Have a good week.