Blue

Good evening, all.  I hope that you are ok. We are fine. There is a bit of an ongoing hoo-ha in our building because they have closed the car park during building work, so 25 cars now have nowhere to park locally, and we are all making ourselves very popular by forcing ourselves into any space that we can find. HOH and I are doing our best to keep a sensible perspective. Have you ever asked yourself, "While there is so much trouble in the world, is it ok to pray for a parking space?" Answer - I have no idea, but I am doing it anyway. There's a lot of negativity on the Building WhatsApp, which I am trying hard not to join in with. It's on HOH's phone, and he has kept it away from me. The last time I was allowed on it, I ended up getting a bit ratty with someone who was using WhatsApp to tell us about his genius conspiracy theory about Keir Starmer. I'm not here for that - I'm all about "Have the bins been collected?",  "Have you had your service charge bill?" or "Have they moved the bomb yet?" because yes, my friends, we have been dealing with yet another UXB. 

This time, there was a lot less drama - I think the bomb was a lot smaller. But still, you know, it's a bomb. I was a bit surprised when they found it at 5pm, had a bit of a poke around with a spade, took a couple of selfies and then went home because it was too dark. We have a member of staff where I work who used to be a writer in the Navy. He said that we were lucky it didn't happen on the Friday because the Navy finish at 12 o'clock on Fridays. I'm not sure how true that is if anyone from the Russian Threat is reading. People in Plymouth seem to be quite chill about a WW2 UXB, and most of the complaining was about the amount of traffic the police cordons were causing. There's just no pleasing some people. (Photo - Plymouth Herald)

Anyway, our brave forces moved the bomb out to sea at 3am - rather them than me. Thank you very much. Unfortunately, there is every possibility that it will happen again because Plymouth was battered by bombing during the war, and there are probably plenty more out there. 

We left the house this week to go and see Hamnet (at the Everyman. I know people think a cinema with sofas and food you can eat while you watch the film is a sell-out and against the spirit of cinema. To them, I would say (1) Sorry, but possibly the best sweet potato fries that I have ever eaten. (2) A bigger glass of wine than I had asked for made Jesse Buckley screaming in the woods almost acceptable. and (3) If you want people to be devoted to the art of cinema - MAKE SOME BETTER FILMS. I said on my Instagram that I felt really guilty because I didn't cry like a baby. But it's a good film, and I think it has suffered because some people have described it as the best film ever made (it's not). There were a couple of terrible bits. For instance, when Shakespeare is contemplating suicide, he walks to the water's edge and says, "To be or not to be....." Seriously? There are a couple of moments like that, but it's also fine. Also, when she wins every award for her performance, I will be very happy. She is very good. 

Off to church this morning. I was filling in for someone on the door who lost her mum this week. More than happy to do that. However, it was Communion this morning, and a nice person came out to the door so that we could come in to the meeting and take Communion. I'm never that sure about this. If I have not been in the meeting, I am sometimes uncomfortable with welcoming people and chatting about Man United and whether these trousers go with this jumper, and then joining the queue for Communion. This, I think, comes from a friend who describes being in the creche with other mums and their babies, and then someone brought the bread and wine in. Everyone took it but carried on chatting about nappies etc. while they did so, and she thought "Do we understand what this is about?" It made me think then, and it sometimes gives me pause now. Conversely, I once heard a pastor speak about not worshipping Communion, and, in the end, it is just a meal for people who love God. What's your opinion? I'd be interested to know.

Anyway, what isn't important is that the lady who gave me my bread sort of mis-pinched it, (our bread is sort of torn off a bigger, gluten free loaf) so I only ended up with three actual crumbs, and it was quite difficult to maintain a very religious and thankful pose while pretending that I actually had some bread rather than sort of chef's kissing my fingers so as not to embarrass the server because she had served me actually nowt. 

So, tomorrow is supposed to be Blue Monday - the saddest day of the year. I will be staving off the saddest day of the year by remembering the following

1. United won the Manchester Derby 2-0 (Could have been 8-0 as my son said)

2. The Agatha Christie Seven Dials Mystery was actually ok. Despite what some snobby newspapers said. I mean, it wasn't Agatha's finest hour, but I really enjoyed Martin Freeman's moustache and everyone doing the Charleston in a stately home. ("Don't thank the staff - who knows where it will end")

3. The whole Blue Monday thing was invented by a travel company trying to get you to book a holiday, so ignore them.

4. You are loved, and you have nothing to prove.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5

It's easy to forget truth when stuff is going on, but please take this photo of my daughter's unhappy kitten as a reminder that sometimes we can forget even the simplest and truest things, such as how to get down the stairs, once you have got up. You just ask, and rescue will come. Have a good week.