I guess that an inevitable effect of offspring departing for uni is that they are, clearly, not at home! No, truly, even I had worked that one out...what I'm getting at is the fact that whereas in days of yore performances and special events were on the doorstep, or at worst half an hour away, nowdays tis rather more complicated.
Yesterday for example we did a round trip of something like 300 miles to hear Hugger Steward sing and play flute at his college - and very lovely it was too, - definitely worth the journey, though it did feel kind of strange to be a parent there, of all places...Parents, you see, were no longer part of my life by the time I arrived at Cambridge, and as I tended to stay in that lovely city for as long as possible I was pretty much oblivious to the cohorts of parental cars that descend upon Cambridge at either end of term. Yesterday it felt rather like Hogwarts on a bad day...much coming and going with trunks and cardboard boxes...and just the faintest possibility that Filch might be lurking in the Porters' Lodge.
We were among the unfortunate minority of parents who were not being awarded their very own undergraduate to take home with them. Instead we headed home with a boot groaning with boxes...
And tomorrow I get to do the whole thing all over again, after attending the Fresh Expressions Pilgrimage day in Coventry Cathedral: but at least I get to bring the boy home with me.
Add to that the usual crop of morning services (we had 10 whole children at Church in the Valley's All Age Communion, without actively canvassing the school at all...Great excitement!), and the Valley Church St NicholasFest this afternoon, featuring lots of punters in happy mood, some amazing mulled wine and a far from grotty grotto complete with resident saint, who hoh hohed in fine vein...It was all great, but left me just about fit to wipe the floor with - so for once I allowed discretion to be the better part of valour and decided against the drive to Cardiff. Now, of course, I feel really sad that I am missing Hattie Gandhi's concert with the excellent BlankVerse - specially as the programme included a work by her good friend S...But maybe I need to learn that I can't do everything...And I do need sleep...And tomorrow features more miles, and still more...
Sleep well folks. I hope your weekend was at least as fulfilling and possibly rather less demanding!
6 comments:
You can't, can you? So frustrating!
you mean you missed Filch? I must make sure I introduce you next time you come up. He has a nice cat...
All good church events are made even better by the presence of mulled wine! Let it be said!
I hope that you got good rest last night and that today is not too hectic!
Hey, my lovely Rector and Curate were also going to the Coventry event. He was leading some session (on catholic something - sorry can't remember) - wonder if you went to it.
Cal, I did indeed and he was fab and the whole day beyond wonderful...
Clearly I need to reconnect to my catholic roots a bit more often. I feel like a new and shinier version of myself today :-)
Oh cool. I've just read your write up of the day - it sounds great.
I've been quoting chunks of your blog to him recently as well :-)
Now, if only we could actually do some of this stuff in church.
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