Thursday

I didn't get to Kiwanis this morning, I took a couple of sleeping tablets last night, and felt very 'hung over' when I eventually woke up at 9.30.   I had an e-mail from Fr Clark asking if I needed a lift to Emmanuel this morning, but I didn't get there either.   I did surface though in time to go to Larry's Thursday service at the hospital chapel.

I don't know if I have mentioned that he is resigning as senior hospital chaplain, as from the 10th August.  He said he has been there for thirteen and a half years, and now wants to concentrate on his church and mission work.  His church is very involved in some amazing mission work in Malawi, the Amazon, Bulgaria, among other places.

He has never criticised the new, Catholic, administration of the hospital, or the direction it is going, he has always been careful to be very supportive of all the changes that are taking place,  but I can't imagine that he is entirely happy about it, especially the fact that the hospital chapel is now part of the parish of the Catholic church in Shawnee, and no longer part of the hospital.    I shall miss him, but have told him I don't want to lose touch, I'll come to his church sometimes.

In the news ....(this is what you get when I am in front of the television practically 24/7)

The Governor of Texas has signed into law a decree banning 'Merry Christmas' it must not appear anywhere, it has to be 'Happy Holiday'.    So it is official.   The war on Christmas has been won.

A jury of six women has been appointed to what is set to be the murder trial of the summer, which will begin on Monday in Florida.    This is the trial of the neighbourhood watchman, who shot a 17 year old, allegedly in self defence.   From my understanding of the incident the lad came out of a convenience store and was just walking home,  but the neighbourhood watchman called the police and said he "looked up to no good" and by the time the police got there he'd shot him.    The fact that the lad was black has caused an outcry in this very racially conscious country.

It has taken some time to select this jury, they have all had to be grilled and interviewed extensively, another jaw dropping aspect of
American jurisprudence.   And unlike the murder trial in Arizona this jury is going to be sequestered.  No phones, no i-Pads, obviously no television, no contact with their families for at least two months, we are told.  I feel sorry for them.   I hope they've got some good books.

From my pics....

 The above is near Alfriston church, I've played pooh sticks there when my lads were young.  That's why I wanted to revisit it while I was there.

 The bluebells and wood anemones were out when I was staying with Pat.