That may be a puzzling title: after all, I am a veteran of long haul flights to San Francisco and Kampala, I have braved the Ugandan and Maltese bus services. The London Tube and the Paris Metro phase me not , I have crossed the street in Rome (and lived) and I have crossed the Sound of Iona in a motor boat with no life jaiket! A trip to Englandshire shouldn't hassle me, should it? No indeedy - unless, of course, it involves meeting someones Mother!!!
Doubtless there is many a fella out there who has faced this trial by ordeal (anticipated) before me and who will recognise the nervousness and worry (Do I take a bunch of flowers - consultation suggested After Eights instead!). The big question of course being: "Will she like me?". I really would rather jump out of an aeroplane with a parachute again I thought. However, we seemed to get on, no blood was shed (well, I am house trained!) and she didn't bite! So I think that qualifies as a successful jaunt to Sub Tweedian Mater - there still remains Mater Supra Forth! That'll be next week - if she's in the flipping country that is!
We lurked off to Church this morning. There was a degree of negotiation involved. Someone felt they maybe ought to go to their local Parish Church to fit into the community. I am disinclined to endure Presbyterian worship voluntarily unless it's in the line of duty and/or I'm being paid to do it! I really feel that English Anglicans resident this side of the Border should (where practical) beat a path to the altars of their Scottish fellow Anglicans and not join the Kirk just because it is the National Church. So it was 5 miles up the road to Eyemouth and an enjoyable Eucharist with hymns (well belted out to a CD of organ music), a good sermon (hat tip to Jennifer - btw Elisha the Prophet was also in Samaria, not just the Leper) and just the right friendliness of welcome without gushing. It was very good to see a small rural congregation with limited resources doing as good a job as they did on the worship. What they did, they did well. No overstrain with the music, clear audible reading, well constructed competent Lay led intercessions and a decent dignity of ritual without fussiness. First class! And I AM a noted critic of worship done badly!
