Weekend

It was a fairly busy weekend, I suppose. Tiring, anyway. On Saturday morning we went out to our favourite plant shop, Cosmea Garden Centre, and my mother bought us some more plants. Some of the ones we bought back in July have done well, some are struggling, and a few have died. This time we bought a coleus, a geranium, a cyclamen, and some bedding plants.

Saturday afternoon was the Autumn Fair at St Helena's, Tim's church. Books, cakes, CDs, white elephant, crafts, cream teas, and a raffle. I found a useful thermos-style ice-cube holder which will be good next summer when we want to have ice on the table. Brand new, as far as I could tell, for the princely sum of £1.50. My mother found a book she hadn't read, and Tim bought a CD. We saw various friends there and chatted to someone we hadn't met before, so it was pleasant if not very exciting.

In the evening the new vicar of St Helena's came for a meal. They were without a minister for over a year, and had a series of locums: mostly elderly, some more successful than others. The new man seems to be making quite an impression so far. He's an evangelical with lots of great ideas, but is being diplomatic and taking things slowly. The congregation is primarily retired Brits. Tim lowers the average age considerably!

On Sunday morning I went to St Helena's with my mother and Tim - I usually go there about once a month, now. It was a good service, and nice to catch up with a few friends there, as well as saying goodbye to some old friends who are retiring and leaving the island. The wife has been the organist at St Helena's for the past fourteen years, and also Tim's piano teacher for the past five or six years. Tim will be stepping into her shoes as organist from next week. They will be greatly missed, especially in November when we'll be away visiting Daniel!

Richard picked us up in the car after church and we went to the 'Sunday Market' on the Dhekelia Road. This looks much like a typical British market, with a large number of stalls selling a wide variety of products. We found a few bits and pieces that we bought, but were going to browse really, rather than looking for anything in particular. Although we stayed in the shade as far as possible I had rather too much sun, and combined with being woken early and having had a busy Saturday, I developed something of a migraine.

Tim - who walked home from church - had cooked a full roast Sunday lunch for us, which was ready shortly after we got back home and very delicious, but all I wanted to do afterwards was rest. Richard, meanwhile, went out sailing with some of the family who are staying downstairs, but unfortunately part of the boom of his mirror dinghy got broken so they couldn't all go out. He got back about 5pm and was able to mend it easily.

Tim went out about 4.30 to play basketball with some of the youth, and then on to St Helena's for the evening service where he plays guitar.