Just been talking to our assistant minister, she is my "boss" for pastoral care. We have a talk from time to time. We are both anxious to resume some of our church activities like our Playtime for Mums and kids, our Welfare programs and our night services but the current Covid regulations are preventing all of  that from happening. It is very frustrating. We discussed what we thought the future of our activities on behalf of the church might look like in the new year, with Covid or after Covid but there's no real answer. Hopefully 2021 will usher in a new era.

How do you plan to celebrate Christmas when you don't know if your family can come to you, if you will be restricted to numbers, if our borders are still closed or even if we have a third wave of the virus as some European countries seem to be doing? Life is full of questions without answers. So how do we plan any new events in the face of so much uncertainty or even continue with the traditional events? Such events like Thanksgiving for our American friends and Christmas for us do form a framework to our lives.

I have just been away for a week visiting friends in the country. The weather was cold nights but delightful Spring days. The roses were not out in full bloom but the irises were and some gardens had beds in masses of colour, really beautiful against the green of rain revived lawns. I love that Spring that follows a cold and frosty winter. Here on the coast the changes are not as surprising, less dramatic and gardens are often not as well tended. The traffic is quieter there and the shopkeepers offer a welcome smile. I love small town coffee shops and bakeries and must say I indulged whenever treats without dairy were available. In my dietary range that is not always possible.

I came home to news that my daughter had damaged a calf muscle and could Mum come up for a few days if needed so I have a couple of bags packed, one with clothes, one with all those odd things I eat that most households don't have in the cupboard. So if I don't post on the blogs for a few days please forgive me, be assured I am still thinking about you all, just busy being nurse, chauffeur etc. Actually I am looking forward to seeing more of my daughter as with her new job as Chaplain in an Aged Care facility I have seen very little of her this year. I know all of my kids have busy lives but do expect they will think of me from time to time. And a visit is always appreciated.

I do hate leaving my garden when my herbs are looking so green and edible. I even have big basil plants ready to use. I might make pesto. My flowers are beautiful but not as good as some years past. The grass is green but it is what we call a green drought as the ground is quite hard underneath it. Fortunately while we have not had a lot of rain here some of the rain fall has been in farming areas so as I came home in the train I saw many ewes with lambs at foot. Plenty of young calves too. I guess a lot will be used for restocking so prices will still be high in the supermarket because of shortages.

I think I will start sorting Christmas garlands, lights, decorations etc as soon as mid November, might as well do that and get a good feeling going. I have found that with Covid that I have to do new things to try and express myself, to make my life interesting. If I want to do something these days it is mostly alone and I have become used to that. Nothing is the same on your own without someone to say: "remember when we did this and that happened?"  Having someone to share with is precious, and I really miss that more each year. Having someone to share life's events with is a privilege often overlooked.

Just had a girlfriend ring to ask me if I wanted to go to see an Australian movie called RAMS. It is supposed to be a comedy so that will brighten my Saturday. Lovely to have something to look forward to. I always say I am blessed in my friends, both in real time and in cyber space. Whatever comes along with friends on my side somehow I keep going.