Saturday was a lazy day as there was not much in the yard sale context. Instead I found two keyboard x-frames and a keyboard seat at Goodwill thrift Shop. They were bargains of course.

I went  into work at 3pm for the two masses which started Advent. The first was interesting in that although several folk had brought their domestic wreaths to be blessed the church one was nowhere to be seen. It was discovered by the second mass and all was well. But the homilist started by saying that we do Advent each year so what is there to surprise us this year? Well quite a lot really.

Sunday was fine. The usual masses in the morning but the 1100 was really packed. We also welcomed Barbara to the choir temporarily as she is snow-birding it down from Chris Walker’s choir in California. It was also great to hear the voice of Melody who is an experienced Cantor trying out the Choir. I returned home for a break in the afternoon during which I prepared food, skyped some friends and watched the Pope doing amazing things in Turkey. It was Fr Rock on the evening mass and he was on fire! He also gave me a Christmas card and a small gift. This is testament to the gratitude and humility of this great Franciscan.

It was just me on the evening Mass as the instrumentalists were away on holiday. After the Mass I had a meeting for a forthcoming wedding which kept me there till 9pm.

Today, Monday was a day off so I had a leisurely morning, nipped down to the beach and then visited a government centre to enquire about a driving licence. I submitted the required paperwork and was amazed to be offered there and then the chance to take the written test. In fact it was not written at all as it was computer-based but, thankfully, I passed without even having to revise from the handbook. The man at the adjacent terminal was not so lucky as he pounded the desk every time he got an incorrect answer. So the only thing remaining is the ‘in car’ element which I suspect is very easy. The bureaucracy is the most difficult bit of the process.

Now home I intend to cook a meal and transcribe the music for an obscure piece selected for a forthcoming wedding  from a youtube recording. We all know how intentions are not always realised!