I tried to publish this first bitv a few days ago but it failed to get on facebook so here goes again …

It has been 6 days since my last confession and these are my sins ..

I’ve been leaving these blogs till the time I can no longer recall what happened so here we are after only 6 days! Let’s see if I recall anything!

Saturday was fairly uneventful except the usual vigil Mass with a bit of work beforehand. Sunday was tiring and I don’t know why. I did the usual 4 masses in the morning but it could be the because the sandwich-bearing Cantor was away I lacked the energy top-ip that she normally brings. I recall that she asked me what I would do when she was not there … now I know … suffer!

During the afternoon I waited for a skype call from my brother Richard and his fiancee Camille. They will be getting married in a month when I shall play for them and meet over 50 members of the family! I managed to get a few things sorted regarding the music and offered to produce a draft Order of service. Then it was time to return for the evening Mass. A new guitarist turned up and I think he could be really good. He doesn’t speak much English but we should get by in Spanish. I’m hoping to meet up with him socially next week and do a bit of playing.

On Monday I visited the beach and the bar followed shortly after. On Tuesday work beckoned with a working lunch meeting with fellow musician Marty Purtell who will be covering for me when I am in UK in August. We have St Lawrence Feast Day celebrated bilingually at the 11am Mass on Sunday 7 August so there was quite a bit of work to do on choral and instrumental arrangements in addition to the usual work. This spilled into the next few days as well as finalising the music programme for the month of August.

On Wednesday morning I awoke early to be at St Timothy’s in Lutz for a funeral of someone who had died from prescription addiction/overdose. It is so sad. The church is one of the most recent in the area being built around 2002. The Assembly are gathered on all four sides of a small altar. There was a great water theme outside the church visible through clear glass windows either side of the font with immersion option. It was a striking space but more impressive was the narthex of similar size just outside the church.

The funeral took place in the chapel which had a similar design to the main church. There were many parishioners there in addition to the bereaved family which must have been supportive for them.

Today was a heavy day aimed at finishing the arrangements for the Patronal Feast. I succeeded so now the rehearsals can take place efficiently. I was also to able to complete arrangements for a wedding tomorrow in Clearwater. This should be interesting as it will also include baptism, confirmations and first communions!

as I type the Democrat Convention is reaching its zenith. I also note that so many of Bernie Sanders’ supporters have left the Convention. Rumour has it that the Clinton camp have paid hundreds of people $50 each to take their places and appear enthusiastic. So much for the power of the people! I’m sure that this must be malicious gossip?!

On Friday I spent much of the time sorting my new laptop. I’d been having problems with skype and referred it to tech support and it seems better now. However I can’t get this blog to link to facebook.

I also managed to sort a problem regarding my pharmacy recognising my insurance details. So by 3pm it seemed as though I’d made good use of a stormy day and set off to Clearwater for a wedding. When I arrived there were just two women there. One turned out to be the bride and by the time the wedding was due to start there were only 7 people plus myself and the priest. The wedding was in fact a multi-sacramental feast. There was a first confession, infant baptism, adult confirmation, first communion and a marriage! The church and priest were unfamiliar to me … this was obvious when having regalled the party with three or four pieces of Bach I then started the opening hymn, the Prayer of St Francis. Inadvertently I must have kicked a foot piston and the pedal notes were transformed into an ‘orage’-like tumult which rather prevented the singing of the hymn! All else went well and besides … I’d already been paid!

I returned to Tampa, rather weary and ready for an easy night in watching the World Youth Day. I was also able to receive some well wishes from the NNPM musicians conference taking place in UK. Then sleep came upon me.

The following day I was in work by 9.30am doing a bit of work before a wedding at 1.30pm. Well the wedding was at 6pm so I had a bit more preparation time which you can never scoff at. During the day someone gave me a CD of self-composed music advising me it was given to the composer by Jesus. I did wonder if, having listened to it (which I haven’t yet) I might have to write back “Thank you Jesus, but you could do better!”

I managed some great preparation and was able to do the Vigil Mass prepared for anything that might come my way. Then there was the wedding which also went uneventfully which was pretty amazing as despite the meeting with the bride there were several questions unanswered!

I then took up an invite from a family with three members in the choir to dinner. Wine flowed and good conversation and great food were in abundance.

Sunday morning went well. I had not slept well … probably because I’d eaten so much … but I did not run short of energy as I usually do. This was helped by having the cantors well prepared.

I’m hoping the the forecast good weather will materialise tomorrow so that I can get back on the kayak which I have not used for a while now.

I managed to get the latest draft of the Order of Service done for my brother Richard’s wedding to Camille which I will play for in 2 weeks time.