Saturday 4 November 2006

Z puts her feet up

I'm glad to say that the Bishop was awfully nice and gave a good sermon (and not too long into the bargain). There were, disconcertingly, more clergy in one country church than I've ever seen before. Whole piles of them. No one was wearing their most elaborately embroidered vestments; the Bishop himself was in a tasteful shade of maroon, topped with black, then white - all this would not be for me as I'm far too vain and that many layers would make me look Fat. When shaking his hand for the second time, I was holding my stave which is about 7 foot long and since I am little (heightwise, at any rate) it wavered and nearly came to blows with his Crook (I guess there is a proper name for it but if I ever knew it I've forgotten. Unless it's a crosier. Which it could well be). He looked momentarily alarmed, as well he might.

I redeemed myself later, when he arrived at the village school where food and drink were on offer. No one else hurried to meet him so I bobbed up greetingly and offered to get him a drink. He brightened considerably as he noticed the glass in my hand and asked for red wine; I used the opportunity to get a refill.

We had a list of guests for whom we had reserved seats as they had to say a Few Words, so each of us looked out for the ones we would recognise. I had the pleasure, after my lamentations the other day about an inability to remember faces or names, of greeting several people by name, who looked startled because they didn't know who I was until I told them. This included our local Member of Parliament, but I spared him by saying "we have met, but you won't remember me, I was the governor who showed you round *my village* school a couple of years ago." Mind you, decent bloke though he is, he has a little way to go yet to match our last MP John M@cGregor, who remembered everyone to a disconcerting degree. Once - he was Secret@ry of St@te for Educ@tion at the time - he quizzed me about my opinions and then, rather gratifyingly, used them in his next House of Commons speech. I'm not sure what they were, it was a long time ago.

By the end of it all my legs were not working very well, as I wore entirely impractical shoes and stood in them for rather over five hours. The first two times trolling up and down the aisle were not too absurd, but self-consciousness kicked in on the third occasion and I felt entirely foolish.

Today, I remembered - with more than a week to go, yay! - to ask a suitable person to read the Roll of Honour at the Remembrance Sunday service tomorrow week. And check that someone has ordered a poppy wreath.*

A bonfire party tonight. We'll have a few fireworks tomorrow I expect. And make a guy. The Sage's father's name was Guy - we always celebrated his birthday on Bonfire Night, though after his death we found his birth certificate and found that wasn't his birthday after all, it was the day before!

*Pride goeth before destruction and an haughty spirit before a fall. I checked around to see if there was anything else I should do. "Bugler?" asked Sue. I know no bugler. I hope someone does - or has a CD. I just don't think the Last Post will sound the same on a clarinet. Or a saxophone.

7 comments:

Identikit said...

haha I too suffered in unsuitable shoes last night. I was kissed by our MP (The Rt Hon Big Ears) - just a peck on the cheek but it wasn't worth sore feet I can tell you.

You do write things so nicely - always such a pleasure to read.

haha re the SageFather.

Have a great weekend.

Girlplustwo said...

and make a guy....

z. chairs, wine delivery services? and i'll safely assume it wasn't even very good wine, correct?

Z said...

Tess, I was not kissed by anyone. How sad. Thank you for the compliment and enjoy the fireworks - if you don't have any yourself they will be all over the Norwich sky, no doubt.

Jen, the wine was not marvellous but we were not, by then, fussy and it tasted quite acceptable. It was a Californian Merlot, by the way.

Bishops, like MPs, learn to smile whatever beverages they have to drink. Ooh, I think I feel a blogpost coming up. Tomorrow, for tonight I am going to a Party and need to go and put on seven layers of clothing (because we will start outside and eventually move indoors).

Identikit said...

Have a lovely time. Not going to the fireworks tonight but we are on a hill here and can see the Earlham ones. Going to a party at the ski club tomorrow with fireworks.

I think I would make a very poor Bishop!! I am very fussy about my beverages!

Z said...

Darling, both you and I would make poor Bishops, but not entirely because of pernickity beverage intolerances.

My friend with coeliac disease was there. Lots of delicious food on offer, but she ate cheese and grapes. I was sorry, I usually make sure I provide something bread and pastryless, but this time I only took smoked salmon sandwiches.

My other friend, I should say.

Identikit said...

yeah you are right re the bishop thing. I think the Church disowned me long ago (good Catholic girl that I was brought up to be!!).

Yeah food is tricky. I tend to focus on the cheese too. Grapes do weird things to my insides - not pleasant for those around me!!! But if there is decent wine and cheese I am happy. I am half French after all!!

You are kind to look out for your coeliac friends.

Nos da!
x

y.Wendy.y said...

Well what can I say after that long and interesting conflab?

I met no VIP's this weekend..in fact spent it in front of my PC in my PJ's. But I did cook nice things..albeit in pyjamas.

Happy Sunday Z.