More Sheep and a Bishop

Yes the sheep are back on the reserve again and have already made great inroads into the sedge. They look very smart with their recently clipped fleeces. Several have chocolate brown legs and underbellies which I have not noticed before so maybe this is a new flock. Other events to note include sight of a hawk (I don't think it was a kestrel) quartering the grass banks by the King George reservoir. Again both sheep and men have kept this relatively short so there is probably good hunting and not a lot of cover for all the little things that go to make lunch for a hungry hawk
I am still using Jet Ski Boy and Bodybuilder's cars to travel to and from work to keep the batteries topped up and the engines ticking over but then comes the day of reckoning when it seems that I have to fill all three of them up with petrol in the space of a week!
Jetski Boy goes off on holiday in a few weeks time so we are looking forward to some piece and quiet although I do have to admit that he is not much trouble really. He went out with friends last night and then tried to sneak back in this morning when I was out walking Hugh at around 8.00 am - don't tell him I noticed - he still thinks he got away with it (whatever IT was)
We are still chasing the sun for a break this autumn but "we want to go away at the end of September" and "late breaks" don't seem to fit easily in the same sentence. I think we may just have to be patient and wait until well into August before trying to pick up the elusive deal to find cheap sun. Funny how all the friends you used to know who have a little place just off the Costa del......... don't seem to be answering the phone at the moment.
Plans for the big event in the Spring are coming together and the group of 8 - G8 - are getting quite excited. I did find an excuse to go and see the travel agent for the fifth consecutive Saturday and now people are really begining to talk. The NEEDLE is now the big issue. Hepatitis A and B, Tetanus and Typhoid all come recommended but not demanded so now the decisions have to be made. Prudence would say get them done whilst pragmatism, economy and fear all say it will be OK. Prudence was never my favourite anyway.
Women Bishops eh! Talked about the whole issue in housegroup this week and to my surprise everyone came out against them. Not as it transpires for deeply scriptural reasons, more along the lines of tradition and comfort and perception of the leader/elder role. Does it mean that if you give your confession to a WB that it will be all round the diocese by the end of the day or is that just stereotyping? Personally I have no issue either with the principle nor the practice and have worked well with several female clergy to say nothing of having a Mother Superior in the family. t seems to me that we still have a difficult time to live through during which there may well be some appointments of people who are women first and potential bishops second rather than the right people be consecrated who happen to be women. Time will come as more and more very good female clergy come up through the system. Since Mrs Claus came up through Methodism where female clergy have long played a very significant role this should not be an issue for me. In addition I have regularly worked in a wet capacity with a Salvation Army major who also happens to be a great lady.
Watch this space for more great debates in weeks to come - Caz, still no response, beginning to think you are ignoring me