Anyone got a strepsil?

No excitment on the train journey to and from Canterbury today I'm afraid. Still we can't have it all can we?

Mass was at 12 noon today, it being a Wednesday, and today we celebrate the feast of St. Blaise. He is widely known as one of the Holy Helpers, and is popular for blessing ailments of the throat. St. Blaise was a physician and also Bishop of Sebastea. I can tell that those of you reading this are impressed with my knowledge of history! If I am wrong then you can blame wikipedia!

On the feast of St. Blaise a rather strange shaped candle is used to bless peoples throats, I must point out that it is not a lit candle! I did not have my throat blessed as I haven't actually got anything wrong with it at the moment. However, after the blessings took place and we were preparing for Communion I started coughing, having developed a tickly throat. Luckily I had a bottle of water on my person. It makes me wonder whether I should have had my throat blessed anyway...just to be sure...next time I think I will.

After the service today it was the normal tea, coffee and biscuits together with a chat. Margaret was asking the Bishop if Mary, Queen of Scots had a brother, as she did in a film she recently watched...we do engage in some strange and rather random conversations at times! Roy popped out to the local pasty shop and returned with a pasty for himself, some honey roast parsnips (which we helped him eat) and the Bishop's order of a sausage roll.

This afternoon the Bishop was due to visit Father Ray Thompson at home. Father Ray had his operation but has some problems with his voice following it at the moment. The Bishop was to take St. Blaise's candle with him and I pray that the blessing of Father Ray's throat has the desired effect and that his voice is restored soon. Being able to talk properly is something that we take for granted, although I sometimes dream that my wife could remain quiet for a while!!

Anyway, I can't think of much else to write here at the moment, so I'll leave it here and maybe try and do a little studying (children permitting).

I shall be back on Sunday.....now where did I put that cough mixture.....