review of Liverpool City centre carparks

The New Q-park at Liverpool One...cold and confusing.













One of my favourite carparks is the one on the corner of Islington, opposite the national express bus station. It costs £3.50 all day and the man who organises it is suitably grumpy but he has an amazing way of rationalising the cars. He arranges them by size. The 4x4's are parked in one area, the boring fords and vauxhalls are in another area and the small cars are arranged in the middle island. He insists that you park incredibly close to the car next to you (if you complain he suggests that you go on a diet!). To be honest there is a lot to complain about because his technique is both surly and aggressive but I have a great deal of respect for his commitment to car park arranging and have never seen such efficiency. Even after a bit of back-chat he always says goodbye and wishes you well.

Quite the opposite can be said for the new Q-park at Liverpool One. It is expensive, dangerous and far too big (we lost the car today). I am also not sure that there is enough ventilation - I felt sick trying to find the car! Although I like the John Lewis carpark - bacause you get to use the walkway across the bus station this is also a Q-park and has many of the weaknesses of the Liverpool one. I discovered the other day that they also charge for bicycles which seems to be a bit of a cheek because you can't put them anywhere else in Liverpool One.

I am quite happy to walk in to town and get a bus or taxi back...except when it's raining! Hey ho.

that was the week that was

Indeed the week has past far too quickly and it has been quite frustrating. But there have been some highlights:
On Tuesday evening I attended my first Everton Labour Group meeting where I received a cool welcome - good to see that local politics remains as bazaar as always.
On Wednesday I had to go to the Build A Bear Factory with Eva (I have very strong views about 'build a bear' that I can not write here for fear of the legal repercussions suffice to say it took all my strength to step over the thresh-hold and help Eva spend the gift voucher that was given by my Mum). I came home feeling spiritually and financially bereft. Having said that it was compensated by a great housegroup/bible study at mine - we are looking at Genesis at the moment and it provoked an interesting debate about sex, sin and redemption.
On Thursday I had my hair done. Due to my current situation (please contact me in person for details) I am trying to blend in...so I have had my hair cut very sensibly and gone to my natural colour (though a bit of colour was applied to cover my grey hair - getting greyer by the day!!!).
Today I am home early and have, for the first time this week, had some time in my office. I have moved some papers about and faffed about - which is nice.

Anyway, I must go and get Eva now. She has a friend over for tea so I must be on best behaviour.

no news

continued blog break

Thanks to everyone who has sent messages and has been praying for the parishes and for the family and friends of Joseph Lappin. Your love and support has been much appreciated.

Unfortunately, due to unforeseen (and totally unrelated) circumstances, I have to continue with my blog break for a few more months. I hope to be back by the early new year. Meanwhile, please do tune in to the new re:jesus blog where I shall be adding the occasional post. In the meantime if you need to get in touch you can either post a comment here and I will get back to you, or you can email me.

much love and blessings. Ellen. xxx

my list

looks like this:
- Finish writing our Will - boring, depressing but necessary (the co-op do a great will writing service)
- Sort out risk assessment for church
- write up notes taken at meeting with Environmental Health man
- write a funding report
- look at and sort electoral rolls
- Write a sermon for Sunday
- Write the talk for Women's Fellowship today (which I have done!)
- phone hairdresser and sort appointment for me and Eva
- go food shopping or make a list and send someone else
- read minutes etc for meeting this evening and find out where meeting is and where to park etc
- get trainers for first gym visit on thurs
- make cakes for Sunday
- plan pastoral visits for next few weeks

There are lots of other bits and bobs but this is where I am up to just now. I am off to Women's Fellowship shortly to speak, drink tea and eat cake (it is a hard life) and I have started to plan my preach for Sunday so am on course - Philippians 1: 21-30! Like Paul I am dealing with the tension between the desire for the new heaven but enjoying the cake in the old earth (Paul obviously worded his argument differently)...will there be cake in heaven?

reflections

I have been using Reflections for Daily Prayer: 18 August to 29 November 2008 which have been written by John PRITCHARD, Jane WILLIAMS, Tom SMAIL, Emma INESON, Maggi DAWN, Alan GARROW, Ian PAUL.
The collection follows the lectionary readings focusing on one aspect and offering reflections as well as the collect for the day. I find it a very useful focus for my daily prayers. Having been so caught up in the business of being a new curate and trying to keep up some spiritual routine using these reflections has been a spiritual lifeline to me. I have decided to subscribe to the following editions (quarterly) and can recommend it heartily.

You can buy your copy and/or subscribe from Church House Publishing.

in charge

Henry and I meet up on a Tuesday to talk business and a Wednesday to theologically reflect on recent events and spend time praying for each other, our families and the church and wider community. Today we had to conflate the two meetings into one because Henry is off to London and leaving me in charge. We met for a few hours this morning followed by communion at the Women's Fellowship group I am then running him to the station later. I hope he has a parish (or preferably two parishes) left when he comes back!

Actually, I think I am going to be running about so much that I won't be able to cause too much trouble. I am sure I'll be ok. Mark is away of Thursday for the weekend so I really will be left holding the baby and in charge!

Anyway, I am off to do some visiting now so sorry this is so short. Catch up later. Wish me luck.

headache day 2

Rather annoyingly I still have yesterdays headache today. Don't really know what I am doing wrong...I've had lots of sleep, I have tried very hard not to read, watch tv, play on this computer and even took some time out of work this afternoon. But, here I am still feeling like a small thunderstorm is raging inside my brain. I also feel sick and am a funny shade of grey. The morris dancers are in church and I am in charge this evening (not as tricky as it sounds as they only need me to open up, fetch the football when they kick it over our fence - some boys who don't morris come to kick a football about - and close up at 9pm). I had intended to spend some time with them this evening but my headache won't deal with watching young people hop and bounce to loud music so I am pottering about instead.

It is Eva's birthday tomorrow - so we have a late afternoon/ evening of 9 year old fun ahead (burgers, a film, presents etc). Henry and I are taking a funeral tomorrow and I hope to finally get out and deliver the Everton Telegraph with Henry and some of the St Peter's church gang in the morning. So, I am hoping this headache will disappear over night (like the rain). If you don't mind putting a word in to God about the headache it would make tomorrow so much easier. Thanks.

sleeping

Last night was the first time since May that I have slept through the night...I know that sounds mad but I usually have to get up at lest once for the loo or to have a little walk about. I haven't been worried about this - actually I don't mind waking up in the middle of the night, but last night I actually slept right through and it was great. Having said that by 1pm (after a baptism visit - which went very well) I had a screaming migraine and had to go back to bed and close the curtains (I need thicker curtains as there was too much light!). I fell asleep again for 2 hours and woke up very confused. I hate migraines and they are quite random but at least mine don't last very long and I bounce back quite well.

I was well enough to go out to the St Peter's Church PCC social this evening and had a great time. I had to pop t ASDA to buy presents for Eva's birthday - it's on Wednesday but I am a bit busy tomorrow. I wonder how old she will have to be before I can stop buying pink plastic stuff? I am listening to some music and trying to chill before I go off for more sleeping. Busy day tomorrow so best get chilling...

If you want a little laugh do have a look at this "Lambeth" picture.

it's wednesday already

...where has the time gone?

I have a short break between the afternoon bible/house group and a funeral visit to have a cup of tea and some maltesers so I am not going to write much (sorry about that).

I have had a busy day - spent the first part of the morning with Henry theologically reflecting on the last week and discussing hot topics of the day (so hot that they can't be repeated here! Intrigued? Well, hard luck!). I then went off to Radio Merseyside to record a little piece for the radio. The religious producer Wayne Clarke is doing series about vocations and has interviewed a number of us who were recently ordained Anglican deacons as well as a catholic deacon. The series will run over the summer on the Sunday morning show (so I can't hear it live but I think they have the weekly listen again facility which can also be accessed nationally on-line) so I will let you know when I am on!

I had better go and drink my tea...xxx

water

We put the dishwasher on this morning (yes, we have a dishwasher - my mum bought it for us as an ordination present, she said that we couldn't live in a vicarage without a dishwasher! I did point out that it didn't appear to be a clerical essential but she was having none of that...I gave in in the end). Anyway, I put the dishwasher on this morning and it vomited up all the dirty water onto the kitchen floor! Oh joy. It seems a small thing under the sink had wobbled free and from a small thing lots of yacky water flowed (I am sure Jesus would have told a story about this sort of thing being like not founding your faith on solid ground or something like that). So, I was supposed to be writing a sermon on Romans 8 and instead I was phoning clergy housing and wiping up water. I wonder if this story will be of any interest to the congregation on Sunday!? I suspect not. Looks like I will have to find another time to catch up with Paul.

I am off to meet the diocesan media officer and attend the Shewsy AGM. So, I'd better get a move on.