Naming names

Mum keeps a careful eye on her pup.

This is the pup who will be coming with us to our new parish. She is one of the smallest and has unusual colouring for a collie but both The Curate and I feel drawn to her. Now for the name. Jem, our Lakeland, was named after a character in Jamaica Inn ( I know he was a  man). We had decided that our next dog would be called Jem when we were driving back to West Country after living in Gibraltar.  We had listen to the tapes of Jamica Inn as we drove from South to North Spain. 

Jed The Collie has a very suitable Devon collie name and he was also our Jedi Knight from Star Wars. 

This pup will probably be called Tess - still on the literary theme. Can you guess which area of the UK we are going to next? All will be revealed on Sunday when The Curate's appointment will be officially announced in both parishes ( and here).

Next Steps

8 days old

Life has not slowed down yet except for yesterday when I was puppy sitting The Collie's new pups and mum for the afternoon. The six pups fed and then slept, grunting and squeaking rather like guinea pigs as they snuggled up to each other. Their eyes are not open so we are still waiting to see if any have the collie blue eyes. I had taken a bagful of things to do but as it was, I spent the afternoon just watching and photographing. It was so restful and mum was so calm that I was able to take the time to reflect on the past two days events.

The Curate and I have just returned from an interview that started with drinks on the night before and ended with a lovely lunch the next day. In between, The Curate was interviewed by two panels and preached on the gospel. I visited the various parishes attached to the vacancy with other interviewee's wives and drank coffee and ate cake. It is with great joy that I can say that The Curate was successful and we now know where we are heading. I can say no more until it is officially announced but - we are on our way!

In the meantime, we are thrilled with the pups and we are trying to choose one to join us on the next stage of our journey. Here they are:-

 

There we are

Less that 24 hours old.

It is the first time I haven't had time to write a blog for over seven days and I am supposed to be retired! In the last week I have caught up with old and new friends, there have been exciting engagement and expecting baby announcements (not us I hasten to add). I have ridden in the first snows on the moor, visited the six new pups who are the offspring of our much loved Collie, seen the latest James Bond film and cooked for informal supper parties (the type of entertaining that I enjoy). Since 'retiring' I have never been so busy or so blessed! I was warned that there were not enough hours in the day by other retirees  - but I didn't believe them...now I do!

We have had our old friend and neighbour to stay which has been lovely. Our Collie greeted her with such excitement - we have never heard him 'speak' in the way that he did when she arrived. And, of course, she totally spoilt both the dogs!.We have walked and talked together on the moor in sleet, snow and sunshine. Even the old Lakeland was determined to show she could keep up with us and climbed a tor. At nearly sixteen years old (what's that in dog years?) - I am constantly impressed by her determination.
 Then we had the news that six pups had arrived - we had been expecting to hear and so of course, we had to find time to visit the day old pups. These are our Collie's offspring and one will be joining our household eventually. How do you chose a single pup? - We would like them all!

With all this excitement going on in the house, the poor Curate is trying to prepare for another interview - somewhat tougher than the last one. I'm going along as well this time. It's a good job he manages to keep calm despite the chaos that seems to surround me! I just hope the vicarage is big enough for puppies, dogs, a Clydesdale horse (that I don't own yet....but one day......one day!) and the alpacas I've just been to visit today(and would love to own!), the occasional visiting sons and a vicar and his wife!

Retired!

That's it - decision made - job done!  We can now focus on moving on and working out where we are supposed to be. I had a super last day at work - thanks to a friend's excellent cake cooking and kindness. There were no regrets and no doubts about whether I had done the right thing or not - just a certainty that all would be well. The Curate and I celebrated with a fish and chip supper in our van parked up on the Moor. Madness at it's best! Suddenly life seems incredibly busy and we have so much to do, I wonder how it will all get done. Life is exciting and busy! (Can you sense those giggle bubbles?)

Sunday Morning

Dare I say it but for me, there are better places to be than in church on a Sunday morning. Today I am watching the sun try to rise up from behind the tors on the moor. The Collie, the Lakeland and myself have arrived to see the night time shroud of cloud become edged with the early sun light. It has the promise of a beautiful day. It is Sunday, and while the Curate goes off to open the church and prepare for the early communion service, I have brought both dogs to the edge of the moor, where human leisure pursuits mix with the rural life of the moor - cattle and golf, football and sheep, dog walking and birds of prey. They all mix at different times of the day on this particular spot. For now it is silent, too early for the chattering small birds that hide themselves in the gorse bushes, too early for the sheep to rouse themselves  from the middle of the road for just one car and too early for the ponies to be worried by the presence of two happy dogs. 

The Old Lakeland still enjoys wandering around - I lose her now and then as she ambles off in the opposite direction to me. In this early light, her flaxen wiry coat blends in with the long grasses so it is easy to lose her. She doesn't respond to my calls - she is either deaf or has very selective hearing.

The early glimpses of sunlight seem to be disappearing now and  a strange watery light has taken their place. Could this be rain coming? The view of the distant tor fades in and out of sight as the light changes - now you see it - now you don't. It is a great place to be still and reflective - to pray and to listen. So I don't complain about the early walks on Sunday.

Around me, the moor is coming to life. The ponies are standing up and moving themselves from the middle of the golf course. There is the early golfer who sees only the small white ball and the flag that he is aiming for. There is the runner who is unaware that she has just sent a herd of ponies running ahead of her. There is the dog walker with one of those ball throwing things that sends the dog off repeatedly to collect the rubber ball leaving him with no time to sniff and explore. Soon the Sunday morning footballers will be training where the sheep have laid for the night and the cyclists will be making their way up to the higher moor along with the walkers.  I am grateful for the stillness I have had and now another day can start.

After the storms......

We have had rain and more rain in the last week - and for most of it, I have been holed up indoors. With a glimmer of sunshine yesterday I rode out onto the moor with a couple of other riders from Tor Royal. It was so good to be out in the wide open spaces - no roads, no busyness of life - just open (rather boggy) moorland. We are so lucky to have this time living near the moor.

I feel like I am on top of the world when we ride up here. After the heavy rain, the ground is saturated and the horses have to pick their way through the peaty bogs. You are enshrouded in silence - just the breathing of the wind in your ears. The light is sharp and bright when the sun comes out from behind the scudding clouds. The distant villages are clearly defined on the horizon and then become hazy again as the sun slides away. The marbled skies are reflected as stripes of silver that criss-cross the moorland surface.

After the turbulence of last week, I hope for a period of calm and reflection for both the Curate and myself. We have certainly learned a lot about ourselves and what we feel is important to our lives. Perhaps we are slow learners and we should have worked this all out before the Curate applied for any jobs. We thought we had - so it came as a bit of a shock that when every box appeared to be ticked, we both knew we had got something wrong. We have learned that we can't fly solo, that we value our family (obvious really!) and living in a community, that we need open space on our doorstep and our desire for adventure comes with conditions.

Stunned

Are we listening?

1st job application

1st job interview

1st job offer

1st job declined

One Curate reeling from week's events

One Curate's wife stunned while out of action and recovering from 'seasonal chest disorder!'

(Note to self: Have flu jab at end of August)

Psalm 143:8
8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.