Canterbury Dogs and other fun things

Dear Reader

My young friend Alice is trying to convince her family to get a dog. This photo was taken in the Two Sawyers Hotel where Diane, her partner and their dog Baby chased us into the street to offer us their table, as the pub was full. Baby was 14 years old and recently came into their care from Diane’s mother in law. Such kindness from these locals was much appreciated and a wonderful night was had.

The Main Streets in Canterbury were sites for encounters with various hounds. Only one was hitching a lift.

For completeness I am adding the rest of the series. Suffice it to say, my “models” thought the one above was all about them. Sorry Bella, Bec and David, there was another subject in this photo.

After the Lay Clerk’s Evensong a group of us headed up to the Mound where I was able to snap this night vision picture. You can almost imagine the Cathedral without its scaffolding here.

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The Big One, St Paul’s

Dear Reader Today was the Big Event of tour. St Paul’s Cathedral, London. If you are observant, you will notice my absence from the photo above, along with several of my colleagues. Sadly, this happened. After nearly four years and six vaccinations I finally succumbed to the dreaded Covid. At the worst possible time. My multiple vax status has meant I only feel a bit rotten, like a cold, but I do feel sad to have missed the day. And to miss Windsor tomorrow. I was grateful for the considered medical advice provided by Dr Ritesh, father of one of the trebles, who also updated my supply of paracetamol and ibuprofen. So I am relying on others for the report about this special day. The good bits started with four of the young Lay Clerks heading to St Paul’s for singing lessons with my friend Patrick Craig, who is an Alto Lay Vicar at St Paul. In have yet to hear from Nicholas, Marco, Charlie or James, but Patrick was very complimentary about their singing. This is what he said: Such a

And now the deadline is hours away...

Dear Reader! What an amazing fortnight we have had! We have rehearsed every Saturday as well as Friday. And sung on Sundays. We travelled to Victor Harbour to sing to a capacity congregation for Lessons and Carols. Yamba had a ball. We have done our Christmas Rounds - Lessons and Carols, Midnight Mass and Christmas Day. Precious Lillian was privileged (and rather nervous) to bring the sweet Baby Jesus into the Cathedral at Midnight Mass. She performed her duties beautifully. Zoom in to the second picture and you can see just how wonderful she was. And now there are bags of robes and music in my front room, ready for the 6:45am departure. Dear Reader, Please remember us in your thoughts and/or your prayers (whatever works for you) as we prepare for this big adventure. Off we go. Christine 💖

Worcester - that’s a wrap

Dear Reader Well, that’s a wrap. After a free morning to shop, skate, scoff scones or the like, we boarded the coach to Worcester. Annabel Crompton continued the proud tradition set by her late father, the beloved Prof David Thomas, and shared history and interesting information about the Cathedral, always including the South Australian connections. We had a very warm welcome from the Interim Dean, Canon Stephen, and Anita the Virger. On the musical menu was Hunt Versicles and Responses, Howells in G Canticles and Be Present O Merciful God by Australian composer, Owen Elsley. I thought the Anthem went particularly well. We sang two psalms, 131 to a Willcocks chant and 132 to a chant by a random (will update later). Turns out the second chant was by Richard Massey. David played a beautiful postlude, Rhapsody by Daniel Cook (b1979). When we arrived in Worcester it lived up to the reputation England has for wet and rather miserable weather, so we headed straight into the building out o

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