When the children were young I was a full time mum, and a wet Monday was a bit of a disaster. Firstly, the washing ended up draped round the house – (no tumble-dryers then,) and secondly if it wasn’t a school day there were four noisy boys under my feet all day. If it was a school day they came home soaked and grumpy. When I used to work in an office long, long ago, a wet Monday was like a metaphor for the working life. In other words, work was all very well but there were other things I would rather be doing. As a Minister in a rural parish, Monday was usually my day off. However, now that I am retired, a wet Monday means a good excuse to declare an extra day tacked on to the weekend. It’s all about attitudes.
In the mail this morning:
- Two books, one of them – War and Peace is five times the size of the other and has print half the size. Yikes. Hope I can read it.
- One letter asking me if I wanted to remain a member of the Church Service Society. (I thought I had resigned five years ago.)
- 3 appeals from charities.
- 1 catalogue – a Christmas catalogue – yes, really.
- By email: a letter from a doggy friend to Misty (yes, ViVi’s mum is connected back to the internet.)
This post was interrupted by lunch (Baxter’s sun-dried tomato soup with parmesan, herbs and garlic – very good too.) yet it is still raining. So this is definitely an anything-is-a-bonus-day. Might tackle some paperclog, might try to read a book……. As I have said before in the last few days. There are some days that are nothing days.
Totally out of character, I assure you, I feel compelled to finish with this:
Life’s a blast!
Enjoy your day.
All of the above has been so that I wouldn’t have a rant about what is facing the women in Chechnya nowadays. But it obviously hasn’t worked. I get sickened at bullies, especially under the guise of religion. What do you think?
I also find these ideas to be bizarre:
VATICAN CITY: The ordination of women as Roman Catholic priests is a “crime against the faith,” the Vatican said Thursday as it issued a raft of new disciplinary rules. The new rules put attempts at ordination of women among the “most serious crimes,” along with paedophilia, updating a 2007 CDF decree according to which those who attempt to ordain women — and the women concerned — are subject to automatic excommunication. – Times of India 15th July 2010.
I think you should don waterproofs and discover the joys of coming back into a nice warm house and a mug of hot chocolate after taking the dog out in the pouring rain and getting soaked. The only draw-back is that damp dogs smell of wet sheep. No-one knows quite why.
The Vatican at times is bonkers, in my opinion, Jimmy. They are losing the place when it comes to dealing with paedophilia.
Adrienne, it is the little dog who would have to don waterproofs as well, and she was quite happy to avoid the rain by playing ball down the length of the hall. Mind you I feel like a cold drink rather than hot chocolate!
Freda, do you really need to ask that final question?
A wet Monday can be a pain but if I don’t have to go anywhere except for a dog walk in wellies and waxed jacket I can cope with it. In fact, I probably even welcome it at times, it is such a perfect excuse to do nothing. ‘Doing nothing’ includes reading, writing, blogging, watching TV, writing letters. Not bad, eh?
I know, Friko, the Chechnya situation was very much on my mind when I wrote the post (from the Sunday paper actually.)
As to nothing-days, we have very similar tastes!
I will take a free Monday, wet or not. Religion has never been something I could take.
My answer to the question is this: It is extremely difficult to say what one really thinks about Islamic law and religion, because one is likely to be called bigoted. I think that this is a religion based on the idea of conquest and enforced conversion and on the subjugation of women. But I bet I will be in trouble for saying it even in the relative obscurity of the comments of a personal blog. However, I also think that the other major religions have the same unpleasant underpinnings. Those are certainly present in the history and present day practices of both Christianity and Judaism. I realize that there are branches in all three major religions that teach and preach love, tolerance and kindness but in general religion causes a lot of trouble in the world. I know that you, Freda, belong in the love and tolerance faction and for that I honor you.
Thanks, Anne, you are right about misogyny being present in many religions – at least that seems to be the case from what I’ve experienced and read. One thing that struck me greatly at the Red Cross Centre in Geneva, when I visited there some years back, was parallel texts about love, tolerance and inclusion from the three monotheistic religions. It is just sad that we so often hear about the worst aspect of religion in the press. We have the Pope’s visit here in Scotland tomorrow, so it will be interesting to see whether bridges can be built.
I watched the Pope’s visit to Scotland today on tv, I was entranced from beginning to end. This surprised me and reminded me of the time I marched into Iona Abby for a quick look round and the awe of the place hit me as soon as I walked through the door causing me to pause and reflect. Something that’s been on my mind for some time now regarding the appalling scandal of child abuse that the Catholic church is embroiled in is that the innocent, faithful and hard working priests in the church are also victims in the way this has effected their lives and their priesthood.
I know what you mean, Jimmy. In particular I watched the Pope blessing the young children and was moved, then immediately thought “Oh should I be?” then was cross at myself that such an important thing for the families could be so tarnished. One of my friends is a Dominican monk who works in a busy inner city parish and I know the depth of his commitment. At the very least, this visit of the Pope will enable debate and help Christians to think through the way we can be so hurtful to each other. Thanks for the reminder.