Oliver Update.

Sir Oliver Badcat put us all in a spin on Christmas Eve. I had some people in for a glass of something sparking in the mid afternoon and just as they were getting ready to go Oliver came down the stairs looking very sorry for himself, his head on one side, ear pealed back and making an appalling high pitched screaming noise. He was very obviously in a lot of pain. There was a really disgusting brown gunge coming from his ear. He looked me straight in the eyes pleadingly as if to say " Please do something".

It could not have been at a worse moment. Anyway after some ridiculous trouble with a wire free phone whose battery was flat, and a mobile with no signal, I got hold of a very kindly vet who is a member of our congregation and he arranged for Oliver to be seen even though it was now 4pm on Christmas Eve.

It turns out that Oliver had been fighting! Another cat got his claw quite deep into his ear and pierced the flesh deeply and embedded something nasty under the skin which then festered.

Anyway Badcat's now on antibiotics and painkillers. After a few days of mooching around and sleeping a lot he is getting back on form again. He went mousing last evening and the temperature was minus 4.5! He's sitting on my lap as I type and probably getting ready for his usual trick of walking along the keyboard, deleting everything I've written.

Church Flowers.

A few months ago an appeal went out for people to volunteer to "do" the church flowers. One or two of the ladies who had been very active had for one reason or another to cut back, ( growing families, advancing years). For some reason, ( my guardian angel has an ironic sense of humour, I sometimes think), I volunteered! I was not the only man. The rota for the new year popped through my door this morning. It now seems that it will be spilt fairly evenly between men and women. I think this could get interesting.

I heard a story recently about days past at the London Oratory. On great feasts, like Christ the King, the sanctuary was crowded with potted plants, mainly ferns and palms, and flowers donated especially for the occasion by parishioners, great and small. At High Mass after the deacon and sub-deacon had assisted the celebrant with the incensing of the altar the sub-deacon came down to incense the clergy attending in choir. Such was the proliferation of foliage that when he had finally located the high ranking prelate he sought he greeted him sotto voce, " Dr. Livingstone I presume".

I will resist the temptation to go over board.

Last Minute Gift Idea.

For the person who has everything.....A Pope Pius Clock with each of the twelve popes of that name in their proper order. I think I want one.