Everyone needs a day off...

It's Friday! Breakfast at Asda...

The Christmas Tree is up and decorated and cards are ready to be written...

Tried to rest but we're both over tired... The effects of too much adreneline are definitely being felt - busy lives combined with Christmas - a potent biochemical mix...

It's amazing how grumpy everyone is at the momment as they race around "getting ready" for Christmas. Fight or flight reactions are kicking in as human biology responds to the need for action...

Tonight is "Party Friday" according to the police, who are also expecting a big rise in domestic violence over the next couple of weeks... all in honour of the Prince of Peace...

In his recent book "Do Nothing to Change your Life" Stephen Cottrell speaks of the need for "a day off at last". Doing nothing for a while may be what we all need - and may be preferable to Christmas as many people will experience it this year. Is this the moment for the Church to campaign against Christmas? - or just point out the silliness of killing ourselves with activity...

Weekend Away

For the past six years we have been regular visitors to Weststar Holiday Parks - "Sid and Lizzie" - the Holiday parks previously owned by the woman from "Dragon's Den". Not only have we visited them on roughly eight occasions (!) we've also put in four winning enteries to the fancy dress competition.... Here's Izzy with her 2007 October half-term winner - "Jack in the Box".

And so we were the proud winners of a free weekend break - the Gala Finals at Sandford! I was owed a few weekends and the services could be covered so we decided to go... Advent Weekend off! Shouldn't be allowed!

But actually, we really needed it. This has been a killer of a term with a number of big crises and major projects. Every weekend has brought some big event or other... It's all taken a toll and we desperately needed some space to recover...

It may sound funny to some, but it was good to get back to the familiar sights and sounds of Dorset: fish and chips in Swanage, sea, wind, rain and a dancing seagull - what more could a stressed out clergy family want....

I didn't manage to do nothing on "Just this Day" - but we managed to find space for each other by stepping outside our normal routine and being ourselves for a few moments. Thanks Izzy for a fine competition winner and roll on next holiday...

P.S. There were 57 entries in the Fancy Dress Final. Izzy wasn't placed, but we had a great time.