Countdown, and I've still got it

Sooo, 192 days until I get my plane. I bought my ticket today and I'm happy but starting to worry (in a good way). I know it will be fine. I swore I would never travel via LA again, but circumstances conspired against me and I have to go that way (have booked a return via Hong Kong which I hope to be able to keep although the date will have to be altered for further in the future at some point). The silver lining is that I can take more stuff if I so desired (not so much desire there).

T'other thing is that I went to a party last night (yes, another one, woo hoo!) and stayed til early this morning and felt great when I got up (10.30ish). I purposefully didn't drink much. If that is the answer to staying awake and feeling good the next day someone should have informed me of the joys of fruit juice, or at least drinking slowly, much earlier.

And in other news I have linked up a very old walkman into my stereo so that I could listen to Kylie's 'Enjoy Yourself' album on tape. There has been some dancing.

Things are moving on

I have applied for and been granted my visa to enter New Zealand within 12 months, which they will hopefully then exchange for a permit once I arrive. This is the first major step in getting there and I am very excited :)

I am now back to consolidating and sorting out my finances so that I can be sure how much I have and what each bit will pay for.

This is great.

High on a hill...

I'm going to a party this weekend and I shall be dressed as Heidi. Can't wait. I will try and get a pic or two on here or facebook or something afterwards. Get on FB Annabel you bint.

Today I had one of my Fridays in Chichester where I had to get a hideously early train. I got soaked to the skin on my bottom half and spent the whole day interviewing people whilst being in various states of drying out.

Can't wait until tomorrow when I will spend the ENTIRE day (apart from getting dressed and partying as Heidi) reading the new Harry Potter. Brullliant.

Not a lot of news really. Did I mention Heidi? I have a flowery shirt.

Lesson Learned, or Ode to Sleep

Today I learned what happens when you set your wake-up alarm in the logic-free pre-slumber fog that overcomes you just as you drop off at night.

Yes, this morning, I - not famed for my enjoyment of early rising - got up at 6.10am, washed and had breakfast before my brain finally clicked into place and I thought 'ummmm, that's not right, I am an hour too early'. I had an early train to catch or I would not be up at 7.10 either! (flexi-time gets it's name for a reason :)).

I did briefly think about going back to bed, by frankly that would have been a Very Bad Idea. I so did some reading and joined the ranks of those smuggards who have always got up, started work, and saved a couple of orphans all before I normally open my peepers.

I just love sleeping.

Leadership, giftings and a beautiful garden

(Scattered through here are piccies of my garden - see the end for further details!)

I've now finished a year-long leadership training course run at my church called Growing Leaders. We met once a month and for away-days and looked at various subjects.

• Firstly I am very impressed with the level of training and support us leaders are getting, especially as having talked to many friends from other churches, they would love something like this as it's just not happening chez them.
• Secondly it has confirmed a lot of things (as training often does on a topic you have been doing for a while anyway).
• Thirdly, it reminded me of what I really enjoy doing, and consequently I have joined the group researching and consulting the church and Prestonville (our Parish name) communities to see what they need and want to help reach conclusions about what to do with our church building and the church hall a few roads away. This really gets me excited, and we've just started planning the approach.
• Fourthly, each of us had a mentor for the leadership course and I am grateful that it has put me in touch with Martine who is a wonderful French lady I hadn't met before. She's great, and every time I meet with her I come away remembering what I love about France, and how much more there is to explore than little England.

At Church we have been having sermons on spiritual gifts and have been praying for them as the Bible says God will give them and they are useful for building the church (eg words of wisdom, healing, prophecy, interpretation of tongues etc). I am testing out (by doing it) what God seems to have given me which is words and pictures which I just seem to get in my mind when I'm praying sometimes. Most recently I've had a couple which when I've said out loud or to the person I think they were for, have resonated with them, which is positive. Frankly it's a bit of a tricky gift because as humans we associate pictures and words in our minds all the time, and so of course you can explain it away as something co-incidental or just from me. However, I am being practical about it and trying it out, and having faith that I have heard from God. I have no idea if I may get prophetic things from God to pass on, but those of you who believe in the God I do, please pray for me and more pray for St Luke's and that we will be receptive to what God is up to. I also personally heard words in my head back (not in a mad sense!) in January during one of the services talking about building joy and also about God wanting to build on the firm foundations he had laid in me. I wrote it down but didn't tell anyone, but again those things were written down and given to me from two different people recently as they had been praying for individuals on the leadership course. I know I shouldn't doubt God, but it is always amazing to get a reminder (or several) that he knows about me as an individual and cares about everything to do with me.

Sorry if you don't believe in all that!, but I just wanted to share what has been gong on with me spiritually.

And to finish this mammoth post here are some pictures of my garden which my parents and I finished last weekend and is now in full bloom.

Not quite inconclusion, and types of clothes days

Sort of inconclusion
Today I met with Natalie my boss, and Peter her boss to discuss my career break. We talked through the things that need to be thought about, that needed to be done, and that needed to be checked (ie how the work might be covered by someone else, writing a project plan for reviewing the Community Strategy, and talking to HR and the PCT who part fund my post).

The conclusion is that the District Council are happy for me to go (and come back!) but before I can actually book a ticket I need the agreement of the PCT as well. This shouldn't be a problem, although you never know.

Presuming they say yes, if anyone has great has advice about what sort of ticket I should get for a 12 month return or where I should get it, I'd be very grateful.

Clothes
Jen and I on camp used to sense some mornings that it was a skirt day. You can just tell in the morning.... Today it would appear that it was a black t-shirt and black and white skirt day as Natalie and another colleague Jacqui were in almost identical clothes (Monsoon junkies...). Watch out for those days.

Mini-Happiness, Or Gifts from Strangers

I boarded the train to come home yesterday and sat opposite a man. He had several small squares of pink card on the table between us and he was folding one. Rather dismissively I thought 'uh oh, freak' and tried to keep looking out of the window, but the next time I looked back he had folded it into the most amazing little pig!

The train journey is only very short and we both got up to leave at Hove. He must have seen me looking at the tiny origami pig because he pushed it towards me.

The little pig is now sitting on top of my computer. Pictures below. Thank you stranger with an ASLEF identity chord. Train drivers clearly have deeper creative talents than I give them credit for.