fathers' day and other tales

What a lovely day!

Six o'clock this morning sees me hunkered down in the electrofried kitchen composing a small homily for the Morning Service at our local Methodist Church.  Our House Group is leading today, and we've got a baptism party in too .. so in less than seven minutes I have to cover the meaning of prayer, the joy of baptism, the Holy Trinity and Fathers' Day!

I go with six common misconceptions of prayer, and a tawdry tale of my own conversion some twenty one Fathers' Days ago, then offer up the briefest of prayers myself (principally concerning my unfortunate predilection for leaving things to the last minute).  Fluffy the guinea pig plays a pivotal role in the composition of the piece.  Hugged to my manly and still pyjamed chest he provides homely comfort and a pair of uncritical ears as I practice my lines outloud, much to the bemusement of Mollie and Dylanne, the two Hounds of electrofried.

Preparation done, and two infusions of Mr PG's finest in hand I return to the electrofried bedchamber to greet my darling wife.  A veritable cornucopia of Fathers' Day presentry is produced from beneath the bed, including a rather splendid tome on the humble VW camper van and a selection of Martin Parr postcards.

Our son calls to wish me a happy Fathers' Day.  He's learning disabled, and we conduct a delightful semaphore discussion of the "hot off the press" appointment of Alec McLeish as manager to his beloved Aston Villa.  Bless!

The morning passes in a blur.  Greeting the baptism party in the car-park, the delivery of said homily, then an unforeseen and testing interval of some twenty minutes as we await the arrival of our Minister from another Church to wet the heads of two girls in floating angel dresses.  Our House Group leader and yours truly plug the gap.  A mixture of choruses, ad libs and a journey out into the congregation to ask the important question, "What are you thankful for today?" sees us safely through.

Mrs electrofried and I return home, and what joy awaits.  Family is just so precious isn't it?  Our two daughters and our two grandsons are there to greet us.  More presents, and two lovely cards.  The first is a study in blue by our eldest grandson, freshly dried from Thursday nursery.  The second, two precious set of little handprints in red paint.  How poignant that is ...  just six months ago we might have expected but one.

I choke back the tears, and open the final present of the day.  Oh my!!!  Two guinea pig leads purchased blind from the internet, one red and one ...... cover your eyes in shame, dear Fluffy ..... pink!!

He bore it stoically as eldest grandson and I walk two boars to the lawn and a browse on early summer grass.  What a day, indeed!!