Days 265 to 270, Tuesday-Sunday 15th-20th December.

Sunday 20th December 2020

The week leading up to the fourth and final Sunday of Advent, looking back, seems unremarkable, uneventful and perhaps, uninspiring. That doesn’t mean to say it was a bad week, except that, for many, the week did end badly. I, along with numerous others had great misgivings about the five day relaxation of the Covid 19 rules during Christmas. I learn today that the mutated form of the virus which is now getting everyone in a spin, has been known about since September! Brilliant!

I wasn’t expecting to make it for Eucharist at Christ Church, Burbage at 9.30 this morning. Yesterday, I had started watching (on recommendation) the Netflix series, The Queen’s Gambit. It was so good that I watched (and enjoyed) all seven episodes until 1am, and then, had a good deep sleep, as ever, interrupted by the usual trips to the bathroom, and several strange dreams, one being about an imminent explosion on the London Underground I was trying to avoid – which I did, by waking up and going to the loo!

However, I wasn’t late for church. Outside, it felt much colder than the 4 – 5 degrees Celsius; a strong breeze was blowing, and after the service, we stood (socially distanced) near an illuminated Christmas tree, adorned with numerous names of those no longer with us. I was ill-prepared to stand in the cold as each name was read out. Three quarters of the way into this commemoration, I started to feel the effects of the cold, and wondered how the rest of us were coping. These days, Anglican worship feels more like a work-out with the frequent alternating between standing and sitting or kneeling. This was particularly noticeable when resuming attending church after my heart operation, now, just over three and a half years ago. And, it is three years ago, this month, that I wrote my first blog. While it’s hard to locate right now, I do hope that it has not disappeared forever.

At last, the roofer came yesterday to fix, once and for all, the leaking carport roof and thus, negate the damp problem in the kitchen/diner. Heavy rains during the week had wet the carport floor after water had ingressed through the roof and down the side of the house, discolouring paintwork on some items displayed on that wall. Another heavy downpour last night proved that some further work was needed, although today, I could see no further problem.

I suspect the week ahead may be much as any other, except that Friday is Christmas Day. The government have, reduced the five day relaxation of Covid restrictions to just one day in a last minute quest to limit the spread of this still prevalent virus, which is developing into a more contagious form. The south of England and London are now in a new Tier 4 which is more or less like a new period of lockdown.

Tomorrow at around 5pm, Saturn (eleven times further away from the Sun) will appear nearly on top of Jupiter (six times further away from the Sun), giving the impression of an unusually bright light in the heavens. (The Great Conjunction). Earlier tonight, Saturn was invisible to the naked eye, but was discernible through binoculars. As darkness continued to fall, it was just possible to see Saturn above Jupiter, slightly “top-left”. Jupiter (The Bringer of Joĺlity) shone out before any other planet or star could be discerned in the dusk sky.

This evening, St. John’s held its traditional candle-lit Carol service. It was magnificent, even if there was a surfeit of modern interpretations of well known carols. I might not be overly keen, but these unusual versions do deserve to be afforded public performance, and on more than just one occasion.

Because of the pandemic, singing by the congregation in the Church remains prohibited. However, St. John’s wriggled through a loop-hole, allowing the congregation to join in the final carol, “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”…..outside in the Churchyard, provided we were all socially distanced. It worked! In these days of a spoiled Christmas, just for a few glorious moments, and thanks to the heavens not opening up, the congregation was able to join the choir outside the church building for the final carol, creating a brief but wonderful extra Christmas ambiance.