A quick break to fill you in on the weekend

I'm currently grappling with my paper for a conference in Seattle in November (we're going trans-Atlantic!) and it is proving tricky so I thought I'd have a quick break to write a post about the weekend. Listening to a radio programme about Tony Blair and Iraq which is making me want to throw things (is a war worse than starving a country to death through sanctions? I'll leave that with you...) - the show seems to have found a collection of the most ignorant people on this good green earth and have asked them to share their intensely passionate but wholly unsubstantiated views with the great British public. Phew...it's finished. Just as I felt my blood beginning to boil over.

Anyways, peace descends again chez Warden...we had a lovely weekend. Saturday was spent doing Body Combat (slightly less painful this week) and sorting out old clothes (always a rewarding sort of job). On Sunday Mum and Dad arrived. We visited Burton Waters so Dad could look at the boats and then enjoyed fish and chips at our old favourite, The Elite. They stayed over and it was very good to see them. Last night friends from church came over for dinner. A good time had by all. It goes without saying that Sunday's preach was excellent. Pastor spoke on that section about the rich man in Luke. It was a very balanced sermon - nowhere in the Bible does it say that it is wrong to have money, or wrong to enjoy the things money buys. It does encourage us to be generous, not to place any worth on what we own (money can just fly away) or to worry about the things we have. Lots of food for thought. I might come back to this in a later post.

It was also the first weekend of the new Premiership football season. Since top-flight football has been almost completely defined by how much money a club has, I have been much less passionate about it. As a teenager I was a Manchester United obsessive (btw how good is it to see Eric Cantona back on our televisions?) but my commitment has waned over the years. This year though, D and I are participating in a fantasy league where you choose your players and earn points depending on how well they play. I had a pretty good first weekend really, especially given that Drogba scored a hat-trick. At least it will make sure that this season is slightly more interesting.

So today it is back to the book. I am just about reaching the end - our holiday is just round the corner and we are looking forward to a break. I think I need a change of scenery and some time away from the book! I'm also looking forward to seeing the students again. This summer has been an amazing privilege - I spend days sitting in my office at home, writing, reading and thinking...perfect! But I can't wait to see the students. Anyways, I'm off to get some lunch. D bought me one of those lovely Innocent veggie pots. Oh too yum!

Have a great week one and all.

CSW