According to todays Scotsman you can now get married at Harvey Nicks in Edinburgh because they have a license for Civil Partnerships. Now, how are we going to compete with that? Mind you, I bet they dont have priests in gorgeous vestments and glorious copes. Maybe we could get Fendi to do a nice line in gold vestments? And forget the restaurant and balcony for your photographs - we have a lovely graveyard.

(Sorry about no apostrophes but blog.co.uk wont let me type them today)

Well, it would appear that the reason my sight is getting worse is because I have cataracts. That would explain that blurry morning eye thing that sometimes doesn't go away even after rubbing them red raw. So that was a bit of a shock.

On the other hand, son #1 got new specs and went around like a blind man who had just been given back his sight - which in effect he had. "Oh look at the clouds! Look at the ripples on the pond! Look at that sale sign!" On and on and on he went rejoicing in the sights around him.

And the sights for me will just become more and more misty. It's not fair. And it cost me nearly £500. It really is not fair.

See no evil and see no small print either. I think I need new specs because the phone book is just a blur these days and even my night time novel is more of a mystery than it proclaims on the cover. So Son #1 and I are going to get our eyes tested today. Son #1 can read phone books but things in the distance remain unknown to him until he trips over them. He is also a full time student and can't afford specs so guess why I am going with him?

So if I am forking out for specs for him I think I will have to stay with the frames I've got. Which is fine because I quite like them. But if they take them away I'm left pretty much blind. Now, can I find my old specs which might just do for a day or two? The answer to that would be no. More hunting today. Oh St Anthony do your stuff.

My friend Pamela (ex partner in crime at Tisec, ex curate of far too many parishes, ex nun and now Hospital Chaplain down south) attended the consecration of Bishop Stephen Conway last week. (Pic below) We met him when he came to preach at our cathedral a while ago for Affirming Catholicism and he was jolly good. I may even have said at the time that I thought he'd go far.

The sermon at the consecration was about his motto at Westcott where he trained and how we live up to them. Someone asked Pamela what her college motto was and she didn't know. Neither do I. I don't even know if there was one at the old college - Coates Hall - before it became Tisec.

So how about a competition? What do you think the Tisec motto should be?

Day off yesterday and I read The Abortionist's Daughter by Elisabeth Hyde (one of Richard and Judy's recommended Summer Reads). It was a tale of dark obsession, secrets and a few ethical issues thrown in for good measure. I think it would make a good Book Group read. I even got up early this morning to finish it off. Worth a holiday read.

There's nothing nicer than opening your email folder in the morning and finding that lots of people have made comments on your blog.

There's nothing worse than opening your email folder and finding that they are all spam. At least this lot weren't dirty - I think they were for high blood pressure medication. But sometimes they are worse. Much worse. And not the kind of thing a nice clergy woman wants on her blog.

Do let me know if you find any I missed.

God bless those nuns. I think more humour has come through in this programme compared to the Monastery. And I loved the nun who did a take-off of the blonde Evangelical singer, who interestingly enough seems to be having more difficulties. And I loved the nun dancing with incense to the Magnificat.

Must do something about that retreat...

Happy Father's Day to Big Daddy and to my own Pop. All the family together this afternoon which was nice. Note to self - do not give a man with dementia a packet of figs unless you want him to eat the whole lot, forgetting he just had one.

New design today for the old blog. A few folk have said they had difficulty reading it and I think it's because the design I had was now obsolete. One day I shall learn to design my own. This is rather pink and probably impossible for those with sight problems to read, but it was the only one on offer which came close to my personality. And that is so important in a blog, don't you think?

Last week I looked up the BBC weather site before going to Synod. The forecast for the three days was hot, hot, hot and blazing sunshine so I packed accordingly. No jackets, no shoes - just short sleeve clerical shirts and my beloved Birkenstocks. It turned out to be cloudy, cloudy, cloudy with a distinct chill in the air.

This week my son came back from his holiday early but I assured him it was going to be hot and sunny with temperatures up to 24 in Edinburgh. Even yesterday it was saying that it was going to be a scorcher today. This morning there is not a blue patch to be seen in the sky. And now the website says cloudy with rain to come tomorrow.

I get that a 5 day forecast can be a little inaccurate but come on BBC! That's twice in a week that you've got it very wrong. Anyone know of a more accurate weather website?

They flocked from far and wide to kneel and adore at the Blessed Sacrament. In fact, had the Rapture happened in that place it would have taken the golden children of the SEC. But what better place to go?

It was all there. Smoke, music (and that's how an organist should sound), Fr K on top form, 2 thuribles (I think Big Aggie got an outing) and the Sacrament came among us. I can't say how wonderful it is for me - or maybe for all clergy - to sit and be done to.

I had suggested that P (my glorious Rector's Warden) bring her mum along cos she likes that old time religion. I thought she'd enjoy it - but after she said she'd wept all the way through. Oh dear. But she assured me it was in a good way!

So that's it for another year. Another glimpse of heaven and sighs of content all round. Oh, and I met a fellow blogger there too. (Sorry I don't know how to do that link thing with his name but the Very Rev Kelvin has done it.)

And I just made it to Glasgow airport in time to pick up a very tanned son #2.

Watched new programme on TV last night - The Convent. (Like The Monastery or The Abbey or whatever it was called, but with more tears.) Four women go to live with the Poor Clares for 40 days. Poor Clares indeed. Never mind the poverty thing, these poor nuns had to put up with four women who seemed to care little for the routine and order of the convent. It all kicked off with a little story telling as they all told their innermost stories. Thank goodness the nuns decided to do theirs too because I suspect that none of the four would have taken to time to ask about anyone else, they were so wrapped up in themselves.

However it was compelling viewing and I look forward to the next episode. Reminded me that I've not had a retreat this year...

We kept the Feast this morning at 10am although I fear it was a poor show compared with tonight's extravaganza at St Michael & All Saints. But we tried in our own small way - and they got a little homily too.

I tried to get them to sit in a semi-circle round the altar but they were having none of it. Eleven people scattered about the church in all the old familiar places does not a community make in my opinion. Not so much the Body of Christ as the dismembered members. "We like things the way we've always done it," I was told. Hmm. Not for much longer.

So now I have a little time off until tonight's feast with scattering of rose petals by the virgin of the parish (who will it be this year?) and lots of smoke. Ah, bliss.

Then off to Glasgow airport to pick up Son #2.

Went to see The DaVinci Code last night at the local cinema with P (my Rector's Warden). Gosh, but it's a long film! Not exactly the page-turner that the book was and I don't think Tom Hanks was at his best. Pretty effigy of Mary Mag though.

Dear Reader,

I have spent all of yesterday and today tied to the computer, while the sun shines scorchingly outside, designing leaflets for St Mark's. The first one we will send out to local hotels and guest houses just in case someone is on holiday and desperate to get to a church on Sunday.

The others were for a Welcome Pack for new members because we've had a few of those in the past few months.

What information would you have liked to be given when you joined a church?

I was chatting to the guys at Synod about Liturgy and how nice it would be to have our own Book (properly bound with gold ribbon markers etc) of Prayer with all the liturgies in it. The Church of Ireland has just published theirs. Instead we have a pathetic spiral bound book for Daily Prayer, and then wee bookies for the different liturgies. It all seems rather 'done on the cheap'. I would go even further and say that I'd like a Daily Missal with the readings in it too, but I know we are talking big expense here. In the meantime I have to make do with the RC version and its strange syntax and not inclusive language.

However, it would appear that down south not all are happy with their new Common Worship. There may even be a movement to go back to the ASB if the news in Blogland is to be believed. One of the complaints is that there is just too much on offer in it, and that they harken back to simpler formats. (And the typeface gets a slagging too - and I know how important that is in design. Don't start me on the subject of magazines and pewsheets wot I have seen!)

Up here there was a time when there were ringbinders abound into which liturgies could be put and then easily updated. But they never really took off. Probably because they were unwieldy and not particularly attractive. There is nothing like a leather bound book with gorgeous ribbon markers to make you want to delve in and pray.

However, the more I have thought about it, the more I have realised that I am wrong. A beautiful book is too limiting. We become tied to the book and lose our ability to be creative. The costs involved in publishing such books make it too easy to stick with the one we've got rather than update. You only have to listen to the 'Keep the 1929 Scottish Prayer Book alive' lot to see what I mean. (I got one of those at my Confirmation and read the promises a priest has to make at Ordination and it scared me so much I've hardly opened it since.)

So I think I'm glad we have our wee bookies. When they get tatty we can replace them at little cost. When we want a new liturgy we can do that - albeit slowly if this Synod was anything to go by. (Imagine how long it would take us to agree what would go in a whole book!) And in the meantime I shall keep coveting my New Zealand Prayer Book which is the best resource on my shelf.

We are a Church which will not be limited by books. That has to be good.

Son #2 is in Malta on holiday with some mates. I wasn't around when he left because I was at Synod and worried that he would forget things or not get up on time. It's hard to let go with children. He is 27, after all!

In the old days when you went on holiday that was that. No contact unless it was an emergency. Of course with mobile phones that has all changed, but they can still be a bit pricey so I told him not to worry. But today he popped up on Messenger so we had a nice wee chat, just as if he was upstairs and couldn't be bothered coming down to have a conversation with me. Computers really have made the world a small place.

Our little chat made me smile too. Son #2 is a great sun-worshipper. (Whereas I am a Son-worshipper!!) And he is fortunate in that he hasn't inherited my fair skin with goes pink to red to peeling. He goes as brown as a berry almost effortlessly. So he was really looking forward to getting some rays and coming back all gorgeous and tanned. But Malta has had some pretty lousy weather since he got there on Friday. In fact, no sun at all. I did feel obliged to tell him that many people had to pull out of the Edinburgh marathon yesterday because of the high temperatures. That went down well, I can tell you.

A few folk have said they are having difficulty seeing my blog. It always seems surprising to me that people do read it and often I forget when writing it. Anyway, a fellow blogger says that when she couldn't find the text she scrolled down or went to another page and it was there. So maybe its a Refresh thing. Unfortunately I don't know when it's happening because it all looks fine on my screen.

So if I'm not here have a look elsewhere. It's an Ascension thing.

Just back from a hectic three days at our General Synod where we put the Church to rights. Although the agenda didn't look particularly exciting it turned out to be a riveting time and much improved on previous years. Of course one of the best things is meeting up with old friends and catching up on the news. (Some may like to call it gossip, but not me!) I still haven't learned why some motions are voted in houses (bishops, clergy and laity) and some with us altogether. In fact, now that I come to think of it there are many mysteries surrounding the machinations of Synod which I hope to learn one day soon before my term of office is up!

The Moderator of the Church of Scotland turned out to be an excellent after-dinner speaker. And there were no alarming sporrans in sight either. However, the horse-hair cushions on the pews do not improve with age and by the time I had removed all the prickly hairs sticking out of mine I could probably have made a pretty alarming sporran myself.

Some of my fellow bloggers (and yes, they all seem to be men) are invited to a certain garden party where they can eat cucumber sandwiches and rub shoulders with royalty. (I suspect my invitation always gets lost in the post.)

Well yesterday we had our very own garden party at the rectory for those of a certain age. That is, third age and beyond. The core team arrived early to descend upon my kitchen with all sorts of goodies to be sliced and buttered and put on plates. I had to delve into the depths of the garage to find cups and saucers because mugs just won't do.

Then they arrived. Hoards of them in summery outfits and floppy hats. We got quite excited when a man came to join us... and then another... and soon we had 4! The sun shone as we sipped a little chardonnay and blethered away. I offered a prize to whoever could find the hole for my whirly but the moss must have covered it completely and it remains a secret known only to the person who dug it there in the first place.

Then the tea was poured and the goodies came out and we munched away to our heart's content. A quick guided tour of the rectory for those who haven't been before, and then off they went. The garden rang with their laughter and the shrine of Our Lady of Asda was much admired. So, all in all, I think it was a great success. Who needs royalty?

We have been putting together a history of St Mark's and spent an enjoyable evening last week recording when everyone joined the church and what memories they had of that time. Our local historian, Archie Foley (co-author of Images of Scotland - Portobello and Duddingston ISBN 0-7524-3657-0) mentioned that there used to be a Church Lads Brigade which I'd never heard of before. He even had a membership card (below) and I love the image of the soldier/knight kneeling before the altar.

Anyone know anything more about them?

Well, St Mark's certainly do have a passion for Pentecost. We distributed 12 cakes with a dove and flames on top to our local council of churches. Some of them even came and joined us for the service. Most of my little flock wore red clothing and we all sang lustily about the HS (or HG at the 8.30am service). And as if that wasn't enough, they all brought a 'birthday' gift for the church - dusters, polish, fairtrade tea and coffee, new cutlery and best of all... a new laminator. (I think the latter was from a certain Vestry Secretary who is sick of me dropping off posters and begging him to laminate them for the outside noticboard.) The children had great fun unwrapping them all too.

It was tinged with a little sadness when our organist announced that she was retiring. It won't be the same without her.

In the evening some of us went to St John the Evangelist, our local RC church, for an ecumenical service to mark Pentecost and their Centenary. It was mostly done by their young people and jolly good it was too.

So, all in all, the Holy Spirit got a good airing. Now, does anyone know of an organist looking for a position with a forward-looking flock?

Lovely drive out to Penicuik this morning to finally lay Mum to rest in the family plot. My sister had made a beautiful floral thingummy with cream roses and a red one in the centre, and my boys took some red ones too. The sun shone, the sky was blue and the wind was breezy, as you'd expect, but we had a lovely view of the Pentlands which she loved. It would have been her birthday today.

I took the service and the boys scattered the earth on the casket. S didn't want to come but he sent a red rose which was put on top. It was nice to be just us doing it.

In the rising of the sun
and in its going down
We will remember her.

In the blowing of the wind
and in the chill of the winter
We will remember her.

In the opening of the buds
and in the warmth of summer
We will remember her.

In the rustling of the leaves
and in the beauty of autumn
We will remember her.

In the beginning of the year
and when it ends
We will remember her.

What a week it's been! Out every night at churchy things and last night was no exception. (By the way, how are things in the Big Brother house, for I have been missing it all?!)

Last night we were treated to a concert by some pupils from Portobello High School by the name of The Spurtle. (For any non-Scottish readers a spurtle is a wooden spoon thing without the spoon bit on the end for stirring porridge. In fact, now that I come to think of it, it really is like a small rolling pin.) The Spurtle treated us to some Scottish jigs and reels and other Scottish tunes. Young Rebecca, who was the solo star, did some amazing things on a fiddle and electric violin. Portobello's answer to Vanessa Mae, I think. The boys though gave it laldy and had us all tapping our feet.

Then we were treated to strawberries and cream and Bucks Fizz. Thanks to Bridget for organising it all and for my faithful flock for turning out again and helping behind the scenes.

What a night it was! After a rather long and tedious journey stuck in traffic which took over two and a half hours from Edinburgh (but what stimulating company!) we made it to St Mary's cathedral in Glasgow. Our plans for dinner before the service were therefore scuppered and our attempt to grab a morsel from the tables groaning with goodies were met with frosty looks and smacked hands. All we wanted was a wee pork pie to stave off the hunger pangs!

However, all that was forgotten when the mass began. The Very Rev Kelv was there bedecked in gold with tassles - yes, tassles, front and back - ready and willing to be installed in his seat in the cathedral. The music was wonderful and there's nothing like a burst of brass to make it all the more joyous. Parry's I was Glad is always good to hear, but you would make a mistake if you closed your eyes to bask in it, for then you would have missed the Primus leading Very Rev Kelv by the fingertips to his stall. A sight to behold indeed.

Moving intercessions by the new Provost with some space for silence which was much appreciated. I only wish someone had told the thurifer for we heard lots of jangling chains and clunking of thuribles. Great sermon by the Bishop of St Andrew's which you can read on his blog
http://www.bishopdavid.net/index.php

And let's not forget the BVM whose day it really was. WEll, she certainly was not overlooked. Ye who Own the Faith of Jesus (sung lustily by the nearby Presbyterian clergy), the Magnificat as part of the sermon (what a great idea) and the haunting Totus Tuus by Gorecki.

So a great night was had by all. And now the cathedral congregation can look forward to a new start and an exciting future.