Never do business with city councils.
You'll end up, as we did today, with contradictory instructions from three different departments who have never spoken to each other and work at opposite ends of the same room.
Having been given a CD full of new photography commissioned over the summer by the head of Communications (which we didn't even know existed) I have today had to start choosing images again because several of the ones I chose hadn't got some copyright clearance or other.
And I had to point out myself the issues involved with reproducing paintings and bookcovers in photographs for publication.
Then there was a guy doing proofreading who complained about the innaccuracies, inconsistencies and factual errors in the text we were sent to use - by someone else in his department.
"Oh, I didn't read it. I thought you would do that?" We did it last year. But anyway, do I know what museum opening hours, or whether a certain restuarant is still open or not?
This is the same copy that describes Southampton as within easy access of "Beautiful beaches, secluded wooded valleys and majestic castles".
Excuse me?

Things were so much easier at the weekend, when I actually forgot about work for a whole day and we spent quality time with my parents and my sister. Difficult drive up there tho. Usually takes about 1 3/4 hours to do the 100 miles.
That's without the roadworks/contraflow on the A34 round the west side of Oxford. Took us 65minutes to travel the 8 miles from Botley to the M40!
The kids were brilliant in the car but understandably stir crazy when we got there.
Steam was duly let off when they met their cousins again - I just hope we weren't too much of a headache! It was good to see them all again, but I cannot believe its the first time this year? I've been up myself when dropping of the girls, but apparently the kids haven't seen each other for ages. Got on well though, if a bit rowdy.
But ooooh how cross did I get at teatime??? We don't really do this getting down from the table and messing about thing while the meal is going on, so that pissed me off anyway, but I lost count of the amount of times my chair was kicked by one or the other of the boys pushing past to catch football results or just get up for no apparent reason.
Hope it didn't show too much, but its always difficult when our kids see different rules going on. Why is it only negative behaviour that rubs off?

And Stan has surprised us all the last couple of days by suddenly being able to read! OK, its just a few simple three letter words, but he's really got it.
"See on this book? It says "P-A-T …Pat" and the nuvver way its "T-A-P…TAP. That's like a magic trick."
Now he reads to his baby sister. Secretly watched him with his arm round her shoulders yesterday evening.

Sometimes there are no words.

My vision for the church project is epitomized here at the
UnionChapel
in Islington.
But I had difficulty making this point at the Fabric Committee last night. Perhaps I am looking too far ahead, but I am also sure that if we are going to have a dream then we might as well make sure it is a Big One otherwise there's nothing to aim for.
We need to think beyond the "church" here, who I think could end up as just one of the end users.
Therein lies the problem.
The City certainly needs somewhere like this, and in time the venue could figure on the national circuit like the Turner Sims on a grand scale.
FG and M seem to get very bogged down in all the little details, particularly FG. His job as heritage Officer is invaluable to us becasue he knows all the ins and outs of preserving old buildings, but I don't think at this point we need to worry about the costs of repairing the drains or a new floor in the vestry. Important yes and they will have to be costed in, but for now lets get some concepts and ideas together. And all CB can see of course is the administrative nightmare ahead of us.
That is why we have a good team and I look forward to our first meeting with the Diocesan committee in two weeks time.
I'm looking into other places that have done similar projects. Leicester Cathedral hosts live music performances, a church in Marylebone and the Anglican in Manchester.
We set up an 'independant' project with charity status and watch it grow from there.
I suppose to convince people I need to put some time and research into getting a buisness plan together.

Went to visit my sister this weekend.
I'll catch up with that later. Apparently, we haven't seen them previously since June last year.???