Spend pretty much ALL DAY in church yesterday. Took the older kids over at ten so they could rehearse their scene-setter for the 11 o'clock service. Stayed for the meal after this (which made a profit for the first time EVER...) and then helped witht he washing and clearing up while Tx took the others home jsut to collect all the stuff fro LC's party in the church hall at 4pm.
Two people then came in early just after half three, so the party itself ran on for two hours.

Very good for the most part, and quite satisfying as its the first time we've really done a 'traditional' party and hosted/catered ourselves.She love dit of course but got too tired and silly, and it was rather spoiled by her Big Brothers manic 7-yr old friends running riot at the at the end, bursting all the balloons and chucking teddies around!
Big day itself today and she's had a million presents (where on Earth are we going to put them all???)

One thing I've noticed with kids though. A week or so after Christmas (and even today with all the birthday presents) there is a sigificant and noticeable return to the old toys - as if there is some comfort and reassurance in the more familiar. She's chosen not to use any of the new stuff but has played with Play-Dough all afternoon and left the new toys unceremoniously scattered across the lounge floor.
And I can't remember what they got for Christmas as its already ben 'put into the cupboard' in favour of this month's craze - jigsaw puzzles.

All that is except for the 20-Q thing. Piece of crap.
It knows Your Mind and can (apparently) work out what object you are thinking of by asking Twenty Questions. Clever piece of logic programming etc and it does, occasionally, get it right, but more often than not it can't guess.
has proved spectacularly unable to guess 'the sun', 'baby' , 'wine' for instance among many. many others.

Infuriating when it asks you, for instance 'is it round?' and 'you say 'no'. Three questions later it says - "I'VE GOT IT - IT'S AN APPLE".
Huh???
But everyone is very amused when asked whether or not said mystery object is 'bigger than a duck?'

First management seminar today.
Exhausting but useful. Covered a bit too much of the basics. SMART, SOFTEN, SUMO, Gantt, belbin, Paareto, Nordstrom etc etc.
Looking forward to the challenge of trying to put some of this into practise, but not quite sure how things will pan out.

Standing Committee this evening.
The PCC has a new treasurer! Hurrah!! Thank you. My role to oversee the handover between now and April.
The FSC on the first Sunday of the month is failing ot deliver anything. It's the only servcie that all the children stay in throughout and the talk/prayers/songs etc are not hitting some of the older people in the congregation as a result. Even I find it shallow and unsaisfying soetimes. I think it is unnecessary to pitch to the kids because they aren't listening anyway so it may as wel go over their heads and at least meet the needs of some people.
Seems though a preferred option is to re-introduce the Sunday School groups for this service too...
Not convinced about this myself.

Very tired. Falling further behind.

Sideways John F*xx and L*uis G*rd*n