Songs of Praise

Just watched an excellent 'Songs of Praise' on BBC1. Well, actually, we videoed it as we were out at a Harvest service when it was broadcast. If you don't know the format, it's a mix of a travel guide, interviews and Christian songs (aka hymns). Tonight's interviews were moving especially one with a former banker who'd become a full-time street preacher (not at all wacky) after losing two babies and facing God feeling completely broken. In fact all the people interviewed (a vicar, a dentist and an opera singer) had faith, intelligence and sanity - impressive. And I especially enjoyed Lou Fellingham singing 'Build this house' and the last song, 'And he shall reign'. Songs of Praise isn't always that good. It's often rather twee or something like a tourist advert. But this one was different, presumably affected by the presenter and the production team. Let's have more of the same - please.

Dates

This morning I received an email from Premier Radio: "I'm so sorry for the short notice. But last night we re-scheduled your interview. It will now go on air Friday at 3.20 pm. Apologies... radio's like that sometimes!" So, if you were thinking of tuning in tomorrow, postpone it 24 hours.

Yesterday was my day off, and we enjoyed a visit from our old friends, Rob and Lib Wiggs, who'd travelled three hours to come and see us. Rob's partly responsible for my being in this line of business (vicaring, that is). They're the sort of people with whom you can talk about anything, from the trivial to the profound, and know you won't be dismissed or condemned. You needs friends like that.

We also had fun organising a book launch party here in Stanford's own village hall for 25th October. I contacted the local donkey sanctuary in the hope that they might lend us a living illustration of the book's cover. We'll see about it. And yes, I am doing some work as well, like publicity for the visit of Henry Olonga, the Zimbabwean test cricketer, who had to leave the country after making a protest against the government. He also sings rather well. That's 7.30 pm on 4th October, also in our village hall. There are still tickets, I believe.... We should be in for a good evening.

To the studio

So today it was up early - for me. We had to get to Premier Radio's studios near Victoria Station for 11 o'clock. Because I'm slow doing everything, it meant an early breakfast (just weetabix and prunes, because toast takes too long) and then on the road. The jam on the M4 had cleared by the time we reached Reading East, but of course everything snarled up with the bus lane and it was slow going from then on. Why is it that taxi-drivers feel compelled to vent their frustration by honking their horns? To think it was once my ambition to drive a black taxi - when I was seven. Maybe those drivers have the emotional tolerance of 7-year olds. Not that some weren't very considerate. Anyway we reached Vincent Square, and there was a disabled parking space ready and waiting for us, with five minutes to spare to get round the corner to Chapter Street.

Then came the interview. Well, actually a wait came next, a cup of tea and a biscuit. And then Dave and 'B' (Bridgitte) issued forth and ushered us into the studio. I felt I didn't perform well, in that I didn't say what was on my heart and what I did say wasn't well expressed, whereas by contrast Jane was clear and concise. At the end she asked if they were likely to 'voice-over' me. They hedged a bit; so I suspect you may not have the joy of listening to my gravelly, slurred and monotonous tones. I thought to ask when it was going out. B looked it up in the diary. The answer is 3.20 pm on Thursday. Tune in live - or listen again on line.

Meanwhile we emerged into a balmy autumnal afternoon. Pupils of Westminster School (alma mater of my old friend Richard) were emerging from the playing fields in Vincent Square. When we reached Battersea Park, having taken a wrong turn, there was a busful of kindergarten children having their lunchtime break and office workers eating their lunches. Happy days. But we had to head home. Work beckoned. We'd enjoyed our city break. I'd didn't do much work when we got home. Sorry.

My Donkeybody arrives

I was excited when Sue the post lady brought a parcel from Monarch today, with two advance copies of my book. I'm really pleased with the job the publishers have done - thanks Tony, Simon and Paul. I trust their faith in me proves justified.

More thoughts on financial matters

Well, there's some relief tonight in stock markets round the world. Personally I wouldn't be too sure that it's all over. Until banks stop giving credit to people who can't pay it back (which didn't just happen in the sub-prime market in the States), we'll keep sliding into trouble. Building an economy on credit must be madness. Certainly the hundreds who've lost their jobs in the past five days must think so.

My friend Luke (not Lehman) sent me a reflective email on Wednesday. Part of what he wrote was:
'It is unsettling to now witness a company that has been part of the US bedrock, slip into the sand! I now feel grateful not to be so closely linked to their family. The free hand outs I would have come to expect, stripped away, my security for the future gone.
'Which brings my thoughts back round to the solid Rock, we believe in. The inheritance I can look forward to, with 'fullness of faith'.'

That reminded me of an old song which our children sang at their recent holiday club, 'The wise man built his house on the rock. The rain came down and the floods came up. And the house on the rock stood firm.'

Donkey bother

I was sent this story from a Belgian digital news service by my friend, Otto Veninga, who like me has an interest in donkeys. He's kindly translated it for me:

'EGYPTIAN DONKEY IN PRISON BECAUSE OF THEFT
In Egypt a donkey had to stay in prison for 24 hours, after he had stolen a corn cob from a corn field. This was reported in the Egyptian media today.

'The animal was arrested at a checkpoint in the Nile-delta. The landowner, an agricultural research institute, had reported to the police that crops disappeared regularly.

'FINE
A judge sentenced the donkey to the imprisonment. The owner got a fine of 50 Egyptian Pounds, the equivalent of almost € 6,00. The identity of the ungulate was not published.'

Poor donkey. I hope he (I notice) was well fed while he was in the clink.

Oops! Correction

Luke, a member of the Lehmann family, has put me right on the subject of Lehman Brothers, the investment bank: 'they really really have nothing to do with us, as they spell their name with only one 'n' at the end!!' It all goes to show I listen to Radio 5 Live too much - which although its presenters are very good and quite diverting doesn't tell you how to spell. So apologies all round. Another thing I wonder about with 24-hour news and the newshounds' propensity for gloom is whether the contagion of fear in the markets would be so rampant without it. However I suppose we had bubbles and crashes before the communication revolution. Greed and fear are not new!