All Saints Church Durrington
Paws for Thought with Alice - The Church Cat
A strange time I am having of it at the moment. It seems that the world has gone mad in that something called “Lent” has arrived. I always thought that lent occurred when you loaned something to someone, but it seems not - “Lent” to all intents and purposes is something to be endured rather than given away.
It all started earlier this week when “He Without Much On Top” collected a bunch of dried-out sticks (he referred to them as last year’s palm crosses) and threw them into the fireplace before setting light to them. He seemed to be very pleased with himself as they caught fire very quickly - but he just left them to burn until they had gone quite cold. I always thought that the point of an open fire was that you sat by it warming your toes, but he just left it to go cold. Then, I kid you not; he gathered up the charred bits and pushed them through a wire sieve before mixing them with some olive oil and putting them in a small wooded container. I then noticed that on Wednesday evening he took this little box next door to the Church. I don’t know what he did over there but I suspect there was a bit of a struggle because when he came home both he and my good lady had black spots all over their foreheads - and they were mumbling about what a good service it was. My old Mum always advised us never to work with children and adults, and she was right because they do the strangest of things.
Later in the week there were several callers at the door - I do like visitors - who came for various meetings. I like the ones who come to book a wedding because they are always very polite and don’t object when I pounce on their lap and deposit copious amounts of cat hair all over their nice clean clothes. It’s amazing what you can get away with when meeting nervous people for the first time. Of course The Rev always apologises and makes excuses for me, telling them how timid I used to be years ago etc. etc. etc. but I think he enjoys these little exchanges.
Do you know - he has 13 weddings booked this year for Durrington alone, and he spins out the same spiel to every couple who walks through the door. By the time we get to the end of the year I think I will probably be able to prepare the banns forms and make the same corny comments. But I do like weddings and it’s usually quite easy to get into Church when they are taking place. My ambition this year is to sneak into at least one photograph per service - I’ll let you know how I get on.
Getting back to this Lent business, I have noticed how Old Hairless has been visiting the fridge less often since it started, although I did see him eating a bar of chocolate earlier this evening after he came in from a late service. He has not a bit of will-power, although in true biblical style it was the woman who took the chocolate and gave some to the man.
I think I’ll stick to mice!
See you next time.
Alice.
If you would like to send me a message just click here: Purrrr!
Office Address:
Church Street
Durrington
Salisbury
Wiltshire
SP4 8AL