Arrived

Okay, okay, I know it's a Saturday, but what with landing in Railway Crossing yesterday afternoon and having to hit the ground running, this can't be a day off. Panic not, there were others earlier this week and there will be in the weeks to come.

Anyway, first impressions. The people from the respective congregations I've met so far are warm and hospitable. The work they have done to get the manse ready for my arrival is brilliant and really humbling. I know some of the work was being done to get it ready for when a new minister comes, but there has been a lot of effort getting the sort of stuff in place which make the place homely. It is HUGE, though. At the moment Spot and I feel like we're rattling around. We also keep loosing each other. In our house if we can't hear the other, we just need to speak to them and usually find them. Not here. And I have 3 - count them - 3 toilets! I have decreed the en suite will be the only cluggie in use, so I've only 1 to clean!!!

The drive up was a bit epic. All in, it was about 6 hours, with a stop. I can understand, unfortunately, why areas such as this sometimes struggle to call. It is a long way from anywhere (though there is a co-op and a hardware store - many central belt towns have lost them) and if a minister has a spouse who works, there are limited job opportunities for them.

It'll take me a wee bit to settle down and get a measure of the place. Today's the local gala, so it will be a good chance to get to know the parish (yip, this is my parish for the summer - PANIC - and breathe), see how the church is seen by the community and maybe pick up some homemade bargains. So far, at least, the weather is beautiful. Hopefully it lasts as a lot of effort has been put in to organising the gala.