It's nice to be thanked!

First thing I have to do is correct what I wrote last time. I still haven't received the blood test results, and the gastroenterologist hasn't either, because he didn't ask for them. I have an appointment with him on the 17th September. So much for his prophetic gifting!

It was the GP who asked for the blood test. Maybe I am anaemic. I remember when I was getting checked for my daily headaches at the beginning of 1984 (nothing to do with George Orwell) when I was at the Nazarene College, and my blood test results showed I had an over-active thyroid. I told one of the lecturers, (Tom Noble for those who know), and he said, "Are you sure they said "over" active?"

I was never known for rushing about!

That was a long introduction. The title: I went to Southwold Town Hall yesterday for the Charter Lunch. Every year when the fair comes to town there is a big pomp and ceremony event with the mayor, the town crier and the town council. They walk up and down the main street and officially declare the fair open. Then they go into the town hall for a meal to which all the people who run organisations in the town are invited. This is a thank you for what we do for the town. I'm there because of the Foodbank, but the other ministers are there because they run their churches. So there is no discrimination.

And as I said, it's nice to be thanked. That doesn't happen too often, and I'm sitting here to trying to remember if I have ever come across this before. I have led civic services and preached to the local councillors (someone has to try and save them!) and I have paraded through the town with the mayor for Remembrance Day (that was Holsworthy, Devon), but I don't think anyone has ever thanked me for my efforts with a meal, so, it's nice to be thanked.

There is a down side - do you think I would be writing this is there weren't?

This is Friday morning. Last Sunday evening I went to bed in pain, as had been the daily occurrence since Good Friday. Then, Monday morning I woke up without pain, and there was no pain again until yesterday when I was eating my meal in Southwold Town Hall. When I was invited I said I couldn't come unless there was a gluten-free alternative. I was assured there was. I am not so bad at the moment, but I had the pain yesterday afternoon and evening and first thing this morning (first thing is now usually 4:40am).

It is possible, on this occasion, that it was something that I ate. It's not agonising pain; it's just ... a pain!

I did go 2 weeks without pain before Good Friday and I was wondering how long this would last, so Heigh Ho!