New Beginnings ...

By 7.20am on my first morning back at work (yesterday) I'd counted five things that annoyed me:

1. Litter in the church porch and a distinct smell of stale drink
2. The sofa and pews in the children's corner pushed out to crowd the font area despite me specifically telling people not to do this
3. No paper towels in the gents' toilet, the only working one as we are having the others refurbished
4. No newssheet produced despite me emailing the office manager about it
5. Glimpsing a mouse while I was saying Morning Prayer

Gosh. Some time ago I noticed that coming back to work after leave coincided more than once with me hurting my back, presumably as a result of not doing my normal exercises while I was off, and I've learned to take account of this vulnerability. Equally, I suppose I ought to be prepared for these little challenges to one's spiritual equilibrium that arise while you are away from work, ready to leap at you on your return and make you growl. Either that, or not go on leave at all, of course.