Povey Prattle

Via my friend Bill A, (Figure this out for yourself. Let me know if you "get" it)

Wow, my dreams were all over the place last night. First I was talking to Donald Trump.  We were in a Courtyard in what appeared to be a European City. I was not being very nice. Next I was looking through a window into a small room in a house in the U.K.  I saw Queen Elizabeth II -  all resplendent in a plum coloured coat and hat, She was being presented with various gifts (mostly books)  which she placed on a small side table. She stumbled, but kept her balance by placing her left hand on the table. Then she stumbled again -  and I did not see what happened to her.I imagined that she had fallen down. Then I was a Conference Centre at which I was supposed to lead a religious retreat for young people,  But the room we had reserved had been taken over by a very bad tempered Eastern Orthodox Bishop and his followers. I skid-addled! I walked with some difficulty down a corridor which was jam packed with young school-children and their teachers. I emerged into yet an

I took myself to the Church of the Redeemer in Sarasota FL for the Ash Wednesday service this morning. It's not my parish home  but I like to be there each Ash Wednesday because: 1.  The Rector, the Revd Fred Robinson is, without doubt,  a man of God. 2.  The Liturgy  (service) is conducted with a reverent dignity which I cannot but respect and admire. 3. Redeemer does not shilly/shally with regard to the hard parts of the Gospel of Jesus Christ/ 4, The Church of the Redeemer has a 7:00 a.m. service each Ash Wednesday - that's my time of day! It's not my parish home because (sadly) Redeemer will not allow the ministry of ordained women, ( a  Sine qua non  for me) . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Preacher  this morning was the Revd. Steven Peay  , Dean and President of the Episcopal Church Seminary in Nashotah, Wisconsin. His sermon fed my soul.  He reminded us that

John Donne was first a profligate, then  a poet, and finally a Priest in the Church of England (and Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral, London) . Here is his "Hymn to God the Father", entirely suitable for the beginning of Lent. Please note that his last name "Donne" is pronounced as "Dunne", or "Done", Hence the word "done" in this poem/hymn is a marvelous pun on his last name. He struggles with God.  By the end of the third stanza God has 'done", i.e. the loving and eternal God has embraced, loved,and forgiven John Donne Hymn to God the Father BY  JOHN DONNE Wilt thou forgive that sin where I begun,           Which was my sin, though it were done before? Wilt thou forgive that sin, through which I run,          And do run still, though still I do deplore?                 When thou hast done, thou hast not done,                         For I have more. Wilt thou forgive that sin which I

No time to make the real thing?   (We've all been there). El Povo (John Michael Povey) has a solution. You takes yer can of Tuna and you drains off the liquid. Yer cats will suck up this liquid in an instant.  (If you ain't got no cats, then drink it yerself), You adds the bits of Tuna from the can to one of them Store bought tubs of Coleslaw. You mixes it all up, and then you eats it  in a "Sarny" (Sandwich), or as part of a Salad. It ain't the real fing, but it works when yer in an 'urry, ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Add caption

I must have been about five years old.  We were at our Grandmother's home. We were my two older sisters, my twin sister, and me. My  memory tells me that these three sisters were picking on me, and that I exclaimed "I wish, I wish, I wish I had a brother". That wish was fulfilled fourfold.  It all started with my brother Andrew.  He was born on 7th February 1950. By 1954 I had four brothers, the aforementioned Andrew, then David, Stephen, and Martyn.  I am rather partial to each of them. 7th February!  Oh yes, today was Andy's 66th birthday.  We chatted earlier today. The photo' was taken at a party at the home of my sister Jean and her husband John on the day I was ordained Deacon in Bristol U.K. Cathedral. (27th June 1976). (As you face the photo') I am on the left with my shock of red hair and huge beard.  Andy is in the middle.  Brother Stephen is to his right,  In between Andy and me is his former wife Barbara (still a good friend of the fa