It’s interesting, bit I feel a bit disorientated this week as I have done different things other than waiting in places. It has meant I have been ‘busy’ in a way that I have not been used to over the last 13 weeks and I am a little surprised I guess by how quickly I have seen my ‘waiting’ life as the norm. It’s also interesting to note that I miss waiting, especially as i was finding this uncomfortable only a few weeks back.

On Monday I was a guest at the college of canons meeting at the cathedral. This started with a lunch, a tour of the cathedral and what we are aiming to do through the interpretation project. After an AGM and looking at the annual report and accounts etc. we had a special evensong with the bishop present to install two new lay canons and three other people to the Rochester Society of St. Andrew.

It was good to share with these canons and listen to them as they chatted. It was a privilege as so many of them took time to chat with me about my role and offer both encouragement and advice. I’m not sure how you become a canon, but I assume it is because of experience and integrity – so to spend time with these priests and glean from their experience.

Tuesday I did the carol service as I have already mentioned, yesterday was training and although today is pretty much a normal day for me, today and tomorrow are going to be taken up with preparations for a ‘waiting installation’ that I am developing around the high altar for the Dickens festival this weekend. I have never been to a Dickens Festival (despite living here for 15 years!) but I am told that Rochester is packed and last year we had 10 000 people pass through the cathedral over the weekend. I’m quite looking forward to seeing what happens here.

After that on Monday I’m looking forward to attending the national pilgrimage at Coventry Cathedral – and at the moment I am feeling really glad that I booked a train ticket months ago so I will be able to relax a bit rather than queuing in traffic!

So … today I am feeling a little disorientated … but still quite excited and amazed at what is going on around me.