Life is a box of chocolates...

..and someone else has had all the ones you like!!!! or words to that effect....

After a hard day in the office, DC came to pick me up at 5pm to drive to a meeting in a city about an hour away, to meet a committee who are thinking of putting on a Christian festival..and through a friend of a friend, they had heard about us and asked if we would go and talk to them about what was involved. I was in the sort of mood where for two pins I would have not gone. Home, dinner and the sofa seemed quite inviting.

DC and I haven't seen each other for ages, so we engaged in polite catching up conversation, while the expected hour's journey took two hours, and we arrived just on the dot having allowed plenty of time. No, really! We were still speaking (just) when we got there, so that was ok.

The meeting was in a s wanky (oops, make that swanky) council chamber cos the council are on board with the festival idea. So that will make the licence a doddle then...

A mixed bunch of anglicans, catholics, baptists and wot nots all told us about their vision for a 7 day festival for the city, as never seen before, with the churches working together and underwriting it. (The baptist man was all smiley and evangelical and up for anything. the people from the cathedral were very serious and worried about their money...) 'When are you planning to do this?' I asked nervously. July 2008 they said. Oh good.

They were so enthusiastic, asked lots and lots of questions, and you have to hand it to DC, he knows his stuff, and explained everything to them..and even I got a word in occasionally. Wed discussed volunteers v paid security staff, whether they should sell alcohol, licence implications, budgets, and we could help with it all. Their main question was, should we go ahead with this? I said, yes, you have vision and enthusiasm, go on, make it happen!! People on one side of the table were brimming with ideas and plans..the people on the other side were asking about security, health and safety, insurance. 'We are the management committee,' they said apologetically. 'The others (the programme committee, would you believe!) think we are being a bit negative, but we want to get it right. Oh, heard that somewhere before??????

We left at 9.30pm, all talked out, and everyone was smiling and going away enthused but better informed about the challenge ahead. There was a little Italian restaurant opposite the council building, and I was across the road before you could say 'pasta.'

It was 10.30pm before we started the long journey home, and I slept all the way. Such a tired bunny.

Today, DC forwarded me an e-mail.

To: David C:

Dear David

You and Sally were wonderful in the meeting last evening. You gave us a sense of huge encouragement. Thank you both for coming all that way in such a generous spirit. I am sure that we shall want to keep in touch and seek your help.

ML.

Aw. That's what it's all about at the end of the day.