WEDNESDAY Oct 1 – St Theresa of Lisieux
Arrived back in San Diego yesterday a/noon. Good to be back! Was fairly tired, but managed to do 2 loads of washing, shopping & look at the pile of mail. Also found time to go to gym…haven’t been since the end of July. I had a restless sleep – my body is probably wondering what time zone it is in!
This morning I walked to church at 8.30 am. A lot of things to attend to, as well as pastoral matters & sickies to catch up with. This is Stewardship Month, with a busy program leading into All Saints’ Day. Terry is ready to do the October magazine, so I finished my last 2 contributions. Confirmation classes start next week……no rest for the wicked 
FRIDAY Oct 3
5 years ago today I arrived in San Diego to be Rector of All Saints’. 5 years!! My farewell Mass at St Mark’s was on Sunday Sep 28 & my last Mass was on Wed Oct 1st. On Thurs Oct 2 I flew to SF, where I stayed overnight to get over jet-lag. Arrived here next morning. Saturday Oct 4 – St Francis ‘ day – I said Mass for the altar & flower guilds & then met them all at breakfast afterwards. What an amazing & wonderful 5 years it has been
FRIDAY Oct 10
Today is Saturday 11th in Australia & the 12 month anniversary of my Auntie Betty’s death. I said the 9.30 am Mass as a Year’s Mind Requiem for her. Later I will phone my cousin, Noelene – & also read again the eulogy I gave at her funeral.
Last night was the 1st adult Confirmation study group. We have 6 this year. As usual, I began with introductions from each one. We have a fascinating variety of people & each different in how they came to All Saints’. Saturday morning is the youth study group.
Friday evening I went to the season’s opening performance of the SD Symphony. 3 excellent works: Shanghai Overture by Sheng – a young chinese composer – Concerto for Violin & Orchestra, Op. 99 by Shostakovich – featuring an amazing guest soloist who moved with the music – & excerpts from Swan lake by Tchaikovsky. Chatted with Fr & Mrs Thurmston & Mark Matthews
SUNDAY Oct 12
Good attendances today. In my sermon I used the readings (strange as they were!) to comment on the economic crisis. Received an extraordinary number of comments. Monday is a holiday (Columbus Day) so I continue my habit of flying away for 2 days to an American city I have yet to visit. Today I fly to Miami Beach. I had planned to do this for the holiday last January, but all my flights were delayed/cancelled, & I never made it. The hotel I booked kindly gave me a voucher for 2 nights, to be used by Dec 31st, so this is it. As someone at 8 am Mass said – using a coupon is very American!
SATURDAY Oct 18
Today I had cake & coffee with Tracy Cornish. Tracy is the daughter of Ann, one of my oldest & closest friends – not least because we share the same birthday. Tracy is a fine young woman, with that Aussie sense of humour shared by her mother & I! She recently arrived in San Diego, having received a scholarship from UCSD in her field of photography. Unfortunately I seem to be developing a cold 
SUNDAY Oct 19
Today the sermon was given by our Stewardship C/tee chairman, Rick Ochocki – & he was brilliant! Unfortunately we had the breast cancer walk up 6th Ave, & this drastically reduced attendance at 10 am. This is the only charity walk that does not communicate with us beforehand, & they do not allow our congregation to cross the road for church. So much for freedom of religion in San Diego!
WEDNESDAY Oct 22
My cold is still hanging around. Last night was our monthly Vestry meeting, & by the end my voice was terrible! A good meeting, with good decisions made about many things. All very positive. Despite the economic climate, we decided not to cut expenses in the 2009 budget.
FRIDAY Oct 24
Today I received my 1st Christmas card – from Australia!
Tonight was our stewardship dinner. An excellent night of fellowship & food – about 90 attended. Rather than emphasising our finanical needs, I spoke about the growth & life of our parish & referred to the music & sunday school. Ruby Littler spoke about building improvements & projects. Rick Ochocki spoke about plans to celebrate the church centenary in 2012. We concluded with a wonderful slide show from John Gray of various events in the parish during the year.
SUNDAY Oct 26th
My parish administrator was back from holiday in England. Good to have him back 
Good attendances at Mass. At 8 am we blessed the new gold High Mass set. Beautiful vestments made in England, & in memory of dear Mr Ying Hing Ttsui. They will be worn for the first time next weekend, when we celebrate All Saints’ Day. Pics will follow.
THURSDAY Oct 30th
My friend, Joan Hooton, arrived from London last night. She will be here a week. I met Joan at Walsingham in 1998, & she has accompanied me on my annual pilgrimage to the shrine ever since. Because of my sabbatical this year, I didn’t go to Walsingham (the 1st time in 12 years) so Joan decided to come out here for All Saints’ Day. She joined us for our parish pilgrimage last year, & there is a renuion of the group on Saturday.
FRIDAY Oct 31st
This a/noon I visited my urologist. It is 3 years since my surgery & last year he said that I only needed to see him every 12 months. My PSA = 0%, which is very pleasing. All is good…he says I am fit & healthy!
In the evening I took Joan, Clare & Terry out for dinner. A little celebration….& I managed to avoid Halloween at home