Wild Garlic and Sapphic T-Shirts.

No, this is not my new house, but the old Conservative Club in Preston, now 'Vintage' bar and restaurant, with a dodgy looking nightclub in the basement. I have not ever been here - it confronted me as I left the altogether less salubrious surroundings of the snack bar over the road and I thought it seemed more interesting than a picture of six IKEA Billy bookcases, which I have spent much of the day putting together, while cursing the thinness of the backing material. There has also been time to go to Clitheroe but not to join the hordes by the Ribble basking in the sun and paddling in the water, however smelling the banks of wild garlic (ramson) which grows abundantly in the valley almost made up for it, as did seeing a stout lady wearing a t-shirt bearing the slogan 'cover me in chocolate and throw me to the lesbians'. There must be very wealthy lesbians in Clitheroe because it would have cost a weeks wages to purchase enough chocolate for the task.

I am going off to Church now, to lay the vestments out, prepare the altar and books for tomorrow's High Mass. Then I am going to the house of a Parishioner for a coffee evening - at least, there will be a coffee evening, I will take a bottle of Badoit water, which more suits the blazing heat for me. Pictures of the Mass tomorrow as well as photographs of the large joint of beef which I am BBQ'ing for a group of friends. It is as well to cook and shop now, for next week a siege mentality will descend upon this quiet backwater, as those of us who are blessed enough to live next to the vast Heaton Park have to contend with the arrival of rock band Oasis, who are playing on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. The local supermarket has put up a sign saying that alcohol will be limited to one bottle or can per person and special checkouts will be erected to cope with the crush - and that is a mile away! Fifty thousand people are expected to try and cram into the park each day, and many more in the streets around which will be closed. It will, of course, be hell and much busier than when the Pope came to the area, but that is life, I suppose. The series of concerts makes up part of the 'dig out your soul' tour. Sunday Mass will be almost empty, I suppose, what with the closed roads and everyone looking for their soul in the litter strewn park and the special checkouts at TESCO.