Ian Dony was one of the candidates reaffirmed and confirmed by the Archbishop of Canterbury at the wonderful baptism celebrations outside Malmesbury Abbey on 13 September 2014.
Here are his reflections.
Ians Re-affirmation and Confirmation
Where do I start?
Saturday
What to wear?
Must not be see-through when wet.
Must be white.
Definitely must not be see-through when wet.
What fits chinos mysteriously shrunk whilst in wardrobe.
Really definitely must not be see-through when wet and secure at waist.
Do chinos go see through when wet?
Radio interview at 7:45 for BBC Radio Wiltshire in Swindon.
Good sincere interview and free coffee.
Managed to plug Sutton Bengers Beer and Sausage Festival in aid of the All Saints Church.
Daughter in twilight zone on her way from Redditch and no concept of time.
Mother in Wootton Basset champing at bit to come down and party.
Mother in law in arrives so far off the happy fun day scale she was circling Pluto (the dog not the planet).
Mother in law mood proceeds unimaginably lower and resorts to behaviours of three year old.
Procession and service and wonderful speeches, hymns, sermon.
Lee and Neil on good form despite the obvious pressure which must have been immense.
Reaffirmation time.
Nearly slipped in pool.
Amazed no
Slippery When Wet
signs in evidence, could have been a claim.
Amazing wonderful feeling of surfacing in the arms of the Archbishop and Lee.
Water in sinuses that took a week to drain.
Confirmation by Archbishop, a wonderful and consummate life time event shared with new and close friends.
Processed away to change and return to mingle.
Wife discovered her new snazzy expensive camera too complicated and promptly uses her phone camera.
Have developed obsessive weight paranoia after viewing pictures, T-shirt unflatteringly clingy when wet.
Oh yes...
Amazing photo opportunity of self and Archbishop who kindly consents to be in the photo.
Dandruff replaced by tree as photographer wife captures background tree which appears to be sprouting from head.
More mingling and chatting to all.
Wife buys me celebratory Monk Bear from Abbey which now resides on bedside cabinet.
Dawn Beresford (Ministry team) gives me wonderful celebratory bottle of Welbys Wallop to remain forever unopened.
Evelyn Bone (Ministry team) gives me beautiful wooden palm prayer cross.
Sadly depart to take mother and mother in law back to Wootton Basset before she cause more scenes.
(Amazing how we go full cycle. I think they had both been at the Haribo).
Arrive at Beer and Sausage Festival to hand money over for church upkeep in exchange for beer and sausages.
No sausages all sold hours before.
No beer saw the last glass disappearing resorted to cider and early night.
Do you think I should include Sunday as well?
...Sunday
Early start with shambling 30 year old daughter and hungry wife.
Wife impersonates demon White Rabbit hurtling across three lanes of the M4 to get to Bristol Cathedral on time.
Fortunately half an hour early, followed by the hour wait in the most uncomfortable tortuous seats ever manufactured. Occupy myself by:
taking selfies with daughter
watching in-house video camera operator avoiding cleavage shots as he panned around the congregation.
Followed by first communion; they didn't tell me the wafer sticks to the roof of your mouth and the wine has floaters in it.
Politely smiled and waved to Archbishop during sharing of the Peace.
Archbishop failed to recognise me despite sharing a bath with me not more than 24 hours earlier.
Obviously not the same without wet T shirt.
Proceed to Brown's for lunch and mistakenly sat on the terrace which was obviously the dead zone of service.
Finally received service and food - and then of course the bill.
Home to drain sinuses...