Newsletter #2. Sunday 21st April 2024
Welcome back, it's been quite the week. Change and chicken pox, sea swimming and steak.
Hi again! 🫶🏼
I’m Claire, and I’m probably wittering about
podcasts, plates, pastoring, physical health, psychotherapy, parenting and whatever project it is that I currently have on the go. P made sense to arrange some of my thoughts succinctly so Please do enjoy this weeks round up
Welcome 👀👋🏼
I’m a counselling psychotherapist, a church nerd, a mum and I’m obsessed with podcasts. I was also, until really really recently, a pastor at an Anglican Church.
I also love plates (food), projects (not least our never ending home reno), practises (spiritual) aaaaand I’m trying to look after my physical health (because who isn’t?). I’ve organised my thoughts under these Ps for Purpose Poise and Pizzazz no reason other than to clutch at some uniformity in what is otherwise a classically chaotic slew of thoughts from a 30 something working mum with faith and optimism, living in South Wales.
Welcome back 👀
Week two and what a week! I am truly exhausted. Pox did come for us for a second time for our eldest who, predictably, had it much worse than our youngest had two weeks ago. Bluey may have ended! I made it back in the sea for my first dip of the year! My youngest has started potty training (for the third time)! But we also had some pretty big news in our church as our Vicar stepped down from the leadership of our church (investigations pending) and I started the transition into my new role at Citizen.
We’ve been through a lot of change in our family in the last six months, and I always find that interesting to read about when other people are bold enough to share. Mostly though I just enjoy the little bits and bobs of other peoples lives, so here are some of the little bits and bobs of mine.
Here I am again, finally writing properly like I always said I would. Welcome to my weekly substack
Podcasts 🎙
I probably listen to about thirty hours a week of podcasts but here’s three of my faves from the last seven days
If you have ever wondered about the work of Hollywoods intimacy coordinators, not least because every decent film or TV show has nudity these days, then this interview is an incredible peak behind the curtain! It’s an intense mix of emotional maturity and a true understanding of how the body works and it sounds fascinating
Deux U by Deux Moi - Hollywood Sex scenes & more w/ Zendaya’s intimacy coorindatorThis episode captures some of the concern about our favourite Australian pooch and her future brilliantly. A worry-along if you will
Today, Explained - Feeling BlueyA little follow on recommendation from last week. The entire docu-series by premier Christianity is really well produced, but this episode in particular talks through the history of the charismatic renewal movement in the U.K. from David Pytches to John Wimber and the Vineyard and into Soul survivor. Having moved from the Vineyard Movement to the HTB network in the Anglican Church the episode felt SO helpful to give context to our history and maybe a bit of an answer to “how did we get here?”
Parenting 🐒
The pox came back to our house with a vengeance this week. I’m in a WhatsApp group with mums of older ones that warned me it would be exactly 14 days later that our other child got it and 14 days it was! Having poorly kids is such a whole house ordeal but he took it like an absolute champ despite being covered including his ears toes and mouth.
The worst part about this week and illness has undoubtedly been the babysitter we used this week catching chicken pox herself 🫠. On Tuesday night we had to nip out the “emergency church wide meeting” - an event we really did both have to be at - and our normally sleep right through never ever had an issue babe was up up up and away and demanding cuddles. As if the guilt of leaving him wasn’t enough, her contracting the “chick pops” as our youngest is still calling them felt like the cherry on top of a truly outrageous week.
Physical 🧘🏼♀️
This feels like a bit of nonsense to include. Gym bunny, I am not. In fact I’m hardly a gym slug, but I am slowly and finally two years after the craziest birth ever (will share the details of this one day as it was ridiculous) finally feeling like my body feels like mine again. I was so so excited to be back in the sea on Thursday morning when we had a short and glorious morning burst of sunshine! Other mum gangs go for cute coffee dates I think and sip flat whites and coo over their calm cute angle babes. We let our toddlers potter across the stones and went for a dip while the babies napped. I also made it for a run this week! I feel stronger and fitter than I have for a long time. On Friday we finished off the week with a fancy dress night at my favourite gym class. It was “movie night” and we went as Sister Act. It was hilarious, although treadmill running in a habit (like a nun’s hat) zero out of ten do not recommend.
P (church) - this bit was supposed to be called Pastoring 🤪
Leaving behind the Cathays 11am service pastor role at Citizen Church and grieving that quietly has been something I haven’t had nearly enough time to process this week. Although I’m finding space to be excited about my new role in the Operations Team I’m sad that my role holding an incredible group of people at the flagship of our sprawling church never quite turned out how I expected. I’m sad to leave behind what was once my dream job. But I’m optimistic about the future and what God has for me and for us as a family. Most excitingly, I’m dropping down from two Sunday services, to one which means that Wretham roasts are back. I can’t wait to have the capacity to sincerely and excitedly invite people for a post church roast knowing we have the bandwidth and the time to make it happen. In the strangest way I think not being a pastor might free me up to do more pastoral care than ever before.
Plates 🍽
we made it out for quite a spontaneous dinner on Saturday night to the infamous little Cardiff steak spot - Maison De Boeuf and am now resolutely of the opinion that all restaurants should do a “second serving”. This place comes back with more steak and more chips what more could you want?!
Pickle 🌭
sausage dogs are notorious sunbathers and Pickle sausage is LOVING the fact that spring seems to have arrived and the sun is streaming in across the house.
LOOK AT HIM 🥹😭
