Back to work today after two weeks off. We started our holiday in Morcambe as I was doing a Detached training session two weeks ago in Lancaster. The day went well and it reminded me how great committed volunteers can be. I am sure they will establish a strong project.

Three days in Morcombe then across to Doncaster (we know how to holiday!) to see my brother and down to leicestershire for more family. Where we went to Wickstead park and the children went on their first roller coaster. We also bumped into old friends from Brum.

Then a week at home finishing with Lori’s 30ith birthday bash. We had friends come from Birmingham, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Epsom and Nottingham as well as good turn out from locals. It was great so many made the journey and although at times we feel quite isolated here in Somerset I am grateful to have such good friends THANKS to those who made it and those who couldn’t (many of whom I hope to catch up with at the usual trip to Greenbelt). The planned extension to the house is progressing so hopefully by Christmas we will have enough room for people to stay.

Back to work with a bang, but I still have some TOIL (time off in leiu) to take so plan to try and catch up on work but take some more time off around Greenbelt.

Sleep seems to be evading me once again. The last few weeks insomnia has been particularly bad. My usual problem is going to bed and sleeping for 2-6 minutes then waking for a couple hours but this has changed to sleeping for maybe 2 hours to then waking for several. Back to the sleep re-conditioning where if I am not asleep within ten minutes I have to get up so I condition my mind into associating the bedroom with sleep only. Sometimes this takes a few weeks of disciplined work but usually works in the end.

Travelling along quite happily. Note the “quite”. Maybe burying my head in the sand, kind of thinking I can knock along quite happily with this structure and then they go and do something so stupid it is unbelievable, unkingdom, ungodly and unwise. Now I want to huff and puff until I’ve blown this house down. The question is how far do I embrace the big bad wolf or do I let sleeping dogs lie thinking they are chasing rabbits in their own happy dream world.

I know most of you haven’t clue about what I’m on about but there is nothing quite like mixing your metaphors on the web to help get things straighter in my head.

• Stan Helsing buy

Sadly Dennis Birch died on Thurs 8th June. Among other charities, Dennis was the founder of Worth Unlimited and something of a father in the faith to me. Faithful to the whole gospel, for many years he carried the demonstration agenda in YFC and helped me survive. The funeral is on Monday at 2pm at St Georges Church Wembdon in Somerset. He was a man full of grace and a true agent of the kingdom and I am honoured to be able to attend on Monday in the celebration of Dennis’ life.

Great weekend with family at Nephews wedding, one of the funniest best mans speech I have ever heard. Chatting to another nephew about purpose in work. As a dedicated teacher he was enthusing about the buzz and sense of purpose it gave him. As a throw away he mentioned how we all need that sense of purpose even those coming from agnostic/ atheist position. I understand that sense of purpose when i hear him discussing his vocation, but for me when we use the word purpose in this context I have an automatic value judgement on the word. Does simply making money equate to a sense of purpose?

So far the slugs have eaten 4 courgette plants, 2 tomato plants and quite a bit of broccoli. We managed to harvest some spinach yesterday which unfortunately we burned when cooking in the pan. Hope England do better in the footie