34. Blessed is the man...

HORSES FOR COURSES ETC.

Way back around 1974 I was on a Management Training Course at Willie Rathbone Staff College in Liverpool.
Suffice it to say I was not really the right horse for that particular course.
My fellow course members were all hospital management and I was employed by a committee which dealt solely with general practitioners, dentists, chemists and opticians.
In other words, I was the lone outsider.
Eventually, at a 'brainstorming' session where these bright hospital managers sat around in a circle (which included me and - praise be - an Irish nun from a nursing order), a weighty matter pertaining to hospital procedure was discussed.
Everybody put a sensible contribution into the collective think tank until it came to me.
I had to admit that I had nothing to contribute.
My fellow team members seemed to have said just about everything and my zero experience of hospital administration left me with nothing to add.
The Irish nursing nun sat on the other side of the circle directly opposite me and her eyes twinkled:
'Ah Dennis,' she said gently, 'blessed is the man who has nothing to say - and doesn't say it!'
I do wish I could remember that lovely Sister's name. People like her deserve to be cherished by their God.

A CAT FOR FOOTBALL.

I am going to finish twittering on now.
Match of the Day Live, England v Macedonia is coming later.
I must prepare for the cat Shadow (named after the Cliff Richard backing group - don't ask) and I to watch it.
My Leader is at work but will be home before the match starts and will expect lunch. I'm buying fish and chips. I don't need to cook it and the cat will enjoy a share.
Oh, he'll sleep through the football but he'll be full of opinion when it's over.
Not if it's rubbish, though.
If it's rubbish he'll stalk out through the catflap and not come back until tomorrow morning.