Done and Dusted

We've sold the car, hooray! I bought it when it was almost 2 on 30th November 2008 so almost 15 years ago to the day . It was my car, Colin's car and for the past 9 years Ali's car. It really owes us nothing. One of Ali's friends bought it from us today and is absolutely delighted which makes us happy too! It's got 11 months MOT, good tyres and although it has poor body work cosmetically, its chassis etc are solid and in really good condition. It was too good to scrap but of little value so we are delighted it's going to keep going a little longer. It even complies with the ULEZ regulations, it must be one of the oldest to be compliant, at 17 years of age .
In other news, today is the "Sunday next before Advent" or the Feast of "Christ the King" or "Stir up Sunday", from the words of the prayer book collect. Whichever name you choose, it is the last Sunday of the Church year and next Sunday is the first of the four Sundays of Advent. It's also the day when the Scottish Episcopal Church counts bums in seats, if you will pardon the expression, our census Sunday and as ever we had lots of gaps so not as high an attendance as usual. That's what happens when you hold a Christmas Fair the day before. Our congregation is definitely growing though, whatever the stats say. Yesterday's Christmas Lights switch on event had other 6000 people through our church grounds.
I cooked today and we had fridge leftovers for dinner including the last of my last pick of raspberries. There are more to come though, they survived the wind and the frost. My cake is already made, so I didn't need the Stir Up reminder although I did give it a bonus drink of brandy to keep it moist.

This is the collect(or proper or prayer for today) I was referred to. It is from the book of common prayer which dates from 1662, long before the Victorian celebrations of Christmas and in fact Christmas pudding, began, and the language reflects its great age).
“Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
My Christmas puddings are still to be made so I shall stir them up later this week.