Is it wrong to pray for computers, or wi fi routers? If God can heal people I’m sure he could fix the lack of internet connection in our house tonight. Still, something doesn’t feel right about that kind of prayer….so I’ve bottled out and spent the last three hours trying to plug and re-plug wires, type in numbers on the lap top, poke a biro into the back of the router re-set hole and if all else fails shake the box a bit, hold it up above my head and tilt it slightly. Nothing.  I am now an IT expert. But still no internet.  Perhaps praying about it would have been a better idea.

This week has been dominated by IT issues. At work the word ‘website’ has been used a lot, along with a few more colourful words, as we attempt to get our new-look site ready for general use by Friday. It will be a delight to log in to, eventually…but I suspect I will be long gone by then. The lack of internet here at home is something I may need to get used to abroad, especially at first while we wait to get connected. It seems amazing to think that dial-up internet was completely the norm about 15 years ago, now we all hop from wi fi zone to zone, even walking through a town, I find myself checking for the nearest  signal, desperate to keep myself connected. Although I’m not sure exactly who we’re all connecting with.

My real connections are the people I see and meet up with face to face and then chatting on facebook , twitter or email with them is just another dimension. But it can’t replace the enjoyment of being with people, sharing their company face to face, hearing the chink of glasses and seeing the twinkle in the eyes as jokes are exchanged. The internet isn’t doing any of that for me. That’s what was good about today, lunch with friends – well colleagues who’ve become friends.

I’m not sure quite how many leaving lunches is too many? Two feels fairly decadent, but three may be positively greedy…and then that’s not counting the suppers out, afternoon teas, and the odd drink to say farewell. This leaving lark feels quite a drawn out process – just put me on the plane with a box of tissues now please!