A Fool's Errand?

The blog is twelve years old this week - can you believe it? In my first post I wrote "Whether or not I am disciplined enough to maintain the thing remains to be seen" I am as surprised as anyone that it has lasted this long - and that 1500 people checked it out last Monday! I've kept to the same basic format - sharing God's everyday blessings in my life - with church, children, craft, family, food, friends, thrifty tips and life generally. 
But on April 1st I have been guilty of publishing spoof posts. There was "Faralla Sponge Oil" [Angela's April Fool] "Oslo Lap Fir" fencing, and Hardy's girlfriend Flora Polian...and others. 
This year, I just haven't got the heart for spoof April Fool posts - the world is full of enough 'fake news' as it is. A friend's kind message "Do you need any errands?" started me thinking about the expression "A Fool's Errand" - where does it come from?

There is a long tradition of teasing the new apprentice on their first day at work by sending them on a Fool's Errand. Older blokes [it does seem to have been a masculine habit] despatched the innocent boys down to the stores to collect some of these...

• a can of striped paint
• a box of holes
• a packet of skyhooks
• a left handed screwdriver
• a tin of elbow grease
• a verbal agreement form
• a long weight

The phrase first started being recorded around 1700 - but before that the Tudor's referred to it as "A sleeveless errand" -the word sleeveless used to be used back then to mean futile or trifling. I've yet to ascertain where lack of sleeves and foolishness are connected! [Unless you look at those hapless teenage lads who will insist on going out in all weathers without putting on a proper coat.] 

We've technically got through the 14 days of self-isolation in The Manse today. I would like to run a few errands myself today. I have a small stack of parcels which need to get to the Post Office, and some fresh milk would be useful. 

A Wise Woman from the Yeast left a packet in the porch yesterday, so the Pastor will not be eating unleavened bread after all. Another friend deposited a beautiful bag of fresh fruit and veg - so I don't have to do any supermarket shop trips yet. I continue to produce meals from my pantry reserves. It was lovely to have an email from SueH saying that she made her husband a birthday cake with the mayo recipe and it turned out well! Glad to have been helpful there!

Health Report; Things are a little more complicated than I would have hoped. Despite displaying all the typical covid19 symptoms just after I did, Bob never really stopped working. By Sunday night he was unbelievably tired, and his temperature went up again. I went to the NHS Online site, and that was incredibly helpful. Having filled in the questionnaire, the doctor rang back. Bob is now fully 'off work' for a full week, because he is completely exhausted, and on meds to keep the temperature down.His breathing is OK. Our lovely Deacons have taken everything off his shoulders, and he is just sleeping most of the time. I'm really grateful for kind words, and the support of friends right now. If you are the praying type, then please would you pray for him?

Let us all hope that by the 1st of MAY we are beginning to see an improvement in the national situation...