The Merchants From Venice

Five hundred years ago, the beautiful island of Cyprus was under the control of the Venetians - it was a trading hub where ships from all round the Mediterranean docked to buy and sell goods. The island was rich in salt, copper, olives, wheat... and the wealthy Venetians increased their fortunes as they bought and sold all sorts of produce.
These Italians left their mark, particularly trough their cuisine. One important dish was stifado which is a corruption of the mediaeval Venetian word stufado meaning a slow cooked stew. These people introduced the idea of tightly covered pots on slow burning stoves, which produced a rich meaty stew. Usually made with beef, this dish can use lamb, pork, venison, rabbit or tripe! The onions can be shallots or small onions. The tomatoes, red wine, and spices give it a rich fragrance - and the recipe is so simple.
Wendy made us this recipe for us a few years ago, when they still lived in Norfolk. On holiday recently, I enjoyed it in one of their favourite dining spots. 

On Monday I made it myself.
I did mine in the slo-cooker, and it cooked itself whilst we were out at the Chapel. [We ended our Day Of Prayer with a brief service of worship and praise together.]  Recipe here on the BBC Good Food Site. It really tasted good, and I served it in a bowl with a slice of home made bread alongside [Bob had some more of the red wine to accompany his meal]
The recipe serves 6 - so I portioned it out to make 3 x two-person meals.

Thank you to all those who prayed for our little chapel on Monday - so lovely to think we were being remembered all round the world. 
For the first time in ages, Bob got out his guitar and he and Dan played, so we had live music for the songs. Twenty people were there which was great, so encouraging.

I am not sure what some of them thought about the ageing bearded rocker strumming away happily at the front in his ancient biker tee-shirt.

Small World

I was enjoying a leisurely breakfast on Saturday when Bob said "There's a Yard Sale on Etling Green today, I passed a sign yesterday"  EG is 2½ miles south of Cornerstones. It was 9.30am. So I got out of my pjs and dressed quickly. And off we went. It was the farm next door to the house where my best friend used to live. The guy is moving house this week, selling off bits and bobs. He was very friendly, and remembered Chris and her family. "We moved here from Swanton Morley just before they left" he told us. 
We said we were from Swanton - it turns out he used to live in the Close, in the bungalow next-door-but-two! He asked after some of the neighbours and we had a good chat - mostly reminiscing about older residents of the Close no longer with us. He didn't have any tools for sale - and Bob resisted buying an old tractor and a beer fridge. I went through a biscuit tin of cottons and took out the four spools I felt were the best quality, and most useful. "How much?" I asked "Oh you can have them for nothing!" he said. 

We were home by 10.30. Fastest Yard Sale ever, I think. Definitely the cheapest. In the afternoon I was chatting to some neighbours who did remember him. "We saw he had a Yard Sale because he's moving out" they said "anything good?" They laughed about the old tractor. This couple sell regularly at Boot Fairs. I asked about the Boot Fair held weekly in another local village, which I keep meaning to visit. "Pensioners, with the same stuff every week" they told me. I decided these OAPs were probably selling the sort of stuff I downsized 5 years ago! I shan't bother to go and look after that helpful heads-up.

This is a surprisingly busy week, lots of different things happening. But I am getting increasingly excited about next Tuesday - the British Museum Visit. I must just "possess my soul in patience" for a few more days...

The Hand Prayer

Today is our Church Day of Prayer - from 7am to 7pm. people will be taking a 30 minute slot, and using that time to pray for our fellowship locally, and our wider world. My task was to prepare an informative leaflet. I included lots of information about our specific situation.

Sitting in Church yesterday, I thought of the Hand Prayer I was taught years ago. A good way of organising one's thoughts and prayers.

It is very easy, and useful when working with younger children. Look at your hand...

1 - the Thumb, this is closest to your heart. Pray for the people who are really precious to you, family and friends. Thank God for them

2- the Index Finger - pray for people who point the way for us, teachers, pastors, youth group leaders etc. Help them to be wise, and set a good example.

3- the Middle Finger - the biggest of all. Pray for the Big Important people in our world, Politicians, Presidents, Royalty. We may not know them personally, but they need God's help to rule justly and wisely.

4 - the Ring Finger. Fold all your other fingers into your palm, and try to make that one stand up proudly...it can't! So pray for all those people who cannot stand up for themselves, the sick, the sad, the homeless, refugees, slaves, the marginalized groups...

5 - Finally the Little Finger, the smallest Pray for the children. Jesus had a special place in his heart for children. Pray for ones you know, and others you may have heard about who need a special touch of God's love.

If you are a praying person, please remember our little chapel, Foulsham Baptist today. We are relatively small in number, but working to make an impact in our community and show God's love to the people in the village. Thank you

I Will Sing Of The Goodness Of God

This is Falkland Park, South Norwood. From 1923 till 2025 it was the home of Spurgeon's College - the training establishment established by  Charles Haddon Spurgeon in 1856.
Its closure last year was very sudden and very sad. But hundreds of us joined on Thursday to mark the significance of this place in our lives. From 1981 - 1986, Bob was a Spurgeon's Student - the first year on a college placement as a Student Minister in Gillingham, Kent, then 4 years of fulltime study in this lovely building.
Our daughters were born during that time [82 and 86] Initially I worked as Warden in an OAP Scheme just down the road, then we moved to Orpington and became a full time Mum. For some time I worked as a volunteer helping with the college book-keeping, and student spouses were allowed to attend evening classes with paying fees. I did courses in counselling and church history!
Thursday's event was one described as "Remembering, Lament, Thanksgiving and Hope" Despite the sadness and great sense of loss there was gratitude for the legacy, for all those men and women trained there, and a sense of hope because God continues to call people into serving him in ministry and there are still ways in which they can be trained and encouraged.
It was a bittersweet day, but there was a real sense of God's faithfulness down the years and the certainty that he will lead us in the days ahead. We began the service with Wesley's hymn "O for a thousand tongues to sing my Great Redeemers Praise" [sung at our wedding] and also joined with confidence in a hymn of faith and trust

I love You Lord
Oh Your mercy never fails me
All my days I’ve been held in Your hands
From the moment that I wake up
Until I lay my head
I will sing of the goodness of God

All my life You have been faithful
All my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
I will sing of the goodness of God

I love Your voice
You have led me through the fire
In darkest nights you are close like no other
I’ve known You as a father
I’ve known You as a friend
I have lived in the goodness of God

[Bethel Music/Jenn Johnson]

The College may have gone, but our unchanging God is forever with us, and nothing can separate us from his love.

Tap, Tap!

We went down to Kent on Wednesday evening. On Thursday it was the Remembrance and Thanksgiving Service for Spurgeon's College - the wonderful place where Bob trained for ministry, which closed very suddenly last summer. We both really wanted to attend this event - but it was a day long programme, 10-4, and we felt it would be too much to drive there and back in a day. Knowing that our good friends Andrew and Eleanor would be going, we asked them if we could B&B on the Wednesday night. 

"Of course" they said immediately "You can have the house to yourselves, we won't be there!" They were a few miles away, looking after the grandchildren whist Mum and Dad away [the things we Grans do for our families...]

So after Bob got back from Men's Shed we loaded the car and drove south. I'd packed two lunchboxes and made a flask of coffee. We stopped in a layby on the A11, to enjoy our picnic.

We diverted to IKEA Lakeside, and I finally purchased new rugs for our bedroom. Our current ones are 17 years old. I wanted something fresher, and I am moving the originals into the back bedroom. All these rugs are machine washable which I like.

We arrived in Biggin Hill, and found the doorkey in the Hidden Place! After visiting the loo, I tried to fill the kettle. I struggled. The water flow kept stopping and starting. Bob came into the kitchen. "Oh I was looking at ones similar to that in IKEA!" he said. The sort with a pull out spray. I declared I didn't want one!

On the other hand, I did covet Eleanor's Bayeux Teatowel! She had left it out especially for me to look at. 

We had a good night's sleep and left early next morning for Croydon. I will say more about the event later. It was a large venue

I was not sure about the motion sensor lights in the Ladies loo. If you sat down and sat still, they went off very quickly, plunging you into Stygian Gloom. And Bob wondered why the Gent's loo had a hand dryer and a hairdryer!

It was good to meet so many old friends. But some conversations were slightly bizarre.

A group of us were talking about holidays, and people had certainly been to some interesting locations. I said "We have just spent a week in Cyprus staying with friends"
Another woman in the group suddenly said "Iceland - if you are over 60 and visit Iceland, then on a Tuesday you get 10% off" The younger ones looked baffled, so I said "You do mean the Frozen Food Shop, not the country, don't you? ..."

We got home around 9pm. It had been a good day.
Andf I got to sit with Eleanor at lunch and catch up with all her news. She was greatly amused by the Tap antics - and explained it is touch sensitive - the water only flows if you keep your hand on the tap. You have to tap the tap!

Count Bin Space!

No, not Bin Face, Bin Space!
In my first little flat, I had a small kitchen bin, a wpb in the lounge, and a small fliptop bin in the bathroom. Over the years, my bin collection got larger...everybody had a wpb in their bedroom, and under Bob's desk we had a regular waste bin and a bin for paper-to-be-recycled.

Leicestershire was ahead of the curve with wheelie bins - outside we had bins for regular, recycling, glass, food waste, garden waste, battery bags... We acquired Cornerstones and I retired here with a definite surplus of bins [back there were no food waste facilities]

That's changed this month. We now have a large blue food waste bin outside, and a smaller 7litre caddy to go into the kitchen. I appear to have very little to put in it! Thus far it has nothing except empty teabags [the contents are put in the compost caddy] When we did the 2025 kitchen refurb, we bought two IKEA Hållbar bins, in a pull out frame. These are for 'general kitchen rubbish' and 'recycling'. So I now have four different bins under the sink - labelled carefully so we throw things in the right direction!

recycling, general, food waste, compost

I am hoping this system will work smoothly. We still have two bins under our shared deskspace. Outside two wheelie bins [regular and recycling] and the new blue food one. We decided we didn't need to pay £64 p.a. for a garden refuse bin.

But there is one other category of waste which was not being managed properly. The 'soft plastics' stuff - the crisp packets, plastic 'belly band' wrappers round food trays, cheap carrier bags, pouches and sachets. There is a lot of it about. My system was to put a carrier bag inside a small bucket in the Futility room, and squash stuff down- knot it when full - and drop it off at a supermarket when I went shopping. This was not ideal - I kept forgetting to take the heap of knotted bags to the store!

The neatly squashed and rolled packets often unfurled and popped out...The draining board was often bestrewn with Bob's Cheese and Onion crisp packets. I think I have solved this. I got a smart 10litre steel bin, which I line with a carrier. It sits tidily under the cupboard in the F. Room.

Like Count BinFace, I am working and hoping, for a better environment. Are you?

A Week Of Joy

We flew out to Cyprus from Stansted on the Thursday afternoon and Peter and Wendy met us at Paphos Airport and took us to their new home. So good to see my friend again since she left England last November. We were tired! I was amused by the Greek/English handwash sign in the airport loos. [look at the Greek in #2]

Wendy has just had knee surgery and Bob did not want to do too much walking. So Friday was relaxing around the pool. I haven't really swum for years - but on the Friday I did thirty lengths! Each day we spent some time reading, relaxing and swimming, and some time going out, sightseeing, shopping and eating. It was a good pattern and we enjoyed the sunshine, and the freedom to just chill out.

Saturday evening we went on a lovely sunset boat trip from Paphos Harbour. Not on the Jolly Roger, but on the Wave Dancer [a former car ferry] 

We sailed out as the sunset, then further along the coast, they anchored so people could swim - entering the water off the back of the ramp. I actually went into the Med and splashed around for a while. Then they served a BBQ on board followed by a fascinating acrobatic display. As the boat returned to Paphos Harbour I stood and watched the twinkling lights. So much beauty, so much history. The Apostle Paul came to this harbour too. I felt so privileged to be there.

Sunday we went with Peter and Wendy to their Church and were made very welcome. Afterwards we had coffee and visited a beautiful bakery - the selection of breads, pastries and cakes was quite overwhelming.

Monday was a shopping day, we visited the Market to buy some gifts for the Grandchildren- after four days of swimming in the pool, I wanted to buy a new costume to celebrate. Wendy is a good friend and helpful fashion adviser!

Tuesday we visited Akamas - a cape which includes the blue Lagoon, an National Park, and stunning views. At the top of the hill is Viklari "Last Castle" restaurant, P&W's favourite eating place. We watched the quad bikes racing up the hill 

It is tradition to have your photo taken under the arch!

Wednesday P&W had a meeting at their Church, so Bob and I visited the nearby Museum and Roman Mosaics - a UNESCO World Heritage site. These mosaics were mind blowing! I was particularly taken with the "Christian House from the 5th Century AD" A large mosaic, regular pattern- but in the doorway a mosaic plaque with Psalm 117 verse 6 in Greek. The sign board informed us they'd made a spelling mistake! [The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man will do to me] In one of the new buildings was a huge display about Crafts in Cyprus - I was in seventh heaven looking at all the boards about different lacemaking/weaving/etc. That will have to be another post! It was very hot - I have great admiration for the Apostle Paul - I would struggle to preach in that heat!!

Thursday - our final day. To  have coffee at La Plage Municipal Beach at Polis, followed by lunch at Santa Barbara. That turtle sculpture on the beach is a recycling bin for plastic bottles! We both swam in the sea, walked round the marina, and had a beautiful final day with our friends. We came back via the Mall and Bob went in a DIY superstore, whilst Wendy took me to another of her favourite clothes stores. 

After getting back to their bungalow, finishing packing, and eating baklava we loaded the cases into the car. These two good friends took us to the airport. Final goodbye hugs and a prayer for a safe journey. 

Their hospitality was wonderful, and their friendship is very precious. I am so grateful to them for giving us the relaxing, reviving holiday we both needed. I hope I can return to their beautiful island again one day,

[Despite the fact that I swam over 200 lengths, there is no photograph of me in Wendy's pool!! And I forgot to take a picture of Jethro and Molly, their two cheerful dogs, sorry!