One Potato, Two Potatoes, Hot Potatoes...

Last week's speaker at our Friends And Neighbours Group [talk entitled ''One Potato, Two Potatoes'] spoke about growing vegetables in pots. He was incredibly enthusiastic about his subject, and full of thrifty little tips [e.g. Asda give away their black flower buckets, which make good containers for this purpose] He left me with the feeling that maybe I really ought to try growing more stuff. After last year's success with the fig tree perhaps I could manage the odd spud or two. So the black buckets and seed potatoes are downstairs waiting for a spare moment to be introduced to each other in a suitable composted environment!

Then, as it is Lent, we have had some "Hot Potato" evenings arranged by the village "Churches Together" Last week we had two speakers from the St Philips Interfaith Centre in Leicester, on the subject of "Moslems and Christians - can they work together?" and last night, a local doctor spoke about "Assisted Death and the Christian approach". Both evenings were remarkably well attended [both times, kitchen staff were muttering 'cut the bigger spuds in half!!'] and we had a lovely supper of jacket potatoes with cheese and beans - following the thought provoking addresses.

We are alternating between the different church halls, and last night's session was at our place. I missed the second half of the questions as I was in the kitchen - but the part I did hear was excellent- our speaker set out his case well, from a clear biblical standpoint. He used Matthew 25:35,36 to illustrate the point that if a person is asking for assistance to die, it may be because the Church has let them down by not showing the love and compassion of Jesus at their time of desperate need.

Some twenty five years ago, I was privileged to meet Dame Cicely Saunders and hear her speak about how she was led to found the modern day Hospice Movement. We are very blessed in Leicester to have not only "Loros" - the main hospice for the county, but also "Rainbows", the children's hospice. It is sad that these two wonderful places are so dependent on charitable giving to maintain their existence.

Next weekend, my friend Alyson is organising a coffee morning for Macmillan Cancer support. I must make time this week to sort out some bits and pieces for that. I had a super discussion with some of the girls at Sewing Club last night. One said "What have you given up for Lent, Angela?" and I explained that this year I was concentrating on not Giving Up each day through Lent, but rather Giving Away [that all came about because of Tina's post here]

But now it is time to go out to the Post Office, and send a birthday card to little Jessica in Peru, before the Thursday Coffee Drop In.