Winter Draws On!

The seasons are changing fast. Niki has posted this wonderful Canadian Wartime Poster

Someone else is ranting [quite reasonably imho]about the demise of Mamade Thick Cut and Lemon marmalades

Cottonreel and others are extolling the virtues of homemade chutney. And in the supermarket on Tuesday, a complete stranger engaged me in a long conversation about going home to soak her fruits in alcohol in preparation for her Christmas Mincemeat. [At least I think she was a complete stranger. If she was somebody I should have recognised, I am very sorry!]

it is exactly one

hundred days to

Christmas !!!

And the Christmas Charity Catalogues have started arriving. I’ve ordered [and received] some excellent goods from Save The Children this week. I found their catalogue online following a comment on The Madhouse. 

I like to give people hand-made gifts when I can, but if I do end up buying stuff, I like it if I can buy from a Charity catalogue, so that I feel I have helped a good cause along the way.

Today I have been flicking through the Bible Lands Catalogue. They have some fun stuff – including lots of retro advertising goods

Their Christmas cards are almost all ‘proper’ Christian themes [only one robin design!] and their Bible Lands mugs and bowls are attractive. They’ve got the legendary “Bethlehem Carol Sheet” updated, in CD Rom and large print formats too.

My only reservation is their apron with the verse from Philippians 4

I am not sure “I CAN DO ALL THINGS” is the best choice of texts– it is rather open to misinterpretation. Which reminds me of the set of pearl-handled tea knives given to my Mum. They had “HAVE FAITH IN GOD” engraved along the blades. Rather worrying for her guests, whenever she served them a home-made cake, I always felt!!

My carefully made plans for the week have gone slightly awry – as two of my 1-1 pupils were absent today – so I only worked the morning, and was home for lunch. Now I am trying to decide how to re-order the next couple of days to make best use of time.

I got loads done yesterday, in order to make sure I was ready for the weekend - on Saturday I am going to Peterborough for a training course about Get In The Picture [website] And on Sunday I am preaching in the morning. The sermon’s sorted, and the Worship Group have planned the Order Of Service. The rest of the day will be spent at The Village Fun Day. Hoping for fine weather there!

I am grateful for these two unexpected unallocated hours – and intend to go and use them in a creative and enjoyable way [beginning with making a pot of tea I think and perhaps relaxing with a Sudoku]