In Everything Give Thanks

These are the words of Paul in his letter to the Christians at Thessalonica. I was completely exhausted when we got back from Manchester on Friday night, and have developed a nasty cold. But I was thankful 

• For a safe journey
• For 5 superb days with the family
• For a lovely home to come back to
• For the neighbour who had put my wheelie bin back
• For good food to eat
• .... For so much more.

But I was feeling a bit flat - missing my two cheerful little boys, and sneezing a lot. "We may have post waiting for us" said Bob, hopefully. There was indeed a stack of flyers on the mat [no, I don't need new furniture, replacement windows,  a will or a funeral plan - and I am certainly not planning on moving house!] But at the bottom of the heap, a proper envelope, with a handwritten address. And inside, the most gorgeous card

My wonky photo doesn't do it justice. My friend had already emailed a thank you for the small package I'd sent her. This handmade thank you card really lifted my spirits - as did the message inside. 

In this busy world of texts and emails and WhatsApps, it really means a lot when somebody makes an extra effort to show their gratitude.

"Writing thank you letters " after Christmas or birthdays often felt like a chore when I was a child, but I am glad Mum drilled the habit into me, and grateful to others who say thank you sincerely.

Let us not take each other for granted. Every day, find somebody to say thank you too. And make it genuine, not just a perfunctory phrase mumbled in passing.  ❤️💚💙🧡🩷

Bring Me Sunshine!

 

There is a pink furry octopus on the sofa. She is 25cm tall and I'm calling her Olivia Octopus [after Olivia Colman, the bright and cheery actress from Norfolk]

Somehow Bob 'won' her from Octopus Energy, who are our "suppliers". Except they don't supply us with very much energy, because of our solar panels on the roof and the storage batteries connected to them. In the 6 months March to August, we got 98.5% of our energy from the panels. And of the power generated, over 68% was sold back to the grid. So as well as paying for the 1.5% we got from the grid, our Octopus account has built up a very healthy balance. Enough to pay for any electricity used over the winter and cover the costs of the oil for our heating. 

When Bob phoned, to ask if some of the surplus could be transferred to our bank account [for the oil payment] the guy said he would have to check - we are supposed to keep 'in the black '., to ensure we can pay for power in the darker winter months. He said he would call up our account on screen. Bob said there was a pause, then the Octopus man said "Blimey!!" He was quite astounded by the effectiveness and efficiency of our panels. We feel very grateful that we were able to have the system fitted when we did.

If you are considering solar, do check out your fitter's credentials, don't have panels without batteries, and make sure you have the right paperwork connecting you to the grid so you receive your payments. We have found Octopus to be helpful and reliable. 

I'm still not sure how I feel about Olivia though!

Styal Style

 It is nearly thirty years since I went to Quarry Bank, the Victorian Cotton Mill at Styal in Cheshire, for the wedding reception of my dear friends Richard and Rachel. But we took George and Jacob on Tuesday [whilst their Mum and Dad were at work] 

Although the NT summer programme ended the day before, there was plenty to see and do. Out in the grounds and inside the mill, and in the owner's house

Well planned play areas, a good bridge for Pooh Sticks and tasty food

The mill was good to walk round, lots of "technical guides" explaining, and helping young ones to understand history and science. How the machines all worked, and how the workers [especially women and children] were treated so badly.

The boys were so well behaved and enjoyed the challenges - like following the Monty Moth trail. There was of course, the usual dressing up. A great day out, we were there over five hours!

A Visit To The Royal Armourers?

The family in Holland all went to a theme park. Rosie rode the carousel, and Jess explained to the fairy that Grandma had made her fairy dress. 

There appears to have been a medieval knights component to the experience. Steph sent a photo of tabard, shield and sword. "Knight's Tabard? How difficult?" I replied [perhaps a little too quickly] "Easy. Is Grandad required to make the shield?" George would like a shield please. With fire on it. And a sword too. So, having finished Shed Aprons and other tasks, Bob and I set to work to produce items for George and Jacob, done in time for our trip north.

He inserted old "ship" halfpennies into the pommels, polished to a shiny copper, and whipped the hilts. The shields were laser etched, painted and waxed.

I turned some scraps and a green cord skirt into two tabards. They are reversible to plain green if the boys want to play Robin Hood or something. Having learned at the castle the other week that bright colours were authentic, I went to town with these

My Kitchen Is NOT a Crime Scene!

I am being super- diligent about keeping my lovely new kitchen clean and tidy. But the other day I was using my blender [in a hurry], and splattered red juice on the cupboards. It was like an episode of CSI.  I am not quite tall enough to pour things tidily into the little hole on the top. I had a lot of washing and wiping to do. So I decided to be more careful in future.

I bought quite a lot of fruit recently because despite my love of puddings, I know we need a healthy balance - and the girls love fruit too. Watermelons are fabulous in hot weather. A slim slice on a stick is as good as a lollipop, cool chunks in as bowl with a drizzle of yogurt is an ersatz ice-cream-sundae. But I had half a melon left, And a mango too - and Ro and Jess were in Holland.

I decided to blend the remaining fruit and make a bottle of drink for the fridge. I cut off the peel [into the compost] and chopped the flesh into chunks.  Inspiration struck - my jam funnel fits neatly into the hole in the blender lid - so I rechopped the fruit a little smaller. It was quick and easy to spoon the melon bits into the funnel and blitz it.

I juiced the half melon, then decided the mango which was very ripe needed dealing with. I peeled it, and scraped all the flesh from the peel and from the stone, and blitzed that - adding an equal amount of orange juice from a carton and half a cup of water. 

The watermelon drink went into the large bottle, the mango&orange into the small one - and the remaining juices were mixed up into a third bottle. Once made they need to be drunk within a couple of days. That is better than fruit going to waste. And my funnel technique has kept the 'blood spatter' off the cupboard doors. Don't they look pretty?

Mish - Mash

In her book "Kitchen", Nigella ends many recipes with a paragraph entitled "making leftovers right". I fully endorse such notions of ZeroWaste and thrift. As we were going away to Manchester, I weanted to ensure I had used up as much as possible of our fresh produce. I checked the fridge and

I had a sweet potato, a regular potato, three small red potatoes, 1½carrots and a handful of beans.
Plus two brioche buns and the end of packs of peas and corn in the freezer. Further scrabbling around revealed a lock'n'lock with 'pineapple pieces' in it [bought in error by Bob who thought he was buying chunks to put on sticks with cheese, for the Shed Mardle] 
The leftover chicken from Monday had already been made into pie filling with mushrooms, a small onion and some of the stock - and I had a pack of puff pastry ready to encase it.
I thought I might make some sort of pudding with the brioche and pineapple, but had no eggs, and limited milk - but I did find a tin of custard lurking in the cupboard. The pastry was rolled out into a pasty shape and filled with chicken mixture, the root veg chopped and put to boil, with the green veg and corn in a steamer over them. The brioche buns were puttered and cut into chunks, and combined with custard and drained pineapple in a Pyrex dish. I mashed all the root veg together, with some butter - and served the lunch. Chicken Galette with steamed vegetables and root mash, followed by Pineapple Brioche Pudding.

I had not crimped the pasty well enough - so it burst open. And I'm calling it a galette! The filling was a bit sloppy, so extra gravy was not needed. A very filling and satisfying lunch, mostly leftovers.
The tinned custard was Waitrose Essentials - and is way thicker and creamier than my usual supermarket budget range [also more expensive] It made a very unctuous pudding. Leftover galette went into the freezer, for a light supper on our return from Manchester.

Jill in Dorset - still waiting for you to email me about the Noahs ark panel!

Yes Ma'am!

We watched "The Thursday Murder Club" last week. Having read the book, we knew Whodunit already. No spoilers here, for those who haven't. 

It was definitely "a cosy crime", with an amazing cast list. Being set in an OAP home, or more accurately  "an upmarket seniors' retirement community" there were many older actors both in leading roles and cameos. Oh, and David Tennant, who seems to pop up in almost everything lately.

As well as the Fab Four [Mirren, Imrie, Kingsley and Brosnan] look out for 

• Jonathan Pryce [the best actor in the recent Count of Monte Cristo we thought]
• Richard E Grant [at 68, one of the younger OAPs in the cast]
• Paul Freeman - I prefer him without his beard. He was Molly's urbane suitor in one series of Monarch of the Glen
• Richenda Carey - Also in MotG* playing Kilwillie's snooty sister Lady Dorothy
• Ruth Sheen - the longsuffering office secretary in Strike [new series due this autumn] No relation to Martin, or Michael

*our family referred to that favourite Sunday evening viewing as Monica. [As in "busy tonight, catching up with Monica Theglen"]

The filming was done in various Home Counties properties and villages, mainly Englefield House near Reading. The London Street through which HM drives at speed is actually Chatham Dockyard. And whilst Englefield House conveniently has an adjacent church, the cemetery opposite was specially constructed for the film,. With polystyrene gravestones! 

For me the best laugh-out-loud line in the entire film was when Pryce says to his wife who is just going out sleuthing "You look just like the Queen". Same initials HM, and Ms Mirren has played HerMaj twice [ film, The Queen 2006, and stage, The Audience 2013-2015] And she does it so well. You have to look twice to be sure who is who.

It was a fun film, but they did "over-egg the pudding" at some points. ***

Have you seen it, what did you think?

Holding On

Tomorrow is September 1st - a significant double anniversary for me. 1st September 1978, Bob asked me to marry him. Exactly a year later, he told me that he felt God was calling him to be a Baptist Minister. "You could have told me last Saturday" I said [I'd been Mrs Almond for exactly one week] But I wasn't surprised, I think I knew before he did. He did his theological training at Spurgeon's College in South London. It was a special time, and we made many great friends there. Just last month the college closed. Very Suddenly. Like many smaller educational establishments at the moment, there were big financial problems, and everything just fell apart. Many people have been saddened by this- and the Baptist Family has rallied round to ensure those who were in the middle of training, or about to start training, will be able to study elsewhere. It is a huge upheaval for them  and for the staff, now unemployed. 
The College motto is Et Teneo Et Teneor, I both hold and am held. A reminder of our faith in God, and the certainty of God's love that will never let us go. 

So often in our college years, I would stand at the bottom of the stairs and look up at the beautiful stained glass window. Even when the way ahead was not clear, or there were difficult situations to work through, God never let us go. I am praying for all those affected by what has happened, that they will know that God will not let them go.

How Did THAT Happen?

"Has the 2by2 square arrived?" I asked Kirsten, and she replied "Yes, but mine is bigger than yours, it's 7cm², yours is 6.5cm²" I was baffled - all our precut paper templates were the same, cut on my die cut machine. 

Then hers arrived. I lined up my rainbow, my Practice Patch and her square. How odd...

The last two [I've blurred her stitching]were the same size, 7cm² - but the rainbow one was smaller. Somehow I'd stitched those two ark-themed pieces using smaller papers.  How did I do that, where did I find the wrong sized squares? ? I have unpicked mine, pressed it, and restitched to the correct size.  Thank you Kirsten for correcting the error on the square I sent you. Not a very auspicious start. Here are our two squares

My rainbow, and her seascape. Kirsten used the swirling blue and green  waves of a Hannah Dunnett picture, plus her own drawings of the sea and the South Downs to create this lovely piece. A very different patch from mine. 

Find Kirsten's full explanation on her blog. 

I think we are both already aware of the constraints of a smaller area to work on. Not much room for intricate detail.

Do you like Hannah Dunnett's pictures? She and her husband Ben are very gifted people.

Pressing Matters

Wednesday morning was the start of the Autumn Session of the Shed. It was a Mardle [Norfolk word for get-together and natter] The men, wives and other friends of the group enjoyed drinks and snacks in the sunshine. On the right is Nancy. She's in her 80s and has lived in this area most of her life, and involved in all sorts of community activities.

She is a great supporter of the Shed. I'd taken down my last apron*, to show those who hadn't seen them. 

She asked if she could borrow it and take it round the various groups she attends, to drum up some orders.

I hope I am as active and enthusiastic when I'm in my eighties!

* I've sold 8, and one was a gift to Mandi, whose company donated the fabric. She kindly posted a lovely review on the Village Facebook group. I already have orders for three more from blogfriends. So I spent Thursday cutting out another 10 aprons, and pressing hems ready for stitching when I get back from hospital visiting this morning.

Pressing matters - it gives a much neater finish. Making 10 at a time is a good way to do it. There's still lots of fabric left...

Meet The Minidonks!

I had an email from the coordinator at Voluntary Norfolk. Could I do an extra session at the Hospital on Tuesday? The donkeys were coming and more helpers were needed. It turns out that the Minidonks visit hospitals, care homes and schools, to promote health and wellbeing. The company was founded by Sarah, who realised how much her elderly parents, suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's, benefitted from interaction with the gentle beasts. It is called Minidonkeys for Wellbeing 

Some patients were brought outside in wheelchairs, others looked through the window of the day room. Then it started to rain a little. Everyone - including Millie [aged 6] and sister Pixie [9] came inside. They trotted up and down the corridors and went into the 4-bed bays. Many of the patients grew up on farms or had close links with Norfolk's agricultural past - they loved seeing and stroking the girls. 

You will notice the last with the bucket [she has a pair of the rubber gloves in her right hand] You can guess what her job is! What a joyful experience for those people in bed to be visited by these animals. For many it brought back childhood memories. They were telling us stories from 50, 60 and 70 years ago. A good afternoon all round. Heehaw!

The Animals Went In...

 ...Two By Two

Below are my first two squares for our latest collaboration. In my stash I found a cushion panel for a Noah’s Ark, about 15" square, with a border strip along the bottom. The animals went in Two-By-Two, so this seemed very appropriate for the first patches.

I cut off the strip and took two squares from it  [a] the ark & 2 giraffes [b] - the rainbow and 2 lions - and embellished them with herringbone, running stitch, chain and French knots. The ark was home for the animals for 40 days, A is for Kirsten [Letter From Home] and that left B for me [Tracing Rainbows]

O Joy that seekest me thru' pain, 
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow thru' the rain
And feel the promise is not vain
That morn shall tearless be.
Noah's story is about God’s faithfulness and provision, even when there are storms outside – and the rainbow promise that while the earth remains, the seasons will roll round each year, and He will always be with us.
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love

The large square remains. It would make a lovely cushion or picture for a child's nursery. Is there anyone out there who would like it?
I have no use for it, and would love to pass it on to somebody who could find it a home. It is quite attractive as it is, but would benefit from some stitching and embellishment. Please leave a comment below. Update - it is going to a special little boy in Dorset.

Peregrination

So yesterday was our wedding anniversary - Liz, Steph and families are now all in Holland - so it was a day by ourselves. We began early with a celebratory breakfast at The Goat Shed

That was really good, then we filled up the car with fuel, and bought an M&S Dine In Meal for the evening. [We had a cool bag with ice packs in the car all ready]

 

Bob said he'd like to go to Cromer...so off we went. Peregrination means wandering and comes from the same root as pilgrims. Being good pilgrims, we parked in a blue badge space behind the big Parish Church.

And discovered we were right next to the Peregrine Project which is a well-supported local charity

A team of enthusiastic volunteers have three telescopes focussed on the church tower, and I was able to watch Poppy, the mother bird, perching on one of the buttresses. They also have a live stream and youtube videos available to watch - this pair have been here since 2019. Utterly fascinating

This little one is just about ready to leave the nest now. The PP volunteers talked about the territorial nature of these birds - and how there is another pair living on top of Norwich Cathedral. After a good chat, we had elevenses at Art House Café , our favourite place for a good coffee in Cromer.

We strolled down the Pier in the sunshine.

My new dress was cool and comfortable but its cute pearl buttons are a little bit too small, and whenever I put my bag across my body, the strap pushed them open. I shall have to add a couple more hook&eyes at bust level. We shared a portion of chips, mooched round a few CS and then drove home. What a lovely day!

The family have arrived safely in The Netherlands too. All is good!

 

Love, Life And Laughter

Forty Six Years and still going strong. God has blessed us with so much. Thank you Bob for every wonderful moment! [and for your infinite patience] Last year all the family were with us - this year, just us two at Cornerstones - but still celebrating. 💘

An Ancient Prayer Of Grace And Joy

On Friday we watched a fascinating programme about Bamburgh. Much of the early history of this ancient village on the Northumbrian coast comes from the writings of Bede, an ancient, well respected abbot. Known as The Venerable one.

After that we watch a fabulous Prom Concert - Beethoven's 9th, including the wonderful "Ode to Joy"

On Saturday I was doing more book sorting and a little card fell on the floor. It was Bede's Prayer. More Grace and Joy...

Did You Solve The Rebus?

I wonder how many you worked it out, We were at Dunston Hall, a luxury hotel, spa and golf course, just south of Norwich. 

 

Weekend Puzzles

For my 70th birthday in April, Liz, Steph and their families gave me a special present - a double ticket for a day here. It looks Elizabethan, but was actually built in the 1850s. Here is a rebus, can you work it out? The things we did and places we went during our day - and the two facilities we did not make use of...
Thank you family, for a wonderful gift

but we did not do these...

Answers will appear at 5pm [BST]