The Opposite Of "Deliver Us From Evil"?

I was decluttering a file of household documents last week, and a delivery note fell out. With slightly strange wording

"Delivery caused by goodwill" - what could that possibly mean?

Delivery in the Close is usually done by the postman, the milkman, the supermarket chap, the meds from our surgery or the impatient Amazon//online guys. Nobody hereabouts is need of delivery by a midwife, nor 'ministry of deliverance' from the Vicar. So what is 'delivery 'by goodwill'?
I looked for further clues - it is from Neff, and 'these parts should be fitted by a suitably qualified person'. Then I checked the date [1996] and the address [Kirby Muxloe] and what these parts were...

Then everything made sense. In the spring of 1996, we moved into the new Manse [built 1992], which had a fancy Neff double oven with gas hob. But no operating instructions.
I contacted the company, and they said they'd send a set of booklets. This was the delivery note that came with them. I presume 'caused by goodwill' means 'we are not going to charge you for these'

Thirty years on, times have changed so much. Most manuals are available online. I've just passed my older Janome Sewing Machine on to a friend from the Craft Group. I could find all the accessories - but not the manual. It took less than 10 minutes to find it online and print it off for her. 

When we left Kirby in 2015, I left all the appliance manuals behind for the next occupants! The phrase 'delivery caused by goodwill' sounds so friendly and charitable, doesn't it? It is always good to find helpful customer service departments.

Can you recommend any companies which go "above and beyond" ?

Sent Packing

Shakespeare uses the phrase " I'll send him packing" in Henry IV,  where it is said by Falstaff [who was based on a real guy, Sir John Falstolf, a man born and buried in North Norfolk] As far as I can tell, it always means to dismiss abruptly - there is never any mention of suitcases. Obviously my train trip to Manchester has meant packing carefully. 

Tuesday night after the pancake party I put everything onto the bed, and decided I could get it all into a wheeled cabin bag,plus my Roka backpack, and phone, tickets and glasses case in my small crossbody banana bag. 

My new Icelandic woollen house slippers. Liz and Ro bought them on their trip to Denmark. Great for travel they pack flat and take up little room in the case. 

I was mildly amused by the conversation of the couple beside me on the station platform with two matching suitcases. 

He wondered why she had not packed teabags, she said she hadn't got any in individual paper wrappers. 

I wondered where they were going if they couldn't get teabags when they got there. But then, who am I to judge? I'm the woman who packed a tupperware box of teabags in my case when I went on heneymoon, To Yorkshire! Just in case... 

Nowadays my packing list has a few essential items - phone, meds, charger, toothbrush, spare pants and socks. I rarely pack teabags anymore! Then there's all the rest [this week, I have gifts for family, warm clothes, ongoing craft project, and sermon notes to be worked on for next Sunday] When Bob arrives today, I expect him to have a comprehensive toolkit in the boot, and a ladder strapped on the roof, plus my repaired glasses. 

What are the important things in your suitcase? 

Thank You Jean!

I really enjoy Jean's lifestyle Blog A House in France, and her baking blog A Slice Of Cake. She's a lovely woman, and I got to meet her and her husband when they holidayed in Norfolk a few years ago. Recently Nick bought her a half-price Bundt Pan, and so she decided to make him a cake in it. The Pan was from the Golden Jubilee Range brought out in 2006 when the company was 50 years old.

They still make the golden pans. I have one of these, which Bob found in a charity shop in 2017, unused. I think he paid £6 - they now retail at around £50!

Jean chose a recipe called Fochabers Gingerbread from a book by Scottish writer and chef Sue Lawrence. I had been to the Baxter's Estate in Fochabers many years ago, so the recipe interested me. 

I decided to make the cake on Saturday afternoon. Cakes in Bundt Pans are notoriously difficult to turn out, but Jean also has a recipe for Cake Release Paste on her website. I made a batch.
I followed the recipe [here] And I am thrilled with the result. It turned out beautifully! Thankyou Jean for the inspiration. With family around this week, it is good to have some cake in the tin.

It is rich in dried fruit and ground almonds - the black specks are sultanas etc. The ginger, cloves and mixed spice made the kitchen fragrant as the cake cooked. 
Apart from my Christmas Cake, I haven't made many cakes recently. Jean has inspired me to bake more regularly - merci beaucoup, Jean! 

Have you ever cooked in a Bundt Pan?
Can you share a favourite Bundt recipe?

Tis A Far, Far Batter Thing I Do...

Said Bob as we loaded Rosie and Jess into the car yesterday afternoon and headed off for chapel

He cooked well over 100 pancakes. Loads of families from the village came. My activities table was well received

All those children who coloured pictures, did word searches, made Mardi Gras Carnival crowns, or did Chinese New Year activities went home with a small bag of Haribos and a Chinese banknote for ¢500,000! Rosie and Jess were really friendly and helpful, welcoming visitors, explaining the Crafts and helping clear up.  I was too busy to take pictures!

£50 was raised to help Ukraine. We were quite exhausted, but pleased how well it went. 

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A Short Post

Last month, Jess found some cute fabric in a charity shop, and asked Grandma to make her a dress or something. I explained there wasn't enough material for a dress. Liz suggested for a cushion for her bed. I had a small cushion pad in the stash, so whipped up a simple cover. Last week, the machine was out, and I decided I had just enough fabric left for a little pair of shorts. I used my M&S reward voucher to get a plain white teeshirt. Adding a tiny puppy motif on the sleeve produced a sweet pyjama set. I'm so pleased that Jess is already a keen supporter of CS, happily putting outgrown toys and clothes in the Donate Bag, and looking for books and bargains in the stores. 

B

Two Little Dickey Birds...

 

Two years ago, on my birthday, Steph, Gaz and the boys sent me a corn plant from Bloom and Wild. It has thrived in the lounge, and doubled in size. I may have to repot it soon. 
It has glossy green leaves, but was looking a bit uninteresting. I decorated the compost with the flowers and cross from Rosie's 2025 Easter garden...

Then when I was in the garage recently, I found something unexpected in ,y bag of silk flowers.  Two cute little orange birds with clips on their undersides. I have popped them onto the corn plant. I think they are fun - I shall wait to see if Jess and Rosie notice them when they next visit.

Four Years On

Four years ago we held our first Foulsham Pancake Party. On Tuesday, Bob will flip the pancakes again for our fifth such event. 

The war in Ukraine had begun the week before, so although our event was free, we put out a donations jar for HopeNow, a charity we know personally, who have been working in Ukraine for many years. 

That night, we raised £75. This week we will have our fifth pancake party here. It has already become a tradition - and until this war is over, we will go on supporting, and go on praying.

God who hears,

For four years we have prayed, mourned and lamented. Four years of war in Ukraine. Four years of invasion, of violence, of death.

Sometimes it slips from news broadcasts and from people’s consciousness. But we know you, O God, have not forgotten.

We hold before you refugees who still feel like strangers, unsure when or if they will ever see and hug loved ones again.

Keep safe those who remain in Ukraine. Protect them from the mental and physical wounds of war. We ask for a miraculous end to this bloodshed.

Help us, even when we feel powerless, to act where we can. To care, to listen, to sit with those who grieve. To give, to protest, to continue to pray:

Your kingdom come, your will be done on Earth as in Heaven.   Amen

[With thanks to the Churches' Joint Public Issues Team for this prayer resource]