A Day At The Races?

Not exactly – we did spend Thursday at Sandown Park Race Course – but it was for the 30th Christian Resources Exhibition. This is the last time they will use this venue – next year it will be in London at ExCel. The journey down was slow and full of holdups, so despite leaving soon after 7, we didn’t arrive till 11am. We saw quite a few old friends, and visited some interesting stands. I shall blog more about some of these later, when I have had a chance to study in detail all the stuff we brought home. Look at this little haul

Between us we acquired two cotton shopping bags, a tea towel, a fridge magnet, two sets of headphones, a wooden cross, 4 pens, 2 packs of peppermints, 2 sampler CDs, lots of catalogues*, a coaster, three lanyards and a goodie bag each from Kingdom Coffee.

The goodie bags yielded two packs of fairtrade teabags, two packs of rice cakes [coated with Belgian Chocolate] and three sachets of organic peanut butter! And the heaviest ‘freebie’ was a book of fantastic sermons by C H Spurgeon [wonderful stuff, I was reading them out to Bob as he drove back up the M1] The lightest gift was a tiny bar of Preacher’s Soap, ‘for use after hot sermons’!

I have blogged lots about the Sailors’ Society [e.g.here] and yesterday I met Mark Warner, their Community Relations Coordinator. He said they have a desperate need for more woolly hats. I said that someone this week [sorry, I have forgotten who you are] had commented on another blog about knitting some of these.

And I promised him that I would put out an appeal for more. Did you know that the Philippines has been the world’s main supplier of seamen since 1987, making the Philippines the manning capital of the world? And most of those men were at sea when the Typhoon Haiyan struck last November. They lost homes, families – everything. The Sailors’ Society has been offering help and support. If you could knit a hat or two, that would be a real help. Thanks!!

Worst experiences of the day?

1. Waiting to ask a question on one stand, and hearing the staff member saying to the woman in front “You’d need to provide food for the event, but I am sure your Pastor’s Wife could cook that, she probably likes cooking” I debated having a little rant [some PWs do not feel called or gifted in that direction, so please do not assume we are all a spiritual-Mary-Berry or Blessed St Delia]
2. Being invited for a 5minute free health check [height, weight, BMI, blood pressure, cholesterol etc] After being weighed and measured, I was lectured on the fact that I was significantly** overweight – and not far from obese] and at risk of diabetes, cancer, heart disease and premature death! I pointed out that she had estimated me to be in my 40s when I am 59, and also that I have lost weight recently, so I am going in the right direction. [and my waist measurement is under the critical 30”] Their batteries had gone flat so they couldn’t measure my BP. Which was a good thing, as it was rising. I left, and went to chat to a nice guy about microphones instead.

*Many of the catalogues were thrust, unsolicited, into our hands as we walked past. They are now in with the paper recycling. Along with the ‘Viking River Cruise’ brochure which was on the doormat when we returned. Do I look like the sort of woman who goes on cruises?

**Is a surplus of 10lbs ‘significantly’ overweight?

Despite the two iffy moments, we had a useful day and picked up lots of helpful information for resourcing our church, and growing in faith. CREX is well worth a visit!