A Short, Short Break

We had hoped for a short break after the Kitchen Project was completed. Bob wanted to return to the Canterbury area where he grew up. Things kept getting in the way. Last Wednesday we decided if we didn't book it soon, it would be the school holidays...So we investigated possible accommodation. Airbnbs seemed quite expensive for what was offered. But Keynes College, part of Kent Uni, offer a really good b&b deal. 

Double room, with ensuite. Use of kitchen and lounge, full breakfast menu, free parking. So we booked Friday - Wednesday. And planned our schedule. Whitstable, walk by the sea. Canterbury and see the sites, and be nostalgic. Return to Littlebourne where Bob grew up, and the Churchyard where his dad is buried. Deal Beach Parlours [once owned by Bob's Italian godmother] for an ice cream. Stroll through picturesque Rye. Eat a sandwich in Sandwich...It didn't happen as planned 

Friday drove down, over Dartford Bridge, stopped at Bluewater for lunch in Leon. Got to uni at 3. Checked in [2nd floor room] Bob had back pain, so I walked to nearby Campus Co-op, got a couple of microwave ready meals for tea. He felt better after food, so at 7pm we drove to Whitstable for dessert.

Saturday into city centre for 9.45. The Medieval Pageant was due to start at 11. We pootled along, visited his Mum's church [not been there since his sister's wedding nearly 44 years ago] looked at people in costume setting up stalls, and displays in the Library, had a coffee. 10.55 we were in the Methodist Church, and Bob said he needed to sit for a bit. I went outside for 10 minutes to watch the procession pass by. Returned to find him feeling really unwell, The kind church ladies looked after him whilst I fetched the car and was able to drive it round to side entrance. Back to Uni. Arranged to change to a ground floor room. It was Really Hot. Bob slept. I took the car to big supermarket for more food. 

Sunday after a disturbed night, Bob said he still wanted to go to Littlebourne. The sun was shining brightly. We had coffee in the local pub, visited the lovely old church [no service this week] and stood quietly at Dad's grave under the trees. Onto Sandwich, for a sandwich

The Folk and Ale Festival was in full swing, great music and Morris Dancers everywhere. Excellent sandwiches. Onto to Dover, to the Ancient Maison Dieu. Then the heavens opened, we were soaked to the skin. Bob felt ill again, acute pain, nausea and more. Back at Uni he phoned 111, we ended up in Ashford Hospital Urgent Treatment Centre. Kidney infection, antibiotics. Monday He slept all day.

Tuesday we came home a day early, it was a long drive - and I managed it ok [but 8 miles from home, we stopped for petrol, and he kindly took over for the last bit]. 

I did manage to get a few good pictures, and will post them later. Right now I'm concentrating on nursing duties. Happy to say that Bob is getting better, slowly

The Green Leaves Of Summer

The tree does not really seemed to have changed since June - but notice that the crop beneath continues to change colour.

The music is the song from the 1960 film "The Alamo" . The lyrics have nothing whatsoever to do with that historic siege, nor yet Davy Crockett!

 

Please, Grandma...

George would like a Pokémon costume. Specifically the Pokémon Legends: Arceus Rei character. What? Who? I'm seriously out of touch here. 

It's this guy. Steph suggested it might make sense just to modify a dressing gown, to get the simple wraparound jacket. She didn't think it would need to be shortened.

Blue fleece d/g duly bought and sent to Cornerstones. I researched the gold "Team Galaxy" sleeve logo and the grey diamond one on the chest. I found some mustard fabric for the sash, leftover from the dress I made for myself 5 years ago. And for the scarf and hat, the rest of that red curtain which lined the cape of the Worst Witch for World Book Day 2024.

The d/g was a fleecy blue fabric which looked like it would shed fibres if cut. So I wed a new collar, cuffs, and hood lining in white French Terry fabric. These were stitched in place with no cutting. 

Yet again I am thrilled with my sewing machine - the "walking foot" made sewing the thicker layers so easy. 

George seems very happy with my efforts, and promptly WhatsApped to say thank you. Despite the heat, he was reluctant to take off the fleecy costume!

Thank you for all those kind words yesterday and the assurance of your prayers 

I Will Hold Your People In My Heart

This beautiful hymn, written by Daniel Schutte, a Jesuit Priest in San Francisco, has resonated with me since I first heard it about thirty years ago. It reminds me that God is Lord of all creation, and cares for all humanity. And He asks me to share in that mission of love and care for all creation and for all people [whether or not they consider themselves Christians] But the last line of the chorus "I will hold your people in my heart" has always been associated in my mind with caring especially for those in the church fellowships to which I have belonged down the years. 
Last Sunday, I was elected to be a deacon in our Baptist Chapel, part of the leadership team - called to seek God's will and way forward for those friends who worship Sunday by Sunday. There are 5 other deacons plus Nick our Pastor. I've never been a deacon before [it's not appropriate if your parent or spouse is the Pastor] If you are the praying sort, 🙏 please pray God will give me grace, strength and wisdom for this new role. Thank you 🙏

I, the Lord of sea and sky,

I have heard My people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin My hand will save.
I, who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear My light to them – whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if You lead me;
I will hold Your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne My people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them; they turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
Give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak My Word to them – whom shall I send?

I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them; My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide,
Till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give My life to them – whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if You lead me;
I will hold Your people in my heart.

As You Sew, So Shall You Rip!

A bit  pessimistic if you ask me. Not every item I stitch goes wrong and has to be redone. On the other hand, there are times when pulling out the errors makes such a mess of the fabric I have no choice but to start again completely. 

Both Kirsten and I have struggled over the past three years- when we have known what we want to do for our monthly contribution to the collaboration, but it just doesn't look right once stitched. So it is duly unpicked. My last 'flat gift' to her was a retractable unpicker.

For this last project I have cheated a little, I had a spare piece of fabric, and each month worked on a practice patch. Practice Makes Perfect - well maybe not perfect, but there are fewer holes in the finished article, where errant stitches once were...

I decided to make my practice panel into a cover too. 

You remember the Dodo File I found in a CS in May, a random size between A4 and A5. I don't like the printed cover.

I lined my practice panel with a sample of curtain fabric from the stash, and enclosed elastic straps at either end, And I stitched name and date at one end.

And it folds round and slips onto the card folder beautifully. Please don't stare too hard at my machined name on the right- the doorbell rang and when I returned, I lost my place and it went wrong!!

I am quite pleased with it - you will see I had to add extra rows of ribbon to make it fit. And I am concerned about the delicate poppies on the spine. I may have to enclose them in some sheer voile, or their petals will get snagged. But it has already given me things to think about before I make up the 'Proper' CoverStory piece. 

Do you ever make 'practice pieces' when you are doing craftwork?

Moderate Or Fair, Occasionally Rough At First!

Today marks the centenary of the Shipping Forecast, first broadcast on the BBC  on 4th July 1925. It is a much treasured feature of our national radio service. 

I am not a sailor, and have never needed to listen, but I find it comforting to know that those who do need to know what weather is coming their way can rely on this amazing service.

There are currently three broadcasts a day, 00:48, 5:34, and 17:54.  It's the teatime one that we landlubbers are most familiar with I guess. But sometimes, when insomnia has driven me to seek solace in late night radio I listen to the Shipping Forecast, always preceded by Ronald Binge's "Sailing By " Theme. [and if there are gales forecast, I will snuggle into my warm bed gratefully, and pray "for those in peril on the sea"]
I hadn't realised that the tune was chosen because it is repetitive, and so sailors are alerted to the fact it is almost time for the forecast, and it acts as a "filler" between the final programme of the night and the forecast, so it can be trimmed to end at 00:48 precisely. According to HM Coastguard is a legal requirement for the Forecast to be provided, as part of the Mariners' Safety Information.

There are really strict rules about the forecast, so that sailors in the 31 areas can easily understand the data which affects them..

• A strict 370 word limit [at 00:48, an extra 10 allowed, to include Trafalgar
• Gale warnings are always mentioned first to alert mariners
• Then there is a general synopsis, followed by specific areas in strict order [wind, sea state, weather, visibility]
• The words imminent, soon, and later have definite meanings, within 6 hours, 6-12 hours, 12-24 hours
• There are standard terms and abbreviations.

These set phrases have become part of Radio4 fanspeak. jokes which appear on birthday cards and teeshirts. Such as

• light icing
• veering slowly, losing identity
• moderate or good, very poor
• new low expected, south east

Many famous actors have voiced the Forecast, some better than others, to be honest. Samuel West has declared this honour to be a lifelong ambition. He has read it on other programmes, but not read an actual live forecast. Please BBC, let this man do it! Acting as Siegfried Farnon, he is well on the way to becoming a National Treasure. Quick, while his dear Mum Prunella is still around. 

Find out more about the special BBC programmes here

We are having a few days away - I shall pack my copy of One Summer's Grace, a favourite holiday read. We are an island race, and seafaring is an important part of our history.

Bored Of The Flies?

So difficult to keep on top of them, they seem everywhere in this hot weather. It's vital to keep food covered. But there comes a moment when the salad has to come out of the fridge, along with the mayo, and it is good to have plenty of water on hand. I've tried to be creative about "lids" and I think I've found some workable solutions.

It was ridiculously satisfying to discover that the silicone lid I use on bowls in the microwave is exactly the right size for my salad bowl. And my small MOOPOP fits the little bowl I use for serving mayonnaise.

I picked up the little glass jug from a CS year ago. It had lost its original stopper, but this inverted champagne cork does the job. [I don't drink champagne, no idea where the cork came from]  Until the other week, I had a cute IKEA water carafe with a silicon lid. Then it slipped and broke! I retrieved the carafe which Bob had kept since his student days. The IKEA lid didn't fit. 

I found the cover I made four years ago from a vintage doyley. Perfect.

I recently picked up a yellowstickered bag of three limes. I sliced and open-froze them. Instant ice-and-a-slice.

One of the ancient names for the devil was Beelzebub, Lord of the Flies.  I was amused recently to read the suggestion that those irritating insects which keep you awake at night. Buzzing round the bedroom, should be called beelzebugs!

Have you any good suggestions for creating no-fly zones?

You Couldn't Make It Up!

In our crazy language, both make up and made up have a number of meanings
"make up" as a noun usually means cosmetics, and "To make up" as a verb can mean to apply cosmetics.
But "make up" can also mean "create a fiction, tell a lie" - you make up an excuse to get out of a sticky situation, the criminal will make up a story and give a false alibi
And "to make up" means to reconcile after an argument  [kiss and make up!]
Finally "to make up" means to complete something. "If you save your pocket money, I will make up the difference so you can buy the book" Or with a cake mix - make up the mix to produce a cake. Similarly made up can be wearing cosmetics, descriptive of a lie, finished arguing and became friends again, a finished product - and lately it means very happy "He offered me the job and I was well made up"
Kirsten and I are now making up - not lying, or reconciling, but completing the CoverStory project. Our two panels have all their patches stitched, their seams embellished, and the names and dates on an info panel to one side.

Each has ten patches, an information panel, and horizontal and vertical seam embellishments. We each did 5 patches per panel, and half the seam stitching.

Now we each have our 'own' panel [mine is the lower one] 

It is time to make up our panel so it becomes a book cover. 

We wanted this project to be usable [the first four pieces are still languishing in drawers in Norfolk and Sussex waiting to be framed!]

I made an error right at the beginning - I allowed for the 'turnings' on our foundation fabric, and we both stitched "over the edge" so some embroidery will be lost inside. And forgot the info panel, so that had to be added later.

I checked my shelves and foraged in the loft, and found five new and unused A5 notebooks, plus the very slim notebook I was given at my workshop last Saturday - and the travel journal I took to Paris last year, which has been a general purpose commonplace book since then. I think that is the one I am going to make up the cover for. 

But since my parcel arrived from Kirsten, I have been asked to shorten three pairs of pyjama trousers and decorate another slime shirt for the school play, and I already had another special project on the go. 

My CoverStory will not be finished this week - but when it is, I shall be "well made up " too!
Thanks Kirsten for another year of challenging, exciting. collaborative sewing. And for this month's great "flat gifts" which will get a special mention later 

Throwaway Comments

It is fifteen years since the start of this annual campaign, but I think I only really picked it up in 2019. Aiming to be 'part of the solution to plastic pollution'
I know that lots of you are already working hard at this - Taking your own containers to the local chinese takeaway, buying loose fruit and veg, having milk delivered in glass bottles, wearing pee-pants instead of plastic-based sanpro, using waxwraps not clingfilm, taking reusable cups to Costa ...
the list of good alternatives is really long - but we still have a long way to go. I hadn't realised the new kitchen would affect my thinking about recycling, but it has.

Under the sink I now have two IKEA 'hallbar' bins alongside my yellow compost bin [i'm still awaiting the Council to sort out a food waste collection] These are labelled general and recycling. I have found myself being much more careful about putting packaging in the correct bin lately.

Many people think these triangle labels on plasdtic automatically mean you can put it in domestic recycling. You can't! If you can see the number, you are usually safe with 1-5, possibly not 6 & 7. But honestly, how often do you squint at the clear plastic as you prepare a meal, and can see the triangle, but not the number? So you recycle and hope [aka wishcycling]
So well done to the OPRL company [On Pack Recycling Labels] who have been working incredibly hard to make it easier for us, to recognise easily what we can and cannot recycle, with labels like this

This independent company is getting lots of big brands on board

And it seems that their efforts are paying off. Their latest report "What consumers want" involved consumer insights taken from a study in spring 2025 involving over 5000 UK consumers. They covered six areas

I find their conclusions encouraging - I do check packs for guidance on recycling, and prefer simpler instructions. I think labelling is improving - but I am aware of friends and social media spreading misinformation, usually through ignorance.
Now my bins are adjacent, it is much easier to put things in the correct one. I am not sure if there are any massive changes I can make this July, I shall just keep plodding away. Recycling, but more mindfully [and hopefully in a better way] Looking out for the informative OPRL swirls, in preference to the old three arrow triangle. 
I have to come clean here - the company conducting the Consumer Insights Study for OPRL is a small one in Manchester, called Tangible, and my Steph is now the boss. I am incredibly proud of her, and her company, for this research. These small changes in labelling really are having a big impact on the amount of thoughtful recycling. And that makes for a better world for us to live, and our grandchildren to grow up in.

It's "The Silly Season" At Cornerstones

The term silly season originated in the UK and is used to describe a period, typically in the summer, when the media has a hard time finding significant news stories. This leads them to publish more light-hearted, frivolous or unusual stories, sometimes referred to as "fluff" pieces. Well it has certainly been silly round here the last few days...

Thursday - parcel from Manchester, a garment which needs altering [details to follow] "That's not an auspicious label for a dressing gown" said Bob

Friday - still finding minuscule sequins everywhere. This was the day when there were lots of flying ants too. During breakfast we spotted an ant trotting across the floor with its head stuck in a sequin like a blue halo [sorry the picture is not in focus properly- and moving too fast and I was shaking with laughter]

Saturday  - I read BBC news item about Glasto, and a music teacher called James B Partridge, who does nostalgia gigs where he gets the crowd to singalong to what he calls Assembly Bangers. Shine Jesus Shine, Lord of the Dance, This Little light of Mine etc. I watched the video clip with subtitles so as not to disturb Bob. I shall never sing Cauliflowers Fluffy in the same way again. 

The subtitles changed the broad beans sleeping in their blankety bed  to sleeping in the black goodie bag" Oh I do hope you can access it! [BBC video here]

 

Prayer Points

At last week's workshop, I did a page in my notebook using a sticker 'Pray without Ceasing' as the centrepiece.  I added three words made with individual letters
Thankyou
Please
Help
I think almost all prayers can be put into these three categories
We have so much to be thankful for, and it is good to count our blessings and acknowledge things
There are lots of situations where we need to say please - asking God to bless our friends, our neighbours, our country and our world.
And many situations where we are not sure what to say, how to act, where to turn - and we need help from Someone greater.Today is the Annual General Meeting at our little chapel.

• I thank God for those who meet there, all the work that is done in the community, all the friendships represented, and the opportunity to meet and worship in freedom
• I ask God to guide and bless Nick the Pastor, the deacons, leaders of the different weekly groups - and to comfort the lonely and bereaved, heal this sick, and encourage us all
• I ask for His help to show us how to share God's love in our community, and enable us to do more good stuff and overcome our inertia, and help us to be generous with time, money and resources.

Do you have any Thankyou, Please, Help prayers today?

 

Don't Throw In The Towel!

To throw in the towel means to give up, to accept defeat. It comes from the world of boxing - when a fighter cannot go on, he [or his second] throws a towel into the ring to signal the end of the bout.
I was beginning to feel a bit snowed under with sewing tasks, because I didn't have the time or energy to sew any of my own projects. But as the slime and prom dress took less time than |I thought, I was able to get the machine out for myself on Thursday. I wanted to work on a Beach Towel. 

My rules for the ideal beach towel

• big enough to wrap right round you and cover yourself when getting changed in/out of cossie
• not so big it won't fit easily in the beach bag
• thick enough to dry you quickly, and keep you warm
• long enough to cover a sunlounger
• not shabby, but not so precious you'd be upset if an irreversible oil stain meant it had to be discarded or if it somehow got left behind on the sand
• easy to find when you are packing for a day out

I have such a towel. Rather old, and much washed, but it meets all my criteria except I often have to sort through a stack of white towels to identify it. I spent a happy half hour on Thursday sewing two strips of pretty blue cotton from the Great Stash. I cut them and pressed the hems, then sewed them along the non-terry stripes. A simple modification, but one which will make the towel stand out among its plainer neighbours, and save time later.

Do you have a 'dedicated' beach towel?
Are you as organised as my Liz? She always keeps a "Beach Go Bag" ready, with towels, cossies, sun cream, wipes, buckets and spades etc.

What Is A National Treasure?

In 1922, Gainsborough's "Blue Boy" was sold to an American collector. 90,000 people came to the 'Farewell Exhibition' at the National Gallery. Many were moved to tears - how could this unique, beloved work by an English artist leave our shores for the USA? After WW2, the Waverley Report was published in 1952, setting out criteria for "National Treasures" and situations where the government could step in to 'save it for the nation' when something was likely to be sold overseas. These three criteria were
History: Is it closely connected with our history and national life?
Aesthetics: Is it of outstanding aesthetic importance?

Scholarship: Is it of outstanding significance for the study of some particular branch of art, learning or history?

In the last 70+ years, hundreds of items have been saved [some are listed here] from Jane Austen's ring, Salvador Dali's Lobster telephone, and Maps from the Spanish Armada.

And in 2022 - exactly one hundred years after it left, The Blue Boy did return to the National Gallery for a 5 month exhibition - but has gone back to the USA now [permanently, sadly]
Basically, what it means is that in certain cases the government [guided by the Secretary of State and a committee of eight 'experts'] will refuse an export licence and declare something may not leave the United Kingdom. Often export licences are deferred, giving a chance for somebody in the UK to buy the item. But the number of refused licences is very small in comparison to the number granted. For instance, in 2012-2013, 33,842 items with a value of £1.7 billion were issued with export licences. Only 19 were referred [their value was £114 million - including Estate Maps of Hampton Court, and two paintings by George Stubbs [the latter bought by the Royal Maritime Museum in Greenwich]

I never knew all this until today...and I bet you thought this was going to be a post about Stephen Fry and Delia Smith*, didn't you? As far as I know, the government has not put any restriction on National Treasures such as they from travelling abroad!

[the only reason I found out today was through reading about the proposed Queen's Memorial and falling down an architectural rabbit hole on the internet!]

*Both ardent supporters of Norwich City FC

I'll Dye For You

From the sublime to the slime
Here's an exceedingly long and beautiful prom dress spread out on my bed. The owner is about my height. I have just shortened the frock by about 9". I will be vacuuming tiny blue sparkly sequins from the carpet for months. Really tiny, here are two beside a 20p piece.

She's my GSCE student, and it is her 16th birthday this week. It has been fun working with her, I hope she enjoys her prom. Meanwhile her younger brother is in the school play. He came home with a list of requirements for his costume - which included "Two tan shirts, one must be covered in slime"
Mum asked if I had any ideas - the price of tan shirts is too much - so I suggested getting a twinpack of white school shirts and dyeing them. Where do I get the dye? she asked. I said it could be done with a pot of coffee. "I'll dye for you!" I said. Here's A Quick Tutorial

Take the new shirts and wash them [to remove any 'dressing' in the fabric] Whilst still wet immerse them in a large pan containing 1 strong pot of coffee, one pot of stewed tea [2 tea bags] a tbsp salt and a tbsp vinegar. Bring to boil, simmer 20 minutes stirring constantly. Allow to cool, then transfer to smaller pan or bowl, and pour liquid over shirts. Put a plate or pan lid on top, weigh it down [eg 2 cans tomatoes!] to keep shirts submerged. Leave to soak overnight. Remove, rinse and spin [you can do that in your machine] Hang to dry.

One can go back in the packet, prepare the 'slime' for the other. Find some plastic bags, preferably grey, green, black. 

I used a heavyish grey refuse sack, and some 'parcel' bags [M&S dark green] and lighter green compost caddy sacks. And a blue latex glove. Cut out a 'waistcoat' from strongest bag, and lots of 'slimy dribbles' from the other bags.
Stick the dribbles down with appropriate adhesive - along the top edges so the garment does not become too stiff.
Wrap this round the shirt and stitch down the front and round the neckline. If necessary, cut the armhole slot a little bigger to allow for movement!

It's Almost Five Weeks...

 ...since we declared The Kitchen Project "finished". Thoughts thus far

• we still need one more coat of white paint on the door surround. Oops!
• despite using the room A Lot, it remains amazingly tidy and clutterfree
• however late it is, I will not go to bed if there is anything on the worktop which should be elsewhere
• the undercounter lighting is superb
• the majority of 'new protocols' have worked
• keeping the Futility Room as a 'scullery' for dishes and cutlery [both clean and dirty] is proving a very efficient system
• the 'Breakfast Area' works really well, apart from one minor change ***
• regular use of my new, more accessible, breadmaker means I am buying less bread, and eating in more mindfully
• the bins under the sink [recycling, compost and general waste] are an efficient system
• listening to other people's comments is amusing
• I like the alphabetical pull out spice drawer, I want one!
• Where did you get the Atora sign? [Liz picked it up from a freebies heap on the school run]
• How do you know where everything is? [I have it all listed in my little file here]
• The labels on the electric plugs are brilliant...especially the one that says μwave, because μ means micro [this from my GCSE student]
• The tiles look really brilliant
• having the cooker hood venting to the outside has made a difference- especially in this hot weather. The kitchen is by the front door, so the exhaust comes out over the doorbell. The Evri delivery guy actually said to Bob "Is that your wife cooking the tea? It smells delicious - she's a keeper" I'm still grinning about that unexpected compliment.

Fitting that hood was one of the worst parts of the whole project- crawling in the tiny space under the eaves, directing Bob below in the kitchen as he tried to drill through.

You know that bit where Tom Cruise is suspended, and mustn't put his foot down or everything will go wrong. I felt just like that as I balanced over the joists, in the dark, struggling to breathe behind my face mask [mustn't inhale insulation dust!]

**the minor change is the relocation of the toaster. According to Emma Perkin, in the Guardian this week, one "clever storage hack in your kitchen" is to get a tall cupboard, and fit an electric socket inside it, so you can store your airfryer and toaster in there - and use them there too. I cannot believe she got away with this dreadful advice! It is essential to have space around these appliances. They get so hot. The ROSPA and the Fire Service are already alarmed by the rapid increase in domestic fires since air fryers became so popular.

My air fryer and toaster now stand to the left of the hob, there is no wall cupboard above them, and when in use they are moved into a position where there is ventilation all round.

***yes that is a shiny new Dualit. Our Very Old [17+ years] toaster went on the blink in May, the plastic knobs had broken and kept falling off, and worse, it kept grilling, and didn't stop-and-pop-up. And  Not safe at all. So we looked around, and decided on this one. Buy well, buy once -  if any part goes wrong, they will replace that part. Ours was assembled by Michael [it says so on the label underneath!] and it has a very clever bagel setting, as well as the option to toast 1,2,3 or 4 slices of toast. We are thrilled with it, the engineering and design is excellent.

...and the cupboard doors close, the drawers do not collapse, the contents of corner cupboards are accessible, and I feel the kitchen is really fit for purpose. Which is useful as we have dinner guests coming round twice in the next week!

🧀🧀🧀 Thank you for all the wonderful cheese comments yesterday. It is good to see so many of you supporting the cheeses local to your area. 🧀🧀🧀

Say "Cheese!"

I'm not a great cheese eater, I can manage soft fresh "farmhouse" cheeses [cottage, Philly, boursin etc] but not the harder matured stuff like Cheddar or Red Leicester. It makes me feel very queasy, or worse, actually sick. Bob on the other hand will try any cheese at least once. In Brussels once, he bought some ettekeis which absolutely stinks - the cheesemonger actually queried whether he was sure about this purchase!

His current favourite is Red Fox, as recommended by Sue in Suffolk. The website describes is as "An aged Red Leicester with an unexpected crunch" It is available in Tesco, Waitrose and Morrisons.
But what makes a good cheese? Sue mentioned Thomas Tusser in her recent Midsummer post, and he actually wrote down ten qualities to be desired in the ideal cheese.

Not like Gehazi, dead white, like a leper
Not like Lot's wife, all salt
Not like Argus, full of eyes
Not like Tom Piper, “hoven and puffed”
Not like Crispin, leathery
Not like Lazarus, poor
Not like Esau, hairy
Not like Mary Magdalene, full of whey or maudlin
Not like the Gentiles, full of maggots
Not like a Bishop, made of burnt milk
Tusser clearly expected his readers to be well versed in Scripture, as some of these refer to Bible characters, or church teachings

1.Gehazi was the servant of the Prophet Elisha, who was punished for his deceitfulness by being struck down with leprosy, which makes the skin dry and white [2 Kings 5] no dry cheese

2.Lot's wife looked back on the destruction of Sodom and was turned into a pillar of salt [Genesis 19] no over salted cheese
3. Argus Panoptes is a character in Greek mythology who had many eyes. Presumably a warning to avoid cheese full of holes?
5. St Crispin was the patron saint of tanners and leather workers. Shun cheese with a leathery texture
6.Lazarus was the poor beggar in Luke 16 [not the guy brought back from the dead [John 11] no poor quality cheese
7. Esau was a hairy man [Genesis 25] avoid hairy cheese at all costs!

8. Magdalene was often pronounced maudlin, which was a synonym for weak/watery avoid feeble cheese

9. Gentile is a corruption of the old English word gentle, an old name for the blowfly larva/maggot. In Exodus 16, if the Israelites hoarded their manna, it became 'gentles' - nothing to do with non-Jews. Don't eat maggoty cheese

10. Three bishops had been burned at the stake by Mary Tudor, two years before Tom wrote his poem. Cheese made with burnt milk leaves a bad taste in the mouth

I have no idea at all about #4, Tom Piper, unless this musician's cheeks were puffed up with wind. Don't eat cheese which causes flatulence?
What qualities do you look for in a piece of cheese?

If you had to prepare a cheeseboard with just three cheeses, what would you choose?

Why?

Confession - I looked at this chart and initially misread it. I thought it said that the four characteristics of the cheeses should be

blue

semi firm

firm & aged

bloody minded.

I immediately thought of the guys in 'Last of the Summer Wine', grumpy, elderly gents, [plus Peter Sallis]

Bits And Pieces

Just when I thought I was coming to the end of sewing tasks, a request for a school play costume, and another for a memory bear arrived over the weekend. But the weekend was Hot Hot Hot and I decided to chill out and have a go at a jigsaw instead. I got this one three weeks ago - and it seemed appropriate as we had old friends visiting on Sunday, on their way home to Leicestershire after a trip to Norwich on Saturday. I decided to time myself. It took 5 hours

I spent 10 minutes sorting the edge pieces, and another 30 assembling the edge. Then we had tea. I faffed around for a bit trying to sort out a strategy, and finally concluded I would have to find the street names and put them in their approximate locations, and built up the city round that framework.

I discovered that my geographical knowledge of the city of Norwich is not as good as I thought. Finally I finished just after 11pm, with one piece missing. It was under the table! The map is slightly strange,  it marks some car parks and bus stops [but not all] The colour palette is quite limited

It was a fun challenge. I shall keep this one and do it again sometime. It measure 47x32 cm, quite small.  Now it is midnight and I need my sleep!

Word-Art

I am not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't what happened! Clare said she was going to a free workshop at the Green Pastures Bookshop in Dereham, and would I like to join her? "It's about Bible Journaling". And I thought this would be a session on how to read the Word, and keep a journal of what has been read, and learned. I know my German friend Chris has some beautiful Lyra coloured crayons, and as he reads, he marks verses with specific colours to indicate what they are about [God's love, the life of the church, evangelism etc] Furthermore there are some colours in the sets he does not use, and he generously passes them on to me to use with the children. I went off in my sunhat and found 9 other women sitting round the table at the back of the shop - including my good friend Wendy from chapel.

Cheryl, who was leading the workshop explained that Bible Journaling "helps you deeply engage with God's Word, fostering spiritual growth and understanding. It allows you to slow down, reflect on scripture and connect your faith with your creativity...using your artistic talents to connect with God and express your faith in a unique way" So more art, less words then? We were asked to write on a tag what we expected from learning to BJ
A quiet space to grow in grace I wrote, and made a pocket for my tag in the cover of the notebook provided. We spent the next couple of hours illustrating verses from the Psalms, with stencils, paints, ink pads, stickers etc.  It was a blistering hot day, but we all worked really hard! Here's Cheryl with Clare and Wendy, and below, the whole group displaying their artwork. And lots of pictures of what people did with the verses from Psalms which Cheryl had given us...

I thought Clare's wings on a pink/blue/golden background were stunning.
BJ is a bit like scrapbooking, or cardmaking. Cheryl showed us all the equipment she has [alcohol inks, brushes, washi tape, stencils, stamps, glustix, and stickers...]
Chatting afterwards Wendy said it did seem to need a lot of 'stuff' which she doesn't already have [she's an incredibly accomplished knitter]. I said I do make cards occasionally, but feel happier with a needle and thread [hand or machine]. So whilst it was fun to meet with others for a crafty morning with good conversation, I am not sure either of us would pursue this seriously. Clare seems to be a natural at it!
But thank you GP for allowing us the space to try it, and to Cheryl for leading the workshop. Anything that encourages us to read the Bible more, and learn what it says, is of value. Familiarity with God's word definitely has an impact on my life.
But next time I get invited to a workshop, I will ask more questions. I would never have worn a white shirt had I known I'd be handling blue paint!