A picture taken from the door of St Vincent's Church in Littlebourne - the village where Bob and his family lived from 1963 - his father died in 2001.
His grave is under the trees. We visited last Sunday - it was so peaceful, and good to stand in the shade, listening to the birdsong, and remembering
a wise, loving father - and talking of the happy times shared by all the family,
On the Saturday morning, we'd visited St Thomas Church in Canterbury city centre. A short walk from the cathedral, this Roman Catholic church is where Bob's Mum worshipped. Here Bob was confirmed, his sister was married - and Mum's funeral was held in 1986. It was cool inside, and I was able to spend a few moments sitting quietly in prayer, thanking God for all his blessings. Grateful to have become part of this family when I met and married Bob.
The late Pope Francis declared 2025 to be a Jubilee Year, with the theme "Pilgrims of Hope". In the entrance was a large banner, incorporating the colourful logo, and the special prayer. St Thomas' Church is one of 102 churches in England designated Pilgrim Churches
I like the idea of being "Pilgrims of Hope" - and the logo showing the diverse group of faithful people, supporting one another, and clinging to the cross - their symbol of faith. In the rough seas of life, it is shown as bring an anchor. In Hebrews chapter 6, it says "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and steadfast". If I can show love, support, and hope to those around me, if I can be a 'tireless cultivator of the seeds of the Gospel' then maybe I can have an impact in my small corner of the cosmos.
Next month marks 15 years since GBBO started. I was looking back and found this post from 12th July 2010. Long before I had grandchildren. I think I shall make some of this for them this summer... The post was originally called Super Saucy!
In Mary Berry’s “Real Food Fast” I came across this easy-peasy recipe for toffee sauce. It gets my vote because it is made from store cupboard ingredients [no need to rush out for fresh cream] and has a sensible method for measuring the golden syrup.
I have enjoyed MB’s no-nonsense approach to cooking ever since the 70s when I used to read “Home and Freezer Digest” – where she often had “Half-Term Bake-Ins” which I think were designed so mothers could stock up their freezers and larders for hungry children, but also jolly useful for a busy teacher with a hungry young husband! One intense Saturday in the kitchen provided us with loads of pre-prepared meals and snacks for weeks.
The sauce is very rich and you don’t need much – but it keeps well in the fridge and is lovely over ice cream..
or sliced bananas…
or chocolate sponge…
Toffee Sauce
50g butter 150g light muscovado sugar 150g golden syrup 1 x 170g can evaporated milk
Weigh 150g sugar in the scale pan – spread it out, and then gently spoon syrup on top till it all weighs 300g.
Tip the sugar and syrup into a pan, add the butter, and heat gently until melted and liquid. Gently boil for 5 minutes [stirring like crazy!]
Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the evaporated milk. The sauce is now ready.
Serve immediately, or leave on one side and reheat to piping hot to serve – or allow to cool and serve cold. Keeps in the fridge for a month [unless eaten first!]
I got this book out of the library last week – there are some interesting recipes in it – this is the only one I have tried so far. But MB seems to have developed a passion for mangoes- about 1 in 8 of the recipes appears to list mangoes or mango chutney among the ingredients.
It was really splendid to see so many people coming together for this fantastic community event [info here]
I stood near the start of the route, outside St Peter's Methodist Church [whilst Bob sat inside feeling unwell]
Hundreds of people, from the very young, to the elderly, in an array of costumes- some professional, others homemade. And everyone so cheerful. There were school children in the tabards they ad decorated, proudly carrying their colourful banners. Huge models of Chaucer's Characters. Lots of music, and laughter. A guy walking on stilts, juggling at the same time [I couldn't do either skill - to do both at once is amazing imho] It was lovely and the atmosphere was really good.
Such a delightful morning - so much to see and do and learn...
...She Ate Granola Apologies to Barry Manilow, but I feel it would have been a good alternative lyric to "she was a showgirl" Bob's appetite has returned, a sure sign of recovery. Very appreciative of all your get well wishes, thanks everybody!
We are both very fond of granola. My 1978 Mennonite "More With Less" Cookbook has eight different granola recipes, but I haven't made my own for years. I generally buy Sainsbury's "Simple Granola" and throw in dried fruit and banana chips [bought cheaply from the friendly guy on Fakenham Market] But then I heard Nadiya Hussein talking about the "Bread granola" she makes for her children. So I began saving crusts and solitary slices in a bag in the freezer. And this week I made some...
Ingredients
300g/10½oz
stale bread slices, cut
into 1cm/½in cubes 200g/7oz
slivered almonds 50g/1¾oz sunflower seeds 50g/1¾oz oats
25g/1oz desiccated coconut 200ml/7fl
oz coconut oil melted 200ml/7fl
oz maple syrup 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp almond extract 3 tsp
ground cinnamon 1 orange, zest only 200g/7oz dates chopped Method
Preheat the
oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5. Place the
bread cubes on a large baking tray. Add the almonds, sunflower seeds, oats and
desiccated coconut and mix everything together. Mix the
coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract and almond extract together in a
small jug and drizzle over the almond mixture. Get your hands in and make sure
everything is well coated. Sprinkle
over the cinnamon, grate over the orange zest and mix again with a spoon. Bake for
30–35 minutes, stirring halfway through to make sure everything is evenly
golden. Once everything is crisp and golden, remove from the oven, add the
dates and mix through. Leave to cool. Once cooled, store the granola in an airtight
container. Substitutions - I was using what I had in the cupboard, so used mixed nuts, and mixed seeds. I had no coconut oil or maple syrup. Rapeseed oil and golden syrup worked fine. No dates on hand so I chopped dried apricots and added a handful of sultanas.
Here it is in my tall lock'n'lock cereal box. The recipe says 'serves 4' but we've already had 4 portions and we're barely halfway through the quantity. Bob says it tastes more like Cinnamon Toast Crunch' than granola, which makes senses as it is bread-based after all.
Bread-and-warm-milk used to be very common as a breakfast food. Dating back to the Middle Ages it was called 'sop' [a precursor to 'soup'] and was a way of using up the stale bread and preventing waste. It was popular during WW and I ate it as a child in the late 50s. In Feed Your Family for £4 a day [Bernadine Lawrence 1989] she makes this as a breakfast dish using bread or toast cubes.
Nadiya's recipe is tasty and ZeroWaste. I shall do it again!
ALSO thank you everybody for the positive comments about recycling and labels on last week's post. Steph said she showed it to her team at Tangible, who had helped with all the OPRL research.
Have you ever recycled stale bread into a breakfast dish?
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
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
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.
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?
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.
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?
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
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 generaland 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.
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 bedto sleeping in the black goodie bag" Oh I do hope you can access it! [BBC video here]
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?
Preacher, teacher, wife, mother, grandmother, craftswoman. Married to wonderful Pastor Bob since 1979, now happily retired to Norfolk, but still busy. I am blessed with two brilliant grown-up daughters and four wonderful grand children
a wise, loving father - and talking of the happy times shared by all the family,
