tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13414837239768210962024-03-19T00:38:31.571+00:00Tracing RainbowsExperiencing God's Grace in the EverydayAngelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.comBlogger6966125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341483723976821096.post-17793854702468065492024-03-18T06:33:00.002+00:002024-03-18T06:33:00.243+00:00And They All Lived Happily Ever After<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-YUKQF8pMVYiuiqZtOOzmwCUWhVSMYR5v0bD1g7g-T5jHcvvJ2h6NZOnbSxfRRDC7sysXmpIE1YYZBdJEJrgC_SWBfsrJ-9JtQVymy1Xm008vkAiGopNiNtiSgxfJKDs6vYekj3joQVYAQaCyKjZDdl6yig5MVm3FHswA59lgwqZ_FfWLPUt6fQCHB9W/s480/highclere.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="465" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-YUKQF8pMVYiuiqZtOOzmwCUWhVSMYR5v0bD1g7g-T5jHcvvJ2h6NZOnbSxfRRDC7sysXmpIE1YYZBdJEJrgC_SWBfsrJ-9JtQVymy1Xm008vkAiGopNiNtiSgxfJKDs6vYekj3joQVYAQaCyKjZDdl6yig5MVm3FHswA59lgwqZ_FfWLPUt6fQCHB9W/w194-h200/highclere.jpg" width="194" /></a>When we moved to Dorset, Sir Julian Fellowes [creator of Downton Abbey] lived25 miles up the road. And Highclere Castle, location for the filming, was in the opposite direction, in Berkshire. Less than an hour away from Ferndown. I know it isn't in the National Trust, but <i style="font-weight: bold;">please</i> can we visit? I said. In 2015.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFih6UBCpAuu88Sn90UFXLKpgCQRtR8kAUw06VNqZSzQQsp2qVCSq4VEb-Bp7PftUAfbRfqY1q7c9kNJPftF4K1NuJExhp4pYKqyDTrLoeyB_xk-5UOzzcLDt3nuHDv9pOPELfIwRAUcED3jTBcUypnOek_51mGU9owMTYEAj0plNFLCZGj5cp9HRSFQI6/s2592/IMG_2812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1936" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFih6UBCpAuu88Sn90UFXLKpgCQRtR8kAUw06VNqZSzQQsp2qVCSq4VEb-Bp7PftUAfbRfqY1q7c9kNJPftF4K1NuJExhp4pYKqyDTrLoeyB_xk-5UOzzcLDt3nuHDv9pOPELfIwRAUcED3jTBcUypnOek_51mGU9owMTYEAj0plNFLCZGj5cp9HRSFQI6/w149-h200/IMG_2812.JPG" width="149" /></a></div>I met Sir J and his wife in a local Charity shop once [Lady F took the photo on my phone] A jolly nice chap he was too. In the autumn of 2019 I went with a group of 10 friends to see<a href="https://angalmond.blogspot.com/2019/09/i-should-lick-stamps-myself.html"> the first Downton film at the cinema in Poole</a> But I still hadn't been to to Highclere. "We retire in eighteen months" I said - so in 2020 we <i style="font-weight: bold;">must</i> go" Bob said that was fine, we would. Nobody went anywhere in 2020 did they? [except Barnard Castle, or parties in Downing Street]<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGq8jhDNau_kuRKv5TBT826k7nBnVWqx0A_VzjT3AmGsJgn9-Lxw9mXMKCbLrzkLCS9ddTewjLzArxRDO9K7j4LrE5Z738qUbavXvMea6-k9CjHAyFFFjZostpDrGm5oIWxXi91yJov539pZQoZ5FfH4vTHOdLndBnoeu4HzLg-yU5M4FptpaFMEBux7OL/s1000/new%20era.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="714" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGq8jhDNau_kuRKv5TBT826k7nBnVWqx0A_VzjT3AmGsJgn9-Lxw9mXMKCbLrzkLCS9ddTewjLzArxRDO9K7j4LrE5Z738qUbavXvMea6-k9CjHAyFFFjZostpDrGm5oIWxXi91yJov539pZQoZ5FfH4vTHOdLndBnoeu4HzLg-yU5M4FptpaFMEBux7OL/s320/new%20era.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>And we moved to Norfolk [200 miles, nearly 4 hours to Highclere] The sequel film came out in 2022. Bob wasn't interested in going to see it, I couldn't find anyone to go with. <br />Then <i><b>at last</b></i>, it was released on Netflix on Friday. Saturday Bob was doing woodwork in the workshop - so I settled down with tea and cross stitch and indulged in an afternoon of sheer escapism.<p></p><p>If you enjoyed the series and the first film , you will enjoy this. If you are not really up on the backstory of DA it may be a little confusing in places.<br />But I loved it - crazy plot, but somehow it managed to tie up all the ends in tidy little bows. People who should have got together did, difficult people were placated. Some neat little in-jokes - like when the French Milliner mistakes Carson the butler for Lady Bagshaw's husband. [Carson being played by Jim Carter, Lady B plated by his real life wife of 40 years, Imelda Staunton]</p><p>It was enormous fun and I shall probably watch it again sometime. <span style="color: #274e13; font-size: x-large;">*****</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341483723976821096.post-52590078941699290222024-03-17T06:01:00.004+00:002024-03-17T06:01:00.139+00:00Loving And Giving<p> <span style="font-family: helvetica;">Are we really at the 5th Sunday in Lent already? and next week will be Palm Sunday. How the year is flying by. Delia's little book beside my bed continues to give me food for thought. So many of the Lent studies I have worked through in recent years have been very practical - give to a food back, pay-it-forward in a coffee shop, donate coats to charity, help a neighbour...don't give something up, give something away.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">All good in their way - but this study, published over 40 years ago [written pre-internet and mobile phones] is much simpler, and concentrates on encouraging the reader to use Lent as a time to <i style="font-weight: bold;">first</i> deepen their relationship with God and then listen and see where He leads.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I have very much appreciated Delia's writings - they are simple, and not preachy. She doesn't write as a theologian, but as a fellow believer - honest and humble about her own struggles in faith, and positive about the way God has led her and blessed her. Looking back over the last few weeks, I can see how there have been moments when, having reflected on the passage in the book, I have found myself better prepared for the situations I have faced as I go about my day.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji8qyAJDtopQmGqHF5rxKY-SnpzwQv41Q3Ot7zTVwCToZplkEdGLz15uRM67zavUaU8Ea9JpedwnRYEGZFR5p4jIkpOOpirTQN6-VD-oWa5wYmp3fw0IB1B0ZlsljmtwjfVFFu2eKDxitDOxNiy8kSLctygU7bQiCrMrJt2O-LRznGbIjChQ9wK_t9Ziuf/s2046/IMG_20240316_101527535-COLLAGE.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2046" data-original-width="2046" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji8qyAJDtopQmGqHF5rxKY-SnpzwQv41Q3Ot7zTVwCToZplkEdGLz15uRM67zavUaU8Ea9JpedwnRYEGZFR5p4jIkpOOpirTQN6-VD-oWa5wYmp3fw0IB1B0ZlsljmtwjfVFFu2eKDxitDOxNiy8kSLctygU7bQiCrMrJt2O-LRznGbIjChQ9wK_t9Ziuf/w200-h200/IMG_20240316_101527535-COLLAGE.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I am still working on the 'giving away' though. Yesterday morning we popped over to the chapel to donate two sewing machines. a computer, and a few other bits. Tony was amassing a collection for Tools With A Mission. <a href="https://www.twam.uk/">TWAM</a> was launched 40 years ago by members of the Baptist Men's Movement. It has grown and grown. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Do check out their website and see the amazing work they are doing - giving new life to old tools, and providing life-transforming opportunities for people in poverty across the world.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I watched my friends carrying rakes and spades and other things into the chapel, and thought how wonderful it was that these old, unused items can be redeemed and refurbished and repurposed TWAM grew out of a small group of men praying together about how to use what they no longer needed in order to benefit other people - and now it is a large, efficient charity.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Delia's reflection yesterday, about the connection between praying and loving ended with these words "<b><i>God's power will give us the capacity to do more than we ever imagined, and the fruits of prayer will flow out to bless others"</i></b></span></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341483723976821096.post-7747292596364867812024-03-16T06:21:00.002+00:002024-03-16T11:42:30.916+00:00Stepping Out<div style="text-align: left;">The Start Rite company of Norwich claims to be the oldest shoemakers' company in Britain - founded in 1792. In 1955, they received the Queen's Royal Warrant, having supplied shoes for Prince Charles and Princess Ann. A second Royal Warrant came in 1989 from Prince Charles - Princes William and Harry had StartRite footwear too. Altho the warrants were withdrawn in 2003 when production moved overseas - although Prince George was wearing SR shoes in the official photograph for Queen Elizabeth's 90th birthday.</div><div style="text-align: left;">As a child I remember the distinctive advertisements showing two children walking hand in hand. I always wanted a pair of my own [too expensive, my Mum said!] But I thought of the ad again this week, when Steph sent me a lovely picture of the boys walking into nursery together</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSEZLpUrzOGWey0NXgAuulZoYcCdXFquFLSHu6FdOFdqYlGAp5vinQiR1ixGpNSd0E10Ccxa_PgtW4O3d13dtJctDwakczUA6h6j_gTFyZl325oromPlpuqtOcYeR_FtGaDWcKhLcHbI2rBpIUuIpzkPXly3wQX4zqXbFfnjc3M7Q8qCTxPI2Mqm1akQR2/s3196/20240313_094451-COLLAGE.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="3196" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSEZLpUrzOGWey0NXgAuulZoYcCdXFquFLSHu6FdOFdqYlGAp5vinQiR1ixGpNSd0E10Ccxa_PgtW4O3d13dtJctDwakczUA6h6j_gTFyZl325oromPlpuqtOcYeR_FtGaDWcKhLcHbI2rBpIUuIpzkPXly3wQX4zqXbFfnjc3M7Q8qCTxPI2Mqm1akQR2/w400-h300/20240313_094451-COLLAGE.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;"><i><b>Update: I sent this to StartRite Customer Services and had a lovely, prompt email in reply saying they rarely got such nice messages, and it was much appreciated </b></i></span></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341483723976821096.post-8239879305868764672024-03-15T05:59:00.001+00:002024-03-15T05:59:00.133+00:00Once Upon A Time... <div style="text-align: left;">... there were three bears. They were made from shirts patterned in red, white and blue</div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoOY9n0a3soDImZeewmqIm5GFS5gm-EW5IVGTDnQ_RnI7-9iUKcafsJv912_cfOmYhJnA0F5ZhscUJLdNZNAtwv7fn8o3kMczSAJjse6hmGI456AxECLigpOniXUVD5TZymMEYIuRWr5yo265nBuD5wMia92AQWolAqWPW0pSSal71JdIBKeKrmJWrN3q2/s4000/IMG_20240313_120547030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoOY9n0a3soDImZeewmqIm5GFS5gm-EW5IVGTDnQ_RnI7-9iUKcafsJv912_cfOmYhJnA0F5ZhscUJLdNZNAtwv7fn8o3kMczSAJjse6hmGI456AxECLigpOniXUVD5TZymMEYIuRWr5yo265nBuD5wMia92AQWolAqWPW0pSSal71JdIBKeKrmJWrN3q2/w400-h300/IMG_20240313_120547030.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table> They had little green backpacks</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1PRdng-3TAu4czTUfcMh94zYgKx2RchORnU7IRvBXtXcF1ucRzP6Nezn8MAYpwZr1OJcvAnn8AiBMhyphenhyphenBcy5d0x1tZ75Pa2ouVwWIKmgxVV2IWd_pqmyyo6dhB1pFT7tNxegouH1uI-eqqJJPzWOqTG7w-LKz4Yjqg0zOx09HmwKJ-zz8AwfmK6c1AmtQa/s3528/IMG_20240313_120615861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1752" data-original-width="3528" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1PRdng-3TAu4czTUfcMh94zYgKx2RchORnU7IRvBXtXcF1ucRzP6Nezn8MAYpwZr1OJcvAnn8AiBMhyphenhyphenBcy5d0x1tZ75Pa2ouVwWIKmgxVV2IWd_pqmyyo6dhB1pFT7tNxegouH1uI-eqqJJPzWOqTG7w-LKz4Yjqg0zOx09HmwKJ-zz8AwfmK6c1AmtQa/w400-h199/IMG_20240313_120615861.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;">And on the sole of the right foot, each one had the logo of JD Home&Garden Services.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIHjCoOxUP5xFq9KVUNW4XwaCh2I5sWnVhUGtigrNjVzbpWVk75d2cbNHpkANhTCncuf3xMbdpNVEFdndsgjrGrnWjeeAPQVrAQ4D075KuJ1JQZyTVFgYfTT8u6M7l2q6TGVS9-T-d6FcHzEJ8bB4pguYuQfGwfRsq_hEfTBT1mtE7eNl8wyVg3d3n02Lq/s2112/IMG_20240313_120558180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="2112" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIHjCoOxUP5xFq9KVUNW4XwaCh2I5sWnVhUGtigrNjVzbpWVk75d2cbNHpkANhTCncuf3xMbdpNVEFdndsgjrGrnWjeeAPQVrAQ4D075KuJ1JQZyTVFgYfTT8u6M7l2q6TGVS9-T-d6FcHzEJ8bB4pguYuQfGwfRsq_hEfTBT1mtE7eNl8wyVg3d3n02Lq/w200-h200/IMG_20240313_120558180.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>These fabrics all came from shirts belonging to our dear friend <a href="https://angalmond.blogspot.com/2023/12/rip-jason.html?m=0">Jason</a> who died in December. His daughters particularly wanted the logo from his green workshirts incorporated somehow, and this worked well. <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB76FGsy5bP55C4Hc11dl9qAL6d8U2Mj3QInhv30OJr2ljpWaS78ukC53Og5uSLH9ZvLGuRJqHRp1tk_5br4c4r7UXxjoqgCInpXZALp7r-Vz300PzHNmkBwlTLU01UVYyAwkjo03tWGm2kYT5jW0ep7w_glYbMOOrEVsWZJIgqYApaGIZ4R5-VEtDPocI/s2239/IMG_20240312_125839085~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1679" data-original-width="2239" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB76FGsy5bP55C4Hc11dl9qAL6d8U2Mj3QInhv30OJr2ljpWaS78ukC53Og5uSLH9ZvLGuRJqHRp1tk_5br4c4r7UXxjoqgCInpXZALp7r-Vz300PzHNmkBwlTLU01UVYyAwkjo03tWGm2kYT5jW0ep7w_glYbMOOrEVsWZJIgqYApaGIZ4R5-VEtDPocI/w200-h150/IMG_20240312_125839085~2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I used the green shirts to make the backpacks [the fabric was too stretchy to use for the bodies of the bears. Each backpack has a personalised label inside the flap. Special gifts for three friends - in memory of a wonderful man. <br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341483723976821096.post-3191689331394296012024-03-14T06:29:00.022+00:002024-03-14T06:29:00.140+00:00I Don't Believe It!<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR39fOOcQG8V4c0hl1IiXkQcWDxGS3SlLDrq1cWKBLeKq98sSjqpyfjUpm7lMNAW7s1Uw3kPlLy5GRnuMnlYeOxeMewBAgwVOAKSaZic3kwYRHzzGJTnk_7lfmHmvcJC6d5g1GXK2m1eJHxAcwqmrJsXB8UIOAr-yyHABIcxk6wZOJTz5HFIUaNkPO-wjL/s640/marlow%20murder.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR39fOOcQG8V4c0hl1IiXkQcWDxGS3SlLDrq1cWKBLeKq98sSjqpyfjUpm7lMNAW7s1Uw3kPlLy5GRnuMnlYeOxeMewBAgwVOAKSaZic3kwYRHzzGJTnk_7lfmHmvcJC6d5g1GXK2m1eJHxAcwqmrJsXB8UIOAr-yyHABIcxk6wZOJTz5HFIUaNkPO-wjL/w400-h225/marlow%20murder.webp" width="400" /></a></p><div style="text-align: left;">We watched the Marlow Murder Club. I was<b><i> so</i></b> looking forward to this. I knew it came under the 'cosy crime' category - like Midsomer, and Death in Paradise, Rosemary and Thyme et al, and the author, Robert Thorogood, wrote some episodes of D in P. Cosy crime is people getting bumped off, but always with a bizarre underlying thread of humour involved. I was expecting all that.</div><div style="text-align: left;">But honestly, I found it really disappointing. Samuel Taylor Coleridge coined the phrase <i style="font-weight: bold;">suspension of disbelief </i> meaning our willingness to believe the unbelievable for the sake of enjoyment. </div><div style="text-align: left;">Too many things in this programme were just utterly unbelievable. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: medium;">These comments are not plot spoilers</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">I may not be an Anglican but there are a few things I know - one is that bishops are not expected to wear their mitres outside of liturgical situations. Squashed in between two women in the front seat of a van is definitely not a liturgical situation.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Also, no clergy spouse that I know off would be able to rootle about in a drawer at church and succeed in finding a knife sharp enough to saw through a bell rope. Bell ropes are 2" thick and very strong. Most accessible knives in the church kitchen are unlikely to cut much more than butter. [If there <b style="font-style: italic;">are </b>truly sharp ones, the catering team keeps them under lock and key]</div><div style="text-align: left;">But the worst bit of the whole thing, for us both, was ignoring the laws of physics. If your car is parked next to a street sign like this</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-_-adqfro8KLjfryOp8BaXgjA3uBURYMyvIlMt5BrxWfx8XlKQQvDXObnTG7wsK70YLIh8nEER8oTm4-TfuO1FE_Hlb7HJyHjrf4uDZb7nW1Bk7-NvkLQUYaZ_HSJuIGgBrNvyDUk1Jb6XpDOenX0s4zbtpA96Hy6A_jFX4VvVzri6-agpjUgI7Qr2KqP" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="68" data-original-width="550" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-_-adqfro8KLjfryOp8BaXgjA3uBURYMyvIlMt5BrxWfx8XlKQQvDXObnTG7wsK70YLIh8nEER8oTm4-TfuO1FE_Hlb7HJyHjrf4uDZb7nW1Bk7-NvkLQUYaZ_HSJuIGgBrNvyDUk1Jb6XpDOenX0s4zbtpA96Hy6A_jFX4VvVzri6-agpjUgI7Qr2KqP=w400-h50" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">then its reflection in your windscreen will be like this below [not as shown above]</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgG3MXSpilZ4BCBiN6ZL77ILOO779DK2g1A787_gyGCq-uscsJal4jVrilaAEPtvnNAlvmH4QIOygrtA7notsbm3IXorpA3Am5Gc0hdWwsPSa7PYfr9AAOi3JpxKCc_MV5crzr6sPrzPyixKh_4PRy_5-iYOvNBEmK_ZLLc7WZs0H9yCyCQCJyX6lM2Uxn7" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="96" data-original-width="566" height="68" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgG3MXSpilZ4BCBiN6ZL77ILOO779DK2g1A787_gyGCq-uscsJal4jVrilaAEPtvnNAlvmH4QIOygrtA7notsbm3IXorpA3Am5Gc0hdWwsPSa7PYfr9AAOi3JpxKCc_MV5crzr6sPrzPyixKh_4PRy_5-iYOvNBEmK_ZLLc7WZs0H9yCyCQCJyX6lM2Uxn7=w400-h68" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I know this is incredibly pedantic, but Bob and I found it really jarring watching the driver of the car talking on her phone with the erroneous non-reflection onscreen in front of her. It was really just careless editing on somebody's part. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have not read the book, but a few reviewers have said the book is much better, because the TV adaptation introduced some really clunky dialogue, and that the book would have suited a slower four-part adaptation better. Author Robert Thorogood has written two more books in the series, so I shall try and read them <b><i>before </i></b>Samantha Bond and her pals come back to our screens. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I know lots of friends really enjoyed this whodunit - please don't be put off by my review! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At least Death in Paradise is still there, and the spinoff [Beyond Paradise] from Cornwall is coming back soon...</div><br /><p></p>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341483723976821096.post-88296141469453202342024-03-13T06:39:00.017+00:002024-03-13T06:39:00.154+00:00Sew Far, Sew Good<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have been very slow at posting about our latest collaborative stitching. We have both been busy with other projects. But here are our Jan-Feb pieces</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjYImV0pi1PD9jxje1uLTz6Fhgm1SIzh4rujSi8QJ4vee7n9xuK6ZxyqlWRgvp7iP_v6xi7mhooF70IhNfuLfmmwZjNHNXviRmkPyRWF2kAdWUFFugFYnD7ixmOuDL4q3baKA-V8ZB2_t_L9JPq68rsHmhPNuDny0BuCKX6Q1xTRP0om21KZJaoQ42ppj_" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="821" data-original-width="717" height="411" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjYImV0pi1PD9jxje1uLTz6Fhgm1SIzh4rujSi8QJ4vee7n9xuK6ZxyqlWRgvp7iP_v6xi7mhooF70IhNfuLfmmwZjNHNXviRmkPyRWF2kAdWUFFugFYnD7ixmOuDL4q3baKA-V8ZB2_t_L9JPq68rsHmhPNuDny0BuCKX6Q1xTRP0om21KZJaoQ42ppj_=w360-h411" width="360" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">I love snowdrops and this is a beautiful piece of stitching, my photo does not do it justice</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjo5svZVaaT1TWU2JZMW-LTQeoVPk7cKpGNPyerndK7zEVP1jeEaxjnYC_FszIDB0bMePwKspWjWFkG-zvqk-O6Y4sFsYP5eWvWIX6Grk-xPX8cCxIbyQST-cyoEU5S4T55kY3iP5u_Gi774zSDPPlcViNber8z1eL_XqvW7HpUxzwxTkcySPVlXlQ6aq/s1550/march%20hieroglyphs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1550" data-original-width="1197" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjo5svZVaaT1TWU2JZMW-LTQeoVPk7cKpGNPyerndK7zEVP1jeEaxjnYC_FszIDB0bMePwKspWjWFkG-zvqk-O6Y4sFsYP5eWvWIX6Grk-xPX8cCxIbyQST-cyoEU5S4T55kY3iP5u_Gi774zSDPPlcViNber8z1eL_XqvW7HpUxzwxTkcySPVlXlQ6aq/w309-h400/march%20hieroglyphs.jpg" width="309" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">My piece was our names done in hieroglyphics in a sort of Egyptian cartouche. I only discovered afterwards that the horizontal line at the bottom and the crossed lines indicate that this means a Royal Personage!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_SsPmHoh5BWjxHa39QHskSxCNWZEX1unZROQLKT4ERN23AJoFLr9XDuUpsEwePZr3j0DOZ2hD6DOfecLfX6zSo8KYeTECBQdlcUPGKdT6W6Tn-iW9BYLcsin1BNP_8BgJOurUR_Iz_5Jo1LCpcOX_6XQuoswdY5zO0NdLVpKM_85PTJeUefFqKDBXSbwx/s929/half%20stuffed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="929" data-original-width="697" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_SsPmHoh5BWjxHa39QHskSxCNWZEX1unZROQLKT4ERN23AJoFLr9XDuUpsEwePZr3j0DOZ2hD6DOfecLfX6zSo8KYeTECBQdlcUPGKdT6W6Tn-iW9BYLcsin1BNP_8BgJOurUR_Iz_5Jo1LCpcOX_6XQuoswdY5zO0NdLVpKM_85PTJeUefFqKDBXSbwx/w150-h200/half%20stuffed.jpg" width="150" /></a>I have yet to work out what my final section will be. I had a really good idea in the middle of the night on Saturday, but I have been struggling to remember what it was since I woke up on Sunday morning. Hopefully it will come back to me soon.</div><div style="text-align: left;">I have been working really hard on three memory bears. They do look sad and floppy when they are half-stuffed!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /></div><br /> <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><p></p>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341483723976821096.post-69727238300472308322024-03-12T06:14:00.237+00:002024-03-12T06:14:00.153+00:00Kitchen Sink Dramas<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-9_NHHZ_WDtXsyJtucM333QPD33QcMNMq2vdYBJepiT0ozz41e_nwJG2GYTJTMdetIPy5J2tR3TMwCdFze-K6yvEBwrhPdm665ocw1hmGHH4meWgC2qx0pDNCzHAkJt2vKf47CWvHLsDX8U1L-o2OdXoial-9USxd8h8zA8WbTObRo775iq0ks3fY7vaF/s872/kitchen-sink.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="744" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-9_NHHZ_WDtXsyJtucM333QPD33QcMNMq2vdYBJepiT0ozz41e_nwJG2GYTJTMdetIPy5J2tR3TMwCdFze-K6yvEBwrhPdm665ocw1hmGHH4meWgC2qx0pDNCzHAkJt2vKf47CWvHLsDX8U1L-o2OdXoial-9USxd8h8zA8WbTObRo775iq0ks3fY7vaF/w171-h200/kitchen-sink.jpeg" width="171" /></a></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A few random thoughts from the kitchen. Not particularly dramatic, but products I have started using recently and I think are worth mentioning. I do not want to 'monetise' my blog, and get paid for advertising - but if I find something I think worth sharing, I like to review it here. <i><b>Starting at the sink</b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Here in East Anglia, we have a dialect word for cloths/rags used for<br />cleaning around the home - </span><i style="font-family: helvetica; font-weight: bold;">dwile </i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">[believed to come from the Dutch word </span><i style="font-family: helvetica; font-weight: bold;">dwell</i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> meaning mop] There's even an old pub game </span><i style="font-family: helvetica; font-weight: bold;">dwile flonking,</i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> where you flonk [or fling] your wet rag from the end of a stick. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I have been concerned about the plastic particles in microfibre cloths and was looking for a greener alternative. And I chanced upon the Swedish Dishcloth, the ultimate ecofriendly dwile! These were invented by an engineer, Carl Lundquist in 1949. They are made of cellulose - wood pulp - they are highly absorbent, easy to keep hygienically clean, and when you have finished with them they can go in the compost bin. They do not smell bad like some dishcloths do, and they rinse easily.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I had read <a href="https://www.seriouseats.com/swedish-dishcloth-uses-5219854">some reviews </a> and decided to buy a pack for myself at Christmas. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I bought a pack of Wettex [the original Lundquist brand] and started using my pink cloth on Jan 1st. On Feb 1st I got out the green cloth too. It's useful to have two 'on the go'</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfdtgqpxTHU8yhVh6oLvWe2PtNHoHS9JrtEZTXv8xnIuSfB7o2dGAK0dSUqN8sIXiuK4VAP5wjk0I-Q4fDXUHNnWTf8ba4ArvZvmfw_5Sb0IMqAa8l-A3GOLVncIOYPujaObdGLqbFFhUl-Ndh37QfuUIaBnRcJLHEql_Pl4D0IGuYRiidzd1XSQnCrSc/s1500/biodegradable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfdtgqpxTHU8yhVh6oLvWe2PtNHoHS9JrtEZTXv8xnIuSfB7o2dGAK0dSUqN8sIXiuK4VAP5wjk0I-Q4fDXUHNnWTf8ba4ArvZvmfw_5Sb0IMqAa8l-A3GOLVncIOYPujaObdGLqbFFhUl-Ndh37QfuUIaBnRcJLHEql_Pl4D0IGuYRiidzd1XSQnCrSc/w200-h200/biodegradable.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1cBs9C2mre4CM2reaxgISbmREmwWRzRj6rHXs_4hJkbaElc0-wrYFN0jGOJmVOQ0doq1eMHgfPntr40rB39R6jp8DW6v2d42elgg3sNavzUJWryR5FGi7sJV5jCOrXLueFodShy9QQ36qstLojyR9R_tYmTKBffUHvvljs1Lr3Xj5xgbawsyVW_N5ltlX/s1500/features.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1cBs9C2mre4CM2reaxgISbmREmwWRzRj6rHXs_4hJkbaElc0-wrYFN0jGOJmVOQ0doq1eMHgfPntr40rB39R6jp8DW6v2d42elgg3sNavzUJWryR5FGi7sJV5jCOrXLueFodShy9QQ36qstLojyR9R_tYmTKBffUHvvljs1Lr3Xj5xgbawsyVW_N5ltlX/w200-h200/features.jpg" width="200" /></a><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">they are incredibly absorbent [tested with ¼cup water, they had a 98.3% absorbency rate]</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">when wrung out thoroughly, they dry surprisingly quickly</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">they are easy to sanitise [run through washing machine, or lay on top rack of dishwasher, or rinse thoroughly in hot water and blast for 30 secs in microwave]</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">they are good for use when washing up, wiping counter tops, cleaning the hob, washing windows...</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I hang mine over the tap at night, and in the morning they are dry and fresh for use again. I am definitely sticking with these</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgczLvDN33FGnT9zDtEeqDjtmA3FOSpsFqmPAHLIsf39HsLhff2egbjV6BVS1NGRfirVjR1DmIL4CLvbfDiTMJqme9KWrCqHHymySgEr1DlZubvnkDgQ9BISJ1dhqGovOFdVBAqScuXUJ-JHCFdHmpl-g7O5GLmQywtpsUvIr9CvTDgB-KSrK6Dab7ExYxQ/s225/engevita.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgczLvDN33FGnT9zDtEeqDjtmA3FOSpsFqmPAHLIsf39HsLhff2egbjV6BVS1NGRfirVjR1DmIL4CLvbfDiTMJqme9KWrCqHHymySgEr1DlZubvnkDgQ9BISJ1dhqGovOFdVBAqScuXUJ-JHCFdHmpl-g7O5GLmQywtpsUvIr9CvTDgB-KSrK6Dab7ExYxQ/w200-h200/engevita.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><b><i>Second thing is food related</i></b>- specifically cheese<i style="font-weight: bold;"> alternatives. </i>I have never really eaten cheese, it upsets my stomach, although as I have got older, I have discovered I can manage soft 'farmhouse' cheese [cottage, ricotta, philly etc] </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaLomWpGSGeLU6mab_4Cgpz88kNEx93UzqCTzpVbeW7rQ3pPA3ngEDPMEc92a5uSV7HTadJkVnHQobnmGfOeo31YqOamx7TG8oyha5rHXyWY9neBC_ly38RYYr4zaA1xy3HhRIIJVXCAV6hgli6CeGsTKoW6ncol4I9QbzzNxPwO-S18L3n581ombZsS6/s4000/IMG_20240311_185503945.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaLomWpGSGeLU6mab_4Cgpz88kNEx93UzqCTzpVbeW7rQ3pPA3ngEDPMEc92a5uSV7HTadJkVnHQobnmGfOeo31YqOamx7TG8oyha5rHXyWY9neBC_ly38RYYr4zaA1xy3HhRIIJVXCAV6hgli6CeGsTKoW6ncol4I9QbzzNxPwO-S18L3n581ombZsS6/w150-h200/IMG_20240311_185503945.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But sometimes I have wanted to umami taste, and saltiness of parmesan sprinkled on a finished dish. "Nutritional Yeast Flakes" aka <i style="font-weight: bold;">nooch</i> have proved a good alternative. You don't need much to make a difference.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Even tastier is "Vegan P" produced by The Pasta Factory, in Manchester [a restaurant and deli] It is a mix of chopped almonds, walnuts, cashews, pine nuts and sunflower seeds, with added nooch, nutmeg and salt. The downside of this is that I can only get it from the wholefoods supermarket at the end of Steph's road! The company don't sell it mail order. [</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Bob gets his parmesan in a wedge from Lidl. It keeps for ages in the fridge]</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Finally</i> - <i style="font-weight: bold;">yorkshire puddings. </i>I am aware that this is a very divisive issue. But I like a few small puffy puds with my roast lunch [does not have to be beef - I like them with chicken, pork etc]</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I'm not very good at making from scratch [unlike Liz who makes wonderful yorkies] and although the precooked frozen ones are brilliant, they do take up a lot of freezer space [esp when you consider they are mostly air]</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaS0NiVHSrjXw2WpnRmI_x5FA4PY_ElQZKr2mAzdcaPoiLUQfjzxw_0_44XZiqgASPLz_GTDncnktWAt0q_wTT6W7TxvcSXduSmYWNPxj0bdXuSGaCcJ4paxQiByDd7YfnbzBtVJEARCJ4SOpNHdh-RpVX5deYtQ3rxFfQU2lQj8IULSP9_2fYpxz8H1Df/s300/pud.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaS0NiVHSrjXw2WpnRmI_x5FA4PY_ElQZKr2mAzdcaPoiLUQfjzxw_0_44XZiqgASPLz_GTDncnktWAt0q_wTT6W7TxvcSXduSmYWNPxj0bdXuSGaCcJ4paxQiByDd7YfnbzBtVJEARCJ4SOpNHdh-RpVX5deYtQ3rxFfQU2lQj8IULSP9_2fYpxz8H1Df/w200-h200/pud.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I am completely hooked on Aunt Bessie's bake-at-home Yorkshires. I served these at Christmas and they worked perfectly. Each comes in its own little recyclable foil dish and they puff up splendidly alongside the potatoes and parsnips. Our last-minute-lunch-guest on Sunday was impressed. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">If you are an air-fryer-user then they cook well there too.] </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">furthermore they are vegetarian, and minimally processed.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><i>Have you found any good kitchen related items recently?</i></b></span></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><br /><br /></span></div><p></p>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341483723976821096.post-90957723795559831832024-03-11T06:08:00.001+00:002024-03-11T06:08:00.269+00:00Keeping In Step<div style="text-align: left;">My #word365 for 2024 is <i style="color: #800180; font-weight: bold;">collaboration </i>and over the past couple of months I've come across lots of examples of people achieving so much simply because they are not working by themselves. <i style="color: #800180; font-weight: bold;">TEAM - together everyone achieves more </i>is a popular acronym on posters in classrooms and workplaces.</div><div style="text-align: left;">As well as working together, people <i style="font-weight: bold;">moving </i>together can be quite a spectacle. I loved doing figure marching in Girls' Brigade in the 60s, changing direction, crossing over in sequence, making patterns. I enjoy ceilidhs and folk dancing, where a caller tells me what to do next - although I'm not the most elegant! I don't watch Strictly, but in my childhood, Mum and I enjoyed watching Come Dancing on our little black&white TV. Especially the formation teams. The precision, the way they moved across the floor... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QomrQQJHJi0" width="320" youtube-src-id="QomrQQJHJi0"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Perhaps the most famous formation dancing came from the Frank and Peggy Spencer School of Dance in Penge. I knew somebody who had learned to dance with them in his teens, back in the 1940s. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yesterday Bob showed me a great YouTube clip - a modern dance troupe. This is rather different - they are all in different outfits [but within a carefully chosen colour palette] but they collaborate with matching movements, interpreting the music in an eye catching and entertaining way. These young people are from the <a href="https://cdkdance.com/">CDK academy</a> in Texas, which has achieved global recognition, winning various world dance competitions. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I thought this was a super performance, I hope you enjoy it too </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/REPPgPcw4hk" width="320" youtube-src-id="REPPgPcw4hk"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341483723976821096.post-68920275260321392772024-03-10T06:38:00.011+00:002024-03-10T06:38:00.261+00:00Small Gestures<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskSoVNpCS2253YZHK7m0VhTOXQLfYnCCsgxMm1UVmrAM8uf8eg2VBwLIlxNu39HY0kw4QQ7EvUZZ-J__AQJv3fgSY3fVe9kmHtFgeF1Fkj0ETi_ZNQGWCTrxhF2pArxGrxZmBA9bt4hU2q_M_rGarM8GSKT5IN7Pr7VNSX2whtUwZDOxR_G2HH_VUd3Jb/s1347/03%2024%20heavy%20hearts.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="929" data-original-width="1347" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskSoVNpCS2253YZHK7m0VhTOXQLfYnCCsgxMm1UVmrAM8uf8eg2VBwLIlxNu39HY0kw4QQ7EvUZZ-J__AQJv3fgSY3fVe9kmHtFgeF1Fkj0ETi_ZNQGWCTrxhF2pArxGrxZmBA9bt4hU2q_M_rGarM8GSKT5IN7Pr7VNSX2whtUwZDOxR_G2HH_VUd3Jb/w400-h276/03%2024%20heavy%20hearts.jpg" width="400" /></a> The picture for March on my calendar. "Do small things with great love" is attributed to Mother Teresa - and I also found this quote by<a href="https://helenkellerintl.org/who-we-are/helen-keller/"> Helen Keller,</a> that amazing deaf-blind woman.</p><p><em style="background-color: whitesmoke; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks, as if they were great and noble.</span></em></p><p>The picture reminds me that a small kindness can mean so much, and lift a heavy heart. Many in the UK will be celebrating Mothering Sunday today. I thank God for my Mum, and also for my daughters who have become great Mums themselves. Today, for me, is one of gratitude and joy. </p><p>However, I know that many find today really difficult, for all sorts of reasons. May they experience small acts of love and kindness to lift their hearts today. May we who are so richly blessed be aware of opportunities to bless others</p>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341483723976821096.post-10508146919327408412024-03-09T06:24:00.002+00:002024-03-09T07:45:06.380+00:00Out For The Count<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmUECqO6aYOlbM2nuNKXxmDkB5tA-97oovTQknimREa1EKl5Uyfc3QMBBsr50P12pwc3S77DW9XuhYAgt90qO9Yd58GcQnCbzlucfoTqCAT3h96eaBJ1_s7Ypff-z7yUsU-AI1P-JEn9NOlz3S7xQJIODyjLHZ9Gv4le-g12qrCxJmvorLpi9ZL6PApwJ1/s3444/logo.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3243" data-original-width="3444" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmUECqO6aYOlbM2nuNKXxmDkB5tA-97oovTQknimREa1EKl5Uyfc3QMBBsr50P12pwc3S77DW9XuhYAgt90qO9Yd58GcQnCbzlucfoTqCAT3h96eaBJ1_s7Ypff-z7yUsU-AI1P-JEn9NOlz3S7xQJIODyjLHZ9Gv4le-g12qrCxJmvorLpi9ZL6PApwJ1/w200-h188/logo.png" width="200" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Just a heads up that next week [March 11-17th] is the second Big Plastic Count. I was almost caught out here- <a href="https://angalmond.blogspot.com/2022/05/that-was-week-that-was.html">in 2022 it was May 16-22</a>. I am not sure why it is two months earlier this year. But I have my chart up in the kitchen ready, and will note what household plastic waste we generate at Cornerstones.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aJqqZ8dDtGQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="aJqqZ8dDtGQ"></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">There is lots of information <a href="https://thebigplasticcount.com/">on the website, </a>and it is not too late to get involved. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFpALAjX0Z5S6qR1CXQ_RgwA25JyY7ehBHyW3fvBC1zXj7GfbGJfVbhu-mXXq8-QCBNGa_x5tfKKIhon0CeJbyH0TUbJJ2RR5rELlvdI_jh-PahOLiq20jo06V_y9UC0PMSKwbPpMlap0TarqvA-nkJBFM0mGZNTf-jOwgonL5ksig1a9h7KUcU6fv-RZe/s1920/investigate.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1150" data-original-width="1920" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFpALAjX0Z5S6qR1CXQ_RgwA25JyY7ehBHyW3fvBC1zXj7GfbGJfVbhu-mXXq8-QCBNGa_x5tfKKIhon0CeJbyH0TUbJJ2RR5rELlvdI_jh-PahOLiq20jo06V_y9UC0PMSKwbPpMlap0TarqvA-nkJBFM0mGZNTf-jOwgonL5ksig1a9h7KUcU6fv-RZe/w200-h120/investigate.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The main aim of this week is to investigate just how much plastic waste is being generated in our homes - with a view to bringing pressure on the government, and major supermarkets, to decrease this.</div><div style="text-align: left;">The 2022 survey discovered that a quarter of a million people generated 6.5 million pieces of plastic in just one week. And that</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: medium;"><i><b>46% was incinerated</b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: medium;"><i><b>25% went to landfill</b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: medium;"><i><b>17% was shipped overseas</b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: medium;"><i><b>and only 12% was actually recycled</b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: medium;"><i><b>RECYCLING CAN'T FIX THE PLASTICS CRISIS!</b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Sadly the government has been slow to respond - and the UK tops the plastic charts - we produce more plastic waste per person than any other nation in the world except the US.</div><div style="text-align: left;">This is a health crisis- micro plastic particles have been found in human blood. breast milk and placentas.</div><div style="text-align: left;">The Global South is hit the hardest - the health of 2 billion people there is affected by dumped waste.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyCY-5LCPvsIGF5IKE1PBau0AmfE50mbI34E7tlhyphenhyphenZobbEOVg_NfobfhiMXBGt6Z9s423AmIbs1VrN-Ot_mmXZdBJuQnFySJ5tl6AvfbDztDu825lf2vpN50yXacSekw4t0kCQD3nmUoV_eyD9bXwFkzaekHdraFNNzX6uNsbW1B6-UTenS1nEhtRVa4-h/s1024/chart.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="892" data-original-width="1024" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyCY-5LCPvsIGF5IKE1PBau0AmfE50mbI34E7tlhyphenhyphenZobbEOVg_NfobfhiMXBGt6Z9s423AmIbs1VrN-Ot_mmXZdBJuQnFySJ5tl6AvfbDztDu825lf2vpN50yXacSekw4t0kCQD3nmUoV_eyD9bXwFkzaekHdraFNNzX6uNsbW1B6-UTenS1nEhtRVa4-h/w400-h348/chart.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">The survey is only about plastic packaging, and the website explains exactly what needs to be counted. When I did it in 2022, it really made me think about the way I shop.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Eighteen months ago I went to look round the Norfolk Environmental Waste Services plant on the edge of Norwich - that definitely had an effect on the way I recycle.</div><div style="text-align: left;">This week is organised jointly by <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/">Greenpeace</a> and <a href="https://www.everydayplastic.org/">Everyday Plastic</a>, working with <a href="https://wrap.org.uk/">WRAP</a> and <a href="https://www.recoup.org/">RECOUP</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is not just a week of meaningful activities for schoolchildren - we <i><b>all</b></i> need to <i style="font-weight: bold;">collaborate</i> on this.</div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm doing my part, for the sake of Rosie, Jess, George and Jacob and all those other children growing up. Why should they have to clean up the mess created by a previous generation?</div><p></p>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341483723976821096.post-43213263170800514632024-03-08T06:14:00.006+00:002024-03-08T06:14:00.252+00:00Bicycles And Broomsticks<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtbRKsgsPdpf2dAlSe5SfbK_Dt0NET9s2bi1CgnVchBy3Opect4DA0ihnZiTxsd6wz2LgY9jsE2DbmtfAVS8r6L0DM9NaUtZyLPX25BWkJw3nUtTjEuFNJVKNfMwvgORmBD7831wq4i59kMKKYQ5zV63FmaF_bznCS749smNsOt-YvYDDnkHfKG-29t3_n/s1391/IMG-20240307-WA0000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1391" data-original-width="909" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtbRKsgsPdpf2dAlSe5SfbK_Dt0NET9s2bi1CgnVchBy3Opect4DA0ihnZiTxsd6wz2LgY9jsE2DbmtfAVS8r6L0DM9NaUtZyLPX25BWkJw3nUtTjEuFNJVKNfMwvgORmBD7831wq4i59kMKKYQ5zV63FmaF_bznCS749smNsOt-YvYDDnkHfKG-29t3_n/s320/IMG-20240307-WA0000.jpg" width="209" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Two of my four grandchildren really did not want to dress up today. So their Mums wisely let them wear regular clothes. Jacob was put into his green Pickle clothes and hat, but then he got unhappy about it too. Steph got a quick photo! Rosie absolutely nailed it in her Worst Witch outfit. Liz put her hair into cute plaits. She upgraded her broomstick, and travelled to school on her bike. I love this shot of her speeding along, her witch cloak flying out behind her</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohrsNkmFMa5NnYSzFxd7S20Uf3bFM4Pmiro8RY1m9hJ5qGk-y2SUMwsV1Exf9XR5sxhpOFiVBcVTFMSYSIzI0J2KGNAmSRFlihSqFYBy7uYou6__KVoqG1dGw9XbyuE8v3YtHh65ghTSwsqfcd0TzYhiv3iUiGsNb6f9TInCbaqZ5NvgSHtgCE4RSshiH/s3196/20240307_203612-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="3196" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohrsNkmFMa5NnYSzFxd7S20Uf3bFM4Pmiro8RY1m9hJ5qGk-y2SUMwsV1Exf9XR5sxhpOFiVBcVTFMSYSIzI0J2KGNAmSRFlihSqFYBy7uYou6__KVoqG1dGw9XbyuE8v3YtHh65ghTSwsqfcd0TzYhiv3iUiGsNb6f9TInCbaqZ5NvgSHtgCE4RSshiH/w400-h300/20240307_203612-COLLAGE.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I hope you had a Happy World Book Day too<br />.</div><p></p>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341483723976821096.post-4031936336871908862024-03-07T06:32:00.150+00:002024-03-07T06:32:00.154+00:00Room 101<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV7DB9qDlc9FHagKimM_q3K9ukJmKNaIUmfEUNKqGR90_gdwU9UJgdq2j7kwoNCWM2dDK0jMtfAfQGcuVa-ceqn7iQBmSaTR3efbDW2o_9tI2EwkLJVKEfzH-tpGkW43B7B_QvW_awn_r8gmLMJiU1EZwKYjWD7KlICu1YkxjpDeGLsjSk5K3ZwJk_-nVi/s300/room%20101.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV7DB9qDlc9FHagKimM_q3K9ukJmKNaIUmfEUNKqGR90_gdwU9UJgdq2j7kwoNCWM2dDK0jMtfAfQGcuVa-ceqn7iQBmSaTR3efbDW2o_9tI2EwkLJVKEfzH-tpGkW43B7B_QvW_awn_r8gmLMJiU1EZwKYjWD7KlICu1YkxjpDeGLsjSk5K3ZwJk_-nVi/w200-h112/room%20101.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>Today Bob and I will be meeting up with some other retired Baptist Revs and their spouses. Many of us have been friends for years - others are newer to the group. But we usually have some activity [a discussion, visiting speaker, whatever] before we eat our packed lunches and sit and chat together. Today is a visit to "Room 101". In George Orwell's 1984, this was the room where the things most hated were gathered and used to torment people, but somebody decided this could be made into a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Room_101_(British_TV_series)">lighthearted TV show. </a>That's what we are recreating today - but without Frank Skinner.<br />I've been asked to be one of the three 'guests' - and present things I'd like banished. Specifically something personal that I absolutely hate, something to banish for the sake of the nation's well-being, and also something I would like to see removed from church life. I will share my first two with you [not the third, that might cause too much disagreement!]<br /><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhef9W1rgZroSBs5RwbJLiKgL2v61GArq03T1G4s9W6s5PZcfRDi6XU1_HQBpiwd8MH_27pXGHkouHWew-cbF4563IAJFhLku-RHPgNMG8Jm3znfbF0nTd0_uwmxB5JKpaW1i_ZdwiZU7CTSVE3hURQJXebweIguzW5O4Ve6FqXImwEIf8PZ1Fu4WqEMjOb/s865/cheap%20coffee.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="420" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhef9W1rgZroSBs5RwbJLiKgL2v61GArq03T1G4s9W6s5PZcfRDi6XU1_HQBpiwd8MH_27pXGHkouHWew-cbF4563IAJFhLku-RHPgNMG8Jm3znfbF0nTd0_uwmxB5JKpaW1i_ZdwiZU7CTSVE3hURQJXebweIguzW5O4Ve6FqXImwEIf8PZ1Fu4WqEMjOb/s320/cheap%20coffee.png" width="155" /></a></p>My personal pet hate is Cheap Instant Coffee. I drink 'proper' coffee, made in a cafetiere or filter machine, or a stove top pot. Never powdered stuff dissolved in boiling water. This is not coffee imho! It does not taste like the real thing, and studies have shown that it is possibly not so good for you, due to the presence of acrylamides. Unfortunately people serving coffee to a group often try and save money by having the cheapest jar of this abominable powder, and a mug of teaspoons next to the kettle. "Help yourself!" they say, as if they are offering you the nectar of the gods. <div><br /></div><div>No Way!! Proper coffee or nothing. And usually this is not a fairly traded product [ok Asda's is Rainforest Alliance, which is supposed to help the wildlife - but it doesn't support the workers] <b><i>Banish it!</i></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkSjVJu6cFonR6NOz4glJ0aB_m_zFKUyh3HI2LeX6vGWf4zjCFsFans7wrlHKpsRSPr_McAZajRWTVoFNrN7Lsi5T7XluGt2B8qgo_AiQw3srMu2pcHuohd9LYKOyPVwUKyzE50PPhyHOKIHYYm_GUkMvsRtpqQC8oPzHNOGVQ_-2fVHjyj4lMjntmZhUv/s934/no%20cards.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="934" data-original-width="710" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkSjVJu6cFonR6NOz4glJ0aB_m_zFKUyh3HI2LeX6vGWf4zjCFsFans7wrlHKpsRSPr_McAZajRWTVoFNrN7Lsi5T7XluGt2B8qgo_AiQw3srMu2pcHuohd9LYKOyPVwUKyzE50PPhyHOKIHYYm_GUkMvsRtpqQC8oPzHNOGVQ_-2fVHjyj4lMjntmZhUv/s320/no%20cards.png" width="243" /></a></div>My<b> </b>choice of something to banish 'for the benefit of the nation' is the move towards "contactless/card payments only" situations. </div><div>Yes, cards are useful - but what is wrong with cash? </div><div>No, please don't tell me that it spreads covid, the WHO said so, and you read it in The Times 4 years ago. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Yes the Times <i style="font-weight: bold;">did</i> print that misinformation - but did you also see their subsequent retraction of this mistake, [the WHO <i style="font-weight: bold;">never</i> said this] printed on the inside pages in a corner where it wouldn't be noticed? And yet <i style="font-weight: bold;">hundreds</i> of trading establishments stopped taking coins and notes immediately, and many have kept up the cashless situation ever since.</div><div>And this is making life difficult for many people. Children like Rosie, whose finance is all in pocket money - hard cash. Older people who do not trust credit cards, or internet banking, who feel secure with notes in their wallet. And many people with debt issues, who are working their way to being debt free by reverting to the old system of jars and envelopes to manage their spending each week, and to help them stick to a budget. They do not wanted to be tempted to 'flash the plastic' and run up more debts. For the sake of these people, I want more, not fewer shops and carparks and 'venues' to take <i style="font-weight: bold;">real</i> money, please. <b><i>Banish signs like this one!</i></b></div><div><b><i><span style="color: #20124d;">What would you send to Room 101, and why?</span><br /></i></b><i style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></i></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341483723976821096.post-84008546618866616242024-03-06T06:16:00.010+00:002024-03-06T09:28:56.670+00:00One Pound Of Flesh?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSCHEEfiw3oM5sEI5hndweY_F7Qna_2nJmAyW1vMCiAmPp_Yk1zVj7bok7iAiWYHBYhyrZo6SiRju6Yk_QYels55WsrUyXpWBOGguNsXXkYDUUIAG5lL3fo7I-3TkV6I0-E5HRcJXMkLgc_L7fgfSXflUOdkKQ8d3TNUJoz3nP8FhvdrDIe8WZVIAGMa4O/s2048/1709636323306244514378.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1647" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSCHEEfiw3oM5sEI5hndweY_F7Qna_2nJmAyW1vMCiAmPp_Yk1zVj7bok7iAiWYHBYhyrZo6SiRju6Yk_QYels55WsrUyXpWBOGguNsXXkYDUUIAG5lL3fo7I-3TkV6I0-E5HRcJXMkLgc_L7fgfSXflUOdkKQ8d3TNUJoz3nP8FhvdrDIe8WZVIAGMa4O/s320/1709636323306244514378.jpg" width="257" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">I read Sue's blog on <a href="https://eatingwellonasmallbudget.blogspot.com/2024/03/my-february-reading.html">Friday morning</a> and realised that one of the books she'd mentioned was on Steph's kitchen shelf. So I asked S if I could borrow it for a bit. It's an interesting book. The recipes are all main courses, no starters or puds. Which is good, as I'm currently trying to eat less sugar. And each serves just one person.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_P-87TFkL5plNHx_3BA94yd_fX54JTUCgQPUxmWEfr12C_bTsRskkxQ5kXniZgiLXHj0V8traBs51nnokQjM4anJYorq-KbT8n2y78tHqBbI26-6qzTmwh0HuqHlGErhT5OH3h_0JlQRaBsj4BLK3YI18Y_YVIu1MB7j1sRtf_gYyfx4enr7bx6Cxja_b/s225/bacpon%20and%20cabbage%20pasta.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_P-87TFkL5plNHx_3BA94yd_fX54JTUCgQPUxmWEfr12C_bTsRskkxQ5kXniZgiLXHj0V8traBs51nnokQjM4anJYorq-KbT8n2y78tHqBbI26-6qzTmwh0HuqHlGErhT5OH3h_0JlQRaBsj4BLK3YI18Y_YVIu1MB7j1sRtf_gYyfx4enr7bx6Cxja_b/w200-h200/bacpon%20and%20cabbage%20pasta.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>This strikes me as a good approach - if you are eating alone, you may not want to keep cooking four-portion meals. Not all recipes portion-and-freeze well. So you'd have the same thing every evening Monday-Thursday. Miguel wanted variety, in a way that was simple, straightforward and not wasteful - and economical. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUCpjK1Qxxyq9M1sqdkw9rwi8v9stVo03b_YWZ_F_gSacKDFvab8AFLSRgPlXpJNNnqksivoRv39dU55j5WsSjSZZSbqGgOimoBDB0kgYPrEHd_GrXJYBNoFvrtLRgeijuP5XX6oMOVTpKMDoUp6wzgkUbLZQVu3UAYvxm8jMwF3DGbYo4qQhSFBQBwZLi/s225/crab%20cakes.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUCpjK1Qxxyq9M1sqdkw9rwi8v9stVo03b_YWZ_F_gSacKDFvab8AFLSRgPlXpJNNnqksivoRv39dU55j5WsSjSZZSbqGgOimoBDB0kgYPrEHd_GrXJYBNoFvrtLRgeijuP5XX6oMOVTpKMDoUp6wzgkUbLZQVu3UAYvxm8jMwF3DGbYo4qQhSFBQBwZLi/w200-h200/crab%20cakes.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>The book came out in 2017. I haven't done costings, but maybe they cost a bit more than £1 now, but the principle holds true. Miguel is committed to working from a core group of ingredients and cooking from scratch [no UPF jars of pre-made sauces] There are four sections - vegetarian, meat, fish&seafood, and chicken. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZ1DnP9aJkKe0wRd9dpWvHegaTGgaJRcJzu9j3ynMs2IJZ8B3uZRg7ojCVuOQJkpBwoMLqmCUFbfGXYZGG6gE0Hxu20EvfzLdbIBRezrEq_oPiTEDXjM37crl-5q5VlRv6Yt79NzgXLEP1sJvnMxe6vgBKb7f2evoNtHhYUBxm6q4jpNeqTJqJOypzs4t/s960/sausage%20and%20egg.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="960" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZ1DnP9aJkKe0wRd9dpWvHegaTGgaJRcJzu9j3ynMs2IJZ8B3uZRg7ojCVuOQJkpBwoMLqmCUFbfGXYZGG6gE0Hxu20EvfzLdbIBRezrEq_oPiTEDXjM37crl-5q5VlRv6Yt79NzgXLEP1sJvnMxe6vgBKb7f2evoNtHhYUBxm6q4jpNeqTJqJOypzs4t/w200-h164/sausage%20and%20egg.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Yes I know chicken is meat, but it sort of makes sense to have its own category.</div><div style="text-align: left;">I think it is a well planned book, and would be brilliant for a young person just starting out cooking for themselves [recipes require minimal equipment] or busy working people who want</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKrtS0YJaZ4RVc-e4Z4Frw3R1SKvChYfu9J37F8DAbKrohEFyDtfhk2PjttNEgf0f2yHJFpZFwcWJdQdb3vnLeTnocrAnEoYR7caQf-9x7p5VRffx3d_OkmaawrEbRzozXTOvH0g2-L-Hsmu2ygI66Qs3v3FNF4qxsHzKjjOuF4KBeBA7vjuF1WPUyzSSn/s960/toad%20in%20hole.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="960" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKrtS0YJaZ4RVc-e4Z4Frw3R1SKvChYfu9J37F8DAbKrohEFyDtfhk2PjttNEgf0f2yHJFpZFwcWJdQdb3vnLeTnocrAnEoYR7caQf-9x7p5VRffx3d_OkmaawrEbRzozXTOvH0g2-L-Hsmu2ygI66Qs3v3FNF4qxsHzKjjOuF4KBeBA7vjuF1WPUyzSSn/w200-h191/toad%20in%20hole.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div> a decent meal in the evening but don't want to rely on ready meals or takeaways - and older people living alone who enjoy cooking and maybe want some fresh ideas. The meals work well together - if a recipe needs half a pepper, you can find another to use up the second half later in the week.</div><div style="text-align: left;">And here's the good bit - you can easily multiply <i><b>up </b></i>for a number of guests. Most recipe books are for 4 people or more, and the solitary diner has to divide ingredients<b><i> down</i></b> [one quarter of an egg, anybody?] But these recipes serve one, and increasing the ingredients list is easy. </div><div style="text-align: left;">I've yet to try any of the recipes, but I have certainly enjoyed reading through the book. <span><b style="color: #38761d;">**** </b>The recipes are inexpensive, but do not look cheap - and they do look very tasty!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">[Maybe after I've cooked from it, I'll up my rating to 5*]</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><span style="color: red;">UPDATE </span>recipes pictured from top to bottom</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Roast chicken balloting with potatoes [cover pic] </div><div style="text-align: left;">Cabbage and bacon conchiglioni</div><div style="text-align: left;">Thai crab cakes and bisque</div><div style="text-align: left;">Huevos con con chorizo</div><div style="text-align: left;">Toad in the hole</div><p></p>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341483723976821096.post-11714450697567824202024-03-05T06:03:00.014+00:002024-03-05T06:03:00.119+00:00For Those In Peril<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix6ua3Jgf8__2WTQiDPsvNyQBlWvcC-ahc18UqJdjSb_nXAE-T8TtOCaBJzb-rDhjx_gPxJu2S0OUs_B9JLefQSnMfq_m-ApwBGxqmJ6oNsbh0eDoxvANuAxO6V-XT9FvGMrBew554jcwpu6aJlHCH_doB9duu0qLTn-sswPRsRCYxZS3qfDZY66t56qUO/s778/logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="750" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix6ua3Jgf8__2WTQiDPsvNyQBlWvcC-ahc18UqJdjSb_nXAE-T8TtOCaBJzb-rDhjx_gPxJu2S0OUs_B9JLefQSnMfq_m-ApwBGxqmJ6oNsbh0eDoxvANuAxO6V-XT9FvGMrBew554jcwpu6aJlHCH_doB9duu0qLTn-sswPRsRCYxZS3qfDZY66t56qUO/w193-h200/logo.png" width="193" /></a></p><div style="text-align: left;"> This should have been published yesterday - because on 4th March, 1824, two centuries ago, the RNLI was founded, in The City Of London Tavern in Bishopsgate, by Sir William Hillary. He was a wealthy military man, who lived at Douglas on the Isle of Man. He had seen many ships wrecked in the treacherous waters round Britain, and had a passion to do something about it.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Hillary petitioned the Admiralty, and got nowhere - so instead gathered various notable people [including the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the abolitionist William Wilberforce] to a meeting down the pub and explained his campaign.</div><div style="text-align: left;">They founded the <b style="font-style: italic;">National Institution for the Preservation of Lives from Shipwreck. </b>The Prime Minister [the Earl of Liverpool] agreed to be president, and King George IV gave royal patronage. Thirty years later, 1854, the name was changed to <i style="font-weight: bold;">The Royal National Lifeboat Institution. </i>The full history is <a href="https://rnli.org/about-us/our-history/timeline">here</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWOAwwLx4nmqjAcaeoKdkpaSikWoWam1HWwkSV8d_rud0U4-LmyDDcqSetJU0cvr8kuRZCmhvh1M9jSsrMzi3-w7An46mouPkKLfRNBvofFZ2vPF3_nJMq-05lV3zVovL_87WnwSEbvVG-ex6T9xsBIKsB0-S8bxKMg4L5O0-E42tda2uvkTTMk48sLTz7" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="305" data-original-width="600" height="102" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWOAwwLx4nmqjAcaeoKdkpaSikWoWam1HWwkSV8d_rud0U4-LmyDDcqSetJU0cvr8kuRZCmhvh1M9jSsrMzi3-w7An46mouPkKLfRNBvofFZ2vPF3_nJMq-05lV3zVovL_87WnwSEbvVG-ex6T9xsBIKsB0-S8bxKMg4L5O0-E42tda2uvkTTMk48sLTz7=w200-h102" width="200" /></a></div>In 1884, the familiar logo was designed by Laura Preston, after her brother was rescued by the Ramsgate volunteers. To date, in excess of 146,000 lives have been saved by the RNLI. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On average that's more than two souls EVERY DAY</div><div style="text-align: left;">This charity is independent of government, and 96% of its funding comes from donations. I am grateful for their independence - it means nobody can stop them rescuing all people in distress - even if they are desperate refugees in tiny boats.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQ_N0BOTlPhv04OUl7JAOn2MUA7-qWyDoXSQND1YaADTs7iGCKGAsQKGm8No_addju5FGMkvmVhJX2QSRhz5OI1RjAnAfdSolYwt9iUXn9iDKKRsrZOT1TE6I1fM8dJEwdJEXHUMVHZPDK84QSieJP3c8pjEF53OdvcpPNxOdHwerUPg0I9t8oKVGib8h/s714/mary%20somerville%201888-1905.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="714" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQ_N0BOTlPhv04OUl7JAOn2MUA7-qWyDoXSQND1YaADTs7iGCKGAsQKGm8No_addju5FGMkvmVhJX2QSRhz5OI1RjAnAfdSolYwt9iUXn9iDKKRsrZOT1TE6I1fM8dJEwdJEXHUMVHZPDK84QSieJP3c8pjEF53OdvcpPNxOdHwerUPg0I9t8oKVGib8h/s320/mary%20somerville%201888-1905.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the Mary Somerville - the Walmer Lifeboat, 130 years ago . Walmer is a small town on the East Kent coast, joined to Deal and close to Dover. Walmer Castle is the residence of the LOrd Warden of the Cinque Ports and the town has a fine maritime history. The Deal and Walmer Lifeboat Station was established very early on, in 1830. Over the centuries, there have been many ships which have foundered on the treacherous Goodwin Sands, just offshore - and these brave crews have saved many lives there.<br />I mention this one because it has a family connection. Bob's Paternal Grandmother a Mercer, and the men of her family were long associated with the boats.</div><div style="text-align: left;">"Old" Joe Mercer was a regular crew member, and "Young" Joe, and "Young" Dick served as 1st and 2nd coxswains. I wish I knew more about them - i'm proud to have married into such a family.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Norfolk has a number of lifeboat stations, and famous crewmen - like <a href="https://rnli.org/magazine/magazine-featured-list/2020/june/henry-blogg-lifesaving-legend">Henry Blogg of Cromer</a> - the most decorated lifeboatman in history.</div><div style="text-align: left;">When we lived in Dorset, we were very close to the current RNLI HQ and training centre in Poole.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Do check out the <a href="https://rnli.org/">RNLI website</a> - but more importantly, support them - do send them a donation, or leave some money in your will, or buy something from their shop. If you are on holiday, by the sea, take the grandchildren to see the lifeboat station.</div><div style="text-align: left;">These men and women have been doing a wonderful job for 200 years, and I thank God for them. </div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Their motto - to save l</i></b><b><i>ives at sea</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Their vision - to save everyone</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>Their values- to be trustworthy, courageous, selfless and dependable</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341483723976821096.post-74030488937784805862024-03-04T06:45:00.128+00:002024-03-04T06:45:00.138+00:00Grandma, We Need A Pickle Hat! <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg32UzUok0yHLa21DdzCdyqzGnTcPNuWZUyMq-KDIxHl0GWKqtVQl8wmvwIdO-A3C8jj3g8CIyVcMUH6VIJMx91xxngy18tmLsOn8X-NdzXv_DdiaLHwRRjGKKDvKxJA0iC_7tHKg1yvuYvz51TtkFxnn-ENc_GAfLyM5voOwftaGW1Pa9XiShAjhVWnisD/s425/1709149638806961461524.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg32UzUok0yHLa21DdzCdyqzGnTcPNuWZUyMq-KDIxHl0GWKqtVQl8wmvwIdO-A3C8jj3g8CIyVcMUH6VIJMx91xxngy18tmLsOn8X-NdzXv_DdiaLHwRRjGKKDvKxJA0iC_7tHKg1yvuYvz51TtkFxnn-ENc_GAfLyM5voOwftaGW1Pa9XiShAjhVWnisD/s320/1709149638806961461524.jpg" width="192" /></a></div>Not the German <i style="font-weight: bold;">pickelhaube </i>[pointed hat] but rather a hat that is green, and, er, pickle-ish. George and Jacob's Nursery is celebrating World Book Day on Thursday. Jacob's age group are going to be using The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Steph was thinking about his costume for the day and decided on The Pickle. Jacob has a green top and leggings - all he needs is a Pickle Hat. <div><br /><div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivhN8dv0onnPg_D3-OdvhPcm5G0lKAGAUsSp7-i394brewqKstK00IX6GP48QnspUNLbJDYRLRcWHEkQQNQXzJTQ_eBzXGNwQnLzMwBrnYNpG1tL9Nkg2JBsy5XJLNxC5Z65wHDKs7FHad6XDqV658_nl5vCc_o4MJS84xtncMA_5qYWCAIGNkCgVIpa2Q" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivhN8dv0onnPg_D3-OdvhPcm5G0lKAGAUsSp7-i394brewqKstK00IX6GP48QnspUNLbJDYRLRcWHEkQQNQXzJTQ_eBzXGNwQnLzMwBrnYNpG1tL9Nkg2JBsy5XJLNxC5Z65wHDKs7FHad6XDqV658_nl5vCc_o4MJS84xtncMA_5qYWCAIGNkCgVIpa2Q=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><p></p></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzZnYyp446fAnB5x5_Rop1cZMx85OByXw69Fqm3NZ6MTA0WSm57S69va3tonyH-uqBpOCVkPnhabsTwQGGo4nxtQ9igGW1GnsTSaTziWHMWQBlRnYi5Ud0qSS7L8WRiiq4zqf1Q5rFYbWruVTKksR4KcWBrmnzc3faLckJmgdVcBmPLPj652T9zeOpp-L5/s2097/IMG_20240228_164312846~4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2097" data-original-width="1171" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzZnYyp446fAnB5x5_Rop1cZMx85OByXw69Fqm3NZ6MTA0WSm57S69va3tonyH-uqBpOCVkPnhabsTwQGGo4nxtQ9igGW1GnsTSaTziWHMWQBlRnYi5Ud0qSS7L8WRiiq4zqf1Q5rFYbWruVTKksR4KcWBrmnzc3faLckJmgdVcBmPLPj652T9zeOpp-L5/s320/IMG_20240228_164312846~4.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>I found some 4ply green wool in my stash and looked for a pattern. All the ones I liked needed DK, and also were worked on double pointed needles. So I ended up modifying a couple of patterns and came up with this. <div>You need to knit with two strands of wool on 5mm needles. </div><div>Cast on 72stitches.</div><div>Knit 3cm in double rib [k2p2]</div><div>Work in stocking stitch till work measures 8cm from beginning.</div><div>Now work the decreasing as follows:</div><div>Row 1 - [k2tog, k16] repeat this to end of row [68sts]</div><div>Row 2 - Purl</div><div>Row 3 - [k2tog, k15] repeat this to end of row [64sts] </div><div>Row 4 - Purl</div><div>Repeat this pattern till 4 stitches left. </div><div>Now make an I-cord as follows:</div><div>*Slip the four stitches onto the other needle. </div><div>Right side facing, pull the yarn tight, and knit 4 stitches.*</div><div>Repeat this * * twenty times. Cut the yarn, thread through the 4 stitches. Pull tight. </div><div>Leave a long length of yarn [18"]. Use this to fasten the top tightly and then stitch down the back seam. Fasten off. Make a knot with the I-cord. </div><div>This should fit the average pickle toddler. </div><div>I hope Steph sends a picture of Jacob in his outfit! </div><div>I think this pattern would be good in red for a Christmas elf. You could omit the cord and add a bell or bobble. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341483723976821096.post-3850167683550613922024-03-03T06:09:00.096+00:002024-03-03T06:09:00.143+00:00A Pause In Lent<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinKoqe9kuXXYvMbfdANruh2VQLneHHsUrG-2Zh_oXf-CkGFzAxroEQAAu57KVvUqZYarQg8WN5wAtn-SIzc2mos1XiUwmBwHCuq4oWZMCXfLHiar25khGWhgolYlMDa9ytBtq2F4GzJ_QQ-BNSQuZCUOn2S45JpviiSXh-P7Niwd0ZQAv1QYr3FXrM_s7w/s570/1709308270893154307551.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="570" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinKoqe9kuXXYvMbfdANruh2VQLneHHsUrG-2Zh_oXf-CkGFzAxroEQAAu57KVvUqZYarQg8WN5wAtn-SIzc2mos1XiUwmBwHCuq4oWZMCXfLHiar25khGWhgolYlMDa9ytBtq2F4GzJ_QQ-BNSQuZCUOn2S45JpviiSXh-P7Niwd0ZQAv1QYr3FXrM_s7w/w400-h333/1709308270893154307551.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><div style="text-align: left;">This picture keeps coming into my mind. It was a favourite of my father, whose centenary was on Tuesday. It is The Angelus, by French artist Jean Millet. The two farm workers have ceased their labours at the end of the day, and hearing the bell tolling from the distant church tower, they bow their heads in prayer.</div><div style="text-align: left;">If this year's period of Lent is teaching me anything, it is the importance of taking time out to pause, and to humbly reconnect, just as this couple are doing. </div><div style="text-align: left;">I remember Dad telling me that this picture reminded him of three important aspects of the Christian life -</div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li> <i style="font-weight: bold;">work </i>- whoever we are, as Christians, there is something God wants to do for him. Running a holiday club, making a donation to a food bank, listening to a friend, or spending time in prayer... </li><li><i style="font-weight: bold;">worship </i>- acknowledging God's love and grace - we can worship with others, or alone</li><li><i style="font-weight: bold;">women </i>- recognising that Jesus treated all as equal, and respected women [he respected the faith of women, spoke to them and taught them - and after the resurrection, it was a woman he appeared to first] Christian women have a role working in the Church beside men, not behind them. </li></ul>Not everyone will agree with these thoughts, I know. But this weekend, in the midst of travel, and childcare, I am making space to listen for God's voice. <br /><br /><br /></div><p></p><p><br /></p>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341483723976821096.post-33879371460816891962024-03-02T06:23:00.000+00:002024-03-02T06:23:00.136+00:00What? When? Where? Hoo!<div style="text-align: left;">An outing with Rosie, Thursday 15th February, a National Trust property in Suffolk. We went to Sutton Hoo. A long trip, but well worth it. As it was not half-term in East Anglia, Rosie was one of only a handful of children there, and the staff made quite a fuss of her. </div><div style="text-align: left;">We arrived at midday, and had lunch. I had a splendid hot sausage roll, Ro's children's meal included a freshly made, beautiful cheese sandwich - and Bob had a sausage and pearl barley casserole. A packed lunch in the picnic area would have been cheaper - but it was not a warm day, and it was lovely to treat Rosie to a proper lunch, as she had been so good all week. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/suffolk/sutton-hoo/history-of-sutton-hoo"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/suffolk/sutton-hoo/history-of-sutton-hoo"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0IEDDGchUxgWZ4Ya_FVNfzWRWajVivZLb5ZWJ6gUpnneVDcW370KPfPz_uJgnc0rXb4-VC2S3BnvVJLKyDiidfoE_VQAhsIo11C2OVAco1lrSsey4DOUdpzULzFKJJnQECqPEq_qNiC41-ibToYVMhvXzGtGPivhB69bNPKFSQWAOaXb4JFXSSOz90UBS/s1887/IMG_20240215_135300597_HDR~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1887" data-original-width="1887" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0IEDDGchUxgWZ4Ya_FVNfzWRWajVivZLb5ZWJ6gUpnneVDcW370KPfPz_uJgnc0rXb4-VC2S3BnvVJLKyDiidfoE_VQAhsIo11C2OVAco1lrSsey4DOUdpzULzFKJJnQECqPEq_qNiC41-ibToYVMhvXzGtGPivhB69bNPKFSQWAOaXb4JFXSSOz90UBS/w200-h200/IMG_20240215_135300597_HDR~2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Sutton Hoo is an Anglo Saxon burial ground. In the 1930s, the owner, a formidable widow named Edith Pretty, asked Suffolk Museums to investigate the grassy mounds in one of her fields. Basil Brown, a self taught, amateur archaeologist, was sent to excavate. His discovery of a wooden ship, on which was buried an Anglo Saxon king was - still is- incredibly significant.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1DjcDmQT9byea6mQuvlV7TD9cHKU6yKSJOmktSPAy9djzanLQyuLG5iKDhj284PtqWLeEDKNM3GRJfeL0MLFV_ODEIxLSzyRl8zSlm_pbywEouyJSDst9CUQeZQNxJcgXGJORPx3d0dFm8znauKeVq442t1JUQ_k0xJVvwnAgdOX5IRJdE3Tamuj8lh1u/s2734/IMG_20240215_130900843~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2734" data-original-width="2050" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1DjcDmQT9byea6mQuvlV7TD9cHKU6yKSJOmktSPAy9djzanLQyuLG5iKDhj284PtqWLeEDKNM3GRJfeL0MLFV_ODEIxLSzyRl8zSlm_pbywEouyJSDst9CUQeZQNxJcgXGJORPx3d0dFm8znauKeVq442t1JUQ_k0xJVvwnAgdOX5IRJdE3Tamuj8lh1u/w150-h200/IMG_20240215_130900843~2.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>We looked at replicas of the treasure, and stood by the half size model of the boat -we read Basil's notes, and visited Edith's house. We saw a model of the king's fabulous helmet. There were good, brief videos, costumes for dressing up, craft activities and much more. I could do a whole post on the textiles!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf3I-ZI3IOKT0LzxzFI27GSRjsyV9WugEiBNxGRvdd73tMvHK_TKuzRe78rDQ979_-ZRuoZqO70YZ5mf42ABbs23Ac_etG5vNVNpxTZZG2hJKVMzLrdkzX7wMVNjMMDWI-U28pEVb97iuzGoni54E-KDIaqMoSpTBw_n6V_mVUqJ_YrYUDLKCYBjoqVeO8/s4000/IMG_20240215_144635159_HDR~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1326" data-original-width="4000" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf3I-ZI3IOKT0LzxzFI27GSRjsyV9WugEiBNxGRvdd73tMvHK_TKuzRe78rDQ979_-ZRuoZqO70YZ5mf42ABbs23Ac_etG5vNVNpxTZZG2hJKVMzLrdkzX7wMVNjMMDWI-U28pEVb97iuzGoni54E-KDIaqMoSpTBw_n6V_mVUqJ_YrYUDLKCYBjoqVeO8/w400-h133/IMG_20240215_144635159_HDR~2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2UoJoeYglJvxoYvN3LHJduvVIn2v6vr5doMXodN43oqaD3WmGkOYM8gQT57LSLiIH_47qhFxpEU9uYiHTPD4O5VvX2a4EhvL6G1YCzeTY1plqaMcwAtLv1QnxK3rU2gFq3oNKIf1__MmJszA2iv8ydE0Z0EzXlDevdzNtcU0z98LOtD3yalIUabkn1ZIg/s4000/IMG_20240215_141901759_HDR~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2UoJoeYglJvxoYvN3LHJduvVIn2v6vr5doMXodN43oqaD3WmGkOYM8gQT57LSLiIH_47qhFxpEU9uYiHTPD4O5VvX2a4EhvL6G1YCzeTY1plqaMcwAtLv1QnxK3rU2gFq3oNKIf1__MmJszA2iv8ydE0Z0EzXlDevdzNtcU0z98LOtD3yalIUabkn1ZIg/w150-h200/IMG_20240215_141901759_HDR~2.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>And we went outside and climbed the viewing tower, to look down on the field [now just grassy mounds again - their contents removed to the British Museum]</div><div style="text-align: left;">The recent film ”The Dig” starring Ralph Fiennes and Carey Mulligan tells the story well. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3XZpYaLN78oGEDBLoneTXRi0SVPDk3sFWSgFm1RHzwxGrfusvkdOsS0UQ2hw6xlhG59i68rnphgdjioEa8mO6KkO7ovzkjjSyHKUCKNQ53-1aIWu6Cd2R7STO8InfAzrEzF5CtYsuR51VRzoOYUdSFPaGzAh0TE_OupBo1fpNmMBCI2G9WLRK7ixQ639m/s3000/IMG_20240215_125829555~3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2999" data-original-width="3000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3XZpYaLN78oGEDBLoneTXRi0SVPDk3sFWSgFm1RHzwxGrfusvkdOsS0UQ2hw6xlhG59i68rnphgdjioEa8mO6KkO7ovzkjjSyHKUCKNQ53-1aIWu6Cd2R7STO8InfAzrEzF5CtYsuR51VRzoOYUdSFPaGzAh0TE_OupBo1fpNmMBCI2G9WLRK7ixQ639m/w200-h200/IMG_20240215_125829555~3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I asked one of the NT guides about it. She says it was filmed elsewhere , she was ok with that, it would have been too complex to film there. But she did feel they'd missed the chance to emphasise how much this was a <i style="font-weight: bold;">women's </i>story. Edith's determination to preserve these treasures for the nation. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifSiWLZzCXK1XtLbVioYgeKF2JuREjBlTUON32E7eFXWqLHRbPLIoZ37k9Gyk49NcPrRmvK_kqVRT6LemRfinLpUd6e_CZY0M07OFNKdeOnizBeYlETktFoqF-qhCOSJQkMpRglr4NyGCwo6_dhSxqBDva8BLYnkXM-mh6MHfRwuTRcjm8z9_5MdS4LESl/s2933/IMG_20240215_134726340~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2933" data-original-width="1955" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifSiWLZzCXK1XtLbVioYgeKF2JuREjBlTUON32E7eFXWqLHRbPLIoZ37k9Gyk49NcPrRmvK_kqVRT6LemRfinLpUd6e_CZY0M07OFNKdeOnizBeYlETktFoqF-qhCOSJQkMpRglr4NyGCwo6_dhSxqBDva8BLYnkXM-mh6MHfRwuTRcjm8z9_5MdS4LESl/w133-h200/IMG_20240215_134726340~2.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>Dorothy Brown's encouragement of her husband who was constantly looked down on by others for his lack of formal education [despite his brilliance] Barbara Wagstaff and Mercie Lack, two schoolteachers on holiday, both amateur photographers, whose pictures provided an amazing record of Brown's work.</div><div style="text-align: left;">It was a great day out, I came away wanting to find out more about the treasure, and the lives of the Anglo-Saxons who rowed up the river to bury their king. This NT venue definitely gets ***** </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JZQz0rkNajo" width="320" youtube-src-id="JZQz0rkNajo"></iframe></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341483723976821096.post-62854268733910982082024-03-01T06:04:00.003+00:002024-03-01T06:04:00.133+00:00Praying For Peace<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaFvPX6H7J8BR6b3f5suf6tXrkKNS_iNrl6Fo__2pdgJoe_8Vpu6aVZEXgKDfh9sncmfP7YlTYOAGYxgxfc193yXIjsGBdv-tfJw9POpM8oU5CqSVfItEWW6u3itBWhtKq8onL4my_DEIEqAognqV1nk2yWvgr7bKuUppQj2xHRg0AzsPn2ApAteJSeaYf/s512/17091469721151863595742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="369" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaFvPX6H7J8BR6b3f5suf6tXrkKNS_iNrl6Fo__2pdgJoe_8Vpu6aVZEXgKDfh9sncmfP7YlTYOAGYxgxfc193yXIjsGBdv-tfJw9POpM8oU5CqSVfItEWW6u3itBWhtKq8onL4my_DEIEqAognqV1nk2yWvgr7bKuUppQj2xHRg0AzsPn2ApAteJSeaYf/w289-h400/17091469721151863595742.jpg" width="289" /></a></div><div>The Christian women of Palestine were asked to prepare this service about five years ago. At that time, nobody had any idea about what would be happening today. But God knew. Find more about the day of prayer <a href="https://www.wwdp.org.uk/">here</a> - and join in the prayers for peace. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeeWo4Wb0JCqWG5ifPVTbylzKJItCVYfpUmovqyQQerBR1CoETPy0NpanH9gUJWaWXLcVstgoK9fYMUZmYFqTsbVgLGac70QTQFcoE1Twq9A2a8G8RguTwbB9aLO_wEL5KGE2imOh8EAL3IEEAlBRxENJe4VaV0FEZ7v_GNAvz57TL7xybMmso5Vllx8kr/s1498/1709147079088669365565.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1498" data-original-width="843" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeeWo4Wb0JCqWG5ifPVTbylzKJItCVYfpUmovqyQQerBR1CoETPy0NpanH9gUJWaWXLcVstgoK9fYMUZmYFqTsbVgLGac70QTQFcoE1Twq9A2a8G8RguTwbB9aLO_wEL5KGE2imOh8EAL3IEEAlBRxENJe4VaV0FEZ7v_GNAvz57TL7xybMmso5Vllx8kr/w360-h640/1709147079088669365565.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><br />Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341483723976821096.post-19046270595167834372024-02-29T06:08:00.008+00:002024-02-29T06:08:00.125+00:00Leap For Joy<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipqrL4zv40nWB_9qm1YKtTbIVbvXIQKLoPTDj38W1ql4EyxX_PXLVaiWBFTpkbrCVZb_a0O7a9JdKZK66r2Z5hKR3oGlhdRQ6P-HAAtan6pFLs0Yuf5FAocrWAtZhGgZ9fXbxfpC0LL9zYHRrW0epNaVHeF1EMfaPoh4JpoeEHZL-ekcaKhPJ39iEPhUs0/s600/17091219442061833823296.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="600" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipqrL4zv40nWB_9qm1YKtTbIVbvXIQKLoPTDj38W1ql4EyxX_PXLVaiWBFTpkbrCVZb_a0O7a9JdKZK66r2Z5hKR3oGlhdRQ6P-HAAtan6pFLs0Yuf5FAocrWAtZhGgZ9fXbxfpC0LL9zYHRrW0epNaVHeF1EMfaPoh4JpoeEHZL-ekcaKhPJ39iEPhUs0/w400-h283/17091219442061833823296.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">There many verses in the Bible which speak about people "leaping for joy". I'm not sure if any mention punching the air though. Spoiler alert - the phrase "Jumping Jehosaphat" does not appear in Scripture. Its first appearance was in an 1865 novel called The Headless Horseman [it was written as <b><i>Jumpin' Geehosofat]</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Today is a Leap Day - technically called an <i style="font-weight: bold;">intercalation - </i>the day added into the calendar to make the calendar year match up to the solar year. It takes 365¼ days for the earth to travel round the sun. So every fourth year there's an extra day. Why the word "Leap"? Because normally from one year to the next, significant dates [Christmas Day, your birthday] happen on subsequent weekdays. But in a Leap Year things "leap" a day. Last year my birthday was on a Monday, this year it's Wednesday [nb, for Rosie, Gaz, and other Jan/Feb babies, this leap won't happen till 2025]</div><div style="text-align: left;">The odds of being born a <i style="font-weight: bold;">leapling </i>are 1 in 1461. I've met a few of these. Including one lady who was celebrating her "21st birthday" but was 84 years old! </div><div style="text-align: left;">Julius Caesar is credited with using the astronomical calculations of the Egyptians to add in this extra day. And St Patrick is alleged to have decreed that this is the one day of the year when women can propose marriage to men. </div><div style="text-align: left;">I shall be celebrating this "extra day" by travelling across the country to Manchester - Steph has booked a surprise birthday trip for Gaz up to the Lake District so we're on Grandparent Duty with the boys. [it's OK, Gaz now knows about it - she told him yesterday] </div><div style="text-align: left;">Thank you everyone for your kind birthday comments yesterday. This evening I hope to be full of joy [possibly not actually leaping] when we're with the family again. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b><i>Do you have special plans for leaping about today? </i></b></span></div><p></p>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341483723976821096.post-77749823198817547922024-02-28T06:46:00.020+00:002024-02-28T07:39:54.512+00:00Many Happy Returns<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: helvetica;">February seems full of birthdays. Monday 26th marks the centenary of my Dad's birth [he died in 1998] On Saturday, Rosie was 8. Today is our SIL Gary's birthday. Gaz will be 5 times Rosie's age, and 20 times Jess' age!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I'm hoping we can see the Manchester family again before too long. Happy Birthday Gaz</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYRoW6e2Qocxn_mCWj3YEh8o94ZDiWzJPy-TAwzNKaA8mue_58ub2ivnP48omOJtMnDL2P0URZnxH8pFuYR4FAKdMj5QGiQiiT24vqbMO9tAMicQyUFJXqihVECYbxR-OAB0fX1x3v065BSE8DvLTpQRA7g-YTCZP6cA_WK_RQ-ms1R5-_nWIulTkquaJV/s900/FB_IMG_1709063746279.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYRoW6e2Qocxn_mCWj3YEh8o94ZDiWzJPy-TAwzNKaA8mue_58ub2ivnP48omOJtMnDL2P0URZnxH8pFuYR4FAKdMj5QGiQiiT24vqbMO9tAMicQyUFJXqihVECYbxR-OAB0fX1x3v065BSE8DvLTpQRA7g-YTCZP6cA_WK_RQ-ms1R5-_nWIulTkquaJV/w320-h400/FB_IMG_1709063746279.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341483723976821096.post-50821775438705814992024-02-27T06:07:00.001+00:002024-02-27T06:07:00.127+00:00And The Walls Came A Tumblin' Down!<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">When Cornerstones was built, there was a particular building regulation rules [I'm sure it has a proper name] that said all the front gardens had to be 'open plan' with no high walls or fences, to give the impression of spaciousness.I believe that even now, you are not supposed to have a front fence more than 1 metre high. Not that many of my neighbours seem bothered by this - after 50 years we have high fences, ginormous hedges, and sturdy walls in the close and neighbouring streets.<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXOgkUbG9cxDMxn6g9Kopbeua1GUTIDF3W-LmBi7kZdIAn_EvTx_DWfgua2Yfj_bOoOY2vqzyKtm8pig4wHwdybeGXs1sUrJuqs-cqxQ6t8gh0qBf5dmeyfQMIhWT97TlCn5_SdRksAlgPH0U95ocuDhJUZHqHC8cz52U0XRtMNcL-mLI7DLUkG23T9zD/s320/front%20garden%20adrian%202009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="208" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXOgkUbG9cxDMxn6g9Kopbeua1GUTIDF3W-LmBi7kZdIAn_EvTx_DWfgua2Yfj_bOoOY2vqzyKtm8pig4wHwdybeGXs1sUrJuqs-cqxQ6t8gh0qBf5dmeyfQMIhWT97TlCn5_SdRksAlgPH0U95ocuDhJUZHqHC8cz52U0XRtMNcL-mLI7DLUkG23T9zD/w130-h200/front%20garden%20adrian%202009.jpg" width="130" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Our front garden remains totally open - fortunately the dog who used to visit us regularly and leave a small deposit no longer seems to be walking this way! Our side garden has a one metre wooden fence. When we moved in, we had small walls dividing us from our neighbours' front gardens. Here's Adrian strimming in April 2009, the week we first got the keys. You can see the little wall behind him.<br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWXOBXlBfRJKZM1JVA7EcBHm2Dcct4sLONT766C_u7sZQEPD_HQ3U061VuicwE1guZu8Cd9_I2iErzKtT7If3w4FkfF7PO5chOyoA2-PVXytB-vMIogxk03JP2qshq3aeMsoYKKd1LVtPPfOBatgy-Pd5OKxpkNRlLtLFHoVwXcw9hntVPV7On18QEDt1/s1024/raking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWXOBXlBfRJKZM1JVA7EcBHm2Dcct4sLONT766C_u7sZQEPD_HQ3U061VuicwE1guZu8Cd9_I2iErzKtT7If3w4FkfF7PO5chOyoA2-PVXytB-vMIogxk03JP2qshq3aeMsoYKKd1LVtPPfOBatgy-Pd5OKxpkNRlLtLFHoVwXcw9hntVPV7On18QEDt1/w200-h126/raking.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Here's Bob in 2012 at the wall on the other side [round the corner], preparing to put grids in the gravel to enable him to wheel his motorbike on to it. The drive is half the size now, because of the Lathe Palace and Carriage House.<p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But the bin men knocked down that end pillar some year ago, and just before Christmas took the next few bricks out.</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We realised the wall was in a very weak state. Furthermore, it requires careful parking to put a car down the side - the driver door has to be opened carefully, and it is incredibly hard to get a child in and fasten their carseat whilst avoiding banging the wall with the open car door. So we decided to get rid of the wall completely. Next door is up for sale - we thought it wise to do it before any new neighbours arrive. Bob hired a skip, it arrived at 10am yesterday morning. [and there was me thinking post holiday club I could rest!]</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj16QxeSwDX97oGTyzNUmf4-765ZzbuBEXaV6tUeiYPtmMt1NYxvaiqrw3orR6qlrTegAYfGH8G8NYgulT1mhYWQpDWbTSz4fr6lgqiieeC_2Qi6E9Q_6z5mtBgj7VSDFpM-U9g73ZnupgLGfKRC_rcdS1pCjUCykDcFGBTXKX9JiMwDaxy0W92tnKYZniJ/s1238/smashing%20collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="929" data-original-width="1238" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj16QxeSwDX97oGTyzNUmf4-765ZzbuBEXaV6tUeiYPtmMt1NYxvaiqrw3orR6qlrTegAYfGH8G8NYgulT1mhYWQpDWbTSz4fr6lgqiieeC_2Qi6E9Q_6z5mtBgj7VSDFpM-U9g73ZnupgLGfKRC_rcdS1pCjUCykDcFGBTXKX9JiMwDaxy0W92tnKYZniJ/w400-h300/smashing%20collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Boots, goggles and gloves at the ready I realised the wall was even weaker than I had realised. The wall was quickly demolished. Bob saved the capping stones which will go back later. We also removed rubbish from the back garden- the damaged screening from the old oil tank, and some broken fence panels.</div><div style="text-align: left;">By 1pm our skip was neatly packed, and we went inside for homemade soup. I think it looks much neater now the crumbling wall has gone, and obviously more accessible. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIXcY14juJ5L3OkuUfxbmnEB7ALmHIMpj7G2MIVdV5URiCxgP6rDG6X3t2Tx-SCkrpbrc6YAY9Yv4RyVrsirA_BMI20CLVuY8xg3RTiOhFpwWSXEhQwlLK1xj6-R9Kn96yOyjpKlPDnJn8ofAHVKE4gkHqtxYXWAW_WQATsnPRgFtqK3I01oc8UVionU0m/s929/finished.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="929" data-original-width="929" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIXcY14juJ5L3OkuUfxbmnEB7ALmHIMpj7G2MIVdV5URiCxgP6rDG6X3t2Tx-SCkrpbrc6YAY9Yv4RyVrsirA_BMI20CLVuY8xg3RTiOhFpwWSXEhQwlLK1xj6-R9Kn96yOyjpKlPDnJn8ofAHVKE4gkHqtxYXWAW_WQATsnPRgFtqK3I01oc8UVionU0m/w400-h400/finished.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div>The other front wall was modified by a previous neighbour with two large crazy dogs. She added a fence on her side, well over 1m tall, all round her garden. Subsequent tenants have never removed it.<div>A satisfactory morning's work. <i style="font-weight: bold;">Now </i> I can rest!<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><br /><br /></span></p></div></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341483723976821096.post-46342060497841506632024-02-26T06:11:00.006+00:002024-02-26T06:11:00.123+00:00Joseph and His God Made The Pyramids Rock!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnFZrQawVCmpcazy_QV6L2ssdldpUqT6Rx5oZmIVKTV0-92vSOq1aM45tjnUrfaoHc2Mi3JgV65em0LzFgaHblyk88Vn6NOlXFqSJc_RK9Iw9qhZ5BPbzfUpc88qgGzxKMYR7dJR2NL0-8kmiy9zyVSpIiZGEf38gcZREjko_yRCb_Sy5-7K8hxFohxxz6/s1790/rock%20logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1790" data-original-width="1790" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnFZrQawVCmpcazy_QV6L2ssdldpUqT6Rx5oZmIVKTV0-92vSOq1aM45tjnUrfaoHc2Mi3JgV65em0LzFgaHblyk88Vn6NOlXFqSJc_RK9Iw9qhZ5BPbzfUpc88qgGzxKMYR7dJR2NL0-8kmiy9zyVSpIiZGEf38gcZREjko_yRCb_Sy5-7K8hxFohxxz6/w200-h200/rock%20logo.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Holiday Club is over! I never got many photographs during the sessions, I was so busy. But the children made wonderful models of Joseph in his coat of many colours, and produced some lovely 'mask' bunting, and hieroglyph door hangers</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixp5HgdU74QaE5Sh7IIVPAEKuznlhjjBf73xLnXFr-USe6E9tz71Kd8viky7nAvT7kl_MS2W-p-V07-xzArcgmT2aQj_iuc5iSjR5tBgfKfjjW-2AhK3feff7qY4AZjTWzTQs1KEW1x4SElUzXjt4owrWO_EZ3gITVqF-E5XFKiOKTR1-D5QEg9o7HQjtI/s929/craft%20collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="929" data-original-width="929" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixp5HgdU74QaE5Sh7IIVPAEKuznlhjjBf73xLnXFr-USe6E9tz71Kd8viky7nAvT7kl_MS2W-p-V07-xzArcgmT2aQj_iuc5iSjR5tBgfKfjjW-2AhK3feff7qY4AZjTWzTQs1KEW1x4SElUzXjt4owrWO_EZ3gITVqF-E5XFKiOKTR1-D5QEg9o7HQjtI/w400-h400/craft%20collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I prepared a bookmark for every child- including their name in hieroglyphs...and then we had a last minute booking on Thursday evening. At 11pm I suddenly realised this child needed a bookmark. So fired up my computer and sat there in my dressing gown sorting it out. She had a long name - would she want it shortened? I decided I might as well do both, just in case. And as there were three to a sheet, I was left with a blank one. Which was good as someone turned up on Friday morning <i style="font-weight: bold;">without</i> booking first!<br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The team were brilliant. We are only a small chapel, but there were twenty of us working on the three mornings, and Friday evening. Children and parents were so appreciative - with over 50 attending the Family&Friends night</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Nick, our minister, presented Bob and me with a "Lifetime Achievement Award for running Children's Holiday Clubs" which was lovely. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Someone else can run the club in future...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TLb3eMwm6jg" width="320" youtube-src-id="TLb3eMwm6jg"></iframe></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: helvetica;">We’re gonna swim up the Nile, we’re gonna open the scroll,<br />
We’re gonna have some fun as we get to know about Joseph,<br />
The Hebrew boy called Joseph<br />
We’re gonna ride on a camel, gonna dance in the sand,<br />
We’re gonna see what God was doing in the land of Egypt,<br />
The mighty, mighty land of Egypt.<br />
Cos Joseph and his God made the pyramids rock<br />
Cos Joseph and his God made the pyramids rock<br />
Sing and dance at the pyramid rock, jump and jive at the pyramid rock<br />
Celebrate at the pyramid rock<br />
Cos Joseph and his God made the pyramids rock!</span></i></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Such a catchy theme tune [video borrowed from another church, thank you]</span></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"> </p><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><o:p></o:p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341483723976821096.post-32662226313679903882024-02-25T06:15:00.056+00:002024-02-25T06:15:00.144+00:00Peace Day<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZu9asTTHO_4QCwXxbCX_nrAaNYiWsfsNfpvNXQ576Q51U6tk2XsTs1ETJLPo2duCUxUXVqz6WXbXfyCt6Rr8c-uQo9y-bM2BvgZIBGsw8QbzjFlZpa_MjzQlroSL2durthiY_8ReWti8bB2cV8v9h4ua7kquyamKH76CoSS92cSxKkoEJvZ3Qrj_dXjre/s2048/1708807674658717393919.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZu9asTTHO_4QCwXxbCX_nrAaNYiWsfsNfpvNXQ576Q51U6tk2XsTs1ETJLPo2duCUxUXVqz6WXbXfyCt6Rr8c-uQo9y-bM2BvgZIBGsw8QbzjFlZpa_MjzQlroSL2durthiY_8ReWti8bB2cV8v9h4ua7kquyamKH76CoSS92cSxKkoEJvZ3Qrj_dXjre/s320/1708807674658717393919.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Yesterday morning Bob and I visited the Ukrainian Aid Centre in Dereham. It is just two years since the start of the war. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf53WNcJQwcx_o0wdQ3beW6OGDjz8OaR5fVeC6NXMgy5tyzt3HDY42ykVhbT4KZtE-U_eV7E3kkJVcaYS-VYWnHIFl-r3hpfO5NPqj4uoyF5toejxShBMthvSy39hzEN-UoGTrE5RgCL7oMPRwlsOO7h0miNbjG_TS5e6daybhoZZiCl4Tg2vZN17dTe-E/s720/1708808504031791641134.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="509" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf53WNcJQwcx_o0wdQ3beW6OGDjz8OaR5fVeC6NXMgy5tyzt3HDY42ykVhbT4KZtE-U_eV7E3kkJVcaYS-VYWnHIFl-r3hpfO5NPqj4uoyF5toejxShBMthvSy39hzEN-UoGTrE5RgCL7oMPRwlsOO7h0miNbjG_TS5e6daybhoZZiCl4Tg2vZN17dTe-E/w283-h400/1708808504031791641134.jpg" width="283" /></a></div>The town was marking this with Dereham Peace Day. There were a lot of people in the Centre. After tea and cake, at 11am we stood round as a lady spoke. She was acting as a translator. She invited various members of the Ukrainian community to speak, and told us what they had said. <br /><div><br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6yMuHFwE4l2gn7L7NjWe9HOSlnry4H-85oOOXY5Ajg6LpZ75IhIq4xVeqorzTenH26X4SWeMNeVlot_UYgEMy1az5AVEn-N5fCSdsFuM6v6ihyphenhyphenDvTfzsws7K2wmv2kEyjT0a1k9mYZhv-MuhVWUBZZXF-wmdXH4D5Y3AyUxW4VgCJTOeA3WZ5LfoYj3Ge/s2406/IMG_20240224_112602324~2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1913" data-original-width="2406" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6yMuHFwE4l2gn7L7NjWe9HOSlnry4H-85oOOXY5Ajg6LpZ75IhIq4xVeqorzTenH26X4SWeMNeVlot_UYgEMy1az5AVEn-N5fCSdsFuM6v6ihyphenhyphenDvTfzsws7K2wmv2kEyjT0a1k9mYZhv-MuhVWUBZZXF-wmdXH4D5Y3AyUxW4VgCJTOeA3WZ5LfoYj3Ge/s320/IMG_20240224_112602324~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>It was very moving. They read poems and prayers speaking of their wartorn homeland, the friends they had list, </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06-JmXQhSmehMb5703IWGJt71avBKi5l3YIaKNlpRSbc31NQpAX-se9tLirfWrMT8x09q9SkwO7UGc7AePO5pp7beyFnOuFs0mEZeAhhVnQ2I8neVZLXay_peN5JYG9RvYUsg2-64HOX8-WiVb58cnHu4DByXgM27_K61zzBMP7C7LW6Mrw7tDSHx3Spg/s2218/IMG_20240224_204146628~2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2218" data-original-width="2218" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06-JmXQhSmehMb5703IWGJt71avBKi5l3YIaKNlpRSbc31NQpAX-se9tLirfWrMT8x09q9SkwO7UGc7AePO5pp7beyFnOuFs0mEZeAhhVnQ2I8neVZLXay_peN5JYG9RvYUsg2-64HOX8-WiVb58cnHu4DByXgM27_K61zzBMP7C7LW6Mrw7tDSHx3Spg/s320/IMG_20240224_204146628~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>and those they'd left behind. Many wept as they spoke, and others listening embraced each other with tears. I bought one of the special key rings. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I cannot imagine what they are going through. But I join them in praying for an end to the fighting. I'm glad that these women have found live and support in this corner of Norfolk. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p></p></div></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341483723976821096.post-73960509803499363522024-02-24T05:56:00.003+00:002024-02-24T05:56:00.237+00:00Celebrate, Someone Is Eight!<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Happy birthday Rosie - we have had such great times recently with you and Jess. You've loved learning electronics with Grandad Bob, and visiting exciting places, and being a good helper, animal lover and a caring, sharing Big Sister. I hope your Party goes really well - we will see you again before too long. I hope you like the card, I actually managed to find some Cheetah Paper to make the letters. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1m7r5J6MQs-HvbEWKLnPdhF3U8R3Oo7LUl1osBXstmXdFPTtDBVYChNsMg2OoDT2czgd-QDpaC1lrqBXAeEBalwOD1w8cVZxcKGS4urjpW4LlyqaYQPfHA8Bv1En1nzySuM8oRt0JPThlw8xeN2Jo0g4ZBqqlrVrznEUWYMfCzKA3fXEVNie6-_qoK296/s5120/birthday%20collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5120" data-original-width="3841" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1m7r5J6MQs-HvbEWKLnPdhF3U8R3Oo7LUl1osBXstmXdFPTtDBVYChNsMg2OoDT2czgd-QDpaC1lrqBXAeEBalwOD1w8cVZxcKGS4urjpW4LlyqaYQPfHA8Bv1En1nzySuM8oRt0JPThlw8xeN2Jo0g4ZBqqlrVrznEUWYMfCzKA3fXEVNie6-_qoK296/w300-h400/birthday%20collage.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341483723976821096.post-574880034590416762024-02-23T20:30:00.035+00:002024-02-23T20:30:00.129+00:00Off The Menu...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC0tLClVaxknGebI70jwYMQKl6V9XEEuBx3OO4iKm8YErv8L6JPpDUYvD2AHT_waNqUrVoilBYqhwfIEh1GxB8LjCes5hJN823OAfohhcp8mJOMu1nMIJtgIsC4Fy6esnyyFeXIhysW6iJWK17YojJcI_sQhTDonG7TkWFlCOBnuR-8FbIhZ6cQOhmy5vt/s5120/Collages3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5120" data-original-width="5120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC0tLClVaxknGebI70jwYMQKl6V9XEEuBx3OO4iKm8YErv8L6JPpDUYvD2AHT_waNqUrVoilBYqhwfIEh1GxB8LjCes5hJN823OAfohhcp8mJOMu1nMIJtgIsC4Fy6esnyyFeXIhysW6iJWK17YojJcI_sQhTDonG7TkWFlCOBnuR-8FbIhZ6cQOhmy5vt/w320-h320/Collages3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;">I believe the foods <i style="font-weight: bold;">not </i>eaten by ancient Egyptians to be these [but I am happy to be corrected]</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>spaghetti, chocolate, fish fingers, crisps, coffee</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>burgers, tea, pizza, swiss roll, tomatoes</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">And yes, they <i><b>did </b></i>eat hippos - in fact, some historians believe that King Tutankhamen was actually crushed to death by a hippopotamus! [It is not clear if this was alive at the time, or just rolled off the dining table on top of him]</div><div style="text-align: left;">Kings need to watch their diet - King Henry I of England reputedly died of eating a surfeit of lampreys in 1135, and King Adolf Fredric of Sweden died in 1771 after eating a champagne banquet followed by <i style="font-weight: bold;">fourteen</i> semlor buns.</div><p></p>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494078135251214182noreply@blogger.com14