Centenary Celebrations

I spent Saturday morning with fabric and patterns and sewing machines. I had such fun [yeah, I know I had said I would do the housework on Saturday morning, Bob...but...]

Our Village School [that's the one in this village, where I live, not the one in the next village, where I teach!] is celebrating its Centenary.

Children have been asked to attend in Edwardian Costume next week. My two little friends across the road were worried because they hadn't got their costumes sorted out.

So I made two sailor dresses, and trimmed a couple of straw boaters from my 'Hats Box' which I have said they may borrow for the week.

The fabric is from The Great Stash and the ribbon part of the hoard I was given during Lent. It is exactly the right colour for trimming the fabric!

I am not sure why, but Ellie tells me that they must have a handkerchief with them on Thursday. So I found some lace and made them personalised Centenary ones on the embroidery machine.

Their Mum was thrilled with the dresses, and couldn't believe it when I said I hadn't actually had to buy anything - in fact all the stuff I used had been given to me at some time or other.

I am quite pleased that this all worked out so well and so quickly - I pinned and cut out last night before I went to a meeting, and sewed up this morning. The girls came over for a fitting at 11am, and I delivered the completed outfits at 2.30pm!!

I should have loved to post a picture, but they are not my children, so I shan't. But imagine Phil and Bobbie in the Railway Children [published 1905 - just before our school opened]

 

[I have put this clip in cos it shows the two girls in their Sailor Dresses. If I had used the one with Bobbie at the station - "Daddy, my Daddy!" we shall all be reduced to tears]

The Centenary Celebrations will last all this week at school then there are other events later in the term.

Above is the old part of school, and below, the new block

It is a really good school, and we are fortunate to have such  committed staff, supportive parents and [mostly!] enthusiastic pupils.

Too Busy To Blog!!

I haven't blogged since Wednesday night. I have hardly had a moment to read all the other blogs I enjoy. But I have been happily occupied doing other things. I have taught for four days in school [which is much more than I usually do] but they have been amazingly satisfying and I have come home exhausted but on a real high each afternoon.

And I have had lots of other fun things happening, which I will blog about later.

I will just share with you a picture of my roses - a totally unexpected gift which arrived this week.

Yellow roses apparently mean 'friendship' in the language of flowers - and these came from someone who I consider a true friend - there when I need a hug, or a prayer, or a good laugh.

Aren't they beautiful?

What Not To Say

I am considering writing a guide for 'Churches Who Use Lay Preachers' as I feel there are some things they should and should not do...

• please do not expect your preacher for next Sunday to have already chosen the hymns on the Monday afternoon before - they are probably still getting over the previous Sabbath!
• please do not wait till after the service, when a dozen of you are standing round chatting with cups of weak tea, to ask loudly "What is your fee?" - because there is no polite answer ["What do you usually give?" sounds grasping "I do it for the joy of serving the Lord" sounds over-spiritual, and anyway a 30mile round trip requires petrol "At XYZ I hear they pay £50 a service" may be true, but sounds rather greedy...] Please sort it out beforehand, and have it ready in an envelope. But actually in 2010, £5 is not really reasonable.
• please put a glass of fresh water in the pulpit [floating dead spiders are worse than live ones]
• please do not ask the preacher [especially on their first visit] to change the acetates on the OHP 'because it is near the pulpit and our regular person is away'
• please do not leave the preacher standing outside in the rain, because the keyholder only turns up 10 minutes before the service and there is no on-site car park.
• please inform the preacher in advance of anything important which impacts on the service [we are all sad today because someone special has just died/we only ever use the KJV and regard newer versions as heresy/the whistling is Ethel's hearing aid, just ignore it/Sidney always falls asleep and snores, it isn't your fault]
• please do not announce in the notices before the service that "X is here today and we are going to invite her to say a few words now, before our visiting preacher Y leads our service" - and then let X speak for 35 minutes

Yes - all these things have actually happened to me over the course of 40+ years of lay preaching [do not try and identify which churches are responsible though] I have to say that the great majority of places where I have taken services have been warm, welcoming and thoughtful [and it is a little bit like Supply Teaching - if it is really bad, I don't have to go back]

I am reminded of the time I went to speak at a Ladies Meeting in 1990. The Secretary met me at the door, and said "Will it be all right if we have a special prayer time just before you speak? We are really concerned about our dear sister Margaret" "Of course" I said "But you will lead that part of the meeting, won't you?" [what else could I say? after all, I didn't know who Dear Sister Margaret was, or why we were praying for her]

I confess that I was utterly gobsmacked once the entreaties and petitions started. These ladies were all interceding on behalf of Mrs Thatcher, begging the Lord to deal with the evil men who were trying to oust her from No 10!

This is an election year, and yes, we should vote responsibly - but I am sure it is not right to use the pulpit for party political purposes!

[btw the logo is from the CARE website]

Let Girls Be Girls!

I am too old to be part of Mumsnet - but I am certainly behind them on this latest campaign.

I was appalled three years ago, when Tesco sold 'Pole Dancing Kits' [unleash the sex kitten inside said the blurb] in its Toy Section.

And Asda were selling padded bras for seven year olds.

And Next have been forced to withdraw teeshirts for six year olds declaring 'so many boys, so little time'

And now Primark have had to withdraw padded bikinis for 7 year olds

The Mumsnet website says

It's hardly news that the worlds of entertainment and celebrity encourage girls to believe their sexual attractiveness is paramount. But, increasingly, this same trend is visible in products marketed at young children. A growing number of toys, clothes ('sexy' slogans on young girls' clothing) and accessories (Playboy-branded stationery sets, anyone?) encourage children to enter the world of adult sexuality.

Reasons to be worried by this trend

It introduces children to the world of adult sexuality, when elsewhere we are rightly encouraging them to resist the pressure to become sexually active at a young age

It tells girls that the most important quality they need is 'sexiness' and that female sexuality is all about pleasing others

It encourages a culture in which children are viewed as sexually available

I think Mumsnet are right to raise this issue, and offer retailers a positive course of action. I am still amazed that they can actually put these goods on sale in the first place without considering the implications. I know they spend a fortune on market research - surely somewhere along the line their buyers must have picked up on the fact that we find this objectionable?

But if you give them a hard time, bullying or taking advantage of their simple trust, you'll soon wish you hadn't. You'd be better off dropped in the middle of the lake with a millstone around your neck. Doom to the world for giving these God-believing children a hard time! Hard times are inevitable, but you don't have to make it worse—and it's doomsday to you if you do.

[Matt 18:6,7 from The Message]

Down The Decades

Last week I was reading someone's blog about How She Met Her Husband And Other Significant Life Events. Well, my birthday has come and gone, and it has left me Pondering on Stuff too. I have taken my number line, and counted back in 10s [teachers and primary school pupils may recognise that activity] to see where I was at various points in my life…

1960 – living in Hertfordshire, in a loving family. Just started school, already able to read and write. No little brother yet, so spent lots of time playing on my own. Favourite games involved lining up my dolls and playing “Lessons and Sermons” [Bob says that is just plain weird] Grandmother taught me to sew and to make dolls clothes.

In this decade I discovered -- The Home Service/Radio 4, learned to ride a bike, became a Christian, and got baptised. Got my first typewriter [a 2nd hand Remington Portable - which I still possess]

 

1970 – living in Norfolk. Working towards ‘O’ levels. Training as a Young Leader in Girls’ Brigade and doing all sorts of church activities [nothing else to do in our town apart from Young Farmers – and I didn’t like alcohol!!!] Main craft activity- dressmaking. Especially mini and maxi skirts for self and friends.

 

 

In this decade I discovered -- boyfriends, computers

- and got a husband

 

 

1980 – living in Hertfordshire. Working full-time as a teacher [degree, PGCE, GB Officership all under my belt] Newlywed to tall slim guy who had felt called to Ministry. Involved in Sunday School and Ladies Group. Saving every penny we could to pay for theological college. Sewing lots of ‘house’ stuff [curtains, duvet covers, car seat covers] Had a book published.

In this decade I discovered -- that ministry, marriage and motherhood are all great fun – and all very hard work!!

1990 – living in Kent. Bob pastoring small church. Just returned to part time supply work, as daughters both at school and money incredibly tight. Doing Ladies Meetings, Girls’ Brigade, Discipleship Group…and on the National Exec of the Fellowship for Baptist Ministers’ and Missionaries Wives. Sewing clothes for children, doing machine knitting, and cross stitch. In fact, Bob seemed to be out almost every evening at a meeting and I was in alone [with the children in bed, and craft stuff all over the table]

In this decade I discovered -- that I cannot do everything on my to-do list. So ironing and housework were frequently allocated ‘low priority’. And that children will grow up to be the people they want to be, not clones of their parents. And I discovered grey hairs [and L’Oreal] [nb the grey hairs are not necessarily connected with trials of parenthood]

2000 – living in Leicestershire. Liz doing A` levels, Steph doing GCSEs. Still doing supply teaching for a day or two each week. Involved in Church life locally, nationally, and now internationally, working in spare time [??] to prepare and co-ordinate the 2005 Baptist World Alliance Women’s Leadership Conference. Also Secretary of Connexion [please can I have that on my tombstone?  “Ang came up with a better name for BMMWF”] Still sewing – but now with an overlocker as well as a regular machine.

In this decade I discovered --air travel for the first time [don’t enjoy it!] pillion riding behind husband [love it!] and blogging.

Blogging is wonderful, and I am thrilled to have found so many new friends.

And I have two beautiful, bright, brilliant girls who call me Mum. And then WHAM! [We Have A Mortgage] Cornerstones...

2010 – still in our little Leicestershire village, Bob still pastoring the same lovely church. Girls grown up and working in London. Still teaching a day or two each week. Still involved in church life – especially enjoying more opportunities for preaching [and still involved in Connexion]. Still sewing [now I have an embroidery machine too!] - particularly costumes for school plays. And still in a state of mild disbelief that I now have a mortgage and somewhere to live in retirement. And Cornerstones is an utterly lovely property!

So what next? In 1965 I don’t think anyone could have predicted any of the above – I suppose ‘Lessons and Sermons’ has set the pattern for my life – I am still teaching and preaching. And still sewing. And still reading and writing lots - and still in a loving family.

Bob quoted Psalm 16 to me on Saturday evening, as we drove down a beautiful country lane in the evening sunset, from our little bungalow to my brother’s home a few miles away

“The Lines Have Fallen in Pleasant Places”

I couldn't agree more.

What I Did On My Holidays...

I may regret this - but you probably should check out Bob's latest blogpost here!

Best Foot Forward!

A great post from Anjanette and Scott Williamson yesterday [here] The socks we sent out after Christmas have all arrived. Just in time to benefit the flood victims of Yucay still living in tents, now they are entering their very cold season.

I am still amazed [but really shouldn't be] at a God who prompted us to collect and send these things before the floods happened.

I know who holds the future,
And I know He holds my hand,
With God things don't just happen,
Everything by Him is planned!

Hearts And Flowers

Last month, as I said, I went to the Hobbycraft exhibition at the NEC [here]  I bought some craft punches.  I stuck them in my bag last weekend in the hope that once we were relaxing at Cornerstones, I might have a chance to play with them. And I have!

Here are the four punches I got

A butterfly and a heart

A flower punch

And a Celtic cross-type design

As you will see, the latter [smaller] pair came with interchangeable plastic clip-on guides, to be used when either punching corners, or punching along an edge.

The edge design works beautifully. In a magazine I found a page of ‘parchment’ type paper [part of an advert for Ariel] and used that to punch a load of butterflies

Then combining them with the flower punch I made a card – folding and curling the wings and just sticking the ‘body’ so the card was more 3-dimensional.

Daphne across the road is 100 next week so that’s her card sorted. [Longevity appears to be a quality of the Cornerstones neighbourhood, which is an encouraging sign!] I used the heart to punch a simple gift tag for her plant.

I made Marion a similar birthday card.

Fiona had suggested that a row punched with the celtic design could be threaded with ribbon – and she is right

This was just experimenting – but I am sure I shall get some more good cards with this technique.

[btw the cards were a pack of 48 for £1.99 - 12 each blue, lilac, pink, lemon -with matching coloured envelopes - which I got in The Range.  Bargain!]

Very simple – but so effective.

Birthday Party

I share a birthday with my SIL Marion, so last night we went over there and my niece Lucy cooked a meal for us. Here is a pic of her splendid pie [containing chicken, potatoes, carrots and onions] which she served with a rich gravy, broccoli and beans. Thanks Lucy!

This morning we worshipped at the Village Parish Church. Last week we were at church by 7.30am – today the service didn’t start till 11.15, and we didn’t have to do anything except turn up! A real Sabbath, said Bob.

There is an army camp at the other end of the village [the Light Dragoons are stationed there] and one soldier and his family had brought their daughter for baptism. Ruby was eighteen months old, and very good and sprinting up and down the aisle - especially when the poor vicar was trying to involve her in the service. But mercifully the church was considerably warmer than when we were there just after Christmas. We noticed they had put warm water in the font though!

Two prayers used this morning…

Faithful and loving God, bless those who care for Ruby and grant them your gifts of love, wisdom and faith. Pour upon them your healing and reconciling love, and protect their home from all evil. Fill them with the light of your presence and establish them in the joy of your kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

God of grace and life, in your love you have given us a place among your people; keep us faithful to our baptism and prepare us for that glorious day when the whole creation will be made perfect in your Son, our Saviour, Christ Jesus, Amen.

Sadly the Church has been targeted by vandals recently – lead taken from the roof and gravestones have been smashed. Such a shame

Bonne Anniversaire/Bon Appetit!

Thus far having a wonderful birthday – thank you to all those friends who have sent kind wishes. Just two gifts thus far – some lovely toiletries from Chris, and a DVD from Bob

I saw this last year with 3 girl-friends [review here] and have spent an enjoyable morning watching it again, whilst busy sewing.

The DVD has some interesting ‘extras’

Steph phoned to wish me a happy day, and it was lovely to chat to her [of course she knew I was getting the DVD!]

Bob went off to Homebase for some DIY bits, and then came back and cooked a chicken and crayfish chowder for lunch. Oops! sorry! no pictures of that. But it was certainly as good as anything the Covent Garden Soup Company could sell you.

 

I even remembered we had a birthday candle in the cupboard, so lit that at lunchtime.

Now I am going to do some more sewing and watch some more TV. How decadent is that?

 

Tonight we are over to Adrian and Marion’s [she and I share a birthday] and my niece Lucy is cooking us a celebratory meal.

Bob is busy outside, fencing. No not this…

But this…

…repairing and replacing damaged panels

A Right Royal Day Out

At 9am we collected my best friend Chris, and drove to Sandringham

Not the house itself- the grounds, where there was a Craft Show taking place.

We had enormous fun! Loads to see and do, and Bob found lots of free samples in the food tent!

 

We thought the idea of a ‘Lace Marquee’ was intriguing [wouldn’t the rain go through the holes?] but the marquee [regular canvas type] was full of jolly ladies willing to explain this intricate craft.

We didn’t see any ferret racing!

The Knitting Display ought to have been like the Red Arrows –rows of women casting off in formation, but it wasn’t! Just a lady claiming to have invented extreme knitting on needles like tentpoles.

 

The artisanal breads and interesting cheeses were amazing

…and the cider guy…

all sorts of puppets

…and of course, The Archers!

We were impressed by Margaret Burke’s brilliant glass blowing demonstration

We spent all morning at the fair, had lunch and wandered about some more – then left around 2pm. Bob pointed out we were very close to the place where our friend Geoff is Rector.

In a small village, it is not hard to find a church looking like this!

However, we did not have Geoff’s address with us. So we asked the people at the Old Rectory where the New Rectory was. They were extremely kind and gave us precise directions. They looked sort of familiar.

We soon found Geoff.

Over a cup of tea and a plate of HobNobs, we had fun catching up with each other’s news. We explained how we had found him. That was when Geoff said - “but you do know who they are, don’t you?”

We had only been asking directions from Sir Robert Fellowes [the former Private Secretary to the Queen] and his wife, Lady Jane [nee Spencer] – that is, the uncle and aunt of Prince William, [she is Princess Di’s sister] No wonder I thought I had seen them before.

Once I had recovered from the shock of hobnobbing with the royals, we drove on to the seaside [Hunstanton]and pottered along the prom

The three of us came back to Cornerstones and Bob cooked yet another great meal.

What a lovely day!

And tomorrow is my birthday [so, C., if Bob is an Old Man, I must be a Very Old Woman]

Fun At Fakenham

Another bright sunny morning – washing done and pegged on the line. We set off to market, feeing very cheerful.

Time for a song…

This Old Man, he played one

He played knick-knack on my drum**

With a knick-knack

Paddy-whack

Give a dog a bone

This Old Man came rolling home!***

Questions for discussion

1. When Floss and co go to market they seem to find all sorts of interesting stuff at knock down prices. These stalls just have old tat or extreme weirdness. Where am I going wrong?
2. Am I being foolish in expecting the Norfolk Market Experience to be as exciting as Le Marche en France?
3. What is ‘paddywhack’ anyway?

I did get a few bargains – four plain Pyrex casserole dishes and a lovely yellow jug for just one pound!

Here is the jug,holding a few sprigs of rosemary [Bob is cooking tonight when Adrian, Marion and Lucy come over-  and our neighbour donated the herbs from his garden!]

My responsibility is the dessert course. So I am offering a choice. I am taking the easy way out with a couple of purchased puds, and then I have made Iles Flottante

I’m celebrating the fact that I have actually made caramel successfully this time [I usually burn it due to impatience at the stove]

Iles Flottante

• 3 eggs separated
• 4ozs of caster sugar
• 3/4 pint of milk
• 3 tbsp sugar

Whisk the egg whites until standing in stiff peaks. Add 3 tablespoons of caster sugar and continue whisking until the mixture is firm and glossy.

Place the milk in a large saucepan and heat it till bubbles begin to rise to the surface, do not allow it to boil. Place tablespoons of the mixture into the milk and poach gently for 5 mins, turning once. Carefully remove the cooked egg whites from the milk with a slotted spoon and drain well on absorbent kitchen roll. When all the egg white has been cooked strain the milk.

Place the egg yolks in the top of a double saucepan over gently simmering water. Add the milk and beat lightly. Add the remaining sugar and cook. Pour the custard into a serving bowl and arrange the poached egg whites on top - chill before serving.

To make the caramel place 3 tablespoons of caster sugar in a small heavy saucepan. Heat it gently until the sugar is melted and golden. Pour caramel over the egg whites

**couldn’t find any drums to photograph, here is a horn instead

***this does not imply the Pastor was plastered, it is just the lyric!