Happy Birthday, Steph!

 

Twenty Six Today! Congratulations!

Steph definitely inherits grace and elegance from her father’s side of the family. Not from her mother, as the photo below shows!

Please note, if you try on one of these silly cake-hats, do not press the red button, or it will start playing “Happy Birthday” – and if you press again to try and stop it, the thing just seems to go into repeat mode. And on no account should you pay £2.99 for one [the candles droop alarmingly anyway!] Just do what I did –put it back on the pile and walk away briskly.

We went into Norwich this morning to see “Wall Street – Money Never Sleeps” at the cinema

 

General conclusions – plot rather thin. A few good actors, some clever graphics occasionally – but not the best film I have watched of late. Its main theme seemed to be “The Love Of Money Is The Root Of All Kinds Of Evil” [and I knew that anyway!]

In one scene,Douglas and LeBeouf walk through Central Park. I was sure the woman behind them was Sigourney Weaver! Cannot find out if this is true, despite extensive googling.

Planning to spend a quiet evening sewing and reading!

Hartley 2, Radio 4

Occasionally on my way home from school, I listen to Material World on Radio 4, just for the pleasure of sharing the enthusiasm of the presenter Quentin Cooper.

Imagine a small excited puppy, who bounces up to you, and drops a wet red rubber ball at your feet. His eyes are bright, he is panting and you know he is trying to say “This game is such fun, throw the ball, please come and play!” so you throw the ball and he fetches it back, and his tail wags. And this goes on and on…his energy is endless, his passion for the game is tireless. You stop – and he is still there, hoping you’ll play some more.

Thus it is with QC “Come on, this science is such fun, do join in, you will love it!” And he can apply this boundless excitement to almost any branch of science you care to mention at 3.30pm most Thursday afternoons! And he keeps bringing back the scientific ball to your feet, again and again, and every week he goes right up till the end of the programme and runs out of time to tell you all the things that excite him!

Last week, he was raving about the fact that the comet Hartley 2 was approaching,and it might be possible to see it with the naked eye over Britain. Trouble was, his guest appeared to be a scientist from the Eeyore School Of Astronomy.

Quentin; So where in the sky should we be looking for the comet?

Eeyore; Well, you won’t see it anywhere there’s any light pollution! You have to be somewhere away from civilisa…

Quentin; [interrupting] Yes but how might our listeners manage to see the comet? Briefly please

Eeyore; Well, you will need a clear night, if there is any cloud of course, you won’t man…

Quentin; [interrupting desperately] Which direction should we be looking? We’re running out of time here – so quickly…

Eeyore; Well,…

Quentin;[resignedly] listeners, you will find all the information you need on the Material world website. Next week, hear how the spending review will affect science. Goodbye!

Liz works as a volunteer at Battersea Dogs home each weekend and I guess her concern for neglected puppies has affected me. Poor QC – so eager to share the fun of comets with us against all odds. I was hooked! I pulled on to the drive and went upstairs, and printed off the star chart and directions! I left the sheets on top of the bag of “Stuff for Cornerstones” – and Bob [my own personal science geek] intelligently left a compass alongside them. He knows I am never sure which way is north!

So last night at around midnight,I got up to go to the loo. Bob stirred. “You awake?” I said [daft woman – of course he was once I had spoken to him!] “I am going to the loo then I am going to look for a comet” Except it was raining and cloudy outside.

Went back to bed!

2.45am Bob got up [silently] and went to the bathroom. He returned and then woke me up and said “The rain has stopped, and it is clear as anything outside” [dear reader –note his sensitivity here – he didn’t wake me till he had checked the atmospheric conditions!]

We went out into the back garden with compass and directions [then went back inside to check the directions properly under the electric light] Back out again and staring up at the western sky…

We found Orion and The Plough and the bright Hunter’s Moon, and Capella all beaming brightly – and there it was [picture from National Geographic]

Wow! maybe when I retire to this wonderful dim little village [next to no light pollution here, and wide Norfolk skies] I shall take up astronomy and stand in the garden on lots of nights, watching the stars!

I returned to the warmth of the duvet [with a mug of drinking chocolate] and tried to remember that wonderful anonymous 17th century poem, one of those used as ‘Poems on The Underground’

I saw a Peacock with a fiery tail
I saw a blazing comet drop down hail
I saw a Cloud with Ivy circled round
I saw a sturdy Oak creep on the ground
I saw a Pismire swallow up a whale
I saw a raging Sea brim full of Ale
I saw a Venice Glass sixteen foot deep
I saw a Well full of men’s tears that weep
I saw their eyes all in a flame of fire
I saw a House as big as the Moon and higher
I saw the sun even in the midst of night
I saw the Man that saw this wonderous sight.

[you need to read this twice – the second time, start “with a fiery tail I saw a blazing comet” and see how the sense changes]

I am so glad I am on holiday this week. It does mean I don’t have to get up before 10am after such nocturnal stargazing!

Don’t Panic!

We spent the morning in Thetford - aka Walmington-on-Sea to Dad’s Army fans [details here]The first ever scenes were shot in a room in The Anchor Pub –now in a sad state of disrepair

We parked in the nearby car park, alongside the river [Little Ouse] which was teeming with waterfowl

The other side of the river was Butten Island, a small park. The autumn colours were fantastic

We ambled through the small town centre and I took a picture of Thomas Paine – author of The Rights Of Man, who came from Thetford. We could not understand why he is holding his book upside-down though!

The Dad’s Army Museum is only open on Saturdays, and we didn’t think the town was exploiting all its historical and TV links quite as well as it might have done.

A plaque in the market square was informative

One Thousand Years ago – the Sixth Largest Town in England

Swein Forkbeard and Canute dropped in! But actually I was more amused by the name over the butchers

Permission to volunteer, sir!

This series was good fun and many of its catchphrases have gone into the language [“Don’t tell ‘em Pike!”]

But that Fussy little Bank Manager was the one who held it all together, and finally this summer, a commemorative statue was unveiled

Captain Mainwaring, we salute you!

Here is the Pastor on holiday

[And I’m sure you are too polite to think of that other Dad’s Army Catchphrase “Stupid Boy"!”]

Shake Your Bootee!

Here we are at Cornerstones, resting. Seriously resting. But I did pack a bag of sewing bits, and this book

I particularly wanted to make some of these cute little baby bootees.

 

So whilst Bob was watching the Gadget Show, I went and cut out some pieces, then sat and sewed. Four pairs thus far!

The author, Claire Youngs suggests having the cuff ‘up’ or ‘down’

I think I like ‘ down’ best. She gives lots of helpful suggestions for personalising, and ideas for some Scandinavian-style motifs to embroider. I had lots of fun as you can see…

It is a bright sunny morning and Bob is cooking breakfast –and after that we are going out for some fresh air and Norfolk sunshine! I shall not be wearing an outfit like this!

Just Look At That Lightning!

Do you have any idea how powerful God is?
   Have you ever heard of a teacher like him?
Has anyone ever had to tell him what to do,
   or correct him, saying, 'You did that all wrong!'?
Remember, then, to praise his workmanship,
   which is so often celebrated in song.
Everybody sees it; nobody is too far away to see it.

Take a long, hard look.

See how great he is—infinite, greater than anything you could ever imagine or figure out!
He pulls water up out of the sea,
   distils it, and fills up his rain-cloud cisterns.
Then the skies open up
   and pour out soaking showers on everyone.
Does anyone have the slightest idea how this happens?
   How he arranges the clouds, how he speaks in thunder?
Just look at that lightning, his sky-filling light-show
   illumining the dark depths of the sea!
These are the symbols of his sovereignty,
   his generosity, his loving care.

Job 36, from ‘the Message’

Passion For Patterns

 

 

The death has just been announced of Benoit Mandelbrot, the mathematician [details here]

Like one of my other great maths heroes, Fibonacci, this man studied the relationship between mathematics and nature, and coined the word ‘fractals’

His seminal work, The Fractal Geometry of Nature, was published in 1982. In it, he argued that seemingly random mathematical shapes in fact followed a pattern if broken down into a single repeating shape.

Cauliflowers

Seashells

Snowflakes

Ferns

The shoreline

Such amazing beauty – and there is a pattern in it. Some may talk about ‘intelligent design’ – for me it is evidence of a great Creator!

We may be able to programme computers to design such things…

…but never forget this wasn’t our idea in the first place!

listen to these verses from the book of Job

"Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?
       Tell me, if you understand.

…Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
       Who stretched a measuring line across it?

…On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone-while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?

…Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain, and a path for the thunderstorm,

…From whose womb comes the ice? Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens when the waters become hard as stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen?

…Can you bind the beautiful Pleiades? Can you loose the cords of Orion?

…Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons?

…Tell me, if you understand.”

John 14:6

This morning I will be looking at “I am the Way, the Truth and The Life” with the children. As it is Half Term, lots of them are away so we’ve decided to put all groups in together as we expect numbers to be depleted. The programme books suggests making door-hangers – but the SU website wouldn’t let me download the template.
So I have created my own, using the prayer from Scripture Union. I will photocopy and cut them out, then fold in half and stick together. After the children have coloured and decorated them I will laminate the doorhangers to make them a little more durable.
Here’s a coloured one – contact me if you want the b&w template to use this idea with your children !

I am the Way, the Truth and the Life

That’s what Jesus said
Without the Way there is no going
Without the Truth there is no knowing
Without the Life there is no living
I am the Way, the Truth and the Life
That’s what Jesus said

PLEASE DO NOT PUT COMMENTS - IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE TEMPLATE, JUST EMAIL ME. DETAILS IN MY SIDE BAR. THANK YOU

And on the third day…

This is Phoenix 2 being lowered into the mine in Chile. Mario Gonzales Paves is in the capsule.

Read the full story on Bob’s blog here

FAQ

A random selection of answers to recent questions

1 – no, Lucy, I did not attempt the climbing tower at the Village Fun Day. I did it once a couple of years ago and that was enough, thank you!

2- no, Mags, I do not write questions for Brain Of Britain – although I do enjoy listening to the programme

3 – yes, Catriona, I do enjoy a feminist rant now and then

4 – Mrs Bent – my bread and butter pudding is a fairly hit and miss affair, depending on what is left over – but basically, it is this…

For 2 [4] persons - I just slice and butter the leftover bread [baguette/brioche/panetone/burger buns/whatever] and lay in a dish [first slices butter sides down, remainder butter sides up] For two of us I use a one pint capacity dish, for four, a larger one. Layer up until dish is full, interspersing with 1 [2] tbsp of sugar and 1[2] tbsp sultanas or other dried fruit.

Beat one egg in a Pyrex jug, and top up to the ½ pint [1 pint] mark. Beat with a fork. Pour the liquid over the bread and push the bread down into it with the fork. If possible leave for 30 mins [if not, don’t worry] Bake for 45 minutes at 170ºC

This works with almost all leftover bread except pumpernickel and garlic bread!

5 – Mrs Bent & Lynn – Pressure Cookers and Slow Cookers

• The PC is good for providing immediate quick meals if you come in and haven’t anything ready
• The SC is fine if you are well organised and can set it up the night before – all you have to do is make a quick side of boiled rice/couscous/bread and you have a lovely meal
• The PC will cook all your veg separately
• The SC is a One-Pot Wonder
• The PC pan is large – and useful for things like marmalade making
• The SC makes great stock – you can leave it simmering away and not worry about letting it boil dry
• The PC does need to have its gasket checked regularly or it will perish, with dire results [ooops!]
• The PC is fabulous for making a quick creamy rice pudding in 15 minutes [wonderful for Sunday lunch after church!]
• The SC can be used for making cakes, I am told – but I have never tried
• The PC is good for steaming puddings without steaming up the kitchen – brilliant for individual Xmas puds which you can reheat later
• The SC is almost foolproof – my only major disaster was thinking I could put the oats and milk in the night before and come down to wonderful porridge on a cold winter morning. The oats completely broke down - I ended up with mucilaginous goop which was only fit for hanging wallpaper!**

6 – Carole, the reference to the jewellers was on January 21st – you can always try using the search box at the bottom of the page to find things.

7 – yes, BeeJay, it is

8 – no, Chris and Jane, it is not clever knitting, it is clever yarn

9 – Peg, it is a potato baked in its skin

10 – yes, Mags, of course you said thankyou!

**I just wanted an excuse to type ‘mucilaginous goop’!

I really appreciate everyone’s comments. As I obviously have more than one reader, I felt unable to use this clip art

Like Ms Truss, I am a real geranium about apostrophes!

Thanks everyone, for all your kind comments – I really appreciate the fact that people take the time to add feedback to posts – I hope you continue to enjoy the blog. Blessings, Ang x

A Collation Of Celebrity Chefs

This evening Bob and I actually sat down and relaxed together – and caught up with various cookery programmes [we rarely watch anything in ‘real’ time these days – and tend to ‘speedwatch’ recorded stuff, hurtling through the advert breaks and credits]

We watched Jamie…

…and Hugh…

…and Nigella…

…but I have to say that interesting as they all were, I caught up with my Favourite Celebrity Chef this morning on the Chris Evans Breakfast Show.

He interviewed the wonderful Marguerite Patten [CBE]…

She is 85 next month – and will be going to the Palace shortly to collect her honour from the Queen.

Chris asked her about the changes she has seen in home cooking over the past 70 years since she first trained as a Home Economist. She mentioned the revolution brought about by fridges and freezers – but then said that that she felt that it was time we rediscovered the Pressure Cooker.

“Did you know, Chris, you can produce a wonderful stew in just 25 minutes?” she asked him [and also politely asked after his family – what a lovely lady she is!]

I was especially pleased she mentioned PCs [now that is an abbreviation which has many interpretations!] as I have just acquired a new one.

“Aha!” I hear people saying – “why get a new one when your old one is fine? you said so only a few days ago on the blog” Well – I happened to win a CSN Voucher giveaway on “French Village Life” – one of my favourite blogs. And Bob suggested we got a PC for Cornerstones. After all, by the time I come to retire, my original one will be nearly 50 years old – and it is rather a large piece of equipment to carry back and forth to Norfolk.

So I chose another Prestige 6 litre model – but this one is not a “Hi-Dome” type – this is their “Smart Plus” model.

I actually met MP a few years ago when Liz and Steph arranged tickets for us to attend her cookery lecture in the Cabinet War Rooms. She stood and spoke for a whole hour, without notes- in a sparkling, entertaining way – and she was 80 then. What a wonderful woman – hope I have her vitality when I am her age.

Had a conversation with some pupils about age at lunchtime today

“That’s a lovely necklace Miss”

“Bob gave it to me when we had been married 25 years”

“Are you still married to him”

“Yes- over 31 years now”

“Wow! How old are you Miss?”

“Not saying!”

“I think if you have been married about thirty years, you’re probably forty something”

“Are you 47 Miss?”

“No, she’s about 42", aren’t you Miss?”

“That’s kind of you, but I am a bit older than 42!”

[I didn’t point out that I would have married Bob at age 11 for that to be true. Maths isn’t their strong point, obviously]

And On The BACK Of Their Tee-Shirts…

"Porque en su mano estan los profundidades de la tierra, Y las alturas de los montes son suyas."

"In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his also." [Ps 95:4]

de El es la Honor y la Gloria 

[of Him is the honour and glory]

Gratitude to God For Answered Prayer!

I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.

He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.

Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust

[Psalm 40]

Mario Gomez, at 63 the oldest of the miners, fell to his knees in prayer as he emerged from the mine. It was the second time in his life he had been trapped underground. He said he never lost faith the group would be rescued. On the front of his shirt it says "Gracias Senor!" - "Thank You Lord!"

Little Miss Sleepyhead

The last few weeks seem to have been full of unrelenting busy-ness. I always know when I am overdoing it because I get a migraine [which meant I was unable to do anything on Saturday afternoon and I am still trying to catch up with myself]

[thanks Frugal Queen for the great cartoon!]

I cannot wait till Sunday night and the start of our holiday – but there are loads of home/school/church tasks to be completed before then.

So do not be surprised if I don’t blog much this week!