Winner #2 is

There were twelve comments, so I threw two dice and…

Comment Number Three was from Elizabethd at French Village Life. I have Mrs Nesbitt’s address now [winner #1] – so tomorrow I shall visit the Village Post Office and pop two parcels in the post. Congratulations to the pair of you!

Another Giveaway next Wednesday too!

A Pause in Lent #2

I need a pause today – I have had an even busier week than usual, four full days in school and a plethora of evening meetings. I love that word  plethora – not so keen on meetings though.

[Plethora comes from the Greek, and means fullness.]

Along the way, I managed to miss a few important things -two birthdays almost overlooked,

Thursday was St Patrick’s Day,

Friday was marked by many people as a blogger’s day Of Silence for Japan [see Floss’s post] 

My Lent Bible readings have got out of step and some evenings I’ve listened to 2 chunks in order to catch up

And I haven’t had much opportunity to catch up with friend’s blogs as I usually do, or answer comments.

So today I want to pause, and focus, and just think about Jesus.

In my post about knitting, last Saturday, I quoted the words of John the Baptist, “He must increase but I must decrease” and they have been buzzing in my head all week. Then Mags’ post on Thursday set me thinking about “St Patrick's Breastplate.”

I found the full text online [see here] and realised that there were in fact eight verses following the initial four-line introduction – I had only ever known the four listed in the old green Baptist Hymn Book.

One verse of the Breastplate seems in harmony with my reflections…

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

If I am to use Lent as a time to get my spiritual house in order, then I need to acknowledge it’s all about Jesus, and develop “The Practice of The Presence Of God” as Brother Lawrence called it.

Following Thursday night’s meeting at which I met one Bishop, on Friday night I was at a meeting with two bishops, so I got to chat with another one!

And I am not even Anglican.

Afterwards I was talking to a lady about the “Ladies’ Fellowship” at her church, and she was asking about our meetings. “And do you also speak at meetings?” she asked. “Errmm, yes..” I said hesitantly

“And do you have a specialist subject? Only last month we had Rev XX, who gave us a lovely talk about Robertson’s Jams”

“Well, actually, I do quite a lot of preaching on Sundays, and if I do Ladies Meetings it tends to be about a Bible Passage”

“Oh. I usually don’t announce the name, if the next month’s speaker is a minister, as a lot stay away if they think it might be religious”

[so I don’t think I’m going to get invited to speak at her place!]

I was telling Bob when I got home. He said I should have replied

“Oh yes, I have a specialist subject – I talk about JESUS”

Sign Here For Stationery

This week’s Lenten Giveaway is Stationery Sundries [that is stationERY not stationARY] Please remember to leave a comment on last Wednesday's post [here] before midnight.

Yarrgh!

I talked like a Pirate all day – and was quite exhausted at the end! The day went amazingly well, and the children’s talent show was superb, with a dazzling variety of skills [songs, dances, jokes, a magician…]

Here’s Lenny Henry, encouraging you to join in. He is a full size cardboard stand up figure- I have had him about twenty years, and fetch him out every RND. The kids love him – he is currently standing in the entrance at school

Here’s me, being a pirate…

Here’s Bob with a primate…

…that was Thursday night at our Churches Together Lent Event. Technically, I think the Bishop Of Leicester isn’t senior enough to count as a primate. Do you think he goes here on his day off?

I’d rather be a pirate than a primate [that Episcopalian shade of pink doesn't really suit me]

Red Nose Day 2011

written by the wonderful Out Of The Ark crowd

Don’t know what you are doing today. I shall be dressed up as a Pirate and compering the School Talent Show with a colleague!  Apparently the letter that went home to parents said “Comperes for this event include …Cheryl Cole [aka Mrs Almond]” so yesterday children kept saying “Hi Cheryl!” as I walked down the corridors. [I am old enough to be her mother!]

Expect more pictures later. If you are doing anything for RND have lots of fun! It is all in a good cause.

Dum Di Dum Di Dum Di Dum…

I am not sure I can cope with all this mucking around with the media. On TV, we keep seeing Digit-Al telling us to prepare for the switchover. And then they announced that BBC Radio 7 is changing its name to Radio 4 Extra.

Bob teases me enough about my ‘addiction’ to radio 4, and I have usually countered this with ‘but I listen to BBC7 just as much’. Now 7 becoming 4extra just adds weight to his comments!

And they have announced that 4extra will be launching an Archers Spin-Off on April 5th. I am not convinced about this – who are they expecting to tune in? Is it an attempt to catch a younger audience by reporting on Alice’s doings at Uni? or older folk who are desperate to discover Freda Fry’s cooking secrets? I read the report in the Guardian and was greatly amused by the caption under this picture

The Archers' Andrew Wincott (Adam Macy) and Ian Craig (Stephen Kennedy).

As Bob keeps telling me “Ambridge is NOT a real place- these characters are FICTIONAL”

That’s as maybe – but does this photo show the actors [Andrew and Stephen] or the characters [Adam and Ian] The Guardian seems delightfully confused on this point!

Ambridge Characters who we never get to hear…

Titcombe [loyal retainer at LL]  now Nigel’s gone from Lower Loxley, will we hear something of him, do you think?

Sabrina Thwaite [sloaney type, often ogled by Eddie] I think she should have an encounter with the Dreadful Vicky Tucker.

Neville Booth [bellringer and jazz fanatic] I suspect he is also fond of Dr Who and/or Star Trek. Can’t work out how he would fit into an episode!

Reg Hebden [grandfather of Daniel Hebden-Lloyd] – he should get into a heated debate with Jim [Alistair’s Dad – and Shula H-L’s FIL] about The Youth Of Today.

Check out this page to see a list of all the ‘silent characters’ The BBC lists Freda Fry as a ‘silent character’ – but true Ambridge aficionados remember that we heard her once, and the voice was that of a certain Dame, who also works as James Bond’s boss!

If you listen too The Archers., will you tune in to this new offering?

And what will they do about a signature tune?

Hat Tip To Lands End

“DEFINITION; A hat tip is an acknowledgement to someone (or a website) for bringing something to the blogger’s attention. Hat tip is also, sometimes, abbreviated as h/t or HT.”

Today a Lands End Clothing Catalogue arrived [actually it was addressed to Steph, but I read it on her behalf!]

I am not planning to buy anything from them – but I was quite impressed by their “Hats Warm Hearts” Campaign. This is a project aiming to get 1963 woolly hats made for Sailors around the globe, to be distributed by The Sailors’ Society. [1963 was the year Lands End started, hence that figure for their target]

You can find full details on the Lands End website [click here] with details for knitting up the hats and where to send them.

 

Here is a chap in one of last year’s hats!

Its all very well getting worked up about Hugh F-W’s Fish Fight, but it is also important to remember with gratitude those seafarers who work in appalling cold, wet conditions to land the catch for us. Making a hat or two is a start!

 

You can find out all about the Sailors’ Society here. It is almost 100 years old

This charity does brilliant work, worldwide. On its logo, you can see the Star of Hope and the Dove of Peace with an olive branch in its beak [relating to the Biblical account of Noah and the Ark]

The hat pattern is not a difficult one [and if you place an order with Lands End, they will actually supply you with wool and a gift tag –and full details of where to send the completed headgear] Many of you knitters will have 80g of double knit in your stashes, I am sure!

“DEFINITION – Cast Off – [1] Nautical; when a boat ‘casts off’ it leaves the shore. [2] Knitting; ‘casting off’ is to make the last row of stitches in a piece of work.

Lenten Giveaway #2

My second giveaway is some stationery sundries. I can spend hours wandering round Staples looking at pens and notebooks and the like. As it is next door to Maplin, Bob’s outing of choice for his Day Off, I am in there frequently. I have accumulated lots of small objects – and if I wrote everything by hand for the next twenty years, I do not think I could use up all the ink in all the pens in this house, or fill up all the notebooks!

So here’s another little package to be posted to somebody…

To be entered for this one, just leave a comment on this post before MIDNIGHT, Saturday 19th March.

And don’t forget, every giveaway includes something not in the photo!

Futility!

It feels like a three steps forward, two steps back sort of a day.

I had all sorts of tasks planned, as I knew I wasn’t in school.

Now I admit that allowing myself an extra half hour in bed, reading my book* did delay the housekeeping a little – but I was in school yesterday and I’d missed my Monday Off  Reading Time.

 

After breakfast, we’d agreed I would give Bob a much needed haircut. I took my half-drunk cup of coffee upstairs, and as he washed his hair, I changed the sheets.

Mistake Number One

I have two sets of bedding which fit our bed. On a day when the weather is fine, I take off the linen, wash it and then by bedtime it is dry and aired and ready to replace. If it is not an ‘outside drying day’ I put the stuff over the airer and let it dry inside. This takes a couple of days, so I put the second set of sheets on the bed.  I usually strip the bed when I get up – and then at bedtime, get Bob to help me make the bed with clean linen. Today I decided to strip the bed and put on my ‘second set’ of sheets straightaway. That was the first mistake

Mistake Number Two

If you are less than 5 feet tall**, and struggle with a Kingsize Duvet Cover, flapping your arms like a confused pelican, do not leave a cup of coffee on the dressing table next to you. I managed to knock the coffee over the clean sheet, clean duvet cover and the carpet. The cup was only half full – but it went everywhere. And of course, that coffee went all over Bedlinen Set Two [Clean] which then had to go in the laundry basket with Bedlinen Set One [Dirty]

Mistake Number Three

If you are less than 5 feet tall**, when you decide to re-organise and tidy the Futility Room [where my washing machine, freezer and storage cupboards reside] remember not to put things on top of high cupboards unless you can both REACH them, and SEE where they are going. Buying a zillion cup-a-soups may save money – but the packets go everywhere when you drop them. I know Jamie’s recipes often mention “Sprinkling from a great height” *** but I think he is referring to garnishing his dishes, it is not a general rule for handling foodstuffs!

Mistake Number Four

If you are trying to be ultra-frugal, do not allow yourself to wander around the Red Nose Day website, as you may end up lusting after the tee-shirts! Having actually seen Hogarth’s “Laughing  Audience” at the Sir John Soane’s Museum last month, I really, really wanted one of those RND tee-shirts. Fortunately I was able to be positive about this and resist the urge to buy one. I admit to trying one on in TKMaxx though. Telephoned Bob for moral support [“Tell me I do not need to buy this garment, please!”] and left the shop sans purchase.

Mistake Number Five

If you had a Bad Banking Experience last month with a Quick Deposit Slot, using one again will leave you feeling anxious and wobbly! [But I needed to pay in the cheques, there was no available staff member, and the Rapid Machine which prints a receipt was Out Of Order]

Mistake Number Six

If you lend your Vax Little Scrubber to someone, check the box immediately when it is returned. The instructions, and the little cup which dispenses the right amount of detergent, fit into the back of the polystyrene packing. I haven’t taken the VLS out of the box since I got it back last year – and only now do I discover the missing packaging, instructions and cup.

HOWEVER…

Despite these minor frustrations,

• I have managed to get all the bedlinen washed – and the weather has remained dry enough to peg it out and get it dried.
• I have got a bed to sleep in tonight – with clean sheets
• I have got a cupboard full of food – and we will be able to have a meal this evening
• I have got plenty of clothes to wear
• I have got money in the bank and the bills are paid
• I have worked out the correct dilution of detergent and got the bedroom carpet clean

I have so much to be thankful for and 99% of my tasks have been completed. Except the ironing [and that can wait a bit longer]

Three Mysteries Remain

1. *In my book [Ian Rankin’s - Bleeding Hearts] He refers to a character who has “ a cool dry handshake, like that of a Baptist Minister” Excuse me – but is IR an expert on the handshakes of these people?? I bet have shaken more Pastor’s hands than IR has had hot dinners – and I reckon many of them [sadly] have warm, clammy handshakes! I stress my personal Rev has a good handshake, but I am intrigued by IR’s phrase.
2. **I have been this height for over 40 years – why do I still find myself trying to do things more suited to women of greater stature? I will not waste time worrying about this [Matt 6:27]
3. ***Sprinkling From A Great Height – is this a technique also practised by very tall Anglican Clergy?

Gonna Make You A Star!

My final costume for the School Production is a Star.

Here’s the tutorial!

Ask your star to stand with arms outstretched and measure from wrist to wrist. My child was 90cm across!

Now find an old mattress protector, a bit of plastic curtain track and some foil…

I cut my track into three lengths [with a junior hacksaw]

Now put the three pieces on your doubled fabric like this

With your Sharpie marker draw round them.

Then use the ‘horizontal’ strip as a ruler to draw in the other lines to make a five pointed star.

Remove the strips, pin together, cut out the star

Sew the channels for the horizontal and two vertical bits of track. DO NOT sew over the places where the tracks cross!

 

Now check that all three tracks will slide into their channels.

Cover the star shape with your golden fabric or foil or whatever you have to hand. Kitchen foil would work, I guess. My foil was plastic stuff, and it ripped very  easily. There is lots of sellotape holding this in place!

Finally cut an oval hole for the child’s face to peep through [the edges of this hole are bound with still more sellotape] and make two elastic loops to hold the star on the child’s wrists.I used the elastic strips from the corners of my mattress protector! They are just visible on this picture.

The track keeps the star in shape, and the lightly wadded mattress protector gives the star a bit of substance. Depending on how well it fits at the trying-on session, I may add an extra strap round the neck/shoulders [like an apron strap] for extra security.

[btw this production involves lots of Nursery Rhymes- Twinkle twinkle, Old MacDonald, Hickory Dickory Dock etc – hence the star, cows, pigs, mice…]

That’s The Wonder Of Woollies!

Following our knitting day last month, when many of us gathered to knit, drink coffee and eat cakes, on Saturday, all the knitted goods for Africa Aid were collected and displayed, ready for Dave to take them out to Morocco. Loads of hats, cardis, bootees, blankets [and squares to sew into blankets]

An incredible display of beautiful items - made by some very talented and generous people. Val was on hand to provide superb cakes again

Thank you to everyone who contributed

– whether by making things, giving donations, or buying the cakes!

Dave will be going out to Morocco shortly, to deliver these goodies to the Mums in a Maternity Hospital [plus the little dresses and bags made by the Girls’ Sewing Club]

The Winner Is…

Not many entries [I decided to throw two dice, subtract 3 and use that as my random number – and throw again if my total was too small. I make life so difficult for myself sometimes!] but in the end…

Lenten Giveaway #1 – Threads And Yarns has been won by

Mrs Nesbitt

You can find her blog here. I have only recently discovered this blog [primary teacher, mid fifties, rides pillion…you can see why I am enjoying it!]

But there will be another giveaway on WEDNESDAY 16TH.

Don’t forget to enter. That one is all about stationery

A Pause In Lent #1

I have been listening to people chatting, and reading other blogs, all about their plans for Lent. At the Pancake Party on Tuesday, I had a great conversation with one young lad all about the reasons for Lent. Having understood it to be a time of abstinence from all that is enjoyable, he seemed quite interested to know that there are lots of ways of approaching the season.

I decided that my first Lenten Pause would be to consider some of these ideas- and so the post should probably be subtitled

Up, Up And Away!

Various friends of mine are planning to spend their 40 days in an assortment of activities, which can loosely be summarised in this list…

Give Up

Take Up

Give Away

Take In

Give In

Take On

Give Out

Take Off

Some expansion of these ideas [some of them overlap a little, but that doesn’t matter]

Give Up – STOP – the ‘traditional’ Lent idea of abstinence. No chocolate or alcohol or puddings or shouting at the children! I Peter 2:11

Take Up – START- use this time to begin a new activity. A morning run or 20 minutes prayertime each evening. It takes 21 days to build a habit into your daily routine, so by Easter, this should be well established. Psalm 61:8

Give Away – SHARE- acknowledge you have been really blessed, so give something away each day. Clothes to a charity shop, money to a good cause, time to help somebody. You will be amazed how you will be blessed by this activity! Luke 3:11

Take In – STUDY – if Lent is time to grow closer to God, then set aside time to dig deeper into His Word. Plenty of plans and programmes out there to help you. 2 Timothy 2:15

Give In – SURRENDER – Is there something preventing you getting closer to God? Something you should be doing [eg becoming a Christian or seeking baptism/church membership] which you have been fighting against? Does the desire to make more money/get promotion fill your thoughts? Or is there an activity/relationship which gets in the way of your faith? Use this time of Lent to pray about it, and surrender yourself to God. Luke 16:13

Take On – SUPPORT- Maybe there is something you ought to be doing in your church/community/family to support someone else. As the spring blossoms peep through the cold earth, look round you to see where you could bring colour and joy to others. James 2:16

Give Out – SERVE – We should be bearing one another’s burdens – and sometimes that means putting ourselves out to serve someone else. Lent is a good time to re-evaluate what we are doing. Galatians 6:2

Take Off – SHED – you have more than you need – why are you keeping it, if you are not using it, and it could bless someone else? And if the accumulation of possessions is absorbing your time, it may be preventing you growing in simple faith and trust. Hebrews 12:1

I am not suggesting anybody attempts all off these ideas – or that the bible verses which I’ve picked are the only appropriate ones. And I admit to stretching my alliterations to make every topic begin with S! Just remember…

Make Lent A Time Of Give And Take!