Rats!

Do you know Beatrix Potter's story, The Tale of Samuel Whiskers? [originally published as The Roly Poly Pudding] It's all about a pair of rats who try and put poor Tom Kitten into a pud. 
I remembered the story when I found some rat-tail serving spoons in a Charity Shop 
The rat-tail cutlery pattern has been around since 1700. It is an elegant, classic shape, and I liked the shape of the bowl. I needed a couple of new serving spoons, but these were in a bundle of 5 for a quid. They were filthy. 
But Brasso  and elbow grease revealed their true beauty. 

Cleaning the spoons revealed that each was hall-marked. They are silver!  Furthermore , on the back of the handle, each spoon was engraved with a monogram - SA. 

I do hope these haven't been nicked from the Salvation Army! 

But I only wanted two spoons. So I thought I should give the other three to Steph, for her new home. Her initials are SA after all. Don't they look lovely? 

 Steph loves them. She suggested that the two I have kept do not say SA, but rather AS, standing for Angela's Spoon! 

Put It On The Slate

That expression refers to a shopkeeper/barman etc noting the cost of something, but allowing the customer to pay later. Bob had a couple of bits of slate, and has been busy with his Dremel drill, making a couple of nameplates for our house. I think they look very professional. 

He also hung up one of my birthday presents - my print of the three girls on a Norfolk beach on Christmas Eve is now hanging up on the wall. Thanks, Bob

I had originally thought of putting it in the dining room, but my friend Jenny suggested it would look good in the hall. She's right, it looks super there. 
As Miss Jean Brodie used to say "My girls are the creme de la creme" 

Party Pieces

Last week in a Charity Shop in Christchurch, I succumbed to buying something from the £1 bargain bucket. An orange box - specifically a round piece of Tupperware, with a drainer insert. I have two smaller boxes of this type [named plate-o-bowls in the arcane nomenclature of the manufacturers] which I use a lot, and I decided this one might also prove useful. I felt very smug later on in the day, in a local "Vintage Emporium" to see the identical item [but rather scratched, whereas mine is pristine, and looks unused] for £9. To purchase the set on eBay would be about £20.

Earl Silas Tupper, born in 1907 was a very inventive guy. He worked for Dupont, the plastics company, and they tasked him with finding good uses for their products.
He came up with a fish-powered boat, a non-drip ice cream cone, a creosote gun to deal with moth eggs, flour sifters, tampon cases, knitting needles...and most famously, boxes for keeping your food fresh.

Although he started the food storage business in 1938, nobody seemed to want to buy the stuff in the shops. It wasn't until post WW2, in 1948 when a woman called Brownie Wise suggested the idea of selling through parties held in homes that Tupperware really took off. You couldn't make these names up! she sounds like someone from the Girl Guide Movement.
Today, every 1.5 seconds, a Tupperware party begins somewhere in the world. That's a terrifying thought. It appears that Frenchwomen are crazy about them. They enjoy half a million parties a year - zut alors!!
Back to the boxes...

Forget the militant feminists, out there breaking the glass ceiling - these products are for Her Majesty, Mrs Homemaker, training up her daughter, in matching coronet, dress and apron, to chain herself to the kitchen sink! 
As I said, the different boxes have intriguing names. The first lidded pastel bowls were called Wonderliers, and there were large Servaliers too
When we got married in 1979, we were given a set of 4 Square Rounds - which were ...square boxes with rounded corners[so that the lids fitted easily and you could 'burp' out the excess air] 
At the end of the 70s the pastel colours went out of favour, and in came the "Harvest" range - orange, avocado, yellow, and brown. The 80s saw the introduction of Almond [a nondescript beige] and in the 90s grey, black and red. "Crystal white" has been a popular colour for a long time - and today's catalogue now includes blue shades - navy, saxe blue, and Tiffany blue. They still have crazy names [mix-n-stor, vent-n-serve, and thatsa-bowl]
Tupperware has become the generic term for food storage boxes - people use it in the same way we speak of vaccuum cleaners being Hoovers. However, I suspect that Lock&Lock and Dyson are also beginning to gain ground as general names. 

My poor deprived daughters had to grow up without the educational benefits of the Tupperware shape-o-toy. This ball/rattle has 10 apertures into which they can insert the shapes. Each shape has a numeral on one side and the corresponding number of dots on the other. You can teach your toddler useful words like trapezium, sector and oval...
But I must not mock too much - I really do like my orange boxes - they are especially good for salads, and I use them outside when we have bbqs because the lids keep the insects out.
Have you ever been to a Tupperware party? 
Did you buy anything? 
Were you perhaps an Agent, like my good friend Gwen back in Kirby Muxloe?

Hallelujah!

God sent His son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, heal and forgive
He lived and died to buy my pardon
An empty grave is there to prove my Saviour lives

And because He lives, I can face tomorrow

Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living, just because He lives

Good Friday Poem - The Musician

In a recent conversation on FB about poems for Good Friday, my friend Jim suggested this one. I had not read it before. There's a lot to think about in it. R S Thomas [1913-200] was a Welsh priest and poet. Fritz Kreisler [1875 - 1962] was one of the most noted violin masters of his day. That's all you need to know...now read the poem




A memory of Kreisler once:

At some recital in this same city,
The seats all taken, I found myself pushed
On to the stage with a few others,

So near that I could see the toil
Of his face muscles, a pulse like a moth
Fluttering under the fine skin
And the indelible veins of his smooth brow.

I could see, too, the twitching of the fingers,
Caught temporarily in art’s neurosis,
As we sat there or warmly applauded
This player who so beautifully suffered
For each of us upon his instrument.

So it must have been on Calvary

In the fiercer light of the thorns’ halo:
The men standing by and that one figure,
The hands bleeding, the mind bruised but calm,
Making such music as lives still.
And no one daring to interrupt
Because it was himself that he played
And closer than all of them the God listened.

Good Friday

Beneath the cross of Jesus
  I fain would take my stand,
The shadow of a mighty Rock
  Within a weary land;
A home within the wilderness,
  A rest upon the way,
From the burning of the noontide heat,
  And the burden of the day.

Oh, safe and happy shelter!
  Oh, refuge tried and sweet!
Oh, trysting place where heaven’s love
  And heaven’s justice meet.
As to the holy patriarch
  That wondrous dream was given,
So is my Saviour's cross to me
  A ladder up to heaven.

There lies beneath its shadow,
  But on the farther side,
The darkness of an awful grave
  That gapes both deep and wide;
And there between us stands the cross,
  Two arms outstretched to save,
Like a watchman set to guard the way
  From that eternal grave.

Upon that cross of Jesus

  Mine eye at times can see
The very dying form of One,
  Who suffered there for me;
And from my smitten heart, with tears,
  Two wonders I confess,
The wonders of His glorious love,
  And my own worthlessness.

I take, O cross, thy shadow
  For my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than
  The sunshine of His face;
Content to let the world go by,
  To know no gain nor loss,
My sinful self my only shame,
  My glory all the cross.

[Elizabeth Clephane 1830-1869]

Christchurch - Where Time Is Pleasant!

We've been to this fine town twice in the past week - on Saturday we went with Rosie and Liz to enjoy the sunshine

[Jon was busy, cycling in the New Forest] 
We went to the Children's Play Area by the river, known as The Quomps. Nobody seems quite sure of the derivation of the name. Some say it is a contraction of "Reclaimed Swamps" - but that doesn't convince me!
Rosie loved going on the swings in the sunshine.

We also had lunch at "Cheese and Alfie's" which was quite splendid.
On Tuesday, Bob and I had to go back to Christchurch to see someone, so we had a bit of a wander round the streets behind the main street. We came across the old Ducking Stool

In olden times, women who nagged their husbands were tied to the chair and ducked in the river as a punishment.The legend along the back reads
 "Of members the tongue is worst or best and often the tongue doth breed unrest"
This stool was made and put up in 1986 to celebrate the centenary of Christchurch becoming a borough.


It's in quite poor condition, and could do with some restoration.

We walked round the corner, and came across the town stocks.
Again, these are a replica of the original.

We were a little disappointed - it seems you simply put your hands through the holes - but that would still enable you to move your head and try to dodge the rotten eggs and squashed tomatoes being flung at you. Not the most efficient stocks we have ever come across.

After all that historical meandering, we were ready for brunch in Alfies - Bob had Eggs Royale - toast,poached eggs, smoked salmon and Hollandaise sauce. I had the Small Pan Breakfast - toast, homemade baked beans, bacon and scrambled egg, served in a cast iron skillet.
We both drank chocolate malts [delicious] 
Our day off ended with a meander round a few discount stores and Charity Shops. I found some lovely Easter cards in The Card Factory, at a very good price. Proper Easter cards, about joy and resurrection, not bunnies and chocolate.

I resisted the temptation to buy a mop for the infinite microfibre noodles.
Instead, I made some high fibre courgetti noodles for tea when we got home.
Yes, our time in Christchurch, on Saturday and again on Tuesday was indeed pleasant.

Merci Beaucoup, Bonne Maman!

When I returned from my last trip to London, I said to Bob "Liz is working so hard, and she gets so tired. I wish I could afford to give her a special treat" And then I saw that Bonne Maman [the jam company] were doing a Mother's Day Competition. Nominate the Bonne Maman/Good Mother who you think deserves to win a prize.
So I entered- saying that Liz is a new Mum who has worked really hard in the past year, and I gave all my reasons. 
The following week, the company organising the competition for Bonne Maman emailed to say I had won! A night at a Champneys Beauty Spa, with meals and treatments etc etc - for Liz, and for the nominator  [i.e. me]
How exciting is that? A mysterious parcel arrived last week, containing a cookbook, jams and a Champneys voucher [valid for a whole year] So Liz and I will have to plan when we can have our treat together. It's all Very Jammy

Easter Story Cookies

Here is a very different take on the Easter Story. But I like it because of the ideas involved and the opportunity to chat with the children during the preparation process. Read it through first, so you can work out the best time to do it with your children. You need to prepare them in the evening and eat them the next day - and it may not suit your family to do it on Saturday/Sunday. ALSO once you have started this recipe, your oven is out of use till breakfast - so make sure you have got an alternative evening meal sorted out!!! And this is obviously not suitable for children with nut allergies. [perhaps you could substitute an alternative 'crunch' - like breakfast cereal - to smash up?]

The recipe gives the full Bible references - with older children, you may want to encourage them to look up the passages in the Bible and check them out - for younger ones, I would just tell them the relevant bit of the story. And you may want to use a more modern/simplified Bible version too.

EASTER STORY COOKIES

• Bible [see note above]
• 1 cup whole pecans, almonds or walnuts [see note above]
• 1 tsp. vinegar
• 3 egg whites
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large size Ziploc type plastic bag
• wooden spoon
• hand blender/whisk
• baking sheet [lined with waxed/parchment paper]
• masking tape

METHOD

PREHEAT OVEN to 300˚F / gas 3 / 150˚C.

Place the nuts in the plastic bag and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. [John 19:1-3. Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" And they struck him in the face.]

Let each child smell the vinegar [and possibly taste some]. Add teaspoon of vinegar into the mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross He was given vinegar to drink.[John 19:28-30...Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.]

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. [John 10:10-11. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."]

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sins. [Luke 23:27 A large number of people followed Him, including women who mourned and wailed for Him.]

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup of sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. [Psalm 34:8-Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him ~and John 3:16--"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life."]

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12-15 minutes until stiff white peaks are formed.

Explain that the colour white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. [Isaiah 1:18-"Come now, let us reason together," says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." And John 3:1-3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."]

Fold in the broken nuts. Line baking sheet with waxed paper. Drop mixture by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.[Matthew 27:57-60 As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away]

Place the baking sheet in the oven, close the door and TURN THE OVEN OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and SEAL THE OVEN DOOR. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. [Matthew 27:65-66 "Take a guard," Pilate answered. "Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how." So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting a guard.]

GO TO BED. Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. [John 16:20 "I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, buy your grief will turn to joy." And John 16:22 "So with you~ Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy."]

On Easter morning, open the oven and remove the cookies. Take a bite. Notice ~the cookies are hollow! On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.

[Matthew 28:1-9 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples: "He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him. Now I have told you." So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell His disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them, "Greetings," He said. They came to Him, clasped his feet and worshipped Him.]

Eat the cookies, celebrate the joy of the Resurrection!
If you do try this out, do please let me know how it goes.

Obviously these are just meringues with a pleasantly nutty flavour - any leftovers not used with the children for 'teaching purposes' will make a special treat sandwiched in pairs with whipped cream [I flavoured mine with a little Camp Coffee Essence, which always goes well with walnuts]

Just To Say

 It's my birthday today so...

No parties or anything planned, just an ordinary day, but...

...and also, happy birthday to my SIL Marion - we can celebrate together next week when I get to Norfolk!

Pause In Lent #6 - Fast Forward

The last Lent Pause before Easter. I haven't been as disciplined this year. Previous years I have given up, or given away, and my attempt at 40 Acts this year has been very haphazard. I have been nothing like as diligent as the Dormouse, and I really applaud her efforts - and her honesty in sharing them with us. But I have been conscious of an increasing restlessness inside me for change. My heart aches when I see homeless refugee children, but rejoices when I hear of the gratitude of the families helped by our local foodbank, because our Church sent Easter Eggs for their little ones as well as their usual cans and packets. Faith - and fasting - without actions achieves little. Isaiah 56 says this...

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:

to loose the chains of injustice

    and untie the cords of the yoke,

to set the oppressed free
    and break every yoke?

Is it not to share your food with the hungry
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter –

when you see the naked, to clothe them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
    and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
    you will cry for help, and he will say: here am I.

If you do away with the yoke of oppression,   

with the pointing finger and malicious talk,

and if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
    and your night will become like the noonday.

Lord, help me to remember these words, and act on them, not just through these 40 days of Lent, but from this day forward, for the rest of my days. 

Tea With Milk [But No Biscuits]

These are my two favourite Indian milky drinks at the moment. Both come courtesy of the lovely Meera Sodha. I enjoy her recipes because they are easy to follow, full of honesty and humour, and recognise that exotic ingredients are not always easy to come by in deepest Dorset or distant Norfolk.[well, she did grow up in rural Lincolnshire

Meera says "Fresh turmeric is knobbly and ugly, like Gollum’s feet, but scratch the surface with your fingernail and its beautiful blinding carrot-orange root is revealed beneath…For me it is the taste of childhood, of a few days off school, tucked up in bed and being looked after. While it may stain your fingers, it rewards with its many health benefits: it is anti-inflammatory and contains anti-oxidants, it soothes sore throats and helps kick colds.

This warm drink tastes sweet, earthy, pungent and zingy. Enjoy it first thing in the morning for a jolt of health or last thing at night for a soothing evening drink.  If you can’t find the root, use ground turmeric" 

NB. Only peel the turmeric if you don’t mind getting yellow fingers, or else leave unpeeled

Golden Milk

SERVES 2

• 2cm turmeric root, peeled and grated or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1½ cm ginger root, peeled and grated or ½ tsp ground ginger
• 500ml milk
• a pinch of ground cardamom (optional)
• 1½ tablespoons honey

Place the milk, turmeric, ginger, cardamom (if using) and honey into a small sauce pan and bring up to a simmer then turn the heat off. Leave to infuse for a couple of minutes, stir, then pour the milk through a fine sieve or mesh strainer into two mugs. Squeezing out the last of the gingery turmeric juice with the back of a spoon. Stir and check for sweetness, adding more honey if need be.

Chai Masala

SERVES 2

• 1½ mugs water
• ½ mug milk
• 2 tea bags** 
• ½tsp chai masala mix
• Up to 4tsp sugar to taste

Put everything except sugar into a pan. Bring to the boil. Simmer for one minute. Strain into mugs, add sugar to taste. Serve immediately

Meera's Mother's Chai Masala Mix

• 50g ground ginger
• 25g ground cinnamon
• 25g ground cloves
• 15g ground black pepper
• 15g ground cardamom

Put spices in a jar, screw on lid tightly. Shake well to mix. Store in cool dark place, use within 6 months

This is my Bonne Maman jar which lives in the back of the tea&coffee cupboard. I have a tiny spoon [¼teaspoon] tucked inside- just enough for when I am making one mug.

btw the picture above is from Meera's twitter feed - I would encourage people not to use any book as a drinks coaster!

 **I use Sainsbury’s red label or redbush - Meera likes 'Yorkshire Tea' teabags.

update - please read the important comment below about turmeric! Next week I promise a very interesting cookie recipe

Guard Against Night Starvation!

I always thought this was a particularly odd advertising slogan

It was first used during the War Years - the theory being that you don't sleep if you are hungry [because you have been living on rations] and the nutrients in this drink aid restful sleep.
Horlicks has been around for nearly 150 years. First as a powder to add to water or milk, then in tablet form [easier for soldiers to carry] and in recent years as biscuits. 

One ad campaign even made it clear that it was popular in Norfolk among the boatmen! I'm not so sure about adding rum though.
The earlier ads did mention you could drink it any time of day, and that it was a great nutritious liquid food for all ages. Easily digestible, for the young, the elderly, the sick, and for tired young marrieds. You will have to research those ads for yourself, I cannot bring myself to post them here!

I am sure that if I asked most people round here what they think of when 'Horlicks' is mentioned, they would say 'a night time drink' [and possibly mention that Granny likes it]
But Horlicks is a best selling product in India, where it is marketed as a breakfast drink for your children - to make them taller, stronger, sharper...

Research has shown that drinking this as a nourishing breakfast really benefits growing young people.

At the bottom of this post is the brief video produced a couple of years back, which includes a mention of how the product first became popular in the sub-continent. Clever marketing by GlaxoSmithKline has meant that hundreds of young Asians now sip this before school.

I wonder if this idea would take off in the UK - in recent months I have become more aware of the Indian fondness for hot milky drinks - and I've developed a taste for chai myself. 

My latest foray into these beverages has included Golden Milk. The golden colour comes from turmeric - so it may help my knee pains. Doesn't it look gorgeous, in my pretty blue and white mug.
I shall post my chai and golden milk recipes tomorrow.
But for now, a quick salute to the invention of two Victorian chaps from Gloucestershire...

My Kitchen Top Ten

Recently a number of bloggers have listed the 'The Top Ten Things In My Kitchen' so I thought I would have a go at this challenge too. My rule was 'this has to be an item which is valued at least 3 times a week if not on a daily basis'. The cooker, fridge and freezer do not count.

In no particular order then, here's my list

1. The electric kettle - not just for the never ending cups of tea, but also for boiling water for gravy granules and instant custard, and for pans of pasta and veg, where it's more efficient to boil the water in the kettle than in the pan [Sainsburys]
2. My 3pint stainless steel pan - this size is the one we seem to use most out of our set [T304 ProCook Stainless Steel Pan Set]
3. The 15cm Sabatier knife which we've had forever, Bob keeps it wonderfully sharp. It is brilliant for preparing meat and veg.
4. My 1pint Pyrex jug - it goes in the oven and microwave, and the markings are clear. The handle is easy to hold - and it will nest with my smaller and larger jugs.
5. My Good Grips potato peeler. I like my GG peelers more than any others I have ever owned - I have one at Cornerstones too.
6. My 30cm Jamie Oliver Tefal Frying Pan - large, efficient nonstick with deep rounded sides. Excellent for preparing Saturday Morning's "Full English" - and ideal for pancakes, stirfries, shakshuka, risotto...
7. My small 15x25cm IKEA chopping board. Big enough for almost all my preparation tasks, it dishwashes beautifully, and can double up as a small serving board for cheese, paté, crackers etc.
8. The Fiskars Kitchen scissors - I've had these since 1977 - great for opening packets, trimming bacon, cutting wedges of pizza, snipping herbs [when collecting from the garden, or chopping them in a mug before adding to a recipe]
9. The Braun Minipimer Blender - soups, sauces, smoothies, salsas, pancakes, pestos, purees - and so often these recipes are using up leftovers. 
10. Bob - my kitchen would be incomplete without him...his amazing cooking skills, his ability to suggest that final seasoning or ingredient which makes a dish even better, his willingness to help preparing and clearing up, his humour, his love and his enthusiasm, his encouragement when I have [frequent] disasters, and his genuine appreciation for my efforts.

What would be on your Kitchen Top Ten List?

A Bit Of A Knees-Up

I have muttered on and off about my arthritic left knee of late. When it swelled up like a football a couple of weeks ago, a GP friend and my own GP advised Rest Ice Compression and Elevation till the swelling went down. The so-called RICE technique. 

This does help - but honestly, I am very bad at this lying around doing nothing business!
The Physio had recommended turmeric, so I have been serving up golden rice, and slinging this spice into all sorts of [savoury!] recipes - also I have a bottle of turmeric and ginger capsules from our friendly little Health Shop. These were the same strength as our large chemists - but about half the cost. 

Unfortunately I find them rather hard to swallow, but I am persevering.
Then on Mothering Sunday, I was really struggling - I had spent a lot of time on the Friday getting the pot plants sorted for church, and done lots of other jobs, and I knew I had overdone it. 
After the service I limped into the Church Hall and sat down - and Bob offered to fetch me a coffee. "What you need is a magnetic knee band" said my friend . He is a jolly clever surgeon and so I assumed he knew what he was talking about. "How do they work?" I said, expecting a scientific response. He admitted that he wasn't really sure, but said his friend swore by the pain relief he'd got from his, so my friend had purchased one for his Mum who found it very helpful. "They're not expensive, find them on the Internet"
So I googled about, and read the various theories [many of which sounded like utter hokum, about the effect of magnetic fields on the iron/haemoglobin in the blood etc] I am a Big Cynic about these things. However I found a strap that cost just under £6 and ordered one. It is a "magnetic knee strap patella support"

Please Note- this is the picture from the advert, this hairy leg does NOT belong to me!
The parcel arrived at 11am as I was leaving for an afternoon of supply teaching. I put on the support- it is shaped to sit under the patella, and velcro strap makes it easy to adjust for a comfortable fit.

Twelve hours later, I reported to Bob that I had genuinely had not experienced any pain all afternoon/evening, despite being on my feet [and knees] in the classroom, and working hard in the church kitchen during the evening at the Alpha Group.

The strap is fairly discreet under my trousers, or longer skirts. After experiencing debilitating pain for what feels like months, it is so much better. I think that the curved patella support is significant, it stops my knee twisting, and maybe the strap would be just as useful even if there were no magnets in it. Yes, I still overdo it at times and then my knee does ache - but I can stand for all the hymns in church again, and I am able to walk further than I was doing previously. 
No, I do not know how it works- nor do I claim it will work for everyone, or even that it will continue working this well for me. It may well be psychosomatic, I was so desperately praying for pain relief that I believed it would work, whatever. But quite frankly, right now, none of that bothers me. I am just grateful to my friend for recommending it, and to God for answering my prayer. [NB I do not go down on my knees to pray though, because that really does hurt after a while]
I am in less pain, and therefore less crabby, and a much nicer person to be around. I just wanted to pass this information on, in case it is of help to anyone else.

[Please note, these young ladies appear to be wearing their red and black knee braces in the wrong place!]