Reality Check

I don't do Reality TV. I know too much about the editing process, and that what the viewer sees on the screen has been cut and trimmed and reorganised to make 'good television', so probably isn't quite an accurate portrayal of what happened. Furthermore, watching 'celebs' living in the jungle, in close proximity to a group of people they barely know, whilst eating bizarre foods and having a camera crew and a medical team just a few feet away at all times....what kind of 'reality' is that?

So then I turn to another channel, and there find a very gifted chap who's wrapping profiteroles [those lovely chocolate topped, cream filled choux pastry buns] in marzipan. Then he is colouring them green and purple and dusting the crevices with icing sugar - and making a plate of very convincing looking 'figs'. [you can do it as well if you have time and money to spare] Why??!! A plate of real figs would make a great dessert, as would a dish of unadulterated profiteroles. Stop messing about with your food, Kirstie [oops, I'm sounding like my Mum]

And as for the news channels - the last few weeks seem to be utter chaos and I am not sure who is telling the truth anymore. So much 'Oh no it isn't...oh yes it is...' that Parliament seems sadly more like a Pantomime than a group of intelligent people who are meant to be doing their best to serve the nation and run the country.
Two weeks ago I was talking with a lady who is a very good friend of Sandra Redknapp [They live not far from here] She said that after more than 50 years of marriage, when you are used to speaking to someone everyday in person or on the phone, Mrs R was finding the separation from her husband really difficult. Harry was crowned King of the Jungle, and the cameras were there to film his reunion with his wife.

Pictures showing his overwhelming joy, and the love in his eyes were sent round the world. A man who was tough enough to stand three weeks of revolting food, and difficult living conditions, was not afraid to weep tears of relief as he held his beloved Sandra in his arms again.
Now that is the reality I can go along with.
Total unconditional life-affirming love for the person who shares your life, and undisguised happiness at being part of the family again.
I believe the Christmas message, Immanuel - God with us, is the realisation that it is a jungle out there, but Jesus came to invite us to come back to the love and joy found in being part of his family.

Not Cloven But Cloves

500 years ago, Raphael painted this picture, known as "The Madonna of the Pinks". These little flowers were a a symbol of marriage, and this is meant to show that the Virgin Mary was both the Mother, and the Bride of Christ [according to the National Gallery's website]
The flowers were particularly popular in Tudor times, and often called "Gillyflowers" [with a hard 'g'] 

The 'clove gillyflower' was Dianthus caryophyllus, introduced from the Turkish court and had a lovely clovey-nutmeg scent, and popular in nosegays. One legend tells how they appeared on earth when Christ carried the cross. As she walked behind Him, the Virgin's tears dropped on the ground and gillyflower-carnations sprang up where they fell - because of this they came to symbolise undying love.

The dried flower bud looks like a nil, and in French is clou de girofle [nail of the gillyflower] from which we get the word clove. With all these biblical associations, it isn't surprising that down the centuries, cloves have become associated with our Christmas feasting. 
But what with teaching, and costumes and Angel blessings, I'm a bit behind this year.
Unlike dear Kirstie, who said in a recent interview that she delegates everything, and pays someone to wrap her presents and decorate her home for her, in this house we just do what Christmas stuff we can when we can [and don't fret if the less important things get overlooked] 
But I was a little alarmed on Monday evening to see two oranges looking a little tired and neglected in the fruit bowl. I checked my spice rack. Yes, I had a jar of cloves. But they had  made the journey from Leicestershire almost 4 years ago, and were three years out of date. 
Oops! I wasn't sure if they'd be much good in my cooking, but whilst Bob was out, I sat in front of the TV and made a couple of pomanders. Cloves, fruit, pins, and riubbon from the great Stash. All very Tudor** and beautifully scented. He remarked on the lovely citrussy/clovey perfume when he came home. 
Top tips; 

1. Mark where the ribbon will go with a bit of string or cheap parcel ribbon - you don't want to get orange juice or clove dust staining the fancy trimmings. This makes it easier to decide where to stud the fruit.
2. Make holes with a pin, it is easier to push the cloves into a hole than force them directly through the skin.
3. Make random patterns- or cover the whole fruit with cloves- but remember the fruit will shrink as it dries out. I prefer to leave the golden peel showing through a little.
4. Hang from a loop, display in a bowl, or put them on the mantlepiece
5. After Christmas, they will go on scenting the room for quite a while

** I am reading a superb book set in Tudor times at the minute. I'll review it when I finish.

Still Through The Cloven Skies ...

...they come with peaceful wings unfurled
So runs Edward Sears' carol, "It came upon the midnight clear" - usually sung to the tune 'Noel' written by Arthur Sullivan.[Gilbert's mate] As a child this word 'cloven' confused me - I only ever heard it in that carol, or wrt an animal [or devil] with a "cloven hoof". Parental explanations about 'cleaving' didn't help much, when I discovered that the verb "to cleave" has two, almost opposite, meanings - either to split or divide [as in hoof, or skies, or bosoms] or "to join or stick to" [as in political opinions, or your tongue to the roof of your mouth]  The first is from the Old English cleofan, the second is from the OE cleofian. Just one letter different.
It wasn't midnight- but just after 6am on Monday, when angels started appearing in Ferndown this week. They shone brightly in the darkness of the early morning [which is more than you can say for some of us who were distributing them]

It is part of our UCF Christmas Angel Blessing. As well as the 35 which are hanging on our Church Christmas Tree, almost 200 more angels have been knitted by willing volunteers and distributed round our streets and in coffee shops, for people to find and appreciate.

Each little angel's tag says "please take me home and look after me" and on the back there is a short blessing. Next week we will put up posters, and messages on social media, inviting people to bring their angels to our Candlelight Carol Service, and then receive a small gift. I cleave to the hope that people will respond to this. 
Here's the whole verse [with one tiny alteration]

Still through the cloven skies they come,
With peaceful wings unfurled,
And still their heavenly music floats
O'er all the weary world;
Above its sad and lowly plains,
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever o'er its Brexit sounds
The blessèd angels sing.

All This And Change From A Tenner!

I try not to splash out on lots of Christmas kitsch. We have collected plenty of decorations in our 40 festive seasons together. But I do like to have a 'new' jigsaw to assemble during our post-Christmas break. I'd seen this Waterloo Station puzzle in a CS last summer, but didn't buy it. Then I saw it in the window of "Dorset Blind Association" shop one evening. I went back the next day after work and happily handed over £3.50. On my way back to the car, I dropped into the Cancer Research Shop. I was utterly smitten with the jug of white twigs and baubles. I asked my friend Sylvie who works there if the price tag was correct. She said that they'd had a load of baubles donated, so the shop stylist had prepared a number of 'arrangements', which were selling well at a just fiver each. My last Christmas buy was a ££1 book to read to Rosie. I made a little Mrs Pepperpot 4 years ago [ See here] I shall take the book and Mrs P to Norfolk with me in two week's time, along with the jigsaw. The jug will remain on the dining table here, just in case a photographer from Country Living Magazine calls by...

I think I've got my money's worth here. Have you bagged any CS Christmas bargains? 

I Blame Enid Blyton

It's all her fault! My student and I were reading this book last week. We discovered many things that annoyed us about the book - like EB's assumptions that the Five  [how exactly were they 'Famous' ?] cannot go more than a page without paying two shillings to a red-faced jovial farmer's wife to make them some sandwiches, and they all carry lengths of string in their pocket at all times. Oh, and even though they are camping out, sleeping on bundles of heather under rugs [no proper sleeping bags?] and in a hurry to solve the mystery, they still have to wash properly in the mornings [the girls at the kitchen sink, the boys go for a bathe in the lake, even though it is October]

And of course, the man eldest boy has to make all the decisions and boss everybody about. The youngest, a wimpish female called Ann, is despatched to do all the menial chores. I had quite forgotten why I disliked this author so much! The quality of writing just did not compare to the Michael Morpurgo stuff I had read the week before  

But it was the regular appearance of string that kept making us chuckle. The lady in the shoeshop had recently demonstrated a way of tying the laces on new school shoes that doesn't easily come undone. So this week, our 'study theme' is going to be based around 'knots'. I fetched this book from the shelf, and on Saturday, when I'd hoped to be putting marzipan on the Christmas Cake, I was planning numeracy and literacy work around that theme. I decided I could 'tie it all together'

The book was bought years ago - simply because I saw it in a sale and it looked interesting. It has history, terminology, and the instructions for dozens of knots and their uses. It recommends a couple of lengths of coloured rope or cord for practising. I found some lengths in my stash - then followed the suggestion for 'sealing' the ends so they do not fray. Useful tip - a Cook's Blowtorch is the ideal tool for this activity!

Archaeologists have found evidence of knots going back 300,000 years! The Incas used them for counting, the Egyptians for getting right angles on their Pyramids [using a 3-4-5 Pythagorean triangle of rope] the 18th Century Hawaiian taxmen used them for accounting, with different coloured ropes for their various clients. Various faiths have used knotted ropes as prayer aids - and there are so many professions who have their own special knots - such as sailors, fisherman, cowboys, soldiers - and surgeons!

There is a whole glossary of terms too - bights and bends, hitches and ends, loops and elbows...

I don't think Ms Blyton knew much about knots. "He tied the string to his torch" is a rather dull phrase. She could have made it much more interesting. The only knots I remember from the Brownies are a reef knot [we had to tie our ties at the back of our neck with a reef, not a Granny!] and a "round turn and two half hitches" [you use that for fixing a rope to a railing] Maybe by the end of the week I shall know more.

Did you learn about knots when you were younger? and do you use knots now?

Crown Jewels

When we were doing 'Get In The Picture' a couple of Saturday's ago, I got into conversation with a young Mum. We'd not really met properly before, even though we live in the same road, and her mum is one of my friends. 
She said that her daughter was a Kings in the school Nativity Play and she needed to sort out a costume. I suggested she might like to borrow one of mine  - and agreed to pop round with a few for the child to try on. "Will you want one of the turbans?" I said - "No, they have to have a crown" she replied.

Confession; I loathe the cardboard crowns worn in school plays. They get bent and damaged very quickly, and three years down the line when the Teaching Assistant drags out the costume box, they are often quite bedraggled. And they never quite fit - either springing off the bouncy curls, or slipping down over the ears and eyebrows. I prefer my Magi to have turban type hats.
But a crown was needed - so I made one out of some yellow fabric [left over from Daisy Duck last month] and a long strip of felt. [who wants to spend £15 to buy a crown from the Internet?]

Cut 2 strips of outer fabric, and one of felt, measuring 5" x 21". Pin the three strips together in this order- Two outers right sides together, then felt on the top. Mark the centre line, then draw 5 equal zigzags 4" wide and 2" high. Make the total height around 4½ or5"

Carefully machine all through three layers, close to the edge. Start bottom left, up and down the zigzags, and down the right hand side. Trim surplus fabric and turn inside out. Push the points up neatly [a biro, or large knitting needle is useful - but gently -don't push right through!] and give it a press with an iron.
Neaten the bottom edge [I used some purple binding I had to hand]. Attach two 1½" srtips of elastic neatly across the back. Then decorate your crown.
I raided my bead box for some fancy bits of broken jewellery and sparkly buttons. Sequins or a length of sparkly parcel ribbon would work just as well. 
The elastic means it will fit well - on different sized heads.
"Do you need a gift for Jesus?" I asked "Oh, no thankyou. There are eleven Kings, and only the three at the front get to give him a present"
I said that the Bible doesn't say how many magi came- just there were three sorts of gifts. It could have been two men, each with a couple of boxes - or eleven, where 6 had gold, 3 had frankincense and 2 had myrrh. But my young friend was happy anyway, and kept the crown on, even after she'd removed the royal robe!

Pause In Advent #2 - Pause... And Pray

Mary's song of praise, after the angel told her she would be the mother of the Messiah include these lines...

The Lord's name is holy; from one generation to another, he shows mercy to those who honour him. He has stretched out his mighty arm and scattered the proud with all their plans. He has brought down mighty kings from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away with empty hands.

Lynn Green, who is the General Secretary of the Baptist Union, sent out a message last week to all of us in the Baptist Family,

"On 10 December 1940 King George VI called the nation to pray for the troops who were stranded on the Dunkirk beaches.  This was an act of spiritual leadership that had an amazing impact. Next Tuesday MPs will be voting on the Brexit proposals after their five days of debate.  Whatever our political views, this is undoubtedly a very significant moment for the UK.  I am calling ...us to pray this weekend and in particular on Monday night (10 December) for our MPs and the parliamentary processes at work: that God’s love, righteousness and justice would prevail.

For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. 

He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord." 

Our nation, and our government, is in a mess right now. Whatever your political views, or your spiritual beliefs - if you are a person who prays, then I'd encourage you to make your Advent Pause this week a time to pray for our MPs and the outcome of the vote on Tuesday. Lynn also shared this prayer for lighting the second Advent candle, written by Baptists in NW England. [the artwork below is another of Martha's special UCF Christmas pictures]

Another flame announces its message of hope,
Amidst a world where thousands of voices demand to be heard,
Claiming that theirs is the way; that they have the solution,
That their truth is the right truth.

But this faithful flame invites us to listen for another voice;
One that may not choose to demand a hearing in every public square;
To tune our ears to the voice of our creator;
To listen out for God’s melodies of hope;
Despite the screams of despair,
That seek to drown their every note.

God can speak, and God is speaking;
Speaking in the midst of a nation’s anguish and struggle;
Speaking when hopes are dashed and spirits crushed;
Speaking where fear abounds, fuelled by uncertainty;
Speaking within and through every circumstance,
For in such ways and places, our God has always spoken.

And when our arguments are exhausted,
Our debates have run their cause,
Our media outlets have nothing left to say,
God’s word will stand; God’s truth will remain.

Feeling In The Pink?

Pantone have just announced their Colour of the Year for 2019 - called Living Coral

"Living Coral embraces us with warmth and nourishment to provide comfort and buoyancy in our continually shifting environment," reads a release from the Pantone company, which describes the hue colour as "an animating and life-affirming coral hue with a golden undertone that energizes and enlivens with a softer edge."
...so if Brexit proves to be as awful as they are predicting, we can just wrap ourselves in warm pink comfort blankets!
The release goes on to say " In reaction to the onslaught of digital technology and social media increasingly embedding into daily life, we are seeking authentic and immersive experiences that enable connection and intimacy"
No I'm not sure what that means either. I hope their immersive experiences don't include diving into the oceans and damaging these beautiful but fragile invertebrates. 

The Forest Is Growing!

This is the fourth year that our friends at St Martins URC Chapel in West Moors have organised a Christmas Tree Festival. The number of trees on display increases year on year. I could not get there to put up our tree till Monday after work - and the Chapel was already full - so our tree is in the Hall at the back. I returned on Wednesday afternoon to do a stint as a 'meeter and greeter'. I love the way that the first thing visitors see is the crib scene in the entranceway.

Muriel said they'd had lots of visitors again - and many said "Where is the knitted tree that you had last year?" [Here] She told them it had been made into blankets to bless the people of Romania! Many of this year's tree had a white/silver colour theme [but none of the blood-red ones beloved of Mrs Trump] and others were on the recycling theme.
Our tree is covered in 40 knitted angels, with accompanying angel messages [Great Joy, Good News, Do Not Be Afraid, etc] ...because, as I've said already,  our UCF Christmas them this year is Angels

The chapel and the hall look amazing. I am hoping it is fine weather this evening for "Carols On The Petwyn" - The main street in West Moors is closed to traffic from 5.30pm onwards, and a lantern procession makes its way down from St M's to 'The Petwyn" [a patch of grass at the far end of the street] There we will sing carols and listen to children reading the Christmas Story. After that there will be street food, a Wheelbarrow Race and more entertainments [and back at the chapel, the Gospel Choir will sing some more]
It is a lovely community event.
Here are more pictures of the trees. This post is especially for my blogfriend Pauline - who will be living here in Dorset next year, and I'm sure she will be involved in the Tree Festival along with the rest of us in our local Churches Together group. I'm really looking forward to her arrival [and already planning which coffee shops we should visit together]

Have you been involved in a tree festival? Or seen a CribFest like the one Sue found in Suffolk ?

Eco-Ho-Ho!

There's an interesting 'infographic' on the Zero Waste Website

Sadly I cannot get it to print any larger, so please click on the ZWW to see it in its full glory.
Basically the suggestions are that you give time or experiences, or consumables [preferably home-baked or home-grown] or make a charitable gift [I didn't buy a woolly jumper, I sponsored an African goat on your behalf] or buy your pre-loved gifts from Charity shops.
I do attempt to give gifts which will be appreciated by, and useful to the recipient, and I am sure that you do too.
I've been interested in the continuing conversations about real trees v. fake ones.
We had our big fake tree for around 25 years, and replaced it with a slimmer one when we came here. The old one had started to disintegrate. I was heartened to read various articles which claim that the carbon footprint of re-using an artificial tree is lower than that of using a fresh real tree annually after 10 years [this figure varies between 5 and 20 years depending on which website you look at] So I think I am probably ok on that one!
I am glad that it is easier to dispose of real trees now.
The Norfolk&Suffolk FoodSavvy website has ideas for Christmas leftovers, and the Eastern Daily Press published a brief article on having an Eco-friendly Xmas.
I think this year, more than ever before [thank you David Attenborough!] people are becoming more aware of waste, and the impact of our habits on the life of our planet.
I'm interested to know if there are any changes you are making, or good tips you've discovered for more eco-friendly festivities. Do share them with us!

The Pastor's Wife Is NOT A Drug Dealer!

Anybody looking into the back of my car this week might be surprised by the stranger white packets lurking in the footwell behind the driver's seat.

I have to admit that they do look suspiciously like those packets of drugs sometimes seen on crime dramas!
But bear with me, I have a genuine explanation.
This is not cocaine, it is cat litter [so if you are a narcotics agent, please don't try tasting it ]
A year ago I had a nasty RTA causing major damage to the driver's side of the car- wing, two doors and door pillar all needing repair.
In the Spring, I came to the car one day and found the back footwell full of water. As Bob had been the last person to drive it, I wondered if somehow he had accidentally left a window open - but no, all were shut firmly.
We mopped it and dried it...and found that there was damage to the rubber doorseal. It was too long after the accident to claim anything, so we had the seal replaced at our own expense.

But in the recent heavy rain, it has started leaking again [even though the seal is new] This is apparently a well-known fault with Toyotas. But my car is 10 yrs old and well outside warranty. 
I purchased a car cover from Argos and put that over every night. That sort of worked, but 

•  it was no fun to remove in the morning when I was going out, it was like changing a very damp bedsheet.
• over half term it blew off, into a neighbour's front garden. They kindly retrieved it for us - so I gave up with it after that.

So this is my inexpensive temporary solution  - I have made little bags with nappy liners, and filled them with cat litter. These absorb any water that leaks through, and are easy to deal with. And the cat litter contains a deodoriser, so the carpet doesn't smell of 'wet dog'!
But I admit, it does look like suspicious cargo!

Angels From the Realms Of Glory...

...no, these are more at home on a Badminton Court!
My turn to provide the crafts on Sunday morning. Following our Advent Angels theme, I got a tube of cheap shuttlecocks online, screw eyes from Thorns of Norwich, a pack of stick-on jewels from Hobbycraft, a cardboard box from Lidl. Adhesive foil, gold thread, butterfly pins and felt pens from the cupboard- and we were sorted.

I had to experiment a bit with scrap paper to get the best wing template [it is like a sycamore seed 'helicopter']
But the children loved creating these.

Don't they look cute? And less than 30p each to make!

If You Can Meet With Triumph And Disaster...

One unexpected triumph last week; we were going to our local Christmas Party for Baptist Clergy and Spouses [aka Bob, his mates and the other halves] Duncan and Barbara host this each year, and she efficiently asks each guest for a specific item for the buffet. I was 'a dessert'. I fully intended making something, but in the end stopped off at Makro and purchased their "Baked Cheesecake - less than £5 and it cuts into 16 fair sized slices. 

I put it on my glass plate, and added a few sliced grapes, and ½ strawberries [cut into heart shapes. So many positive comments - I did confess that it was purchased, and I'd just added the trimmings. I suspect this 'looks homemade, tastes professional' pud is going to turn up at my friends' Church Events before too long!

The disaster? Last year I made lots of chutney to give as Christmas gifts. I had some pickling spices in little 'teabags'. I popped half a dozen of these in the big pan as the chutney bubbles away. Then fished them out and poured the hot chutney into the sterilised jars, and added labels and hats. Whilst clearing up, I realised there were 5 not 6 bags on the draining board. Panic! I held each jar up to the light, couldn't see the missing bag. I really was too lazy did not want to decant and refill all the jars. So I simply prepared apology slips and tucked them inside the little fabric hats.[I am sorry if you find a teabag full of spices in this jar, take it out and discard. It will not affect the chutney-love Angela] So it was only a minor disaster
But here's the thing - what if somebody re-gifted their chutney? What would the next recipient think? 
The craziest part of all this is that there was some left, which I'd put into the smallest jar, and kept for myself, as it seemed too meagre an amount to give away. It got pushed to the back of the cupboard and forgotten. I got it out recently when we had a Ploughman's Lunch - and yes, my jar had the spicebag in it! All those apology slips prepared for nothing.
I have no problem with people re-gifting. If the gift is of little use to you, but can bless someone else, then by all means pass it on. But check it carefully first. I remember a letter in The People's Friend** magazine once which said "My aunt gave me an awful apron for my birthday, and I sent it to a friend for Christmas. She wrote and thanked me for the apron and 'the surprise gift in the pocket' - and I shall never know what it was!"
[**I am still far too young for the PF, but I used to read my Mum's copy occasionally]

Pause In Advent #1 - Getting On A Bit!

I've been thinking about my first Advent Pause for ages. Last Sunday, an idea started to develop in my brain, during Bob's sermon. I firmly put it to one side, and kept listening [being a dutiful wife and church member!] but during this past week, things have started to make sense.
In the past, I've heard dozens of sermons that have asked me to 'consider how the young woman Mary felt, being told she was to be the mother of the Messiah' and 'would any of us be able to honestly reply "I am the Lord's servant, may it happen as you have said" ?'
But this year - maybe because I am finding the daily early morning start more of a struggle than it used to be, perhaps because I'm relishing my role as Matriarch, with a delightful granddaughter and a recently acquired son-in-law, possibly due to seemingly interminable attempts to get my future State Pension organised, or just my aching knees after a day standing in the rain being an enthusiastic angel on our Church Stand at a community event...whatever, this year, I really do feel I am 'getting on a bit'

Bob was preaching about the announcement of the birth of John the Baptist** from Luke 1
‘How can I be sure of this?’ said Zechariah to the angel. ‘I’m an old man! My wife’s not as young as she used to be, either!’
And that really resonated with me. Bob is now in his early sixties, and his wife isn't as young as she used to be! I like to think I am still capable of incessant activity, 'filling the unforgiving minute with 60 seconds worth of distance run' as Kipling wrote. But truth be told, some days towards the end of the minute, I do not run the distance, but rather painfully plod towards its completion.
I don't want to give up doing things [for my family, my friends, my community, or for the Kingdom of God]  Like my late father, I would rather 'burn out than rust out'.
And I looked again at the new Advent Logo and realised what it is saying. Not stop! but pause...
It is perfectly OK to admit that my energy levels are depleted, that I need to pause, and take a breath - then I will be better equipped to get going again later. That it is not a sin to send apologies to friends at Homegroup, miss the bible Study and be in bed by 9pm, or buy a dessert to take to a Christmas Event instead of spending the afternoon baking one. It doesn't matter if my Christmas decorations are not Martha-Stewart-Perfect and in place by 1st of December. 
An occasional pause is not the same as coming to a total stop - and for my health and sanity, and that of those around me, I need to learn that lesson. Jesus didn't say to his disciples [in Mark 6] that they had to stop completely, but just learn to take a proper break now and then, and pause in His presence.

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, Jesus said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

**This brilliant picture of Zechariah and the Angel is the work of Martha Chengadu, a gifted artist from our congregation. She has produced four 'angel' pieces for display in our church over Advent. They are very reminiscent of the work of He Qi, the contemporary Chinese Christian artist, who seeks to present his faith using  'whole world art'.

Codebreaking And Cocktails

I realise that I have not posted about my wonderful evening in London three weeks ago with Liz and Steph. So here is my report. We went to The Bletchley - an 'immersive' cocktail bar. I have never had an experience quite like it! The video explains...

We went to the end of King's Road in Chelsea on a cold, very wet, November evening. Into a quite posh looking pub/restaurant, and Steph told the maitre'd that we were there for The Bletchley. We were whisked past the diners, along a back corridor, and down a narrow winding staircase into a dimly lit cellar.
We were given Army jackets to wear [you'll notice I grabbed the Corporal's one, with the most medal ribbons. I definitely claim seniority here]

The room was divided into separate booths, and equipped with [replica] Enigma machines, radio transmitters etc. The walls were plastered with wartime posters, maps, letters, photos, Morse codes sheets etc. All very atmospheric.

We were asked if we wanted 'simple' or 'challenging' codes. My intrepid daughters did not hesitate- if their grandmother Hilda Spooner was head-hunted to work at BP, then they certainly weren't being fobbed off with 'simple' activities.
Welcome drinks arrived in Wartime enamel mugs. We set to work - sealed envelopes, locked boxes, tickets and tags and sheets of codes. Vials of scents to identify, maps to decipher and more...
We had lots of fun decrypting. The answers gave us the key to plugging in the correct terminals on the radio so we could send through our messages to the mixologists. Soon after, a tray of individually mixed cocktails was delivered to our table.
If you ended a line of your message with the word 'Bombe'  then your drink was alcohol free [although I did wonder if some people thought the word was bomb]
We had an interesting and enjoyable selection delivered throughout the evening [three are included in your ticket price, although you could buy more, and plates of nibbles if you wanted] My three alco-free drinks were varied- two refreshing, one more creamy and sweet. All very pleasant. The girls liked theirs too. 

The staff were friendly and knowledgeable - the codes themselves were very cleverly worked out and quite varied in style. A lot of work had gone into making the experience feel 'authentic'

I felt particularly smug for spotting one clue. We were supposed to be finding a number - and I realised that if the sheet was held upside down, then the word SOLO could be read 0705.
The cellar was quite busy and at times the background music [1940s stuff, Glenn Miller, Vera Lynn et al] was a little loud, and it was hard to hear the messages over the radio.
But it was such fun, and we giggled like schoolgirls and really enjoyed our girls' night out, free from all work/family/church responsibilities.

We were given a final 'parting drink' before we set off out into the rain. 
As we left, a staff member asked if we'd enjoyed ourselves. "Oh yes!" I replied "Their grandmother worked at BP" The girl said she knew that already- Steph had told her when she booked, and warned her not to be surprised if I got a little weepy, remembering my Mum! I didn't get emotional - I suspect Mum would have been horrified that her Very Serious Secret War Work was now celebrated in a drinking establishment.
But I did so enjoy the evening. Thank you Liz and Steph for making it all possible.

Walking In A Winter Wonderland

For reasons too complicated to explain, Tuesday's "Day Off Together" did not begin till 6pm. But the driving rain had at least stopped, so we went into Bournemouth to look at the Christmas lights. 

We parked near the new Upside Down House. To be honest, we were a little underwhelmed, and didn't feel like paying to go inside. Looking at the billboard outside told you all you needed to know

The most interesting thing for me was the way the letters on the sign UPSIDE DOWN had been reversed and inverted. Sorry the picture is so blurry - but it shows how our eyes/minds can manage to decipher something as perverse as NMOD EDISPU when it is written upside down!
We walked down to the Wonderland Tree Trail

I was disappointed that both the Tree Of Light, and the massive "Wonderland Tree" were both switched off!
But many of the other trees were shining brightly and prettily as we walked through the gardens down towards the Pier and the beach.

It was around 6.45pm, and not that many people out - just a few families, and a handful of people skating on the temporary ice rink.
We were tired and hungry.Plan A had been 'buy a bag of chips and wander along the seafront' - but we opted for Plan B 'Go into Harry Ramsden's and have a decent meal sitting at a table'
This proved a very good choice. The place was lamost deserted, so we were seated and served promptly. And they have an 'Over 60s Club ' [getting older has a few perks!]
A fish&chip meal, followed by ice cream or bread and butter pudding, all accompanied by a huge pot of tea- for just £7.99 a head.

The portions were huge, the food well cooked and tasty and our waitress was extremely friendly and helpful.
I am getting a little better at taking selfies on the new phone, and remembering to hold it up higher. [but I think we both look tired in this shot]
After our meal, we strolled back to the car. I was hurrying Bob along so we'd get there inside the 2 hour limit - only to discover that after 6pm it was free parking anyway!
Home nice and early, to watch "Mrs Wilson" in my pjs, then straight to bed for a good night's sleep!
If you are near Bournemouth, then do pop along to see the lights - it is free and it is fun [I forgot to mention the Alpine Market in the Square - hot chocolate, gluhwein, and gift shops all in little wooden chalets]
What are the Christmas Lights like in your town?
And do any of your neighbours go overboard illuminating their houses?

Who Will Stand Against The Violence?

Sunday, November 25 saw the commencement of 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence. Running from the UN International Day of Elimination of Violence against women to Human Rights Day (December 10), this is the world's longest-running campaign for women's rights. 

In a recent article in Christian Today, Andrew Caplen, [former President of the Law Society, husband of Baptist Minister Lindsay, and all round brilliant guy] wrote this...

Violence against women is a worldwide pandemic. It covers sexual assault, rape in the context of war, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and domestic violence. The statistics are staggering. For example, in the UK alone it is estimated that one in four women undergo some form of domestic abuse/violence during the course of their lifetime. Further, that nearly half a million adults are sexually assaulted in the UK each year – government statistics indicate that one in five women aged 16-59 have experienced some form of sexual violence since the age of 16.

One of the major aims of the 16 days is to raise awareness of the massive, global scale and wide-ranging effects of violence against women. It emphasises that violence against women should never be categorised as being just a 'women's issue' – rather, it is a human rights issue, a justice issue and surely one that should concern us all.

When my girls were teenagers - a couple of decades ago, I had a purple and black pin on my jacket which said "One in Five" - a reminder that 1 in 5 British women suffered domestic abuse/violence. It is really sad to read that the statistic in the UK is now one in four. 

A number of my friends are involved in the Thursdays in Black campaign - which is organised by the World Council of Churches- wear black on Thursday [every Thursday, not just this week] to show solidarity with those who suffer and to raise awareness of the systems which promote such violence. I confess that I myself have problems with this particular WCC campaign. I sometimes wear black clothes on other days of the week, how do I make sure that people know this is a 'special' day for my wardrobe? And many of my friends do not get to choose what they wear to work so they are excluded from taking part.  And black is a go-to colour for many men's work attire 5 days a week. But I understand and agree with the principles behind the campaign, and hope it succeeds in its aims of raising awareness.
I was very pleased to hear about Restored - This is an international Christian based alliance working to transform relationships and end violence against women.

Andrew Caplen is a co-director of this group. He is eager to point out that this is not just a "women's issue" but one that concerns us all, whatever gender. Restored says...

•  We campaign to raise awareness amongst Christians of the issue of violence against women and we advocate for change
• We mobilise and equip churches, Christian organisations and individuals to act against violence against women
• We develop new initiatives to meet specific needs that are not being met by other organisations

We must not ever assume this sort of thing happens to 'some other people I don't know' - the statistics make it plain that there will be people in your wider circle of friends who are being/have been abused. And they may even be in church with you next Sunday. We must all do what we can to stop this.  My heart aches for those who are suffering. 
And whilst I am having a rant, about violence against women, can I just complain about what happened in Parliament last Friday. Lord Berkeley’s private members’ bill would have seen a one-line amendment to the Children’s Act 1989, which would “considerably extend protection to young girls” at greatest risk of genital mutilation. The Labour peer said his bill had already been through “microscopic examination”. 

And guess what - the MP for my corner of Dorset, the misogynist Christopher Chope, shouted "Object!" and blocked it, saying there had not been proper debate. I am just wondering how we can manage to prevent CC from getting to the House on Friday 25th January, to object at the next reading of this bill. I say again - I did not vote for this odious man!!

And if you reading this, and you are one of those 1-in-4 abused women, please seek help.