Saving Amy

This morning, I picked up this book on a table in The Works.

It was published last year, and now reduced from £9.99 to just 99p. The blurb on the back says “it is a sympathetic look at the reality of a family dealing with addiction” Last week, I’d have walked straight past – but this week, I stopped, and bought it.

There’s a quote from Amy inside

“…I want to do something with the talents I’ve been blessed with...I want people to hear my voice, and just forget their troubles for five minutes”

Do read Jim’s thoughtful post here – which says it all much better than I can. RIP Amy

Anchovies, Salmon, Pork, Beef, Chicken & Ham!

I had a fabulous weekend with my girls [and their blokes] in London. I arrived Friday lunchtime in Woking, where Steph works, and collected her – then we had a lovely alfresco lunch in a pub called “Sands” at Bleak House. We enjoyed an antipasti ‘sharing platter’ which included the most delicious anchovies – plus lots of other items. In the evening we met up with Mark at “Wallace & Co” – Greg’s place in Putney.

I enjoyed a super piece of salmon along with two salads – one of an assortment of tomatoes with balsamic vinegar, the other was a mixed green salad. We shared one raspberry pudding between three of us.

We went back to the flat and Steph inflated her newly purchased airbed for me. It felt a little bit soft when I snuggled under the duvet – at 3am I awoke, lying on the floor – it was completely deflated! I decamped to the sofa for the rest of the night. The airbed appears to be faulty, so will have to go back to Milletts.

Visits to my children often seem to involves books and bookshelves- and this weekend was no exception. Saturday morning, Mark and I drove across to Liz & Jon’s to collect a bookcase. Which daughter #1 was giving daughter #2. Jon has taken up sausage making - his artisanal pork products are a sight to behold [I have yet to taste any of them] There was a plate in the fridge so I just had to take a photograph!

He obviously had plenty of thyme when he made these!

I am very impressed by their consistent size and shape. Next visit, I hope I get to sample some of his products.

Saturday afternoon, Steph, Mark and I went to Ham House in Richmond [saving nearly £33 on our entrance fees, with Art Fund passes] All very interesting inside.

We sat outside the Orangery and enjoyed a pot of tea. All terribly National Trust and Civilised! There were some amazing grapes growing along the low wall at the back of the house. I do not know if they ever ripen fully – but they looked superb.

Back to Putney, and I went for a run [all these fancy meals, I cannot let the regime slip!] Mapometer tells me I ran 1.5 miles, 160calories.

On Saturday evening, Liz and Jon came over, and admired the newly relocated and restocked bookcase, and we enjoyed a great beef casserole cooked by Steph. Liz and Jon had brought dessert- interesting biscuits, cheeses [and grapes!]

Sunday morning was amazingly lazy – I sat on the sofa, doing some cross stitch, listening to the Radio 4 morning service from Keswick. I was impressed by the way in which Jonathan Lamb introduced it, with a prayer for the people of Norway. Steph ran, Mark went for a swim – and then Steph cooked lunch. A superb roast chicken, accompanied by veg and a splendid Yorkshire pudding. This is only the second time she has made YP, and I am very impressed

I picked up some windfall apples, and a few blackberries, from the communal back garden, and made a fruit crumble for Steph to put in her freezer. I cannot bear to see wasted fruit – and none of the other residents seem bothered about it rotting on the ground.

After lunch we walked over Putney Heath to Wimbledon Common. It was quite hot, and we each had a long cool drink of lime-and-soda, then Steph and I got the bus & tube to Balham, where we went to her church. I was made very welcome – although I was conscious of being old enough to be the mother of almost everyone present

All under 35 [apart from one couple in their 40’s] It was a good service, and we were back to Putney by 8.30pm.

Then we loaded my stuff into the car and I drove home – back here around 11pm – tired, but extremely happy. Thanks Steph, Liz, Mark and Jon for giving me such a great time!

I am so grateful for the opportunity to spend quality time with my wonderful children – and this weekend especially, my heart goes out to mothers who are denied that opportunity.

On A Spiritual Journey?

Well, I have read a little theology, and I have heard of Pelagians and Predestinarians – but what do this lot believe – and why do they travel so slowly?

[thanks Andy, for the picture, which he took at Gayle Mill,Hawes, Yorkshire]

Pray For Norway

A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping. Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because her children are no more.

Jeremiah 31:15

Progress Report

23rd April – weight 11st5lbs [159lb], cholesterol level 7.8

23rd July  - weight 10st3lbs [143lb], cholesterol level 6.6

Jumping for joy about these results – and continuing with the diet/exercise regime. Thank you everybody who has been such an encouragement.

There will be some before/after photos posted on the blog at some point, I promise. But here’s a cartoon of that woman with the blue toenails, to make you smile.

And thus far, over £500 collected for the Prostate Cancer Charity [more money still to come]

And Tedding And The Spreading…

…of the straw for the bedding
And the fleas that tease in the High Pyrenees,
And the wine that tasted of tar?
Do you remember an Inn, Miranda?
Do you remember an Inn?

If you are old like me, you may have had to learn that Hilaire Belloc poem at school too. I haven’t been tedding or spreading – but I have been shredding – lots and lots of stuff

In the past few days [in between meetings about Holiday Bible Club, and the Village Fun Day, and clearing a mountain of ironing and going for a run every other day] I have been tidying my office [aka The Spare Room] Things had got rather bad in there. Here are embarrassing pictures of the chaos at the end of term

It was so bad in there that when I had problems with the PC, Bob could not get through to the desk to help sort things out.

I have cleared the bookshelves of extraneous books. That was rather painful – some had been my Dads – and I was keeping them just for sentimental reasons. In 13 years I’d never opened many of them. Also I tidied the school stuff, home stuff, church stuff – getting rid of so much unnecessary stuff, no longer useful to anyone

• ancient worksheets completed by pupils I could not remember
• random to-do lists
• recipes ripped from magazines, for dishes I will never cook, and never eat
• Diaries from 2009 and before
• greetings cards from couples with names I did not recognise [“so sorry we will miss your anniversary celebrations, Andrea and Les”  who are they?]
• post-it notes with random messages like “Pay the M&S bill before 8th March” – but which year was that?
• elderly erasers which were so old they were just desiccated blocks of rubber, which wouldn’t rub out anything
• Sunday School Staff Rotas dating back years

Some paper was straight into the recycling bin, other more sensitive stuff had to be shredded. Non-recyclable into the wheelie bin. I have been unspeakably ruthless. I have listened to the Radio - yelling at the Murdochs, pere et fils, and singing along with Radio 2.

Another box of books is filling up for the Charity Shop.

I found one very dusty teddy bear lurking behind the desk.

My Mum bought him for Steph back in 1984 - I think her hairdresser was making them, and selling them to raise money for some charity or other.

His eyes are very lopsided [Gladly My Cross Eyed Bear] I have washed him thoroughly, maybe it’s time he had a sweatshirt too!

But now the room is wonderfully clear – spaces on the shelves, space on the floor, and I can find things.

My main preaching resources are all on one shelf, the filing cabinet has lost out-dated papers and gained some space, and everything is geared up for much more efficient work.

 

Under the bed I found a Matryoshka doll and a strange piece of wood!These ladies are now happily displayed on the window sill.

Bob is extremely pleased – not least because he now has access to the fiction shelves again [and he can reach his Terry Pratchett books]

And the bed is once again clear and you can stretch out on it!

And now I have achieved all that, I am going off to stay with Steph for the weekend, so don’t know when I shall be posting again.

I hope to be with Steph at lunchtime, and will be returning home again after breakfast on Monday. Looking forward to a fun filled weekend in London – seeing her new flat and meeting her Vicar!

Melon, Mango, Mint And Moneysaving

Just because we are trying to lose weight does not mean food has to be dull. I made two “boats”  with slices from the ends of a cantaloupe melon, removed the seeds, and filled the centre depression with a few sliced strawberries and halved red grapes. I spooned half a pot of Aldi mango yogurt on top of each, and garnished with some [home-grown] mint. It looked and tasted splendid – and cost less than 30p a portion.

Amo, Amas, A Mattress

You do see some odd sights round here. On the way into Leicester this week, we noticed this double mattress abandoned on the pavement. Looks like the complete opposite of

“Take Up Thy Bed And Walk”

Bob suggested it was clearly a case of matricide!

Saying Thank You

I mentioned on the blog recently that I was giving up Sunday School Teaching [our SS is called “Y4God” – that’s the Youth For God, not a Wife-For-God, as some have misheard it!] Invitations to do lay preaching have been so frequent recently and I felt that it was time for me to serve the wider church community. But I have loved working with the young people all these years, and my fellow leaders and helpers are such a great team, and moving on like this was not an easy decision. On Sunday morning, Bob said “After you have been at Groby, you’ll come back to church for coffee, won’t you? You’ll finish earlier over there” and I thought he meant “As people will want to talk about The Sponsored Run” Devious man! He knew all along that my friends were plotting a surprise…

Janet hushed all the coffee drinkers, and made a lovely speech, thanking me for what I’d done inY4God. Then I was presented with

A bouquet of yellow roses

And a gift bag decorated with butterflies [I love butterflies!]

Inside there was a butterfly address book

An amazing butterfly candle-in-a-glass

A pretty little hook

And with all that, a huge card

All the staff and children had signed it, and there was a beautiful message [written in fabulous calligraphy]

This is so kind of everyone – I cannot express just how much their words of love and appreciation mean. Thank you, dear friends - I certainly never expected anything like this. It has been reward enough to have had the privilege of teaching all these children about Jesus.

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.”

Movements

First Mags went on about the Rend Collective, then Chris did. And if two of my good friends [who do not know each other] independently recommend something, I have to check it out. The website says

The Rend Collective Experiment started in 2004 as a group of confused 20 somethings started trying to figure out life, God and community. Then in 2007 it grew into a collective of musicians and artists trying to share with the world what they were learning. All our music is grown out of an organic environment and we hope you can appreciate our bond through our music. We try to make journey music that talks from the heart and tries to follow God's heart, yet it is music for all not just the religious!

I love the enthusiasm and the joy of this crowd of young people from Northern Ireland. Watch it and smile…

.

I wanna soar with you up on wings like eagles
But I'll crawl with you too
When the dark and lonely questions come
I wanna stand true
No matter what's new or comes through
I cant stand still
Whatever hits I'll keep making movements to you
I'm running fast and free to you,

Cos your love is the movement and fight in me
I'm running fast and free to you,

Cos you are my home where I wanna be

I wanna float with you, the currents driving me
But I'll paddle hard too
When the waves and rapids overcome
I wanna stand firm
When my mind is weak and my emotions squirm
I must stand true
Whatever hits I'll keep making movements to you
Won’t walk away, I won’t walk away

Faith, Hope, and Charity [Shopping]

Lakota, over at the F,H & CS blog recently organised a swap. The rules were that you had to include some charity shop bargains, crafty bits and something handmade. My partner was Pene up in Scotland. She is a Very Generous lady. This morning a parcel arrived

Inside the parcel were beautifully wrapped packages…

…first, I opened a handmade card…

Then, with mounting excitement, I opened the gifts

…two vintage crochet doilies

…a lovely green necklace

..and from Pene’s stash, two little packs of coordinating crafty bits

…and at the bottom of the box, a large flat parcel

…I was whooping with glee at this one. Believe it or not, friends, I actually picked up a copy of this yesterday! I looked at in the Charity Shop in Leicester, but reluctantly decided that this month, finances didn’t warrant buying it. And here it is – all the way from Scotland. I feel so blessed. Thank you Pene for your thoughtfulness

And thanks, Lakota, for organising the swap.

1611

That is the number of this post – and also a good reminder that it is 400 years this year since the publication of the King James’ Version of the Bible. Our local Parish Church are having some special commemorative events later on this summer to mark the anniversary.

This is the version I first read as a child, and so many of its phrases are buried deep in my memory.

 

I am planning to write a longer post about why I love the KJV later – but one of the books on my reading list this summer [well, my RE-reading list, to be strictly accurate] is Adam Nicolson’s “Power and Glory” – Jacobean England and the making of the KJV, which I first read when it came out in 2003. AN is the grandson of Vita Sackville West, and lives at Sissinghurst Castle, with those fabulous gardens.[btw in the USA, this book has the title “God’s Secretaries”]

 

As this picture says “It has stood the test of time” – in the last hundred years we have seen dozens of translations and paraphrases of Scripture – but for much of the English–speaking world, it is the phrases in this one which continue to resonate with power and glory.

…out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength…

Shelf Life

We have lots of bookshelves. Here is a picture of one of our sets of bookshelves – notice the blank spaces.

Shelving in the bedrooms also have spaces now too. In fact this bag was about 80% full this morning, with books for the charity shop.

The volume of the volumes [about 50 in all] was about 33 litres – over 1metre of shelf space freed up. Now the books have gone to these shelves instead…

…where they should raise some money for a good cause

However it is almost impossible for the pair of us to leave a charity bookshop empty handed. We came away with just one book…

The poems are selected and introduced by the poet R S Thomas – and the book is divided into five sections

God, Self, Nothing, It, and All

The book was published in 1963, and the contents date from Chaucer up until about 50 years ago. It is ‘religious’ verse, not specifically Christian. We both thought we’d enjoy it. It is in remarkably good condition for its age – costing us £2 instead of the original three shillings and sixpence. [one website I found suggested that 3/6 then is about £2.45 now – so we got it a bargain!]

And in case you are wondering – we have finally got rid of 30 years worth of Dick Francis novels, a clutch of P D Cornwells and other assorted lightweight fiction. Oh, and The Da Vinci Code. [Why ever did we hang on to that one for so long?] Now I have to tidy up the spaces on the shelves. It is all very liberating, I think I need to do this more often!