How do I get into this maths training!?Wednesday, 30 December 2009
Tuesday, 16 June 2009
All change please!
I've moved this blog to Raecheybaby.com. There will not be further posts here, but all are welcome to continue reading at the new adress, where posts are expected to be more frequent!
Blogger was great to get started, but I wanted a bit more control over the look and feel of the blog and the option to be able to do more with the site.
See you soon!
Blogger was great to get started, but I wanted a bit more control over the look and feel of the blog and the option to be able to do more with the site.
See you soon!
Tuesday, 9 June 2009
It beggars belief
Sometimes I just think the world has gone utterly crazy, sometimes I know it has!
What has me shaking my head today is this news link I found on the BBC website this morning. Just what is the RMT union thinking? A two day strike at this kind of notice in the middle of the week?
Do they really not care how many people will not be able to get home from work or not get to work or - even worse - not make their flight for their holiday? I use the London Underground fairly infrequently, but when I do it's because I have to get somewhere for a certain time. To be faced with a service that's not operational because of strike action would make me incandescent with rage. I wish I was joking about that.
A group of my friends are meeting in London today for the first time, at least one of them has come from Europe for it, and now their meeting will now be completely marred by having to make sure they get the tube before the strike starts or trying to negotiate a crowded bus service during the evening.
*and breathe*
OK. All that said, I have Classic FM playing on the radio, and they are playing pretty tunes aimed at soothing the savage beast and I think it might just be working! I am not swearing at Oliver who has decided to pester me just as I sat down to eat, or the fact that my lunch didn't quite turn out the way I wanted it to.
I do still need to think fast on what to eat later today, but thats not unusual for me. I'll sort it, because I hate going hungry at work!
What has me shaking my head today is this news link I found on the BBC website this morning. Just what is the RMT union thinking? A two day strike at this kind of notice in the middle of the week?
Do they really not care how many people will not be able to get home from work or not get to work or - even worse - not make their flight for their holiday? I use the London Underground fairly infrequently, but when I do it's because I have to get somewhere for a certain time. To be faced with a service that's not operational because of strike action would make me incandescent with rage. I wish I was joking about that.
A group of my friends are meeting in London today for the first time, at least one of them has come from Europe for it, and now their meeting will now be completely marred by having to make sure they get the tube before the strike starts or trying to negotiate a crowded bus service during the evening.
*and breathe*
OK. All that said, I have Classic FM playing on the radio, and they are playing pretty tunes aimed at soothing the savage beast and I think it might just be working! I am not swearing at Oliver who has decided to pester me just as I sat down to eat, or the fact that my lunch didn't quite turn out the way I wanted it to.
I do still need to think fast on what to eat later today, but thats not unusual for me. I'll sort it, because I hate going hungry at work!
Saturday, 6 June 2009
I hit a wall
Overtired alert.
I think I've done too much recently. Things that are issues but are managable ones are becoming major crises that give me stomach cramps and make me cry.
I think this is just a short note that I'm going to be resting for a bit and spending a bit less time here this week.
My lifestyle has changed since I met Dan and while it's no bad thing, I haven't compensated for the fact that the days I used to keep for rest are now no longer as restful as they were. I travel a lot more and I'm getting up earlier on a daily basis, but not getting to bed earlier to compensate for that.
I think this weekend is about recalibration of my bodyclock. Housework can wait until I actually have the energy (now that I want to get it done!)
Take care everyone and don't forget the sunlotion when you go out!
I think I've done too much recently. Things that are issues but are managable ones are becoming major crises that give me stomach cramps and make me cry.
I think this is just a short note that I'm going to be resting for a bit and spending a bit less time here this week.
My lifestyle has changed since I met Dan and while it's no bad thing, I haven't compensated for the fact that the days I used to keep for rest are now no longer as restful as they were. I travel a lot more and I'm getting up earlier on a daily basis, but not getting to bed earlier to compensate for that.
I think this weekend is about recalibration of my bodyclock. Housework can wait until I actually have the energy (now that I want to get it done!)
Take care everyone and don't forget the sunlotion when you go out!
Friday, 5 June 2009
A monday like a spring forecast!
Monday was a nightmare. I know it's now friday, but it's taken this long for me to calm down and order things in my head to be able to talk about it; but again, so much happened and there was so much turmoil in my head that I need to write it down to make sense of it and also so I have a benchmark on how rough mondays can get!
Due to the heat all day sunday I didn't get much sleep on sunday night. As a result I was tired before I even reached the train station. Ted dropped me off in Loncoln as usual, and I went in only to find that the train I would be getting on was stoppping at Newark Castle and I'd have to get the rail replacement coach to Nottingham and I'd probably not manage to get to Loughborough in time to get the train home, thus I would be late for work.
In addition, I got a call from work because there was a case of misplaced paperwork and it was possible I knew where it was. I didn't, I had given it to someone else on friday and they'd misfiled it!
There was nothing for it but to get on with it, but I was already tense. I was fretting about how to get to work and whether I'd be on time, and in addition worrying about the paperwork that was lost, even though I was sure it wasn't me that had moved it. There wasn't a chance to call Dan either, since monday is one of the days when he works at the same company as his mother.
There was a great deal of incompetence going on at the station where we had to get off and go on to the coach, and I could feel the minutes slipping by. I knew which coach we had to get on and the organiser kept umming and ahhing and generally being a bit of an idiot, but we got on the coach eventually and got under way. On arrival in Nottingham things actually started to look up. The train to Loughborough and/or Bedford was one and the same and at the platform. I even managed to get my prebooked seat, not bad at all. So I did get back to Bedford without incident and got a taxi home as I had originally decided.
I got in, sorted food and drink and got ready to leave for work. Then the next disaster struck. I locked the house, went to unlock the bike and found that some impoverished person had made off with the saddle for my bike. Call me naive and trusting, but I always understood that locking your bike to a wall right outside your home meant it would be safe. Not so, it would seem; you have to cement everything down, even in a low crime area! I called the bike shop to try and get a replacement saddle but there was no answer, so I had to cycle in sitting on the luggage rack!
I am not normally a person to swear my head off, but you can imagine the way my feelings were going being tired and dealing with what felt like a war against me having a good day.
Fortunately the rest of the day wasn't too bad. Mostly it was difficult simply because I was already tired and tense from the previous mishaps but work itself wasn't actually bad in itself. Micheal, the star of the day, borrowed a saddle and seatpost off an abandoned bike at work and set it on my bike so I'd be able to get around until I could get one that fitted properly.
Overall, It was a real mixed bag of a day, it did get better, but it was thoroughly marred by the early mishaps and the tiredness from trying to sleep in the heat. Here's hoping I can avoid another day like it for a while!
Due to the heat all day sunday I didn't get much sleep on sunday night. As a result I was tired before I even reached the train station. Ted dropped me off in Loncoln as usual, and I went in only to find that the train I would be getting on was stoppping at Newark Castle and I'd have to get the rail replacement coach to Nottingham and I'd probably not manage to get to Loughborough in time to get the train home, thus I would be late for work.
In addition, I got a call from work because there was a case of misplaced paperwork and it was possible I knew where it was. I didn't, I had given it to someone else on friday and they'd misfiled it!
There was nothing for it but to get on with it, but I was already tense. I was fretting about how to get to work and whether I'd be on time, and in addition worrying about the paperwork that was lost, even though I was sure it wasn't me that had moved it. There wasn't a chance to call Dan either, since monday is one of the days when he works at the same company as his mother.
There was a great deal of incompetence going on at the station where we had to get off and go on to the coach, and I could feel the minutes slipping by. I knew which coach we had to get on and the organiser kept umming and ahhing and generally being a bit of an idiot, but we got on the coach eventually and got under way. On arrival in Nottingham things actually started to look up. The train to Loughborough and/or Bedford was one and the same and at the platform. I even managed to get my prebooked seat, not bad at all. So I did get back to Bedford without incident and got a taxi home as I had originally decided.
I got in, sorted food and drink and got ready to leave for work. Then the next disaster struck. I locked the house, went to unlock the bike and found that some impoverished person had made off with the saddle for my bike. Call me naive and trusting, but I always understood that locking your bike to a wall right outside your home meant it would be safe. Not so, it would seem; you have to cement everything down, even in a low crime area! I called the bike shop to try and get a replacement saddle but there was no answer, so I had to cycle in sitting on the luggage rack!
I am not normally a person to swear my head off, but you can imagine the way my feelings were going being tired and dealing with what felt like a war against me having a good day.
Fortunately the rest of the day wasn't too bad. Mostly it was difficult simply because I was already tired and tense from the previous mishaps but work itself wasn't actually bad in itself. Micheal, the star of the day, borrowed a saddle and seatpost off an abandoned bike at work and set it on my bike so I'd be able to get around until I could get one that fitted properly.
Overall, It was a real mixed bag of a day, it did get better, but it was thoroughly marred by the early mishaps and the tiredness from trying to sleep in the heat. Here's hoping I can avoid another day like it for a while!
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
Sunday with Dan and the riverside
After the excitement of Saturday, Sunday was a welcome relief.
It was a really sunny day, very hot; and Dan and I spent a good part of the day sitting at the top of the bank outside the house just watching the river do what it wanted to do and talking.
It was wonderful. It felt as though everything that was bothering me was hundreds of miles away and I had an oasis of peace for as long as I wanted it. Nothing was more important that spending time just being still, allowing the stillness of nature to percolate through my head.
Ted, it has to be said, is a great cook. Every meal he produced was a no fuss tasty affair, whether it was a cooked sunday breakfast or a barbecue style meal on the patio. Thank you Ted!
Ted and Dee spent the majority of the day working on the garden, planting a tree and some bedding-style plants around a new koi pond. Trees are big heavy things to plant, so while Dan enjoyed the sun I gave a hand getting the thing into the hole that Ted and Dee had dug! Dan and I took drinks at intervals to them at intervals, to help with the heat factor.
It felt like paradise all day. I can't remember the last time I was just able to "be" around a man. It was sheer bliss, just resting, enjoying his company and being able to recharge for a day. I imagine the great weather helped with the mood, but I blame 90% of it on having found one of those rare men who can understand what I'm thinking and how my brain works.
It was a really sunny day, very hot; and Dan and I spent a good part of the day sitting at the top of the bank outside the house just watching the river do what it wanted to do and talking.
It was wonderful. It felt as though everything that was bothering me was hundreds of miles away and I had an oasis of peace for as long as I wanted it. Nothing was more important that spending time just being still, allowing the stillness of nature to percolate through my head.
Ted, it has to be said, is a great cook. Every meal he produced was a no fuss tasty affair, whether it was a cooked sunday breakfast or a barbecue style meal on the patio. Thank you Ted!
Ted and Dee spent the majority of the day working on the garden, planting a tree and some bedding-style plants around a new koi pond. Trees are big heavy things to plant, so while Dan enjoyed the sun I gave a hand getting the thing into the hole that Ted and Dee had dug! Dan and I took drinks at intervals to them at intervals, to help with the heat factor.
It felt like paradise all day. I can't remember the last time I was just able to "be" around a man. It was sheer bliss, just resting, enjoying his company and being able to recharge for a day. I imagine the great weather helped with the mood, but I blame 90% of it on having found one of those rare men who can understand what I'm thinking and how my brain works.
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
Better than a Soap Opera!
Last weekend was so busy, so full of highs and lows, I need to blog it just to try and make sense of it!
I'm not kidding about the title, there was more going on in it than an episode of a soap opera. I might just be able to blog it in one post, we'll see.
Saturday started in grand style. It was the funeral of Noel Stanton. I didn't miss any busses getting there, which is really something for me, but a poor old gentleman on the way got overbalanced trying to ring for the bus to stop and actually getting off it, so between the bus driver and some of the passengers, we took about 10 or 15 minutes to get him back on his feet and walked home.
I then went into Sainsbury's for some food and bits for later - and left my overnight case there once I'd paid for and bagged up all my stuff, but didn't notice until I came to pay for something in The Body Shop and mum rang me in the middle. Needless to say I was a bit tired and rather flustered before I even got to the funeral.
The funeral was very much a history-making event. It was held at the Northampton Jesus Centre and was packed out. I managed to get into the main auditorium, but I'm certain there were people who had to sit out in on of the overflow room and watch a video link. I didn't get a seat, I had to sit/kneel/stand in a walkway area. Gerald Coates (edit: actually it was Roger Forster!), a long-time friend of Noel and a friend of the Jesus Army too, gave a message and a reading from the Bible.
There was a video containing photos and videos of Noel running from early life, his time in the Navy, ordination, early days at Bugbrooke Chapel and going on right up to the last addresses he made to the Jesus Army just before and at Easter. Kelly, Shaun and Danny gave tributes of their own. They spoke of how Noel had believed in them, pushed them on, been there for them, seen God in the most unlikely people and actions.
We sang 9 songs of Noel's own choosing, and at his request there was very little evidence of black. He wanted a celebration, and I believe we managed to do him proud. There was a lot of laughter throughout. That may sound odd given that we were at a funeral, but it was good and right. I suppose it might be more fitting to say it was a service of thanksgiving for the life of a man who had served God until God called him home. As you might expect, there were tears at the end when the coffin was carried out by the young men who Noel had regarded as his sons.
I chose not to go to the committal. It was enough for me to say goodbye to him at the Jesus Centre.
The "fun" restarted as I left the Jesus Centre. I walked to the train station in baking heat pulling all my luggage, bought my ticket and made it to the platform just in time to catch the train. Great. Except the train was quite a long one and I got on about halfway along. I was a little surprised that the train didn't pull out immediately, and was stunned to learn when the train was 10 minutes late that only the front section was going where I needed to go and it had already left. I had to go to Birmingham and then change and get to Nottingham via Derby, and I was an hour late getting to Nottingham. Dan and his dad waited patiently for me to arrive and then find a toilet. By the time I arrived in Nottingham I'd drunk 4 litres of various drinks due to the heat, but the toilet on the train was broken, so I was in great discomfort by the time I arrived!
After all that, Ted and Dee (and Dan, before he panics!) were lovely to me, listening to all that had happened and feeding me wine and tasty food. Watching TV was abandoned in favour of going pretty much straight to bed.
I'm not kidding about the title, there was more going on in it than an episode of a soap opera. I might just be able to blog it in one post, we'll see.
Saturday started in grand style. It was the funeral of Noel Stanton. I didn't miss any busses getting there, which is really something for me, but a poor old gentleman on the way got overbalanced trying to ring for the bus to stop and actually getting off it, so between the bus driver and some of the passengers, we took about 10 or 15 minutes to get him back on his feet and walked home.
I then went into Sainsbury's for some food and bits for later - and left my overnight case there once I'd paid for and bagged up all my stuff, but didn't notice until I came to pay for something in The Body Shop and mum rang me in the middle. Needless to say I was a bit tired and rather flustered before I even got to the funeral.
The funeral was very much a history-making event. It was held at the Northampton Jesus Centre and was packed out. I managed to get into the main auditorium, but I'm certain there were people who had to sit out in on of the overflow room and watch a video link. I didn't get a seat, I had to sit/kneel/stand in a walkway area. Gerald Coates (edit: actually it was Roger Forster!), a long-time friend of Noel and a friend of the Jesus Army too, gave a message and a reading from the Bible.
There was a video containing photos and videos of Noel running from early life, his time in the Navy, ordination, early days at Bugbrooke Chapel and going on right up to the last addresses he made to the Jesus Army just before and at Easter. Kelly, Shaun and Danny gave tributes of their own. They spoke of how Noel had believed in them, pushed them on, been there for them, seen God in the most unlikely people and actions.
We sang 9 songs of Noel's own choosing, and at his request there was very little evidence of black. He wanted a celebration, and I believe we managed to do him proud. There was a lot of laughter throughout. That may sound odd given that we were at a funeral, but it was good and right. I suppose it might be more fitting to say it was a service of thanksgiving for the life of a man who had served God until God called him home. As you might expect, there were tears at the end when the coffin was carried out by the young men who Noel had regarded as his sons.
I chose not to go to the committal. It was enough for me to say goodbye to him at the Jesus Centre.
The "fun" restarted as I left the Jesus Centre. I walked to the train station in baking heat pulling all my luggage, bought my ticket and made it to the platform just in time to catch the train. Great. Except the train was quite a long one and I got on about halfway along. I was a little surprised that the train didn't pull out immediately, and was stunned to learn when the train was 10 minutes late that only the front section was going where I needed to go and it had already left. I had to go to Birmingham and then change and get to Nottingham via Derby, and I was an hour late getting to Nottingham. Dan and his dad waited patiently for me to arrive and then find a toilet. By the time I arrived in Nottingham I'd drunk 4 litres of various drinks due to the heat, but the toilet on the train was broken, so I was in great discomfort by the time I arrived!
After all that, Ted and Dee (and Dan, before he panics!) were lovely to me, listening to all that had happened and feeding me wine and tasty food. Watching TV was abandoned in favour of going pretty much straight to bed.
Friday, 29 May 2009
Intoducing a man who loves earl grey tea
I need to talk about someone special.
His name is Dan. He kind of stumbled into my life via Twitter one day a few weeks ago, and since then my life has changed completely. I think what scared me a little to start with is how many common interests we share, obviously that has long changed!
I've got to know a man who makes me feel good about myself even when I'm so tired that I cry when I've spilled coffee on my clean jeans, who sends a text message that makes me smile "just because", who lets me sleep even though he would really prefer that I stay awake so we can talk on the phone, and doesn't sulk when I fall asleep while he's on the phone to me. He is a man of many interests.
He is a self-confessed geek with a love for earl grey tea and Formula 1 racing. He likes music in most of it's forms. He lives in a village for heaven's sake, and has no desire to live in a town! He enjoys cooking and garden watching and watching intelligent humour. We also both have long term health conditions.
We aren't identical twins though, he loves films where I love books, and I can understand simple technology that on occasion defeats him (makes me feel great to teach him about something!)
He has changed me. I have been told repeatedly at work and home that I'm happier and that I function better as a person. He makes me feel complete in a way I haven't felt complete in longer than I can remember.
I told my family about him last weekend, once we'd been getting to know each other for about a month, and now there are plans for us to arrange a meet up. Mum already likes him and she's not met him face to face yet!
His name is Dan. He kind of stumbled into my life via Twitter one day a few weeks ago, and since then my life has changed completely. I think what scared me a little to start with is how many common interests we share, obviously that has long changed!
I've got to know a man who makes me feel good about myself even when I'm so tired that I cry when I've spilled coffee on my clean jeans, who sends a text message that makes me smile "just because", who lets me sleep even though he would really prefer that I stay awake so we can talk on the phone, and doesn't sulk when I fall asleep while he's on the phone to me. He is a man of many interests.
He is a self-confessed geek with a love for earl grey tea and Formula 1 racing. He likes music in most of it's forms. He lives in a village for heaven's sake, and has no desire to live in a town! He enjoys cooking and garden watching and watching intelligent humour. We also both have long term health conditions.
We aren't identical twins though, he loves films where I love books, and I can understand simple technology that on occasion defeats him (makes me feel great to teach him about something!)
He has changed me. I have been told repeatedly at work and home that I'm happier and that I function better as a person. He makes me feel complete in a way I haven't felt complete in longer than I can remember.
I told my family about him last weekend, once we'd been getting to know each other for about a month, and now there are plans for us to arrange a meet up. Mum already likes him and she's not met him face to face yet!
Thursday, 28 May 2009
Holiday monday and visiting
Monday.
It's always an interesting day when it comes to bank holiday weekends that involve a large marquee and huge numbers of people. 95% of those people are really tired from long days at the tent and dealing with crowds they don't normally face. Friends getting irritable is pretty much par for the course on mondays, but it's still worth being there if I can.
Big downside to things, I have 2 mobile phones, and both of them ran out of power just after breakfast this morning. Given that I was camping, I'd decided not to bring chargers as I didn't want to leave the phones where I might lose them.
No doubt about it I was tired. 3 days later, I'm still tired! I got up at 7am having managed to tune out the dawn chorus - I was surpised I managed that so quickly - and packed up the tent before breakfast. No cooked breakfast today, that only arrives on sunday.
Flasks, cakes, rolls and flowers and back up to the tent - but we've forgotten to pick up Mavis, so back into Daventry to collect Mavis and arrive just 10 minutes before the start of the session. Thank heavens for the carload of event team people who went an hour ago and saved some seats really!
As is usual for a monday, this particular session pulled together the various threads of all the other sessions and put them into order for us, as well as having time for people to stand and speak of how the weekend had gone. There is also rather less in the way of singing on a monday, to allow time for this.
This weekend has focussed rather a lot on Noel's passing, but I think that was right, and only to be expected. He led the church for 40 years, and he was loved by a great many people, and was the catalyst for change in many people's lives.
We've sung a lot of songs that he wrote, or particularly liked or that he had requested in his will for his funeral. According to my Dad, he had set out much of the content of the bank holiday not long before his final crisis and surgery. It all felt very special, and was indeed a celebration.
As the end of the main session, as people picked up their things and headed out to their cars for coffee and cake and home, my family picked up the flowers from the garden and went to visit John and Grandma Win's graves. The burial ground is a place of peace. Some might think it a little morbid, but I find it a place of rest rather than a scary place full of dead bodies. It's the resting place for the bodies of people who were dearly loved, and on saturday another dearly loved person will rest there and give me greater reason to visit in August.
After visiting the graves we (mum, dad, David, Paul, me) climbed in the car to go to my house for a dinner and a break, but it was hot, and we didn't have much to drink, so we stopped off at a Tesco that we don't normally go to for some cold drinks. Then we missed a turn coming out of Tesco and got disorientated. We ended up going part way to Milton Keynes before finding the turn for Bedford. It was also noted by myself that when 5 big people need to go somewhere by car, its a good thing to have a people carrier rather than an astra size car!
We reached my house and promptly cooked dinner having sent Dad off to my room to chill with a Planet Earth DVD. To explain, Dad got really grumpy on the way back, partly because he was tired and partly because Paul acted up to him. Mum settled with a book, David helped me cook and Paul sat ignoring all of us with his laptop.
Once everyone was rested and fed the conversation returned to the normal banter. This is one of my favourite parts of a bank holiday weekend, the chance to chill with my family and chat about anything and everything. On kicking out time, everything was slightly delayed due to dad hoping he could steal my Planet Earth DVDs (he was already borrowing my British Isles Natural History set) and mum hoping she could nick one of my books! The DVDs did stay with me, but the book is on loan for a week...
Anyway, that's my bank holiday for you. I know the posts have been really long, but I didn't know how to make them any shorter and still be able to capture the essence of what went on. I do find these bank holidays special times; and this one was particularly special.
It's always an interesting day when it comes to bank holiday weekends that involve a large marquee and huge numbers of people. 95% of those people are really tired from long days at the tent and dealing with crowds they don't normally face. Friends getting irritable is pretty much par for the course on mondays, but it's still worth being there if I can.
Big downside to things, I have 2 mobile phones, and both of them ran out of power just after breakfast this morning. Given that I was camping, I'd decided not to bring chargers as I didn't want to leave the phones where I might lose them.
No doubt about it I was tired. 3 days later, I'm still tired! I got up at 7am having managed to tune out the dawn chorus - I was surpised I managed that so quickly - and packed up the tent before breakfast. No cooked breakfast today, that only arrives on sunday.
Flasks, cakes, rolls and flowers and back up to the tent - but we've forgotten to pick up Mavis, so back into Daventry to collect Mavis and arrive just 10 minutes before the start of the session. Thank heavens for the carload of event team people who went an hour ago and saved some seats really!
As is usual for a monday, this particular session pulled together the various threads of all the other sessions and put them into order for us, as well as having time for people to stand and speak of how the weekend had gone. There is also rather less in the way of singing on a monday, to allow time for this.
This weekend has focussed rather a lot on Noel's passing, but I think that was right, and only to be expected. He led the church for 40 years, and he was loved by a great many people, and was the catalyst for change in many people's lives.
We've sung a lot of songs that he wrote, or particularly liked or that he had requested in his will for his funeral. According to my Dad, he had set out much of the content of the bank holiday not long before his final crisis and surgery. It all felt very special, and was indeed a celebration.
As the end of the main session, as people picked up their things and headed out to their cars for coffee and cake and home, my family picked up the flowers from the garden and went to visit John and Grandma Win's graves. The burial ground is a place of peace. Some might think it a little morbid, but I find it a place of rest rather than a scary place full of dead bodies. It's the resting place for the bodies of people who were dearly loved, and on saturday another dearly loved person will rest there and give me greater reason to visit in August.
After visiting the graves we (mum, dad, David, Paul, me) climbed in the car to go to my house for a dinner and a break, but it was hot, and we didn't have much to drink, so we stopped off at a Tesco that we don't normally go to for some cold drinks. Then we missed a turn coming out of Tesco and got disorientated. We ended up going part way to Milton Keynes before finding the turn for Bedford. It was also noted by myself that when 5 big people need to go somewhere by car, its a good thing to have a people carrier rather than an astra size car!
We reached my house and promptly cooked dinner having sent Dad off to my room to chill with a Planet Earth DVD. To explain, Dad got really grumpy on the way back, partly because he was tired and partly because Paul acted up to him. Mum settled with a book, David helped me cook and Paul sat ignoring all of us with his laptop.
Once everyone was rested and fed the conversation returned to the normal banter. This is one of my favourite parts of a bank holiday weekend, the chance to chill with my family and chat about anything and everything. On kicking out time, everything was slightly delayed due to dad hoping he could steal my Planet Earth DVDs (he was already borrowing my British Isles Natural History set) and mum hoping she could nick one of my books! The DVDs did stay with me, but the book is on loan for a week...
Anyway, that's my bank holiday for you. I know the posts have been really long, but I didn't know how to make them any shorter and still be able to capture the essence of what went on. I do find these bank holidays special times; and this one was particularly special.
Wednesday, 27 May 2009
Dawn Chorus Sunday
Sunday started really early. I haven't camped out since August last year and I'm not very used to tuning out loud birdsong at 5am. I did get back to sleep eventually, but when I finally got up at 8am I was still pretty tired and wishing for a bit more sleep!
As is tradition, breakfast was fried eggs, sausages and beans with optional toast and tea on the side. Cooked by the men of the house I might add. We sang to one of the visiting girls as it was her birthday, which was good. Sometimes when it's a big weekend, birthdays can get buried in all the coming and going, listening and singing, eating and sleeping.
Tent and sleeping bag aired and set tidy, off to the marquee. Once again, it was very warm inside the tent, even with the sides tied up to allow good air flow through.
There was a longer tribute to Noel today. I won't go into it, but it was very much summing up the man that many people would not have seen behind the shirt and tie and Bible they saw on Sunday, or on Saturday night at the marquee in some park or other. Sam, Ian and Danny managed once again to show us a man who very few people have seen or even realise existed!
It was a changed format to what most people would expect on a Sunday, Mick bought forward the timing of the communion and Huw gave the main sermon. I know Noel was a man of great stamina, but I think that having several leaders take the different sections of the meeting is a good plan. No one leader gets too tired, and it's visible to the entire church that it's now being led by a team of men. True, there is one man as Senior Pastor; but the load is being shared now, as I think it might have been good to share it some time ago; although at that time the church might not have been ready for the change.
Lunch came at about 3pm as it usually does on a bank holiday weekend Sunday, and by the time it was eaten and served, the announcment came that the transport back to the tent would come at 4:30... it was 4pm already, and supper had to be prepared and left ready.
Mum and I sarted madly making supper for 60 - 3 kilos of pasta twists, 6 litres of sauce containing garlic, herbs, tuna, sweetcorn, peppers and more. We got it done, but 2 women working to make supper while 4 people are around the double sink washing dishes, and another 2 are in the pan room washing the saucepans and oven trays - stuff of nightmares! I was almost screaming by the time the dishes were done and the kitchen finally emptied of all but me and mum! Don't get me wrong, there was enough room for everyone to do what they were doing, but the noise we were making with our cooking, all the talking, the noise from the washing up, helpful men coming in with clean pans to be put away, questions on where to find, and "where does this go" and "could I have..." and "would you have time to..." It really was difficult, to understate it just a little.
Sunday evening was incredible. We sang and we listened to Steve and then it was time for people to stand for prayer if they wanted a blessing or to recieve healing or anything else that might come to mind. Mum challenged me to ignore my thoughts and go forward and get prayer for whatever God wanted to give me, so I did. Heidi and a friend started to pray that I would get a blessing, and suddenly it changed to lifting a "mantle of sadness". It was wonderful, even though it might not sound that way when I tell you I cried in the messiest way possible, but I felt as though a chunk of sadness had been removed and I felt lighter, and able to stand straighter afterward.
We were shown a selection of promotional films about upcoming events that various people might want to attend, and the finale of the night was singing the old hymn "For All The Saints". We nearly took the roof off the tent! It's such a lifting, triumphant hymn. My Dad was running one of the video cameras at the time, and he complained about being a bit deafened between the crowd going mad and the speaker just beside him! Still, it was good, because I've been wanting to sing that particular hymn since before Noel went home.
Back home soon after that for the pasta bake supper and into bed very shortly after, as Monday morning meant leaving for the marquee at 9:15am and I had a tent to pack ahead of that.
Did I mention that bank holiday weekends are tiring? :)
As is tradition, breakfast was fried eggs, sausages and beans with optional toast and tea on the side. Cooked by the men of the house I might add. We sang to one of the visiting girls as it was her birthday, which was good. Sometimes when it's a big weekend, birthdays can get buried in all the coming and going, listening and singing, eating and sleeping.
Tent and sleeping bag aired and set tidy, off to the marquee. Once again, it was very warm inside the tent, even with the sides tied up to allow good air flow through.
There was a longer tribute to Noel today. I won't go into it, but it was very much summing up the man that many people would not have seen behind the shirt and tie and Bible they saw on Sunday, or on Saturday night at the marquee in some park or other. Sam, Ian and Danny managed once again to show us a man who very few people have seen or even realise existed!
It was a changed format to what most people would expect on a Sunday, Mick bought forward the timing of the communion and Huw gave the main sermon. I know Noel was a man of great stamina, but I think that having several leaders take the different sections of the meeting is a good plan. No one leader gets too tired, and it's visible to the entire church that it's now being led by a team of men. True, there is one man as Senior Pastor; but the load is being shared now, as I think it might have been good to share it some time ago; although at that time the church might not have been ready for the change.
Lunch came at about 3pm as it usually does on a bank holiday weekend Sunday, and by the time it was eaten and served, the announcment came that the transport back to the tent would come at 4:30... it was 4pm already, and supper had to be prepared and left ready.
Mum and I sarted madly making supper for 60 - 3 kilos of pasta twists, 6 litres of sauce containing garlic, herbs, tuna, sweetcorn, peppers and more. We got it done, but 2 women working to make supper while 4 people are around the double sink washing dishes, and another 2 are in the pan room washing the saucepans and oven trays - stuff of nightmares! I was almost screaming by the time the dishes were done and the kitchen finally emptied of all but me and mum! Don't get me wrong, there was enough room for everyone to do what they were doing, but the noise we were making with our cooking, all the talking, the noise from the washing up, helpful men coming in with clean pans to be put away, questions on where to find, and "where does this go" and "could I have..." and "would you have time to..." It really was difficult, to understate it just a little.
Sunday evening was incredible. We sang and we listened to Steve and then it was time for people to stand for prayer if they wanted a blessing or to recieve healing or anything else that might come to mind. Mum challenged me to ignore my thoughts and go forward and get prayer for whatever God wanted to give me, so I did. Heidi and a friend started to pray that I would get a blessing, and suddenly it changed to lifting a "mantle of sadness". It was wonderful, even though it might not sound that way when I tell you I cried in the messiest way possible, but I felt as though a chunk of sadness had been removed and I felt lighter, and able to stand straighter afterward.
We were shown a selection of promotional films about upcoming events that various people might want to attend, and the finale of the night was singing the old hymn "For All The Saints". We nearly took the roof off the tent! It's such a lifting, triumphant hymn. My Dad was running one of the video cameras at the time, and he complained about being a bit deafened between the crowd going mad and the speaker just beside him! Still, it was good, because I've been wanting to sing that particular hymn since before Noel went home.
Back home soon after that for the pasta bake supper and into bed very shortly after, as Monday morning meant leaving for the marquee at 9:15am and I had a tent to pack ahead of that.
Did I mention that bank holiday weekends are tiring? :)
Tuesday, 26 May 2009
Saturday's adventures
I have a lot to report, so this may become several posts, but we shall see what happens.
Saturday morning was something of a nightmare. I was really tired and didn't want to get up (the after effects of a late-night phone call) and so the morning got a really slow start.
I did remember to pack everything, thanks to a brainstorming session with a pen, paper and a great friend on skype. I left the house, got into town, dropped off my books at the library (two weeks late, eyewatering fine), did some shopping that I've been promising myself I'd do, went to the bus station - and relised that I'd not fed the cats. I'm not going to be home til mid afternoon monday at the earliest. This is not good at all. Found out that Lorraine was away for the weekend, so nothing for it but to go back home, feed them and get the next bus.
Finally reached my destination:- Marquee plus mum and dad and thousands of friends at about 5:30pm, 3 hours later than I wanted to. It annoyed me that I was so late, because this weekend was pretty important to me. Only 3 days ago Noel, a man we all looked up to, respected and admired passed away. I knew people would be feeling sore and lost, and my speciality is being able to see in someone's face when they need a hug, so it really bothered me that I missed the first session of the bank holiday.
That said, the Saturday evening session was really good. There were very few tears. Individual people had moments of sadness as you would expect; but corporately, as a church, the mood was one of celebration of a mans life. Noel had always been unafraid to follow God's word and challenge the status quo. He was never afraid to offend someone, if by that offence he pushed them away from something harmful, or a dangerous thought pattern, or laziness.
Throughout the weekend people paid tribute to him in their many and varied ways, telling stories that had the whole tent shouting with laughter or solemn for a moment. For a weekend when I was a little apprehensive of not being able to move for tearful people mourning en masse, it was a beautiful time.
The details of Noel's funeral were announced, among which featured prominently the request from Noel himself, "no black tie, this is a celebration!" which is just such a Noel comment that I think it's going to be one of the most colourful funerals in the history of Northampton! It is a standing room only event, which pretty much says how loved he was. The Jesus Centre in Northampton can hold approximately 2000 people in the main auditorium, and the expectation is that the auditoruim and all available overflow rooms will be completely full.
There was a video made by Trevor and Steve of their visit to Sierra Leone to several churches there who are part of the Multiply network. It was vey moving, seeing how these people live and function day to day, and there was great laughter when it was noted that Steve pumped up and gave to some of the children a new football - Steve gained a whole gang of 12 year old best mates!
Later in the evening, still on Saturday, a group of leaders from other Multiply affiliated churches were bought on stage, introduced and invited to speak for a few moments each. Some of these men lead chruches in places where it is illegal to be a christian, and their lives are in danger daily, but if anything, it makes them stronger. These men have no fear of what man can do. They would say that they fear more what God will say at the end.
When we finally got to the end of the evening and got back to Mum and Dads place I had the pleasaure of putting up my tent in the dark, which was an interesting experience, but it did mean a very peaceful night after supper was eaten and I'd gone out to sleep - until 5am when the dawn chorus started!
I think that's all about Saturday, the rest of the weekend will follow soon!
Saturday morning was something of a nightmare. I was really tired and didn't want to get up (the after effects of a late-night phone call) and so the morning got a really slow start.
I did remember to pack everything, thanks to a brainstorming session with a pen, paper and a great friend on skype. I left the house, got into town, dropped off my books at the library (two weeks late, eyewatering fine), did some shopping that I've been promising myself I'd do, went to the bus station - and relised that I'd not fed the cats. I'm not going to be home til mid afternoon monday at the earliest. This is not good at all. Found out that Lorraine was away for the weekend, so nothing for it but to go back home, feed them and get the next bus.
Finally reached my destination:- Marquee plus mum and dad and thousands of friends at about 5:30pm, 3 hours later than I wanted to. It annoyed me that I was so late, because this weekend was pretty important to me. Only 3 days ago Noel, a man we all looked up to, respected and admired passed away. I knew people would be feeling sore and lost, and my speciality is being able to see in someone's face when they need a hug, so it really bothered me that I missed the first session of the bank holiday.
That said, the Saturday evening session was really good. There were very few tears. Individual people had moments of sadness as you would expect; but corporately, as a church, the mood was one of celebration of a mans life. Noel had always been unafraid to follow God's word and challenge the status quo. He was never afraid to offend someone, if by that offence he pushed them away from something harmful, or a dangerous thought pattern, or laziness.
Throughout the weekend people paid tribute to him in their many and varied ways, telling stories that had the whole tent shouting with laughter or solemn for a moment. For a weekend when I was a little apprehensive of not being able to move for tearful people mourning en masse, it was a beautiful time.
The details of Noel's funeral were announced, among which featured prominently the request from Noel himself, "no black tie, this is a celebration!" which is just such a Noel comment that I think it's going to be one of the most colourful funerals in the history of Northampton! It is a standing room only event, which pretty much says how loved he was. The Jesus Centre in Northampton can hold approximately 2000 people in the main auditorium, and the expectation is that the auditoruim and all available overflow rooms will be completely full.
There was a video made by Trevor and Steve of their visit to Sierra Leone to several churches there who are part of the Multiply network. It was vey moving, seeing how these people live and function day to day, and there was great laughter when it was noted that Steve pumped up and gave to some of the children a new football - Steve gained a whole gang of 12 year old best mates!
Later in the evening, still on Saturday, a group of leaders from other Multiply affiliated churches were bought on stage, introduced and invited to speak for a few moments each. Some of these men lead chruches in places where it is illegal to be a christian, and their lives are in danger daily, but if anything, it makes them stronger. These men have no fear of what man can do. They would say that they fear more what God will say at the end.
When we finally got to the end of the evening and got back to Mum and Dads place I had the pleasaure of putting up my tent in the dark, which was an interesting experience, but it did mean a very peaceful night after supper was eaten and I'd gone out to sleep - until 5am when the dawn chorus started!
I think that's all about Saturday, the rest of the weekend will follow soon!
Monday, 25 May 2009
Promises
I'm home again.
I've had a great weekend. I've spent time with Mum, camped in her garden and taken some photos of her garden and the marquee where we spent most of every day.
The problem is this. I want to tell you all about what happened; what I did, where I went, all about Karen and Caleb, but I'm so tired I can't do any of it justice.
I even wanted to tell you all about why I'm so much happier now, but I am so tired I'd leave something out, miss the point and be mad with myself about it.
So. Here is a promise that I'll tell you all about it just as soon as I've had some sleep and lost this headache.
I promise.
I've had a great weekend. I've spent time with Mum, camped in her garden and taken some photos of her garden and the marquee where we spent most of every day.
The problem is this. I want to tell you all about what happened; what I did, where I went, all about Karen and Caleb, but I'm so tired I can't do any of it justice.
I even wanted to tell you all about why I'm so much happier now, but I am so tired I'd leave something out, miss the point and be mad with myself about it.
So. Here is a promise that I'll tell you all about it just as soon as I've had some sleep and lost this headache.
I promise.
Thursday, 21 May 2009
A Tribute to a Friend
Nothing bad that's directly related to me; but Noel Stanton passed away during the day yesterday.
Noel was the Senior Pastor of the church my entire family attends - even me, when I can get there. He was 82; and he was known to be ill, so really it wasn't a surprise. Even so, when you've known someone and seen them on a regular basis for 30 years it's hard to contemplate the idea of them passing on and not seeing them again in this lifetime.
I'm not totally sure how I feel. Some times I don't think about it at all, some times I think about it and am happy that he is at rest, and then there are the times when I have to dive for a tissue because it's just hit me that I won't see the man again in this lifetime.
Noel had a huge amount of love to give, and made everyone he met feel valued and respected. Even the homeless tramp on the corner who most people would pretend not to see would be looked in the eye and recieve a smile and a short chat. It really didn't matter who you were: God loved you, so Noel loved you too.
One of my favourite stories of him came from Louise, who used to go and stay at his house for weekends sometimes. One sunday she had been asked to get milk from the fridge for cups of tea (back in the day when glass bottles were much more common), and as she opened the fridge door, three bottles fell out of the fridge door and smashed on the floor; leaving her in a huge puddle of milk - just as Noel walked into the kitchen. If I recall right, his words were along the lines of "oh dear, don't cry!" and he left the kitchen laughing.
I would say that he loved children; because he did, but he loved everyone no matter who they were.
Rest easy, Noel, and I'll see you again one day.
Noel was the Senior Pastor of the church my entire family attends - even me, when I can get there. He was 82; and he was known to be ill, so really it wasn't a surprise. Even so, when you've known someone and seen them on a regular basis for 30 years it's hard to contemplate the idea of them passing on and not seeing them again in this lifetime.
I'm not totally sure how I feel. Some times I don't think about it at all, some times I think about it and am happy that he is at rest, and then there are the times when I have to dive for a tissue because it's just hit me that I won't see the man again in this lifetime.
Noel had a huge amount of love to give, and made everyone he met feel valued and respected. Even the homeless tramp on the corner who most people would pretend not to see would be looked in the eye and recieve a smile and a short chat. It really didn't matter who you were: God loved you, so Noel loved you too.
One of my favourite stories of him came from Louise, who used to go and stay at his house for weekends sometimes. One sunday she had been asked to get milk from the fridge for cups of tea (back in the day when glass bottles were much more common), and as she opened the fridge door, three bottles fell out of the fridge door and smashed on the floor; leaving her in a huge puddle of milk - just as Noel walked into the kitchen. If I recall right, his words were along the lines of "oh dear, don't cry!" and he left the kitchen laughing.
I would say that he loved children; because he did, but he loved everyone no matter who they were.
Rest easy, Noel, and I'll see you again one day.
Wednesday, 20 May 2009
The flaming weather!
What in the world is going on with the weather?
Rain and wind should be happening in April, not May! I should be able to at least consider going camping, but if it's not raining, it's blowing a gale, and if it's not doing either of those it's dark, and the moments of sun we do get are usually in the middle of one of the gales!
Probably just as well that I've planned to delay my camping trip until September. Still planning/hoping to go to Sennen Cove again, but I'm just a bit lax this year; and I haven't booked the train or the campsite yet, but then last year I went in August and train seats and camping pitches are at a premium then.
All that whinging aside, I'm going to Mum's this weekend; having not been to see her since Dad and David's joint parties. Bless her heart, she's missing me and complaining a bit that she hasn't heard from me for ages, but I have been busy in just about all aspects of life and calling people has unconciously slipped off the radar a bit. I need to talk more about what's been happening, but I'll keep that for next week I think - it will be worth the wait, I promise!
Anyway, about this weekend. Being a bank holiday, I'm going over to Mum's to join in with her Church's bank holiday weekend celebration. I'm going to be so tired - meeting 1800 or so people non-stop for 3 days has that effect; but more importantly, I may well be camping in her garden due to the numbers of other friends arriving to shorten the journey to the same celebration! Camping in Mum's garden means I get more camping time in, a bit more privacy, and birdsong first thing. I'll take the camera with me, because Mum's garden is massive and beautiful and I love it.
I've started baking again, and best of all, I have friends to help me eat the results. Good that I have friends to get out and see, and better that they like what I bake in my wee little shoebox of a house! I need to talk more about my friends, they are a very precious commodity, and I am sure they don't feel sufficiently valued...
Final piece of good news - I've found a foolproof method of coping with work and life in general, but you will have to come back next week to hear more about it!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Edit: Mum has just confirmed that I will be camping in the garden - woo hoo! relative peace and quiet amid the mayhem!
Rain and wind should be happening in April, not May! I should be able to at least consider going camping, but if it's not raining, it's blowing a gale, and if it's not doing either of those it's dark, and the moments of sun we do get are usually in the middle of one of the gales!
Probably just as well that I've planned to delay my camping trip until September. Still planning/hoping to go to Sennen Cove again, but I'm just a bit lax this year; and I haven't booked the train or the campsite yet, but then last year I went in August and train seats and camping pitches are at a premium then.
All that whinging aside, I'm going to Mum's this weekend; having not been to see her since Dad and David's joint parties. Bless her heart, she's missing me and complaining a bit that she hasn't heard from me for ages, but I have been busy in just about all aspects of life and calling people has unconciously slipped off the radar a bit. I need to talk more about what's been happening, but I'll keep that for next week I think - it will be worth the wait, I promise!
Anyway, about this weekend. Being a bank holiday, I'm going over to Mum's to join in with her Church's bank holiday weekend celebration. I'm going to be so tired - meeting 1800 or so people non-stop for 3 days has that effect; but more importantly, I may well be camping in her garden due to the numbers of other friends arriving to shorten the journey to the same celebration! Camping in Mum's garden means I get more camping time in, a bit more privacy, and birdsong first thing. I'll take the camera with me, because Mum's garden is massive and beautiful and I love it.
I've started baking again, and best of all, I have friends to help me eat the results. Good that I have friends to get out and see, and better that they like what I bake in my wee little shoebox of a house! I need to talk more about my friends, they are a very precious commodity, and I am sure they don't feel sufficiently valued...
Final piece of good news - I've found a foolproof method of coping with work and life in general, but you will have to come back next week to hear more about it!
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Edit: Mum has just confirmed that I will be camping in the garden - woo hoo! relative peace and quiet amid the mayhem!
Wednesday, 13 May 2009
Of cameras and pictures.
I'm sorry. I have been really quiet lately, but I got a bit low and really had nothing good to say, so I thought quiet was best for now, but I do have news.
I've got a blipfoto journal going, and you might like to look at it here.
The idea is to take one photo and upload it to your journal.You can only put one photo per calender day. I find it really makes me think a bit more about the pictures I'm taking "is it blip-worthy?" is now a common question. It is really making me wish for a better camera - and a wireless laptop!
The camera I have isn't bad, don't get me wrong, but I think with a bit more technology I could take a greater range of pictures. This one doesn't seem to be particularly good at landscapes, and I want to take those as well as close shots of animals and plants.
I have found a garden that it most blipworthy, and I strongly suspect I'll be posting a lot of pictures from there! DN is a fantastic gardener with huge amounts of imagination and the ability to transfer it to the ground. Planting the way she has means the garden seems to be about 3 times larger than it really is! Doesn't hurt any that there's a river right outside the back/side door either...
Work is not really improving, but having plenty to focus on outside of work such as having a twitter ID as well as friends and family is helping a great deal.
I have rediscovered wearing red too. I do have a fair bit of red clothing, but I got out of the way of wearing it, even though it is pretty much the perfect colour for my skin (not sure why, but not questioning it!) It's a good confidence boost too, knowing that all I have to do is wear a red top and I look great, even if it's only above dodgy cheap jeans for work!
I've got a blipfoto journal going, and you might like to look at it here.
The idea is to take one photo and upload it to your journal.You can only put one photo per calender day. I find it really makes me think a bit more about the pictures I'm taking "is it blip-worthy?" is now a common question. It is really making me wish for a better camera - and a wireless laptop!
The camera I have isn't bad, don't get me wrong, but I think with a bit more technology I could take a greater range of pictures. This one doesn't seem to be particularly good at landscapes, and I want to take those as well as close shots of animals and plants.
I have found a garden that it most blipworthy, and I strongly suspect I'll be posting a lot of pictures from there! DN is a fantastic gardener with huge amounts of imagination and the ability to transfer it to the ground. Planting the way she has means the garden seems to be about 3 times larger than it really is! Doesn't hurt any that there's a river right outside the back/side door either...
Work is not really improving, but having plenty to focus on outside of work such as having a twitter ID as well as friends and family is helping a great deal.
I have rediscovered wearing red too. I do have a fair bit of red clothing, but I got out of the way of wearing it, even though it is pretty much the perfect colour for my skin (not sure why, but not questioning it!) It's a good confidence boost too, knowing that all I have to do is wear a red top and I look great, even if it's only above dodgy cheap jeans for work!
Saturday, 25 April 2009
The highs and lows of being a cyclist
You know what really bugs me most? It got to be the way that everyone decides to get the car out and go in caravan with the rest of the universe when I'm just a bit late going somewhere!
Doesn't matter that I'm going to be late for work, the rest of the world has decided Tesco is the place to be, so I have to wait for the whole blasted lot to go by and then give myself heart attack tying to catch up the time I lost while these inconsiderate people drove past and made me wait!
Of course, there is revenge. If I know I'm a little behind time I simply foil all the drivers by using the nearest zebra crossing to get to the correct side of the road for the direction I'm going in, then they have to wait for me! Sheer genius; really ticks off the drivers and theres nothing they can do but wait!
I still maintain that I prefer using the bike. I stay fit at no extra cost, no extra insurance, no fuel, no tax, no parking to pay. I really do love it. I can use routes not available to drivers, and because I'm travelling slower I see things that a driver never would. I also get less mental fatigue than car drivers, but only marginally more physical fatigue (5 years daily cycling does give you stamina)
Then there's the plain funny, that makes the whole world laugh; like on Tuesday, when I went shopping and had to do a store-cupboard stock-up. I ended up with 6 of those big Tesco reusable bags, some in blue, some the hessian sort, two zip up cool bags and a couple of those clip along the top padded ones, good for chilled stuff. How in the heck do you get all that on a bike, get it home and put it away and still be on time for work?
Well, a case of PMT helps, but it worked out that there were 3 bags on one handlebar, 4 bags on the other, one each side of the saddle, one - plus a tray of cat food - on the rear rack and finally a bag of bottles on my arm because I couldn't fit it anywhere else! I did pay though, my back and arms hurt for 2 solid days until I remembered the arnica I keep telling everyone else to take!
This week has gone fairly well on the whole I think; no tears, lots of sunshine. Payday happened so shopping happened, which is always good; even if it's only food shopping, its still retail therapy in my book!
Doesn't matter that I'm going to be late for work, the rest of the world has decided Tesco is the place to be, so I have to wait for the whole blasted lot to go by and then give myself heart attack tying to catch up the time I lost while these inconsiderate people drove past and made me wait!
Of course, there is revenge. If I know I'm a little behind time I simply foil all the drivers by using the nearest zebra crossing to get to the correct side of the road for the direction I'm going in, then they have to wait for me! Sheer genius; really ticks off the drivers and theres nothing they can do but wait!
I still maintain that I prefer using the bike. I stay fit at no extra cost, no extra insurance, no fuel, no tax, no parking to pay. I really do love it. I can use routes not available to drivers, and because I'm travelling slower I see things that a driver never would. I also get less mental fatigue than car drivers, but only marginally more physical fatigue (5 years daily cycling does give you stamina)
Then there's the plain funny, that makes the whole world laugh; like on Tuesday, when I went shopping and had to do a store-cupboard stock-up. I ended up with 6 of those big Tesco reusable bags, some in blue, some the hessian sort, two zip up cool bags and a couple of those clip along the top padded ones, good for chilled stuff. How in the heck do you get all that on a bike, get it home and put it away and still be on time for work?
Well, a case of PMT helps, but it worked out that there were 3 bags on one handlebar, 4 bags on the other, one each side of the saddle, one - plus a tray of cat food - on the rear rack and finally a bag of bottles on my arm because I couldn't fit it anywhere else! I did pay though, my back and arms hurt for 2 solid days until I remembered the arnica I keep telling everyone else to take!
This week has gone fairly well on the whole I think; no tears, lots of sunshine. Payday happened so shopping happened, which is always good; even if it's only food shopping, its still retail therapy in my book!
Sunday, 19 April 2009
Twilight
My favourite time of day, and impossible to photograph. I've just been outside to get a breath of air, and it's so still.
The sky is a beautiful shade of blue, definitely not day, but not the navy of late evening. The stars are out and just about sparkling. It's only just dark enough to see them. The birds are singing. Being a cat owner, the birds stay well out of my sight. I think they know that there may be a cat following me!
There's very little wind; and because it's almost dark and not summer, most people don't fancy braving the 13C chill to experience the peace that twilight has to offer. Personally I'd love to put on some thicker clothes and take a candle lantern outside and just sit. That in print, I think I just might in a minute, along with a cup of coffee.
I would talk about what's been going on since I last blogged, but it's far too depressing to share, Low morale at work and depression at home. Once again the house is a bombsite. I'm hoping that I can get to grips with things this week, I've taken friends' advice and started taking St Johns Wort to try and help. I did get the laundry done, but then I have to be a long way down before can't face doing laundry. Dishes and general tidiness fall by the way first by a long way, but clean clothes and personal hygiene are important enough to me that I can usually find a way to get them done.
Right. That's all I'm prepared to say about the bad stuff from this week. I reread what I write here, and I cannot afford to type reams of depressing stuff; it's really bad for me to read it, drags me down for ages.
I did make a really nice carrot cake this week. It's truly good enough to consider as a regular thing. Kind of good really since everything chocolate has had to leave the repertiore hastily! Means I have a good ginger cake, carrot cake, fruit cake, victoria sponge and scones of most varieties as well as cookies. I've started cooking properly again, rather than just reheating or cooking from frozen.
Right; I'm now going to find a jumper and go outside for a bit more peace!
The sky is a beautiful shade of blue, definitely not day, but not the navy of late evening. The stars are out and just about sparkling. It's only just dark enough to see them. The birds are singing. Being a cat owner, the birds stay well out of my sight. I think they know that there may be a cat following me!
There's very little wind; and because it's almost dark and not summer, most people don't fancy braving the 13C chill to experience the peace that twilight has to offer. Personally I'd love to put on some thicker clothes and take a candle lantern outside and just sit. That in print, I think I just might in a minute, along with a cup of coffee.
I would talk about what's been going on since I last blogged, but it's far too depressing to share, Low morale at work and depression at home. Once again the house is a bombsite. I'm hoping that I can get to grips with things this week, I've taken friends' advice and started taking St Johns Wort to try and help. I did get the laundry done, but then I have to be a long way down before can't face doing laundry. Dishes and general tidiness fall by the way first by a long way, but clean clothes and personal hygiene are important enough to me that I can usually find a way to get them done.
Right. That's all I'm prepared to say about the bad stuff from this week. I reread what I write here, and I cannot afford to type reams of depressing stuff; it's really bad for me to read it, drags me down for ages.
I did make a really nice carrot cake this week. It's truly good enough to consider as a regular thing. Kind of good really since everything chocolate has had to leave the repertiore hastily! Means I have a good ginger cake, carrot cake, fruit cake, victoria sponge and scones of most varieties as well as cookies. I've started cooking properly again, rather than just reheating or cooking from frozen.
Right; I'm now going to find a jumper and go outside for a bit more peace!
Tuesday, 14 April 2009
...Man, I hate that...
Heard Shania Twain sing? I think I can sum up today in one of her songs - "Honey I'm Home" - it was one of those.
I was late leaving for work because I couldn't find my music player, my mobile phone and some hair bands. I got held up at every corner on the way in - I live right next to Tesco and it seems that if I'm five minutes late leaving for work everyone, but everyone, takes the opportunity to drive past me and make me later still! Get past the traffic, into the country park, step on the pedals and - nope, brakes. The Easter break means that every mother in town has dragged her children and their bikes and trikes out along my route. I tell you, dogs are a breeze by comparison!
I really wasn't looking forward to going back today at all. I've had three long weekends one after the other; and when you're getting a fair bit of stress at work it really doesn't make you fancy hurrying back you know?
Stayed in that depressed/grumpy/whatever mood until about 6pm when "Honey I'm Home" started playing in my head - the way these things do. Pretty much summed it up really, lots of stupid little things trying to spoil the day; but hey, I'm going home at the end of the day, Oliver and Jewel will be pleased to see me and I've got some nice drinks and snacks in the fridge too!
Oddly enough nothing really bothered me that much for the next four hours. Best of all, I am home now, I have a coffee to hand (of course) and I've watched a bit of TV and I'm chatting with some really good people. I'll go to bed some time in the next hour and do it all again tomorrow, but tomorrow's not Tuesday, it's Wednesday, the middle of the week. It's all downhill from here!
The only niggle I have is that rain is coming and my hip hurts a bit and so I'm staggering around the house loking a little odd. I'm sure the cats are laughing at me but so what? I'm really not fussed about it, the pain will go as soon as the rain comes and I'm actually in the mood to enjoy rain (best hang out the banners, I generally hate it being a cyclist!)
Oh yes, and there's "me friendly" choc chip cookies to go with the coffee too!
I was late leaving for work because I couldn't find my music player, my mobile phone and some hair bands. I got held up at every corner on the way in - I live right next to Tesco and it seems that if I'm five minutes late leaving for work everyone, but everyone, takes the opportunity to drive past me and make me later still! Get past the traffic, into the country park, step on the pedals and - nope, brakes. The Easter break means that every mother in town has dragged her children and their bikes and trikes out along my route. I tell you, dogs are a breeze by comparison!
I really wasn't looking forward to going back today at all. I've had three long weekends one after the other; and when you're getting a fair bit of stress at work it really doesn't make you fancy hurrying back you know?
Stayed in that depressed/grumpy/whatever mood until about 6pm when "Honey I'm Home" started playing in my head - the way these things do. Pretty much summed it up really, lots of stupid little things trying to spoil the day; but hey, I'm going home at the end of the day, Oliver and Jewel will be pleased to see me and I've got some nice drinks and snacks in the fridge too!
Oddly enough nothing really bothered me that much for the next four hours. Best of all, I am home now, I have a coffee to hand (of course) and I've watched a bit of TV and I'm chatting with some really good people. I'll go to bed some time in the next hour and do it all again tomorrow, but tomorrow's not Tuesday, it's Wednesday, the middle of the week. It's all downhill from here!
The only niggle I have is that rain is coming and my hip hurts a bit and so I'm staggering around the house loking a little odd. I'm sure the cats are laughing at me but so what? I'm really not fussed about it, the pain will go as soon as the rain comes and I'm actually in the mood to enjoy rain (best hang out the banners, I generally hate it being a cyclist!)
Oh yes, and there's "me friendly" choc chip cookies to go with the coffee too!
Saturday, 11 April 2009
All is not quite lost
I'm having another low time. I don't think I'm depressed, I'm just sniffly and tired and I'm not getting decent sleep to deal with it. I keep thinking I'm coming down with a cold for the first time in ages, but then it vanishes completely and I'm left wondering if it was hayfever.
I did pull myself together sufficiently to bake chocolate chip cookies with white choclate. They aren't quite the same as normal choc chip cookies, but they still taste OK. The however is that I did manage to burn six and my eyes sting like heck because of the smoke (and my oven needs cleaning too).
I went into town around midday. My house phones bit the dust recently, the cordless phone won't charge properly and the corded phone's micophone doesn't pick up sound properly. Nothing for it in the end, so I've got a couple of new phones now. I'm still charging up the cordless phone, but things look OK so far. I bought a National Geographic magazine while I was out; and even though I'm not able to concentrate properly on it, it was good to at least flick through. Maybe all is not quite lost!
I originally had plans to bake a carrot cake tomorrow, but I have a feeling it won't happen. I haven't any icing sugar although I have everything else, but in this frame of mind that's enough to stop me bothering. I do have an apointment with BBC1 and the Easter Day service from Southwark Cathdral in the morning. Maybe that will lift me and I'll be more inclined to do other things.
It's the first Easter I've ever not been with my family and physically at Church every day for 3 days and it is a very odd feeling. I don't plan on doing this again, that much is very sure.
I do apologise. I've just read back what I've typed, and I sound like a whinging child. Maybe the child treatment of warm drink and bed is what I need. Time for a lemsip. I can't be doing with feeling not quite right and doing nothing about it.
I did pull myself together sufficiently to bake chocolate chip cookies with white choclate. They aren't quite the same as normal choc chip cookies, but they still taste OK. The however is that I did manage to burn six and my eyes sting like heck because of the smoke (and my oven needs cleaning too).
I went into town around midday. My house phones bit the dust recently, the cordless phone won't charge properly and the corded phone's micophone doesn't pick up sound properly. Nothing for it in the end, so I've got a couple of new phones now. I'm still charging up the cordless phone, but things look OK so far. I bought a National Geographic magazine while I was out; and even though I'm not able to concentrate properly on it, it was good to at least flick through. Maybe all is not quite lost!
I originally had plans to bake a carrot cake tomorrow, but I have a feeling it won't happen. I haven't any icing sugar although I have everything else, but in this frame of mind that's enough to stop me bothering. I do have an apointment with BBC1 and the Easter Day service from Southwark Cathdral in the morning. Maybe that will lift me and I'll be more inclined to do other things.
It's the first Easter I've ever not been with my family and physically at Church every day for 3 days and it is a very odd feeling. I don't plan on doing this again, that much is very sure.
I do apologise. I've just read back what I've typed, and I sound like a whinging child. Maybe the child treatment of warm drink and bed is what I need. Time for a lemsip. I can't be doing with feeling not quite right and doing nothing about it.
Wednesday, 8 April 2009
Just four days?
I know I'm late coming to blog about last weekend; but so much happened, and it was so emotional that I had to take some time in my own head to sort out what went on and how to write it all down.
As you may remember I was really tired at the working end of last week, and that affected my getting to sleep on Thursday night (3:30am if I recall correctly), and I had to get up early for a special breakfast on friday morning. My work friends had the doubtful pleasure of finally seeing me at my grumpy best on Friday, as I wasn't giving up a free meal (well, who would?). Of itself, breakfast was OK; and it was good to have people to chat to at that time of day. However, the trip home was most certainly not warm and pleasant, the way the Rule Book says that all early trips to work should finish!
I had a "hit a wall" moment when I got home and it took 3 cups of filter coffee and a phone call to mum to get my suitcase packed and myself and my luggage out of the door and on the bus to mum's house. Not the best start to a long weekend that means you'll be seeing people you haven't seen for over 6 months. On top of my low mood there was a motorway crash involving closing the entire motorway and sending the traffic through the town where I had to change busses, and my final journey was over 3 hours in the end.
I did make it safely to mum's and handed over the chocolate to make up the stock I depleted last weeked with the chocolate chip cookies that everyone was still talking about, got fed and spent the evening chilling with various family members and friends dropping by. Very good way to waste a Friday night if your feeling tired if I may say so.
Saturday morning we (mum, dad, P and me) climbed in the car and made the 2 hour journey to visit mum's sister and family. I haven't seen these people since August, and I'd been really missing them, so it was really good to see them and reassure myself that they are healthy and happy still in spite of the lack of visits. They were doing really well. Happy, healthy and living in an astoundingly beautiful part of the country. I didn't even know the area existed, and now I'm honour bound to check it out properly, camper that I am! Auntie cut my hair in exchange for a hairwash - nothing like a quick pamper to make life perfect - and P and the girls cleared off to the park until lunch was ready.
Lunch was a great laugh, twice as many people crowded around the table then the room could really take. People were sitting on the oddest items of furniture so there were enough seats around the table; and once we'd eaten the meal proper, and before dessert various people who will be forever nameless entertained everyone else by eating straight from the serving dishes and various other "not good manners" things.
The journey home was weird. I confess to not finding motor travel easy, and by the end of Saturday I'd clocked up 8 hours travel in two days. I firstly got travel sick almost as soon as we pulled away from the house and then fell asleep as soon as my stomach settled. The evening went by in a blur of friends and books and naps, not all in exactly that order! I did cry a lot in the evening, and I'm still working out exactly what for and why and whether I feel better for it or whether I need to cry some more. All I can think is that it must have been a combination of travel and the emotins of meeting with people I haven't seen for a long time.
Sunday was just sunday really. More tears; and Church for the first time since before Christmas. It was great. I do miss going to Church, and while there are most certainly good Churches here in town I do miss the one I grew up with and I can't really settle with any of the others. Lots old friends, some new ones, and some amazing and unbelievable stories about friends I've known a while.
On Monday, I helped mum, MG and K around the house til lunchtime, made the lunch and then dragged mum off for some quality time at a friend's house; where she couldn't rush around doing laundry, baking cakes, ringing friends and all the other hundreds of things my mother finds to do in a day. We had a great time talking about how we are and what we're doing and plans for next year when I'm dealing with the upheaval of Losing My Job.
As I said earlier, I don't find motorised travel the easiest or most restful thing in the world, so Monday night was a night of no food, lots of coffee and books in the bath before an early night. By Tuesday I felt like I'd had a week off work. So much happened over the weekend that it felt much longer then just four days away.
As you may remember I was really tired at the working end of last week, and that affected my getting to sleep on Thursday night (3:30am if I recall correctly), and I had to get up early for a special breakfast on friday morning. My work friends had the doubtful pleasure of finally seeing me at my grumpy best on Friday, as I wasn't giving up a free meal (well, who would?). Of itself, breakfast was OK; and it was good to have people to chat to at that time of day. However, the trip home was most certainly not warm and pleasant, the way the Rule Book says that all early trips to work should finish!
I had a "hit a wall" moment when I got home and it took 3 cups of filter coffee and a phone call to mum to get my suitcase packed and myself and my luggage out of the door and on the bus to mum's house. Not the best start to a long weekend that means you'll be seeing people you haven't seen for over 6 months. On top of my low mood there was a motorway crash involving closing the entire motorway and sending the traffic through the town where I had to change busses, and my final journey was over 3 hours in the end.
I did make it safely to mum's and handed over the chocolate to make up the stock I depleted last weeked with the chocolate chip cookies that everyone was still talking about, got fed and spent the evening chilling with various family members and friends dropping by. Very good way to waste a Friday night if your feeling tired if I may say so.
Saturday morning we (mum, dad, P and me) climbed in the car and made the 2 hour journey to visit mum's sister and family. I haven't seen these people since August, and I'd been really missing them, so it was really good to see them and reassure myself that they are healthy and happy still in spite of the lack of visits. They were doing really well. Happy, healthy and living in an astoundingly beautiful part of the country. I didn't even know the area existed, and now I'm honour bound to check it out properly, camper that I am! Auntie cut my hair in exchange for a hairwash - nothing like a quick pamper to make life perfect - and P and the girls cleared off to the park until lunch was ready.
Lunch was a great laugh, twice as many people crowded around the table then the room could really take. People were sitting on the oddest items of furniture so there were enough seats around the table; and once we'd eaten the meal proper, and before dessert various people who will be forever nameless entertained everyone else by eating straight from the serving dishes and various other "not good manners" things.
The journey home was weird. I confess to not finding motor travel easy, and by the end of Saturday I'd clocked up 8 hours travel in two days. I firstly got travel sick almost as soon as we pulled away from the house and then fell asleep as soon as my stomach settled. The evening went by in a blur of friends and books and naps, not all in exactly that order! I did cry a lot in the evening, and I'm still working out exactly what for and why and whether I feel better for it or whether I need to cry some more. All I can think is that it must have been a combination of travel and the emotins of meeting with people I haven't seen for a long time.
Sunday was just sunday really. More tears; and Church for the first time since before Christmas. It was great. I do miss going to Church, and while there are most certainly good Churches here in town I do miss the one I grew up with and I can't really settle with any of the others. Lots old friends, some new ones, and some amazing and unbelievable stories about friends I've known a while.
On Monday, I helped mum, MG and K around the house til lunchtime, made the lunch and then dragged mum off for some quality time at a friend's house; where she couldn't rush around doing laundry, baking cakes, ringing friends and all the other hundreds of things my mother finds to do in a day. We had a great time talking about how we are and what we're doing and plans for next year when I'm dealing with the upheaval of Losing My Job.
As I said earlier, I don't find motorised travel the easiest or most restful thing in the world, so Monday night was a night of no food, lots of coffee and books in the bath before an early night. By Tuesday I felt like I'd had a week off work. So much happened over the weekend that it felt much longer then just four days away.
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