So the dust settles.....
It took a while to get things back to normal after the mayhem of our "call for a cuppa for Tearfund" day. Can anyone tell me why chatting to people is so exausting?! I wasn't even doing the work for goodness sakes!
At one point the queue for coffee was right to the front door and I don't think I've ever seen so many people in our home in one day - I lost count after about 60 and that was just a couple of hours into the event, so I guess it was maybe double that. We gave up taking photos as it just got too crowded.
Lots of old friends call by, as well as new friends and neighbours - it's a great way to get to know people as well as raise the profile and gather support for a great mission!
Although I'd baked lots,we were so grateful for the gifts of baking others brought - thanks Anne, Eleanor, Robo, Ali, Winnie and Fifi! We needed your contributions!
Hats off also to:
>Leta who singlehandly set up ready for the crowds. Well done mum.
>The Cove Cottage Kitchen team who kept everyone fed and watered throughout the day -Lulu, Lottie, Robo, Fifi and Dillon's chum.
>Charlene for great pancakes, fresh off the griddle and Lewis for keeping her right!
>Carol and Eileen who sold more craft than they ever could have imagined.
>Ali and "Anon"! who managed to jump in from another blog!!!!!!! Now how did they do that?!
>Billy for tidying up as usual! Where does my father get his energy from?
>Gavin for the milk run when we ran out!
>Michael and Heather for the coffee run when we ran out!
>Grace for having the energy to mop the floor after everyone had gone.... ...and >everyone who "called for a cuppa" and helped make it such a brilliant day.
The final total isn't in yet - orders keep coming for crafts and cards since we ran out on Saturday - but as soon as I know, you'll know!
THANK YOU everyone who made it such a great day!
At one point the queue for coffee was right to the front door and I don't think I've ever seen so many people in our home in one day - I lost count after about 60 and that was just a couple of hours into the event, so I guess it was maybe double that. We gave up taking photos as it just got too crowded.
Lots of old friends call by, as well as new friends and neighbours - it's a great way to get to know people as well as raise the profile and gather support for a great mission!
Although I'd baked lots,we were so grateful for the gifts of baking others brought - thanks Anne, Eleanor, Robo, Ali, Winnie and Fifi! We needed your contributions!
Hats off also to:
>Leta who singlehandly set up ready for the crowds. Well done mum.
>The Cove Cottage Kitchen team who kept everyone fed and watered throughout the day -Lulu, Lottie, Robo, Fifi and Dillon's chum.
>Charlene for great pancakes, fresh off the griddle and Lewis for keeping her right!
>Carol and Eileen who sold more craft than they ever could have imagined.
>Ali and "Anon"! who managed to jump in from another blog!!!!!!! Now how did they do that?!
>Billy for tidying up as usual! Where does my father get his energy from?
>Gavin for the milk run when we ran out!
>Michael and Heather for the coffee run when we ran out!
>Grace for having the energy to mop the floor after everyone had gone.... ...and >everyone who "called for a cuppa" and helped make it such a brilliant day.
The final total isn't in yet - orders keep coming for crafts and cards since we ran out on Saturday - but as soon as I know, you'll know!
THANK YOU everyone who made it such a great day!
Sat 11th update
Ah, I'm too creamed tonight to relate the craic of the day and upload the pics, but since I know some of you will be logging in to see yourselves - check tomorrow night!
The best news is, you helped us raise over £ 3,000. (Did you hear right?) Yep, OVER THREE THOUSAND POUNDS from coffee and crafts! Wow. Thankyou.
More tomorrow. Zzzzzz
The best news is, you helped us raise over £ 3,000. (Did you hear right?) Yep, OVER THREE THOUSAND POUNDS from coffee and crafts! Wow. Thankyou.
More tomorrow. Zzzzzz
Saturday 11th October
Tearfund time again - the annual "call for a cuppa" day looms and we're getting ready for the crowds to descend.
Thanks to Lottie (front right), Lulu (back right) and Dillon's chum (front left) for posting fliers through ALL the doors in the neighbourhood last night... here they are with their friend Miss McGreggor (back left).
THANK YOU LADIES, hope the malteser buns and fifteens were adequate payment!
So, scores of scones have been baked and hundreds of traybakes made (squares to my transatlantic friends) and we're ready to go.
On Saturday, we'll have a room full of lovely TEARcraft andTEARfund cards to sell and all the friends and neighbours will enjoy a cuppa and a natter and we'll hopefully raise lots of money for a brilliant cause.
If you know where I live... please call (on Sat 11th) between 10.30am and 3pm... it'll be bedlam, but we'd love to see you!
Meme-o to self... no more tagging!
Ali tagged me a while back... so here goes;
Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged, and to read your blog.
Easier I think if there's a theme... let's see... misdemeanors and silly stuff?
1) During a great aunt’s funeral in the crematorium. I was playing the organ and as expected, everyone very upset, (by her death, not my music… I think?!) As the coffin platform descended to the depths (and furnace area) I looked up to see, fixed to the wall just past the organ, a fire extinguisher… for? It tickled my chuckle muscle and I’m afraid to say, I lost it.
2) At a church service for a particular “orange” organisation, I played a “disguised” version of an “unacceptable” national anthem on the organ … and no one noticed. Mischievous, but satisfying.
3) I was very impressed with my new stilettos (ok, I was about 16). Dressed to the nines, I chose to wear them to Youth Fellowship for their first outing. No one told me the plan was to walk up Cave Hill in Belfast after church. One of my heels is still there somewhere.
4) We were in my friend's hospital room and she was recounting an earlier visit from a mutual friend who was a junior doctor. She was a little embarrassed when he proceeded to examine her after what she thought was just a social call. “I’m sure you felt like running a mile when he said...” She’d just had a leg amputated. She laughed, bless her. I was mortified.
5) I helped “pour” a jug of ice cubes down a co-presenter’s back during his last programme. Thank goodness it was radio, though he did sound very odd.
6) Inappropriate emotion? Another colleague confessed to falling into his mother’s grave at her funeral. I’d already heard. So had just about everyone in work. I really did my best to make my tear filled eyes look like sympathy but when the giggles hit… (It was one of many “accidents” including locking himself inside his house and losing the keys – twice, then there was the time he stabbed himself with a letter opener…. )
7) While on holiday in France with a group of friends including one irritatingly passionate vegetarian, I had an irristible urge to stir the veggie pot with a very meaty spoon. The meal was declared “the tastiest ever” by said vegetarian. I’m a nicer person now. I think.
8) At college, I called a fellow student and claimed to be from the student health centre. I told him his urine sample wasn’t adequate for the raft of tests required and requested he supply a larger quantity – maybe a litre or so. Later, we waited in the health centre to snigger when he arrived with his piddle-pot. (He wasn’t ill, just the routine health checks at the start of a university course.)
Now tell us something about you; Charlene, Laura, Bree and... heck, I don't think I know eight bloggers who haven't already done it!
Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged, and to read your blog.
Easier I think if there's a theme... let's see... misdemeanors and silly stuff?
1) During a great aunt’s funeral in the crematorium. I was playing the organ and as expected, everyone very upset, (by her death, not my music… I think?!) As the coffin platform descended to the depths (and furnace area) I looked up to see, fixed to the wall just past the organ, a fire extinguisher… for? It tickled my chuckle muscle and I’m afraid to say, I lost it.
2) At a church service for a particular “orange” organisation, I played a “disguised” version of an “unacceptable” national anthem on the organ … and no one noticed. Mischievous, but satisfying.
3) I was very impressed with my new stilettos (ok, I was about 16). Dressed to the nines, I chose to wear them to Youth Fellowship for their first outing. No one told me the plan was to walk up Cave Hill in Belfast after church. One of my heels is still there somewhere.
4) We were in my friend's hospital room and she was recounting an earlier visit from a mutual friend who was a junior doctor. She was a little embarrassed when he proceeded to examine her after what she thought was just a social call. “I’m sure you felt like running a mile when he said...” She’d just had a leg amputated. She laughed, bless her. I was mortified.
5) I helped “pour” a jug of ice cubes down a co-presenter’s back during his last programme. Thank goodness it was radio, though he did sound very odd.
6) Inappropriate emotion? Another colleague confessed to falling into his mother’s grave at her funeral. I’d already heard. So had just about everyone in work. I really did my best to make my tear filled eyes look like sympathy but when the giggles hit… (It was one of many “accidents” including locking himself inside his house and losing the keys – twice, then there was the time he stabbed himself with a letter opener…. )
7) While on holiday in France with a group of friends including one irritatingly passionate vegetarian, I had an irristible urge to stir the veggie pot with a very meaty spoon. The meal was declared “the tastiest ever” by said vegetarian. I’m a nicer person now. I think.
8) At college, I called a fellow student and claimed to be from the student health centre. I told him his urine sample wasn’t adequate for the raft of tests required and requested he supply a larger quantity – maybe a litre or so. Later, we waited in the health centre to snigger when he arrived with his piddle-pot. (He wasn’t ill, just the routine health checks at the start of a university course.)
Now tell us something about you; Charlene, Laura, Bree and... heck, I don't think I know eight bloggers who haven't already done it!
The Wedding Album
Thought for those dedicated followers of fashion, you might like to look here to see what everyone looked like fifty years ago. For those reading locally, the wedding was in McCracken Memorial Presbyterian in Belfast (Mum's maiden name was McCracken) and the reception was in Cranethorpe House which became what we know as the Park Avenue Hotel.
We had mum's wedding dress on a manequin at the 50th anniversary party - with the head-dress propped on my never-used wig stand. It didn't work! Whatever way the polystyrene head was fixed on, it looked as if it was hovering above the body - a bit sureal, like some thing from Dr Who! That said, the dress is still lovely.
We had mum's wedding dress on a manequin at the 50th anniversary party - with the head-dress propped on my never-used wig stand. It didn't work! Whatever way the polystyrene head was fixed on, it looked as if it was hovering above the body - a bit sureal, like some thing from Dr Who! That said, the dress is still lovely.
Back in action....
...having been "missing" for a while. Isn't it lovely to be missed?! Thanks Bree, Ali, Laura and "Anon" - touched by your thoughts/concern! I'm grand thanks - just gone into a "came-over-all-excited" phase. Might be that I have hair again (sort of) or that I got to the end of the radio therapy "cooking" or even that it's the start of my favouritest season in the year. Maybe just a combination of all three.
I've been busyish too... York, Spain and Portugal putting friction burns on the passport and the plastic... but most importantly, we had a golden wedding anniversary to celebrate in the family. My parents (mug shots here) were married on 13th September 1958 in Belfast.
Family and friends came together in the lovely Clarendon Building, Belfast to mark the occasion and it was wonderful; to the twinkling harp music on a sunny day (yes there was one specially ordered) we chatted, laughed, remembered, ate, sang and told our stories - some of them captured in the "Quilt of Golden Moments" which was presented along with a book recalling the memories with photos. You can see the quilt if you click on the flickr badge to the right of the web page - for those not sure of flickr, once in the "badge", the pics are probably best viewed by clicking on the little screen logo to the right (just under where it says "55 items") then if you're really interested, on the top of the page, click on the "info on" bit to find out about the stories. It's been such a rewarding project to work on and Billy and Leta are just so moved by all the memories and the love stitched into it.
Then as a family, we headed to Portugal for a very special holiday; a golden wedding, a couple of fortieth birthdays and an end of breast cancer treatment. Just what the doc ordered all round!
I've been busyish too... York, Spain and Portugal putting friction burns on the passport and the plastic... but most importantly, we had a golden wedding anniversary to celebrate in the family. My parents (mug shots here) were married on 13th September 1958 in Belfast.
Family and friends came together in the lovely Clarendon Building, Belfast to mark the occasion and it was wonderful; to the twinkling harp music on a sunny day (yes there was one specially ordered) we chatted, laughed, remembered, ate, sang and told our stories - some of them captured in the "Quilt of Golden Moments" which was presented along with a book recalling the memories with photos. You can see the quilt if you click on the flickr badge to the right of the web page - for those not sure of flickr, once in the "badge", the pics are probably best viewed by clicking on the little screen logo to the right (just under where it says "55 items") then if you're really interested, on the top of the page, click on the "info on" bit to find out about the stories. It's been such a rewarding project to work on and Billy and Leta are just so moved by all the memories and the love stitched into it.
Then as a family, we headed to Portugal for a very special holiday; a golden wedding, a couple of fortieth birthdays and an end of breast cancer treatment. Just what the doc ordered all round!
puddles right up to our muddles!
What a day this has been. The camera was in action, so the snaps will help to illustrate!
Soggy me in Donaghadee!
It's like being back in monsoon season - except this is Northern Ireland and it's supposed to be the height of the summer. 62mm of rain fell in twelve hours (about 2 1/2" for your non metric types). But did it put a dampner on the plans for today? Nope. Charlene's blog will fill you in on some bits and I'll fill you in on the others!
The churches in Donaghadee started their "festival of hope" today with a family fun day... uh... should that have been "family fairly flooded day"... but still fun-ish!
Mum, our long-time friend Maurice, Charlene, Philip and the girls!
Prettified princesses - though how could you improve on perfection!
Now the rain it just kept a coming... seeping everywhere... and as the afternoon wore on, there was rising damp from the ground up in both trouser legs, so there was nothing for it but home.... crafts and baking. Thank goodness Grace was having a sleepover!
Robo popped in, so Grace showed her how to make foil-foam stickers...
... with great results! Glad I brought the kit back from London.
But clearly it was all too much for Robo....you need to be young to have stamina!
...and Grace IS young, so it was baking next! Scones and pancakes... 
Fantastic results from a pretty smart 7 year old!
So now everyone's in bed except me; the kitchen's tidied, the house is quiet, the rain is beating against the window and there's such a homely smell of just-baked bread. It's lovely having children about the place, even if they're only "on loan" - thanks Charlene and Philip. Though it takes the shine off it all a little bit to know that there are a lot of folk hovering near sandbags around the country, hoping their homes won't flood... or that the water damage won't look so bad in the light of day. Tonight, I'm grateful for so many things - including a dry home.
And today was all about....
... cancelled trains... rain.... radiotherapy.... new shoes for 22 month old lil' person.. a play in the park... and the suckiest apple juice from a big-boy glass....then at tea time.... Sasha's 18th birthday tea at Pier 36.... with daft dads.... lovely aunt Elaine... brill brothers and Cake Head Ted (where was that hat when my hair fell out!?) and of course, a very happy, very glamorous birthday babe. After all you guys have been through over the last year, this was a lovely evening and I was really glad to share it with you - thanks!
Ali's "died and gone to heaven" pudding
Just read Ali's blog and here's the recipe for the chocolate cheesecake.... (originally from another friend called Ali with a few Wils tweaks en route). HEALTH WARNING: this is seriously yummy, and seriously rich - a little goes a very, very long way. Also, I'm not great on quantities - I work more by instinct!
The base is the usual mix of crushed digestive biscuits, melted butter and if I'm not using chocolate digestives, then I add a couple of teaspoons of drinking chocolate powder. Any normal size of round tin/dish for cheesecake will do - an 8" tin will make a deepish pudding, so I use a slightly bigger tin for a shallower pud - this is one really rich boyo and a little is enough!
So, the filling:
The base is the usual mix of crushed digestive biscuits, melted butter and if I'm not using chocolate digestives, then I add a couple of teaspoons of drinking chocolate powder. Any normal size of round tin/dish for cheesecake will do - an 8" tin will make a deepish pudding, so I use a slightly bigger tin for a shallower pud - this is one really rich boyo and a little is enough!
So, the filling:
- 200g tub of cream cheese (using Phili lite might reduce the decibels on your screaming arteries?)
- 50g icing sugar
- couple of bars of Green & Black's chocolate (about 200-225g?). I like the one with the orange and spice flavouring - the orig recipe says Galaxy, but hey - chocolate of choice.
- 250ml tub of double cream
- family bag of Maltesers - slightly smashed!
Melt the chocolate and while it's cooling slightly, mix the cream chese and icing sugar in another bowl.
Add the double cream to the melted chocolate then add this mixture to the cream cheese mix.
Stir in the maltesers and pour the whole whoopla over the biscuit crumb base.
Chill it in the fridge until about half an hour before serving.
I think it's really good served with a strawberry and raspberry mix as the fruit cuts the heck out of the sweetness - I usually blitz the raspberries (though sometimes I add a little sugar syrup if they're really tart), then seive the seeds out and pour the lovely fresh sauce over the strawbs.
Mega calories and always goes down with chocolate lovers. (And therefore not so bad for me as I only do chocolate in teeny quantities just to be polite!)
Enjoy.Success at last!
So the tidying got sorted-ish and the daily trips to get nuked at radiotherapy started all over again on Monday. I've no idea why it's so tiring, but it is - I'm pretty flaked.
But hey! Success! I finished a book. A whole book. Ok, I've done it before, even post chemo, but this was a Book Circle book and of late, I just never seem to get to the end of book club books. And here's the joke. I was the only person in the group who actually finished "Labyrinth" by Kate Moss. (Understandable really - reads like it was written by a committee - the medieval French bits were ok, but the rest was tedious.)
Best of all perhaps was that Ali brought her bodhran and we had a session - qwere craic! (For non-locals - that's a little singsong with various instruments including Ali's Irish drum and it was all rather jolly good fun!)
Maybe the Book Circle and Pudding Club should be renamed the Music and Pudding Club?!
But hey! Success! I finished a book. A whole book. Ok, I've done it before, even post chemo, but this was a Book Circle book and of late, I just never seem to get to the end of book club books. And here's the joke. I was the only person in the group who actually finished "Labyrinth" by Kate Moss. (Understandable really - reads like it was written by a committee - the medieval French bits were ok, but the rest was tedious.)
Best of all perhaps was that Ali brought her bodhran and we had a session - qwere craic! (For non-locals - that's a little singsong with various instruments including Ali's Irish drum and it was all rather jolly good fun!)
Maybe the Book Circle and Pudding Club should be renamed the Music and Pudding Club?!
and this is Sunday...so far.
Anyone got a spare bed in this neighbourhood? I've done it again. Ok, I should have done the "Sunday thing" and curled up with a book or gone for a walk, but I didn't. Instead, I confined myself to quarters this afternoon on account of a somewhat overheated (radiotherapied) mammary.... (too much info?!)... and decided to do a wardrobe clearout. And yes. I've done it again. You know the enthusiastic emptying... followed by the "I'll just give it a wipe down..." followed by the ".... now I'm wiped out... need a cuppa.." and that's as far as I got. So it's all still emptied... and sitting on top of the bed... the floor... the chair.... the stool... the steps.... and I'm clean out of puff, enthusiasm and it's time to go to church anyhow... so, anyone got a spare room? (Or a spare maid?)
so this was Saturday
And how was your Saturday? Mine was spent cleaning the rental house for a French family who arrived from Sligo three hours later than planned - so there was time to nip out for coffee - twice!
Entertainment came courtesy of my (very kind volunteer) co-scrubber today (Robo) who's terrified of wasps... and this isn't just wasp season... Bushmills was clearly hosting the all-Ireland wasp convention today. Robo couldn't cope. She went nuts and did a totem dance round the table, over to the loos and back towards the counter (much to the amusement of other diners) when a teeny one (wasp, not diner) flew past our table in the Copper Kettle at lunchtime.
Then on the way home, Robo leapt wide eyed and screaming from the car outside the Mace ATM and went running towards the bin (3 new wasps waiting for her there).
And finally, she made a scene IN the car when taking our leave of the French mum who wondered if it was "un mawnster wosp"? Honestly, if it wasn't for the sweaty palms and the clear sense of terror, you'd pay good money to watch her in action. (Anyone got tips on keeping the buzzers at bay?)
More entertainment back in Bangor - "Mamma Mia" (again). Most amusing moment? Meryl Streep doing the star jumps on a bed (and she's what... 50 something?) while a neighbour further up our row (same age bracket) is climbing stiffly over the back of the chair to the aisle because of a locked knee..... sore... but a nice touch of reality!
Entertainment came courtesy of my (very kind volunteer) co-scrubber today (Robo) who's terrified of wasps... and this isn't just wasp season... Bushmills was clearly hosting the all-Ireland wasp convention today. Robo couldn't cope. She went nuts and did a totem dance round the table, over to the loos and back towards the counter (much to the amusement of other diners) when a teeny one (wasp, not diner) flew past our table in the Copper Kettle at lunchtime.
Then on the way home, Robo leapt wide eyed and screaming from the car outside the Mace ATM and went running towards the bin (3 new wasps waiting for her there).
And finally, she made a scene IN the car when taking our leave of the French mum who wondered if it was "un mawnster wosp"? Honestly, if it wasn't for the sweaty palms and the clear sense of terror, you'd pay good money to watch her in action. (Anyone got tips on keeping the buzzers at bay?)
More entertainment back in Bangor - "Mamma Mia" (again). Most amusing moment? Meryl Streep doing the star jumps on a bed (and she's what... 50 something?) while a neighbour further up our row (same age bracket) is climbing stiffly over the back of the chair to the aisle because of a locked knee..... sore... but a nice touch of reality!
Getting back into the swing of things.
So it's over. The Chemotherapy is done and dusted, and the radio therapy starts on Thursday. The end is in sight praise the Lord, and best of all, my wee baldy nut (head) doesn't glow in the dark anymore... there's a bit of fuzzy stuff all over it! Yeah! So, with slightly more strength and energy, I've been celebrating... in London for starters.
Keeping a promise made a very long time ago - over a year to be precise. So, my cousin's son Lewis (my "nephew") and I headed to the big smoke after a year's hard work in school for him. It was as gentle a little trip as is possible in a big city. We;
- went to the King Tutenkhamen exhibiton (disappointing)
- saw the "Mummies" 3D film (seriously attractive specs)
- stayed with friends Julie and Simon and ordered Indian food for tea (eyes light up)
- watched the most amazing foxes in the garden (great entertainment for an hour after breakfast)
- travelled from Greenwich to the Tower pier by boat (why is the w silent?)
- went to the Tower of London (they let us leave again)
- saw the crown jewels (nice and sparkly)
- ate ice cream to cool us down (hot and sunny while Belfast had muggy and pouring)
- went to a toy shop. Hamleys. (Wow! Brilliant! Amazing! Do we have to leave?)
Oh to be 11 years old again. ;o)
(Next time Lewis, bring your passport. You're an excellent travelling companion and I really enjoyed our trip!)
Inspiring stuff
So here's the story: a church that meets in a theatre in the USA stores it's stuff in a trailer during the rest of the week. The trailer was stolen and the folks at the church put signs up to catch the thief's attention. They also put this video on their website, in the hope that whoever took their stuff might see it. I've no idea whether they ever heard from the thief or got any of their stuff back, but for creatively getting the right message across, I take my hat off to them. This is inspiring - and not, I fear, how many of our churches have - or would - react in similar circumstances.
Introducing Tommy the Tomato
I say tomaahto, you say tomayto... let's call it Tommy instead.
He's been amusing us for the last ten minutes. (We're easily amused.)
Tommy grew an appendage in the fridge overnight – at least no one claims to have noticed before and he's already been washed… so we took the bad look off him by giving him eyes and a smile.
Otherwise, the poor chap might have had a very red face…..
Tagged!
A first - I've been tagged by Dana. Once I found out what that actually meant, I stopped running. (Well, playing tag used to mean that when I was at school!) So here goes:
I love the smell of… the kitchen when mum’s making soup, just bathed toddlers, freshly dug soil… and Jeyes fluid.
People would say that I… make good cakes… I hope!
I don’t understand why…when I need to remember how a gizmo works, I still look at the blank wall where Ali’s husband once “drew” the explanation with his finger.
When I wake up in the morning… I “rehearse” the bits of the day I know about.
I lost my willpower to… resist turkish delight once I figured Aslan would sort it all out in the end.
Life is… worth living deliberately and out loud.
My past made me… fat. (Well have you ever tried saying “no” to an Irish granny or mummy with a tea pot and plate of food?!)
I get annoyed when I… see the vulnerable getting treated badly by selfish people.
Parties are not a good time to… throw up.
Dogs are… wonderful, when they live in someone else’s house and drop hairs over their rugs and chew their furniture and lift their getting-to-room-temperature eggs from the baking bowl and carry them every so carefully in their lovely-soft-Irish-setter-mouths to the front door for you to step on when you get back home. Huh.
Cats are… annoying furballs up there with wasps on the “why on earth did God create them” list.
Tomorrow is… uh, the day after today? Is this a trick question?
I have a low tolerance for…political waffle and media luvvies.
I’m totally terrified of… big crowds because when something goes wrong, the dynamic shifts and the whole thing is unpredictable.
I wonder why I thought my life would be…boring once I reached 30.
Never in my life have I… bought a lottery ticket, kissed a dog (I’ve seen where they lick), understood why anyone finds football interesting, wanted to follow anyone but Jesus, kissed the frog and found the prince.
High school was… a confusing American term until I realised it meant post-primary educational type place, in which case it was an irritating blip on my educational radar for seven years and not even slightly as enjoyable as primary school which was a five star blast.
When I’m nervous… I will probably wonder what the sensation is and may need someone to explain it to me.
One time at a family gathering… I discovered my normally quiet father and uncle had a past I didn’t know about. They sang (rebel) songs (normally enjoyed by a different community) – and knew all the words. Impressive!
Take my advice… only when your back is really up against the wall and you’re seriously stuck for what to do next.
I’m almost always…surrounded by people.
I’m addicted to… my family, Jesus, sewing projects (including the big fat secret one at the moment!)
I want someone to… suggest places I should visit on my round the world trip at the end of the year!
Go for it Laura and Ali - you're tagged.
and it just continues....
... with yet another sunny day. Is this our summer? Silly question - it's perfect exam weather as always - and when the official holidays start in July, we'll have rain everyday!Mum, the lil' guy (19 months) and I spent the afternoon on the beach just splashing in the rockpools and jumping over the waves and poking for pretty stones and shells - all of which got chucked back into the water so we could say "plop". Long live innocence!
It does make me wish kids had more time to explore. I used to teach and it was as much about managing the classroom as it was about learning time. I've always had a feeling we squash enthusiasm for learning out of children instead of encouraging it. Home education has a lot going for it!
Good Weekend.. and a warning to R.
It's been one of those weekends - lots of catching up with family and friends, probably too much food and plenty of sunshine. Just perfect after a weekend fighting off a chest infection with yet more antibiotics.
On Saturday, visitors arrived for the week at my rental. With a little help from super-sleuth me, they have tracked down the mum's family, some of whom she hasn't seen in almost half a century. She's in her 80s and they've planned a big reunion for over the weekend and she was so excited when I met them at the airport. Hope it all went well!
Back at the ranch, my aunt, cousin and her family arrived for a beach session - and wee BBQ which was great fun. Her two little girls are such a hoot - especially the 7 year old's photography skills! She managed to make me look more gormless than usual.
Minutes after they left, another friend arrived with dinner prepared - bless the giver of the new cookery book with the "must try" recipe! Three of us settled into a lovely meal and a video (including the bra incident) from a trip to France ten years ago. We laughed sooo much. Great memories and great medicine.
Sunday was a no-church day; although the chest infection has almost cleared, I'm wary of large crowds bearing secret bugs! I caught up with my friend home from Nairobi for the weekend. It was a lovely meal with him and his folks, but I'd have like a little more time to hear more about the work he's involved with in Somalia. Things aren't looking good in the region and it's the same all over - while all the trouble contines, it's the poorest and most vulnerable who suffer.
Sunday evening, mum, S and I took a little toddle to R's house in The Avenue, with the waves so close, you feel you could step off the balcony onto them. He's still got the "for sale" sign up, but we're hopeful he won't move.
There's something very precious about having so many long-time friends living a few steps away. It's like we've almost re-created the kind of communities our parents grew up in.
Let me give you an example; half a dozen houses away in The Hollow, live M&W. They grew up in the same church fellowship our family did in Belfast and then ministered in Brazil for 40 years. We go way back. Their daughter and her family live in The Lane - a two minute walk away. In between is S whom I've known for well over a decade - we were both in the choir at my previous church. R's sister HJ and her family live in The View - a minute in the other direction. HJ and her husband M were at college with me way back in the early 80s. Quite a few of the homes in between all these ones I've mentioned are owned by members of the church we attend now in Bangor, Co Down. Add the beauty of the coastline on one side of us and the countryside on the other and you can see why it all feels so special.
It's so wonderful to have such really good friends right on the doorstep. A real blessing and one I'm so thankful for. If any of them are reading this, you should know that you're all really special to me and anyone who moves will be stalked and eventually placed on a hit-man's list. I have connections and a really useful contacts book after years of working in journalism in NI. (You listening R? Now go plant those vegetables and make like you're staying around.)
On Saturday, visitors arrived for the week at my rental. With a little help from super-sleuth me, they have tracked down the mum's family, some of whom she hasn't seen in almost half a century. She's in her 80s and they've planned a big reunion for over the weekend and she was so excited when I met them at the airport. Hope it all went well!
Back at the ranch, my aunt, cousin and her family arrived for a beach session - and wee BBQ which was great fun. Her two little girls are such a hoot - especially the 7 year old's photography skills! She managed to make me look more gormless than usual.
Minutes after they left, another friend arrived with dinner prepared - bless the giver of the new cookery book with the "must try" recipe! Three of us settled into a lovely meal and a video (including the bra incident) from a trip to France ten years ago. We laughed sooo much. Great memories and great medicine.
Sunday was a no-church day; although the chest infection has almost cleared, I'm wary of large crowds bearing secret bugs! I caught up with my friend home from Nairobi for the weekend. It was a lovely meal with him and his folks, but I'd have like a little more time to hear more about the work he's involved with in Somalia. Things aren't looking good in the region and it's the same all over - while all the trouble contines, it's the poorest and most vulnerable who suffer.
Sunday evening, mum, S and I took a little toddle to R's house in The Avenue, with the waves so close, you feel you could step off the balcony onto them. He's still got the "for sale" sign up, but we're hopeful he won't move.
There's something very precious about having so many long-time friends living a few steps away. It's like we've almost re-created the kind of communities our parents grew up in.
Let me give you an example; half a dozen houses away in The Hollow, live M&W. They grew up in the same church fellowship our family did in Belfast and then ministered in Brazil for 40 years. We go way back. Their daughter and her family live in The Lane - a two minute walk away. In between is S whom I've known for well over a decade - we were both in the choir at my previous church. R's sister HJ and her family live in The View - a minute in the other direction. HJ and her husband M were at college with me way back in the early 80s. Quite a few of the homes in between all these ones I've mentioned are owned by members of the church we attend now in Bangor, Co Down. Add the beauty of the coastline on one side of us and the countryside on the other and you can see why it all feels so special.
It's so wonderful to have such really good friends right on the doorstep. A real blessing and one I'm so thankful for. If any of them are reading this, you should know that you're all really special to me and anyone who moves will be stalked and eventually placed on a hit-man's list. I have connections and a really useful contacts book after years of working in journalism in NI. (You listening R? Now go plant those vegetables and make like you're staying around.)
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