Look at the picture books - people and places
Until further notice January will start with Lola's birthday but this year is different as the newly arrived Stella, having remained at home with her Mummy for her first Christmas, was anxious to get to Fosters in order to show how much she was admired by her brother and sister and to be party to the first group photo of the year. So here are the birthday celebrations. Lola with her best friend, Max, plus Melanie and Grandma
Taking pictures is so easy these days but we often forget to get the camera out. There is another gallery of 2012 family pictures throughout the year. Timothy takes brilliant pictures and the others also "shoot" from time to time. They probably exhibit on Facebook and other social media networks to which we do not have access (more truly, do not really want to have access).Being geographically so close to all our children means that we see them quite frequently especially as Fosters is a good venue for birthday parties etc. Although we are not called in, as many grandparents are, to do various babysitting and baby minding – or even teenage accompanying – duties, Melanie has got into the habit of bringing Lola over nearly every week, which is lovely.
We can't have a starred anniversary every February but for our 52nd we went to the theatre in Woking and thoroughly enjoyed the show.
April holds Paul's birthday. After this year we've decided not to receive birthday presents but simply to have the children – and hopefully in due course the grandchildren – ring or visit on the day itself. We will still have a family get-together close to the date. I could look happy when its chocolates but yet another address book was a little more difficult!
Paul gives Lola some grandfatherly advice of which Max is very suspicious.
Having bought a member's ticket for the Woking theatre we have been obliged to use it! Legally Blonde had wonderful write-ups as being the best musical since they were invented. We thought it was painful! Both language which we did not appreciate and a general high pitched screech throughout. It has put us off anything for which we have not had a personal recommendation.
Over the years we have probably seen the Chelsea flower show on the television many times but this year we were able to go, courtesy of complimentary tickets from RHS Wisley made available to their Volunteers. It was a wonderfully hot day and we thoroughly enjoyed italthough we had perched on some hard concrete posts to eat lunch before we found the gardens. Not only was it possible to picnic there but there was also a concert by retired bandsmen from the Coldstream Guards. Once every few years is probably enough – if we get tickets in 2013 we may go to the Hampton Court flower show instead. As you can see from some of the guests the day we went was not open to the general public. Further pics here.
In June we were able to enjoy the second of our whole family holidays. The weather wasn't brilliant – decidedly un-brilliant on occasions – but nevertheless a good time was generally had by all. Once more her Majesty had some bearing on our time and we were pleased to join in her diamond anniversary celebrations. We stayed at Barnham Broom – an HPB holiday property. It is based on a golf course which wasn't a great deal of use to us although it did provide a little walking. The day that we went to Sheringham was warm enough for the children to venture into the sea. We travelled there from Holt on a steam train which caused much excitement. The weather didn't keep and those of us who travelled to Blakeney got soaked to the skin. There is a gallery of pictures under the heading of Barnham Broom. Just click here.
And so to our annual Progress in the van. We had gone to Barnham Broom in the re-ordered van and when everyone else went home we travelled north into Lincoln and from there to Staffordshire and Derbyshire. We stayed at Blore Hall on the southern end of the Peak District. We have been there before and find it very good. One of our stopping places on the way was an unusual bed-and-breakfast run by an American and his boyfriend. Kendall had previously been a chef and produced whatever breakfast was required – including full American. Pat thought the breakfast look so good that it was worth a picture. Cereal, a bowl of fresh fruit and waffles with syrup, the pictured plate, then toast and marmalade and coffee. We gave it a miss the next day. Blore Hall games room. Pat playing wif waf.
When walking on the Tissington Trail we overtook five old men not too far from where we parked the van. When they eventually appeared we invited them "in" for a cup of tea As one of them lived not far from Blockley Pat took his name and address and later in the year, much to his surprise, we took up his rash invitation and called upon him. Pat rang the doorbell and introduced herself to the lady who answered as someone who had supped with David on holiday - rather strange looks flooded her face. In spite of that it all worked out well, we stayed for a very long time and greatly admired their beautiful property and David's brilliant artwork. We came away with their phone number and an invitation to dinner when we were next in the area. Not bad for a cup of tea! There is a gallery of pictures relating to our Peak Progress. Click here if you would like to view.
Pat liked the look of Belton House: wondered if we could stay there rather than the Travellodge.
Pat sketches for the journal and Paul taking it easy
At the end of our holiday we returned to Blockley where Paul was due to preach on the Sunday. The day before we were able to accept the invitation of Debbie and Chris to join in celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary. Melanie was taken ill but the other families journeyed north again and enjoyed a wonderful party. A rather nice pic of Belinda at the party.
As mentioned in last year's diary one of our weekly joys is Tots Praise. Paul is able to give the 'sermon'. This meeting is now the second largest congregation in the parish. On a Sunday morning The Good Shepherd may host 200 or more but both Wisley and St Nick's are small churches as are their congregations. For our part we have had over 60 in attendance on some weeks. As you can see from the picture there is rapt attention to the preaching - adult congregations please note. It would need an educational psychologist to tell how much is understood. I don't know that any of the children have learning difficulties but as many of them cannot yet speak and the rest can barely manage an intelligible sentence one does wonder what "goes in". What we can say is that the mothers, the carers and the children all love coming.
For Pat's birthday we celebrated by going to the theatre again, this time to see South Pacific: this was good and we thoroughly enjoyed it
Ibiza called again and we spent another five weeks there, the same time as the Olympics took place in London. The road races took place on the two days after we left Pyrford which was a shame as the route was right through our own village and passed the end of Pyrford Heath. The flat where we stay only has Spanish television and we had no program as to what was being shown but from time to time we did see some of the Olympics including the opening ceremony. The television there was on a wheeled stand and we were able to move it to the door of the apartment and sit outside to watch: it was a little cooler that way. We are, of course, talking of the evening – on occasions Pat was ironing outside at something like 11 o'clock at night! Our Ministry did not appear to be very successful: the numbers were very low.
It's good to have high expectations and we certainly did everything enthusiastically but after each "event" some disappointment crept in. Nevertheless we were soon up and running again and looking forward to a better response. Tough! Who said everything should be easy and successful? Ibizas hasn't changed so last year's gallery will suffice. Two pics here. First is from the 'garden' which was populated by a 7ft cactus, a sage plant in a pot and this pepper (also in a pot) which we watered everyday with the effluent from the bedroom air conditioner - after the car had been washed. The pepper displayed four colours simultaneously. Second is Pat with Paul and Ineca - Americans from Florida who come to work with the permanent Chaplain every year.
Paul still drives the buggy from time to time at Wisley - and had no idea that it would lead to free tickets. It's always a pleasure and a privilege to go to the gardens and they frequently have different types of exhibition. At the end of August there were dozens of sculptures, some on plinths, some in the undergrowth, some in the water. Pat took this picture and caught Paul driving the buggy in the background
Back to Tenerife at the end of September. It is not unusual for La Gomera to be hidden by some atmospheric condition which itself is not at all obvious or, perhaps I should say, not obvious at all. It is just as if there is nothing at all on the horizon. Very occasionally there is a smudge on the horizon which we imagine might be Las Palmas and when we were in La Gomera we sometimes saw the outline of Hierro. For the first time ever, after 29 years, we saw both islands clearly as the sun went down. The picture on the left shows Hierro and one on the right Las Palmas. The larger island in the middle is La Gomera. My camera did not have a wide enough lens to be able to get all three in on one picture. We went again to Loro Parque and once more were entranced by the dolphins, the whales and the sea lions. Considering the size of these mammals it is worth saying that no humans were hurt in the performances.
Five and as half years ago Paul visited Cheltenham Hospital (from Blockley our first retirement stop-over) and was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin Lymphoma Stage 4. Scans showed that it had reached liver and lungs. This October he was discharged to the care of his GP - whom he has never seen but who draws a per capita fee each year to maintain his lavish life style. Previously having been told that five years after the end of chemotherapy, lumber punctures, serious neutropaenia and radio therapy he would be pronounced as cured it was rather disappointing not even to be given a certificate of survival. Nevertheless praise be. Why, when we are taught that 'heaven' and meeting with our Lord is so much better do we work so hard to maximise our time in this vale of tears? Perhaps it is something to do with enjoying relationships: perhaps we are just inconsistent! Perhaps it it something to do with 'living life to the full' as our Lord Jesus promised his followers.
We nearly left it too late to go for a walk this year. The weather in November had not been good but we were very fortunate having two and a half days without a drop of rain although there was very heavy mud everywhere. We didn't start at the crack of dawn, more like 9.15 but we did (unintentionally) finish in the dark each evening. The Cotswolds is quite an expensive area. The first des res pictured here might only fetch £300/£400k. The second would be 'm' rather than 'k'.
Brother David reached 80 in November and we were invited to his party. It seemed to be full of old people. When Adrian arrived – picture here for your better understanding – he was asked whether he was David's brother. Ah well! We were extremely impressed by the cake and in case the picture does not make it obvious that it is a cake there is another of David cutting it.Two sets of pictures recording some episodes in David's life were passed around. One of them had Paul standing next to Mother at David's wedding to Joan. It showed that Paul was wearing the same tie at the party as he was at David's wedding 17 year's previously. Please don't take this as an indication that you should present Paul with another tie alongside the annual socks.
November also saw the death and memorial service for Beryl MacDonald. It was truly wonderful, especially the "prayers" which were conducted by her home group who had looked after her all the time that she was suffering from creeping paralysis. This started with her legs, eventually committing her to a wheelchair. The paralysis reached her face and gave her great pain and made eating extremely difficult. The prayers with anecdotes and poems interlaced were based on Beryl's own personality showing what an engaging person she was and offering praise to her whilst at the same time giving thanks to the God whom she constantly praised. It was as good a tribute as I have ever heard and more evangelical than most sermons.
On a happier note our old Friend Micky Crane got married again to a lady whom we hope to meet soon. Well done, Micky and Maggie.
Since the beginning of February we have had a fellowship group meeting at Fosters. We have been looking, not very deeply, at the Gospel of Mark and yet, in spite of missing just 3 weeks throught the year, (Yvonne leading when we were away) we have only reached the end of chapter eight.
Paul has again been able to work with Besom during the year and this is, indeed, a privilege to be able to convey very good quality household furniture and goods from those who are happy to give them to those who have little or nothing. Just this last week we visited a woman in her 40s who had been given a lovely bedsitter by the Council after a short while in the Refuge. The bed lets down from the wall and has an integral mattress. She had been in residence two days when we called and learned that she had found the mattress comfortable but that she had not a single stitch of bedding. And it was cold.We were able to offer her the warmth of a duvet and the comfort of sheets.In a different vein we would offer you the warmth of the love of our saviour Christ and the comfort of his Holy Spirit as we transition (as those Americans would say) from one year to the next. Our time is in his hands and we doubt whether 31 December or 1 January count for very much in his timing.
The Nativity: Mary breastfeeding, two midwives in attendance and Joseph worn out. The dog has little ones and so do the angels - but are there only white angels? (Brian Kershinik)
On Christmas Day Pat played for the 11.30 am service at St Nicks and so we had lots of permutations as to best way of getting dinner on the table before midnight! For the first time ever we brined the bird: it seemed to work. Yvonne and her parents joined us - we had tried to find others but without success. Must try hader next year. On Boxing Day all the children joined us and although as a family we all seem to be on the quiet side, the grandchildren livened things up a little.
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