Journal

Email Posting

2009-05-18T22:04:00.000+01:00

I can't seem to get it to work - any ideas anyone?

Speed up your internet connection?

2009-02-20T22:34:00.002Z

Taking out the ring wire to stabilise and speed up connections.

well it did for one friend!

UK Marathon List 2009

2009-02-19T08:36:00.002Z

Spring
When is it? What is it? 2008 Race Ratings Run this if you like...
February 21 Endurancelife Coastal Trail Series: Devon 86% (see more) Tough off-road marathons over the South Devon Coast; great post-race hot meals
February 22 Bustinskin Coastal Challenge 26 New event Fossils on the wild Jurassic coast; challenging trails
February 22 Draycote Water Marathon, Warwickshire 100% (see more) Reservoir views; multi-lap courses; small, friendly fields
March 1 Steyning Stinger Marathon, West Sussex 97% (see more) Running up and down hills; tramping through the mud; jumping over gates; fantastic views over the South Downs
March 8 Duchy Marathon, Cornwall 75% (see more) Cornish sea views; Cornish pasties - every runner gets one. For those in training for Flora London Marathon, there is an option to drop out at the 20-mile point
March 14 Endurancelife Coastal Trail Series: Pembrokeshire 86% (see more) Tough off-road marathon series reaches Wales; great post-race hot meals
April 4 Crawley A.I.M. Charity Track Marathon 70% (see more) The challenge of a double with the Taunton Marathon (April 5); track marathons
April 4 Endurancelife Coastal Trail Series: Cornwall 85% (see more) Rugged, ruthless scenery; spotting mountain goats; hot, hearty meals at the finish
April 4 The Tenth Bath Beat 26.5 100% (see more) Glorious scenery; plus 44 gates, 68 stiles and 3,200 feet of ascent
April 5 Blackpool Marathon 74% (see more) Super-fast, traffic-free courses; lots of crowd support; sea air; post-race roller coasters, towers and sandcastle-building
April 5 Taunton Marathon, Somerset 88% (see more) Value for money; fantastic organisation; friendly runners
April 19 Team Strides Lochaber Marathon, Highland 91% (see more) Scottish mountain scenery; flat, out-and-back courses despite nestling below Ben Nevis
April 19 Bungay Black Dog Marathon, Suffolk 89% (see more) Flat, riverside course; being scared by local ghost stories; post-race beer tent
April 26 Flora London Marathon 97% (see more) Crowds; atmosphere; fancy dress; trying to get on TV; boasting that you got in
April 26 Rotary Shakespeare Marathon 82 (see more) Afternoon starts; big-race atmosphere
May 3 Neolithic Marathon, Wiltshire 86% (see more) Racing point-to-point; undulating but scenic cross-country trails; druidry - you'll pass Stonehenge
May 3 North Dorset Village Marathon New event Country lanes; south-west scenery; trying new events
May 3 Suffolk Heritage Coast Run/Walk 26/13/6 80% (see more) Suffolk coastal paths; the variety of road, heath and sea wall
May 3 Three Forts Marathon, West Sussex 90% (see more) Tough courses with more than 3,000ft of climbing; running off-road and finding your own way round (there are no marshals); small fields - there were only 200 runners last year
May 9 Endurancelife Coastal Trail Series: Exmoor 86% (see more) Dizzying clifftop views; monstrous, masochistic climbs; cockle-warming grub at the finish
May 9 Orpington Mara*fun 87% (see more) Raising funds for a good cause; friendly, local races; a mix of surburbia and greenery
May 10 Halstead and Essex Marathon, Essex 94% (see more) Lovely country lanes; PB potential; personalised drinks
May 16 White Peak Marathon, Derbyshire 91% (see more) Traffic-free, off-road, point-to-point racing; steep downhill finishes
May 17 Brathay Windermere Marathon, Cumbria 96% (see more) Views over Windemere Lake; running through woodlands and plenty of hills
May 17 Cape Wrath Challenge Marathon, Highland 100% (see more) Enjoying a week-long programme of races; beach BBQs; end-of-series ceilidh
May 25 Newry City Marathon, Co Down 100% (see more) Touring one of Northern Ireland's oldest cities; running along the banks of the River Clanrye
May 31 Albert Bartlett Edinburgh Marathon 77% (see more) Early starts; haggis at the pre-race pasta party
May 31 Needles XC Marathon, Isle of Wight 92% (see more) A challenging course, with a small field (the race has a limit of just 150)
Summer
When is it? What is it? 2008 Race Ratings Run this if you like...
June 13 Saab Salomon South Downs Marathon, West Sussex 94% (see more) Running through White Ways Country Park and Arundel Castle, with a relay option
June 14 Bustinskin Coastal Challenge 26 Race 2, Dorset New event Fossils on the wild Jurassic coast; challenging trails
June 14 Cheltenham Circular Challenge New to RW Cotswold valleys and villages; walking or running; raising money for local causes
June 19 Colworth Marathon Challenge, Bedfordshire 87% (see more) Your 26.2 miles spread across three off-road races in three days
June 20 The Trionium Picnic Marathon, Surrey 99% (see more) Two-laps of island running; prizes galore and stadium finishes
July 19 Fairlands Valley Challenge Marathon, Herts 93% (see more) Finding new parts of Hertfordshire; multi-terrain courses; following instructions and reading maps to navigate; great post-race grub - especially barbecues and bread pudding!
August 9 Salclear Isle of Man Marathon, Isle of Man 84% (see more) Two laps of island running; prizes galore; stadium finishes
Autumn & Winter
When is it? What is it? 2008 Race Ratings Run this if you like...
September 7 DRAM (Dundee Running Adventure Marathon) 85% (see more) A mixture of trail, path and pavement; running the banks of the Tay; small, friendly fields
September 12 Mizuno Yorkshireman Marathon, West Yorks 94% (see more) Demanding off-road courses; entering team events

September 13 Moray Marathon, Moray 80% (see more) Uncomplicated, gently undulating races; Scottish coastal views; dolphin and whale watching en route
September 13 Wyre Running Weekend Marathon, Lancs New event Chasing a PB; sea views; friendly crowds of spectators
September 20 Anglesey Marathon, Gwynedd 87% (see more) Quiet country roads and beautiful scenery
September 20 Green Chain Marathon 27, Kent 80% (see more) Following the Thames; going off-road; exploring south-east London
September 25 Atlantic Coast 3-Day Challenge, Cornwall 100% (see more) Hills, hills and more hills; multi-day challenges; Cornish coastal scenery
October 4 Baxters Loch Ness Marathon, Highland 98% (see more) Bagpipes and Highland music en route; stadium finishes; point-to-point races; moorland scenery; Nessie-spotting
October 4 Isle of Wight Marathon, Isle of Wight 74% (see more) Tradition - this is Britain's longest continuously run marathon; hills; sea breezes; bargain price tag
October 4 The Great Clarendon Marathon, Wilts 92% (see more) Hills; stiles; multi-terrain, point-to-point racing; following the Pilgrim's Way; cathedral cities
October 11 The First Eden Project Marathon, Cornwall New event Multi-terrain challenges; environmental issues
October 11 Leicester City Marathon, Leics 80% (see more) Predominantly flat courses; city running; hot food served at the finish
October 19 Abingdon Marathon, Oxon 90% (see more) Late-season PBs on a flat, scenic rural course; helpful marshals and cheering crowds
October 19 Spires and Steeples Challenge 26, Lincolnshire 95% (see more) Trails, tracks and fields underfoot; historic castles and villages
October 24 Beachy Head Marathon, East Sussex 97% (see more) 3,500ft of South Downs ascents; windy, muddy, tough courses; cattle- and sheep-dodging; pub stops along the way; free swimming and hot food at the finish
October 24 Snowdonia Marathon, Gwynedd 96% (see more) Tough marathons in spectacular settings with huge hills and unpredictable weather
October 25 Brentwood Multi Mile Marathon, Essex 93% (see more) Multi-lap courses; woodland scenery; off-road running

Thanks Runners World

So How Can I...

2009-02-12T12:27:00.004Z

record vinyl records onto mp3???

http://www.br0wn.co.uk/vinyltocd.htm

http://www.acoustica.com/cgi/install-success.asp?p=66&lmv=39&Email=phgreenham@gmail.com&News=A&Notify=A&s=esell&a=AFL3262564685

http://www.terryscomputertips.com/misc/recording-editing-music-goldwave.php

Family Service - Transfiguration

2009-02-08T23:09:00.000Z

Something I got from a book and would love to use at our church.

Intercessions

Place a large candle in front of the altar, this will represent the Light of Christ. Invite the people to come and light a small candle from this large one and place in a candle stand or pot with sand in it in the four corners of the church where people can see them. Reflect on how we carry the Light of Christ within us and are called, collectively, to reflect God's Light in the world.

Creator God, may we shine with your light.

Strengthen us by your Spirit and fill us with your transforming love.

......

Holy God, holy and strong;

May we reflect your glory.

Father, lead your Church to show your face to the world.

Help your children to walk in your ways of sacrificial love.

......

Holy God, holy and strong;

May we reflect your glory.

Father, shed your transforming light where there is darkness of intolerance and injustivce.

Strengthen the work of those who reconcile with your power to change and save.

......

Holy God, holy and strong;

May we reflect your glory.

Father, be with us in the places where we live.

Bring to our living your likeness and peace.

......

Holy God, holy and strong;

May we reflect your glory.

Father, send your healing light on all those who suffer.

Transform their anxiety and sorrow through your joy and hope.

......

Holy God, holy and strong;

May we reflect your glory.

Father, we remember all those who have died.

May we, like them, share in your eternal glory.

......

Holy God, holy and strong;

May we reflect your glory.

ba ck to life, back to reality

2008-09-08T22:29:00.002+01:00

back to the here and now...

Kids loving it back at school - football and table tennis after school clubs.
So much work around the house - the holiday definately over.

Still - lets see how we get on.

On the bright side, an excellent ordination at the w/e, lovely to see so many friends, new car drove well too, so did H in some horrendous terrential rain.

Summer Hols Week 5

2008-08-21T22:29:00.001+01:00

Well lots done, staying with family, enjoying a very wet August with lots of indoor games and visits to National Trust properties.
And another Holiday from detailed blogging.
:-)

Summer Hols Week 2

2008-07-27T20:08:00.002+01:00

Sat
Tidy like crazy and shop @ Sainsbugs
M-S arrive, eat and walk to mill.
sleepover

Sun
up at 05:30 & 06:00
Church & the pirate play
Severn Valley Railway & Country Valley Park
Nintendo & creation of an amazing cross-garden wooden Bridge
Harry Potter Game

Mon
sponge cake
play in dens
splash in the river
take B&D to S&P
play tig
tea
home in terrential rain, thunder and lightning

Summer Hols Week 1

2008-07-19T16:02:00.006+01:00

Sat
Read 007
whole family veg gdn - leeks, lettuce, carrots
meccano, soft stuff & chocolate brownies
tidy B's room

Sun
Twinning Service
Roast chicken lunch
German Grand Prix - Go Lewis, Go Lewis!
Open Gardens
Harry Potter Game

Mon
B-pc
O+L hotwhhelz racing around the bath & junk modelling on the back lawn
Cooking bread rolls, & spongecakes
Mary Poppins (again)
Shopping & Park; frisbee & paddled in the river
prayers upside down on the climbing frame

Tues
watched tv & hung out washing
Front lawn
Scootering and tree climbing
Nintendo
Gardening
Made a tree swing

Weds
dug the strawberry patch
went shopping for local veg
went to park, explored forest, played footy & stomp rockets with boys & girls, rolled down the hill
picnic tea

Thurs
went on a mish & bought a laminator
went on a picnic with J&B, S&B
went to church to rehearse pirate play
tidied boy's rooms
had barbecue

Fri
West Midlands Safari Park & Pizza Hut

The Move!

2008-06-12T08:13:00.002+01:00

Well its happened. The removal men were fantastic. The house is gorgeous.
(Oh yes - a small matter of dodgy plumbing and turning the water off at the main stop cock under the pavement at 23.20 but we got a new sink cupboard out of it so...)
Well so much more unpacking to do but at least the kitchen is totally sorted and the living room quite tidy tho' still a few things to do there - move the piano and dresser and hang the pictures, not to mention the smal matter of tuning the tv!
Happy Days tho, thanks grandparents for looking after the kids - shame most of our time is being spent unpacking lol.

Globalisation or...

2008-05-28T14:10:00.001+01:00

Hearing hope through the babble

By Simon Barrow

27 May 2008

With all its many complexities, the question at the heart of globalization remains alarmingly simple. Not ‘shall we have it or not?’ – there is now no serious choice about that. But what kind of globalization, determined by whom, and to what ends?

Will it continue to be a global order of consumption and domineering homogeneity (“Thou shalt have no other jeans but mine”)? Or how about an overwhelming global ‘victory’ for Islam, or atheism, or Christianity, or liberalism, or some other ideology (“My way is the only way” is the cry of zealots in every camp)?

In our hearts, we know that these are narratives of destruction not hope. Many of us would prefer instead the global growth of mutuality and of liberating difference. But how on earth is this achievable? The possibility of offering sustenance to each other across the barriers that divide seems increasingly remote in a world where digital media offers us the chance for instant judgement (of others), instant assertion (of ourselves) – and, by commission or omission, too often ends up saying “to hell with those who aren’t like us.”

Recently, Christians have been encouraged by Whitsuntide to reflect on scriptural texts which suggest two radically different models of what a ‘global order’ might look like. The first is the old politics of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11, while an alternative possibility – the strange new economy of the Holy Spirit – is made visible in the Day of Pentecost recorded in Acts 2. If this seems an odd way of conceiving the sitaution, bear with me for a bit.

First the Babel story: “And the Lord said, ‘Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose will now be impossible for them’…” (NRSV). And, so the story goes, God confounded the designs of those who wished to rule everything through the architecture of power and its corollary, a universal technological language. “Come, let us go down and confuse their speech there, so that they will not understand one another.”

Of course this mythic reversal (1) has its price. Confusion and dispersal leads to continued enmity among the peoples and nations, as we see from the ‘hope versus judgement’ dynamic present throughout the Hebrew Scriptures. But what does the typology of Pentecost generate by way of an alternative? Well, contrary to what modern technocratic logic might assume, the solution to human divisions is not some kind of super-language, or the creation of what philosophers now call a meta-narrative (one big story, to which all are required to submit). No, it is a massive proliferation of difference once more – but this time with the extraordinary added gift of mutuality, communicability, translatability. That is, the capacity to live with and even inside each other’s speech worlds: “They began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.”

At Pentecost the outcome of diversity is not hopeless confusion. Rather, with no diminution of difference, the various peoples each have the wholly unexpected, fulfilling experience of hearing their own speech picked up, recognised and honoured by the stranger. “Each one heard them speaking in the native language of each”. In this context ‘hear’ means actively comprehend, not simply ‘acknowledge’.

This translation of difference into mutuality is immensely significant. According to the politics of worldly power, difference needs to be contained and restrained. Allowing ‘other languages’ means risking ‘other meanings’. Translation is never exact because the patterns of thinking that accompany distinct speech forms are also different. For those with plans to centralise, to lord it over others, this is disastrous. If you would rule the world you must also rule its meanings. That is true whether you are an ardent secularist or a religious ideologue.

A domination system – to use theologian Walter Wink’s term (2) - demands that only one speech is really legitimate. Ours. Conflict becomes necessary to subdue the potential for linguistic and political chaos. With a bit of civility mixed in you might just achieve similar control via a contract (a legal arrangement) or a democratic compromise, of course. The assumption in this case is that the meaning of the ‘acceptable’ rules is determined in the same ways as the meaning of language. Indeed rules are language, to a large extent. But instead of trust and relationship it is power and enforcement that ‘calls the shots’.

Chaos, conflict, contract, control: these are all that difference can lead to when it is bereft of genuinely loving connectivity. In the taxonomy of the Holy Spirit, however, there is a new possibility abroad. Our differences need not cancel each other out. Instead they hold the potential to become part of that endless interplay of voluntary, proximate relationship we call communion. Freedom thus proves the condition for love (compassionate attention to the other, as to ourselves) and vice versa.

This is precisely what Jesus, the distinctly un-lordly Lord, generated through his subversive practices of open table fellowship and foot washing. It is also what St Paul implies in 1 Corinthians 12, when he talks of a Body (a community of people) that relies for its unity on the free, harmonious interplay of different parts. “If one member suffers all suffer”, he says. “If one member is honoured, all rejoice together.”

Mind you, not long after this statement and his paean of praise to love in chapter thirteen, he is back to regulating ‘disorderly’ speech in chapter fourteen. But then we are all human! And besides, the mutuality of glossolalia (the ecstatic, joyful speech of love breaking in) had rapidly given way to egoism, and had thereby lost its capacity to re-order conventional power relations. So the corrective proved necessary. (3)

A ‘communion of difference’ sounds exceptionally radical in contrast to those usual alternatives - chaos, conflict, contract, and control. And it is. But the realities of power will not go away. At Pentecost the price of the new (but demanding) freedom is a disrupted Sabbath and more than a few ruffled sensibilities in the face of God’s unbounded generosity – which refuses to discriminate in ways that ‘the religious’ think essential, pouring out creativity on the many rather than the few. At first people are gripped by this new dynamic. Then there is also a slow return to ‘normality’, the routinisation of the charisma (Weber), as the unfolding story of Acts illustrates.

For Jesus the price is much higher, however. The infliction of the Cross on those who cause the people to speak and act differently is a deadly symbol of just how unacceptable a real Pentecost-like alternative (“divine anarchy”, you might say) is to the crucifying powers-that-be, since they thrive on divide-and-rule or unite-and-rule, but never diversify-and-share. (4)

In each fresh lesion of the world (and the church) the counter-claim of Pentecostal compassion demands to be heard, however. No matter how loudly the voice of conventional politics and controlling religion tries to silence the cry for justice, it continues to spring up in people, like an unquenchable thirst. And it remains the central vocation of the church to announce, live out and apply this hope, this alternative logic of communion, amid the messiness of human affairs – starting, of course, with its own deep repentance for having too often become part of the problem rather than part of the solution.

NOTES:

(1) I am using the word 'mythic' in its technical sense, meaning 'a story that expresses a truth deeper, wider or taller than its surface detail'; not in the popular sense of 'fictional' or 'not true'. As Doris Lessing brilliantly puts it: ""Myth does not mean something untrue, but a concentration of truth."
(2) See Wink's summary of his famous trilogy in The Powers That Be (Doubleday, 1999).
(3) The American lawyer and theologian William Stringfellow once delightfully and suggestively described glossolalia as “the strange new language of God’s kingdom... to confuse the Beast.” See my essay 'Talking Nonsense To Power' in Anthony Dancer (ed.), William Stringfellow in Anglo-American Perspective (Ashgate Press, 2003).
(4) This is why my colleague Jonathan Bartley subtitled his book Faith and Politics After Christendom (Paternoster, 2006) “the church as a movement for anarchy”.

-----------

This article is a revised version of a biblical reflection given at an ecumenical conference in Wales.

Buying a Car

2008-05-17T08:24:00.000+01:00

Questions you must ask:

How long have they owned the car? Have they owned it from new? If not, how many previous owners are there? If the number plate is visible from the advert's image, you can find out the vehicle identity with a free Auto Trader Vehicle Check.
Why are they selling it?
What is the mileage? What features does the car have? In their opinion, what sort of condition is it in?
Is there an outstanding finance or hire purchase agreement?
Does it have any car tax or MOT? If so, how much?
Are there any service records, bills, old MOTs? (Use the latter to check mileage).
Has it been involved in any accident damage, and if so, which parts were damaged? Where was it repaired? Are the repairs guaranteed?
Have they replaced anything on it recently? Has it been modified in any way?
Price should be negotiable - are they open to reasonable and fair offers? Compare similar car model prices by reading our setting the price page.

Things you should never do:

Arranging to meet in a 'mutual' location, such as a pub car park. Why doesn't the seller want to reveal their address? Are they making sure you have no comeback?
Not noticing mobile numbers; they're commonplace nowadays, but why should someone not want to back it up with a land-line number?
Miss a trader or canvasser in disguise. The classic opener on the telephone is to ask if "the car" is still for sale - a "which one?" response is a dead give-away. Traders sometimes sell dodgy motors 'in disguise', thus avoid legal obligations to repair problems.

So Close

2008-05-14T21:26:00.002+01:00

to the move
beginniong to panic
think I need more lists
have I left it too late to make them?
agh!

nah - it will be cool
just got to work togeva wiv da wifey
teamwork makes the dream work n all that

:-)

Life

2008-04-30T20:17:00.002+01:00

refuse to try to make this blog interesting
its my blog - you are welcome to come and go reader
lol - aren't I in a good mood
crashed the car and wrote it off - mainly because some dumb sports car driver wasn't looking where he was going!
and because my car is only worth £350
BUM
still life goes on - no one was hurt
so much to do
leaving so soon
need to be organised
there is time to do lots but keep getting bogged down in
distractions
small children's needs
other jobs
just need to write this
get it off my chest
get on
be busy
be happy
have a nice clean tidy house with more clutter removed
ah life

it is GOOD
so many friends
giving lifts
lending cars (two offers so far)
asking after me
advising me
cheering me up
giving me time
THANKS ALL

:-)

A Sunday

2008-04-27T20:58:00.002+01:00

L wakes up at 6.03 - second day running!
Catch up on facebook
Relaxed start to day.
Nice late service as try out St Matthews on Abingdon Rd.
(good big S> Club. Pews arranged in diamond around a central space. Great sermon, just 10 mins too long. Nice people - I could like going to this church!)
Nice college lunch - r. beef and yps - thanks Steve.
Finish watching Spanish Grand Prix / catch up on sleep
Go to friends for family relaxing and tea - Thanks B's - a great time - lovely conversation and food - kids were great together
; well done O for swalling the first bite of lentil quiche and saying, "I don't like this mummy." A great improvement on spitting it out and, "This is horrible!" - the manners drive is working.
Home to hoover out car for examinee run tomoz, and catch up on paperwork.

Life

2008-04-26T23:15:00.001+01:00

mad, full,
internet returns
so much to remember
not wanting to lose these last two years
optimistic, scared, hopeful for the next three...

Poetry from the past

2008-03-18T22:59:00.002Z

Life, the universe, where does it go?
Each little action adds to the flow,
Are we moving towards chaos, lost in the dark?
Or will good conquer evil,
Are we to move on in an ark?
And so in our quest, we jump through the hoops...

Love life, Love ...

2008-03-18T11:56:00.003Z

Happiness is a crisp called Tyrrells!

Five Ways to Trick Your Body into Burning More Fat

2008-03-12T14:12:00.001Z

1. Fill up on foods loaded with vitamin B, a natural metabolism booster. Some of your best bets are eggs, spinach, beans, and poultry.

2. Eat snacks. It may not sound like the best way to lose weight, but eating small and healthy snacks throughout the day can keep you from overindulging when dinnertime comes around. Try some trail mix, an apple, or baby carrots to help your body stay active all day long.

3. Don't skip breakfast. It really is the most important meal of the day: It can boost your metabolism rate by 10 percent, and can help cut down the risk of obesity and diabetes. And no, coffee doesn't count – start your day right with some granola-topped yogurt or fruit and cereal.

4. Don't cut calories. We're not saying you should follow your brother's Homer Simpson-esque diet, but don't go too far in the other direction, either – when you don't give your body as many calories as it needs, it goes into starvation mode and starts storing up all the fat it can get by slowing your metabolism way down. Stick to a healthy, but still hearty, diet, and you'll see the best results.

5. Switch up your daily exercise routine. Instead of sticking to a steady pace when you ride your exercise bike, alternate between fast and slow. It gets your heart rate going, and pushes your body to burn more fat than ever before.

An "I've really got to get it together" week

2008-03-11T19:10:00.002Z

Monday
restock bar, housework, iced cake for Partners - Happy Birthday J,J,C,E,H,N

Tuesday
cleanup, coffee morning with Mt, Sb, starting at park, then back here, meet & be eaten by the rabbit - at least L doesn't want one now, lunch, sleep, shop, social club, pasta & smoked sausage tea, catch up on clothes week.

How to Make a Non-Toxic Cleaning Kit

2008-03-11T19:05:00.003Z

Well an interesting article - looks useful - will I ever do anything with it? Time will tell.

101 Year old to Run London Marathon!

2008-03-10T12:23:00.001Z

At one hundred and one years of age, Buster Martin sports a bushy white beard, and more than a few wrinkles. But while most men of his age would content themselves with afternoon naps, Early Bird dinners, and the occasional game of Bingo at the nursing home, Martin has considerably more on his plate.

The still-spry Martin works three days a week for a plumbing company in London, and is known to be Great Britain's oldest employee. Last year, the centerian made headlines for singlehandedly fighting off three muggers. "They obviously thought I would be an easy touch because I'm old. But they soon found out I'm still a good fighter," he told The Daily Mail.

Now, Martin's putting his strength to the ultimate test: The former Army physical trainer has just entered the London Marathon, a grueling 42.195 km (26 miles and 385 yards) annual event, and one of the world's top international races. Martin's goal may sound like wishful thinking, but don't be so sure: He recently completed a half-marathon in a little over five hours – not bad at all for an athlete who could be the grandfather of most of his competitors (and he just might be - the man has 17 children!).

Martin is collecting charitable donations to a nonprofit group, Rhys Daniels Trust, for every kilometer he runs in the Marathon. Though he hopes to make it to the finish line, he won't get too bent out of shape if he needs to call it quits early.

"I've said I'll attempt it," he told Reuters. "I haven't said I'll complete it. If I do make it, all the better. I hadn't thought of doing it before but someone asked me and the money goes to charity so why not?"

Should he make it to the finish line, he'll celebrate with two of his favorite things: a pint of beer and a cigarette. (Hey, he's made it this far – who are we to judge?)

http://www.gimundo.com/Articles/Daily/880/3/7/2008/101-Year-Old_Man_Plans_to_Run_Marathon

Spiritual Growth

2008-03-04T20:14:00.000Z

“Spiritual growth doesn’t happen best by becoming dependent on elaborate church programs but through the age-old spiritual practices of prayer, Bible reading, and relationships. These basic disciplines do not require multi-million dollar facilities and hundreds of staff to manage.”

Bill Hybels, founder of Willow Creek.

I like this one - must try and do it!

Race for Life

2008-03-04T12:38:00.000Z

This year Race for Life hopes to raise £50 million to support the work of scientists, doctors and nurses and help find new ways of preventing, diagnosing and treating cancer.

Progress so far

On average, ten-year survival rates have doubled since the 1970s.

Since it began in 1994, Race for Life has raised over £200 million, which has helped to bring about some real improvements in the outlook for people with cancer in the UK. Here are some examples:

Almost two thirds of women diagnosed with breast cancer now are likely to survive for at least 20 years. When Race for Life first started, fewer than half could expect to survive this long.
The death rate from bowel cancer has dropped by over a quarter in the last 14 years. That's thanks to greater awareness, earlier detection and better treatments.
The incidence rate for cervical cancer has dropped by 30 per cent over the last ten years, largely due to screening. Cancer Research UK contributed to the development and improvement of cervical screening.

Into the future

We've set some ambitious goals for the year 2020 that we believe will make a real difference in preventing cancer and improving survival.

To help us get there, we're aiming to increase our spending on research to £400 million by 2010, but we can't do it without your help.

Clothes Week

2008-03-04T12:09:00.005Z

Well lots will happen this week but am focussing on going through all the clothing ready for the move!

Monday
Some washing, sleeping, singing with L, sleeping on sofa with L (lol - late for dinner!), singing psalm in urdu / punjabi (thanks T) then the usual dash around house, shop, O 2 Perform, clothes sort, Partners' Games night (Therapy quite funny) and then back to sort H's hi-tec worship sesh - glad to be in bed by 00.15

Tuesday
Ran H up to college before celebrating first snow of the year (well - flakes), then been sorting / ironing / washing clothes and blogging / facebooking since.

Wednesday
All 3 kids bathed + h/w, school run, prep for RiDL, RiDL, Dunk, home for a quick tidy then lunch, f/t wine shop, school & library run, kids church via Asda, sang punjabi/urdu version of Psalm 145 at Eucharist; interesting sermon on Woodbine Willy and Edward King; home to bed kids and make Roald Dahl costumes & tidy.

Thursday
repair spider costume, make antennae and facepaint a grasshopper and a spider - oh the joys of world literature day and dressing up as Roald Dahl characters! Home, shave, Bible study, Thurs Be, Asda, C. lunch, bar restock & stocktake, admin, school run, post office, Asda! Tea,drying, hwk, flute, kids in garden,

Jude Simpson

2008-03-04T11:38:00.003Z

This girl rocks!

I love this poem.
There is other good stuff on this site too.

Independently, there are other poems on youtube of course.

Action Songs to sing with the littlies

2008-02-27T14:24:00.004Z

Five little monkeys jumping on the bed, one fell off and bumped his head. Mummy phoned the doctor and the doctor said, “No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”

Miss Polly had a dolly who was sick, sick, sick. So she called for the doctor to come quick, quick, quick. The doctor came with his bag and his hat. And he knocked on the door with a rat-a-tat-tat. He looked at the dolly and he shook his head, and he said “Miss Polly, put her straight to bed.” He wrote on a paper for a pill, pill, pill. “I’ll be back in the morning with my bill, bill, bill.”

Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream, merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream. Rock, rock, rock your boat gently to the shore, when you see the lion cub don’t forget to ROAR! Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream, if you see a crocodile; don’t forget to SCREAM!

Little Peter Rabbit had a fly upon his nose. Little Peter Rabbit had a fly upon his nose. Little Peter rabbit had a fly upon his nose. And he swished it and he swashed it and it flew away. Powder puff and curly whiskers, powder puff and curly whiskers, powder puff and curly whiskers, and he swished it and he swashed it and the fly flew away.

Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes. Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.
And eyes and ears and mouth and nose. Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.

[Leave out a word in turn and just do the actions!]

Another Hectic Week

2008-02-27T12:15:00.005Z

Monday
sure that was busy

Tuesday
W coffee morning @ M's, baked cakes for O for cake crumbly, made sandwiches for Trip to B'north for H to see AR re working agreement. Saw Nan and then home to pick up kids and have an evening exploring management styles with H.

Wednesday
O iced cakes - fun, RiDL, Dunk, prepped Kidz Games pm, dinner @ college, Kidz Games, finished watching Kill Bill and did lots of tidying

Thursday
Did a run while S looked after L then did childcare for 6 under 3's for Bible study. Would have been fine in a bigger room where the big ones didn't fall over the little ones. Pickfords in for a quote in the afternoon. H out for a girly night so spent all evening putting Walsingham photos on facebook.

Friday
Had a great Be - Thanks B - effort put in makes for great prayer time. Am down to lead next week so must dedicate an evening or two.... Dived off in search of Fair Trade Wine, tesco shopping and a hal-marathon runner from the railway station! Then had 7 kids round for Nintendo, dens, crew, Horrid Henry as well as chips, sausages, beans and sandwiches. (Oh - also fruit, chocolate instant whip and icecream - I don't think any starved - lol) Finished the night with our kids watching Spongebob and us in the college bar.

Saturday
H worked, we packed and did Mothering Sunday stuff then off to cousins for sleepover then back to sleep.

Sunday
Reading Half-Marathon 1hr 57' 44" (5899 out of 11181). :-)
Funny to think 60 seconds would have made 200 places difference!
I still believe I can do sub 1.40 with proper training and no injury which would be in the first 2000!

WOT2POST?

2008-02-27T11:58:00.002Z

Hmmm - what started as a journal to remind me of my time as a house husband and help me reflect on life seemed to get sidetracked by thoughts about who was reading what - oh the joys of a public persona - and what impression you wish to make on others. I think time to try and get on with being as normal as possible and write this for me and let other people be casual observers.

Oxford centre to conduct scientific study of religious belief

2008-02-21T14:58:00.000Z

Well this looks interesting...

Anthropologists, neurologists, philosophers, psychologists, theologians and other specialists are to conduct a £2 million three-year study into the nature and formation of religious belief.

The work will be funded by the John Templeton Foundation and carried out at the highly-regarded Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion at the University of Oxford.

Among other issues, it will explore the question about whether receptivity towards a transcendent influence on life is an inherent part of humankind's constitution.

This is an issue which has been considered in different ways by evolutionary biologists and religion researchers, notably the Alister Hardy Centre and its work on 'religious experience'.

There is wide disagreement in the field. Popular writers such as Richard Dawkins have promoted a reductionist account of religious belief based on a positivist type of empircism. But this is seen as too limited and ideological by many specialists in the field, as are accounts driven by vague notions holism - the attempt to hold together or integrate descriptions and theories from different perspectives.

"We are interested in exploring exactly in what sense belief in God is natural," said Justin Barrett, a psychologist and leading member of the research team. "We think there is more on the nature side than a lot of people suppose."

The study will also look into which religious beliefs seem most common and most 'natural' for the human mind to grasp.

The question of defining what is meant by God or the transcendant, the influence of cultural and social outlooks (including ones framed by spiritually-drive and atheistic world views) will also need to be taken into account.

"Inter-disciplinary study of this kind is often frought with difficulty@, a researcher told Ekklesia. "But for those interested in a broadly-baed rational approach to the sources of religious conviction, as distinct from ones overdetermined either by religious enthusiasm or antipathy, the work being proposed here is of great interest."

Roger Trigg, acting director of the Ian Ramsey Centre, said that existing anthropological and philosophical research suggests that belief in God in some shape or form may be a universal human impulse found in most cultures around the world.

Formal belief has been on the wane in Britain and other parts of mainland Europe. But this has been accompanied by a significant growth in informal and unaffiliated spirituality. 'Conviction atheism' or humanism has also been growing, but remains a minority belief system. Indifference to the practicalities or teachings of religion is widespread, but this, it seems, is often accompoanied by some 'background belief' which remains remarkably persistent.

"There are a lot of issues. What is it that is innate in human nature to believe in God, whether it is 'gods' or something 'superhuman' or 'supernatural'?" Dr Trigg asked.

One surprsing implication of the global situation, he suggested, is that "religion [may be] the default position, and atheism is perhaps more in need of explanation."

The Oxford study will not attempt to answer whether there is a reality independent of our existence and conception which may be named 'God', but it will examine evidence about whether belief in God confers an evolutionary advantage to humankind.

The John Templeton Foundation is a US-based philanthropic organisation that funds a wide range of research into questions that deal with the laws of nature and provenance of spirituality and religion, particularly as they connect to wider social and scientific concerns.

Thoughts

2008-02-20T08:59:00.002Z

"Even when they call us mad, when they call us trouble makers and communists and all the epithets they put on us, we know we only preach the subversive witness of the Beatitudes, which have turned everything upside down."

- Oscar Romero, Catholic Archbishop of San Salvador, murdered in March 1980

"Christianity has become part of the furniture, like a grand piano nobody plays any longer. I want the dust to be taken off and people to play music."

- John Sentamu, Anglican Archbishop of York

We can use the market to tackle poverty, says Nobel Prize winner

2008-02-19T19:28:00.000Z

Harnessing the power of the market to help solve the problems of global poverty, hunger and inequality is both possible and necessary, a Nobel Peace Prize winner told an invited audience of specialists in London on Thursday night.

Professor Muhammad Yunus is doing what some have regarded as squaring the circle through microfinance: the innovative social banking programme that provides people who are poor, mainly women, with small loans which they use to launch businesses and lift their families out of poverty.

Patrick Hynes from Oikocredit, which is seeking new investors in Britain, was at the event, one of the Professor Yunus’s recent series of talks to promote his new book.

At this meeting of the Microfinance Club UK, Yunus outlined his vision of Social Business, and recounted inspiring personal stories of the people who want to “put poverty in a museum”.

Hynes told Ekklesia: "It was fascinating to hear Professor Yunus speak, reflecting on the success of the Grameen microfinance bank he founded. It is remarkable that due to this social bank, Bangladesh is on target to reach UN Millennium Goal One: to halve the number of people living in extreme poverty and hunger."

He continued, "the professor gave some wonderful insights into some of the lives of the now second generation Grameen borrowers. He talked of a mother who was illiterate: who took out a loan for her business and then later for her daughter’s education. The daughter is now a medical doctor."

Yunus declared, “I look at the mother and I think: she could have been a doctor too. I meet the grandmother and I think the same the thing”.

This simple message is at the very heart of the life changing work of microfinance, he explained. “Poverty is the fault of the system and not the people. Being an entrepreneur, a student, a doctor, has nothing to do with being special. It is about opportunity”.

Oikocredit's Patrick Hynes said: "These are extraordinary stories from a humble man who has dedicated his live to creating a world without poverty. Stories of the triumph of hope, in the face of a seemingly impossible task."

"If you want to be inspired I recommend his book, Banker to the Poor, which tells the whole story. Of course, the new book is also now available, Creating a World Without Poverty," he said.

Hynes added: "If you want to take action, then why not consider investing in Grameen, and the other microfinance institutions who are creating opportunities for people. In the UK an investment in microfinance can be made through the Oikocredit International Share Foundation."

More about Oikocredit, a co-operative partnership involving churches and otherss, is available here: www.oikocredit.org.uk

Happy Valentines

2008-02-14T14:36:00.001Z

Love seems the swiftest, but it is the slowest of all growths. No man or woman really knows what perfect love is until they have been married a quarter of a century. - Mark Twain

Love has no desire but to fulfill itself. To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving. - Kahlil Gibran

True love is when you put someone on a pedestal, and they fall - but you are there to catch them. - Author Unknown

The Years Are Short

2008-02-02T11:41:00.001Z

http://www.theyearsareshort.com

Something all of us parents know, but sometimes just need a little reminder.

Powerful Beauty

2008-01-25T09:51:00.000Z

Never underestimate the power of a simple, pure deed done from the heart.

The world is not changed by men who move mountains, nor by those who lead the revolutions, nor by those whose purse strings tie up the world.

Dictators are deposed, oppression is dissolved, entire nations are transformed by a few precious acts of beauty performed by a handful of unknown soldiers.

In fact, it was Maimonides who wrote in his code of law, "Each person must see himself as though the entire world were held in balance and any deed he might do could tip the scales."

(Thanks Kev)

Da Sweetie

2008-01-25T09:14:00.000Z

Having cracked the toilet training, the initial enthusiasm for hand washing and all things clean has worn off with a real battle at times to get hands near the sink.
Two funnies...

1. "You need to wash your hands to kill the little buggies which might make you poorly." Coming out of a public loo she spots a mosquito on the door frame and bursts into tears about the buggy that will make her poorly!

2. After a bout of battling this morning she sighed and said, "Daddy, you just need to remember me to wash my hands." Ah, bless....

Hmmmmmm

2008-01-24T16:30:00.000Z

Seems a long time since I journalled properly. So Today....

Hosted a Bible study - good fun, especially with a friend running a creche for 5 under 3's - my time will come!!!!!

Enjoyed lunch, chatting with an ordinand about his trail running coastal marathon - sounds like a great challenge.

Took a visiting candidate back to the station and learnt how the Vietnamese cook rice - boil it with lots of water for a good length of time, drain and leave in the pot while you cook the topping. (Apparently)

Picked up a friends kids from school, took them home and then came home for the post school routine. (snack & chat, chill, hwk, tea, games, bed)

Interestingly herby joint meal and an excellent evening eating Christmas choccy biccies, drinking Cinzano / Vermouth and watching the Da Vinci Code.

One of those insanely amusing things

2008-01-21T11:26:00.000Z

but no, I haven't watched all the videos.

Mark lives in IKEA !

A Day

2008-01-18T23:00:00.000Z

kids bounce into room
I'm out of bed
make tea / vits / snack
wash
bath kids / wash hair
make breakfast
wash up / load dish washer
sort kids
cycle school run
buy cakes n sausages
hoover downstairs and a bit of tidying
prep Bible study
Bible Study
Sort drama group for O
pick up G
source balloons
sort washing / drying
do lunch
clean kitchen
bake cakes
clean kitchen
do library
return G
do Th. for balloons
do Asda for supplies
do college for newspapers
give A birthday present of sheep poo book mark (as you do)
home and put shopping away
collect children
come home without children
collect children
put children to bed
cook tea
eat tea
can't remember what happened after that but something did before bedtime!

Laundry

2008-01-14T12:19:00.000Z

I sort my washing into white and coloured.

Then I pick up my wife's top which is a white shirt sewn into a dark green top!

Fortunately I am a new man so I know all about colourfast!

But being an old man I bottle it and put it in with the coloured washing :-)

How to escape a sinking car

2008-01-14T11:45:00.000Z

1. Open window (to equalise pressure - you can then escape - either through the window or by opening the door)

2. Break the glass if neccesary (with foot, shoulder, heavy object)

3. GET OUT ASAP!

4. If you can't open a window wait until the water is nearly over your head then take a deep breath and open the door and swim up!

Yes, we got a survival calendar for Christmas!

What fuel for your car?

2008-01-11T00:59:00.000Z

Petrol, Electricity, Air, Hydrogen, Nuclear????

This blog entry makes interesting reading for those of us with big engined cars and small budgets.

I know

2008-01-09T21:25:00.000Z

I should be adding more regular entries but with so many blogs organising myself and spiritually reflecting, this one seems a bit more of a scrap book of interesting titbits these days. Oh well - just have to make sure I get a more interesting life to add to it lol.

1st day back!

2008-01-08T16:46:00.001Z

Christmas '07

2007-12-31T17:10:00.001Z

So much to write, I expect I'll keep adding to this one...

Firstly its been a great Christmas at home. I'm trying to sort this posting into festive, social and spiritual thoughts.

Festively - Well O wanted the Christmas tree from the first of December - traditionally we would put it up on Christmas Eve after Advent but H relented and we went looking in the local 'forest' 6 days early - to find there were no decent ones left, B&Q had sold out and we just managed to get a decentish one from a not so local garden centre. So much for tradition. It then took us three days to decorate it and the rest of the house partly due to how long it took to get it to stay upright in the stand - hee hee! I had a great time buying goodies with O at Asda, H found her late night stint at Tesco much more stressful - she's a little out of practice but cooked up the most amazing Christmas dinner - even made her own cranberry and port sauce. Slight delay waiting for the turkey to finish meant we finished first course, then stopped for the Queens speech (which we missed the first 2 minutes of so here goes...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBRP-o6Q85s&feature=dir

and then we had pudding while watching Finding Nemo with one of my fav songs.

Oh yeh - presents - well with a 9.30 service we were never going to
get them all opened, even when H woke the kids up at 06:40 lol. O did try and had his opened before lunch, B by tea time and L by the 28th! Needless to say there were loads as we are such a big family but some really imaginative stuff and we have had the time to open things and play / make / fight (bring on those light sabres and sonic screw drivers!)

Socially, staying at home and being together as just us has been brilliant - time to relax, play together, even get the thank you letters started tho' the latest G'parent visit has taken a bit of a hit on that. Must stop writing this blog soon to do some more. Had both G'parents up before Christmas and then the outlaws over 28th to 2nd so a nice quiet Christmas. Obviously church Christmas am but then only visited college for an Admiralty do on the 28th - a nice short afternoon drinks, biscuits and catch up. We also had some friends round for lunch the same day which was great - us guys took the 5 littlies off to the park to let the two H's catch up on chat time (and wash up - hee hee). Skipping college festivities for New Year's Eve as we'll enjoy playing cards and drinking at home en famille.

Do I feel guilty about how much we spent on food and presents - not very much - its a time to celebrate God's coming to earth - the poor will always be with us and much more literally than figuratively in the future. It was a real privilege to lead the prayers as a family on Christmas morning - did the all stand in a circle facing in and out - thanks muchly H-A. Advent preparations have been better than in the past being in two prayer groups at once - the one focusing on an Advent study guide which has been bril, the other following the lectionary and leading to some interesting thoughts on the 2nd coming. (read that as Advent spiritual preparations, getting the house ready suffered a bit - soz H) I think a spiritual focus on the family and concern for them has been an important part of this Christmas - prayers and celebrating the 12 days of Christmas particularly important. Also writing thank you letters to reinforce the importance of all those who have shown their love for us.

Hmmmmm - a great Christmas; here's to 2008!

Happy Christmas

2007-12-26T00:21:00.000Z

Peter and the family would just like to wish everyone a very Happy Christmas - may we all experience the blessings of the Christ child - as we share the joys and sorrows of the world into which he came.

I so recommend...

2007-12-01T14:46:00.000Z

"English Rose Travels"

An English woman abroad - love the feminine humour and never a dull moment.

Shame I only find time to read posts once a fortnight - it will make a great book tho'.

This was interesting

2007-11-29T13:30:00.000Z

http://praxattack.blogspot.com/2007/11/innocence-faded-part-2.html

tho' I have yet to find his part 1

Travelers Take Chocolate-Powered Journey Through Sahara

2007-11-29T11:37:00.000Z

Last week, two English men, Andy Pag and John Grimshaw, set off on a three-week journey across the Sahara desert in a Ford Iveco Cargo truck. Along with their supply of maps, clothing, water, and other road trip necessities, they brought a gigantic load of chocolate bars: 80,000, to be exact.It sure sounds like they're heading for the mother of all sugar-highs – but Poole and Grimshaw aren't planning to satisfy their appetites during the long desert drive by gorging on Cadbury's and Mars Bars, as delicious as that would be. Instead, the chocolate bars have been transformed into food for their truck: Biodeisel fuel, an eco-friendly alternative to traditional fossil-fuel gasoline. Unfortunately, the two travelers can't just stick a spoon into their gas tank when they're feeling hungry: The chocolate fuel is made from extracted cocoa butter, and wouldn't taste nearly as satisfying as a candy bar. Still, when it comes to powering up their truck, it works like a dream – the adventurers are counting on the chocolate bio-deisel to get them all the way to Timbuktu, one of the world's most remote cities."Timbuktu is renowned as being the back of beyond, the furthest place away that you can possibly imagine," Pag told BBC News. "If we can make it there with bio-fuel, there's no reason why motorists can't use it on the school run or on their commute to work."

http://www.gimundo.com/Articles/Daily/711/11/29/2007/Travelers_Take_Chocolate-Powered_Journey_Through_Sahara

My question is, "Is extracted cocoa butter a waste product of making chocolate or will we simply experience a world shortage of chocolate? Our wheat prices have already gone up in the UK because of the US surge in demand for bio-fuel."

Some observations

2007-11-25T19:41:00.000Z

There was a beautiful moon last night. Not quite full but very bright.

My children are wonderful - independent, thoughtful, witty and not all that bad even when at their 'best'.

My wife is an angel and I need to worship her much more than I worship myself (so hard when cursed with a male ego the size of...)

Really looking forward to Christmas, letters and cards, presents and food - oh yes and Advent, a wonderous spiritual time of reflection - think my advent started in September actually; thanks to all who have pushed me / pulled me / generally cajoled me along the road to chillin wiv da gr8er power (aka God / Pops)

(btw, Helen's sermon for 2nd Dec rocks, gutted I can't be there)

Do I want a pet dog - reponsibility, limitations on social life, walks in the rain - praps we'll get a greyhound or something capable of 5 mile runs.

Oh - the leg -

tbc

"I didn't hit him!"

2007-11-22T23:10:00.000Z

"I just stretched out my arm and his head hit me."

Don't you love kids.

:-)

What could be more important in life?

2007-11-15T09:57:00.001Z

Car Quiz

2007-11-13T19:42:00.000Z

I'm a Nissan 350Z!

You're not the fastest or the most agile, but you have style and power. You believe in looking good and moving quickly -- without breaking the bank.

"Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

Fun Quiz

2007-11-13T10:37:00.000Z

What's your theological worldview?
created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Emergent/Postmodern

You are Emergent/Postmodern in your theology. You feel alienated from older forms of church, you don't think they connect to modern culture very well. No one knows the whole truth about God, and we have much to learn from each other, and so learning takes place in dialogue. Evangelism should take place in relationships rather than through crusades and altar-calls. People are interested in spirituality and want to ask questions, so the church should help them to do this.

Emergent/Postmodern

75%

Roman Catholic

71%

Neo orthodox

68%

Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan

61%

Modern Liberal

46%

Charismatic/Pentecostal

46%

Classical Liberal

36%

Reformed Evangelical

32%

Fundamentalist

IKEA

2007-11-09T23:27:00.001Z

Indispensable Kit for Every Anglican

Do you remember your school meals being like this?

2007-11-09T22:31:00.001Z

Ever wondered who visits your blog

2007-11-09T10:42:00.001Z

Being a male numbers freak, I got a site counter to see how many visitors I got.
The one I got has proved pretty interesting for other reasons too. It gives me the details of where their servers are based - what internet browser they use and even pretty maps of the world to show where they are based.
So if you ever wondered who visits your blog add http://www.sitemeter.com/
If you don't want your visitors to have the same information, you simply change your settings in the manager mode.

Nature v Nurture

2007-11-09T08:39:00.000Z

I am a stay at home dad. She has two big brothers. The house is full of cars, bionicles and adventure videos.
What do I end up with - a daughter who likes to make babies out of balloons and breakfast cereal and who chooses to wear pink and jewellery at every opportunity.
Thats my girl!
(and yes she does have lots of dolls and girly stuff too)

The best thing is that when playing with cars, the boys race and crash 'em while she arranges them in families and drives them to different social gatherings!

Its a funny old world.

Oh - and I don't have a problem with her choosing to be a rocket scientist or the boys being nursery teachers or midwives.

Tho' on that note, I know of one nursery that had to stop employing men after parents started withdrawing their children because they didn't believe 'normal' men would care for young children!

Homework for an 8 year old

2007-11-08T23:25:00.000Z

We are looking at examples of Persuasive Writing. Collect examples of advertising slogans. Are they Catchy.

Can you find examples of those which use these techniques...?

rhymes
alliteration
word play
tempting description
exaggeration
appealing adjectives
intriguing questions

Well I have to confess I couldn't do all this without the help of a dictionary but my son was able to give me accurate definitions of all of these - don't think he quite found all of the categories in my car magazines tho'.

UK Christmas Postal Dates

2007-11-08T23:18:00.000Z

Who says this can't be a public service blog?

Guilty - on 4 counts!

2007-11-06T22:16:00.001Z

Yep - when I went round the house there were two phone chargers, one DS charger and a laptop lead all warming up the house!

"phone chargers left plugged in suck up enough electricity to supply 141, 622 UK homes per year."

And that doesn't count the tv / vid etc left on stand by.

Casualty

2007-11-04T13:09:00.000Z

Well I think the most amusing aspect of my two recent visits to casualty was sitting in the waiting room next to a couple of student types who were watching an American hospital soap on a lap top.

The least amusing thing was that I arrived there because 15 minutes into a friendly footy game between 1st and 2nd yr ordinands I made a rash tackle on a 15 stone, 6'6" rugby player, missed blocking the ball as he skyed it and connected my leg with the studs in his f'ball boot.

Its not even that much of an injury really - just a 0.5cm puncture through the skin which is slowly oozing blood. Frustratingly, steristrips haven't worked completely and the docs would rather dress the wound and advise elevating the leg than try sealing it up. Natural healing and allowing blood to ooze out and so release any infection is deemed the best course of action.

It should be brilliant news - hours on the sofa watching football on the tv - less good news tho' for a SAHD who lives on the edge. As someone who tries to fit as much into life as possible and do the minimum of hswk, although the washing is up to date, ironing is not, so creased clothes would appear to be on the agenda. Still, we live and learn. At least I should be able to get lots of reading done. And contemplate my future plans.....

Last but not least, thanks to Ian for helping me to the car, Keith & Helen for the 2nd Aid treatment, Allie & Kathy for childminding, Helen for chaufeuring, feeding, bossing, and being patient and most of all, the JR A&E staff. (Oh, and all my friends on and off Facebook who have been asking after me)

Half-Term : Half-Board

2007-11-02T07:07:00.000Z

Well as this is my journal, it seems right to jot down a few personal updates; well it was a pretty fantastic half-term:

Friday - boys collected straight from school for a sleepover and l had her first sleepover alone - kids missed us - I don't think so! (Well L asked where we were once at b'fast the next day but then got on with playing.) Oh, and H and I partied late into the night at our own RCC guest night.

Saturday -

Sunday - Lizzie took us on a cool God seeing walk

Monday -

Tuesday - Sleepover at the cousins

Wednesday - party in the park - so many adventure playgrounds, such nice chocolate, then the dash to the old house to collect E for the next sleepover. (Also checked the old house before the next tenants.

Thursday - Dinosaurs and lanterns at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History and Pitt Rivers Museum with the Friday night friends and a picnic in the park watching Oxfords finest play lacrosse. Kids in bed and E's parents join us for fine food and wine. (ok so I was cooking so perhaps a slight exageration. Pasta, sausage, tomato sauce with vegs and extra steamed veg.)

Friday - Yep, I managed to make sandwhiches for 8, then down the motorway to Bekonscot Model village then home for steak and chips (and a veggy option - cauliflower steaks)

Saturday -

Sunday - Helen's placement church - it rocks, excellent drama sketch with happy kids cos they got sweets in Sunday Club! Swimming, always a family favourite.

Only great minds can read this

2007-11-01T07:52:00.000Z

This is weird, but interesting!

fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can. i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs forwrad it

FORWARD ONLY IF YOU CAN READ IT

Life according to Facebook

2007-10-27T08:21:00.000+01:00

Hmm - There was a time when most of my life was recorded on this blog and I had found a small group of friendswhose experiences I also shared. Then Facebook came along and so much more of my time became spent socialising on line with people I already know. Well balance in all things, but here is a summary of my past month through my record of facebook updates.

Yesterday

Peter is celebrating having post-sleepover kids who didn't wake up until 8am :-). 8:59am
October 25

Peter is and the gang had a gr8 time at the Pitt Rivers finding dinosaurs and losing each other. 9:50pm

Peter is happy that the mob are fed and is now looking for dinosaur pix n w'searches. 7:54am
October 24

Peter is happy his wife is home :-). 11:03pm

Peter is would rather be in Nick's house than Siobhans, is hosting a sleepover, backing up his wife's lap top and tidying... "go to bed small person!!!!". 9:56pm
October 23

Peter is appologetic that his brother-in-law's lap top does not seem to want play scrabble - back on real broadband tomorrow! 10:36pm

Peter is is busy compressing time and celebrating a sub 32min 4+ mile Garsington circular. 10:05am
October 22

Peter is is glad he is at home with his family. 8:05am
October 21

Peter is happy to be English rather than S African and is now wishing he was in Brazil. 7:27am
October 20

Peter is most greateful to all who made Helen & his guest night sucha great evening. 11:40am
October 19

Peter is getting ready to ship his children out - thanks so much happy sleepover hosts! :-). 7:33am
October 18

Peter is happy with the 3 finger puppets and is off to damage the environment in a monster truck (thanks Nan!). 2:29pm
October 17

Peter is sure that facebook comes before housework in the dictionary! Goodnight friends - sleep well! 8:46pm

Peter is is seriously pleased with his smallest children's behaviour whilst entertaining a guest :-). 7:37pm

Peter is feeding artificial life forms - wanna join us Graham? 5:37pm
October 16

Peter is happy to have time to reflect and greets all his facebook chums in a spirit of relaxed calm and peace! 9:24am
October 15

Peter is wishing there was more time to play scrabble (and that he wasn't playing 14 games! 12:33pm
October 14

Peter is is thinking that B&*!$!*&@h rocks. 9:16pm
October 11

Peter is looking forward to visiting Helen's new Parish. 9:00am
October 9

Peter is would like to thank his friends for putting up with his slight tetchiness and thank his wife for cheering him up. 8:00pm

Peter is laughing having read Helen's update (that's my wife Helen!). 12:47pm

Peter is ...... (just 'is') Entirely suitable for a Lister day. 10:20am
October 8

Peter is is happy that he is English but commiserates with Helen & Andrew. 9:11am
October 7

Peter is ecstatic about his oatcakes, thinking of feeding his chocolate 'sponge' to the ducks and settling down to a relaxing evening with Helen, Jeremy & Michael. 7:59pm

Peter is very greatful to all the young people and parents for their positive contribution to this morning's service and still optimistic Lewis H will win in Brazil. 11:11am

Peter is in a semi-conscious state after being woken up at 6am by his daughter yet again. At least he is up in time for the Chinese Grand Prix. 6:39am
October 6

Peter is excited about the fact that some vicar is going to tell his congregation that their next curate will be Helen Greenham in less than 24 hours! 9:50pm

Peter is run and now cooking steak and chips. 11:59am

Peter is most happy with the continuing standard of college discos and is now off for a hilly run to stretch his legs. 8:23am
October 5

Peter is excited to see that it is 6 months,7 days, 17 hours & 16mins until the start of the London Marathon. 3:44pm

Peter is highly amused that today's free gift is a little green frog and the breakfast song of the day was the little green frog song. 8:01am
October 4

Peter is dedicating the rest of the evening to listening to Robbie Williams, Abba, Iron Maiden and Coldplay. 9:42pm

Peter is amazed as usual that God answers prayer - tho' he knows he shouldn't really be surprised. 8:11am
October 3

Peter is getting on with life. 3:32pm

Peter is wondering whether ne1 would look after his sick son this pm so he can be Victorian with his other son. He is also a bit stunned that sum1 else ran @6am with him. 8:15am
October 2

Peter is facebooked out and would like to say he loves all his facebook friends but is going to turn off his computer for the rest of the evening! 5:33pm

Peter is struggling with his second life and is now seeking to work better in his real one. 5:15pm

Peter is has just joined Secondlife in an attempt to escape a world of sick children and mounting housework. 4:48pm

Peter is is on top of the world after eating one of Steve's excellent lunches. Bring on the Common Room Meeting! 2:39pm

Peter is uncertain as to whether his current state is due to the 5th glass of wine or the 5 hours sleep he got last night. 9:17am
October 1

Peter is enjoying his 5th glass of Fair trade wine now college can afford to buy decent stuff from Threshers. 11:12pm
September 30

Peter is thinking Clare vdB is an absolute star. And yes you can do it for another 13.1 miles - it just takes a little more training (every week). 6:36pm
September 29

Peter is so glad that he married a cake decorating genius. 7:22am
September 28

Peter is regretting the fact that he is embracing the college infection and the college chest passed him by! 4:40pm
September 27

Peter is considering embracing the college chest - when its infection is over. 8:08am
September 26

Peter is is desparaetly resisting the temptation to join the Jedi in the fight against the Sith! 5:28pm

Peter is is looking forward to a collegey day with friends. 9:26am
September 25

Peter is very excited at the arrival of his ECOBALLS and awaits Cloakey's smart comment with amusement. 1:55pm

Peter is thinking the kids are now well. 11:09am

Tee Hee

2007-10-16T20:30:00.000+01:00

I used to be young once.

Divided Loyalties (aka Publish and be damned!)

2007-10-16T10:25:00.000+01:00

Oh Joy.

What an excellent idea - to have a 'prayer / Bible study' group for partners of ordinands.

Of course being a very broad college with a wide range of church backgrounds it makes for a very eclectic mix beliefs and expressions.

Oh sorrow - after one meeting for one group there already seems to be a need for two groups :-/

Part of this is practical - baby sitter needs versus existing commitments. Part of this is different approaches to prayer and Bible study and people's relationship with God.

Now one of the wonderful things about RCC is its breadth of spirituality; rather than being a college of like minded individuals it reflects the much broader spectrum of the Church of England.

Now where does that leave us - in an ideal world we might learn from each other's views and work and pray together. In the real world maybe co-existence is the best that can be expected at group level and togetherness only works in individual friendships and associations.

So if my prayer group is splitting in two where does that leave me.

From my childhood loyalty has always been important to me. But in this situation loyalty to whom?
To those who have set up the group and so stay in it?
To those who are the people I know most closely and who are also physically the ones I spend most time with.

Looking at it another wayy, which of the two groups share my values and beliefs most closely?
But does that mean I should join that group?
I've always enjoyed arguing anyway so why would I join a group of people I agree with - and if I did, well I'd just end up arguing anyway - or would I?

The simple answer is of course to pray and ask for God's guidance as I discern his will for me - so easy to write - but to do.........

................... 24 hrs later

Ah - well reading a book about the efforts to heal the divides in Israel, it occured to me (God answering prayer?) that actually the answer is to attend both groups - if only because I have a lot of catching up to do anyway - lol

To blog or not to blog?

2007-10-16T09:44:00.000+01:00

Interesting talking with Helen and hearing her describe how close she got to God and her real self through her daily blog entries about Israel and how she has lost part of that and returned to living through a mask, dependent more on other people’s perceptions of her in the hustle of holidays and meeting new people in the start of a new term. Having taken nearly two weeks off blogging myself I’ve also noted a certain emptiness in how I value my own life. Losing that chance to reflect, for us a part of our communion with God, as we examine our own lives but also the world we live in. Oh well – time to see what happens in the next two weeks.

Next Life

2007-10-15T07:36:00.000+01:00

Hmmm - well I read about Second Life in a novel and it sounded fascinating. I've registered but not got much further asI'm so busy in my first life I'm strugggling to keep up with that one lol. Anyway, a great w/e away to check out Helen's new parish and all looks really good there - a really positive starting opportunity to her (our) ministry. Do I really want to add that (bracketed) word. Think so. Well life must go on, children to feed (and get out of bed). More to follow.

This Guy Rocks

2007-10-04T09:55:00.000+01:00

And I nearly made this cake all by myself!

2007-10-02T09:42:00.001+01:00

My sister's birthday cake - her favourite perfume is Angel.

Well I baked the cake myself and did all the physical decorating except for the cutting and writing. Thanks for that go to Helen whose cake decorating genius also inspired the painting of the cake! I'm getting there tho' and will be a proper vicar's husband one day soon! (8 or 20 months - someone will doubtless tell me!)

So why is Helen so impressed with Pete's balls?

2007-10-01T11:02:00.000+01:00

Before

After

Behold the power of the balls!

A new week AND moving on!

2007-09-17T08:53:00.000+01:00

Hmmmm - 1 week till term starts, 38 weeks until we move to our first Parish!
Time to get a grip and get on with organising my (our) life, house, career etc.
Can't find a half-marathon in the Christmas Holidays! :-/
Monday - do the books in the morning, Sunday Club mtg in the afternoon, watch Ladies in Lavender with Helen while eating chocolates in the evening (just to make up for getting up at 05.45 for a 5 mile run!)
Tuesday - reflection: Jesus brings the widow at Nain's son back to life - key point? Jesus was God can do amazing stuff? Nah, figured that already - me thinks its more that God has compassion when sh1t strikes and expects us to show the same!
Tuesday - a gr8 day to stay at home and do housework, like drinking cups of tea from Lydia's play set and show her how to warm her hands on said cuppa!
Wednesday - collegy day, I'm happy getting things done.
Thursday - what did I do in the am? O+G for cooking, M. trucking and den making, YES - we love to baby sit for other people: a whole evening to watch Casino Royale and get ironing done with no distractions :-)
Friday - hswk, B+B+S for wizardology and food.
Saturday - sick kids, Sclub planning, errr - not much else
Sunday - SClub then baby sitting while H does her vicaring stuff; highlight - collect an American and give him Sunday Roast!
Hmmm so I did things move on this week; well if you say 1 step forward and two back, they moved!
Nah it wasn't that bad, just hard to get on and get jobs done despite all my lists. Sure I'll get there tho.
Things learnt - show compassion and give compliments! Also, make more of less not the other way round!

Frustration

2007-09-14T20:24:00.000+01:00

Walked to the post office one way. A woman walks the other way.
I feel a scruff in my jeans and t-shirt. She looks smart in a grey skirt and lime green top. Too far away to check up make up but I suddenly feel like taking the time to put some on. No not really... hah, hah, hah.

But it just seems so much harder to be a smartly dressed man. Hmmm going to have to research this, definately fancy an image change tho'.
My friends still laugh at me for dressing up in suit trousers and a shirt to take my son to school for the first day, but I like to make an impression, set the tone.... (Which also means working as hard as possible not to be the last to collect! - only last once this week and not late at all in 8 days!)

Hmmm - so where do we go from here - perhaps some pics with my different dress styles, definately an investigation - but of what???? Maybe time to leaf through the men's magazines.... (No, not those sort!)

"Give to everyone who begs from you"

2007-09-13T10:09:00.001+01:00

Hmmm
Helen left her sacred space reflection up - so no real excuse not to do it as well!

The Luke "Love your enemies passsage" was the reading with the above phrase included.

So do I give to everyone regardless of what they spend the money on?
Do I just give to charities that help the homeless etc?

Do I make sure that there is a food voucher scheme in the area, buy some vouchers and encourage everyone else (esp church) to do the same?

Do I support schemes for giving the homeless places to stay and make sure I can tell them where they can find help in my area?

Above all does this mean I need to stop and talk to all the people I see begging as I go around Oxford shopping?

The Culinery Future

2007-09-12T13:01:00.000+01:00

Oh I love the great evolution : creationist debate.

I definately believe that God is still a creative force in our world; this article is proof!

hee hee.

Future Humans Won't Get Fat, Says a New Study
Our distant descendents may be genetically blessed with the ability to remain svelte despite a daily diet of pizza and beer. Evolution at its best, don't you think?
Full Story

A Day in the Life of.... & Culinary Success

2007-09-11T07:31:00.000+01:00

Well I was going to describe a mad day but this day is already too mad to find the time to do it.

But I've got to say, "The stuffed marrow was brilliant - so good to eat your own food - just a shame the cow wasn't ours too! Keep growing little allotment!

Contemplations

2007-09-08T07:54:00.000+01:00

So is Facebook a complete waste of time?
Well yes if you play Pirates all the time! Were employers right to ban it from the work place? Were the TUC right to say that employers need down time?
All the answers seem to be yes. But you might say the same about blogging. Like all things in life, Alcohol, drugs, Blogging, food, exercise, tobacco (well perhaps not the last one) there are uses and abuses.
Facebook is great for keeping up with news of friends and being socially supportive, loving and simply reminding people that you care by poking them, giving them gifts or whatever.... But then so are postcards, phone calls and taking the time to visit. I suspect all things have their place and no single way is best - we will all have our favourites and will all spend too much or too little time on them as our ability or inability to cope with life dictates.

On the issue of blogging, I managed to keep writing posts on my lap top while on holiday, it just took me two weeks to upload them all! And yet - I think a journal of reflection is an important way of keeping life in perspective, to have only had time to write on my todo list blog for two weeks seems a sad reflection on life - I don't think that to say you are too busy means your life is great and fun filled: simply that you haven't managed to be well enough organised in arranging you priorities. Oh the joys of self-justification and navel contemplation. For a more interesting post visit this one from Bhazy.

Hmm more to write but now to start a quick post inspired by another Bhazy entry to be published later and then help my son start his first blog about cat feeding and red kite spotting as part of his cub scout animal lovers badge.

Summer of Love

2007-09-04T20:15:00.000+01:00

Love is when you are cold, have done your token swim in the sea and then your 8 year old son says, “You haven’t swum with me for ages.” You can take being called a wuss but the disappointment in his eyes is too much.
I change back into cold, wet and sandy shorts, pick up a surf board and plunge in. The swim is actually invigorating and pleasant; much better is that father-son moment, the look in his eyes, he’s got Dad time, he’s achieved a long swim out deeper and further than he would ever dare go on his own, he’s tasted and shared a sense of danger. We talk of heading for the north Devon coast to get really scared in some Atlantic breakers – I hope.

Love is that quiet time with the one you love, reliving laughs, dreaming dreams, just having the space to sit on either side of a caravan, doing our own thing, reading, listening to music and knowing that we are together, sharing time.

Love is tough! Making the kids do jobs, teaching that work ethic lol. Seeing them make friends on the camp site, at the beach, in adventure play grounds.

Love is intensity, passion, closeness; yet tragically seems to require moments of separation, pain, angst.

And in practical terms, the holiday was about;
Setting up camp, Beach, fish n chips at in laws
Beach, barbecue @ in laws
Church, Pecorama model train exhibition at Beer, stunning Sunday roast @ in laws which miraculously all 3 kids ate with gusto
Beach, home for Mussels for tea.
Haircut, cycling through woods – first the family trail – hilly and I managed to cycle the lot with L in the trailerJ. Then did the Adventure trail – flatter, faster but very twisty with Andy – his amazing mountain bike, light weight with disc brakes just disappeared into the horizon but he was very patient with the old man – I still thought I was going faster than possible – well at least faster than I could read the corners, puddles, lumps and tree stumps!
Afternoon at P. zoo with old friends – thanks Cathy – great to catch up with old friends, news, chat, planning Greenbelt.
Dawlish Carnival – not in the same league as the Beer Walk of old but the RAF flying displays were amazing – only glimpsed the acrobatic helicopters on the drive in but the Red Arrows presented their usual high standard of amazing and stunning flying and the Typhoon (aka Eurofighter) was amazing – just the sound of it would be enough to blow you away – slowest speed was 90mph – looked like it was just hanging there – fastest speed was 800mph – only the fastest it could do without breaking the sound barrier and all the windows in town. The chip supper was pretty good with the added extras of trying to get the kids to sit on a sea wall and eat it without walking off to stroke dogs (L) or just throw knock them all over the floor (O).
Wake up, dawdle, beach – lots of shrimping with 4 fish, 3 crabs and 2 snails.
Rain, swimming & steak ‘n chips.
Pouring rain, pack car under the awning! More yummy food cooked by the m-i-l (Thank you) then rainy road to flooded Paignton overtaken by fire lorries with sand bags and pumps. More zoo exploration before hot Italian sausages and Chinese steaks – (Thanks Cath J) Reread the end of HP – it is such a good book.
Eden Project – that place is so cool – and so far away! Helen and I drive there and back taking it in turns to sleep and drive. It has grown so much since our last visit 4 years ago. Both the plants (lol) but also the new education centre and all the things you could do. Started the afternoon with H+C going off to look at the plants on the hill sides while the 3 kids and I took part in a den building exercise (part of their work getting kids back into nature in a world where parents are too scared to let them out of the house). They were so impressed to return and find a nearly completed den AND 3 kids. I did have to confess that L had done a runner for 15 scary minutes and had to be radiod for and collected by staff and returned – blissfully unaware of the panic caused – just happy to wander around the garden and exhibits. Nightmare child – or is that nightmare father! (And yes I could remember what she was wearing Helen!) The kids survived wandering the biomes – or was it the other way around and tea was excellent – good value for us - £5.50 for lots of chips, spare ribs, onion rings, corn on the cob, salsa sauce and home made lemonade. The kids’ pizzas and coke cost the same tho’ but at least we got to eat most of L’s. Great fun on wooden climbing frame, making things work in the education centre, Helen & B spending time together working out their carbon foot print. Then a sleepy drive home, leaving at 9pm, back to a night at C’s for 23.45.Yet another lie in – 6am starts are going to be a real shock!

Its all go

2007-08-31T09:47:00.000+01:00

Details of holiday to follow in a separate blog.
Unpacking, washing & sorting.
B off to Hereford to stay with old friends while we plan his Birthday party.
Tenants to visit after a police drugs raid and finding the house smelly but at least intact!
A visit to Helen's possible parish - looks good but can say no more until confirmed and all the right people told in the right order lol. Thanks muchly to K+K for minding the troops.
Oh and Helen's on placement - at least with a local church but in and out. Just so glad she is here and able to do mother stuff and help me get back to being organised again.

Ah the lighter side of life - having been nagged by O to get the dressing up case out of the loft - finally did and was treated to a "show" all about a ninja warrior and a king.

Fear or Faith

2007-08-06T21:44:00.000+01:00

Hmmm - chicken pox, away from home, Helen's return, could make up some more excuses or could get back to exploring my spiritual side.

This bit from the front of a church news sheet kinda sums up where I'm at right now. Having grown up in a secure family home I've never learnt to fear anything but now I'm older I wonder whether I need to go through the fear of God thing before I can get to grips with the reality of grace bit.

For me, trying to do things right is about the loving your neighbour as yourself bit but that kinda comes unstuck if you go into a negative sel-image spin. Hmmm - more thought to be done. See if anyone comes up with any helpful comments - fortunately I have some good friends to kick me in the right direction.

Home Not Alone in My Old Home

2007-07-31T22:52:00.000+01:00

Yep - took a week out in the land of no television or computer. Internet, wots dat? It was home to Wigan - here's some pics from the home of my childhood.

This was a series of allotments when I used to work the garden one day a week, just a 2 hour burst with a power mower to get to the apple trees on this visit. The horse fly bites are just going down!

Views from my bedroom window.

I used to go to sleep and wake up to the sound of the wind in these trees.

So who needs pc or tv when there are all these games to play. And yes I won all three versions of Monopoly - think I may be banned; ruthless, me? Nah, well not much, just lucky!

Oh Yes! Oh Yes! Oh Yes

2007-07-21T20:22:00.001+01:00

Need I say any more?

Life in Israel

2007-07-20T20:38:00.001+01:00

Thought my wife's poem was fantastic so have her permission to include it in my blog.

Week 2 Alone

2007-07-20T01:34:00.001+01:00

Hmm - seems to be have taken over by chicken pox. Meant I got to see my Dad cos he came and babysat. Otherwise usual stuff - cooked, washed, ironed, breathed etc.

Ben had a good report from his flute teacher and brought home a stunning Egyptian mask he made earlier in the year. Has ordered flowers to give his teacher tomorrow, just got to colour in the card he did tonight.

Got to do weights with Kev Schwarz - more of a spiritual nourishment than a muscle busting sess' but good to be back in the gym - roll on September - still, August promises to be a running month - gonna 10k in September. (Oh thanks for child minding Karen, promise to repay you with running hours from Helen ha ha...)

Discovering the potential of imeem - seems good to me. (Also using it to back up my blogs in case gmail crashes.) Does anyone know anything about it being dodgy - re file sharing and spyware????

4am - torch on in my room...

2007-07-20T01:17:00.001+01:00

... except its not my room - its an isolation room in the children's ward of the hospital 30 miles away because my local hospital is full.

So maybe my daughter is used to getting her own way because normally that means she eats her tea, tidies her toys and generally is pleasant. Not when she has to take gross medicine and "I am two so you know where I'll spit, vomit, gargle that stuff...."

In this case all the way to a night in hospital on intravenus antibiotics and antihistamines by the best medical care that all the tax I used to pay can buy.

Well done NHS - no forget that - NHS not so good - state of the art hospital in Oxford full - not enough beds - solution - send me on a 25 mile drive to a hospital they will close by the end of the year - Genius!

Well done the nursing staff at Oxford and Banbury - absolutely first class - helpful, supportive, solution orientated - I was so impressed (and so stressed out after 3 hrs sleep the night before, I forgot to chat them up.)

Of course the phone bill took another hammering keeping mum in touch with updates texted and phoned out to Israel - still at least it guaranteed a mega supply of prayer - Thanks Tantur peeps, relatives and those of us who remain at college - really did feel relaxed and supported - that was both of us as we both slept over 8 hours that night and the following night when we got home and were able to play and be calm during the day.

Oh what was up - chicken pox but much worse than brother's last week with the added complication of a secondary infection that put her temperature up to 103.9 F (40 C)

I am so ashamed....

2007-07-16T14:42:00.000+01:00

I had to clean the bath after B came back from Cub camp. Normally the only marks are coloured ones from the kids toys - this time there was MUD!

Made me realise that my children cannot be getting enough messy rough and ready play!

I'm sure there was always a decent black tide mark when I was a kid - but then we lived in farm land, had a massive garden and a wood to play in - and perhaps in those days we only had a bath once or twice a week - there were 7 of us sharing one bathroom!

Life in the Fast Lane - or comments from a new curate's wife

2007-07-14T00:09:00.000+01:00

Be sure the kids will survive the ordination service
Yeh - that post O party is for all your old friends / congregation from your sending church
Make sure you invite some people who are prepared to come in the kitchen with you and muck in - well prep salad anyway
Don't forget you can use the church's crockery etc if not building as well
Bear in mind its hard to use the garden if its pouring with the wet stuff

Ah Yes - ordination = "I've just signed up to am/pm Pryr every day till....." - now that can make the tea bedtime routine tough 4da kidz - esp with an evening meeting as well!

Oh, and talking of kidz - move on Tuesday, send them to school Wednesday - that way you have time to unpack and they can settle straight in with 3 days on then 2 days rest.
ERRRRR - did I miss anything? further comments from happy curates partner's welcome :-)

Oh and when you've driven an hour to deliver your son to cub camp - you do have to drive an hour straight back to be there for the last hour of the parish pudding party!

Honoured & Humbled

2007-07-13T00:35:00.000+01:00

Thanks Bhazy

Week 1 Alone

2007-07-12T07:43:00.000+01:00

So what’s my week been like? I thought I would have done more blogging – wanting to be close to Helen, but I enjoyed reading her blog more and was that knackered after daytime stuff that I just wanted to collapse and watch tv, read my Father’s Day book or go to bed. Suddenly feel like I don’t want to talk.

Monday
Did odd jobs, plumber arrived to make a disaster of replacing a radiator and decided I needed to get out and go to Headington to pick up more skirts for potty girl. L’s p/t is going brilliantly – its not that she needs them because of accidents – its just that she tends to squirt with such force it all sprays out of the potty and onto surrounding area / clothes. Even the newly arrived bigger potty isn’t immune. Btw – no skirts in the charity shops except warm wintert one but she did fall in love with some white sandals and given the fact that they also get sprayed; well it’s a good excuse. Afternoon passed too quickly to get many jobs done. Tea at a friends who was going to look after kids while I collected notorious pillow fighting kit but it poured with rain so abandoned. Home for bed and the finishing of the ironing. See separate post.
Earliest night ever – have gone to bed at 9.30 so I can rest, relax and type up my blog posts on an ancient lap top which just copes with word lol. Just young enough to have a usb port so memory stick and upload tomorrow. More hmmmmmming on the complexities of life – should be so simple – then humans get involved and …. Oh I dunno.

Tuesday
Toy library – depressingly under attended and presumably given up on. Claire from college and I made up 50% of adults and our 3 kids 60% Afternoon spent sorting our bedroom – feng shui master now very happy – JOKE I still have to discover the art of f/s!.
Rescue the bathroom from a childish attack of mud on the sink and toothpaste on the window sill.
Earliest night ever – have gone to bed at 9.30 so I can rest, relax and type up my blog posts on an ancient lap top which just copes with word lol. Its just young enough to have a usb port so memory stick and upload tomorrow. More hmmmmmming on the complexities of life – should be so simple – then humans get involved and …. Oh I dunno.

Wednesday
Morning was Dunk – lovely time watching Lydia play and celebrating the fact that she didn’t wee on Karen’s floor despite forgetting the pull ups.
Returned the pole and mattresses that didn’t get used at the school fete ‘cos not enough volunteers. Anyone who has a spare telegraph pole and mattresses – you just need some pillows and then you have a great money making game for kids and adults alike! Thank goodness for Volvo estates – pole and 3 mattresses on the roof and 3 mattresses inside! Cheers Graham for the lift with the mattresses up two flights of stairs – really funny male ego thing – apart from the double mattress we carried the singles up on our own.
Afternoon – serious assault on Kitchen surfaces and window sill and the removal of clutter.
Evening – ah the much needed result of the meaning of life - thought it might have appeared Sunday but maybe the trickle tretment is God’s plan – hmmmmmm – religious stuff – am I ready for this? Can I afford not to be ready for it? Is Helen’s spiritual journey transferring itself across the ether / cyber space / esp / G?d
Oh and cubs – over ran by 20 minutes agh – my child needs to go to bed before 9pm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Made bread so O can have sandwiches tomorrow.

Thurs
breakfast, school run, swimming, shopping, school run, entertain G- lots of pics drawn, swing pushing, sand and water, school run, pick carrots, go to play ground, drop off G, go to CGBD for lasagne & apple&blackberry crumble, not to mention Pimms, humus and olives - shh, don't tell Helen I like hummus & olives. ah - also got into weight watchers tuna & mango chutney on ryvita (Weds lunch) - fear Kev Schwarz is having too much of an effect on my diet!

Fri
Thought it was Monday that was supposed to be manic - Friday 6am - up, getting cub camp kit ready, bath and wash hair for both boys, shave and wash my hair, feed and dress children, Go to ParcelForce depot on other side of Oxford, trip ends as school run then merges into school trip. O's nursery trip to Cotswold Wildlife Park ; went with him and took L - had a bril time - its an amazing place - plant life is stunning, gardens really well cared for - animals seemed happier than birds - prob because they had bigger pens. Canadian Timber Wolves were stunning. Returned for 3 to empty dustbin lorry (aka car) then collect B, help A take a fishtank up the hill and return to pack rucksack. (with cub sprout!) Escaped with everything but the kitchen sink and the the torch (thanks Ka - how did I tick it then miss it?), picked up chips then up the hill to play chase the mobile signal :-/ Finally connected with Israel - hmmmm, just calculated the bill:-( Anyway - onto tea then invited to share Shabat, privilege, thank you. Then off to tents in the trees - hmmmm; nice swimming pool, tall climbing pole, classy archery, sign to rifle range - don't think he'll be bored. Back home for mellow bed time, chill with the First Night of the Proms ; nice bit of cello - cheers Elgar before hitting the ironing with the LenMeister . Oh ta A/Rev S - ok so I lost the phone - mellow evening became 2y/o strop, removal of all cot contents apart from choc milkshake - 20 mins of yelling, investigation - Daddy my bed is a messy chocolate colour. - Still all can be forgiven - same undies from 7.30am to 8pm - now that's my girl!

Dat religious stuff

2007-07-12T07:41:00.000+01:00

If you haven’t worked it out, I am the male (married) partner of a female Anglican ordinand. (i.e my wife is training to be a priest in the Church of England) Having vowed never to get involved in youth work now I’ve ‘retired’ from teaching, I’ve still ended up a joint leader of the college’s Sunday Club – if only cos’ I want somewhere decent for my kids to go on a Sunday; and there are 40+ youngsters arriving in September! (25 having left when their parents moved on at the end of their training)

Having enjoyed services alone for almost a year without any kids for the first time in 8 years – get to pray and think about the sermon! – its now back to kids full time. C’est la vie!

Anyway, decided to skive a big multi-church service and told the vicar I couldn’t run a crèche so that I could check out one of the big Oxford city centre churches! OK US readers – it’s a small one by your standards – about 4-600 I guess but the normal congregation not counting ordinands is under 20 at the local church.

So what was it like? Well make sure you use your underarm before you go! – One of those! After my last visit to a church in this vein I was curious as that visit left me cold, frustrated and wanting to run out.

This one was great – It breathed integrity – a sense of purpose, the idea that the worship was planned even though it did not follow a Anglican service book pattern for worship. It was a great way to set up the 3 weeks away from Helen – good to be there with friends too – Thanks Chantal, Julian, Karen, Sam, Sarah – oh and good to meet you Astrid! Instead of sharing the Peace in the lets look uncomfortable and shake hands with the person next to us or the lets shake hands with everyone in the building it was - talk to the nearest person you do not know and give them a hug. Astrid and I just shook hands – she said that she had been there 7 years and I explained that I was just visiting. It was probably a good way of doing the Peace in such a big congregation though I’m sure there were still people who sat in the same seats every week lol.

BTW - so why did I go?
guess I want to get personal with God - that kinda talky thing, to know that I don't have to hide - that I can be accepted for who I am - be forgiven for what I've done and get on with the next bit of Divine plan - funny tho - I'm getting to the point where I begin to see that as a possiblity - oh well - wait on the Lord and..... Hmmm - takes me back to.... http://peter5journal.blogspot.com/2007/05/way-back-into-god_18.html
tbc

No clothes to be worn....

2007-07-09T09:45:00.000+01:00

in this house. This ironing pile is just to look at!

Well I can't believe there were any clothes left to wear!

Still, job done, just got to put them in the drawers.

Ah, a house hubbies work is never done.

The ironing postscript.

The plumber eventually arrived to replace the corroded and leaking radiator. In the process he unscrewed something in the airing cupboard and destroyed two of Ben’s white school shirts! He then decided to put all the ironing on Oli’s bed. Well when Oli burst into tears on the phone to his mum ‘cos he was missing her, he dashed upstairs and threw all the ironing on the floor so he could hide under his duvet. Nearly took a pic of the heap of clothes I stuffed on my bed but then forgot until I refolded and sorted it and packed half of it away.

Home Alone :-(

2007-07-08T06:49:00.000+01:00

Well dropped Helen off at Terminal 4 - security, what security? All relaxedish. potty training girl had stayed dry and then used the loo - wow, lets hope we crack dis fing in the next 3 weeks!

Was it an emotional departure? - Sure - with Oli climbing up everything available and Lydia running out through the automatic doors - lol. We did get to text and talk before Helen flew out and there was an "I've arrived" text to greet me when I woke up.

Well kids went to bed ok without mum - well its not the first time lol but I guess I was a little more caring - extra milk and b/t story for L and patience when O came downstairs for the 4th time 2 hrs after going to bed! Apparently B had a bad dream and got into bed with me @ 2. Being a caring dad I slept through but then so did he after that.

Totally lazy night watching the Live Earth concerts - scary how much the people I know have aged and the number of people I don't know. Some great music tho' which kept me up till 1am. Oops - and I didn't even do the ironing - still a few more days to tidy up the house and get jobs done!

Its all happening

2007-07-06T21:54:00.000+01:00

Helen's been home from college for two weeks - brilliant, such a relief - such a change. And now she's going off to Israel for 3 weeks - not brilliant, scary, more change.
I seem to have missed out on blogging recently - weird how important it has become, both in organising my life (jobs2do), helping me stay accountable in training (running) and most importantly in just helping me reflect on what is important in my life (journal). Need to reread my post on balance.

Films - 4 watched in 3 days - 2 on dvd and 2 at the cinema.
tbc

Hey - this is near where I used to live!

2007-07-05T07:38:00.001+01:00

http://www.bbc.co.uk/herefordandworcester/content/image_galleries/rotherwas_ribbon_gallery.shtml?1

Wots Happnin in ma Life?

2007-06-30T22:51:00.000+01:00

Just got back from a wet two days caravanning in Dorset. Well Ben survived some terrential rain and wind in our old tent - that guy's a star - or maybe just a bit too independent like his dad!
Had a bril time; checked out the Abbotsbury swans - the three kids got to feed them - good laugh when a cob padded up behind Oli and hissed his way into the bucket of grain as Oli nearly jumped backwards into the estuary lol.
Rain, rain and more rain today so went to the sea life centre in Bournmouth and enjoyed the kids having that wow factor. Needless to say the spare changes of clothes were needed after the run on the beach.
Really looking forward to tomorrow - now back home with James & Paul's ordination to go to tomorrow - interesting to see how that effects the rest of us....
Monday should be fun too but hats another blog!

Am I Sad, Am I Mad, Am I Bad???

2007-06-26T22:07:00.000+01:00

no just drunk lol
I wish
no I dont
Well I love those reflective times

Sad - maybe - have just started a set of lists in my 2do blog for getting specific bits of housework done - well at least I've perhaps learnt something from my mother-in-law; the leading light in the art of the list.

Mad - going that way - still in life after the London Marathon - got to get on top of life - find another big race but also get a grip on life after Oxford - getting a job!

Bad - trying not to be - its kinda funny having Helen back home full time - didn't realise how being home alone so much has made me so individualistic in my decision making and surprised at how insecure I feel (or is it just guilt) when she does jobs I feel I should have got done.

Oh well - its a funny old world. Anyway - enough navel gazing - I've a running blog to update.

'Nuva Day or Two

2007-06-23T22:52:00.000+01:00

Hmm, well lots to write about, kids, shopping, SHOPPING, parties, Franciscan Sisters (well one in particular), Helen's stunning culinary display - hopefully get chance to reflect on these and the other important happenings in my life. Right now tho' Sunday Club gets priority. tbc!

Time for some speedy reflection -
shopping, SHOPPING - went to the Bicester Shopping Village yesterday - amazing - two suits for £700 (rrp £1800) - they were nice suits but that nice???. On the other hand, Tag Heuer watches - down from £1100 to £500. Older models I guess but still very tempting - they did look worth the money - haven't got it tho'
Oh the joys of ...

1 Year Down; 1 To Go

2007-06-22T20:38:00.000+01:00

ok - just under 11 months done and just over 11 to go but its all happening fast!

regrets - a few like missing singing this adaptation with the choir.

Love the line about, "put on anything you want, ... we're going to go out comfortable, some of us" - very RCC.

JOYS - Every day here has had something joyful to make me happy!

Love the line, "Relax and take a deep breath," definate ingredient to RCC survival.

[yes I know they have Japanese subtitles - think that says something about RCC - and they were also the best quality YouTube vids]

Meme

2007-06-18T06:15:00.000+01:00

Thank you Bhazy for tagging me for this meme...

What were you doing 10 years ago?
1. teaching
2. into kite flying
3. living in Manchester and going to the beach on Friday nights (Blackpool or Hull!)
4. running a church youth group
5. thinking about working in Africa

Five Snacks You Enjoy:
1. Traidcraft Fair Trade plantain chips
2. Frijj chocolate milkshake
3. any Asda chocolate bars
4. Toblerone
5. Hmm - gonna censor the last one

Five Songs That You Know All The Lyrics To:
Ah - I don't really do music in that much detail - can do nusery rhymes!
1. Hickory Dickory Dock
2. Twinkle Twinkle
3. The Owl and the Pussy Cat
4. If you go down to the woods today
5. Humpty Dumpty

Five Things You Would Do If You Were a Millionaire:
1. Invest half in Fair Trade projects
2. Buy a TVR for Helen
3. Buy a Porsche for me
4. Invest the rest in property to see the kids through uni
5. Except for the £ spent on a bril family holiday with our siblings and parents

Five bad habits:
1. I need to be perfect
2. I need to wind up the people I’m closest too
3. I take everything I do to extreme
4. Everything!
5. I speak my mind before it has thought through what it should say

Five Things You Like To Do:
1. Be with Helen
2. Be with my friends
3. Talk
4. Blog
5. Keep fit

Five Things You Would Never Wear Again:
1. polo neck jumper
2. really dodgy socks the ‘in men’ all bought to wear at my wedding
3. vests
4. err – dunno wot else – err…
5. crocodile snapper?

Five Favorite Toys:
1. running gps and heart monitor
2. computer & web cam
3. digital camera (if I get a new one)
4. electric jigsaw
5. anything with 4 wheels that I get to drive

Forgive me if you've been tagged already for this one, but I bestow the honor of this meme : Bhazy

Instructions: Remove the blog from the top, move all blogs up one, add yourself to the bottom.
A Beautiful Life
Absolutely Bananas
Life As I Know It
Life Is All About Choices
Peter5journal