The poem was We Grow Accustomed to the Dark by Emily Dickinson, but I actually ended up reading two, as the lady who was down to read Shadow by D H Lawrence couldn't make it.
They're challenging reads. I'm sure you did them both excellently.
We've had a happy day with Nenlet1 and the GrandNenling and the lasagne was very nice so I haven't lost my skill in making it and may do a repeat performance at the end of the month when we are possibly having house guests for a few days.
It's been a lovely sunny day, though still rather chilly.
Having woken up with the sort of sore, scratchy throat that often presages a cold, and having had rather more sneezes than were strictly necessary during the course of the day, I decided to cop out of the Ash Wednesday service at St Pete's. I'm not feeling ill; it's just that if I am getting a lurgy, now is probably when I'd be infectious, and I don't want to spread it round the (mostly rather elderly) congregation.
I've just had a delivery from Tessie's, so the WINE and CHEESE supplies (among other things) have been replenished. Sadly, the milk hasn't, because I'm an idiot and forgot to put it on the order. <brickwall>
No hot chocolate for me tonight; I suppose I could have a hot toddy instead ...
Oyez oyez, the End is truly nigh. I'm not talking about the current preoccupying geopolitics, I'm talking about the fact that today I not only achieved the nirvana that is an Empty Laundry Basket, I also got to an Empty Iron Ing Basket as well.
Oyez oyez, the End is truly nigh. I'm not talking about the current preoccupying geopolitics, I'm talking about the fact that today I not only achieved the nirvana that is an Empty Laundry Basket, I also got to an Empty Iron Ing Basket as well.
Truly the Apocalypse is upon us.
I wonder if you'll have time to fill the baskets up again before The Rapture occurs?
I never get an empty laundry basket.for longer than a couple of hours.
Mr RoS seems to know if I have just found the bottom of the laundry basket and have put the last load in the washer. That is when he decides that is the time to go and have a bath, change all his clothes, collect up the worn ones draped over the end of his bed to put the lot in the washing basket.
When I was going through a difficult time some years ago, a friend ( who has just died, RIP) gave me a list of small things which have the potential to lift one’s spirits. An empty laundry basket was one of them.
As for ironing, I only iron about once in 3 weeks, usually when I have several pillowcases. I avoid ironing most things, whereas my daughter irons almost every day. (She runs a holiday let.)
I don't have an ironing basket as I never iron; I do lots of smoothing and folding and pulling things out of the washing machine as soon as it's finished the cycle and hanging them on hangers.
I've been out for my usual Thursday exercise class and coffee with friends. This evening we are going to the first of a series of meetings to discuss the material Our Place is following through Lent. The expectation is that small/home groups will be following it together (although I've already heard of one that won't be ) and for those people who, like Mr Nen and me, are not in a small group a "pop-up" one is being run for the next six weeks. I have mixed feelings but am trying to approach it with an open mind.
Yes, Sun-Shiny again in Arkland the Barmy Balmy, so the wheelhouse is being sat in.
I no longer do any Iron Ing, but I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one! I find the *shabby chic* look (which is characteristic of most of my Family, except for Cousin S, wot is a Nacter) much easier on maintenance...
I've been out to my Lip Reading class which was really fun, and full of silly facts about such things as photocopying newts. Normally I'd then head out for lunch and then to my bookshop shift but I had a zoom meeting I needed to attend so I headed home for that instead.
I like ironing, but don't do it that often and don't really iron that many things. It's been lovely the last few days and we've talked of hanging the washing out, but we can't find the hole to put the outside airer in! I think a certain amount of prodding in the area it should be is required.
First day that could really be described as Springlike. So finished clearing the edges of the lawn and both sides of the path. Filled three sackful from that alone.
Will probably now zonk out for the afternoon, what with the heavy labour, plus waking way too early (from disturbing dream in which I was stranded a 100 miles from home with no phone, but a handbag full of wet fish).
No ironing basket here. If Mr Heavenly wants to wear a shirt to work he finds one and irons it himself. I don’t iron any of my clothes, including long cotton summer dresses, unless I am going to a wedding. Then Mr Heavenly will iron it after he irons his shirt.
Yoga this morning, then a quick check up on my students before a lazy day of pottering around as I need a break from marking. I’ve just made a winter salad for a bring and share at bible study group - roasted cauliflower and carrot, chickpeas, dates, spinach and coriander with a tahini, garlic and lemon dressing.
As I have a plethora of linen tops (in fact I got yet another yesterday ) Iron Ing is a necessary evil every so often. At the moment most of them are hanging, clean but unironed, in the wardrobe because Winter (and laziness), and they're not quite heavy enough for cold Scottish weather.
However, it reached the dizzying heights of 15° here today (it was really nice when I was out at lunchtime), so it might be prudent to have an Iron Ing session quite soon so that they're all ready for when it gets really warm.*
* i.e. about 18°
The oven timer has just pinged to say the fishcakes are ready, and the veggies are doing their thing in the popty ping, so I shall pour myself a glass of WINE and have some supper.
You can thank me for the current sunny weather as we booked it for the electricians who have spent the last day or so laying electricity to the sheds at the end of the garden and installing some other outdoor stuff.
I'm wearing a new linen top that I really like. It is slightly heavier than I expected so ideal for now but maybe a bit warm in the summer.
Our cooking using what we've got in the house week continued last night when my husband used the remains of the bread I brought to have for lunch on Sunday was turned into a panzanella salad using the rest of the vegan cheese from the couscous salad he'd made on Monday. Tonight will be baked potatoes with some very large potatoes from the market.
This morning I was leading our local U3A philosophy group and tonight we are heading out for a quiz night at a local cafe/bar. In between I intend to do not much more than struggle with some rather complicated knitting.
This morning I have done the usual emails and admin and this afternoon I will be marking.
I am very much looking forward to reducing my hours next year and getting my life back.
I had an excellent day yesterday - I met up with schoolfriends for lunch and a matinee performance of "Dear Evan Hansen." Then in the evening I went to the first of what promises to be an excellent weekly Lent Bible Study.
Thank you @The Rogue (and your Electrical People) for the Sun-Shiny weather, which is once again blessing Arkland the Clement.
Today, I patch-painted about a square metre of the side of the Ark's saloon before running out of red oxide Paint so have resorted to Mr E Bay's Magic Interwebicle Emporium for more. There doth exist an exceedingly good Paint Shop in Our Town - it lieth nigh unto Tess Coe - which stocketh the Paint required, but O woe! parking is verily a bit tricky.
As I make my usual Monday Expotition to Tess Coe, when there's usually less traffic, I'll make a slight diversion to the Paint Shop, just to make sure I have a good supply. I need some nice bright blue Paint, too, for bits of the wheelhouse which are getting a bit faded...
PILCHARDS for Lunch, mainly because I fancy something Fishy, but also because Lent.
Today is the second of two days off, during which my intent was to sort through some of the mountain of boxes we've brought out of storage and dumped in the lounge of our home-to-be, here in Smudgie Towers.
So far I have...... sunbathed in the unexpected and most appreciated sunshine which blessed our patio-to be yesterday, redirected a load of mail for our ex-tenants, done four hours of work work, been out shopping and bought myself some new clothes, luxuriated in the bath, chatted with my man on Whatsapp, chatted with my next-door-neighbour-to-be and relieved her of the bakewell tart she baked for us.....
NEQ, I am similarly looking forward to some of our floorboards being properly fixed so that they don't groan menacingly when this overweight 60-year-old has the audacity to step on them. At the moment we're trying to leave them a bit moveable ready for when we eventually get repiped for a heat pump. And the less said about the rotten ones in the bathroom, the better. Once they're done, maybe we could dance together !
Today I had my u3a French group chez moi, so my house, or the downstairs and both bathrooms, are clean and uncluttered. There are also a few tasty leftovers to clear up. We don’t have a meal, just a few refreshments, mostly bought, but I did make a fruit loaf and there’s a bit of quiche left. When I feel like cooking, it will be fish of course, even if it is just tuna in a jacket potato.
From now until Monday evening choir I am not expecting to see friends or family or church. Daughter is running in the Peak District, son is on the canals. Second Sunday is normally “Pancakes and Praise”, no choir needed. I must check to see if they have changed the title ( and the refreshments). because Lent. I might go to Evensong at the cathedral.
... the less said about the rotten ones in the bathroom, the better. Once they're done, maybe we could dance together!
In the bathroom???
Work is done for another week (and nothing left over - I wondered why I hadn't seen L all day, and then someone pointed out that she was taking the day off ...).
Fish and chips have been consumed, because Friday, and now Lazing About will commence, because I am at the snufflous and rather miserable stage of A Cold.
The fact that Company™* is expected explains a furious bout of Spring Clean Ing. Our balconies are now, if not actually clean, at least more or less in order. Husband en rouge doesn't work on Fridays this year and arrived home late morning with the excellent idea of going out for lunch. We went to the Indian place round the corner (so-called at least - I think the people might actually be Pakistani). I had onion bhaji, aubergine curry and kulfi. Yummy.
*Captain P's birthday party, then my cello teacher, briefly passing through Paris, then my parents
Dressed up for dinner party out. Struggling to remember how to get into tights. Tentatively applying a few smudges of elderly makeup. Sorting out a pashmina to go with frock - for which, strangely, I have matching shoes. Put on made-for-the-occasion necklace.
Due to mrs Twangist scheming had a lovely surprise birthday meal with friends and all the twanglets (student one secretly came back from uni) last night.
Bach b minor mass tonight at the cathedral (20miles away) with a detour on the way to drop a faulty effects pedal to a chap who might fix it.
Sunday is the actual day having friends round for a hot buffet and cake
Hope the dinner party was good @Firenze and what a nice surprise birthday meal @Twangist.
I have a bit of a full on day. During the Civil War a local man had a dream three nights in a row that his house would be hit by cannon fire*. After the third night he got his family away to safety and yes the house was bombed. He left money in his will for a sermon to be read every year to thank God for his escape and that money should be given to the poor. Today is the day, so I'm off to the Town Hall for that, though now we give food to the food bank. Afterwards I need to go to a meeting about the local hospital organised by my political party and then I've promised the mayor I'll do the end of a walk one of her friends is doing to raise money for the mayor's charity. I've opted out of the mayor's disco this evening though!
*He could have guessed his house was going to be hit. It was opposite the Governor's House and 17th century cannon fire wasn't exactly pin point accurate. The Governor's House is still there and is now a rather quirky cafe where you can see the long drop toilet that Charles I may have used.
That sounds lovely, Twangist.
I hope you had a good party, Firenze.
Last night I decided to eschew the takeaway as I have been disappointed with them recently (last week they even managed to send rice instead of noodles so I ended up with 2 lots of disappointingly dry rice). Instead I made my own Thai green fish curry with vegetables and udon noodles and very nice it was too.
Today I have contributed to a forum activity for my studies (a small group activity of agreeing and developing a theme for a history timeline before writing up a short contribution - I have suggested ‘the development of public discourse in the early modern period’ as a theme) and then I fed the birds. I’m just about to do the weekly food order. Mr Heavenly is painting the inside of my garden office so we might actually start moving my stuff in soon.
Some plants are arriving this afternoon so that will be exciting.
I am learning much about your town @Sarasa from your posts.
Today I thought I would make the most of the sunshine so I drove to our nearest NT place, forgetting it is also a popular Parkrun place. Arriving at the end just as runners were leaving in their cars, arriving cars formed a queue to get in through the narrow archway, blocking the junction, as the runners were reluctant to give way. It was a pleasant walk with snowdrops and other spring flowers everywhere. Then on to nearby out of town shop where I picked up some bargains on the last weekend of their sale and also consumed a free cake.
O! how I envy you active people your busy and productive days!
Another Sun-Shiny morning in Arkland the Be-zephyred (a light but still pleasant easterly), but I am taking things easy (no change there), and just Potter Ing and Pootle Ing around the Ark.
A nice new bathroom Rug (it is Dark Blue) has been delivered, and placed in situ. It looks very smart.
The old one (also Dark Blue) is beginning to wear, but might fit in the wheelhouse, that part of the Ark in which I am just about to sit.
Our Place is having its monthly Community Cafe and Grand Jumble Sale today, so I hope the fine weather has coaxed people out of their homes, to patronise the event's delights. The Faithful Few put in a lot of work to make these occasions a success, and, although footfall is often low, they usually bring in a fair few £££ to help pay the ever-increasing bills...
Hope the dinner party was good @Firenze and what a nice surprise birthday meal @Twangist.
I have a bit of a full on day. During the Civil War a local man had a dream three nights in a row that his house would be hit by cannon fire*. After the third night he got his family away to safety and yes the house was bombed. He left money in his will for a sermon to be read every year to thank God for his escape and that money should be given to the poor. Today is the day, so I'm off to the Town Hall for that, though now we give food to the food bank. Afterwards I need to go to a meeting about the local hospital organised by my political party and then I've promised the mayor I'll do the end of a walk one of her friends is doing to raise money for the mayor's charity. I've opted out of the mayor's disco this evening though!
*He could have guessed his house was going to be hit. It was opposite the Governor's House and 17th century cannon fire wasn't exactly pin point accurate. The Governor's House is still there and is now a rather quirky cafe where you can see the long drop toilet that Charles I may have used.
It's great that some historical praise and thanksgiving still helps people today
... I've opted out of the mayor's disco this evening though!
Cop out!
After a less-than-happy choir practice (Rev'd Rosie seems determined to drop unfamiliar, and not very easy "hymns" on the choir, with little idea of how their execution might be achieved), I managed to have a very enjoyable afternoon at Coen's birthday party. It was a pleasant day, and the bouncy castle they'd hired was much enjoyed by all the littlies - not just my great-nieces and -nephews, but also several of Coen's friends and neighbours.
The food and fizz were abundant, so I've been grazing and drinking all afternoon; it's now time for some snoozage.
It's been a fun if slightly exhausting day. The weather was lovely for the very short service in in the Market Square. The priest leading the short sermon was excellent and the members of the local civil war enactment society not only looked suitably impressive the leader had some very good words to say about how being a community is even more important in tough times. We then processed to the food bank halting all the cars trying to do a quick illegal cut through on the road it is on. That was compounded when a couple of people, including a woman riding side-saddle turned up in full 17th century dress. They were doing an event at our civil war museum but it was great to see.
The meeting this afternoon was well attended, and the walk round the park was great fun if a bit exhausting too. A few of them had done a 50k walk round the town, and the woman leading it was not only dancing down the road at the end, she was doing a quick change and heading to the disco. I came home to a bottle of wine and a silly but enjoyable film on the TV.
Rev'd Rosie seems determined to drop unfamiliar, and not very easy "hymns" on the choir, with little idea of how their execution might be achieved.
Oh dear. What are they? Can you bear to tell us?
This morning's one was a Taize number called Wait for the Lord. Like much of the Taize stuff I've come across, it's basically quite inoffensive, but the way it was set out made it look as though the verses (which all seemed to have different melodies) were meant to be sung as sort of descants over the melody of the refrain.
This was beyond the comprehension of our choir-mistress (J) and probably also beyond the abilities of the choir, so we ended up just singing the refrain a few times, with a couple of us adding the alto and bass harmonies as writ in the hymnbook. It was actually reasonably effective, and if it comes up again, we'll know better how to handle it. Luckily we had The Organist Who Knows What He's Doing, and he coped very well.
Some Taize chants are indeed rather more complex than they at first seem (I know whereof I speak), and some practice is required, at least on the part of cantors or choir. It sounds as though you managed Wait for the Lord well, under the circs...
Taizé is a genre of itself. The closest strictly classical equivalent I can think of is Herbert Howells: in both cases, they have to be absolutely accurate and completely relaxed at the same time, a combination which requires skill and complete familiarity - it absolutely does not work when sightread unless one is intimately familiar with the genre. In both cases, I have been but no longer am.
I am learning much about your town @Sarasa from your posts.
Today I thought I would make the most of the sunshine so I drove to our nearest NT place, forgetting it is also a popular Parkrun place. Arriving at the end just as runners were leaving in their cars, arriving cars formed a queue to get in through the narrow archway, blocking the junction, as the runners were reluctant to give way. It was a pleasant walk with snowdrops and other spring flowers everywhere. Then on to nearby out of town shop where I picked up some bargains on the last weekend of their sale and also consumed a free cake.
Mr Nen does park runs regularly and did our local one yesterday with a friend. Now that he has had a birthday he has gone up an age bracket and was chuffed to be First in his Class. We followed it up with coffee together afterwards.
The snowdrops around here are completely over and we're well into daffodil season now.
I also did some Garden Ing yesterday. This morning I went to church and as Mr Nen is out all day on a Hearty Walk with his Hearty Walking Friends I'm enjoying having the house to myself. Roast chicken for tea. I'm abstaining from alcohol and sweet things for Lent but am reliably informed that Sundays Don't Count.
Discovery of the day: if you made roast beef and Yorkshires yesterday and frankly it wasn't that great, then slice remaining beef into thin strips, and stir fry in a hot wok with onion, carrot, shredded cabbage, garlic, ginger and chilli bean paste. It improves it immeasurably.
Today’s lunch was roast chicken with roasted veg and green beans.
Yesterday I cooked 12 meatballs experimentally, 6 in the airfryer and 6 on the hob, splitting the HM sauce between them. I ate two from each batch. I preferred the air fried ones, tastier and more fully cooked. I froze the four remaining airfried ones, and put the other four in the fridge ready to reheat in the airfryer tomorrow.
No church choir needed this morning and I am definitely avoiding Pancakes and Praise in Lent. After some chores I went through a huge box of paperwork relating to Mr P’s estate, filing, recycling etc. A strange thing to do on a sunny day but it is much harder on a cold rainy day and I did go out and enjoy the sunshine yesterday. I don’t think God will mind.
Taizé is a genre of itself. The closest strictly classical equivalent I can think of is Herbert Howells: in both cases, they have to be absolutely accurate and completely relaxed at the same time, a combination which requires skill and complete familiarity - it absolutely does not work when sightread unless one is intimately familiar with the genre. In both cases, I have been but no longer am.
An interesting point. Yes, it has to be done properly, but IME Taize works well, if you keep it as simple as possible in the absence of cantors/choir.
Agreed, it's not to everyone's taste, but one or two of the simpler chants during Lent are IMHO appropriate. I'm afraid the monthly services at Our Place (some years ago now) featured instrumental music from Taize-produced CDs, with me leading the singing, as we had no resident instrumentalists.
ION, another day of slightly hazy Sun-Shine in Arkland the Calm, with a few of my neighbours also Potter Ing and Pootle Ing about their Arks. STEAK n'CHIPS for Lunch, because Lent.
Taizé is a genre of itself. The closest strictly classical equivalent I can think of is Herbert Howells: in both cases, they have to be absolutely accurate and completely relaxed at the same time, a combination which requires skill and complete familiarity.
That's an absolutely perfect way of describing Howells! I've sung his stuff quite a lot over the years, and I always found that I had to be in the right mood to make a good job of it, but when it came together it was the most rewarding thing in the world.
We recorded the Howells Te Deum as part of a CD when we were in Belfast, and very nearly got it in one take; when we finished recording it, there was a huge collective sigh of relief, as we'd just given the performance of our lives. We did a second take just in case (as was customary), but the look on David's face was worth every tensed nerve! ❤️
Just caught up with the space helmets, they're great @la vie en rouge.
Another warm sunny day here. I put the towels on to wash early, hung them out just before heading for church and they were dry this afternoon after we'd got back from a walk. The walk was lovely but we managed to have a row with a couple of cyclists who thought we should jump out of the way. Apparently it was a shared cycle/pedestrian path but they could have been friendlier about asking us to move and we probably should have been politer too.
Comments
They're challenging reads. I'm sure you did them both excellently.
We've had a happy day with Nenlet1 and the GrandNenling and the lasagne was very nice so I haven't lost my skill in making it and may do a repeat performance at the end of the month when we are possibly having house guests for a few days.
It's been a lovely sunny day, though still rather chilly.
I've just had a delivery from Tessie's, so the WINE and CHEESE supplies (among other things) have been replenished. Sadly, the milk hasn't, because I'm an idiot and forgot to put it on the order. <brickwall>
No hot chocolate for me tonight; I suppose I could have a hot toddy instead ...
Truly the Apocalypse is upon us.
I wonder if you'll have time to fill the baskets up again before The Rapture occurs?
Respect!!
Mr RoS seems to know if I have just found the bottom of the laundry basket and have put the last load in the washer. That is when he decides that is the time to go and have a bath, change all his clothes, collect up the worn ones draped over the end of his bed to put the lot in the washing basket.
As for ironing, I only iron about once in 3 weeks, usually when I have several pillowcases. I avoid ironing most things, whereas my daughter irons almost every day. (She runs a holiday let.)
I've been out for my usual Thursday exercise class and coffee with friends. This evening we are going to the first of a series of meetings to discuss the material Our Place is following through Lent. The expectation is that small/home groups will be following it together (although I've already heard of one that won't be
Sunny again today and quite warm for early March.
I no longer do any Iron Ing, but I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one! I find the *shabby chic* look (which is characteristic of most of my Family, except for Cousin S, wot is a Nacter) much easier on maintenance...
I like ironing, but don't do it that often and don't really iron that many things. It's been lovely the last few days and we've talked of hanging the washing out, but we can't find the hole to put the outside airer in! I think a certain amount of prodding in the area it should be is required.
First day that could really be described as Springlike. So finished clearing the edges of the lawn and both sides of the path. Filled three sackful from that alone.
Will probably now zonk out for the afternoon, what with the heavy labour, plus waking way too early (from disturbing dream in which I was stranded a 100 miles from home with no phone, but a handbag full of wet fish).
Yoga this morning, then a quick check up on my students before a lazy day of pottering around as I need a break from marking. I’ve just made a winter salad for a bring and share at bible study group - roasted cauliflower and carrot, chickpeas, dates, spinach and coriander with a tahini, garlic and lemon dressing.
However, it reached the dizzying heights of 15° here today (it was really nice when I was out at lunchtime), so it might be prudent to have an Iron Ing session quite soon so that they're all ready for when it gets really warm.*
* i.e. about 18°
The oven timer has just pinged to say the fishcakes are ready, and the veggies are doing their thing in the popty ping, so I shall pour myself a glass of WINE and have some supper.
Our cooking using what we've got in the house week continued last night when my husband used the remains of the bread I brought to have for lunch on Sunday was turned into a panzanella salad using the rest of the vegan cheese from the couscous salad he'd made on Monday. Tonight will be baked potatoes with some very large potatoes from the market.
This morning I was leading our local U3A philosophy group and tonight we are heading out for a quiz night at a local cafe/bar. In between I intend to do not much more than struggle with some rather complicated knitting.
I am very much looking forward to reducing my hours next year and getting my life back.
Today, I patch-painted about a square metre of the side of the Ark's saloon before running out of red oxide Paint
As I make my usual Monday Expotition to Tess Coe, when there's usually less traffic, I'll make a slight diversion to the Paint Shop, just to make sure I have a good supply. I need some nice bright blue Paint, too, for bits of the wheelhouse which are getting a bit faded...
PILCHARDS for Lunch, mainly because I fancy something Fishy, but also because Lent.
So far I have...... sunbathed in the unexpected and most appreciated sunshine which blessed our patio-to be yesterday, redirected a load of mail for our ex-tenants, done four hours of work work, been out shopping and bought myself some new clothes, luxuriated in the bath, chatted with my man on Whatsapp, chatted with my next-door-neighbour-to-be and relieved her of the bakewell tart she baked for us.....
NEQ, I am similarly looking forward to some of our floorboards being properly fixed so that they don't groan menacingly when this overweight 60-year-old has the audacity to step on them. At the moment we're trying to leave them a bit moveable ready for when we eventually get repiped for a heat pump. And the less said about the rotten ones in the bathroom, the better. Once they're done, maybe we could dance together !
From now until Monday evening choir I am not expecting to see friends or family or church. Daughter is running in the Peak District, son is on the canals. Second Sunday is normally “Pancakes and Praise”, no choir needed. I must check to see if they have changed the title ( and the refreshments). because Lent. I might go to Evensong at the cathedral.
Work is done for another week (and nothing left over - I wondered why I hadn't seen L all day, and then someone pointed out that she was taking the day off ...).
Fish and chips have been consumed, because Friday, and now Lazing About will commence, because I am at the snufflous and rather miserable stage of A Cold.
*Captain P's birthday party, then my cello teacher, briefly passing through Paris, then my parents
Bring the limousine James.
I know how to get into tights; I just don't think my legs would co-operate. 🙃
Bach b minor mass tonight at the cathedral (20miles away) with a detour on the way to drop a faulty effects pedal to a chap who might fix it.
Sunday is the actual day having friends round for a hot buffet and cake
I have a bit of a full on day. During the Civil War a local man had a dream three nights in a row that his house would be hit by cannon fire*. After the third night he got his family away to safety and yes the house was bombed. He left money in his will for a sermon to be read every year to thank God for his escape and that money should be given to the poor. Today is the day, so I'm off to the Town Hall for that, though now we give food to the food bank. Afterwards I need to go to a meeting about the local hospital organised by my political party and then I've promised the mayor I'll do the end of a walk one of her friends is doing to raise money for the mayor's charity. I've opted out of the mayor's disco this evening though!
*He could have guessed his house was going to be hit. It was opposite the Governor's House and 17th century cannon fire wasn't exactly pin point accurate. The Governor's House is still there and is now a rather quirky cafe where you can see the long drop toilet that Charles I may have used.
I hope you had a good party, Firenze.
Last night I decided to eschew the takeaway as I have been disappointed with them recently (last week they even managed to send rice instead of noodles so I ended up with 2 lots of disappointingly dry rice). Instead I made my own Thai green fish curry with vegetables and udon noodles and very nice it was too.
Today I have contributed to a forum activity for my studies (a small group activity of agreeing and developing a theme for a history timeline before writing up a short contribution - I have suggested ‘the development of public discourse in the early modern period’ as a theme) and then I fed the birds. I’m just about to do the weekly food order. Mr Heavenly is painting the inside of my garden office so we might actually start moving my stuff in soon.
Some plants are arriving this afternoon so that will be exciting.
Today I thought I would make the most of the sunshine so I drove to our nearest NT place, forgetting it is also a popular Parkrun place. Arriving at the end just as runners were leaving in their cars, arriving cars formed a queue to get in through the narrow archway, blocking the junction, as the runners were reluctant to give way. It was a pleasant walk with snowdrops and other spring flowers everywhere. Then on to nearby out of town shop where I picked up some bargains on the last weekend of their sale and also consumed a free cake.
Another Sun-Shiny morning in Arkland the Be-zephyred (a light but still pleasant easterly), but I am taking things easy (no change there), and just Potter Ing and Pootle Ing around the Ark.
A nice new bathroom Rug (it is Dark Blue) has been delivered, and placed in situ. It looks very smart.
The old one (also Dark Blue) is beginning to wear, but might fit in the wheelhouse, that part of the Ark in which I am just about to sit.
Our Place is having its monthly Community Cafe and Grand Jumble Sale today, so I hope the fine weather has coaxed people out of their homes, to patronise the event's delights. The Faithful Few put in a lot of work to make these occasions a success, and, although footfall is often low, they usually bring in a fair few £££ to help pay the ever-increasing bills...
It's great that some historical praise and thanksgiving still helps people today
After a less-than-happy choir practice (Rev'd Rosie seems determined to drop unfamiliar, and not very easy "hymns" on the choir, with little idea of how their execution might be achieved), I managed to have a very enjoyable afternoon at Coen's birthday party. It was a pleasant day, and the bouncy castle they'd hired was much enjoyed by all the littlies - not just my great-nieces and -nephews, but also several of Coen's friends and neighbours.
The food and fizz were abundant, so I've been grazing and drinking all afternoon; it's now time for some snoozage.
The space helmets are finished and though I say so myself they are
extremely cool.
They certainly are!
The meeting this afternoon was well attended, and the walk round the park was great fun if a bit exhausting too. A few of them had done a 50k walk round the town, and the woman leading it was not only dancing down the road at the end, she was doing a quick change and heading to the disco. I came home to a bottle of wine and a silly but enjoyable film on the TV.
This morning's one was a Taize number called Wait for the Lord. Like much of the Taize stuff I've come across, it's basically quite inoffensive, but the way it was set out made it look as though the verses (which all seemed to have different melodies) were meant to be sung as sort of descants over the melody of the refrain.
This was beyond the comprehension of our choir-mistress (J) and probably also beyond the abilities of the choir, so we ended up just singing the refrain a few times, with a couple of us adding the alto and bass harmonies as writ in the hymnbook. It was actually reasonably effective, and if it comes up again, we'll know better how to handle it. Luckily we had The Organist Who Knows What He's Doing, and he coped very well.
La Vie, your helmets are awesome!
Mr Nen does park runs regularly and did our local one yesterday with a friend. Now that he has had a birthday he has gone up an age bracket and was chuffed to be First in his Class. We followed it up with coffee together afterwards.
The snowdrops around here are completely over and we're well into daffodil season now.
Those helmets are amazing, @la vie en rouge .
I also did some Garden Ing yesterday. This morning I went to church and as Mr Nen is out all day on a Hearty Walk with his Hearty Walking Friends I'm enjoying having the house to myself. Roast chicken for tea. I'm abstaining from alcohol and sweet things for Lent but am reliably informed that Sundays Don't Count.
Yesterday I cooked 12 meatballs experimentally, 6 in the airfryer and 6 on the hob, splitting the HM sauce between them. I ate two from each batch. I preferred the air fried ones, tastier and more fully cooked. I froze the four remaining airfried ones, and put the other four in the fridge ready to reheat in the airfryer tomorrow.
No church choir needed this morning and I am definitely avoiding Pancakes and Praise in Lent. After some chores I went through a huge box of paperwork relating to Mr P’s estate, filing, recycling etc. A strange thing to do on a sunny day but it is much harder on a cold rainy day and I did go out and enjoy the sunshine yesterday. I don’t think God will mind.
An interesting point. Yes, it has to be done properly, but IME Taize works well, if you keep it as simple as possible in the absence of cantors/choir.
Agreed, it's not to everyone's taste, but one or two of the simpler chants during Lent are IMHO appropriate. I'm afraid the monthly services at Our Place (some years ago now) featured instrumental music from Taize-produced CDs, with me leading the singing, as we had no resident instrumentalists.
ION, another day of slightly hazy Sun-Shine in Arkland the Calm, with a few of my neighbours also Potter Ing and Pootle Ing about their Arks. STEAK n'CHIPS for Lunch, because Lent.
That's an absolutely perfect way of describing Howells! I've sung his stuff quite a lot over the years, and I always found that I had to be in the right mood to make a good job of it, but when it came together it was the most rewarding thing in the world.
We recorded the Howells Te Deum as part of a CD when we were in Belfast, and very nearly got it in one take; when we finished recording it, there was a huge collective sigh of relief, as we'd just given the performance of our lives. We did a second take just in case (as was customary), but the look on David's face was worth every tensed nerve! ❤️
Another warm sunny day here. I put the towels on to wash early, hung them out just before heading for church and they were dry this afternoon after we'd got back from a walk. The walk was lovely but we managed to have a row with a couple of cyclists who thought we should jump out of the way. Apparently it was a shared cycle/pedestrian path but they could have been friendlier about asking us to move and we probably should have been politer too.