Mochi thinks I am personally responsible for the stormy weather here, she keeps going out for a few minutes then coming back in to miaow at me to stop it.
Bright, sunny but very breezy here.
More sorting this morning. Depending on the weather, I may venture out later to a very informal free concert + coffee+ cake at the Methodist church, where my neighbour is playing the cello, but I am not inclined to walk there if it is raining.
@Heavenlyannie My mum's old dog used to run to the front door to be let out. If it was raining, she's run to the back door to see if it was raining there as well!
As they say in Newfoundland, if you don't like the weather out the front, have a look out the back!
It was blowing a right hoolie here last night; my (still unclosable) kitchen window was letting in enough wind to rattle the sitting-room door that sort of faces it, and the tree outside my window was doing a merry dance. Apparently a willow tree has fallen down by the loch, which is sad, and a friend in Inverness posted on FB last night that her garden shed was a goner.
A bit quieter today, although still breezy; the Artisans' market was, probably very sensibly, cancelled. After a fairly successful choir practice, I met up with a couple of friends for brunch, and then one of them (the girl who was my bridesmaid) took me up to her house to meet Helga, her new and utterly adorable Borderdoodle puppy.
After a night of Storm, Tempest, and Rain, Arkland the Battered is enjoying some Sun-Shine (although Clouds bubble up now and again).
The Wind has actually shifted the new extension to the Dragon's Chimney - it is at a slight angle to the main part of the flue, but it's all held together with Gorilla Tape and Rope, so it shouldn't move any more. It just looks crooked and awkward though the Chimney still seems to draw properly...
A busy morning - up betimes to the GP for my flu jab, followed by a visit to the Co-Op for BEER. Maybe because it's Saturday, they were bereft of my favourite Italian makes, so I've had to make do with a well-known Belgian variety. The other items beginning with B that I required - Bin-Bags - were also conspicuous by their absence.
Lunch is another dose of COD n'CHIPS, mainly because Tess Coe sell nice Beer-Battered Cod Fillets in pairs.
Lazy day here, with just a little sorting of a cupboard. The forecast promised a let up in the wind for a couple of hours but it hasn’t materialised yet so I may have to go for a walk in it. I had considered doing a bit of my study (writing a proposed bibliography) but I am not sure I can be bothered. Mr Heavenly is doing some painting upstairs so perhaps I need to make an effort too.
Lunch was freshly baked baguettes with rocket, chicken burgers, peri peri sauce and a fried egg.
A chill 9 degrees here so the little chaps spent the morning in snowsuits fossicking in the garden with me supervising - they came in for lunch and a nap, yours truly for lunch and a wee dram.
Slept a bit better last night, but still up by 6.30. Usual Saturday morning toddle to the local shop. A lot more leaves on the ground and a few overturned bins. Still quite gusty out, but dry.
I too was out earlyish for my flu jab. Apparently I'm now too young to qualify for the covid one. I then headed to the small park by the Town Lock to help weed and plant bulbs. Home for lunch then off to a memorial Meeting for one of my husband's Quaker F/friends. A very nice service and well attended including quite a few nurses from the hospice that looked after him for the last few months.
I
It sounds like it's been a reasonably calm Saturday for most, even if the weather hasn't agreed.
I got both flu and covid vaccinations today and went for a swim before the side effects kicked in. I even managed a coffee with a friend and chat ranged from 1 Timothy, to AI and data farms to dog behaviour.
I've spent a chilled afternoon working on a crochet project whild Child 2 made cookies. We spent time watching the magpies parade around the garden, the pigeons having been put off by the rain.
We had to postpone our flu vaccinations (only for a week) because of my wife having Covid. She's still feeling a bit odd and very weary. We have a concert booked for tonight but I'll go alone. I've just been quite tired today, although I did my morning swim with no problems. It's been most bright here and the wind has now died down.
It often ( apparently) rains at the back of my house but not the front.
It managed not to rain for my walk to and return from the concert, which was enjoyable. The majority of the performers were from the Hong Kong members of the congregation. They include a violin teacher, who led a string quartet which included two of his children plus my neighbour on cello. Lots of young talent, and lovely to see how well integrated the families now are. There was also a solo in Gospel style sung by a black lady ( not sure which country she has recently come from ).
The concert included some readings, and the last one was an amusing poem written by Pam Ayres about caring for our teeth. Coffee and CAKE followed. (Tooth brushes not provided.)
I’m not sure what to expect at church tomorrow morning. It is still going to be Parish Communion but the choir has been asked not to robe, but to sit in the congregation for an ‘informal’ service, as TPTB would like us to “support the singing and give feedback.” Hmm.
The Knotweed and I are having a spiffing weekend in Suffolk. Having pottered around Bury St Edmunds & Woolpit in the rain yesterday, and having had high winds scupper the planned trip to Sutton Hoo today, instead we headed up the coast to Dunwich. I've wanted to visit since I was in primary school, and we had a lovely walk along the beach, followed by chish and fips at the caff there and an explore of the village and museum. Thoroughly recommended!
We then took, as is our wont, an excrement science - no, thank you productive toast, that is *not* what I was trying to say an extremely scenic route back. We took in the lovely church at Theberton, splendidly rustic with its round tower and thatched roof, and marvelled at the piece of Zeppelin wreckage (you read that right) in the porch and noted that the plot in which its crew were buried is still marked as such despite their remains having been moved to the Deutsche Soldaten Freidhof at Cannock Chase in tbe 1960s, which is most unusual.
From there we made an unplanned stop at the memorial at Leiston aerodrome whilst en croute* to the suburban stockbroker Portmeirion that is Thorpeness and marveled at the House in the Clouds before stopping at dusk to take in the Turkey's Arse at Aldeburgh, as a c finally finishing with pies at a pub in Woodbridge.
This message has been brought to you by the Suffolk Tourist Board.
Been to the dump (final run from clearing the mother in laws house.. the sale completes on Thursday), town buying pressies for Mrs twangs significant looming bday. Run some errands for an elderly neighbour. Did some cleaning and tidying. Had friends over for a birthday party for the littlest twanglets pet hamster (great excuse for a hot buffet and games!!!).
Originally posted by Piglet: a friend in Inverness posted on FB last night that her garden shed was a goner.
I saw a photo from Inverness of what looked like fly-tipping but was in fact the contents of a garage which had blown away. It struck me that if our garage vanished leaving the contents in situ it, too would look like fly-tipping
The NE Man and I were rota'd to set up for tomorrow's Communion, and the wind blowing round the otherwise empty and silent church was unnerving. There were all sorts of rattles, creaks and bangs and an odd persistent sound like distant voices.
It was windy for the GrandNenling's birthday celebrations but nowhere near as grim as in Northern Parts, and the sun obligingly showed its face enough for us to appreciate the autumn colours a bit. Everything is quiet outside now.
Church this morning followed by Shared Lunch, so No Cooking For Nen - yay! I'm having one of my semi-sleepless nights (semi because I get a couple of hours, then wake and may or may not doze on and off) and decided to get up and do things rather than lie there telling myself that "at least I'm resting."
I know that feeling, @Nenya, though last night I did get straight back to sleep. It helped that I no longer have to negotiate my way round tubs of stuff en route to the bathroom.
Church was…er… “ informal” Parish Communion, led by the Archdeacon on his guitar. It got off to a bad start, involving an unknown song with clapping. My friend walked out. Two traditional hymns were unchanged and one was dropped, but there were more worship songs most of us didn’t know. I found them hard to pickup and uninspiring tunes. Disappointingly the Communion hymn This is my body, which the choir had practised, was dropped. The rest of the service was fine and a good sermon.
I’m guessing that no organist was available, but several of the choir were there and it felt somewhat of an insult to us, especially as the number of services per month is reduced as we are in vacancy- or maybe I am being too precious. The second Sunday is Pancakes and Praise, third Sunday is Evensong. First and Fourth are meant to be CW sung HC, with other services at other churches in the group.
Anyway I must do a few chores, clear out the fridge and pack ready for tomorrow’s trip to the Lake District. Departure is at 8.30 am just down the road and the forecast here is for a dry start.
Dropping something the choir had practised for would have resulted in Very Naughty Words in the choirs I've been associated with; I can feel David's outrage from here!
We had a decently full church for Harvest Festival at St Pete's, and the hymns could have been worse (see Eccles).
Brunch has been had, laundry is laundering and it's not a bad day; the trees are still moving about a bit, but nothing like the dance they were doing the other day.
Snoozage and the Grauniad crossword between now and Evensong.
Dropping something the choir had practised for would have resulted in Very Naughty Words in the choirs I've been associated with; I can feel David's outrage from here!
Indeed. If a church is fortunate enough to have a choir it should be acknowledged and celebrated at every available opportunity.
Harvest at Our Place too, not that you'd have known it from the songs (see Eccles) and there was Much Donated Produce for the food bank to be sorting this week . The front of the church (where the speakers and musicians are) was most delightfully decorated by some of our Ukrainian friends, with autumnal colours, leaves, baskets and many sunflowers (their national flower). There's also one of our occasional evening services tonight, which we don't usually go to but it's a deep dive into The Bible and The Spirit so hopefully will be interesting.
I'm feeling bug-eyed from lack of sleep but determined to power through in the hope of a better night tonight.
AIUI, the Ukrainian flag (blue top half, yellow bottom half) does indeed represent a blue sky above a field of sunflowers - a most beautiful image.
Slava Ukraini!
A Sun-Shiny, Cloudy-at-times, still-Windy day in Arkland the Quiet (my Neighbours are conspicuous by their absence... ). My Legs are especially achy today - possibly due to low pressure, or yesterday's flu jab, though I don't usually suffer any ill effects from the various jabs They like to give me.
Still, some Wash Ing has been hung out in the fresh westerly breeze, and not before time - I'm getting short of Sox, Nickers, and Shurtz...
The new top part of the Chimney of the Dragon is still on the Wonk, but it's a bit of a chore to get up on deck and unWonk it. An effort will may be made tomorrow (Legs permitting), but it's not something that needs doing urgently.
Meanwhile, Lunch - today it's real MEAT (as opposed to Fish)! Chicken with Mushrooms, New Potatoes, and Green Beans.
@Puzzler I'd be Mightily Peeved if they dropped some choir music at the last minute. There may have been good reason, in someone's mind, but I know how much hard work choirs put in.
I've been to church, where the music was good, food was gathered for the food bank and a bring and share was brought and shared. I've done my swim and I am now enjoying my butternut squash soup (despite overdoing it on the chilli flakes).
I actually made it to my church in person today after various civic events and a holiday meant I couldn't get there for the last few week,. The hearing aid combo I'm trialling worked well, though the priest's homily was still somewhat incomprehensible. Worship songs with actions are one of my least favourite things. They don't seem to turn up at my church fortunately, though a lot of the music isn't really too my taste.
This afternoon we've done some gardening, and had a slight disagreement about pots. My husband doesn't seem to understand that herbs don't look great at this time of year, but will bounce back in the spring. Now to wrestle with my knitting.
This afternoon we've done some gardening, and had a slight disagreement about pots. My husband doesn't seem to understand that herbs don't look great at this time of year, but will bounce back in the spring.
I'm so glad Mr Boogs has zero interest in the garden. He just reluctantly cuts the lawn and doesn't care about it either. So I'm slowly replacing it with dwarf clover, creeping thyme and tiny violas (they have a name but I've forgotten it). My new flower beds and two apple trees have stolen lawn space too.
Fabulous service at our CofE Church this morning. Mr Boogs was playing and he played for the choir too who sang Lord of the Harvest beautifully.
The Rector gives a cracking sermon. Short, to the point and memorable. I'm tempted to defect. It's so lovely walking to Church to the sound of the bells ringing. 🔔🙂
Last night the North East Man and I set up for today's communion. It's our turn on the rota approx once every 9 months. There were two boxes of communion cloths in the cupboard, and I used the top one. I was aware that on previous occasions I'd used different cloths, but didn't think too much about it.
Great confusion in church today, as no one recognised the cloth I'd used. I was asked why I hadn't used the one we always use but I hadn't realised that the one in the bottom box was the one we "always" use. For all I knew, we'd been alternating cloths all along.
Apparently no-one knows where the box came from or how it got into our cupboard.
Last night the North East Man and I set up for today's communion. It's our turn on the rota approx once every 9 months. There were two boxes of communion cloths in the cupboard, and I used the top one. I was aware that on previous occasions I'd used different cloths, but didn't think too much about it.
Great confusion in church today, as no one recognised the cloth I'd used. I was asked why I hadn't used the one we always use but I hadn't realised that the one in the bottom box was the one we "always" use. For all I knew, we'd been alternating cloths all along.
Apparently no-one knows where the box came from or how it got into our cupboard.
"Apparate" is a word, most famously used in the Harry Potter series to describe magical teleportation, though it also has older, less common meanings. In Harry Potter, "apparate" means to disappear and reappear in another location, while "disapparate" is the act of disappearing from the original location. The word comes from Latin, meaning to appear or be presented, and the older noun form "apparate" meant "apparatus". "
@Bishops Finger Yes. Plus a matching set of napkins which are placed over the bread and wine ahead of the service.
There are two theories:
1. It was our original spare set, someone took it home to launder circa 1976, and recently realised they hadn't returned it. They snuck it back in the hope no-one would realise it had been missing for the past 50 years. (Unlikely)
2. Someone knows someone, a cousin perhaps, or their neighbour's auntie, or suchlike, whose own church has just closed and who passed on the cloths as a donation to someone in our church. This person simply popped the box into the cupboard, and forgot to tell anyone they'd done so.
Somebody must know - the cupboard is locked so, unless it did actually apparate in, it was put there by someone with access to the key, who knew that's where the Communion cloths are stored.
Applying Occam's Razor, the simplest explanation is probably correct, and your church has been blessed by an anonymous donation assisted by a miraculous opening of the cupboard.
Unless someone forgot to lock it, and the in-popping took place whilst the cupboard was fortuitously unshut.
Churches are pathologically weird about being given things. They must always be the donor, never the recipient, unless it's tied up with enough ribbon and bowing and scraping to choke a horse.
This goes for many Christians too. It seems to be too much of a stretch for them to notice that people have to receive freely, in order for it to be possible to give freely. The constant straining of gnats by so many Christians gets so tiring.
Thank you for the reminder, @North East Quine I bought our spare altar linen cloths home to wash at Easter and I still need to wash, iron, and return them! I do miss our two teenagers who'd been learning these tasks, (as part of their DofE volunteering ) the older one had been expected to flee the nest for academic pastures new this academic year, but the younger one has also done it two years earlier than we may have reasonably expected. I might manage to do the linen in time for Christmas unless we have a wine spillage situation. Or a candles one.
Our main cloth does live on the altar and it's checked for stains/mishaps each week, then covered up until the next Eucharist service.
On another, but still church-related, topic, a FB friend in Belfast just posted a photo of the order of service for Matins at Belfast Cathedral today, which included David's Responses, with David Drinkell (1955-2019) written opposite the text.
My eyes may have leaked just a bit. 💔
I'm beyond chuffed that they're using them though; they were really intended for parish choirs, and it's nice that the new(ish) choirmaster deems them worthy!
Churches are pathologically weird about being given things. They must always be the donor, never the recipient, unless it's tied up with enough ribbon and bowing and scraping to choke a horse.
This goes for many Christians too. It seems to be too much of a stretch for them to notice that people have to receive freely, in order for it to be possible to give freely. The constant straining of gnats by so many Christians gets so tiring.
On another, but still church-related, topic, a FB friend in Belfast just posted a photo of the order of service for Matins at Belfast Cathedral today, which included David's Responses, with David Drinkell (1955-2019) written opposite the text.
Aaah! That anthem was written for the christening of the daughter of one of the altos at St Magnus Cathedral (the first "choir baby" for some years), in about 1984. It was subsequently sung at her wedding, and again at the christening of her first baby.
As far as I know, her mum still sings in the choir.
It still turns up occasionally on their streamed services. I think of all the stuff David wrote (not a huge lot, but a few pieces, mostly Christmas carols), it was the one he liked best.
I had a message a while back from the choirmaster at Belfast asking about anything David had written, as he wanted to programme music by some of his predecessors, and I sent him copies of what I still had.
Aaah! That anthem was written for the christening of the daughter of one of the altos at St Magnus Cathedral (the first "choir baby" for some years), in about 1984. It was subsequently sung at her wedding, and again at the christening of her first baby.
Today's episode of Suffolk's Greatest Hits is bought to you by Sutton Hoo and Woodbridge. We arrived at the first and had to wait to be let in as we were early. We were greeted by signs saying "Owing to high winds, walkers
are strongly advised not to walk around the site". Given that we've both waited about 45 years to get to Sutton Hoo, and that if we didn't go walking it would basically be a restaurant and shop with a small exhibition attached it took about a millisecond for us to decide "Bugger that for a game of Thegns!", & head for the mounds. Well worth it, it wasn't that windy (though the sandy soil meant there was a lot of blowing sand), but it gives a completely different appreciation of the site, that huge ship was lugged a long way from the river up a sodding great hill!
The visitor centre is worth a peep simply for the original Bromeswell Bucket on display - minus its recently discovered bottom which is still being conserved. But it does have extras too - on the society that the grave came from, and also on the movie. While I enjoyed geekily spotting the 1930s camera in the latter (I had a very similar one in my bag), I came away feeling very sad for Robert Pretty who must have been an unexpected child, lost his father at 4, his mother at 11,
and died himself in his 50s.
I'm also glad we looked into Tranmer House as there's an exhibition there as well, including a trove of recently discovered 35mm photos by two lady photographers, but best of all were clips of a 1966 documentary that interviewed Basil Brown and his assistants - with the accents I remember old people having when I was a boy! I got quite teary at that.
That done and the obligatory National Trust cake partaken of we headed into Woodbridge. Frustratingly we arrived as the reconstructed ship was closing, had just enough time to say "Cluckin' bell, it's huge!", grab a leaflet, and be ushered out the door. Instead we went birding as we both clearly heard curlews, but could we see them? Fortuitously I still had tbe Black Mamba in my bag from yesterday so could peer at distant blobs and see what they were, so we ended up walking along the riverside in tbe late afternoon light. After a somewhat surreal interlude where we got chatting to someone who knew where I grew up, and also where the Knotweed holidayed as a kid, finally we found the curlew, having spotted a number of other species of wading bird as well, and all within sight of Woodbridge proper - totally unexpected, and hugely enjoyed. The best bit - as we walked back, I spotted a curlew feeding amongst the boats only about 10 feet away! Never, ever been so close to one!
One jolly decent pub supper later and we're back in our Premier Lodge room. Tomorrow will be Southwold and thereabouts, unlikely to be a long report ("Thank flip!" I hear you cry) as we will be heading back to "real" life. Boo!
Bedtime, me thinks, I think it's all the cormorants we saw, because I am absolutely shagged out.
David and I always meant to go to Sutton Hoo but somehow never got round to it; there was always a church to be looked at, or a Choral Evensong to be attended ... 🙃
Well worth a visit although, in a sense, there's not too much to see as the burial mounds were rebuilt after excavation and the museum, although excellent, contains mostly replicas of what was found (the originals are in the British Museum). It's still a very atmospheric place. I don't recall seeing the Bromeswell Bucket - perhaps that's a new exhibit. I'd love to see the reconstructed ship in Woodbridge: pictures I've seen of it are awesome!
Re Basil Brown: the excellent Eastern Angles theatre group did a very funny play based on the excavations called "The Sutton Hoo Mob". There is also a good, if fictionalised, version of the story in "The Dig" by John Preston - later made into a film.
A beautiful autumn day in Arkland the Barmy Balmy, with lots of Sun-Shine, and nary a Cloud to be seen in the wide blue Firmament.
The many Trees with which the edges of Arkland are set about are now showing their warm autumn colours, and don't appear to have been much affected by Storm Amy (which gave us gusts of 50mph, and made my Chimney go wonky). The Wheelhouse is being sat in, and BEER is being quaffed. Lunch will be LAMB STEAKS, pan-fried on the Dragon...
Pilates tomorrow, and I think I need the exercises, as my Legs are still achier than usual.
Sunny start for my five minute walk to the coach pick up at the start of my five day break. We took the scenic route through the lovely and much-missed Yorkshire dales, with short stops in Ilkley* and Settle, arriving in Grange-over-Sands about 3.30. Looking forward to having my meals made for me, some more scenic journeys and aiming to catch up on some sleep.
Just hoping I manage to get with some decent company at the first meal as we are asked to stick with the same table throughout.
*I popped into Ilkley church, where the pews have been replaced with some of the most comfortable and decent-looking wooden chairs I have seen. I wasn’t there long enough to know how long they would still feel that way.
I hope the company is congenial @puzzler and you enjoy your trip away. I was very impressed by the staff at the busy hotel on our holiday last month. There were people with various diets, vegetarian, gluten free etc and they found us wherever we were sitting that night.
I'm feeling better than I've felt for a while so headed off to Pilates this morning. I think I'll be opting for the first set of aids I trialled when I go back on Friday. These are too fat, and started falling out from behind my ears while doing the down-facing dog move. A beautiful day so I enjoyed my walk back through the cemetery where I bumped into a friend and had a long chat putting the world to rights as you do.
This afternoon has been lazy, though I have started a jigsaw puzzle my husband gave me ages ago. This evening I have my book club. We meet via zoom as they are all in South-West London and I'm in the East Midlands. I finished the book ages ago so should probably refresh my memory before the meeting.
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Tomorrow, scallops and champagne.
Mochi thinks I am personally responsible for the stormy weather here, she keeps going out for a few minutes then coming back in to miaow at me to stop it.
More sorting this morning. Depending on the weather, I may venture out later to a very informal free concert + coffee+ cake at the Methodist church, where my neighbour is playing the cello, but I am not inclined to walk there if it is raining.
It was blowing a right hoolie here last night; my (still unclosable) kitchen window was letting in enough wind to rattle the sitting-room door that sort of faces it, and the tree outside my window was doing a merry dance. Apparently a willow tree has fallen down by the loch, which is sad, and a friend in Inverness posted on FB last night that her garden shed was a goner.
A bit quieter today, although still breezy; the Artisans' market was, probably very sensibly, cancelled. After a fairly successful choir practice, I met up with a couple of friends for brunch, and then one of them (the girl who was my bridesmaid) took me up to her house to meet Helga, her new and utterly adorable Borderdoodle puppy.
I think some snoozage beckons.
The Wind has actually shifted the new extension to the Dragon's Chimney - it is at a slight angle to the main part of the flue, but it's all held together with Gorilla Tape and Rope, so it shouldn't move any more. It just looks crooked and awkward
A busy morning - up betimes to the GP for my flu jab, followed by a visit to the Co-Op for BEER. Maybe because it's Saturday, they were bereft of my favourite Italian makes, so I've had to make do with a well-known Belgian variety. The other items beginning with B that I required - Bin-Bags - were also conspicuous by their absence.
Lunch is another dose of COD n'CHIPS, mainly because Tess Coe sell nice Beer-Battered Cod Fillets in pairs.
Lunch was freshly baked baguettes with rocket, chicken burgers, peri peri sauce and a fried egg.
I
I got both flu and covid vaccinations today and went for a swim before the side effects kicked in. I even managed a coffee with a friend and chat ranged from 1 Timothy, to AI and data farms to dog behaviour.
I've spent a chilled afternoon working on a crochet project whild Child 2 made cookies. We spent time watching the magpies parade around the garden, the pigeons having been put off by the rain.
It managed not to rain for my walk to and return from the concert, which was enjoyable. The majority of the performers were from the Hong Kong members of the congregation. They include a violin teacher, who led a string quartet which included two of his children plus my neighbour on cello. Lots of young talent, and lovely to see how well integrated the families now are. There was also a solo in Gospel style sung by a black lady ( not sure which country she has recently come from ).
The concert included some readings, and the last one was an amusing poem written by Pam Ayres about caring for our teeth. Coffee and CAKE followed. (Tooth brushes not provided.)
I’m not sure what to expect at church tomorrow morning. It is still going to be Parish Communion but the choir has been asked not to robe, but to sit in the congregation for an ‘informal’ service, as TPTB would like us to “support the singing and give feedback.” Hmm.
We then took, as is our wont, an excrement science - no, thank you productive toast, that is *not* what I was trying to say an extremely scenic route back. We took in the lovely church at Theberton, splendidly rustic with its round tower and thatched roof, and marvelled at the piece of Zeppelin wreckage (you read that right) in the porch and noted that the plot in which its crew were buried is still marked as such despite their remains having been moved to the Deutsche Soldaten Freidhof at Cannock Chase in tbe 1960s, which is most unusual.
From there we made an unplanned stop at the memorial at Leiston aerodrome whilst en croute* to the suburban stockbroker Portmeirion that is Thorpeness and marveled at the House in the Clouds before stopping at dusk to take in the Turkey's Arse at Aldeburgh, as a c finally finishing with pies at a pub in Woodbridge.
This message has been brought to you by the Suffolk Tourist Board.
*that one was deliberate, though
a friend in Inverness posted on FB last night that her garden shed was a goner.
I saw a photo from Inverness of what looked like fly-tipping but was in fact the contents of a garage which had blown away. It struck me that if our garage vanished leaving the contents in situ it, too would look like fly-tipping
The NE Man and I were rota'd to set up for tomorrow's Communion, and the wind blowing round the otherwise empty and silent church was unnerving. There were all sorts of rattles, creaks and bangs and an odd persistent sound like distant voices.
Church this morning followed by Shared Lunch, so No Cooking For Nen - yay! I'm having one of my semi-sleepless nights (semi because I get a couple of hours, then wake and may or may not doze on and off) and decided to get up and do things rather than lie there telling myself that "at least I'm resting."
Church was…er… “ informal” Parish Communion, led by the Archdeacon on his guitar. It got off to a bad start, involving an unknown song with clapping. My friend walked out. Two traditional hymns were unchanged and one was dropped, but there were more worship songs most of us didn’t know. I found them hard to pickup and uninspiring tunes. Disappointingly the Communion hymn This is my body, which the choir had practised, was dropped. The rest of the service was fine and a good sermon.
I’m guessing that no organist was available, but several of the choir were there and it felt somewhat of an insult to us, especially as the number of services per month is reduced as we are in vacancy- or maybe I am being too precious. The second Sunday is Pancakes and Praise, third Sunday is Evensong. First and Fourth are meant to be CW sung HC, with other services at other churches in the group.
Anyway I must do a few chores, clear out the fridge and pack ready for tomorrow’s trip to the Lake District. Departure is at 8.30 am just down the road and the forecast here is for a dry start.
We had a decently full church for Harvest Festival at St Pete's, and the hymns could have been worse (see Eccles).
Brunch has been had, laundry is laundering and it's not a bad day; the trees are still moving about a bit, but nothing like the dance they were doing the other day.
Snoozage and the Grauniad crossword between now and Evensong.
Harvest at Our Place too, not that you'd have known it from the songs (see Eccles) and there was Much Donated Produce for the food bank to be sorting this week
I'm feeling bug-eyed from lack of sleep but determined to power through in the hope of a better night tonight.
Slava Ukraini!
A Sun-Shiny, Cloudy-at-times, still-Windy day in Arkland the Quiet (my Neighbours are conspicuous by their absence...
Still, some Wash Ing has been hung out in the fresh westerly breeze, and not before time - I'm getting short of Sox, Nickers, and Shurtz...
The new top part of the Chimney of the Dragon is still on the Wonk, but it's a bit of a chore to get up on deck and unWonk it. An effort will may be made tomorrow (Legs permitting), but it's not something that needs doing urgently.
Meanwhile, Lunch - today it's real MEAT (as opposed to Fish)! Chicken with Mushrooms, New Potatoes, and Green Beans.
I've been to church, where the music was good, food was gathered for the food bank and a bring and share was brought and shared. I've done my swim and I am now enjoying my butternut squash soup (despite overdoing it on the chilli flakes).
This afternoon we've done some gardening, and had a slight disagreement about pots. My husband doesn't seem to understand that herbs don't look great at this time of year, but will bounce back in the spring. Now to wrestle with my knitting.
I'm so glad Mr Boogs has zero interest in the garden. He just reluctantly cuts the lawn and doesn't care about it either. So I'm slowly replacing it with dwarf clover, creeping thyme and tiny violas (they have a name but I've forgotten it). My new flower beds and two apple trees have stolen lawn space too.
Fabulous service at our CofE Church this morning. Mr Boogs was playing and he played for the choir too who sang Lord of the Harvest beautifully.
The Rector gives a cracking sermon. Short, to the point and memorable. I'm tempted to defect. It's so lovely walking to Church to the sound of the bells ringing. 🔔🙂
Great confusion in church today, as no one recognised the cloth I'd used. I was asked why I hadn't used the one we always use but I hadn't realised that the one in the bottom box was the one we "always" use. For all I knew, we'd been alternating cloths all along.
Apparently no-one knows where the box came from or how it got into our cupboard.
The Mystery of the Apparating Communion Cloth!
(Just for clarity, are you referring to what Cranmer calls a fair white linen cloth, spread on Godde's Board at the tyme of the Lorde's Supper?)
Apparating?
Thank you 🙏
"Apparate" is a word, most famously used in the Harry Potter series to describe magical teleportation, though it also has older, less common meanings. In Harry Potter, "apparate" means to disappear and reappear in another location, while "disapparate" is the act of disappearing from the original location. The word comes from Latin, meaning to appear or be presented, and the older noun form "apparate" meant "apparatus". "
There are two theories:
1. It was our original spare set, someone took it home to launder circa 1976, and recently realised they hadn't returned it. They snuck it back in the hope no-one would realise it had been missing for the past 50 years. (Unlikely)
2. Someone knows someone, a cousin perhaps, or their neighbour's auntie, or suchlike, whose own church has just closed and who passed on the cloths as a donation to someone in our church. This person simply popped the box into the cupboard, and forgot to tell anyone they'd done so.
Somebody must know - the cupboard is locked so, unless it did actually apparate in, it was put there by someone with access to the key, who knew that's where the Communion cloths are stored.
Applying Occam's Razor, the simplest explanation is probably correct, and your church has been blessed by an anonymous donation assisted by a miraculous opening of the cupboard.
Unless someone forgot to lock it, and the in-popping took place whilst the cupboard was fortuitously unshut.
This goes for many Christians too. It seems to be too much of a stretch for them to notice that people have to receive freely, in order for it to be possible to give freely. The constant straining of gnats by so many Christians gets so tiring.
Our main cloth does live on the altar and it's checked for stains/mishaps each week, then covered up until the next Eucharist service.
My eyes may have leaked just a bit. 💔
I'm beyond chuffed that they're using them though; they were really intended for parish choirs, and it's nice that the new(ish) choirmaster deems them worthy!
Yep
A subject worthy of a thread.
There seems to be an anthem by him scheduled there for next Sunday: https://www.belfastcathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Services-and-Music-List-October-2025.pdf
As far as I know, her mum still sings in the choir.
It still turns up occasionally on their streamed services. I think of all the stuff David wrote (not a huge lot, but a few pieces, mostly Christmas carols), it was the one he liked best.
I had a message a while back from the choirmaster at Belfast asking about anything David had written, as he wanted to programme music by some of his predecessors, and I sent him copies of what I still had.
That made my heart feel warmed.
are strongly advised not to walk around the site". Given that we've both waited about 45 years to get to Sutton Hoo, and that if we didn't go walking it would basically be a restaurant and shop with a small exhibition attached it took about a millisecond for us to decide "Bugger that for a game of Thegns!", & head for the mounds. Well worth it, it wasn't that windy (though the sandy soil meant there was a lot of blowing sand), but it gives a completely different appreciation of the site, that huge ship was lugged a long way from the river up a sodding great hill!
The visitor centre is worth a peep simply for the original Bromeswell Bucket on display - minus its recently discovered bottom which is still being conserved. But it does have extras too - on the society that the grave came from, and also on the movie. While I enjoyed geekily spotting the 1930s camera in the latter (I had a very similar one in my bag), I came away feeling very sad for Robert Pretty who must have been an unexpected child, lost his father at 4, his mother at 11,
and died himself in his 50s.
I'm also glad we looked into Tranmer House as there's an exhibition there as well, including a trove of recently discovered 35mm photos by two lady photographers, but best of all were clips of a 1966 documentary that interviewed Basil Brown and his assistants - with the accents I remember old people having when I was a boy! I got quite teary at that.
That done and the obligatory National Trust cake partaken of we headed into Woodbridge. Frustratingly we arrived as the reconstructed ship was closing, had just enough time to say "Cluckin' bell, it's huge!", grab a leaflet, and be ushered out the door. Instead we went birding as we both clearly heard curlews, but could we see them? Fortuitously I still had tbe Black Mamba in my bag from yesterday so could peer at distant blobs and see what they were, so we ended up walking along the riverside in tbe late afternoon light. After a somewhat surreal interlude where we got chatting to someone who knew where I grew up, and also where the Knotweed holidayed as a kid, finally we found the curlew, having spotted a number of other species of wading bird as well, and all within sight of Woodbridge proper - totally unexpected, and hugely enjoyed. The best bit - as we walked back, I spotted a curlew feeding amongst the boats only about 10 feet away! Never, ever been so close to one!
One jolly decent pub supper later and we're back in our Premier Lodge room. Tomorrow will be Southwold and thereabouts, unlikely to be a long report ("Thank flip!" I hear you cry) as we will be heading back to "real" life. Boo!
Bedtime, me thinks, I think it's all the cormorants we saw, because I am absolutely shagged out.
I’m still having issues with my care provider 😟
Re Basil Brown: the excellent Eastern Angles theatre group did a very funny play based on the excavations called "The Sutton Hoo Mob". There is also a good, if fictionalised, version of the story in "The Dig" by John Preston - later made into a film.
The many Trees with which the edges of Arkland are set about are now showing their warm autumn colours, and don't appear to have been much affected by Storm Amy (which gave us gusts of 50mph, and made my Chimney go wonky). The Wheelhouse is being sat in, and BEER is being quaffed. Lunch will be LAMB STEAKS, pan-fried on the Dragon...
Pilates tomorrow, and I think I need the exercises, as my Legs are still achier than usual.
Just hoping I manage to get with some decent company at the first meal as we are asked to stick with the same table throughout.
*I popped into Ilkley church, where the pews have been replaced with some of the most comfortable and decent-looking wooden chairs I have seen. I wasn’t there long enough to know how long they would still feel that way.
I'm feeling better than I've felt for a while so headed off to Pilates this morning. I think I'll be opting for the first set of aids I trialled when I go back on Friday. These are too fat, and started falling out from behind my ears while doing the down-facing dog move. A beautiful day so I enjoyed my walk back through the cemetery where I bumped into a friend and had a long chat putting the world to rights as you do.
This afternoon has been lazy, though I have started a jigsaw puzzle my husband gave me ages ago. This evening I have my book club. We meet via zoom as they are all in South-West London and I'm in the East Midlands. I finished the book ages ago so should probably refresh my memory before the meeting.