The Clifden Nonpareil

Clifden Nonpareil, Catocala fraxini

The Independent has called the Clifden Nonpareil  "the holy grail of British Moths" - and here it is, on our balcony, as I type!
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/the-holy-grail-of-british-moths-is-a-real-bolt-from-the-blue-8869605.html

Clifden Nonpareil

I can't help but feel it had something to do with my gardening yesterday when I finally got out there deadheaded all the geraniums and swept and tidied.  It must have thought it would be a nice hotel to spend the night, as that is where a very excited Captain found it.

We are so pleased its still here. And if knew what a moth would like for breakfast I would serve it, piping hot, on a tiny tray.

A Letter to Darren

I was going to call this blog: Raised by Wolves, because I had just read this sad sad story in The Independent:
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/aug/28/how-to-be-human-the-man-who-was-raised-by-wolves

Why such a startling lack of empathy for the suffering this child and young man had gone through.   Once again, I wonder what the world's religions had been teaching their people down the ages they had such power and control.     

But i wanted to make a note to myself that I did post a letter to Darren today. He is living in a strange new world without his brother and I want to be sure we keep in touch as much was we can.

I got to the Field Service Group at the Hall today, greatly hampered by my ears being on the blink.  But I somehow - can only think that Jehovah must have helped - managed to arrive at the right road junction to meet the elder in charge.  Who was kindly going to work with me. My usual Tuesday partner, Jean, is still away.

However, no sooner had I said "I just don't know I am going to say today..." than he got a phone call from his wife, that meant he had to rush off.   "I am going to have to leave you, and you don't know what to say", he said, despairingly.  "Don't worry, Jehovah will help me" , I said, urging him to get back home.

And He must have helped, as I felt so tired, and so worried about things, that I was very blank on the doors. Just relied on the current magazine, offered it, and was usually refused.  However, by the end of the morning, not only had I been joined by two more of my siblings, but I had had 4 good calls, placing a magaziine at each one.   I hope to get back maybe next week and see if I can follow up.

Other than that a quiet day - cooking, studying, and watching some telly with his Lordship.

Knocking at the Wrong Door

Not at my shining best this morning - not that my shining best is anything to write home about these days.   I started off by going to the wrong house for the Field Service Group.  There was no-one there. They were clearly all at the right venue (wherever that was)  I should have checked on Thursday night at the meeting, but I forgot.   So I set off to try to catch up on a few of my very overdue return visits, one being just around the corner.  I did find the lady at home (I have tried before), and she was very pleasant, but not interested.

However, I think she might talk to us again, so I may call and say hello next month as I have two regular magazine calls in the road.  I hope I will anyway.

Then I thought of a guilt-making return visit that I have never got back to, because its off near Ford, which for me is big-boy driving.   But I thought I could swing round via another call and get it done. However as I arrived at the other call I suddenly remembered I had planned to go back there next month with another of my siblings.

So off I drove on my Ford expedition. Found the house in its lovely close, no problem - but no-one home.  And on the way back I got discombobulated and turned the wrong way and found myself heading for the crossing at Ford.  Managed to find a turning spot and get back on course.  Then forced myself to do two more calls - near home - ones I haven't got back to since June.

And both turned out really well!

Then back home - got the tomato salsa done for tonight, and made sure that the sandwich fairy visited the fridge (for Col's lunch tomorrow).  Oh, and I have done my Watchtower study for tomorrow.  But I have been fast asleep for a fair amount of the afternoon and feel dreadful.

Jacks is coming tonight.   I will be serving us a chill-cabinet curry (Waitrose), plus the tomato relish I made, followed by a cheeseboard and ice-cream.

The Captain just rang to say he is on the way back, with metal detector, without any loot.

Doris and her Bone

From Doris's person's facebook page:

"Doris insisted on taking her best bone (sort of green and mouldering) with her on her walk today. I couldn't work out why, as she is paranoid about her bones and spends all the time she's carrying one with her eyes swivelling from side to side watching out for bone-nappers. Then we got to the newly tarmacked bit of road and it all made sense.

She's found the perfect bone-concealment spot, where Ken and I won't be able to dig it up and eat it. I had to haul her away from where she was busily digging in Amey's newly tarmacked road surface and on down to the park. I also managed to confiscate the bone despite much getting out of teeth (on Doris's part) and slip it into my bag.

We are now home, Doris is scuttling off to re-inter her bone and I'm scrubbing out my handbag."

Yes.   We met that dreadful bone on our recent visit. It introduced itself with a terrifying CLATTER as she threw it onto the tiled kitchen floor. And it re-appeared at regular CLATTERING intervals.

It is not a thing of beauty. Except of course to Miss Doris.

I have had a really lazy two days, sadly.   I feel so tired.  I have done routine housework, and some studying, and that is about it.

Catherine and Rob's wedding on Saturday went really well. I think it was exactly the way they hoped it would be.    It was a long day. We left here at 9.30, checked into our hotel - or at least failed to as the lady in our room was late checking out. They lent us a room to get changed in, and we met up with the Canada branch of the family and drove them to the wedding venue. Then back to the hotel for the Reception.

I lasted till 10, which is good for me.  But the young ones partied till midnight I guess.  We then had to leave very early, before breakfast, as Captain Detectorist had a dig on, and he likes to be there when the field opens.

Goodbye Shaun - or, I hope, Au Revoir

We got back from Sheffield Thursday afternoon - 2 o'clock - after going up for Shaun's funeral.   We arrived at the bungalow on Monday, and we - the four of us and our flowers - got a taxi to the Grenoside Crematorium on Tuesday.

We were greatly hampered by the fact that the road outside Nute and Ken's is being tarmacked - and was closed off, along with many side roads.  We drove off in the morning to get the flowers and were reluctantly allowed off the road by a young Jobsworth who assured us we would not be let back in.

Nute managed to find the guy in charge on the phone and got it sorted so that at least our taxi could get down to us.  So we - the Captain, Nute, Ken, me and a large bunch of yellow lilies - set off on time and arrived on time.

There was a good turnout of family and friends, which was a help to his brother Darren, who is so distraught that I didn't even recognise him when he came up to greet me until he spoke!   We will all have to keep a close eye on him. He will need a lot of support.

The family wrote the Eulogy and Penny delivered it clearly and steadily.  It was a fitting tribute to Shaun.  One of his brothers placed his favourite snooker queue by the coffin and then we left.

The family had organised a buffet at the local country pub, which was excellent.

Jeff - of The Most Exciting Wedding We Have Ever Been To fame - was there. We hadn't seen him since his wedding, but here he was, with children and grandchildren.

I learnt a lot about my nephew Shaun that I did not know before.  He was a fellow Countdown enthusiast - and very nearly made it on to the programme!    And I had no idea he was so knowledgeable about snooker. I knew he played regularly, but.   

I did know how kind and generous he was.  And I hope very much I will see him again when the time comes for the resurrection.

“Your dead will live. My corpses will rise up. Awake and shout joyfully, You residents in the dust! For your dew is as the dew of the morning, And the earth will let those powerless in death come to life." - Isaiah 26:19


Wednesday was a quiet day, for me.  I caught up with studying and emails, got a letter done to Aunt Jo, and lunched with Ken - who served us Kenburgers and peas and a Kencoffee afterwards. We sat and talked for a while, and then their gardener arrived.  We left very early on Thursday morning and had a good journey back.

Posted a letter to Aunt Jo yesterday to tell her about Shaun's funeral, and a card to Sami, congratulating her on her excellent exam results.  She will be going to Newcastle University, which is where Captain Butterfly met, all those eons ago.

A Starry Pearl

Starry Pearl, Cynaeda dentalis

Here is the Captain's latest moth - beautiful name, beautiful creature.  It was resting in our downstairs porch - and is a very rare sighting indeed for West Sussex.   He is very pleased.

Supper at Jacks Saturday night. She gave us Thai chicken curry, rice and salad, followed by creme caramel with raspberries, plus cheeseboard. All delicious.   And a fun evening of course.  How long have we known each other now?    And we are sharing the experience of growing old together - with its difficulties and its compensations.

The Captain left early  on Sunday laden down with Metal Detectors and sandwiches hopefully heading towards the exact spot where Frederik the Forgetful buried his hoard of gold coins.    The veggie soup for supper is made.

Its Monday, and either Frederik did remember where his hoard was, or Col never found it.  Or possibly there never was a Frederik the Forgetful in the first place.    Either way no hoard, but the Captain had a fun day.

I was at the meeting on Sunday no passenger this time, she is away.  Powerful teaching, gave me a lot to think about, and I may have to make quite a change...  need to pray about it and talk it over with an elder.  They are all younger than me now! - but they are so helpful and kind.  And stand firm for Biblical principles.

Then I dropped in some shopping and a Watchtower to Jean who wisely did not come to the meeting - she is still shaken and bruised from her fall.

JWs under Franco

The valiant Jean said she wanted to go the Broadcast at the Kingdom Hall today, which worried me a bit until I thought to ask Jehovah in prayer that there could be a parking space free for us in the layby right outside the Hall - something that hardly ever happens these days.

We got there - and there was the space - a lovely big one too - Jehovah knowing exactly what I need to be able to park my little car.  We got there just as it was starting and I think it really helped us both.  Halfway through there was a short item about Jehovah's Witnesses under Franco.  I had never thought about that, but of course it was so hard for our young brothers. They could not join the military as the regime demanded. Followers of Christ have "laid down" their swords, and take no sides in the divisive politics and cruel wars of the world.

They went to prison for a long time.  One brother said they began to wonder if they would ever come out.

But they stood firm, and so did their families.

https://tv.jw.org/#en/mediaitems/WebHomeSlider/pub-jwb_201808_1_VIDEO

And I managed an hour on the doors this morning, trying to catch up on all my return visits. I got some done...  but

We dine a Jackie's tonight which I am really looking forward to. I know she is cooking Thai - perfect for this weather.

Watching the GoggleBox

We have been watching the Athletics.  In my case, lying on the sofa watching the athletes...  it makes me feel really healthy.    Though most of the rest of the week seems to have been taken up by various medical trips.

We woke up on Thursday to find it is raining and The Channel was a lovely shade of grey.  Not sure about this morning - the sun seems to be appearing, in a cloud filled sky.  Beautiful.

My gallant field service partner Jean has had a fall, so I will ring her before we go shopping to see if she needs anything delivered.   And I have a sackload of Butterfly membership packages to post. They arrived yesterday, I started them - and finished them in the early hours of this morning.

Wonderful meeting at the Kingdom Hall last night, and I feel sad for all those who miss out on this teaching.  Its freely available in this country too. That is not the case everywhere.  And as the current wicked system of things on the earth comes to its end, who knows how difficult it might become.

My Auditory Hallucination

You too can hear it - should you wish - if you listen to this youtube video - of Nathan Granner singing "If I loved you" in rehearsal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OG64aJgRDAc

For some weeks, last year, I could hear this perfectly in my right ear, every note, every intonation, like a distant radio playing  I can't sing, and am pretty much tone deaf.  Yet my ear/brain had it all perfectly.

Its gone now.  But the tinnitus has not.

We took Jacks shopping this morning.  The HEAT is getting her down too.   And Jean and I did some return visits on Saturday morning - and had some good calls.    I chauffered a sister and her father (who was visiting) to the Kingdom Hall yesterday, but that is about all I did.   Its so HOT.

Today apart from shopping I made a roast chicken dinner for himself with the idea that he can have chicken salad for the next few days. I have done my studying for the day, some housework, a little bit bit of witnessing, but not much else.

Shaun

Last month we got an anguished email from Penny to tell us that they had lost Shaun. He is their eldest son and our eldest nephew and he had been so ill earlier in the year that he spent some weeks in a medically-induced coma.  We were braced for the worst then, but he did slowly recover, was discharged, and appeared to be getting back to normal.  He had even bought himself a new wardrobe, having lost a lot of weight in hospital.

Then his brother - presumably worried that he hadn't been answering his phone - went round to his flat and found him.

That is all we know so far.

But I have been thinking of the young Shaun. Was he 7 when we first knew him?  Pen was his step-mum.  When she met George he was divorced, a single dad, living in high rise council flat and doing his best to bring up his two young lads.

At that time all us sisters lived in the same city, as did our parents, and Col's bro and his wife (to be). And my aged parents.   And we saw each other all the time.  Shaun often talked about visiting us at our Dore house and playing games in the garden. 

The world is full of sadness at the moment.   But I hope that Shaun is sleeping safe in "the everlasting arms", and that he has a wonderful awakening of him, into an earth that is full of joy.

Here is the promise:

 “Your dead will live. My corpses will rise up. Awake and shout joyfully, You residents in the dust! For your dew is as the dew of the morning, And the earth will let those powerless in death come to life." - Isaiah 26:19

And have any of Jehovah's promises ever failed?   They never have, and they never will.  Isn't that the very meaning of his name?


Yesterday was a medical day, trying to get some help for my current medical problems. The Captain threatened to take me down to A&E, and the doc has put me on some strong steroids  - a cream application, twice a day.  Its all misery

Another hot hot day too.   Anyway, I plan to go out with Jean this morning. We will do some return visits.  And I did do some first calls with my congregation siblings on Thursday.  A quiet weekend. We won't be seeing Jacks, as the Captain is so busy. But for me, it will be the field service this morning, the meeting tomorrow, and that, I hope will be it.  It is too HOT.