Jon and Linda's Wedding

We are just back from an overnighter in Kent as it was Linda's wedding on Sunday.   Where to start?

I guess I will have to start with highlights, the first of which was seeing Jon and Linda getting married. We are so pleased for them. And while we did of course wish them a wonderful wedding day, most of all we wish them a very very happy marriage.

Another highlight was meeting up with Charlie and Lorrie - quite an Aramco reunion.   

And two more.  One was the surprise Linda had told us was coming.   As we got to the Ring bit of the ceremony. the groom suddenly put a large white gauntlet on and looked to the back of the church.  We all looked. And there was a Falconer with a beautiful white owl.   It flew down the aisle to Jon  - in that silent owl glide, the plan being that it would deliver both rings.   It changed its mind after the first ring and flew back to its Falconer.  She and Jon coaxed it and back it same with the second ring.

A wonderful moment.

Then Linda had found a great live band for the Reception in the fabulous Leeds Castle - one girl singing, one guy on piano, and one guy on cello.    We stayed till 11.30 listening to them.

I will have to say more about the wedding later, including a contact for the musicians, but for now I will just mention that I had a busy day today.  Out on the preaching work with Jean and my siblings this morning - had a wonderful time - came back, got lunch for the Captain and me - veggie soup (already made) and the rest of the mandarin jelly from last week.   Then off to the docs for more medical stuff - yet more checks and blood tests.  Then shopping, for us and Jackie.  We had a tea and a chat with Jacks when we took her shopping round.  She wanted to hear all about the wedding. Then home and got supper - salmon and salad (with potatoes for Captain B), and yoghurt after.

Good telly tonight. - The Great British Menu followed by Saving Lives at Sea.

Poor Doris of the North is in a depressed state as her person and pack leader had a fall and is now in a wheelchair. She can't get to grips with it at all.  I just hope she doesn't make a bid for the leadership

I Drove to Angmering AGAIN

Its going to be losing its thrill soon - I will have climbed Mount Angmering so many times. Though having said  that, the traffic gets worse and worse - rather like it does on Everest actually.

Anyway Jean and I had a lovely morning out,  finding someone at home at a house we have been calling at for months with nobody ever answering.  A very nice lady answered and she took the current magazine.  In the face of the news it could hardly be more timely. I see that there has been a tsunami in Indonesia, with hundreds killed!

https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/watchtower-no3-2018-sep-oct/where-was-god-does-god-care/

Can anybody now doubt the Biblical warning that "it does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step", and our desperate need for the Kingdom of God to be ruling over us?

Hopefully Jackie is coming tonight... 

I Drove to Angmering, Part ?

We went up to Angmering on Thursday morning just to do some calls.   There were only 4 of us at the group in the morning.   After I got back and had lunch I fell asleep and woke feeling dazed.  I talked to Jacks and will check in with her re shopping. I didn't visit Maggie this Wednesday as I seem to be in the throes of getting the congregation cold.  But we did call in to see Jacks and had a coffee - and we shopped for her this morning. The Captain cleared the leaves from her car and garden, and has just taken it down to Tesco for valetting.

Ken my bro in law who had a fall is out of hospital today - after a week and on crutches.

A fall is such a serious thing at our age.

I am really feeling the force of the Biblical warning that, at the moment, "death reigns as king over us".   And how wrong it feels.

The Return of the Natives - Dave and Maggie

Captain B has asked me to point out that the Detectorist Fest he went to in Norfolk was not Detectorval - clearly that it not a generic term, as I thought - but was called  Something Else (I will have to check with him when he returns from his SUSSAR call out).

And it is very organised and raises money for local charities.  I know he would like to go again next year, if there is one.

I was out with Jean in the morning doing return visits.   Had some excellent calls. And I dropped a card in to Grace, giving her my contact details in case she needs any further info.

Dave and Maggie came today and took us for lunch at the Arun View.   We haven't been for ages, and it was a real treat.   I had grilled mushrooms with cheese on a bed of veggies, Maggie had a chicken salad, Dave had cod and new potatoes and the Captain had roast crackling pork with all the trimmings.

We came back here for coffee, biscuits and ice-cream. I demonstrated the soup machine to Maggie, who is keen on getting one.

They still seem very happy with their Thai life, and are both keeping busy - Maggie with her new career in showbiz!   Never think that retirement will be boring. It isn't. Just the opposite.  But we are all very conscious of how time is slipping away.

It was very good to see them again. We have known each other a long long time.

The Return of the Captain.

Captain Butterfly has been away at a Detectorval in Norfolk - he left on Thursday. So that was  3 sleeps without him.  I am glad to have him back.   He found a half hammered coin, and there was one really good, museum quality, find on the rally.

I am sure photos will be appearing on his blog soon enough.  It is linked to mine via The Captain's Log.

I kept busy(ish) - can't do that much anymore.  I went out with one of the young pioneers on Thursday afternoon, and had my talk in the Ministry School during the Thursday night meeting.   Friday morning I shopped for Jacks and spent the morning with her.   I cannot think what else I did that day, but probably I fell asleep.

Then it was out with the valiant Jean on Saturday morning. We had a wonderful time.  Jean can't walk too much now, and I have a very painful left foot at the moment, so we prayed for good parking spaces. And we found one outside each house we were calling at!

Very very grateful.  We had some wonderful calls too - the last being to a lady who we had not called on for weeks and weeks, but she remembered Jean. She she told us that she would love to live here on the earth forever.

We hope so much to be able to show her that that is just what the Bible promises.  Jesus that the meek (those meek towards their Creator) will "inherit the earth".   He said "the earth", not heaven.

Sunday was the meeting.  And a downpour, which had eased off when we left the Hall.  It rained in Norfolk too and so Col and his half-hammered were back early.

My Talk

I delivered my talk at the Kingdom Hall Thursday night.  We, my partner and I, got slightly lost in the middle but we soldiered on and got back on track.

TALK September 2018

First Return Visit: (3 min. or less) Begin with the sample conversation. The person tells you that he is a Christian.

Question: To what extent does God pay attention to us as individuals?

Scripture: Mt 10:29-31

Link: How do we know that God understands us?

Sue. Good morning. I am glad to find you at home.  I am Sue - and I am hoping you remember the conversation we had last week about how God cares for each one of us.   We agreed that with so much stress on us all at the moment, it can be easy to lose sight of that.

HH . Yes. I do remember. And its kind of you to call again, but you know I am a Christian, I'm a regular churchgoer, so I don't think I will really be interested in talking any more.

Sue.  Oh, its  lovely that you do have a belief.  So many people don't even believe in God these days, let alone Christianity.    But let me assure you that we're Christians.  In fact I came today because I was wanting to share some lovely reassuring words from Jesus himself, if I may.

HH.  Well, yes.  If they are from Jesus.  We do need reassurance at these times don't we?

Sue:  We do.  Maybe as never before.   Reads Mathew 10:29-31:
"Two sparrows sell for a coin of small value, do they not? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s knowledge.  But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.  So have no fear; you are worth more than many sparrows."

Isn't it good to know that Jehovah cares for his creation so much that even the tiniest sparrow matters to him - yet we are even more precious. He knows us so well he has every hair of our head numbered.

HH.  it is, of course.

Sue.  It is very helpful to me to able to share those lovely words with someone who appreciates them.   And if I may I would like to call back this time next week, as I want to show you some other  verses, this time from the Hebrew Scriptures or Old Testament.   They show us how much our Creator understands us, and understands our difficulties.  

HH.  Yes, Jesus often quoted from the Old Testament didn't he?

Sue. He did. They are a vital part of God's word.

HH.  If you do want to call back and talk some more you will probably find me in on a Wednesday morning.

Sue. Thanks.



The fact that Jehovah has every hair of our heads numbered explains why he told Joshua not to be afraid because "underneath are the everlasting arms".

God keeps us carefully in his memory, so that even if we die, He can remember us, and re-create us from the dust of the ground, and we can live again.


“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

Among the many miracles Jesus did while on the earth was to raise the dead, to show that he is Jehovah's annointed one, and to show what he can and will do when God's Kingdom is ruling over the earth.

Those resurrected back then had to die again of course.  But all those resurrected during the Thousand Years will have life "to time indefinite" ahead of them.  Everlasting life.

I also went out on the Field Service Thursday afternoon with one of the young pioneers, and did a load of butterfly paperwork that arrived in the morning.  

Saturday morning - shopping done - and for Jacks - stopped for coffee and a chat - soups (2) made - washing put away - butterfly memberships posted. I now hope to crash out in front of Bargain Hunt.

Oh, and I did this blog.

Captain Butterfly - the Return!

The Captain got back from his long weekend Metal Detecting.  And it did seem a long weekend without him.  And talking of without - he is still without that hoard.  But he had a good time.

I kept busy.  Jean and I managed nearly an hour and a half on the field service on Saturday morning, and it was a productive hour I hope. And I managed about an hour yesterday, picking up on some return visits, and also getting into a long discussion about Evolution/Creation.  And I took Jacks to her GP appointment on Friday.  They were running a good half hour behind, so it was a long wait. Then we drove to the Pharmacy to get the meds, and I had a coffee with Jacks afterwards. And popped in again Saturday afternoon, for another coffee.  Heather was there, looking stunning.

Anyway, I am very glad to have His Lordship back - and am looking forward to my lovely morning coffee. No-one flies the coffee machine like Captain B.

Had some bad news about my health, and am beginning to wonder if I will follow my mother, who, sadly died in her mid-70s, warn out by the arthritis and the medications. And the pain.

But we had a wonderful meeting at the Kingdom Hall yesterday.  And whatever happens, I do hope I will "inherit the earth" and live forever on this lovely planet.  Its an undeserved kindness, so we can all hope.  But we do need to grasp hold of the lifebelt that Jehovah is holding out to every one of us - the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ.