We had supper with Jackie, which cheered me up no end. She gave us chicken alexander, chocolate mousse, and fizzy wine. Just what the doctor ordered, because I had spent all day trying to find out when my operation date is. Half the hospital says it is the original date, the other half says it has been postponed for a month AND WILL I STOP BOTHERING THEM. But how can I find out the new date? I ventured timidly. Apparently I need to contact another hospital altogether AND DON'T I REALISE THAT?! The Other hospital seemed surprised and puzzled, and will, hopefully, ring me back on Monday, if they are brave enough to ring Hospital No.1 and find out what is going on. I really needed to know by tomorrow as my next injection is due then, and the date of my operation hangs on when I last take it. It must not be too early, not be too late.
I have lost all confidence now and am on the verge of cancelling the whole thing, and settling for being housebound. We have a flat with a view and I am a homebody anyway. Why take the risk?
After all that, and feeling a bit more cheerful after an evening with Jacks, I was just drifting off into a merciful sleep, when BANG! there was a terrible crash right by my head. "What?!" I panicked back to consciousness. "I had to kill that fly" said Captain B, fly swat in hand.
Poor old bluebottle. I think it had settled down for the night. I certainly had. I began to drift off again. RING RING RING - Col's call out alarm went off. He struggled out of bed, and I struggled with some very unChristian thoughts about his volunteer rescue work. I was vaguely formulating the thought of his needing sandwiches and a flask of tea, when RING RING RING - emergency over, misper (missing person to you civilians) found. All OK.
I tried to drift back off to sleep. It took a long time.
We have woken up to a sunny morning, but with quite a lot of cloud. The last day of summer.
How many more summers for us?
Well, I am hoping we will have "unnumbered summers" in the restored earthly Paradise.
We have tea with our new neighbours this afternoon, and more visitors tomorrow.
Saturday, 31 August 2013
Wednesday, 28 August 2013
Let Them Eat Mangetout!
Jamie Oliver has caused a lot of controversy with his remarks about the way people on benefits manage their food budgets, including a rather unfortunate remark about mangetout being cheaper when bought from your local market.
An obvious problem, leaving aside the mangetout, is that not everyone has a local market within walking distance these days.
Food Poverty seems to be the new black. The Beeb (I think it was the BBC) had a programme on recently where celebrity chefs helped low-income families to cook nutritiously and cheaply. And it was clearly needed - one pensioner was living on cuppa soups. Of course, you could also say that a larger state pension would help... but as that is not on offer, any help has to be good.
And some of the advice was good. But some was dubious; for example, we were reminded how important it is to shop round the various supermarkets. But I'm not sure how you can do that on a low income, with no car. And small children. You, presumably, have to shop at whatever is within walking distance.
However, Jamie has a new series coming up - and its all good publicity. And I am always receptive to ideas for how to eat well on less. I had a chicken curry from the chill cabinet of a local supermarket a couple of weeks ago, and also made one from scratch for us. The curry I made was far from brilliant but it was a lot better, and cheaper, than the chill cabinet one. Plus the oil I used was olive oil.
I think that is the point Jamie is trying to make. And good for him. I think he will be able to make it effectively. He is good at showing that cooking can be fun.
Its a lovely sunny morning by the English Channel. Philip and Seppi arrived last night, having had a great holiday in the West country.
I am still waiting to find out what the new date for my postponed operation will be.
An obvious problem, leaving aside the mangetout, is that not everyone has a local market within walking distance these days.
Food Poverty seems to be the new black. The Beeb (I think it was the BBC) had a programme on recently where celebrity chefs helped low-income families to cook nutritiously and cheaply. And it was clearly needed - one pensioner was living on cuppa soups. Of course, you could also say that a larger state pension would help... but as that is not on offer, any help has to be good.
And some of the advice was good. But some was dubious; for example, we were reminded how important it is to shop round the various supermarkets. But I'm not sure how you can do that on a low income, with no car. And small children. You, presumably, have to shop at whatever is within walking distance.
However, Jamie has a new series coming up - and its all good publicity. And I am always receptive to ideas for how to eat well on less. I had a chicken curry from the chill cabinet of a local supermarket a couple of weeks ago, and also made one from scratch for us. The curry I made was far from brilliant but it was a lot better, and cheaper, than the chill cabinet one. Plus the oil I used was olive oil.
I think that is the point Jamie is trying to make. And good for him. I think he will be able to make it effectively. He is good at showing that cooking can be fun.
Its a lovely sunny morning by the English Channel. Philip and Seppi arrived last night, having had a great holiday in the West country.
I am still waiting to find out what the new date for my postponed operation will be.
Tuesday, 27 August 2013
Sasha
SASHA IN ARABY
by me
Sasha slides crossly past the sprinklers
On the lawn
What business does his Person have
Turning them on?
This garden is one large sand tray
And Sash could really feel at home
If Mara wouldn’t mess it up with grass
And soggy, peaty loam.
Sand and sun and birds to catch
A Person of his own
Araby would be Paradise
If no for that darned sprinkler on the lawn.
Another cat from the past. From our early days in Araby, when we spent a lot of time at Mara's - and with her beautiful fluffy Siamese.
Its a sunny morning here - with a calm blue Channel outside. The Bavarian branch return for a couple of nights on their way back to Germany - and we are having another Thai takeaway. Col chauffered me to the meeting on Sunday morning - wonderful talk, given by a local brother.
How much we - the human race, the children of Adam - need the incoming Kingdom of God - the heavenly government that will make "all things new".
I can't think what I did yesterday, beyond my studying on the balcony. We - the worldwide congregations - are still in our detailed study of Jeremiah, trying to learn from his faithful example. And I did loads of washing so it would all get dry and out of the way before the visitors arrive.
Saturday, 24 August 2013
Householdering on a walking stick
My stint as Rosemary's householder reminded me of my schooldays in an odd way. I had to hobble, with walking stick and Rosemary's arm, to the small school, and I held up both schools while they had to wait for me. Then the kind Ghanaian brother who conducts the second school let us go straight to our seats in the front so we didn't have to get up and down again. Which really helped. I had been worried about that.
My last appearance in the Ministry School - I hope not ever! - but certainly until after my operations.
Anyway, during my second year at big school, our House needed a swimmer - was it Compiegne (spelling?), Picardy, or The Other One - I can't now remember and can't imagine what the point of the House system was - trying to bring some sort of ersatz public school spirit into our Convent High School? - anyway, Sports Day - horrors of horrors - or any rate a Swimming Gala at our local baths. And - tragedy for Compiegne, Picardy or The Other One, their champion swimmer, the only girl in the House in my year who could dive and swim was off sick. And I was press-ganged into my House (whichever one it was, I'm not sure I even knew at the time) swimming team, to swim for the honour of Whichever House It Was.
Why? I suppose it was because I was the only other girl who could stay afloat in the deep end.
So we all lined up. They dove in like speedy arrows. I jumped. And then I started my laborious breaststroke. Slowly slowly I trundled down the first lane, and even more slowly back up the second. The audience got out its sandwiches and had its lunch while it waited for me. I did get a cheer at the end, but I think it was a cheer of relief, as finally the next race could begin and they would be that bit nearer to going home.
They call old age "a second childhood" and so its proving to be.
Yesterday was my second pre-op appointment at the hospital. Terrifying.
My last appearance in the Ministry School - I hope not ever! - but certainly until after my operations.
Anyway, during my second year at big school, our House needed a swimmer - was it Compiegne (spelling?), Picardy, or The Other One - I can't now remember and can't imagine what the point of the House system was - trying to bring some sort of ersatz public school spirit into our Convent High School? - anyway, Sports Day - horrors of horrors - or any rate a Swimming Gala at our local baths. And - tragedy for Compiegne, Picardy or The Other One, their champion swimmer, the only girl in the House in my year who could dive and swim was off sick. And I was press-ganged into my House (whichever one it was, I'm not sure I even knew at the time) swimming team, to swim for the honour of Whichever House It Was.
Why? I suppose it was because I was the only other girl who could stay afloat in the deep end.
So we all lined up. They dove in like speedy arrows. I jumped. And then I started my laborious breaststroke. Slowly slowly I trundled down the first lane, and even more slowly back up the second. The audience got out its sandwiches and had its lunch while it waited for me. I did get a cheer at the end, but I think it was a cheer of relief, as finally the next race could begin and they would be that bit nearer to going home.
They call old age "a second childhood" and so its proving to be.
Yesterday was my second pre-op appointment at the hospital. Terrifying.
Thursday, 22 August 2013
The Great British Bake-off is Back
Hurray! I love it. My Tuesday nights are sorted for the foreseeable future. Mary Berry, Paul Hollywood, the contestants, the cakes. Who could ask for more?
One contestant made a Gaudi Cathedral out of chocolate cake on Tuesday night.
More hospital tomorrow in this continuing run up to THE OPERATION.
And we have heard from Roger who will be in the UK about that time. Hopefully we will be able to see him, but it will depend how it all goes of course. Talked to Audrey on the phone a couple of times, and got a lovely card from Seahouses from Penny and George. I hope that by this time next year I might be able to be doing a bit of travelling in the North myself.
And as the Cakeathon is still on, I managed a couple of batches of marmalade cupcakes to take to the Hall. The brothers and sisters working on the new Kingdom Hall build like homemade cakes in their tea breaks, and its lovely to be able to contribute something. Jane is up there cooking for them in the field kitchen.
One contestant made a Gaudi Cathedral out of chocolate cake on Tuesday night.
More hospital tomorrow in this continuing run up to THE OPERATION.
And we have heard from Roger who will be in the UK about that time. Hopefully we will be able to see him, but it will depend how it all goes of course. Talked to Audrey on the phone a couple of times, and got a lovely card from Seahouses from Penny and George. I hope that by this time next year I might be able to be doing a bit of travelling in the North myself.
And as the Cakeathon is still on, I managed a couple of batches of marmalade cupcakes to take to the Hall. The brothers and sisters working on the new Kingdom Hall build like homemade cakes in their tea breaks, and its lovely to be able to contribute something. Jane is up there cooking for them in the field kitchen.
Tuesday, 20 August 2013
The Rapture
Rosemary came round yesterday and we practised her talk for Thursday. I am her householder, and am going to be someone who has been told about the Rapture by a friend, and is confused. Which is no wonder really. I now need to see if I can net Captain Butterfly before he flutters off and practise my talk on him.
Insofar as I understand it, the Rapture is a doctrine originating with the Pentecostal church in America. It teaches that God will remove the faithful from the earth - sort of snatch them up to heaven - just before the great tribulation - and return them afterwards. Although I think there are different versions and timelines.
Rosemary's assigned material includes Proverbs 2:21,22 which says, simply and clearly: " For the upright are the ones that will reside in the earth, and the blameless are the ones that will be left over in it. As regards the wicked, they will be cut off from the very earth; and as for the treacherous, they will be torn away from it."
So the upright remain on the earth. It is the wicked who are removed from it when they are destroyed at Armageddon. And Jehovah does not want to have to destroy anyone. Hence the worldwide warning work as followers of Christ preach from door to door.
Which I hope I will be able to do again sometime next year if my operations go well. In the meantime I am keeping my magazine route going by post, with card and letter. One of my route calls rang me yesterday to ask how I was, and we had a nice chat. I was out on the balcony at the time.
A sunny day today. The Channel is pale, calm and a bit heat hazy. And the dishwasher has broken! Aaargh. We will have to hitch up the horses to the dishcloths and try to remember how we used to wash dishes in the olden days.
Insofar as I understand it, the Rapture is a doctrine originating with the Pentecostal church in America. It teaches that God will remove the faithful from the earth - sort of snatch them up to heaven - just before the great tribulation - and return them afterwards. Although I think there are different versions and timelines.
Rosemary's assigned material includes Proverbs 2:21,22 which says, simply and clearly: " For the upright are the ones that will reside in the earth, and the blameless are the ones that will be left over in it. As regards the wicked, they will be cut off from the very earth; and as for the treacherous, they will be torn away from it."
So the upright remain on the earth. It is the wicked who are removed from it when they are destroyed at Armageddon. And Jehovah does not want to have to destroy anyone. Hence the worldwide warning work as followers of Christ preach from door to door.
Which I hope I will be able to do again sometime next year if my operations go well. In the meantime I am keeping my magazine route going by post, with card and letter. One of my route calls rang me yesterday to ask how I was, and we had a nice chat. I was out on the balcony at the time.
A sunny day today. The Channel is pale, calm and a bit heat hazy. And the dishwasher has broken! Aaargh. We will have to hitch up the horses to the dishcloths and try to remember how we used to wash dishes in the olden days.
Sunday, 18 August 2013
Consoling chocolates
Philip and Seppi bought us some home made jam and a box of chocolates. I meant us to have the chocolates with our coffee after our Thai meal, but I forgot about them.
However, it worked out well as a friend who is going through some severe emotional turmoil came round on Saturday night, and so we got out the wine and opened up the chocolates - for medicinal purposes.
The British team has just been disqualified from the 4 by 100 relay. We thought they had the bronze, but they had got one of their baton changes wrong. Captain Butterfly worried that they would before they even started and sadly he was right.
I chauffered myself to the Kingdom Hall this morning, while the Captain detected metal with the club. It was raining a bit, but is sunny now. The Channel is sparkling away outside the window.
However, it worked out well as a friend who is going through some severe emotional turmoil came round on Saturday night, and so we got out the wine and opened up the chocolates - for medicinal purposes.
The British team has just been disqualified from the 4 by 100 relay. We thought they had the bronze, but they had got one of their baton changes wrong. Captain Butterfly worried that they would before they even started and sadly he was right.
I chauffered myself to the Kingdom Hall this morning, while the Captain detected metal with the club. It was raining a bit, but is sunny now. The Channel is sparkling away outside the window.
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