A Moment in Time

 WHAT COLIN DID    13th December 1985

Colin and Mark crouch on the floor

Looking through photographic magazines

By the score

More gadgetry to spend their money on

Is what they’re looking for

Or a ten thousand dollar photographic tour

All the goodies that will lure

Monies out of bank accounts

In large amounts

Bank Managers and wives are feeling sore.

Colin, developing photos at the kitchen sink

Framed in the hatch above a shell filled shelf

Seen through a fringe of potted plants

Makes quite a good picture himself.

These are two moments from our expat years, moments I tried to capture as they flew past. They are from the days of Abqaiq Court when we had our own improvised dark room. I knew, back then, how to develop Col's photographs and make prints. How the world of photography has changed! I am trying to remember who Mark was - yet he probably spent a lot of time in our small house... it was a long time ago.

They were the days of the Dhahran Camera Club, and Bruce Bailey. I learnt a lot about photography from him. He was apparently related to David Bailey, the famous photographer of the Sixties. We have some fabulous photos Bruce took of the empty quarter in Saudi Arabia in our bedroom. They don't seem to be in Col's photo gallery though, so I have chosen a Saudi sunset to head this blog.

Our years there went through so many different ages/stages - and these poems were written in our early years.

What moments am I having now? Friday night was a bad one, very painful, but the pain in my shoulders abated as the day went on. I made a fruit cake - an old fashioned boil and bake recipe from my Cranks cookbook. I have made it many times over the years, but it turned out particularly well this time, once I got the hang of my new oven.

I needed to work out how to set its timer. So I got out the Book of Instructions... unfortunately, as I don't have a Masters Degree in Higher Physics, I was none the wiser after reading it. So I had to stay awake. While I had to cook it a lot longer than usual, it has turned out very well. Captain B says it is my best ever.

Let's just hope it's not my last ever.

Monday was reasonably busy - Doctors appointment in the morning - they were running 45 minutes late - discussing a new medicine, one I am not at all sure about - then family Zoom - then lunch - just soup, fruit and yoghurt - did some studying as the meeting is tomorrow night - Circuit Overseer visit - lay on bed and sofa quite a lot - easing pain in joints and back.

Tuesday - a day of Zoom, and the first day of the Circuit Overseer visit, so I hope to saddle up my pixels and get to the morning Field Service, and again this evening to the mid-week meeting. And in between I have a double Zoom with a friend.

The "increasing of lawlessness" continues worldwide. One of the items in our meeting tonight is about what is happening to our brothers and sisters in Haiti and The Ukraine. And above all, how Jehovah is supporting them in the awful events they are caught up in.

Isn't the corruption of the whole system become more and more obvious. Private Eye has always been very good at exposing it. And I do wonder if the relationship between men and women, worldwide, has ever been as bad as it is now.

The consequences of our first parents disobedience in Eden should be so evident. Trying to go it alone without that vital connection to our loving Creator has been a disaster.