Talking about family, Chennai and Napoleon!

We've just come back from spending a week caravaning in Heacham in Norfolk where we visited my father-in-law Laurie. We were pleased to see that he is keeping well even if his breathing is difficult. 
On Sunday, we went to the Methodist church (Heacham) as Steven was invited by Mike and Kim to preach there.
During the service Imogen talked about her charity Chennai Challenge and her trip in India for a few minutes and also thanked everybody for their support. We then stayed for a chat over a cup of coffee.

At the beginning of the week, we took dad bird-watching with us. He stayed in the RSPB coffee shop at Titchwell. Imogen kept him company after taking a walk to the sea (about 1 mile). We saw our favorite waders, i.e. avocet, sandpiper, golden plover (photo below)...

On Monday, we went to Kings Lynn to the Orange shop to sort out his mobile, it failed to charge. While the boss and his dad were discussing the problem, Imo and I went round the shops. 

There were some sales but nothing exciting so we came back half an hour later only to find them still talking through.

Eventually, they told us that dad would get a new phone on the following day and we had to be home from 9 to 1 pm. Guess what, they brought the new phone at 12:50! 

That evening, Imogen asked if we wanted to watch a dvd at dad's and she chose Napoleon Dynamite. I don't know if you have seen that film. Here is the review I found in IMdb: A listless and alienated teenager decides to help his new friend win the class presidency in their small western high school, while he must deal with his bizarre family life back home. To cut a story short, dad watched the film but the boss did not...I realised that I watched it before but it had not made a big impression on me then..
Imogen was not allowed to choose any more films for the rest of the week!
Blessings to all. N.

Hixon Harvest Supper 2011

We had so much fun at the Harvest supper. Ger, Jo, Mandy, and I went to the village hall fairly early in the afternoon to see if we had everything we needed. The only thing missing were the forks, I suppose they have their role! When Jenny, Joy and Thelma came, we started a debate on the 'best way to cook the baked potatoes'. The views were shared. Do you prick them with a fork (what I usually do!) or do you slice them in the middle? Do you pre-bake them? This was fun..and before you say..we do go out! Later on we went back home and came back just for 6ish pm. Everything went smoothly, our friends brought lovely apple cakes, superb salads, thick slices of ham and turkey so we knew that we would have plenty to eat! Praise the Lord!

While the guests were sitting down and got talking, the music group were having a bit of a practice, Anna-Greta and Ingrid were singing, Chris on the guitar, mum Helga on the keyboard, and John on the mandoline. Thelma was giving the last tickets for the raffle. After Steven said grace, everybody went to queue and help themselves for food. I was told that there had not been a harvest supper in Hixon for ten years. This was an amazing opportunity to have fellowship and fun. After a bit of rehearsal, the members of the music group went to sit down and soon, you could feel the love coming from a relaxed and friendly atmosphere over diner. 

Later on, when Anna-Greta and Ingrid started to sing everybody stopped talking. Appreciation was read on every face. 

The quiz designed by Nigel was rather challenging, raising people's interest and competitivity. There were prices for the winner and the 'loser'! At this point, Ger was telling me that in days bygone, men used to go and play quiz often and even if they' d lose, they would win a pint of beer or two so they were very positive about participating!

Harvest supper, Hixon Village Hall, 24/09 at 7:30

Next saturday, we are holding a Harvest Supper on Saturday the 24th of September at 7:30 p.m. in the village Hall. It should be great fun as there will be some singing, courtesy of Anna-Greta and Ingrid, a quiz devised by Tim, a raffle,  viewing of the vicar's Crazy Act 2, some hot food and much more. See you there. Blessings. N

Live at peace with everyone!

We must pursue peace and purity to finish the Christian race: Stay on course (12:14)!

The course entails the two great commandments. Pursuing “peace with all men” is the second commandment, to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:39). To pursue “the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord” is the first commandment, to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:37). Jesus links these two themes (in reverse order) in the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matt. 5:8, 9).

The link between pursuing peace and sanctification shows that we must not pursue peace at any cost. As Paul puts it (Rom. 12:18), “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.” His words imply the reality of living in this fallen world, that sometimes it is not possible to be at peace with everyone. Sometimes the other person clings to bitterness and hatred, and you can’t do anything more than you’ve done to be reconciled. At other times, to make peace would require compromising obedience to God, either morally or doctrinally. You can’t sacrifice personal holiness or commitment to God’s truth for the sake of peace. But, whenever you can do so without compromise, the race set before us includes pursuing both peace with others and purity before God.

More teaching here or copy and paste this link https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-47-perseverance-peace-and-purity-hebrews-1212-14

Mid-trent Churches events for September

Saturday 3rd September 2011
All Saints, Sandon Church picnic -Church Car Park from 15.00 - 18.00. In a marquee - please bring your own food and drink
Sunday 11th September
Walk - St. Peter's, Hixon Church Car Park at 14.00 and returning for light refreshments £5 donation
16th to 20th September
Harvest Flower Festival - All Saints Milwich. See compass for details of events or ring Elaine on 01889-505414
Saturday 24th September
St Peter's Harvest Supper - Hixon Memorial Hall at 19.30 - more later
Sunday 25th September
St Peter's Harvest Festival - Including a special thanksgiving for the 20th anniversary of the luncheon club 09.30
This Sunday is also a Back to Church Sunday. Let me explain. If you used to go to church but for some reason, you stopped, why don't you go again, come as you are. You are very welcome in any church. Blessings N.

Only 2 days left before Imogen flies to Chennai...

Today, we took Imogen to town as she wanted to buy the last bits for her trip to Chennai, some cereals bar , travellers cheques, antibacterial gel, cup a soups, etc.. Steven went to change one front tyre but was told that the other front tyre was not good enough so he had to buy two new tyres..still it had to be done as soon we will have to drive from Staffordshire to Hyeres. 
Back home, I explored the very interesting Chennai challenge blog written by members of Team A who left for Chennai a week ago! 









Mumbai was not the only newly named Indian city in 1996. 
In August of that same year, the city of Madras, located in the state of Tamil Nadu, had its name changed to Chennai.

Both the names Chennai and Madras date back to 1639. In that year, the Raja of Chandragiri, (a suburb in South India), allowed the British East India Company to build a fort near the town of Madraspattinam. 
At the same time, the local people built another town close to the site of the fort. This town was named Chennappatnam, after the father of one of the early rulers. Later, both the fort and the town grew together but the British shortened their colony's name to Madras while the Indians changed theirs to Chennai.

The name Madras (shortened from Madraspattinam) also has links to the Portuguese who were present in the area as early as the 1500s.

Madras is a much older name than Chennai. Despite that fact, the city was still renamed Chennai because it is in the language of the area’s original inhabitants and Madras was seen as being a Portuguese name and/or was associated with the former British colony.

Do you need an excuse to take a break?

Lately, I have been doing so many admin jobs i.e. sorting out various finance paperwork, which is awfully boring but necessary..and trying to squeeze housework such as a bit of ironing ! So when my friend Susan sent me the following pic, it gave me an excuse for a break! Thanks Susan!

How do you know when it is time to "hang up the car keys"?
I say when your dog has this look on his face!



A picture is worth a thousand words!

Some information on the Dolomites

Camille has gone there for a month, as an au-pair, she is discovering a beautiful place. She has already gone walking at an altitude of 1324 m and did not complain! 

So where are the Dolomites? Dolomites is the name of the mountain range situated in the south of the Alps, between the Adige and Piave rivers and between the Val Pusteria and the Belluno valleys and spread out in the Italian Provinces Bolzano (South-Tyrol), Trento, Belluno, Udine and Pordenone.

The term Dolomite is a gesture to their discoverer, the Marquis Déodat Gratet de Dolomieu (1750 – 1801). He took some rock samples during his trip to our mountains in 1788, analysed them and was the first to announce their chemical composition (double calcium carbonate and magnesium).

Badia, 1,324m

The quiet village of Badia is situated at the foot of the Sasso Santa Croce (Sas dla Crusc in Ladin language), the mountain that is tinged red when the sun sets. Badia is known for its beautiful nature walks and sunny, easy ski slopes.
Have a blessed week-end.Yours in Christ. N.

To be an au pair or not?

Last week, when we were in France, my oldest daughter told me some news: ' I have to tell you something!'
Yes.
'I haven't talked to you about it before!
'Ah!'
I am registered to be an au pair and a family has invited me, err, it's in Italy..'
I was not too surprised because one evening I found  on my computer screen a page on 'the world of au pairs' minutes after she 'borrowed' my PC. True, nothing had been mentioned!
So she found out more details but could not make her mind up! The children in her care were 2 and 5 y.old, and somehow  I could not help mentioning ' nappies'. That evening when she had to ring and confirm, we were out in a  Maroccan restaurant in Niort. It fizzled out.
Back from France, another family was interested and this time, everything is running smoothly. So, Camille is packing up, I am ironing and we are discussing bits and pieces.
What about you? Have you ever hired an au-pair? Have you been an au-pair? Let me know what you think about  it. Yours in Christ
N.

Human contact

Sometimes I do wonder to what extent this could be true. Already you hear that parents hardly see their children, as these are kidnapped by their social network. 
This could explain why some parents resist going on Facebook or Twitter for fear of becoming addicted. Still, do the test, if you can keep away from FB or twitter ...etc, for a minimum of 1 week, I reckon that you are safe! What do you think?

Wireless, of course!

After having dug to a depth of 10 feet last year, Australian scientists found traces of copper wire dating back 200 years and came to the conclusion that their ancestors already had a telephone network more than 150 years ago.

Not to be outdone by the Aussies, in the weeks that followed, an American archaeologist dug to a depth of 20 feet and, shortly after, a story was published in the New York Times: "American archaeologists, finding traces of 250-year-old copper wire, have concluded that their ancestors already had an advanced high-tech communications network 50 years earlier than the Australians".

One week later, the Council in Manchester, reported the following:

"After digging as deep as 30 feet in Rochdale, Jack Smith, a self-taught archaeologist, reported that he had found 'absolutely nothing'. Jack has therefore concluded that 250 years ago, Lancashire had already gone wireless."

Just makes you proud to be British!


Blessings.

Love and organisation.

Sometimes it is pretty hard to juggle with all the things you have to do during the day and spend quality time with your family. If you work full-time the word 'organisation' crosses your mind. The girls and I spent a day in Manchester. We looked for a prom dress for Imogen (GCSE), we ate Tapas, looked at handbags for Cami and relaxed at my friend Dominique's, enjoying a natter over a strong French cup of coffee. 

When our grown-up children go far away for different reasons, it is harder to give them advice or show them our love. Unless you are one of those giants portrayed by Roald Dahl, your arms are not long enough to hug them! I find it difficult to phone my GP for a repeat prescription, and impossible to write letters at a regular interval. I end up feeling pretty guilty and my heart is crying! By now, you must have realised that I miss Camille pretty badly and I can't wait for her to return from Italy. 

Some time ago, I heard from a French cousin I haven't seen for 30 years. Such a phone 'reunion' calls for celebration and I am looking forward for us to meet her and her family.

Tomorrow evening, we are off to Norfolk to spend a week with dad. It will be strange to be in the caravan again! Steven has installed a shower in the 'girls' bathroom and Imogen is over the moon. I have suddenly understood that little things matter somehow! 

Blessings to all my blogger friends. Yours in Jesus-Christ. Nicky.

Friday night humour

One colleague sent us an email full of exam blunders!

At the end of a very good but tiring day, I quickly glanced at the first ones. Tonight I thought some of them would cheer you up too.
Bros and sis in Christ,  have a blessed evening. N.

Skyping

is probably one of the most useful way of communicating with your family members abroad...that is to say when it works.

 Up to now, it was perfect! Recently as the system providers try to upgrade and 'better' the programme, a pop up keeps appearing every time I want to go on the main screen. It asks me if I want to forward the calls to a mobile number etc...and when I try to close this pop up, it will not close. Then if I insist the whole screen has a fit and as you know, goes blurry and says : skype..is not responding...
Let's say that I find it a little bit frustrating!
What is your best way of communicating with your close family and friends abroad?
Have a blessed evening.
N.

This is our God!

By Friday afternoon, I feel absolutely shattered. However I will persevere and do some chores, i.e. hoovering. I looked at the pile of ironing and decided that it could wait until tomorrow morning! And later on I thought I would read my friends' blogs. This is when I discovered the following song! Beautiful! You may know it already.



Have a blessed Friday evening!