Easter in Southport

At Easter, Steven booked us in a new CL as the one we used to go had shut. So we arrived at Marshbank farm at about 2 p.m. and were impressed straight away by the site! From a practical point of view, the grass was well cut and dry, the owner welcoming. He insisted that we should park our car outside the grassed area which was fair enough!
I just loved to look at the small family of lambs, ewes and rams. Further on the bank before the marsh, dozens of shell ducks were gathered minding their own business...at time being pretty noisy :)

 

On the Wednesday we met up with auntie Wendy and uncle Peter, cousin June and cousin Franck and had lunch. It was an emotional reunion as we spoke of Dad and remembered the good times when he was around.

These are a few photos I took as we went to the center of Southport. Steven went to visit his old school, Christ Church Higher grade School. It has been partially converted in a sport shop The rest of the week went fast. We also visited Churchtown botanical gardens and were appalled at the state of a few birds looking pretty sad and bored!

 We enjoyed meeting up with our friends  Cuan and Jeff at the Christian bookshop . I found enough books to keep me busy until half-term and I will review them later. On Sunday, we attended a lively service St Simon and St Jude with All Souls Church is situated on Old Park Lane

 How was your Easter break? I went back to work yesterday for 2 inset days and it feels surreal to think that last Friday we were admiring a beautiful sunset over the Banks!
Have a peaceful or exciting week-end! Yours in Christ. N.

How to become a disciple for Jesus?

Relationships...

If you want someone who will eat whatever you put in front of him and never say it's not quite as good as his mother's ...

then adopt a dog...

If you want someone always willing to go out, at any hour,for as long and wherever you want

then adopt a dog...
If you want someone who will never touch the remote, doesn't care
about football, and can sit next to you as you watch romantic movies.

..then adopt a dog. 

If you want someone who is content to get on your bed just to
warm your feet and whom you can push off if he snores

If you want someone who never criticizes what you do, doesn't care if you are pretty or ugly, fat or thin, young or old, who acts as if every word you say is especially worthy of listening to, and loves
you unconditionally, perpetually ..

BUT, on the other hand, if you want someone who will never come when you call, ignores you totally when you come home, leaves hair
all over the place, walks all over you, runs around all night and only comes home to eat and sleep, and acts as if your entire existence is solely to ensure his happiness ....

Then adopt a cat!

You thought I was gonna say... marry a man, didn't you?

Thanks Mandy for sharing this story!

Have a blessed evening! Yours in Christ. N.

Service cancelled due to bad weather

Due to the snowdrifts and bad access to Sandon church (a 10 o'clock service) our confirmation service had to be cancelled. Philip, our team rector phoned Bishop Jeff who was digging his car out of the snow up in Barlaston, just on time, and then succeeded to ring all the candidates. 
Fortunately it was decided that we would have a service (at 11:15) at Weston which is of a more accessible church with a better parking. The weather forecast was -I am told- looking quite good yesterday. It was a lovely Palm Sunday service, with excellent hymns, and well attended by parishioners all around Mid-trent churches team. The younger ones made different coloured palm leaves which we shook when we sang 'At the name of Jesus' composed by John Michael Brierley (b. 1932), one of my favourite hymn.
On a funny note, Imo decided to go for a walk with her friend Kathy and was looking for a pair of wellies (size 5). I told her to look in the garage to see if her sister's wellies (size 4) would fit. She found them and brought them to us complaining that there were bits of paper in it. So I emptied them in the garden and to our surprise, with the bits of paper came a fair amount of sunflower seeds. She tried them on but they did not fit. Some time she left. Then Steven, the good looking vicar (!) told me that the rural mice had probably selected those boots for their spring nest and hoard. I told you that the neighbour's cat Lucy always comes uninvited, thinking about it, I am glad that we have this cat keeping the rural mice at bay. 
Have a blessed Sunday. Yours in Christ. N.

Red pepper risotto

Tonight, Imo cooked herself a vegetarian risotto (serve 1 person) so I thought that I would share the recipe for you.
First you need 50 gr of risotto rice. Then cook it with a little bit of water and balsamic vinegar. When the rice starts to swell, gradually add in some stock  (250 ml of vegetable stock, she used a quarter of a stock cube diluted with Provence herbs) then dice 2 medium tomatoes, a red pepper and to finish put in some calamata and green olives. Also, tomatoe puree, gound black pepper, soya cream or normal cream, you could also add parmesan cheese. Stay by and stir continuously till it is cooked. (i.e. if you are like me, you may want to take 1 or 2 grains of rice and check).
I am impressed by my daughter's culinary skills since as far as I am concerned, every risotto I ever tried ended up in a mini disaster!
What about you? Do you like cooking risotto? Have a blessed evening. 

The advantages of caravaning..

Don't worry, I am not going to advertise caravaning as one of the best way to go on holidays but it has its advantages.

First, mobility; though you have to book in most C L and certainly abroad, if the weather goes for the worst, you can just mention it at the office, pay your due and go. If you are in a hotel or if you have booked in a B and B, it is more difficult. The second advantage is cooking. As you are able to cook, you do not have to eat in the hotel restaurant or march in town wherever you are to find a suitable restaurant. Of course we do go to the restaurant during the week but it is nice to eat your own food. Thirdly, comfort; depending on the make and size of your van, you will agree or disagree. After the daily excursion, you come back to a nice hot cup of tea or a cold drink depending on the season and you have the freedom to do whatever you feel like, discussing, reading, watching a dvd.

Last week-end, we went to visit some caravans. 

Some of them had a microwave, some didn't, some had a fitted bed, others had bunk beds. So are you tempted? Let me know.

Where shall we have lunch?

 At Jamie Oliver, Bristol. On the menu, WILD RABBIT TAGLIOLINI Slow-cooked ragù with garlic

& herbs, mascarpone & lemon, SEAFOOD BUCATINI, Tubularspaghetti steamed in a bag

with crab, mussels, clams, squid, scallops, capers, chilli, garlic, white wine & juicy sweet tomatoes

This was last week when we moved Camille's stuff in her shared house in Bristol. The food, service and welcome were superb!

Buffalo or wild boar?

I am a very proud mother, Camille was offered a position for a company based in the outskirts of Bristol.She is over the moon and so are we! Now, she needs to find an accommodation and so far, nothing has come up yet!  Yesterday we set out there from Cheltenham and with the help of the GPS it was an easy ride. We had lunch in the Gourmet Burger Kitchen. Camille couldn't decide between the buffalo or the wild boar! After coffee, we browsed in Oxfam Bookshop, Queen's road where I found some excellent books including the  Traite ' de l'amour de Dieu (Treatise Of the Love of God, 1616) written by Francis de Sales (1567-1622) . 

 However, there was a small hiccup, with hindsight I should have parked in a car park, you have guessed, I got a fine for parking in the 'motorcycle bay'. I was not very happy as we made sure that we were back on time at the car ...anyway...

Camille took me to a flat that she considered to let and as we were waiting to hear if she could visit it again this time with me, I spotted this gorgeous cat, a youngster, very interested by birds up in the tree.
Later on, the odds were stacked against that room for all kinds of reasons so looking for a house or a flat is back to the drawing-board. Will you join us in prayers. Have a blessed evening.

Getting ready to fly

Getting ready to fly, originally uploaded by bryanilona.

This robin is so cute!

Psalm101

Psalm101, originally uploaded by traqair57.

I will sing of your love and justice
to you, O Lord, I will sing praise.
I will be careful to lead a blameless life
when will you come to me?
I will walk in my house
with blameless heart
I will set before my eyes
no vile things
The deeds of faithless men I hate
They will not cling to me
Men of perverse hearts shall be far from me
I will have nothing to do with evil
Psalm 101:1-4

School children in Nigeria

Untitled, originally uploaded by Hands at Work.

Discover Hands at work, a charity that brings a message of Hope for Nigeria and other countries.

Link4Life Youth Team (UK)

Link4Life Youth Team (UK), originally uploaded by Hands at Work.

Discover Hands at Work!

Competition: vote for the best 2012 photo!

 Picture A  Tim's beloved dog

 Picture B  A fawn seen in Titchwell reserve, Norfolk

Picture C Princess G.P.

 Picture D Anybody coming?

Picture E Red shank having a rest!

 Picture F My sister Victoria all the way from the States keeping company to Steven

 Picture G Charles visiting Lichfield

 Picture H  A visit of Shugborough

 Picture I Look at me

 Picture J Glamour (my brother's dog) and Im in Niort

 Picture K Steve playing 'Great is the darkness..' in a French music shop in Niort

Picture L My brother Denis-Romain looking for a guitar!
To vote, choose the photo (only one) you like the most and use the comment form, leave your blog's name or website. Nicky

True joy at Christmas in Mid-trent Churches

Sunday 16th December
All Saints, Sandon - Carol Service 11.15.am
St. James the Less, Fradswell - Christingle and Carols followed by sherry and mince pies starting at 2.30.pmSt. James the Great, Salt - Carol Service at 4.00.pmAll Saints, Milwich - The Village Nativity. The congregation goes around the village starting at 4.00.pm in Church
St. John the Baptist, Stowe - Candlelit Carol Service at 6.00.pmSt. Rufin, Burston - Carol Service 6.30.pm followed by Mulled wine and mince pies
Monday 17th December
St Andrew's, Weston & Weston Methodists - Carols in the Woolpack 8.00.pm
Friday 21st December
St Andrew's, Weston -  Ingestre Singers Christmas Concert at 7.30.pm Tickets £5 pre book - 01889 200002 / 270594
Sunday 23rd December
St Peter's, Gayton - Team Carols Service and Communion 10.00

St Peter's, Hixon - Carols at the Inn at 7.00.pm where the 'Inn' is the Bank House
Monday 24th December - Christmas Eve
All Saints, Sandon -  Christingle at 4.00.pm.
All Saint's, Milwich - Crib Service 4.00.pmSt. Peter's, Hixon - Christingle 5.00.pm
St. Andrew's, Weston - Christingle Service 6.00.pmSt. James the Less, Fradswell - Christmas Communion 8.00.pm
St. Peter's, Hixon - Midnight Communion 11.30.pmAll Saints, Milwich - Midnight Communion 11.30.pm
St. James the Great, Salt - Midnight Communion 11.30.pmAll Saints, Sandon - Midnight Communion 11.30.pm
Tuesday 25th December - Christmas Day
St. Rufin, Burston - Christmas Communion 9.30.am
St. Peter's, Hopton - Christmas Communion 9.30.amSt. Andrew's, Weston - Christmas Communion 11.15.am
St. Peter's, Gayton - Christmas Communion 11.15.am
St John the Baptist, Stowe - Christmas Communion at 11.15.amSunday 30th December
All Saints, Milwich - Team Service at 10.00.am