"Noble Peace"

Whilst looking to see if today was the anniversary of anything noteworthy (I'm sure it is), I found this horse as favourite somewhere and feel that I should place a bid after perhaps consulting my accountant!

I've forgotten where and when it's running, so will need to check it out.

So today's big event will be me placing a bet on a horse.

Yesterday was filled with big events - Mary Sumner celebration, founder of The Mothers' Union.

This was a Godsend as I could preach on this rather than John 6, again and many of the congregations have been/are MU members and enjoyed the reminiscences and update.

It was also much less demanding than preaching on John 6, again.

This was followed by baptising the most delightful twin babies at church no 3.

They behaved pretty well, as did the church full of "those who love them".

A really uplifting occasion.

Home before 2.00pm to relax then prepare dinner, J and C coming, roast pork with stuffing, apple sauce, broad beans, baby carrots, purple sprouting, cauliflower and new potatoes, followed by B&j's cookie dough ice cream with fresh nectarines and wholemeal shortbread.

I'll work it off today, in the garden.

We then watched "Fake or Fortune", to see a wheeler dealer lose his £100,000 punt on a dodgy Chagall.

I was up early to enjoy the morning sitting in the conservatory and sorting out the calendar.

I have been pestered by a small fly, circling just above the floor around my legs, like a rampant shark.

It has bitten me three times and I now have murderous intent.

I know that they are necessary in the cycle of decay but, do they have to bite ?

With all of the world to fly in why do they queue up to fly around the conservatory the moment the door is opened and then head bang on the roof?

My lucky cat!

This is my lapis lazuli cat, a little damaged and short on ears but a beautiful colour - she doesn't photograph well!

I bought her in a charity furniture shop in Wales, on a shelf of tat, 4 items for a pound, and thought she may be old and certainly charming.

I have just sold her on an e bay auction for £12.45 + £3.30 p&p.

Not a great deal, but a very good return and good to know that she will be appreciated.

Since that sale , half an hour ago I have sold my roulette wheel with leather box of chips for more than twice what I paid for it at Hansons, and a Midwinter soup cup and plate, Mexicana pattern, if you are interested, for 4xcost, bought yesterday.

It may not make me a fortune, but is very pleasing.

Charitable recycling by connecting things of beauty with people who love them.

The following picture shows some other bargains from yesterday which I hope may have a similar future.

Can you recognise them?

I did buy six Stuart crystal sundae dishes (£2.99) that are so beautiful that I may have to keep them, at least for a while.

Yesterday was spent partly in Bromsgrove collecting car parts and breakfasting at a "greasy spoon"

Few spoons and little grease, but OK.

Today I visited Margaret in Coventry, we trained as Readers together 27 years ago.

After catching up on two years chatting we lunched at a local pub with her son, an archeologist.

Fascinating.

One chicken has gone awol tonight so have spent a while searching.

I hope she's in a tree.

Back to the grind tomorrow.

Answer to Q - 2 Stuart Woodchester and 2 Stuart Glengarry wine glasses, 80p each.

"Chicken Run"

Having been met by the chickens by the back door, I have to admit that they have made an escape route from the run.

The bricks are beating them at the moment, until the new wire goes in.

They see no barriers to their free ranging so I have to keep an eye on the porch at this time of year.

Yesterday I found them in the conservatory, freshly vacuumed and mopped, when I went in with baby Bethany and her Mum.

Bethany was enthralled, for the ten seconds it took to do the formal eviction!

A breezy Sunday morning.......

About to have breakfast before church, scrubbed up and ready for most eventualities.

My chickens do not realise that they are not elderly ladies in a senior living home.

Strange.

Walking by, up, on and over the Arrow.

Yesterday we planned a day off in Alcester, a very attractive little town with lovely walks down to the river, some interesting shops and a cafe by the church with good food.
K researched a walk by the river but neither of us could persuade the printer to produce a copy.
We went to the library and collected the brochures for walks in the locality before brunch in the cafe, then set off on a 4 mile walk across, along the river Arrow, past Cold Comfort Farm (really) and back into town.
Obviously, Alcester doesn't have a team of footpath volunteers as does Shustoke.
We saw only one sign all day, did a lot of back-tracking and covered well over the predicted mileage.
No problem really, Arrow church was lovely, but locked, with a well-maintained churchyard, and we found a beautiful mill pond, miles off the route.
We shopped at Waitrose and meandered home for plaice, new potatoes and sugar snaps.

I have spent nearly all of today preparing Sunday's sermon on John 6, 24 - 35.
I think it works, I hope so.
J and baby Bethany came round for a cup of tea, sitting in the sunshine in the garden, this afternoon, which may have helped.

I'm ready for bed!

Home Alone.

W, MK, J and DK left on Tuesday afternoon so the house seems very quiet.

DK had two orange legs after his operation on Sat, replacing the red and blue versions the previous week.

He was such a brave, cheerful little soul, racing J around the yard in his wheelchair, J on the bike, always flat out whatever the form of transport.

The whole family are now out of the country.

Today I almost finished the washing then started a blitz on the house, neglected for a couple of weeks.

I did' even finish downstairs as I cleaned the windows, buffed up the silver (having found that it really doesn't need more than a good rub, if not too tarnished) and put the odd thing on e bay, as I went along.

Very little e bay activity this weekend.

Is it just my things or is it that everyone's on holiday.

I've put my lovely oak chest of drawers on, which necessitated moving it to stand by the stable door, for a better backdrop, then washing it down.

Just had a bath and now in bed so I shouldn't be using this at all.

Some photos too post when I can find them.

Work in progress!

The tree house, just needs a floor, walls........

Visitors please come in work clothes!

Views from the Tree House.

And another.

The site manager/builder/designer had an accident yesterday so no progress.

He did not fall from the tree.

He kicked a solid chair leg whilst walking around the house barefoot and has a partially disconnected toe nail, now dressed and much less painful after a night's sleep.

Work will resume later.

The wood shed door, along with it's opening device (12 pulleys and 20m rope) are to be recycled.

A double whammy as anyone who has opened the wood shed will realise!

J and DK have both been up he ladder to check out progress, despite one of the four legs involved being in plaster.