I may!

 

I may have been away from this blog a lot but I think I have done a lot this month.

I led worship at three different churches.

I hosted three lunches at home for friends and took three cousins together for a pub lunch to celebrate their birthdays.  All three cousins have birthdays in May or June.

I did five on line workshops with the WI.

I went swimming once.

I made a couple of Christmas decorations.

I had my annual health checks and it appears that I am still alive.  Always good to know.

I had a five night holiday staying with my nephew near Worcester.

I had a day on a canal boat with two friends and their dog.  This was very interesting - they have just bought a solar powered narrowboat with all mod cons.  Even the dog approves as they now cruise silently with not even the chug of the engine to disturb him.  (Very daft dog!)  Solar power even runs a washer/dryer as well as a fridge, freezer and everything else regular narrow-boaters could want. 

I went dog sitting for ten days.

And somewhere along the line, found time to breathe.  I hope to repeat this feat in June.

TWAHAM

 TWAHAM?  That was April, how about May!  

I used to write the occasional post like this years ago but haven't done so for ages.  So here goes!

April

I made my Christmas cards apart from the inners.

I made strenuous efforts to keep energy consumption low. 

I started a coding course but realised it’s not for me!

I celebrated, very quietly and alone, the thirtieth anniversary of my priestly ordination.

I led worship at three different churches as well as my regular on line commitment.

I got a video doorbell.   I decide that I need to get things whilst I can still learn how to use them!

I did three nights dog sitting

I joined the Scottish National Trust again.   They ask only £62.40 where as the National Trust (for England) would want £91.20.  My Scottish card gets me into English and Welsh properties and, although I won't get an (English) handbook, all the information in it is available on line.  

I hosted a couple of lunches. 

I went to a confirmation for a severely autistic (non verbal) man.  His faith expresed through that service, moved me to tears.  

May

I'm taking a short holiday, staying with my nephew in Worcestershire.

I'm booked for ten nights dog sitting. 

Im booked to lead worship on three Sundays. 

I have thee more lunches to host.

And my garden is coming into bloom!

Bring it on!

Making simple things super

Three of us always go out to celebrate each other's birthdays.  The "birthday girl" chooses the pub or restaurant, the other two pay.  

When I rang Jane recently she didn't want to go to a pub.  Midsummer birthdays can be celebrated with a picnic, she said.  She'd even provide the picnic she said.

No way, I said.  It's your birthday so Sarah and I will provide the picnic.

Then I regretted it.  Sarah has been hospitalised twice in the last couple of months.  She's not well.  So guess who would have to do the lion's share?

I made it as easy on myself as I could.  Most things ordered from Mr Tesco.  And delivered by Mr Tesco's lad.  Just a bit of cooking.

But presentation makes or mars anything.  To make things easier we decided to have the picnic in Jane's garden, a glorious setting.  I took my banqueting table and my starched table linen.  Plastic was banned from the scene.

Jane with Riot and Pandemonium, her cats

Even Jane's cats seemed to approve (not surprising with the wonderful fish we were eating!)Truly a simple meal was made super

A wonderful day

This is just a very short post to say I've had a wonderful day.  I cooked a tasty dinner of roast pork, pigs in blankets, apple sauce, roast potatoes and parsnips, peas, beans, carrots followed by apple pie and summer pudding.  No-one left the table complaining of being hungry!

And I had time with people I love.  I'm a bit short on close family as I have neither married nor had children and my only sister died a few years ago.  Her only son and his wife live in Belgium and I see them perhaps twice a year for just a couple of hours.  My 89 year old aunt is my closest relative and my cousins are all very important to me.  I am truly blessed to have a loving extended family.

So now it's just me and the washing up.  (Don't worry, I've got a dishwasher!)

They come to my table

Today I am having a lovely day getting ready to entertain guests to lunch tomorrow.  Four members of my extended family are coming and I am so looking forward to it!    I live alone and so normally eat alone.  When guests come I want to enjoy their company so I do as much as I can before the day so I don't get too tired. 

I've just set the table and that's a job I love.  I use "best" crockery and cutlery all the time as I don't want to be like my grandmother who was very proud of her complete tea service which she used only twice in the seventy years she had it.  I've collected Haddon Hall crockery since I was eighteen and I use the plates, mugs and dishes daily.  Many pieces were gifts for birthdays and Christmas

But as I put things on to my table I delight in the memories.  The linen tablecloth was my grandmother's and it only sees the light of day when I have guests.  The cutlery was a gift from two dear friends to celebrate my ten years of being ordained.  Some of the glasses belonged to my late sister and some to my mother and although I use odd pieces when I'm on my own it's when I have guests that I really enjoy using it.

There will be just five of us sitting down for lunch.  But far more have come to my table

Horses for courses

If you read Flylady.net you will know that CHAOS is Can't Have Anybody Over Syndrome and I have it BIG Time!  I need the best part of a month's warning of visitors.

However, it's a characteristic which I have learned to live with and indeed to exploit.  Ever since I had my first truly independent home I have invited people to come for meals becuase that's the best way I know of making myself do some tidying up.

When I lived in a vicarage it wasn't too much of a problem - there were enough rooms just to shove the clutter behind closed doors but in my current "bijou" residence it's rather more of a challenge and a challenge which I take on rather less frequently.

But this Sunday I have no services to take and so I have four guests coming for lunch, that's one very elderly aunt, two cousins and the wife of a cousin who is also a great friend.  So, for the past couple of weeks (yes seriously) I have been directing my attention to Getting The House In Order (it deserves capitals).

And today the truly wonderful Jack has been again.  Not only is Jack a gardener he is a wonderful friend and he is very well house trained.  Just to make matters even more complicated I had to conduct a funeral today so all I could do in my own house was to direct operations.  Jack has altered a couple of cupboards in the kitchen, moved the fridge and freezer and cleaned the floor, cleaned the kitchen, moved my sewing stuff from the sewing/dining room, cleaned the sewing/dining room, vacuumed most places AND he has shifted about a ton of gravel, dug over my veg patch, dug up the remaining potatoes and the ravaged brassicas and consumed four pots of tea.  All that in five hours.

I was exhausted just watching him but tomorrow I will get everything ready for Sunday - actually I've got most of the food in the freezer already.

And Jack said he'd rather do what he had done today four times over than conduct a funeral.

Definitely horses for courses.