In search of a word.

 Yesterday my hibernaculum project ended for this year.  It started on my birthday back in October and ended Easter Sunday.  To mark the occasion I bought some alstroemeria (one of my favourite indoor flowers) and reduced the candles from twelve to three.  The mice didn't need the warmth of the fire anymore so they went back to the mantle piece to say their prayers.    Obviously there are other changes in the house but for me this was the symbolic transition.

But it leaves me a (minor) problem.  What is the new period to be called?  It's not summer yet and spring is partly over.  Maybe it will be subdivided: it's over seven months long so that is a possibility.  

Any ideas?  

That was March, that was.

It's been quite a while since I did a monthly review of what's been happening in my life but, today is the day!

A huge chunk of the month (seventeen nights) was spent dog sitting.  Holly and I enjoyed a few cuddles but we neither of us enjoyed the flood.  However, the response by friends and tradespeople was wonderful.  Community is great!

I've been helping make up jigsaws ready for West Lindsey Open Churches in May when we are hoping to have a great display and sale.   It's been an excellent social activity for quite a few people.  

I've lead worship on four Sundays.  Yesterday we couldn't use the church building so we decamped to the village hall.  There is a loo being installed in the church so it was a very worthwhile move!

I conducted two funerals.  One lady was 99 and the other was 101. Each was a celebration of a life well lived.  

I've been out for quite a few lunches or tea and cake meet ups.  These are a great way for me to meet up with friends as we live in various villages so it make sense to meet in Brigg when we go shopping rather than make special journeys to each others villages.

I've completed two scarves which will be sent to the Salvation Army for the residents of its hostel.  I've again been commissioned as an elf for Santa as he needs three scarves for children.  

I've enjoyed my hibernaculum.  But it's been lovely to see signs of spring as well.

Archbishop Sarah

 

Canterbury 2026

Yesterday I watched the Installation of Sarah Mullally as Archbishop of Canterbury.  It was wonderful to see African dancers, to hear the Gospel read in Spanish, to see Church leaders of many denominations taking part, to watch her being blessed in the Bemba language from Zambia.

It was a marvellous weaving of new music, traditional liturgy.  Her morse on her cope was fashioned from the buckle from her nursing belt but she sat on the ancient Chair of St Augustine.

It was moving to hear her support of all who have suffered because of the actions or inaction of church leaders.  

Celebrations at St Paul's 2024

When the previous archbishop took office in 2013 there were no women bishops in the Church of England.  Two years ago I went to London for the national celebration of the thirtieth anniversary of the first ordinations of women to the priesthood.  Bishop Sarah (as she was then) presided at that service.  She thanked those of us ordained in 1994 because without what we did then, she would not be able to do what she does now.  

Archbishop Sarah, I feel proud and humble.  May God bless you.  

Reading about winter

 

Maybe someone would like to know what inspired me to take a different view of winter.  I hope so as I'm about to tell you.  None of the articles or books I list has entirely explained my own hibernaculum experience but all have helped. 

I read "Worried about winter? 10 ways to thrive – from socialising to Sad lamps to celebrating the new year in April"  back in November 2024 but didn't do much about it.  I've added a link so you can find this article in The Guardian.  It's about a book written by Dr Stephanie Fitzgerald called The Gifts of Winter.   And I enjoyed the book.

"Winter is coming, but don't panic!" was another article in The Guardian, this time in November 2025.  The main source for this one was  Kari Leibowitz who wrote  "How to winter".  Not as helpful to me as The Gifts of Winter but I still enjoyed it.

One widely recommended book in, "Wintering: the power of rest and retreat in difficult times" by Katherine May.  It didn't do much for me though.

I've included links to the articles and to the books on Amazon UK.  Actually, I listened to the books rather than reading them - my knitting has come on a treat!

Spring is sprung, the grass is ris'

 I wonder how the hibernaculum is?  

It's still lovely, thank you for asking.  And it will continue to Easter Sunday as I have previously decided. I know most people will be feeling heartily sick of winter and are happy to welcome spring.  I'm happy to welcome spring, but winter has been very different for me this year.

Don't get me wrong: it is lovely to see spring.  It's just that it was also lovely to see winter revealing its treasures too.  Back in the autumn I realised that if I spent winter wishing for spring, I could be wishing around a third of my life away.  Instead I would try and see winter as different and yet still good.

I watched clouds, raindrops, snow and also bright sunny days and very windy ones.  I loved getting out when it was sunny and was happy to remind myself on foggy days that I had a perfect excuse for knitting and listening to a book.  I decorated my sitting room with (LED) candles but I fetched snowdrops from the garden and daffodils from the supermarket and gloried in them.  

I cooked soups and casseroles, fish pies and warming tagines.  I drank lots of coffee and fruit and herbal teas and had salads only occasionally.  I welcomed friends and was happy to visit or meet them in a local hostelry but I also relished my solitude.  

Some days I felt low but I could observe myself non-judgementally and have an occasional duvet day, confident that things would be better the next day.  

Quite honestly, the main change was in my attitude and, maybe, my beliefs.  Winter is what it is. I am who I am.  We rubbed along very well.  

Four slices of bacon and a maulifuff

Bacon butties are the tradition when Jack comes.  I use very nice bacon.  Dry cured.  From my butcher.  It's rather expensive but I buy a kilo at a time and wrap packs of two rashers which makes a very generous filling for a bread roll.

Last time he came I took two packs from the freezer the day before so they could defrost overnight.  And could I find it next morning?  No way.  I searched in all likely (and quite a few unlikely) places but it had disappeared.  I thought it might have got caught up in rubbish for the bin.  I took two more packs from the freezer and we had those.  

I said a few weeks ago that my plan was to sort the dining room before Easter.  Well there are are still two weeks to go but I have to report that I have been an excellent maulifuff.  (Maulifuff is an old Scottish word for a woman devoid of energy, who would happily do nothing for hours on end.)  Very little has changed in the dining room.  I hope this is no surprise to my fellow maulifuffs.  

However, a somewhat drastic situation meant that I decided to collect all stray paperwork from all over the house.  I'm sure you will have guessed what comes next.  I'd put the four slices of bacon, carefully wrapped in greaseproof paper, among a heap of papers.

I think that makes me a gold star maulifuff !

This is definitely not a holiday!

 

I'm staying with Holly again and this time it is definitely not a holiday! G (Holly's regular human) has gone to visit her family in South Africa so I am here for eighteen nights.

Holly lives about seven miles from my own home, so, when I am here I go home every couple of days to use my wet room and sort whatever needs sorting.  Just after I stepped out of the shower this morning G rang from South Africa (a Mermaid had rung her) to tell me that the header tank in her house had leaked and the house was flooded.  I dashed back and found water running down the walls and stairs and all the electrics had failed.  Oops.

But the response was amazing.  The other two Monday Mermaids were there in minutes with buckets mops and towels.  We got a plumber within the hour and an electrician within two.  Soon the plumbing was repaired and the electricity supply restored for most of the house.  We had even sorted emergency accommodation for Holly Dog if needed!   (If the electricity hadn''t been restored I would not have been able to stay here.)

But I can stay.  The hallway is still soaking wet but I can bypass that.  The central heating won't come on but I have a couple of electric heaters.  People have lent a dehumidifier and a carper shampooer to suck up the water.

But no way could this be called a holiday.

The Tuneless Choir

 

Debbie insists we must breathe!

I am sure that all Brits of a certain age will remember Eric Morecambe telling Andre Previn that he always played the right notes but not necessarily in the right order.  Apparently there are choirs full of Erics.

A Tuneless Choir director came to our Women's Institute today to talk about her singers.  They all come along saying they can't sing but somehow she has formed them into a choir.  Their motto is "Sing like no-one is listening".  I've added a link to their web site.

Debbie used to teach music in schools but since she retired she's been inspiring adults to have a go.  This morning we sang "I have a dream" and, while we won't be singing at The Albert Hall any time soon, we had great fun.  There were a few percussion instruments available and one of our members played her kazoo to add to the general cacophony.

And it was good to hear that their linked charity is Mind, the mental health charity, because choral singing is great for mental health.