beautifulstone

2006-06-15T23:29:00.000+01:00

Well this is it - the first lot of official church publicity for X:site is complete. Here is a sneak preview of the front sheet. Tomorrow I'm off to Divisional Head Quarters (sounds like I should be meeting with Miss Moneypenny or Q!) of the Salvation Army to photocopy the rest of the info that will go out along with this. We heard this week that we have received some money from a key church and so this means that we can start moving forward with things that have been on hold - like sending out this publicity, and having an official email address. We are really thankful for this gift.

I am also in the process of writing personal support letters to try and raise funds to cover my 2 days a week that I will be devoting to working on X:site Birmingham, but also assisting with the national coordination. I hate this kind of thing (asking people to support me, not the work itself!), but it has to be done.

Kind of wierd to see it all official now. Makes me realise that this vision is becoming a reality! Scary. But very exciting.

2006-06-10T10:15:00.000+01:00

I got the job! They phoned yesterday at 10am and offered it to me. Wahoo! I will start the first week in July.

2006-06-09T07:55:00.000+01:00

I'm waiting for a phone call. Apparently they will call or write to me today to let me know whether I have the job or not. It's a pretty fast decision but I guess they want to get on with it.

So how did it go? Well I arrived in plenty of time (after much fervent prayer whilst sitting stationary in a traffic jam on the motorway on the way there) and I was taken straight into the interview room. There were 3 folk on the panel - the director of Venture and Falcon Camps (the are I would be working in) the coordinator for the Falcon camps and one of the three coordinators for the Venture camps. The latter two were lovely ladies who were encouraging, smiled and nodded whilst I was answering the questions. The director however just seemed like he didn't want to be there. Whilst the ladies were asking me questions he was looking out of the window, fiddling with his pen, anything but looking at me. Maybe it was some high powered distraction technique to see how I coped, but I think not. I felt like I answered all the questions fairly well, even the one "so what do you think you won't like about this job?" which kind of threw me and was hard to answer since I don't know all the details of what the job entails.

But they asked me one question which I really flounderered with. They said you are obviously very enthusiastic about the work you do and about administration and organisation, but would you do if you were working for a manager who isn't. So I started to explain about a situation I had been in before at the GP practice where I was really enthusiastic to change things, to organise systems and others weren't, because they wanted to do things they way they always had, and how I had worked with them, gained their trust and respect, explained clearly what my ideas and intentions were, made sure I heard their thoughts etc. And then they ask again, yes but what if it isn't that they aren't willing, it's just they aren't passionate about that kind of thing. I explained that everyone has different passions and that is ok, so long as I'm passionate about my job. Then the man turns and says yes but you will be working for me and to be honest I'm not hugely passionate about administration. So I tried again: well I think that's ok, because I'll be the one doing the administration surely? And as long as I'm passionate about what I'm doing that's what matters right? But I just didn't feel like I was getting the question or something, because it seemed kind of obvious to me but they didn't seem to get it. The director also said that they hadn't asked for huge amounts of qualifications or experience and I obviously had both so why was I applying for this job and how did it fit in with my career path. A good question but he had already asked me why I wanted the job, what interested me about it etc. And I told him that I don't have a career path mapped out. I know what things are important to me in a job and I know the area I feel I'm called to work in and that is with children and with something that involves organisation. That's it. I kind of felt like he was saying you've managed an office, what do you want to do admin here for. But right now this is where I feel would be right for me. Yes I might not have huge responsibility at first, but for one I have that in other areas of my life and with the work I'm doing with X:site, and also I'm sorry but I don't see administration as a low-life job, but something that underpins everything else that takes place there. My experience of work has always been that I've entered into an organisation doing the seemingly "menial" tasks and then as I've proved myself in them, I've moved up. I thought a christian organisation would be different in terms of expecting people to be desperate to get on up the career ladder. He also went on about how far it was to come (it takes 40 minutes). I tried to explain that it wasn't really an issue for me and that actually it can easily take 40 minutes to get across the other side of the city centre to a job, and it's quite a nice drive out of the city actually.

Anyway I don't know if it was just me feeling insecure with this guy and like he hated me, because the other two ladies were lovely. After the interview I had to a small scenario test - just putting tasks in order of priority and giving reasons for your decisions. Then another lady in the Ventures team showed me round. She graduated 2 years ago and has worked there since and seems really lovely. The place is all open plan and everyone is equal - the director of the whole CPAS organisation just sits at a similar desk across the room. There is an optional prayer time each day at 12 with different people leading it. It was pretty quiet everywhere (felt like I had to whisper!) but everyone was really friendly and as Laura was showing me round they all stopped and chatted to me.

So I came away thinking of all the things I could have said, should have said etc. I think that everyone always does that. Fiona had prayed on Wednesday that I would know when I was there if it was right and that would match whether I got the job or not. I came away completely down the line. I mean I liked it, I liked the place, I liked the people. I think I would like to work there. I don't see myself there for the rest of my life working as an administrator, but for right now it's perfect. I felt like the director didn't necessarily like me, but that could be me and it could be the situation we were in. But on the other hand if I didn't get the job, I bizarrely feel like that would be because God doesn't want me there. Because I did the best job I could at the interview and I am more than qualified (in fact my over qualification seemed the problem!) And perhaps it wouldn't have worked with him. But now it's just the waiting......

2006-06-08T08:27:00.000+01:00

I have a job interview this morning (10:15) at CPAS. This is the Church Pastoral Aid Society and they are an evangelical Anglican mission agency working with churches and communities across the UK to "inspire and enable churches to reach everyone in their communities with the good news of Jesus Christ". They have a large emphasis on children and youth. The job is the for the position of administrator for the Falcon and Venture residential holidays they run for children and young people. It's a good job. It's 3 days a week, so I will spend the other 2 working on X:site. In some ways it is very similar to Scripture Union and the people I have spoken to at SU who have good contact with the guys at CPAS, so it's a good organisation, nice people and a lovely office environment. I think I would like this job. I know I do, but I'm scared of thinking like that too much in case I don't get it.

The thing is I've never had a proper job interview. The only interview I have ever had was to get into nursing at Birmingham University. Apart from that it has always been by word of mouth, or by working in one capacity and then be given a better higher up job through that. I know I can think on my feet, I know I can come across quite well. But I am still scared. What happens if they ask me to think of a scenario when..... and I can't? They are not trying to catch me out I must remember that. I must just be myself right? I've read through my application form, I've thought of some possible questions and their answers, I've read through the information on the organisation, I've prayed. There isn't anything else right?

Oh man I feel real queasy and nervous. If you are of the praying variety - please pray! Will let you know how it goes.

2006-06-02T15:50:00.000+01:00

Well I said I would start writing again here and then haven't for 2 weeks! Sorry!

Things have been busy with lots of work for X:site. This is the children's event I'm involved in setting up. This has been quite a journey and I'm going to tell you about it now! Just over a year ago, after Spring Harvest 2005, Julie spoke to me about X:site Leeds. Julie works for Scripture Union and is the one who really got me into children's work properly. I met her when I first volunteered at Spring Harvest in 2004 and she just believed in me, encouraged me, and involved me in lots of different things. Julie set up X:site in Leeds in 2004, following a real passion to see children from across the city coming together to develop a relationship with Jesus, to get into the Bible, to pray, to worship and to have LOTS of fun! And it had to be relevant, interactive, high tech, cool and appealing to the kids (aged 7-11). So X:Site Leeds was born. In May 2005, after hearing lots about X:site, I went to one of the events, and loved it. And I found myself thinking "wouldn't this be amazing in Birmingham" But I really felt that I couldn't do it. I didn't have any contacts, and who was I anyway - I'd only been a Christian for 5 years and I didn't know how to run an event like this.

So I went away from there, but kept thinking about it. Then I met Emma, who had volunteered at Spring Harvest too, and lives in Birmingham and she came to X:site and loved it and thought "oh wouldn't this be amazing in Birmingham"!! But the two of us still didn't think that we could do it. Partly because we both felt completely inexprienced and partly because we didn't just want to run it ourselves, but we wanted the whole philosophy of it to be whereby people from across the city "owned" it and ran it. And we didn't know anyone across the city! So we kept on thinking about it, but that was it.

Since then Emma and I have been involved in helping to lead the children's programmes at the World Baptist Congress and Spring Harvest and have discovered a lot more about what it takes to run an event like this. But we still didn't feel it would work. We kept thinking, if only there was someone else - someone who knew people in the city, someone who had these connections. Then along came Anne! Anne is a children's worker at Riverside church and happened to be sat at the dinner table at a Scripture Union conference, next to Jan who helps lead X:site Leeds. Anne was saying how she had a desire to see children coming together from across the city but she didn't know in what format, how, who etc. And Jan said X:site and gave her Emma and my phone number! So we met and Emma and I both then felt that it was right now and we should get on with it! So we started meeting and praying, and we put together an information pack and sent it out to churches and christian organisations to try and recruit a core team.

Well we now have a core team of 12 and have the event dates booked! Our first event is January 2007, which feels like a long way away, but I'm sure that time will fly. We have just designed the church publicity and are having a very exciting envelope stuffing party in 2 weeks! I am doing all the administration (funnily enough!) and am actually planning on taking 2 days a week to work solely on X:site stuff (I've just applied for 2 jobs both 3 days a week). As X:site has taken off in other locations too (Calderdale, Sutton, Gloucester, Preston), Julie has moved to coordinate it nationally and I'm working with her and Mark (from Leeds) on issues at a national level, which is really exciting. I'm on a steep learning curve, but am really loving it.

If you want to find out more about X:site you can check out the website: http://www.xsite.uk.net and soon there will even be a specific Birmingham section! But I will keep you updated on how it goes.

2006-05-21T16:38:00.000+01:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MELANIE!!!

I've decided to restart blogging here, and my opening blog is a tribute to my incredible friend Melanie who got me blogging in the first place back in March 2004 and whose birthday it was yesterday.

I met Melanie in February 2004 and despite her living in Canada and us only spending 9 days together in those 2 years, my life has not been the same since! Here are just a few things that I have learnt, discovered, experienced in this time:

1. Pears and peanut butter
2. How to abide by the ER rules (I think the threat to have me deported from the country if I broke them helped!)
3. Crazy cycling along the beach in Belgium
4. Tree climbing
5. Ice tea, dill pickle dip and chips
6. Immense unconditional love
7. Falling asleep whilst listening to M writing essays through the incredible invention of Skype
8. Swimming in the ocean together
9. A window into the world of an awesome archivist
10. Crazy levels of grace
11. Painting together on the apartment floor
12. Brutal honesty
13. Some of the intracies of Tour de France (and cycling in general!)
14. Side splitting laughter
15. Tears
16. The world's worst ever sunburn
17. Phone calls in the middle of the night
18. The toilets in the chaplaincy
19. Brennan Manning, Vinyl Cafe, Sara Groves, Great Big Sea
20. Being heard, understood and known

There are more, so many more (like me driving Melanie and Nathan's car - I have never seen M quite so scared!!!) Melanie you are loved, treasured, appreciated, heard, wanted, enjoyed, and celebrated by myself and many many others. Happy Birthday my friend.

2005-09-03T18:06:00.000+01:00

I think one of God's greatest gifts to humans was enabling us to swim.

Since starting work at the GP practice on Wednesday I have been running once and swimming twice. I don't know why, but the routine of work has encouraged me to get back into doing exercise again. And not really for physical reasons, although sitting at a desk all day does make me crave the pool, but it always really helps me psychologically. When I swim my head is clear and I just focus on my breathing and my lengths. I tend to work 8-4 so it means that I can go swimming after work. Today I had planned to swim, but then felt really lethargic. I decided that I would appreciate it once I'd been so I forced myself to go and once in loved it. I was in the fast lane (as someone decided to use the medium lane for learning how to swim!!) with these two guys and so decided to show them what us girls are made of! I did 50 lengths in just over 25 minutes, so was well pleased. Plus the guys ended up being your typical male swimmer - blast up and down for 2 lengths looking all athletic and then stop and stand in the shallow end for about 5 minutes talking about muscles and six packs! This is my pool:

Its really old fashioned and the showers are open ones at the end of the pool, so I usually have a VERY quick shower. Today I stayed in longer because I was watching a funny scene. There were these African women in the pool who wouldn't get out at the end of the session (I swam until 3:30 when it closed). The lifeguard was getting very irrate and in the end I suggested hooking them out with the lifesaving pool. Thankfully, for them, he didn't resort to that.

After swimming I went to Cafe Nero (for the second time as before swimming I had met a friend there) and read and journalled. Cafe Nero has now become unconsciously associated with quiet, calm and safety. So whenever I go it helps me to find those things.

I'm off now to create a financial budget for myself. Oh the exciting world of being grownup!

2005-08-28T09:42:00.000+01:00

I'm back. Sort of in one piece. I seriously don't think I've EVER felt this tired. Up at 6:45 and not sitting down once (except for a couple of 10sec toilet stops!) until lights out at 10:00pm. Then another meeting until 11:30. Finally falling into bed at midnight ready to start all over again the next day. We didn't even get to sit down to eat a meal as we would be serving and clearing away the entire time. I enjoyed it, there were some fantastic moments, but I did struggle with not being able to get any time to myself. No time to think, to reflect, to just be. But it was a learning experience.

These are the kids from my group when we went to flamingo land (a rather tacky theme park).

This is the entire group outside the castle.

Well I finally have a date for my job interview - 20th Spetember. Up until then I'm going back to the GP practice where I worked last summer. I enjoyed that last year so I hope it should be fun.

2005-08-19T10:30:00.000+01:00

So today I am off to do a week long children's camp up in North Yorkshire (thats the top right bit of England.) I'm working with Scripture Union again (the folks I was working with at the World Baptist Congress) We have 54 kids going aged 8-11 years. We will be doing games, craft, trips outs, Bible teaching, small group work. So it should be great fun, but shattering as it is pretty much 24/7. If they don't sleep, we don't sleep! We will be staying at this VERY posh boarding school, that is run by Benedictine Monks (although I'm not sure they will be about whilst we are!). Tons of famous folk - although I can't remember any names right now - have gone to school there. It's in the middle of nowhere. Check out these pictures of it:

It's all very English. Looks like the setting for a Harry Potter film!

See you in a week!

2005-08-17T23:09:00.000+01:00

"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings."

A friend once challenged me, in one of my darkest times, to try, at the end of everyday to find 5 things to be thankful for. As hard as it sometimes was, there were always 5 things. So today I woke up feeling good about the day, which I haven't been feeling of late really. So I decided this morning that today I would look out for and note 5 blessings. Melanie once said that God is always blessing us, but often we don't see it. Another quote I found says:

"Count your blessings. Once you realize how valuable you are and how much you have going for you, the smiles will return, the sun will break out, the music will play, and you will finally be able to move forward the life that God intended for you with grace, strength, courage, and confidence."

I think that's true. So my 5 for today:

1. gorgeous summery day (and there was a magnificent sunset) when it's light and bright, I feel so much more open, relaxed, warm and content.
2. lunch with hannah - good times with an old friend. They say that an old friend can be like a good pair of slippers - I personally don't like slippers, but in some ways I understand the metaphor.
3. waking up refreshed and ready for the day and wanting to get up and on
4. Having one of those moments, when it suddenly hits you, that actually you are really loved.
5. the feel of squidgy, muddy feet and laughter with a new friend

The last one I will explain more when I blog tomorrow. All in all a good day. I do hope the rest of you folks have had a blessed day.

2005-08-15T12:45:00.000+01:00

Well after reading Marsha's comment on Melanie's blog about stories of Italian men, I suddenly realised that I never blogged about the rest of my trip to Belgium!! So here goes....

Well in a bizarre way as if we lived near each other all the time, Melanie and I met at Brugge train station and caught the train to Oostende. For me trains aren't that exciting because we take them all the time, but for Canadians they are apparently a rarity. So once we got Oostende, we set about finding a bike - and not just any bike - a 4 wheeler bike. So we hire this bike and Melanie starts off driving - and I'm clinging onto my steering wheel - that is just for show and doesn't do anything! Melanie starts doing slalom round these posts and executing almost perfect 90o handbreak turns. I'm doing pretty well at remaining in my seat until she takes one rather a bit faster than the others and I just slide right off the chair and am hanging on for dear life (ok so maybe it wasn't quite as life threatening as it sounds - but it was pretty close!) Here is Melanie and I, whilst stationary:

I did get my own back when I took over driving, and kept narrowly missing innocent bystanders (ok so I don't have great spacial awareness!)

Then it was getting warmer and so we decided to make camp down on the beach. It was still really cloudy, but it was quite warm. It was lovely though just to sit and chat, and Melanie did put up incredibly patiently with my 'oh let's build a sand car' or 'oh let's build a sofa' - in fact I think she secretly enjoyed it as she became very possessive of her sand chair once she had made it! Here is Melanie um.....buried.

Here is Melanie looking very suave in her cool sunglasses

So we sat there and it got hotter and hotter and sunnier and sunnier. So then we decided to go for a swim (partly for necessity reasons too) and I educated Melanie on the finer art of getting changed under your clothes whilst sat on the beach, and whilst an annoying Italian man is staring at you. Half an hour later, Melanie is finally done and we hit the water. Suprisingly in comparison to the Indian ocean which I had swam in the previous week, it wasn't actually that cold. It was really cool swimming in the sea (and yes its a sea not an ocean) because it has always been one of my things to do with Melanie. Like we'll often joke and say, 'so do you want to come to beach with me today' but it has never been a possible reality until this trip.

So we left the beach about 5 and headed back to Kevin's house. As we were waiting at the train station in Oostende, Melanie was like 'oh my goodness Karen look at your face!'. As this was slightly difficult without the aid of a mirror, Melanie decides to take a photo of my face so I can see it. Let's just say it was slightly pink. Well perhaps more lobster like would be more truthful. As time past, both of us realised that we were in fact rather burnt - all over. That night the pain was excuciating and we both lay in bed with cold flannels on our bodies, moaning. The next morning I woke up and discovered that Melanie had spent all night in the loo and was looking rather rough. In some wierd way this was actually quite fortunate though as that night I got 15 mosquito bites (if you remember I got malaria in Tanzania and at this point was still on treatment. Malaria is passed by a mosquito biting me, collecting my malaria, biting someone else and giving it to them.) As this realisation dawned on me I was slightly worried about the possibility of me giving to Melanie, but because she was so sick she spent the night downstairs rather than with me.

Kevin and Melanie dropped me at the train station in Brugge before heading off to Amsterdam airport for Melanie's flight. I then pottered about in Brugge before getting the Eurostar back home. It's a beautiful city, here a few pics:

So I haven't told you anything about the Italian man, I'll leave that to M as she tells stories like that better. But if she doesn't tell all before Friday, then I will do the duty!

So it was a very short trip, and that made it hard in some ways. But it was definitely worth it. Fancy doing it again soon M?!

2005-08-13T23:29:00.000+01:00

Twice in one day hey! Well I have to make up for the rest of you not blogging (except am glad to see that Aimee has blogged today - and she has just got back from a long trip so what are the rest of your excuses?!) Its funny because I've had a really quiet week but seem to have lots to blog about for once.

I went out for a Balti tonight with a friend who now lives in London, who I haven't seen for a couple of years, Hannah and some others. I'm sat next to this guy and I don't know him so I decide to introduce myself. He says oh I know who you are, you used to do nursing right. I'm like yeah, and am frantically wracking my brains to try and remember who he is and whether I should know him. I'm ususally pretty good with remembering people, but with guy I didn't have a clue. He said yes I did Biomaterials and was in your lectures in the first year (for some crazy reason Biomaterials and nurses had biochemistry lectures together). That's right folks - FIVE years ago I sat in the same lecture theatre as him. Apparently, as he proceeded to tell me, I was one of the few nurses who would talk to him and the other biomaterials guys. So I'm glad to hear that I was nice to him, but I still don't remember him at all! I wonder how many people we meet in life, who we never think about again, but may still remember us. Crazy.

2005-08-13T17:26:00.000+01:00

Ok so the world of blogging seems a bit quiet at the moment. I don't think people know I'm blogging again as no-one has left any comments in months. So without sounding too desperate....PLEASE someone say something!!!

Today was a wierd sort of day. So far its been better than I had imagined when I woke up this morning. I had to go into town first thing, and before coming home I popped into the christian bookshop. So I'm in there looking for a book (that they didn't have) when my phone rings - and it's Melanie. I've now got used to talking to Melanie on the computer, as wierd as that was at first, but I still find it strange if she rings my mobile, because suddenly two worlds collide. It's like on some films when there is a phone conversation the screen splits and you see two people in two different worlds. So I'm there browsing in a christian bookshop and talking to Melanie at the same time. wierd.

I came home and did some work - tieing up some ends from the kids work week still. Sara then suggested that we go to Cafe Nero. Now I'm a bit wierd when it comes to Cafe Nero and other people. For me it is my sanctuary in some ways. I retreat there when I need space from the world, when I want to sit and write and whilst sometimes I do meet people there for coffee, I do like going on my own. But Sara has been really stressed recently and I felt like she was really trying to make an effort so I didn't want to say no. So I decided that I would go and she would join me a bit later after she had finished some more work. So I set out, in the torrential rain (yes this is the good old English summer) and sat and journalled and read for about 45 minutes, then Sara arrived and we did the crossword and read the paper. It was good. On the way home I popped into the Oxfam bookshop, but didn't get long to browse because they were closing.

So there you have it. Hope you Canadians are enjoying a real summer (not that I'm at all bitter and jealous!)

2005-08-12T16:27:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I text Jo and asked her if I could 'borrow' Rachel (who is the youngest of the 4 I usually look after and is 14 months old). So Jo dropped her off at 10 this morning. We had such a fantastic time. First of all I needed to blowdry my hair (because despite being summer its freezing at the moment) so I took her upstairs and we sat on my bed. She looked totally shocked when I turned the hairdryer on, and I was confused as to why. But then realised that she NEVER sees me with my hair down so it probably confused her.

I had suggested meeting up with Melanie so that she could meet Rachel - but we just couldn't manage to sort out a good time (because apart from that it would have been possible of course) and so Rachel and I made a little video for Melanie instead. Then we set off on our adventure. We took the bus into town to the central library. Rachel has never been on a bus before and so after getting used to it, during which she looked very panic stricken, she loved it. She started 'chatting' to all the people sat around us and would point and yell - and I mean yell - at all the things passing. Everytime someone rang the bell, she just laughed! I took a photo of her on my phone but I can't work out how to get it onto the computer.

So we got off the bus and went into the library. In the central library there is like this whole section called 'The centre for the child' so it's all child friendly and great. We played for ages with the toys and read lots of books. She would go off and 'collect' books and then return, plop herself in my lap and we would read them. Rachel is learning to walk at the moment and although can walk fine if she is holding you hand, she isn't too confident on her own, and since crawling is far quicker she tends to resort to that often. But I am cruel and make her walk! So we walked round and round the kids library. Then some other kids arrived (it had been really quiet up until then) and Rachel decides that she is going to show these kids her stuff. So she lets go of my hand, grabs a bookcase and starts crab walking sideways along it. Every now and again she would stop, look round at the kids, clap her hands and laugh. I was just cracking up.

So then we had to go and so I put her back in her pushchair and she went straight to sleep. So I decided to pop into the cathedral. I don't really know why it is the cathedral because it is smaller than my church, but it is. It's right in the centre (not the one in the Bullring for those of you who have visited Birmingham) and is always really quiet and tranquil. So I sat and prayed for a bit. I know God doesn't live in churches or any building, but sometimes I think its easier to shut out all other distractions when you are somewhere like that. Then we got the bus back and walked home. Nick and Jo and the kids are off on holiday this afternoon and so Jo was stressed with packing etc so I gave Rachel some lunch and then played out with her on the trampoline. Jo then picked up Ruth and dropped her home with me whilst she went to pick up the older 2. So I got away at about 3. But it was a really lovely morning. Just really relaxed and happy. So often I end up just carrying Rachel about whilst I sort the other 3, so it was nice to spend some quality time with just her.

Here are a few photos, but they aren't that great because they were taken from a video on my webcam. This is Rachel waving!

Anyway it was a great time. A real blessing.

2005-08-10T23:19:00.000+01:00

I found this postcard today. I took a photo of it to get it on to her, but its not great. I love the image though. It reminds me of the verse in the Bible: "He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted" from Isaiah 61.

Ok I totally felt my age today. I had to wait for something in town so I went to Starbucks and got a hot chocolate. So I'm sitting there reading my book, minding my own business, and this boy and this girl - and I say boy and girl because they were barely teenagers -walk in, sit down on each other and start, well lets just say they were closely examining each other's tonsils. It was gross. I was like - YOU ARE IN PUBLIC PUT EACH OTHER DOWN. Except don't worry I didn't shout that at them. And you know when you are trying really really hard not to look at something but you keep looking at it? Well it was like that. And at that moment I felt like a middle aged woman, despairing at the youth of today. aaahhhh what is happening to me?

2005-08-09T21:19:00.000+01:00

So I decided to take that walk along the railway track tonight. I took my camera and had a lovely time. I never think of just going out for a walk for the sake of it here. If I was at my parent's or out in the countryside I would. But I forget here in the city that there is beauty too. So it was wonderful. Here are some of the photos:

This is the start of the disused railway

This is the path

I love the colour of trees.

I walked past this house on the way back. I think this car may need some work!

This is a view over my neighbourhood, but you can't see our house.

Under the railway bridge

Evening sky

Sunset

Anyway, there is lots more there to discover and so I might go again tomorrow. I also had a bit of a look today for good tree climbing trees but didn't find any. Mind you I'm a bit of a wuss when it comes to tree climbing! Melanie can vouch for that!

2005-08-09T16:40:00.000+01:00

Yesterday evening I went and kicked the devil's butt. I didn't feel like going, but I forced myself to go for a run. Sara came with me and we did run for 2 mins, walk for 1min. We ran for 30 mins. I still got frustrated with myself because I can't run solid, but this is a good way of increasing stamina. The great thing about it was though that I discovered a totally new place in our neighbourhood. We went up and ran along this old disused railway. There is no track, it's now just a path, but it is real high up in the middle of these woods and so its like a secret hideaway. It was about 8pm and so there was this lovely dappled sunlight. It was just really pretty. It got a bit muddy further up so we had to turn around, but I really want to go back for a walk along there and discover some more. It's cool when you discover somewhere new, and especially when it's somewhere hidden.

2005-08-07T17:55:00.000+01:00

Ok I've just been arguing with myself. I wasn't going to write about my night at Hannah's, because although it was a lovely evening nothing major happened, nothing so interesting and exciting that you guys would really want to know. But then I thought why shouldn't I write about, it was fun and I enjoyed it. I'm thinking that maybe I need to start recognising and holding onto good times more, appreciating what I do have, enjoying the moment more. And maybe writing about those good moments here would help.

Hannah had invited me for dinner, but it was one of those occassions when I really didn't want to go out, I wanted to be a hermit and shut out the world. But when you are choosing between a house full of film writers and a friend with a bottle of wine, the decision suddnely becomes easier. So I went to Hannah's and we went shopping to the Co-op. Now for most people food shopping might be a chore and certianly not something you want to do when you go round to someone else's house for dinner. But Hannah and I have a unique relationship and seemingly mundane activities become great fun. Hannah and I lived together for 2 years and we don't just go and buy food, we walk around hypothetically planning great banquets. We stand and look longingly at organic, fresh on the vine tomotoes or discuss the culinary delights we could make with a huge aubergine. Now let me just state for the record - I am not the world's best cook. In fact I think often I'm competing for the medal of worst cook, but when I'm with Hannah I have this bizarre ability to make things taste nice. Before going to unviersity I had never been allowed in the kitchen to make toast, let alone cook anything else. When I met Hannah, she became my teacher and I was the suez-chef. She taught me and gave me confidence that despite my mother's comments I wasn't actually a total disaster and liability in the kitchen. So cooking with Hannah is great fun - plus we have really similar tastes and likes. Apart from Melanie (are we still on for the beach?!), Hannah is the only other person I know who gets excited about humous and pitta. We both love fairtrade and organic food and are often planning of one day getting our own alottment - compared to your average student this is VERY odd!

So anyway we went and bought food, and a lovely box of fairtrade wine (I've never had wine in a box before but it is a great idea!) and we went back to her house and cooked and drank wine. Hannah is good to be around, especially when I'm feeling insecure, because we both can just joke around with each other, and Hannah knows me well enough to know when I'm struggling, when I need to talk about it, and when we should just talk about other stuff. I asked her if we could not talk about how I am doing and she was great and didn't ask me anything. Things haven't always been great with Hannah, when I was ill things were really bad for a time, but we have worked through that and I feel we have a healthy relationship now.

So after good food, and a couple of glasses of wine we lit candles and played scrabble. And I learnt a very good lesson - wine in fact AIDS my scrabble ability!! I ended up beating Hannah 253-252 - she was less than impressed! Not only does wine assist me to win at scrabble, it also helped me sleep very well for the first time in several nights! People often used to say that hannah and I are like a married couple and that is especailly true when it comes to sharing a bed! I had my sleeping bag but Hannah still kept accusing me of stealing the duvet cover, for making too much noise when I roll over, and for coughing excessively. I complained that she kept rolling onto my side, and it was her room that was making me cough so much anyway. We both did sleep, and woke up with the radio at 9am. We had set the alarm for 8am as on Radio 4 they have the morning service (from a different church each week) on a sunday and when Hannah and I lived together we would always listen to the morning service together. But we slept right through it. So instead we put on a song by Belle and Sebastian, that we again used to listen to in the morning when we lived together. It starts with this really quiet drum beat and then gets louder and faster. And it just makes you want to dance. So you start off curled up in bed and end up dancing round the room. A great get-out-of-bed-er.

I think sometimes you just need to surround yourself with familar, safe things. Things which make you feel accepted and good. Things which make you laugh, make you smile, make you realise that world isn't always such a bad place. I guess I need it to ground me in the here and now. And my evening with Hannah did just that.

2005-08-07T16:50:00.000+01:00

Isn't it wierd how time seems like it is going really slow, a week is a whole age, and yet in the world of blogtime a week just flies. Melanie has threatened to remove me from her links list as I haven't blogged regularly enough. It is just hard sometimes to think of interesting things that have happened in my life. Life here in the UK is just not particularly spectacular or bizarre or funny. But Melanie will accuse me of making excuses now ( :) ) so I better get on write something!

So since nothing is happening in my life I will tell you about the crazy going-ons in my house this weekend. My housemate Jen is really into creative writing (maybe she should be the one writing the blog) and last year did a course at the arts centre here. She also loves films and writing and acting. When we have Navs weekends away Jen is always in charge of entertainments! So there is this 48 hour film challenge in Birmingham this weekend. You go and collect a piece of paper which lists a genre, a title and one line that has to be included in the film. You then have 48 hours to write, act, direct, edit and produce a 5 minute film including credits. So Jen and some of her creative writing friends are doing this. Their genre is action, title is The Talent, and line: "I've never seen one as big as that before"!!!!! So the four of them started yesterday trying to write an action film. It's hilarous because obviously without all the special effects etc that big blockbuster films have, anything you do looks a bit lame. The others are all really what I would lovingly call 'arty-farty' folk (no offence to anyone invovled in the arts - this is a term I use for a few select types of arty people) so they are sitting there trying to write something with hidden, deep meaning and stuff. Jen, who always makes me laugh, suggests having a chase scene with both actors on granny scooters!!! Let's just say the others didn't look too impressed. So today they have been out filming 'on location' and are now doing the final scene in our living room - they won't tell me what it is but it involves them all dressed up like they are going out to a ball and an ironing board?!?!?!? It just cracks me up when I walk through the dining room and hear snippets of their conversation: "we still haven't sorted out what the big thing is and how big is it going to be?", "so are people going to be able to emphathise with a ball?", "i wonder how long we could make the credits". So it's all got to be done and handed in tomorrow - I think it might be a long night for them.

2005-07-24T14:35:00.000+01:00

Well today Melanie is getting baptised. Since I can't be there I'm going to do my own little tribute to her here! I met Melanie in very bizarre circumstances when she came over to England in Feb 2004. I am forever grateful to Debs who set us up. We spent most of our first evening together hiding out in the toilets at the chaplaincy where Navigators meet. In the chaplaincy the toilets have washing facilities for Muslims and so there are stools in there PLUS it was the only warm place in the building.

OK can't get the photo thing to insert - so see the photos below. Photo 1 is a photo of Melanie in Brum. As you can see her liking for men in uniform continued even whilst in England!

So anyway our friendship continued thanks to the wonders of modern technology - i.e. emails, skype and webcams! I decided to go over to Canada at Easter and had a ball. We did tons of crazy things including playing constipation on the slide at the park, lighting candles and lying on the floor listening to VC, climbing trees, dining at Death By Chocolate, and going linguire (how do you spell that?!) shopping. Photos 2-4 are from this trip. Photo 4 is probably my favourite photo of M.

So since last Easter we haven't seen each other (apart from webcam sitings!) but Melanie has been there for me in so many ways. There is an African saying:

Eat and drink together;
talk and laugh together;
enjoy life together;
but never call it friendship
until you have wept together.

I guess we can call it friendship now! Melanie is such an encouragement and inspiration to me. She is so determined, so loving and has a wicked sense of humour. I love the fact we can be totally childlike together (as demonstrated by our constipation games!). Anyway we recently met up - in Belgium - which was totally crazy but fantastic. Check out photos 5 and 6.

So anyway, I hope the 'dunking' goes well and no freak wave comes and carries you off! I love you my friend.

2005-07-24T14:32:00.000+01:00

Melanie on location in Birmingham 2004

2005-07-24T14:25:00.000+01:00

M and I on Capilano suspension bridge

2005-07-24T14:20:00.000+01:00

Melanie and I having a picnic on the beach in Stanley Park - with our "picnic hamper"!!

2005-07-24T14:15:00.000+01:00

I LOVE this photo of M. We stopped off on the trip back from Whistler.

2005-07-24T14:10:00.000+01:00

Melanie and I in Oostende. She was a CRAZY driver!

2005-07-24T14:00:00.000+01:00

Melanie looking very cool! One of my dreams has been to swim in the ocean with M. This trip it was realised - even if it was for very practical purposes! (Ask M about that!)

2005-07-15T22:28:00.000+01:00

I just looked back at the pictures after posting them, and it felt a million years ago that I was there. It was only 4 days ago! Why does it feel like another lifetime? It makes me sad looking at them, but I don't know why.

Anyway on to Adventure No. 2..... So after arriving back from Tanzania on Monday evening, I returned home, did some washing and left the house at 5:20am on Tuesday. I got the train to London, the Eurostar to Brussels and then a train to Brugge. It was SO fast. It takes 2 and a half hours from my house to London which is the same time as the trip from London to Brussels! I haven't been back to that area of Europe since leaving there in 1993 and so it was kind of cool to be going back. But it made it very wierd that I was going there to see Melanie! It was totally surreal meeting here there and especially after such a short travel. It felt like I was just popping to see her for the weekend - as if it was something I did often. In fact I hadn't seen her for 1 year and 4 months.

So we met at Brugge station and went to find my hostel. Can I just say now for all to hear, Melanie shall no longer be known as the person who always gets lost. Despite her previous history, she guided me very confidently round the town and to the hostel with no problems whatsoever. Brugge is a really beautiful place. It is just a shame about all the tourists there spoiling it (of course I don't count myself as a tourist!). Later on Melanie accomplished her second major achievement of the day and sent her 2nd ever text message (and with predictive test on as well!) to her brother and we went over to his house on the train.

We arrived just in time for the end of the Tour de France. For those of you who don't know, and that probably isn't many, Melanie is a huge Tour de France fan. After shocking her with my severe lack of knowledge and awareness, Melanie was very gracious and has taught me a great deal about it over the last few days! Today I even found myself checking the official website to find out who won! But when we got to Kevin's, Melanie thought that Lance was 13 minutes behind Ullrich (who was potentially a major rival - although now if Lance does well in the next 2 days in the Pyrenees he almost has it in the bag - oh don't I sound knowledgeable now!) So anyway at such news (warning: the following text contains severe underexaggeration) Melanie became slightly agitated and began to mildy panic. Fortunately she soon realised that Lance wasn't in the group 13 minutes behind but was actually at the front leading the race, and all was well and calmness returned once again to the house!!

We had dinner with Melanie's brother and wife and their 2 kids (see M's blog). As Melanie had prewarned me, Kevin and his wife both found my accent hilarious, with Kevin repeating everything I said in a bizarre dutch/canadian/BBC english accent. Els was slightly concerned about my malaria status, which I don't think was helped by me saying "well you can only catch it if a mozzie bites me and then bites you". The girls are both really sweet, although I too was slightly concerned about Eline's obsession with ER. What was more worrying was her insistence (and I don't use that word lightly!) on reinacting procedures she had seen, which involved jabbing you with a plastic needle, sucking out your blood and then making you drink it or drilling you with a plastic drill (think I must have missed that episode). But she was a great kid and like Melanie we managed to get along with a few words of Dutch I hauled up out of the depths of my memory having lived very near Holland for 6 years, and her English. Only a couple of times did I get myself into trouble by nodding and saying yes, without fulling understanding what she had said. Lotte is gorgeous - a real charmer. Melanie bought the girls these sunglasses and Lotte kept putting them on and then looking at herself in the mirror and laughing hysterically!

After dinner M and I went out for a walk and attempted to climb a tree. We found this one which looked good and even had a plank across for me to sit on, except once I was sat on the plank and Melanie put her foot on it, it gave way and I was left clinging to the branch (ok slight exaggeration but it wasn't exactly as secure as M had assured me it was!) This was then followed by a hilarious dismount, accompanied by shouts from Melanie reminding me not to hurt myself as I didn't have any insurance!!

Kevin and Melanie then took me back to the hostel, where I discovered that hostels in Belgium have mixed-sex dorms and there was a man sleeping in my bed!! I moved to the other spare bed in the room, went and had a shower, and on my return another guy arrived and was wondering around in his boxer shorts!! Despite all of this I still slept well, waking at 6:30 though because I wasn't used to it being so light in the mornings (in Tanzania it doesn't get light till 7ish).

I'll leave you there for today. Tomorrow I'll finish the rest of the story. But let me just say it again involves major achievements for Melanie, the defending of ourselves against the advances of a foreign man, and the experience of extreme pain...........

2005-07-15T18:14:00.000+01:00

So here are some of my photos. Only a selection - though 300 pics might be a bit much! Also annoyingly can't post videos - have a great one of Debs climbing model Kilimanjaro!!

Oh also forgot to say that I go my degree results and I got a first. So I'm pretty pleased.

2005-07-15T17:46:00.001+01:00

Sunrise in Dubai airport during our stopover on the way to Dar

2005-07-15T17:46:00.000+01:00

Our welcome message to Uroki school

2005-07-15T17:44:00.001+01:00

Debs, me and the girls at Uroki school after a very vicious ultimate frisbee match

2005-07-15T17:44:00.000+01:00

This was the view of kilimanjaro from Moshi one day. It was actually as we were heading back to work on the loos at the Remand centre, and was a great 'pick-me-up'

2005-07-15T17:43:00.000+01:00

The girls cleaning and painting the toilets at the Remand centre.

2005-07-15T17:42:00.001+01:00

The toilet. Painting at the bottom of here wasn't pleasant as your head was inches from the hole.

2005-07-15T17:42:00.000+01:00

This was the sink area. There wasn't any water on the first day we were there. The boys toilets didn't have any taps or showers installed. Apparently the boys had used the showers to try and escape so they ripped them out.

2005-07-15T17:41:00.000+01:00

This is the new girls bedroom and education room at Amani, which the boys built last year. At Amani they have really made an effort to make things child-friendly - as you can see by all the painting on the walls. The gardens are kept and maintained by the children, in their little family groups.

2005-07-15T17:40:00.001+01:00

Good old parachute games cross all languages and cultures. This was lizzy and Sarah trying to explain cat and mouse to some of the kids!

2005-07-15T17:40:00.000+01:00

this is me and Rahma. He has such a bubbly character and always made me laugh.

2005-07-15T17:39:00.000+01:00

Hosea, stood at the front left, is 5 and carried my rucksack around the entire time. He lvoed playing with the velcro pads.

2005-07-15T17:38:00.001+01:00

Lizzy and I scale Kilimanjaro (or a model replica at a hotel at the base of the mountain!)

2005-07-15T17:38:00.000+01:00

Debs, Becky and Lizzy lead the way on a Safari day trip

2005-07-15T17:37:00.002+01:00

I dont' know why but I really like this picture.

2005-07-15T17:37:00.001+01:00

I hardly used any zoom on this picture, it was that near to us.

2005-07-15T17:37:00.000+01:00

A family of elephants were playing in the river.

2005-07-15T17:36:00.002+01:00

We came around the bend and literally this giraffe was stood right infront of us.

2005-07-15T17:36:00.001+01:00

A giraffe takes a paddle in the river

2005-07-15T17:36:00.000+01:00

Apparently Zebra are white with black stripes, not balck with white stripes

2005-07-15T17:35:00.000+01:00

Zebra

2005-07-15T17:34:00.000+01:00

Sunset on our first evening in Zanzibar

2005-07-15T17:33:00.001+01:00

A dhow. The traditional boats used along the coast of Tanzania.They are built with wood and string only.

2005-07-15T17:33:00.000+01:00

This was our bedroom at the beach huts on the beach, on the east coast of Zanzibar. It was like something out of a film. I'm literally stood with my feet in the water taking this picture, it was that near to our room.

2005-07-15T17:32:00.001+01:00

The colour of the sea was incredible.

2005-07-15T17:32:00.000+01:00

this could have been an advert for a holiday company

2005-07-15T17:31:00.001+01:00

Lizzy in the ocean

2005-07-15T17:31:00.000+01:00

The start of the sunrise. Andy and I got up at 6am to watch it. It was something quite special.

2005-07-15T17:30:00.001+01:00

getting lighter....

2005-07-15T17:30:00.000+01:00

sunrise continued...

2005-07-15T17:29:00.003+01:00

The boats which took us snorkelling. They were incredible.

2005-07-15T17:29:00.002+01:00

Evening time in Zanzibar

2005-07-15T17:29:00.001+01:00

The toilet!

2005-07-15T17:29:00.000+01:00

sunset in Zanizbar

2005-07-15T17:28:00.000+01:00

This was only half of the class that we had to deliver an RE lesson to. There must have been over 100 kids in total, with many standing outside in the corridor. Another classroom full were next door with the other half of the team.

2005-07-15T17:27:00.000+01:00

Me, Lizzy and Debs in our 'missionary' skirts!

2005-07-15T17:26:00.001+01:00

Debs and little Sifa

2005-07-15T17:26:00.000+01:00

Lizzy and I and the A level girls at Morogoro secondary school (we had just been fielding questions for almost 2 hours!)

2005-07-15T17:25:00.002+01:00

Debs, me and baby Sifa

2005-07-15T17:25:00.001+01:00

Me and baby Sifa

2005-07-15T17:25:00.000+01:00

Our team and the Mutonga family - who are incredible. Just baby Sifa (3 months) who wasn't in the photo

2005-07-15T17:24:00.002+01:00

Dubai airport at 1am. It was just overwhelming - the number of people and the fact they were all shopping.

2005-07-15T17:24:00.001+01:00

Sunset on our last evening in Africa

2005-07-15T17:24:00.000+01:00

Flying over kilimanjaro on the way home

2005-07-15T14:14:00.000+01:00

I'm back.

Hmm...not sure where to start, what to write. Lots of the detailed stuff is over on the tanzania tour blog. I guess here though I wanted to write some of the more personal stuff. I tend to find though that it takes me a few days before I can summarise, put into words, make sense of, all my experiences. It was a good trip. A very good trip. I spent 4 days very ill and then on the last day tested positive for malaria, but apart from that (!) I was well. The trip challenged me in very many ways, in how I relate to others (as in the team), to poverty, to God, and to myself. It also brought up issues again of self-assurance, of constantly attempting to please everyone, of how I feel and deal with emotion, of how much do I believe in the power of prayer, can God really be entrusted to deal with sitatuations (because obviously I would do a far better job all on my own!). There were times when I cried so hard, and others where I have laughed like never before! So for now my top 10 (or so) moments (not in any order):

1. Sunrise on the beach in Zanzibar
2. us girls being in the worst toilets ever, cleaning poo off the walls, with our heads over the hole in the floor, cleaning and painting but just singing our hearts out - I think we managed to do every song in the Sound of Music repertoire, as well as higlights from Joseph, other musicals and any other song we could muster.
3. Finally getting to go to Amani, where I have been helping fundraise for, praying for. Seeing the kids in real life, and finally meeting Valerie (who runs it) after many email conversations.. Seeing the amazing things going on at that place, the hope and excitment that is there.
4. Managing to perform every bodily function on a squat loo!
5. Going into a secondary school to do an RE lesson and the one swahili song I knew the kids knew too and so we all sang together. It sent shivers up your spine.
6. Managing to organise 70+ kids from Amani into teams for a football tournament - with my pidgeon swahili and phrasebook!
7. Seeing elephants and giraffe SO close up on safari.
8. Seeing Valerie's bookshelf and it having all my favourite books on it - like Manning and Nouwen.
9. The sound of the ocean lapping outside our palmtree hut at night.
10. Me who is petrified of the sea usually, overcoming it and going snorkelling in the ocean
11. Falling asleep to Debs reading to me when we shared a bed!
12. Being given a swahili name: 'Furaha' which means 'happy one'
13. Teaching a group of very fiesty teenage girls to play ultimate frisbee - which later descended into more of a rugby/wrestling type affair!!
14. Flying over kilimanjaro on the way home.
15. Travelling by car along dusty tracks, looking out and getting glimpses into totally different worlds.

Could go on but will stop there for now. Once I've uploaded the photos I will post them in. Then I will write about my other adventure - going to see Melanie in Belgium!

2005-06-11T21:30:00.000+01:00

So I have 1 week till I leave for Tanzania. Scary, but exciting. I found these photos from last year's trip. The first is the high street in Moshi - this is the town we will be in for the majority of the trip. Where Amani kids home is. And we will be staying at the Lutheran hostel (the second pic) which looks WELL posh, not at all like where I lived when in Ghana. Anyway must dash...will keep you updated (if you want to follow our progress check out the Tanzania Tour 2005 blog).

2005-06-11T21:03:00.000+01:00

Moshi high street

2005-06-11T21:02:00.001+01:00

Luteran uhuru hostel (where we'll be staying this time too)

2005-06-06T23:11:00.000+01:00

This post is for Melanie. I couldn't send her this picutre at work because he photo editor isn't working. So I thought I would post it here. I was reminding her how exciting grapes actually are. So here you go M!

In other news..... 12 days till I go to Tanzania!!!! Have finished all university work (did first ever all nighter for last essay - it wasn't pretty), have sent in job application, and am now doing last minute preparations for the kids conference for when I come back. Oh oh oh oh I ahve a claim to fame - well its going to be a claim to fame. Jimmy Carter is going to be preaching at the World Baptist Congress (where I'm doing the kids programme) and we've asked him to come a do a quick 5 minute spot in our programme. so ok I haven't personally spoken to him, he might not come to our venue, none of this has yet happened anyway, BUT I think it still counts.

So here is a challenge: what's your best claim to fame?

2005-05-28T15:33:00.000+01:00

Greetings from the public library! Praise God for internet access at public libraries!!

Well today was my first Saturday in the new house which means ...... Saturday morning routine can finally come into full effect! I felt like a Melanie copycat but as she knows saturday 'time out' is something which really does matter to me. In fact my morning routine didn't quite work out as planned as desite setting my alarm for 830 to go to the coffee shop for breakfast - I woke up at 1130am!!! Hahaha. But I think I really needed the sleep. So I got up and had to go over to the post depot to pick up a parcel and also got some food shopping. On the way home I went to the car wash. Now I have never been to a car wash - well in my own car - but the state of my car called for desperate measures and I don't have any way of washing it at the moment because I can't get it right outside our house (long story - another time) But the thing was I couldn't seem to take the aerial off. You aren't supposed to go through with your aerial up or on but I couldn't do anything about it.So there I am sat in the car wash fervently praying that my aerial doesn't rip off. So there is a new place to add to my list of praying places!!! Oh and it did stay on - yipee!

This computer is so slow I am about a sentance ahead of it appearing on the screen!

So after my excursion to the car wash I came home and had fresh bread and cheese and salad for lunch and sat and read the papers. Yumm. Then I walked up to the high street - it is literally 30secs to get there - infact I can see the clock tower form my bedroom window. I went to the Oxfam second hand bookshop and then to the salvage furniture shop thing - I'm looking for a bedside table. The hilarious thing is that I found a Salvation Army furniture store!!! It IS just like Maypole!! But sadly the furniture store isn't open on Saturday. Now I'm in the library and then I'm going to Cafe Nero. aahhh a perfect day.

It's wierd/good because yesterday I was feeling really crappy about being homealone. I was feeling generally rubbish because of other things, and then the prospect of an entire weekend (and its a bank holiday) on my own filled me with dread. But then I decided that I had two ways of looking at it - and so I chose to make the most of it, and enjoy the time on alone. And without wanting to sound like a 'super-christian' and over-spiritualising everything, maybe there is a reason why literally EVERYONE is away this weekend and I have no internet access (hence no Melanie and wasting time surfing). Maybe God is trying yet again to teach me to accept and be comfortable with myself.

So I totally haven't blogged about seeing Stuart Mclean but my session is ending........ will do I promise!

2005-05-20T23:33:00.000+01:00

Well the house is ours! We signed the contract and got the keys today. Jen and I immediately went round and bounced on all the beds and dive bombed the sofa! You can't do that when you are looking around a place can you. We can't quite believe it is ours. When we went to see the house initially it was like a dream house, and never felt possible. Now here we are moving in! Well tomorrow is the big move day, although I have a church meeting until 4pm. So we have recruited some friends (of the large, strong male variety) and they are coming to help us move on the promise of fijitas afterwards!!

So the great tragedy of this is that I will be without internet connection from tomorrow until we get reconnected at the new house - which I don't know when it will be. I will have to resort to using the library computers because I really don't think that I will be able to control my addictive urges!!

At the moment my room is a gorgeous shade of lime green, so will hopefully be painting it asap. The photo is here as I had to take photos to send to the landlady to show her what it is like before and after - apprently in case I do something horrendous. Sorry - can you get more horrendous than this?!?!?!

So thats it for now. Hopefully I will return soon!!

2005-05-20T23:32:00.000+01:00

Here are some pics from my retreat. I will write more about it later - inlcuding the hilarious challenge for Lizzy and I to work out the sex of this kid we got to know (ok basically he/she had long hair, a girls voice, girls clothes but was called Josh - they were from Australia - maybe they do things differently????)

2005-05-20T23:30:00.000+01:00

The view from the track to the pub!

2005-05-20T23:29:00.000+01:00

Sheepies!

2005-05-20T23:27:00.002+01:00

Looking along the valley from my perfect sitting place

2005-05-20T23:27:00.000+01:00

The ridgeway I was walking along

2005-05-15T23:29:00.000+01:00

crazy week, crazy weekend. Amazing church tonight. Am off on retreat with lizzy tomorrow. We are just having a couple of days at a youth hostel in middle of nowhere with no phones or anything. Just me, the bible, my journal and some paint. Looking forward to it. I'm not sure its going to be long enough in some ways - to get into it I mean, but probably good for initial one.

Then I'm back and am moving house!

Spoke to Sara on msn tonight (she is in Tanzania) Praise God yet again for technology.

2005-05-09T18:59:00.000+01:00

I've finshed my dissertation!!!!!!!!! wahoooooooooooooooooooo

The word stipulation was 7,000-10,000, then I asked for 10% on top (which you get for normal essays) and so I wrote 11,000 words. I got it bound today and it looks like a real book! It's scary but cool. I have one more essay to write which I'm hoping to do this week, because I'm away all weekend and then next week Lizzy and I are going on retreat, and then the following weekend we are moving house. It's all go.

Today Jen sent me an email that they had at work about a job for a Childrens and Families worker at Karis Neighbourhood Scheme. This is a christian run community project which our church supports as well. Its a really good scheme that works with a lot of assylum seekers and refugees. So anyway they want someone to start at the end of July (I would need to negotiate on that one) and work 18 hours per week mon-wed. Which is PERFECT because then I could do the kids on thursday and friday still. They want someone to cover maternity leave until Christmas with the view to possibly making it permanent thereafter. The job involves working with children and families to develop services and support them and also managing and organising a group of volunteers. Anyway everything about it sounds perfect. So I've sent off for an application pack.

Dum de dum de dum....its a gorgeous evening here. I have a PCC meeting (like church council)at church tonight. It's my first one since being elected so I'm a bit nervous. Anyway I better get going. Bbbbyyyyyeeeeeeeeeee (can you tell I'm a little excited about having finished my dissertation!)

2005-05-04T09:26:00.000+01:00

So this is when I need the Ababarnels - especially Dan (where are they by the way??) In the absence of the man-of-all-knowledge - the floor is open to you guys..... when were the psalms written (as in when abouts in David's life in relation to all the other events) and are they in chronological order or any other logical order?

Back to dissertation writing - have done the main body and am now on the conclusions and recommendations. Am so almost there but energy and desire to do it are now flagging.......

Oh haven't posted any pictures for a while - so here a few from Sara's happy leaving party! We had a day out before she went off to Tanzania for her leaving, but also because it will be her birthday whilst she is away and so we wanted to do something for that too.

2005-05-04T09:25:00.001+01:00

This is the cake we made for Sara fulling adorned with all the things that remind us of her!

2005-05-04T09:25:00.000+01:00

Sara cutting the cake

2005-05-04T09:24:00.000+01:00

This is us hanging out on the Lickey Hills: Sara, Rachel, Matt, Marco and Jen

2005-04-25T13:33:00.000+01:00

An end of an era. I took Sara to the airport this morning as she begins her 2 month medical elective in Tanzania. When she comes back we will have moved into our new house, and then I will go to Tanzania. It won't be until July 12th that we are all back together and in the new house.

So we went to bed at midnight, didn't get to sleep until 1 am and then had to get up at 2:30am. We got to the airport at 3:30 to check in and we sat and waited and waited and they didn't open the check in desk until 4:30, despite Sara's ticket saying you had to check in at 3:30. Grrrrrr. But it was a nice time to chat. I made sure that she got through to departures and then headed home. I was back in bed and asleep by 5:30 and then woke up at 9:30. So I'm feeling pretty wacked now. It's wierd because I already miss her. Sara and I have a bit of a love-hate relationship. Last term we had some difficult times, but she really means a lot to me. And over the past week we just have got on SO well. I feel this incredible amount of love for her. I had a rather sentimental moment the other day and turned around to her and said "you know Sara, I really do like you". She just fell about laughing. But she has really helped me over this last year. She has listened to a lot of my crap and has been really understanding. And the three of us just laugh SO much sometimes. Its great because we can be really silly and childlike sometimes and then at other times really grown-up and sensible. It's perfect. And I think as a 3 we sort of balance each other out. I'm looking forward to our move and to carrying out growing to know each other. This is a picture of our house:

The front door is a shared door and then it goes through into like an alleyway and our front door is on the right. The right bay is our living room and the top right window Jen's room. We have a dining room, a living room, kitchen, bathroom, 3 bedrooms, gorgeous little garden, and the wow factor is the converted cellar! It is all carpeted and stuff and has a double bed down there. We are going to have fairy lights and it is going to be our cinema/chill space/violin practising/punching mattresses for frustrations room!! It's lovely and light and has wooden floorboards, real fires, and a corner bath! We are even going to get fish. So so long as a our references go through it will be ours from May 21st!

Right now is time to return to dissertation writing.

2005-04-21T10:46:00.000+01:00

Well yet again I apologise for my lack of blogging. So much and so little has been happening here. I mean I haven't really been up to another of much excitement, but lots of stuff/change has been happening with me, which everyone keeps telling me is exciting and good and I do sometimes agree, but the rest of the time it is just damn hard. I don't know what is happening to me- I keep crying at the smallest of things. I was watching Miracle Babies on the Discovery channel the other morning and I could feel myself welling up! Last night I was just tired and my guillotine cutter thing broke whilst I was making cards and I just cried! What's going on???

So I'm in the throws of dissertation writing, fundraising for Tanzania (I've got £800 now!), looking for a new house for July (with the same guys), planning a Fairtrade extravaganza for the Harborne Carnival (even though I'll be in Tanzania at the time I'm planning it all), and trying to work out whether this guy I've started seeing is just a friend or whether there is more. Hmmm.... perhaps I'm busier than I thought.

2005-04-06T22:08:00.000+01:00

I'm back! After spending the last 2 weeks in a time bubble at Spring Harvest - so it feels like 3 years has passed and I haven't got a clue about what is happening in the world apart from the fact that the Pope has died. But I'm returning with a bang because I would like to announce some VERY important news. No I'm not engaged to George Clooney - but it is almost as exciting.

VINYL CAFE IS COMING TO BIRMINGHAM!!!!!

Yes that's right. On May 26th Stuart McLean will be performing at the MAC which is about 5 minutes from my house. This is his first ever performance in the UK. It will be interesting to see how it goes, because I don't think many people, unless they have heard Canadian radio, will have heard of it, which I know is a tragic shame, but there you go. I hope no-one will accuse me of being totally heretical, but the Bible does say 'always give a reason for the hope you have but do it with gentleness and respect', and VC is definitely one of the reasons I have hope. So I say gently and respectfully if you are in the UK or in fact any country within 12 hours flying time of the UK, COME AND SEE THE VINYL CAFE!!!!!

2005-03-20T13:30:00.000+01:00

oh and for the sake of Beah - its NOT sunny here today - the clouds have returned! ;)

2005-03-20T13:12:00.000+01:00

well you know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and men. So I didn't get out to take some photos. In fact I haven't been out since Thursday. I ended up spending all Friday with my head in a bucket (I refused to worship the porcelain throne) and with violent stomach cramps - in fact I think Mike Tyson was going head to head with Mohammad Ali in my gut. Now I'm not a total wimp when it comes to throwing up - I've had years of travel sickness practice - but man this was bad. I felt so pathetic but I just didn't know what to do with myself. So yesterday the sickness subsided and I just felt like I'd been kicked in the stomach by a horse. I can always tell when I'm sick -I'm a bit like a kid - when I'm ill I'm ill, when I'm better I'm bored. So up until last night I'd just laid there totally out of it, but last night I started getting bored which was a good sign. Today I can get up and walk about but I'm trying to take it slightly easy.

So maybe this afternoon or tomorrow I'll get out and take some pics. Anyway I guess it was better to happen this weekend than this week as on Thursday I start my 2 weeks of Spring Harvest -and throwing up near 360 kids is NOT a good thing.

2005-03-17T09:30:00.000+01:00

Spring is definitely coming! Last night I went to bed in just a long top and bottoms - no jumper, no socks -and only one duvet! And I was warm. This morning I woke up warm too and only had the duvet half way up me, rather than being screwed into a tiny ball with every inch of flesh covered up desperately trying to keep warm. So I've decided to go today and take some photos of the arriving spring around Birmingham - so come back later and see them!

2005-03-13T14:23:00.000+01:00

Ok so after being rather scathing (is that how you spell it Melanie?) of canadian signs I did some research and actually I must admit the British aren't too smart either. Check these out:

Sushh its supposed to be a secret!

Oh gee thanks for the warning!

There is this website with some hilarious signs (sadly no pics) some of the funniest:

Cocktail lounge, Norway :LADIES ARE REQUESTED NOT TO HAVE CHILDREN IN THE BAR.

Hotel, Acapulco :THE MANAGER HAS PERSONALLY PASSED ALL THE WATER SERVED HERE.

On a highway :TAKE NOTICE : WHEN THIS SIGN IS UNDER WATER, THIS ROAD IS IMPASSABLE.

A sign seen on an automatic restroom hand dryer :DO NOT ACTIVATE WITH WET HANDS

A sign posted in Germany's Black Forest :IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN ON OUR BLACK FOREST CAMPING SITE THAT PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT SEX, FOR INSTANCE, MEN AND WOMEN, LIVE TOGETHER IN ONE TENT UNLESS THEY ARE MARRIED WITH EACH OTHER FOR THIS PURPOSE.

A laundry in Rome :LADIES, LEAVE YOUR CLOTHES HERE AND SPEND THE AFTERNOON HAVING A GOOD TIME.

Airline ticket office, Copenhagen :WE TAKE YOUR BAGS AND SEND THEM IN ALL DIRECTIONS.

On the door of a Moscow hotel room :IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST VISIT TO THE USSR, YOU ARE WELCOME TO IT.

Advertisement for donkey rides, Thailand :WOULD YOU LIKE TO RIDE ON YOUR OWN ASS?

Me thinks there might be some issues with translation here! Hope they make you laugh as they did me.

2005-03-12T15:00:00.000+01:00

Well I was just about to post saying how I'd had the most perfect Saturday. And I had - up until now.

I got up this morning at 9 and the sun was shining and and I knew it would be a lovely day. I went into Harborne to meet my friend Ruth at Cafe Nero to chat and discuss Ephesians 3 (we are going through the letters - aiming to meet fortnightly but isn't really happening!) We sat there for 2 and a half hours and had a great time. I had a hot chocolate and then later a pineapple, mango and orange smoothie -ymmmm. Then we popped to the second hand bookshop and I bought a My Naughtly Little Sister book for Hannah who I look after. I loved these books as a kid and so does she so we read them together. Ruth bought some poetry books. She read me some of the poems - she has this amazing ability to read a poem that to me makes no sense and just the way she reads it, it suddenly comes alive and is wonderful. She also has this bizarre ability to remember them all off by heart. Then we went to the library and I found 4 books I want to read and ordered another. I dropped her home and then drove back here. It is one of those days which is still a bit chilly but the sun is warm and so I even opened the window on the drive home!

So now back here - not so good. But am holding onto a lovely morning.

2005-03-07T18:01:00.000+01:00

I have dyspraxia. My housemates have diagnosed me. The official dyspraxia association website says one of the main criteria is: 'Tendency to fall, trip, bump into things and people'. Well thats me! My mum always said that I was a clumsy child, but I have never grown out of it. Take this last week I have had over 15 accidents ranging from walking past Sara's room and managing to walk into her door frame to falling over the sofa landing on my bag which has a badge on it and spiking my finger on the pin bit and bleeding profusely. I have tripped up door steps, walked into walls, bashed my knuckles together (yes don't ask how I did that one), stood up from my desk and misjudged how far the chair was pulled out and got stuck and fell over backwards....I don't know what is wrong with me. But my housemates are building me a padded suit to wear!

The website also says that such people often have a lack of rhythm when dancing, doing aerobics!! Haha that explains everything!

2005-03-07T10:58:00.000+01:00

I've entered the world of webcams! I chatted with Melanie on hers which was SO cool, so I finally made the decision to get one. We had a two way webcam and skype chat which was fantastic, except apparently I frown too much. You have to be really careful too because you forget the other person can see you, so no pulling stupid faces or picking your nose! I'm still fiddling with the settings though because I either appeared albino or psychodelic (not sure how to spell that word).

In other news......the trip to Tanzania is definitely on -with the Navigators. We will be going on June 17th. So its fundraising, fundraising, fundraising time. We will be spending some time in the capital Dar-es-Salaam, then up to Amani children's home (where we have been fundraising for already) for some building, painting and decorating, and teaching English. This is Amani:

Then to Morogoro to do what I'm not quite sure yet. Then heading to Zanzibar for a couple of R&R days before the group heads back to England. I am wanting to return to Amani for a bit then to spend some time in the community seeing the work they are doing with kids who have been resettled home - looking at possible job or research opportunities. So looking forward to it, but with some nervousness.

2005-03-03T16:39:00.000+01:00

It's Mothers Day here on sunday. I hate mothers day. Its one of those days were you spend your entire time feeling bad. Either you feel crap because everyone else is having a special day with their mum and you aren't so you are the worst daughter ever or you feel guilty because you don't really want to spend a special day with your mum and so you are again the worst daughter ever. And then my brother, who even forgot mum's, dad's and my birthday for the first 25 years of his life, but now is the perfect son, msns me to remind me to send a card to mum. Grrrrr. Ok so I'm feeling resentful and I shouldn't. But I mean what is the point of the day anyway? It's just a commercial ploy. It's like the whole Christmas thing - if the point is to thank our mum's - why only one day a year? And is my mum going to feel anymore loved by me if I just send her a card? Ok so I'm not a mum, maybe it is a good thing. Marsha, any other mums, please let me know what you think.