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Syndicated 2008-12-15 21:57:06 from C'est dur de mourir au printemps tu sais

Lazy Sunday afternoon

After the trials and tribulations of an overbusy week, I left London
on Friday night to get home about 10.30pm. There had been unhappiness
at Bromborough station earlier in the evening.
Saturday morning, I went to pick up a parcel from New Ferry depot,
while David went off to buy some shoes, as he had left his good shoes
in Sheffield.
Then we reconvened to go off to Mark and Kat's wedding. This was a
wonderful celebration of two young people who now set off on a life
together.
In the evening, we all went off to their evening reception, but
because we were all tired and Christopher was quite sick, we didn't
stay late. Nevertheless, we were all very happy to have gone there.
Christopher had chemotherapy of epic proportions on Thursday, so
feeling sick on Saturday was not really a surprise. He felt so much
better today. Steak cooked at home for lunch, so different to
struggling with a slice of bread yesterday.
In the morning, a service led by me, with Philip preaching. And now,
rather reluctantly, on a train to Chester en route to London.
Sometimes, deadlines are not movable.
.....
So this hasn't been the best weekend for us in some days, but in other
ways, it's been rather pleasant, especially the wedding. On the whole,
I would rather be at my house tonight, rather than travelling to
London to do probably almost a full day's work at the end of the day!
And after that, five more.
Just south of Tamworth. It is getting cold. And dark. And the clouds
look very menacing. That is all.

Syndicated 2008-12-14 16:11:49 from C'est dur de mourir au printemps tu sais

Rioting in Notting Hill Gate

A more relaxed working day yesterday, ending with a haircut before I
went off to Olympia. The sequence of trains was
Bromborough-Chester-Crewe-Stafford-Euston-Moorgate-Liverpool
Street=Aldgate East-Earls Court-Olympia. At Olympia, they gave me a
long, thin room, well lit at one end, but dark at the other, where the
desk is. I thought about rearranging the room but decided against.

Syndicated 2008-12-11 20:49:00 from C'est dur de mourir au printemps tu sais

Tinkerbell

UK readers only. For a cheap "I can't believe my ears" experience,
call the speaking clock on 123.

"Hi! It's Tinkerbell! At the third bell it will be..."

Syndicated 2008-12-10 09:46:06 from C'est dur de mourir au printemps tu sais

Back on an even keel

Good morning. Here is the update on the past couple of weeks,
inevitably abbreviated as a result of lack of time to post and a poor
memory. A busy weekend two weeks ago, though I can scarcely remember
why. The train service has been generous to me over those weeks. Back
to work on one such train on Monday morning. Things were quite busy,
but I did get to Wembley at a reasonable hour. Tuesday was quite an
exciting day, as I fitted in as much as I was able before leaving at 3
to go home for a Deanery meeting. The journey wasn't bad from Euston,
but it seemed like I might not get there: I had planned enough time
for five stops and a walk from Euston Square, so having to take the
Central Line to Tottenham Court Road and then change onto the Northern
Line was a bit of a shock. I did make it on time, just.
Probably worth the journey. Back to London on Wednesday. The week
gathered pace and I ended up staying late on Friday to start work on a
curly problem we had encountered.
A busy weekend as Viv and I were running a big event for Crosslinks:
the launch of the Crosslinks Unwrapped roadshow. Well, Andy and Tim
from Crosslinks were running it; we just made sure it had a venue and
an audience sufficiently fed.
A week of solid work followed, with very late nights. (Extremely late
nights are the ones where you can't get the Tube afterwards.) Not
being able to benefit at all from the freebies at the Exec Lounge is
particularly disappointing, as happened a couple of times.
At least I was able to leave early and catch up with most of a social
evening for men at church: I caught the end of the talk, the steak and
chips and the Wii ten-pin bowling.
Home later and into the weekend. Christopher felt well enough to go to
Birkenhead to do some Christmas shopping, though most of mine was done
using the services of Amazon.co.uk - which means I can easily spend
hundreds of pounds without ever needing to leave home.
But I did leave home to go to buy some big storage boxes for the
garage. Sunday morning: service. Sunday lunchtime: more steak at the
Merebrook. Sunday afternoon: replacing light bulbs, online grocery
shopping. Sunday evening: service, talk, tea, preparation for the
week.
Monday morning: Get up and ready, catch a train. It is a new working
week! Welcome to it!

Syndicated 2008-12-08 06:51:13 from C'est dur de mourir au printemps tu sais

Chad Varah

100 living geniuses:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1567544/Top-100-living-geniuses.html
At number 91 is Chad Varah...

Chad Varah:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chad_Varah
http://www.keble.ox.ac.uk/news/the-revd-chad-varah-ch

So how does he come to be on a list of living heroes compiled this summer, seeing as he died last November? I would have no issue with his being on the list if he were still alive.

Syndicated 2008-12-07 14:27:15 from C'est dur de mourir au printemps tu sais

Who Killed Kennedy?

For the benefit of the Doctor Who fans who are also fans of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart.

Who Killed Kennedy?

The shocking secret linking a Time Lord and a President

by David Bishop & James Stevens

Syndicated 2008-12-01 21:27:12 from C'est dur de mourir au printemps tu sais

David Brider made me do it

100 things. Bold the things you've done.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo. You don't want to know what it was. No, really, you don't.


11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables (Herbs, yes. No, not that sort of herb.)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train. Lots of times.

21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon (No, but several 10km runs)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person (How about the Victoria Falls instead?)
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors New Galloway. It were shut!
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David

41. Sung karaoke.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt (How about Lady Knox? Really, these memes are too US-centric.)
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted. Professional cartoon, yes.
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling Didn't like it.
52. Kissed in the rain. Liked it.
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class.
59. Visited Russia (Flown over it)
60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Guide Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp (But my son has.)
67. Bounced a check Not my fault.
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten caviar Didn't like it.
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job.
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person Flown over it, seen the replica at Disneyland.
80. Published a book. http://baptism.co.nz/is/

81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper And been on national TV news
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life.
90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous. Harold Wilson for starters. Ken Dodd. Various LOTR people.
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby (Participated.)
95. Seen the Alamo in person (Don't even remember it.)
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a mobile phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day


Total: At least 57

Syndicated 2008-11-28 20:59:50 from C'est dur de mourir au printemps tu sais

Slow Train Coming

Network Rail cheerfully fine rail companies whose trains arrive late
but are unable to keep the points working. Millions of pounds invested
in improving the rail network is wasted if the trains are still
delayed by points failures.
By now, it's twenty minutes past the scheduled arrival time and we are
still in sweet suburbia.
And on this train, just about everyone will have paid a full fare. I
sometimes think I might as well get the next one, but that probably
runs late too.

Syndicated 2008-11-24 10:00:23 from C'est dur de mourir au printemps tu sais

Crewe

It has been a busy week including a busy weekend without a doubt. But
as to what has been happening here, that is another story.
Here is another week, and it seems like there is no let-up at all.
It's all further complicated by the weather being so cold. I haven't
seen any snow yet this weekend, but Matthew tells me it was snowing in
Liverpool at 4 o'clock yesterday morning. I don't want to know. Now on
the way out of Crewe. The thousand giggling ladies pulling pink
suitcases are, thankfully, in a different carriage. I don't want to
know about that either.
Summary of the evenings of the week just gone as I recall.
Monday - worked late
Tuesday - worked late
Wednesday - had meal and talk with John G
Thursday - worked late
Friday - went home

Syndicated 2008-11-24 07:56:09 from C'est dur de mourir au printemps tu sais