26/06/2011 by Aileen.

Martin rang me on Thursday morning and asked what I was doing for the next few days. I said only Creative Writing on Friday morning, thinking they were invitining us down to them, or they wanted to come up to us. But no, Fiona wasn’t well. She hadn’t felt the baby move all Wednesday morning, had developed a stitch in her side, and couldn’t lift Alexander. They went to the hospital, and the baby’s heart rate was strong, so they sent her home, but Martin needed to get to work and she still couldn’t lift Alexander. She’s still getting sick too. So off I toddled, and spent Thursday to Saturday there having a great time bonding with Alexander. He can point to various animals and objects in books and is toddling around really well now. I brought all my camera gear, and can’t believe I didn’t take any photos.

John coped fine when I was away. Luckily the fridge and freezer were full. On Thursday night he reheated some leftover chicken curry and dipped bread in it. Then he made himself muesli, strawberries and icecream. On Friday he cooked sausages and chips. For lunch each day he had cheese and ryvita. He said he was a bit tired of cheese when I came home, but he could have had tinned salmon, crab or tuna. If he’d remembered the crab he would have had that.

I came home and developed a really bad mood in the evening. John wanted a take-away but I had been stuffing myself at M and F’s and wanted an omelette. We had a pizza from the freezer in the end. Then, owing to a misunderstanding, John finished all the muesli which left me none for breakfast this morning. I went to bed in a right mood.

This morning, it’s the First Communions. One of the reasons I’m out of sorts is that one family have not shown much commitment at all., and the boy is not well prepared. I saw him after school last week, and did two catchup sessions very rapidly. He was supposed to come on the Sunday, but the father rang to say ‘they had changed their plans’ (FOOTBALL I GUESS) so he has missed that last session. The father was supposed to ring to arrange a catchup session during the week, but didn’t ring, of course. (John would have picked up the message)So this morning the poor kid is going to receive Hoy Communion this morning having never tasted the host or practised holding the chalice. He will probably have a quick practice before Mass this morning, but sheesh (as they say)

After Mass I need to pop into the Coop for some meat for today and a topup of salad stuff, then I’m FREE. I need to cut the grass as sod’s law - I texted the gardeners to do it on Friday but their lawn mower was broken. Anyway, they did lots. Trimmed hedges and weeded, so now I can see the lavatera that Sandy and Joy gave us when they stayed last year. I had forgotten it was there, and it has really grown, albeit a bit long and lanky as it was struggling for daylight.

Anyway, bye diary, I need to have a shower and get ready for the day ahead.

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13/03/2011 by Aileen.

Well, we had an absolutely unbelievably wonderful time on our silent retreat at St Beuno’s. It is honestly too personal for me to talk about, but I feel a changed person, and John has changed in his beliefs too. Wonderful memories.

One of the little things that changed for me is that I have decided to spend less time on t’internet. I haven’t been posting as I have been wondering what to give up and what to keep. I’m keeping this blog as it’s a sort of diary for me, and I like reading back occasionally. Also, I just like recording my life. Paradoxically I have started another anonymous Blogger blog. My first one is religious based, and has turned out to be mostly thoughts (rather than feelings) My new one is linked, and I am recording my dreams on it, and trying to interpret them from a Christian point of view. But I’ve cut out a lot of aimless surfing. When I get up, sometimes around 6am, I used to turn on the news, open up the laptop and have breakfastall at the same time. I am trying to listen to the news single-mindedly now, and just having a quick glance at Facebook and other sites later.

Another thing that isn’t too personal is that I said to my spiritual guide that  I was very happy with my life, thank you very much, and I didn’t want anything to change. At the same time I sometimes wonder if I shouldn’t be doing something a bit more active in the church. Anyway, Fr Neville is still recuperating from his two operations, and the visiting priest challenged the parish to sort out Stations of the Cross for ourselves. So I offered to do Friday evenings during Lent. I have done one so far. Made it up myself, as I wanted to do something really relevant to our lives, and not the old Victorian stuff we are used to. About 8 people turned up, which is wonderful as people would have been to the Ash Wednesday service on the Wednesday, and there was a funeral for someone well known to the parish on the Friday morning. And our parish is tiny. 40 newsletters printed each week. The church is only 10 pews deep and we only have one Mass a week. Just to blow my own trumpet a bit - Douglas asked for a copy of the Stations as he said it was the most devotional one he had ever heard. Also, I was amazed that the woman who had buried her husband turned up, and thanked me after. She said it had ‘just finished her day’!!! (She meant it in a good way)

I drove Fr Neville to hospital on Thursday for his post op. checkup and he had good news. No followup radiotherapy or chemo. He read the gospel at Mass this morning, and was walking a bit quicker than he was on Thursday. Hopefully he’s really on the mend now.

Good birding session this week when we had really close-up and prolonged views of a goldcrest, and saw a peregrine falcon, and a flock of bullfinches. Good creative writing sessions too. Everything good. Full stop

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14/10/2010 by Aileen.

All 33 miners and the helpers are out alive. Unbelievable. What a great piece of technology was that rescue capsule. An  anti-Christian person on Face Book started a big discussion about why do Christians always take her attacks personally when they’re not. (She had an abusive Christian mother) I don’t normally get drawn in to these ‘debates’ but I have felt very hurt by her. Especially as she quotes from papers with an agenda against Christianity, or Newsarse, which sends up everyone. (probably not atheists though) and in my view are biased. Or they report on one crazy pastor (e.g. Terry Jones and the Burn the Koran campaign) and paint all Christians with this brush.

Anyway, someone said I shouldn’t be hurt when Jesus was criticised, as to them it was just like criticising Peter Pan. Well, feelings is feelings. If he can’t understand that, God (!) help his family, friends and colleagues. I got out of the discussion. (Actually, most participants were on the same side, re-inforcing their firmly held beliefs.)

Anyway, I headed this article with ‘Praise the Lord’. And I do praise him. I believe ‘he’ made us. We reflect some of ‘his’creative skills, and have used our intelligence to create the world as we know it today (for better and worse)

We were responsible for the mining disaster in the first place, and this time we were able to put it right. Behind it all is God, looking after us, and ultimately even death is conquered. So to me it’s logical to say ‘Praise the Lord’ whatever happens. That’s what Job did (and I know he’s mythical!) He said, ‘The Lord has given and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.’

So there.

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15/09/2010 by Aileen.

Really pleased as I got the results of my Website Design course back. 87%. Can’t upload the site as it’s not a proper one. Ony uploaded to the Open University.

Church cleaning was okay yesterday, but I probably damned myself in Fr Neville’s eyes with my jaundiced views of the institutional church.  Pope arrives tomorrow. That’s what started the discussion. I’m sure he has lots of good points as a human being, but when oh when is the church going to drag itself into the 21st century?

Good birding today at Tophill Low. Not that much there really, but a pleasant walk and we had good views of a kingfisher.

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14/09/2010 by Aileen.

Really, I’m very pleased with myself. One of my photos earned me joint third in the club members vote, and the same one got joint third in the members of the public vote. It was ‘Bluebell Dawn’ - first picture in a previous post.

The bluebells aren’t very distinct, as we had to give the titles to Kate a week earlier, and I just printed the substitute off at the last minute. The bluebells are there - you just can’t see them very clearly. A job for photoshop I believe. (But I won’t get round to it.)

Church Cleaning this morning. Yuck. Why did I volunteer. Oh well. I’ll feel virtuous afterwards, and the church is so pretty and well kept. Oh, I see a couple of photos coming up.

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27/06/2010 by Aileen.

I was wide awake at 4am this morning, so had a cup of tea, a wander round the garden (and out the front by the canal - looking for otters) and improved on some shoes I made in Second Life.

As a consequence I overslept for Mass and drove there 15 minutes later than usual.

On the way I saw a young man in black limping along really badly. I turned back and as I pulled alongside him he collapsed in the grass verge, so I gave him a lift into Howden. He had been mugged at midnight in Hull and was trying the get to Howden where a friend was picking him up at the garage.

He said he had been to the police but they said they couldn’t do anything for him. Nice one.

Anyway, I dropped him off, went to Mass really late, and drove back that way after, but he had gone, so hopefully his friend had found him.

He had juice with him, and an inhaler, so hopefully he was ok. I offered him my tea in my water bottle, but didn’t think to offer him money.

I arrived at Mass just in time for the homily, which was good (except Fr Neville reads them) except for the bit where he said that Jesus wants us to come to Mass every Sunday to worship him. Erm. If he had wanted to be worshipped he would have left himself present in a beautiful jewel or something. You don’t worship bread - you eat it - for strength. And wine is for strength and enjoyment.

I think we go to Mass to be fed, so we can go out and feed others.

Anyway, just filled a dustbin lid with water as my little blackbird is really gaping.

And the lovely Acer that Don and Chris gave us for our 40th wedding anniversary is looking the worse for wear. I’ve just soaked it in water, and hope it is ok.

Holiday tomorrow, so today is washing, ironing, packing, etc. etc. etc.

Oh yes, and World Cup Englis match!

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01/06/2010 by Aileen.

So long since I’ve posted. I’ve just been too busy I suppose. Chris and Nigel came to stay, Ali,Eric and kids came for a couple of nights, and then we all went south  for Alexander’s baptism.

So where do I start?

Let’s do it chronologically. I’ve known Chris since the late 60s. We were in St Matthias parish in Worcester Park, Surrey, then Chris moved to Tolworth. Lo and behold - we followed.

Chris is an incredibly kind person who has looked after various people for the last few years, and she and Nigel have only just now been able to come up and see us in Yorkshire now that her father and father-in-law are dead.

We had a great time catching up on the gossip.

We had a great meal at The Pipe and Glass in South Dalton.

http://www.pipeandglass.co.uk/about.php

We also had a great game of Scrabble. Well, it wasn’t really great, as the board didn’t open up much, but we enjoyed it anyway. Chris won and I came last.

We had a day on our own (washing sheets etc) when Ali rang to say she was coming down on the Thursday so the kids weren’t too long in the car on consecutive days.

Once again, a good time was had by all. I didn’t want to miss my Creative Writing on Friday morning, so rudely went!

There was a broken down lorry on my route, and I got there half an hour late.

However, this wasn’t the worst thing. As I was driving along I was thinking that, barring technical reasons (like not getting my work in on time) I should have a degree this year. I was idly thinking of what could go wrog when I suddenly thought, Hell (or worse) I didn’t attach my commentary to my story. This would mean I fail as both parts are necessary.

Anyway, as soon as I got home I rang my tutor, and he got back straight away - I had attached the commentary.

So. Barring technicalities I should have a degree by the end of the year. (Sounds big-headed, but I won’t fail the story.)

Anyway, on Saturday we all drove down to Oxford. We stayed in the Premier Inn in rooms opposite one another. We tried to book a meal in a nearby pub, but both ones we tried were full, so we stayed in The Beefeaters attached to the Premier Inn. Martin joined us, and we all enjoyed our meals. It was Martin’s birthday, but the next day’s celebration took precedence. (Fiona stayed at home with her parents and Alexander.)

The next day we had Alexander’s baptism. There were so many people there. 41 kids plus all the adults. But the priest commented afterwards how well everybody behaved. Well, both sides of the family are Catholics, so we all know the routine! Some of the friends were from Martin’s and Fiona’s Catholic secondary schools, but a lot of the new friends weren’t.

After the baptism we all went to the village hall at Hutton-cum-Studdley. This was an inspired choice. There is a great adventure playground and lots of grass all around, so the kids could run around. (Some adults too!)

Sarah, M and F’s neighbour, did the catering. She’s doing a meal for David Cameron and 80 friends next week, so she’s good. The food was lovely.

As an aside, I have to mention the birds. There were two red kites wheeling over the hall earlier in the afternoon, and there was a little bluetit who had laid eggs in a cigarette disposal unit outside, and the poor little thing was run ragged feeding her offspring. There only seemed to be one parent.

Time to put up some photos.

Bye.

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18/03/2010 by Aileen.

That’s the cats. Sugar and Spice have been ‘done’ with not too much hassle. Ellis is going today and, famous last words, she will be easy to catch. We’re a bit worried about her, as she is so thin under her fur, and she gets sick quite a lot, although perversely enough, she hasn’t lately. She’s fourteen.

Anyway, it’s a morning of gardening for me, vets in the afternoon, and then I’m doing a CRB form for someone who wants to do Chidlren’s Liturgy.

I’ve finished my OU TMA. 4 poems and a commentary. It’s not due in until Friday, so I am quite free today. Oh, I have to write a fantasy story for the writing group tomorrow.

My I Belong book is being revamped by Redemptorist Publications. New illustations. I hope they don’t change the text too much. I gave up all rights to it, so haven’t much say. I’ve asked if I can write an adult book to run alongside it, but I’ve suggested this before and told no, as I’m not ‘famous.’

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31/01/2010 by Aileen.

I’ve been really good and not been on the Net too much this week. Here’s a rundown of the week.

Monday. Went to Viewfinders and just mooched around. Took a few photos but my heart wasn’t in it. Will probably delete them.

Tuesday. Can’t remember.

Wednesday. Potteric Carr with Birding friends. Here are a few photos.

Blue Tit

Jay

Reed Bunting

 Robin

 Thursday. Church Cleaning.

Friday. Parish Dinner. Great time. Sitting with Suzannah, Catherine Hall, Mary and her mum, and a really nice family I didn’t recognise, even though our church is only ten pews long!

Saturday. Not much. Can’t remember, and it was only yesterday! Oh yes, I made a harissa paste for a mince dish I was doing. There was lots left over as I didn’t want to overdo it, so some went in to today’s gravy! Some more will go into the chicken burgers I’m going to make tomorrow with the left-overs.

Fiona has less than a fortnight to go. Thursday week is the latest she will be allowed to go. She’s still getting sick. That’s the whole nine months, poor thing. They still haven’t decided on a name, but his middle name will be Niall, after my brother, Martin’s uncle. They both like the name a lot, but didn’t think it went with Urquhart.

Anyway, time to go. I rang Ali but there was no answer. Shocking, all this gadding about.It’s a school day tomorrow too!

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25/01/2010 by Aileen.

Is it really so long since I posted?

Wednesday  13th - had my followup to mammogram. Scan this time. Everything looks fine but I need another followup in three months.

Friday 15th - I rang Stella the previous night to say I might not be there. I was still coughing and hadn’t got into the swing of going out since the snow. However, I woke full of the joys of spring, and had a great time with the others. Such talent. Such a laugh.

16th/17th - Kev and Mag came to stay, as they were dropping Andy off at Uni. We had a good time. On the Saturday afternoon I had a tutorial at Sheffield. Useful, and I put faces to two more names. Sheffield is sooooo hilly!

17th - 22nd - John and I had a Course at St Beuno’s (former Jesuit seminary which puts on courses and retreats) on Myers-Briggs Personality Types, Prayer and Shadow. Sr Ann Morris was excellent.

It’s funny, I explained to people over and over again that I was the one originally interested in MBTI and other psychology stuff, but John got interested and followed it further, so he is now a counsellor. So we went for John’s professional development, but by no means was I a hanger-on. I’ve actually studied MBTI much more than he had. In the end, he got a lot out of it spiritually, which was an unexpected and blessed outcome. I also got loads out of it.

Saturday 23rd. Just remembered the previous night that I was going for a walk with my OU friends. We met at Pocklington, drove to Millington, and walked about 5 miles, ending back in The Gait Inn at Millington for a pub lunch. Scampi and chips. Nom, nom, nom. The uphill bits made so breathless I couldn’t talk, but I recovered quickly on the flat and downhill bits. Two of my companions are struggling with their MAs (for different reasons) and one is not enjoying her literature course.

Sunday 24th Church. Such a friendly bunch of people. Prepared two kids for their First Holy Communion. It’s so lovely teaching them as they’re lively and inquisitive and fun.

Today - back to my usual Monday optimism. Great plans for the week. I have a TMA due in on Friday. Also, Parish Dinner on Friday night. On Wednesday we’re going birding to Potteric Carr - always a special place. I haven’t seen the birding crowd since before Christmas, so it will be nice to get back.

I’ve been on the Wii-Fit for the last three days, and am taking exercise seriously. It’s such fun. (Is that a paradox or a groan comment?)

Last but not least - Fiona is still doing well. Not long now until little Angus is born. (No, he’s not going to be called Angus. That’s what John keeps calling him, and now Ali seems to be saying it. I remember John’s mother kept calling Ali ‘Mary’ for ages. I used to seethe. Luckily Fiona and John have a much better relationship than Betty and I did. The difference  is - Betty thought she would get her own way eventually. Also, I didn’t speak up, whereas Fiona is assertive enough to say if she wasn’t happy with the teasing.

Oh well. I decided at St Beuno’s that I’m spending too long on the Net, so I am cutting this time down drastically. I’ll post photos of the Welsh countryside and others later. Maybe tomorrow as I have Viewfinders tonight. We’re photographing ‘liquid.’

Bye all. Have a good week.

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