27/06/2008 by Aileen.

I don’t seem to be able to upload photos any more. Need to find it if the problem is at my end or with the webmaster (if that’s the term for 1 & 1)

Anyway, I’ve spent 2 hours on the web and it’s now 8.20 am. Am actually in the mood for shopping so am going in to Hedon to collect replacement coffee machine (no Creative Writing as it’s the hols) then back to Hull for a much needed haircut. As I’ve lost over a stone since January I might treat myself to something to wear.

I also need to drop off LOTS of packaging at the rubbish dump as we got a new tv and tv table yesterday. It’s like being at the cinema as it has a 40″ screen. I notice all sorts of details that I didn’t previously. Like a toast rack on a table. Camera work also seems more obvious - which sounds bad, but what I mean is I am appreciating the depth of field that the cameramen (persons!!!) are using. I can see their skill. One bad thing - every little blemish on someone’s skin also shows up.

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11/06/2008 by Aileen.

This week’s been panning out wonderfully. Monday was really hot, and I can’t remember too much about it. Tried to sit out in the garden for a bit but it was too hot. Did housework and gardening I think.

In the evening we (photographers’ club) went to Garten-on-the-Wold to a Norman church. Every surface was decorated. The only church I’ve seen that is more highly decorated is St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice. And that’s the truth! It was a beautiful evening, and we snapped gravestones and inside the church. Will add them to my main website.

We then went to the villlage pub, which was an experience and a half. It was tiny, and there was one punter when we arrived - two when we left. The landlord was so glad to see us, and kept reading us jokes from an enormous tome. His stock really needed replenishing. We kept asking for things (like coke) and he was out of stock. In the end we had to ask what he did have!

On Tuesday evening, I went to the Scripture group as usual, but forgot there was a special series of talks on the sacraments, by Fr. Michael. It was really inspiring, and I hope to attend all the course. Father’s talk reminded me of the inspiring stuff I heard nearly fifteen years ago when I did a diploma in pastoral theology. It made me homesick for the time when I was really involved with the church, and I had some influence in changing peoples’ attitudes to God, hopefully for the better. So many parents on the First Communion course said that they had not thought about religion since they left school, so obviously their thoughts hadn’t grown as they had matured. They were surprised that the Church had moved on and that their secret opinions were not too heretical after all!

Anyway, back to Father Michael. He spoke about our dignity, as sacraments (signs) of God. We are made in ‘his’ image. All creation mirrors his glory, but we, unlike the animals etc. can reflect on it all, and consciously give glory to God for it. It was so inspiring.

Oh oh, I can feel a poem coming on with word plays about reflecting and images.

Today I went to Flamborough with my birding group. We saw puffins, razorbills, kittiwakes, gannets and others. More photos for the website when I get round to it.

In between my excursions I have been sorting photos. Most of them are in albums, but I do pull some out sometimes and don’t return them. For example, when I was looking for photos for Martin’s ‘This is Your Life’ book. We also have all Betty’s (John’s mum) photos to slot in. John is great at remembering dates, so between us we are gradually conquering the mountain.

Tomorrow is free, so we may go to Hornsea Freeport and buy Ali’s birthday present. Then have fish and chips in Hornsea. Friday should be fun. The creative writing group has finished for the summer, but we are meeting up at Burton Agnes (old house) for a wander, a coffee, some writing and lunch. (Not sure of the order)

The only bad thing so far this week (I’m talking personally, not of the wide world!!!) is that I put on half a pound this week. As I lost three pounds last week I can’t really complain. I also won the raffle there for two weeks running. Last week it was all the ingredients for a potatoe based pizza and very nice it was too. This week it was an assortment of ’slimming’ foods. All good stuff except the dried apricors which I dislike.

Night, night!

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07/06/2008 by Aileen.

I’ve just written in my other blog as I have been feeling bored and am at a loose end. (Don’t know if I mentioned it but I have started another blog to be nasty in)

Anyway, it must be very therapeutic as I feel fine now, and am about to go out shopping. Will have to take car as I am going to local garden centre as well. I cut and strimmed all four lawns (get me - they’re only small) and planted up 2 hanging baskets, planted 6 tomato plants and 2 peppers this week. I previously planted onions and potatoes and find some potatoes are sprouting near one of the compost bins.

Because we have four strips of grass I have named them.

• front lawn
• top lawn
• cherry orchard (it has a plum tree in it)
• wild flower meadow (I let it go wild when we first moved in)

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20/05/2008 by Aileen.

…was much more satisfactory.

Granted, I didn’t do any gardening, but as we’re away for four days on Friday there’s no point in planting/sowing anything that will need watering. (I know I could weed)

But…… I took clothes that are now too big for me to the charity shop, returned some brass door furniture to B &Q and got a refund, got printer inks for J’s printer, got hair cut, bought top and bra, returned old specs to Vision Express who give them to 3rd World, got something to do with M’s birthday this weekend, got Eleanor a birthday card, bought some M & S food (which John ‘cooked’)

And I got 85% for my last OU tma. I just have the timed essay to do now, and I’ll probably do that next Tuesday.

This evening I’ve been experimenting with website design, trying to style a table using CSS. I’m still absolutely fascinated by website design.

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02/05/2008 by Aileen.

Since our keyholder neighbour got into our house when she thought we weren’t there we’ve been putting the chain on the front door and going out the garage if we’re both out. We did it this morning when we went to the doctors. (John had a large mole but dr. said it was ‘maturity.’)

What we forgot was that the electicity board had turned off all electricity in the road (from 9am to 3pm) and our garage is up and over electric. So when we came back we couldn’t get in via the garage, and although I had the front door key the chain was on. Luckily, the week before I had decided to add the utility room door key to my key ring - and I remembered!

John had a client at 11am and couldn’t really see him/her in the car!

I had intended to rush off for Creative Writing, but faffing around trying to get in delayed me even longer, and it was such a beautiful morning I said to John I’d stay at home and have a coffee in the garden. Oops! No electricity! No coffee!

Then the lovely Fiona rang and said she and Martin were thinking of coming over for the weekend, would we be there. Sooper dooper. I hadn’t touched the guest room since the pair stayed in it so I had to rush around cleaning it (2 little boys and bathrooms don’t really mix)

And then we had to swallow our pride - we were saying how ridiculous it was that everyone rushed to the supermarkets and stocked up as if for a siege whenever there was a bank holiday. Guess where I went this afternoon? T**cos. And bought the shop up.

11.45pm and I’ve just finished a beef casserole for tomorrow. I’m off to Leeds Art Gallery for the morning. M and F are leaving Oxford about 6am and if they get here about 9am Fi will come with me to Leeds. I haven’t asked the tutor yet. I’ll sort it out tomorrow. Good old Manana. She’s a good friend of mine.

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09/04/2008 by Aileen.

I woke up this morning, with the kitchen a bit of a mess, wondering what to do with the lovely hours stretching before me until Slimming World at 6pm!

Anyway, we did Hull and York yesterday! At Hull we bought:

Clintons:

5 birthday cards

Body Shop:

moisturiser

face mask

nail varnish remover

lipsitck (which feels horrbily sticky. I can’t report it to the Trades Description bods then)

2 different body washes which John sneaked into the lovely wicker (not wire) basket

Holland and Barret:

Health Magasine

2 low salt veg stock packs

Floradix (tonic as we’re both feeling so tired lately)

Chocolate flap jack (that John thinks is healthy because he bought it in a health shop)

Then at M&S I bought the pinkest, softest, fluffiest dressing gown I have ever seen or felt in my life. (Sorry Old Girls, for letting down

‘Notre Dame, School for Young Ladies’

I’m a bit of a bimbo at heart.

As it was only 11am we went off to York and had our PRET A MANGER lunch.

I had chicken and avocado salad, and J had salmon and prawn salad. Delicious.

Then I got some strappy red Paver sandals reduced to £20. I was so pleased until I remembered I already have a pair of red sandals. Bum.
After buying 2 pressies for bigger grandson’s birthday we staggered back to the car and got home around 4pm. John got nothing for himself!
Scripture was excellent last night. We looked at the Good Shepherd readings for next Sunday. Thought how the shepherd would count his sheep into the fold at night, knowing them all, (There’s Nicky with the nick in his ear)((No, I’ve just thought of that bit now!)) But we discussed how our idiosyncracies make us who we are, and that is how we are known and loved.
Discussed how a gate is a divider. Safety inside, danger outside. I know this sounds a very old-fashioned model of Church - a bit like the Ark of Salvation - but decided that when safe inside the fold the sheep rest and gather strength to go out and face dangers the next day - and go out to bring others to safety.
At the moment on the news, I am hearing about Karen Matthews’ arrest. There’s a family who could do with a Good Shepherd to nourish and keep safe.
Finally, we discussed how being sheep is normally a bad thing. However, we are happy to have a Good Shepherd.
Peter’s reading on Sunday is about following our leader and that it might lead to being reviled etc. as he suffered for speaking up for the underdog. I don’t thinkI do enough speaking up, as no one reviles me (at least not to my face, and people are welcome to say anything about me behind my back)

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