Yesterday as I walked into chapel, the organist, who was practising the hymns we were going to sing, started playing 'You shall go out with joy', and without thinking I started dancing. The immediate comment was "You're better!"
Having been off the pills for several days, I now realise how much they had affected me and zonked me out, so that I missed the Singing Festival and only went to the Book Club BBQ for an hour so that I didn't have a late night. But I'm so pleased that I will be able to really enjoy the Village Women's day out tomorrow even though I am shaking slightly more than I have been while on the pills.
Our preacher yesterday should have been our local Deacon from the 'Church up the road', but there had been a mix up over his dates, and in the absence, due to holidays, of our secretary and the couple who usually stand in when there is an 'empty' Sunday, it was decided that another couple and the organist would arrange a DIY service as I really was not up to stepping into the breach!
It was the first DIY service I had been to as they usually happen when I am away - and I thought it was brilliant!
It was led by our retired farmer deacon who has a wonderful gift of praying; covering all aspects with no repetition!
Various folk were asked to choose readings and our retired matron told us how District Nurses came into being; to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, women raised the necessary money. She quoted from St Paul in the Authorised Version "And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." She made us think; will the women of the country do something similar for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee next year? The cynical me thinks not because the role of women has changed so much during the last century but hopes that something could be done to mark the occasion.
And in the afternoon I went to a little URC chapel in the middle of nowhere to take their service. I love driving but don't like the twisty lanes with high hedges where the locals drive too fast for my liking, not expecting me to be coming the other way!
Monday 27 June 2011
Tuesday 21 June 2011
my Mum
Yesterday would have been my Mum's birthday and two years ago, just a few weeks after she died we held a celebratory strawberry tea at the care home where she had lived for the previous five years.
She loved strawberries and revelled in the fact that they were in the greengrocer's shops just in time for her birthday! She also loved Wimbledon and managed to get there one year as a birthday treat. The love of watching tennis is about the only thing that I have not inherited from her! But then tennis has changed since my parents got their first television.
Apparently I have always looked like her, which I never noticed until recently when I realised that my jaw line is drooping just like hers. And I got type two diabetes just like her, although she was in her sixties and had a very sweet tooth while I was only just into my forties but had had a stressful few years (a cause which is rarely mentioned).
And I shake just like her! She was very pleased to take her doctor's advice and have a sherry before lunch! But I had to explain to my doctor that having a sherry before going into the pulpit was not a very good idea and even worse when I have to drive to outlying rural chapels!
I have tried various pills; the first made my asthma worse, the second sent me to sleep all day and then I had a skin reaction! I'm on yet another which after five weeks, I'm still shaking and now finding that I fall asleep in the afternoon and don't want to go out in the evening. Even friends are noticing that I'm very quiet - just not my usual self. Do I need a holiday? I am going away in two weeks time or is it the pills? Time to visit the doctor again!
She loved strawberries and revelled in the fact that they were in the greengrocer's shops just in time for her birthday! She also loved Wimbledon and managed to get there one year as a birthday treat. The love of watching tennis is about the only thing that I have not inherited from her! But then tennis has changed since my parents got their first television.
Apparently I have always looked like her, which I never noticed until recently when I realised that my jaw line is drooping just like hers. And I got type two diabetes just like her, although she was in her sixties and had a very sweet tooth while I was only just into my forties but had had a stressful few years (a cause which is rarely mentioned).
And I shake just like her! She was very pleased to take her doctor's advice and have a sherry before lunch! But I had to explain to my doctor that having a sherry before going into the pulpit was not a very good idea and even worse when I have to drive to outlying rural chapels!
I have tried various pills; the first made my asthma worse, the second sent me to sleep all day and then I had a skin reaction! I'm on yet another which after five weeks, I'm still shaking and now finding that I fall asleep in the afternoon and don't want to go out in the evening. Even friends are noticing that I'm very quiet - just not my usual self. Do I need a holiday? I am going away in two weeks time or is it the pills? Time to visit the doctor again!
Monday 13 June 2011
tiny and huge
Yesterday was one of the Sundays that I don't take the service in our chapel, for which I was quite relieved as I felt quite tired after yet another trip to London and also to Brighton - all most enjoyable but exhausting!
But in the afternoon I drove up the Llanthony valley, which is beautiful if you can see it but the rain was tipping down and the huge 4by4s coming the other way seemed to think they own the lane - not a very enjoyable drive this time!
The congregation at the little chapel consisted of the organist who worships in town in the morning, two others - one of which usually worships at our chapel and myself. Fortunately, I have been re-assured by one of them that if a sermon is worth hearing, it is worth hearing again! I hope he thinks that it was worth hearing twice! (with two years inbetween!)
In the evening it was back to our chapel where folk come from all the surrounding chapels and churches to rehearse for next week's annual Singing Festival. Our choir is now over 50 strong and the sound was wonderful - however, next week we will be up the road in the church so that there will be room for a congregation as well.
All the music is out of copyright but we have got permission to use John Bell's and Graham Maule's words of 'The Love of God comes close' which seems to be in complete contrast to 'All in the April Evening', which has got stuck in my head!
But in the afternoon I drove up the Llanthony valley, which is beautiful if you can see it but the rain was tipping down and the huge 4by4s coming the other way seemed to think they own the lane - not a very enjoyable drive this time!
The congregation at the little chapel consisted of the organist who worships in town in the morning, two others - one of which usually worships at our chapel and myself. Fortunately, I have been re-assured by one of them that if a sermon is worth hearing, it is worth hearing again! I hope he thinks that it was worth hearing twice! (with two years inbetween!)
In the evening it was back to our chapel where folk come from all the surrounding chapels and churches to rehearse for next week's annual Singing Festival. Our choir is now over 50 strong and the sound was wonderful - however, next week we will be up the road in the church so that there will be room for a congregation as well.
All the music is out of copyright but we have got permission to use John Bell's and Graham Maule's words of 'The Love of God comes close' which seems to be in complete contrast to 'All in the April Evening', which has got stuck in my head!
Tuesday 7 June 2011
confused? - you won't be!
This was the catch phrase of one of my all time favourite TV programmes back in the late 70s and early 80s; 'Soap'! And as I have grown older, I feel as if my life is becoming like that programme!
In readiness for Mandie's wedding, tomorrow I am going to meet some of Dave's family. Dave is ten years older than Mandie and has son by a previous relationship. The son is now in his twenties and with his girlfriend is expecting a child.
So in August when Mandie and Dave marry, she will immediately become a step Mum and I will acquire another Grandson. Then a month later Mandie will become a Grandma at thirty, which in turn means that I am going to be a Great Granny!
In readiness for Mandie's wedding, tomorrow I am going to meet some of Dave's family. Dave is ten years older than Mandie and has son by a previous relationship. The son is now in his twenties and with his girlfriend is expecting a child.
So in August when Mandie and Dave marry, she will immediately become a step Mum and I will acquire another Grandson. Then a month later Mandie will become a Grandma at thirty, which in turn means that I am going to be a Great Granny!
Monday 6 June 2011
procrastinating
this is usually thought of in a negative sense; as being lazy. But over the years, I see this as being an excellent thing to do!
Since yesterday afternoon, some very expensive material has been laid out on my study floor. And now I am blogging (procrastinating again) just to make sure that I have not made any silly mistake that might just pop into my mind before I put scissors to said fabric!
When we went shopping for her wedding dress fabric, my daughter (and I) fell in love with what was most probably the most expensive fabric in the shop, but as she is very slim, and not much fabric was needed it was bought!
Many years ago, at the height of my wedding dress making, I had a purpose built, high and very long table on which to cut out, having worn out my left knee on many pairs of jeans and developed thick skin on the top of my left foot! All caused by kneeling on one knee. As I only occasionally sew these days it is back to the floor, like most dressmakers!
Right... it is nearly time to start cutting - but it is not quite as scary as when I was told that the fabric I had been given to make a wedding dress was so priceless that the givers of the fabric, friends of her parents, had asked for it back. It was beautiful - pure ivory silk interwoven with pure gold threads! I wish they had told me after I had cut it out and not just as I was raising my scissors!
Since yesterday afternoon, some very expensive material has been laid out on my study floor. And now I am blogging (procrastinating again) just to make sure that I have not made any silly mistake that might just pop into my mind before I put scissors to said fabric!
When we went shopping for her wedding dress fabric, my daughter (and I) fell in love with what was most probably the most expensive fabric in the shop, but as she is very slim, and not much fabric was needed it was bought!
Many years ago, at the height of my wedding dress making, I had a purpose built, high and very long table on which to cut out, having worn out my left knee on many pairs of jeans and developed thick skin on the top of my left foot! All caused by kneeling on one knee. As I only occasionally sew these days it is back to the floor, like most dressmakers!
Right... it is nearly time to start cutting - but it is not quite as scary as when I was told that the fabric I had been given to make a wedding dress was so priceless that the givers of the fabric, friends of her parents, had asked for it back. It was beautiful - pure ivory silk interwoven with pure gold threads! I wish they had told me after I had cut it out and not just as I was raising my scissors!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)