A weekend of contrasts

Friday:

• No work today... but the funeral of a relative who died shortly before his 90th birthday.  A sad occasion, but comforting to hear of a long life lived with God and to know that he's with his Maker now.  No more sin, sickness, suffering, sadness... (Rev 21:4)
• We sang "There is a redeemer" as the final hymn.  The 3rd verse was particularly touching:

When I stand in glory,

I will see His face

and there I'll serve my King forever

in that holy place

• I had the house to myself for the rest of the day/weekend, so I took the opportunity to do some baking.  I've borrowed a friend's recipe book (Mary Berry's Simple Cakes) and made a lemon drizzle tray bake and some chocolate brownies.  Both were wonderfully easy.
• I also treated myself to a new electric hand mixer - what an improvement on the 20-year-old (at least!) mixer I'd been using until now.
• Finally, I joined a couple of friends for a nice girly evening
• enjoying some of the cake I'd made
• watching Nanny McPhee - I enjoyed it lots, and couldn't help admiring the crochet and patchwork beadspreads on the children's beds!

Saturday:

A trip to Carlisle with a friend

• we had browsed and had lunch at Orton Grange, which has something of an eclectic mix of lovely gifts, fairtrade clothes, patchworking materials, a hairdresser and a beauty shop!
• I was also pleased to see they stock Bolesławiec pottery - a distinctive style with childhood memories for me.
• The sun shone, so we made the most of it and enjoyed driving with the car hood down.
• Looking around craft shops in the town... and Fun2Do have started to offer classes in new techniques.  Much too tempting!

Sunday:

• Playing in the band at church
• I'm starting to experiment a little with how I play... still very basic stuff, but I used the octaves to give a bit of interest.  Playing the tonic, but at different positions on the guitar neck.  It's a way of getting to know the instrument a little better, so that I can move on a bit more as I gain confidence and my fingers get stronger.
• An encouraging meeting, with many people standing up to share how they'd grown with God during the hard times, and seen His faithfulness throughout (sometimes with hindsight!)
• A relaxing afternoon, but still getting a few things done.
• I've worked out (with help from a Ravelry forum) how to block the knitted moebius cowls I've made myself.  I pinned them onto (and round) the ironing board and held the iron over to give some steam; a few minutes to cool, and then move it round a bit further and start again.  They feel a bit softer and more luxurious now :o)
• A second go at a Tangy Onion Chutney - I'm a bit happier with how it's turned out this time.  I used a small amount of balsamic to replace some of the red wine vinegar, and have now got some grenadine syrup.  The first attempt got better over time, so I'm very optimistic for this one.  I'm looking forward to trying it with grilled goat's cheese on toast - yum!

A holiday reminder

I bought a couple of balls of wool in Kirkwall while we were there: A local Aran-weight yarn in a silver-grey. Ever since, I've been trying to decide what to make from it.

The make had to be for me (the souvenir aspect of the yarn would be lost on anyone else) and probably a circular scarf, since that was what I originally had in mind when I bought it.

Yesterday I cast on. I've chosen another moebius scarf, this time slightly shorter and chunkier, with a simple lace effect for interest.

I'm already about half-way! I'm amazed at how quickly it's progressing, although perhaps I shouldn't be since I watched most of the Paralympics opening ceremony while I knitted last night...

Our bank holiday beach adventure

We joined our friends for an evening at the beach:

• paddling and games
• sandcastles, moats, trenches and islands

•  a picnic tea before we moved to be higher than the rising tide
• a bonfire in our new location, with marshmallows and toast
• kite-flying

All under a warm (but not too hot) sun, as it started to set

A fantastic way to spend a Sunday afternoon/evening.  And what a privilege to live near such a lovely place.

Hiding from the rain

A wettish Saturday (well, what else for a bank holiday weekend?)

• We left the house for a yummy lunch at the Coffee Kitchen in Cockermouth.  I love their Cranberry and Brie roll, and their focus on fresh bread with quality tea and coffee.
• We escaped the rain by browsing in some of the shops... the Children's Society were opening up their new branch.
• I found a bargain dress and t-shirt
• and 4 mugs (not that we need any more...) to change for some of my older ones...

• so I'll say goodbye to my old mugs, which I picked up years ago as seconds from the Denby shop:

• they've served us well, but I'm in the mood for moving them along...

How do we know?

NISCU support group meeting tonight, to meet the new primary schools worker. She spent some time in New York as an intern for Metropolitan Ministries after she graduated - it sounds like an amazing experience. Quite early on she fell out of a window (as you do) and broke her arm. The hospital wouldn't replace the temporary cast because her insurance wouldn't pay, so her friends prayed for healing one night. Next day she decided to cut off the cast - her elbow was healed!

That got to someone else telling the story about her mum being diagnosed with cancer last year. Before she went for her op she asked God to heal her and felt some rumbling in that area. When they operated and looked at the tissue it wasn't cancerous any more (the lab checked 3 times!)

I've no idea why some people are healed while others aren't, but it's so encouraging to hear of times when healings happen.

I've been thinking today about our oldest godson's questioning of how he can believe God exists when he can't see or hear Him. A very good question! ...and one that this type of miracle helps to answer.

Life can be a series of mundane or trivial activities, punctuated by special events. It all adds up to tell us God is there and involved in the mundane and the exciting times.

Back to work after our fun adventures

The start of a new week:

• I've got through part of the email mountain... I think I've seen the critical ones anyway.
• Catching up with my team after all our times away
• one child ill, another much improved... I think no news is good news for the others.
• sorting out the admin stuff which goes with being a manager.
• stayed late to finish a couple of urgent items.

• feeling the effects of Saturday's late night though. Definitely not as alert or patient as I'd like!

• very pleased to hear my gran sounding much brighter on the phone this evening - a welcome change from recent weeks

• and I didn't switch the TV on this evening! I caught up with some missing blogs instead.

Back in Berlin

... this time for work.

I'm here to witness a printing trial, then I fly back to Newcastle on Thursday ready for our hols!

Blessings:
- a slightly relaxed start to the day. I finished both sets of packing, checked emails and did most of the washing up.
- traffic was fine on the motorway and the patches of heavy rain were mostly short.
- I've almost got my bearings in Berlin now so didn't get lost on the way to the hotel.
- I met with my colleague and customer for a tasty meal

...time for sleep!