chocolate biscuits and cold tea

Home Keepers Journal

2011-04-07T19:03:00.005+01:00

In My Kitchen … Home made, melt-in-the-middle chocolate microwave sponge pudding; chicken rissoto with rocket; lots of honey and lemon for current cold.

With my Family … everything is a bit up in the air at the moment.

What I’m Reading … Mark 16;13-28, where Jesus asks Peter to trust him admist the storm, Peter tries and fails when he is distracted by his circumstances, but he asks for Jesus to save him. What struck me most is that Jesus' answer to Peter comes in the form of leading him to safety, he doesn't change Peter's circumstances until after he has taken him to a safe place. Also, the Spectator, and a general book on answering tough questions questions.

An area where I wish I was stronger … energy levels and endurance.

What I’ve Been Noticing … the beautiful smell of spring, both flowers and of sap rising in the trees. SO evocative.

I am looking forward to … … Easter break with my family.

On The Back Burner of My Mind … how I can a wise steward of all that God has given me, both at home and further afield.

In The Deepest Darkest Recesses … I must trust that my Lord is stirring things to grow.

Home Keepers Journal challenge

2011-03-02T20:28:00.005Z

I'm joining in with Sylvia's Home Keeper Journal challenge over at Christian Home Keeper Network:

In My Kitchen This Week... I'm concentrating on making simple and delicious meals. Yesterday I made smoked mackerel, potato and onion soup; this evening, I have GF pasta with tuna, tomato and cheese.

Changes I Make To My Home In Spring … I have put away my fleece blankets, perhaps prematurely as tonight's temperature is meant to be below 0 degrees C; I'll celebrate the beginning of spring by buying some daffodils for my desk. I'll look through my clothes and see what I can send to the charity shops.

Changes In My Schedule … I look forward to British Summer Time, and the promise of brighter mornings, and not going to and coming home from work in the dark. The children at church will also be able to play outside and enjoy themselves after the 4pm service.

Changes In My Yard/Homestead … I moved into a new rented house in September, and really left the garden alone over winter, aside from planning from the warmth of the house. Today I began clearing the borders of bracken and yard after yard of brambles. I found bulbs underneath! -

What I Look Forward to This Spring … Doing more in the garden, cycling and running again (too cold for my asthma to cope with in Winter). Long walks in Home Park, Henry the VIII's hunting park, and Richmond Park.

Spring Brings with It … Insects. Not my favourite. I did manage to ignore the huge long legged spider on my wall last night and just go to bed. Perhaps I will call him George.

A Sure Sign Of Spring … Daffodils, green bulb shoots, Cadbury cream eggs in the shops.

A Favorite Spring Activity … Daffodils are so abundant just at this time. I seeing and stopping to sniff their sent as I walk about my area.

"I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils"

Wordsworth

Why not head over to Sylvia's to see how others are feeling and thinking about spring?

Our garden

2011-02-03T17:24:00.004Z

Alas, not my garden!
Hampton Court gardens, January 1st

Our garden is currently pretty desolate. I moved in the end of September, which wasn't really the ideal time to start on anything. It has clearly had nothing done to it for sometime. On the other hand, you can see it once had beds around the edge, it has two apple trees, one eating and one cooking (so I'm told). Most of the evidence came from the rotting mushy fruit all over the lawn. Nice.

I have only ever grown radishes and rocket. They survived being left alone whilst I went back to school for several weeks. However, I am trying to go more by way of the organic route, and the most economical and pleasurable way of doing this without a car. We have a local organic veg co-operative whilst I will begin volunteering next Saturday, but I'm not sure I can carry a box of root veg home on the bus.

No livestock sadly. Perhaps it's for the best

This year we're hoping to do something with it. Young Hyun will want salad vegetable; she loves rocket and sesame leaves, a Korean favourite that are expensive to buy even in an area with such a high population of Koreans. I'm not sure what Ellen would like, I will have to ask her.

Daffodils growing through the fence around the allotment beside church

I would love to grow root veg: carrots (which I'm told are a bit of a pain; beetroot; spring and red or brown onion; potatoes. I too would love rocket, but it would silly to duplicate it, so I will ask Young Hyun if we can just plant lots. I'm not sure everyone else will want to go organic.
I'm hoping I can keep pests of my crops using 'companion plants' that are unattractive to insects who would generally go for the plants you put them next to. Soft fruit is also appealing. And some flowers, though some companions plants have flowers.

The main challenges in the garden will be:

Digging it over and weeding it
Pigeons! -but I do love them...
My own levels of energy

We've had a few brighter days of late,
which is probably why the garden is on my mind

The weather outside is frightful...

2010-12-25T16:45:00.004Z

The view over the Thames and Kingston bridge from the roof terrace,

John Lewis Kingston

The UK has had usually extreme weather the last few weeks, so much so that the AA recommended only emergency journeys be undertaken, and appeals went out over local radio stations to farmers and those with 4x4 vehicles to help midwives and doctors get to their patients. Thousands of schools were shut, the railways and airports closed or disrupted. John Lewis only closed early for one day, but lots of people were allowed to go early to make sure they could travel home safely.

Liberty's of London, September

Working in retail means Christmas starts in September time, as we begin planning months before, Our napkins, crackers and table cloth had to be ordered by mid-October, then the various work Christmas dinners costed. I promised by myself that after the work Christmas dinners (for a total of almost 700) were out of the way, I could actually join in with the looking forward to the celebration of Jesus birthday.

There are also red bows around the bottom of the nets

that I added after I took the picture

I strung fairy lights up through the window in my room overlooking the our street. It just makes the house look more friendly, you know?

We have four Korean girls staying with us at the moment, one 16 and other two 15. Young hyun told them I had a little tree, and they were so excited I let them put that up before they went on holiday. They don't speak very much English, but excitement transcends language, doesn't it? Ellen and I decided we'd wait a little longer to put our nativity scene. We made a stable quite late one night from an old shoe box, some kraft paper, some wool, and a gift tag. Ellen's nativity set is beautiful. We've been edging the wise men closer day by day.

Joseph went missing for a bit, and the angel won't stay upright unless you balance him against the back wall. But at least we found the itinerant father before we had finished.

I emailed the Covent Garden Soup Company not long ago, to compliment them on their delicious home made goodness. The Covent Garden Soup Company were founded in the 80's by a man disappointed he couldn't buy soup like his Mum's in the shops. They very kindly sent me a £5 voucher as a thank you for emailing them a compliment, so I went out and bought 3 cartons of tomato and herb. This is no 'cream of vegetable fat, whey powder and sodium overload' in a can. Fresh tomatoes, onions, basil, a little sugar and nothing you wouldn't recognise from your own kitchen. On Friday morning before I left for Cardiff, I filled my thermos with boiling water to heat it up, heated some Covent tomato and basil soup, filled the flask and ate the remainder for breakfast. I ate it on the train with some yummy brown Genius bread.

The journey itself was without any disruption, though when I arrived in Cardiff everywhere was coated in a sheet of ice. It was a question of sliding by accident or using it to my advantage. It was so dangerously slippery I didn't even make it to church. Which was rather a shame, I really wanted to go.

An uncooked duck is very ugly

We had roast duck, roasted potatoes, carrots and parsnips, pigs in blankets, gravy and stuffing. All gluten and dairy free. The gingerbread stuffing took several tries, but it was worth the effort. When you have cooked a duck, the little wings look like those wire racks you put over radiators to dry towels on.

Thank you Bigger brother!

Delicious!

"When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted" Psalm 138:3

2010-09-12T12:10:00.011+01:00

Often I find myself expecting my friends to understand me without ever having explained myself. It can be painful to explain things about yourself that you are embarrassed or ashamed of, but it can really help you.

I spent a lovely day yesterday on Edgecote Moore, at Chipping Warden near Banbury. After last year's success the MSS and the English Tournament Society and Black Bear events presented the second Edgecote tournament and battle of Edgecote Moore. I confess I don't have any photo's from this year - these are all from 2009. As a re - enactor, you're always torn between taking photos and appearing in - authentic to a public who are paying to see you.

I chose to go for just the Saturday this year. I've had some issues with anxiety lately and couldn't quite face all the organisational and time issues involved in going for all three days.

I left on the 0607 train from New Malden and arrived on the field at 0945. It was a good decision. All the fun of the day, without the stress. It has taken a while, but I've realised that issues connected with time are what cause me most anxiety. One of my friends pointed out several years ago that I am very 'time aware'; I often know what time it is without looking at the clock and I clock watch a good deal. And when I begin to struggle with life, I'm very reliant on routine.

And going away for the weekend for Edgecote, which I LOVE, filled me with dread. Organising food I can eat, going to bed on time, getting up on time, sharing a tent (albeit a very large one!) with four other people....

.....Aaaah!!

So I panicked for a bit. First I tried making up excuses, about not being able to leave in time from work on the Friday. They said they would be able to leave later. Then, sat in Starbucks after work, I rang them and explained I couldn't face being with so many people, swallowed my pride and asked if they minded if I came for just the Saturday. They asked about what this might mean for going away in the future etc. I tried to explain that my anxiety levels wax and wane, and some times I can do more than I can at other time. But was really hard, trying desperately not to cry in Starbucks on a Monday after an awful day at work.

Do you know what? It was worth it. I had an amazing day, and my friends know a little more about me. If I friends don't know what we find hard, how can they help us overcome things? God gives us friends to encourage us and uses them to help us change to be more like Jesus.

This might look like failure; I wanted to go for the whole weekend, and I only went for the day. But originally I was going to back out altogether; by God's Grace, I was able to go. By His grace I was humbled and admitted to my struggle. Only when we admit what we struggle with, can we seek His help with it.

I have one friend who is very gregarious. She is always really encouraging when I manage to go along and engage with people at events, because she knows I find spending time with people, particularly large groups, really challenging.

And she challenges me to go to some things rather than letting me off the hook all together. Sometimes we need that too!

I won't ask you to state on hear what you are embarrassed by or are ashamed of, but do have a think about. Pray about it. Our Heaven;y Father is waiting to hear from us.

(the Greek is coming along...slowly..)

Androgogy

2010-07-16T23:03:00.023+01:00

or what life long learning looks like for most of us

You'll be relieved to hear that 'androgogy' is not a character from a science fiction novel.

Or disease.

I was introduced to the concept of androgogy (adult learning) during a very dull lecture series at university. It was so boring my friend Jo and I would sit right at the back and make notes from textbook for our other modules. And text our friend Paul about weevils eating our brains. It was that bad.

However, the concept itself peaked my interest. I LOVE learning. I wasn't all that good at it at school; I was dyslexic and didn't know it, and was distracted by bullying. I found solace in writing, skipping from Grade 2 flute to Grade 5 flute in a year, and learning instruments I liked the sound of instead of concentrating on what I should have been. I left with one A level in art (C), an AS in biology (E,just) and an AS in music (D) that I decided I wanted to take at 17 having never done GCSE. I'd have done better in that if the music history teacher had taught us anything; a U in one unit does rather drag down the other B and C. Another overall D grade.

Canbury gardens, Kingston

At university I struggled with the amount of reading and writing, an endless cycle of failing and re-taking modules. I passed all the practical, but was finally forced to leave 6 weeks from the end because I'd failed too many credits. It was heart breaking in a number of ways. I'd failed yet
another thing. But Jesus had brought me home and had given me a place in an amazing family.

Sovereignty of God conference, Easter 2005, Shropshire

I felt like my opportunity at education had passed. I'd failed my A-levels. I'd failed university. I felt I had very little to show for the previous five years.

I worked for GAP. I started learning the trumpet. I nannied for two very cute kidlets. I passed a St John's First Aid at work course and was so proud to have succeeded at something I cried and thanked God for his kindness. I dabbled in learning a language, then another. I joined John Lewis. And I struggled horribly. A department manger saw potential no one else had, including me. I moved sections and found a place where I could fitted in well and flourished.

But I still worried about the time I was wasting working in retail, surrounded by people killing time before finding a 'real' job. I started learning Biblical Koine Greek.

A labour of love

In September I moved in to a new house with six other people. I cleared out lots of stuff. My friend Ellen moved in to the new house too. I was living with an English, Christian girl for the first time in three years. And five Koreans girls, but the Korean part was normal for me. My room is huge, light and airy compared to anything I'd ever had. And a garden we were allowed to play with.

Then I was offered the opportunity to train as a manager. It had a profound affect on me. I made me consider that sometimes, despite our best efforts, good things happen. And that it's okay to be excited about them, and not catastrophise about what might potentially go wrong. Lots of women seem to struggle with this. It's a safety mechanism for me; so many things went wrong when I was growing up, it was just less crushing to expect the worst before it occured.

But it's no way to exist, I promise, because whilst pessimists are seldom disappointed, you miss so many good things.

Jephson Gardens, Leamington Spa, October 2010

When I say good things, I don't just mean becoming a manager. I mean loads of other stuff I had stopped thinking about because my only concept of success was based on receiving a piece of paper. What do I mean? I mean learning as an adult is so much broader and far reaching. It's about relationships with friends and family, learning patience, humility and compassion. It's about God's plans for you, which aren't necessarily the ones you had for yourself. It's about giving of yourself to other people, loving them when it hurts. Scraping dirty dishes, standing up for others, being discreet, sharing with them when they are hurting, smiling day after day and being cheerful. In a suit. Out of suit (hopefully wearing something else instead!) God presents us with opportunities to learn to be like His Son at home and at work.

Jasper

And the point?

I am learning. Every day. God is teaching me. The opportunities to learn are endless. They are unplanned for the most part, but some times making the best use of them requires a good deal of effort. Keep asking questions. Be curious. Expect Him to challenge you. Enjoy being a student in the school of life. Be kind to yourself, ask for help, seek forgiveness, start again in the knowledge that you aren't alone in this; Christ goes with you. As Rachel from over at Small Notebook pointed out in her post about 'The difficulty of doing less', the problem is is that if we try to have or do the same as everybody else, we miss out on the joy of doing what we are uniquely gifted to do. God knows us best, not society with it's expectations.

Perfect rest

2010-07-14T21:05:00.005+01:00

I wrote the following in the January of this year. I waste so much of my life, not seeking God's will, but wishing he would fulfil my own.

I come to the cross
to seek the wisdom of one who has gone before.

~*~

It is so hard a task to
cast yourself upon Him
who cares for you,
when he feels so far away.
Are my tears not a drop
more in the ocean of mankind's misery?
But when tempests toss the
waves of my own
mood, who could steady
them but He who
commanded the waters to be still?

~*~

What more can I say for
my Lord and His character,
than that when I am at
my lowest, when I
cannot see or feel or hear Him,
I know his will is to be
trusted.
Why is it that even
when we are resigned
to God's course of actions,
that we are pained when
our own plans do not
come to fruition?

~*~

How many tears we shed
at the sight of our own
foolish plans, gone unfulfilled.

How many sleepless nights,
our minds race with
what would not, could not be.

How many an hour spent
in dreaming a future
He did not deem to be ours.

How many hours, days,
months, years and lives
wasted, not content to rest
in His perfect will.

~*~

Rest

2010-07-11T08:01:00.011+01:00

Isn't rest wonderful?

I woke up this morning and it took me a few minutes to realise that it was my day off. And I smiled to myself. After an exhausting week, I really appreciated it. I really take it for granted that we in the UK are entitled to at least one day off a week. Some of my American friends have told me they commonly worked 6 days a week before they moved to the UK. I'm not thankful enough for my my rest days, but today the Lord has humbled me, and helped to realise what I have.

Some people struggle with sloth. Other's work too much. I fall in the middle. I do so much that I'm then too tired to do much at home. I think I should probably have more respect for the guidance of my Lord who knows my propensity to become a workaholic. I'm making more of an effort...to do less.

Don't laugh! It's really hard when you haven't done it for a number of years! Well- not since school anyway.

A major if belated improvement.

The weather has been very hot this week, yesterday it was around 30 degrees C. I spent much of the day running round a poorly air-conditioned building and in a humid kitchen scrubbing pots. The temperature was high, and emotions ran higher.

Today I woke to a blue if gradually clouding sky, and a light breeze. What a relief. Only yesterday my colleague and I commented on the need for rain. But the weather here changes very quickly.

All in forty minutes. But God, please can the rain wait until after the church picnic?

Project work

2010-07-09T20:13:00.010+01:00

Things are rather disorganised at the moment. My laundry basket seems bent on world domination, despite my attempts at appeasement. I've just put a load in so I'll have some clean uniform for work, and my only pair of jeans that really fit me.

As always, I have a number of projects on the go; I do so love a good project. I'll just mention a couple.

The material for the young people's summer camp I'm attending as a leader, Contagious, looms over everything. My friend Anne has kindly been helping myself and my friend Janin go through the book of Revelation on Wednesday evenings to prepare. It isn't as complicated as I thought it was; a lot of the symbolism is quite straight-forward, and a good deal the book is drawn from the books of the old and new testament. It's a summery of God's grand plan and the conclusion really of the Bible, which makes sense as it explains what will happen when Jesus comes to judge the world. The school that we use for the week is set in the most beautiful grounds:

I'm doing some Biblical Greek on the side, though I've rather neglected it this week. So far I've just about go the hang of the alphabet, and have learnt my first few words. I've also managed to set windows up so I can use a Greek font if I want to, though as yet I can't get online software to display it in my web browser.

ῤαββι Δαωιδ και Ἰακοβ

The trumpet continues well; I'm still loving my lessons, and my teacher Tristan continues as laid back and patient as ever. I'm working through a book of duets byPhilip Sparke which is surprisingly difficult (surprising in that it doesn't look hard). The rhythms are hard, which as timing was never was my strong point, is really good for me. I'm also learning Dave Brubeck's piece, 'Take Five'. Fiendishly hard, freakishly fast in places. I love it. Learning a difficult piece you love and admire is a bitter sweet experience. Your love for it is what gives you the motivation to learn a piece far harder than you'd generally play. The other side of the coin if you're anything like me, however, is the desperate desire to get it perfect and do justice to the composer and artists. Can you see now why I need such a laid back teacher? Dave Brubeck though. Wow. I could talk about that guy's music all day.

But for your sake, I won't.

Thoughts of September

2010-07-07T20:28:00.012+01:00

The weather the last few days has been distinctly autumnal, with drizzly rain, steel skies and nip in the air. Despite the announcement this morning that the north west will begin a hose-pipe ban at the beginning of next week, I find myself thinking past the summer to September.

Part of this harks back to my time at boarding school, where the seasons were punctuated not just by a change of weather, but by complete change of location as we moved back home at the beginning of July for two months.

I've never really shaken off the rhythm of the school year, and September always feels more like an opportunity for new beginnings than new year ever did.

Our church runs along similar lines because young families and students make up such a large proportion of it; our Thursday mid week service closes for the summer completely, and our Sunday evening one dwindles from about 50 to about 20. A few of the students stay, others faithfully commute back and forth at weekends to fulfil their commitments to the music group and Sunday school.

A new school year was new opportunity to work harder, do better, achieve more, but all with it tinged with a darker more unlikely hope....that I'd finally make people like me.

In the September of my last year at school as clinical depression set in I finally accepted I couldn't do that. It took me a long time to learn that I could never do that, because most good friends are made, not won.

I learnt that a September too, when I came to university. It's a lesson that came with time and God's grace. And it was worth the pain of learning by hard graft.

As the 'new' year approaches with autumn, I know that what ever aspirations and challenges I set for myself, I know that not alone. Abba, Daddy, come goes with me, and in his kindness, the friends He has gifted me with come too.

The next few weeks will be filled with the excitement of plans for the new academic year, a development plan for work, a plan for music and Biblical Greek. It will be exciting, but it will also be full of hard work, disappointment, and frustration.

I love to learn, and my Heavenly Father longs to teach me. He probably has some different areas he will plan to grow me in. Knowledge of Him, patience, humility. I won't always know in advance how he will instruct me, but I should expect Him to, and be ready and waiting to try and learn to be obedient to the ways he'd like me to grow to be more like Jesus.

Lessons can be hard, exhausting and take a long time to learn, but with God there is the garantee that in eternity we will finally be perfect, just like Jesus. We'll glorify Him for instructing us in the things we could never have learnt alone. Because once the King starts a job he finishes it. Promise.

Lent

2010-02-17T22:33:00.003Z

Store bought hot beverages have become my idol.

Hello Lent, goodbye coffee.

Watch this (grumpy) space.

Holiday!

2010-01-16T20:17:00.012Z

Yes, my Christmas holiday begins today! No fear, I haven't mislaid any more of my marbles, it's just that at John Lewis (like most of retail), there's a 'blackout' period on holiday around our busiest times. For John Lewis, that's from the 16th Novemmber to the 17th January, and then again in June for the first week of summer clearance.

So this next week is my Christmas holiday.

Would it surprise you to hear my 'Christmas shopping day' was on the 26th of December??

Quirky, huh?

It's been bitterly cold out, with a good few inches of snow. Having grown up in Germany, and with friends in countries thatget a good deal of snow, I find it amusing that the country isn't prepared and grinds to a halt. Lots of people say, 'well, it doesn't happen often, does it?'. Well, no, but it does happen. It's thrawed out here quite nicely, so now we driving rain instead. I think I prefer the rain, though I'm bias as I live in a 6th floor flat and have no fear of flooding.

I decided I would try roasting a slow roasting a pork joint, to take around to the house of my friends' Hannah and Paul. I tweaked Jamie Oliver's method to suit me.

Mainly I adjusted it because I miscalculated how long I'd have to cook it. Ho-hum.

Early on, I ran down because I could smell burning and the house was getting slightly smokey. I had left it in for the high part of the cooking for a bit long.

But bizzarly, no burning to be seen. Thanks God, the heads up on that one, before it burnt! Possibly I just need to clean the oven. But who wants to think about cleaning kitchen appliances whilst they're on holiday?!

Looking good?

I thought so. Went down very well with Hannah and Paul too. We had it with mashed potato and carrots. Only two measly pieces left over.

So, I've been up to quite a bit, and written quite a lot of 'bits' of entries, but never finished anything.

The quilt is coming along nicely. A couple of weeks ago, on one of our many bitterly cold days, I went to Creative Quilting and bought the batting-the 'body' of the quilt. I chose an all-cotton blend, and have yet to get over how soft it is. It's like a heavy-duty cotton wool, and as such sheds all over everything it touches. When I got to little 2-platform station, I had to wait 30 minutes for the train; the batting, encased in it's bag, made a brilliant pillow for the otherwise icey-cold metal seat.

Bounded on by my new purchase, I managed to sew together all seven long strips in a couple of days. Desperate to see what my quilt would eventaully look like, I taped them all the top of my door.

My next step is sewing together all the long sides. I was doing alright with this, until I sewed one on upside down. Now it'll need unpicking before I can continue...blah. After that, I plan to add a border to make it wider (I'll try and use the batting width as a guide). Then we sandwich it altogether, baste it to hold the bread and filling in the right place, and then finally......QUILT!

I'm hoping I can get a long way into this project in the next week. I really can't wait to start quilting. Should I 'stitch in the ditch', where you just stitch into seems so it can't be seen,or go for a pattern of some sort?

Upon Domesticity, or how God is changing my attitude to my home

2009-11-24T11:32:00.025Z

Whether we share our home with other adults, a family, our parents or we live alone, our attitude to it says a lot about us. A large proportion of this blog is about my struggles in getting my home in order. I tend to refer to it collectively as housework, but really it is much more than that. I love to be hospitable, but that means as a minimum having some where for your guests to sit!!

Anyone who's stayed with me will tell you that often clearing a chair or floor for sit or lie on is the first thing I have to do. Not having to do this would mean I am freed up to take their coat, sit with them, and have a drink. Having a tidy, organised home, means I have more time for other things, more space for them-not material things. Whilst I can invite my most intimate friends over when my room is a tip, it shouldn't be that way. I would like to be able to be hospitable without having such distractions.

Like so many people, I loath housework. Why do we hate it? I think for a number of reasons, and not just laziness. I can think of two main reasons: the first and easiest is because I'm tired, and very frequently, lazy. The second reason is more complex, and I imagine is the same for many people, regardless of whether your house is immaculate or looks, as my mother fondly says, like a bomb's just hit it. A lot of it comes down to feelings of inadequacy. No matter how hard I try, I just can't be the ideal woman, with the perfect house.

But who says I have to be the perfect woman? Where did I even get this idea?

The world: magazines, television, other people's houses and lives. Did you notice that everyone else always seems to have the spotlessly clean home, the happy children, and dinner on the table at 6.

Products are sold on the premise that, if you purchase them, you will be as happy/successful/attractive etc as the person in the advert.

Mr Muscle will not make me love the jobs I hate. Nor will Country Living make me a domestic godness.

As a friend of Leila Lawler, over at Like Mother, Like Daughter, once pointed out, there are two things you need to sort first off: food on the table, and clean clothes in the cupboard.

{These taste great and are so quick and easy to make, I had them for brekka before work on Saturday}

That's it.

I know I certainly struggle with these two things. There is simply no point in me worrying about the colour of my room or fussing about how clean the floor is if I don't even have food in the house or a clean uniform for work tomorrow.

It has taken me 6 years to begin to get a handle on washing the laundry. Yes, really! I'm hoping it won't take me another 6 to get a handle on putting it away promptly. Still, better to master one thing at a time and enjoy a habit well begun, than lament the failure of half a dozen. Maybe laundry isn't an issue for you, perhaps it is meal planning or making time for people or to read God's Word. Or just having time to day dream or think without feeling guilty.

As I pursue my goal, here are some points I think I would do well to remember:

Do it for God
There is no point in me attempting to organise my home if the only reason is selfish motive. My attitude must be that in doing so, I'll be freed up to do other things. Like bale for my friends, or make fancy dress costumes out of old wedding veils - more on that another time perhaps.

It's finished
Jesus has died...and rose again. Our sins have been paid for. Nothing we do or don't do can affect this, providing we are trusting in him. Our certain hope of salvation won't dissipate if I give a guest beans on toast for dinner, or I haven't hoovered before they come.

We are not perfect yet
God is saving the best until last, so whilst we can try now, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to be more content, less lazy, less concerned about what others think, we won't always succeed.

The alternative to 'all' is not 'nothing', it is 'something'
I am an all or nothing person. I blitz my room or I leave it a dump. I'm learning that this isn't the best way to live. Don't try and do it all at once. Looking after a home is about building good habits, one at a time. It's only now I've got on top of the laundry, that I'm beginning to think about planning what I'll eat each week. Then I'll move onto clearing out my wardrobe and my clothing. A little a time is okay. Really.
Above all, remember that to struggle is no sin, but to struggle and refuse to ask the Lord for His help is disobedient and foolish-He loves us, and like a good earthly father wants us to ask for his help when we need it.

CAKE!!

2009-11-19T09:29:00.004Z

Sorry, that was quite loud, but cake it is. A decent amount too. And one more success sojourn into gluten free, dairy free baking.

Sadly, the gluten-free thing was a success - I do feel much better. Having dinner outside of home, especially restaurant, is a bit of a trial. The whole thing feels so embarrassing, asking so many questions, and then feeling bad for not always believing them (though not without good reason).

Cooking at home is challenging, but is improving. Having bought an adult GF cookery boook, I found a lot of the recipes a bit, well, antsy. Then I discovered 'The Gluten free cook book for kids'. Yes, I know - I always did have a taste for children's books.

Not so Gluten free for kids. Chicken nuggets, meatballs, Spanish tortilla, meatloaf. And brownies.

Oh, those brownies!!....ah hem.

I have stacks of recipe books, but probably ever make one or two recipes out of them. This one already has a very wrinkly spine, additions written in biro and post-its coming out of every side.

An old university friend came to stay last weekend. Katie and I would have been friends six years this September just gone. It feels like we've always been. I really value her faithfulness, her love of books (especially children's ones!), her willingness to keep visiting even though I've yet to make it to the Isle of Wight. She is very kind. And because her mum has coeliac disease, she has no fear of gluten free baking. Hurray! A partner in crime...

We baked togther on the Friday evening: I made banana bread with walnuts, she made lovely little cup cakes, both from Adriana Rabinovich's fabulous book.

I would like to experiment and see if I can eat oats. If not, I may buy some gluten free ones in now and again as a treat - I would like to try Leila's fruit crisp topping. I mean, how good does that look?!

Remember, remember...

2009-11-07T22:35:00.001Z

I paused this evening on the communal balcony to watch the fireworks displays across our local area. From the fifth floor we have a beautiful panoramic view from both sides of the flat.
As I watched them, I was reminded of one of Dad's anecdotes from his time in Iraq, how at some of the darkest moments in the first Gulf war, the sky of Bagdad, lit by orange flares and the flames of burning buildings, had resembled the beauty of bonfire night at home.

From the improntu firework display, to his keeping up with the housework, dusting the inside of his armoured vehicle with a paintbrush to keep the sand of the desert at bay, even in the thick of fighting, soldiers will look for the familar, the domestic. Many adopt wandering animals as pets, share the sweets from their rations with children not so very different from their own at home, and play football with them in the street. Daddy was no different.

Men and women have sacrificed their lives up and down the ages, so that we might enjoy these small pleasures of life, as well as the larger causes of freedom and justice.
So please, enjoy bonfire night with it's excitement and colour, and give thanks to God for those who gave much for you to be free to enjoy the everday delights of this world and the next.

"Two voices behind the line in France, May 1916"

'The roads are all torn';
'but the sun's in the sky,'
'The houses are waste';
'but the day is all fair,'
'There's death in the air';
'and the larks are on high,'
'Though we die-';
'it is spring-time, what do we care?'
'The gardens are rank';
'but the grass is still green,'
'The orchards are shot-torn';
'there's bloom on the trees,'
'There's's war all around';
'yet is nature serene,'
'There's danger';
'we'll bear it, fanned by the breeze.'
'Some are wounded';
'they rest, and their glory is known,'
'Some are killed';
'there's's peace for them under the sod,'
'Men's homes are in peril';
'their souls are their own,'
'The bullets are near us';
'not nearer than God.'

David Westcott Brown
(killed July 15, 1916)

the silent treatment

2009-10-11T14:57:00.001+01:00

Food for thought:

"God’s Silence— Then What?"

In the Valley

2009-10-07T08:12:00.000+01:00

In the Valley

Words and music by Bob Kauflin
As recorded on Valley of Vision

Lyrics

When You lead me to the valley of vision
I can see You in the heights
And though my humbling wouldn’t be my decision
It’s here Your glory shines so bright
So let me learn that the cross precedes the crown
To be low is to be high
That the valley’s where You make me more like Christ

Let me find Your grace in the valley
Let me find Your life in my death
Let me find Your joy in my sorrow
Your wealth in my need
That You’re near with every breath
In the valley

In the daytime there are stars in the heavens
But they only shine at night
And the deeper that I go into darkness
The more I see their radiant light
So let me learn that my losses are my gain
To be broken is to heal
That the valley’s where Your power is revealed

Song sample

Simple chicken soup

2009-09-28T14:11:00.000+01:00

Every now and then, you crave something simple for lunch. Usually, that would be a cheese sandwich, or maybe a tin of soup. When you exclude both dairy and gluten, suddenly the options seem desperately limited.

Don't despair though!

This week a bought a roasted a whole chicken, and I will eat it for most of the coming week. Cooked chicken a great standby, and roasting your own rather than buying a cooked one means you know exactly what is (and isn't) in it. It's also much cheaper.

Chicken and sweetcorn soup

A handful of cooked chicken pieces
A tin of naturally sweet, sweetcorn
A generous handful of easy cook rice
1 stock cube

Cream sweetcorn with a blender until mushy (I know it looks weird!)
Add hot water to stock cube and stir until dissolved.
Add all other ingredients.
Bring to boil and then simmer until rice is cooked.

This recipe is based on stock cupboard ingredients, but obviously you could use home made stock and fresh corn is you wanted too. I must say I wasn't thrilled with the stock cube I used today, a Kallo veg one, and would use a Knorr one next time. I am a proponant of real chicken stock, but when you're only cooking for one, you don't get through enough chickens to make it regularly.

chocolatey stars

2009-09-26T09:15:00.000+01:00

I am a big fan of chocolate breakfast cereal. I know too much sugar is bad for you....blah de blah de blah....but every now and then I really crave kiddy cereal. When I gave up dairy I thought I'd said good bye to it, and pouring wheetos for brekka for the looked after children was strangely hard. But....

(drum roll please)

Hurray!

Dairy free, Egg free, Gluten free, Vegan, Wheat free, Organic CHOCOLATE STARS!!!

And they stay crunchy in the bowl way longer than wheeto's.

a new adventure

2009-09-20T22:53:00.000+01:00

I had a lovely visit to my dietitian the other day. She's incredibly lovely, very upbeat and positive. I'm so grateful to the Lord for her; she listens carefully, takes detailed notes, and really involves you in the whole process. She's also down to earth, and very realistic. Her summery at my latest appointment was that I'm doing well with the dairy-free thing, but if I'm still feeling unwell, then I should try cutting out gluten.

What, I hear you say, as well as dairy? Are you sure that's really necessary?

yup, I thought that too.

She then listed all the stuff that contained it, said she'd send me some literature in the post about it, and that I'm to give it a go for three weeks; if it doesn't work, then that's just fine, but I should try. She also told me I'd lost quite a lot of weight, that I mustn't lose anymore, and that I should therefore snack more. The few minutes I spent with her contained a lot of information, and it has taken a while to process it.

I'm trying to think of it as a new adventure, but I confess I've felt a bit overwhelmed for the last few days. I've only just got to grips with avoiding dairy, which is awkward, but avoiding both is going to be very hard. I think I'm secretly hoping it makes no difference. Or lots of difference. If I could regain the energy I had once upon a time, it would be worthwhile. And I'll need it, because eating gluten free means either bankrupting yourself or cooking mainly from scratch. But I do love cooking. The next three weeks will be a challenge, but God is biggest to help me handle it, and he's set the challenge that I might look to him for his help.

I wonder if manna was gluten and dairy free?

Stoppit and Tidyup come to visit

2009-09-02T20:41:00.000+01:00

My job is hard work. Work as hard work, I would argue, as I did in the NHS. Which sounds a bit lame for some one who apparently just makes coffee all day. If only all I did was make coffee.

Some thing I have always found hard was keeping my room tidy, and now when I come home from work extremely tired, the last thing I want to do is clear my room. I'm a 'bag dumper', which is exactly what it sounds like: I come in from work/shopping/holiday, and I dump my stuff on the floor. And forget about it.

I just can't face the mess. The immediate feeling I get from mess is overwhelming.

One cannot forget the golden rule, however.

What 'Golden Rule', I hear you say?

The one that states that my room MUST be clear before Tristan my music teacher comes to give me a lesson. The golden rule has been uniquely effective in keeping the chaos in my room under control, as it can't go on for any longer than the two to three weeks between lessons.

There's hope! Even people like me, when threatened with visitors, can turn this:

into this!

Alright, so it isn't a DRAMATIC turn around, but it was considerable better. I made it easier by splitting the job into two parts, doing the floor and ironing table on Tuesdays, and doing the washing and hoovering the floor today.

Come meet a man

2009-08-27T21:07:00.001+01:00

Helen pointed out yesterday that major life events, like people getting married, getting a new job or being ill pull us up short and make us think about our own situation. They make us consider our own families, careers and health. Or the lack of them.

It's good to take some time to think, just occasionally, about where we are, where we want to be, and how we might get there.

I find my life still finds it's shape in the academic year: Michaelmas, Lent and Summer. My moods and my attitude to life are also very much influenced by the seasons.

I love all of the seasons in England. And I'm even growing to like the rain.

No, really.

Even though I'm working now, I try and take some time out each 'term' to think about how life is going. I've found it's quite easy for life to go on day to day, without much thought. Which is a shame, because if I only get one crack at being God's child on earth, I had better not squander it.

That's why I and around 50 other adults choose to spend a week of our holiday each year leading a group of 300 young people to think about what God has to say to us through the Bible, and particularly through his son, Jesus. There are so many ways we can serve the Lord, and this is one I have felt led to help with.

Contagious had it's 10th birthday this year, and we celebrated it by announcing that we had effectively run out of room for new people. Next year, there will be a Contagious West in Culford as usual, but a new Contagious East also, in Cardiff. And Contagious nano for 11-13's will begin at Culford too. It's all change. It's all exciting. And just a little bit scary.

To really appreciate what it is that makes following Jesus so worth it, you have to consider what life without him looks like. Contagious this year was titled 'Life without God'. Which is an odd name for a Bible centered youth conference if ever I heard one.

Having spent a full week immersed in what life without God really consists of, I felt very moved. It hurts to think about what people we know, and especially those we love, are choosing to follow instead of Jesus. It is a desperately sad situation, and moved me to tears on more than one occasion. It hurts when you tell others of God's great gift, and they are, at best, dis-interested.

It really hurts.

People say, keep trusting God. And they're right, I must keep trusting my loving Heavenly Father. But even if we trust God with a situation, such as some one being unwell, that doesn't always make the situation less painful. They are still ill, they are still refusing the gift of life. It's okay for you to hurt in that situation. We just have to make sure that the feelings of sadness don't smother what we know of God through Jesus Christ: that He is loving, that He is in control, and that He is powerful. God is bigger than the situations of myself and those I know. His will is best.

Life is a maze, and God is stood above it: He can see the whole layout, the whole picture. And I can't. I am too small. And that's okay. The best part is, I can go to Him and say, 'Daddy, this hurts, this breaks my heart.' He understands. It hurts Him too. The idea that people's relationship with Him was severed hurt so much, he gave His only son so that we could know him. How much more it must hurt Him that they still choose to turn away. How much more it makes me grateful that He chose me to be His child, even though I have no redeeming feature about me. What a joy. I'm so looking forward to meeting my Father in Glory. I have so much to thank Him for, so much to admire in Him. I have am amazing Heavenly Father.

This summer I have come away with a greater longing to meet Him, to know Him, a greater desire to share Him with others. Jesus longs for me tell people about how he gave his life for them, and how they can a have a new life through him, and a new and very real relationship with his Father. Who do I know who desperately needs the hope Jesus offers, the liberation, the freedom that comes from knowing our Creator loves us unconditionally? I know I do.

Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ ?

Crumby flat, great views

2009-07-30T22:03:00.000+01:00

Beautiful sunset from the bathroom window this evening. Crumby flat, fantastic views:

Today:

9 hours of work

2 coffees, one with Janin

1 meet up arranged with friends

1 load of laundry (uniform - No purple blotches on my clothes, unlike when I used the colour-catcher sheet-the irony is not lost me)

1 pile of quilt squares - 103 in total now (32 to go)

A decision to paint the hallway and the banisters next weekend - hold me to this one; I really must get on and do it!

Pancake day

2009-07-29T20:40:00.000+01:00

Well, sought of. I learnt to make crepes today at the restaurant. And mocha's. The crepes are probably my best achievement, along with mastering the milk frother, in a large part due to the fact I was on a quieter counter.

Aside from that I had cut out a large number of squares. I find the cutting out part of sewing quite dull, and although using a rotary cutter technically makes things quicker, it will be a while before I'm accurate when I use it. I seem to spend a long of time trimming and re-trimming my squares. I have yet to make a star or heart template that I'm happy with, but I'll keep trying. Sorry about the fluorescent colours, the lighting in my room doesn't make for great evening photo's.

Day off

2009-07-27T21:41:00.000+01:00

I had today off as I was stupid enough to eat something with dairy in it at the weekend, all because I was too embarrassed to tell someone I couldn't eat butter. Silly pride.

I didn't have the sick line number for work so I had to go in and say I was too ill to be there, which was a little odd. I think I might be fighting off a cold as well.

My manager was very lovely and said to see how I felt tomorrow and give her a ring. I think I'll still be feeling rough, but I should be able to function. I feel bad taking time off when I've only worked there for a week.

So I came home, slept from 11,00 til 2.45pm and then had a sandwich, drank some sanpellegrino lemonade and then cut out quilt pieces till this evening. I caught out on bogs I hadn't for while, and I'm now thinking about bed. Already? It's not even ten, but I figure if I'm tired, God has programmed my body to tell me to sleep.

Maybe tomorrow I'll manage to post something interesting like Ellen's post today.

Creative Quilting

2009-07-22T15:38:00.000+01:00

I got up at a reasonable time this morning, showered, skipped breakfast and picked up the bags of stuff for the charity shop. I headed out the door at about 9.20 and headed for the train station via the Cancer Research shop, flashed my young persons' card, bought a return to Hampton court station and went and sat on the platform for 20 minutes.

Creative quilting is nestled in the high street of West Mosley, just over the bridge from Hampton Court Palace. I only found out where it was via it's website but I must of walked past it a few times before.

Visiting this shop as someone who sews is like being a child is sweeter shop. The range of colours, buttons, ribbons, threads, tools and other oddments is enchanting.

I really enjoy visiting, but I don't go often because I always end up spending too much money! Now I have a sewing machine, I can finally attempt something I have always wanted to try: making a quilt for my bed. I spent two hours browsing and selecting co-ordinating fabric with the help of a lovely lady who seemed to have all the time in the world for me. She also helped me choose a rotary cutter, ruler and cutting board. These are pretty much essential - it's really hard to cut perfect pieces with scissors, goodness knows I've tried. Here's my haul:

I've never really used ready made patterns for anything I've sewn so I figured, why start now? Here's the pattern I came up with in the shop. I flicked through a number of books in the store to get composition and colour ideas, including two particulary beautiful books, 'Prairie Children and Their Quilts' by Kathleen Tracy, and 'The world as it should' by Anni Downs.

Before I can start any sewing I will need to cut out, starch and iron all my pieces. No sewing for a while then!!

Where are Stoppit and Tidyup when you need them?

2009-07-21T14:01:00.000+01:00

I have today and tomorrow off, and days off mid-week always freak me out slightly. I inevitably stay in bed too late and then get up with a head ache. The head ache is nearly gone, probably aided by eating lunch and drinking some water.

My room has been in a dire state for sometime, so today was the day. I have put away 8 weeks (yep, 8) of clean laundry, sorted some stuff to go to the charity shop and thought about what my next sewing project would be. I would like to make some cushion covers for my friend and also a skirt for autumn. Because I have worn GAP clothes for so long, I really value being able to choose what I wear now. The clothes you wear must always be in season, which has meant recently buying new GAP clothing every four weeks! Some of there stuff is nice but it's quite samey and I'm rather bored of it.

Yesterday Janin convinced me to buy a new cardi from Cath Kidston that I had liked and was now in sale. I'm really pleased with it.

I also have my new sewing machine which I am VERY excited about. I have hand sewn for almost fifteen years, but before now lots of projects were out of the question because they would either take too long, or wouldn't be strongly enough sewn to last.

So far I have made new headscarf, and a pillow case to try it out.

I usually only use a running stitch or on rare occassions, blanket stitch, so I'm rather bowled over by the number of different stitches it does.

Sorry about the photo quality, it's really grey and miserable today, so trying to take photos on a phone was a bit of a nightmare!

If 'Cleanliness' is next to 'Godliness', you obviously don't know your ABC......

2009-07-17T18:08:00.000+01:00

Some of us in our house struggle with keeping it clean. Some more than others.

Living in my current house is still much better than when I shared as a student; the Korean lads are pretty clean and tidy. I shall try and get a photo of the post-it above the hob: "Please keep clean, I'm begging you!!!" This is from one of the boys, not me. I guess it's one way of employing new vocabulary.

The general rule is that you clean up after yourself as soon as possible. I do my washing up, and occasionally other peoples. It's a great way to bless my brothers and sisters in Christ. But I'm not very organised, so there are days when I rush doing it before work so it isn't in the way all day, and so run out of time to eat brekka. Not so good.

"Come home son, it's supper time; come home."

2009-07-16T20:19:00.000+01:00

The immortal words of Johnny Cash. In 'Supper time' he's reminisces about his mother calling him in for dinner from the back steps of their family home. He also comments that it reminds him that one day, another will call to him from above "Come home son, it's supper time; come home."

Every time we eat it's a great opportunity to look back to that last meal Jesus had with his disciples, and to look forward to the great wedding feast when he returns. Paul reminds us: "For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes." An echo of God's mercy and love, on average three times a day! Isn't that fantastic?

God knows us so well, and has found a way to gently remind of His love for us through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Home making

2009-07-15T21:53:00.000+01:00

Okay, so those of you who know me are thinking, "House work? Clare? Are you sure?? Isn't her bedroom usually littered with piles of clean and dirty laundry, washing up and paper work?"

And you'd be right.

I've spent some time recently thinking about the topic of 'home making'. One dictionary defines it as "[The management of] a household." It sounds kind of dull, doesn't it? I thought so until fairly recently, when I realised that looking after a home can be a great way of serving the Lord, learning new skills and having a little fun along the way.

As a single person, one of the reasons I struggle with keeping things spick and span is that I have only myself to please. Or at least, I thought I did. Actually, that's a rather selfish outlook, considering I share a house with four others and have friends over fairly regularly. Without a living room, they're forced to sit (and sleep!) in my room. I do move the dirty underwear for them, you understand.

"¹⁴ For the LORD your God moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy, so that he will not see among you anything indecent and turn away from you." Deuteronomy 23:14

- Does that include dirty laundry? -eek! God isn't going to end his relationship with me because of the state of my house, but it is a way I can live to please him. Like a child and a parent, tidying my room won't make Him love me any more, but I think it would please Him.

I'm going post in chunks bits that I've been picking up that you might find helpful or just enjoy reading about. For me, it will be a way to spur me on. Procrastination is just poor discipline. Lack of discipline is just idleness by another name.

I leave you with this: If there was one thing you could change about the way you run your home, what would it be? This includes everything from finances, menu planning/shopping to laundry. Let me know.

Vit organics, Soho

2009-07-08T13:01:00.001+01:00

I must lay bare now the fact that I am a die-hard carnivore. With this out of the way, may I introduce you to.....

VitaOrganics, Soho
(photo and review here)

74 Wardour Street, Soho
W1F 0TE London
tel: 0207 7348986

Mon-Sat 12am-11pm
Sun 12am-9pm

Vita-organics (V-O) is a delightful little cafe/diner in Soho. It's hidden at the bottom of Wardour Street, just off of Oxford Street. I probably wouldn't have discovered it if it hadn't of been for the 'Vegan London' website, despite the fact I have visited a music shop in the same street any number of times. V-O is

V-O serves food by the scoop, and the price varies by the time you visit, so eating in the evening is more than during the lunch period. You pay a service charge of £1 for a box to eat out or £1.80 for a plate to eat in, and then buy food by the scoop. All of this was patiently explained by the gentleman behind the counter despite the fact it was written in large letters on the wall behind him.

The menu is basically in front of you, large bowls of various dishes, and included vegan mushroom stroganoff, black bean magic, lentil dhal, rainbow chakra lentil, soups, spiced chickpea stew and vegetarian mousaka. There were many others, and there was a good range of both hot and cold foods.

The beverage list is also HUGE. Every type of soy and nut milk seemed to be available too, and vegan cream based iced lattes/frappa's. I am VERY excited.

I had vegetable biryani, black bean magic (with tofu) and another vegetable side dish that involved broccoli, cooked to perfection. I have never experienced a tofu based dish that I have wanted more of. And more. And more....

There were two things I particularly loved:
- I choose anything I liked off the menu without worrying too much what was in it. V-O avoids

Added sugars
Microwaves
Genetically modified food
Dairy products
Eggs
Hybridised wheat
Processed salt
Artificial chemicals
Heated fats

-That I left knowing I had had a filling and nutritious lunch. And man, was it tasty! My only complaint was the fact that there was only one toilet, which is hidden in the basement, meaning I had to ask if it about its existence.

Service charge: £1.80
Three scoops of nom: £3
Freshly pressed apple juice: £1.80 (Drinks started from 80p)

Perfect food for a wet, autumny day.

Nom nom.

2009-04-04T14:15:00.001+01:00

After much tummy ache, nausea, needle poking, wondering out loud, GP visiting, and general confusion, my doctor has diagnosed me with a lactose intolerance. Which is not that surprising, though I'm not convinced it's the answer to your of tummy trouble. However, a good way towards it.

I am genuinely surprised, however, by the lack of dairy free recipes available, even on the internet. Or rather, recipes not aimed at vegan or those who can get away with eating some dairy. Or people who are 'super healthy' and only seem to eat tree nuts and raw vegetable. I'm sorely tempted to start putting my own recipes on here, along with product reviews. This sounds really corny, but there's a real lack of everyday stuff.

Educating Rita? What about Pip?!

2009-03-21T22:39:00.000Z

I have been thinking a lot lately about how little I learnt whilst I was at school. I really do bemoan my lack of general knowledge. I think my academic gaps have been caused by a combination of factors, though mainly from being unhappy in general whilst and not not being suited to the way most subjects are taught these days. Most teach from textbooks and I'm more of a 'living books' type learner (more on this later). They wanted to teach me about the fundamentals of science with boring everyday examples; I wanted to learn about the laws of physics from looking at the bigger picture of how the universe works. They wanted me to memorise dates, I wanted to learn about real people and their lives. Moving schools every few years didn't help, as I missed some topics altogether

Anyway, the upshot of this is that I would love to settle down to some real study again. I mean at home, in my own time, mainly just for the pleasure of it. I want to catch up on all the science, maths, history and geography I missed. The number of classic books and poems I haven't read is horrifying. I figured there would be a lot of people who had decided to learn just for pleasure, but searching the internet I can find no forums or groups aimed at adults who want to support each other in choosing and following their own curriculum. The closest is OpenLearn run by the Open University, but even their boards are pretty quiet.

There is plenty of material out there for those who want to brush up on what they learnt (or should have learnt!) at school thanks to the homeschooling movement, almost too much in fact.

Come, join the revolution: who else wants to indulge in some homeschooling for grown-ups?

Cupboard cooking

2009-01-16T12:12:00.001Z

For various and varied reasons, I have recently re-discovered 'store-cupboard' cooking. This means cooking a main meal just with stuff you have in storage, and I was blessed to grow up with a mother who taught me the importance of a well-stocked larder.

I bought a tin of campbell's condensed mushroom soup some time ago, after realising it was a sauce component in many US recipes. As I happened to have noodles and tuna in the cupboard, I decided to try a new recipe:

Tuna noodle casserole
Serves 2-4
Prep: 15 min Cooking: 20-30 min

1 Tin tuna, drained (preferably chunky type)
1 Tin condensed mushroom soup
2 packets instant noodles or equal amount of egg noodles
1 Tin mushrooms
1 slice bread
1-1 1/2 inch square of cheese

Pre-heat oven to Gas mark 6
1. Put noodles on to boil; drain tuna and mushrooms.
2. Drain noodles. Mix together soup, tuna, mushrooms. Add 1/3 tin water and mix well.
3. Put mixture into shallow oven dish. Crumble bread over top. Grate cheese over the top.
4. Cook in oven, on top shelf, for 20-30 minutes until top in golden and cheese has melted.

2009-01-03T23:15:00.000Z

I went for a walk today, a much long awaited walk. I having to been waiting for the time, the weather and most importantly the motivation to go to Richmond park for several weeks now. Yesterday at work I had the strange experience of my mind craving bright sunshine so much it actually felt like if I had been able to see outside, it would actually have been so.

And this morning I woke up to exactly that. Blue skies, bright sunshine and the day to myself. Time to head out, spend some time with God in His beautiful creation.

I bussed down to Kingston Gate and then headed in the direction of Pembrooke Lodge. The park was busy with families and groups of chatty adults. It wasn't exactly the quiet getaway I'd hoped for, but because I had set out quite late, I didn't want to stray too far from the main paths and risk being shut in at dusk. I would have to create my own quiet. Usually I create my own safe haven by plugging in the ear phones and turning up the volume, but not today. Today I wanted silence, my own at least.