That's why we pray.

I read a good interview with Tim Vine this week. He was talking about all the choruses he sang when he was a child and I knew them all. Unfortunately, I also remember that I was a teenager rather than a child when I sang them As you probably know, I am a bit of a hymn person, although I do like a chorus when it's done good and noisy as God intended, if you get my drift.

Anyway was thinking about this 

"Oh what peace we often forfeit, oh what needless pain we bear.
All because we do not carry - everything to God in prayer."

There is so much truth here that I am prepared to overlook the strange memories I have of my Mum's version of this by Slim Whitman (a bit singy for me)

I can't speak for you lot but, as usual I have so much going on here and the last thing I think of doing is praying. Really - it is last on my list. Only when I am really desperate and can't find a way out will I pray. Good grief, I bet even the atheists do that! If I spent as much time in prayer as I do thinking "What am I going to do?" or making "Get my own back" speeches in the shower, I would be giving Daniel  a run for his money in the prayer warrior stakes. So, with a view to putting that right, I give you the things that are doing my head in, just as I am giving them to God. Some are real, some are imagined, some have happened, some may happen, some may not. Whatever, they are God's for the doing with whatever he wants. I spect he'll be better at dealing with it all than I am.

Work, Daughter's exams, Son's dissertation, HOH work, HOH knees, Wet rot, Dry rot, Dog's bowels, elderly parent, old car, finding new car, double glazing, pensions, writing, feeling knackered, church, rendering, finances, summer holidays, thinking of what's for tea, drains being dug out, Christians chained up while giving birth, not getting enough sleep, finding time to read the Bible, trying to like people I don't like, struggling with forgiveness, wondering if God gives up.

Fraid it's not all there but that will do for now I think. No pressure God.

Romans 8:26-28

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

Short

Inspiration very hard to come by this week. Am working very hard for my employers whom I love unconditionally. This involved a trip to Exeter today to meet with other reps of disability charities. Always arrive vowing not to get all political and thump the table with my fist and shout "THE THING IS...THE CITY CENTRES ARE BECOMING ACCESSIBLE TO THE ELDERLY POOR!" Then I forget everthing I vowed when I get there.

Well at least I didn't thump the table. All very good and productive and I got to wander round GAP in Exeter and stroke things during my lunch. Then had my first McDonald's for years. I mean the food is ok. It does the things it says it will. It's just going during half-term that was the HUGE mistake. Quite busy in there folks.

Anyway, off to watch the best programme on the telly. Brooklyn Nine Nine since you ask. Bye.

Like (2)

Following on in my mission to serve you at all times, I thought I would swing some more good blogs your way. Only connection between these is that I like 'em, should be enough for anyone that.

Please may I  She works. She runs a house. She has an allotment. She keeps chickens  She looks good. This could make her annoying but she's really very nice.

The Maple Syrup Mob It is literally the view from their window. However - it's Canada out there! They had a bear outside there once for goodness sake!

A Thrifty Mrs Talk about your useful. Loads of tips and interesting things. Beautifully put together. She's off the telly. She's a Manc.

Miss Budget Beauty  Have to be honest. Am too wrinkly and far gone to wear this much make up. But if you love your slap even while you suspect a lot of it may be a con, then this is a good place for reasonably priced stuff

Enjoy.

PS I am beyond excitement about this. Star Wars script read through and Harrison, Mark and Carrie are back.  Sings...BECAUSE I'M HAPPY......

Like

A decent Christian blog is as rare as hen's teeth I find. There are the good ones that are connected to magazines or projects or things like that but you would expect them to be good as they have entire teams working on them., I mean just a person, a Christian person, blogging. In case you were on the lookout. These are good. (It's only my opinion but, it's like the Oscars. I am right.)

Tracing Rainbows Angela is a pastor's wife and teacher with loads of interests and thoughts on things. Very good at craft but not in a scary way. She is normal. I can't say anything better about anyone.

A New Name Emma. Brave. Honest. Smart. (I think she would hate the brave bit) Documents her struggles with an eating disorder and writes movingly and wittily about mental health issues. She is also normal.

KezzieAG Fantastic zest for life. Musician. Just makes me feel better about things. Love the way she does her outfits.  Seems totally normal.

Kindred of the Quiet Way Pen Wilcock. Author. Thinker. Theologian. Gives me pause. Would probably not want to be called normal.

Just in case you were looking, you know.More later on in the week

Random musings of the sick of the palsy

Hello. Sorry for prolonged absence but have been ill. Not too much detail but the word gastric may be helpful. Looking on the bright side - at least my rings aren't as tight and I may get away without taking my new work skirt back to get a bigger size. My whole week was messed up because I wasn't supposed to mix with anyone till 48 hours clear (Tad too much detail there possibly) That means a trip to Taunton (For business but never been, so was thinking might be good), a pensions seminar (mind numbing but important) taking minutes at a church meeting and a Comms team were all rendered impossible. Bah! I am not very good at being ill. I am bad tempered and full of doom. I never understand people who luxuriate in illness by snuggling and watching movies. That is my loss I think. I did catch up on Rev which we had recorded but that was quite depressing. I know it's supposed to be warts and all but good grief. And why were all the lady vicars such donks? Everyone was very good in it though. Especially Tom Hollander. 
Anyway, onwards. Above is my Mothers' Day present from the offspring. Just got round to framing it. I have to admit that I chose it.Still counts as a present right? It's from a site www.preditos.com which has stylish and in no way creepy scripture gifts and things. I grew up with scripture wall art either involving photos of puppies for Jesus or lonely harbours with seagulls swooping with a usually inappropriate Bible verse shoved somewhere in the top right hand corner. Well, as seagulls swooping round here is a sign to cover your head or your fish and chips, I think this site is nicer. 

We are now officially in the middle of exam season again so quite tense here. However, revision (and my belly) allowing, the three of us are hoping to go for a meal Sunday night as it's our wedding anniversary. We are forgoing the romantic dinner for two because we have managed to sneak in a day away in London on our own in July so we are feeling generous. 23 years! And they said it wouldn't last. Well only my mother said that actually and to be fair she had been fed some duff information by one of HOH's exes. 

Look Up

I don't suppose there is anything new here. Anything we don't know already. It is still very powerful to see it.

God continues to wag his finger at me

....in a smiley loving way.

Something to further increase my humility and to convince me that my pomposity (probably NOT a word) makes God snigger.

I am always a bit suspicious of people who see God everywhere. Not the people who see him in Nature etc but those who say things like "God has used that pork sausage to bless me" You know the kind of thing. I am a bit old fashioned - in many ways. Indeed you should see my wardrobe. I feel comfy if a revelation from God is from scripture, backed up with preaching or a prophetic word and if possible followed by a cosmic sign - rainbow, finger pointing from heaven, audible voice that makes people fall to the ground in fear - that kind of thing.

So when someone told me this week that something a nurse had said to them this week, just in passing, had been a word from God, I was a bit sceptical. I didn't point and laugh in their face or anything. Just a bit underwhelmed. Later on, while walking the pooch, I remembered something.

A few years ago, I had a job I hated.I felt bullied by the boss. My self confidence was at rock bottom.  Every day as I went to work, I felt my stomach tighten. I felt under so much pressure. However, we had bills to pay and a family to support and HOH was hanging in there in his job too,  so I kept going. (While looking for something else) I remember one day being almost in total despair and saying to God. "You cannot care for me the way you say you do. I feel totally alone and abandoned. Have I failed you in some way that has made you leave?" and lots of other self pitying stuff. In my defence though. I really did feel that I had been abandoned and had "lost" the love of God in some way. The place I worked had a radio and they played a song by Plain White Ts. It had the line...

"Oh what you do to me.... what you do to me."

I think you had to be there to understand but I knew, it was God. No really. I knew. God could not get to me any other way so he used a cutesy little pop song to tell me how he felt about me. I went outside into the car park and cried like a baby. Not long after that I found something else.

I may smile uncertainly at people who count the number of times their dog barks in the night as a sign that they are to lead the singing in the worship but I think once again, I am aware that I don't know it all.

Really not too old

This is one of my favourite films of all time. It is one of the films that HOH and I fell in love to. I am not going to go through my favourite bits as we would be here all day. Just one bit leads on to what I wanted to say. There is a scene where Steve Martin is trying to impress astronomer and super brain Daryl Hannah with his scientific knowledge (Why am I so afraid of her? It's not as if she is a rocket scientist or anything.Reply.. Actually she IS a rocket scientist.) Anyway after mouthing off for a few minutes he has to admit he doesn't know the answer to a question. She smiles and graciously replies "Well we don't know everything then do we?"

Sometimes I feel like I do know everything. Not in a big me up kind of way but in a jaded sort of way. When you have been a Christian for a long time, you can sometimes feel that there is nothing new under the sun. Almost like you are too old to learn anything (and not in a good way) So God kicked my butt a couple of times this weekend (In a majestic, Godlike kind of way) and I thought I would tell you things I had learnt and not noticed before.

Firstly have started reading Pen Wilcock's The Road of Blessing. One chapter in and loving it. Will talk about bit more when I have finished. But one line really made me think. She talks about the feeding of the five thousand and casually says that the miracle was actually done by the disciples. Jesus blessed the loaves and fishes so obviously there is the God bit but the disciples gave it all out. They were the people who made it happen. As they did as Jesus said and began to give the bread out they will have felt and seen the miracle happen between their own fingers. Challenges me a bit about my role in making God's will happen. AM I spending too much time whinging and not enough time asking God what he wants me to DO about it. 

Secondly, at church on Sunday, Andy spoke on The Last Supper - specifically about the washing of feet. After some rather unsavoury talk about verrucas and fungal infections, he pointed out that Judas was invited to the supper and, as he didn't leave until later on, Jesus would have washed his feet. Knowing what he knew - Jesus still did that. I never noticed that before. I dunno what was going on here. Jesus giving Judas one last chance, even though he knew what was in his heart? Jesus' humility being shown as an example. Or as a lesson to us about judging? Jesus still prepared to serve someone who was a betrayer, a sinner. Not to cast him out but to accept him with all the others? 

All this has made me quite cheery. I am aware that I don't have it all sorted but I love that fact that there is still loads of help out there for me and that God still shows people things that they need.  Anyone who knows me knows that I can do with all the help I can get.

Seriously?

There are sooooo many times when I am proud to be a Christian - in a non sinful humble sort of way obvs. Everything about Jesus makes me pleased and yes proud to have my name associated with his. Yet sometimes Christians make me go "Really?" 

You have probably heard of Vicky Beeching. You will almost certainly have sung her songs including "Yesterday, Today and Forever". These days she is probably better known as a social commentator with a strong stance on women in the church (Or anywhere really - she would describe herself as a feminist) and same sex marriage which she is in favour of.

I know very little about Ms Beeching as a person or a Christian. I follow her on Twitter though and I find her approach to her Christianity both thoughtful and graceful. I may or may not agree with everything she says but ultimately that is irrelevant because we worship the same God and we should be gentle and caring to one another.

Why then does someone who calls themselves a Christian feel it is ok to send her this photo when she has expressed her views about controversial subjects

It will not do you know, it will not do at all. It is disgusting cheap bullying. I thought long and hard about even reproducing this but these people need calling out. Just stop for a moment and imagine Jesus with a roll of gaffer tape. Unrolling a strip, biting it off and sticking to a person's face. struggling with that image? You should be - it is the very antithesis of all that Jesus came for.

In my more generous moments I am thinking that these people think that they are upholding Christian principles. But these generous moments pass pretty quickly. We should be different, full of grace, preferring the other person, slow to wound and quick to bless. These are the standards we uphold. These are the principles that should govern us. Twitter is full of anonymous bullies. But not the Children of God surely? 

Colossians 3:12

The Message (MSG)

12-14 So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

Shoppy Saturday

I usually avoid Plymouth city centre like the plague on Saturday but this weekend there was a vintage thing on at the Guildhall so we wandered over to have a look. I'm hoping that any vintage fans aren't too upset by this but the whole morning did my head in. First of all it was packed. Lots of ladies of a certain age and income bracket with their elbows held high - all the better to give you a nasty shove in the ribs if you were about to get to a stall before them. Then, well I found it a bit expensive. I spent most of the morning picking things up and thinking how much cheaper they would be at a car boot. Mind you, these people have a living to make like anyone else so, if you want the stuff, I suppose you should pay a fair price for it. I found that I didn't really want it enough. Also, I would have thought that there was a limit to how many chintzy, tea cups anyone needs - especially at £3.50 a pop. Lastly, I found it all a bit - knowing or self referential. Pretentious was the word HOH used. I'm all for re-purposing and frugality and also for promoting crafts but the whole thing seemed to have its head up its bottom as we say up north.

FOW2 had come with us but she left at the first whiff of "In the Mood" from the speakers. (Actually, I quite like In the Mood, especially the version by the chicken) So HOH and I wandered out into Plymouth Town Centre. Man, it's crazy out there on a Saturday. We though about a quick lunch in MacDonald's but that looked like a Hieronymous Bosch painting so we gave it a miss. So HOH and I wandered about like two old people at an exhibition about the history of rap or something until FOW2 texted us and we could go home. There comes a time when you are just too old you know and there is no shame in it. At all.

The reason we had agreed to trip out was that FOW2 is awash with money because she turned 18 this week! Hurrah! We are now officially redundant as parents. Until someone wants a lift. Happy Birthday Elle!

Ooooh. Just a ps. Am I the only one still in therapy after the end of Endeavour last week? Good Grief - didn't see that coming.

Noah

So, I have had a few days to think about what I think about Noah. First thing to say is that this is not a review -  because I have no qualification to review anything really. Also reviews tend not to include spoilers AND HERE BE SPOILERS so leave now if you would prefer.

I have to say that it is good to see someone taking this fantastic story seriously enough to throw money at it and do it properly. I have seen enough low budget Christian movies in my time to leave me with a permanently tightened bottom and a dis-inclination to watch anymore. ( I saw something about the Second Coming once that was so excruciating, I genuinely thought that they were playing it for laughs.) 
You can certainly see where the money went. The special effects are great, the animals, the ark, the flood sequences are all suitably epic. Acting wise, well I rather like Russell Crowe. Noah was a complicated man and if the portrayal sometimes tips into completely raving mad, then I'm not sure it is his fault. Although I think he was more into portraying the getting slaughtered on wine and then getting naked more that the essential greatness of the man to do what he did.  Emma Watson plays Emma Watson very prettily. Douglas Booth plays her love interest (Possibly Shem - I got a bit mixed up.) He has outstanding lips. Jennifer Connelly as Noah's wife/partner/rubbing rag is great. She gives it heart. She made me cry.
Don't come to this expecting a direct Biblical account. Someone somewhere lost their nerve I think and there is a lot of preposterous flimflam about The Creator (cue wooey-wooey spooky music) But I did like the ecological view about man messing up a beautiful earth. 

For me there were three main problems. 

1. I suppose because it is a 12A certificate you are a bit limited in showing the extent of the fall of man that led God to wipe them out. Consequently, it seems that God did what he did because man turned away from vegetarianism and Ray Winstone was a bit free and easy with a pointy axe when it came to people's heads.
2. BIG SPOILER. Ray Winstone sneaking onto the Ark. Noooooo! Unacceptable. No. The shutting of the ark door signalled the end of the old world. Bridge too far for me.
3. By trying so hard not to put too much God into it, the film has lost its heart, it's centre. The Noah story is about God as well. God's relationship with his people. And it is a relationship. The lack of God is really a big hole and I don't mean that as a Christian thing. It is a story with the absence of its main character.

Despite all this, I did like it quite a lot. It is a bit weird really but immense in scope and it is what it is. Suspend your sensible thinking and give it a go.

Easter Saturday

Painting of Dead Chrsit in the Tomb. Holbein

This is Easter Saturday. A Holy Day for many Christians. A day of complicated theology. For me Easter Saturday means something else. It is the day before the miracle. The day when the tomb was still well and truly shut to those outside. A day when Jesus' followers were saying - Well what was all that about then? A day when the promised end seemed impossible. A day when God's power may not have seemed as powerful as they had hoped. The day that followed the darkest day and it showed no improvement - no sign of what was to come. Only cold, dark quiet. No signs from God, no encouragement, no answers.

Easter Saturday resonates with anyone on the journey of faith. A silence from God. A pause in the plan. No clues as to the coming miracle. Just a quiet, waiting game. We know now that Sunday came and with it, the extraordinary. But the Easter Saturday experience is just as important. The faith. The waiting. The unbelief. The expectancy. The confusion. This is where the pattern for faith is set. This is where we learn who God is, as we wait.

Opposite Ends of The Speculum....

As Victoria Wood used to say.

Watched two films this week which makes me a saddo. Ask me if  care. Both were excellent. Am aware that I am miles behind everyone else but that is my default position these days and you can live with it or....well not live with it - up to you.

First up...Frozen. I don't get to see the animated stuff much these days. After years of being forced to every kids movie as it opened. (One day, let me describe to you, the Seventh Circle of Hell that was The Pokemon Movie.) we have now left most of them behind. Anyway, found this on TV and thought we would have a go. I thought it was great. Maybe just a teeeensy weeeensy bit overhyped? No? Just me then. If you want to go all feminist with me for a few minutes, there is lots of good stuff here. It makes fun of the Disney staple of marrying a man/prince/frog that you have only known for one day. It is one of the first Disney movies to pass the Bechdel Test where two women are allowed to talk to each other about something other than a man. Also one of the female leads manages to go through the whole thing without a love interest. So lots to Hurrah about. Then there is that storming song. Though I prefer this version myself.

To go quite to the other side of things. I was trying (unsuccessfully) to download Lie To Me on Netflix and sort of accidentally watched "Capote" (Long story and quite boring too.) As I think I have said before, I think there is a lot of flim-flam talked about actors but this is a performance and a half by Hoffman. You never quite get to the bottom of Capote and what he was like, which I think is the whole idea. It's a great story, disturbingly told with a terrible crime and a terrible vengeance at its heart. Left me quite depressed but in a good way - if that is possible. Highly recommended.

And , a third thing while I am at it. Why did no-one tell me Endeavour was back? Can't believe I missed the first one. Flippin eck it's not as if we are assaulted every five seconds with decent telly is it and I manage to miss it. Blah

Happy

I think I may have mentioned Head of House's obsession with Motown and Northern Soul before. Anyway, we found this which is a girl dancing to Pharrell Williams' Happy and an old Northern Soul tune.

If I were deep and spiritual, I would write a post about how the old and the new can work together well, in harmony and things. But I am shallow and tired so I will just leave with you with the lovely music and dancing. I think it's better that way.

Blog Stuff

You could call this needy but I call it good housekeeping. If you like this blog and would like to subscribe...would you think about doing it on Bloglovin..?

The link is on the side. Ignore the Manchester City Blue.

No pressure obvs 

Just helps me with the counting stuff.

Cheek Turning

A person to whom, I am related (No names mentioned but she is of the slightly older persuasion) is very big on being attacked. Not by an axe murderer or anything but by "The Enemy" mainly through other people. Mostly, I tend to be a bit take it or leave it with this approach to life as I am quite sure that I can behave horribly enough to make people think that I am a one woman version of the Screwtape Letters. However, sometimes, just sometimes, people are mean and I haven't always done anything to deserve it.
The temptation, when people have a go and you don't think it's merited, is to have a go back. It can be very satisfying to stand in the shower making speeches telling people what you think of them or plotting a terrible revenge. 

My default position in conflict is that it is generally "my fault" but that isn't always true. When I am feeling generally naffed off with people, I like Psalm 35 which is written with a really full on miserable crow vibe.

But when I was down
    they threw a party!
All the nameless riffraff of the town came
    chanting insults about me.
Like barbarians desecrating a shrine,
    they destroyed my reputation.

The challenge for me is to step back from a Rambo like revenge spree and to take my defenses down. Do I trust God enough to fight my battles for me? What if people think me weak? I don't want everyone walking all over me do I? Yet the challenge is there - in the Bible.

‘Don’t hit back at all.’ If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously. (Matthew 5)

Flippin hard that. Yet, there is a sort of release and even a power in letting go. In thinking, nah, I'm not weighing into this. This is God's. I'm going to be kind - nicer than I feel and let it be. Not saying I have it sorted. Just think it is the better way.

Conversation

Visiting hospital with my mother. We go to the first consultation room and I wait outside. They call me in and say "All is well but she has to make an appointment in another department for the follow up. It's on the other end of the hospital but easy enough. You ok with that?"

"Yup, I reply. We'll take our time."

We set off at a slow stroll.

Mother asks....

"Do you know where we are going."
"Yep."
"Have you been there before?"
"Er..no."
"How do you know where we are going then?"
"I am following the signs. It's easy."
"We're going very slowly. Are you lost?"
"No. I didn't want to rush you. Would you like to walk a bit faster?"
"Not really."
"Well then."
"It's taking a long time."
"She said it would."
"I think we are lost."
"We're not"
"How do you know?"
"Because we are still following the signs."
"I'm going to ask someone."
"You don't need to."
"Your trouble is you will never open your mouth."
"We are still following the signs."
Loudly to man pushing stretcher trolley. 
"Excuse me love! We are lost. Can you tell me where this is?"

Puts letter under man's nose. Over face of patient he is pushing. Slightly startled man confirms we are still going in right direction.

"This can't be right."
"It is."
"I don't think that man knew - not really."
"Not far now."
"I haven't seen a sign for ages."
"We just passed one."
We turn right into reception of department. My mum greets receptionist.

"Sorry we are late. Think my daughter got us lost."

I am quite tired.

Happy Mothers' Day Mum

The Grand Budapest Hotel

• Beautifully shot
• The living definition of the word "whimsy"
• Some frames are just lovely
• Really funny
• A bit weird.
• Can't recommend it highly enough

Psalm 34

Psalm 34. King James Version.

Take your time. It's worth it.

Poetry, prophecy, comfort, promises, truth. BOOM!


I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.
I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.
Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?
Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.
He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

Is it just me do you think?

Grazia

Sometimes I just like to point things out to you with very little comment. Just give you the facts and you can make of then what you will.

Last week Chanel showed it's Autumn Winter Collection. Models walked around a catwalk in astronomically priced clothes strutted their stuff very prettily around a pretend supermarket. Then the journalists and various slebs who had been invited to see the clothes got to go around the shops and pick things off the shelves. There was a bit of a feeding frenzy apparently because the shelves were full of Chanel branded goods such as
Chanel Spaghetti and Chanel Water. The fruit was stamped with the Chanel logo and the baskets were covered with Chanel's signature chain mail. All very well and good and certainly very pretty as the famous people and the extra thin ladies, and the extra thin, extra rich ladies queued up to say how wonderful it all was.



Trussell Trust, the biggest provider of foodbanks in the country, tell us this.

BIGGEST EVER INCREASE IN UK

FOODBANK USE:

170% RISE IN NUMBERS TURNING TO

FOODBANKS IN LAST 12 MONTHS

Numbers given emergency food 100,000 higher than anticipated

UK Foodbank charity The Trussell Trust says this must be a wakeup call to the nation

I am aware that you can get a bit oversentive about things. Chances are that the people at Chanel never meant to suggest that they were having a good laugh at people who, at the the moment, are horrified by a trip to the supermarket because they, quite simply, do not have enough money to buy the food that they need. However, we are in the middle of a food crisis here. Too many people do not have enough to eat and, in Paris, a lot of very rich people seem to lack a bit of sensitivity I think. Do you know what it made me think of? Marie Antoinette, playing at being a peasant on her toy farm - Hameau de la Reine while in Paris, the cost of a loaf of bread was soaring above most people's means. It is a mess I think. Just a mess.

To York... and don't spare the horses.

You may or may not know (or care) that I live in the South West of England. We were, as you again may or may not know, hit by some extreme storms this winter. Consequently, the train line through to the South West (and yes, that is singular as in the ONLY train route through to two entire counties) was practically washed away. There are, as we speak. top people working on repairing said line but it isn't done yet. There was some talk of building a second line because of the vulnerability of the (I'll say it again) ONLY railway line but once people in parliament realised that they could still fly to their holiday homes in Cornwall via Newquay airport, all the urgency seemed to go out of everything. Call me cynical if you want to. I prefer to think of it as realistic.

Consequently, FOW1s route back home from York for Easter was fraught with danger and expense. Well expense anyway because for some reason, all the advance cheap train tickets have disappeared so that a £60 journey suddenly became a £140 journey (the extra excitement of getting off the train and transferring to a coach where the line is hanging over the sea by a thread is apparently thrown in for free). So, in an idle moment HOH and I, realising that we were both off work that weekend, offered to go and get FOW1 in the car. It should be easily done in one day. How hard could it be? These things I have learned...

• When you say it quickly six hours there and six hours back doesn't sound much does it? It is.
• The motorways are always full of coneage and 50 mile speed limits even when THERE IS NO SIGN OF ANYONE DOING ANYTHING.
• Just "calling in" at Ikea never only adds "about an hour" to the journey. Actually not complaining - love Ikea. If I was eight, I would be having frequent fantasies about living in Ikea. It that just me? Just thinking about secretly living there when everyone goes home? Cooking in the kitchen bit and sleeping in the bed bit - that kind of thing. No one else ever have that dream about department stores? Really? *Feels a bit odd and wishes she'd never mentioned anything*
• Liza Tarbuck on Radio 2 is a comedy genius and I would like to be her best friend. This is not said in any kind of stalking way.
• It is not easy to get HOH and FOW1 back into the car on the services car park when drunken football fans are weeing up lamposts on service station car parks right next to where I am standing. Husband and son were being gallant on my behalf but TBH I hadn't noticed that these boys had got their bits out. (HOH has just vetoed my obvous next joke on grounds of good taste and Christian chasteness)

So all in all, an eventful day. Driving to York is something we will never do again  - at least until April when we are going for a short weekend away. Anyway,  I am pooped and am off for a glass of wine, and possibly a bit of Whimsey and Harriet.

Final Word on Oscars and a Cat

Hollywood Reporter

For what it's worth, in my book the best film of the year was Captain Phillips which won nowt but I don't care. I thought it was outstanding and I am right. END OF DISCUSSION. Just to bring to your attention though. Cate Blanchett being excellent in her speech.

Yup.

Also Benedict Cumberbatch overcoiming his Oscar night shyness in a U2 Photobomb

And this is just something the young people are watching. It's a cat. Apparently, the only thing that was harmed was its pride.

Wimseycal

Having had a very unsatisfactory foray into some different books, I have returned to the bosom of Lord Peter Wimsey. In a pure, non sexual way.(Although, is it possible to have a crush on a literary character? In a sort of non-adulterous way? Discuss.) Anyway, I love Harriet Vane in these novels as well so that's ok I think.
There are a few semi spoilers in this paragraph for people who haven't read the novels so you can go away if you like. I won't be offended. I think Gaudy Night must be one of my favourite novels ever. Partly the feminist sub-text which is intelligently dealt with but then there is such passion. The passage where Harriet watches Peter sleeping by the river and realises that she has fallen in love with him after she has fought this so hard, is just so beautiful and made me fill up. (no really)
So this one above - Thrones, Dominations follows on and I LOVED it. Not all written by Sayers but I can't see the join.

Watched...37 Days to War

BBC

I think the BBC is really good at this. You really cannot believe that within such a small time frame (37 days for those not paying attention) the world seemed to fall into the horror story that was WW 1. The series looks at the different characters and the tiny events this thing turned on and before your very eyes, the unthinkable happens. It is very sobering in view of recent events in Europe. Most of the people involved seem to be doing their best and still, it goes horribly wrong. The cream of British theatre have all got their "acting" chops in top gear. Ian McDiarmid is especially excellent as British Foreign Secretary, Sir Edward Grey and didn't make me think of Emperor Palpatine once. Which I am sure he is grateful for.

Wikipedia

Also Great British Sewing Bee is back. Hurrah!!! For me, sewing is quite difficult so these people are your actual marvels. Also Claudia is in it and Patrick (Obviously) and and that nice May from the WI and London looks lovely. Result! What do you want? Jam on it?