Window Box Spirituality

I attempted to discipline the Head Gardener this week for the state of the window boxes. Only a couple of weeks ago, this box was full of beautiful crocuses (croci?) but now you can hopefully see that the flowers are all dead and limp and floppy and the box has been over run  by all this untidy messy stuff. I informed the gardener that I would like it sorting asap but believe it or not, he refused. Apparently, you have to wait until all the green stuff dies back so all the nutrients go back into the bulb. Despite my initial suspicions about work avoidance strategies it appears that this is true. At the risk of making this blog like the "Deck Of Cards" by Max Bygraves (When I think of the King of Hearts I think of the King of my Heart - that sort of thing) It did get me thinking though. You know, I would really like my life to be a lot prettier and much less messy sometimes. Looking at this though, I do wonder if when all the rubbish is going on, then maybe that's when the important stuff is going on. as well. Maybe these times are preparing me for growth and better things later. The fact is, that its not all lovely all the time. Maybe we need those harder times to come back stronger later. Just a thought - take it or leave it.

Quote of the week (sorry can't give you a link - it'll be on the Times website and that costs money)
"The Welfare State.....After 50,000 years of civilisation still the only invention that gives normal people a chance of semi parity with the wealthy when it comes to education, medical provision, housing, justice, and access to the entire works of Catherine Cookson in a local library." Caitlin Moran

Weapon of Jack Destruction

Well not destruction exactly,just a squirty water bottle. A bottle which can be directed at an unruly dog and squirted - making him unhappy and  hopefully obedient.We have decided it's time for a bit of Jack discipline in this house and, following on from reading the spiritual discipline book, it seems that some of the principles you could apply to overcome a human habit also apply to dealing with a barky dog.

1. Identify the habit/problem that needs your attention. How long have you got? You can choose from a long list. With Morecambe we're going for  barking hysterically and flinging himself at the kitchen door whenever anyone arrives at or leaves the house.
2. Pin down exactly why you want to deal with this. Believe it or not, Morc's reasons for needing this dealt with ain't that different from a human habit. Firstly, this is something that can do him harm. Our kitchen door has a big glass window in it and we all have nightmares about him just jumping through it. This will be very dangerous but possibly not as dangerous as what might happen to him if he smashed the expensive kitchen door (this time at the hands of Head of House)
3. Enlist the help of those in your community that you trust. All human beings in the family are on board and supporting this. Mainly because people would like to have friends round without needing to run through the kitchen like Usain Bolt. Lucy, however, doesn't give a monkeys about Morcs and his habits and isn't above  taking advantage of his hysteria to nip his bottom or steal his food. (There is a moral here - not everyone will be on board when you are trying to change a habit - they will not always show this by trying to bite your bottom) 
4. Eyes on the prize. Sometimes, when we are recreating the classic scene from Singing in the Rain by wildly squirting water at a hysterical dog while we try to leave the house, we do wonder if it is worth it. As this point, it helps to visualize how good it would be to walk in and out unhindered and for the gas man to visit without having to apologise because the dog has lost control of his wee wee tube - up aforementioned  man's trousers.
5. Reward any progress with something good. For you this will probably not be a bit of frozen liver but that's what floats Morecambe's boat so there you are.

Of course, there's not very much spiritual here. He's only a Jack Russell and there's a limit to how far you can stretch the analogy. Still quite interesting to compare and contrast. I only wish Morecambe was as keen on the process as we are.

It's nearly garden, book and brew time.

Lo and behold it getteth warmer and sunnier. I did try and do one of my favourite things  - see above re garden, book and  brew but the truth is its still quite parky really and too much time outside leads to frozen fingers. Witness lunch today. Husband, Lord and Master breaks up my humdrum working day to take me for pasty in the park. My how we live. Anyway, I'm quite happy - they're nice pasties. Still, couldn't sit very long. Nose was getting redder and redder. Moved on to buy chocolate thereby keeping warm and having little chocolate treat to see me through the afternoon at work. Still, Spring is definitely giving the whole arriving thing some thought.
Reading about spiritual disciplines. More interesting than it sounds. The chapter about prayer is especially good. Has lots of ideas about praying that challenge all my prejudices. One idea is to resolve to pray for one particular issue for 30 days non stop. (Well not non stop, I have to go to work and things but you know what I mean ) A part of me thinks this is like setting a deadline for God which is disrespectful but, as I have a few things going on at the moment, I am thinking I would like to give it a try. And, if God thinks I am out of order, he can just ignore me. No harm done. Except to my faith. and my life. Oh well.
Rushing out of house to Communications Team meeting on Monday night and shower unit exploded - literally. Yes really literally for once. Always happens when you are in a hurry. Now we have no shower. Baths all round now till we get it sorted. Twelve foot tall son baths like Flipper the dolphin thus doubling damp potential in bathroom. Do you only stop worrying when you die?

Random Sunbathing Dog Moment

The sun is out in Devon (today anyway) and Mad Dog is as pleased as anyone. I have spent some of the week at a Community Transport Conference in Manchester (any more of this and people will think I am a real manager) so thoughts are a bit random again. (No change there I hear you cry.)
Returning to Manchester was good. Had some nice times with family and friends in the evening - after working hard all day and networking for England in case my trustees are reading this. Stayed in the Midland Hotel which was very nice indeed. I managed not to touch room service or the mini-bar. A hotel breakfast is surely one of life's lovely things. "Coffee or tea madam? Brown or white toast? Help yourself to the buffet." These are some of the nicest words in the English language.
Anyway, I'm not the only one gallivanting. Head of House and Senior Sprog have just got back from looking at York University. The boy completely loved it and that's where he wants to go. You must not think that my frequent hysterical sobbing means that I am remotely troubled by the fact that this is about as far north as he could go without leaving the country. I love York too but this seems a bit of an extreme course of action to make sure that we can all get tickets for the panto. (BTW - York Panto - best in the country. No discussion. Although any information in comments about York gratefully received) Senior Sprog's results so far are good. He has the offer. He's going I think.
Finally, some culture. I don't want you to think that I'm any kind of expert on Shakespeare because I'm not. Believe me, you couldn't be living here. Most theatre companies treat Plymouth like Narnia - only further away. But this week we were visited by the National Theatre who presented us with Hamlet. It was in modern dress, set in a kind of police state, giving it a completely different perspective. Rory Kinnear was as amazing as everyone said but there wasn't a bad performance. I went with Junior Sprog and at half time when I asked her what she thought, she was so captivated, she could hardly speak. We actually stood up to applaud at the end and I haven't done that since I saw the Funk Brothers at the Apollo in Manchester. Quite a moment.

International Women's Day

Christian women are sometimes a bit iffy about feminist issues. But the fact is that if you are female and you have a mortgage, vote, expect equal rights in your marriage and the bringing up of your children, then you have benefited from the work done by women's groups in the past. Watch this -  it seems the work continues...

When did that happen?

There are some questions which have simple answers

• The dog behaves like that just because he wants to
• Most annoying Glee character is Mr Schuster (although he has a lot of competition)
• Paul was the best Beatle
• West Wing is the best piece of TV ever made.

However, when I look at this photo, I have do have one question which I don't have the answer to

• WHEN DID I BECOME THE FAMILY MIDGET? (or perhaps more shockingly - the family Anne Widecombe look-alike?)

This week school sent home eldest sprog's last ever school report and the date for his last ever parents' evening. And so, despite all my attempts to ignore the facts before my very eyes, I now have to accept that the Head of the House and my good self are parents to a young man. We are both slowly coming to terms with the realisation that he will probably never again pronounce the word "gloves" as "glubs". He is unlikely to lie on his back with his feet in the air singing nursery rhymes (no matter how often we ask) He is now to be found shouting abuse at Question Time and insisting that his Thrash Metal cannot be heard three doors down. So as he leaves to check out universities, trailing the Head of the House (acting as his chauffeur) in his wake, I just wanted to draw your attention to the obvious. Time really does go so much faster that you could ever believe. Every moment has to be snatched , treasured, held to your heart and remembered. You probably know all of this and I probably know it too. It's just like most things it becomes a lot more real when it affects me.
However I will always remember him the way he was when we first gave him sweet potato........

About Bloomin' Time

It's the last day of February and, at last, Spring may be on the way. These are in our garden, well I say garden - its not Blenheim Palace but it's our own little patch of pebbles. Just when you thought it might never get warm again you look and the little green shoots are poking through and suddenly there they are.

There are probably lots of deep spiritual things to be said about patience and all that but I just thought it looked pretty and I hope it signals a decent summer. Anyway the Head Gardener informs me that there is a night frost due and they could all be dead by Friday so best not to be too deep about it all I think.

Thinking about something completely different, you know how certain sports events have to be on the BBC so people who don't have satellite don't miss out. Well that should definitely include the Oscars. Because you can only watch the Oscars if you pay for Sky movies and ITS NOT A MOVIE! So I have been left with completely rubbish highlights on even more rubbish Sky Living. So no proper opening. etc. etc. DISAPPOINTED!

"Its not the load that brings you down - its the way you carry it." - Lena Horne
"She's right. You do need to bend your knees when you pick heavy stuff up" - Daughter who hasn't quite understood what Ms Horne was referring to.

Here at Hargreaves Towers we are not blessed with acres of green but we do have the odd pot here and there, including this beauty. Its some kind of acer I think. we bought it a long time ago for Father's Day. To say it has struggled to reach its potential is a bit of an understatement - mainly because it probably shouldn't be in this small pot. Anyway, it does go a lovely colour in Autumn and has been known to become almost lush in the summer. What you can't see in the photo is that, a few years ago, we began to hang things on the tree. Nothing much, just the odd memento from nice places we have been  - things we want to remember. Like I say though, when the tree is all lush - you can't see anything hanging on it.

This is the tree at the moment. It's not as pretty - I'll give you that and the gardener should certainly be giving some thought to tidying up that back wall but - when its like this you can see all the hanging bits and pieces much clearer. All the memories are easier to see and despite the lack of attractive foliage, the tree has a certain charm (maybe only if you actually know what the ornaments relate to but that's your problem, not mine.)
Anyway, it sort of made me think about something I had read from Spurgeon which I'll post at the end. When things are bad and all we are struggling with stuff then somehow, when everything is stripped away, that's the time to focus on memories and the good that God has done for you. The things that you know to be true because you have experienced it and maybe need to be remembered. Sometimes, it can feel like these past experiences are all you have left but if He did it then He can surely do it again. Spurgeon puts it much better than I can

There must surely be some precious milestone along the road of life not quite grown over with moss, on which thou canst read a happy memorial of his mercy towards thee? What, didst thou never have a sickness like that which thou art suffering now, and did he not restore thee? Wert thou never poor before, and did he not supply thy wants? Wast thou never in straits before, and did he not deliver thee? Arise, go to the river of thine experience, and pull up a few bulrushes, and plait them into an ark, wherein thine infant--faith--may float safely on the stream. Forget not what thy God has done for thee; turn over the book of thy remembrance, and consider the days of old. Hast thou never been helped in time of need? Nay, I know thou hast. Go back, then, a little way to the choice mercies of yesterday, and though all may be dark now, light up the lamps of the past, they shall glitter through the darkness, and thou shalt trust in the Lord till the day break and the shadows flee away. "Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses, for they have been ever of old."

The Differences Between Us

List of items on husband's bedside table....

• Alarm clock (set at exactly correct time)
• Book he is currently reading.
• Box of tissues
• Lamp

List of items on my bedside table

• Box of tissues
• Book I am reading currently
• Books I am about to read
• Books I have read and haven't got round to putting away
• Photo of husband and children (In case I forget what they look like?)
• Pair of £2 glasses for reading
• Second pair of £2 glasses to use when I can't find the first pair because I'm using them as a bookmark
• Watch and rings which I have taken off when I realised I was wearing them in bed
• Body lotion for scaly limbs
• Nail varnish
• Clock (set ten minutes fast to give me an extra ten minutes in bed. Yes it does make sense and I know my clock is slower on the photo but I took my picture at a different time)
• Lamp
• Notebook and pen for genius like thoughts that may strike in the middle of the night - or alternatively, shopping lists

So we are not exactly carbon copies of each other - my chap and me. Yet, I know that as in most good relationships, it is the differences  between us that cement us together and keep life interesting. He's very patient and I was sent to develop that patience by trying it at every opportunity. So, quietly and without any great fanfare, I would like to use a day we never celebrate to say thank-you., bless you and all the other stuff which ain't no body's business but ours.

Welcome Lucy

This is Lucy and she is the new addition to the family. There may be a temptation to think that we have lost our collective minds. It's not as if we've exactly got the dog we already have under control. (By the way - mad woman on the park - a Jack Russell bounding towards you on the park does not constitute a devil dog attack and certainly does not merit wild swipes of your handbag at said Jack's head.)

But Lucy was my brother's dog and three dogs were too much for his partner to manage alone so now Lucy lives with us. So there.

Lucy is my first lady dog so it was a bit of a shock the first time I saw her do a wee wee but other than that she's just more of the same as Morecambe but a bit more delicate. Morecambe,of course, is totally annoyed by her very presence. Can't say we expected any different to be honest...

Apologies

One of the differences between blogging and say - writing a book is that a blog is a living document with a timeline. So, unlike the printed word, the fact that I haven't been on here since well before Christmas is as plain as the nose on your face, as they say. I have spent a few months concentrating on other things. I spent a long time dealing with my brother's death. Read lots, walked a lot and worked a lot. We got though Christmas ok although there was literally a spare place at the table. But now, having accepted that you never recover from something like this, you just carry on, a bit more frayed at the edges but essentially believing all that you believed before. The blog returns with apologies for its absence. More news to follow.