Socrates is dead

Which is very sad news indeed. He is survived by Mo. Such is the way of all things, we are like grass that withers and dies.

I've had him for five years, and he has, no doubt shortened his life by falling off the counter once, (although we caught him before he hit the floor) and also by jumping out of a cup once. Still, I am quite sad.

Apart from that, I've just finished a most wonderful book, called "Compassion and Community" written by Illtyd Barrie Thomas (most of us call him Barrie). It is amazing how God plants a call in people's hearts, and then works by grace within them. So... the idea of care and acceptance keep rattling around in my brain. (almost said braid there, but since I don't have one that would be hard.) I've also started reading The New Rulers of The World -and am discovering (as Andrew has before me) that every page makes you mad. Not one to read at bedtime.

I've been on a book-ordering fest - for the library at NTC. What a great job! Heaps of books that can influence and mould, challenge and form lives.

Andrew and I also had some really good - though conclusionless - (not really inconclusive) conversations about the power of God - and passion for him. How do we see God's power at work, and how do people who are believers reveal the Glory of the Lord? We're inclined to think that it is often in the small ways, but sometimes we crave epiphany and advent... which I suppose are both great and small, revelation and mystery.

house update

The plasterer is in, though in the way of all things Brower Latz, he has dropped his chisel and broken the toilet cistern. Apparently the plumber has also come, and will do his best to sort us out. Though he also explained that the ceiling leak is from the bath waste-water which, when it drips runs towards the light fittings of the kitchen. Does that make sense to anyone?? Why would water run towards the very thing that makes it most dangerous? I don't get it. Okay, all for now.

Chicken Stock for the winter

The promised snow has arrived, and it is beautiful - our cobbled street has suddenly been transformed into a [treacherous] victorian winter-card, the whole world seems closer, and fresh, and clean. I love this kind of weather, most especially when I can burn candles, and sit cosily inside, or go wading through the snow and 'play'... knowing that warm clothes are possible. We're so priviledged here - I am conscious that snow - such a delight to our eyes here - is also so deadly elsewhere just now... That candles, so readily available, are a precious commodity elsewhere. That snow - for us - almost a luxury item, is longed for on 'the farm' and noticably absent still - foreshadowing months of drought and fear.

This last week has been one of growth - and pain (the two often go together for me). And I have been reminded over and over again of the need to be grounded In Christif anything is going to make sense. I've also experienced a lot of grace - for which I am grateful, and awed.

Term is winding down... advent is upon us - and this waiting, waiting begins.

Andrew and I are also trying to do more "from scratch" - yesterday that meant he roasted a whole chicken, carved it, and has been making stock from the bones - there is something so earth-y about using the whole. He makes bread too - which always makes me smile - since I recall Matthew making us bread - years ago, and delivering it to various parties. As yet, climbing has still been on the back burner - it needs to come off it soon!!

We've also both been enjoying the catalogue. Especially "We accept ugly"... Good.

Okay, all for now.

Many shades of beige

today is foggy in Manchester - I love it when it's like this, I can just see the shape of the old maple out of my window, and the air is cooling to breathe. crisp, lovely, mysterious weather. Andrew is at home, ill, and it is a good day for it really - curled up, sleeping, waking to drink hot milk, and then sleeping again. he's thoroughly exhausted, which generally = ill. Not so good. If you're our praying friends, please pray for his working life. Apart from feeling ethically-oppressed by the 'asda-walmart' job, he is also knackered by it - but so far, we're not getting anywhere. We are reminded weekly at church of how good it is to have any job but that's difficult to remind yourself of sometimes.

we're settling in - had a huge family (bar the Russian's) dinner yesterday - and my, we ate well. We can recommend [for the Sweet-toothed amongst you] Jamie Oliver's cholocate tart. Rich as. And, you don't actually have to be naked to cook it. Apart from that, all photos are up and it is beginning to feel ours. our first house-guest moves in tonight - for which we thank God. It seems a fulfilment of our decision to get this house...

So - let's see. nothing v. interesting to report (sadly). No climbing, no nothing for me for about three weeks now. that has to change! However, term is nearly finished! amazing.

And - here are a few of the bottles of paint in the cellar: china cup, natural linen, natural beige, parchment, calico, natural hessian, natural wheatgrass, wheatgrass, lemon grass, light wicker, soft white, magnolia... NOW I ASK YOU, how are you supposed to tell the difference between them??? Our wall is beginning to look quite funny though - we've yet to discover which one actually matches it, so, I'm inventing a new one: patchy beige. So there Crown Paints.

The Move - & friendships

well, as i sit here eating my marmite and fruit lunch, i thought i'd reflect a little of the last few days.

first, we are IN. all boxes bar cellar ones are unpacked, and we are in the phase of "now where did we PUT that??" generally followed by "why did we put it THERE?!!!" The house is beginning to feel like "home." Books are out and arranged, and our photos and pictures are now beginning to find their niches. It is odd to have three floors (four, if you count the cellar -which I keep referring to as basement, strange how canadianisms slip out every now and then), and my calves are sore from unacccumstomed climbs! The views out the back are really good - there is an enormous horse chestnut tree some distance away that provides drama. Also, to our great joy, the garden/courtyard has blue tits!

The only drama (still) is the bathroom, which was unexpectedly gutted by eager helpers, to a degree that we hadn't anticipated - so we'll need a plasterer, electrician and plumber some day soon!! (but the water & hence the heat is now on - good news!).

The house is truly lovely -and we are discovering over and over again how rich we are in friends & family - who sacrificed much of their time to come and help us. They lightened the burden and shared in our joy. They've tirelessly fetched, carried, put things together, fixed things, brought flapjacks, thermoses, calming presence and good spirits - oh, and made coffee ... Andrew and I are beholden. Now, we are beginning to think about more normal rhythms of life being able to reemerge on our life's score. We've been talking a lot about hostitality, friendship, and sacred space and life. We're going for our first ever outdoor climb this weekend - (yes, I know it's cold. Yes, I know it will probably be wet. Yes, we'll be careful!)

Apart from all of that - one of the funny aspects of the move was my discover of a bag with my Christmas present in it!! So I've now read a new biography of ted hughes, whose poetry I love. It's yet to be determined if I'll get a present on Christmas day! Hughes is sucha wordsmith, he captures so much of nature - both light and dark. Andrew and I have been reading his translation of Beowolf together, and his descriptions are vivid, and rhythms captivating.

And so... onto class.

But just as I go, if you're reading this, and a friend - whether absent or present - Thank you.

3 sleeps to go

(If you can call what I'm doing at the moment sleeping!) And then we move into our new house... Oh my, it is going to be interesting... Currently we have three chairs, a table, some crockery left - the rest of our house is in boxes... It could be quite interesting come Friday! Several friends have offered to help - for which we are thankful! Strong backs and good cheer are welcome! Others will provide me tissues as I say good bye to our/my garden. Exciting, and odd all at the same time. Funny how life does that to you.

The leaning tower

So - Pisa. How wonderful to be there! We arrived by Ryan Air (we got to sit together and everything! Not bad for not much) and caught a bus into the city - not very far at all. Then, we wandered on foot until we could find our Alberge. Called Hotel Serena, is was absolutely hilarious. We walked into to the home of plastic flowers. Rang the bell, heard rustling from several floors up, and an old man's voice: Qui'en? Qui'en? And he leaned over and beckoned us up flights of stairs. We went, and then he shuffled from a flat, across the landing and signed us to follow, creaked open the door to an old room, with marble floors (cracked), a creaky bed, an un-openable wardrobe, and marble-topped furniture with the tops askew. Hmm. We shut (and locked) the door, and then fell about laughing. It was too funny. But - hey, it was 1*. The toilet incidentally, was in a long room, which had a door at one end, the shower (which dripped -I mean as the shower), which you walked through, a sink, and then the loo... Oh my!

Anyway, we camp, so oh well, right? And, we weren't really there for the room. So we wandered. Oh, it was lovely. We roamed the city at dusk, and our first glimpse of the tower was as we sauntered down a windy, non-touristy road... and there, at the end of it, seven stories of leaning marble. (apparently the tilt is over four metres now!). It was beautiful. Andrew was also very amused by a leaning tree... (photos to come!).

The tower is magnificent - and the Duomo is immense, and spectacularly carved. And, then was the scene of a distress for me - and now I'll share it with you. It is FREE to enter - so we did - and we were herded like sheep behind a rope to gaze through the dome - whilst at the front, a service took place - out of our hearing, with perhaps ten men, people jostling with one another to take video, and photos. The whole thing hurt my brain. Better than york? Worse? Free meant visible, but not reverence... The expense of the dome pointed people to what?

As you can imagine (by now) we also ate our way through the city - a wonderful meal of bread, tomato, mozarella salad, pizza, wild-boar and polenta, followed by a brioche with granita... cafe. Breakfast, sweet rice cakes, grande cafe, lunch, penne pasta with amaticiana sauce, foccace and parma, insalate... cappacino, Ah, the bliss...

And - the whole time, no phone.

Wonderful. And now, to work...

Travels back in time

If you don't want a blow-by-blow account of the last week, don't keep reading! It has been lovely.

Where to begin? We've had such a wonderful stretch of a week - from Jo & Steve's arrrival to a cosy car journey home from Pisa... In terms of territory - we covered a fair amount - we went to see Little Moreton Hall (I remembered it from childhood days out with our family - Derek & I were blessed by parents who took us places) an old tudor house. It is always a bit staggering to realise that the who building was begun pre Christopher Columbus.

Then, onto Powis Castle's three-hundred year old yew hedge, which creeps lumpily up the side of the hill, and provides many trysting benches. It is truly a spectacular garden, and has enormous structural plants, and colours that nature puts together to stun. The precision of the box hedge, and the imagination of the first gardener... Who would never see her work mature, but had an eye. Truly breath-taking vision. (I am more and more convinced of the notion of organic gardening as a metaphor for christian leadership).

Our next venture into history was York - which we probably did not do justice to - Steve and Jo went into the Minster... for a price. I had an internal (and external!) debate about paying to go into Holy Places. I just don't know. I think at the least there should be a prayer chapel near-by. We also followed Andrew's remarkable food-based-map-reading-mind to a small independent cafe, where we ate sumptious lunches (including a great rarebit) and Andrew & I had (very sweet!) desserts.

On the food front, and closer to (our new-next week-we-hope-home) we also went to That Cafe. It is truly a delight to the senses, and we ate beautiful, sense-ational food. The food was matched by great company - and we are reminded of how seldom many of our conversations seem to touch on wide-ranging discussions about things that really matter.

Hmm. Probably offended lots of people there. I'll keep explaining, I suppose because we see Steve and Jo so rarely, and know that in reality it will be YEARS before we do again, we talked about more than just daily life. ... I imagine that it is a bit like the difference between snatching time with the person you love before hand, and then being married. Not that you don't talk deeplyanymore but that you also talk about cleaning the house, and paying bills, and taking the rubbish out... and that is normal and wonderful at the same time... But, it is different than when you first began. Sometimes friendships are like that (I think). It sometimes takes effort and deliberate choice, to actually go beyond football/films/tv/work. That's all. And there is a part of me that craves being a little deeper... and, in marriage, you make that happen by choice... so maybe I need to try more in other arenas. (right, getting myself into greater holes here, I'll stop.)

So - from York, to Stansted, and onto Pisa. Perhaps that will be the next installment.