Sunday 15 July 2007

Back from Oxford

Hi! Everyone - I'm back home, for a little while at least, and have missed you all.
I want to say just how thankful and grateful I am to you all for your heartfelt comments and concern over my garden after the recent bad storm. It's nice to know that people care. The only permanent damage will be on the evergreen shrubs as all the deciduous ones will grow again next Spring.
I continue to be aware of the folk who had their homes flooded so am not over concerned about my garden.
Our trip to Oxford was wonderful. Our accommodation was superb. Oxford is only 1 hour and 45 minutes from home so we have visited before but this is the first time we have actually stayed there and really spent time taking in the beauty and history. I have 116 photographs so as you can imagine they will be distributed over quite a number of posts once I can get them all filed and organised. I plan to give you some history and interesting facts also.
I will do it all as soon as possible but it won't be as quick as I would like as life is quite busy at present.
We arrived home late Saturday afternoon and after unloading went straight out to do a weekly shop before going to a do a study of Paul's letters to the Phillipians in the form of a book club group. This worked very well and proved very interesting with everyone's contribution. Then today was our church picnic.
Tomorrow I have a family from Alberta, Canada coming to stay, along with 2 dinner parties this week.
The following week brings "Soul in the City" an outreach initiative where young people from churches across our Borough get together to work in the community. I have the job of supervising and helping a group that will be cleaning up around our local library, weeding and tidying up the surrounding garden. There will be activities for families in the park in the evenings. The young people sleep and eat at the school belonging to our church and spend their mornings in Bible study and worship and prayer before going out to serve afternoons and evenings.
Also during that week we are hoping to join our friends on their long boat on one of the canals if we can fit it all in .
So I will be posting and visiting you but maybe not as frequently as normal in these next couple of weeks. Hope you are all having a good Summer so far.

9 comments:

Susan said...

Glad you are home safe, Barbara, and that you had a grand time. Will be looking forward to the history of Oxford. I love the history of places.

My you are one busy lady, but all of it sound exciting and beneficial.
Susan

Anonymous said...

I'm new to your site, Barbara, and hope that you'll soon have pics of your Oxford visit up. Just looked through the damage done by that storm - amazing. It will be interesting to see what happens next in your garden. Cheers!

TO BECOME said...

Glad you got home safe, Barbara, I am glad you had such a good time and we will be looking forward to the pictures. I am glad for the most part your garden will be alright. I hope the same can be said about the people who had their homes to flood. They are in my prayers. We will miss you while you are busy. It sounds you could not be using your time in a better way. May God bless you all as you work for Him. connie from Texas

Susie said...

Glad you had a good trip, and I'm looking forward to your pictures and history of Oxford..
:)

Jeanne said...

Oh lovely Alberta Canada
one of my favorite parts to travel to Banf Jasper etc.
Love you
Jeanne

Anonymous said...

Barbara, I posted some roses that reminded me of your bright roses in a previous post. Hope you are well.

la bellina mammina said...

Glda you're back, safe and sound. een thinking about you.

Have a great weekend!!

Nonnie said...

Sounds like you've got a busy couple of weeks planned! Good thing you had your little break in Oxford. I keep meaning to spend some time there as I normally just drive around the ring road on my way to visit my parents in the Cotswolds. I'm looking forward to seeing your pictures.

Suzie Sews At DOTTY RED said...

Hi, its good to know your home OK, your poor garden has it picked up now? I used to live in a village near Oxford and have a very found spot for the place. I look forward to seeing your pictures and facts.
Say hi to your daughter from me.
Suzie Sews