Bits and Pieces on May Day

I have fond memories of May day when I was a child and how different life was.

I remember one particular year when I was about 8. There was a May procession for the children in the road and I was chosen to be the May Queen leading the procession.

Previous to the day the children sat outside our house selling things we had made and anything that we could get our hands on that was no longer wanted. In other words a 1940's garage sale for the kids.

We then used this money for a little party in the street.

How I wish there were photos but there was no such luxury during the war. 

Back to modern days and a wedding card that I made for a friend's daughter last week.

My new i-pad Pro purchased on Saturday. It has taken some time but I now have all 80 plus apps from my old one installed and running.

Alan will have my old one and as he has never had one before there will be new learning curves for him.

I was just thinking how quickly time flies when coming across this picture when going through my computer albums.

Having a quick lunch in Marks and Spencer last December with our friends Don & Joyce from Louisiana. I first met Joyce as a fellow blogger and this was their third visit.

Lastly but not least Oliver and Rebekah having made it to the centre of the Hampton Court Maze last week.

Rebekah now 8 and Oliver 11 in July.

It's Not All Fun!

Well some of it is

We meet again with Joyce and Don from Louisiana but this time it is just for a day at the Westfield Mall where I knew there were plenty of places to sit and linger

I met Joyce through blogging as my regular blog friends will know

The last two times we have met Joyce and Don have stayed in our home but this time they were staying in the centre of London

The day passed very quickly as there was so much to talk about and catch up on, and all too soon it was early evening and time to say our goodbyes.

The not so much fun for the week is my having dental surgery tomorrow to remove my last molar. It consists only of a crown and filled root so really hoping it does not break up.

My dentist insisted I arrange for 2 days rest afterwards as after the last extraction I had a dry socket and infection having gone on holiday 36 hours afterwards. He also told me to 'prepare myself mentally'  Now how is that to make one feel at ease!

Another fun bit is the fact that I now have my lights back up after the decorating.

I'll leave you for now with a few pics from walking through Mapperton Village in Dorset

Not often one sees a wool and haberdashery shop like this any more

The village square in the rain

and I do love 'live' car park walls!

All Good Things Come to an End

The evening after supper with Lord Carey (last post)

we were able to take Joyce and Don to 'The Burn'

http://www.immanuelcommunity.org.uk/news/news/post/106-the-burn-launchromford

I did not take photographs but the above link will tell you just what the burn is all about

http://www.immanuelcommunity.org.uk/news/news/post/143-the-lord-carey-of-clifton-at-immanuel-community/

More on Lord Carey's visit in above link for anyone interested

Monday, Joyce and Don's last day we eventually decided to drive to the Olympic site

All the temporary stuff is now being dismantled but there is still plenty to see, however we are not now allowed on the site till all dismantling is over

Of course the site is next to Westfield Mall so several hours were spent there shopping

There is a large outside shopping area too

Nobody sitting at this table

A very large eating area on 3 levels

apart from many other restaurants and coffee shops

Something I have not noticed before

the 4 red boxes (lower right) are for charging up ones phones and i-pads etc.

I have posted on Westfield many times so for now we are in Liberty where a small silk scarf costs £150 - just looking!

Not forgetting lunch in Jamie Oliver's

and our last evening at home together

with the girls chilling out in their 'sweats' after an extremely full 6 days 

Harvest Supper with Rt.Hon Lord Carey of Clifton

Lord Carey is of course the Former Archbishop of Canterbury

Apologies for grainy photos (taken on my phone in low lighting)

A very caring and friendly man, seen here with myself and Andrew Rosindell our local Member of Parliament

He was the speaker at the Harvest Supper of our local Conservative  Christian Fellowship

His after dinner speech was inspiring and informative and he is not afraid to speak out the truth - I will have a copy of his speech eventually but suffice to say that he ended with saying we can make a difference because God is Able.

Here I am with our Lady Mayoress who is also a caring and friendly lady

The supper was hosted at our church and we can thank Julie next door for a great meal

Only got to photo the starter and dessert

Dessert was a trio of Iced Meringue Roulade, Caramel and Chocolate Cheescake and Profiteroles with a Raspberry Sauce

For a starter we had rings of Salmon Mousse, Couscous and Beetroot Cake and a Flaked Salmon Salad

the main course being Rustic Chicken and Vegetables

It just happens to be that we have my blogging friend Joyce and her husband Don staying with us for 6 days and we began our day by taking them to Pilgrims Hall for lunch

Quite a busy day with the Harvest Supper in the evening

Quite a lot going on while they are here which is good as Joyce was keen to experience life as we know it

Got the shopping and market experience over in the first 2 days

When they came last year they were able to experience house church with us but this year it is the first of the month so it will be 'house churches altogether for worship' so a slightly different experience for them

Tonight will be the BURN but more on that in another post and the guys and girls will be splitting up on Monday doing different things

A Dry Garden & Meeting a Blogger

Conference was amazing. Don't think there was anybody who was not touched by the Holy Spirit
You know it was a good conference when one comes away feeling things will never be quite the same again!
Much healing and empowering

and

I was serving refreshments at the beginning on Friday when a lady came up to me and checked out my name tag

It was Jenny above, a blogger who recognised me from my blog

Come Tuesday Alan began the mammoth task at the bottom of the garden by digging up some enormous tree roots

Nothing has been done since because of a combination of weather and an unexpected visit from someone we last saw in the 1980's.

Having been hampered by 6 weeks of almost non-stop torrential rain (it felt like that anyhow) the temperatures rose from upper 50's to mid 80's almost over night and I can't remember it ever being so humid here in May before

We are going to have to pace ourselves in this heatwave

The herb garden is flourishing

as is everywhere else

Everywhere one looks we are surrounded by things to do with the Queens Diamond Jubilee celebrations

and in my garden too!

Hard to believe that not too long ago a great swathe of this was under water

The fence panels arrive tomorrow and I am itching to get on with my part

watch this space!

Short, Sweet & Precious

What a sweet and precious visit we had with

Joyce a blogging friend from Louisiana

Joyce and her husband Don managed 24 hours at our home while in the UK this weekend

While here Joyce and Don were keen to experience house church and we too were blessed to have them with us

After Sunday lunch it was off to Greensted to show them the oldest wooden church in the world. I have posted several times on this church but for newcomers, it dates back to the Fifth century and here we see the original tree trunks from nearby Epping Forest

In front of the church we see the grave of a Crusader

Joyce and Don had the added advantage of chatting with one of the warden 's who was there clearing up after Harvest Festival

She shared lots of history and even some facts that we did not know

While out Don said that although we had met for the first time only this morning, it felt like we had always known each other

We agreed entirely as we have always found that when there is a spirit connection there is that instant bonding

Having such a short time together and with so much to share with each other we talked and fellow shipped till 1.0 am

with a break for the current episode of

Downton Abbey in the middle 

It seems ages since I posted from Barbara's kitchen so included here, the cake we all enjoyed at tea time

Crunchy Lemon Drizzle Cake

Cake Mix                                              Topping

250g butter                                            Juice of 1 medium lemon

200g caster sugar                                  Granulated sugar

250g self-raising flour

4 large free-range eggs

1 tspn baking powder

zest & juice of 1 medium lemon

1. Select a suitable loaf tin (about 1.3-litre capacity) and line the base with slightly greased baking paper. Pre-heat oven to 170C/350f/gas 3.

2. In a food processor, cream together the butter and sugar. Add half the flour together with the eggs, and blend. Add the rest of the flour, the baking powder, and finally the lemon zest and juice and whiz everything together until smooth.

3. Pour the mixture into lined loaf tin and bake in pre-heated oven for around 50 minutes.

4. Allow to cool in tin. While cake is cooling, blend the lemon juice for the topping (about 3 tablespoons) with sufficient granulated sugar (about 3 tablespoons) to form a syrup.

5. Take out the cake while a little warm and spoon topping mix liberally over the top.