Interview, A Tag, and Awards

I gave Susan of Penless Writer permission to interview me. Very brave. (Me not Susan that is!) These were the 5 questions that she came up with.



1. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I cannot foresee the future, but my desire would be to be alive and healthy and being who God means me to be in everything and everyone that He brings into my life.

2. What is your greatest accomplishment in life?

To have reached the age of 70 fit and healthy with a zest for life and a faith that makes everything else worthwhile, and to see my 2 children healthy, fulfilled and independent.

3. If money were no object where would you live and what would you do?

I would not want to live anywhere other than where I do because this is where God has put me and I am blessed to be surrounded by like minded people of faith but I could have my house raised to the ground and rebuilt to my own specifications, especially giving me more scope for hospitality. As far as money is concerned I would want to pay off my children's mortgages, help my church and travel in some luxury which would include a new car.

4. Do you set goals for yourself? If so what is one you are working on now?

A bit ambiguous for me this question as I do not really set goals, I prefer to be open to God's leading, but I do like to plan in my mind which I see as different to a goal. At the moment I am working on de-cluttering my house, and thinking about spring cleaning and some house decoration that we need to do and some things that need replacing. This of course is much dependent on whether hubby agrees or not!

5. If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?

Again a difficult question because if I changed the things I don't like about myself I would not be me. I prefer to allow God to do the changing. I would prefer never to suffer anxiety or depression or fear but those are the things that God has used to grow me on my journey.




Zetor of Mog's Blog tagged me with showing the 4th photo in my 4th file on my computer. That particular photo I was not at liberty to show without invading the privacy of another so instead I chose the 4th photo in the 4th file from the bottom of the list.

This photograph is of the house in Devon where Alan and I spent our honeymoon over Christmas of 1959. It belonged to friends of my Aunt's who owned Palmer's Biscuit factory and they had just bought it to run as a guest house. We were their first guests. It was on the edge of Dartmoor.

Betty of Country Charm awarded me the above award.

The authors say that blogs who receive this award are exceedingly charming. This blog invests in the PROXIMITY in space, time and relationships. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that even more friendships are propagated. I pass this award on to Susan of Penless Writer as above.



And Memaw of It Came to Pass awarded me this Lemons to Lemonade award which is apparently for showing a grateful attitude. I pass this on to Susan of Adventurous Living

I appreciate the thoughts and kindness of these awards and the people who have sent them to me and the people to whom I have passed them on.

Queue's, Awards and a Tag

This sculpture appeared on the pavement in our town recently

It is called The Queue

Ironically there is not a queue at the bus stop in this shot

It is too early for people to be leaving, they are just coming in

You won't see me in a queue as I always use the car

and this is in spite of having a seniour citizens free bus pass

The real thing but again no real queue's

Over the last couple of weeks I have received some awards and a tag
The YOU MAKE MY DAY award came from Cindy of In a Garden
Thank you Cindy for your kind and very encouraging comments
I am truly honoured
I pass this on to Merisi of Vienna for Beginners
Merisi makes my day when I visit her and see her wonderful photos of Vienna
she has such an eye for a special photo





This award came from Isobel of The Cosy Corner
Thank you Isobel
I pass this on to Sara of Much Ado About Something
I think Sara's is an excellent blog for it's varied content and interest
her expert photography and her faith that comes through in such
a non-confrontational way


And now for the tag I received this from Mob of The Baby Journals
I pass it on to Sara (as above) as she was saying recently that she was in the 'bloggy doldrums'
so hope this puts some wind in your sails Sara

1.Were you named after anyone? No
2. When was the last time you cried? So long ago I can't remember
3. Do you like your handwriting? Yes
4. What is your favorite lunch meat? Honey Roast Ham
5. Do you have kids? No but 2 adult friends
6. If you were another person would you be friends with you? Hope so
7. Do you use sarcasm a lot? No but my sense of humour is dry
8. Do you still have your tonsils? Yes
9. Would you bungee jump? No
10. What is your favorite cereal? Dorset Cereals Berries and Cherries Muesli
11. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? Definitely
12. Do you think you are strong? Most of the time
13. What is your favorite ice cream? Ben and Jerry's Cookie Dough
14. What is the first thing you notice about people? Their eyes
15. Red or pink? Red
16. What is the thing that you like least about yourself? Stomach

17. Who do you miss the most? My longest standing best friend
19. What color pants and shoes are you wearing? Parchment (I assume you mean trousers - pants mean knickers in England) Black
20. Have you ever re-gifted? No
21. What are you listening to right now? The tap, tap,tap of the keyboard
22. If you were a crayon what colour would you be? Green
23. Favorite smells? Lavender and my Jean Lois Scherrer perfume
24. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? My daughter

25. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Very much so, what would she think if I typed, no!
26. Favorite sports to watch? None
30. Favorite food? Lots but freshly baked bread with butter takes some beating
31. Scary movies or happy endings? Happy
32. Last movie you watched? A Good Woman

33. What color shirt are you wearing? Taupe
34. Summer or winter? Summer
35. Hugs or kisses? Hugs

36. Favorite dessert? Lemon anything
39. What book are you reading now? Searching for Tilly by Susan Sallis and Living Beyond the Limits by Franklin Graham
40. What is on your mouse pad? My mouse
41. What did you watch on TV last night? Nothing I was out
42. Favorite sound? Waves lapping on the sand
43. Rolling stones or Beatles? Beatles
44. What is the furthest you have been from home? Mexico
45. Do you have a special talent? Lots
46. Where were you born? Liverpool, England

I Have Been Tagged for a Book Meme

I was tagged by Susan of Penless Writer a little while ago to do this book meme.

I pass this meme on to Sara of Much to do about Something and Willow of Willow's Cottage and Linds of Rocking Chair Reflections

This is an interesting and fun tag to do but when it came to it I had difficulty choosing. I am an avid reader of all kinds of writings and literature and my current library contains approximately 650 books, having given approximately 500 away to a local Hospice. However my choice is as follows.


1. A Book that Changed your Life: I can’t actually say that any book has changed my life (only God can do that) but there are many books that have influenced my life.

Rees Howells: Intercessor by Norman Grubb was one of these. Norman is the missionary that I talk about in my story. His Father-in-Law C.T. Studd says of this book:
“Rees lived in a Welsh mining village. Leaving school at twelve he worked in a tin mill and coal mine, but he is best know as the founder of the Bible College of Wales. He learnt the Bible as the Spirit mad him live it. Every chapter in this biography is full of drama and light as Rees faced the implications of an entire surrender, learnt to love the unlovely, and found the key to prevailing prayer, became the channel of a mighty revival in Africa, was taught the principles of divine healing, and progressed ever further in faith until world events were being affected by his prayers. We are bold to say that, by this man’s life, the Church of Christ is being retaught truths of the Spirit and the Scriptures which we have never heard put just like this before; yet the story is told with simplicity, humanity and humour enough to enthral any reader”.

I was priviledged to visit The Bible College of Wales and meet Rees Howell's son. We were allowed to visit the prayer room where many of the intercessions took place. The sense of the prescence of God in that room was tangible.

2. A Book you read More than Once:

The Divine Romance by Gene Edwards. Many say that Gene Edwards in the present day C.S.Lewis. The Divine Romance is the story of the Crucifixion and Resurrection as it had never been presented…………from the view of angels. It shows the Lord bringing forth His beautiful bride. The story concludes with the consummation of the ages, when a victorious Lord takes His bride to Himself. Truly the greatest love story ever told.

3. A book you would take to a Desert Island:

The Bible (NIV) containing lots of study notes and cross references so that I could not only read it but study it

4. A book that made you laugh:

Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson. I think it is so funny seeing my country through the eyes of a foreigner and Bill is a master at spotting the unusual and ridiculous. At the time of writing Bill, who came from Iowa, had lived in Britain for 2 decades. His aim was to analyse precisely what it was that he loved about the country. This extremely funny book shows my country as seen through the eyes of an American. Not just any American though but one who can se the funniest in the most ordinary and mundane aspects of life here.

5. A book that made you cry: I can’t say that I have ever cried when reading a book but this one brought tears to my eyes when thinking about aspects of it.

Long Way Round by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman. This is the account of a journey that Ewan and Charley took travelling on their motor bikes. Their aim was to travel from London to New York “the long way round”. Their journey of 20,000 miles took them across increasingly rough terrain as they travelled through Europe, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia and Siberia. They then flew across the Pacific to Alaska then down through Canada and America to New York City.

I just loved reading about their joys and trials and the countries they travelled through. They were both very good at sharing their feelings and emotions too which made the book so interesting to me. The part of the book that brought tears to my eyes was their account of 2 year old street children living below street level, next to the pipes that took the hot waste water from the power stations. I have known of a number of countries where this happens but never before heard of 2 year old children living there.

6. A book you wished you had written: If I had written this book it would mean that I had sailed single-handed around the world. I am not saying that I would like to do this, I am saying that having experienced the ocean first hand I know what a remarkable achievement this would be.

Taking on the World by Ellen McArthur. In February 2001 24 year old Ellen McArthur completed the Vendee Globe, the world’s toughest race. As the youngest Britain to circumnavigate the globe single-handed, and as the fastest woman ever to have done so, her achievement was remarkable. The book tells her story from buying her first small boat, through sailing around Britain as a teenager, to racing the Vendee Globe itself. Enthralling and inspiring in equal measure, it shows how courage, passion and determination can overcome all obstacles – and how one young woman made her dream come true.

7. A book you wish had not been written: I found this question difficult because when I really thought about it, sometimes a book that one might think should not have been written may provoke thought in someone and lead to a positive conclusion. In the end I realised that I have never read ‘a book that I thought should not have been written’ so in commenting I would be acting on other people’s opinions. So I will pass on this.

8. Two books that you are at present reading: I will make this 3 as I usually have 3 different kinds of books on the go at once. A light novel, a biography, travel or something similar and a ‘spiritual’ book. The light novel I will read in bed and the other two during the day. My choices are:

Searching for Tilly by Susan Sallis and
Sahara by Michael Palin, pat of his series that includes Around the world in 80 days, Full Circle, Himalaya, Pole to Pole and New Europe and
The Mind of St. Paul by William Barclay.

Dr. Barclay has studied the life and teachings of the Apostle Paul for many years. In this book he has examined in detail the unique advantage of Paul’s mixed nationality – he was both Jewish and Roman. He shows how well equipped Paul was to be Christ’s greatest witness in the Hellenic-Roman world, and how much he contributed to the interpretation of Christ’s teaching and to the spread of Christianity as a whole.

9. A book you are going to read:

Running for the Hills by Horatio Clare. When Horatio Clare’s parents glimpsed an isolated sheep farm nestled in a mountainside, they fell in love with it. It had no running water but was beautiful and rugged. Their young son could run wild. They embarked on a perilous family adventure to build a new life in the wilderness. He vividly recreates his parents extraordinary way of life and his own bewitching childhood in a magical story of love and struggle.

(There were 9 questions but I am going to add another one to even it off and make it 10)

10. A book you read and never figured out:

The Life of Pi by Yunn Martel. After the tragic sinking of a cargo ship, one solitary lifeboat remains bobbing on the wild blue Pacific. The only survivors from the wreck are a 16 year old boy named Pi (whose Father owned a Zoo in India), a Hyena, a Zebra with a broken leg, a female Orang-Utan and a 400lb Bengal Tiger. This is billed as an extraordinary work of fiction but in reading the story I could not work out if the animals were real or descriptions given to mask cannibalism.

Rockin' Girl Blogger Award!

I love skies and this one was no exception. Taken at the back of my house the night before we went to Leigh.

Now down to business. Marie of Wild Rose nominated me for the Rockin' Girl Blogger award.

Thank you Marie I am honoured.

As I did not know what this award signified I suggested to Marie that I could just make up my own!!! However I got a little more organised than that and found the originator of the award through Google. Here is what she said: Someone who you feel is:

Inspirational, Funny, Kind, Sweet.

Well I hope that is the case.

You can find everyone on my sidebar

So I forward this on to 5 others:

Maddy's Glass House

Tales from Pixie Wood

Susie's Space

Jeannie's Bliss Blog

From Under the Maple

Creative Names

Susan of Penless Writer put out the following challenge to me.

Write 8 of your blog friends names in a unique way and post them on your blog. Then come back over and let me know when you have done it. You must write the blogger's name that tagged you, then add 7 others and tag them. Be creative and if possible use the natural wonders of the world!

So here are the friends that I am passing this tag to. I really found this tag fun even though it took me a while to be able to get around to it. As you will see, I have used a different medium for each of my names, but this was not required you can use just the one medium for all, this was just the way I wanted to do it.
Have fun.

Susan in Hawthorn berries - ripening rather early this year

Britt is in the wet sand

Linda in freshly picked blackberries - these are early too


Ginger in fresh root ginger in a ginger coloured photo


Janie (my daughter) in unripe Acorns at the foot of the Oak Tree


Lorrie in mixed leaves from the garden

Betty in Seaweed

Isobel in rose petals

This is what Susan of Penless Writer wrote about me

Of Ramblings from an English Garden. Barbara & I have about decided we were twins and we just didn't know about the other. I've already written about all the things we have in common. What we do not have in common is her beautiful English Garden which is such a delight. Also, she has retained her slim girlish figure and mine has vanished! She has given me the biggest shock so far in blogging when she phoned me from across the pond. I'm still reeling from that one and loving to tell everyone about it.

Reflective Blogger Award

Blogger Reflection Award

I received this award from Betty of Country Charm. Thank you Betty, I am most honoured.

The purpose of the award is to, in the words of the originator of the award,make you reflect on five bloggers who have been an encouragement, a source of love, impacted you in some way, and have been a Godly example to you . Five bloggers who, when you reflect on them, you get a sense of joy at knowing them and being blessed by them.

This award is for the best-of-the-best so consider who you pick carefully. This award should not be given to just anyone. If you're going to do the award don't just write a few words and slap it on your blog. Write real thoughts about these bloggers and what they've meant to you. If the bloggers you pick have already been given the award, don't be afraid to give it to them again. They deserve it as many times as it's given.

This is not an easy task, as there are so many wonderful blogging friends out there but here is my list.

Susan of Penless Writer. For me, Susan writes from the heart and she is not afraid to appear controversial. She has a solid Christian faith that she is able to explain clearly and simply in her writing, based on the knowledge of who she is in Christ. No sugar-coated sentimentality, just living life and truth as she sees it.

Becky of The Butler's Wife Becky has given me many opportunities to smile. She has the ability to make her writing very humerous at times. She has a sound Christian faith which she shares in a very real and open way. Her blog is varied and enjoyable.

Nel of Chiffon Rose by Nel Nel has blessed me with her openess and honesty and her willingness to make herself vulnerable. Nel tells it like it is which has endeared her to my heart as she has been dealing with very painful issues.

Vanessa of Beach Girl Vanessa's blog I enjoy for the beautiful scenic pictures she posts, along with openess and honesty on life issues. With a very busy life as a single Mum she still finds time to minister to others and share her Christian faith on her blog.

Connie of Connie's Thoughts Connie always has inspirational stories to tell and is not afraid to share her Christian faith, even on unpopular issues. Connie also loves posting about her beloved family.

Another Tag - 8 Random Facts

I know I said I would not post while at Leigh-on-Sea but an addiction is an addiction. Isn't it?

I have been tagged again, this time by Claudia of Claudia's Place. I have been asked to write 8 random things about myself. I have already posted "100 things about me" previously and am writing many facts in "My Story" so have decided here to write things that would probably not appear in those facts. They are unusual to say the least and not for the faint hearted.

RULES BEFORE DOING THE ME ME ME (as I received them)

01. Post rules before giving the facts

02. Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves

03. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules to the ones they have chosen

04. At the end of the your blog you need to tag eight people and list their names. Leave them a comment on their blog, telling them they have been tagged so that they can go and read your blog.

1. In my late teens I went to work for a company of Fruit Importers. I did not stay long. There were things going on in that company that I could not write about here. When I refused to play their games I went in one morning to find my desk removed into the corridor and all my possessions piled on top. I was so frightened that I even left town and went to stay with an Aunt in another part of the country for a while.

2. Aged about 16 I unwisely tried to feed a swan on a river bank and it took all the skin off my fingers with it's beak.

3. Mid-teens I was pulled into a boat shed on a river bank by a guy and it took all the strength I possessed to escape unharmed.

4. In my early twenties a work colleague came to dinner. I did not know a lot about her previously but it turned out she was a Spiritualist. When my husband took her home in the car at the end of the evening I found she had left one of her Spiritualist books behind. At that time I did not understand that "He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world" and in fear I put this book outside the door.

5. About 12 years ago I was accosted and threatened on the London Underground by a group of teenage boys. Very frightening.

6. Soon after we moved to London and were living in a rented bed sit, I took my then 13 year old brother to live with us because a number of emergencies had arisen in my family. I can tell you it was rather crowded. Loved having him though.

7. My Grandmother's cousin owned a farm and she used to take me to visit them regularly when I was a child. Apart from the enjoyable bits I have awful memories of the outside lavatories. A stone hut containing a long bench in which there were 3 holes. A large one, a middle sized one and a tiny one. One sat on whichever size fitted best and tried not to think about what was in the trough underneath, especially if it had not been emptied in a while. No plumbing on rural farms in those days.

8. Had to rescue a fellow Girl Guide from a Hornets nest when I was 15. I don't know who was the more frightened.

I'm passing this on and here is my list. It would be fun for me if you accepted it and played the game, but if you do not want to, then I will understand. For those that do take part, do let me know when you have posted so that I can come and enjoy yours.

Nature Girl of Nature Trail

Amanda of London Southern Belle

Linds of Rocking Chair Reflections

Kylee of Our Little Acre

Nikipolani of As it Happens

Marion of Reflections Through the Seasons

Madeline of Maddy's Glasshouse

Rhoda of Southern Hospitality

Tagged Again - Using your name

Using Your Name - Game

I got this from Susan. ..it's harder than it looks! But Fun!
Rules: Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following...they MUST be real places, names,things...NOTHING made up!
If you can't think of anything, skip it.
Try to use different answers if the person before you had the same 1st initial.
You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question and you can't use a search engine... Now Go!

1. Your Name: Barbara
2. Famous singer/band: Beatles
3. 4 letter word: Bowl
4. Street name: Beechwood Drive
5. Color: Blue
6. Gifts/presents: Bracelet
7. Vehicle: Bentley
8. Things in a Souvenir Shop: Book
9. Boys Name: Benjamin
10: Girls Name: Beryl
11. Movie Title: Batman
12. Drink: Bacardi
13. An Occupation: Builder
14: Flower: Bluebell
15. Celebrity: Bob Monkhouse
16. Magazine: Bella
17. U.S. City: Birmingham, Alabama
18. Pro Sports Team: Bristol Rovers
19. Fruit: Banana
20. Reason for Being Late for Work: Bought a bicycle
21. Something You Throw Away: Broken china
22. Things You Shout: Be quiet
23: Cartoon Character:Bugs Bunny

Now for the fun - whose next!!! I pick:

Janie - www.fromunderthemaple.blogspot.com

Vanessa - www.yahwehsretreat.blogspot.com

Britt-Arnhild - www.britt-arnhild'shouseinthewoods.typepad.com

Have fun and hope you will still (speak to me) blog me!

To make this excercise much quicker to participate in I copied and pasted the list and instructions from Susan's blog onto mine. Makes it much easier.

I've Been Tagged - REAL MUMS

With husband Alan and son Peter

Daughter Jane with Oliver

So I have been tagged (first time) and the subject is "Real Mums". Thank you la bellina mammina!

I did not want to think about this but just see what my immediate thoughts were, like when you do a personality test and they say, don't think just write what comes into your mind. So here goes:

Real Mums................

Want to take the pain away
Would rather 'go through it themselves' than see their child suffer
Lay awake at night until their grown children come home
Want their child to know God for themsleves
Want their child to become a fully functioning adult
Push their child to independence no matter how it hurts
Hide their own pain
Love till it hurts
Want to show off their grandchildren
Accept and love unconditionally
Go out to buy something for themselves but come back with a new outfit for "Johnny"
Hurt when their offspring take wrong paths
Stay up late planning surprises
Leave their 'child' at university for the first time with a smile, but then cry the whole way home
Encourage 'child' to hang in and see it through when phoning home in tears, but longing to rush down and bring them home.

Whose next? I'll be mean and nominate my daughter Janie, Becky and Tracy Have fun! I'll be checking.