flight of the red balloon

Moira was at her book group last night, so I decided to go the Watershed to see “Flight of the Red Balloon” (somewhat amazingly I managed to make the 5.50pm screening!). The Film4 review reckoned that the film would, “depending on your disposition, either quietly enchant you or bore you senseless”! Beautifully crafted (atmosphere rather than plot) and brilliantly acted (Juliette Binoche is stunningly good).
I wasn’t exactly enchanted, but it was good way to drift into the weekend.

southbank bristol arts trail

The next southbank arts trail is 10+11 May (plus 9 May when lots of us simply get together to drink red wine surrounded by art!). This will be the fifth year we’ve opened our basement as a gallery and I have to admit that we (well ok, me!) have been really disorganised this time round - we've just made the deadline for submitting material and agreed who's exhibiting!

Featured artists will be: Sharon Bishop (ceramics/illustration); Paul Brown (also known as Mister Brown to his friends)(illustration); Helen Brayshaw (photography/cards); Moira (textiles); Hannah (illustration) and me (photography and drawings, if I get my act together!). Ruth+Stu have decided to opt out on this time round.
Photo: swimmer 2007 (which we’re using as the venue image for the arts trail brochure)

autographs

I came across my old autograph book last weekend – containing football autographs of Division One team players from 1957-1958 (yes, I know…). Lots of famous names including those shown above: Billy Wright, Tom Finney, Stanley Matthews, Jimmy Greaves and Peter McParland (who scored Villa’s winning goal in the FA Cup final that year – the last time they won it!).
PS: clearly, I’m prepared to listen to offers in excess of £10,000 (some 16 teams - but sadly not ManU - plus Miss Jones, my junior school teacher!).

kielder challenge

We started “training” for this year’s Kielder Challenge event yesterday. I absolutely love it!
We’d selected four pupils from our school and Laura+I took them to meet their team mates from Fosseway School for the first time (pupils with severe learning difficulties or physical disabilities). They spent the afternoon getting to know each other. It was a lovely, humbling and happy time – with lots of laughter. At one point, I asked people to introduce themselves and tell everyone one thing about themselves. Troy (a tiny Year 7 pupil from Fosseway) decided that the special thing about him was that he could “talk for England” – which clearly brought the house down. Rather beautifully, Charlotte, from our school, then told everyone she really liked drama… and then addressed herself to Troy and said “and I can talk for England…. AND France”!
A very special moment and I just wanted to hug her for it!

photo: Laura's group picture of Dean, Josh, Jaz, Hannah, Troy, Charlotte, Frazer+Charlotte

foundation again

The wonderful Bruce Stanley has posted some lovely words and images of last week’s Foundation little/medium service on his embody website. They include photographs (see above) of some of the wine label drawings or words contributed by those attending the service - all done completely “off the cuff” in a matter of less than 5 minutes.
I think they’re rather beautiful.
PS: you really must sign up for Bruce’s “Happiness for Life” 8 week course starting in Bristol on 2 April (see this link).

foundation

Excellent “medium” service at foundation last night. It included watching clips from the film “Babette’s Feast”, eating, drinking and passing empty wine bottles to each other!
No, it really was very good!
Photo: empty wine bottles, blank labels and night lights.

eastville park

We’ve had good friends Felicity+Chris (and their dog!) staying with us over the weekend and seem to have spent a huge amount of the time since Friday evening consuming food and drinking red wine and whisky! Fortunately, we took the opportunity of yesterday’s sunshine to get in a 5 mile walk. As so often happens with us when we have visitors, we ended up seeing parts of Bristol we’ve never previously experienced! We walked beside the River Frome - through Eastville Park and on to the Oldbury Court Estate – after Moira had recently come across an article in a “City Walks” supplement.
It was lovely!

oriel glass

On our way home from Oxford on Sunday afternoon, we passed a new building on Victoria Street in Bristol. In the reception area, there’s a stunning piece of contemporary glass by Stuart Low (see this oriel glass link)(yes, the bloke married to our daughter Ruth!). There was a security guard on duty, but I managed to blag my way in to take some photographs. Here’s one of them (the piece itself must 6m high?). I probably need the permission from the building owners and Stu to post this image on my blog, but hey (sorry)!
I think it’s just beautiful!

oxford

Enjoyed a really lovely, relaxing weekend in Oxford with great friends Gail+Ian and Ken+Debby. Chilled out over food+wine on Friday evening. Revisited old haunts in the city during the course of Saturday morning before all getting together for lunch at Chez Gerard (part of the Gail+Steve on-going birthday festival celebrations – which even incorporated Moira’s birthday next month too!); then relaxing at Ken+Debby’s new canal-side apartment in Jericho; before returning to Gail+Ian’s to watch England beat France in the rugby! Got together with the mayBe crowd yesterday morning in University Parks and then on to Manos for coffee and a snack before returning home to Bristol.
Back to school today though for the start of a new term (roll on Easter)!

….and chilling at the seaside

After a few hours in Bath early on Monday, I drove to the coast and enjoyed a couple of hours in Clevedon. The sun was shining, there were hardly people around (apart from a few toddlers throwing stones on the “beach”) and the pier looked rather beautiful…. and I got back to Bristol in time for lunch!
Photo: images from the pier

virgin media

For the past few days, we’ve had intermittent loss of our e-mails and it’s fast becoming a joke (but I’m not laughing!). We now get a situation when, if we’re getting any e-mails at all, sometimes Moira gets my e-mails. The good news is that, according to the hotline (it apparently applies to all “blueyonder” addresses), their chaps have identified the problem…..
A week or so ago, I made a comment on my facebook site to the effect that the words “virgin media” and “internet provider” should never be used in the same sentence. This came on the back of several days when we kept on experiencing problems with our broadband connection and spent several hours over the course of a few days with no connection whatsoever. It was SO frustrating!!
All of this makes Virgin Media’s recent high-profile national advertisements (full page ads in daily newspapers etc) for their high-speed broadband rather difficult to take! “Really, it makes the internet work the way it should. The way you’ve always wanted it to”. It seems that Virgin Media will provide us with fast broadband (and e-mails)…. but only when it suits them (and, at the moment, that’s not very often).
No doubt we’ll be getting an e-mail from them soon, apologising for their appalling service and telling us that, in compensation, they’re waving their charges for the next three months (don’t hold your breath!).

chilling in bath (literally)

The weather forecast was for another beautiful day, so I decided to get up very early yesterday and drive to Bath with my camera. Arrived well before 7am and enjoyed walking the deserted streets. It was incredibly cold though (the car thermometer had read minus 5 at one stage on the journey!) and I didn’t actually see much sun before perhaps 9am. I ended up in a coffee shop to warm myself up, before further exploring in the sunshine!
I had a lovely time. It’s a beautiful city.
I then decided to drive to the seaside (well, Clevedon)!
Perhaps I’ll post some more stuff tomorrow….
Photos: bathtime images

dream team

In the past, I’ve often talked about people making it into my “dream team”. People I’ve admired; people who have fascinated, entertained or stimulated me; or perhaps those who just seem to be lovely, interesting, compassionate people. I can’t remember the origins of this – perhaps an extension of the “fantasy dinner guests” idea? – but that’s of no consequence (and I’d hate to get them ALL together around a dining table at the same time!).
As Moira will tell you, I’m no gardener (although I am someone who enjoys lounging in gardens!) but, having watched the latest programme in the “Around the World in 80 Gardens” series, I decided that Monty Don was definitely someone who might make my dream team – he just seems like a really good bloke!
I then tried to remember names who I’d pencilled into my eleven - and couldn't (for some reason, it used to be 11 and it couldn’t include friends or family members).
How about the following 14 (allowing for substitutes these days!): Jon Snow, Tony Robinson, Monty Don, Billy Connolly, Jane Garvey, Desmond Tutu, Billy Bragg, Fi Glover, Stephen Fry, Twiggy, David Attenborough, Verity Sharp, Thom Yorke and Tony Benn?

The trouble is: I could come up with a completely different list tomorrow (just like with music)!

football fantasy

I last mentioned my fantasy football team back in October.
At the time things were going from bad to worse.
Since then, I’ve become an astute manager – a bit of a wheeler-dealer in the transfer market; in fact, something of a gambler (but with maturity+wisdom, obviously). Although it pains for me to say this, I made the bold decision to sell some decent players and buy Ronaldo from ManU (I told you it pained me!); it cost me some crucial points, but I decided that it was all about long-term gain.
Ten games into the season, I’d slumped to 630,638th in the UK; since then I’ve edged up to a mere 222,538th. I’m in various leagues (gosh, you must be really fascinated by all of this!): I’m in 2nd place in the Norton Hill league for example (but there are only 4 of us!) – but only 23 points behind the wonderful Miles – and I’ve just discovered I’m also in 2nd place in the EK Global League (out of some 29 teams – and ahead of such mighty managers as Colin and Glenn!). Not bad, eh?
I can tell you’re impressed.
Think I might stop here!

ten tors training on the mendips

Another training day on the Mendips yesterday; another really enjoyable time for pupils and staff alike. Perfect weather, great company and beautiful scenery!
Photo: one of the teams running downhill to the final checkpoint.
PS. Even managed to get back in time to see the second half of the Italy v England game (wish I hadn’t!).

archbishop+sharia law

Rowan Williams is a very clever man.
He is a wise, spiritual man of great integrity.
However, following his speech at the Royal Courts of Justice when he indicated that the adoption of Sharia law in Britain seemed “unavoidable”, it would seem that he is also a very naive and, perhaps, misguided man. To my mind, it wasn’t so much what he had to say (although I have reservations about a number of issues), but how he said it.
Andrew Brown, in an excellent article in yesterday’s “Guardian”, gave a number of examples of what Williams said and what he felt he meant to say. Brown’s analysis also included the following:
“There are people at Lambeth Palace who could have told Williams what the headlines were going to say this morning. My understanding is that some of them did, but he thought he knew better…. The archbishop may despise the media and we are often despicable. But we are the only instrument with which a sculptor of public opinion can work and the moment he decided to go on the “World at One” he put himself in our hands and should have known what would happen. It’s no use being an elitist if you don’t understand the constraints under which an elite must operate”.
As you might have noticed, I’ve been going on about “The West Wing” recently!

Strangely, my instant reaction to news of Williams’s speech was: “CJ would never have let him say that”!

(and I'm sorry if you know nothing about "WW" - CJ is the White House Press Secretary!)

west wing

I’ve become very sniffy about television.

Moira would regard this as something of an understatement as I apparently keep going on about there being "far too much dumbed-down rubbish"!
In a recent conversation with Andy at school, I acknowledged that there obviously were good programmes – but my problem was that I didn’t realise this until a particular series was virtually finished (and it was too late to start watching).
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, Andy subsequently lent me “The West Wing: Second Season” boxed set. I’ve just finished watching the last of the 22 episodes!
Just brilliant!
Tracey Wheeler (she writes wonderfully, see her blog) divides her friends into as “WW addicts” and “others”; I’ve definitely become one of the addicts!
It makes the “real thing” look very boring… and I can understand why some Americans felt that Martin Sheen (who plays the President in WW for you non-believers) ought to have run for the White House!

he couldn't organise a.....

I may be losing the plot.
No one had organised the traditional end-of-term drink at school.
Gallantly, I stepped up to the mark.
I consulted no one.
It was all very logical. The end of term is next Friday; a “Snow Ball” has been organised where people are able to dress up in their posh frocks (Moira+I have opted out). I’m baby-sitting Iris on Wednesday evening so, selfishly, I decide that next Thursday is the obvious evening for our get-together (after all it was INSET day on Friday, so no pupils to teach).
I produced the poster – simple enough.
I duly stuck up posters in the staffroom advertising this not-to-be-missed event.
It wasn’t until I got home that Moira expressed some surprise that the staff had decided to have a drinks evening on St Valentine’s Day.
What? Oh no! What had I done?
note: Moira was perfectly happy about this – despite being born romantics(?), we very rarely ever go out on the 14 February – and she doesn’t feel the need to join me on school drinking events!
Anyway, it’s too late now. I anticipate there’ll be probably three or four of us there in the pub in Bath (I’d billed it as the “Bristol Self-Help Group on Tour”). We’ll probably find time to discuss a) the five worst-behaved pupils at school, b) the virtues of schools working a nine day fortnight, and c) how many teachers will be leaving in the summer.
It’ll be a magical evening! I can’t wait…..

ash wednesday

I’m using the “Lent and Easter Readings from Iona” book as a source of reflection over the weeks up to Easter. It’s a book of readings from members and staff of the Iona Community. This is an extract from today’s contribution from Norman Shanks:
“Ash Wednesday… marks the start of the period of Lenten fasting. It reminds us of the self-denial and self-discipline that is in fact integral to the way of the cross. Lent is… a time for self-appraisal, for the kind of repentance that neither wallows in factitious self-loathing nor seeks escape in specious excuses. It requires a healthy realism about ourselves, so that we can face up to and accept responsibility for our mistakes and shortcomings, and the realism about the nature and purposes of God…”.
I know it’s going to be a challenging time!

Photo: cross in the window of the tiny “upper room” chapel, Iona Abbey

happy birthday jon

It was Jon’s 40th birthday yesterday.
He had a really good day.
We joined him for a few drinks last night to help him celebrate.
Jon is Welsh.
Jon likes rugby!
It was a tough evening.
I blame myself for England’s defeat…. they were coasting to victory with 20 minutes left; I was in a pub with Dave+Andy; it was my round; I battled my way to the bar (it took me nearly 15 minutes to get served). I’d literally taken my eye off the ball; I’d lost my concentration and focus (crucial in sport at this level); by the time I returned, England had lost their way and the Welsh team scented victory.
England shouldn’t have lost, but they did… as a text from great mate Jez put it at the end of the game: “what just happened?”
What indeed!

complain? who me?

I received an early birthday present yesterday. There was a package in the hall when I arrived home from school. It was a birthday present from my lovely bruvva.
It was an elastic band.
It was an elastic band from “A Complaint Free World.org”. You see, my brother+I have both been labelled by our respective families as being “grumpy old men” (which is frankly outrageous). The accompanying letter included the following suggested rules:
1. Begin to wear the bracelet now.
2. Every time you complain, gossip or criticise, move the bracelet to the other wrist and begin again. Keep moving the bracelet from wrist-to-wrist until you keep it on the same arm for 21 consecutive days.
I read the letter and immediately informed Moira that I didn't want to swap the elastic band on to the other wrist because of my watch strap. Mrs Broadway simply said: "you've started already... that was your first complaint, swap the band on to the other wrist right now!"…….
I look forward to wearing it and becoming a nicer person (surely that's almost impossible?) within a matter of days.

holocaust

Sunday was Holocaust Memorial Day. They’re having Assemblies at school during the course of the week based on the holocaust and it put me in mind of the brilliant “Holocaust – a Music Memorial Film from Auschwitz” shown on BBC tv in 2005. For the first time since its liberation, permission was granted for music to be heard in Auschwitz and a number of leading musicians were brought there to perform music for the film. It featured extracts from Henryk Gorecki’s wonderful Symphony no.3, including a piece (see youTube link from the film) based on this prayer inscribed on a wall in the basement cell of the Gestapo’s headquarters in Zakopane, signed by Helena Blazusiakowna “18 years old, imprisoned since 26 September 1944”: “No, Mother, do not weep. Most chaste Queen of Heaven, support me always”.

muddied up in the mendips

The first of this year’s Ten Tors training sessions took place yesterday in the Mendip Hills. Some sixty Year 10-13 pupils from the school took part, together with 17 school staff (by my count) plus numerous volunteers - all giving their time completely free. A really good day in perfect walking weather. Key moments for staff included: a) Jennie asking for someone to “muddy me up”(?) because her kit looked too clean and b) Tom+I just having to have a huge breakfast in the café next to one of the checkpoints while we waited for the first teams to arrive.

Someone had to do it (breakfast that is)!

guy garvey

I usually listen to Sunday Evening’s “Guy Garvey’s Finest Hour” radio programme on a Monday evening (via listen again on BBC6 Music). Wonderful mate Si Smith first put me on to it and it really is brilliant. Arrived home yesterday to find an e-mail from Si entitled “don’t read this until you’ve listened to last night’s ‘Guy Garvey’s finest hour’”. Well (obviously I read the e-mail first!), I’d e-mailed GG a few weeks ago saying I thought he ought to add Si to his Christmas card list – after he’d implored me to listen to GG’s show. I also mentioned some of the great musical recommendations he’d passed on to me. Blow me if GG didn’t mention my e-mail on Sunday night and played the excellent Looper - 'Impossible Things 2'.
Si Smith and I are now famous (official).

“I could have been knitting….”

No, these aren’t words from film critic, Mark Kermode. Moira+I went to see the Coen Brothers’ film “No Country for Old Men” yesterday afternoon and the knitting comment was Moira’s considered verdict on this tough, impressive film of “violence, societal breakdown and masculine madness in the 1980s” (from the Watershed summary blurb) - somewhat different to my memories of 80s, but hey….! I found it compelling, but won’t say any more in case I spoil it for you.
Earlier, we’d spotted Phill Jupitus and Paul Merton (they were at the Watershed for Slapstick 2008) and, on our very wet walk home, Moira came out with the second best quote of the day: “the highlight for me was Paul Merton standing next to us in a baggy jumper talking to a wall” (I assure you, he was actually on his mobile)!
There’s no pleasing some people…..

white house race

Came across this interesting (but rather depressing) insight from Justin Webb (BBC’s North America editor) on the US Presidential elections:
“And so to the Democrats. Hillary Clinton won (in Nevada) because she won women and she won Latinos. She also won because some voters think - or are persuaded to think - that Senator Obama is a Muslim. This is a fact: I met otherwise well-informed voters in New Hampshire who believed that he refused to be sworn in as a senator with his hand on the Bible. It is out there; it really is. It does not explain the Clinton victories but it adds to them”.

PS: I hadn't previously watched "The West Wing" but good friend Andy has lent me the "Second Season" box set and I'm already up to programme 9! Maybe this explains my renewed fascination with American politics?!

extreme pilgrim

Watched an absolutely fascinating programme last night about an English vicar, Pete Owen-Jones, who travelled to the Egyptian desert to follow in the footsteps of St Anthony – a Christian hermit and founder of monasticism (you can watch it on BBC iPlayer). His trek into the desert culminated in a three-week spell living alone in a cave in the wilderness which (despite some theological misgivings on his part) proved to be both testing+rewarding. I felt as if I’d be with him on his spiritual roller-coaster ride – so much so that I ended up with a thumping headache!

PS: this was the last in a series of 3 programmes; I also watched the second - when he travelled to India to join the Mela, the huge Hindu pilgrimage to the Ganges - which I found absorbing, but somewhat bizarre at times.

www.pandora.gone

A sad day.
The Founder of www.pandora.com sent me a very nice e-mail overnight explaining that unfortunately, due to licensing constraints, they can't offer the service to residents outside the USA for the time being - but that they're working on it and will let me know as soon as the situation changes!!
Yes, I admit it (and I’m very sorry, I know I done wrong!!) – I did give them my US Zip Code as a New York hotel that I'd looked up on the internet (I think my UK e-mail address was a bit of a giveaway!)!
I’d been going on about this brilliant music website – it allowed you to create your own “radio stations” with your favourite artists plus new ones that they thought you might like (“if you like x, then you might enjoy this…).
I’ll let you know if the situation changes!
PS: meanwhile, if you know of a similar website, please advise!

PPS: I've since been told that last.fm is somewhat similar (I'll try it!).

kennett+avon canal

Moira+I were in Bath by just after 9am yesterday.
Despite the awful weather of the last few days, we decided to trust the local weather forecast and get on the train to Bath and walk along the banks of Kennett+Avon canal. We past miles of flooded fields and houses with water threatening their thresholds and feared that our journey would be a complete wash-out! In the event, it was just beautiful.
We walked along the tow path as far as Bathampton in bright sunshine (avoiding bikers+joggers as we did so!) - with stunning views over Bath en route. We then retraced our steps for a mile or so (envying the house boat dwellers) before meandering through the city streets back to the station and home by 2pm.
A really lovely way to start the weekend.
Photos: Saturday morning snaps.

dan+alice

Just received this photograph, taken on the webcam.

Isn't it lovely!

journey home

The journey home from school last night proved somewhat eventful.

I was giving Andy and Philippa a lift back to Bristol. It was snowing as we set out, but that proved to be the least of our problems.

The homeward journey took some 100minutes as we had to contend with three lots of flooding (an hour hour more than normal).
When we left school, Andy+Philippa had loaded several bags of books into the boot of the car. They all looked rather similar in their supermarket plastic bags and we made jokes about not mixing them… and, of course, when we dropped Philippa off – she took Andy’s books instead of her own (which we didn’t discover until I dropped Andy off)! I eventually arrived home only to find a message from Andy on my phone – could I please check in the car in case he’d dropped his keys…. but that he was almost certain he’d left them at school! They were his car+flat keys; his flatmate was skiing in Switzerland and it was pointless trying to locate his landlady through directory enquiries as her name was Jones and he hadn’t a clue where she lived!
Happy weekend everyone!

“there’s something happening in america….”

I’ve been fascinated* to watch/listen to/read about the early US presidential primaries. The very real prospect of America electing either its first woman or first black President. Barack Obama winning a stunning victory for the Democrats in Iowa; Hilary Clinton gaining perhaps a surprising win in New Hampshire today. For the Republicans, Mike Huckabee’s early victory in Iowa and John McCain’s win in New Hampshire – an amazing comeback after his campaign appeared close to collapse last summer.
I love this quote about American politics from Mario Cuomo (Democratic governor of New York 1983-95): “You campaign in poetry, but you govern in prose”.
We’ll see!

PS: * apart from the whooping+cheering of audiences at inappropriate times and, please, let's NOT have an American President called "Mitt" (Mitt Romney); "George W" was bad enough!

alice+dave+manU+villa

Villa lost to ManU again yesterday – this time in the FA Cup.
I take full responsibility.
Alice+Dave got married in 2003 (Dave is a ManU fanatic and, sadly, I was unable to convert him to become a Villa supporter as part of the wedding package). It’s a good job that we love him dearly because, since Alice+Dave’s marriage, Villa have lost EVERY one of the TWELVE games (I’ve been counting, believe me!) against United.
The next defeat will be on 29 March (at Old Trafford), so put your mortgage on it now!

alan+lesley+megan+eleanor

Absolutely lovely to have my brother and family for an overnight stay. An opportunity for Moira+I to chill out over food+drink with them and great that Hannah+Ruth+Stuart+Iris were able to join us too.
Photo: Saturday morning walk along the harbourside in Bristol (Alan+Eleanor+Megan+Moira+Lesley).

PS: Hannah+Fee put me on to www.pandora.com and I suggest you should try it. It’s a “new kind of radio - stations that play only music you like”. You key in an artist or music style and it plays full songs plus other tracks that Pandora thinks might appeal to you. I’ve been really impressed.

kite runner

If you’ve not already read it, then you need to read the book. Either way, you simply must see the film. It’s absolutely brilliant.
As many friends will know(!), I’ve been positively evangelical about the book ever since it first came out in paperback. I’m afraid I’m going to be just as boring about the film…..

Look, just see it!!

thoughts and more reflections

I’ve been reading Ellen’s, Si’s and Gareth’s blogs reflecting on the passing of the year and the prospects for 2008. It’s made me continue to think about some of the other, perhaps surprising, things (ie. ignoring family life; friends; friends’ 50th birthdays; and Iona!) that have been special for me over the past year:
a) Involvement with young people in such activities as Ten Tors, Duke of Edinburgh Award, Forest of Dean and Kielder Challenge (and working with some lovely adult helpers too).
b) Enjoyment from music (despite, or perhaps because of, the demise of Fopp – thanks to i-Tunes, my i-Pod and musical suggestions from a whole host of friends.
c) Regular stimulation from the Iona Community’s “Growing Hope” book.
On the other hand, regrets-cum-resolutions would include:
1. Finding more time to draw/paint.
2. Reading more.
3. Going to the cinema/theatre more.
4. Getting more exercise (of course!), but without signing up for another 10k run (I gave up those more than 10 years ago!).

5. Learning to live more simply.
photo: Moira at work in the office at home – clearly she’s the focus/anchor/love of my life! x

2007

Another memorable year with so much to be thankful for – the highlight being the birth of Alice+Dave’s Dan Amos in October. Ruth+Hannah+Alice (plus Stu+Fee+Dave!) still make us laugh and bring us much joy (as do Mikey+Iris+Dan!). Thankful for lots of very good friends. Lots of wonderful 50th birthday celebrations - thanks to Steve, Mags, Jez, Ken and Ian.
Photos (from left to right, top to bottom): Staffa; Dan; Iris; Mikey; Iona; New Year’s morning on Berrow beach; birthday celebrations in Oxford; Cortona from our bedroom window; eating with lovely friends in Tuscany; and, finally, our bathroom (completed at last!).

anniversary

It was just 35 years ago today that Moira+I got married!
It was very foggy, so many of the wedding photographs give the impression of a Hammer Horror movie. All very different to today’s wedding preparations it seems – I don’t think Moira had a Hen’s Party and my Stag Night comprised of a few drinks with one or two mates a couple of days before the wedding. Our honeymoon consisted of one night in Stratford-on-Avon and we returned to Moira’s home in Lichfield to join the family in their New Year celebrations!! Moira says she remembers feeling that her parents were “old” when they celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary and so is somewhat depressed at the prospect of getting there ourselves quite soon too! What tosh!
Photo: ….and, as you can see, we’ve hardly changed at all!

iona moments 4

The last of my Iona reflections.
Moments of connection:
Deciding to join lots of other people on a pilgrimage around the island in absolutely stunning weather. Having the time to talk at length with other people from our group and sensing that these were very special people. Meeting up with David and with Elly (who weren’t part of our group) and hearing their stories. Feeling connected. Experiencing St Columba’s Bay on an idyllic day and being captivated by the multitude of beautiful stones that formed the shore. Singing in St Oran’s Chapel as we pilgrims completed our tour of the island and feeling a sense of closeness and power.
Saying goodbye from the ferry as it left the island early on Saturday morning. Feeling very humbled by the large number of the Iona Community and volunteers who came to wave us off.

Sensing God and that what I had experienced during the course of the week would stay with me for the rest of my life.

iona moments 3

More Iona reflections.

Moments over meals and in the pub:
Laying tables, serving food and eating with new friends and other volunteers from the Iona Community. Taking it in turns to eat with different people from Lambeth, Putney and beyond each mealtime: Steph, Jane, Garry, Poppy, Dick, Dientje, Mary, Duncan, Mandy, Robert, Jean, Angus, Jackie, Alice, Marjorie, Woomie, Gloria, Tetla, Enid, Ruth and Ian - who made mealtimes very special.
Walking in the dark after the nightly service in the Abbey down to the harbourside to the “plastic” pub and feeling slightly guilty about seeking out the only bar on the island! Having opportunities to hear more stories and to meet people both inside and outside our group. Laughing over beer and wine.

Retracing our way back to the Centre by torchlight.

happy christmas!

Had the whole family with us yesterday, which made it a very special day (we realise that there won’t be many occasions this will happen over future years!). Mikey, Iris and Dan were all stars and had a lovely time – even though they seemed to find the packaging far more interesting than the presents!

christmas carols

Missed the carol service at St Aldhelm’s due to the end of term drinks (priorities?!). So it was lovely to have some thirty carol singers singing outside our house yesterday on their tour of the parish….

Christmas IS coming; the waiting is nearly over.

iona moments 2

Moments of serenity:
Waking up very early and walking down to the east shore before sunrise. Experiencing the stillness of the morning, the peaceful monochrome of the small islands on the opposite side of the water and the gentle lapping of the waves.
Walking along the road beside St Oran’s Chapel completely alone in the early morning and suddenly being captivated by the sound of exquisite flute-playing through its ever-open doorway. Deciding not to seek out the player, but simply standing and listening in awe from the graveyard and simply knowing that this was an act of prayer for the flautist and for me.

photo: early morning, looking across to the mainland

end of term

I’m being paid peanuts for what I do. There’s a huge part of me that wants to find to a job in education that suitably rewards the contribution made (even though I did appreciate the significant financial sacrifice involved when I decided to retire from architecture to work with young people).
However, last night I spent a lovely evening with a large group of teachers in Bristol who were out celebrating the end of a hard and grueling school term. I spent a lot of the time hugging people who have been very special to me during the course of my “career” in education (this is only my third Christmas!). It made me realise that an enormous part of the enjoyment of the job was actually down to those I work with. Deep down, no matter how frustrated things become, it would take an awful lot to prise me away from these people!
Photo: me, Kate+Rachel at last night’s quiet end-of-term drinks

iona moments 1

At the end of the Iona Community’s “Growing Hope” book of daily readings there is a section devoted to reflections of one man’s time spent on the island (Neil Paynter, a member of the Iona Community). This reminded me of my own time on Iona in the summer. The end of the year has regularly been a time of reflection for me and this is the first of four scribbles recording some of my own thoughts when I was there:

Moments with new friends:
Walking up Dun I, the highest point on the island, on my first full day and meeting Dick from Holland (one of our group) half way up. Walking on up to the top together and immediately knowing I’d met a lovely new friend. Being mesmerised by the panoramic view; we were silent, but we were both smiling. Deciding to walk down the other side of the hill to the western shore but getting a little confused and having to climb over a barbed wire fence en route; throwing our bags over the fence (which meant that we HAD to get over!); Dick climbing over first but slipping and ending up launching himself like a human bird. Laughing uncontrollably just like children (he wasn’t hurt)! Talking and talking and realising that our lives seemed to be following similar paths and that our philosophy of life and beliefs, again, had many similarities. Experiencing the white sands and the turquoise sea on our way back to the MacLeod Centre via the north shore on what turned out to be a gloriously sunny afternoon. Knowing that my time on Iona was going to be good!

photo: Dick+Dientje

advent and liverpool nativity

Moira+I watched “Liverpool Nativity” on BBC3 last night. It was developed by the same team behind the hugely successful “Manchester Passion” in 2005 and, while not being as effective as the Easter production in our view (perhaps it suffered from being crammed into a one hour slot?), it was nevertheless a powerful reminder of the Advent and Christmas message.
Advent is a time of hope and expectation and I’ve been using the excellent “Advent Readings from Iona” book each morning since the start of the month. I found today’s reading (provided by Brian Woodcock) particularly poignant:
“People travel great distances to find holiness. Some even come to Iona.
There is a story of a boy who lived in an isolated house on a hill. A God-forsaken place for a young man. But one thing fascinated him. Each night he would look out into the darkness and see a light. It was far away on a hilltop, but this sign of life gave him hope.
One day he decided to go in search of it. It was a long and lonely walk, and it was already dark before he reached the outskirts of the town. Tired and hungry, he knocked at the first door he came to, and explained his search for the mysterious light that had always given him hope.
‘I know it!’ replied the woman who had answered the door. ‘It gives me hope as well.’ And she pointed back in the direction from which he had come. There, on the horizon, was a single light shining. A sign of life in the darkness.
The light from his own house.”

www.boreme.com

Today’s “Observer” referred readers to the top 10 list of 2007’s most watched virals (“comical, bizarre and bite-size clips – often the more amateur the better - that spread at the click of ‘send’ button”). You’ve just got to watch Miss South Carolina giving a garbled explanation of why so few Americans can find their country on a world map; and Tay Zonday (amazing, deep voice) singing “Chocolate Rain”; and “Groovy Dancing Girl” by Sophie Merry from Dublin.
Just wonderful!

bali climate change agreement?

So, it seems that delegates at the UN summit in Bali have agreed a deal on curbing climate change.
The intention had been to set negotiations in train that will eventually lead to a successor to the Kyoto Protocol. Its first targets for reducing emissions expire in 2012. EU negotiators wanted this "Bali roadmap" to contain a commitment that industrialised nations would cut their emissions by 25-40% compared to 1990 levels by 2020.
EU negotiators had thrashed out a compromise text with developing countries, including China, but the US had signaled that it would reject the compromise – a statement that drew boos from delegates in the conference hall – because they complained that the language on reducing emissions was too strong and would commit them to measures that could retard their economic development!
Eventually, the US grudgingly accepted the proposals. Somewhat pathetically, Paula Dobriansky (Head of the US delegation) said “I think we have come a long way here…. In this, the US is very committed to this effort and just wants to really ensure we all act together”. Oh good, so that’s ok then!!
However, depressingly (as far as I can tell at this stage), the US delegation got its way and the compromise agreement accepts that industrialized countries would not set firm emissions targets – to the utter dismay of most campaigners.
You might recall that George Bush infuriated his critics by professing world leadership on climate change at his meeting of the top 16 world economies at the end of September - while offering no new substantive policy and implicitly rejecting binding emissions controls.
I think Chris Miller of Greenpeace got it right: “The Bush administration is well out of step with the American population and, increasingly, out of step with US business”.
No doubt, we’ll get a queue of politicians lining up to tell us how wonderful this agreement is (and I accept that some agreement is better than none at all), but I’m left feeling depressed and desperately disappointed by the whole business and that this latest deal is just yet another fudge. At a time when the world cannot afford to delay, it seems that politicians have merely postponed REAL decisions on climate change for another two years when there will be another conference (in Denmark) to agree the final wording to replace the Kyoto Protocol in 2012!

simon smith and his amazing musical tastes

Good friend Si Smith is just one of those very special people.
He’s a brilliant illustrator but he’s also wonderful about coming up with ideas and suggestions. A few years ago, he told me (and a few others) that I ought to see the singer/songwriter Juliet Turner at a gig near Reading – and he was absolutely right! He’s also been fantastic about coming up with music suggestions (“I think you might like this”), such as:
Sufjan Stevens - 'Casimir Pulaski Day'
This Mortal Coil - 'Song for the Siren'
Trembling Blue Stars - 'Abba on the Jukebox' or 'November Starlings'
Looper - 'Impossible Things 2'
Elbow - 'Newborn'
Low - 'When I go Deaf'
Death Cab for Cutie - 'The Sound of Settling'
Denim - 'The Osmonds'
John Martyn - 'Small Hours'

Recently, he told me he thought I might like “Guy Garvey’s Finest Hour” (BBC Radio 6: Sundays 10pm-midnight) – “it’s quite eclectic and rather inspiring” he said. He’s absolutely right; it’s excellent! You should try it too (I’m rarely awake at that time these days, so use the “listen again” link on the BBC website).
Photo: Si Smith (bottom right) at Greenbelt in 2005 beside the tree he designed/conceived for one of the sessions.

so this is Christmas?

I heard on the radio this morning that, in a recent poll for public theology think tank Theos, 27% of people were unable to identify Bethlehem as Jesus’s birthplace (rising to 36% of people aged between 18+24).

Very sad, but I’m not altogether surprised.
But, if you thought that was somewhat shocking, perhaps you should take a look at this “wonderful” YouTube link: I haven’t a clue who Sherri Shepherd is, but this American “celebrity” recently announced that Jesus pre-dated the Greeks (note: she also thought the earth was flat!).

Photo: from Ruth's "Madonna" lino-cut.