Following the path

I set out on a path yesterday morning to preach a sermon about gratitude.  I had a small congregation of 8 along with the YFG, sitting in a not-that-hot rural chapel in the north of the Fens.

One lady came up to me at the end of the service and told me that she had been very touched by the message I had brought, and that was all my dreams come true.  To have worked on that service and the sermon, and touched one heart, was pure joy.  And I gave thanks.

Today I have been wrestling with the broken laptop conundrum...and it has come to me tonight that all I had to do is listen to myself yesterday and I would have the answer.

We might have a broken one of these:

(image from burhanicomputers.in)

BUT we have one of these that works well:

(image from creativeit.tv)

and we have another one, one of these, with all the bits and pieces to go with it, and it also works well [it actually works a little faster than the Acer!]   

(image from tigercomputers.net)

and, if that wasn't enough, the EFG has one of these:

(image from rapidpcs.co.uk)

So we are more than well enough equipped to deal with all the computing needs we have.  

All I had to do was to move the Compaq machine downstairs to the office from the YFG's bedroom so that she still feels part of the family, and she is happy to use it to do her homework, watch DVDs, and research whatever she needs to know.

No laptop on the shopping list this month.  Money heading straight for the savings account where it was planned to go, and no unnecessary purchases happening here.

A family day

The girls' school is closed today due to the snowfall we have had over the weekend and overnight, and so we have them at home today.  We were up at 6.30am and making the usual preparations for the day when the status changed on the local authority website, and then we checked the school website too, and the girls were thrilled at the thought of a longer weekend!   We have had quite a bit of snow, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Head wanted to close the village school today as well.

Older people are constantly telling us that the schools never closed "in their day" and the FH is one of them.  What I can't get him to grasp is that back then, 65 or 70 years ago, the teachers usually lived in the village or town where they taught, or possibly just a few miles away, and they could walk to school in bad weather, as they probably did all year round.  Today's teachers generally live further from their work - we have just one teacher here who lives in the village at present, although I know another will be moving to the village soon.  The others live between 10 and 30 miles away and travel each day.  At the girls' school, I know of teachers who live even further away.  We have contingency plans for how much of the school we can open depending on how many teachers can get in..........just had the call and we are waiting on hearing from one teacher as to whether she can get here as her presence would tip the balance towards opening.......

So, a day at home, in front of the fire, is on the cards.  I still need to plough on with my studies as normal on a Monday, so I'll be doing that.  The EFG has taken advantage of the day off to go back to bed for a while, and the YFG is watching tv at the moment, although I know it won't be long before she has her head in a book!  There is a slight pink glow to the sky, which looks quite ominous, so I wonder what the day will bring?  Probably more of the white stuff.

I hope that you are all safe and warm if you are in snowy areas of the world - but if you are in somewhere hot and sunny, give us a wave!

Gratitude and abundance

There's one of my favourite songs for you this morning as I am thinking about and preparing for the service I am taking this morning.  It is based on the story of Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding at Cana in John's Gospel.

My theme is one of giving thanks for God's abundance, and remembering to be grateful.  Counting our blessings helps us to be content where we are, not to look around in our lives and be miserable because we perceive that there is a lack.  

My Knight

(image from standrew518.co.uk)

He came not on a dazzling steed bearing a pennant, but rather through driving snow in a Ford Fiesta, bearing a new fuse!

The windscreen wipers blew their fuse yesterday afternoon as I was driving between the girls' school and the gym, and we were stranded on the side of the road with no means of clearing the snow off the windscreen.  It was too dangerous to go on, and I knew exactly what had happened so I called on the FH.

We got to gym, he got home safely again.

In future, the fuse will have Tippex  on it in the dashboard so I know which one to pull, and I will carry spares!  

The snow fell pretty constantly here yesterday from about lunchtime, but it was fine and powdery so although it did accumulate, there wasn't a lot in total, and the local gritters are doing a magnificent job keeping the roads clear.  We are off to gym again this morning, and the estate road is probably the worst we will have to encounter.  I hope everyone is staying safe and warm, and not having too many dramas.

Shopping again

(image from eatingwell.com)

Yesterday afternoon, the EFG and I dropped the YFG and her friend off for their piano lesson and we nipped off to the supermarket to get some fresh stuff.

We bought:

Broccoli [value] 2 stalks £1.89

Red grapes £2.25

Clementines - 2 bags £2

Mushrooms £1

Braeburn apples - 2 bags £2

Bananas £1

Carrots - 2 bags £2

Bag mixed peppers £1.65

Bag frozen green beans £1.40

Sausages [12] £2

Squash - 2 bottles £2.98

Babybel cheeses [EFG lunchbox] £3.50

Total spend this week: £23.67

An improvement on the last week, even with the sausages which I had to get for the supper because I had forgotten to get ours out of the freezer BUT I bought a larger pack of Riverway pork ones which had 12 in it, so they had 2 each last night, and still have 2 each to have tonight.  I cooked them all, and so the second batch are ready to go when we get home from gym tonight.  Slight mishap in that I forgot the beans for the bean soup, but the extra sausage night can shunt the curry night along one and we can have the bean soup another week.   If the girls would agree to drink the same flavour of squash, I would only have needed one bottle!

Anyway, with all this snow forecast, I do not intend to be mucking around in town going to any more shops this weekend, so that is that for the week.  We will be coming straight home after gym tonight and tomorrow.  I have no option but to go tonight, because the Head Coach has a hospital appointment and I am in charge, at least for the setting up and the first class.  He may arrive in time for the second class, weather permitting.

Off to make the hot mash for the chooks' breakfast now!  Hope you all have a good day - stay safe and warm xx

Blogger in the news

Froogs over at Frugal In Cornwall is becoming quite a celebrity - not only is she a radio star, but she has this week been featured in Woman's Own magazine!

She is an inspiring lady, who writes well and with a very generous spirit, sharing all her tips, tricks and ideas to help all of us to live lives free of debt.  She'll help anyone with their problems, leads workshops to share her sewing and cooking skills, and she deserves our support.  If you are not already a fan, I'd urge you to pop over there and say Hello!

A day to celebrate

BBC Breakfast is 30 years old today - celebrating with reminiscences of past presenters and a lovely cake with all the current presenters modelled on the top of it!  A fun programme, but how times have changed!

(image from radiotimes.com)

I am sure that there are lots of children hoping to celebrate with more snow, as there is plenty in the forecast for tonight, tomorrow and the weekend.  I'm happy enough today but a little apprehensive about how much might fall tomorrow as I have to get to gym and home again, and will be coming home in the dark.  I might be crawling home at 20mph, but I don't care as long as we get home safely!

(image from news.bbc.co.uk)

At the moment, our skies in the Fens are bright and clear, like this.  The temperature a little while ago when I had to nip out was -6C so pretty chilly, but the trees and bushes look absolutely beautiful as they are covered in white rime and snow, and stand out in magnificent clarification.  It is a beautiful winter's day here this morning.

(image from plinky.com)

And other things are looking hopeful - several people are giving me good advice about the laptop issues: it will cost over £150 to repair it, so I am thinking about whether we need another one right now, and if we do, what exactly we need.  The cooker is still in the thinking and researching stage at the moment, too. I can live without a grill for a while... I'm all for making do, don't you know!

Prayers today please for the FH's friend, A, who has collapsed this morning; thankfully the FH was with him at his home, and was able to pick him up and get him into bed.  I believe that the FH is waiting for the doctor to call round now.