The New Year begins

I can't believe the first month of 2014 is nearly over.  It seems like only yesterday I was thinking about Christmas and here we are at the end of January.

This is the start of quite an academic time for me. I'm now booked on a modular course at Spurgeons Bible College in London for the next 2 years.  I did do a couple of modules last year but have to admit I didn't actually manage to submit any assignments.  I'm easing myself in to the whole concept of learning seeing as it's about 40 years since I had to do any sort of studying or write an essay!  But I'm loving the whole process of attending lectures, mixing with people from very different backgrounds, theological traditions and of all ages.  There's lots of reading but it's a great opportunity and I'm grateful to the people who are supporting me and encouraging me in this.

I've got a variety of projects on at the moment, one of the major ones being organising a wedding for the end of April.  It's a great opportunity for 'church family' to come together and help two people who want to get married but aren't in a position to spend a lot of money.  Having been involved in events like this before I know that people can be very generous with their time and willingness to come together to ensure a memorable day for the happy couple.  I'm sure it won't be all plain sailing but I'm confident we can give them a day to remember.

I really want to try and ensure I get into the habit of writing every few weeks this year so am going to make my posts a bit shorter, but hopefully more regular.

I've got another first on Sunday evening - I'm leading and preaching at the evening service in my home church. This is a bit of a breakthrough in our church tradition so I feel certain responsibility to be well prepared.
So that's where I need to put my energies for the next couple of days so I'm off to polish my sermon....  

Hope you've all had a great start to 2014
Be back soon
Blessings
Jules xx

Hello from up north

I've just spent the last hour or so composing a post and managed to delete it!

Anyway, I'm on my travels - the first of many I hope of 2013. I'm combining work and pleasure this week currently visiting family near Hull, Nth Humberside then on to Crewe later in the week.

I'm having a day out and about (one of my favourite occupations), chatting to people I meet along the way. It's amazing the topics of conversation you have with people in the changing room when trying on a tunic top you found in the sale!

I've also spent a pleasant couple of hours in the Casa Bar and Kitchen in Beverley. I came in for a coffee and to use the free wi-fi then ended up staying for lunch! The food is homemade on the premises, delicious and the staff very friendly. I had a chicken parfait and there was no hesitation in bringing me more toast when I asked for it. If you find yourselves in this lovely market town then pop in - you'll get a warm welcome.

Off to Crewe on Thursday to finalise the arrangements for the New Generation exhibition which will be hosted by Wells Green Methodist Church along with 3 other churches. It will be staged from Monday 18th March to the following Monday. They've also asked if I would be their guest preacher for the Sunday morning service (24 March). I did check and say do you know what you're letting yourselves in for but despite that they still said they'd like me to preach! ....... Just hope I can see over the lectern OK.

Then back to Northamptonshire Friday only to be up at the crack of dawn to catch the train into London Saturday. It's the first of my modules at Spurgeons bible college. I'm very excited about starting the course, it's just so long since I had to do anything vaguely resembling homework. And before anyone comments, no we didn't use clay tablets when I was at school......... We had progressed to paper and pens by then. Computers however were still an alien concept when I last took an exam!

Anyway, time to hit the road again - especially as this is my second attempt to get this posted!

Be back soon
God bless as always
Luv Jules x

Normal service will be resumed shortly...

Hi everyone.

If you're wondering what has happened to me in the last few weeks I've had a slight interruption to my normal routine (I know, what routine??....).  I was a guest of the good 'ole NHS for 3 days while they replaced the painful arthritic bone in my right knee with an 'Oxford' right medial unicompartmental knee replacement joint.  Just call me the bionic woman!

As you know I've mentioned my dodgy knees a few times on this blog but it was getting to the point where they were really beginning to slow me down.  Not something I'm too used. After 2 different specialists gave me the brush off, saying I was too young for any surgical intervention (how lovely to be too young for something!), I finally saw a Mr Simon West who specialises in knee and hip joints.  A very tall and charming man who I have to say was excellent.  As I said to him 'God has a lot of work for me over the next 25-30 years and these knees have to carry me around'.  To which he replied 'Well, we'd do something about them then hadn't we'.  (I do like a man of action........)

Op Weds, Up Thurs!
 Bit blurred - my daughter couldn't stop laughing...

Less than 12 weeks later I found myself lying in the operating theatre, having had a spinal block anaesthetic (yes, I was awake throughout the op - or should I say DIY considering the drilling and hammering!).  It's a really funny sensation when you suddenly see your leg in the air and have no idea how it got there!  The whole experience was incredible and every single member of the hospital staff, from the porters to my surgeon were superb.  Nothing was too much trouble and I was relaxed and calm throughout which I put down to a combination of prayer and professionalism.



If you're wondering what my 'jammies say it's 'Feisty but Fabulous' - didn't really expect sensible did you...? 



Me -2 sticks, 1 knee replacement, 4 days after op. 
My friend -1 crutch, 1 hip replacment, 4 weeks after his op



Anyway, it will be 3 weeks tomorrow since the op, I'm back living in my flat (and successfully negotiating the 46 stairs!) and experiencing less pain already.  The benefits are more than just the alleviation of the pain in my right knee.  Because I've been a good girl (I can do as I'm told sometimes....OK, occasionally......Oh OK - on very rare occasions) and listened to my physio, I'm really conscious of my posture so am walking correctly which has meant the pain in my left knee is so much better already. 

A very kind friend offered to have me at her house for the first couple of weeks as the stairs would have been a bit much straight away.  The photo on the right was taken on the first Sunday after my op on the Weds.  I'm amazed how much mobility I have so quickly and am so grateful to all my friends who have been praying for me.  As you can see I'm not the only one who has had replacment parts recently and I'm pleased to say Roy is making excellent progress as well. We'll soon be able to give the youngsters a real run for their money!

Anyway, I'll sign off for now but will be back soon. 

God bless as always

Jules xx

Quick post in before end of the month....

I've been enjoying a week of R & R with my Mum and Dad in Norfolk so this is a quick hello before we're into month 9 of 2012 (where has the first 3/4 of the year gone?).  I'm hoping we've still got a few more weeks of sunshine before it's time to start donning the wellies and jumpers. 

In my last post I referred to a project I recently got involved in.  If you check out the link below you'll get a little more of an idea.  Still can't say any more but stick with it and it should become self explanatory.........

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-audience

    It's been great spending some time with Mum and Dad this week, especially as they have such an active social life.  It started with going out to dinner Saturday night, church Sunday morning, shopping and lunch in the city Tuesday. I played some duets with my Dad at the Good companions club on Thursday, and then ballroom dancing this afternoon!  I need to go home for a rest - not sure how long I can keep up with them.

I've got some nice piccies and if I can crack the technology I'll be able to show you their prowess on the dance floor in my next post.  

As I said this is a quick hello. I hope everyone has been getting their fair share of the sunshine and not experienced too much of the wet and windy weather.

God bless and be back soon
Luv Jules x

Last day at the office.......

Hi everyone

Having made a momentous decision to resign I can't believe the month is already up!  So many things have been happening and I've had lots of confirmation I am doing the right thing. I'm really excited now about the future and where God is going to lead me.

I wanted to just get a quick post on today of all days as I'm trusting it is heralding the most amazing new phase in my life.

I'm also very mindful of my colleagues, many of whom face a very uncertain future in the NHS.  Most of the people I work closely with are 'at risk' which means they are having to go through the awful process of applying either for their own jobs or in many cases new posts as theirs has been deemed unnecessary in the new structures which have been introduced.

I've never used this blog as a political platform and don't intend to start now but for anyone who is facing such an uncertain future I wanted to send my thoughts, best wishes and prayers to you all. 

My hope is now I will be in a position to write more often, actually make a proper start on my novel as well as get involved in many other projects.

Have a great weekend.

God bless
Jules xx

Morning!

Morning everyone!
I've started a 'proper' blog post this morning but the day has caught up with me and unless I get out of bed (yes, I still write most of these posts 'under the duvet') and get ready for work in the next 10 mins I could be joining the growing ranks of the unemployed. 

Much as I'd love the time  - especially to actually do some writing, I don't fancy going the whole hog and end up in a drafty attic somewhere, wearing fingerless gloves, with a flickering candle my only source of light and warmth. (OK, I know that analogy doesn't work  -where would I plug in my mobile phone and laptop I hear you cry - call it poetic licence)

So, I wanted to quickly get this on the web, say a big hello to everyone and promise I will get my full post finished and posted before the end of Feb (which basically means tomorrow!)

Hope you're having a good 2012- so lovely to see the sunshine over the past few days. It amazes me how much it lifts the spirit and makes all the grotty bits of life just a little less well...grotty!

Check out my second page  - I'll be updating that soon as hopefully I'll be going to an 'Open Day' in London Saturday with a view to starting a distance learning course.  More to follow..........

God bless - have a great day
Jules xx

First post in 2012

I've been trying to get back to my blog for weeks!  I finally managed this evening and was horrified to find it's been 2 months since I've written anything on here.  The number of people, I was pleasantly surprised to see from my stats, seems to have increased hugely over the last month which is massively encouraging.  So big apology to anyone who is checking out my blog on a regular basis and I promise to do better............

Writing regularly is one of the things I'm going to make a much bigger effort to do this year.  Talking of this year - can anyone believe we're already at the end of January!
I don't know whether it's my age (my mother says I'm at the age where time will be going faster - according to her once I retire it'll start to slow down again so I'll be clinging to this rapidly speeding train for at least another 12 years before I can look forward to having the time to catch my breath!)

Well - in my last post I was just starting to think about Christmas.  True to form, I ended up wrapping most of my presents late Christmas eve, even leaving a few until after Christmas.  You know, the ones for family and friends you're seeing after the actual 'big day' for another 'big day'. 
But once again I had a great Christmas and wonderful time with my family.  My daughter and son-in-law were great hosts, we spent a fabulous couple of days all together, laughing, eating great homemade food, playing games and just enjoying each others company.

But that was a month ago, everyone is back home and back to work and the new year is well under way.

I'm not a great one for making new year resolutions  - like most people I end up breaking them before the end of January. But I promised myself some time ago that I would work on making more time in my life for just being with people.  It's so easy to say 'I haven't got the time' and get caught up with work, church, housework (OK - I can hear my daughter laughing her head off at that one as housework is my number one pet hate). I do what I have to do and most people who visit me don't run screaming from the flat in terror so I guess it's fairly clean and tidy........most of the time........well, some of the time.............ok, ok, occasionally.......when I know someone is coming and I fly round like a demented Mary Poppins (without the magic tricks.)  
Anyway, I digress  - my point is the dust, clothes not hung up and a bit of general untidiness will always be there.  Precious friends and family won't so, I would rather have a bit of a messy flat, or leave a few things undone at work than miss an evening with a few friends enjoying their company, or offering a shoulder to cry on, or planning a family get together. Those times are what real treasure is all about.

So I'm pleased to say I've made a pretty good start.  I've met up with girlfriends the last couple of weekends for coffee or lunch (or both!), arranged to visit my brother for a weekend in February and even made some new friends after going to a 'singles' lunch last week. I did feel sorry for the one lone 30 year old man who turned up.  He got a bit of a baptism of fire with half a dozen very strong 40/50 year old women -the phrase 'rabbit caught in the headlights' sprang to mind as I caught sight of him at the end of the table.  But I think he survived and might even enjoy having a few older opinionated women giving him the benefit of their experience.....

Well, it's Sunday evening and as most of my 'regular' readers know I normally write in the mornings so this is a short, yes I'm still here post before I hit the sack ready for another week at the office.

Hope you've all had a great start to 2012
God bless and I'll be back soon
Jules x

Can someone please find me 2 more days a week....

Morning everyone - yes, I am still alive and kicking! (well, breathing at least)

I've got a perennial problem at the moment.  As anyone who's read this blog in the past knows I tend to use a lot of my life experiences as material to write about and at the moment I'm so busy living that life - I'm just not getting any time to write about it! Believe it or not I started this blog post over a week ago, hit technical problems and this is the first chance I've had to get back to it.
So this may end up posted with typos, no pictures and generally not making a lot of sense (OK, I can hear most of you thinking  'no change there then...') but I am determined to get something on here this morning!
So firstly I'd like to apologise to anyone who's checked out my site in the last few weeks and thought 'Is she still around?  Has she emigrated?  Where is she??????'


Apart from lots going on I've also been suffering from the bane of modern living - temperemental technology.  You know how it is -slow PC, printer not working, can't download the apps on your new phone.  As much as I love the age of instead searches and having your groceries delivered to your door at the touch of a button I do think there are times when we all crave a much simpler existence.  And I don't think there's a better example of that craving than this few weeks leading up to December 25. 

I'm so pleased to say my daughter and son-in-law have, for the past few years,  enthusiastically taken on the role of 'family Christmas hosts'. This year my daughter is very excited about the 'life size' reindeer she's bought with extendable legs.............I know, she has a very tolerant and understanding husband. 

I (and my 2 husbands) have fulfilled this role many times in the past, as indeed my mum and dad did before that. But now, all I have to do is turn up with a couple of dozen of my home made mince pies, the traditional red cabbage to go with the roast turkey, cooked and just ready to re-heat and a few pressies for the family - especially my 2 grandsons.  Gone are the days of planning lots of meals, decorating the house from top to bottom, filling the fridge, freezer and any other cupboard I can find with lots of goodies, extra provisions 'just in case' and all the other frenetic activity associated with Christmas.  I have gladly passed that on to the next generation.

And I have to confess I'm quite relieved. 

Don't get me wrong, come the week leading up to Christmas I'll be getting in the spirit, realising I've missed the second class post deadline for cards (again!), checking pressies bought (not a lot) and pressies to buy(er - most of them) and be up until the early hours of Christmas morning wrapping, decorating and be-ribboning my offerings before I head off to celebrate with my lovely family.  

Because as lovely as all the decorations, food, drink, entertainment on the telly etc etc are, being together as a family is what we all really look forward to each year and what , after Christmas we'll remember the most.  The laughter, the (slightly drunken) attempts to play Christmas songs and Carols on 'water flutes' (the funniest after lunch game), Nan and Grandad snoring on the sofa in the afternoon.  The number of times my son-in-law cracks a mother-in-law joke (and yes, his 2 sons are following admirably in their father's footsteps!)  But as he keeps re-assuring me he only takes the mickey out of those he likes the most........now, where did I put that bright flourescent green shirt with the paisley pattern on, I'm sure he's going to love for Christmas...........

So just remember - come the big day whatever goody or titbit you've forgotten to get, whatever last minute pressie you couldn't find, whichever decorations you haven't got round to putting up, as lovely as all that is being together with others is what really makes Christmas. Whether famly or friends, quietly at home, in the midst of a rousing Carol service or at a party - sharing with others this wonderful time of year is what makes Christmas.

Christ may have been born in a stable, with nothing but a pile of straw to sleep on but the very first Christmas was celebrated by shepherds, angels and kings  - and tha's the everlasting party I love celebrating at this time of year. 

Well, I knew time was going to be against me this morning but I was determined to get this on so as I don't have any more time to tell you all about climbing the village church tower and playing the Shofar (Ram's horn) early one Sunday morning, or not getting the job I really thought was mine, or the fantastic day out with my daughter at the Christmas Craft fair Birmngham NEC, doing my first talk at Alpha (loved it!) and having my hair cut in a style which everyone tells me makes me look 10 years younger (yes - there are times when a few little white lies from your friends are acceptable..........) I thought I would leave you with a few pictures my brother took around this time last year.


How beautiful are these........From August to December.  I just love the variety of seasons we have and the beauty of each one.

Well, I really must get going.

Happy pre-Christmas couple of weeks and I promise I'll make every effort to get back at this keyboard before we're all ripping off the wrapping paper and eating far more than is good for us!

God bless

Jules xx

Glorious time of the year

This is going to be one of those quick 'Hi, how is everyone' as I really should be getting ready for work  - and this is the second time I've started this post in the last week!
When I startd this the sun was still shining and like most people I'm sure I couldn't quite believe the amazing weather we were experiencing.  Having got organised and put all my summer clothes back in their box, shook out my autumn jumpers and found my gloves I needed to raid my boxes for summer tops and sandals!  But it was worth it. Sitting weekend before last with my brother enjoying a coffee outside a little Italian restaurant in Wellingborough, soaking up the sun and enjoying the beautiful autumn colours so vibrant in the sunlight. 


I played a concert that Saturday night with friends - light classical music, which was enjoyed by all, including us performers.  I've just heard today we raised over £1000 for the Bromham Elementary School in Wardhannapet in India so we are all delighted and I'd like to say a big thank you to those who came and supported us.  Watch out for more concerts in the future.


On Sunday we visited a friend in her new home and then on to my daughter's for a fantastic Sunday roast.


What struck me most about the whole weekend was the people. The food was lovely,the scenery spectactular and the weather amazing.  But the best part of all was sharing those things with people.  Some were family, some friends and some complete strangers. Like the owner of the restaurant who we spent a long time chatting to and found out he is a well travlled man with lots of interesting stories to tell.  Or the elderly gentleman sitting on the seat who was happy to have his picture taken (my brother is an enthusiastic and talented photographer).  He loved it when I said I'd post him a copy for his family and my brother has already printed a copy off. Or the ladies in the haberdashery shop who couldn't believe how wondrful a simple basket of woollooked as a photo with it's amazing variey of colour.

Anyway as I said since then I just haven't had time to finish the post as I've had another wonderful weekend away with my church family.  100+ of us went to a beautiful hotel in Bucks and had a fantastic time together - from 8 months, to 80. Will tell you more about that next time and also get some piccies uploaded. 
Going to quickly get this posted now before people think I've disappeared of the face of the earth!

God bless and hope you're not finding the inevitable autumnal air too chilly
Luv
Jules xx 

Not sure if this is going to work as trying to post from my new android phone. Got this yesterday but haven't had time to really find out what it can do - but enjoying playing around with it. It really is like having a little computer in your hand.

Anyway I know I could play around on this late into the night but must get some sleep. Only got 5 hours sleep last night so going to see if I can get this to load up.

God bless and have a lovely weekend.
Jules x