The summer was the briefest, wettest and coldest I can remember and now we are experiencing the coldest December for 30 years - something to do with global warming no doubt. However the plus side is that I have an excuse for loading up our new wood burner stove with a mass of logs and enjoying the heat and the hot water it produces.
The last time I blogged was in July and much has happened over the last five months. Some of the most dramatic happenings have been the changes we have made to our house. We tried to move at the beginning of the year but after a while gave up unsure of the real advantages of selling and reluctant to leave a house we had already worked hard on and were beginning to enjoy. We started to look at how we could use the most of the space we had i the house and ended up having two fireplaces removed, moving my study from the second reception room to the box room and getting rid of / rearranging a lot of furniture. Although we have not finished all the work the effect has been to create a lot more space, especially in our main living room, which we are very pleased with.
Personally I have continued with most of my interests throughout the Summer and Autumn. I am still cycling to work and enjoying occasional longer trips into the Dales. Mary and I often head for the hills on my day off and have had some great walks around the Pateley Bridge area which is only 20 minutes drive from home. I have not climbed at the Wall in Leeds as much due to my climbing partners injury but hopefully we can get back to that in the New Year. At the end of the Summer I squeezed in a motor bike ride to see my Mum in South Wales, a round trip of 500 miles. The bike performed really well and I enjoyed it immensely. I stil go to the gym on a regular basis and after a bit of a lay off after returning from India I think my fitness levels are returning.
My work has been good for the most part. We have had quite a few new families, couples and individuals join the church over the Autumn and we must number about 130 members now, with Sunday morning attendance usually being aroungd the 90 - 100 mark. We have started a monthly "new attenders meal" which has been a great success. Last week we sent 80 plus Christmas Hampers out to some of the neediest families in the surrounding area, through Social Services. This must be the seventh year we have done this. We buy the foods, toys, gifts etc, pack them into decorated cardboard boxes which are then covered in polythene and coloured bowes, the effect being very Christmassy. Social workers then play at being father and mother Christmas. There are a few new initiatives in the pipleline for the new year which will, hopefuly, increase our involvement and interaction with the community.
My trip to India in October was different in many ways to the previous six. We just visited and worked in two churches / bible schools which wa a good decision because it gave us more time with those people and a greater indepth experience of what it means ot be a Christian in Northern India. Most importantly we met 40 or so church leaders from Orissa who had experienced persecution from Hindu militants. Many of these young church leaders had lost their homes as well as seeing their churches being burned down. Some even knew pastors in Orissa who had been killed. This and our experience in the other church in Haryana has envisioned us to raise funds for the pastors of Orissa and one of the Bible Schools that needs financial help.
Family news is good. Bethan is expecting her second baby in January. George is growing fast and is no longer a baby. He has dozens of words and is stringing them together to make sentences, much the same as our eldest grandson Dominic is doing as well. We see George most days and Dominic, probably a few time every month. Dan and Kim make an effort to come over and we do the same so that we don't miss out on his development. We really are very lucky to have our chidren living so close to us, but of course we can't assume that will always be the case. Owen and Kim are working hard in the Ripley Group of businesses as well as loking after different departments of the church. Owen has worked hard over the last month or two preparing and rehearsing for the first Trigger gig for three years on 20th Dec. It's the ten year anniversary of the formation of the band and they are marking it with this one off gig. Lucy is in her final year of univesity and planning to attend the Abundant Life Church Leadership Academy next year. When not in university or the bathroom she works in Ripley selling ice cream and working in the shop. Lucy helps with the worship group in church and organises the welcome team on Sunday mornings. Mary is working in Ripley several days a week and may even learn how to pull ice creams in the near future. A few weeks ago we made a nostalgic trip back to her home town of Chichester, her first journey back since her Mum's funeral four years ago. We went on from there to visit her brother David and his wife Liz on the Isle of Wight for a couple of days.
We, or rather I, occasionaly dream of retirement in four years time but cannot really see a time when I wouldn't be involved with the church in Harrogate - so will I ever retire?
What does next year hold for us? Another visit to India in October, forming new links with like minded churches in Yorks and the N.East? Seeing the church reach that tipping point where it really takes off in terms of growth? I would also like to publish a book, travel into the higher mountains of North India when I am over there next. We can expect at least one new grandchild. Lucy will graduate. Mary wants to climb Ben Nevis during our summer holiday in 09. I wonder what other lovely suprises are awaiting us? Keep reading to find out
Saturday, 13 December 2008
Saturday, 26 July 2008
26th July
At last the Summer has arrived. Today and yesterday the weather was sunny and almost too warm - long may it continue. Everything, including people's temperament and mood seems to lift when the weather is good. This morning five of us from church took to the streets to talk to people about our faith and to invite them to church. It was good and we met a few people. newly moved into Harrogate, who were actually looking for a church. We will be doing the same thing every Saturday throughout August - hope the weather continues to be warm and sunny.
After that I took my motorbike up into the Dales for a few hours. I just rode out in the general direction of the Dales, deliberately getting a bit lost, but knowing that eventually I would see some familiar road signs that I could follow to get home. It was a brilliant ride and worked out as I hoped it would, with me finding signs for familiar places which took me through some beautiful villages in the Dales and some great biking roads.
The rest of the day was spent cleaning up our living room where the work to install our wood burning stove has virtually finished. The stove and the new lay out of the fireplace is going to look great. All that remains to be done is for me to do the painting of the walls and skirting board and to get the carpet back down. I have to wait for the plaster to dry first which could take several days - but the bulk of the dirty work is done now. We now have extra space in the room because we have removed the hearth and fire surround. We have a wood burner stove which not only looks superb but is also plumbed into the hot water tank and also gives us a radiator in the bathroom. Everyone tells me, including the plumber who has been working in our house, that the stove is ultra effective and that we will get a lot of heat and as much hot water as we want from it. Can't wait to try it out but that will mean saying goodbye to this lovely warm weather and having to tolerate the bittingly cold, damp stuff again. Getting rid of some of our bigger pieces of furniture and general clutter will also give the impression of more space in our living room. In a few weeks time we will start work on the study which will be transformed into a second, smaller living room which we can also use as an extra bedroom. Again there is a lot of work to be done but it will be really nice when finished and will give us greater flexibility and choice about how we use the house. We will put our dining table in the conservatory and use it as a dining room throughout the year. Heating it with a small electric fire when we want to eat there is not expensive and is very effective. Our plan is to get the bulk of the work done before September.
No cycling this weekend. I am beginning to feel a bit sluggish so will have to do something very energetic before too long.
After that I took my motorbike up into the Dales for a few hours. I just rode out in the general direction of the Dales, deliberately getting a bit lost, but knowing that eventually I would see some familiar road signs that I could follow to get home. It was a brilliant ride and worked out as I hoped it would, with me finding signs for familiar places which took me through some beautiful villages in the Dales and some great biking roads.
The rest of the day was spent cleaning up our living room where the work to install our wood burning stove has virtually finished. The stove and the new lay out of the fireplace is going to look great. All that remains to be done is for me to do the painting of the walls and skirting board and to get the carpet back down. I have to wait for the plaster to dry first which could take several days - but the bulk of the dirty work is done now. We now have extra space in the room because we have removed the hearth and fire surround. We have a wood burner stove which not only looks superb but is also plumbed into the hot water tank and also gives us a radiator in the bathroom. Everyone tells me, including the plumber who has been working in our house, that the stove is ultra effective and that we will get a lot of heat and as much hot water as we want from it. Can't wait to try it out but that will mean saying goodbye to this lovely warm weather and having to tolerate the bittingly cold, damp stuff again. Getting rid of some of our bigger pieces of furniture and general clutter will also give the impression of more space in our living room. In a few weeks time we will start work on the study which will be transformed into a second, smaller living room which we can also use as an extra bedroom. Again there is a lot of work to be done but it will be really nice when finished and will give us greater flexibility and choice about how we use the house. We will put our dining table in the conservatory and use it as a dining room throughout the year. Heating it with a small electric fire when we want to eat there is not expensive and is very effective. Our plan is to get the bulk of the work done before September.
No cycling this weekend. I am beginning to feel a bit sluggish so will have to do something very energetic before too long.
Friday, 18 July 2008
18th July
It's very satisfying when a day has passed and you feel you have actually managed to achieve something in work. Today has been such a day. I have had at least three meetings this morning and this afternoon when decisions were made which you hope will result in some progress. So much time is spent, or if your not careful can be spent, in maintenance, just keeping the wheels turning, which I find frustrating. So it is particularly pleasing when you feel that decisions have been made during a day's work, or pieces have been put in place which will take you forward.
Our efforts to reorganise our house so that we have more room has taken another step forward today in that we have had a very large bookcase / cupboard taken from our front room to Bethan and David's house in Ripley. We are trying to downsize our furniture and get rid of things that are unnecessary so that our living room has more room for living. Getting rid of the bookcase has created a great feeling of space, next to go is the enormous settee that dominates the room, to be replaced, when we can afford it, by a smaller two seater. Two large marble coffee tables are due to go and my much loved, but oversized, music centre will be replaced by a mini version. The wood burner is to be installed in 5 days time and then we can put the carpet back, paint the chimney breast (not in that order) and things will almost be comfortable again. One of the real highlights of the day was meeting two young, very pleasant, friendly, polite and hardworking removal men who came to take the bookcase to Bethan's. They were professional and went out of their way to make sure I was pleased with the standard of their work. Quite a nice day really.
Our efforts to reorganise our house so that we have more room has taken another step forward today in that we have had a very large bookcase / cupboard taken from our front room to Bethan and David's house in Ripley. We are trying to downsize our furniture and get rid of things that are unnecessary so that our living room has more room for living. Getting rid of the bookcase has created a great feeling of space, next to go is the enormous settee that dominates the room, to be replaced, when we can afford it, by a smaller two seater. Two large marble coffee tables are due to go and my much loved, but oversized, music centre will be replaced by a mini version. The wood burner is to be installed in 5 days time and then we can put the carpet back, paint the chimney breast (not in that order) and things will almost be comfortable again. One of the real highlights of the day was meeting two young, very pleasant, friendly, polite and hardworking removal men who came to take the bookcase to Bethan's. They were professional and went out of their way to make sure I was pleased with the standard of their work. Quite a nice day really.
Wednesday, 16 July 2008
16th July
Today - a lovely walk with Mary above Scar House Reservoir which was very windy but dry throughout the entire walk.I have not fully recovered from Saturday's Three Peaks walk and struggled in places even though it was only six miles. We are so fortunate to live in such a beautiful part of the world; not as dramatic as some of the higher mountains we have recently visited in France nor the mountains of Snowdonia, but the Yorkshire Dales has this gentle beauty of its own and we live so close to it.
Came home via Ripley to pick Lucy up and had a delicious Ripley ice cream whilst we waited for her.
This evening we attended a meeting in church which was addressed by Jeremy Clough who heads up the Town Pastors. It was one of the most encouraging and positive things I have heard about church for many years and I was very challenged by it. Awesome to hear that Christians and non Christians are taking to the streets of Harrogate and making a difference where it really matters
Came home via Ripley to pick Lucy up and had a delicious Ripley ice cream whilst we waited for her.
This evening we attended a meeting in church which was addressed by Jeremy Clough who heads up the Town Pastors. It was one of the most encouraging and positive things I have heard about church for many years and I was very challenged by it. Awesome to hear that Christians and non Christians are taking to the streets of Harrogate and making a difference where it really matters
Tuesday, 15 July 2008
15th July
Our summer holiday in the Jura, France has been and gone - and pretty wonderful it was as well. Our second grandson George is now walking and last weekend I completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks with a group from church. On the house front we have taken our house off the market and have started doing this one up with a view to living in it forever and ever and ever.
So a busy month - but now a little more detail.
Our holiday in France was absolutely brilliant. Beautiful lakeside campsite, Lac St Point being surrounded by Swiss chalets; and warm sunshine for the whole of our stay. Wherever we went the scenery on the journey was even better than the destinations !! High mountains, deep valleys, tumbling waterfalls and lots of forests. At one point, in the distance, we saw a snow topped Mont Blanc from the summit of Mont D'Or and the mountains surrounding us were magnificent. We had a few half days walking round the trails which would have been used as cross country ski trails during the winter. There was just so much to see and go to and do and hardly any tourists, apart from a few Germans. I hired a bicycle for a morning and had a good ride around the area, going off the main roads into the hills and around lac Romeray. We ate simply at the campsite; baguettes for breakfast, picnic style lunch and something cooked in the evening - everything, especially the evening meal tasted fabulous, even though it was often very basic food. Maybe it had something to do with eating outside. The red wine and the cheese was as delicious as ever, one or two bottles of red finding their way back to the UK.
The day before we left the UK for our holiday George started to walk unaided. He's been plodding along holding someone hand for weeks but didn't quite have the confidence to take off on his own. By the time we came back from France he was really on the move and talkng his own little language as did his mother many years ago.
Whilst we were away we had arranged for our hearth and stone fire surround to be removed and for the fireplace to be opened up in readiness for a wood burner stove to be installed. However there have been a few minor hitches which have slowed everything down, but we should have everything in place and working in a weeks time. The plan is to have a wood burner (actually it is a multi - fuel stove) installed and plumbed into the hot water tank so that we get free hot water throughout the winter. Our gas and electricity bills are crazy so I thought this would help reduce the bills especially if I could get my hands on plenty of free scrap wood. I am trying to be a bit more green in my thinking so a few weeks ago I replaced all the light bulbs with low energy / long life bulbs. Anyway, back to the stove. I have already started to collect wood for the winter and over a few weeks have managed to get hold of some suberb stuff which should keep us going for a few months at least - and so far its all free! Roll on the cold winter months!
And then there's the Yorkshire Three Peaks. About 7 of us from church decided a few months ago that we would take up the challenge. You have to complete the walk, which involves climbing Pen Y Ghynt, Whernside and Inglborough and walking the distance between the mountains which comes to about 25 miles, within 12 hours. We set of at 7.45am and got back to Horton in Ribblesdale at 6.30pm, so we got our certificates which included an invitation to join the Yorkshire Three Peaks Club. I think it was the hardest walk I have ever done especially as I was struggling with my achilles tendon which I injured a few weeks back and hasn't healed up properly yet. I was a bit annoyed with myself that I wasn't walking as well as I would normally have done and its strange how an achilles problem can knock everything else out of synch, but I'm quite pleased with the achievement I think the hardest part of the walk, at least psychologically, was the 8 mile walk between the first peak, Pen Y Ghynt and the second, Whernside. It seemed never ending, it was very boggy, muddy and wet and at that point I wasn't sure if my achilles would hold out. I'm not sure if it was harder than the Snowdon Horseshoe that I did last year - quite different - but harder ?
Any other news? I bought a second hand road / racing bike a few months back but haven't really managed to go too far on it yet. It seems to involve an entirely different technique than the one developed with my mountain bike - the gear shift is on the down tube insted of on the handle bars and of course with drop handle bars the riding position is different. I need to get out on it for a really long ride into the Dales - maybe this Saturday - weather permitting. Since getting back from France I have been so busy in work that I haven't managed a decent ride on my Kawasaki. I am still hoping to go to S. Wales to see my Mum and will use the bike then - but finding a few days for that is proving difficult. I would also like to ride the bike over to Snowdonia again and climb something there as well.
Family wise all seems to be OK. Owen and Kim are working hard in the business, Dan, Kim and Dom came over last Thursday for lunch - lovely to see them. Dominic is now running around and kicking a football around the garden. Bethan is pregnant again - due in January. Lucy's results from University have been good - on target for a 2.1. And that's enough for tonight! I really will try to keep my blog up to date in future and not leave such long time gaps between entries.
So a busy month - but now a little more detail.
Our holiday in France was absolutely brilliant. Beautiful lakeside campsite, Lac St Point being surrounded by Swiss chalets; and warm sunshine for the whole of our stay. Wherever we went the scenery on the journey was even better than the destinations !! High mountains, deep valleys, tumbling waterfalls and lots of forests. At one point, in the distance, we saw a snow topped Mont Blanc from the summit of Mont D'Or and the mountains surrounding us were magnificent. We had a few half days walking round the trails which would have been used as cross country ski trails during the winter. There was just so much to see and go to and do and hardly any tourists, apart from a few Germans. I hired a bicycle for a morning and had a good ride around the area, going off the main roads into the hills and around lac Romeray. We ate simply at the campsite; baguettes for breakfast, picnic style lunch and something cooked in the evening - everything, especially the evening meal tasted fabulous, even though it was often very basic food. Maybe it had something to do with eating outside. The red wine and the cheese was as delicious as ever, one or two bottles of red finding their way back to the UK.
The day before we left the UK for our holiday George started to walk unaided. He's been plodding along holding someone hand for weeks but didn't quite have the confidence to take off on his own. By the time we came back from France he was really on the move and talkng his own little language as did his mother many years ago.
Whilst we were away we had arranged for our hearth and stone fire surround to be removed and for the fireplace to be opened up in readiness for a wood burner stove to be installed. However there have been a few minor hitches which have slowed everything down, but we should have everything in place and working in a weeks time. The plan is to have a wood burner (actually it is a multi - fuel stove) installed and plumbed into the hot water tank so that we get free hot water throughout the winter. Our gas and electricity bills are crazy so I thought this would help reduce the bills especially if I could get my hands on plenty of free scrap wood. I am trying to be a bit more green in my thinking so a few weeks ago I replaced all the light bulbs with low energy / long life bulbs. Anyway, back to the stove. I have already started to collect wood for the winter and over a few weeks have managed to get hold of some suberb stuff which should keep us going for a few months at least - and so far its all free! Roll on the cold winter months!
And then there's the Yorkshire Three Peaks. About 7 of us from church decided a few months ago that we would take up the challenge. You have to complete the walk, which involves climbing Pen Y Ghynt, Whernside and Inglborough and walking the distance between the mountains which comes to about 25 miles, within 12 hours. We set of at 7.45am and got back to Horton in Ribblesdale at 6.30pm, so we got our certificates which included an invitation to join the Yorkshire Three Peaks Club. I think it was the hardest walk I have ever done especially as I was struggling with my achilles tendon which I injured a few weeks back and hasn't healed up properly yet. I was a bit annoyed with myself that I wasn't walking as well as I would normally have done and its strange how an achilles problem can knock everything else out of synch, but I'm quite pleased with the achievement I think the hardest part of the walk, at least psychologically, was the 8 mile walk between the first peak, Pen Y Ghynt and the second, Whernside. It seemed never ending, it was very boggy, muddy and wet and at that point I wasn't sure if my achilles would hold out. I'm not sure if it was harder than the Snowdon Horseshoe that I did last year - quite different - but harder ?
Any other news? I bought a second hand road / racing bike a few months back but haven't really managed to go too far on it yet. It seems to involve an entirely different technique than the one developed with my mountain bike - the gear shift is on the down tube insted of on the handle bars and of course with drop handle bars the riding position is different. I need to get out on it for a really long ride into the Dales - maybe this Saturday - weather permitting. Since getting back from France I have been so busy in work that I haven't managed a decent ride on my Kawasaki. I am still hoping to go to S. Wales to see my Mum and will use the bike then - but finding a few days for that is proving difficult. I would also like to ride the bike over to Snowdonia again and climb something there as well.
Family wise all seems to be OK. Owen and Kim are working hard in the business, Dan, Kim and Dom came over last Thursday for lunch - lovely to see them. Dominic is now running around and kicking a football around the garden. Bethan is pregnant again - due in January. Lucy's results from University have been good - on target for a 2.1. And that's enough for tonight! I really will try to keep my blog up to date in future and not leave such long time gaps between entries.
Saturday, 5 April 2008
5th April
Mary's brother David and his wife Liz visited us last weekend. We had a great time with them, introducing them to our new grandsons George and Dominic, who have arrived on the scene whilst they were living and working in Kenya over the last two years. Strange how much can take place over 24 months - a wedding, a couple of trips abroad, two births and lots more. Amongst the "lots more" is the start of a new business which David and Bethan have bought over the last month, The Magnesia Well in Valley Gardens, Harrogate. Owen and Kim have recently joined David's team and are spending most of their time in the new business as opposed to Ripley Store.
We have spent quite a bit more time with George (our grandson) over the last week because Bethan has been unwell. He is an adorable little chap, happily playing on his own for most of the time but enjoying interaction with anyone who will engage him in some chat and rewarding you with a beaming smile.
I had my first long cycle ride of the season this morning from Knaresborough via Ripley to Brimham Rocks and then on to Pateley Bridge and back to Knaresborough, a round journey, of 28 miles. The trip took about 3 hours which seems a long time but you have to allow for a lot of steep, long hills and a strong head wind which slowed me down. The bike performed well but I am looking forward to doing the same route on a road bike, which I may buy over the next few weeks.
On Wednesday afternoon I had my first decent motorbike ride of the season. I had to go to Ilkley on some business and then rode on to Skipton and back to Knaresborough via Blubberhouses. The weather was good and the bike's performance was awesome. I still can't speak too highly of the bike's acceleration and handling. It is difficult to keep within the speed limits because the bike demands to be ridden at high speeds - but I do my best !!
Snow is forecast for tomorrow and the outlook for the next few days in wintry. Perhaps we will manage to get to Snowdonia on Wednesday and do some scrambling in the snow, at last!
We have spent quite a bit more time with George (our grandson) over the last week because Bethan has been unwell. He is an adorable little chap, happily playing on his own for most of the time but enjoying interaction with anyone who will engage him in some chat and rewarding you with a beaming smile.
I had my first long cycle ride of the season this morning from Knaresborough via Ripley to Brimham Rocks and then on to Pateley Bridge and back to Knaresborough, a round journey, of 28 miles. The trip took about 3 hours which seems a long time but you have to allow for a lot of steep, long hills and a strong head wind which slowed me down. The bike performed well but I am looking forward to doing the same route on a road bike, which I may buy over the next few weeks.
On Wednesday afternoon I had my first decent motorbike ride of the season. I had to go to Ilkley on some business and then rode on to Skipton and back to Knaresborough via Blubberhouses. The weather was good and the bike's performance was awesome. I still can't speak too highly of the bike's acceleration and handling. It is difficult to keep within the speed limits because the bike demands to be ridden at high speeds - but I do my best !!
Snow is forecast for tomorrow and the outlook for the next few days in wintry. Perhaps we will manage to get to Snowdonia on Wednesday and do some scrambling in the snow, at last!
Saturday, 8 March 2008
8th March
Another month is passing rapidly, but the days are lengthening and although the cold and unsettled weather is still with us, the crocuses and daffodils are an indications that winter is on the way out and the better weather is on it's way in (I hope!)
This morning I took two friends to the climbing wall in Leeds and last Saturday I took a small party, Kevin, Judy C.J. and Brian to climb Pen Y Gent. It was as windy as the last time I took Mary but without the hail this time. This Wednesday, weather permitting, Mary and I may head for Snowdonia.This afternoon I watched Wales win the Triple Crown by beating Ireland. What a team and what a difference a new coach can make in such a short time. Only France to beat next week and Wales have won the Championship. Shane Williams has to be the best rugby player in the world right now; he has speed, strength, agility and determination, the complete package. Owen, accompanied by Kim, have come up to watch the game over the last few weeks which makes it all the more enjoyable - hopefully we have started a family tradition.
Last week I went to Xscape and skied on my own for the first time. I only felt confident enough to ski from half way up the main slope but as my skills and confidence grew I did my penultimate run from the top of the slope and managed to get down without losing control (just). I want to try and get down there every other week and just get better so that next winter I will be competent when it comes to our trip to the ski slopes of Europe.
This week I have managed to ride by cycle everyday to work even though the weather was quite blustery on a few occasions. I am quite pleased that I have managed to ride the bike through most of the winter without getting ill or finding the colder, wetter weather was too much for me. This last week I came home once or twice in the dark, giving me an opportunity to use the new front and rear lights that I have recently bought and they are amazingly bright, so much better and more visible than my old ones. During the week I also had to cycle from work into Harrogate and one or two other more outlying places, so I probably clocked up quite a mileage. With my 30 minute run on Weds evening I ached a bit, but that has stopped now.
I am speaking in church tomorrow morning, the theme being "Self Preservation or Self Sacrifice". We are regularly getting 100 + people in the Sunday morning meetings recently but I am hoping and praying for 150 regular attenders by September and 200 by the end of December 2008. We are seeing quite a few new individuals and families starting to visit and then come back for a second and third time so maybe we are getting nearer to the tipping point.
Wednesday saw us celebrating Lucy's 21st. Bethan, George, Mary and I picked her up from College in York at lunchtime and then drove her to Scarborough for a Pizza Hut buffet, followed by a walk on the beach and around Scarborough. Tomorrow her celebrations continue with a lunch for 60 people in a local Chinese restaurant after church.
This morning I took two friends to the climbing wall in Leeds and last Saturday I took a small party, Kevin, Judy C.J. and Brian to climb Pen Y Gent. It was as windy as the last time I took Mary but without the hail this time. This Wednesday, weather permitting, Mary and I may head for Snowdonia.This afternoon I watched Wales win the Triple Crown by beating Ireland. What a team and what a difference a new coach can make in such a short time. Only France to beat next week and Wales have won the Championship. Shane Williams has to be the best rugby player in the world right now; he has speed, strength, agility and determination, the complete package. Owen, accompanied by Kim, have come up to watch the game over the last few weeks which makes it all the more enjoyable - hopefully we have started a family tradition.
Last week I went to Xscape and skied on my own for the first time. I only felt confident enough to ski from half way up the main slope but as my skills and confidence grew I did my penultimate run from the top of the slope and managed to get down without losing control (just). I want to try and get down there every other week and just get better so that next winter I will be competent when it comes to our trip to the ski slopes of Europe.
This week I have managed to ride by cycle everyday to work even though the weather was quite blustery on a few occasions. I am quite pleased that I have managed to ride the bike through most of the winter without getting ill or finding the colder, wetter weather was too much for me. This last week I came home once or twice in the dark, giving me an opportunity to use the new front and rear lights that I have recently bought and they are amazingly bright, so much better and more visible than my old ones. During the week I also had to cycle from work into Harrogate and one or two other more outlying places, so I probably clocked up quite a mileage. With my 30 minute run on Weds evening I ached a bit, but that has stopped now.
I am speaking in church tomorrow morning, the theme being "Self Preservation or Self Sacrifice". We are regularly getting 100 + people in the Sunday morning meetings recently but I am hoping and praying for 150 regular attenders by September and 200 by the end of December 2008. We are seeing quite a few new individuals and families starting to visit and then come back for a second and third time so maybe we are getting nearer to the tipping point.
Wednesday saw us celebrating Lucy's 21st. Bethan, George, Mary and I picked her up from College in York at lunchtime and then drove her to Scarborough for a Pizza Hut buffet, followed by a walk on the beach and around Scarborough. Tomorrow her celebrations continue with a lunch for 60 people in a local Chinese restaurant after church.
Thursday, 28 February 2008
28th February
I was brushing my teeth at about 12.56 am on Tuesday morning 26th Feb, just before getting into bed when the earthquake struck. At first several thoughts shot through my mind all at once, ranging from an air lock in the water pipes to a lorry crashing through the front of the house. As the roaring and grumbling sound got louder I realised what it was, having experienced one or two minor and lesser tremors some years ago. I would like to say that I remained calm and collected and pacified the rest of the family, but the truth is that I panicked , ran into the bedroom and yelled something like "What on earth is happening?" Lucy had woken up and shot into our bedroom by which time everything was quite again. I went outside into our front garden and onto the road, not yet convinced it was a tremor and wondering if a lorry had crashed or a plane had come down. Our neighbour stuck her head out of the bedroom window and asked if we had heard it and what was it? One or two lights went on in people's houses but no one else came out onto the street. I rang the police who told me that there had been a quake which was county wide. Not even they knew at that time that it was felt across the whole country. We switched on Five Live (radio station) and within minutes of the event they were reporting it and speaking to an American Seismologist who claimed the quake registered 4.7, the epicentre being just south of Kingston upon Hull. He wasn't far wrong. The quake actually registered 5.4 on the Richter scale and was 6 miles deep; the strongest quake in Britain for 24 years. I was amazed that our house suffered no damage at all and I haven't heard of any other local buildings being damaged. It got me wondering how bad it must be when whole communities in India, Pakistan and Japan are wiped out in a few seconds during a bigger and far more powerful earthquake?
Tuesday, 26 February 2008
26th February
Last week I passed my level four skiing session which means that I can be let loose on the main slope at recreational standard. I don't think that I have really reached that standard and am only just competent and safe, so I intend to indulge in some gentle practice over the coming weeks. I will probably continue to practice skiing on the indoor slope in Castleford for the rest of the year and then in Jan / Feb 09 I will go to the real snow slopes of Europe to do the real thing.
The winter seems a lot colder and longer than last year and I am longing for the warmer temperatures to arrive. Only a few weeks now and I will be able to get my motorbike back on the road and start some new adventures !! Having fitted a new top box to the motorbike I can now travel to Snowdonia or down to Castleford with my walking / skiing gear, then bike back home - the best of both worlds. When Mary is working on Saturday mornings I also intend to bike down to Huddersfield to see Dan, Kim and Dominic.
The cycling has continued throughout the winter with only the occasional days off due to bad weather, or having to go to Leeds. I haven't been as hindered this year as I was last winter by colds and viruses, so in that respect it has been a far better winter. The cycle continues to run well and has kept me fit throughout the colder months. Over recent weeks I have put some mud guards and pedal clips on the bike and today bought some new front and rear lights. I have spent most Saturday mornings over the last few months in the gym, expending most energy on the treadmill and running for up to 55 minutes at a time. Strange that despite all this exercise and not eating a lot more food than has been normal I am still a few pounds over weight. Weight Watchers weigh in this morning was 10st 13lbs. I want to get down to 10st 5lbs over the next few weeks.
We have already booked our ferry to France in June and will take the bicycle with us. We may go to the Jura where there are lots of mountain walks and bike trails, steep and challenging but hopefully attainable. We took our bikes to South Wales last week on our visit to Mum and cycled a couple of miles on the local cycle track down the valley. It was really beautiful and was an encouragement to take the bikes with us on similar journeys more often.
My reading material at present is, as usual, very broad. I have been reading a book by Bill Hybels on personal evangelism entitled "Just walk across the room". An autobiography of Ranulph Fiennnes the explorer, called "Mad, bad and dangerous to know". And finally a book looking at the history and composition of Islamist extremism by Jason Burke, called "Al Qaeda". Although I have studied and taught Islam the latter is a demanding read but one which I feel is necessary to accomplish. Christians need to understand what is going on in the Muslim world at present and have some idea about how they should respond. Perhaps, when my own grasp of the political and religious issues surrounding modern day Islam has improved, I will publish something as a response.
The winter seems a lot colder and longer than last year and I am longing for the warmer temperatures to arrive. Only a few weeks now and I will be able to get my motorbike back on the road and start some new adventures !! Having fitted a new top box to the motorbike I can now travel to Snowdonia or down to Castleford with my walking / skiing gear, then bike back home - the best of both worlds. When Mary is working on Saturday mornings I also intend to bike down to Huddersfield to see Dan, Kim and Dominic.
The cycling has continued throughout the winter with only the occasional days off due to bad weather, or having to go to Leeds. I haven't been as hindered this year as I was last winter by colds and viruses, so in that respect it has been a far better winter. The cycle continues to run well and has kept me fit throughout the colder months. Over recent weeks I have put some mud guards and pedal clips on the bike and today bought some new front and rear lights. I have spent most Saturday mornings over the last few months in the gym, expending most energy on the treadmill and running for up to 55 minutes at a time. Strange that despite all this exercise and not eating a lot more food than has been normal I am still a few pounds over weight. Weight Watchers weigh in this morning was 10st 13lbs. I want to get down to 10st 5lbs over the next few weeks.
We have already booked our ferry to France in June and will take the bicycle with us. We may go to the Jura where there are lots of mountain walks and bike trails, steep and challenging but hopefully attainable. We took our bikes to South Wales last week on our visit to Mum and cycled a couple of miles on the local cycle track down the valley. It was really beautiful and was an encouragement to take the bikes with us on similar journeys more often.
My reading material at present is, as usual, very broad. I have been reading a book by Bill Hybels on personal evangelism entitled "Just walk across the room". An autobiography of Ranulph Fiennnes the explorer, called "Mad, bad and dangerous to know". And finally a book looking at the history and composition of Islamist extremism by Jason Burke, called "Al Qaeda". Although I have studied and taught Islam the latter is a demanding read but one which I feel is necessary to accomplish. Christians need to understand what is going on in the Muslim world at present and have some idea about how they should respond. Perhaps, when my own grasp of the political and religious issues surrounding modern day Islam has improved, I will publish something as a response.
Wednesday, 23 January 2008
23rd January
This week I had my first skiing lesson on the slope in Xscape at Castleford. I learned about putting the skis on, basic movement and snow ploughing down the slope. My first two attempts to ski down a slope resulted in me falling over about 2/3rds of the way down. But then I started to get the feel of it and made several controlled descents. It was a bigger buzz than motorcycling or climbing, partly because I didn't feel completely in control. The instructor was an older man called Jim who was brilliant and made you feel you were doing well even when you weren't. There was only one other person in the group so it was almost personal instruction. Next time I must get some bigger boots, I just about managed to get them on but had an awful time trying to get them back off. My plan is to pass the next three levels of instruction until I am able to ski on the slope at "recreational standard". I will continue to use the slope throughout the rest of the year and then organise a skiing trip to Europe next winter. That's the plan anyway.
I climbed on the Wall in Leeds last week and for some strange reason did much better than usual. I can't really understand why. I'm not aware that I am any fitter than I have been or any other positive reason, but I did feel as though I was climbing better; using smaller holds and trusting the boots more than normal.
I put on about three pounds over Christmas but when I was weighed yesterday I had lost a pound and a half. I want to keep my weight down to about 10 st 6lb, so I need to lose another 5lbs over the next month.
I climbed on the Wall in Leeds last week and for some strange reason did much better than usual. I can't really understand why. I'm not aware that I am any fitter than I have been or any other positive reason, but I did feel as though I was climbing better; using smaller holds and trusting the boots more than normal.
I put on about three pounds over Christmas but when I was weighed yesterday I had lost a pound and a half. I want to keep my weight down to about 10 st 6lb, so I need to lose another 5lbs over the next month.
Saturday, 19 January 2008
19th January
Yesterday was such a very sad day. Lucy and I attended the funeral of Dr David Hudson the former headmaster of our local comprehensive school, who died of advanced bowel cancer. Before the funeral I knew that he was an exceptional man in every way. He was highly professional, enigmatic, very creative and obviously had great affection for his students. But after all the comments and accolades that were made during the funeral it became even clearer what a unique man he was and so how sad his premature death is for his family, his school and all who knew him. Not many men are as multi-talented as Dr Hudson. To be able to lead the staff of his school in the professional and very able way that he did whilst still exercising an excellent sense of humour and a delight in surprising his students during assemblies with all sorts of technical wizardry, speaks of an exceptionally gifted man.
During the 10 years that our church used the school as a meeting place I always found Dr Hudson to be helpful, accommodating and courteous. He was also always up for a chat about education, his students, our church and whatever else was topical at the time.
Despite the "Boss's order that his successor should make us all laugh during his funeral service, which his skillful anecdotes succeeded in doing, and despite being told by the hospice chaplain that Dr Hudson had "ordered" the chaplain to pray for him a few days before he had died, despite all of this and the fact that he had no regrets over his life, including developing the cancer which had prompted such kindness and care from so many people, despite all of this and more, there was an overwhelming sense of awful loss and sadness. It certainly overwhelmed me as it has done more frequently in recent funerals attended by myself. Perhaps as you get older you become more aware of your own frailty and mortality; perhaps the immensity of the loss of a gifted or loved individual becomes more important as the years pass; perhaps the lack of the truly great and good invites deeper mourning and pain when one such individual leaves this world; perhaps there is regret that all that I know now about this man I didn't know and enjoy earlier when he was with us.
It seems that this man of enormous ability and intellect had a simple belief in God, and therein lies our hope and even joy which eventually overcomes even the most painful of experiences.
During the 10 years that our church used the school as a meeting place I always found Dr Hudson to be helpful, accommodating and courteous. He was also always up for a chat about education, his students, our church and whatever else was topical at the time.
Despite the "Boss's order that his successor should make us all laugh during his funeral service, which his skillful anecdotes succeeded in doing, and despite being told by the hospice chaplain that Dr Hudson had "ordered" the chaplain to pray for him a few days before he had died, despite all of this and the fact that he had no regrets over his life, including developing the cancer which had prompted such kindness and care from so many people, despite all of this and more, there was an overwhelming sense of awful loss and sadness. It certainly overwhelmed me as it has done more frequently in recent funerals attended by myself. Perhaps as you get older you become more aware of your own frailty and mortality; perhaps the immensity of the loss of a gifted or loved individual becomes more important as the years pass; perhaps the lack of the truly great and good invites deeper mourning and pain when one such individual leaves this world; perhaps there is regret that all that I know now about this man I didn't know and enjoy earlier when he was with us.
It seems that this man of enormous ability and intellect had a simple belief in God, and therein lies our hope and even joy which eventually overcomes even the most painful of experiences.
Saturday, 12 January 2008
12th January
On Saturday's Mary is out at work until 1.00am and Lucy is at work all day. This means I have the morning alone, I have to entertain myself, find something to do which I will not view as a wasted opportunity when my time of solitude comes to an end. Over the last month I have begun to get into the habit of taking Mary and Lucy to work for 8.00am and then driving on to the gym for an hours workout. This I did this morning and managed to run on the treadmill for 50 mins; 10 minutes longer than I have run for over ten years at least. Throughout the rest of the day I have felt slightly tired but in a nice healthy sort of way. As the weather starts to improve I will take the bicycle out into the Dales for a morning's ride and I might even try and get to an indoor ski slope and take some ski lessons.
Last Wednesday Mary and I, fed up of not getting in our weekly walk in the Dales because of threatening weather forecasts which usually come to nothing, decided to ignore the threat of unsettled weather and head for a quick sprint up Pen Y Ghent, one of the Yorkshire Three Peaks. I said a quick sprint because I know we can get to the top in an hour and back down in 40 minutes. On the journey to the mountain we had one or two hail storms but they were very short lived as were the gentle hailstorms on our walk up to the summit of the mountain. However as we approached the ridge, just about 15 minutes of climbing below the summit, all hell broke loose and we had to take shelter behind a dry stone wall from what I have described as some of the worst weather I have ever encountered anywhere. The wind was far greater than gale force and the hail flowed over the wall like a river. We sheltered behind the wall thinking that something that ferocious would soon blow itself out, but it didn't. The wind was screaming and we knew we couldn't have climbed even the few hundred feet to the summit so after ten minutes we decided that we needed to try and get down and climbed the wall following the track back down. After having walked for about 200 metres the storm started to calm down and walking became easier. Over the last 30 years I have walked and climbed in all sorts of weather in Snowdonia and the Lakes and am fully aware of how quickly the weather can change, but I have never seen it change that quickly or ferociously with such dramatic effect.
Ironically, just before we started the climb we had been parked in the car park and next to us was a car with "Mountain Rescue" sticker on its windscreen. I asked the driver if they had many call outs this winter and we got talking. His parting comments were, "Take care up there, you don't want to be seeing me again too soon."
Monday, 7 January 2008
7th January 2008
Christmas and the New Year came and went and all very nice it was. We had lots of time with our family even managing a first sleep over in Huddersfield with Dan, Kim and Dominic, who is walking now. Another first was to be entertained to lunch by Owen and Kim on December 30th. We have had a fairly good time during 2007. A wedding, a birth, a visit to Kenya and India; life certainly hasn't been dull. The church has grown slightly over the last twelve months and feels quite healthy at the moment. Our last Sunday morning service was one of the best attended we have ever had - approximately 130 people. We are still waiting for the tipping point to be reached which may happen this year. Family wise I am not sure what is going to happen in 2008. Nobody other than Mary's niece, Katherine, is getting married this year. I am not aware of any births in the near future, but who knows what may be announced in the coming months. I may pay another visit to India in the Autumn and I am trying to sort out a holiday in the French Alps or Jura for Mary and me in the summer.
The weather is not quite as cold as it has been over the last few days but there is the constant threat / promise of snow, so I may try and get to Snowdonia over the next week or so if there is going to be a good covering. I am still enjoying running at the gym and have upped my running time to 40 minutes on a regular basis. I am still managing to cycle to work on a fairly regular basis but strong winds and wet cold weather have been a bit of a discouragement over the last week.
I rarely make New Year Resolutions but I would like to see / do the following in 2008
- Move the church on to a place where we are expereincing some rapid, ongoing growth.
- Maintain and improve my fitness levels
- Take my weight down from 10st 12lbs to about 10st 5lbs
- Take a holiday in the French Alps / Jura this summer
- Complete some long cycle and motorbike rides in the UK and possible in France
- Run a half marathon
The weather is not quite as cold as it has been over the last few days but there is the constant threat / promise of snow, so I may try and get to Snowdonia over the next week or so if there is going to be a good covering. I am still enjoying running at the gym and have upped my running time to 40 minutes on a regular basis. I am still managing to cycle to work on a fairly regular basis but strong winds and wet cold weather have been a bit of a discouragement over the last week.
I rarely make New Year Resolutions but I would like to see / do the following in 2008
- Move the church on to a place where we are expereincing some rapid, ongoing growth.
- Maintain and improve my fitness levels
- Take my weight down from 10st 12lbs to about 10st 5lbs
- Take a holiday in the French Alps / Jura this summer
- Complete some long cycle and motorbike rides in the UK and possible in France
- Run a half marathon
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