Thursday, Natalie's riding lesson on Prince!

Again all up by 0900 and a relaxing morning with showers until about 1115 when off to get cash and shopping, then St. Leonards Riding School.

Natalie hanging on to every word that Michaela is saying and to Prince!

Rise and fall in trot, doing well!

Nearing the end of the lesson and it seems that Natalie is a natural just like her mother!

Well I think it is true to say that Natalie took to horse riding like a duck to water. She listened very intently to Michaela and it seemed to be almost natural to follow each instruction when given. I think that it was a most enjoyable time......

Back home for lunch of sandwich and cream teas,

Of course being in Devon they had it the Devon way!

 Then a relax before going to town on a wild goose chase for impetigo on Natalie's leg that turned out to be a insect bite! Popped in to see Sue and Lainie while we were in town then home for curry for tea!

At the end of the day the final part of Harry Potter, The Deathly Hallows Part 2. The first time either Louise or Natalie have seen it

Wednesday, lunch for 6.

All up by 0900, yes even Natalie!
Stella and Lainie arrived about 1100 and then we were all gathered.
Sue had a very busy morning with the cooking doing pork and chicken, so of course it was also her wonderful home made stuffing and bread sauce!!! Lovely grub!

Such a hard working chef, thank you Sue, Mum, Nannie and Nanna Sue.

Louise and Natalie ready to get stuck in!

The same can be said for Stella and Lainie!

After lunch it was a quiet afternoon before tea and Stella, Lainie and Sue departed back to Stella's as she is working for the next 3 days but I think we all had a nice time.
The 3 of us that remained had a Harry Potter evening watching The Deathly Hallows part 1, part 2 this evening!

Our visit to Hayle.

Those on trip, myself, Sue, Louise and Natalie.

We set off about 0930 for Hayle and had a very uneventful trip arriving there at 1055. One of the main reasons for the visit was so that Louise could visit an old friend Gina and we arrived at her house around 1115 after a visit to the bank. Sue and I went in for coffee and I realized it was the first time that Sue had ever met Gina so it must be at least 20 years since I have seen her, the only real thing to have changed about her was her hair colour! It was 3 years since they had met up themselves.

Louise and Gina

Leaving Louise and Natalie at Gina's we went off to do the things we needed to do, such as ordering a dozen frozen pasties and Sue needed to go to the bank and then lunch was required. Sue and I went to a fish and chip shop, very expensive but nice, £19.80p.
After lunch we tried first to park near the beach at Gwithian which turned out to be a waste of time as no room so we then went off to look at the lighthouse where we were luckier. We found a very nice parking space where I could wander off and Sue could see all the area from the car as the pain in her knees were not good!

Gwithian lighthouse

One addition to the island, if you look carefully, is solar panels to the left of the lighthouse. It was quite a windy day and the birds seemed to be just hovering in the wind making it incredibly easy to photograph!

We stayed here until we really had to leave about 1615 as we then had to go and collect the pasties by 1700 and also have something to eat before going to collect Louise and Natalie.
We then went back to pick them up and make our way home. Lou was not hungry but Natalie was and so we stopped at McDonalds for a happy meal for her, then it was calling in at Tesco and the Co-op before arriving home about 1930. I think a good day was had by all?

Showing solar panels better

The visit of Louise and Natalie

Louise and Natalie are visiting from 26th August until 2nd September and I picked them up at Bodmin on Sunday evening, the coach driver dropped them about a quarter mile before the stop so had to go find them.
The journey was about 11 hours from door to door and must have been tiring as Lou was in bed at 2130....
Will be posting during the coming week events as they occur.
Nothing to report today except it has hardly stopped raining all day and we have had 0.93 inches (23mm in foreign) of rain in the last 24 hours!

Church news magazine

This is what I spend hours each month doing, editing a 4 page monthly news pamphlet of which this is the front page!

St Josephs School, Launceston

Church News

September 2012

Morning Worship: 10.30am

With Crèche and Children’s Church

Welcome to Launceston Community Church.

If you are new here or just visiting the area, please feel free to stay and have tea or coffee with us afterwards.

If you would like to know more about us, please speak to Mervyn or Henry.

Contact:  Mervyn and Rachel Bate 01566 781429 mervyn.rachel@talk21.com

Or

Henry and Ali Bailey 01288 381605  bailey61@tiscali.co.uk

Regular Meetings

Freedom in Christ Housegroup meets Mondays at Chris and Jayne Biddle’s Home, Spring Meadow, Roydon Rd. Launceston at 7:30pm

Thursday House Group meets at Mervyn and Rachel’s home, Splatt Farm, Tresmeer at 8:00pm

Ladies Fellowship: Wed 12^th Sept meeting at Di Cray’s home at 10:30am

 re:CHARGE Youth Night   Sunday 18^th Sept meeting at Trethorne Leisure Farm at 7pm. Soul Survivor sharing evening.

Young Adults meet twice a month, various evenings, see Cassandra Bosdet for Details.

September Guest Speakers

2^nd  September - Trudi Clements from Philippines/Plymouth

9^th September –  Chris and Nikki Uglow from Oriel Ministries  (L.E.D) will be speaking during the service about their Schools Work.

23^rd September - Aaron Chaudrary from County Durham

30^th September -  Nigel Williams (Anode) from Riviera Church, Torquay

Orchids, I love them!

Just a few pictures I took this evening of the orchids I have in flower at the moment,

3 in flower all of these are Moth Orchids (Phalaenopsis)

This one has 24 flowers and masses of buds

Soul Survivor, Trip Three, Just Call Me Tired! Also Plymouth.

Well 1100 on Tuesday the 21st it was off to pick up from the Bath and West Showground again but this time from the slightly older ones at Momentum!
I stopped at "On The Run" for my usual Costa coffee and then on to Cartgate for a lovely curry and rice for lunch.

I arrived at Momentum at around the arranged time of 1400. I also had an extra by the name of Seb to bring back with me, quite an individual character who wanted to stop for a burger on the way so we called at Route 303 which seemed to suit him.
Lucy and the others there gave me a Journal and pen and a card signed by them all there, which was unexpected and very nice. One thing that was strange was what Seb had added, I assume he expected no one to know West Indian slang (I presume the ones there did not) as he had called me a quite an insulting and obscene thing in the card! I, having never spoken to him before, do not understand why? Anyway I dropped him by the dry cleaners in town with no word of thanks and then went on to Splatt to drop the rest of my cargo before returning to Stella's to see Sue and Lainie and to get some well earned tea.

After tea it was then off to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth to pick up Stella who had been in for her final check and removal of the stent, and praise God for the first time in being admitted there everything went well and she came home with no after effects and went back to work today the 22nd!

Back to the Dentist AGAIN!!!!!

Well I thought that was it, see the post for the 4th August?
Slowly the pain got worse again until I had to phone the dentist to get it checked out as the pain had got so bad!
It appears that an infection under the tooth was not properly dealt with and some bone was exposed at the time of extraction. I am back on antibiotics and hoping that that will be the end of the matter, I am not alas holding my breath!!

Soul Survivor, trip two, Just call me rusty!

Set out at 1400 yesterday to go and pick up the ones that were delivered on Sunday, a lot more uneventful journey and arrived at 1615 and got the white pass £5.00 to see me through.
Most of the packing up was done in the dry, then when we were folding the last tent it started to rain and rain, then it rained some more hence the quip about calling me rusty!

The convoy ready to leave showing the church minibus on the left

We left about 2150 and had a very wet trip home with the wipers on the minibus packing up around Okehampton, arriving back at tesco about 0020 and getting home just about 0100.

Liz and family at Wadebridge

We had a day out today to Wadebridge to meet Elizabeth, Brendan, Alice and Emily Ricketts and of course Nina the dog.
We met them at Tesco as they did not know anywhere in the town itself. They then followed us into town where we had lovely coffee.

Liz, Emily, Alice and Brendan enjoying a drink

We then went on to have a wander around this lovely town before going to a Pub called The Falcon on the edge of town by Tesco for a lovely meal and saying farewell. A very enjoyable day all round.

Soul Survivor, trip one. Just call me rosy?

Had an early breakfast of bacon and mushroom roll, then off at 0840 to fill up with fuel and air before going to Splatt Farm for the trailer, (2 bulb change) then off to St. Josephs for the rest of the luggage etc. before setting off with Harry at about 1020.
Stopped for coffee at Costa "On the run" then only a small hold up with a broken down car just before Exeter. All went well until we got to Ham Hill and part way down it we hit a tail back, it took us about 30 minutes to get to the first turn off and we managed to get around it without much trouble and only 3 or 4 extra miles on the clock, Stopped for a snack on the outskirts of Ilminster and arrived at the Bath and West Showground about 1330.
Merv was already there and informed us that the mini bus was going to be some time as it was stuck in the traffic we had and NOT turned off as we did.
Well we got stuck into it and had a few tents up before they got there as Naomi and Stuart had arrived as well. By this time Harry had vanished without a word so we were short but at 1500ish when the mini bus got there things soon moved as "many hands make light work" don't they mum, ha ha!

A really sunny day (hint)

Well I eventually got away about 1610 and went back as far as Cartgate on the outskirts of Yeovil to eat. I had Cottage Pie and veg (£5.95) so just about got my 5 in for a change with the apple as well! Mind you I never ate the peas as they were like bullets. Would have liked them when I was a child because they would have been great with a big holed cow parsley as pea shooters.

My meal and now just a couple of photos to finish, these were taken by Naomi and myself.

Above is Amy and Josh at nosebag time. Picture taken by Naomi.


Left is Naomi and Merv getting hammered? Picture taken by me













So now why the "Call me rosy?"

Well if you had not guessed by the hints, it was a warmer day than I gave it credit for and failed to put on a hat or sunscreen so my head is extremely red!

Seeing the Family at Barnstaple

Those present: Glyn and Susan Cotterill. Sharon, Peter, Danielle, Alex, Sid and Joyce Howe.

Well Sue was not too well as on previous post so did not get away until after 1000 when she was feeling a little better...

Well straight to Crafty Devils and that perked her up no end ha ha!

We went from there straight into the town and went to find the eatery below, Sue in the meantime had started feeling considerably better!

Honeymoon Chinese Restaurant 

3, The Strand

Barnstaple

Devon       

EX31 1EU

Telephone: 01271 325 198 and 01271 329 800            

 "Buffet £6.50p per person"

What can I say about this place except WOW!!! if ever you are in Barnstaple and it is nosebag time you could certainly do far worse than visit the above at lunch time. They do a buffet, eat as much as you like for £6.50p a head and all I can say is that the variety and menu was fantastic and highly recommended by all 8 of us!

Seeing Danielle and Alex again after 3 long years was a bit of a shock as they had grown so much but were both such a pleasure to be around and a real credit to their parents!

Alex (10) and Danielle (15)

We also met Peter's parents Sid and Joyce who also were also good company. 

From there it was around town for a couple of things then back to their hotel for a drink and a natter before returning home.

Altogether a very enjoyable day especially as Sue by the afternoon was so much better, tired but better, hallelujah!

Disappointment?

Well what IS going on? 

I have been looking forward to this day for so long, seeing Sharon, Pete, Danielle and Alex and having a lovely meal with them.

Let me say from the offset that I know it is NOT Sue's fault, she cannot help being ill it just seems that every time I am really looking forward to something lately something happens to mar it!

It all started last evening when Sue and Stella went to the Ladies evening meal, all went well until they were leaving and Sue started to feel unwell. By the time they had gone to leave the car park Sue was vomiting and continued to do so for some time! It could not have been the food as Stella had exactly the same as Sue. Well to cut a long story short she has hardly been to bed all night and is not in the best of health this morning.

I will be going but it remains to be seen what is happening with Sue?

Also ole nick I am afraid as usual is on a loser, I will not let him get me down, he seems to be doing his best of late but as long as I realize that and do not let him he has lost!!!

Will update with the outcome later?

A Busy 2 weeks Coming up!

Well it is that time of year again when the young people from church go to the Bath and West Showground at Shepton Mallet for Soul Survivor and Momentum! Woohoo!

This is how the two weeks pan out for Sue and I, we do at least have one or two relaxing days but then there is the gardening and the chores?

Thurs 9th Kernow House for Glyn 1430, 1830 LCC ladies meeting meal at Bude for Sue and Stella, so Glyn is baby sitting Lainie.

Friday 10th Off to Barnstaple for the day, Shopping for Sue and then Meeting Sharon, Peter, Danielle, Alex and Peters parents for a meal as they are down for a wedding Saturday.

Saturday 11th, I think we will be resting for the day?

Sunday 12th, I have to empty the car out, fill up with Fuel and do the Oil, water and tyres and be at Splatt to pick up a trailer by 0930. Then back to meet with the rest at St. Josephs School for 1000 to go off to Soul Survivor, then take the day as it comes but at least I know the next stop is for a Costa coffee at "On the run" which will give others a chance to get there before me, easier to find where they are camping and easier to get away as well.

Monday 13th is a rest day, but as chores to be done here not very likely!

Tuesday 14th we are off to Wadebridge to meet Elizabeth and family for the day and this is another that depends on the weather so will take as it comes!

Wednesday 15th another chores day, or rest?

Thursday 16th off back up to Soul Survivor to pick up so a late night, will hope to be home by 0100?

Fri 17th and Sat 18th Recovery time and chores as early start tomorrow!

Sunday 19th to Tuesday 21st. Off Sunday at about 0630 as need to be in Holt (Wilts) by 1030 for church with Jennie and Mark. That is the only thing that as far as I know is arranged except that we are staying at Mikes in Coleford for 2 nights and I am picking up from Momentum on Tuesday afternoon (about 1430ish) then back home for a well earned rest, or more chores ha ha!!
Do not know yet whether this is going to be both of us or just me as that all depends on Stella and if she is working!

Will keep you updated as we go lol

Test Results, still waiting?

How long does it take to get results for tests? I have been waiting for a week now and still not back, how much longer???? Getting frustrated now!
Will have to do this more often as they have come back today and all clear so will have to look again?

Stella is going back perhaps?

The doctor has told Stella that she can go back to work on Monday 13th August provided she is phased back in slowly?

The End (tooth)

Well that is the end of the saga of the tooth! No pain, whoop!!!

Tooth is on the mend and Damned!

There is a real improvement on my tooth, or lack of it? The gum is still very sore as you would expect it to be but at least it is only discomfort this morning (a 3) whereas last evening it was real pain (a 8). Woke at 0500 with it but there again I was in bed just after 2130!

To All Men Out There (and sympathetic ladies)!

(If there is such a species as sympathetic woman?)



There is one thing that for many years has puzzled me? I may even have voiced it before and if I have I make no apology for doing so again....

I call it damned if you do and damned if you don't!

Why do the female of the species want you to tell them if you are ill? When you do one of 2 things occur, 1) they take very little or no notice! 2) they moan that you are always whinging on that you are ill! 

My answer to this in the past has been to keep quiet and not let on when there is something wrong with me, and guess what even that is wrong. I then get told "if you are taken ill how do you think I would feel not knowing that you were bad".

So what is the right thing to do?

So come on lets have some answers in the comments section please?

Finished off the day watching the Olympics and enjoying them with Sue, also put in some long long phone calls to a friend of mine who is in need of love, comfort and prayer. Will be doing lots of that for her.....

Goodbye tooth!

Well today is the day when at long last I will hopefully be getting rid of the troublesome lower back tooth on the left side, it has been giving me some stick on and off for some years now, so at long last it will be good riddance to bad rubbish!!!
I was not away too long and came back with one tooth less than I went with. Into the surgery on time (1120) and out inside 15 minutes, mind you he used so much anaesthetic I asked how many days he was planning it to stay numb? He said it would be needed as the roots were very long, when I saw it out I must admit to agreeing with him! It was apparently one of my wisdom teeth!
The dentist did say that there may be a little pain when the life came back into it, he was not kidding there either, I do not know which was worse, the toothache or the extraction? It has been giving me real gip all day since reawakening. So much so that I am now off to bed for an early night (2130) in the hope that there wil be a vast improvement by morning?!!! Watch this space?

New pup and kits, News from Dea?

Went over with Sue, Stella and Lainie to Splatt for coffee with Rachel and Mervyn this morning.

They have a new border collie pup just over 7 weeks old which is to be trained as a sheep dog, and some kits (young rabbits) of 2 weeks to keep everyone smiling, even in the rain!!

Denise rang me today with some news that gladdened my heart! Ring me for more as banned from putting it on here!

Lainie's 8th birthday

Well today is Lainie's birthday, she has been so excited for so long that we were all willing it to come quicker!!
Stella could not get her to sleep until gone 2300 last night and she was awake at 0630 this morning. we were there to pick them up at 1200 and took them to Homeleigh Garden Centre for lunch as a quick stand in due to the weather, the original plan was to go to either Widemouth Bay or Roadford Lake for a picnic lunch but alas true to form for July this year we had to change the plans due to rain!
We were a little early and so had a drink before our lunch and ice cream for afters. We were a little surprised by the quality and taste of the ice cream, it was superb! and well worth the price of £1.60 for 2 scoops!!!


Lainie very much enjoying her strawberry ice cream.

We then from there went home to St. Giles to take some shopping back and pick up binoculars before going on to Roadford Lake for a wander to try and wear Lainie out. What a waste of time that was she wore us out as usual haha! It was then back to the bungalow for tea and then home to Launceston for Stella and Lainie.

One thing I think this day has shown to me is just how weak Stella still is and unless she starts to build her strength up by doing something other than sitting around feeling sorry for herself it is going to stay that way. She talks about going back to work next week, it is not going to happen, well certainly not at this rate!!!!

Oh and for anyone interested I finished the antibiotics today and my tooth has improved, at least I am not taking so many pain killers. It is tender to the touch but bearable. Still only have to last until Thursday and it is history!!

Blasted tooth part 3!

I have skipped a day as it has been so delightful having my wonderful wife back home, I have been revelling in her company and enjoying every minute of it, so now to come back to reality! (I know I am such a creep). Mind you we know she is back because the internet is playing up again lol.

My blasted tooth? I was under the impression (correct me if I am wrong) that anti-biotics makes things better!!! Why then has my tooth got more tender and more painful since I started taking them on Tuesday evening!!! Is it that there is so much crap in my system that it has to get worse before it gets better? Well I suppose it is only fair to say that only time will tell. As long as it is OK by the 2nd August because the girl at the dentist true to her word fitted me in with a cancellation! I had rang to cancel the 10th because I had forgotten we were meeting Sharon and her family for a meal as they are at Barnstaple for a wedding on the 11th.

We have to wait in for the post today as my wonderful wife has bought me an early birthday/Christmas present. a 10.1" Tablet pc. I know I am only an old sod getting to grips with new technology but they are so handy and can be linked to a wifi etc. to get you online anywhere and are a lot cheaper than a laptop. I did have a 7" real cheap one but it only lasted about 6 or 8 hours as butter fingers here dropped it onto a pavement and it sadly died. Sue in her wisdom and loveliness thought it was something I really needed so has bought me this! Will upload a picture at a later date as picture uploader playing silly devils and refusing to do what it says on the tin?

Just heard from Stella and she sounds so much better today, so pleased to hear her almost her old self!

Blasted tooth part 2!

Tooth had me awake for long periods of time again last night, will be so happy when the penicillin kicks in! Also up early again and seems to have got worse again towards evening.

Had a busy day on the mag and only waiting to hear from Di S and it will be ready to print.

A little angry with Stella today as she was supposed to go to sort out her Housing Benefit and Council Tax but all she could do was sleep apparrently!!!

Another scorcher of a day so sat outside in the shade for most of the afternoon and drank and drank!

It is now 2050 and just cool enough to be comfortable!

Blasted tooth

Well I had one heck of a night due to tooth ache, finally got up at 10 to 5, So glad I have a dental appointment for this afternoon at 1640!
Well dentist says I have an abscess under it and I have 2 choices, a root canal job and crown or wait for abscess to go and have it out? He preferred the former and I preferred the latter, obviously I won!
Start a course of anti-biotics tonight for 7 days and then back on the 10th August to have it out. The 10th is the earliest they could fit me in so lets hope for a cancellation?
Then to Stella's for evening meal with them and home to relax as much as I can in this heat.
The outside temp is at last dropping now and is down to 24.2 degrees but inside where I have been out and it has been closed up it is 27.7 so now the window and door is open hopefully will drop. Been rather uncomfortable as the humidity is rising so getting closer!
Now then what to do tomorrow?
As the church what's on mag comes out Sunday I had better get as much of that sorted as possible. Not going to be able to finish it though as still waiting on GAAF news etc.

Stella returns home and H/G BBQ

This morning Stella returned to her own home to settle in hopefully soon, then I can have Sue back with me again, they left the washing up for the family dishwasher of course, and yes I am only Joking (maybe).

Rang the dentist to get appointment for aching tooth, managed to get one for 1640 tomorrow, result!! All I will have to do now is try to work my food around it? oops!!

I came back home and did a few chores and then it got too hot so had a shower, relaxed then before the house group BBQ this evening. Unfortunately that heralds the end of the House group for the summer break. Starts again in September and probably on another evening? Have to wait and see what develops on that one......

Chris, our chef for the evening and a wonderful one at that!

Sue and Ali enjoying the evening

L to R. Mike, Sue, Rachel and Naomi doing what ladies do best with Mike listening!

Lydia left and Amy right striking a pose with father Mike rather amused.

There was a very interesting end to the evening as Chris and Jayne have several hundred bats roost in their house. As they were leaving a Sparrow hawk appeared and took a bat on the wing, it seemed to come back for a second but I am not so sure it was the same bird came the second time, it appeared to be quite a bit smaller than the first and also a lot more streamlined?
I have a feeling it was either a Hobby or a Merlin that took the second one?
It is such a shame that by this time it was so dark that you could only see the outlines of the birds!
There is one thing that is absolutely certain and that is that it was definitely NOT A PIGEON as thought by one of our party, not mentioning any names Amy!

Sunday, the day of rest?

They say Sunday is the day of rest, today I do not think so but it is all so enjoyable that who minds?

1030 Church, good Spirit filled service with Henry Bailey giving the word.

1500 Church Summer Family Party http://www.launcestoncommunitychurch.co.uk/
A fun filled event with Sumo suits, Puppets, Cream teas, Ice creams, Bouncy castle, Face painting, etc.

left: Jayne doing a paint job on Rosemary's cheek






Right is a general view of some of the entertainment

Left the Sumo Suits





The weather was fantastic and any proceeds made went to GAAF.

Well time to start packing up

1830 2-4-5 at Central was a fantastic time of worship and Lydia Ellicott was on the couch,the word came from Colosans 1 and was given by Jonny Libby.

Stella's homecoming!

Well we have heard that Stella is definitely coming home today, will post details as and when I have them!!

Update 0930 is that Stella should be ready to be released at 1400 if all the paperwork is done by then, well I will be there by then if it is?

Update 1230, early lunch then off for 1400 pickup as not heard any more.

Update 1800, Back at ours at 1740 as got away from the hospital eventually at 1645, waiting for the pharmacy to send medication, well they only had the prescription at 1100. They say that they are a law unto themselves!!!

Now being dispatched for a Chinese take-away and have to pick up in Launceston at 1830 then I can kick my shoes off for the evening, woohoo!!!

Well I still get to do the washing up!! no change there then lol
Strange how the washing up works in this house, if Sue gets the dinner I wash up, If I get it I wash up, something does not seem quite right there and Sue wonders why I say that I am the family dishwasher haha!

Getting ever closer!

What is getting ever closer?

The day Stella comes out of hospital and I can have my wife back!!

So the Stella marathon continues, today she had the last of the drains out and has been told that providing everything is OK she can go home 24 hours after they have come out? That will be about 1530 tomorrow so I will hopefully be there ready and waiting. Then we have to decide, does she come home to her maisonette or to our bungalow? I do not think I am going to become involved in that one, I am just going to let the two of them decide because as I said at the top, I do not give a shit as long as I get my wife back sometime soon!!!!

Apart from going to see Stella and having a KFC for tea when I left, very little else has happened today! Lainie is still in quarantine and Sue is still at Stella's.

Now 2100 listening to worship music and trying to reload the original Audacity sound editing software because the download of the updated version has something that means the record level cannot be adjusted low enough!

Normal Thursday up to now?

Normal Thursday that is except I do not have my very beloved wife here with me.. Oh I do love her so much and am missing her tremendously!

Things may change but been very quiet so far!

The smell coming from the kitchen is so tantalising, bara brith for the housegroup BBQ this evening, although I do believe it has been changed to a Pot Luck Supper due to the weather and the ground being saturated. Well I never actually got there, had a short time of prayer before going and God said not to and to go and see my wife, so glad I did as really missed her and she is missing me so much now as well, I bought us a chinese take away and we spent a very enjoyable evening together. I now have nearly a whole bara brith in the bread bin but hope they can use it on the fun day Sunday.

About the weather? we so far this month have had 3 times the normal rainfall for July. We have been out to Roadford Lake a couple of times over the past weeks and seen it go from very low a few months ago to very full and near to overflowing the sluice, that tells us the state of it?
The point of all this about the weather is that summer seems to be arriving at last!!! It is a beautiful day out there!!!!

Having to wait in for a phone call from the doctor to moan at me again, I presume about my blood sugar levels. Told her to ring by 1300 as do not know what is happening about Derriford and Stella today, she can ring any time, not worried as I will as usual take very little notice and just put my insulin up a couple of increments and forget about it until the next blood test in September, at Peninsula where I do the clinical trial..... Well doctor rang but too late and I was right. Put insulin up tonight and hope for the best.

Looks like Stella is coming out tomorrow so not gone in to see her today. If she is home tomorrow lets hope Sue will be home soon. Can't wait!!!

Poxy Chickens and Camille

It seems Lainie definitely has chickenpox and is infectious until next Monday or Tuesday.

Latest on Stella is that she is getting a scan and having the drains out today or tomorrow and will be released from hospital either tomorrow or Friday, seems we are turning a corner woohoo!!!!

I can only say that rejection of the enemy and positive prayer are paying dividends, praise God

On the way home from town there was a lot of traffic due to a couple of accidents around the castle so was forced to call in the chippy on Newport Ind. Estate and get an OAP special, cod, chips and mushy peas. Absolutely gorgeous except as usual there were about 3 times as many chips as I could eat!! Sorry Sue but had no choice. Love you.

Over the past few days I have received both a picture and a letter from Camille our sponsored child with Compassion. He lives in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in Africa.
It is thrilling to hear from him and I shall be writing back to him very shortly, if not today it will be in the next week.
Usually we are sort of a letter adrift, he has just answered the last but one I sent so it is like a delayed reaction.
My he has certainly grown in the last 3 years that I have been sponsoring him. He was 7 on the 11th May

Change of title

I have today changed the name of this blog to Glyn Cotterill's Blog primarily because I no longer get input from any other source!

Well it is still pouring!

The latest on the rain to hit our family is that it is still pouring!

Due to Sue and Lainie being in isolation I have had to run a few errands in town before I went to Plymouth to visit Stella.
On that front Stella appears to be considerably improved since I last saw her on Saturday.
I slipped and gave my knee one hell of a crack on the pavement outside Boots in Launceston, did not seem to hurt too much when it first happened, just seemed to shake me up a bit? Since then the pain has increased in intensity. There really is going to be one heck of a bruise there.
All these things are sent to try us they say?

Jennie Jones!

The visit of Jennie Jones to St. Giles-on-the-Heath.

Well now to coincide with Stella coming out of hospital we had a visit from a rather special young lady who can only be described as a real character and a lovely person all round. Do you get the impression that she made an impression?

Unfortunately Sue was looking after Stella & Lainie so Jen has to come back at a later date so that Sue can get to know her properly as well!

I had a bit of a problem really as how does a 63 year old man entertain a 22 year old young lady, well it turned out to be incredibly easy, we just seemed to hit it off as friends, we have, it seems, quite a lot in common, mainly Christian interests and also she does alot of charity work that involves handicapped (disabled sorry) children and swimming. eg, Bath Swim Therapy http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bath-Swim-Therapy/288977751128305 which seems incredably interesting and time absorbing.

Saturday morning Jennie went to see a friend who lives very near us at Whitstone.

We had a couple of trips out on the Saturday one to Roadford Lake for a walk and coffee, also we went to Bude and found a very interesting cove called Duckpool.

Jennie at Bude

On Sunday we went to church and had Lainie for the afternoon to give Sue a break and so that she could play on her trampoline here.(Lainie that is, not Sue hehe)

Jennie was supposed to return home to Melksham after lunch on Sunday but had mislaid her car tax! not that she is scatter brained or anything? so had to call in Exeter dvla on the way home to get another which delayed her departure until Monday.

Jennie also has a blog and here is the link:  http://thelifeofjenniejones.blogspot.co.uk/

I do so hope that Jennie enjoyed her visit and will return again soon, perhaps as part of her convalescence due to a recent injury, but not until Sue returns home! (see previous post)

It never rains

They say it never rains but it pours!

Well over the past few weeks I am starting to believe this more and more and today it just got worse?
Where to start, well the beginning is I suppose the best place, so lets go back about 8 weeks or more when Stella had some quite severe pain which turned out to be gall stones. 3 weeks ago today she had another attack and 2 days later went into hospital for an op (keyhole) to have her gall bladder removed.
You would have thought that after a short period of recovery that would be the end of the matter? WRONG!!! If something could go wrong it seems it has!
Firstly when she came out of hospital there seemed to be an inordinate amount of pain which increased considerably over the following days until the doctor was called and they said it was a "water infection" and gave her anti-biotics and told her to drink more!
Well as time went on the pain did not get any less but seemed to intensify, so Sue called the doctor again who, with their usual aplomb, just spoke to Stella over the phone and told her if it did not improve to call again the following day???
It did not improve so the doctor was called the following day, he was due to come out to see her but due to the intense pain Stella was in at this time an ambulance was summoned before he arrive and the crew rather reluctantly took her back to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth!
Well that was 12 days ago and Stella is still there, she was very ill for a few days and for a week or so there seemed to be very little improvement then all of a sudden overnight last Thursday BINGO!!! Friday there was such a noticable difference it was almost unbelievable.
I know that I put it down to 2 things really, (ok folks here is the preachy bit).
 Firstly because of things that had happened within the family unit in the recent past, satan was doing his best to undo all the strides forward that had been made in Christ and we had as a family made and we had actively started praying protection on our family.
Secondly and more importantly Stella had started coming to church and seeking Jesus! Lainie was also thoroughly enjoying Sunday school, so again we started praying against the influences of darkness and for protection over them!
Since then there has been a steady improvement but I will say this for old nick, he does not give up easily?
Last evening Sue told me that Lainie did not seem to be herself and seemed off colour. During the night Lainie was sick all over her bedding, has a fever and is covered in spots. Sue Has rang the doctors and is waiting for a return call and she got one from a nurse, app 1015 tomorrow for confirmation of illness.
We are all as a family and a church praying protection and healing on Stella, Lainie, Sue and myself!
We are all assured of our power over satan and not his power over us, he has none as we have the blood of the Lambs protection, hallelujah!!!

The Birth of Kira-Joy Cotterill

Kira-Joy Cotterill born 26th May 2012

It is with great pleasure that I can announce the arrival at 1124 a Daughter to Richard and Samantha weighing in at 7lb 2oz

19 short years

Do you know it is 19 years since mum died, I know we all still miss her greatly but her wisdom and her sayings are a constant reminder to us all how we want to remember her. Love you still Mum xx

The birth of "Nugget"

Lindy had today at 1201 a boy they have named for now Nugget, he was 8lb 8oz and he and mother are doing just fine I am assured.....

Dates to remember for April 2012

Birthdays!

8th Danielle is 15
13th Andrew Ayling
21st Lee
27th Sarah Jane

These are the only ones I know of! Perhaps you know more? So why have you not let me know lol?

The Funeral of Georgina Catherine Wray 5th April 2012

Went to Derbyshire and arrived on a very snowy Wednesday 4th in preparation for 

   A beautiful poem was written by Emma Ayling, her Aunty as follows.

You are a promise unfulfilled

Our darling, precious, baby girl

Hearts full of what you might have been

A world full of things you should have seen

You are a puzzle left unsolved

A jigsaw piece to make us whole

Those deep brown eyes, that turned-up nose

Hid mysteries we longed to know

All gathered in your watered room

You lived, you heard, you felt, you moved

Not separate but married in

Intimately, safe within

Knitted into kith and kin

Knotted on and grafted in

Floating in your mother's hug

All you ever knew was love

You'll never know the cold of night

Eyes open now to heaven's light

Nor know our hurt or grief's despair

Singing songs of joy now there

But how we want to have you here

How we'd love to hold you near

Babe with beauty on your brow

Carrying you with us now

Though we see the smallest part

We know God keeps you in His heart

Alive in Him, safe up above

All you'll ever know is love

Georgie was buried in a wonderfully beautiful graveyard behind the church with many graves of other children around her.

  After we gathered at The Boat Inn, Cromford for refreshments.

Visit to Ruth 3rd April 2012 (Day 5)

Well it is going home day!
Up as normal and then breakfast, pack the car said our goodbye's and set off about 0930 for home, very uneventful trip and home about 1245.
Overall it was good for me to reacquaint myself with Ruth and enjoyed almost every minute of our time there. Thank you Ruth and so glad to know you xxx

Visit to Ruth 2nd April 2012 (Day4)

We had a quiet day in today except we went to Asda at Melksham to get the ingredients for a curry that Sue is going to cook for Alan as he has gone to work. So guess what? Ruth and Glyn did a lot more talking and not much else until the evening when after we had enjoyed Sue's curry we played Rummykub, do you know I had forgotten what a good game that was. Alan and Sue went to bed early and Glyn and Ruth stayed up to do some more talking before we go home tomorrow!!!
Forgot the time until Alan came and reminded us at 2330!!!!! so it was off to bed..........

Visit to Ruth 1st April 2012 (Day3)

Up as normal and off to church at St Thomas's in Trowbridge and meet up with Mike and Jane Bullock. It was a lovely service but was more than a little disappointed by the welcome (or lack of it) that we received.
After church it was back to Ruth's to have a lovely roast chicken dinner and to meet Jennie and Mark, well Jennie again, mind you the last time I saw her she was about 11 years old, really the only thing I remembered about her was the very cheeky grin which she still has, the only thing she remembered about me was my voice!!!
We had a lovely afternoon and we played a game called Wildlife after tea until quite late, of course we talked while playing.....Jennie and Mark left around 2300 and then it was off to bed!!!

Visit to Ruth 31st March 2012 (Day2)

Slept well after a latish night and had a lazy breakfast then eventually got dressed as Ruth had to take Daisy the guinnea pig to the vets so we went into town to have a wander around the Shires and a Costa then back for a spot of lunch, a lazy talking afternoon then out for dinner at The Bell on the Common at Broughton Gifford. A lovely meal it was as well then dropped Sue back home and Stephanie to a friends in Trowbridge then into the Cricket Club for a further drink. Never stayed too long though as they had a function which I enjoyed but the young ones found little too crowded and noisy haha, the staying power of the young!!!
When we got back, Alan went to bed and guess what the rest of did, TALKED!! until bedtime........

Visit to Ruth 30th March 2012 (Day 1)

To start off with we left here (home) about 0830 to go to Trowbridge to meet Ruth at the Crowing Cock for lunch at 1200, in fact we arrived about 1115 as we had a faultless trip up so met her early as she did not have a fare!
Well the centre of town had hardly changed at all over the years since we were there last and nor had Ruth. From there we had a walk about and then went to the cafe for lunch and I enjoyed proper faggots and peas for the first time in ages and Sue had fish and chips! Alan (Ruth's hubby) turned up as well.
After lunch we wandered about a bit and then visited the old market and some old friends still had stall there, it was nice to see Margaret and Gordon and Sue got lost on Margarets stall who now does crafting bits and pieces. Sue spent so long there that I had to go and move the car as we were about to overstay the 3 hour limit!!!
About 1600 we made our way to Holt to get to see where Ruth lived and where we were staying. It is a lovely house and a really nice garden, with pool...
Around 1700 Stephanie came home, a very pretty and sassy young lady who is 14 and causes all the problems a normal 14 year old causes...
Ruth finished work at 1800 and Alan went to pick her up and she had finished work for 2 weeks...
Well all we did on Friday evening was talk and talk and talk and then talk some more!!!! well we did have a lot to catch up on and it was lovely seeing Ruth again!!!

Dates for Mach 2012

Family Birthdays

31st Nichola will be 41

Georgina Catherine Wray

It is with great sadness that I have to report that Amy and Michael Wray's daughter Georgina Catherine was still born on Friday 16th March 2012.
Our hearts and prayers go out to Amy, Michael, Dea, Andrew and Emma at this time.

How Ruth found Glyn again!

This is Ruth, trying to get a picture of her by herself is a nightmare!!!

I first met Ruth in either late 1990 or early in 1991 when she was working with my then wife Margaret at Airsprung Beds. We met socially with her and her then husband Scott a couple of times at the Anchor and Hope and got on very well. Shortly after Margaret got the sack from there but we kept in contact with Ruth. Well time went on and Ruth left Airsprung and started driving Taxi's. At this time Ruth had a small child Jennie and her marriage was very shaky, as was mine. We found we could talk very easily and got on very well and became very good friends to each other.
Well as time went on I split up with Margaret  and moved to Chichester at weekends and lodged with Ruth, Scott and Jennie during the week, when I was working as a driver for Airsprung and I was away several nights a week.
It was whilst I was staying with Ruth that her Marriage broke up and I moved out and lodged with Phil (my brother) for a while.
Well from there we kept in touch when we saw each other and still got on great.
When Sue and I took the shop in 2000 we sort of lost touch and when I started on facebook a few years ago now I did try to search for her but the stupid girl had got married again and changed her name haha!!
So imagine my surprise when a couple of weeks ago I got a friend invitation from a Ruth Pepler yay! She had apparently driven past the old homestead in Frome Rd and thought "I wonder what happened to Glyn" did a search on Facebook and the rest is history so they say.
We are very much in contact again now and looking forward to the 4 of us getting together at some point in the near future.

Ruth and Alan with their Daughter Steff. Looks like mum?

Dates to remember for February 2012

Birthdays

25th Mike is 66
25th Tony is 57
25th Andy is 42
26th Rob (Rob who?) is 47

Anniversary

22nd Louisa and Kelvin 9 years

Catching up 1

Have been very busy over the past few weeks with the 2012 directory for LCC. Then getting the new news sheet off the ground, first issue out 29th January, now the next one due to be out this coming weekend, up to my eyeballs in that at the moment but can do no more until I get news from GAAF!

Lets go back to the end of January then, Mike and Jane went back on Monday the 23rd to get ready to move as they had heard they now have a 2 bed flat, still in the same complex but number 30 instead of 41 Douglas Yates Court, even the postcode is the same! Well they moved on the 11/12th February, they have the phone ok but as yet are still waiting on BT for the broadband, no surprise there then!!

On the 26th January I gave up smoking, up to now I have gone nearly 4 weeks and my body seems to be rebelling as I have constantly had the runs for all that time, the Dr says it is due to the changes in my metabolism and will settle down eventually. I am giving it until next week and if still the same I am actually going to go to the doctors!!!

Weather wise it has been a right wierd winter, we did get a cold snap for about 3 days and then it warmed up again with the flowers and even the birds even more convinced that spring has arrived.... We have just under half a tank of heating fuel left this year. By this time last year I had had to put a further 500 ltrs in to see us through to the end of the winter. As I say right wierd! There is still time for it to get colder but they are forecasting temperatures of 16 to 18 degrees tomorrow and Friday.

Laziness

Have been so busy but will catch up over the next couple of days
So much news to add

Dates to remember for January 2012

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE
12th Mark is 42
15th Anna is 2
17th Claire is 36
21st Karis is 3
26th Maggie is 67

Mike & Jane's arrival

Well Mike and Jane have arrived in Devon and guess what, it is raining!!! The weather is expected to get better later if the weather forecast is to be believed?
They had a safe journey and it is good to get to know Jane a little better.
Jane seems good for Mike and they get on so well, laughing alot anyway. Sue and I are quite looking forward to the time they are spending here as Mike is so easy to live with and as yet Jane appears to be the same............

Beautiful Sunrise

 The sunrise this morning was just astounding so just had to take a couple of photo's to record it!
What is it they say, "Red sky in the morning, shepherds warning". Does not bode well for Mike & Jane's visit tomorrow! Still they are coming for a few days so you never know it may brighten up?

Another Challenge

Well now that the 2012 church directory has gone to print I have been set another challenge!!!
Rachel asked me last evening if I could produce a monthly church news sheet. I do not exactly know where to start but will do a bit of research on Microsoft word and see what I come up with?
Any suggestions would be most welcome as there must be a template somewhere for this type of product?
Just as another note here we are on the 13th of January and we have actually got our second air frost of the winter!!!