Biodegradable teaspoons are not the best things in the world as this video shows. Just how exactly are you meant to make a cup of tea?!!
Sunday, 17 October 2010
Monday, 6 September 2010
Competative? Me?
Apparently i'm really competative when it comes to games. Me? Really?
I never thought I was but six out of seven people playing cards last
night would argue that I am.
When I was younger it was always my friend Lindsay who was the
competative one and would regulary get worked up over a game
especially if my Dad was sat next to her. He would often hand her a
'plus four' before laying down his final card.
At the Newton residence we regulary play the Set and Series card game
and last night I learnt just how competative I am.
Seven of us were playing which meant that there were more of us
fighting over the discarded un wanted cards. This, in my defence, was
a little fraustrating as you watch the card you need to finish being
snatched by another player. So ok I was a little rough and squealed a
bit during the game but you have to if you have any chance of winning!
I didn't win! :(
I never thought I was but six out of seven people playing cards last
night would argue that I am.
When I was younger it was always my friend Lindsay who was the
competative one and would regulary get worked up over a game
especially if my Dad was sat next to her. He would often hand her a
'plus four' before laying down his final card.
At the Newton residence we regulary play the Set and Series card game
and last night I learnt just how competative I am.
Seven of us were playing which meant that there were more of us
fighting over the discarded un wanted cards. This, in my defence, was
a little fraustrating as you watch the card you need to finish being
snatched by another player. So ok I was a little rough and squealed a
bit during the game but you have to if you have any chance of winning!
I didn't win! :(
Saturday, 31 July 2010
SAFE part 3 - Final festival
And now the end is near and so we face our final curtain. The final festival is upon us. We work so hard all week in rehearsals, building up for this moment which comes all too soon.
It was a brilliant evening. The delegates really did everyone proud. From the beginning with 'A Jubilant Song' to 'The Big Boat' musical, the delegates put their hearts and soul into the festival and really did everyone proud. At the end there was a standing ovation which they truly deserved.
A video of 'A Jubilant Song' can be found at http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=1560154683406&oid=18489442328
It was a brilliant evening. The delegates really did everyone proud. From the beginning with 'A Jubilant Song' to 'The Big Boat' musical, the delegates put their hearts and soul into the festival and really did everyone proud. At the end there was a standing ovation which they truly deserved.
A video of 'A Jubilant Song' can be found at http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=1560154683406&oid=18489442328
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| The choir |
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| The drama |
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| The timbrels |
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| The band |
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| The musical |
SAFE part 2 - The highlights
There is so much I could say and bore you all with but I'll try and keep to the just the highlights.
Sing along a Sister Act
Sing along a Sister Act
Following on from the success of Sing along a ... Sound of Music, Grease and Mama Mia it was time for Sister Act. The real highlight is the fancy dress competition, the film just fills up the time. Those that take part really go to town with their costumes. There were those that cheated (Christine and I were just two) who bought a costume from Amazon. Those that made use of black bin bags and plastic aprons plus lots of sticky tape. Then those who had made their own before hand.
The winner was David (front row, first on the left) whose Mum made him the priest outfit worn in the film. I think the glasses really make it!
Steam museum and Shopping
Not sure if the others would call this a highlight especially the Steam Museum but my delegates loved it. Each year we have a day out and we try to have something different each year but I don't think this museum is somewhere we'll return to. In my opinion it was ok. I'm not interested in trains or shopping for that matter. There was one interesting fact I learnt about Swindon train works and that is in the carpentry workshop along with making train carriages they made artificial limbs for employees in case there was an accident. Can you imagine going to the store saying you had lost a right foot but for them to say that they were all out of right feet but would a left foot do? Ok just me who thinks that's funny.
The best part of the day was sitting down in Costa with a Frappachino and a muffin after a busy time shopping at the Cadbury Shop. In fact we took over one half of Costa and the staff were really good and patient with our delegates.
Talent Show
Always a highlight as you never know what you are going to get. New boy David was first up with his Grease Megamix (performing all the parts!). Oh my word this lad is enthusiastic. I can't explain it really. All I can say is that I'm glad I'm not Lyndon! There was singing, dancing, clowns and 'The Trumpet Voluntary' on a harmonica! Simon Cowell would mock them all but we just love them.
Football Match
Each year the girls play the boys at football and for the last 5 years or so the girls have retained the cup, this is due to the fact that we haven't been able to play for various reasons for the last 5 years. This year the pitch was clear of rubbish, was not waterlogged and ready for the chaos that is the SAFE football match. To add to the excitement THQ's sport ministry department were filming it for a new video about the 2012 Olympics, interviewing some of the delegates who are involved in sports. Not sure what they were expecting especially when the Ref appeared in her riot gear. As usual the game was controversial. The boys claimed that not all of the girls were girls, that the girls were playing dirty and the ref was biased. They even claimed that the second half was longer than the first which resulted in a 4-4 draw! They even challenged that decision. However I believe it was a fair game, the ref is always right and that the first goal by the girls was amazing! But then I scored that one! Due to the draw the girls retained the cup for another year. Not quite sure how that decision is made. Maybe we should introduce penalties, then again maybe not!
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| The Ref! |
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| All girls? |
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| Final goal - 4-4 |
Disco time
I'm not a dancer and get embarrassed by my dancing however I love this night. Cheesy songs are the order of the evening and if it's an action song then even better. YMCA, Superman and even the Birdie song (dedicated to Lyndon due to a story about a seagull that flew into his car whilst driving) are just a three that made the play list.
My delegates
Kate and Alex are brilliant. Usually no trouble at all (except when they phone me to say they've gone for a walk in the dark, alone) and just make me laugh especially Kate who is always smiling. I enjoy taking care of them and know their routine pretty well after having them for the last 6 years. They can both dance and Kate is a brilliant swimmer and I struggle to keep up with her when we have a race but then she has won medals at the Special Olympics! I know I'll have them again next year but I would love to have an en-suite room just once but you only get one of those if your delegate is a wheel chair user.
Other highlights
I should mention that there is of course the rehearsals which can have fun moments plus the speakers who come each day to chat about their work. Mike and Jenny Clarke led the Sunday worship. Julian Bright did a variety of music and comedy followed by a very moving moment. Adam, Gemma and Hope Bonner also joined us for the day. It was great to share with my friends from church just what we get up to and why we get excited when talking about it. Adam spoke about Livibility, the organisation that he works for and who a number of delegates have used whether it be their holiday centres or colleges. Gemma lead a dance workshop which I missed but heard that she did a great job and the dance they learnt for the talent show was brilliant. Hope was just her cute self, leading a workshop on the joys of being 2.
Also this year we had small groups for the first time. These seemed to go down really well. Groups were made up by ability and gave an opportunity for delegates to share their thoughts as well as learn and ask questions. I do hope we have them again next year.
Saturday, 24 July 2010
SAFE part 1
Can it really be a year since the last SAFE summer school? Er.. Yes!
This week is just one of the highlights of my year and I really look forward to it. It's a lot of hard work followed by little sleep but it just an amazing week which is hard to express in words and I can only recommend that people come along to it to really understand it.
Last year I vowed that I wouldn't be the administrator again. I couldn't handle the pressure of people complaining to me all through the week as well as organising the travel arrangements and doing the announcements each meal time. Doesn't sound much but I found this all very scary and stressful as I am not a public speaker. But on the Friday I realised that I could do it and saw it as an opportunity to improve my confidence. I had a disability that I could overcome. So this year I was ready, I was prepared and I was scared!
But SAFE is safe. A time for anyone to try things new that they wouldn't do or can't do in their home churches. This includes singing, playing in the band, timbrels, dancing, drama and much more. It's a shame that some churches see the disability and not the ability so don't give them the opportunity to take part.
This year's theme was the X Factor (or rather the cross factor). Highlighting biblical characters who were seen as nothing because of their jobs (Peter) or their size (David). Sharing that Jesus can still has a purpose for us and that we have the X factor in His eyes.
So let the madness begin. That is usually when the staff and escorts arrive. I tend not to have trouble with the delegates, the real mischievous ones are the escorts. The arrival is full of noise and laughter as we all haven't seen each other in a year and there is so much catching up to do. For those who are new it can all be rather scary but they soon feel at home and by the end of the week are just as loud and mischievous as the next person.
This week is just one of the highlights of my year and I really look forward to it. It's a lot of hard work followed by little sleep but it just an amazing week which is hard to express in words and I can only recommend that people come along to it to really understand it.
Last year I vowed that I wouldn't be the administrator again. I couldn't handle the pressure of people complaining to me all through the week as well as organising the travel arrangements and doing the announcements each meal time. Doesn't sound much but I found this all very scary and stressful as I am not a public speaker. But on the Friday I realised that I could do it and saw it as an opportunity to improve my confidence. I had a disability that I could overcome. So this year I was ready, I was prepared and I was scared!
But SAFE is safe. A time for anyone to try things new that they wouldn't do or can't do in their home churches. This includes singing, playing in the band, timbrels, dancing, drama and much more. It's a shame that some churches see the disability and not the ability so don't give them the opportunity to take part.
This year's theme was the X Factor (or rather the cross factor). Highlighting biblical characters who were seen as nothing because of their jobs (Peter) or their size (David). Sharing that Jesus can still has a purpose for us and that we have the X factor in His eyes.
So let the madness begin. That is usually when the staff and escorts arrive. I tend not to have trouble with the delegates, the real mischievous ones are the escorts. The arrival is full of noise and laughter as we all haven't seen each other in a year and there is so much catching up to do. For those who are new it can all be rather scary but they soon feel at home and by the end of the week are just as loud and mischievous as the next person.
Friday, 23 July 2010
Another year older!
Birthdays can be really stressful. A time to get all depressed about getting another year older. This year mine had the added stress of being financially approved for a housing association flat! However it turned out to be one of the best birthdays ever!
I love making my birthday last as long as it can. So the Friday before I went out with some of my closest friends for a drink at my favourite bar in Sutton, The Ivory Lounge. A grown up sort of bar, music not too loud and not too packed either. It was just a nice evening to sit and chat to friends and have a laugh together. We discovered just how piggy Sara and Katie can be. They order 8 tapas dishes between them which is usually for 4 people. The boys, Andy and Jon could only manage 6! They say they were watching their waistlines but I think they just wanted to prove a point about how greedy the girls were. However Sharon and I didn’t mind as they came with a free bottle of wine. Sadly age caught up on us and we all started to feel the pressure at around 10 plus Sharon was unwell so home we went to watch the classic film, Ghostbusters. How cool were we?!
The first of the presents was opened on Monday night as I wouldn’t be seeing Katie and Andy on Tuesday. They always know what to buy me. A travel book, Muppets DVD and, best of all, a fleecy blanket with arms. I have wanted one of these for ages. I think they are really practical as you can keep your arms warm on a cold day and you don’t need to expose them to have a cup of tea or reading a book if you were using a blanket. An opinion not shared by my housemates. Can’t think why?
My actual birthday on the Tuesday was a day I wasn’t getting excited about due to the finance interview but as I said at the beginning of this entry it turned about to be one of the best. When I arrived at the office it was just a normal day that is until I turned on my computer to discover someone had hacked into my computer and left a message on my screen. See below.
I had only spoken to one person that morning which was Sarah just 2 minutes before turning on my computer when she arrived at work. I wasn’t expecting it and it was such a nice surprise as I had no idea who did it or when! After much quizzing of everyone in the office it turned out that it was Martin who was actually on holiday. He logged into my computer the night before from home and changed it!
Next my very good friend Kylie phoned from Oz, which was another surprise and delayed me from starting work however I didn’t mind and work didn’t either so bonus! It was great catching up with her and I only wished it could have lasted longer but I had my interview coming up plus I needed to catch up with my line manager.
Then the interview happened. Why was I stressing? It went great and I was approved for the flat! I just have 6 weeks to sort out everything from solicitors to mortgages and I could be moved in 8 weeks! So double celebration. Thank you to all my friends and colleagues who were understanding and praying. Keep it up!
From then on I had to work but was by now was in a celebratory mood. Sarah took me for a birthday Starbucks, chocolates were left on my desk by Vicky, the office helped to celebrate my birthday with Krispy Kreme donuts (usually it just a Sainsbury cake!) and Kevin bought me a bottle of Baileys! I’m still overwhelmed by it all and can't help smiling as I write.
But the day didn’t end there. Oh no! Being the good church and band member that I am I headed to church to do the accounts with Foxy and Richard who had bought me a chocolate cake! Could this be the best birthday ever? My waist line is the only one complaining. This was followed by band practice where for the first time ever I was able to play some new pieces without struggling. Is my sight reading improving? I doubt it as these pieces were meant for kid bands. For some it may seem an unsual way to spend a birthday but I spent it with my best friends on Friday and more friends on Tuesday.
I even got a phone call from my brother on the actual day which makes a change as he usually forgets or calls days later. However I missed the call and when I called him back at 9.55pm he was asleep in bed and didn’t want to talk to me! Oh well it’s the fact that he called that counts!
The week of celebrations was finished off nicely with a Chinese takeaway with Katie. Now the question is how can next year improve on this year? Just a year to wait and see!
I love making my birthday last as long as it can. So the Friday before I went out with some of my closest friends for a drink at my favourite bar in Sutton, The Ivory Lounge. A grown up sort of bar, music not too loud and not too packed either. It was just a nice evening to sit and chat to friends and have a laugh together. We discovered just how piggy Sara and Katie can be. They order 8 tapas dishes between them which is usually for 4 people. The boys, Andy and Jon could only manage 6! They say they were watching their waistlines but I think they just wanted to prove a point about how greedy the girls were. However Sharon and I didn’t mind as they came with a free bottle of wine. Sadly age caught up on us and we all started to feel the pressure at around 10 plus Sharon was unwell so home we went to watch the classic film, Ghostbusters. How cool were we?!
The first of the presents was opened on Monday night as I wouldn’t be seeing Katie and Andy on Tuesday. They always know what to buy me. A travel book, Muppets DVD and, best of all, a fleecy blanket with arms. I have wanted one of these for ages. I think they are really practical as you can keep your arms warm on a cold day and you don’t need to expose them to have a cup of tea or reading a book if you were using a blanket. An opinion not shared by my housemates. Can’t think why?
My actual birthday on the Tuesday was a day I wasn’t getting excited about due to the finance interview but as I said at the beginning of this entry it turned about to be one of the best. When I arrived at the office it was just a normal day that is until I turned on my computer to discover someone had hacked into my computer and left a message on my screen. See below.
Next my very good friend Kylie phoned from Oz, which was another surprise and delayed me from starting work however I didn’t mind and work didn’t either so bonus! It was great catching up with her and I only wished it could have lasted longer but I had my interview coming up plus I needed to catch up with my line manager.
Then the interview happened. Why was I stressing? It went great and I was approved for the flat! I just have 6 weeks to sort out everything from solicitors to mortgages and I could be moved in 8 weeks! So double celebration. Thank you to all my friends and colleagues who were understanding and praying. Keep it up!
From then on I had to work but was by now was in a celebratory mood. Sarah took me for a birthday Starbucks, chocolates were left on my desk by Vicky, the office helped to celebrate my birthday with Krispy Kreme donuts (usually it just a Sainsbury cake!) and Kevin bought me a bottle of Baileys! I’m still overwhelmed by it all and can't help smiling as I write.
But the day didn’t end there. Oh no! Being the good church and band member that I am I headed to church to do the accounts with Foxy and Richard who had bought me a chocolate cake! Could this be the best birthday ever? My waist line is the only one complaining. This was followed by band practice where for the first time ever I was able to play some new pieces without struggling. Is my sight reading improving? I doubt it as these pieces were meant for kid bands. For some it may seem an unsual way to spend a birthday but I spent it with my best friends on Friday and more friends on Tuesday.
I even got a phone call from my brother on the actual day which makes a change as he usually forgets or calls days later. However I missed the call and when I called him back at 9.55pm he was asleep in bed and didn’t want to talk to me! Oh well it’s the fact that he called that counts!
The week of celebrations was finished off nicely with a Chinese takeaway with Katie. Now the question is how can next year improve on this year? Just a year to wait and see!
Sunday, 18 July 2010
Doing it His Way
Last weekend it was Mum and Dad's retirement do at Torquay Corps after 17 years as Salvation Army officers. It was a lovely small do led by close friends Alan and Caroline Read, who have had a big influence on their ministry. The hall was packed with folk from past and present corps, some of who gave moving tributes about their leadership over the years.
There was a few embarrassing moments (like the timbrels) and some in jokes which went over the heads of many in the congregation. Probably a good thing. They will never know why my mother was sent a pair of silk stockings from the Sergent Major at Tadley!
The evening ended with a duet by my parents! Now my dad singing is fine but my mum? However it summed up their ministry perfectly. They did it His Way!
There was a few embarrassing moments (like the timbrels) and some in jokes which went over the heads of many in the congregation. Probably a good thing. They will never know why my mother was sent a pair of silk stockings from the Sergent Major at Tadley!
The evening ended with a duet by my parents! Now my dad singing is fine but my mum? However it summed up their ministry perfectly. They did it His Way!
(Apologies that the sound isn't great. I hope to get a better copy from someone else)
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