Feeding frenzy

Every MP whose expense claims have been revealed have said that they were all within the rules and approved by Commons authorities. However, many of them have also said that the Rules are wrong and need to be replaced.

Question: If that is what they believe, and may have believed for some time, why then did they continue to make claims within those "wrong" rules for so long?

I can appreciate that mistakes happen, and there are some instances where errors have been spotted and money repaid long before this row broke, but in many other cases there seems to be no comprehension from those involved that they have done anything that is ethically questionable.

And it is this lack of understanding and integrity that is deeply concerning.

This BBC News site carries a list of MP's and their expenses claims. It is worth remembering that such expenses are supposed to be for things that allow the elected official to carry out their Parliamentary duties.

er ... Bedding? Television set? Decorating?

Shahid Malik, the Justice minister who today "resigned" over the expenses row has called for the media "bloodfest" to stop.

Well, Mr. Malik, uncomfortable as it may be for you and many others, maybe it is time that our elected politicians relearnt that they are servants of the people, and answerable to them.

But with the new morning came ...

... a clearer head, the ability to breathe through the nose, and only the occasional explosion!

It's on its way out!

This is how I feel this morning ....

... and I've the mid-week Eucharist to take in 35 minutes! I will try not to sneeze into the chalice.

Feel the Force

I think I've just had an e-mail from Yoda, the Jedi Master. At least, it sounds very much like him ...

From: "Freeman Bautista"
Subject: Greeting, forgive what to distract, you not against to wish to do=knowledge with the girl?
Size: 56620

Is this an offer I can resist?
Thinking I am to do so, yes.

Political dust-up

Conservative Party leader, David Cameron, has moved swiftly to force his Shadow Cabinet and other Tory MPs to repay excessive and questionable expenses claims paid out of the Public Purse. They were faced with the choice of writing out a cheque or being dismissed from the Party, so no surprises that all who have so far been asked have agreed. Before the announcement by Mr. Cameron, Douglas Hogg, the former agriculture secretary, (who had claimed more than £2,000 for the moat around his country estate to be cleared, plus the cost of his piano to be tuned), stoutly defended his claim for £14,000 to employ a full-time housekeeper. Stating that his work demanded that he have a second home, he said in a broadcast interview, "Someone needs to clean it."

Well, Mr. Hogg, let me educate you.

THIS ...


is a duster.
You can buy them in many places including corner shops and supermarkets.
You pick them up, unfold them, hold them loosely in your hand and move them over surfaces.
They collect dust, which is why they are called a duster.
They can cost no more than £1 for 3.

A bit cheaper than £14,000.
Might I suggest you pick one up sometimes and do a bit of housework yourself?

Most of us have to do just that.

Coward by name but not by nature

An important story here from Colin Coward ("Changing Attitude") for anyone who wants to see behind the reasonable christian facade of the conservative African church .....

http://changingattitude-england.blogspot.com/2009/05/nigerian-bishop-not-jamaican-homophobe.html

It's not my fault ...

News today that Cabinet minister Hazel Blears faces fresh scrutiny over her Paliamentary expenses claims.

Ms Blears sold a flat in Kennington, London, in August 2004 for £200,000, making £45,000 profit. Because the flat had been designated as her “second home” under Commons rules, she was able to claim back thousands of pounds in mortgage interest and running costs, and avoid paying £18,000 in tax.

Ms. Blears said she had not broken any rules but that the system was "wrong". “I have complied with the rules of the House," she said, "and the rules of the Inland Revenue and that’s the situation as it is." However, she acknowledged that the public “hate” the current expenses regime and said a group of “ordinary people” should be involved in drawing up the new system. “I understand entirely why the public hates this. The system is wrong, it needs to be changed. Personally, what I would do is get a group of ordinary people together with the independent body and I would work out a fair system and then everybody sticks to it. I think that’s where we need to be.”


Comment:
No, Ms Blears, we, the public, do not hate the system - What ticks us off is the fact that the same people who voted the rules in are now claiming that the rules are at fault. What gets up our collective nostrils is that they saw nothing wrong in getting as much personal advantage as they possibly could from the public funds, and now that they've been caught at it, are trying to blame the system rather than their own lack of judgement and integrity.

MPs expenses

The Parliamentary expenses system is "wrong" says Gordon Brown ... however, that hasn't stopped him and other MP's from putting in their claims.

It's a bit like a thief who gets caught with their hand in the till, who then turns round and blames the till for being there in the first place.

If the system is wrong, and our PM claims he's known it was wrong for some time and is taking steps to change it, then why do our representatives continue to gain benefit from it? And if they've been doing nothing wrong, why try to prevent the people they represent from seeing the details? After all, my expenses of office as a clergyman are open for any in the parishes to see, for they are contained in the church accounts pinned to the notice board.

Maybe what is needed is not a better/fairer system of expense reimbursement for MPs, but more evidence of personal integrity.

Yes it's No.

The future Bishops of the Anglican Communion practice for their debate about the full inclusion of gay people in the church.

Swedish couple continue fight for right to name their son Q

“The Local” 5 May 09 12:27 CET

A Swedish couple from Åre in northern Sweden have taken their fight to name their son Q to the Supreme Administrative Court (Regeringsrätten).
The court will rule if current legislation permits the use of a single letter as a first name.

The parents insist that the boy was not named after the popular figure from the James Bond films and that the decision was instead a last minute one when "Q" was born.

They argue that he answers to the name which they have used since birth.

"He is quite simply Q with half of the inhabitants of the Åre area. There are stranger names in the valley," the couple claim in their appeal of a ruling by the administrative court of appeal (Kammarrätten).

The Supreme Administrative Court on April 21st granted the couple leave to appeal and will consider whether the 1982 names law allows the use of a single letter as a first name.

The couple write that as an alternative they could consider the use of the name "Q: u".


Comment
It could have been worse. It could have been “F : u”, with a second child being called “F : u : 2”.

Brokeback Mountain it isn't

Ignore the advert blurb at the end and just enjoy the movie ....

No worries here then

I took the opportunity at last week's Joint Benefice Council meeting to tell the parish representatives what would be the likely impact on our church worship if Swine flu reaches pandemic status and sweeps across our rural area - initially the cessation of using a common communion cup and intincting the wafers with the wine instead, and then later the ending of Sunday services for the duration, though the church buildings would stay open.

A churchwarden made the comment that the news reports were saying that the main people at risk are those under the age of 45, and taking a look round our congregations, he didn't think it likely that we would be affected at all!

I'm glad I didn't suggest that!

Blossom-time

Here's the evidence why I don't chop down the tree in my garden that is steadily falling over!

Remember the Petition against water rates hike for churches?

Thursday 30 April 2009
10 Downing Street

Churchwaterbills: e-petition response

We received a petition asking:
“We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to instruct water companies to return to charging churches as charities rather than as business premises.”
Details of Petition:
“Changes in water charging structures in a number of regions mean that churches are charged on the same scale as businesses, leading to large (for example, 1300%) increases in annual water bills.”

The Government’s response
Traditionally, surface water drainage charges have been based on the rateable value of properties, as allocated by the Valuation Office. Places of worship, along with other specific groups and organisations, did not have to pay these charges because of their zero rating. Four water companies, Yorkshire (2001/02), Severn Trent (2000/01), Northumbrian (2006/07) and United Utilities (2008/09), have switched from rateable value to area based charging.

The Government supports site area charging for surface water drainage in principle, because it offers financial incentive for customers to install sustainable drainage systems which improve water quality and prevent surface water flooding. However, the Government believes that it is clearly very wrong if customers such as faith buildings, community amateur sports clubs and scout huts are facing hikes in their bills of several hundred per cent, and where there are massive variations between what is being charged in different areas by different companies.

The Government recognises the level of concern over charges for surface water drainage, especially in some areas of the country and for some groups where increases in charges have been disproportionate and insensitive to the needs of water companies’ customers.

It is ultimately for the water regulator Ofwat, the independent economic regulator of the water industry, and individual companies to agree a fair and proportionate system of charging that is sensitive to those organisations who previously enjoyed a cross-subsidy. However, Defra has made the Government’s position clear to Ofwat and to the Chief Executive of United Utilities (whose customers have been most affected, including as a result of miscalculated bills). We have also made it clear that increases in bills of this magnitude are not in line with Defra’s guidance on charging issued to Ofwat in 2000, or Ofwat’s more detailed 2003 guidance to the water companies.

In particular, Ofwat’s guidance states that companies that are thinking of introducing site-area charging need to assess possible impacts on all customers’ bills. Ofwat’s guidance goes on to state that companies will need to take into account the scale and speed of any bill changes to see if they are reasonable and acceptable to customers.

It is for individual companies to prepare their charging schemes and for Ofwat, as the economic regulator of the water industry, to review and approve them. Customers with sensitive properties, who are concerned about disproportionate increases in their bills, or inaccurate bills, should raise their concerns with their water company in the first instance or, failing that, with the Consumer Council for Water.
United Utilities has been the focus of many of the recent concerns expressed in the media and in representation directly to Defra. As noted above, Defra has conveyed its views on this issue to Ofwat and to the Chief Executive of United Utilities.
In response to such representations, United Utilities now proposes to set its surface water drainage charges for 2009/10 at 2007/08 levels for customers such as faith buildings, community amateur sports clubs and scout huts (i.e. at levels prior to the introduction of site area charging), and is also committed to finding a long term solution to this problem for 2010/11 and beyond. This is a very welcome step forward although Defra will continue to monitor this issue and engage further with Ofwat as necessary.


Comment:"and is also committed to finding a long term solution to this problem"
There wasn't a problem before some Water companies decided that here was a soft target that would increase their income. After all, they have to pay their Directors salaries and pension plans somehow.

Restoration

Well, I'm quite pleased with the results.

Flixton's statue on the left - both heads were broken off and large part of Mary's neck missing .... St Margaret South Elmham's on the right, torso broken into several pieces, both heads off, and a large part of the top of Mary's head missing.

On close examination the repairs are evident, but from normal viewing distance ....

Annual Meetings

Nine down and two to go ....

Was it something I said?

Oh how fickle ... our visitor has being giving his attentions to three other churches in the locality, outside of this Benefice. And I thought we were something special!

Taking the rough with the smooth

Life here in rural NE Suffolk is usually quiet and peaceful, but over the last couple of days there's been a strange person doing the rounds of our churches who clearly has a problem. On Monday he (she?) went into Flixton and turned both banners by the altar to face the wall, moved the crosses, and smashed the small plaster statue of Mother and child that had only been put there three days before. They placed two large volumes of "The Life of Christ" (not ours, so must have been brought with them) on the altar and left their distinctive mark in the Visitor's Book.

On Tuesday they went to St. Cross South Elmham, opened the lectern Bible to the end of the Book of Revelation and pulled the cross above the pulpit off the wall. The small weekday wooden cross on the altar was dismantled, and the icon of St. George in the porch was taken down and left lying face down on the ground.

Today it was the turn of St. Margaret South Elmham. The church banner was turned to the wall.


A wheatstraw cross taken off the wall and placed upside down in the pulpit. The small plaster statue of Mother and child suffered the same fate as Flixton's.


More significantly, a wooden cross from the windowsill was laid sideways on the altar on top of a paperback copy of a book by the satanist Aleister Crowley.


They left the same signature in the Visitor's Book.



We know when we leave our churches open they are subject to abuse, but this person needs to keep taking their medication.

It was quite a pretty statue as well. I'm going to have a go at restoring it.

Sorry if you're blonde, but ....

A married couple were asleep when the phone rang at 2 in the morning. The very blonde wife picked up the phone, listened a moment and said 'How should I know, that's 200 miles from here!' and hung up.

The husband said, 'Who was that?'

The wife answered, 'I don't know, some woman wanting to know if the coast is clear.'

Another invitation

According to my e-mail Inbox, George Nduka needs urgently to hear from me.

Sorry, George, you're going to be disappointed.

The death toll rises

Living surrounded by nature is wonderful. This evening I watched two cock pheasants battling it out for supremacy on my lawn, and neither of them took any notice of me when I opened the back door to get a closer view. However, another aspect is not so idyllic.

I live in a house of 28 windows, and every springtime birds of all ages, but mainly young, kill themselves by flying into the glass. Yesterday it was a beautiful chaffinch lying dead on the grass underneath my study window. This afternoon it was an adult male blackbird slumped in the middle of the mint, and not under any window at all!


I can guarantee that at some point virtually every day for the next 5 or 6 weeks there will be a loud thump from somewhere upstairs, and on inspection I will find a small feathered body with its neck broken lying outside and somewhere nearby.

Home from Home

Man builds chapel for wife whose church is 'too busy'

A retired watch importer has built a 12-seater chapel for his wife after she said that her own church was too overcrowded. Jon Richards, 63, built the chapel, which includes an altar, font and a tapestry of the Last Supper, next to the family farmhouse in Mappleborough Green, Worcestershire. To assemble the chapel, Mr Richards and his wife Muriel visited scrap yards and markets all over Europe in what they call a two and a half year “labour of love”.

The chapel is now being used for weekly services for the Richards’ friends and family. A local vicar has also agreed to perform home communion services four times a year. The chapel has even received requests to be used as a wedding venue, but has had to turn them down as it has not been consecrated.

Mr Richards said, "I built it for Muriel because she's really passionate about her religion but the local church is often too busy,” reports The Telegraph. "She's delighted to stand at the front of services and hand out the bread and wine to everybody then organise the music. The building is so peaceful that we often spend our long summer evenings in there relaxing when there's no service."

The chapel is only 12ft by 8ft. As a result the Richards could not fit the font they had bought inside, so they now keep it outside the entrance. All the features of the chapel, which has been named the Twelve Crosses Church, were acquired from old church buildings, with the exception of the windows which were made by a glazier who is a friend of the couple.

Mr Richards said, "The chapel is like a jigsaw puzzle of different church architecture and I would love to know the history of each part."

The Richards are still active members of their local Anglican congregation at the Church of The Holy Ascension.

Mrs Richards said, "Jon's become the expert on everything to do with the chapel – I just go in there to relax and pray."


And to think that I used to make do with a cupboard under the stairs when I could have been working on the shed inthe garden ....

In the temporary absence of Mad Priest over the border

TICKET TO RIDE

A MAN spent almost a week in prison after he was arrested for picking up a ticket left on a train. Abidrashid Abdilaahi returned the ticket he found on a table when confronted by the guard and bought his own. But he was still arrested at Nottingham Station and spent six days in prison after police failed to book a translator for his first court appearance.

Nottingham magistrates released Abdilaahi, 41, on Tuesday after sentencing him to one day in custody for theft. He pleaded guilty to the charge. Abdilaahi's solicitor Dean Bower said he had been punished more than enough for a trivial offence. "This is not a serious offence," said Mr Bower. "The ticket was returned to its owner moments after it was taken. All that happened was he was walking through the carriage looking for a seat, glanced down, noticed the ticket and picked it up. He did not know if it was valid or not and did not intend to use it. He was then sold a valid ticket to Chesterfield, even though the person who sold him that ticket was making arrangements to have him arrested at Nottingham."

Transport police interviewed Abdilaahi with an interpreter because his English was poor. They then decided to keep him in custody, but failed to book the interpreter for court the next day. Magistrates had no choice but to adjourn his case because Abdilaahi could not understand what was going on. No Somalian interpreter could be booked until after the Easter Bank Holiday on Tuesday – after Abdilaahi spent six days at Lincoln Prison.

A spokesman for British Transport Police said an interpreter was present when Abdilaahi was charged on Thursday morning. "It was our understanding that there would be an interpreter in court," he said.

Abdilaahi, of Mere Road, Leicester, is originally from Somalia, but is a Dutch national with the legal right to work in the UK. He is a cleaner at Leicester Royal Infirmary. His lawyer says Abdilaahi is in poor health and was not given his usual medication until he had been in prison for five days. "He is poor," Mr Bower said. "And six days of incarceration have already cost him approximately a week's wages, although fortunately he believes his job will still be there for him."
Magistrates released Abdilaahi immediately. He was not asked to pay usual prosecution costs of £70.

The defendant saluted the magistrates and repeatedly thanked them as he was led out of the dock.

It is the police's responsibility to book interpreters for a defendant's first court appearance as it usually takes place within 24 hours of them being charged at a police station. Sanchia Wheeler, a civil litigation lawyer at Nottingham-based law firm Cartwright King, said: "Police officers are human and do make mistakes. However, care has to be taken where it is clear that such errors can lead to the unnecessary custody of persons and deprive them of their liberty. I feel that the officers have to answer for their actions and he deserves an apology and compensation at the very least. There should be a process in place to ensure that matters such as booking an interpreter are confirmed before their attendance at court."

A spokesperson for East Midlands Trains said: "We are working hard to prevent ticket-less travel on our trains and have already introduced a number of initiatives to prevent anybody travelling without a ticket, such as the introduction of more ticket vending machines at stations and educating passengers through posters at stations.
In addition, we will be introducing automatic ticket gates at a number of our key stations this year."

Oh - that's all right then ....

He's a persistant little fellow!

3.05 p.m. and "Alan" has just called again - this time to ask if my Sky Television is working okay. Hmmm, bit of a problem there in that I don't have Sky. I told him I knew this was a scam and to "get stuffed!"

Another 15 Hail Mary's as penance ...

Another attempt ...

... to con me.

There I was, enjoying a post-communion piece of toast and home-made marmalade when the telephone rang. Answering it I was greeted with a voice with an accent appearing to originate in the Indian sub-continent ....

"Hello, this is Alan. I just called to ask if your colour television is working okay today?"

Yeah. Right. Get lost. Prat.

Another invitiation from the Benin Republic

In my Inbox today .... and I see the sender changes their gender by the end of the letter !


You're invited to "Contact FedEX Express Delivery Services Benin Republic.".

By your host Steven Obi:

Date: Tuesday 14 April 2009
Time: 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM (GMT +00:00)
Location: Attn My Dear Friend,I have paid the fee for your cheque draft and i took it to the ECO BANK PLC to confirm it then the Manager of theBank MRBENARD UGO told me that before the check can get to you it will expire on the way and if it expired it will become useless so Headvice me toconvert $1.5m (ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) into cash and pack it into the strong iron box anddeposit it in FEDEX EXPRESSDELIVERY COMPANY BENIN REPUBLIC to deliver it in cash to you.And i did it as he advice me because heis abanker he knows the durability of any foriegn check or draft.I deposited the said package in the FedEX EXpress Delivey Company asancotton materials for secuirty reasons.This is the registration Number of your Package Fed/122p/mtm/2008 Zip Code;0113388 so do notlet the company to know the real contents of the package so that they can deliver it for you safely.I want you to contact thecompanyimmediately with the following informations though igive them your information but you need to reconfirm it for them.Below is the requiredinfomation you need to give them now,
1.YOUR FULL NAME_____________
2YOUR CONTRY_____________
3.YOURHOMEADDRESS_______________
4.YOUR PHONE NUMBER_________________
5YOUR FAX NUMBER________________
6.A COPY OFYOURPHOTO________________
7.YOUR AGE AND MARITAL STATUS___________
8YOUR NEAREST AIRPORT___________
All thesethings is needed from you now to submmit to the company for urgent delivery of your package contains $1.5M Please contact the deliverycompanyimmediately and reconfirm your info to them to enable their agent locate you when he arrived in your country.This is the company contactinfo.Rev Dr Larry Joe Director Tel;+2299327-8110 FEDEX EXpress Delivery Company Benin Republic.Please contact the company immediately you receive this email so that your package will leave tonight to be deliver toyou.Get back to me assoon as you receive your package from the company.
God Bless you.

MrS STEVEN OBI.

How many kinds of sweet flowers grow ...

... in an English country (Vicar's) garden?

Bank Holiday Monday

I know that clergy don't technically get Bank Holidays off since they are secular rather than Christian holidays (at least, that is what I was taught in my first post), but in practice they are quite often quieter days since every other human being is off enjoying themselves. So I wasn't too put out when asked by a couple if they could come and see me this Bank holiday afternoon to talk about their forthcoming wedding. Accordingly I haven't gone out anywhere today, but spent this morning catching up on paperwork, and the early pert of this afternoon writing the first draft of next Sunday's sermon. And now the man has just telephoned saying they can't make it today as his other half is not feeling well. I just hope it's nothing trivial.

Easter Day - Mark's version

In the mystery of this night

And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Prophet or profit on Good Friday

I came across this cartoon many years ago, maybe as far back as the late 60's though perhaps my memory is at fault there, and I have kept it ever since. It was relevant then, and remains so today.

Processed meat products by e-mail

Some are so easy to spot. Take this one that arrived in my Inbox overnight:

From: "Sarah Pick Arson"
Subject: SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE
Size: 5882

Do I really believe there is someone in the world called Sarah Pick Arson? If there is, she has my sympathy.

Not all doom and gloom

Perhaps I ought to put more money into my pension plan!

Told you

Wednesday of Holy Week, and it's clear. (And not just heaved onto another surface for the purposes of taking the picture!)

It's all filth

Over at Life is full of surprises, TL has been musing on the various ways of creating a good compost. My experience has been that perfectly good compost can be made without any smell or sludge simply by piling the garden debris up and leaving it open to the air. The majority of professional advice is to cover the heap over so that the heat from the decaying matter hastens the whole process. In my experience, that is what produces the stink. An open pile takes longer, but it's odour-free, and provides somewhere warm for the neighbourhood cats to sit in winter, keeping their little bottoms warm!

As the photos show, I have two main piles - one a large open-cast heap and the other a contained box mainly for grass cuttings. We are currently digging into the big one, and you can see the quality of compost that is at the base.

Why do people fall for these?

An unknown benefactor has just e-mailed me from the Republic of Benin in West Africa.

Good Day, I wonder why I did not hear from you for your $1.2 Million, which is your own share after the sucess of our business. Is it because the money is small or what? I have deposited it with UPS COURIER COMPANY BENIN REPUBLIC IN WEST AFRICA as package box.note that UPS Do not know the content.

He then gives me an e-mail address to contact the UPS Managing Director PASCAL EZEH, and that he has paid the delivery and registration fee for me, and is leaving for London tomorrow.

All I have to do is provide them with YOUR FULL NAME YOUR CURRENT HOME ADRESS AND TELEPHONE NUMBER A COPY OF YOUR PICTURE YOUR CONUTRY YOUR AGE YOUR OCCUPATION and send them is their security keeping fee of $98 as soon as you have contacted them ok.
Regards,
Dr William Udoh.

Well, Dr. Udoh, what a load of crap. And you can't spell. Go swivel.

Scrambled ...

... both my lunch and my study desk.


I have never tried scrambled eggs with smoked salmon before. I wouldn't go out of my way to find it and order it, but it was very pleasant nonetheless.

And as for my desk ... it will be clear by the start of Holy Week ... hopefully!

A little bit of culture

From a frustrated librarian's blog



Something wonderful from the far side of the world ...

Walking to a future

Just home from the rehearsal for our Benefice's first wedding of the year, tomorrow, in the church of St. James South Elmham. Nice young couple, and the church is a riot of white flowers - yes - flowers - even though it's Lent. They will be removed for Palm Sunday, so the place will look bare and stark for the close of Passiontide and throughout Holy Week. On Good Friday all the hangings will also be removed, leaving the altar naked until Easter Day. When I posted about making the marmalade for my Coffee Morning tomorrow I had forgotten that I had transferred that event to next Saturday because of the wedding. At least it's now made, and I don't have to worry about it in the midst of the extra services this coming week.

My preparations for this Holy Week are slowly coming together. I lay out the various days on the table in the hall, so that each pile can be picked up as required. At the moment there's a large bag of palm crosses and several service books that will be needed on Sunday. Looking at the Gospel reading I find that I don't like the suggested passages given us by the Revised Common Lectionary for the Passion Gospel. It's either incredibly long, or too short, so I have looked instead at the version in the old 1980 Alternative Service Book, and I think it's much better. So I shall be using that one instead. And since we have the Passion narrative to get through, I don't preach on Palm Sunday. (Sighs of relief from the congregation!) After all, the Gospel says it all, and I don't feel that I need to subject the congregants to more words after that great piece of prose.

And so the journey to Jerusalem begins, leading to stupendous and wondrous events. No doubt tomorrow's wedding couple have similar feelings about their big day.

If you can't stand the heat ...

The next batch of 3-fruit marmalade is on the boil, because if I don't get it done today ready for the Coffee Morning on Saturday, it won't get done at all, what with the final Lent Lunch tomorrow and the final Lent film on Thursday.

It's bubbling beautifully, and with just the right amount of brandy ....

*hic*

thash purffeck't ...... Bu**er supper ...

The Return of the Native

Perhaps it shows how much I have become used to the quieter and sedate life of East Anglia that I found Leeds to be a really busy city - crowded streets such as are never seen in Norwich, and the train station buzzing with people going in all directions - trans-pennine, Dundee, Plymouth.

It was a really good day, and a grand lunchtime meeting organised by Doorman Priest to meet up with the travelling legend of the deep south, Grandmere Mimi, who looks exactly like her Blog profile picture - so much so that I recognised her from the rear as she and some others were enquiring how to get to the first floor of Leeds Art Gallery without using the stairs. Other blogosphere contributors were also present who I won't name in case they wish to remain out of the picture. I'll leave it for them to reveal their presence if they so wish. Nor will I reveal who it was that had two main courses at our lunch ....



So now I'm back in the slumbering Shires, and putting my clocks forward an hour.

It's the first time I've tried computer dating.

En route

Here we are, on the Leeds to London Kings Cross train, but I shall be getting off at Peterborough - hopefully! Free Wifi access on the train, but it would be better if I had a table seat on which to put the laptop, rather than an airline-type seat with a flap-down tray. There's only just enough room for the keyboard and me, which means the screen is not quite upright and a bit difficult to see. Ah well, could be worse ....

Lunchtime meeting was very enjoyable. More later - we're coming into Wakefield Westgate. Foreign territory!

New every morning ...

I slept really well and have woken refreshed. Great hot shower, and good breakfast buffet - another reason I like the Ibis style. Now to gird my loins for a foray into Leeds city centre and a nose round the shops before the lunchtime meeting at somewhere called "The Tiled Hall Cafe" which is apparently part of the Town Hall/Art Gallery complex. I have a map ....

Heading North

A swift trip to Leeds for a lunchtime meeting tomorrow. Journey by rail started at Norwich station at 12.57.


Then a change at Grantham - which according to my rail network map, doesn't connect anywhere!


Then arrival at Leeds, some helpful information from the Tourist desk in the station, and a short 15 minute walk to the Ibis Hotel.


I did consider having my evening meal here, but it was as dead as the proverbial dodo in the restaurant area, and the lights of "tgiFriday's" were shining from over the road, so skirting the hurtling traffic I dined on a very good steak with peppercorn sauce, fries and seasonal veg - and the broccoli was still hot on the plate, which is something I can never manage at home. Washed down with a large glass of Merlot.

No starter and no dessert, but back for a coffee in my room.


I like the Ibis chain - straightforward, clean and comfortable. What else can one want on a night in an unknown city?

(Answers on a postcard please ....)

Feeding the masses

That's the third weekly Lent Lunch over and done. Tables are cleared, dishes washed and crockery put away. The meal, at £3 per person, consists of home made soup and a warm bread roll, cheese and biscuits, tea or coffee.

The first week 17 people had a choice of Tomato or Winter veg soups. Last week 18 people had a choice of Chicken & leek or Beef & tomato soup. Today 13 people dined on either Crofter's thick vegetable or Chicken, mushroom, spring onion and farfalle pasta soup.

Monies raised for the charities we're supporting, after expenses, has so far been over £50 per week. Two more to go, and no-one's had food poisoning yet!!!

Food, drink and a Cafe

The salmon was wonderful (even if it looks a bit anaemic in this picture!) - oven cooked with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and made even better with the two glasses of 2005 Cahors that accompanied it! I then watched the Christmas 1991 special "Allo Allo". Bliss. Food for the body and the spirit.

And during Lent as well!!!

Update late

I really should have posted before this, but it's been a busy 7 days or so now that Lent has started. Parish work has kept me occupied - as in previous years I am cooking and hosting a weekly Lent lunch, then having a Lent group the following night - so last week there was Lent Lunch on Wednesday, post-communion "breakfast on Thursday, with the Lent group in the evening, and then two funerals on Friday followed by my monthly Coffee morning on Saturday. Add to that the death of one of our Benefice Readers (not unexpected) and a funeral-planning visit to another parishioner, I have had little spare time. This week the same Lent events, plus I have to get the Benefice magazine compiled and off to the printers, the main work for which I have started today.

So, it is now just on 8.00 p.m. The salmon fillet is cooking, the carrots boiling, and the microwave has just signalled that it has finished "nuking" a potato. So I am going to abandon this machine for a while, sit down, eat, and watch a film.

Stormy weather

It's a rough old night out there - the wind howling in the chimneys, rattling against the windows, and generally making itself felt. It was in weather such as this that I used to love going along the Undercliff Walk from Brighton to Rottingdean. The picture, copied from the Flickr photo site, shows the waves battering the cliffs below Roedean School (from whose flagpole a pair of y-fronts were hung during Rag Week 1969 - not me officer ...). The horizontal line along the bottom of the cliff is the Walk, the huge concrete edging showing, the blocks curved to try and direct the force of the water back out to the sea. They didn't always work, and after major storms quite a number would be found pushed out of place by the force of the waves. It was often a very wet and adventurous stroll. The Health & Safety brigade would not be amused, but it was fun.

Swings and roundabouts

The day started badly, missing the blue bin recyclable waste collection this morning, having forgotten to put the bin out at the end of the drive last night! Bum. Before the end of the next fortnight I shall have to sneak some waste paper into my neighbour's blue bin as she always has space.

But it got better. The web site "Freecycle", where people can ask for or offer items which are given freely, no sales allowed, is one I browse quite regularly. This morning I passed on an old fridge freezer to a young couple who were delighted to receive it. It's done me well, and when I looked at the paperwork it was bought on 8th December 1984! I received it from its original buyer a couple of years later. It cost a whacking £250 then, which was very expensive! It's never needed a repair and still works well. They don't make them like that anymore.



This evening I also passed on a spare VCR recorder to a young family whose own machine had started to chew up their tapes. They were pleased to get a replacement.

Good for them, and good for me, as Lent is a time for down-sizing.

Those days are gone

RIP Wendy Richards - "Miss Brahms"

Brothers and sisters in Christ

Since early days Christians have observed with great devotion the time of our Lord's passion and resurrection and prepared for this by a season of penitence and fasting.

By carefully keeping of these days, Christians take to heart the call to repentance and the assurance of forgiveness proclaimed in the gospel, and so grow in faith and in devotion to our Lord.

I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy word.

(Introduction to Ash Wednesday liturgy in Common Worship)



On a £12,500 per week pension, I think I could manage that.

The next challenge

Now its a graphics card upgrade.

New card in, and on the first boot-up the pc has frozen, not helped by the fact that I didn't put the mouse plug back! Just about to try again ... at least we got a picture on the monitor, albeit a strange resolution and with my desktop icons and folders all neatly arranged alphabetically down the left side of the screen.

The ZX Spectrum was easier in many respects ....

Recovery

Well, thanks to a little help from a friend, the old hard drive is now in the new pc and working as a "slave" ... (always wanted one of those!) ... which means that I can now access all the documents and templates stored on it. I can't access or run any of the promgrams on there, but I don't really need to. I've found that the Bluetooth dongle won't work with Vista, so I shall need to get a new one of those, and I'm just about to load on my Visual Liturgy software to allow me to concoct services, and I know this works as I've already put it on my laptop. I can also access the various sound files that are lurking on the old disc, some of which I'd forgotten I even had. Snatches from "Father Ted", "Star Trek" and "The Simpsons".

All in all, 95% is back, and the other 5% is not missed, so I've been very fortunate considering there are many people who lose everything in a "crash".

Unfortunately for the congregations of my 11 churches, I've also recovered my sermon files!

Getting there

Of course, if I read things properly, I would have seen that the Home & Student box referred to the version of MS Office, not Vista, and since I didn't purchase Office (having Professional 2003 already), that's why I didn't have the product key!

So far so good

This is being posted via the new pc. No problems yet, though this version of Vista is somewhat different to that on my laptop, and things aren't where I'm used to finding them!

Somewhat amazed that I've managed to connect it to the Internet via a network cable! Thought that I'd have difficulties with the settings, but it went straight on.

Still have to set-up the printer and scanner.

Perhaps I'll get my supper before I tackle that. Medallions of neck fillet of lamb in a quince sauce. Do a bit of veg to go with it .... *slurp*

Right, cross your fingers ....

Old pc in bits on floor surrounded by packaging of new tower unit. Mouse, keyboard, speakers and monitor plugged in - I just need to turn on the power switch ....

Maybe I'll make a coffee and watch "The Simpsons" first .....

Sunday Funeral

Since a power cut some four weeks ago (also on a Sunday), the power switch on the main pc hasn't turned everything off. Even when shut down power was still routing to the mouse and a 4xUSB extension socket, plus a hand-held game controller. If I turned off at the mains, when I turned the power back on, great whirrings and thunderings came from inside the machine and the power button and hard disc drive light flashed merrily. Well today, I turned off at the mains to see if it would re-set the mouse socket. Great knockings from inside the machine again, and I couldn't get it to boot up.

Laptop now connected to the printer and sitting on the desk. Only trouble is, I keep trying to use the old keyboard and wondering why no characters are appearing on the screen!

A trip to a computer store tomorrow is now on the cards.

Aaaagh!

It's just died!

Motherboard dying

I think that ny main desktop computer is on its last legs. Three weeks ago the network socket stopped working and I've had to link the pc to the web via a small wirelss unit plugged into a USB socket. Then I was unable to write anything to a blank CD. I can read discs, but can't write anything to one. Now, today, the mouse has died. The mouse itself is okay, but the pc has stopped recognising the socket. I think the motherboard is slowly dying. Thankfully I saved last night's work for the Benefice magazine onto a thumb drive, so if I link my laptop to the printer I'll be able to print it off and get it into the post tomorrow.

Looks like a new unit is required.