I was once told by a friend of mine about someone she knew at college who, when it came to a topic of study that she didn’t like or found difficult, would go outside an sweep leaves. That topic was forever know as “sweeping leaves.” Some of us have other distraction techniques when we want…

The 26th December is traditionally known as Boxing Day. This is the day after Christmas Day and has it’s Christian origins as the day when alms that had been collected in boxes in churches were distributed to the parishioners. It is also St Stephen’s Day and so, as a saint’s day is associated with charitable…

This is the 4th week of Advent when we think of the love that came into the world. We also remember that part that Mary played in that nativity story. The gospel reading set for the 4th Sunday of Advent also tells of  the part played by Joseph. (Matthew 1:18-24) He wasn’t one of the…

One of the things I enjoy doing each week is attending my local Leisure Centre “Body Balance” fitness class. I go with a friend, and we call it “Body Wobble” class, as there is often more wobbling than balancing! In our faith, do we wobble or are we evenly balanced? Throughout the Bible, there are…

Do you remember going to the cinema and watching the B movie, or perhaps buying a 4rpm record with a B side song? Sometimes there was a hidden gem amongst these B movies or songs. They were a vehicle for up and coming actors and singers. You got two for the price of one –…

I have recently been revisiting early mornings. Since retiring 3 years ago, one of my favourite times of day is that time after you first wake up. There is no sense of urgency and I indulge myself in having a cup of tea and a good book – perhaps even THAT Good book! It’s an…

I’ve just been to the cinema for the first time in years – we often wait until films are available on DVD or Netflix. The film was entitled “Living” and starred Bill Nighy and Aimee Lou Wood. It is a gentle film set in London during the early 1950s. Mr Williams (Bill Nighy) is a…

Two weeks ago we had a partial solar eclipse on 25th October. On that day I was driving down to London at about the time the eclipse was happening. I resisted the temptation to look at the sun for several reasons, one being I was driving around the M25 with hundreds of other motorists! However…

I have to admit I have always enjoyed bonfire night. I grew up with catherine wheels – that never seemed to go in the right direction, rockets and sparklers in the back garden and a bonfire that had grown in size over the previous weeks. My grandma’s bonfire toffee kept the local dentist in business…

I had the delight of meeting Rev Saul Tadzaushe and his wife Tariro at Heathrow recently. It has been a long and frustrating wait but the relief and common warmth between us was evident in the smiles and the greetings as Saul and Tariro came through those doors, after over 24hours “on the road/in the…