I recently cycled along the Ipswich Waterfront and came across several large Owl Sculptures. These are part the “The Big Hoot” which is a free fun outdoors art trail around the town of Ipswich. There are 50 Big Hoots along with several Little Hoots. Each one is designed by a local artist, either well known…

I have decided over the years that I must have a warped sense of humour.  We came to East Anglia in 2004 for a family holiday and stayed in Great Yarmouth and while we were out and about in the countryside, I spotted a sign like the one above at the side of the road,…

I’ve started to enjoy watching sport quite late in life.  As a child, Dad always had sport on the TV, so I wouldn’t watch it on principle! Well, I enjoy watching some sports ……. I still think pulling my fingernails out one by one would be preferable to watching golf! However, this week watching the…

The Thought for the Day is from Psalm 31 v1. In You, O lord, I put my trust.  In an article for Campus life magazine, Susan Smart describes her third, and nearly last, solo flight. She had been practicing a manoeuvre at 5,000 feet when she lost control and her Cessna 150 began spinning wildly toward…

At work, when my colleagues talk about resource, or more often than not, the lack of resource, they are often referring euphemistically to time or people. Quite why people find it necessary to say that ‘finding resource is challenging’ when they could say ‘I haven’t got time’ is interesting. Having written about holidays and renewals…

Romans 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. (KJV) In the late 1960’s, in the early days of our marriage, I successfully applied to become a trainer at our firm’s training college in London. At the same time, I was attracted to a 12-week evening course at London Bible College (then based…

While in London recently, I went to see the musical ‘Hamilton’. At the beginning of his career, Aaron Burr offers Alexander Hamilton some advice.  He tells him to ‘Talk less, smile more.’  It reminded me of a written comment a year 7 student made, when asked to define a Christian, ‘Christians eat bread and whine,’…

I had an interesting conversation the other day about camping. I have to admit, trying to get to sleep whilst laying in a sleeping bag on the hard ground, sharing my tent with a variety of buzzing and biting insects, is not my idea of a relaxing holiday. The first holiday I had with my…

We travelled down Woodhall Road in the Village of Calverley West Yorkshire a few years ago, passing my childhood family home, I asked my eldest daughter if she remembered my mum who died in the summer of 1992 when my daughter was just two years old.  I was really surprised to by her reply, she…

When Ray and I were married over 30 years ago I was introduced to Boys’ Brigade.  Ray was brought up at People’s Hall and was a member of the 2nd Ipswich Boys’ Brigade.  He progressed through the ranks, became an officer and gained the King’s Badge.  Two of his sons also were in the Brigade,…