I get the bus into town, and get off it at the market hall.
Where I have breakfast.
Then I go to the pet shop and buy an aquatic plant and four cold water platties.
Then I go home and cook dinner.
Little Shubunkin
Born Again Blogger
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How do you use social media?
WordPress is good for self expression and seeing other people’s lives.
Facebook is good for getting news from the family.
YouTube is good for music videos and listening to ASMR content.
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Jot down the first thing that comes to your mind.
She started off life as Raggie. The RSPCA renamed her Gizmo. When she came to live with us, Yvonne renamed her Kitkat. I call her Cattypuss.
The most commonly used nickname at the moment is Little Git. This is because she has a habit of yowling in the middle of the night, when she gets hungry.
We do love her though, and her presence is a source of joy, albeit not always wholly unalloyed.
Cattypuss -
Describe a random encounter with a stranger that stuck out positively to you.
A Frenchman called Daniel, invited me to his home, where I was fed and accommodated for the night.
We became good friends and I visited him several times.
Sadly, Daniel died in 2016. I’m still friends with his widow, Lise, on Facebook.
Their two boys, Stephan and Arnaud, are now grown men with their own families.
Daniel was great fun, and we had lots of laughs trying to communicate in pidgin English and French 🇫🇷
Les Heurtels -
Describe a decision you made in the past that helped you learn or grow.
I got everything I owned down to what I could carry. This was my take on being a renunciate.
I’ve never felt so light. I never slept so well.
I did have a bit of cash. I didn’t go full mendicant.
What did I learn? Well, I now believe it’s not the things in themselves but the attachment to things that is the potential for problems.
Now I have a big camera collection, lots of gadgets, books and records, etc., I definitely feel more weighed down.
I need to downsize…
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Spotted in Kirkby Stephen church.
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Screenshot On Saturday morning, I arrived early at Keswick bus station. It was cold and windy and raining. I was hungry, and thankfully the supermarket had just opened. But though the supermarket was opened at 7:00 the inside café part didn’t open until 8:00. I didn’t fancy waiting outside in the cold for the next bus. Which wasn’t until 8:55.
So, I asked a member of staff if I could sit in the café until it opened. They said no I couldn’t. There was one solitary pie on the hot stand. When I went to pay for it, I was told I couldn’t have it because it was last night’s stock. Doh! I was pretty miffed.
The week before, I visited the Church of England church in Southport. My experience there was that it couldn’t have been less welcoming. I thought no one wanted to engage with me. And what if I was the next person wanting to be saved? I was pretty miffed. So much so, I was going to fire off a letter of complaint.
I’ve recently been re-reading “The Little Flowers of St Francis of Assisi”. In Chapter 8, St Francis asks brother Leo wherein is perfect joy. The answer is surprising. He asks brother Leo to imagine a scenario of great adversity… of being wet and cold and hungry and then being rejected from their next place of accommodation. But not only rejected, beaten with clubs until their skin bled.
St Francis says if they could face that adversity with patience, joy, and charity – therein is perfect joy. In so doing, I believe St Francis was trying to live by example what he had learned from Jesus. Jesus didn’t curse anyone, He didn’t hate anyone, not even the people who persecuted Him. And what greater adversity could there be than that of an innocent person being crucified?
So, I ask myself what can I learn from this story of St Francis? I think the answer is clearly to try to respond to situations with patience and love in my heart. Had I done this at the supermarket? No! Had I done this at the Anglican Church? No! I kind of failed both tests.
But that’s OK.
In the movie “The Scent of a Woman”, someone says she is scared to try to dance the tango because they may get tangled up. The Al Pacino character says not to worry because if you get tangled up, you just tango on. I think it is the same thing if you’re a Christian. I tango on. -
Describe a positive thing a family member has done for you.
He taught me photography.
He helped me acquire an appreciation of music.
He modelled the qualities of gentleness, kindness and compassion.
He was a true mensch.
Dad and me -
What is your favorite restaurant?
Not a restaurant, but a cafe. But, oh, what a cafe!
They do a nice baked potato, with a variety of fillings.
Fratery -
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I’m 68. In ten years time, I hope to be still living independently and not in a care home.
On a train in France
