Sunday relaxation

It is a perfect Sunday for sitting around doing very little.  It is cold and raining on and off outside.  My essay is finished bar one final proof-read tomorrow and so I cam do what I like. . .

I was having a look around the Internet when I discovered this book meme on Confessions of a Prodigal Daughter and as she did say that anyone could do it, and I love reading, I decided to take part. 

What you have to do is take the book closest to you at this moment (not the one you like the most or the one you think is the best one to choose) and turn to page 56.

Then copy out the fifth sentence plus the next 2 to 5 sentences following.  Then you pass it on to 5 others.

So here is my contribution:

Title: 'The Wind in the Willows' by Kenneth Grahame

The fifth sentence on page 56: "They found themselves standing on the very edge of the Wild Wood."

Subsequent sentences:  "Rocks and brambles and tree roots behind them, confusedly heaped and tangled; in front a great space of quiet fields, hemmed by lines of hedges black on the snow, and, far ahead, a glint of the familiar old river, while the wintry sun hung red and low over the horizon.  The Otter, as knowing all the paths, took charge of the party, and they trailed out on a bee-line for a distant stile.  Pausing there a moment and looking back, they saw the whole mass of the Wild Wood, dense, menacing, compact, grimly set in vast white surroundings; simultaneously they turned and made swiftly for home, for firelight and the familiar things it played on, for the voice, sounding cheerily outside their window, of the river they knew and trusted in all its moods, that never made then afraid with any amazement."

It's as funny thing but this little book sits rather unobtrusively on the bookshelf, near to this chair, an you wouldn't even realise it was there, but my hand went to it automatically when I turned to get the book for this meme.

I won't choose anyone in particular to do this as I am not sure who, if anyone, will be reading my post!  But if you are then why not give this gentle meme a go!

I wee bit of self gratuitous narcicism

You Are 2: The Helper

You always put on a happy face and try to help those around you. You're incredibly empathetic and care about everyone you know. Able to see the good in others, you're thoughtful, warm, and sincere. You connect with people who are charming and charismatic. At Your Best: You are deeply giving, altruistic, and humble. You devote your life to others while caring for yourself too. At Your Worst: You are manipulative and enjoy making other people guilty. Your Fixation: Rejection Your Primary Fear: Being unworthy of love Your Primary Desire: To be loved unconditionally Other Number 2's: Mother Teresa, John Travolta, Princess Diana, Dr. Phil, and Mr. Rogers.

What Number Are You?

I didn't realise that Blessed Theresa of Calcutta took this test too!

Ready . . . Steady . . .

The fruit for the Christmas Cake has been mixed and is now sitting around biding its time for one week...

The Advent Wreath is prepared and ready for action.

So roll on Christmas!

Prayers

Prayers

Practicing God's Presence.

Offer up prayers for the people of Mumbai as they come to terms with the terrible and tragic evens of the past few days.

Offer up prayers for those who died

Offer up prayers for those who grieve

and offer up prayers for the souls of those people who perpetrated such a wicked act - both the organisers and those who carried them out.

NB:  The photo came from Yahoo News.

It all started . . .

It all started on Sunday while I was in Stockholm.

Top temperature was -2 Celsius.

The snow storm struck while I was trying to find the city's only Catholic Church so that I could light a candle for my father.  

Disoriented by the snow in our faces plus the bitter cold we had to give up the search but then AGA saw a large red church and so we went in there.  It was a Lutheran church but that is fine with me as all churches are God's house albeit in various states of repair.  It looked as though they were having some sort of a prayer service with guitars and singing but as we walked in they were having a breather while someone spoke (in Swedish so I have no idea what they were saying but everyone was listening and occasionally nodding.)

It was very quiet when we walked in so I slipped across to the candle holder and lit my candle for my Dad.  Then we left and made our way to the airport.

It gets dark at 3:30 at this point of time and so as the bus made its way along the highway you could see nothing, the snow storm blocking out even the light from the street lights.

The plane was due to leave for Dusseldorf at 8:10 in the evening.  At 10 we still had not left but had changed  gates

At 11 we were still waiting

At 12 we were still waiting

At 12:30 we were on the plane but waiting to be de-iced

At 1 we had been de-iced twice and were on our way.

At 2 in the morning we finally struggled through the door of our apartment.

When I was in my 20s I could go out nightclubbing or with my friends, get home at 6 have 1 hours sleep and be ready for work.  True, I would be rubbish by the end of the day but I could still deal quite competently with my work.  

Now I am 45 and having only five hours sleep left me exhausted!

So I am only just getting back to normal on Thursday - four days later and I still have my module essay to complete!

Oh well that IS life I suppose...

An anniversary

It is Christian charity to pray for the dead and I would ask you to please remember my father Colin in your prayers this Sunday.  He died thirteen years ago on the 23rd of November 1995 of a most horrible brain tumour, six weeks after diagnosis.  In that short time the tumour robbed his of almost all his faculties to our great distress and his dying, while a merciful release, left a large gap in the lives of his wife and children.

I don't have a photo on my computer of him in latter years but the one I have posted is of him in his twenties when he lived in Canada.  Before he married and settled down, he had lived in Canada, journeyed to Mexico and then rode on horseback across America from south to north before returning to Canada and then back to England.  He had many adventures and nearly died of black water fever (a form of malaria). He lived for a while on a Native American reservation where he interviewed them about their lives, visited an old people home because he heard that one of the last American gunfighters was still alive and living there.  He use to say that he did things that you just couldn't do today.

We had just convinced my father to write an account of these adventures of his when he died. I could go on writing about him but that would be to bore everyone although I will add that he was a poet and the best of fathers, who always had time for his children.  Even after all this time we miss him a lot.  His ashes are scattered on the shores of Lake Buttermere in the Lake District: the place he loved best in the world.

Please remember him in your prayers this weekend as I shall be doing in Stockholm.  I pray that his time in purgatory is short and that he enjoys the glorious vision of Our Lord as soon as possible!

An experiment with the Ave Maria

My brain is still too stuffed up with a cold to think of anything to post however, I am attempting to post my first video and if this works you will be able to see a video of 'The Priests' singing Ave Maria which never fails to move my heart. It is linked from a rather good website: Gloria.tv.
I hope it works and I hope you enjoy it!

A . . . A . . . A . . .TSCHOO!!

Yesterday I went to the Saturday evening Vigil Mass which was in memory of the German War Dead.  We call it, if I understand it correctly, People's Sadness Day

A very dignified, quiet affair with the St Sebastian Brotherhood in attendance carrying their Marian banners.  Some wore morning dress complete with top hats while others were in a bottle green Hussar uniform.  We remembered those killed in Kaiserswerth and those killed who came from Kaiserswerth.  Afterwards there was a procession to the war memorial near the old castle but I slipped off home because it was a cold night and I was not feeling 100% . . .

and the results?

Today I have a bad cold and an essay to finish for my latest module and I want both done and dusted by Thursday as I am going to Stockholm for a long weekend!

This morning I lay in bed having a cup of tea very kindly provided by AGA and reading a Country Homes and Interiors magazine.  The people in those magazines have such lovely houses with beautiful furnishing etc.  One day I hope to have a house like that although I see that most of the owners are either merchant bankers or managing directors of this or that...

Patron Saints for 2009

This week I received my patron Saint for 2009 from Angela over at  Where Angels go.

St Polycarp of Smyrna.

I know next to nothing about St Polycarp so I had better start researching, although I did read that he had known those who had known Jesus which I think is awe inspiring!

(I asked for patrons for everyone and Angela has kindly agreed, so now AGA and my immediate family all have patrons for next year which is extremely kind of her.)

St Martin's Day

Today is the feast of St Martin of Tours.  It is a very special day in Germany.  On St Martin's Eve the children light specially made (usually by them) lanterns and walk though the streets of the town or village singing songs in praise of St Martin's charity and in their mist rides St Martin himself, with his mitre and long white beard, riding a white horse and wearing a long cloak to represent that which he shared with the poor man.  In Kaiserswerth St Martin is BIG.  The parade is popular and populous with all the children from the surrounding area taking part, plus all three of our bands playing , the firemen and ambulance men leading St Martin and everyone singing their hearts out in praise of the this great Saint's charity.  I did try to take a photo to share but alas they didn't turn out so instead I have headed my post with a picture of the stained glass window in the church where the saint himself died in 397.  It is in a village on the banks of the Loire called Candes Saint Martin.  His body however does not lay here but in Tours.  A town further along the river.  Apparently what happened was that St Martin was staying here when he died.  Monks from Poitiers and from Tours were with him and of course everyone knew that there was going to be an unholy tussle as to who should have the honour of hosting his tomb.  So, while the monks of Poitiers were asleep, the monks of Tours quietly got up, took the body, loaded it on to a boat and swiftly left for Tours where his remains were interred and where his tomb is!

And here in the chapel attached to the church is a stained glass window depicting the event!

( or rather it would be except that blogger will not upload the photo!)

And finally here is the spot where he died although it is rather difficult to read as the wording has faded over the years . . .

Blog Award

Philip over at Ponte Sisto has very kindly given me an award!
The award is given in recognition of cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values transmitted in the form of creative and original writing.

I thank you Phil for thinking of me, and adding me to such an illustrious group!

I am going to think carefully about who I cam award this to, in turn...

Remembrance Sunday

I had an ancestor who fought at the Battle of Waterloo. 

When he returned home to his family he said that, having witnessed the carnage on the battlefield, he felt certain that there would never be another war because the World just would not be able to cope with such death and destruction. This made such an impact upon his family that the story has been faithfully handed down through each succeeding generation

Unfortunately events have proven that the World has had to cope with much greater episodes of death and destruction through war than that which occurred on the field at Waterloo. Indeed my ancestor’s sword, which he wore and used at Waterloo was destroyed when my grandparents house was destroyed by bombing during World War II.

Today is Remembrance Sunday. It is a grey, windy, rainy old day, which always seems somewhat fitting for such a sombre memorial; and I have just returned home from Mass having prayed my private prayers for all those who gave their lives in such conflicts.

We do not need to know exact numbers but it will suffice to say that thousands upon thousands of men women and children of many nationalities died in the two major conflicts of our lifetime (the two world wars) and in the many other wars before and since. 

Remembrance Sunday is always particularly acquainted with World War I, I guess because it is so close to the 11th of November. I particularly wish to remember these people who were members of my own family and who died on the field of conflict during the years 1914-1918

Will Owen aged 18. A Private in the 16th Battalion Welsh Regiment who was killed in Belgium on the 13 of September 1916. He joined up with his brother. While making an advance under heavy fire, the brother witnessed Will's death. Such was the situation that he could not stop but had to keep moving forward and hold the line.  Will Owen is buried at Essex Farm Cemetery and his grave is somewhere in the photo that heads this post. . .

Leslie James Denman Standen aged 20. Captain in the 5th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment who was killed in France on the 18th of March 1916. Son of a Canon of Lincoln Cathedral. Undergraduate at Christ College, Cambridge.

Edward Joseph Owen aged 35. Rifleman in the 21st Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps who was killed in Belgium on the 5th of August 1917. A married man with young children. He joined the army because he felt it his patriotic duty to defend his homeland.  He doesn't have a grave because his remains were, I believe, never found, however he is remembered on the Menin Gate in Ypres.

George Stephen Robjant aged 38. Private in the 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders who was killed in France on the 28th of March 1918. Also a married man. A man who had never quite measured up to his demanding father’s expectations and as such had become somewhat estranged. Turning his back on his family he had opted for the life of a simple farm labourer but had answered the call to defend his country and made the ultimate sacrifice.

Here a verse from the poem entitled 'Flanders Fields' and written at Essex Farm Cemetery by a Canadian , John McCrae:

We are the Dead.  Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders Fields

N.B

I got the first photo is from this Internet site where you can also read the full poem.   The colour photo I took myself.

Success!

It was a coldish sort of day today.  The wind was blowing the leaves off the trees and swirling them around and around.  It put me in the mood for comfort food and having just recently obtained a pudding recipe from my mum I decided that I would give it a go, especially as AGA was also experimenting, with roasted pork belly. . .

But you know how it is when you try something new and you are not the only one going to be looking it?  If you are by yourself and it doesn't work out or doesn't look good you can just pop it in to the bin, or into your mouth if it tastes good.  But if someone else is there and you are experimenting then you want it to turn out perfectly so that you can so in a nonchalant way, oh it was nothing really. . .

Well today that was me.  My canary marmalade pudding turned out perfect and while I was quite modest about it when complimented by AGA, in side I was jumping for joy!  And here is a photo to show you how it turned out.

All this came from God's wondrous bounty!

We ate it with fresh hot custard and afterwards sat rather quietly because we were so full after such a big meal...  But as  you can see there is plenty for tomorrow so if you are in the neighbourhood . . . AGA is talking about having it with cream poured over it.

PS

I took the autumn photo from the sittingroom window this morning so that you can see what I see when I look out of the window at the moment

Re-Evangelisation and me

My dear blogging friend Adrienne, writing in response to the election victory in America, has raised some important issues, which have been seconded and expanded upon by another blogger called Mark from Spokane.

I read this posting with great interest and found myself in full agreement with the sentiments expressed, but I also believe that this applies not just to America but to the whole world!

The election results in America have become the catalyst for Adrienne's post but I think that a shake up of the church militant would be required either way.

While I was riding to school I thought about this topic. 

I tried to think what was the ultimate cause of the way we behave these days. 

This 'me' attitude. 

This 'right to chose' attitude. 

Is it rampant materialism? 

Is it egocentricity?

I think that it is more than that.

I think that it is a turning away from the principles of goodness.

All good things comes from God and so in turning away from goodness the World is, in effect, turning away from God; and that for me is a very distressing and somewhat 'dread-filling' realisation.

But...

(There is always a but, isn't there)

It is all fine and well for me to say what I think about the log in the world's eye when I have one in mine too.

They say that charity begins at home and I guess reform does too.

I can't expect to re-evangelise the Church by myself but we can certainly, with God's help, re-evangelise our own lives:

• We can practice the precepts of the Church.
  
• We can make the Theological and Cardinal Virtues a part of our every day life.
  
• We can pray earnestly that the gifts and the fruits of the Holy Spirit take root in our souls.
  
• We can undertake the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.
  
• and we can live the Beatitudes.
  

Unfortunately I don't mind admitting that I am so weak of will and so spiritually lazy that nothing will be accomplished within me personally without God's most gracious help and assistance.  I am like a child who wishes to do something great, but this can only be achieved with the help of loving parents who take the time to make sure that all goes well so that the finished product is as it should be.

I was once told that the desire to want to reform oneself is a gift from Our Father just as the desire the pray is a gift from Him also.  I therefore have something to thank God for already.

I can draw strength from this fact, from more constant prayer, and more importantly, from the Blessed Eucharist! 

And every time I stumble (which I am sure will be constantly taking place) I can get up, ask forgiveness, and keep on going because I must!

It is going to be hard but then the pilgrim road is never an easy one is it. . .

'Onwards Christian Soldiers' might not be considered (by some) to be the most appropriate hymn to be singing at this point but the sentiments it contain (and the tune) are certainly running through my mind as I write this! 

Continued Prayer Request

Here is an update on the twins: Alice and Laura.

Alice is now in the hospital at Colchester and doing quite well and growing. Her grandmother was able to hold her for the first time since she was born.

Laura unfortunately is not doing so well. She was taken to the Gt. Ormond Street Children's Hospital in London for a heart operation before being returned to Norwich where it is hoped that she will begin to make progress.

With one child in Colchester and one in Norwich it is, as you might imagine, very difficult for their parents as well and they can only visit them on alternate days.

Please continue to remember Alice and Laura in your prayers, as well as their parents and if you are in Church and remember them then perhaps you might light a candle too.

Thank you.

All Saints Day 2

And All Saints Day has a special significance in our family as it is my Mum's birthday.

Happy Birthday Mumsy!

Allerheiligen Gemeindemesse Kaiserwerth

Today I attended Mass at our basilica for All Saints Day.

It was beautiful.

We had the organ of course and the Kaiserswerth Schola were singing.

We also had our bishop, two priests and nineteen altar servers.  As they processed in the choristers performed Gergorian chant and I must admit that it made me all goose-bumpy.

All prayers, and responses, the  Credo, Agnus Dei, Sanctus etc. were in Latin although a couple of the hymns were in German, which was nice.

One of our hymns was written by Freidrich von Spee, our local Jesuit lad from the 16th century who was instrumental in, among other things, ending the burning of old people as witches . . .

There was plenty of incense and I paid special attention to the altar server who's job it was to hold the crozier - that always seemed to be my job when I served at Mass and we crozier holders like to stick together!

Our Bishop is a short chap who wears dark glasses most of the time but he is also one of those who talk very loudly and then very softly, accompanied by a lot of arm waving - as a result I could not follow a lot of the sermon - my German being rather poor -although I know he was talking a lot about our Saint Suidbertus.  He also was doing a lot of exhortation with arms raised above his head...

I lit candles for my father and grandmother and AGA's mother and I said a prayer for my fellow bloggers too.

All in all it was a wonderful celebration and the organist got so carried away at the end that we had an almost Handelian ending to the recessional which made everyone clap as it came to an end while everyone was in the midst of leaving.

So that was my All Saints Day.  I hope yours was just as nice