No.1 sister left today and should be approaching our Northern hometown as I write. We - Col, Penny and I - went to Arundel this afternoon - bought some books and disappeared under a sea of hungry seagulls and such. I had brought the left over rice from last night and some seeds - and wish I had taken more food with me. The sisters treated us to a Thai takeaway last night - Jacks joined us. Col produced champagne and Baileys - and we ended up with a selection of chocolates - from Carol O'the North and Jean O' the Hall. Over in East Sussex - where there bee dragonnes - the snow apparently lies deep and thick and even. Here is it grey and mild and wet. And the Channel is calm.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Apparently its snowing everywhere else, but here it is mildish (for Winter) and very wet, though not actually raining at the moment. The Channel was a bit stormy, but even that is calming. Though it is the sort of sea surface that speaks clearly of its latent power.
Our writers weekend proceeds - with a mini-detox - one that allows cups of tea and coffee and a glass of wine in the evening.
Jackie is coming over tonight for a Thai takeaway. And us three sisters went to the Kingdom Hall for the public talk this morning.
Our writers weekend proceeds - with a mini-detox - one that allows cups of tea and coffee and a glass of wine in the evening.
Jackie is coming over tonight for a Thai takeaway. And us three sisters went to the Kingdom Hall for the public talk this morning.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
... and its cold. Snow this weekend apparently. A whole 3 inches has been forecast. Snowmaggedon!
Back to the field this morning - Steve swung by and took me to the Bible student and we studied for an hour. Our student was saying that he had read Isaiah many times, but never understood it till now. And, touchingly, he said he had never had anyone to talk to about the Bible before.
It reminds me of when I began my study with the two Jehovah's Witnesses who called - all those years ago. Some very happy and amazing memories of that time. But there will be difficulties and obstacles too, and I must keep asking Jehovah that he will help our student over every one of them.
Captain Butterfly is staving off butterfly starvation in the bleak no-butterfly months by visiting Wisley regularly and bringing back some wonderful photos of the tropical butterflies. See the Captain's Log.
Made soup and baked apple and custard for his hungry Lordship's return, and went to the Hall for the meeting - really really cold but no frost or snow, yet. Sat with Audrey and gave her a lift back.
Back to the field this morning - Steve swung by and took me to the Bible student and we studied for an hour. Our student was saying that he had read Isaiah many times, but never understood it till now. And, touchingly, he said he had never had anyone to talk to about the Bible before.
It reminds me of when I began my study with the two Jehovah's Witnesses who called - all those years ago. Some very happy and amazing memories of that time. But there will be difficulties and obstacles too, and I must keep asking Jehovah that he will help our student over every one of them.
Captain Butterfly is staving off butterfly starvation in the bleak no-butterfly months by visiting Wisley regularly and bringing back some wonderful photos of the tropical butterflies. See the Captain's Log.
Made soup and baked apple and custard for his hungry Lordship's return, and went to the Hall for the meeting - really really cold but no frost or snow, yet. Sat with Audrey and gave her a lift back.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
To end the month on a sad, but hopeful note, I was at a family funeral today. It was a simple memorial service at the Kingdom Hall. One of my sisters, Win, had died. She was not young, in her nineties and had been in a home for nearly two years.
Given that I wasn't able to get up North to say goodbye to my last two aunts, or to Helen's funeral (another sister) even though it was only local, I am so glad I was well enough to get to this one.
Malcolm gave a perfect talk - as near as anything can be perfect in this system of things. And I learnt a bit more the history of this little seaside town, as Win had lived here for nearly all her life.
I also learnt how much she loved the creation, and that she especially loved trees. So now I am thinking that maybe, when she next opens her eyes, it will be in a forest clearing, somewhere in the Paradise earth, perhaps in May when all the leaves are so new and so green.
She was also noted for being a doer - her motto being "I would rather do than not".
Which made me worry a bit about my Memorial service should I have one. I am hoping not to have to die at all. But given that my special skill is Couch Potato-ing... oh dear.
And that is all I have been doing so far this afternoon.
It was a reasonably busy morning in that I took Audrey to the bank and shopping, then we went out and finished my magazine route for January. Then I shopped myself, picked up meds from Pharmacy (that is an occupation that takes up a fair amount of retirement - no time as yet to experience this boredom that some people have warned about), went to the Kingdom Hall to say goodbye to Win - and cooked - well more heated up - a late lunch for Captain Hungry and me and that was it.
Very overcast day and as cold as it has been. The Channel is a calm grey blue almost disappearing into a same coloured sky.
Given that I wasn't able to get up North to say goodbye to my last two aunts, or to Helen's funeral (another sister) even though it was only local, I am so glad I was well enough to get to this one.
Malcolm gave a perfect talk - as near as anything can be perfect in this system of things. And I learnt a bit more the history of this little seaside town, as Win had lived here for nearly all her life.
I also learnt how much she loved the creation, and that she especially loved trees. So now I am thinking that maybe, when she next opens her eyes, it will be in a forest clearing, somewhere in the Paradise earth, perhaps in May when all the leaves are so new and so green.
She was also noted for being a doer - her motto being "I would rather do than not".
Which made me worry a bit about my Memorial service should I have one. I am hoping not to have to die at all. But given that my special skill is Couch Potato-ing... oh dear.
And that is all I have been doing so far this afternoon.
It was a reasonably busy morning in that I took Audrey to the bank and shopping, then we went out and finished my magazine route for January. Then I shopped myself, picked up meds from Pharmacy (that is an occupation that takes up a fair amount of retirement - no time as yet to experience this boredom that some people have warned about), went to the Kingdom Hall to say goodbye to Win - and cooked - well more heated up - a late lunch for Captain Hungry and me and that was it.
Very overcast day and as cold as it has been. The Channel is a calm grey blue almost disappearing into a same coloured sky.
Monday, January 30, 2012
You will all remember that seminal moment (in "Dr.Oh No Whatever Happened to Ursula Andress!!") when I zimmered out of the sea in my curly plastic bathing hat with matching flowery bathing costume, and offered James Bond a nice hot cup of tea from my thermos flask. But the moment I am really thinking about is the Moonraker one. Its when James and whatever the current girl's name was (Largechestia?) were skimming along the top of the earth's atmosphere, occasionally touching it and sort of sizzling the edges of their plane.
I identify with that quite a lot as I skim along the surface of Aspergers... and every time I touch it one of the connections in my head that makes sense of things flickers and uncouples.
It makes me realise how amazing the human brain is and what it does for us all the time. And, if it doesn't work, then how helpless we are.
My last big hit on the Asperger's atmosphere was when we were out with a friend from Expatworld who visits us most years. And we have known her for getting on for thirty years now. We had driven to the Arun river walk, and she and I had got out of the car. Then i was standing outside the car with Col getting his walking shoes out of the boot and there was a strange woman standing in front of me.
It wasn't till she spoke that I realised it was Julia, who had just got out of the car with me. I had no sense of missing her, no sense of having been with Julia, no recognition at all until she spoke and the thing clicked back - and James Bond drove the plane above the atmosphere again.
The brain is truly amazing. I believe that Darwin was honest about the problem it posed for the theory of Evolution. And of course we know even more about its complexity and capacity now, so I think if he was still with us he would have gone back to the drawing board a long time ago.
And its when it doesn't do what it should that you begin to get a glimpse of just how much it does do.
It is also a sad insight into the frozen world of deep autism, where nothing connects and nothing makes sense.
We are just talking to Bea on Skype - and I am hoping for a quiet day and a quiet week, to recharge my batteries for the weekend when we have visitors.
I identify with that quite a lot as I skim along the surface of Aspergers... and every time I touch it one of the connections in my head that makes sense of things flickers and uncouples.
It makes me realise how amazing the human brain is and what it does for us all the time. And, if it doesn't work, then how helpless we are.
My last big hit on the Asperger's atmosphere was when we were out with a friend from Expatworld who visits us most years. And we have known her for getting on for thirty years now. We had driven to the Arun river walk, and she and I had got out of the car. Then i was standing outside the car with Col getting his walking shoes out of the boot and there was a strange woman standing in front of me.
It wasn't till she spoke that I realised it was Julia, who had just got out of the car with me. I had no sense of missing her, no sense of having been with Julia, no recognition at all until she spoke and the thing clicked back - and James Bond drove the plane above the atmosphere again.
The brain is truly amazing. I believe that Darwin was honest about the problem it posed for the theory of Evolution. And of course we know even more about its complexity and capacity now, so I think if he was still with us he would have gone back to the drawing board a long time ago.
And its when it doesn't do what it should that you begin to get a glimpse of just how much it does do.
It is also a sad insight into the frozen world of deep autism, where nothing connects and nothing makes sense.
We are just talking to Bea on Skype - and I am hoping for a quiet day and a quiet week, to recharge my batteries for the weekend when we have visitors.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Then being back with my brothers and sisters in the congregation, being taught, and cared for this morning built me up too. Audrey and I hope to be back into our Tuesday morning routine this week.
Col is off Metal Detecting. I suggested it might be helpful in these credit crunch days if he would find and bring back a Viking Horde, but he pointed out, with weary patience, that the Vikings didn't make it this far south.
How thoughtless of them. Did they give no consideration to our retirement income?
Friday, January 27, 2012
There should be a lovely butterfly blog on The Captains Log today, as he spent yesterday at Wisley - a reward for a day spent doing tax returns. It is Tropical Butterfly time of year there - all those glamorous flying flowers gliding gracefully about. I have had a small preview - and can only say, don't miss it.
How could something so exquisitely engineered and painted just happen? They speak so clearly of their Grand Creator and Designer.
In contrast, I note that the earthly powers are rubbing my nose in it today - the day after I paid my tax bill. It seems some Banker has just been given another massive bonus, and I am apparently to be impressed and grateful because it isn't as massive as it could have been.
I am trying to be grateful, but am feeling an unChristian desire to impress someone somewhere with something a bit painful. However... back to my studies... quickly.
And, importantly, I got back to the meetings last night - lovely to see everybody. I have never been away so long in all my years as as JW. The Christian congregation really cares for all of us, and is a powerhouse of purpose and energy - directed towards getting the preaching work done. I hope to be back out in the field Tuesday at the latest - well, in a sense, today, hopefully, if Captain Helpful feels able to take me on my magazine route. I only have a few days left to deliver January's magazines. There is a great one coming in February - all about Armageddon - specifically what the Bible says about it, which is the important thing.
Some people see it as WW3, a nuclear war - whereas the Bible says it is the war of God the Almighty. And it is a war that saves the earth from ruin, not one that brings it to ruin.
Sometimes too the Day of Judgement which follows it - the thousand years, the Millennial Reign - is presented as something dreadful - something to be feared. Yet its something to be longed for. All who come into the judgement will be given a completely fresh start, and the opportunity to learn about their Creator in the Paradise earth and be restored to the perfection our first parents had before they chose to cut themselves off from Jehovah, their Source of life.
Its a thought to hang on to when going through all these medical trials and tribulations.
And for all of us who need encouragement, I want to end with this lovely promise from the Hebrew prophet Isaiah, showing that the Day of Judgement is something to be longed for:
"Yes, for the path of your judgments, O Jehovah, we have hoped in you. For your name and for your memorial the desire of the soul has been. With my soul I have desired you in the night; yes, with my spirit within me I keep looking for you; because, when there are judgments from you for the earth, righteousness is what the inhabitants of the productive land will certainly learn." - Isaiah 26:8,9
How could something so exquisitely engineered and painted just happen? They speak so clearly of their Grand Creator and Designer.
In contrast, I note that the earthly powers are rubbing my nose in it today - the day after I paid my tax bill. It seems some Banker has just been given another massive bonus, and I am apparently to be impressed and grateful because it isn't as massive as it could have been.
I am trying to be grateful, but am feeling an unChristian desire to impress someone somewhere with something a bit painful. However... back to my studies... quickly.
And, importantly, I got back to the meetings last night - lovely to see everybody. I have never been away so long in all my years as as JW. The Christian congregation really cares for all of us, and is a powerhouse of purpose and energy - directed towards getting the preaching work done. I hope to be back out in the field Tuesday at the latest - well, in a sense, today, hopefully, if Captain Helpful feels able to take me on my magazine route. I only have a few days left to deliver January's magazines. There is a great one coming in February - all about Armageddon - specifically what the Bible says about it, which is the important thing.
Some people see it as WW3, a nuclear war - whereas the Bible says it is the war of God the Almighty. And it is a war that saves the earth from ruin, not one that brings it to ruin.
Sometimes too the Day of Judgement which follows it - the thousand years, the Millennial Reign - is presented as something dreadful - something to be feared. Yet its something to be longed for. All who come into the judgement will be given a completely fresh start, and the opportunity to learn about their Creator in the Paradise earth and be restored to the perfection our first parents had before they chose to cut themselves off from Jehovah, their Source of life.
Its a thought to hang on to when going through all these medical trials and tribulations.
And for all of us who need encouragement, I want to end with this lovely promise from the Hebrew prophet Isaiah, showing that the Day of Judgement is something to be longed for:
"Yes, for the path of your judgments, O Jehovah, we have hoped in you. For your name and for your memorial the desire of the soul has been. With my soul I have desired you in the night; yes, with my spirit within me I keep looking for you; because, when there are judgments from you for the earth, righteousness is what the inhabitants of the productive land will certainly learn." - Isaiah 26:8,9
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