The Launch

"The Doll Makers" was launched succesfully last night - the bottle of champagne broke first time - and off it sailed to the bookshops.  Pen gave us an informative and very funny talk and then took questions from her audience.   As she said, she couldn't have picked a worse day if she had tried - snow sweeping down from the North, a freezing London, and a 24 hour tube strike!

However, she got a good audience and the room was full.   ALCS did her proud - and what a lovely venue it is for a launch.   We met some interesting people, including Sue, a Theatre critic, and a young Polish-American student over here on a semester of studying Brit culture. He is especially enjoying the Brit Comedy module.  And we re-met Janet who made the amazing Lilac Tree Farm wedding cake.  When not making wedding cakes for the children of her friends she has some extraordinary connection with a UN type of organisation.   I would love to have a talk with her about it, but haven't had much of a chance yet.

She has had the sort of life that would make for a fascinating autobiography.

Sue and I were swapping our current reading and I was able to recommend Peter Godwin's 'When a Crocodile Eats the Sun', and she has recommended something called 'Brixton Beach' by Roma Tearne.

It is a brilliant title (and yes, old geography teacher, I do know that Brixton does not have a beach).

Julie wasn't there this year, but she did text Pen from India.

We got back to our seaside home about 9.30.   I am now hoping to get out on the work with Audrey this morning - although it looks awfully cold out there.   And must ring Louise, the young pioneer sister, about our working together this week too.

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NO!!

Captain Butterfly's blog for yesterday - sobs incoherently - sanderling - catching, washing and EATING a mussel... NO!!!!


Was it Maurice?

If so, what a tragic end!  And one that I assured my blog would not occur.

Is it all over?

The problem is that I can't tell one mussel from another and - oh, wait a minute, there is some kind of protest massing on the green outside our balcony.   It seems to be a mob of mussels surging up from the beach, with placards.   Oh dear - they are accusing me of Disrespect for Diversity (as I have failed to note how interestingly diverse mussels are) and are threatening me with the Thought Police.  Gulp. 

I am too old for the Re-Education Camps.  And I haven't got enough brain cells left to be successfully re-educated anyway.  Oh dear.  This is a horror.  They must all have been working away on their little waterproof computers when I put those foolish words on my blog.


The only consolation is that that looks very like Maurice at the head of the demo.



So my plotline can continue as planned, if I ever get back to the beach.  


Maybe I could have a few words from the balcony.  It is a bit of a Romeo and Juliet situation in a way.

Thick frost this morning, but our Gallant Leader Captain Butterfly still plans to get us up to London for the book launch, in spite of flakes of snow falling on rails and a 24 hour tube strike.

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No snow yet

...although I could feel it getting colder as I sat in the Kingdom Hall this morning.  I sat with Christine and Louise today.  The public talk was about why we must not let ourselves be resentful - and a timely reminder from our Creator that love "does NOT keep account of the injury". 

We live in a world that encourages us to memorialise the wrongs done to us, and to hold grudges.  Well on a somewhat selective basis admittedly.  So we need to be sure that 'the spirit of the world' is not affecting us.

But I was so pleased to hear it as I had been agonising over things last night and finding it difficult to sleep.  I heard just what I needed to hear.  Now - can I apply it?

I found Captain Butterfly had gone to the beach when I got back.  He is a hardy soul, especially as he is just back from the tropics.  I asked him to say hello to Maurice (so I can further my plotline) but I think he forgot.

Jackie was round yesterday night for curry - courtesy of my reliable Madhur Jaffrey recipe book - and all went well.   Tandoori chicken plus dahl plus rice and small small things.  

Jean and I only managed half an hour on the doors yesterday morning, but i have been quite busy answering a set of interesting and complex Bible questions from Anne from Capetown.  I still haven't finished answering them all.

But I am so pleased that it is me she asks (on account of my being a Jehovah's Witness).

Penny's book launch tomorrow!   The three of us are going - weather permitting.

And we have been asked up North for the holidays.  And will go, once again - weather permitting.

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Winter seems to have arrived

Very very cold today - although also very beautiful.  Blue skies, white clouds, the Autumn light from the low sun lighting up all the remaining colours in the leaves.  We went to Pagham harbour this afternoon.  It was quiet and empty - not many birds around.  The sea in the inlets was an amazing blue.  Col took some photos which should appear on his blog in time.  Audrey and I were out on the door to door preaching work this morning, though not for all that long as it was so cold.   Jacks is coming for dinner tomorrow and I have the chicken in its marinade.

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Anyone for toast?

The parking machine at the hospital asked us to drive safely, thanked us for paying, and told us to have a nice day.  In fact it did everything but offer us tea and toast.  Oh and it also lifted its bar and let us out of the carpark once we paid it - which is all we wanted of it really.

Just a routine appointment for the Captain - and all is well.   We then went to browse in Lakeland and bought some teaspoons and a couple of cornish pasties for lunch.  The pasties were from the Cornish pastie shop - and not from Lakeland.  I also browsed in the Heart Foundation shop.   It always seems as if Chichester would be a good catchment area for Barbara Pym books, but there were none.

This is supposed to be an internet diary so I am trying to think what I have been doing since Sunday.

Very little really due to arthritis. Though I did manage to go out on the work with Audrey on Tuesday - with the Captain very kindly chauffering us as I was not able to drive.

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Roger at the Hall!

Roger came to the Kingdom Hall with me on Sunday - and we stayed for the whole meeting - which was lovely of him.   The Public Talk was about how to bring up children with a strong Christian faith in spite of the immense peer pressures from 'the world' to go to the other way.   And there was a lovely Watchtower about how Jesus has always helped God's congregation - in his prehuman existence, when he was on the earth, and afterwards.   Very reassuring in the face of all the horrors.

Roger arrived for lunch yesterday and Col got back at teatime.  All the Shoal seem to have got safely back home after a wonderful holiday.  He was very happy and even went on a Metal Detecting outing yesterday morning. So Roger had the choice of treasure hunting in local fields or hunting for spiritual treasures.

And he chose the spiritual treasures.

We all met up for a  Sunday roast dinner at The George and Dragon.   Roger left in the afternoon. We hope to see him again in January.   Anne joined us on Saturday night, by Skype from the Cape. It was just like old times in Expatland.

I managed to get out on the work with Jean Saturday morning, although only for half an hour, and I then took her to Ken's and back so he could photocopy the Watchtower article.

So a busy weekend - in my terms - and I am glad to have a day off today.  Especially since my arthritis is playing up and walking is very painful.   But I have some wonderful brain stretching questions in from Anne about the book of Isaiah that I want to research and answer today.   So must get both brain cells in gear and peruse the wonderful Watchtower Bible commentary.

Bea emailed the cousins group to say that things are happening re her move - and sent the new address.

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Another cunning plan bites the dust

Took Audrey to the bank and shopping this morning.  We got to the first shop when I suddenly remembered I hadn't put the parking disc in my car window!  'You'd better hurry' said the lady in the shop, 'they are very fierce in that car park'.  I didn't know i could still move so fast - and I got there in time.

We then did some Not At Homes, and I did a couple of return vists, and found the chap in again.  He says I can call back with the December magazines.

Col Skyped me from the island, looking very brown and relaxed.   On the last day, after his diving is finished, he always has a massage at the very swish Beauty Shop.   Now I thought I had emailed the island this year and ordered a nice sensible motherly masseuse well into her sixties for him.  But judging by all the 'it was wonderfuls' and 'lovely young girls' etc etc ,  my email was shot down somewhere over the Indian Ocean and my cunning plan has failed.

Ah well, back to home and real life tomorrow.  No lovely young girls around here (well apart from myself of course).    I hope I will be too busy to worry about boats sinking and planes crashing etc etc, as Roger will be arriving for lunch and I must get out on the field service in the morning.

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