The Garden Fence - help and support in tough times

[Deleted User]

Evening all, late post but we'vebeen busy today have DD and I having lots of constructive fun putting up a display in her classroom, looks really good too, it's a GCSE and A level syllabus timeline of key points in German history from 1919 to 1989 when the Berlin Wall came down. First though we had to turn a display board some 6feet long by 5 feet high into a german flag, lots of paper needed for that! We've just got home from the Cathedral where the choir including the tiny choristers performed Bachs St.John Passion, a wonderful piece for Good Friday. Nice for DD to be part of the audience as she rarely gets the chance as she's always singing.

Hope you've all had a nice day, it' been a bit wet here but tomorrow looks to be better so we're planning a trip out and some shopping.

FairyPrincessk

shanks77 wrote: »

I have a very simple cookie recipe if you want?
225g butter or margarine
110g caster sugar (I use granulated)
275g plain flour ( I use SP self raising works fine)

Cream butter and sugar and add flour. Pull off small balls and lightly press down on a grease baking sheet. Bake at 170 for approx 10-15 mins til lightly golden.
These are so versatile as you can add any flavourings you like. I often split the mixture and make 6 of one kind and put rest of mix in fridge for another day so I can always have freshly baked cookies and the varieties are endless. I use chopped up chocolate, lemon and poppy seed, cinnamon and raisin, coffee just to name a few.
HTH xx

Great recipe--I like the variations you suggest, for some reason I never would have thought about lemon and poppy seed! The syrup cake was passable, but these will be great for our next egg free pudding in a few days.

Thank you!

Wondercollie, I'm not a fan of Jelliebabies, but having come across the pond in the other direction I felt a similar sense of excitement when I found reeses peanut butter cups. I think the first year I lived in the UK I had several of those moments where I thought I'd better buy several so they'd keep it in stock. Fortunately peanut butter has become far more popular in the last nine years.:D

S_Wales_Saver

Monna. As a confirmed atheist, would I be out of line in saying 'that's what a church should be?'

mardatha

I'm a Spiritualist not an atheist, but I cannot bear to sit in a church. I don't know why, but the places make me panic like hell and want to burst into tears lol

monnagran

S_W_S: You can say whatever you like my dear, we both agree with you. Did you know that during an FA cup final, when everything depends on the last penalty kick of the game, it has been discovered that there is not a single atheist in the stadium? Everyone is praying. Just saying.

Mar: Oh, I do feel like that too. In fact I have been known during a thunderstorm to pray, " A thunderbolt, please God, right next door if you can manage it." Church buildings do smother the work that the real church, (the people) should be doing. I'm not including the breathtaking Cathedrals and beautiful churches built with love and reverence hundreds of years ago. They can stay.
The best church I know is held in an old lady's front room. The congregation consists of half a dozen elderly people, a keyboard, coffee and biscuits and communion. The Rev and I go there once a month and we both look forward to it immensely.

Well, I did have a treat today. The Rev decided to cook me lunch. I was banned from the kitchen. It was delicious too. Lamb chops, roast potatoes, cauliflower, cabbage and carrots and fresh mint sauce. Followed by chocolate eclairs. No, she didn't make those! It was unnerving, sitting reading the paper while bumps, bangs and unvicarly language issued from the direction of the kitchen. I felt quite twitchy.

Now I probably won't be on here tomorrow so Happy Easter to you all. And don't overdo the chocolate.

x

That's quite enough about churches although I have just bought the Rev a sign to hang on the door on her days off. It says,
Minister off duty.
Please do not disturb unless all hell breaks loose.

[Deleted User]

Our Cathedral was built in the 1080s an is still not charging an entry fee so is available to anyone and everyone from early in the morning to 6 in the evening and I love to sit listening to the choral society rehearsal on Saturday afternoon when there is a concert and watch all the world and his wife go by, the whole cross section of humanity goes past, sometimes comes in and sits for a while listens, kids, teenagers, working folks, mums and babies, tourists from all places, pensioners everyone is welcome from the Queen to the bag lady and the feeling of welcome is there and very apparent for each and every one. It's a very good natured building and prone to giggling!!! I love it to bits, it's a second home. DD teaches at the linked school and they have services in the Cathedral every day, supply the choristers and the kids like to go visit in their playtimes, very special, no side just love in abundance for everyone and warm happiness you've come to visit!

CRANKY40

Chester cathedral is amazing. The sense of history and ancient things that live there is wonderful. Last time the boy and I visited an old man was sitting near the bit where you light candles and leave post-it prayers and crying because his wife died and he missed her. We sat with him for a while, hugged him and told him our story about MrC and how much we missed him too.

Liverpool Anglican cathedral on the other hand is impressive but does not have that feel of others having been there. Maybe in time? I rarely go to church, but am of the opinion that it is how you live your life that matters. The vicar named Peter who handed my 3 year old a lighted Christingle candle stays in my mind as an act of faith (in a wooden panelled church), especially as the said child had just shaken his Christian Aid penny collection candle so hard that the top came off and the entire congregation was involved in the re-collection of his coppers :rotfl:

mardatha

I did once sit in stunned awe for 20 mins in a cathedral in Cork, I do love that spiritual peace - but it's hard to find,

silvasava

I'm not a believer in a supreme being but I do believe in the power of love and I think many religions are a different aspect to the same thing. My mother hated religion & churches of any kind but my dad was far more open minded ( navy so travelled a lot) I love visiting churches for the historical and architectural interest and I'll always light a candle in memory of those I've loved and lost. I've lit candles and left notes in churches & cathedrals of all sorts of faiths all over Europe just because they are no longer here to share with me
I'd love to go to Lindisfarne one day

FairyPrincessk

Evening all,

Back from a lovely day out on Southport pier. We had homemade sandwiches on the pier and then a cone of chips later for just a few. That strange yellow substance emanating from the sky really made the day and it was so nice to have a day out. Unfortunately we were awoken last night by neighbour problems and the police, both of us were exhausted this morning but resolved to have a lovely day anyway and we did.

Maggie the cat was pleased to see us when we got home. It is rare for her to be alone for such a long stretch, but then it might have also been the new flavour of dreamies that made her so affectionate.;)

I don't mind churches--I find many of them awe inspiring. I also don't mind religion or its practitioners generally. I do, however, mind people who use religion (or anything else!) as an excuse to be horrible or judgmental towards others and I'm afraid I've seen and felt a lot of that. I think your Rev might be a rare breed, Monna and I'm glad she is out there showing how it might be done.:T