Bean Trained!!!

It's in!!

We've been trained!!

We managed to make 14 cups of coffee and didn't poison any of the workmen!!

(Well not instantly anyway!!)

People's Expectations

So, things at the moment probably make me a little like the person in this picture. It's not the amount of stuff that needs doing that is daunting - although there seems to be an ever growing list of stuff that needs doing. And the time frame in which to do it is growing ever smaller.

No, it's people's expectations of what will or should be happening, how they think things are going to be run, when they think things should be run, that's what really really really scares me.

Anyone who knows me, will know that I have a fear of what people think of me. It is sometimes quite debilitating. I have a friend who doesn't give a "monkeys" about what people think about her, and she says that this feeling only really came as she got older. But how old do I have to be?!?!

Quite liked the caption below. Says it all really!

Who's for chocolate cake?

Question of the day!

Why don't certain emails come with this warning?

How many people does it take to open a tin of corn beef?

At 8am this morning, I got a phone call asking if I could spare a few hours making sandwiches. There had been a fire in Romford and the Fire Brigade had asked for the Emergency Response Unit. In fact, two guys had been there since the fire started at 3am, and Ann and I relieved them at 9am. Fortunately no-one was injured in the fire, but the whole store was gutted or as the fireman say "it's a sweep it up".

It was great to be doing something worthwhile and helping where help was needed and genuinely appreciated.

Chikankata Update

So, they arrived at Chikankata Mission on Saturday. The folk there are overwhelmed and amazed at the amount of stuff they have taken for them. They went to see the Chief-ness and she too is stunned at the generosity.

Sunday, saw them go to Church, twice!! and take part in the choir practice.

Today everyone is feeling a bit tired. They have been on a tour of the hospital and the high school.

Unfortunately the mission has been without water for the past week. Water has to be collected daily and they are having to wash the best way they can. Toilets are being flushed using pans of water. And today the mission is without electricity.

Some of them are finding it harder than they thought!!

Journey to Zambia 2008

They have arrived safely and B.A. didn't lose any luggage!!

Sofa Update

Just thought you'd like to see what it is we, as a family, are sitting on because we are STILL WAITING FOR OUR SOFAS!!!!

And here is a picture of what we should be sitting on. This is the closest you will currently get to seeing them BECAUSE WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR THEM TO BE DELIVERED!!!

p.s. hopefully they won't be that small either.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!!!

Have been out and about visiting various Universities.

So, what constitutes a good University?

Do we mark the course content?

What about the teaching staff? Are they passionate or would they send you to sleep? And believe me some of them did!

What about student accommodation? Well, don't even go there!!! Ensuite, preferable. Non-ensuite - does that mean sharing bathroom/toilet facilities between 2 or 20?

What is the campus like? Can you get to town easily? Do you have to pay for internet access? Do you get free bus pass? What about campus food outlets? What about student life - and I mean night life?


And what about plain old "gut feeling". That feeling that you get when you walk through the door. Has happened once - "don't like this place!"

I have to say we have come back from each visit brain dead. So much information to take in and desperate to try and remember some of it!!

Last visit was to Plymouth. Really lovely place, university had so much spent on it, very state of the art campus. Even the accommodation wasn't that bad!!!!! We stayed in a local hotel over night so we were there nice and earlier on open day and what should be opposite the hotel and indeed the University, but the Salvation Army Hall. Felt right at home. The only drawback - it takes 5 hours to get there!!! And 5 hours back home again!!!

Having said she wanted to be away from home, I think the reality is dawning and that seemed a long way away. Long way to go and pick up the laundry!!!

Three down, only another 6 or so to go.

Walk the Walk 2008

Moonwalk 2008

Congratulations to Nicola, Sarah, and Jo. Thanks for your company. We did brilliantly girls!!! Be proud!

Disclaimer : For some this may be cheesy, for some meaningful, but I make no apologies for the content of this blog. It's how I feel.

On Saturday night I took part again in the London Moonwalk, which is a 26.2mile walk around London starting and finishing at Hyde Park. As the name "Moonwalk" suggests, this is done at night. In fact we walked under the start sign at 11.30pm and came home at just before 7am. (Actually knocking 30 mins off last years time!)

It's hard, it hurts and we struggled. The distance is not particularly the major problem, but the timing of the walk is. Your body wants to sleep, it naturally slows down but you are telling it to "power" walk. Your knees, legs, and feet scream, you feel jet-lagged and sick from about 3am.

And why do we do it? Well for me it's to raise money and awareness for Breakthrough Breast Cancer and their research into this disease. So each step, whilst almost in tears with the tiredness and pain, I remembered the names of the people I had on my hat. Those people, who I know, who have and who are fighting this cancer. Some have had good news, so Thank God, but some are on their way to meeting him. No amount of pain could ever go close to what they have been through.

And so whilst I might have said as I approached the finish line "I am never doing this again", I might very well carry on walking to raise money coz it saves lives and how can you say no?!