Sunday 4th November 2012

I woke up coughing and sneezing this morning...

I usually get up on a Sunday and head over to the Notts County ground, where our church has a meeting at 10:00am. Not this morning though as I seem to have caught Chris's bad cold/ man flu type thing! Chris is able to have the flu vaccination but every time he has had it he has become unwell so this year did not have it...ah! he still became unwell! So now we are both coughing...

 I was heading back to bed, but got distracted on the way when I came to turn the PC OFF! I am thankful not to have gone outside as it is very cold and there is a threat of ...SNOW!

I think if I rest today I will feel a bit better tomorrow when Monday dawns and it's time for work!

Oh yes, while I remember, the swimming has not started yet so I am not a slimmer me yet..though I have been on the train recently and it is a slightly longer walk to get into Nottingham Midland station...I wonder if that will help? There are a lot of steps to climb to get to the platforms too..... In a few weeks we will be heading off to Manchester/Chorley, so lots of steps to go up and down then!

Summer of Sport

We had an interesting Summer of sport...

I loved watching the Olympics and Paralympics. I did only see them on the TV, but still loved them! I realise that if I had done my research properly then we could have gone to the events that were free! I did look into going to the closing ceremony of the Paralympics but decided I had not left enough time to organise it properly.

I am quite excited that I have managed to listen to the music from the Olympic opening ceremony and found out that a DVD is coming out very soon! It's on my Christmas wish list..hint hint!

We had the Tour of Britain come through Nottingham too! That was exciting! I also managed to catch sight of Richard Whitehead when he went on his open top bus tour of Nottingham!

I think we all probably feel we could do more exercise after seeing the amazing athletes! For me I searched out my swimming costume and thinking about adult swimming lessons...I have to admit to being a bit nervous of the water and only seem to swim half a width before I put my feet down and want to hang onto the side of the pool..or Chris..whichever is nearest! 
I am doing a little bit more walking, only in the local area, but I do live close to Trent Bridge and the River Trent, that's a lovely place to walk in!

Next time I post it might be a slimmer me or I might have left it until Christmas then will feel fuller from all the chocolates and filling food of Christmas....

The Olympic Torch Relay In The Meadows

I was so excited when I knew that the Olympic torch relay was coming to Nottingham!

I booked the day off so I could see the relay come through the Meadows area of Nottingham. I have lived in the Meadows for 34 years and did not want to miss a thing! I positioned myself on the corner of Ryehill Street and waited! The excitement grew as we could hear the music from the convoy as it came over Trent Bridge.

The music became louder as the convoy moved down Victoria Embankment and through the Meadows...at last we could see the convoy coming!

 One of the vehicles....

 I was even more excited as I realised the torch was going to change over right in front of me! Waiting for the flame to arrive...

 The two torches 'kiss' and the flame is passed over...

I feel so blessed that I was there to witness something so fantastic! I never dreamt that I would be so close to The Torch! It is very exciting that The Olympics 2012 are right here in the UK....

A New Season

The first of April and as far as I know no one has "fooled" Me.....
We waited quite a while to hear about the pension credit! Nothing to do with the first of April! I mention the pension credit because we start to receive it on Wednesday (4th) Seems like we have been waiting for ages!

I think we are starting a new season in our lives and Being a new month and it being spring seems appropriate!
Next Sunday it will be Easter Sunday and that is the start of new beginnings as it is the day that Jesus rose from the dead and gave us hope for the future. Chris and I have decided to go and join a new church plant from our church, which has it's launch service on Easter Sunday. It is going to be held at the Notts County Ground which is only across the road from us! That is not the reason we are going though! We have been thinking about it for a few weeks and feel that is where God wants us to go as our next step and new season in Christ. It is all very exciting!

Yesterday we went to a wedding and it was very special as it was an older couple. Our friend had waited patiently for God to bring a special man into her life who could become her husband. God brought a lovely man into her life and they both looked so happy and full of God's joy and blessing as they came back down the aisle. We were so happy to have been there at the church to be part of their day.

Sometimes we can find ourselves in the same place for years because it feels comfortable. That is not always the right place for us to be as it may not challenge us enough or help us to grow as people. I don't want to get to the end of my life and find that I missed God's best for me... There is no need to be afraid as God is with us every step of the way. For me I have the peace of God and that means everything to me. I do hope you will think about Easter and what that means for you .....

The Initial Demolition Notice

We have received the initial demolition notice...
The initial demolition notice arrived a few weeks ago and is valid for five years. We will hear soon what the time scale is going to be for the works to be carried out. I think it might take me that long to sort all my paper work type clutter out!!! I have been trying to do bits, but prefer to have nothing else planned so I can concentrate on the job in hand! At the moment I have my job to go to (thankfully) so do not have lots of spare time!

There are a huge amount of people that will be rehoused across the city and this will all take some time, so there is no rush! I do know from past experience how the time can appear to go quicker than you thought it would, so hopefully won't be leaving it all to the last minute.

I have my plan...plenty of boxes, labels, pens. I must make sure that the kettle and cups wont get buried! Tea is  a must when packing things away and doing BIG house jobs!
Before all that we will need to find a new house/bungalow e.t.c to move to! The local council will help us to do that.
I would love it if God blessed us with our very own home in a village somewhere beautiful...
The backdrop would be trees and the view from the front would be the sea or river/stream or both!
I can dream.....
God will bless us where ever we will be and I am very thankful.

Welcome Amelia-Jae

Amelia-Jae arrived on Tuesday 10th January 2012 weighing 6ib 7oz!
Mother and baby doing well....

Our great granddaughter has arrived and we are so happy! Amelia-Jae is so beautiful! We were going to go and see them today, but a sore throat and the freezing cold weather has kept us at home...we can go and see them all during the week as they only live on the other side of Nottingham. I think they have had many visitors to see our beautiful addition to the family. I am keeping up with all the latest news and photographs via Facebook! What an invention!


God is so good he creates such beautiful babies who become beautiful children and then beautiful adults.
God bless all of us as we go about our daily lives....


Top photo Chris and Amelia-Jae bottom photo Danielle (mummy!) with Amelia-Jae taken in Nottingham on 10th January 2012

New Year 2012

Happy New Year 2012!
We may be a week into the new year but it is still a new year! 
I am quite happy that 2011 is behind us and 2012 has started. There were some really special times and also some very challenging times in 2011. I know that this year will have challenges but there are good times ahead too.


We start the year by looking forward to our first great granddaughter being born any day now! She was due yesterday (6th) so in theory she is late! Amelia (as she is to be called) is Chris's eldest granddaughter's child. It does not seem 5 minutes since Danielle (granddaughter) was little herself! She has become a beautiful young lady and I am sure her baby will be just as beautiful.


We should hear sometime in January about our house and if and when it will be knocked down.This has been going on for years! Maybe there will be a big house move to deal with! I will need plenty of notice as I have lots of 'clutter' to sort through! (mostly unseen clutter!)


We then look forward to Chris getting his pension credit in March! As no job has become available or even seems like one will, he will be able to get the pension credit which will help us enormously.
I know Chris is getting fed up and bored and would like a job..maybe something will become available.


I continue to be thankful to God for everything he has brought us through..I don't know how we would have got through without him.
I know the future is secure and blessed as I know God is constant and never changing and walks with us every second of our lives. Amen.