Councillor Norman Brooks

Councillor Norman Brooks Waveney!

Well done Norman !

Our Christmas cake

Ripped-off in a winter wonderland | The Spectator

Ripped-off in a winter wonderland | The Spectator:

'via Blog this'

Just musing

The Revd Peter Liddelow, SSM Curate at Christ Church, Barnet (1414), and Chaplain to The Magic Circle, is to retire on 31 December but will remain as Chaplain to The Magic Circle.

 

From the diocese of London website news

 

also please read the ludicrous Bishop of London's christmas message- keeps mentioning St Paul as a tent maker!diocese of London Bishop Richard messagehttp://www.london.anglican.org/NewsShow_15785

Not' Songs of Praise'

My gift for the child:

No wife, kids, home;
No money sense. Unemployable.
Friends, yes. But the wrong sort 

The workshy, women, wogs,
Petty infringers of the law, persons
With notifiable diseases,
Poll tax collectors, tarts;
The bottom rung.
His end?
I think we’ll make it
Public, prolonged, painful.


Right, said the baby. That was roughly
What we had in mind


This was in 'The Times today - a poem by U.A.Fanthorpe


A friend of mine thinks Christianity is 'Songs of Praise' instead of an entertainment for mostly elderly people (like me)
I always try to imagine Jesus as a fat short man-maybe with bad breath!  If we are to think of him as a handsome young chap, tall bearded, cutting a fine figure in flowing robes this is a bit of a cop out. It has always been a shame to me that he died so young and we do not know how he would have coped with older age and declining health.  

The Spitallfields Winter Festival

part of the choir

women sing east

Laka D is the leader- very bolshie, bluesy lead singer and conductor. The programme was a mixture of carols, swing and a fantastic moving 'I wish I was in Carrick Fergus'

The Stratford East singers

Ann has started a late singing career.  She has made her début at the opening of 'Cinderella'- Stratford East's 2011 pantomime

Spitalfields Winter Festival

the charismatic conductor and compère of Open Mic show

streetwise opera
This was a great night out. It was an example of being joyous -people who on the surface have very little to cheer them materially and some cannot really sing in tune- (like me) but they put on one of the best shows in Spitalfields Winter Festival

The Selling Season

Una wearing a copy of a Joan hat- sold out

 We took on many markets this year- mostly selling Joan's knitted goods- and Geena's dog bags plus some Heba Christmas stockings
http://www.ssba.info/heba_enterprise.html
. Joan made a killing on the Kaffe Fasset socks and sold out completely. My favourite venue was the church in leytonstone where the west indian Reverend started the fair off with some fervent prayers.  She was accompanied by a sort of posse of Caribbean women of a certain age (mine) who were just brilliant in organising the stallholders as well as cooking a mean chicken curry with rice and peas for £4. This was such a great atmosphere- far better than the snooty evangelical church where we sold out of stuff but had to endure an inspirational talk that the rector's wife has decided was suitable for the holy season- a posh frocks shopping service

part of our stall- obviously better display skills needed

Hand Ball at the new stadium

ic

We had free tickets to go inside the Olympic Park and watch the handball between Angola and China.
The walk from the gate to the stadium seemed )and probably was) about a mile. The wind whipped through the site and plenty of us non athletes struggled to reach the new stadium.
Inside the functional building was a brilliant view of quite an exciting game with loads of funky music and an american style commentary.  The score board had graphics and was very informative on a game unfamiliar to most of us. 
Some minus points price of a cup of tea was £2.  And the knackering walk to the event.
The security was pretty annoying too- phones and keys in plastic bags airport style.