Sunday Morning

How long, how long can lovers last?

the days, the weeks, the years fly past

And only dreams can stem the flow

As crowds and clouds just come and go.

Come and hold me, close my eyes

And open my heart and calm my cries

This poem is by Bernard Kops- I am not a great fan of his but love this poem for its simplicity and it was printed in Spitalfields Life this morning.  

An by the window there is an enormous roar and hundreds of motorbikes and scooters are coming down  Commercial Street.  They would have drowned out the bells of Christ Church pealing for Pentecost

Bunting making

I would have sneered at this even a few years ago- but now love the idea of celebrating the quirkiness of England- and the chance to make bunting for my friends and decorate our streets.  last night our sitting room was turned into a bunting factory -John doing the hard work with the pinking scissors while I just machine away - it's the easy, fun bit

The Friday night meal

It was not our first visit to a synagogue but the first to hear the full Friday night service in an orthodox synagogue. We friends sat with the women -about twenty of us and only us four were christian. We tried to follow the service with the english translation but it was all sang in hebrew except for the occasional aside 'over the page' by the magnificent cantors. You can see one of them in the video- I dare not record part of the service but the clip is of the three course meal afterwards; a blessing with wine, then chicken soup, followed by gefilte fish and hummus and then chicken, potatoes and salad. Myself and a friend then finished the evening at 'the Merchant' a new cafe/type bar place at Liverpool Street station which was busy but not packed.  We could not quite face Witherspoons at the front of the station as that was heaving- as were all the pubs locally.  It was the first evening in ages where there was no rain

Green Space Guardians award - National Trust

Green Space Guardians award - National Trust:

'via Blog this'

Susan's garden in other words.
She says it is just £10 a year to become a key holder- and then there is a waiting list for a small plot

Hackney Free no more

http://www.theurswickschool.co.uk/

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, visited and officially opened The Urswick School in Paragon Road, Hackney on 26 April 2012.

During his visit, as well as unveiling a commemorative plaque, the Archbishop toured the school, watched a drama performance on the history of the school and held a special opening service, where he joined in with an African drumming performance by Hands of Africa, the school's male drumming group.

Following the service, the Archbishop was presented with a cityscape pencil drawing by Year 11 student Qui Phan and a monogrammed, stone carving by Year 10 student Promise Adeosun. The Archbishop released 300 balloons, with prayers written by Urswick students attached, from the school's environmental roof as part of the celebrations.

During the opening service, attended by students and guests, the Archbishop said:


"What a fantastic school. I encourage all the students to continue to exceed all expectations with their studies. All of you students are gorgeous, talented and gifted. God loves and calls each one of you by name. So be the best you want to see."


The Urswick School is one of the oldest schools in the country. Founded in 1520 as Hackney Free and Parochial, the school was based on a number of sites before moving to its permanent home in Paragon Road in 1951.


The school has been completely rebuilt in three phases, as part of the Government's Building Schools for the Future programme. Work was completed last year and the school became The Urswick School in September, in recognition of the school's founder, Christopher Urswick.
Headteacher, Richard Brown, said:


"I am absolutely delighted that the Archbishop was able to officially open the school. We are proud of our school's history and today was a celebration of our past and the future of The Urswick School. Our new school buildings and facilities have given our students a fantastic environment to learn in. We are now looking forward to building on our improving GCSE results and opening our new Sixth Form Academy in September. 

Tory borough plans £40,000 pay limit on couples hoping for a council home | The Times

Tory borough plans £40,000 pay limit on couples hoping for a council home | The Times:

'via Blog this'

Babel, Caledonian Park, London / Close the Coalhouse Door, touring review - Telegraph

Babel, Caledonian Park, London / Close the Coalhouse Door, touring review - Telegraph:

'via Blog this'

4 friends are in this...I ought to go and see them.  But then again

preview of Wah-Wah Girls

http://www.sadlerswells.com/show/Wah-Wah-Girls

Craft Stall in Islington

Bessie is our travelling workhorse

http://www.khwgarden.org.uk/

Anyone interested can look this up. Small plots can be got for £25 a year and a short waiting list. Susan has a plot and I normally help with her sewing... the children are actually much better at most things than me

Woodbrooke Quaker College Birmingham

part of the walled garden

the last of the cherry blossom

Course participants snake through the grounds

part of the woodlands

http://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/

All in Good time

We got in for free- a preview and a change to meet the young stars of the film.  
Recommended as light and a bit cheesy- but wonderful to see Bolton and many shots of the town.  It was followed by a Q and A- although the audience had got in free most made a quick exit left.  The actors were very posh and self assured- very unlike the great naive characters they portray in the film.  Fay said to me 'Well, they are actors'  Fair point I suppose