Friday's Feast 145

I've been blog silent for a while; its that time of year preparing for exams. I have Year 11, Lower 6th and Upper 6th this year so loads of marking to do, along with extra sessions and after school help. Thankfully it is now half term so I can have a rest for a few days.

Appetizer: Name a sound you like to hear.
I love seaside sounds; waves and seagulls.

Soup: What is your favourite kind of cheese?
Not a big cheese fan, love it cooked but not really into it otherwise, generally I have cheddar or I admit I do like processed cheese slices!

Salad: Do you sleep late on Saturday mornings? Why or why not?
I love to sleep late on Saturday to make up for getting up early all week. I like to slip out of bed for a cup of tea then climb back in and read a good book for a few hours.

Main Course: When was the last time you forgot something? What was it, and how long did it take to remember it?
So busy marking things for my GCSE and A level classes, I forgot to mark my year 9's books this week, remembered when they started shouting for them!

Dessert: Fill in the blank: I notice _____ when ______.
I notice the mess in my flat when people are coming to visit!

Baptist Assembly

I had a great time in Brighton at the Baptist Assembly. There were a couple of thousand Baptists from all over the UK and there is something so good about being together with so many other Christians. The worship sessions were really inspiring and the teaching was excellent but also challenging. I have come home with lots of things to think about, I may have to get some of the talks on cd so that I can listen to them again.

A lot of the focus was on Freedom and on the abolition of the slave trade. I certainly learnt a lot! At the exhibition we met Norman Kember, who was a hostage in Iraq last year, he was on the Baptist Peacemakers stand and has also just written a book about his experiences. It was a privilege to meet him.

I don't know exactly what I will be doing this time next year, so I'm not sure whether I will get to go to another assembly for a while. I'm glad I took the opportunity to go this year, even though I probably could have used this weekend to catch up on all my piles of marking!

My Daemon

Wordless Wednesday

I'm off to Brighton for the Baptist Assembly this weekend, it should be great.

Photo Hunt - Rare

Rare sighting of a mermaid!

Blogging Scavenger Hunt

Why don't you come and join in the Blogging Scavenger Hunt over at Amy's blog? Its going to start on May 1st and will involve reading blogs and answering questions, all to earn points. Of course, we all know "Points mean Prizes"! It sounds like it should be a lot of fun, a chance to read some different blogs and to get some new readers for your own blog. You know you want to join in, so pop across to Amy's blog now and sign up!

Friday Feast 141

Appetizer: How fast can you type?
Not as fast as I could in the past but I can use all the right fingers so I'm not too bad!

Soup: What is your favourite online game?
I like Bejewelled and Chainz. In fact loads of games at Big Fish Games.

Salad: On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 as highest), how intelligent do you think you are?
Won't this seem a bit big headed if I pick a high number? Maybe an 8, I don't suppose a maths teacher can claim to be unintelligent!

Main Course: Name three of your best teachers from your school years.
The first one that comes to mind is my infant teacher Mrs Hooper, she was great and let me read her own books when I'd read all the class books. Mr White, my headmaster at junior school, who always encouraged me in my maths. Tricky to pick a third, lots of my senior school teachers were very good, I'm not sure I can pick out an individual, but the science and maths staff all helped me a lot.

Dessert: What are your plans for this upcoming weekend?
Saturday looks like it will be marking, marking and more marking. But we do have a church lunch on Sunday, so that's something to look forward to (and not just because it means I don't have to cook!).

Hallelujah.

I heard this on Radio 2 recently and I think its great so I thought I'd share it just in case you haven't come across it before.

Singing Messages

I've found a great site where you can type in a message and it sings it to you. Great fun and quite a big vocabulary. Have a try at Let them sing it for you.

Friday Feast 140

Appetizer: What is your favourite kind of bread?

No particular favourite, I love to make whatever sort I feel like in my breadmaker. Good ones are cheese and bacon, chocolate, banana, cinnamon and raisin, ...

Soup: When was the last time you bought a new pillow?
Not for a while. Probably a couple of years since I bought any.

Salad: Approximately how many hours per week do you spend surfing the ‘net?
Too long, it wastes far too much of my time. I'm too scared to work out exactly how much time I spend online!

Main Course: What’s the highest you remember your temperature being?
I have absolutely no idea! Do some people out there keep a record of such things?

Dessert: Fill in the blanks: When I ____________, I _____________.
When I start a new term, I start counting down to the end. (I think all teachers do this!)

Photo Hunt - Hobby

My photo hunt is late this week because my broadband decided not to work yesterday!

Like my sister, my hobby has been knitting since we both started at Christmas. This is the back of a cardigan I am making and its taking ages, because it is in double knit not chunky like the first jumper I made, but I'm persevering!

Friday Feast 139

Appetizer: When you were a child, which crayon colour was your favourite? Probably yellow, can't really remember.

Soup: On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being highest), how likely would you be to change jobs if it required you to move? I'd have to say 10, since I am changing jobs in September. I will be in Dorset which means moving approx 120 miles!

Salad: Take all the numbers in your birthday and your phone number and add them up, one by one. What’s the total? Strange question! Mine is 73.

Main Course: Have you ever “re-gifted” anything? If so, what was it and who did you pass it on to? The only time I've given away gifts is if the kids at school give me bath stuff, because I'm allergic to a lot of perfumed products, then my mum or my sister usually take them off my hands.

Dessert: Name something you need from the store. Lots of things, was going to go shopping this morning but didn't quite get round to it!

Quaker Summer

I've been reading another book to review here on my blog. This one is Quaker Summer by Lisa Samson.

Here's the book description:
Every year I think there must be more to life, and every year, despite a new car or a trip to a new land, new milestones and triumphs in my son's life, or a redone deck, a pool, a spa, or entertainment system, I take stock and think once again, I was made for more than this. But I love my stuff.

Heather Curridge is coming unhinged. And people are starting to notice. What's wrong with a woman who has everything--a mansion on a lake, a loving son, a heart-surgeon husband, and soapstone countertops--yet still feels miserable inside?

Yet when Heather spends the summer with two ancient Quaker sisters and a crusty nun in a downtown homeless shelter, she suddenly finds herself at a crossroads.

Sometimes you have to go a little bit crazy to find the life you were meant to live.

I confess at the beginning of the book I wasn't feeling too much sympathy for Heather, she seems to have a great life and not to appreciate it at all. But once you get into the story you start to think about what is really important in your life. For Heather she is always buying new things for her home, for me its books and cds and gadgets, maybe for you its clothes or shoes or some other things that you feel you need. Do we really need them? I don't think I'll be coloured dotting all my things but at the moment I am thinking about the things I have as I'll be moving somewhere smaller in a few months. When you stop and analyse all your junk you realise that is not the best way to live, there has to be a better way. But the question is can I actually step out and change things? Or will I just buy another gadget because it makes me feel good?

My advice; if you're looking for a comfortable read, don't try this book! However, if you are looking for a thought provoking read (and a good story) get hold of Quaker Summer.

Martha Jones

Tonight was the moment of truth, how good could Freema Agyeman be? Well, she's not Rose, but I think she might be a good companion for the Doctor. Great opener to the series, lots of fun and excitement and it can never be a bad thing to have David Tennant back on our screens! Don't you just love his grin? Its great to have some decent Saturday night tv, especially with Doctor Who Confidential on BBC3 too.

Photo Hunt - Water

This is a view of the Cwm Rheidol Reservoir in Wales, part of the largest hydro-electric scheme in England and Wales.

Wordless Wednesday

Its the end of term!

Photo Hunt - Empty

This an empty electric train. It runs along the front in Brighton,
which is the oldest electric railway in the world still operating.

Friday Feast 136

Appetizer: Who is your favourite news anchor/reporter? Why?
I don't have one, don't tend to watch tv news. I listen to radio or read it online.

Soup: Name 3 foods that are currently in your freezer.
Loads of stuff in my freezer, I'll take a look ... first 3 things I saw were pork chops, oven chips and haddock fillets.

Salad: If you were to have the opportunity to name a new town or city, what would you call it?
Really not sure about this one, perhaps something Doctor Who related! Gallifrey? Dalekville? Tennant Town?

Main Course: What will most likely be the next book you read?
I plan to read Quaker Summer by Lisa Samson as I received a free copy the other day, which I need to review here on my blog. If you haven't read any of Lisa's books yet I can highly recommend them, recently read Tiger Lillie and that was great.

Dessert: What's the first thing you notice about the opposite gender?
I think a nice smile is important, then you know they are someone you can relax and have fun with. David Tennant has a gorgeous grin!

Wordless Wednesday - Coming Soon!

BBC One March 31st!

Valley of Betrayal Blog Tour

I'm taking part in the Valley of Betrayal blog tour so welcome to anyone new who's come to visit.

In case you haven't read any Tricia Goyer books before, she is an American Christian who has previously written a series of books set in World War II. If you are looking for good historical fiction with strong christian values get hold of the first in the series, Dust and Ashes, its a brilliant read and you'll definitely want to read the rest of the series.

Valley of Betrayal is set in the Spanish Civil War and I have to confess I didn't know anything about it before I read this book. That's one of the things I love about good historical fiction, a great read and I learn something new. At the beginning of the book the main character, Sophie, was on her way to Spain to be with her fiancé and I have to say I wasn't sure if I was going to like her too much but she is changed by the people she encounters and the war she finds herself in, soon you are really caring about what happens to her and the other characters. The events of the civil war are brought vividly to life, so if you're looking for a cosy, comfortable read this won't be for you, but if you are looking for a great read, characters you care about, challenges to your faith and the way you view the world and to learn about a period in history that seems to be largely forgotten, then read this book.

You can read the first chapter on Tricia's blog. I have an extra copy of the book to give away, so if you are in the UK and think you'd like it, let me know in the comments and I'll pick someone at random to send it to.