I am a poor writer who nevertheless likes to write a diary - and have done so, on and off, for over 50 years. My early diaries make interesting reading, and I presume that my grandchildren will find what I think and do of some interest in the future.
Topics in this blog:
| 18th January |
Scilly again |
| Once again we have stayed on Scilly - house sitting for the Hodgson's at Avalon. It is really lovely at this time of the year. With lots of time for walking in the fresh air, it really is an out-of-season treat. The weather was remarkably good, the odd storm, but then followed by calm and sunny days. This is one of those special places in the world - although we have agreed that we couldn't retire here as it is too cut off from the rest of the country, and therefore our family. |
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| 14th April |
Off to sunny Spain |
Barcelona for a short stay and then on to stay with Pat and Duncan. This was a trip to another special place for us. We love Barcelona and stayed in a nice flat on the harbour. It is a place to return to! We then drove to Murcia where we again stayed with Duncan and Pat Tart. We spent a good week with them, although I had to lecture for a day on their Counselling Course. Again we agreed that we couldn't retire to Spain! Why all this talk of retiring? Well we are getting older, and realise that we should probably make one more move before we die, and we want to do this before we have lost all our energy and drive. However it still seems right that we need to stay in Poplar for a couple more years. Difficult decision, but we are talking and praying about it regularly. |
July 24th |
Florence is a dump |
We spent a week together in Florence before Jenny went on to a retreat on her own in the Tuscan hills. We took the train for a change, first the Eurostar then the night sleeper, quite an adventure. But we were not too impressed with Florence. Admittedly it was very hot and so going anywhere was difficult. By the time we had shopped for the day's essentials we had to lie down to recover. We did see some buildings, but the queues for the major atractions were so long it didn't seem wothwhile going in. we stayed in a nice flat, but it was quite a walk and bus into the centre. Too hot and too many tourists made it a not very nice holiday. Perhaps it would be better to return out of season. |
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| 2nd August |
Serious Case Reviews |
I have been working with Alyson Leslie on a Serious Case Review in Enfield. This has opened my eyes to the way such reviews are conducted into the way Social Services conduct child welfare. It has been interesting interviewing doctors and helping Alyson produce what I think is an excellent report, and which may have national consequences to improve the care of children in similar circumstances. |
| 20th August |
Poland again |
This Blog is beginning to look like a travelogue full of my snapshots and not much else. Well this entry is at the "Board Meeting" of EMCPA (the European Movement of Christian Psychology and Anthropology) in Warsaw. In the picture is Anna Ostaszewska with me on her right and Werner May on her left. we had a good meeting trying to steer the movement forward, although we only meet once a year and so it is a fairly low key organisation. See our web site at www.emcpa.eu for more details of our work.
I really like Warsaw, it is one of the cities I could actually retire too, assuming I was on my own and wanted to be isolated! |
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| 15th September |
ICMDA in Austria |
The European meeting of ICMDA (The International Christian Medical and Dental Association) was held in Schladming in Austria. I was speaking on Whole Person Medicine and all of the PRIME team were there. It was a great time, combining my interest in whole-person medicine, with trips to the mountains and opportunities for walking and swimming. Many good contacts made, and it is so encouraging to see that now everyone talks about Whole Person medicine, ,and so really my "vision" has been completed. Thus I can relax and enjoy whatever opportunities come my way to speak about it. |
| 7th October |
Chaplains in General Practice |
One of my main activities during this year has been to encourage and support the development of chaplains in General Practice. I have been travelling up to the Karis Practice in Birmingham where Ross Bryson and Claire Pollen have been working with Annie Hughes (the chaplain at Karis) to develop the work nationally. This work is supported by WholeCare and is rapidly growing as spirituality is recognised as an important component of a whole person approach to health care. We will now also be working on publications and a book which will lay the foundation for SCAs (Spiritual Care Advisors - the new name for Chaplains) in Community Care generally. |
| 25th October |
Grandchildren |
| What a joy grandchildren are. You can enjoy them so much more than your own children. You have no immediate responsibility to bring them up, but you can enjoy their presence and watch them grow. Here are just three of ours at the moment, and hopefully one more soon. How could one resist the charms and determination of these youngsters as they discover how to get their own way by charming their dear old grand-dad, and if that doesn't work by threatening to beat him up! We have reached that time in life when things begin to slow down, but whatever we do, we have to prioritise time with these little charmers (and the others too!) Can you blame us? |
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| 15th November |
Picking up the reigns again |
It is some months since I completed an entry in this personal blog, but after another retreat at St Cuthman's I have decided that it is of benefit to use this space for a variety of reasons. I already struggle to keep up the blog of the church mouse on our Parish of Poplar web site, as well as keep current numerous other web sites, including www.livinglifeasart.com which also records some of my exploits. If you go to that web site and look at Project 4 under my pages you will see why I have suddenly burst back into life. At the ripe old age of 67 I intend to get myself organised. That is after I have lost a huge amount of weight (Project 3) and tried to get myself fitter through some sessions on the Alexander Technique, which is designed to improve posture and stop the bent back and shuffling gait of old age. |
| 26 November |
Natural Theology |
I went to a lecture on Natural Theology in Westminster Abbey given by Alistair McGrath who is now a professor at King's College. It was an excellent, although too short, exposition in which he quoted many people and outlined how our approach to natural theology should be. He emphasised that humans are not just observers of nature, but also seekers for answers to the questions that nature poses. He mentioned the importance of the "fine tuning" of the universe, so that if only a small change had occured in numerous mechanisms, then we wouldn't be here.
He mentioned the Platonic Triad of truth, goodness and beauty and then traced these three virtues through the ages and stressed how important beauty is. Other ways to use the word beauty, as it has become de-valued today - wonder, awe, splendour, elegence etc. Augustine stressed that nature is now fallen, so we need to "heal the eyes of our heart" so that we can see God and what nature will become. Nature does not prove God, but looking at nature with faith in God enables us to find resonances and further understanding.
He quoted many people, and I make notes here of things I need to look up.
George Herbert's poem "Elixier"
"Just 6 numbers"
Kingsley quoted by Darwin - "now we see that God has created things that can make themselves".
Augustine - "God made the world with the capacity to change".
Dawkins has to admit the difficulty of the question as to how all the universe came into being with all of the natural laws in place, in such a way that we came into existence.
I have some research and thinking to do, especially following up some of the thoughts and quotations.
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| 27th November |
St. Paul's Cathedral - Thanksgiving Day |
Once a month Jenny becomes part of the pastoral team at St Paul's Cathedral. One of her duties is to conduct the midday mass in the Cathedral. Today being Thanksgiving Day there was a huge service in the morning. Then most people left and a handful of people stayed as Jenny came in and took the whole of the communion service on her own - right in the middle of the Cathedral under the Dome. She was very good and it was such a joy to receive communion from my wife in these circumstances. I am proud of all that Jenny has achieved, and those of you who know us will understand why I give thanks for the way in which God has turned breast cancer into a blessing for us! |
| 28th November |
Our 9th grandchild |
Evie, our ninth grandchild was born on November 23rd. Here she is being looked after by Josh and Katy. We are really blessed - having been given 4 great children our lives are now blessed by 9 fabulous grandchildren.
Oh the joys of being a grandfather - Katy came to supper with the rest of the family, and she confided in me that she had been told that she couldn't beat up Grandad - which was one of her favourite activities. This marks the difference between parents and Grand-parents, as we don't have to live with the children, just enjoy them. But they are fun! |
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| 25th December |
Christmas with all the Family |
And so we come to the end of another year. What a joy and a priviledge it was to spend Christmas Day with all of our family. Polly and Bill did the cooking and their house was full of fun as the 9 grandchildren had fun together. Toby and Kim came a bit later and both jenny and I gave thanks to God for the blessing of four kids, all well married, and now having produced 9 grand-children. Heres to a happy 2009 - counting our blessings and thanking God for all his care and love for us. |
