Wow this guy is something else

Rather reminiscent of Magritte this photographer/photo manipulator Erik Johanssson is well worth looking at.

Easter

Some great liturgies at church and some great times with the family. Helena, Lawrie and Emma were with us and Andrew and Gaew joined us for Easter Sunday lunch. This ended with us all playing ball in the garden followed by games indoors. A great family day and as it is Davis's birthday on April 25 and Lawrie's on April 26 we had two birthday cakes and a triple toast - Andrew's birthday was on April 18.

 

Good Friday "Churches together in Bromley" service

 

Easter Sunday Lunch

Playing in the Garden

Old Askean Dinner

The Old Askean Annual Dinner at the RAF Club was a great success. As Senior Vice President I proposed the triple toast, The worshipful Company of Haberdashers, The Governors and the School. I thought that it was just a case of proposing the toast, but when I arrived and looked at the menu I saw that I had to make a speech! So it was time for a quick think; it seemed to go down OK. One of the points I recounted was that when I left school I received a grant from the Haberdashers Company of £25. That doesn't seem much today but then it would have bought more than 250 pints of beer - what more could a student want?

In full flow

Julia talking to Dermot, my English master. Dermot is an Old Askean, when I started school I did not realise that it was his first day as a teacher. A great teacher and a lovely man who not only introduced me to some literature but to the joys of caving and mountain walking.

End of an Era

Sadly on Tuesday our cat, Spike, was put to sleep as he was very ill. We had Spike and his sister Ariadne  almost from birth some 18 years ago. Ariadne died a couple of years ago, now Spike to is dead. I never thought that I would become so attached to a pet; but after 18 years it is almost as if one of the family had gone.

Spike

 

Ariadne and Spike

 

Barn Dance

Two friends of ours Martin and Julia recently held a Barn Dance to thank people for their help and support - they had both lost a spouse within the past two years. It was a great evening full of laughter and memories; the only thing to do is look backward with gratitude and forward with hope.

 Barry Martin John (my best man)

Julia (Mrs M), Julia, Maria (a bridesmaid)

Silent Retreat

As I have mentioned previously in this Blog I am in the first year of a Formation Programme which, God willing, will lead to me being ordained into the Permanent Diaconate. Last weekend Julia and I took part in a Silent Retreat held at Ashburnham in Sussex. The retreat centre is set in the former home of the Asburnham Estate in Sussex which in 220 acres of gardens and woodland. It is a lovely setting and it was an interesting experience. It is amazing the different ways that you find to communicate when you are silent. The beautiful lakes helped along with the glorious weather.

Prior to the retreat starting Julia and I spent the afternoon at nearby Battle Abbey. Somewhere that we had not been to for years.

Grounds and gardens at Ashburnham