Alan and Pat live and work in Bordeaux. Alan is a pastor and Pat was a nurse. Now we work with UFM worldwide. Read on! (If you'd like to know what took us to Bordeaux, then start with the archives from September 2004)
100th birthday barbecue
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at our place. 100th because I contribute 50 and Pat throws 50 into the pot, too.
Merguez, chipolatas, ventreche and steak haché galore.
100th birthday duly celebrated in the presence of all Pat's siblings.
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Ken said…
Thanks, that reminds me, a friend (note f r i e n d, not contemporary!) was 105 yesterday. Try getting a birthday card that already has 105 on it I defy you. I still need to get the card to her son, (yes, he's still alive too!) Her memory's 'not too good' so it will hopefully serve to extend the celebrations for her. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.
Ken said…
As a (rather appropriate - I think) afterthought which is of no particulat interest other than to give vent to the musings of a simple mind, I have just bought the book "The Last Fighting Tommy", by the late Harry patch, at 111 years the younger of the two. There's a funny little quote from one of his relatives at the front of the book;- 'Harry's father was keen on rabbiting. After he died, his sons found his gun. Nobody knew whether it had ever been licensed, so they threw it down Granny's well.' Maybe I'm just easily amused but I'm chortling me little 'ead orft as I'm typing this. I just have this vision....
We just spent three weeks in the UK. The first week was spent at our mission, UFM's, Summer Conference. We've always enjoyed these times - the conference centres are always clean and comfortable and you get catered for - our children used to think they were hotels. In addition you get some preaching and teaching - this time from an old acquaintance from Northern Ireland - and reports from people who serve in amazing places. We always feel like weaklings alongside the folk who paddle their way up the Amazon, or who work in remote parts of Central Asia. We had to do a seminar on preparing for retirement, which was well-received. Ella took us quietly and smoothly up to Caen for the ferry and we stayed overnight near the terminal before taking the early morning crossing. To get to the conference centre we had to use the M25, and it lived up to its promise. The second week was spent with my sisters and a nephew in a holiday cottage in Tenby. This was a straightforward trip down t...
They're really different. I think I have already mentioned that while in the UK people generally find a private teacher for their instrument, or do it through a school scheme, here there are municipal music school, conservatoires and so on. The situation is a little more complex than I had first understood, because the schools vary in the rigidity of their organisation: the most, the conservatoires, next the municipals, then the associations. Our music school is an association, but it tends to apply the standards of the municipal schools with its programme of cycles, etc. Britain - grade 1 to 8, grade 8 being roughly equivalent to A-level, pre university/conservatoire. France - 3 cycles, each taking about 4 years, with 3ème cycle being roughly equivalent to grade 8. Theory of music - UK to take grade 8 you need theory grade 5. In France you study theory alongside your instrumental studies, very slowly. Catrin's flute music is MUCH more difficult than the stuff she does in theor...
Yesterday we went over my script from August 13. There really wasn't much she had taken exception to. Once or twice she wondered quite what I was getting at (they had the same problem at Deeside, I think...) and I do have difficulties with the word " de ", but then she said "Who doesn't?" So I felt very encouraged. I also took the opportunity to ask her about one or two things: 1) Direct preaching. Like I used to in Britain, I preach saying you - using "vous" when I am talking to the whole wide world and "tu" when I want it to feel as if I am addressing each person individually. French preachers tend to say rather "What will we do, what will one do". So I asked her if she felt my way was too direct, too brutal for the French ear. She said "I think you can get away with it with your English accent". In fact several people have commented on how much they appreciated being spoken to directly in preaching. 2) Liaisons Last...
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There's a funny little quote from one of his relatives at the front of the book;- 'Harry's father was keen on rabbiting. After he died, his sons found his gun. Nobody knew whether it had ever been licensed, so they threw it down Granny's well.'
Maybe I'm just easily amused but I'm chortling me little 'ead orft as I'm typing this. I just have this vision....