End of an era this week with the death of our resident publican whose obituary appeared in the Telegraph here. No-one knows what will happen there now, or to our only other village pub. So for the time being anyway, we are a dry village. How I would have loved that at our previous abode where drunken students made life a misery for residents. Here and now it makes the village seem empty and dying.

Outing

We had an outing this week to Dudmaston Hall. Every school day for twelve years the school bus took me past it but I've never been inside house or grounds before. The gardens are lovely. The idea was to get HoF away from the house jobs but halfway round the lake I noticed he was walking along bloodhound-fashion, nose to the ground. 'What are you thinking about,' I said? Guess what. 'What to do in the laundry room,' was the reply.

Oh, well. We'll see if a few days away in the caravan will help.

All done

We now have a completed kitchen. The fridge is installed and I no longer have to go into the garage to get milk for my tea. Wonderful! The pond pump is mended too so we can once again be The Water House.
The monthly meetings continue to be a blessing. Only a few of us but we think the Lord has it planned that way at the moment whilst an atmosphere is established where folks are comfortable enough to discuss and ask questions. This week two possible future rectors have been to the village and looked us over and today they were interviewed. We await the outcome.

Swiss modes of travel

Kalia and Daddy on his birthday present, a trotinette, or scooter to you and me.

Fun on miniature trains at the Swiss Vapeur Parc. Kalia has her hand out because part of the fun is to clap hands with passengers on the down train.
Currently enjoying, in the style of another blog:
Getting six new books from the library.
Being able to make meals in the new kitchen.
Buying a net and hoop system to try and keep the butterlies from laying their eggs on my brassicas.

Not so keen on:
Feeling a bit grue so not enegergetic enough to get into the garden.
Getting a bite from something when I did try gardening that has made my hand swollen.

More Swiss pics

More photos of the lovely girls and one of Daddy's birthday which happily occurred while we were there. The Swiss Family are at the stage where all their friends are having babies. We are at the stage where ours are having funerals. We went to one yesterday of our cheery church sidesman and have another next week of a brave lady who used her illness to promote its cause with the health authorties and government.
Death is such a strange thing. Although you know it will happen to you soon enough, you still have enough life instinct to think you might just escape. I have a distant cousin who sends several emails a day, the round robin sort. He must have plenty of time on his hands, is all I can think. Some are just US focussed, some are religious, some tend to the crude. I thought this one on death was quite good.

A sick man turned to his doctor as he was preparing to leave the examination room and said,
'Doctor, I am afraid to die. tell me what lies on the other side.'
Very quietly, the doctor said, 'I don't know.'
'You don't know? You're a Christian man, and you don't know what's on the other side?'
The doctor was holding the handle of the door; on the other side came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness. Turning to the patient, the doctor said,
'Did you notice my dog? He's never been in this room before. He didn't know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here. And when the door opened, he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the other side of death. But I do know one thing........
I know my master is there and that is enough.'

Babysitting

We've been away babysitting two gorgeous girls in Switzerland.

Not having entire responsibilty but giving their parents a break for two sessions per day. One session usually playing in the garden with slides, swings and impromptu ball games, and another walking by the lake and using the local play areas.

You might think given these surroundings that it was a doddle and the setting certainly does seem like something from a film set. We were glad that the little charges had a midday nap so that we could have one too, dozing in the sunny garden. We also took a trip on Lake Geneva as in the last photo. It was lovely to get to know them better, especially baby Rebecca whom we hadn't seen since she was very new. They coped very well with being away from their parents.