Not Thrilling

 

Hello everyone. I hope that you are ok. We are on the edge - nay, the cusp of another heatwave in Plymouth and we are all looking forward to it enormously. HOH was chatting with his swimming pals this morning, and they were all saying that they didn't know how they were going to cope when the weather breaks - as break it surely will. They are all complaining because the sea is too warm. They are a complicated group. I hope you are ok with a less than thrilling trawl through my week. It's not what you would call deep, but I hope you find something mildly interesting.

 I know I have mentioned before that we had no church this morning. There was a shortage of staff to run the place, and the most sensible thing to do seemed to be to not run at all. It's summer after all. Apparently, this was considered quite controversial in some quarters. Not my quarter, I might add. As you know, I worked in church for a long time and, for some church attenders, the mantra for church workers was "If the doors are open, you should be in - if possible on a voluntary basis." My experience of church leaders is that they work hard. I don't see the issue with a day off. Anyway, someone had produced this helpful list of what to do if you are struggling with this, and there are lots of good things on it. However, I feel the bottom of the list may be missing because there is no sign of what I did, which was lie face down in bed for an extra hour and very lovely it was, thanks for asking. 

I'm on here for advice as well, if you don't mind. Tonight's tea was an oldie but a goodie from Miguel Barclay's One Pound Meals. It's one of my favourite cookbooks - mainly because it is very easy. You often have to add vegetables etc to bulk it a bit, but even I can manage that. However, tonight I did Leek and Bacon Gratin (see above) and the cream split. Now I know that doesn't make a difference to the flavour (It was delicious, if I say so myself ), but it does look a bit unappetising. Does anyone know why that happens, please? It's not like it's the first time. I'm definitely doing something wrong. All advice gratefully received. 

I'm not sure if I mentioned it (I probably did), but Plymouth's Museum - The Box won Museum of the Year a couple of weeks ago, beating famous names like the V&A and the Natural History Museum. I was like a proud nana. I'm not sure why, because it had absolutely nothing to do with me, but I think it's good to have that sort of award outside London and HOH, and I do go to most things there. At the moment, there is an exhibition of the work of Gillian Ayres, whom I have never heard of. (Sorry). It was excellent. The rooms were full of massive canvases full of big lumps of paint in bright colours (As you will have noticed, Simon Schama, I am not). I took a photo to show you, but it doesn't really convey the scale of the thing.

(I am neither Simon Schama nor David Bailey). 

I don't always understand culture, but most of the time I really like it. Except poetry. And most stage musicals. And anything with Andrew Scott. And trilly folk songs. Think that's it.

I have put Barbara Pym down for a while and have moved on to Angela Thirkell after I saw this recommended somewhere or other. It could have been on one of your blogs, actually. I've read a few of her books and liked them. I usually see them recommended under "If you like Barbara Pym..." but I don't think they are quite the same sort of author really. I also noticed this week that there is a film due of "The Summer Book" with Glenn Close as the grandma. It doesn't seem to be out here yet, but I wouldn't mind having a look at that. I loved that book. 

There have been a few bits on the Telly. We are very much enjoying Richard E Grant's Odyssey. If only for the huge levels of enthusiasm. Although we watched the one about Malta with high levels of devoted concentration, we are still no wiser about who the Knights are or why. Perhaps he couldn't find out either. We also watched a programme with Bettany Hughes about ancient civilisations or something. I won't be bothering again, though. It really gets on my nerves when people decide that they are going to do a programme or something about somewhere mostly famous for a Biblical connection (in this case Ephesus) and decide that you are not going to mention it. At all. I mean, be an atheist or whatever - your call, and none of my business, to be frank, but you can't ignore the connections all the way through. Also, her hair is annoying. (I didn't say I was mature about it, did I?) Bah.

Finally and most heavily, those of you who do, can you add my friend Gill to your prayers? She is very unwell. It's not my story to tell, but she has served God all her life and, if you feel you can, I would be grateful for your prayers. Thank you. She's a good egg.