This Lord's Day in Cheltenham...

Above is a photo of Rev. Andrew Young and his wife Davinia and their two daughters. Andrew is the new pastor of Cheltenham Evangelical Presbyterian Church. I attended this church the first Sunday I was in the UK with David and Barbara and heard an excellent sermon on John 2. Today I was back again with David and Barbara and the sermon was on Acts 22 -- another excellent sermon. The church was to have had a guest preacher today but that man became ill and so the services where left to Andrew at the last minute and he did a wonderful job. Andrew spoke on "The Greatness of God's Grace. 1. The recipient of grace: Paul the sinner, 2. The revelation of grace: Jesus Christ and 3. The result of grace: conversion and commission."

One of his most memorable comments was about the light that Paul saw on the road to Damascus. In Acts 22, we are told that it was mid-day. Thus, the sun was at its very brightest - BUT - God's glory was brighter. There was so much meat to ponder...

God bless you all on this Lord's Day with His great grace.

Part 1 - Christmas Fayre in Worcester

Steve and Denise and I had dinner together last night and then they went to their Premier Inn for the night. They drove back this morning and leaving their car at the house, we took the bus into Worcester to see the Christmas Fayre. See Steve in Denise in the center of the picture?




When Denise saw the Merry-Go-Round, she had to give it a go! We all love our childhood memories of the Merry-Go-Round!




Then we wandered up and down looking at the stalls of food. Here a butcher is serving roast pork rolls from a whole roasted pig.




French Fries are called chips. Do you want your chips with curry, mushy peas or baked beans???



Would you rather try a freshly made crepe?

Part 2 - Christmas Fayre in Worcester

We made our way through thick crowds everywhere.



There were many more people here at the Fayre than there were here 2 years ago when I was in Worcester.




Food was not the only item for sale. Here they are selling jewelry.




And --- the costumes made the scene more charming...

This evening some precious friends arrived...

This evening some dear friends, Steve and Denise, arrived.




Tomorrow we are going to the Victorian Christmas Fayre in Worcester. The photos tomorrow should prove to be most entertaining!

For KRIT --- Signs in Worcester

My dear nieces and nephews,
Can you figure out what the signs below mean?



Love, AH

VICTORY OVER THE BIG "D!"

Now you may ask why I have included a photo of a Dyson Vacuum Cleaner in my blog ... the answer is quite simple, I have won the victory over it! When I house-sat for David and Barbara 2 years ago, they had a Dyson and it was my worst nightmare! Every time I tried to use it, it spit out dust and dirt and I never could figure out how to get it to work. I told Char and Shell and both told me that the Dyson was an excellent machine. You could have fooled me - and I am technologically very able!

So, when I arrived at Debbie's house, much to my horror, she had a Dyson! But, the canister was full of dust and dirt. That is where Margaret came in. She helped me figure out how to empty it (without breaking it as I was afraid I might!) But, I still was having problems. How could I be so stupid? Then last Saturday night after the concert, Mark and Margaret helped me get it running. So, now I had not excuse - except my fear of it and fear that I would break it! Finally yesterday morning, I took my fear by the scruff of the neck and the Dyson by the handle and turned it on and vacuumed the entire upstairs.

The only thing left to do is to bring it down and do the downstairs. At least I have begun to master it and for that I AM VERY THANKFUL!

Margaret and Mark invited me over to share a Thanksgiving meal and for that I am thankful as well!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Always at the wrong train station!

About a week ago, I decided to make an appointment at the Apple Store in Birmingham for today at noon to sort out a question I had about my computer and some software. I thought I had read the schedule correctly. Worcester has 2 train stations and Birmingham has more than 2. This morning I raced out of the front door and ran up the huge hill to the bus stop, only to see the bus leaving! So then I had to wait for the next one 30 minutes later. I got to Shrub Hill station in Worcester, only to learn that I should have stayed on the bus to Forgate Train Station. In order to get to Birmingham on time, I then had to take a taxi to Forgate Train Station!

After my Apple Store appointment - and not getting the help I needed, I walked the long way back to the Birmingham New Street Station only to learn that I should have gone to Moor Street Station.




So, I walked back toward Moor Street Station. Yes, that building is wavy -- it is not the photographer's fault!













There is Moor Street Station!











Moor Street is much more picturesque than New Street - which I did not photograph!










And...THERE IS THE SIGN FOR THE TRAIN FOR SHRUB HILL! I was finally at the right place after going to the wrong place in both cities today!

Music in Worcester...

Today I went into Worcester to do some necessary shopping - as Char would say - boring shopping! While there, I snapped the above photo. The round tower in the center is part of a building which was once a church pastored by Frances Ridley Havergal's father. Frances wrote the words to a number of hymns:

Another Year Is Dawning (written 1874),
I Gave My Life for Thee (written when she was 18 years old in 1858 just prior to an extended illness during which she did little or no writing for nine years),
Lord, Speak to Me (written 1872),
Like a River Glorious (written 1876?),
Who Is on the Lord's Side? (written 1877),
True-Hearted, Whole-Hearted, Faithful and Loyal (written 1878),
Golden Harps Are Sounding (written 1871),
I Am Trusting Thee, Lord Jesus (written 1874; said to be her favorite of all her hymns, a copy of the text was found in her personal Bible after her death) and
Take My Life and Let It Be (written in 1874).

She wrote some of her own tunes for her hymns and her father wrote the music for others. Sadly, the building is now a restaurant and a bar. The pulpit is still in the building as are some of the other items which would make you realize that it had once been a church.














Then I walked toward the cathedral and looked back and took this photo of Edward Elgar. He was the organist at the cathedral here in Worcester.



His statue faces the cathedral where he once composed for and played the organ.













The cathedral tower in daylight is quite beautiful and ...


the inside in sunlight is also beautiful.

Teacher HEM -- To Students KRIT ...

I took this photo for KRIT, my dear little great nieces and nephews. Now here is the question: WHY DOES THIS PHOTO LOOK FOREIGN? --OR RATHER --HOW WOULD THIS PHOTO LOOK DIFFERENT IN THE USA?




Today, David and Barbara drove me up to the Malvern Hills. On the way, we stopped at the Morgan Car Factory, where they make the bodies of the cars by hand! Aren't they spectacular?




I snapped this photo going into the Malvern Hills. CAN YOU FIND THE MALVERNS ON THE MAP? WHAT CAN YOU LEARN ABOUT THE MALVERNS?




When we got to Ledbury, I snapped a photo of David and Barbara. CAN YOU FIND LEDBURY ON THE MAP OR GOOGLE EARTH?







This last photo is of the center of Ledbury. WHY DOES THIS PHOTO LOOK FOREIGN TO THOSE FROM THE USA? DO YOU SEE THE HISTORIC MARKET BUILDING ON PILLARS TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE STREET?

Today in Worcester ...

This morning Shell and Char tried to stuff Char's Christmas gift shopping into her suitcase. There was no success!





Then we went to the train station and waited for the train...





and, I said "Good Bye" to two very precious friends.





Because I knew that I would be sad to see Shell and Char leave, I obtained a ticket to a concert at the Cathedral this evening.





It was Mozart and Haydn. The music was lovely and well done -- BUT -- the doctrine was quite Catholic. Afterwards, however, I had a WONDERFUL visit with some very dear people here in Worcester, Margaret and Mark.

A Day with Dear Friends...

We spent the day visiting and trying to take a picture of the three of us using my camera! Shell is on the left and Char is on the right. Yours truly is in the middle -- holding the camera as Shell took the photo!






Shell with her tea and Char with her coffee.




Shell and I share a laugh over a cup of tea.

VERY SPECIAL FRIENDS COME...

Shell and Char arrived today and after we dropped off their bags at the house, we went into Worcester to shop. Thought you might enjoy the Christmas lights in Worcester.




As we waited for our taxi back to the house with our shopping, I snapped this photo of Worcester Cathedral at night.




Two very tired friends at the end of a long day of travel and shopping. Shell is on the left and Char is on the right. As you can see by their faces Shell is exhausted and Char is exhilarated by shopping!

Returning "home" through the Fens

I took the train back from Cambridge though Ely today. If you look between the trees to the right, you will see Ely Cathedral.


The ride passed through the Fens. I recall trying to understand what the Fens were several years ago when I read Dorothy Sayers' The Nine Taylors. This is very, very flat land with back dirt in the vicinity of Cambridge. When the train came through it last Saturday, I asked a woman if this was the Fens and she said it was. Now that I see it, I understand it. Again - you can spot Ely Cathedral in the far background.



The Fens.






Back to my abode.











This is the view down the street.

Yesterday's posting --

It is now Wednesday in the UK. After a night's sleep, I decided to go back and change the commentary slightly from the previous posting. Please check it for the additions.

Another day in the library ...

Today was another day spent in the Wren Library studying The Book. My eyes were so blurry last night that I was not able to tell if a letter was an A or an N! This morning when I went it, I saw the word clearly! By the way, I took this photo 30 years ago and the library still looks the same!


You are not allowed to take photographs in the library -- but -- I did not take this photo!





By 2:15 PM, I had been reading and studying for over 5 hours straight - most of the time with a magnifying glass - so blurry eyes were setting in again and I had to leave. When I went outside, I realized that the sun had come out so I snapped this photo of Nevil's Court before I walked along the promenade. Look at the rounded door up the stairs at the far end almost to the far right corner. After walking through Nevil Court, I walked up those stairs and through that door past the great hall (where the students eat) on into the outer Great Court which I showed you yesterday.




Then I walked through the town a bit and passed Henry Martyn Hall - named after that great missionary. Remember it, Aaron?




This is how the street looks next to Henry Martyn Hall. Several have written and said that they are enjoying the photos, so that it why I am including them. Tomorrow I go back... to try to organize all of my notes. Char and Shell arrive on Thursday.

Today -- The Wren Library...

Today, I walked to Trinity College.




I entered the main gate.




I walked into the Great Court and turned back to look at the archway I had just walked through and to view Sir Isaac Newton's apartment when he was at Cambridge. Look to the left of the archway and into the two sets of second floor windows immediately next to the arch and you will be looking in where Newton looked out!



I then walked into the next court, which is Nevil's Court, and I saw where I was headed -- The Wren Library - on the second floor above the promenade with the glass windows. The Wren Library was completed in 1695 to the design of Sir Christopher Wren. Today it contains the manuscripts and printed books which were in the college library by 1820, together with various special collections given to the college during the last 180 years. Among the special collections housed in the Wren are 1250 medieval manuscripts; the Capell collection of early Shakespeare editions; many books from Sir Isaac Newton's own library, the Rothschild collection of 18th century English literature and A.A. Milne's manuscripts of Winnie-the-Pooh and The house at Pooh Corner. I only had interest in one book -- which I had discovered there 27 years ago.




As I climbed the stairs to the library, I snapped this photo out the window. How is this for ATMOSPHERE! I spent the day reading and studying and learning some exciting things about that book which Aaron and I photographed in 1981 on his first trip the England. This is a book which no one except library staff may photograph today! I am very thankful for my 27 year old photos!