preparing

On a walk with Nathaniel a few days ago
- we do that a lot lately, its free and now that the sun does not go down till after 9 we are often tempted for a late evening stroll -
we were discussing the many changes that will be coming up in the next few months.

After I listed several things that needed to be done in preparation - my heart beginning to feel overwhelmed - Nathaniel said, "and the most important preparation is the spiritual one..."

no pictures of our walks so just a picture of the two of us!

So very true. I think so often I get wrapped up in preparing for life and worrying about the things I can't prepare for that I forget how valuable spending time with God is.
Prepare my heart first, and then prepare for what lies ahead.

The weather has just about warmed up enough
to entice me out into the front garden to enjoy my morning coffee and reading!
(though usually still with a light sweater)

*And that makes me happy*

One of the fun things I have been up to recently with my time is going to the library.

I found a nice back path to get to the library which does take a little longer then the straight forward way but I always feel a little like I might happen upon something magical. As of yet nothing, but I will let you know if anything magical does happen!
(you never know...)

I have found that our local branch has a wonderful collection of cook books, and I have taken great delight in taking them out one by one and reading through them.

a recipe I recently tried (from Tana Ramsay's Family Kitchen) and that I think is super yum...

Fruit salad with oats and warm yoghurt:
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup blueberries
1/4 cup raspberries
(really you could use any berries or fruit you have on hand)
2 Tbs water
raw sugar (or what ever sugar you prefer)
1/4 cup natural yoghurt
4 tsp runny honey

• lightly toast the oat flakes in a small frying pan until golden brown (take care not to burn!). set the pan to the side.
  
• meanwhile place blueberries and raspberries into a small saucepan, add water and a sprinkle of the raw sugar (or what ever...) heat this gently, stirring occasionally.
• add the yoghurt to the pan of toasted oat flakes and gently stir through.
• when the fruit is nice and warm, serve the yoghurt & oatmeal into a small bowl, spoon on the fruit, and drizzle over the honey.
• this should make for 2 servings or if you have little ones probably this would feed 4...Enjoy!
  

I am sprouting tomato plants.
I will probably be in Texas when they actually start producing tomatoes,
but it is still fun to watch them grow.

Soon - into a pot (or two!) they will go.

frivolity with £2

On an early morning walk this week I found a £2 coin laying on the side of the road.
I picked it up and put it in my pocket.
All week long I fingered it - What would I do with it? - I wondered from time to time.
A coffee maybe? perhaps that hair accessory I have been eying? or maybe I should put it away and save it for a day when we go to Greenwich market...

who knew £2 could be so fun?

On Friday I was doing some errands, browsing the shelves at Boots (our local drug store) for a few items I happened upon something completely frivolous...

Cleansing Milk...a lightly cleansing milk infused with soothing geranium oil it says on the box...for my face. I looked, smelled, read the back, appreciated the very very fun packaging (what is not to love about a glass jar of face lotion?), then put it back on the shelf and started to walked away. Then I noticed the sign, 50% off all Boots facial products.
I couldn't help it, I looked at the price -£1.98.
hmm - this was just the thing for my £2 coin!

a project

back in January my sweet friend Ellen had her fourth child - she said one day,
"Abi, would you like to borrow my sewing machine? I certainly won't be using for the next good long while.."
Delightful! of-course I would take care of the sewing machine for her.
However I soon discovered that fabric, patterns and sewing notions were not as easy to come by as I initially thought. When discussing this with a friend who sews, she confirmed my suspicions there were no local fabric shops, I would have to make a trip into the centre of London to find what I was looking for. Don't get me wrong, I love going into the centre of the city - but not when I have to interrupt the flow of my day when all I need is a bit of thread or some buttons.
Since then my mom has come for a visit, and tucked in her suitcase was lovely fabric to help me get on with my projects.
how very happy!
I used half of this lovely green print for a table cloth, and it makes me smile. It helps a huge deal in making our little flat look homey - the other half I have dreams of a skirt, still waiting for the perfect pattern to appear.

the other fabric mom brought, I used to make napkins - which I have been longing to make for ages. I just hate throwing away napkins every time we have a meal! this is much better.

Saturday

(bet you thought we got stuck in Paris...!)

9.30am Soo Jeung and I are awakened by a knock on our hotel bedroom -
its was Nathaniel and Steve.
They had risen at 6 to go to the train station to try to purchase tickets...what a blessing to have men to take care of us! Tickets were purchased and we were booked for a 12 noon train to Calais.

Off to the train station we went with a few moments to spare, just enough time to stop in at good old dependable McDonalds. Seemed a bit sacrilegious (I mean we were in the land of wonderful Baguette and Croissants), but but we were on a time restriction and budget, and even as I got to the counter to order I thought 'Even McDonalds can sound classy when spoken in French...Bonjour, um, le petit wrap... ' *smile*!

As we clacked along the French country side, all around us on the train we heard snippets of conversation - other travelers on the same situation with us. There was a sense of being bound together, people all on the same mission - but there was also a twinge of competition, what will we do when we get to Calais that no body else will think of? how can we be first in line.
What a battle to fight against the desires of the flesh, it is so contrary to put others first and look around for those who might need a helping hand.

To the Ferry! After so many grim reports, we found ourselves happily settled on a ferry crossing the Chanel within 2 hours of arriving in Calais. It was the beginning of the end of our journey and we were relieved.

(tired but happy - waiting in Dover for our last train home)

We were thankful for God's protection, we were glad for the opportunity to get to know Soo Jeung and share the gospel with her.
We traded contact information before we parted at Bromley South train station - who knows maybe we will meet again...