Vidda's Birthday and start of Stothers' Blog

What a better way to commence the blog portion of our website: Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! HBD, HBD, HBD to you. Dear sister I love you.

What happened in July, August, September? Lots. Too much to summarize now except to say, here we are and settling in nicely.

Visitors have come this summer. The last of which was Lynne who was in Dublin and emailed me inviting me to come down with the offer of taking me to lunch. So I jumped on the Goldline Express and bought a return ticket for 16.90 pounds. Expensive lunch, but an outing I wanted, and we visited the Guinness Storehouse, the National Museum of Ireland to see the gold and the bog bodies, and stopped into SpecSavers to see Ruth.

An earlier attempt to blog without the blog template.

1 July 2008 Tuesday, weather rainy

I banged out a two page email to introduce a visiting journalist to what life is like in Northern Ireland for this newbie. People are extremely inviting and welcoming. Ward was told everyone could be expected to invite you in without a prior call if you showed up at their door. Most people turn on the kettle and you get a cup of tea with milk and a variety of sweets. We were invited to dinner by one of the church regulars who apologized that she had not had us over earlier. We love it. People are friendly and we are able to be ourselves. Having just finished the autobiography of one of the local clergy Rev Jackson Buick it is obvious that street evangelists, mission halls, prison chaplains, and church faithfulness are a part of the fabric of the community. How was that overlaid with the sectarian violence that lasted so long?

10 June 2008 Tuesday, weather great

It's interesting that an event can change your whole outlook. We actually have 3 events. Next week the women we met who comes from California will bring her friends and help us clean a room at the church to be used as a prayer room, then we expect a visit from a women who seeks to meet her e-harmony date in Northern Ireland, and then a visit from a journalist referred through old friends. I look forward to these new people.

5 June 2008 Thursday, weather the best yet

Just got back form New York City. wonderful time. Will summarize in Newsletter

26 May 2008, Monday, weather sunny still

The Belfast City Council has built what they call Leisure Centres throughout the city. There is one two short blocks from our house. We went there this morning for a Tai Bo class which is modified kick-boxing to music. Leisure Centre use is free for people over 60 before 11 a.m. All other times the classes are one pound (or two dollars) a discount from the 4.2 pounds per class for others. The Centre is clean, staffed with friendly people, and has childcare, a pool, and well outfitted fitness room. Sitting in the lobby waiting, Ward met Carson. Inevitably people ask if we are over on holiday and when we tell them we've moved here, they are intrigued. It seems the best answer is "because we can" but people like to hear that we've come to work for the church or to work in the community too.

24 May 2008, Saturday, weather sunny again.

This is the beginning of a chronological notation of our observations. Today we go to Gosford Park with the children of the church. Last Saturday we went to Newry and Portadown with the women of the church and some husbands and Freddie who goes to everything. I bought two items from the Oxfam thrift shop and put two items in their bag to recycle. Buying a few things made me happy.