Busy

Well yes, I haven't blogged since Monday. But then again I assume from people commenting that it must be only Leanne that is reading the blog anyway, and I have communicated with her in one way or another, or seen her, everyday since Monday, so I don't suppose my lack of blog matters much really.

This week I have been very busy. Apart from Wednesday afternoon, when I had a sleep because I had a headache so bad I couldn't see straight. So I suppose that does actually mean I was busy, but just a different kind of busy.

On tomorrow me and Paul and Kev and Gareth are going to Spring Harvest. There is a chance that I will be very tired, a bit worn out, and maybe quite grumpy. I say this now so that the boys have a chance to remember to be ever so nice to Ruth so that greater grumpiness does not ensue.

That is all.

I'll see you when we get there.

Tonight has been my hardest night of lent. I have given up watching soaps (and day time TV) for the period of lent. On a normal Monday evening when I am having a night in (doesn't seem to happen much at the mo) I would watch Neighbours, get tea ready, watch Hollyoaks followed by Emmerdale, followed by Corrie, followed by Eastenders, then back over to channel 3 for second Corrie of the evening. This would take me from half five through to 9. And would be generally fairly enjoyable. However this evening I can't do this. Paul kindly unplugged my TV and turned it to face the wall so that if I started to get tempted to turn it on I would think twice, and I'm glad he has. I can't go downstairs at the mo in case I get a bit tempted to turn the TV on. I know some of you will be thinking 'but there are other things on the TV', well yes there are, but this evening they are rubbish, so if I turn the TV on to watch them I will undoubtedly end up flicking over to a soap. It is strange, until now I've not really missed watching them, and yet I could waste hours watching them! So now I am working out what else to do with my evening. I have done unloading and reloading the dishwasher. I have done emailing some people saying gissa job. I have done tipping water all over Gareth. I have nearly done blogging. I need to do putting clean washing away and putting dirty washing on. I might do exercise biking (although my legs do ache a bit at the mo). I think I might write to a friend, it will be a bit novel to put pen to paper. I want to try and read more of the book I currently reading coz it's at a really interesting part now. Oh and I am currently doing listening to Humphery Littleton and weird jazz at the moment. It is strange though, having said how I miss soaps this evening, I am thinking of giving them up for longer. I think this is because generally I haven't missed them that much, and I know how much time I waste watching them. Ho Hum.

Shopping

Today I went shopping with Paul in town and bought some lovely things. Paul is about the best person to go shopping with because he helped me make lots of decisions and was quite patient. Although I would like to point out that Gareth is actually very good when it comes to making clothes choices, in fact maybe the best. That is all.

Gissa a job? Yes? Yes!

On my way to work

This morning on my way to work I saw
- a car moving on its own down a driveway towards Colchester Road. There were two men trying to stop it. One was trying to find something to grip onto on the back of the car - like that was going to do anything. The other was quite sensibly trying to open the drivers door so he could use the appropriate controls inside the car to stop it.
- A man in an electric buggy doing a three point turn.
- A police car pull over so that a flashy light ambulance could overtake it.
- A man running very fast. He looked like he was planning on running quite some way. If he kept running that fast for some way I would be very impressed.

Then I got to work, and nothing interesting has happened.

I would just like to clarify

My cousins child is my first cousin once removed. My parents cousins children are my second cousins. I just wanted to clarify this and point out that I was right.

Team Armstrong

This is no longer Ruth's blog.

This is now the offical Team Armstrong blog.

Deal with it.

Paul

Paul is home now. Hooray!! He should be here for a whole four weeks. This is a very exciting thing.

If you get the chance try and tune in to BBC2 on Thursday at 7pm to watch My Life as a Child. They have given children video cameras, and they film bits of their lives and keep a kind of video diary. Very worth a watch.

Saw Kev in Tesco's today. Was so excited I forgot to not speak to him.

Kev has failed

Kev has not blogged enough this week. He will have a quiet ten years. What a good job Jesus loves him.

I spent most of today at CYM on a training thing. It was very good and I had lots of fun - mostly thanks to Gareth and Phil. Oh and they helped me with the long words I didn't understand. Hurrah for Phil and Gareth!

Paul comes home tomorrow. This is a very good thing. I have not seen him for quite some time now, and I miss him lots. Steve will also be home over the weekend, and we are all going to the Wards for dinner on Sunday. That will be very lovely.

Owls

Why did the Owl not go courting in the rain?

Because it was too wet to woo.

Last night

Yesterday in the evening something very funny happened. It was funny enough to make me smile about it still now. The thing is it happened at children's club, and so involved children. This means I won't post it on here. Instead I will leave some space, and you can think of something funny yourself and laugh at that.










Boy, how we laughed!

Also last night I learnt how to make gift bags, you know like those ones you buy in shops and put gifts in to give people. Only now I don't need to buy them anymore (they really are quite expensive you know), I can just make them. I love learning new things.

Less like scars - Sara Groves and Nate Sabin

It's been a hard year but I'm climbing out of the rubble. These lessons are hard healing changes are subtle. But every day it's less like tearing more like building, less like captive more like willing, less like breakdown more like surrender, less like haunting more like remember. And I feel you are here, and you're picking up the pieces. Forever faithful. It seemed out of my hands, a bad situation. But you are able. And in your hands the pain and hurt look less like scars and more like character, less like prison ore like my room, less like a casket more like a womb, less like dying more like transcending, less like fear, less like an ending. And I feel you are here, and you're picking up the pieces. Forever faithful. It seemed out of my hands, a bad situation. But you are able. And in your hands the pain and hurt look less like scars. Just a little while ago I couldn't feel the power or the hope. I couldn't cope, I couldn't feel a thing. Just a little while back I was desperate, broken, laid out, hoping you would come. And I need you and I want you here and I feel you. And I know you are here and you're picking up the pieces. Forever faithful. It seemed out of my hands, a bad bad situation. But you are able and in your hands the pain and hurt look less like scars and in your hands the pain and the hurt look less like scars and in your hands the pain and hurt look less like scars and more like character.

This week I am

- Preparing for some things.
- Having some meetings.
- Eagerly awaiting the return of my wonderful brother for his Easter holiday.
- Over cooking cakes.
- Playing games.
- Not speaking to Kev for 10 years if he does not blog at least 5 times this week.
- Sorting out rotas and other such fun stuff.
- Getting excited about Spring Harvest.
- Doing praying - especially for friends who are needing it at the moment.
- Wondering if meeting a real pirate would be exciting or actually scary.
- Thinking about doing tidying so I can remember what colour the carpet is.
- Being crafty.
- Teaching children about Jesus.
- Looking for a job.
- Having hayfever.