Day Off Week 12 2026

The day off this week was  a little different as we had a friend here from Aberystwyth. He arrived with a carer on Monday and left on Wednesday. On the Tuesday we went to the RAF museum, walked the dog, went to Brent Cross for pizza (Ian's shout) and watched an episode of Heartbeat (something I've never done before). He also found time to do some weeding and cleaning for us. Eeleri and I watched a bit of Capture on BBC in the evening.

Day Off Week 45 2025

Days off are a little different these days as my wife Eleri is not on work on Tuesdays. We headed over to Brent Cross before lunch to do a little shopping. Eleri was busy much of the rest of the day and so I did my usual thing and read. I read most of the signed history book by Julia Jones that I picked up at the GBM meetings. It is arattlung read and I have now finished it. More anon. In the evening we watched some episodes from the ITV drama Coldwater. Also spent some time dabbling wioth AI music to no great purpose.

Day Off Week 38 2020

It's been very warm this week. I didn't really take advantage of it on my day off but was in most of the time and it was only after being out later that I changed into shorts ( a rare thing with me). I'd been to Brent Cross to get a few pressies for Eleri whose birthday was this week. Otherwise I finished that little painting I was working on, watched TV (including the second in the drama series Des). There were one or two things I had to get done pastorally and there was a meeting in the evening with the other church officers on zoom. Technically I suppose I shouldn't on my day off but seeing as they are doing it in their spare time it is more like that for me if I spare some of day off for that. I did get a little reading done too but not much. (Note to self - Are you watching too much TV at the moment?).

Subliminal marketing in John Lewis

John Lewis Brent Cross today - no need for this

Things seen (again)

I dashed into a large shopping mall in London today packed to the brim. As I briskly walked along I saw a woman on her mobile phone. As I passed her I saw on her cheek one solitary glistening tear. Her face did not betray too much emotion but she was obviously receiving bad news - not news that made her burst into tears but something that made her weep. I don't know what it was, of course, but it reminded me of the sadness all around us in this world, deep seated sadness that is not easily removed. The jollity and festivity and everyone rushing around simply added to the isolation of the pain.

Visiting Dad 13

So here I am in South Wales yet again taking advantage of my sister-in-law's hospitality. I've been to see my dad again. He was rather sleepy and difficult to communicate with, though there were lucid moments. We read and prayed again. I asked him what he meant when he asked me to do it serious when praying last time. He said he meant really deep. I am supposing he means really getting through. That is the way to pray.

Before driving down I was in our solicitors' plush offices in Clerkenwell on Evangelical Library business. We're inching forward. Before that, I was back at LTS for a meeting about the mentoring scheme. First thing I had gone with Eleri to Brent Cross for a cuppa as part of the celebrations for her birthday.

 

Dear Eleri,

She's just extraordinary,

My love for her will never vary.

 

Wednesday had been a day of preparation with the prayer meeting in the evening. Monday and Tuesday, of course, were conference days. Somewhere amidst all this I am preparing two sermons for Sunday and trying to read Calvin's sermons on Acts for a discussion group coming up.

Back here Glyn and Fflur's other house guest is a former lodger from Australia who is studying an aspect of the Battle of the Somme. My dad always told me that my grand-dad was at the Somme but I wonder if it was really the battle itself, going on what else I now know. Must look into it all one day. I've also been reading a book on myths of WW1 including the crucified Canadian.

Dewi

Dewi was 15 the other day. He's been enjoying the week, especially having no school. Our local sorting office is not very reliable at present which has been frustrating. On Monday we all went to Regents Park and today he and I went to Brent Cross for lunch and he bought some jeans. Gail got him the boot. All gone now.

Bloggage

My, it's been busy this week. I haven't even had chance to write it up yet. Monday night we had a meeting at Cranford Baptist Church, West London, a support group for Robin and Muno Asgher, church planting there among Asians.

Then Tuesday night I was in the Evangelical Free Church in Stony Stratford Milton Keynes where I had agreed (in a moment of madness) to speak on Being a better parent. I'll let you know what I said in some subsequent posts. Some four churches were represented I think with over 30 people present. We had a nice question time at the end. I knew some of the folk but not most of them. I'd not met the pastor Robert Lightowler before.

Anyway, I headed back to London and got here around 11.30 pm. I'd agreed to take Rhodri down to Gatwick where he was due to catch a plane to Vietnam with Qatar Airways the next day at 9.15 am. Because it was so late I went through the centre of London and got back home by round 4 am and went to bed. Before six Rhodri was on the phone to say that there'd been a problem over his ticket and he needed me to come and redo it - by 8.15 am! So off I went again and after a prayerful but nerve wrenching trip I arrived at the south terminal again - only to find I needed to be at the north terminal! Just when Rhodri had given up I got to him and he was able to board the plane with only short while to spare. (We later heard, 26 hours later, that he'd made it to Sibyl in Hanoi via Doha and Singapore - but hadn't slept).

I came home via the M25 as I'd have to pay the congestion charge otherwise - same length of journey but around 30 miles longer. I was pretty tired by then but had agreed to be in a meeting at the Evangelical Library so I headed down to Baker Street and fortified by coffee made it through. I had some afternoon kip and finished preparation for the evening. We weren't many but we had a good time of prayer after looking at the end of Deuteronomy 15.

The next day we had someone here doing a survey. He's been booked to look at the house and the church over these few days. Niall is brother-in-law to one of my deacons' wives. He remembered sleeping here when he was still single years ago and courting Ali's sister. I'd quite forgotten.

My parents-in-law have also been around as Geoff was speaking at the Pilgrim Homes conference on dementia. Eleri went for the morning and thought it was useful. They treated us to a meal in Pizza Hut, Brent Cross, on the Thursday. Geoff is also preaching at the Evangelical Reformed Church in South Hackney on Sunday.

Only by today have I felt over my tiredness and a cold and have concentrated on more preparation for the Lord's Day with meetings for children and young people tonight. Good attendances.