One added bonus of the loveliness of longborough is that it is only an hour away from Oxford. During a holiday with Harry and Mum, Mum and I spent a lovely summer afternoon visiting my favourite places in Oxford. Top of my list of places to go were always the river and New College gardens
Christmas was always a special time too. This photo from Christmas 2017 was a very happy memory, enjoying the beautiful Carols from King’s College service on tv in front of a lovely fire.
Adelina came to our church for a baptism of her three sons. As I got to know her over the years and see how she loved and looked after her triplets as a single mum it was so inspiring especially as one of her boys was very disabled. I have never met such a patient lovely person
I love this picture of Imogen on her 5th birthday playing with a bubble maker in the garden ??
Chris and his wife Anna are heroes of mine. Anna works tirelessly giving a voice to the voiceless in the Middle East. Chris is one of those awesome people you meet in life who combine compassion, empathy and practical wisdom with intelligence that one never feels ‘alone’ when they are around. That might seem an odd thing to say, but I have found in life that when you are going through a tough time, it can be very lonely even if one is surrounded by sympathetic and kind people. But certain people have the authenticity (borne of real life experience that gives an and authority to their words and ‘weight’ to their presence) and genuine (unconditional and ‘I’m not going anywhere’) care that one never feels alone. I have had the sort of wobbles throughout my life that I have needed the assurance that these truly great men and women bring just by being themselves wherever they are and whoever they are with. I have noticed that they usually have a great sense of humour too, because they know that intensity helps no one (including themselves) be the best version of the person God made us to be. When I arrived in Brighton six years ago, Chris (along with Tom my friend and head of department) were instrumental in getting me cling on to normal life (work and the rest of life) through the trauma of my separation and divorce. I often felt like a bucket with holes in it who needed a constant refilling of the core truths that I could not hold on to alone: the love and mercy of God, my ability to be a good school teacher, my ability to be a ‘good’ person again (I of course mean ‘good’ in a relational sense – being faithful, trustworthy and having integrity – and not in an absolute sense like Jesus, cf Mark 10:18). Chris never lost patience in reminding me of the truth and making me feel like I wasn’t alone, and doing so in utter seriousness yet without intensity. The amount of times I cried and laughed with Chris in the same conversation is testament to that wonderful character set Chris has. That’s why he and Anna are so lovely. Kit and Ellis have amazing parents.
I had such a lovely birthday on May Day 2018 with my precious friends from Oxford days and their lovely families. They are so dear to me and I will treasure the memories of that day in hove lawns and beside the lagoon.
More photos to follow…(I rely on my family and friends for photographic evidence that I have done anything in my life!!)
Our winter training camps were on Lake Banyoles where the 1992 Olympic regatta had been held. I was such a beautiful spot and we’d do our seat racing there, which moved me up the rankings as my ergonometer times were never good enough to put me in the top eight.
