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Showing posts from March, 2011

Beyond the Sunset.

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'Beyond the Sunset' by Anna Jacobs. The first part of this novel is set in Western Australia. The year is 1864 and the four Blake sisters have travelled to Australia on the wishes of their Aunt . Twins Maia and Xanthe and their older sisters Cassandra and Pandora have left their home in Lancashire and not all are happy 'down under'. Living in the Migrants' Home Pandora dreams of the cobbled streets of the U.K.Back in their home town the Aunt has died and these girls have inherited her shop in Oldtham. To contact the girls Zachary Carr , a responsible employee of the shop is sent by solicitors to trace the sisters and encourage them to return to claim their inheritance. The journey to Australia takes months and Zachary has adventure on the way , but these are insignificant compared with the return journey. Not all the sisters are keen to leave their new home . When Zachary returns with his passenger life in Lancashire, and particularly the shop has changed and no

Wordless Wednesday

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Camera shy? More pics can be found here.

Third Sunday of Lent.

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'We beseech Thee , O Lord, grant us that taught by wholesome fasting, and abstaining from harmful vices, we may the more easily obtain Thy pardon.'

Unfortunately the World's top University...

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... didn't win the boat race. Today saw the 157th University Boat Race on the river Thames in London. Oxford v Cambridge.The winners last year were Cambridge, the world's top university,but unfortunately couldn't succeed in the race today. As you can guess I am a great fan of the Cam rowers and the Uni having two very close relations in their alumni, so today was disappointing but --- next year Cambridge , next year!!!! Info from this source.

Three hands in the fountain.

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Three Hands in the Fountain by Lindsey Davis. A Marcus Didius Falco Novel. Rome, August - October, AD 73. In ancient Rome , water fountains were numerous and as such there was often blockages around the pipe work. These pipes led to and from the aqueducts and the sewers. Lowly workers were employed to maintain these waterways. The water pipes were laid for the convenience of the public , both in the communal baths and in private homes. The time between the hot months of August and October the fountains were used constantly . The heat of the sun and the excitment of 'games' in the arena made for thirsty citizens. Many people having travelled far and wide to be spectators. As one fountain is reduced to a trickle workmen investigate the cause , only to find a human hand blocking the outlet. Marcus Didius Falco and his assistant, Petronius are summoned to solve this barbaric mystery. When another hand is found in a fountain across the city the public panic and officials comm

Friday Funny.

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Wordless Wednesday

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More pics can be found here.

Second Sunday of Lent

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'Understand my cry:hearken to the voice of my prayer, O my King and my God: for to Thee will I pray, O Lord.' Psalm 5. 2-4. Photo courtesy of this site.

Friday Funny.

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Wordless Wednesday

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Check out more photos here.

Teaser Tuesday

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Here is the format for Teaser Tuesday---- Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! My teaser---- 'I had warned Marina again to take care because the aqueduct snatcher might be working in her neighbourhood. She, quite reasonably, had then enquired whether I really thought any pervert would pluck up the courage to attack two of the Braidmakers' Old Girls after their monthly meeting night out? A ridiculous idea , of course.' Page 209 , 'Three Hands in the Fountain' by Lindsey Davis. More teasers can be found here.

First Sunday of Lent.

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Encouragement for Lent. 'Lent is the springtime of the ecclesiastical year. From the dying kernels of divine wheat a wonderful harvest will come:first, souls ripe for Baptism, second, an interior purification of cleansing by means of penance, a sort of second Baptism for sinners, and third, an opportunity for all the faithful to be reinforced and strengthened by necessary mortification and self-denial in their life's journey toward the final happiness that awaits them in heaven.' The above lines are taken from 'Forty Days' by Bishop Bruskewitz, Bishop of Lincoln, Nebraska. Our parish is fortunate to have the full text printed in its weekly newsletter. Thankyou Father.

The Matters at Mansfield.

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The Matters at Mansfield by Carrie Bebris. This is a Mr and Mrs Darcy mystery.So three guesses which Mr and Mrs Darcy? Yes that's right this follows the life of Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle, oh silly me I mean ,Elizabeth (nee Bennet)and her husband Fitzwilliam Darcy. The author manages to incorporate characters from Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. At this stage in their married life Elizabeth and Darcy are happy in their state with a lovely baby , namely Lily-Anne. Lady Catherine de Bourgh is recovering from Darcy's decision to marry Elizabeth instead of her daughter and so must find a suitable suitor for Anne. Whilst Lady Catherine is preoccupied with this task Anne elopes with a mysterious man. Lady Catherine calls on her nephew, Darcy and his wife to help trace the couple. As Anne and her man flee to Gretna Green to wed their happiness is soon destroyed as Anne's husband is named as a bigomist and as if this is not enough trouble, a murder is committed an

Ash Wednesday...

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...is the first day of Lent and occurs 46 days (40 days not counting Sundays) before Easter. As Easter is a different date each year , so Ash Wednesday can fall anytime during February or March.These forty days commemorate Our Lord's time in the desert. Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of adherents as a sign of mourning and repentance to God. The ashes used are typically gathered after the palms or Palm Crosses from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned. Receiving the ashes on the forehead during the Ash Wednesday service denotes the recipient's wish to turn from sin and to contemplate our own sinful lives. To try and live a life more focused on God we are encouraged to contemplate Our Lord's 40 days in the desert .As He began fasting and praying at this time we are encouraged to follow His example and fast and abstain from any meat and it's products both today and on Good Friday. To refrain from chosen foods, t

How I have spent my Sunday......

... well it has been a lovely relaxing day. Martha and her Mummy and Daddy have spent the day here after Mass, enjoying a Sunday lunch and tea. Not a traditional roast beef meal but roast ham with a gorgeous lemon sauce and vegetables. I make the lemon sauce the following way ---- Recipe for lemon sauce. I mix one tube of low fat creme fraiche with one teaspoon of wholegrain mustard and one teaspoon of caster sugar. To this mixture I add a dash of lemon juice and enough olive oil to make a fairly soft consistency . Unfortunately I don't have a photo as it has all been eaten. Believe me it is delicious served with hot/cold ham and so easy to make. My visitors left for home around 6pm(nearly Martha's bedtime) and since then hubby, oldest daughter and myself all attended Benediction at church.A fitting end to a Sunday! How did you spend your Sunday?

Friday Funny.

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A Classic!

The month of March.

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"March bustles in on windy feet And sweeps my doorstep and my street. She washes and cleans with pounding rains, Scrubbing the earth of winter stains. She shakes the grime from carpet green Till naught but fresh new blades are seen. Then, house in order, all neat as a pin, She ushers gentle springtime in." - Susan Reiner, Spring Cleaning