January 2015

After the dance the new year came in without much fanfare. By the middle of the first day of the month the snow had pretty much gone.

On the second and third a few of us got on with stripping and polishing the community centre floor. Sadly the polish broke up and many users complained about the white dust getting on their shoes and clothes.

The Leicester House and Post Natal Yoga classes got underway again. So did the Haven Eagles. One session provided a lot of pleasure to the oldies and our oldest pair were sent into raptures listening to 50s and 60s music.

Work on the Haven Centre got into overdrive as the open day at the end of the month loomed near. Friends from other churches piled in to help with the work.

A week later it was a fun night. The 'Not-the-Christmas-Party' party became the 'Gala Awards Night'. This was a sit down three course meal for about 50 people served up by members of the church. The food was excellent. After the meal the awards were presented. Irene got the coveted 'Hurricane Irene Award' and I got the 'Old but not Dead yet Award'.

On the 20th there was the long overdue felling of trees at the community centre with big men with big machines.

Our walking did not get going until 21st. Instead we chose to go to the cinema. I elected to go to Derby as it avoided the tram works and parking was free. We saw 'The Theory of Everything'. It was a love story about Stephen Hawking. The film started five years before Irene and I went to Cambridge. It was a fascinating and well made film.*

The following Wednesday we did brave the weather and go to Attenborough for a walk and coffee. The ducks did not appreciate the solid water.

And a rat was caught by surprise. I think he was surprised that anyone was out in such weather.

The weather seriously deteriorated after a short walk which meant facing into the blizzard for the walk to the car.

Most of our Wednesdays ended up in the loft as work on the railway continued. The house below is well gardened and I scratch built the garage. I have made very few of the buildings without using a kit. It is very much more satisfying to work from just an idea and the bits and pieces around. Irene is very pleased with her efforts too. Notice the shiny dustbin that along with greenhouse and other garden bits was also scratch build.

The weather continues to be cold so yesterday we caught the bus into the Nottingham Contemporary. It was one of the better exhibitions. It was called 'Rights of Nature - Art and Ecology in the Americas'. There was much to see, read and hear. Irene especially enjoyed 'sitting in the jungle'. There was a very large video screen which gave you a feeling of being there. Her favourite quote was 'it is not only the past and present that affects the world. The future does too.'

The following day I prepared the Eagles room for the meeting and was particularly pleased with my efforts. However, the snow came at lunch time. It quickly covered the ground and we felt obliged to cancel the meeting. Today the snow still lies on the ground but it appears to be melting.

It was very appropriate that in the evening I received a call from an acquaintance who said that he would be pleased to give the Eagles a talk on the two years that he spent in the Antarctic.

The last day of the month was a special one for the church. We had an open day. There were many political VIPs and a lot of activities for about 400 visitors.

I need lessons

Our MP - Anna Souberry.
She poses at the click of a camera

Some Eagles, the Mayor and other VIPs

Never too old for a bouncy castle

*Just to be clear we did not study in Cambridge. We went there on our honeymoon.