Hooray Hooray for a holi holi day

Lil Sis Alice and I had a perfect girlie holiday in Rhodes a week or so ago. It was hot and sunny and had just the right mix of doing nothing, reading books and seeing bits of the island.
Our hotel was less than perfect and I would not encourage anyone to go and stay there - for reference it was the Blue Bay Hotel and Sunland Apartments. The food was pretty naff, but we were there on an all inclusive basis so didn't have too much choice!! We went out for lunches which was lovely and put up with it the rest of the time.
the two trips we went on were fab - a trip to a wine festival in the mountains - with proper Greek supper in a family restaurant. The other was a boat trip from Rhodes Town to Lindos with a swimming stop. For some reason I LOVE jumping off boats and swimming in the sea, as long as I have a snorkel and mask!! I can take or leave swimming from the beach but swimming from a boat is awesome.
Lindos was beautiful, calm and felt like a proper Greek village. The Acropolis was good, but we ended up on top of it at noon - in the blazing heat. Still managed to still and wonder about how this structure was around before Jesus Christ. Quite a head messing thought.
The weirdest thing about our accommodation was the evening entertainment - which was run by the in house 'animation' team. There was also an on site kids club run by a Dutch holiday company. They started every evening with a song - which both Alice and I woke up several mornings singing - I thought you might like to hear it here: KIDSWORLD
So yes a much needed break. I have come back feeling better, refreshed and more positive. Let's hope it can last 7 months!!
H xx

Bit Late But........ I Did It!

Here is me looking a bit pinky with my medal after completing the Hydro Active in 35 minutes. Chuffed.
It was a great experience, I was quite nervous at the start and it was really weird running with so many other people. For the first kilometer or so I was quite overwhelmed and a bit tearful. I used to get this playing rugby sometimes and I think it is adrenalin, so I took deep breaths and used the adrenalin to keep me running.
I might do it again next year but I'm not sure. I am really glad that I did it and proved to myself that I can run and I can do something if I set my mind to it. Next challenge?
Hannah xx

Congratulations

Firstly to the new Mr and Mrs Beckford. Their wedding at St Paul's Cathedral was wonderful, steeped in tradition and included a good rousing Welsh rugby hymn! The reception was equally lovely, the pink champagne and canapes were greatly appreciated, the food was good, the speeches amusing and the dancing was non stop. Matt, James and Rob were entertaining on the way home too. Beth and Darryl and now adventuring round Oz on their honeymoon and to make us all jealous you can keep up with their news here


Secondly congratulations to the new Mr and Mrs Fletcher. Unfortunately I didn't attend their St. Ives wedding due to a prior engagement with the beach in Rhodes but I gather it was a warm and sunny day with a good time had by all.

Keeping on the wedding theme - D DAY is Saturday!!!!

H xx

It's Only Rock n' Roll........

But I like it!
Last night James and I drove from my parents in Worcester to Cardiff for an evening of Rock n Roll in the shape of the Rolling Stones Bigger Bang world tour at the Millennium Stadium.
It was AWESOME!
Seeing the Rolling Stones live was one of my things to do before your thirty list, and I am SO glad I had the chance to tick that off last night.
They truly rocked. Four born entertainers, who really need nothing more than their music. Whilst there was undeniably a 'show' it was nothing like some of the other arena shows I've been to where there is an 'Act' as well as the music. There was no fancy Choreography, no extras, very little swanky video but there was great and timeless music, played loud and with passion. The ferocity with which they performed, the energy and the excitement makes you forget that these guys have been touring for over 40 years.
As my mother regularly reminds me 'I met Mick Jagger and got nail polish on his hand.'
Well as far as I'm concerned they've still got it and they still ROCK!

Fun and Frolics

Well in a week and half I will have done my running and raised some cash. There is still time to donate at THIS LINK
The picture on the left was taken about a week ago to go with the press release Leukaemia CARE are sending out. It's all a bit grand for what it really is - lazy old me getting my ass moving.
This week I have learnt the lesson about making sure your body has enough fuel to move. On Saturday we went to Brighton with the Payne family for fish and chips and frolics on the beach with their kids. It was great fun, but after munching points laden fried food (and really enjoying it) I wasn't hungry come the evening so had a few nibbles and a piece of Kim's birthday cake.
Sunday morning was time to run, I woke up in a naff mood, feeling lethargic and grumpy - probably the bad food and glass of wine the day before. After a cup of tea James said we should run.
Well I tried but my legs were like lead, my body felt like it was made to stand still and I struggled, then the fact that I was dehydrated hit me and fuzzy things swam across my eyes. James got in a bad mood and told me it was psychological. Well maybe some of it was - the bad mood and grumpiness - but my body unlike his needs a good feed before it is asked to do anything. So there. Lesson learnt.
H x

The Wallaby Blog!

Hmmm - haven't felt like blogging lately. I've just been getting on with life I guess.
Some lovely things have happened:
James took me to Leonardslee which was lovely - it is a private garden with lakes, and old cars, and Wallabies!! There were wee little baby ones and albino ones. They were cute - James didn't think Trixie would get on with them so we didn't bring one home. After Leonardslee we went for afternoon tea in Westerham. It was wonderful. It was SO good to have day out with just the two of us, in lovely surroundings and just taking time to walk, and chat and be with each other.
The running is getting better. I am up to two and a half miles. My vest arrived from Leukaemia CARE and my number and final instructions from Hydro Active. This has made me excited, although nervous. I still have another £45 or so to raise so if you are feeling generous CLICK HERE NOW
And finally I have WeightWatchers news. I have now been a member for 11 weeks. When I first joined I was set a goal to lose 10% of my body weight - this is a good starting point and has lots of health benefits. Anyway 23lb later I got my 10% keyring on Thursday night. Yeay! I have now set a final goal to get to 12 stone. This is still quite a lot of weight to lose but I am feeling positive. And slimmer.
SO slim in fact I took my Bridesmaid dress to be adjusted today so that I can wear it to Bethany and Darryl's wedding at the end of the month. They are getting married in St. Paul's Cathedral - so I feel it could be a hat wedding. That's my next challenge...........!
H xx

Keep on keeping on

It's been a quiet couple of weeks.
James went to Barcelona with the boys and had a good time.
I slammed my finger in my front door and was nearly sick with pain, it's not very pretty but I can feel it again now.
Had a lovely weekend this weekend. I have got more organised on the wedding front with a Budget Spreadsheet and a Guest List database. James thinks I have lost it, but I like to know where I am.
Saturday saw James and his Dad at 'Pantiles Groom' - a whole shop for Grooms in Tunbridge Wells deciding whether to buy or hire a suit. A decision has been made and a price obtained. Sorted! Wow. Suppose I better get a dress soonish then!
The whole wedding thing is still very surreal and feels like it is happening to someone else. But it's good I think.
James made me run on Saturday - and I only walked once for about 30 meters to take on water. We measured our route in the car on Sunday and found out it was 2 miles - chuffed.
To celebrate after going to the gym yesterday I bought myself some sexy ass running trousers!
And finally Jeremy preached on Me? A Missionary? Last Sunday. He used the passage about Jesus walking on water and the book 'If you want to walk on water you've got to step out of the boat.' He finished asking What is your boat? And Are you being called to step out of it? God gave me an answer. Loudly and clearly He said 'No'. It is time to rest, time to curl up on the cushions at the back of the boat, feel the sunshine on my face and the hear the gently lapping water. It is time to take, renew and refresh.
Now how do I learn to do that? H x

24-7 Pictures

I just wanted to share some pictures of the prayer room with you, especially for those of you who may have been reading my blog thinking 'what on earth is she going on about?' As always feel free to leave me comments and questions and you can email me too. H x


 

Amen

Dear Lord
Thank you so much for moving into our prayer room last week. It was awesome in ways I could never have imagined.
Thank you for working in so many people's lives last week, allowing them to pray, to come to you, to be loved by you and cared for. Thank you that people opened the hearts and minds to a new thing and met you in the middle of it.
Thank you that as a church we embraced prayer in a new way.
Thank you that people felt comfortable enough to use the room however they wished, thank you for those who painted, and scribbled, and sang and danced and were still. Thank you that the walls grew and groaned and spoke more and more as the week went on.
Thank you for the children, thank you for their innocence and their simple embracing of the space. Thank you especially for the two local kids who came in off the street and learnt that praying doesn't just mean 'hands together, eyes closed.'
Thank you that you were with me, that you gave me the energy to get up at 5.45am every morning. Thank you that you made it OK that we couldn't cover the night slots.
Thank you that I trusted you, thank you that you spoke to me in ways that I could hear. Thank you that people thanked me.
Lord God if we do this again, call more workers and teach me to delegate.
Lord please don't let this work be lost.
Thank you for being love, awesome big incomprehensible love.
Amen x