Sponger

Friday night I was invited as a guest to Glenarm Castle to take part in the second Larne Borough Business Awards.


Black tie event and the reception was held in the Castle followed by a banquet in an adjacent marquee. It was a lovely mild evening for late April and a good night was had by all. Paul Clarke presented the awards and as usual I was there because May had acted as a judge for some of the awards.

Hot For 2007 – Tourist hot spots, Hip Hotel Reviews and more | MSN Travel UK

Hot For 2007 – Tourist hot spots, Hip Hotel Reviews and more MSN Travel UK: "

I can honestly say that it is unlikely I will be in any of these but it is interesting to see where people will spend a small fortune to eat.

The results are in, Restaurant Magazine has named the finest 50 eateries the world has to offer. 651 lucky voting panel members travelled the globe, from New York to New Delhi, to sample the greatest food the culinary gods have to offer.

France still remain the pièce de résistance of the restaurant world, 12 of their establishments making the list, while the USA is hot on their heals with eight. Never to be undone the UK rounds of the top three with seven restaurants making the prestigious list.

So who won outright? Why not check out our gallery of all 50 and find out who offers the most delectable delights in world cuisine.

The World's Top 50 Restaurants: From 25 to 1

Badger watch

Today, just a few weeks short of my 55th birthday, I witnessed something for the first time. As I was leaving home this morning, just before 7 ,driving out of the road I caught sight of this badger walking up the road. I stopped and watched it as it made it's way into the neighbours garden. Yes I've seen a badger before but they where either in a cage or dead by the roadside. I always assumed they were nocturnal and I certainly didn't expect to see one on the way to work. I can only assume it had made its way over from the adjacent farmland-maybe I may never see one au natural again, especially if I have to wait another 55 years!

Spring has sprung

My Mum has two old cherry trees in her garden that showed no signs of life . However when I called up on Saturday evening they are in full bloom. What a beautiful sight, at least until the flowers start to fall!
I must remember to bring a digital camera with me more often instead of relying on the phone.

The first of the year!

What exceptional weather we are having for the middle of April. Last night was the first evening BBQ at the Green's for 2007 following a hot sunny Saturday. A few rib-eye steaks but no T bones as at the minute I am not allowed to eat red meat, just had to do with chicken and salmon. We did however finish with a chocolate fondue with bananas, strawberries and raspberries- delicious!

The Irish Rovers

Although I'm back from the states over a week it is only today that I have received photos taken by George. I forgot to bring a camera so am dependant on Jim and George . There are too many pics to put on this blog page so I must do as I have intended to do for some time-start a photo album. All I have to do is figure out how to!
Being in the states everyone of course had Irish ancestors and to make us feel at home it was felt we must have green hair and eat Irish lucky charm cereal!


Finally thanks to all who made our time in America so enjoyable

Easter

So a Somerfields survey finds that a large number of people are unaware of the significance of Easter. Here is an extract of the survey

A survey published by supermarket chain Somerfield has shown that many youngsters in the UK do not know what Easter signifies.
Somerfield's survey, which was conducted as part of a marketing campaign, found that one-in-six 16 to 24-year-olds know nothing about Good Friday, the commemoration of Jesus' crucifixion.
Meanwhile, 10 per cent are in the dark about Easter Sunday, which marks Jesus' resurrection.
1,130 adults were quizzed by Somerfield for the survey, which found that youngsters are ignorant when it comes to the Easter bunny - a Pagan fertility symbol - with 31 per cent having no idea why the character exists at all.
But, despite large numbers of people being unaware of the Easter basics, more than a fifth said they are planning to go to church to mark the holiday.

But the Scriptures explain the significance to us

Luke 24
1But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.
2And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb,
3but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
4While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing;
5and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living One among the dead?
6"He is not here, but He has risen Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee,
7saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again."
8And they remembered His words,
9and returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.
10Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles.
11But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them.
12But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened.

International Cuisine

Sunday I had my lunch at the Chop House Chattanooga.

Tuesday I had my dinner in that southern American diner Pa PA Browns

You are my sunshine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FNK7x7VgP4

What a beautiful country we live in, especially when it is warm and sunny. The weather over the last few days has been exceptional and today I took a stroll down the Marina- and walked in areas of Carrickfergus that I hadn't been before. Took some pictures on my mobile so sorry for quality.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5K92mCfv1w

Northern Trust

After twelve years the United trust along with all the other trusts in the Northern Board have been abolished. As an act of appreciation all staff in the United Trust where offered a free breakfast!
That must have been a great boost to those staff who as yet still don't know if they have a job or to the proposed 1200 redundancies.

The wanderers return

Jim, George and I returned yesterday from what is euphemistically called the Winter training classes at precept International in Chattanooga.(http://www.precept.org/ )

It is difficult to see how it can be called a winter study programme when the lowest temperature we encountered was in the mid 70's F.

It was a good study on Daniel, now the problem comes on the application of being a man of integrity in the daily situation of home, work and church!

It was good also to remind ourselves that God's church is universal and we have brothers and sisters all over the world united in the bond of being part of His family.

It is now Tuesday afternoon and tiredness is still a problem - someone will have to invent a pill to make jet lag a thing of the past, or maybe it is just that I'm getting older and it just takes that bit longer for my body to catch up.