21 Years

Twenty one years ago on Saturday 21st July our second child was born. I remember being in the hospital as he was delivered and holding him in my arms, after of course being made to sit down! Many a night I watched both the boys lying in their beds and wept with joy over them and wondered what they would become. Both are now adults and have chosen their own paths which sometimes takes them in directions we as parents are concerned about. Non the less they are remarkably well adjusted and Tim has a sense of fun about him which is to be admired.
He celebrated the day at the Red Panda The Red Panda Restaurant Group and then the younger ones did their own thing!

The power of words

I am old enough now to have lived through many momentous events and heard many stirring speeches. I can remember the death of Winston Churchill and whether I agree with him politically or morally I still find listening to his speeches very stirring.


At the age of 11 I remember clearly being emotionally charged by the speech of Martin Luther King, a culmination of many horrendous events that we watched on an old black and white TV. These speeches obviously had poignancy because of the times they were spoken (who can forget in Northern Ireland the NEVER, NEVER, NEVER speech?)
The gift of oratory seems to be dead in the era of sound bytes and on line TV, the image now seems to be the means of communication but thankfully these historical words are immortalised for all to hear.

Talent.

I usually watch talent shows to see how misguided some people are. There are so many people who assume they have a gift when it is evident to everyone else that they don't. On Britain has talent a few weeks ago the opposite was seen. An ordinary unassuming man who had an amazing singing voice! I just seen these videos and thought I would share the hair standing on the back of the neck moments.





He eventually won the competition.

Sunday

While waiting to pick my son up I took a walk along the harbour on a beautiful Sunday evening. The mackerel were in and the fishermen where out in force to catch as many as they could. It did however also attract another visitor- a seal- swimming effortlessly around the harbour. As usual all I had with me was my phone so managed to take only a few poor quality photos.

Congratulations

Saturday 8th all of the family were invited to a graduation party for my niece, held in Zozo's restuarent in Carrickfergus. All the greater family made it - an unusual event that usually only happens at Christmas

It also gave us a chance to get an updated pic of our dear children.

The sound of music

On Saturday the 30th of June I left my daughter off at the Northern Educational Boards music camp at Ballycastle High School.
Ballycastle County Antrim Northern Ireland Giants Causeway Glens of Antrim Accomodation Events Scenery
Heather was to stay until Tuesday afternoon when we picked her up after a concert. We arrived with some 200 hundred other children that were then split into two groups-the yellow and the blue. Heather was in the yellow and practiced her flute until the day of the concert. To a full audience they played 9 tunes, all of which sounded remarkably tuneful.

An idiots guide

On a post dated 25th January 2007 I mentioned the fact that I had been at a cookery demonstration for men taken by the singing chef, Raymond Crooks. He showed us how to make pavlova, a fool proof method he assured us. Well as we had to provide dessert for a dinner on Saturday past I had the notion of trying to make this famous pudding dedicated to that great ballerina,

Anna Pavlova - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It was as described a fool proof method and as you can see is!



For those interested the ingredients are: 6 standard eggs(grade3)
10 ozs castor sugar
2tsp vanilla essence
2 tsp white vinegar
2 tsp cornflour
Method
1. Separate eggs and place whites in mixing bowl
2. Add one tablespoonful of castor sugar
3. Whisk at high speed for 3-4 minutes(approx)
4. Add the remainder of the sugar, one large tablespoon at a time, all the sugar should be added within one minute
5. Mix the essence, vinegar and cornflour and add quickly to the egg whites. Keep mixer at full speed.
6. Whisk for another 5-7 minutes till the mixture has a glaze on it and it becomes noisy while beating.
7. Spread on an oiled foil tray.
8 Bake in a pre-heated oven(100C) for 45-50 minutes.
9. Switch off oven - leave Pavlova base till cold (5-10 minutes).
10. Turn out on a suitable serving dish.
11. Cream and decorate as required.

Home group

To mark the end of this session we held a BBQ for the homegroup on a cold Wednesday night on the 20th June.


The day had been wet but the evening dried up and we were able to sit out for the evening and enjoy the craic

Ladies day

On a glorious Thusday evening on the 7th June a number of ladies made their way up the Antrim Coast to eventually have supper in Glenarm Baptist Church

The Supremacy of Christ.

An awesome video from John Piper




Also after listening to the video I thought I'd reload a better quality version of the song the echoes the message.

ClustrMaps

When I clicked on ClustrMaps I found this image attached to it. Interesting picture.

Ho Ho Ho

It has been almost one month since I last posted something - I have been busy, I have been enjoying the good weather, I haven't had much to say-I have been afraid that if I did say something it might be offensive. I am still upset at how so called believers behave to each other and I feel the need to put people straight via the Internet but this would not be helpful to anyone so I've kept off the subject.
However on a more pleasant note this past week we celebrated our 29th wedding anniversary

I wish I could say I haven't changed over the years but I have, hopefully for the better despite losing my hair and now going grey!
25 years ago our first child was born, the third one being born 10 years ago. So that makes me a father and as today is fathers day in the UK we celebrated by going out for dinner. We picked up our eldest from his flat in Belfast and then drove to the Ramada Hotel for lunch

http://www.ramadabelfast.com/

On the way out I picked up this leaflet



Isn't it good to know that despite it not yet being mid summer we can already plan our Christmas parties!

In the name of the Father

Last week I listened to a radio 4 programme dealing with the issue of the deaths of babies and still births. This took place in the island of Ireland up to a relatively few years ago. I listed with hurt and anger at how a churches doctrine had caused so much pain to the parents-parents whose lives were already hurting through the death of their babies. One I'm sure "well meaning" leader actually came up with the doctrine going past the idea of Limbo and stating that the babies had gone direct to hell.
During the week my own brother was put out of the church because he had the audacity to let his adult daughter stay in his house after converting to the Muslim faith. Some "well meaning" leader pointed out that this was contrary to his interpretation of scripture and so it was his duty to maintain the purity of the faith.
Is it only in Ireland that we are cursed with such hypocritical, legalistic blinkered self righteous individuals who feel they have a direct line in understanding God. Do they forget we are all sinners saved by grace and justified by God and added to HIS church and nothing can ever separate us from him?
As a result all week I've struggled with hurt and anger at what so called people of God are capable of.
Today at the table we read these verses " 1st John 4
7Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
8The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

9By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.

10In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

12No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.

13By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

14We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

15Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
Where is Love???

Harold Wilson would have been proud

Almost 33 years ago on the 25th May 1974 the Prime Minister of the UK made a famous speech likening the people of Northern Ireland to spongers, although he later was to say it only applied to those who were organising the strikes.

"The people on this side of the water - British parents - have seen their sons vilified and spat upon and murdered. British taxpayers have seen the taxes they have poured out, almost without regard to cost - over £300 million a year this year with the cost of the Army operation on top of that - going into Northern Ireland. They see property destroyed by evil violence and are asked to pick up the bill for rebuilding it. Yet people who benefit from all this now viciously defy Westminster, purporting to act as though they were an elected government; people who spend their lives sponging on Westminster and British democracy and then systematically assault democratic methods. Who do these people think they are?"

I,in the mould of those preceding me, have managed yet again to sponge a free meal! and to quote Harold Wilson-Who do I think I am?



The black tie affair coincided with my 55th birthday so May had great pleasure in telling everyone that she was taking me out to the Europa for my birthday.


This time it was however the 12th Janus Awards for Professionalism within the Institute of Hospitality


May had been a judge for two of the categories so I was invited as the guest of the judge-the lowest of the low-but who's going to turn down a free meal. Wendy Austin again compared the show with the Merchant Hotel in Belfast making a big impression winning many of the awards.
http://www.themerchanthotel.com/

New site

I have just found this site from another blog page I was on. So many good videos to add -set up as an alternative to you tube. This video is fabulous

That's my King

I wish I could describe Him

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.