Hooray! Hooray! It's a holi-holi-day

Tomorrow we go to Centerparcs at Thetford. I can't wait. Tamara is really excited. I'm writing this while I'm having a break from packing. Jacks coming too which is going to make it even more special. We got him a swim vest and other floaty stuff and he's telling everyone where we are going, too. So it's ta ta for a week, cos' holidays here we come. If you want to know more about centerparcs, click on the title. This picture is the view from our room last year.

Bible.org

I recently came across this website. Thanks once more to the good folk on the Michael Card forum. I downloaded the E-sword bible along with three versions I don't have. It allows me to compare the different translations which is very useful in songwriting and really helps in attempting to develop an understanding for the text in general. I often compare more than one translation. This tool makes it much easier to see the versions side by side.

Problems Are For Solving

Problems Are For Solving

I just stumbled across this blog. It is thoughtful and very well constructed - unlike my haphazard thoughts. I am most impressed. The blog belongs to James3v1.

The Sunday Lunch mystery tour

What a fascinating day!

So we decided to go out to lunch. Tamara, her sis Stef, Jack and me. Got dressed up. Fuelled up the car. Strapped in Jack and off we went. The plan was to go to a pub with a kids play area so Stef could spend some quality time with Jack instead of being stuck at home. Forty minutes later we arrived at our destination. Waited for a table. Then just as we were about to order we realised the pub had changed management. NO PLAY AREA. Plus the menu was pathetic compared to the previous owners. So...... back in the car.

Next stop another pub that had a good menu and play area. It was only ten minutes away so we thought it was worth a try. The place looked nice, clean, polite waitresses etc.. so even though the play area didn't have a ball pool we thought we'd stay. Ordered starters and waited...... and waited...... and waited........

.... then we gave up and left.

Next stop. Praise God for KFC. The good old Colonel came up trumps. Southern fried chicken drive thru all round.

The moral of the story is..... don't bother with the tour .... go straight to KFC.

So much change...

... so very often. How can I explain? Let's start Sept 2002.

15th Sept 2002 Jack was born to Stephanie and Tony (Tamara's sister and husband). 10 weeks later, Steph is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Jack came to live with us. Over time after surgery and chemotherapy Steph was declared to be in remission, but not cured. She can no longer walk and has limited use of her hands and therefore requires constant care. After a year her husband decided to give up work to care for her and Jack went home.

To cut a long story short, it has all gotten too much for him and he has chosen to instigate separation. So Steph has temporarily chosen to live with her mum and Jack is once more living with us, in order to allow Steph maximum access to her son. We've spent all day moving stuff, but now they are settling in and starting the healing process.

There are no words to describe the situation really, so I just kept to the facts. Naturally we love having Jack, but a child's place is with his mother and I live in hope that she will recover sufficiently to be able to care for her son independently in the future.

Wimbledon 2005

Wow!

I've just watched the mens final at Wimbledon. I never thought I'd see another player quite as good as Bjorn Borg, but I think Federer got pretty close to it today. Andy Roddick played out of his skin, but Federer was just unbelievable. He seems to float around the court, sometimes running from one side to the other and still in time to prepare for a winner. Commiserations Andy, but know this... you were playing a genius.

Live8

Just been watching some of the live8 concert in London. U2 were phenomenal. Robbie was... well.... Robbie (nuff said). Joss Stone... what a band! Peter Kaye was out of his head. Sting was great. Pink Floyd... wow...  what guitar playing. I loved The Who... I thought Pete Townsend was going to destroy his guitar! Paul McCartney finished the day off with some great Rock 'n' Roll. I'd love to perform in front of an audience that big.

On a more serious note, I believe the whole purpose of the event was to raise awareness. I hadn't realised the reason it was called G8 before. Isn't it ludicrous that 8 world leaders can command the global economy. I signed the petition on line. Did you notice the banner in the corner? If you want to sign the petition click on the banner. Or alternatively you could go to the live8 website www.live8live.com. I'm not sure of the details and I don't intend on becoming a spokesperson for them but I thought the banner was a suitable gesture. I'm not into wearing wristbands!

Dark times ...

It's difficult to even post anything at the moment, but I'll try. I promised myself that I would keep this blog a bit like a diary online, but circumstances have made me have to stand back and think for a considerable time about how to discuss exactly what's going on without revealing personnel details.

I find myself experiencing an emotion I appear to have been shielded from, even though I believed I experienced it before. Hate! The burning desire for justice, retribution and, yes, revenge. These have got to be the most powerful emotions I've ever felt. I've found myself questioning God and where He was. I felt that I could never play an instrument again and considered quitting teaching as a result (good job I need money to buy food otherwise I would be jobless and in prison now). I have ceased writing songs for the present, even though one is in progress. I'm not really sure what I believe at the moment. I find myself plotting revenge in my weaker hours. I pray that this hatred will subside. But part of me won't let it rest. Really I shouldn't be writing this stuff, but it feels better get it out into the open.

This is not written to provoke a response from whoever may read it. It is an outpouring of my personnel feelings for the benefit of my blog should I or anyone else need to draw consolation from at a future date. If you do feel you would like to respond I would prefer it if you email me.

For now I will write no more, but the story continues ...

My Tanglewood

My Guitar. One of the bessie buys I've ever made. It's a Tanglewood TW55N - DLX handcrafted guitar with a Shadow P7 in-bridge pick-up. As a jumbo guitar it's quite large, which suits me, cos I'm not small. It has a really rich tone acoustically, I've yet to master the amplified tone, although the graphic on the pick-up is quite good. How's that for techno stuff. Simply put - I love it. It plays soooo well.
If you want to hear it the best recording I've done with it is Sacrifice of praise. (not very quick for dial-up sorry) 

Ready for a holiday

Last week was mental!

Monday - meeting about a community concert I've got our scholl choir and band involved in. Followed by a prolonged chat concerning teaching Steel pans at Butlins.

Tuesday - Big Band rehearsal in Louth til late. Very enjoyable. I've asked to play bass next week. I think I'll take my double bass, it should suit the band more.

Wednesday - open Jazz session in Alford. A little fraught with chaos, but some nice guitar playing from a few guitarists. I broke a string on my double bass. That's the first time that's happened in twenty years. John Le Voi's guitar sounds glorious. I know I shouldn't lust after belongings, but I WANT ONE ..... NOW!!!! He makes them himself. Only £1460. A snip for the quality of guitar. Ah well, in my dreams.

Thursday - Jazz night at the 1874 bar in Boston. I was a bit worried about this before hand, but soon felt relaxed and I think I played well. Not much left of my fingers though.

Friday - Neil's stag night. A gentle low-key affair. A lovely meal at the Golden Dragon in Boston follwed by a bit of a pub crawl (I was drinking coke - how I love driving on nights out :( )

Saturday - Wedding rehearsal for Neil and Tanya. I'm an usher. THen Jack's nursery's birthday party, celebrating the first year of opening. Jack calls it 'Sarah's School'. Crashed out in the evening.

Sunday - fairly normal. Seeing Jack in the morning followed by some quality time with Tamara. Then a barbeque at our neighbours house.

Today - Took mum to a garden centre with us. Lovely day out. Nice and relaxed. Then a bit of gardening and finally assembling Jack's new Bob the Builder trike.

And the holiday's only just started. I'm doing the big band rehearsal tmorrow night. So much for a relaxing holiday.

Butterwick Family Service with Graham Wright

Here's a picture from my Butterwick performance at a family service. It's a bit grainy because it's taken on a mobile phone. The joys of modern technology. It was a lovely service with a baptism as well. The theme was Jesus, the truth life and way. I sung Wingfold by my friend Nigel Halliday and God so loved the world by me. 

Pottys 'r' us

We've had the joy of looking after Jack again for a few days (Wednesday - Sunday) and as usual he's kept both busy and very amused. 2 1/2 years old going on 50. You know what they're like at that age. I always wondered what folk meant about the 'terrible twos'. Now I've got some idea. Willful, petulant, demanding, but incredibly loving and dependent upon your presence. Jack is truly a joy to have around and he brings out the best in Tamara and I.

So what about pottys! Jack isn't potty trained yet, so we thought we'd help out. He got his first pants yesterday (that's underwear to anyone from the states). Thomas and friends. Jack loves Thomas the Tank Engine. So his first time wearing them left us a nice present in his car seat. I'm still drying the cover out! This morning, however was one of those first moments we've had the priviledge of seeing. He sat on his potty through three episodes of Fireman Sam and emerged triumphant with a potty full of pee pee. We were so proud of him. I hope his mum and dad continue to be successful over the next few weeks.

Those of you who know me will know what a massive part of our lives Jack is and why. I won't go into the details now. Maybe some other day.

Hooray for pottys

My Tamara

Say hello to my wife Tamara. As you can see she's a mad Boston United fan. Hardly ever misses a match.