MumJones

Are we becoming a weak people?

Went to "Corrigall Farm Museum" last week with the kids. An old farm and farmhouse showing life on the farm about 120 years ago. Really great woman hanging out around there to talk about farm life. Learned about grinding wheat, practiced with a shoulder water carrier, learned about finding wicks for old lamps in weeds and making cheese.

When we started talking about cheese from raw milk she became quite animated. "Many people can't have raw milk anymore because of weak immune systems. The children and houses are kept too clean. We dont have enough germs in our lives to strengthen our immune systems. We are becoming a weak people."

3 Red Tomatoes

Thank you, thank you, thank you very much. First of all I would like to thank all of the commentors from the previous tomato blog and my family who helped me water and talk to and relocate my precious little plants  and  Miriam who watered them and talked to them when we went away.

YEAH! Do I feel like a real gardener! Uh Huh... Oh Yeah... Uh Huh! (This is sung with excessive head movements and an embarrasing dance).

Our Hoy Adventure

Speaking of edge of reason, or should I say insanity. I just did a very spontaneous trip.

Andrew is still gone to Birmingham (an eventful place these days). Well, we were planning on visiting alot of the smaller islands this summer and havent done so yet. So, I decided to do one with the kids and no Andrew.

This is the way it went. Found out about the trip and decided to go on Tuesday night. The trip, Hoy, amazing hilly island half hour ferry ride away. Knew there were no shops where we were going so had to pack all our food in. Knew I didn't have enough money to bring the  car so decided to bike it. Miriam took my tents and sleeping bags and a bag of semi-perishable food on the morning ferry. I went on the afternoon ferry with our 4 kids (minus number 5, Elizabeth, who is in Spain). We intended to bike it across the island to a "bothy"/free campground on the beach. Feeling very vulnerable but knew it was right to take this adventure.

God hasn't been teaching me that, with Him calling the shots, I can do alot, alot more than I think I can and my perceived point of exhaustion and the end of my rope is only the beginning, for nothing.

So, Arrived in Hoy and heard someone calling my name. Dave offered to take the younger kids with bikes and packs. Only me and Samuel left to bike across  the island, a hilly but still wimpy 5 miles. I am so out of shape.

Here I am, cruising on my vintage, golden, german one-speed bike through absolutely amazing views of wildflowers, heather and peat fields where recent harvesting has been going on and, did I say, mountains. So my front tire began to go flat. very flat. Oh no! my pump was in the pack I put in Dave's car. Samuel seemed to be fine til his handlebars began falling off. No lie! And yes, we did check our bikes before we left.

Miracle of all miracles we arrived at the Stockham's holiday croft instead of the free campground we were expecting. Miriam and the Morrison family (Dave, Jillian, Aiden, Griegger and Craig) with a cuppa tea waiting for me.

All went well, kids getting along great (First extended time with Morrison Family) until I walk out the door of the croft to (what we suspect was) a cloud of assorted grass pollen from the foot high grass surrounding us. Our tents were also pitched on this same cushiony bed of grass. Within 10 minutes my eyes are almost completely sealed shut from swelling. Took an antihistamine, ended up needing to get taken to doctor at the other end of the island the next morning by Dave because my eyes were still swollen almost completely shut. With hourly eye drops the swelling slowly decreased during that day but all in all the worst hay fever ever.

We are now back home and I am running on adrenaline alone, ready to completely crash but waiting for kids bedtime. What do I think of the trip? Do I think we shouldn't have gone. Absolutely no doubt that we should have gone.

God was just allowing me to have the right posture. For what? I don't really know but feel quite at peace. I know, doesn't make any sense, but there you have it. BTW, I normally dont give in to feeling at peace so easily, typically I thrash about a bit, but this particular situation has a familiar ring to it.

I had to be helped by others, others that I didn't even know well. Do any of us like that. Seemed like a bit of overkill on the "making me pathetically vulnerable" department, if you ask me, but I know that I can be quite stubborn and independant and I was feeling quite pumped up on determination and "I can do anything, I am woman with a capital W" to get the nerve to take this trip in the first place.  Looking forward to asking God about this one in heaven or do I already know the answer to this one if I am honest with myself.

Fragments from the Edge of Reason

Where did that mountain of Laundry come from?

What can I do with the TV short of throwing it off my roof (a friend once did this). It just saps so much of my energy saying no so often. Do I change my no from yes alot? Why do they think it will help to keep bringing it up. Well, I must admit that "It's not the same without TV" song that Abigail wrote and they all sang to me in unison was quite clever, but it didn't change my mind, either

What a gorgeous day today. We dont have too many of these up here. We should be outside having fun.

"GAAA!!! Mom, fat cat is under my bed!" (Fat cat is a nasty neighbourhood cat that likes to come in and terrorize bubble and squeek) "Samuel stop chasing that cat with the drill" Elaborate chase (minus the drill), fat cat reluctantly exits via office window. "GAAA!!! Mom, fat cat left something behind in my room!"

"Chaos comes quickly" in the Jones household this summer. How can we go from reasonable order to absolute chaos so quickly?

I have got everything organized for getting the family to Shetland and sleeping at a campground. What was I thinking when I said I would do this. Bringing all the kids (well all but one) to this conference that has nothing for kids. Am I insane? maybe I should have thought this through more before committing.

I am so proud of Elizabeth, they have already walked so far, (tonight in Belorado). Not even any blisters yet. They are now in Belorado. Elizabeth has even started making friends with others along the way instead of being so shy.

Thanks Tamara for applying that generous amount of shimmery pink lippy to my lips. Hmmm. Yes, what a girly statement.

Love reading "Ruthless Trust".

Quote from first chapter, "Abba, into your hands I entrust my body, mind, and spirit and this entire day - morning, afternoon, evening, and night. Whatever you want of me, I want of me, falling into you and trusting in you in the midst of my life. Into your heart I entrust my heart, feeble, distracted, insecure, uncertain. Abba, unto you I abandon myself in Jesus our Lord. Amen."

Each year gets harder to memorize. I think I would like to memorize this and pray it every morning. I don't like the idea of "vain repitition" but it isn't vain repitition if you mean it.

Oh no, I cant take a picture of my mountain of laundry. I forgot to ask Andrew what he did with my camera before he left last night, I think he accidentally brought it with him.

No, I am so sorry gingernuts will not go with the tuna.

Windmill hill and Donuts

Today is such a proud day in the Jones household. My daughter, Elizabeth, and Cindy have conquered windmill hill on the Camino and rested with triumph in Obanos after  22 km of walking for the day. YEAH!

And my son, my only son, my oldest, the one who will carry on the great Jones name has conquered the donut, 2 and a half donuts in 2 minutes to be precise. Yes, in the week of weeks here in Stromness. The week with that anyone with an ounce of class makes plans to escape the town. The week that anyone with children has been hearing about all year.

Our highlight so far has been the donut eating competition. Did I say my son entered this, in the adult classification, and won his round. That is a picture of him on the right looking like a  squirrel storing up for winter (Following his fathers pre-game coaching he has about a whole donut stored in his cheeks).

Diversion, I have been watching dads coaching their sons lately. It is actually quite serious business, no matter what the event or age. Watching pre-donut consumption coaching. Remembering a few weeks ago watching our friend James and his son Lewis. Lewis is 4. Last year at the "big race" he wasnt quite sure what a race was about and spent most of his time socializing up the field coming in a leisurely last. This year I know that Janet spent hours of coaching throughout the year. I am sure this child has had to endure viewing many races over the year. It was dad, though, that was bustling around before the game, doing that last minute, all important, Word (note the capital signifying the importance). It was also James that was about to burst with pride doting over his victorious son.

Back to "Stromness Shopping Week." Other highlights should be entering that big monstrosity of a circus  tent across the street from our house (what are those cows in the field thinking?) and observing the human cannon ball (btw no animals humiliated in this circus, only people).

There will also be lots of arts and sports, fancy dress 3 legged race, daft raft race,  greasy pole climbing, bingo, disco, etc. Our kids are spoiled for choice this week, we are in the middle of kid heaven.

The Pilgrimage begins

Had a great few days taking Elizabeth and Cindy to the airport and coming back. Took ferry to Thurso on Cindys birthday and got her a "fried Mars bar" for her birthday cake, a favorite of Cindys that is not available in most of the world. Got a text from Cindy yesterday. They arrived in Pamplona and have registered as pilgrims. They started walking this morning. Cindy said that I would be proud of Elizabeth already. I will be putting my map of Northern Spain up on the wall this morning to track their progress. I will put updates up on my blog as I get them via text message from Cindy, like any doting mum, so you can track the progress if you want as well.

Birthdays and Camino departure

Thanks for all your birthday greetings on the blogsite and to my phone. Had a great day. I think the best gift was a cardigan that has been made locally and feels like wearing a large blanket. I have been in love with this cardi for about a year but it has just been out of reach financially. I have seen it as something I would live in and have sometimes seen it as already threadbare and darned after years of solid use - and it still being beautiful. Some local friends and some global friends got together to get it for me. It is like a great big hug. So much better than just getting it for myself. I feel wrapped in love. I thot I would put up a picture of me in it as some that helped get it have never seen it. Dang, how hard was it to put a semi-normal picture of me on my blog but the photo did look kinda funny with an anonymous photo of a cardigan or a headless body. Was also pampered by great food, friends dropping in.

Cindy is here and as her birthday is 2 days after mine we took the day in between to celebrate each others birthday by going on a small ferry trip to Westray to hang out with the puffins for a morning. Cannot belive how many and how close. I have been amazed by puffins since I was a girl. They are very bizarre little birds. Cindy puts alot of details on her site.

Today is also the day we take Elizabeth and Cindy to the airport in Aberdeen to take off for the Camino. All the final preparations are underway. The whole household will be taking the ferry down to see them off at the airport. I feel a bit numb about this. We have been planning and looking forward to this all year. I feel strangely like I am sending Elizabeth off with lack of preparation, like I am forgetting something, but can't figure out what. Maybe that is just part of being a mom and beginning to let go and letting her grow up.

Weeds

Do you like weeds? I do. I remember the first time I realized that I actually prefer weeds to a well manicured lawn. I was driving down a lonely stretch of road in Texas. I saw a perfect yard next to a field of overgrowth and wildflowers/weeds.

So why are weeds ugly? They are obviously the best suited to the given growing conditions. They thrive without any care. They are natural. In Czech Republic I pulled up a cluster of weeds, roots and all, under the tree in my front yard and I regretted it. Instead of my whispy weeds I had brown clumps and couldn't get anything else to thrive in the spot. Organic Dandilion greens go great in salads. I don't even need to fertilize my nettles for nettle soup or a healing cup of nettle tea.

I think one reason I like weeds is I feel a comradary with them. We share something, thriving in obscure locations away from the expected norms. Easily misunderstood. Have a difficult time fitting into boxes and am tempted to grow over senseless boundaries that are imposed by man (It is not appropriate to cascade down the center of the stone wall because it is not how I planned it). God's boundaries can be much easier and make so much more sense. (I will die on a field of cement unless I have made a way to access the nutrients of soil, etc.). 

The flowerbeds in my backyard are overflowing with buttercups and queen annes lace and I love it, it makes me smile. Every time I think of pulling them up to get some sense of visible order in the eyes of my neighbours I just can't do it. I think I will need to remain a weed in my garden of estatic chaos.

Today in London

Today in London

Lord

Your Peace
Security in you
Your Wisdom

Not there

Love many who are

Words seem cliche

Nothing seems adequate

but You

Need to trust you

Dont understand timing

Lord, you are in control

Right?

Yeah

You Rule

You Rock

The March

So I'm a little picture happy today. They expected 30. We think there were at least 150 on the walk and about 200 including people waiting at the circle. This is pretty big for around here.

Anyway, I don't do many protest marches and this one was pretty cool.

A very diverse group from the very young in pushchairs to the very old in little scooters and everyone in between. We started off behind a bagpiper (right word?) and at the end he stood on the hill and played to collect us together at the stone circle. What fun.

How nice to do this as a little family as part of a great big one. Btw the tall skinny thing on the right is not Andrew it is one of the standing stones behind us.