Recently in Life Category

I've been delving into the complexities of trying to improve Google page rankings on a few of the websites I look after today, including my own.  It's amazing how much things can improve with just a few tweaks and changes.

So hopefully in the next week, Property Facets, Patricia Lovett and my own Ashtonstables Web Solutions websites will be right up there in the heady heights of Google page rankings!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!  And thanks to all those who posted messages on Facebook  ;-)

I've been fortunate enough to have three rather nice early birthday presents this year.  First off was seeing Bloc Party at HMV Oxford Circus.  I initially thought entrance to the gig was for a lucky few who had queued for hours in the early morning, but found that I could just pitch up!  So at six on Monday evening I was enjoying a half hour set from one of my favourite bands for free!

My brother Phil then popped over during the week to deliver a bike I'm buying off him, plus some very nice lights and locks to complete the set.  Hooray for good presents!

And finally, to finish off the early treats, I popped to a whisky bar in London, recommended by Phil, at the five star Athenaeum Hotel just near Green Park.  After investing in a wonderful glass of Port Ellen 25yr old Islay whisky I felt considerably poorer financially, but all the richer for the experience.  Carla and Charlotte lapped up the ambiance - and and extremley nice cocktail - with me.

With Shirls and my imminent trip to Tromso in Norway, we've been looking at the predictions for aurora activity.  It's looking like we could have a particularly good night on October 1st!

All we have to do now is pray for no clouds  ;-)

REALLY looking forward to a break!

I recently joined the prayer ministry leadership in Greyfriars, and one of my first tasks was to lead a session on the power and authority of God in healing ministry.  Hopefully I wasn't too heretical  ;-)

I personally found it really helpful to dwell on the topic for a couple of weeks - and yet again was challenged about my prayer life.  How much we need to see what the Father is doing!

If you'd like to read some of my thoughts, you can follow this link to a pdf of my powerpoint slides and notes.

== Please note that these are personal reflections, not necessarily the views of my church! ==

Hmm, like Carla, it seems that the word 'time' is too much of a highlight on my blog.  And of course this post is emphasising that!  Check out Wordle though, its a great web app...

So, there I am, sitting on the sofa catching up on a few emails, when Shirls calls and says "can you see the sun?"

It turns out this isn't a trick question, and minutes later I'm dashing around the house trying to find something I can look through to look at our latest partial eclipse.  It turns out that my viewing glasses from the last total eclipse have disappeared into piles of stuff so deep that it'll take me until the next millennium to find them, so I end up improvising with several layers of film negatives (kids, don't try this at home!).

I even managed to get a (very amateur) shot with the camera...

...perhaps I should be better prepared next time  ;)

I'm sat in the 24-7 office in London listening to one of my favourite bands, Idaho.  How's this for great lyrics:
"When you get in your car, you always seem to drive some place."
From there I got thinking about The Cure:
"Let me take your hands I'm shaking like milk".
Hooray for wonderful music.  Brightens up my life on an otherwise dreary day  :-)

I'm trying to get into a bit of a better rhythm of prayer at the moment, and I've not been too successful thus far.  Tonight was a beautiful step forward though, as I prayed looking out over the churning waters of the Thames, just south of St Paul's in London.

I ended up working a little too late in the City Boiler Room, and the wonderful Claire Brocklehurst invited me to eat with the group that she and George lead at the CBR on Monday evenings. As I was packing down, I really felt a pull to go down to the Millennium Bridge and watch the sun go down, and as I checked the time of the sunset I was pleasantly surprised to see that I had just enough time to walk down to the river.  The view didn't disappoint, and I had a great time talking with the creator of the universe too.

Not a bad start to the week...

And here's the evidence.  One smiley Shirley with a shiny medal.  Check out the pictures from the day in the gallery.

Thanks so much to those of you who have supported Shirley through you prayers, and your finances, as she ran the London Marathon today.

The great news it that she completed it!  4hrs 47mins is not her best marathon time, but its not bad at all given she was fighting off a cold!  Cramp at 18 miles was thankfully dispatched by some very helpful St Johns Ambulance volunteers, and hailstones at 22 miles didn't stop her striding out towards the finishing line.

Well done Shirls!  Watch this space for some piccies soon.


And just in case you haven't sponsored her yet  ;-)  www.curve.org.uk/shirley