Previous churches I have been part of, post has turned into a trip down memory lane, long

The Oratory in Knightsbridge, London, when I was small, around 1969-71. Apparently my mother was christened there, but I could never quite believe this.

Holy Trinity Brompton, Knightsbridge, London, same, plus I got married there, 1988, they had great Sunday breakfasts when I was about 6, we could play behind the curtains on their stage.

Holy Apostles Church, Pimlico, 1970's I remember a molar of mine being loose during one service...and I asked my mother about Joseph's virginity in another....

Cavendish School, Camden, London, 1970's, no photo of the chapel upstairs, maybe it has changed. There were 2 nuns there in my time, the Head and another one. I did my First Confession there in a lacy dress. Odd really when I think about it. I remember challenging an important concept there, probably virgin birth/conception, or rather just saying that it wasn't true to a child next to me.

I loved washing out the art brushes and trays. The top class teacher was wonderful and kind. I hope she is still alive and thriving somewhere. She sat on the bench at playtime and we all sat and stood around her.

Westminster Cathedral, Victoria, London We used to have McDonalds after the Sat pm service, then my mother would sing in the street as we walked home. It was only half decorated, just dark Byzantine brick arches and high curved roofs.

St Paul's Girls' School, Hammersmith, London 1970's No chapel, but an amazing organ and main hall. The chaplain, Adam Ford, told us about his daughter 'I'm free' and about the stars in the wider universe at assemblies. Just facts. I hope he is happy somewhere too. So I used to tell T about the stars, planets and space at bedtimes, partly because of him and partly because T likes this topic.

Seeing the 2 videos is weird, it all seems so busy, teachers talking and talking while the people are trying to think and write, I always hated that. All those people squashed into the 6th form common room, I avoided that like the plague too. The video wisely misses out lunches and those locker rooms. I loved the main library though, blessed peace and quiet.

Trevelyan College, Durham 1980's Right at the end of the video there is a glimpse of the series of huge oil paintings in the dining room. I could have eaten them, the sun shone on them and they glowed in the huge modern space.

There was a little chapel, but it was cold and seemed unused, with a great big tree next to it. I could have lived in there happily, but it wasn't an option.


Durham Cathedral A big part of being at Durham, I never paid to visit because I lived there!

St Michael's, Embassy Church, Paris, so welcoming back in 1985, Sunday lunches every week.


St Mary's Cathedral, Glasgow, what a wonderful choir, all those mags and nuncs, around 1987.

St John of Jerusalem in Hackney, London around 1993, when the Bishopsgate Bombing happened.

All Souls, Langham Place, London, 1994 I didn't go there but my fellowship group was part of it.

St Laurence Church, Warborough, 1995 I remember a little icy hand round my waist as I sat there breatfeeding during the winter, the books don't mention these details.

St Birinus Church, Dorchester, 1995 Well, I tried to take a small baby to church, that didn't really work, but a dad grabbed me to come and meet his wife who also had a new baby back at home. We knew each other for some years and she inspired me to breastfeed more openly/lushly/fully.

Friends' Meeting House, Wallingford 1994 onwards This is my current true home, silence then lots of talk and a library and shared lunches.

St Andrew's, East Hagbourne, 1998 onwards This is my local, I sit there and enjoy the hymns, disagree with the words, but love being there and enjoy the Friday Prayer Meetings and many events in the year. I have a key to the church, so it is effectively my private chapel, how privileged is that? There is a blog too which I contribute to sometimes.

St Mary's Bourne Street, London 2000's We used to go along to help my Grandfather walk there, stand up and sit down. Their ex-vicar and his wife were one of the first home educating families I got to know in real life. I needed that. Hi Lil!!

Westminster Quaker Meeting, St Martin's Lane, London, 2010 onwards This is my home from home in London.

Go to the Gallery link on each of these to get a full picture!!

Buttons

Why don't I make my New Year Resolution to expand my button collection and find a beautiful box for it?

I was reading about another family who had access to their grandmother's collection and it got me thinking back to my grandmother's thin and wide mother of pearl buttons with a little raised edge to them. I used them as little plates to play with when I spent time at her flat. I wonder who has them now?

My grandmother used to buy second hand jackets and cut off the boring buttons. Then she'd sew on fashionable or eye catching ones instead. If she got rid of clothing she'd keep the good buttons! Waste not, want not.

Where's East?

"Thankyou for that information, that was darn helpful!"

While I was peacefully doing the November HE review H asked me where East was on his screen. There is a graphic of the relevant bit of a rotating compass. I was able to explain that the bit in the middle indicated the direction he was facing right now.

So I'm now stuck with lots of memories of those floating compasses on gimbals lit up somehow as I steered a compass course at night across a portion of the Channel.

I don't remember any ferries so I must have been given part of the journey between the 2 shipping lanes. 

The shipping forecast

Today's poem in the book I am dipping into begins:

'Dogger, Rockall, Malin, Irish Sea:' it's by Seamus Heaney.

I prefer the actual forecast and the incredibly haunting melody beforehand, the signal for the skipper or navigator to go below and note down the details.

Earlier this year, during the snowy weather, the announcer finished the forecast with such a heartfelt and kind goodnight wish to all of us, from me snug in bed to those out at sea and maybe those who would never hear it even one more time.

To whoever you were, thankyou.

Thinking back

I have been mulling over Christmas and have found some wonderful memories of how my grandparents did their decorations,

the big tree on the landing and the baubles from years before, the handmade paper angels and tiny crib figures, the tiny silver tree with neatly dangling icicles,

how peaceful and unhurried they seemed, how they must have gone to church at some point but it wasn't an issue, how orderly it seemed, how the food was lovely,

how smoking at the table all afternoon was the way it was, how we used to miss the Queen's Speech because my mother couldn't stick it and would take anyone willing out for a walk to escape and giggle on the pavements in Knightsbridge,

how we had spare presents for anyone we had forgotten, how there was always a James Bond film on in the evening,

how my father refused to drive to parties at distant places because of the dangers of snow, how we had to slow down at each green traffic lights because the drunk drivers were so prevalent and would just zoom straight across a red light! Happy days!