Carol Purves

Authors seem to find that to write one book is never enough and I’m no exception.  a written about areas of Russia, China, Prussia, England and Worcestershire, I’m now turning my attention to Scotland and Africa.
Mary Slessor was born in Dundee and became a missionary in the Calabar, West Africa.

So to do my research I travelled to Dundee in Scotland. Staying with my friend Lynda I spent two intensive days of note-taking, interviewing and taking photos.  Will I be travelling to Africa?  No, I don’t earn enough in cover that sort of research.

This will be my 5th book.  What of my 4th, you may ask?  That’s a surprise I will tell you about soon.

Carol, the prolific writer!

September is the month when the nation’s intake of coffee increases.  Macmillan is the reason.  I and mine did our part.    The Coffee Morning at my house was visited by neighbours and church friends; many who were not able to attend handing me £5 or £10 beforehand. (one person even gave me £20!)    The amount of money raised was so great that when I handed it into the bank, the cashier remarked, ‘You did very well, you collected twice as much as we did with our bank coffee morning.’

So if you were one of the above number, thank you for cakes, cards and donations.

Carol, the coffee drinker.

The forecast said gusts of 80 mph, but I decided to chance it and continue my explorations of Cumbria.  The west coast was on my list this time.

I drove down to Gosforth which I discovered was a delightful little village, buzzing with activity.  With pubs, restaurants and post office, not to forget the popular bakery there was plenty going on and many tourists to appreciate it.   By visiting St Mary’s Church I was able to see the tallest Viking cross in England and what is probably the most northerly specimen of cork oak in Europe (though in my ignorance I was not able to identify which tree it was. )   All this with a backdrop of Scafell and the hills of the Wasdale Valley, what could be better?

I drove north to St Bees but did not venture to the Head because of the gusts.  I then went to Whitehaven, plenty of photographic history there.  At Workington I continued to drive straight through the town, the gusts were now accompanied by heavy rain.  The next and final stop was Maryport where a great deal of renovation has taken place.  I treated myself to an icecream there.  Well, I deserved it.

Winter seem to be rapidly approaching and some of my exploring might have to be saved till next year.  I need to do Ravenglass and the National Park when I can.

Carol, the West Cumbria explorer.

Last Saturday 10th Sept the writers met again.  All eight of us had completed our homework , (the fall)- some serious, some deeply theological, some poetry, some prose and some funny.  Some were about autumn, a fall in the garden or the fall of mankind.

My effort was sort of funny but also serious –

Mr Hillock Discarded procrastinated upon a continuous and usually vertical structure often made of brick or stone.  The aforementioned Mr. Hillock Discarded the experienced a massive and terminal downfall.  The entire party of regal equestrians and every Royal cavalry-man (not to be too sexist, these days it might have been women) were entirely unable to resurrect Mr. Discarded again.  In this historically imaginative exercise they completely failed to re-unite yolk, albumen and shell.

Or to put in simpler terms –

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall,

All the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty together again.

They should’ve gone to  ….Jesus

Only He can restore the broken.

Everyone seemed to guess it by the time I came to the equestrian bit.

Homework – a piece or poem entitled ‘Blue’.  Watch this space.

Carol – the nursery rhyme distroyer

I always knew what www dot stood for, but I’ve just proved it really is world-wide.  I received an email from Hong Kong because my web site had been visited from that part of the world.  Back in the 1940’s Gladys Aylward started the Hope Mission in Hong Kong.  I was delighted to receive an email from them to make further enquiries about Gladys.  So I’m really spanning time and space.  Wow.

Carol, the traveller in time and space.

Last Friday saw my friend Sue and I searching for stone circles.  She is the expert, I just go along for the ride.  We had seven we wanted to see, all fairly near Shap.  We found them all, as well as long wet grass, mud, sheep droppings and hills to climb.  It’s amazing to think they’ve been there for roughly 3,000 years, give a year or two.

Some were quite complete, some more scattered, but all in bleak, high places.  The views were sometimes fantastic, but sometimes we were in Shap mist.  I daren’t use technical terms as to which age they came from or the types of worship that took place, I’m too ignorant.  But it was certainly a day to blow the cobwebs away!

Carol, the explorer

I have a new digital TV and DVD player.  I don’t say this to boast (I’m now catching up with the rest of you and joining the 21st century!)  I’m telling you this because it is the easiest way I know to feel incompetent, stupid and incapable.  I could understand the handbook if I knew what all the technical words meant.  A few false starts and jamming up the machinery, I think I’ve got there now.

My feelings of incompetency were lifted when I spoke to two individual men.  One was staying on his own at a friends house for three days and was not able to use the TV because he couldn’t work it out.  And the other says he hasn’t used his TV for six months, because he too can’t make it work.  So maybe I’m not too bad.

Carol, the non-mechanic

As it was a Bank Holiday I decided to go far from the madding crowd (or in my case, maddening crowd)  Therefore I continued my exploration of Cumbria.

Went to Arnside, a most southerly tip of the county (very busy, took views of the bridge to Grange-over-Sands)   Visited Milnthorpe (had one of Sue’s Breakfast’s Buns)   Next to Ravenstonedale (to photo church but it was closed)  Beautiful scenery towards the Penines with the heather in bloom.  Applebury-in–Westmoreland, reminded me I was still in the old Westmoreland. (photographed tree-lined main street and bridge where the horses are washed during the fair.)  Temple Sowerby, now mercifully bypassed by the buasy A66.  Culgaith, meant to photo the Pea, reputedly the largest village green in Cumbria being four acres.  (missed it, so took the war memorial instead.  How can I miss four acres?)

The weather forecaster gloomily forecast a cloudy day.  Yes, there was some cloud, but also sun, no wind and no rain.  Oh, beautiful sunny Cumbria.

Carol, the Cumbrian

I suppose I had better post a blog about last Monday 22nd.  That was the day I aged a year.

It was a day of perfect weather.  Six of us went to Keswick, launched across the lake, had a walk and launched back.  We still managed to fit in two eating sessions and plenty of talk.  I rejoice that in living so near to the Lake District I can pop down there any time.

I now have to admit to probably being in the last quarter of my life.  And therefore give thanks to God for everything.  As we used to sing as the theme song of the children’s home –

We praise Him for all that is past and trust Him for all that’s to come.

Carol, the aged

For those of you who are following my travels, I’ve now returned from my five day coach trip to Scotland.  Staying at Carrbridge we did all the usual tourist things.   Had half a day in Inverness – probably needed longer to do it justice, to visit musuems etc.  Sailed on Loch Ness – I realise the Loch Ness monster can’t be the original one, probably the great, great, great great son, etc.  Which means there must be two Loch Ness monsters, a mummy one and a daddy one.  Don’t take me seriously, I don’t think they exist.  

Visited Urquhart Castle – complete with piper.  Train journey from Kyle of Lochlalsh – brilliant, inspite of the rain.  Went on a glass bottom boat to see the marine life – actually a glass sided boat, but fantastic nevertheless.  One hour in Aviemore – probably long enough.  Up the funicular railway in the Cairngorms.  (Did you know that in the range, Ben Macdhui  at 1,309 m is the second highest mountain in the British Isles.  No, nor did I)

Also visited one or two or three outlet centres, garden centres and gift shops.  Present buying for Christmas has been sorted. 

Carol, the traveller.