Povey Prattle

  In the meantime I offer you this, from my recently rediscovered treasure trove of old photo's. With my Mum.  Do you see a family resemblance? Like many other careless folks I did not date this photo' but I believe that it was taken in England, back in early 2000; the last time I saw her before her death in August 2001. Are you like me?  Mum will have been in transit to a new life in God since twenty years ago this August.  But so often when I have news to share I think "I must tell Mum about this"   You too about your Mum? On a like note,   my Dad died forty-six ago, but I still think about him just about every day.   You too about your Dad?

  The Bristol (U.K.) and district had some twenty Brethren Assemblies (cf my earlier blog); which were in fellowship with each other. They worked together each summer on what was called the "Bristol Boys and Girls Holiday Camps". It is I who dubbed them Jesus Camps. They took place at the north Somerset coastal villages of Brean and Berrow. Camp lasted for a week; three of the weeks for boys and three for girls. Attendees were either children from Brethren families; or non Brethren children from various Brethren Sunday schools. We set out from Bristol in the back of a Furniture Removers van (health and safety had not been invented!) We slept in Army surplus bell tents; on top of straw mattresses called Palliasses    (which we dubbed "friendly donkeys); covered by Army surplus and very itchy blankets). Eight boys to a tent; with an older young man as a tent leader who did not sleep in our tent but was our leader for the week. In the above pic (1960) he...

 

Lunch today  from Sarasota's excellent Thai/Japanese restaurant -  the SIAM GULF (intersection of North Tuttle with 12th). Ordering on line for take out is readily available. I had to photograph the menu to remember the name of my dish. Mine was Pad Woon Sen.  Excellent for vegetarians with plant sourced noodles. Meat is an optional extra:   I chose Duck Breast with its scrumptious crunchy skin.

  JMP and Jesus Camp   Some of you know that I grew up in a little known British and Irish created Christian group, commonly known as the Plymouth Brethren.   N.B. 1 -   There is no connection whatsoever with American denominations whose names include the word “Brethren”. N.B 2 –   The Brethren were/are a fissiparous group, so   a Google search for “Plymouth Brethren” will most likely lead to the strictest and eccentric groups (sometimes called “Exclusive Brethren”)   .     The “Plymouths” and the “Exclusives”   have a common ancestry in Ireland and England, but have become almost Hatfield and McCoy like enemies. The group I was part of usually referred to themselves as the Assemblies:   the Church becomes the Church when believers assemble We met in what were usually called “Gospel Halls”: making the point that the building is a place where the Gospel is preached;   i.e.   the building is not the Church. E...

A simple lunch today in Yum City German made bratwurst from Trader Joe. Stuffed mushrooms from Aldi. Multi - coloured spuds from Trader Joe. Roasted together, 35 minutes at 360 f Delicious! ------------------------------------ I've been been feeling a bit under the weather for a few days: swollen and itchy around my eyes; and extremely tired.  Probably some kind of allergy. To be on the side I took myself this afternoon (Sunday) for a Covid 19 test at the Robert Taylor Community Centre in SRQ. Just one person ahead of me, so I was in and out in ten minutes.  Test result (negative!) to my 'phone fifteen minutes later.

  Via my friend Ruth P DeB in Costa Rico.  Seems  like the oligarchs reign there as they most certainly do in Florida,  see news accounts  of Gov DeSantis and Lakewood Ranch if you do not understand this reference.

Off to a wedding with my friend Marilyn.  We knew each other because we attended the same Gospel Hall.  Marilyn needed an escort for a family wedding, so I happily obliged. We were probably in our early twenties.  Note our pointy toed shoes all the rage "back then".