Little Bit must be about seven and a half years old or maybe even eight.
Hope you enjoy her photos!
Serving Jesus, Author of our faith,
"Lady Helene"
Saturday, 7 April 2012
Livia--AKA Little Bit
Little Bit must be about seven and a half years old or maybe even eight.
Hope you enjoy her photos!
Serving Jesus, Author of our faith,
"Lady Helene"
A though from Proverbs about animals
King Solomon wrote in Proverbs 12:10: “The righteous man regardeth the life of his beast; but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.”
There’s the sound of little feet scampering around as Sissy’s Chihuahua—Hannah—and one of the “Ginger Twins”—Sethra—play. And I smile, because their antics include wrestling, rolling, nipping and licking. Little Bit—a calico with big green eyes—sits on the dresser watching me. Again I smile, this time directly at her. I have to say my visit with my sister and Mom has been enriched by spending time with all the energetic personalities of these beautiful creatures.
My sister’s passion for them has led her to have an understanding and commitment to them, to make their lives as good as she can. For her, they are the children who will mature, but never leave home.
Perhaps there are some of my readers who wonder why she doesn’t consider taking in foster children. But the responsibility of caring for Mom was stressful enough—not to mention the expense of them.
And in honesty, I think she stumbled into caring for stray cats. Feeding an extra cat costs less than sponsoring a child through Compassion or Feed the Children or providing a home for a foster child.
But more than that, feral cats play a part in maintaining the ecological environments of local areas. Did you know that besides eating small rodents and reptiles (snakes, lizards and geckos), cats will also eat large bugs? They help to prevent over-population of birds in some areas. Feral cat colonies are usually made of family groupings and establish a territory based upon the availability of food and shelter. The colony Sissy recently adopted includes a mother and two of her grown kittens.
Local Humane Societies urge concerned local residents to get involved by becoming caregivers which provides an opportunity to create a managed feral cat colony. Caregivers monitor the colony primarily by feeding the cats. However, they also help to apprehend the cats, so that the health of the felines can be evaluated, vaccinations administered, sick cats treated, and veterinarians then sterilise them. This prevents the cats from over-populating an area.
I was shocked to learn that cats as young as six months can go into heat. If they do not mate, they can go into heat every two weeks! Often this means that these young female cats are kittens themselves, and turn out to become under-nourished, aggressive and prolific breeders. Caregivers often work with Humane Societies and other local cat sanctuaries to provide what is called “Trap-Neuter-Return” services.
If a kitten is caught young enough, they can be adopted into homes—and make wonderful pets. Sometimes stray cats, those who were previously domesticated but have become lost or been abandoned, join a cat colony. If these cats are found by a caregiver, they can be rescued and placed into new homes.
Cats who are too wild for adoption are returned to their original habitat. The benefit of this is that it allows caregivers to maintain a healthy colony in an established area. When a territory is evacuated by removing the original cat colony, a vacuum is created. However, the vacuum only creates a place for more wild, unsterilized cats to come.
The benefit of the “Trap-Neuter-Return” programme is that the lives of feral cats are improved by preventing prolific reproduction. This in turn provides better feeding and shelter options for the cats in the colony. Public health is protected because returned cats have been vaccinated against feline leukaemia, distemper and other contagious cat diseases. “TNR” is more cost efficient than capturing feral cats that are held until they are killed and later disposed of; a cost of less than half.
TNR was brought to the U.S. from Europe and the U.K. during the 1980s. The practice of TNR grew rapidly in the 1990s when Alley Cat Allies began providing information and assistance to people caring for feral cats who recognized that their numbers must be controlled and reduced through sterilization. In communities where TNR is widely embraced, feral cat numbers have dropped. TNR programs operate largely or entirely through the dedicated efforts of committed volunteers.” http://www.floridacatrescue.com/glossary.html
As I said in the previous post, my admiration of my sister has grown. Daily she demonstrates patience, persistence and kindness to these little souls who have refuge under my sister’s roof. She has explained it to me that although they are not human, they deserve to be treated with respect.
“Then the righteous answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you? Or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and took You in? Or when did we see you sick and come to you? And the King shall answer and say, Verily, I say, Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these, you have done it unto Me.” (Matthew 25:37-40)
Sissy has often said that this is her heart. I think Jesus and St. Francis would agree.
Serving Jesus, Author of our faith,
Lady Helene
Blog Regarding the life of animals...Proverbs 12:10 Saturday, 07 April 2012
There’s the sound of little feet scampering around as Sissy’s Chihuahua—Hannah—and one of the “Ginger Twins”—Sethra—play. And I smile, because their antics include wrestling, rolling, nipping and licking. Little Bit—a calico with big green eyes—sits on the dresser watching me. Again I smile, this time directly at her. I have to say my visit with my sister and Mom has been enriched by spending time with all the energetic personalities of these beautiful creatures.
My sister’s passion for them has led her to have an understanding and commitment to them, to make their lives as good as she can. For her, they are the children who will mature, but never leave home.
Perhaps there are some of my readers who wonder why she doesn’t consider taking in foster children. But the responsibility of caring for Mom was stressful enough—not to mention the expense of them.
And in honesty, I think she stumbled into caring for stray cats. Feeding an extra cat costs less than sponsoring a child through Compassion or Feed the Children or providing a home for a foster child.
But more than that, feral cats play a part in maintaining the ecological environments of local areas. Did you know that besides eating small rodents and reptiles (snakes, lizards and geckos), cats will also eat large bugs? They help to prevent over-population of birds in some areas. Feral cat colonies are usually made of family groupings and establish a territory based upon the availability of food and shelter. The colony Sissy recently adopted includes a mother and two of her grown kittens.
Local Humane Societies urge concerned local residents to get involved by becoming caregivers which provides an opportunity to create a managed feral cat colony. Caregivers monitor the colony primarily by feeding the cats. However, they also help to apprehend the cats, so that the health of the felines can be evaluated, vaccinations administered, sick cats treated, and veterinarians then sterilise them. This prevents the cats from over-populating an area.
I was shocked to learn that cats as young as six months can go into heat. If they do not mate, they can go into heat every two weeks! Often this means that these young female cats are kittens themselves, and turn out to become under-nourished, aggressive and prolific breeders. Caregivers often work with Humane Societies and other local cat sanctuaries to provide what is called “Trap-Neuter-Return” services.
If a kitten is caught young enough, they can be adopted into homes—and make wonderful pets. Sometimes stray cats, those who were previously domesticated but have become lost or been abandoned, join a cat colony. If these cats are found by a caregiver, they can be rescued and placed into new homes.
Cats who are too wild for adoption are returned to their original habitat. The benefit of this is that it allows caregivers to maintain a healthy colony in an established area. When a territory is evacuated by removing the original cat colony, a vacuum is created. However, the vacuum only creates a place for more wild, unsterilized cats to come.
The benefit of the “Trap-Neuter-Return” programme is that the lives of feral cats are improved by preventing prolific reproduction. This in turn provides better feeding and shelter options for the cats in the colony. Public health is protected because returned cats have been vaccinated against feline leukaemia, distemper and other contagious cat diseases. “TNR” is more cost efficient than capturing feral cats that are held until they are killed and later disposed of; a cost of less than half.
TNR was brought to the U.S. from Europe and the U.K. during the 1980s. The practice of TNR grew rapidly in the 1990s when Alley Cat Allies began providing information and assistance to people caring for feral cats who recognized that their numbers must be controlled and reduced through sterilization. In communities where TNR is widely embraced, feral cat numbers have dropped. TNR programs operate largely or entirely through the dedicated efforts of committed volunteers.” http://www.floridacatrescue.com/glossary.html
As I said in the previous post, my admiration of my sister has grown. Daily she demonstrates patience, persistence and kindness to these little souls who have refuge under my sister’s roof. She has explained it to me that although they are not human, they deserve to be treated with respect.
“Then the righteous answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you? Or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and took You in? Or when did we see you sick and come to you? And the King shall answer and say, Verily, I say, Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these, you have done it unto Me.” (Matthew 25:37-40)
Sissy has often said that this is her heart. I think Jesus and St. Francis would agree.
Serving Jesus, Author of our faith,
Lady Helene
Blog Regarding the life of animals...Proverbs 12:10 Saturday, 07 April 2012
Wednesday, 28 March 2012
Photos
Syeman can be a bit of curmudgeon at times. When he doesn't want to be bothered, a throaty rumble eminates from him as he walks down the hall, hoping to find his favourite hiding place in the closet.
Sometimes the complaining is just pretend, as if he has a reputation to keep up!
Syeman is a huge fellow, almost 20 pounds. But he is built solid, as well as being burly. I often tell my sister he reminds me of the actor Sebastion Cabot (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sebastian_Cabot_(actor)).
His fur is luxurious, soft and thick. He will let you rub his tummy--as long as he thinks it's his idea.
If ever a cat was a pacifist, it is Syeman. He will fuss and hiss--but isn't aggresive.
Serving Jesus, Author of our faith,
Lady Helene
Monday, 26 March 2012
A mission of mercy
My sister has a way with cats. This is an ironic twist from our childhood days when we thought that cats were definitely not to be had as pets. After all, we were a dog family!
I don’t remember the first dog our family had, as I was a baby. There are photographs of my older brother, myself as a baby and a dog in an over-stuffed chair. Charming.
The next dog we owned was a white Alsatian named Fluffy. She was wonderful—loved children, was very gentle with us and very clever. However, the neighbourhood children were afraid of her because she had a tendency to jump up on them and knock them over. So we had to find her a new home.
Then there was Humphrey, a mix of German shepherd and something else. He was a medium –sized dog, also extremely clever. One day, while Humphrey was still a puppy, a kitten showed up. She was grey-striped and I actually convinced my Dad to keep her. I named her Tiger. She loved to get drinks from the bathroom sink. She was a cat that thought she was a dog—and I think that in part was due to the fact that we raised her with Humphrey. They were best friends. However, right before we moved from California to Indiana, Tiger was poisoned. I was very sad.
In 1970, we had a wonderful Christmas. My dad brought home a tiny puppy, whom he had already named Mini—because she fit in the palm of his hand. She came home with him in his jacket pocket. The red bow around her neck was bigger than she was; her diminutive size came from being a rat-terrier/pincher mix. She was all black, with tan eyebrow, and feet, with a white spot on her chest. She had been born on Halloween. We had her the longest of any dog we owned—15 years.
All this to say that for the most part, our loyalty lay with dog ownership. That is until about 10 years ago when my sister purchased a tiny yellow kitten and named him Syeman. You should see him now—at 18 pounds!
Now there are 11—yes eleven—cats in the flat. This gets back to my sister having a way with cats. Syeman was a playful, intelligent fellow. He would even go on a leash; this was helpful when Mom and Sissy began taking trips to Florida as they prepared to move from Indiana’s cold winters to Florida’s year-round warmth. One day they stopped at a rest stop, and acquired another kitten. She was named Maggie. She had a very rough beginning, so she was shy as well as skittish. But Sissy & Syeman nurtured her, so that she eventually relaxed into the family.
After buying a house on the west coast of Florida, Sissy found a local vet. It was through the local vet that Livia was acquired. Mom was adamant—she didn’t want another cat! Well, so much for what Mom wanted, as Livia—who became “Little Bit” (and eventually “Bit”) decided that she was going to be Mom’s companion. As you know, cats pick their people—and Mom was “Stuck” with Little Bit. It didn’t take much winning over.
As time went by, Sissy became aware of feral cats in the neighbourhood. She began feeding them and over a two-year period, she befriended a tuxedo cat, whom she named Preacher. The first time she saw Preacher, all she saw was a pair of green eyes and a white spot. Then she heard him meow. Sissy was gentle, soft-spoken and patient, intent on being able to touch him—stroking and petting him. Eventually she invited him into the house. Preacher had been on the streets for good while. His defencive, survival-instincts eventually mellowed. Now he is a love sponge—giving as much as he gets. He lives up to his name, acting like a pastor to all the cats. She calls him the "Godfather". :-)
Along with Preacher, a tiny black cat gained Sissy’s attention. Because she was so small and young, Sissy named her Bambina—because she called all her cats “Baby”. Black as coal, with deep emerald eyes, Bina used to make sure the other cats kept their distance by giving them “The eye”. That look was scary even to me! She rarely came out from under the bed except to eat, or lay on top of my sister for affection. And Sissy was the only one who could touch her. In the last year she has mellowed to the point of being genial, and allowing me to rub her tummy.
Just about the time Sissy thought she was done, two neighbourhood cats learned how to use the cat flap to get into my sister’s home. Gracie and Charlie came right in and made themselves part of the family. Gracie was a grey tiger-stripped, with an unpretentious and funny disposition. She was always good for a laugh. Charlie is a black tuxedo cat as well—maybe one of Preacher’s progeny. Charlie can shows signs of jealousy when she wants affection. And she tends to be a bit of a loner. Yet she is a loyal little girl. I was with her at the time, and Charlie adopted me! Boy was I surprised, as I’d done nothing to encourage her.
Although they were “owned” by a family down the street, they preferred being in my sister’s place. My sister moved from that house into an apartment. When we moved, we tried to return Charlie and Gracie to the other family. But they never settled back in—so we brought Charlie to the new place. However, Gracie was spooked by carriers, and we just couldn’t get her. From the last we knew, Gracie went back to being feral.
In November 2009, Sissy & Mom moved into the current place. Last year Sissy began feeding a colony feral cats. Very slowly she began building a relationship with the cats—naming them.
In October, she brought in a tiny ginger kitten, who had a respiratory infection. She named her, Sethra Rose. After three weeks of being sequestered in the bathroom, Diane let Sethra out. She is all kitten, running, climbing, playing and making us laugh at her antics! Hannah loves playing with her.
Sethra’s brother is Jeb Lee, a slightly bigger version of Sethra. Their mother is a mottled coloured cat named Brendal. CC is a grey tabby cat, who is very laid back. Sissy seems to think CC may have been previously owned and either abandoned or he’s gotten lost. Miss Kitty is a tiny grey tabby cat as well. Miss Kitty has had at least two litters of kittens in her very short life—and Sissy managed to get Miss Kitty into a carrier and take her to the vet before she had another. And finally, there is Blue—an dark grey who is kind of a smoky-blue colour, with huge yellow eyes. This month Sissy has managed to get Jeb Lee, Brendal, CC, Miss Kitty to the vets for spay and neutering. Blue and Sethra are next on the list.
While she loves all these cats, Sissy knows that the practicality of keeping eleven cats and one Chihuahua is expensive, emotionally and hygienically stressful. So our project is to get photos of the newest foster kitties to put them up for adoption. It will be heart-breaking to say good-bye as they are all loveable characters with their own idiosyncrasies. But Sissy knows it is best for them.
I plan to post photos of some of the cats in the following days.
Serving Jesus, Author of our faith,
"Lady Helene"
I don’t remember the first dog our family had, as I was a baby. There are photographs of my older brother, myself as a baby and a dog in an over-stuffed chair. Charming.
The next dog we owned was a white Alsatian named Fluffy. She was wonderful—loved children, was very gentle with us and very clever. However, the neighbourhood children were afraid of her because she had a tendency to jump up on them and knock them over. So we had to find her a new home.
Then there was Humphrey, a mix of German shepherd and something else. He was a medium –sized dog, also extremely clever. One day, while Humphrey was still a puppy, a kitten showed up. She was grey-striped and I actually convinced my Dad to keep her. I named her Tiger. She loved to get drinks from the bathroom sink. She was a cat that thought she was a dog—and I think that in part was due to the fact that we raised her with Humphrey. They were best friends. However, right before we moved from California to Indiana, Tiger was poisoned. I was very sad.
In 1970, we had a wonderful Christmas. My dad brought home a tiny puppy, whom he had already named Mini—because she fit in the palm of his hand. She came home with him in his jacket pocket. The red bow around her neck was bigger than she was; her diminutive size came from being a rat-terrier/pincher mix. She was all black, with tan eyebrow, and feet, with a white spot on her chest. She had been born on Halloween. We had her the longest of any dog we owned—15 years.
All this to say that for the most part, our loyalty lay with dog ownership. That is until about 10 years ago when my sister purchased a tiny yellow kitten and named him Syeman. You should see him now—at 18 pounds!
Now there are 11—yes eleven—cats in the flat. This gets back to my sister having a way with cats. Syeman was a playful, intelligent fellow. He would even go on a leash; this was helpful when Mom and Sissy began taking trips to Florida as they prepared to move from Indiana’s cold winters to Florida’s year-round warmth. One day they stopped at a rest stop, and acquired another kitten. She was named Maggie. She had a very rough beginning, so she was shy as well as skittish. But Sissy & Syeman nurtured her, so that she eventually relaxed into the family.
After buying a house on the west coast of Florida, Sissy found a local vet. It was through the local vet that Livia was acquired. Mom was adamant—she didn’t want another cat! Well, so much for what Mom wanted, as Livia—who became “Little Bit” (and eventually “Bit”) decided that she was going to be Mom’s companion. As you know, cats pick their people—and Mom was “Stuck” with Little Bit. It didn’t take much winning over.
As time went by, Sissy became aware of feral cats in the neighbourhood. She began feeding them and over a two-year period, she befriended a tuxedo cat, whom she named Preacher. The first time she saw Preacher, all she saw was a pair of green eyes and a white spot. Then she heard him meow. Sissy was gentle, soft-spoken and patient, intent on being able to touch him—stroking and petting him. Eventually she invited him into the house. Preacher had been on the streets for good while. His defencive, survival-instincts eventually mellowed. Now he is a love sponge—giving as much as he gets. He lives up to his name, acting like a pastor to all the cats. She calls him the "Godfather". :-)
Along with Preacher, a tiny black cat gained Sissy’s attention. Because she was so small and young, Sissy named her Bambina—because she called all her cats “Baby”. Black as coal, with deep emerald eyes, Bina used to make sure the other cats kept their distance by giving them “The eye”. That look was scary even to me! She rarely came out from under the bed except to eat, or lay on top of my sister for affection. And Sissy was the only one who could touch her. In the last year she has mellowed to the point of being genial, and allowing me to rub her tummy.
Just about the time Sissy thought she was done, two neighbourhood cats learned how to use the cat flap to get into my sister’s home. Gracie and Charlie came right in and made themselves part of the family. Gracie was a grey tiger-stripped, with an unpretentious and funny disposition. She was always good for a laugh. Charlie is a black tuxedo cat as well—maybe one of Preacher’s progeny. Charlie can shows signs of jealousy when she wants affection. And she tends to be a bit of a loner. Yet she is a loyal little girl. I was with her at the time, and Charlie adopted me! Boy was I surprised, as I’d done nothing to encourage her.
Although they were “owned” by a family down the street, they preferred being in my sister’s place. My sister moved from that house into an apartment. When we moved, we tried to return Charlie and Gracie to the other family. But they never settled back in—so we brought Charlie to the new place. However, Gracie was spooked by carriers, and we just couldn’t get her. From the last we knew, Gracie went back to being feral.
In November 2009, Sissy & Mom moved into the current place. Last year Sissy began feeding a colony feral cats. Very slowly she began building a relationship with the cats—naming them.
In October, she brought in a tiny ginger kitten, who had a respiratory infection. She named her, Sethra Rose. After three weeks of being sequestered in the bathroom, Diane let Sethra out. She is all kitten, running, climbing, playing and making us laugh at her antics! Hannah loves playing with her.
Sethra’s brother is Jeb Lee, a slightly bigger version of Sethra. Their mother is a mottled coloured cat named Brendal. CC is a grey tabby cat, who is very laid back. Sissy seems to think CC may have been previously owned and either abandoned or he’s gotten lost. Miss Kitty is a tiny grey tabby cat as well. Miss Kitty has had at least two litters of kittens in her very short life—and Sissy managed to get Miss Kitty into a carrier and take her to the vet before she had another. And finally, there is Blue—an dark grey who is kind of a smoky-blue colour, with huge yellow eyes. This month Sissy has managed to get Jeb Lee, Brendal, CC, Miss Kitty to the vets for spay and neutering. Blue and Sethra are next on the list.
While she loves all these cats, Sissy knows that the practicality of keeping eleven cats and one Chihuahua is expensive, emotionally and hygienically stressful. So our project is to get photos of the newest foster kitties to put them up for adoption. It will be heart-breaking to say good-bye as they are all loveable characters with their own idiosyncrasies. But Sissy knows it is best for them.
I plan to post photos of some of the cats in the following days.
Serving Jesus, Author of our faith,
"Lady Helene"
Sunday, 25 March 2012
Adjusting to changes
Have you ever been so hot, you just sit and sweat? So hot you just want to sit in front of a fan and do nothing? Well, that’s been me over the last week. My preference is to never live in a really hot climate permanently. Florida is somewhat pleasant from October to April—and then it gets hot. August is unbearable.
Yes, I'm now in Florida, and have been since 17th January. I came over to give my sister some respite from caring for my Mom.
Last October Mom became ill—to the point my sister thought Mom was on the edge of dying. Mom contracted an infection that began as a urinary tract infection and escalated into an infection in the blood. Mom was in hospital for several days. When she became to improve, it was evident that Mom was now affected by dementia. She told me over that phone that Mom’s memory had been affected, and her personality had been significantly affected. After a few weeks in a rehab facility, Sissy brought Mom home.
Mom requires much more care—from a mental as well as physical aspect. Mom tends to get confused, has memory losses and can get un-cooperative when she is in pain. We have to monitor her pain level, as well as track her blood pressure and blood sugar. Mom can manage to ambulate very short distances on her own—but she is in a high-risk fall category. We try to make sure we are always with her when she wants to walk; most of the time, though, we set her on her walker (which has a seat) and roll her to the toilet or lounge/living room. Lately, she’s been known to totter from the bedroom to the bathroom by herself—like when I’m taking a nap. When we have to take her out for appointments, we use a wheel chair.
Getting Mom to eat is another major challenge. Some days she eats really well. Other days we have to depend of supplement drinks to get any nourishment into her. To complicate things even more, many of the foods she used to like she no longer likes. This is not uncommon in older folk.
I knew coming over that this would be a very challenging time, with many adjustments required on my part. I’ve had nights of prayers and tears, reaching out to God with all my heart to accept the changes in this woman.
There have been a couple of times when her thinking has been very clear and I could ask her about cooking questions, people from her past and places she remembers. Other days I have to answer the same simple questions over and over.
Some days I have had to struggle through with only three-or-four hours of sleep because Mom has had a bad night. My patience is gone, my fuse short and I don’t exercise kindness, tenderness. I am moved to frustrated tears and my sister has comforted me.
This trip has made me think a lot about my own life and when I am old. When I see Mom, “Why” echoes through my mind—and I know that the answer is the God sees the bigger picture, knowing the end as well as the beginning are well within His view and His hands. In His grand scheme of things, He has reasons for allowing us to go through the circumstances.
I love this woman I am serving now. But she is not “My Mom-Mom”, the woman who gave birth to me, the Mommy of my youth and “Mom-Best Friend” through my days of singleness. She isn’t the Mom I knew even a year ago this time. However, this “Sweetheart” is now a woman who deserves my attention, devotion and diligent care. It makes me realise that we are born needing care and we age into needing care.
This trip has deepened my love, concern, respect and appreciation of my sister and all she has done for my Mom. She has carried this load for over nine-years with only three times of respite relief from me. I believe she had done an excellent job and wonder how she does it, since her support system is almost non-existent.
Besides the times of frustration and resentment (at the situation), there have been moments of laughter. There have been moments of fun. There have been moments of tenderness, the kind that creates memories I will cherish forever.
My three-month stay ends 17th April. I will be glad to return home to a cooler
climate, my own bed and my dear, sweet and supportive husband. In the meantime, I’m going to keep in front of the fan as much as possible.
Serving Jesus, Author of our faith,
"Lady Helene"
Wednesday, 15 February 2012
15 February
Today is Wednesday, 15th February. It has significance for me because of birthdays.
My sister and I had a dear friend, named John Carmichael who was born on this day. He would have been fifty-two today. But he fell ill over 10 years ago. He is still missed by those who knew and loved him.
Also, in 1901 Mamie Deloris Boltz Cox was born. She is my Maternal Grandmother. Amazingly that makes it 111 years ago on this day that she was born. She died from a stroke in 1984 on 16 August. I still think of her most days and really miss her.
Now, on a happier note, nine years ago today I was at a party. It was the wedding reception for My Midnight Man and myself at the American Golf Club in Sunnymeade. Wehad been married almost a month--just three days shy! It was great because two ladies from Hillsong church had arranged the reception for us. All John and I had to do was put on our wedding clothes and show up! It was a wonderful afternoon!
Just little thoughts for today.
Serving Jesus, Author of our faith,
"Lady Helene"
My sister and I had a dear friend, named John Carmichael who was born on this day. He would have been fifty-two today. But he fell ill over 10 years ago. He is still missed by those who knew and loved him.
Also, in 1901 Mamie Deloris Boltz Cox was born. She is my Maternal Grandmother. Amazingly that makes it 111 years ago on this day that she was born. She died from a stroke in 1984 on 16 August. I still think of her most days and really miss her.
Now, on a happier note, nine years ago today I was at a party. It was the wedding reception for My Midnight Man and myself at the American Golf Club in Sunnymeade. Wehad been married almost a month--just three days shy! It was great because two ladies from Hillsong church had arranged the reception for us. All John and I had to do was put on our wedding clothes and show up! It was a wonderful afternoon!
Just little thoughts for today.
Serving Jesus, Author of our faith,
"Lady Helene"
Host UK and a November Visitor
Valentine’s Day and what a better time than to post something about Remembrance Weekend 2011! Nothing like being three months behind!
In October John and I connected with the Host UK organisation—a volunteer organisation that provides adult students from foreign countries an opportunity to stay in private homes and experience “real life” in Great Britain. Host UK had contacted the Parish Office asking us to run an advert for them in the Church Parish’s weekly news sheet and/or magazine. They were looking for people to host international students over the Christmas holiday. For us, Christmas is a time to open our home, especially since two of John’s daughters now live a fair distance away. John’s sister, Sewing Queen, now lives in South Africa, having moved in October.
I remembered living in dormitories over holidays. The thought of foreigners staying in institutional buildings, no family around, with most businesses being closed over two days for the holiday was abhorrent to me, and I wanted to make a difference for a stranger. So I sent an e-mail.
Our regional representative, Paul Ryall, came to our home for a chat and to complete the application process. Within a day of our visit with Paul, we were notified of our first guest—who would becoming in November. Host UK operates year round—not just special weekends or holidays. John and I were very enthusiastic—and said we’d host once a fortnight (every two weeks) through Christmas.
It is up to the guests to contact us first. Once we hear from them, I send them an e-mail. This is a template of what I send.
Hello. Thank you for contacting us. John and I are looking forward to welcoming you into our home. We truly enjoy meeting new people and learning about different cultures.
We are accustomed to having lots of guests and have towels, sheets, etc. All you really need to bring are your clothes, spending money and probably your camera.
When we have guests, I always like to ask them about food:
1)Do you have any food allergies?
2) Do you have any particular favourites?
3) Do you prefer savoury or sweet? Hot and Spicy? (I personally don't like curry, but John loves it!)
4) Are there any vegetables you don't like?
I've attached a photo for you, so you will recognise us when you see us. John and I are looking forward to your visit--which is less than two weeks away. So, how are you coping with the weather? Are you constantly cold?
Just a couple of things:
1) It is best to bring layer-able clothes, as it can get a bit cold in our flat after dark. Also, this autumn has been a bit warm, so having layers will make it easier to deal with the changeable-ness of the weather. Our flat sometimes feels cold, so bringing some extra warm socks is a good idea.
2) I work a few hours on Fridays, so more than likely it will be John who will meet you at the bus station. He will have the HOST sign and a sign with your name on it! And you have the photo of him as well, so hopefully that will help.
3) Have you had a chance to check on bus schedules and possibly train schedules?
4) Each fortnight we meet with a bunch of friends at 7:30 pm for dinner and Bible study. The group is about 10 adults and eight children. We do have a lot of fun. However if you think you would be uncomfortable, or are not interested, please don't feel any pressure to go. I only make it about half the time because I struggle with fatigue. However, the group is very welcoming and love meeting new people
We are accustomed to having lots of guests and have towels, sheets, etc. All you really need to bring are your clothes, spending money and probably your camera.
When we have guests, I always like to ask them about food:
1)Do you have any food allergies?
2) Do you have any particular favourites?
3) Do you prefer savoury or sweet? Hot and Spicy? (I personally don't like curry, but John loves it!)
4) Are there any vegetables you don't like?
I've attached a photo for you, so you will recognise us when you see us. John and I are looking forward to your visit--which is less than two weeks away. So, how are you coping with the weather? Are you constantly cold?
Just a couple of things:
1) It is best to bring layer-able clothes, as it can get a bit cold in our flat after dark. Also, this autumn has been a bit warm, so having layers will make it easier to deal with the changeable-ness of the weather. Our flat sometimes feels cold, so bringing some extra warm socks is a good idea.
2) I work a few hours on Fridays, so more than likely it will be John who will meet you at the bus station. He will have the HOST sign and a sign with your name on it! And you have the photo of him as well, so hopefully that will help.
3) Have you had a chance to check on bus schedules and possibly train schedules?
4) Each fortnight we meet with a bunch of friends at 7:30 pm for dinner and Bible study. The group is about 10 adults and eight children. We do have a lot of fun. However if you think you would be uncomfortable, or are not interested, please don't feel any pressure to go. I only make it about half the time because I struggle with fatigue. However, the group is very welcoming and love meeting new people
Djuna H. is from Australia and was studying for one term at Royal Holloway University in Egham, Surrey. John and I were very excited and pleased when we received the first e-mail from Djuna. Photos were exchanged by e-mail, and arrangements made for John to meet her at the bus station in Slough. Djuna arrived on Friday, 11th November.
That Friday evening we took Djuna to the Hillsong Connect Group. Djuna has no church back-ground, so she found the evening different to what most people think of church. Seeing as how half the group are Filipino, it was an excellent opportunity for her to taste Filipino food.
Cooking a favourite dish for a guest is fulfilling for me, which made preparing pancakes for Djuna on Saturday morning a joy. Since this was something she couldn’t prepare in the dorms, and not served as a breakfast dish in the UK, it was a treat for her (I hope, anyway!). Chatting with Djuna on our couch was enjoyable, as we both liked Midsomer Murders, travel and meeting new people.
After breakfast, on Saturday morning, being the bicycling enthusiast, John kitted Djuna with cycling gear and took her out for a ride, using my bike. Though it had been a while, Djuna kept up with John. After they got back, there was some television time. I was a bit tired, but decided it was a nice enough day to venture out. So Djuna and I took a local bus to Flowerland in Iver. It’s a big green-house, nursery with lots of gardening furniture. There are other cubicles with speciality items—including a pet shop and aquariums. After looking at the different fish and booths with Christmas decorations, we went to the Tea/Coffee Shop. Djuna had a cream tea and I had chocolate cake with a cappuccino.
The bus ride was expensive, ten pounds for both of us. If I’d had a car, we could have gone to Iver for about two pounds!
Sunday morning Djuna went to St. Mary’s church with me. On Remembrance Sunday each year there is a procession from one of the local churches to the Epithet in Langley Memorial garden. John wanted to join the parade starting at Christ the Worker Church. That Sunday was my turn to serve coffee at St. Mary’s, for those who were not going to attend the laying of wreaths on the memorial. Djuna had met a couple of people after the service and she walked with them to the park where she met John. After the memorial service, John took Djuna over the Christ the Worker to meet more people and show her around a bit. I met them back at the flat and prepared our lunch. Djuna was very kind and remembered to sign our guest book before she left to catch the buses back to Egham.
In some ways, John and I wish we had more to offer our HOST UK Guests in terms of travelling and seeing things. Having a car would be wonderful, so we could take them to island between Windsor & Staines (Runnymede) where King John supposedly signed the Magna Carta; or to the plain of Salisbury to see Stonehenge and then over to Salisbury Cathedral.
On the flip side, we live on the train lines so getting into London is convenient. We can also take the buses and catch the underground in Hounslow. It is more convenient to take the Transport for London buses and the underground than to have to try to find parking and then paying an extortionate amount for parking in London. There are many fee things in London, like the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Tate Art Museum, the Tate Modern Museum, the Museum of Natural History, walking in the parks of London (Hyde, Regent, Green, & St James), seeing the changing of the guard, walking through China Town.
Slough’s big draw is the large industrial estates where people find work. It isn’t great for touristy stuff. Yet, we are thankful that we have a home to share with strangers. After all, the idea behind HOST UK is for students to learn about the life-style of everyday Brits—sharing authentic food, with common daily life, doing what locals do with those locals.
It was a pleasure to have Djuna and learn more about Australian culture. She is an inquisative, intelligent, articulate, independent young woman. She has respect for other people's opinions and beliefs. I've enjoyed keeping up with her travels and studies through her blog: http://hotterroristdotcom.wordpress.com/
Hosting internation students is a great way to enrich one's life. It has opened my mind to think about countries I've not been curious about previously. Seeing my culture(s) reflected against a different one, whilst still in my own home, is certainly a twist to cross-cultural experience for me. I would urge anyone to open their home to students, missionaries, and even business people from other countries. Here in the UK, contact http://www.hostuk.org.uk/
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