Archives for January 2010

Spectacular view from my window, every tree and twig clocked in frost; crisp, white, pure fields; frozen ponds.

Roy and I have just returned for a lovely long walk in the rain (I think it’s romantic; Roy DOES NOT) in Shotover Park, an ancient Saxon hunting forest. C.S. Lewis’s house had 8 acres, now part of Shotover. We met a hearty middle-class Brit, all galoshes and good cheer, also walking her dogs. “Lovely day, isn’t it?” She said, “WE MUST BE MAD!” Mad dogs, Englishmen and Mathiases, all happily trudging in the rain.

Remembering Zoe’s third Christmas, when in a fit of educational madness, I bought her ONLY BOOKS for Christmas. Her comment, ” Why Santa only brought me book presents?” Mad rush to find a Barbie doll on Christmas Day. Her other memorable comment that day, ” Mommy, did you know that if we don’t praise God, the rocks and stones will praise Him? So better we praise God.” (Praise God for books, especially!!)

Bailey’s Irish Cream Haagen -Dazs Icecream for dessert today. Irene, “Why don’t we have this more often? Can we not afford it?” Roy, ” We can afford to buy it. We just can’t afford to eat it.”

I have never seen penguins in the wild before. They quack enthusiastically like noisy ducks, and scamper around in herds.nesting season now so lots of chicks. Shrimp for dinner today–just like a penguin.

Lovely sunny crisp November day. Eagles floating on the wings of the wind. Went for my first run in years, decades actually, using a 10 week beginning running programme. On Day 2. Puffed mightily, but tremendously enjoyed it. Now why did I give it up? I much prefer running to walking. Trying to become strong before our 25 day hiking/exploring trip to New Zealand next month so I don’t exasperate my energetic family!!

Martin Luther on Romans, “It can never be read or pondered too much, and the more it is dealt with, the more precious it becomes, and the better it tastes.” Also true for Scripture in general. Greatly enjoying Simon Ponsonby’s School of Theology on Romans. Irene, 10, goes to a fab Girls’ cell, which ends an hour before Romans does, so she sweetly joins us and takes detailed notes, wh. she is very proud of!!

Our family watched a disturbing performance of Kes at the Oxford Playhouse. A bullied boy, picked-on by classmates, teachers & family, finds a passion–the rare art of falconry. You can guess what will happen–the brother kills his beloved kestrel. We are asked at the end to believe that Billy, having found a passion, will be happier and better for it, though he lost the only love of his life. Hmm… Probably!

The influx of what Roy calls “visiting dignitaries” has led to having our cleaner in twice a week! (P.S. Most of the visiting dignitaries are 10 years old & Irene’s classmates). Enjoyed my run, Week 2 of a 10 wk programme. The Iphone stopwatch I use has a lovely carillon/bell-tower sound, appropriate for Oxford, where one is never far away from the lovely sound of church bells.

11 November 2009

Oxford never ceases to amuse me. A 90 year old woman at a Writers in Oxford party asks me to publish her umpteenth book, a novel. “I still go into work every day” she says. “WORK? WHERE?” Roy asks. An Oxford college! Where else but in Oxford!!

Dr. Israel Gelfand, mathematician, who recently died, aged 96, often said, “You have to be fast only to catch fleas.” He sought to teach not only the rules of math, but also the beauty and exactness of the field.