Friday 22 August 2014

Thursday 21 August 2014

Camping. Glamping?

I have been camping - both on holiday and, occasionally, as a lifestyle: but that's another story - most of my life. I started when I was eleven, when my parents decided that hotel holidays with four children were becoming too expensive, so they bought the largest frame tent they could find and the rest was history.

We are still using some of the equipment from those epic trips around Europe: the 40 year old plastic water carrier (French); the hanging wardrobes, superb for storing all kinds of items, although then we used them for clothes; the stacking saucepans, all fitting in neatly one inside the other; we even have one of the canvas campbeds and a couple of thick sleeping bags which zip together neatly.

My father developed the art of packing the car to an extreme. In days before seatbelts, he took out the back seat and replaced it with tightly bundled sleeping bags tied down with string onto bamboo struts. Add an overstuffed boot, stuff in the rear footwell and a crammed-to-capacity roofrack and we were good to go.

And, of course, we drove for hours and hours and hours. Which is partly why I am more than a little envious of these good friends who camp in France with their tandem. Tent, sleeping bags, cooking equipment and clothes all fit neatly into the panniers or the little trailer. There is room for a good-sized umbrella strapped to the main frame, while laundry is efficiently air-dried from its position draped over the handlebars.


The lure of cycle camping is still there, but I can't complain. Since those childhood trips, camping for me has mostly consisted of a heavy canvas safari tent, complete with wooden poles, in the middle of the bush. When we were first married, we could decide to go camping and be off on safari within half an hour. We had a camping box stocked with enamel cups and plates, simple cutlery, matches and washing up liquid, a gas lamp and stove for emergencies.

Our favourite site was in a remote part of a Lake Bogoria game reserve, populated by flamingoes, greater kudu and the resident leopard, all of which we have seen strolling a few yards from our tent. Throw in scorpions and snakes for excitement and some to spare. A freshwater spring trickled down from the hillside above us and fig trees provided gentle shade. It was a truly magical place.

We took our children camping when they were only a few months old. On our first trip, our daughter screamed while we drove on tarmac, only calming when we bumped and lurched along a murram road, hugely potholed and rutted after heavy rains had wrought their havoc. She has been enthusiastic about trail and bush expeditions ever since.

Our tent rarely saw another in all those years. Remote and isolated, save for wildlife, was our dream. Hyenas  and lions kept us awake at night, occasionally nosing round the outside of our tent and, once, removing laundry from a hanging branch nearby. Superb starlings flocked within touching distance. Elephants walked curiously through the campsite as we watched cautiously from a safe - or so we hoped - distance. And striking camp was ALWAYS exciting - we never knew what we might find hiding beneath the groundsheet.

Then we moved to England, exchanging our faithful wooden camping box for plastic crates, our canvas tent for a lightweight dome. Shocked by the unwelcoming climate, we camped only in Portugal (by air: tent and box came with us, the ground was our seating and our bed tiny self-inflating mattresses). Until New Wine.

Camping within touching distance of the next tent was a new experience - not to mention being with over 10,000 others on the Bath and West Showground at Shepton Mallet. We discovered a new kind of camping, living in community with others from the church for a week. The weather had to be accepted as it was and, generally, was reasonably kind although we were also 'treated' to torrential rain and thunderstorms at times. This was July in England, after all.

Now, our camping has ventured into new territories.  Here at Le Pas Opton, France, we have an idyllic spot by a river, enclosed by hedges. Not only do we have running water, flush toilets and hot showers but, for the first time, we camp With Electricity. Overhead and table lights; a kettle; and a slow cooker.  Beach chairs and an inflatable sofa; rugs on the floor; a tablecloth on the coffee table. No sleeping bags and mattresses, but an airbed complete with sheets, pillows and cosy duvet. No lengthy cooking chores: instead, we prepare a meal in the morning and it is ready for us when we return after an afternoon out. Add to that, a huge tent with living room space and picture windows.

As I wander up to the loos (yes, a walk to the toilets is still a feature of everyday life) in my satin pyjamas (elegant daughter's cast-offs), I wonder: is this, perhaps, glamping?
Evening ambience

Glamping

Friday 15 August 2014

Wonderful photos...

Sitting here, smiling until my face aches as I look at Matt Ethan's wonderful photos.  Here they are on his blog...

Friday 8 August 2014

Wedding: celebration

The marriage itself was an incredibly rich celebration. Words are so important, so I loved their choice of lyrics in the songs they chose: both the songs we listened to and the songs we all sang together.

Adele came in to Van McCoy's 'Baby I'm Yours' played by Tom Hartley-Booth, with Amy, Josh and Joel Fiddy.

Baby, I'm yours
(baby, I'm yours)
And I'll be yours (yours)
until the stars fall from the sky.
Yours (yours) until the rivers all run dry
In other words, until I die.
Baby, I'm yours
(baby, I'm yours)
And I'll be yours (yours)
until the sun no longer shines,
Yours (yours) until the poets run out of rhyme.
In other words, until the end of time.
I'm gonna stay right here by your side.
Do my best to keep you satisfied
Nothing in the world could drive me away.
Everyday, you'll hear me say
"Baby, I'm yours"
(baby, I'm yours)
And I'll be yours (yours)
until two and two is three.
Yours (yours) until the mountains crumble to the sea
In other words, until eternity...

Drawings by Adele...?

...and drawings by Jonny. What a perfect Scripture to begin married life with.





These songs spoke of how their marriage is so rooted in Jesus: the Word who is Love. Hearts sang with voices.
like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. Psalm 1:3


Those English Literature studies have their uses...

Jenny, Adam and Josh: absolute singing legends...
Jenny and Adam: sister-in-law, soon-to-be-brother-in-law!


Josh, housemate who 'survived' Jonny for two years...and still loves him!


Mr and Mrs Pollard! Out they went...almost dancing...

Wedding fun!





Thanks to Jonny's cousin, Henry Wolff (aged 10), we have an amazing video of some of the wedding highlights: the day flew by so quickly, too quickly...

Thursday 7 August 2014

A glimpse of the celebrations

And now, after SO much preparation, the day rolled gently off. When the heart is so full of joy, words become superfluous. Words fail me here, as my heart reflects on a day so full of joy that my mind is incapable of comprehending it. This is just a brief glimpse of the happiest, most wonderful wedding ever.
Snippets:

Guests did not need a sign at the church door saying: "Today, two families become one - sit where you like" because strangers, friends and family all mingled naturally, chatting happily.

We sang with worshipping and immensely thankful hearts: no organ for this crowd, but beautiful voices with guitars and drums in harmony. Many many friends contributed to this celebration of Jonny and Adele's wedding: a match made in heaven.


Tom Hartley-Booth leading our worship

The groom wept, just a little, with emotion, as he made his vows.
The bride beamed with gentle joy and danced, just a little, as she left the church with her husband.


Mr and Mrs J H Pollard
Favours of ice cream waited for the guests outside. "What flavour favour?"

Ice cream cart!


Happiness surrounded the pair as they led their guests down the lane from the church, through the extensive grounds of The Old Hall to the reception.


Joy


Phil, Adele's father, with our hosts (Adrianne and Hartley Booth) and other dear friends...nearly 140 of us!
The Old Hall
Both best men choked up during their speeches, unable to carry on speaking, as they told us wonderful stories of this fun-loving, caring, compassionate, highly creative and adventurous young man who we love and are so proud of.  Outstanding in every way. Below is audio of Toms speech.







A gentle rain shower bestowed an African blessing as we ate wedding cake. Double rainbows promised much happiness.


Having found a pot of gold in each other...

Planes traced a heart trail in the sky:




 later, in the dark, sparklers did the same. (Thanks for this brilliant photo, Gemma Neill!)



And everywhere there was rejoicing and laughter and a huge sense of peace and rightness.


Monday 4 August 2014

That amazing day...the church..

This day was a kaleidoscope of pictures and words, actions and emotions, smiles and laughter...so much laughter...

Jonny appeared amazingly calm at Barnham Broom church, which Adele had decorated beautifully with understated, simple elegance.

Preparing



Judy, Adele's mum...new family


He and his two best men wore bow ties, handmade buttonholes, braces, drainpipe narrow chinos, huge smiles, and ... a dagger each. So did the ushers.

Photo: Only at the wedding of Jonny Pollard would all the groomsmen be given an offensive blade

Ostensibly the reason was to be prepared in case Adele's relatives tried to carry her off..

Sound bite from a guest: "I've never been to a wedding where the groom and his men all wore offensive weapons..."

Still, guests were not put off. What a joy to see so many dear friends and family.

Wedding! Wedding!

When hearts are full to overflowing, words do not come easily.

Richard and I were, as usual, up early on Jonny and Adele's big day.

We whizzed down to The Old Hall to put up the last signs, put out the drinks on the tables and set out the lights. Hanging lanterns and tea lights in jam jars would light the way late in the evening for guests, as they made their way across the field and back through the orchard to their cars. Then, up to the church to leave flower baskets full of petals.

There really WAS nothing more to do...