Bristol baby!

Myself, Claire, Paul, Fiona and Niall headed to Bristol this weekend to visit Emma. Was a great weekend, lots of shopping [I did get bored], played some games, barbequed, ate, 24 chats, didn’t sleep, laughed and joked, stank of smoke, watched Paul and Claire run a triathlon [Power to you both!] Good time had by all.
Interesting fact I learnt: There is more sheep in New Zealand than there are people!
Best moment: Thinking we had kicked Emma’s car loads asses racing back from the mall in Mike’s mini metro [including beating a Audi a4 off the line and winning, zooming up and cutting in a massive traffic line] to arrive back to not only see Emma’s car already there but they were comfortably inside and had been to Mc Donald’s drive through!
Sorry about your phone being stolen ems- really sucks. Thanks for having us! Always a pleasure to be in your presence.

26th May : A double whammy!

Today marked my 24th birthday and my graduation from Bible college. I had an enjoyable day- lots of money was received in way of birthday gifts and a globe from Lois- quality gift! I visited my good friends Karen & Anne, had lunch with my good friend Claire, had tea with my food friends Stu, Dave, Mike, Lois, Jen and Erin in Tony Roma’s [Free refills!] Quickly changed into my trouser suit and headed down to Spires for my graduation! with Stu, Lois, Mike and Drew in toe. Felt more sentimental than I thought I would this was my 3rd graduation but the one that I’ve felt the closest to the other people graduating which made it all the more special. Back then to college [quickly changed out of trouser suit!] for a BBQ and some photo taking. Most embarrassing moment of the day was the entire college singing Happy Birthday to me! Also decided during the ceremony to just be excited about the unknown future rather than worrying about it! Off to Bristol in the morning- WWWAAAHHHHOOOOO!!

Contrast

Today I find myself sitting on the dentists chair thinking that just yesterday I was at a families home in Ukraine that had no electricity or running water and the woman’s job was milking 12 cows by hand 3 times a day and all of a sudden your thrown back into normal life in Northern Ireland- it’s all a bit crazy and the thing I find the hardest. Enjoyed my time in Ukraine apart from the surprises YFC gave me about the camps in the summer! Which gives me more work to do but had I not of gone to Ukraine I probably would not of found out until we arrived in July! Was great to see some old friends in Volochisk and people I work with in the summer.
Here’s to riding on a horse and cart [The horse is blocking me in the picture!], “when the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie… that’s amorea”, the rides back again at the pizza place in Xhmelnitsky, the scratchy noise in my room, “When I was in Florence…”, Locking a member of our group in the toilets and thinking the person was going to break the door down before I could compose myself enough to tell them it was locked from the outside!, Pasha and Christina coming to church to see me, “Scusi”, getting chased by geese, taking part in 5 church services on Sunday and being told to give an on the spot kids talk, "I concur", receiving the biggest bug bite in history standing in a cow shed with Dave Graham asking every question about cows under the sun, "sing it again", getting stuck in a marsh, the heat, Randomers, Having mashed potatoes and sausage for breakfast and taking a laughing fit while singing Lord I lift your name on high.

You will not find this funny but I’d like to document as I found it hilarious: I said to a wee kid of about 5 who was dressed in smart shoes, black trousers and a pin strip shirt, that I liked his shirt he turned and said through the translator “I have 2 more t-shirts at home” and ran off – Yeah I know you had to be there! Not even going to try and explain why it was funny. [The wee kid is top left in picture]

Walk about & a stroke of luck!

To fill in a bit of time I talked Zhenya into letting me lose by myself for a wee dander around Kiev which turned out to be a 2 hour dander. I found my way into down town Kiev where I have been many times but this time I had a more cultural tour rather that the normal tourist spots with the team. Its nice to just walk about/sit and watch people go about their daily life and normal Ukraine life rather than Ukrainians at camp or all the extras that are put on at Volochisk when we visit. Even though I was intentionally staying clear of the regular kiev hot spots I did make my way to Mc Donalds, here they sell these amazing fruit pie things that we don't have at home- Yum yum!

Got back to the YFC office and at the bottom you have to put in a code, I had no clue what it was... After standing there for a minute or 2 and with Zhenya not answering her phone all of a sudeen the number 35 came into my head I keyed it in and bob's your uncle im in!!

Privete [Hi]

Have arrived safe and well in Ukraine the travel was fine and all on time but did sit beside a very annoying man on the flight from Budapest to Kiev who also may I add had his mobile phone on the entire time. May I also add it is very hot here. Nearly got stuck at customs when I thought on the customs form I had to right how much my mobile phone and i pod was worth rather than how many I had, So the guard thought I was bringing 150 mobile phones and 200 i pods into Ukraine- I had to quickly explain myself! Spent yesterday in some camp meetings and catching up with people. Had a bit of a walk about in Kiev last night which was cool. In the early camp days we spent a few days in Kiev but now with the recent teams its a flying visit and which usually involves a Mc Donalds! so was nice to revisit some places and see some new sites. I'm meeting Gordon etc at about 4pm then getting the train down to Xhmelnitsky tonight hopefully it will be alot better than the train trip the last time! Why is it that 90% of the times I travel something in my wash bag bursts?! Its very annoying!

Good times

I’m heading to the former Soviet Union country of Ukraine tomorrow until Tuesday just checked the weather there and the Sun is shining!

Also all my bible college work is done, I’ve had all but one essay back and I’ve passed them all with flying colours- Graduation & birthday next Friday and then off to Bristol for the weekend Let me hear a wwwaaaaahhhhhoooo!!

Church weekend

I took a tent to the church weekend in castlewellen. Erin stayed the first night. It was a really great weekend. We pretty much took over one full area of the caravan site. There were 11 families staying there from the church- So there was much craic and banter. We we’re borrowing Erin’s mum and dad’s tent I went down early to put it up and thought this is awfully small. Erin didn’t believe me until she arrived and realised she gave me the wrong one!! It was so small you had to back into it as once you were in there was no turning room and we had to keep our clothes and food in my car! But that just added to the fun. Here’s to barbequing, The Harpurs in their mobile home, the kids water fight, riding around the lake, escaping serious injury riding bikes down at night from castle, the good weather on Friday and Saturday, skipping the bible sessions, late night talks huddled in a caravan, The fright of Fiona’s life [ask her!], taking the tent down in the rain, relaxing, getting away with not paying, finding our way out of the maze, and THAT game on Saturday night!! Was cool living in church community for a weekend but was nice to get into my bed after 2 nights in the tent!

Story of a good Samaritan gone wrong.

I am staying at Claire’s house this week and if you’ve been to her house recently you will have noticed that Claire has not cut her grass since she bought the house in September! So 9 months later it looks like a field! I decided it would be a great idea to cut it as a suprise. I sought advice from Mike Allen the professional gardener who told me that I need to get my hands on a strimmer. I phoned Dave Dunlop tonight to borrow his and I also got a rake to help remove the excess grass. Arriving back with no real clue what I’m doing I started to strim the grass, all was going well [Apart from some of the neighbours coming out to investigate where the noise was coming from- I got some funny looks!] I was a good bit through when I start feeling a burning on my arm on closer inspection the strimmer was spitting out a massive amount of oil- “Oh crap!! I’ve broken Dave Dunlop’s strimmer!!” Quick get Dave on the phone… who arrives within 10 minutes and fixes the strimmer and finishes the strimming with a lot more skill that I was giving it and alot faster. He departs and arrives back [To my suprise] which seems like mere minutes with his lawn mower to finish the job!! So one good Samaritan was saved by another. Hopefully Claire will not mind the fact that one whole plant is missing and some of the bushes no longer have flowers! Note to anyone new to strimming: Wear oldish shoes or at least ones you don’t care about: My white shoes are now Green!

Lessons

I didn’t get the job with Samaritans Purse [Nor any other part time job I’ve applied for] that I applied for can’t deny that I’m not gutted but not a lot I can do about it. Turns out the reason I didn’t get it was I’m too young- Highly annoying! Think it feels worse because I had planned so much around the job and from getting the job. So in not getting the job those plans are out the window. I am way too much of a planner I need to learn to trust God in it all Jeremiah 29 and all that. I’ve said it before “Men plan, God laughs” I’m sure God’s had a good giggle to himself recently. Currently no more jobs in the pipeline at least in Northern Ireland! * Clue- a red leaf. Although better not get my hopes up - I've learnt my lesson.

Much physical pain and a red face

Yesterday marked the 25th Belfast Marathon. I was part of a Tearfund team and ran the final leg also known as the Glory run. It was 4.9 miles. This is the biggest physical challenge I have ever endured! I did it last year but only ran 4.3 miles and was a lot fitter and by fitter I mean not even that fit! Last year I could run 3.5 miles easily enough this year just about 2 miles. Really didn’t think I’d be able to do it. But I just kept running basically just to see how far I could go. I told myself if I can get to the top of the Ormeau Road I’ll do it all and that’s all I kept thinking about until I got to the top after that I thought you got to the top you can get to the finish! I’m pleased to say I ran it all!! Down past the Waterfront all, along the River lagan, up the Ormeau road, down the Ravenhill road and around the Ormeau park to the finish. I enjoyed running along and looking at peoples t-shirts to see who they were running for and running for Tearfund this year we all wore the same t-shirts, people knew who were running for and cheered us on. Also Rachel got sun burnt- So not only am I today in much physical pain my face is bright red! For some it may have been a simple 5 mile run but for me was like running the whole marathon.

Dave Dunlop and Gary Harpur can not go unmentioned who with no intention on arriving at the starting line to run in the rely ran the entire marathon. If I’m in this much pain they must not be able to move! Well done to you both great achievement.

Had lunch/mid afternoon food at the Browns after the marathon for some banter, home for a bath and a rest then was at a very pleasant bbq at Lyndsey Andersons- she appeared to be the hostess with the mostess. Before heading to say hello to my BFG Claire who was away for the weekend and good bye to my BFG Emma who was only home for the weekend. Overall a good day and worth the pain. Maybe next year I’ll tackle a 6 mile leg!

Reviews

Don't you love it when you remember about a film you watched when you are younger and just have to watch it again?! [Well I do!] Usually the answer lies at ebay.com [Love it!] I recommend 'City Slickers' to you. It's about 3 friends going through a mid life crisis and decide the cure lies in a holiday herding cattle like real life cowboys. Very funny film. My favourite line- "NO I HATE YOU MORE... If hate were people I'd be CHINA!" Currently on route from ebay is City Slickers 2!




My second review type thing is the Da Vinci code by Dan Brown. Was always very scepitcal [If thats the right word] about this book. But since Gordon was speaking on it in church on Sunday and also with the release of the film I decided how can I make an opinion on something I know very little about. So Tescos for £3.99 and the book was mine. Read it in 3 days flat could not put it down. The best thing about the book was the mixture of fact and fiction done well enough that I can understand how people believe that it is real. I'm not going to ruin it for you by telling you what the 'it' is. But you should read it for yourself. This will be the 1st time I've read the book before watching the film. Lets see if it'll be the old saying of "The film was'nt as good as the book"

Enjoy my friends

"Auto glass replace auto glass repair"

If you listen to Cool FM in the car you'll understand. How annoying and irritating are the auto glass adverts? they make me angry enough that I have to change stations and not wanting to use their service. Kinda the opposite of what an advert is meant to do!