A Story To Tell, The Diaconate

Crawford, M. (2013). A Story To Tell, The Diaconate. Dundee: Winter and Simpson Print.

Dr Anne has known Morg Crawford over fifty years.  She and her dad were regular visitors to Dr Anne's mum's bed and breakfast establishment.  They came for their annual two week holiday in June.  Dr Anne and Morag were good companions.  Life moved on and Morag went go St Colm's to study as a Deaconess.  Morag has kept in touch over the next 50 years usually at Christmas.  Dr Anne has always be intrigued about Morag's work.  She never quite knew what it was all about.

This Christmas, Morag sent her book 'A Story to Tell, the Diaconate.  Dr Anne still doesn't quite know what the job of a Deaconess is.  Why?  It is a unique job where any field of employment goes.  It changed from the early days of Brown Deaconesses, Parish Sisters, Church Sisters to 21st Century Deacons.  The key is one's commitment to Jesus.  Dr Anne can associate with that.  

Dr Anne enjoyed reading the synopsis of the members of the Diaconate over the 125 years of their existence.  

Borgen

Dr Anne has been in hibernation.  Her friend ggc watched Borgen on BBC Four and raved about it.  

Dr Anne bought the Borgen Trilogy from Amazon. Thirty episodes on nine DVDs have kept her at the TV hour after hour after hour since the middle of December.  She has been enthralled.  The series covered  a wide variety of political issues - equality, mental health, immigration, prostitution, cancer, marriage break up, sexual abuse, racism, renewable energy etc. etc.  

It has been an enthralling few weeks.  Dr Anne awards 10/10. 

The Memory Book

Coleman, R. (2014). The Memory Book. London: Random House.

My good friend SS is struggling with her mum's dementia at present.  She is no longer the person SS knew as mum. Dr Anne can only imagine what this feels like.

This book is about Claire who has been diagnosed with the early onset of dementia.  It tells what is going on in Claire's head, her frustrations, fears, angst.  It also tells of the frustrations, fears and angsts of her nearest and dearest.

The Memory Book is key as her legacy to her family. 

This is a sympathetic and caring book.  Dr Anne awards 7 out of 10.

Edinburgh

Dr Anne had a strategy meeting in Edinburgh this weekend.  She ordered tickets online.  The windstorm on Thursday night was severe and alll trains services stopped. Dr Anne drove to Huntly to pick up her tickets at the machine.  She had a diversion due to debris on the road and ended up in Cairnie.  She took an alternative route home.  

Dr Anne loves bus journeys... She missed the 1302 by 100 yards but caught the 1332.  When she arrived in Aberdeen at 1557 she sprinted Union Square and caught the 1602 to Edinburgh,

After her adventure she had a quiet night.

The strategy meeting was in the Radisson Blu.  Elspeth retired after 14.5 years at Coates Crescent at Christmas.  She received a gift and flowers and had her photo taken with the seven chairmen she worked with.

Annual Trip

Dr Anne and JD have returned from their second Christmas trip together. 

It was an 'almost' trip.  Le Louvre closed as they approached the entrance gate but then it was Christmas Eve.  They stopped off on their way to Cannes to see the Picasso Museum in Antibes but it was closed.  The Casino in Monte Carlo was closed when they arrived and unfortunately they had to take the last bus back to Nice.  The new year celebrations were tame compared to Portsoy.  However, the sun shone almost all the time.  The service in the Scots Kirk was uplifting.  The recital in La Madeleine was awesome.  The food was mostly Italian, not French - pasta, pasta, pasta.

Home?

Dr Anne and JD headed home yesterday arriving in Aberdeen late afternoon.  It being 2nd January Dr Anne found out that there were no buses.  She had a dilemma as she stood in Union Square.  Train to Huntly.  Hotel in town.  No... She phoned her friend Annie who came to the station, picked her up and took her to her nice warm house, fed and watered her and gave her a cosy bed. 

What are friends for?

Happy days.

A Day in St Paul

Dr Anne and JD headed for the 400 bus to St Paul de Vence. They knew that they were going into the hills but they were delighted to find a medieval walled village perched high in the hills.  Dr Anne thought she was finished her shopping therapy but no... this was an art and craft haven.  

Quaint streets.

Amazing windows.

Shops packed with goodies.

Exotic door knobs.

Narrow alleys and pebbled surfaces.

JD looking forward to her patisserie.

St Paul perched high on a precipice.

The Kill List

Forsyth, F. (2013). The Kill List. London: Random House.

Dr Anne has long been a favourite of Frederick Forsyth having read his early novels and some of his short stories.  This one was very apt in that it was about a radical Islamist known as The Preacher.  His sermons inspired his followers to kill Western targets in Britain and the U.S. The Tracker, an effective terrorist hunter, took on the job after his father became one of the targets.  It is a tight and lean thriller after reading I Am Pilgrim a few weeks ago.  All very possible.  Dr Anne awards 7/10.