Dead Dell and Lively Lassies!!

Monday, 21 Nov 2011

The early afternoon was fun teaching Jen to knit. She adjusted the right hand directions to her left handedness quite well. As we stitched, she shared about her sister’s miracle—healing from Crohn’s. When she went in for surgery expecting a colostomy, the doctors found no signs of the disease that had plagued her for nearly ten years. It was through that miracle that Jen received Christ. What a testimony!

Later I had quite the frustrating time. Dell computers will not run on the power cord if the battery is dead. My old Toshiba and the Sony Vaio did so I was more than surprised to find that I was now without a computer. I went online to Dell.uk and worked through several screens. Then at the payment screen, I reached a dilemma. They would not accept my card because I wanted the battery shipped to an address different than my mailing address. That’s a good security point but now I had to go through several “press 1” “press 2” options and then two live operators to get a person who would take my order and override this restriction.  He said his name was “Lester” but he sounded suspiciously Indian.  Now we inputted my credit card information and two Visa cards were denied. He asked if I could pay with cheque and I said no. I did give him the Travel Visa. That one was accepted! The battery should arrive on Thursday.

NOTE: When traveling abroad, have several ways of accessing money and be sure your cards have the proper technology for European machines. Three cards did not work in Banbridge last week because of this newer technology.

I’m going shopping on Friday in Belfast. If I can’t charge anything, the merchants may miss out!! The Travel Visa is a prepaid debit card and the funds on it are diminishing fast!

Seana

Tori (Victoria)

Emma doesn't like the camera!

Sophie

In the evening I went to Crosspoint to help Jen and the teen girls on a small fundraising project. They are making candy cane reindeers to sell. They’ll use the money to help a needy family for Christmas. It was fun being around the girls and their chatter. The music wasn’t always my style.  Seana said about one song, “aye, that was popular when I was a wee one in nappies”. She’s all of 16 now! Bebe preferred to stay at Murlough House and read---she’s nearing the end of that big book!! At the end of the day, I realized it was Monday---and no Leonard!!

 Tuesday

Up at 7 and could hardly walk!! The ligaments are crying! (Suffering from the walk/hike in the Tollymore) I managed to get downstairs with my Ten Year Journal and Bible. It was a still, peaceful morning. David the IT/Accountant  called to be let in at the gate. He arrived just after Joan.

Bebe had the Kairos meeting at ten. I had thought I might drop her off and go to the Wool Shop and then distribute Christmas fliers in Newcastle but inability to walk changed those plans. Deirdre sent a message that  I should start lunch…easy peasy---baked potatoes!

The house was bustling around as Keiron was coming in the afternoon. There were many meetings going on. Three people felt it necessary to remind me that I have devotions at the staff meeting at 3. The meeting was held after lunch. I shared some of Pearl Spoon’s wisdom, a few paragraphs from Henri Nouwen and some thoughts from LeGard Smith about John 6. The prayer time had the richness of Quaker silence. I offered prayer and out of the silence, two others offered audible prayers.

The Murlough House Advisory committee met. I went up to the flat. The small sitting room there is often warmer than the rest of the house. Later I went to the Library in the basement to use the computer. Keiron came down to show me the new template for the Prayer Calendar. We had a good conversation about how Christians treat one another. I find Keiron to be a warm, genuine and charming executive. Deirdre had asked him to meet me so I didn’t have to climb another flight of stair. She too is very warm, thoughtful and generous.

I’m in charge of games for our Wednesday social hour after the Bible study. I found several in the Craft Room and will add the few I brought along. One is called “Ireland”. It is much like Trivial Pursuit with the questions about Irish history, geography, art, music and general knowledge. I tried some out on Deirdre in the evening. She had a good laugh at some of my pronunciation of Irish people and places.