From Under The Duvet..: March 2006

Friday, March 31, 2006

Multicultural Coffee

On Wednesday afternoons I volunteer at a local workshop in Downpatrick which is part of Tools for Solidarity. On Wednesday just past I went up to the workshop on the Crumlin Road to see it as the BBC are doing a documentary on the organisation (which I may now be in). During my time there I got to see all the old sewing machines – they were gorgeous! We also had a coffee break and as I looked round the table, in addition to the ones from Northern Ireland, there were people from Greece, the Republic, Amsterdam, Canada, Germany and Austria (as well as a few others I didn’t quite catch!). It was amazing to see so many people at this one place at this one moment of time to share stuff. I just thought it rocked.

I had the opportunity to talk to the woman from Greece. She was really lovely. She couldn’t believe how “short” our skirts were (I do not roll mine up or shorten it in any way – mine’s worn at the length the shop sells it to me at) and could we not wear something a bit longer? We also discussed the different denominations – something she didn’t quite grasp over here because she says it’s so confusing! I agree!

Today in my psychology class we were talking about minority influence and, in particular, the case of the suffragettes. The majority of my class, including about five girls, have no idea who the suffragettes were and they don’t overly care either! They didn’t really seem to mind about the vote/voting or anything else! Seriously!!! Are you kidding me?!?!

And, for the record (especially those who are going to the GB display tonight) just because someone is a feminist does not mean they detest cooking or housework or anything. Nor do they think we’re better than guys (although it could be argued…*) we just think we should have equal rights in all areas of life etc while embracing our differences!

Rachxx

* I am joking… maybe…

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Noah's Ark

Noah's Ark is being recreated in Holland! (You may get to the article if you click on the picture... If you can't let me know).

I'd love to go and see it - anyone up for a weekend away?

Rachxx

Friday, March 24, 2006

The Display

Tonight was the Anchor Boy display. I have never ever been prouder. This year I was in charge of the P1 (which is four and five year old) boys' verse speaking which goes as follows:

This finger's straight

This finger's curled

This one's the tallest in the world

This finger stands at the end of the line

And here's a fat thumb - I think it's mine!

They've been doing it all year, it's only five lines long, and I promised them if it was good they could use finger puppets on the night. However, the first time I let them use the finger puppets it was the dog talking to the cat etc rather than the verse speaking! Tonight, after bribes (they got drumsticks lollies!) and several threats, they were perfect. I am so so very proud! It was amazing. Even the wee boy with the speech impediment was wonderful and really tried his best.

And maybe you're thinking that it can't be blog worthy that eight boys learning five lines but it was the thing I was responsible for and they were wonderful! For all the trouble they give during the year and for all the times I've prayed "God, give me strength and make it NOW!" when they really do something it makes it all worthwhile. Last year a boy who'd been a bit of hard work last year came up to me at least year's display and said "I'm going to miss you now Anchor Boys is over" and that sentence was like a blackboard duster and it just wiped away all the other things.

All the guys were awesome tonight and all the leaders and helpers rock and should be proud for all their work! Well done! We did it! We actually pulled it off another year!

So, thank people for what they do!! (Speaking of which, I've just got a text from the Anchor Boy leader saying "Thank you all for tonight. You were brilliant, it was a real team effort!" andall the leaders and helpers receiverd a standing ovation from the auidience!)

Of course, there was the mandatory (well, it appears to be because it has happened every year!) person who's tooth fell out. And then, as the juniors were getting there prizes handed out a boy told me he needed to go to the toilet so I took him (had to walk past everyone!) and then we came back and sat down. Then I hear another voice: I need to go to the toilet. You. Are. Kidding. Apparently not though! The prize giving went on so long one of the wee P1s fell asleep!!

Talking about thanking people I should probably thank Paul who took the prank with such humour and still thinks he's going to manage a prank on my house - good luck to you! I didn't realise you were kamikaze! And also a huge thank you for the awesome Brian Houston CD - you rock!

Anyway, it's now Saturday morning and I should think about getting to bed.

Night night!

Rachxx

Thursday, March 23, 2006

Baptism of Fire

Hey

Sorry for the lack of updates! It's been a crazy crazy week and I haven't been sleeping until at least quarter past one... I thought I would let you all see what Rose, Rachel and I have been up to...

Prank #1: The Car

Prank #2

This is what we did to his office yesterday... He loved it! We got a message saying:

"Oh my GOSH!!!! I've just arrived at my office! You guys! I can't believe it!
How kind of you to prep my office for painting. Hope you've picked a nice
colour scheme :o) Oh yes revenge will be even sweeter now! Watch out! Love
you guys!"

So armed with newspaper, cellotape and a camera here's the result (with a "before" picture too):

But, let's face it, the guys looks evil! Look:

He's saying things about revenge but all talk...

Tonight I was being left home after the basketball game, which rocked, and he was trying to figure out the motion sensors on my lane which make my lane look like this:

Good luck Paul!!

It's the Anchor Boy display tomorrow night - wish my wee 4/5 year old verse speaking group luck!!

Rachxx

Sunday, March 19, 2006

Say What You See

Temperature Rising, ergo hot, bird

Tonight I sort of thought about what I was going to write in my blog and it's changed. But let's how it goes with "say what you see"...

Firstly, awesome result on Saturday!! Sure, we didn't win the championship but, not only did we win the Triple Crown, we got English pride!! And Northern Ireland also beat England in the semi-finals of one of the Commonwealth Games. The luck of the Irish was with us!

Tonight I was going to write about what I realised today. I was talking with a few friends on msn and I realised: I'm content. Well, maybe not content. I'm not sure if I'd see that now. I'm happy with the road I'm journeying along in life and the person I'm becomming. I have been struggling some time with something and, although it is still a struggle, I am beating it - and I'd like to thank everyone who has helped me along with that.

Tonight at church we were talking about, well, James as talking about it, the state the world is in. And I am so not content with that. An abortion happens every three minutes - I'm not going to be so naive as to say that I don't think all of those should not have happened - no one can say what would happen in a case of rape or if there was a huge risk to the mother. But, goodness, how many children would be alive today? What would the world have been like?

And don't get me started on Iraq, fair trade, third world debt etc etc etc.

I will be content when I have helped change some of that. I am happy where I am on the road to doing this but I'm far from being content. Yes, I'm finally content with aspects of my life - my singleness and aspects of my personality etc. And my current direction in life. But could I be completely content while there is so much injustice etc in the world? Probably not... I don't think I could be entirely happy with that. My social concience couldn't do that.

Tonight at youth fellowship we were takling about the Good Wife described in Proverbs 31. We were divided into boys vs girls and had to do a series of tasks - typical girl tasks and typical boy tasks - putting a duvet in a cover and burping etc etc. The boys won and got the prize of a creme egg each - but then if they were true gentlemen they would have given them to us - I got one (ok, so he was off chocolate for lent but still commendable!).

The girls had to say what kind of wife/woman we would like to be. And the guys had to say what kind of wife they would like to have. Mark came up with the "Say what you see" as pictured above as well as, in huge capital letters "submissive" - yeah, he should have kept walking out that door...

But it was really interesting. The feminist in me did come out a bit but not to the extent Martin believes I am - the "I'd cut off his balls and fry them in garlic butter!" extent. But if any guy expects the Prverbs 31 version of a girl... They're in for a shock!

And, one thing they didn't compare the guys and the gals with was in the toilet-papering-cars sense - because we'd win, hands down. Isn't that right Paul? Especially taking FLASH photos, even though you were still up and in the front room.

Rachxx

Saturday, March 18, 2006

Happy St Paddy's Day

Hey all!

It is still St Paddy's Day as long as it's still Shamrock-y on Google and it is still shamrocky so tough - I'm just in *yawn*

It has been a fantastic day with a morning of school, an afternoon of rugby (Methody won but it was a bit of a rubbish game - sorry Mark!) and an evening of good food and good waiters at Pizza Hut and a good film to top the night off. With lots of lovely random pictures! (Which should appear on my Flickr at some point soon.)

Spring is here and I can't wait!

Rachxx

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

chuckles

Once upon a time, in a land far away, a beautiful, independent, self-assured princess happened upon a frog as she sat, contemplating ecological issues on the shores of an unpolluted pond in a verdant meadow near her castle. And said: “Elegant Lady, I was once a handsome prince, until an evil witch cast a spell upon me. One kiss from you, However, and I will turn back into the dapper, young prince that I am and then, my sweet, we can marry and setup housekeeping in your castle with my mother, where you can prepare my meals, clean my clothes, bear my children, and forever feel grateful and happy doing so.”

That night as the princess dined sumptuously on a repast of lightly sautéed frog legs seasoned in a white wine and onion cream sauce, she chuckled and thought to herself:

I don't think so.

Sunday, March 12, 2006

Princess Rachael & Indescribable

Two blog posts in one! Aren't you a lucky lot!

-------------------------------------------

Princess Rachael

I have had a really icky week. I had a bad Monday which turned into a bad Tuesday which turned into a bad Wednesday... so on and so forth until it turned into a bad week... So retail therapy yesterday (Friday). I bought two hair clips:

Which I think are very pretty and princess-y. They help puitting my hair up like this:

Which I think looks pretty cool and funkily messy.

-------------------------------------------

Indescribable

On the Thursday and Friday nights of this week it has been the school concert. It was Mr Ferris' last year as headmaster so kinda sad.. But the music was amazing. There is so much talent! But I got to wondering how you could describe music to someone who had been deaf from birth... Or a sunset to someone who has been without sight from birth... Those things that just move you in a way that is... undescribable... Music can make us laugh as we hear a funny or unusual tune, cry as we hear a song that once meant so much between ourselves and someone who is no longer there in that capacity or any, it can make us feel a million emotions. Music is indescribable.

In English Lit this year, for the modern novel, we are studying a book called Spies by Michael Frayn. It looks like it is a children's book but it isn't and I would recommend reading it. And in it the young boy Michael is having his first expereinces of girls in a vaguely romantic way. At the age of eleven it's all unknown and when she kisses him he worries about germs! (A valid concern perhaps!) In the book there's a word to desribe all those confusing, fuzzy and indescribable feelings associated with this first crush/first love. The word is Lamorna.

Lamorna.

Say it. Somehow that word. Three syllablles is able to describe those feelings. It does for me anyway. A girl in my class asked me if I understood what lamorna meant and I said yes. She asked if I could explain it... I couldn't... I could tell her that it represented those mixed up feelings love gives us but beyond that I couldn't.

I received this email about what love was said to be by 4-8 year olds (you may have received this email). Here's what they said:

---------------------------------
"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend
over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her
all the time, even when hishands got arthritis too. That's love."
Rebecca-
age 8
---------------------------------
"When someone loves you, the
way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe
in their mouth."
Billy - age 4
---------------------------------
"Love
is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries
without making them give you any of theirs."
Chrissy -
age 6
---------------------------------
"Love is what makes
you smile when you're tired."
Terri -
age 4
---------------------------------
"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you
stop opening presents and listen."
Bobby - age 7
---------------------------------
"If you want to learn to love
better, you should start with a friend who you hate,"
Nikka - age 6
---------------------------------
"Love
is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even
after they know each other so well."
Tommy - age 6
---------------------------------
"Love
is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken."
Elaine-age 5
---------------------------------
"Love is
when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than
Brad Pitt "
Chris - age 7
---------------------------------
"Love
is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone
all day."
Mary Ann - age
4
---------------------------------
"When you love somebody, your
eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you." (What
an image)
Karen - age 7
---------------------------------

All pretty awesome attempts...

There's a song by Chris Tomlin called Indescribable. Here are the lyrics:

From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea
Creation's revealing Your majesty
From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring
Every creature unique in the song that it sings
All exclaiming

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God

Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go
Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow
Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light
Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night
None can fathom

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God
You are amazing God

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God

All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God

You are amazing God
Inconquerable, unchangeable
You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same
You are amazing God
You are amazing God

Maybe the best things in life are simply indescribable...

Rachxx

Friday, March 10, 2006

Puddles

I would like to own the above pair of wellies. Or at least ones that are similar. Then I could go out and splash as I jump in puddles. I would like that.

I've finally finished my work for tonight (I've been up to this time, half twelve, the past couple of nights and I'm really wrecked) so I'm off to go to bed.

Goodnight.

Rachxx

Monday, March 06, 2006

Tales of Battles Won and Battles Lost

Today Down High were playing at Ravenhill. We were playing Lurgan in the Plate Final. We’d played Lurgan earlier in the season and comfortably won. But this was the final and they must be good to have got that far. It was a horribly awful game. So mean. I mean, we absolutely slaughtered Lurgan. At half time it was something like 29-5 but by the final whistle it was 48-5. I started feeling sorry for them! So, that was a definite battle won! I think I’ll be going to Ravenhill for the School’s Cup final which is on St Paddy’s Day with Methody and…. Campbell!

Ok… The second bit of the title… Today, had the Welsh lad and I not broken up and had continued to be together we would have been together a year today. It was either 10:43pm or 11:43pm – I think 10:43 – that I got a message saying “So, will you be my girlfriend? Wow, sounds so cheesy…” And I will never forget that “Wow, sounds so cheesy”. It was a really good six months. And I don’t think I would change any of it (meeting would have been nice! But impossible.). While the break up was, and, to a certain extent, is still, hard I am a true believer that it is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all and I am so grateful for the great friend I have gained through the relationship even though a certain aspect of that relationship has gone.

Incidentally, the third of the only three Welsh words in my vocabulary has been added to the Oxford English dictionary. The three words that got me through the six months Tim and I were together were “nos da cariad” which means “goodnight darling/sweetheart/(my) love. Cariad has been added to the dictionary. It’s a lovely word.

Rachxx

Friday, March 03, 2006

The Blame Game

Right, can I recommend The Blame Game! It is on BBC1 on a Friday night and the presenter, Da from Give My Head Peace, along with four Irish comedians try to find out who is to blame for various aspects of the news during that week. Unfortunately, if I understood the last bit of it tonight correctly that was the last one of the series! Although they will be one Radio Ulster on Saturday mornings – did I hear 11am correctly? Tonight it covered snow, the education crisis (Methody has said it may go private – the catchment area is Sandy Row!), schools’ rugby, the Dublin riots and Lent.

Tonight they also asked who was to blame for the biggest bank robbery in the UK.
Apparently it is because England hasn’t gotten over Windsor Park and they just couldn’t have us having the biggest bank robbery in the UK. So they decided to up the ante. You see, all they’ve done is set up a challenge for goodness’ sake!! The police in Kent have already arrested fourteen people and got some of the money back. The bail was set at something like £100,000 – now, please could someone tell me where the logic was? A year on all the PSNI have done has been to arrest one guy who was on the CCTV leaving the place. Hmm… Yes, I can see how that might have been hard to spot. Colin Murphy, one of the comedians, reckons that the police were probably watching Spotlight when they saw it!

About the schools’ rugby. Well, I’m biased. I love rugby and I like watching the schools’ cup. On Monday I will be travelling, along with a large part of my school’s fifth and sixth year, to Ravenhill (that would be the Ulster rugby ground – where Ulster won tonight. But who could be surprised as O’Sullivan loves his Munster players and so they were missing eight or so of their best players and he doesn’t like Ulster players so we weren’t missing all that many) to watch my school play Lurgan in the Plate final. The Plate is the thing below the Schools’ Cup – so this is kinda the final below the Schools’ Cup final which is annually played between Methody and Inst or Methody and Inst or Methody and Inst every year… (Ok, so sometimes Campbell gets a brief chance). So, despite loosing to Friends we’ve got further than them. So, we’ll be going down there to loose our voices in time for the school concert on Thursday and Friday night.

At the end of The Blame Game “Da” reads out some headlines from newspapers and one of them this week was “Are we ready for a Mormon for the President of the USA?” and Colin Murphy replied “Well, we’ve already had a moron…” which I greatly appreciated. Naturally.

Now Tony Blair has come out saying that he asked God about going to war with Iraq and I just cringe… Is it right to do that? I don’t think so. Well, it’s ok to consult God, obviously! But to almost pass the buck to God because He “told you to” go to war…? I don’t think that’s right! And I think it makes the Christian faith look like a joke.

Tomorrow night I am (hopefully) going to the cinema with Rose and other Rach to see either Final Destination or Walk the Line. It should be good – especially as I made it that we had to go tomorrow night because I went home sick from school this afternoon. Thankfully I’m on the mend and should be ok for tomorrow night.

Rachxx

Thursday, March 02, 2006

Under a Mountain

Hello from under a mountain of work! I've been working pretty much solidly since I came home around half six - minus half an hour! It's insane. I thought I'd let you all know I'm still alive and I'd share something with you.

This is a song the brigaders are singing this year in GB:

On Eagles Wings

I'll carry you, on eagle's wings
On eagle's wings across the sky
I'll carry you

'Cross mountains high
And deserts dry
I'll carry you
When thunder roars and lightening strikes
I'll carry you
'Cross endless oceans
Feel my breath
I'll carry you
From grey skies cold to blue skies high
Let my breath of life, carry you.

I'll carry you, on eagle's wings
On eagle's wings across the sky
I'll carry you

I know you're hurt
I feel your pain
I'll carry you
You're tired and weak
You've battled hard
I'll carry you
No power in heaven can shake my strength
I'll carry you
For grey skies cold to blue skies high
Lift your head and come, Come and fly

I really love this song. And it reminds me of a thing that happened to me about a month ago. I decided to tell someone something that only one other person knew. I was really unsure about telling this second person but I told them that something was up - nothing specific, just that something was up. I got an email back saying that that person had felt that God had put me on their heart. I then went on to give the person the specifics. I told the first person that I'd told the second person and they told me how the second person had told them about how they had felt God was telling them something about my heart. Sorry if that doesn't make much sense! But, for me, it just showed me how much I'm being watched out for.

Pretty cool I thought.

Proper blogging soon! (Probably about the scariness factor of Final Destination Three which I'm going to go and see this weekend!!)

Rachxx

Friday, March 31, 2006

Multicultural Coffee

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Noah's Ark

Friday, March 24, 2006

The Display

Thursday, March 23, 2006

Baptism of Fire

Sunday, March 19, 2006

Say What You See

Saturday, March 18, 2006

Happy St Paddy's Day

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

chuckles

Sunday, March 12, 2006

Princess Rachael & Indescribable

Friday, March 10, 2006

Puddles

Monday, March 06, 2006

Tales of Battles Won and Battles Lost

Friday, March 03, 2006

The Blame Game

Thursday, March 02, 2006

Under a Mountain

About Me

Links

One Vision. 2015.

Previous Posts

Archives

Friday, March 31, 2006

Multicultural Coffee

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Noah's Ark

Friday, March 24, 2006

The Display

Thursday, March 23, 2006

Baptism of Fire

Sunday, March 19, 2006

Say What You See

Saturday, March 18, 2006

Happy St Paddy's Day

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

*chuckles*

Sunday, March 12, 2006

Princess Rachael & Indescribable

Friday, March 10, 2006

Puddles

Monday, March 06, 2006

Tales of Battles Won and Battles Lost

Friday, March 03, 2006

The Blame Game

Thursday, March 02, 2006

Under a Mountain

About Me

Links

One Vision. 2015.

Previous Posts

Archives

chuckles