Thank God for Christian friends. That God calls us not in isolation, but into relationship with other members of his family. In recent days we have been pleased to see David Smith, onetime Principal of Northumbria Bible College, and the lead tutor on my MTh course at ICC. Glasgow, some 15 years ago; we hadContinue reading “Through a glass darkly – 132”
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Through a glass darkly – 131
After last week’s very effective cataract operation, I have been looking through a glass more darkly than usual. A big Thank You to Dr Mary MacRae at the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion and to the NHS. The Colditz Story In the word’s most chaotic second-hand bookshop, in the Seamen’s Mission in Mallaig, in June, IContinue reading “Through a glass darkly – 131”
Through a glass darkly – 130
Politics on the Edge Our week in the Hebrides last month felt like living on the edge of the map, if not the edge of the world. I took three books with me to read, and came back with eight ! One of them Tony Judt’s The Memory Chalet, which I will write something aboutContinue reading “Through a glass darkly – 130”
Through a glass darkly – 129
Setting off up north The garage in Dalkeith from whom we hire a car asked how old I was this year. When I told them I would be 79 shortly, there was a sharp intake of breath between the teeth. But they obligingly said that this year would be possible, but it might well beContinue reading “Through a glass darkly – 129”
Through a glass darkly – 128
Election Special We are about halfway through this election campaign. ‘Two bald men squabbling about the ownership of a comb’ was Borges’ verdict on the UK war with the Argentine about the Falklands. That isn’t a fair description of this election. None of the major party leaders are bald, unless you count John Swinney. ButContinue reading “Through a glass darkly – 128”
Through a glass darkly – 127
En Marche We are just back from a family holiday in Barneville-Carteret [see TaGD 126]. As a resort it reminds me strongly of French life of an earlier age. My first French textbook, starting the language at CH in 1956, was called En Marche. The following year we progressed to the second book En Route.Continue reading “Through a glass darkly – 127”
Through a glass darkly – 126
The BBC are pushing the boat out this week for the 80th anniversary of D-Day; the biggest opposed military landing in history. There are reconstructions every night this week, with live broadcasts from Portsmouth and from Normandy on Wednesday and Thursday. And a variety of D-Day films. My abiding memory of The Longest Day isContinue reading “Through a glass darkly – 126”
Through a glass darkly – 125
Clearing out So, we are busy clearing stuff out in anticipation of selling the house and moving to a retirement apartment in Hexham. [Spoiler alert: We won’t move to Hexham, but it was the only thing that McCarthy and Stone could offer when I looked on their website for a retirement apartment in or aroundContinue reading “Through a glass darkly – 125”
Through a glass darkly – 124
Back to school again With hindsight I may have over-invested in the 60 Years On reunion down at CH. It was a long way down and back on the train, and involved two nights in a modest but friendly hotel in Horsham. For what was in truth a modest event: mid-morning gathering for coffee; aContinue reading “Through a glass darkly – 124”
Through a glass darkly – 123
On the home front We have been back from Grenoble for some ten days. It has rained steadily each day, and the boiler has gone on the blink. In the garden the ground is sodden, and I am wondering whether to allow the pond to overflow and turn it into a boating lake. The onlyContinue reading “Through a glass darkly – 123”
Through a glass darkly 