Baby Girl Gooding arrives!

Congratulations to Mark and Em on the arrival of Joanna Ceri on Sunday 3rd December 2006.

I can't say too much more cos I am a big girl and may cry!





And more congratulations to Hannah and Gareth on the arrival of Baby Boy Morgan Burford - who arrived on the 4th!

Delirious? 1st November 2006 - Hexagon, Reading

Alli and Craig's Wedding - and associated ramblings

4th November 2006 - Alli and Craig tied the knot in the beautiful Lake District. Words can't really describe how much fun it was - and how honoured I was to take part. The speeches were cracking, the food was lovely, the overcast sky lent a very wild and romantic feel to the day - Steve and Jools benefitting strongly there....

Photos can be seen here Definitely a couple of duff ones of the bridesmaids - can't remember most of them being taken mind! No....not because of that....we were having our piccies taken for over 2 hours!


Other stuff
I spent the weekend Bristol for Venture 2006 Reunion. Thanks again to Rhys and the residents from Woody's who put up with us all roaming about their home. Sat through Andi's Uganda Photos (only Bex fell asleep - nice shirt A!)...talked a lot about poo and the best way to wee in the middle of a field....Dan and Annie made a film about MS....Isaac got to ride in the lift at the City Museum...and Rowan snogged a camel....Bring on 2007 and the Superheroes and Wild Wild West Theme!!!

Saw Delirious? play at Reading - really impressed with them live, been so long since I have seen them and they were very accomplished. I have seen the Happy Song live now and can finally die happy. Poor old Issy had to spend most of the evening on Mart's shoulders but that's to be expected. We got some fine Freestyle Walking in after in the bowels of the Hexagon so that made up for it. The support Reuben Morgan was good too.

Music update (as you must have come to expect by now):
The Feeling - Twelve Stops and Home - I've loved every single and the rest of the album is no let down
Razorlight - Razorlight - finally got around to treating myself to the glorious second album - America will be an all time classic

Alli's Hen night

The lovely Alli is marrying the lovely Craig on the 4th November (I may have mentioned I'm a bridesmaid once or twice to most of my readership!!!)

We hit the crazeee streets of - er - Cheddar, Somerset last weekend. We tied balloons to the hen, dressed her up in red feathers and went to the famous Cheddar Cheese Tour - annoying some people who had waited ages as we pre-booked and jumped the queue! We met a rather odd man called Andy who cheddars the cheese (something to do with it being chopped up and turned a lot.)

Then, a bit more like the average hen night, back in Bristol we drank some LegBender cider, went out for a meal, visited an old hang out - the Corrie Tap - as appauled by how young the Freshers are and then tore up the dance floor at another old haunt -La Rocca. Hasn't changed a bit.

Will add some piccies shortly to embarrass Alli further!

More music recs:
Ray LaMontagne - Til the Sun Turns Black - 2 albums in one year - God bless this man
Jars of Clay - ok ok, broken record but Good Monsters is AWESOME - Oh My God is outstanding track so far, and Light Gives Heat - which gives me the shivers
Bought Delirious?' Mission Bell as I'm off to see them - sounds good so far....I'd been disappointed with their stuff for a while, but this seems to be better....
Going a bit retro with The Dandy Warhols, Turin Brakes
New Damien Rice album sooooooon.....

More regular updates.....ooh how exciting!?!?

I am going to try to update more regularly or the whole thing is pointless!

Firstly - I want to thank God for answering prayer and finding us venues for Venture 2007. We have lost Wimborne because of renovations at the school. Today we were given 2 names of sites that could work. Please continue to pray that these sites meet the needs of CPAS and can offer homes to ventures.

Then a bit of a gripe - but only with work - I am starting to look for a new job - my current position just isn't working out the way I'd like it and was sold it(!) and I am feeling disatisfied and pretty much abused by the company. It is a shame as I loved this job for so long but I am blessed to have the opportunity to really look at a lot of options.

I had my bridesmaid dress fitting for Alli and Craig's wedding - apparently the shop that sold me the dress "overestimated my width" - chuckles all around at that one.

Got tickets for Delirious? next month - haven't seen them for yeeeeeeeeears and have had to quickly order the album for the tour.

Speaking of music - latest artists featuring heavily on my MP3:
Ray LaMontagne - Trouble - the whole album is awesome
Jars of Clay (shocker) - Good Monster
Quite liking The Feeling but haven't invested in the album yet
Six Feet Under soundtracks
For a bit of Pop - the Orson album is good - Bright Idea
Disappointed in the new Nelly Furtado - I loved her early stuff - not a big RnB fan
Ray LaMontagne - oooh yeah, I said that one - don't care - it bears repeating!

'Ere Snowy - I can see the pub from 'ere!

Aaaaaand relax! I've been on a marathon run of actually having a life and am exhausted as a result. So a brief summary of Summer 2006!

Wimborne 3 Explorer Venture 2006 went brilliantly - the Laughing Lions were the pride of the pack, Eggs were flung, cream pies were smooshed and knights in shining armour delighted us all. Team reunion is only a few weeks away - yipeeee!


Greenbelt was equally fantastic - Andi and I cut up the dance floor, drank some dodgy organic cider and spent vast quantities of time (and cash) at the Circus Skills stall. There were some magicians he got excited about and I got to eat crepes and buy handbags! I even managed to fit in some Freestyle Walking with Isaac W!

Jim and Emily got hitched - thanks for inviting me to share your wonderful day! More cutting up of the dance floor - but literally this time given the heel on my boots!

Clare and Heather's Corfu Adventure was more of a lesson in relaxation - which by early September was the only option left. I burned my tummy, but at least this time you couldn't tell which way I had knotted my bikini top like one unfortunate year in the Canaries. No Jeep Safari this year (booooo) but we sailed to Albania and ate lots of seafood! I got through a ton of books but I started dreaming Fiendish Su Doku in the end so had to give that up! Very sedate!

Wateraid's Corbett Challenge was completed, overcome, endured - take your pick! Along with some other daring friends from work, I scaled the great heights of Foel Goch in Snowdonia to raise money for Wateraid. We made it up and down without dying (more of an achievement than you'd think given the average fitness level of the team) and I have attached a photo of the all conquering Colne team. You can sponser me in retrospect here

I am also massively proud of my Aunt Carole who was ordained to be a Deacon this weekend. The service in Christ Church, Oxford was very moving and I was honoured to be a part of it.

So - there goes Summer 2006 - here comes the winter! Started planning some ski trips for the new year - anyone got any ideas of what to actually do for New Year itself - I've been sick and in bed 3 out of the last 4 so I am up for some shenanigans! I'm bridesmaid for the wonderful Alli and Craig in November - I am perhaps getting a little too girly and excited about that - shoes, neckalces, underwear all being bought in vast quantities - it is amazing how much thought has to go into those things!! Still looking for an escort to the wedding if there are any volunteers???? ;) Three days in the Lake District and I'm driving!

It's been a while....

But only a quick post today - the deep and meaningful bit first - it is two years since my dad died today. The sky still hasn't fallen in on my head so wondering when that's going to happen.

And the non-deep bit:
Stuff I am listening to and feel the need to share

Jeff Buckley - Grace in particular Last Goodbye
Jars of Clay - Furthermore from the stage and from the studio
Sandi Thom
Thievery Corporation - Indra & Lebanese Blond
The Postal Service - Give Up

OK just rubbing it in now.....

This time the skiing was in France, La Plagne and Les Arc to be precise. I cannot recommend staying in a catered chalet enough, cooked breakfast, afternoon tea and three course meals with as much free (french) wine as you could drink! Couple of pictures here, one of my lovely skis, one of the lovely Freya assuming her default position and one of the ski team! I only fell off the side of a mountain once - I can't really describe it, Claire probably could but I fear she was laughing too much to take notes.

That is it though, no more holiday for me ever! Well until August when I take 50 odd kids to Dorset for a week......maybe that's not a holiday either.

January 2006 - Just returned from a brilliant ski trip to Val Gardena, Italy. The views were fantastic as was the company, people from home group and various others! I managed to only fall over 2 and a half times which is an indication I have improved a bit. Saying that, it could only ever get better from the mess I was last year on the ice fields of Serre Chevalier! I partook of a little Apres Ski, watched the world go by from a few piste-side cafes, ate some goulash-soup, learned a new game that involved dice but I was so tired I am not really sure what it was about, found a tunnel in a square with no "official" exit and made some new friends!