Sapperton Tunnel

For my 66th birthday we had a meal at the Tunnel Inn which is just above the mouth of the old canal tunnel at Sapperton, near Cirencester. At over 2 miles long, the tunnel was, when constructed, the longest tunnel in Britain. Click on picture to enlarge it.

Sean ,Eva and Grace

Sean thinks this might turn out to be the best photo ever taken of him!

Our latest photos of grandchildren

Rosie - gimme five!

With Andy, Debs and Rosie by the Sherman tank at Slapton Sands. (The tank was rescued from the seabed after a disastrous episode in World War II when the U.S. Army was attacked by the Germans whilst training at Slapton for the D-Day landings)

With Frances, Isaac and Lubin at Beesands

With Jacob, Grace and Eva at East Portlemouth, near Salcombe

SOME DEVON SCENERY

(from our recent visit there. Click on any picture to enlarge it)

Cliffs at Burgh Island

Slapton Sands

Beesands

Now this is supposed to look like a great cliff in the Nile Valley. In fact it is only about 2 metres high.

Go to church and pray if you want to be happy.
I read this article in today' newspaper, which corroborates what I have always instinctively believed, though it does raise as many questions as it answers. I have added at the bottom a thoughtful comment from one internet reader


Faith makes you happy, say scientists
Those with religious beliefs are likely to be happier than atheists or agnostics.
Research suggests religion can act as an "insurance policy" against the adversities of life.
Regular churchgoers also appear to cope better with events such as divorce or unemployment and may even be happier.
The study, presented yesterday at the Royal Economic Society's annual conference in Coventry, used data from across Europe to investigate the effect of being religious on life satisfaction, as well as attitudes towards government policies.
Although the idea of religious belief as a "fortress" was not new, "this issue of insurance has surprisingly received only limited attention", the report's authors said.
The study concluded that the "stress-buffering" effect varies according to the life event and religious denomination, but "churchgoing and prayer are also associated with greater satisfaction".
Authors Professor Andrew Clark and Dr Orsolya Lelkes also found strong faith led to different political attitudes. The religious were less supportive of unemployment benefits. Religion could even influence the evolution of social and economic institutions, they said.

A reader's comment:
I would assume that one would need true faith in order for this to be true. If that is the case then it's not simply a lifestyle choice but something far deeper. What about those of us whose intellect does not allow for religious faith? Are we all doomed to unhappiness then?

The canal at Bath

I took this picture on the Kennet and Avon Canal where it passes through Sydney Gardens in Bath. The picture is enhanced by the smoke from a garden bonfire. Click on the picture to enlarge it.

With Anton and Erin

Aficionados of ‘Strictly come Dancing’ will appreciate this picture of us with celebrity dancers Erin Boag and Anton du Beke at a dinner-dance at Westonbirt recently.

Babbacombe

A day out at Babbacombe Model Village near Torquay, with our daughter Jan and grandchildren Grace, Eva and Jacob

At Work

On Fridays I work at the Corsham Debt Advice Centre

Another milestone

We were privileged to host a party for Wendy's older sister Shirley and her husband George, when they celebrated their Ruby Wedding.

Rosie meets Sindbad

Another doting grandparent entry . . . . .

Sindbad the parrot lives in a house in Devonport, and we just happened to meet him as we walked by. Apparently Sindbad gets seasick, so he would be useless on the shoulder of Long John Silver!

Rosie on safer territory at home with Debs

UPLYME - family weekend away

Waves breaking over the Cobb at Lyme Regis

Sitting in fresh air and wind

David and Lubin

Sean and Andy focussing all their substantial intelligence on a Playstation game

Debs and Rosie

Wendy reading to her disciples.

FROST

A comment for our viewers from abroad: global warming seems to have prevented us from having any snow yet this winter, but we have had some frosts. The upper picture was taken in Wadswick Lane, near our home, and the lower one on our drive. Click on the picture to enlarge it and see the delicate frost-patterns on the car roof.

Isaac and Lubin: Christmas 2007

Isaac has Leila's snake Frankie round his neck.

FIRST BIRTHDAYS
We went down to Plymouth for a joint celebration of the first birthdays of Rosie (Andrew and Deb's daughter)and Lubin (David and Frances' second son)

CHURCH ACTIVITIES
Two pictures taken in early November when we visited the Lox Lane retreat Centre near Shaftesbury, and two pictures taken at the dedication of Miriam Ovens and the twins Matthew and Benjamin Everett.

A touch of Autumn

We have been able to take advantage of recent good weather to get out into the countryside and enjoy the autumn leaves.

Karen

A new friend of ours, Karen Smith, was baptised at our church (Priory Street Baptist Church, Corsham) last week. Karen became a committed Christian quite recently, and she wanted to make this bold statement of her faith at this time, becase the day afterwards she had to be hospitalised for intensive chemotherapy in the hope of extending her life.

Cousin Eve Lockett had her 50th birthday celebration at the end of September. (Click on pictures to enlarge). The cake was designed to look like a medieval book.....

Martin and Cathy

Our friends Martin and Cathy Donovan were married in Uganda in January, and had their marriage blessed in our church in September.