Sunday, January 09, 2005


Blast from the past Part III. I remember those cold winter mornings, waking at 6am, and cycling in the freezing rain to the River Granta. Followed by the miserable cold runs to shake away the chill in our bones, and then choosing an oar, picking up the boat, and off we go, unto the River, practising, cussing, and wishing we were somewhere else. Those days were memorable for having stuck my neck out for a completely alien sport, just to know what it is like to be a "local". I suppose it was the English equivalent of joining a frat ... though much less mystical. I had fun. Our boat came in rather well for the Clares, even though we were the fourth boat. Many more weeks on the ergo machine, and I had shed a couple of kilos. Well worth the chilly frost-biten mornings...

Lily of the Valley


I love lilies, especially these pink ones that open up with a fragrance that overwhelms the whole room. I bought these on Christmas Eve, and they blossomed on New Year's and held their blooms till just a few days ago. Amazing strength for such a fragile flower. There's something about them that draws Ruth and I to them -- again and again. Perhaps watching the flowers bloom is reminder of the new life that God has given us; we have a fresh start every day, despite the sins of the previous moments. Are we blooming today?