Responding

After Mr Mutt’s Morning Constitutional, ChickPea was not managing to settle to anything/much/useful. Swimming around the blogosphere was The Temptation That Prevailed. Along the way she stumbled into a few new sites and interchanges which brightened this particular cloudy day.

One of her first calls was to drop in on a listed ‘favourite’ for a chuckle courtesy of Mr Rowan Atkinson. Ah yes – guess the trigger ! - The Lambeth Conference continues to cause ripples way beyond the tents of Canterbury (What a place that must be just now !). Anyhow…….. suffice to say that ChickPea found herself deeply focussed on A Response. A Comment even. The grey and white tangled bundles of neurones quivered with surprise ….. electricity hummed…… fingers twitched……. Keyboard clunked……… and The Result ? -

“Thank God for humour. Sadly I can think of no incontrovertible humour in the gospels, which would utterly reassure us of Christ's full humanity. But I doubt the crowds would've been interested if there was no laughter in Those eyes. I suspect He Himself would be at the front of the crowd with much of today's humour - laughing out loud - and rather than squandering precious time, energy and resources on conferences, would still be found in the street with aids victims, prostitutes, and our usual outcasts. I have a sneaking suspicion that He would embrace honest members of the gay fraternity, and support genuine love - wherever found - with joy”.

Yes, I think that’s what ChickPea both intended and managed to say. She has a number of gay friends – I hope they are happy to be called ‘friends’ rather than ‘acquaintances’ – and is gradually reaching a strong belief that Christ Himself would probably NOT be jumping up and down on a soapbox condemning those who find that Their Best Partner has to be of the Same Sex. Some of my best friends are of my (ie.same) sex. My Beloved Partner is of the Other Sex. Some of my other best friends are of the Other Sex, too, and some feel Physical Attraction to that one, and not my one.

As with Any Physical Attraction, some respond, some don’t. Sometimes you want to, are able to, and do. Sometimes you want to, but choose not to. Doesn’t change your fundamental orientation, nor your God-given wish to share love (in one of Love’s many manifestations).

So what of ‘orientaton’? Does this determine everything about the person ? Is someone any less ‘my friend’ because of it ? Or any less ‘God’s friend’ because of it ? Did he/she choose to be homosexual ? It seems not. Was he/she Created Thus ? It seems so.

Is God cruel – creating beings He will not recognize, will not love ? I THINK NOT.

In fact, it increasingly seems to me that Christ as portrayed would love these same folk as much as He (probably sighs and ) loves those who rant against them. Do Those Who Rant Against ‘The Gay Church’ actually bother to consider they may be ranting Against The Almighty ? – that God may perhaps be even greater than the limits of the Old Testament writings (and maybe even those of The New), and be hoping that we might bother to use our God-given, potentially Holy, Common Sense, Intuition and Understanding in this and other matters which confront us ?

Ah, Great God – how we do complicate things……..

Later on, (still swimming in the blogosphere – don’t tell TH….), ChickPea visited + Gene’s blog (and managed to add this link on the right). If you’ve been noticing any of the media’s machinations about Lambeth recently, you will have heard stuff about this guy, and maybe wondered what sort of a monster he is. So, Thank You Gene for your blog, allowing us to hear your own thoughts directly. He reckons that “ the business of loving the world that God has made, and every person in it, is messy and difficult.” How right he is. ChickPea is looking forward to hearing his voice in person when he preaches at S Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Glasgow this Sunday.

Watch........ (enter ye not into temptation...)

You may (or there again, you may not….) recall ChickPea’s Timepiece. Of the wristwatch variety. Well – it did it - Yet Again - both Once Too Often AND Too Many Times ( ie.self-selecting ‘menu’ / ‘reset’ / ‘anything-in-the-world-except-the-time’ that is )……

So………

Back to Mr Asda (sorry, Mr Lay Clerk), to peruse the Field Of Options.

Such a field may be amongst the fairest of places to be on a good day, with the sun on your back and the wind on your face, the buttercups around your feet and the skylark ascending……….

However………

This morning it was raining. Well, it was raining by the time ChickPea got halfway to Mr Asda’s most local premises. Luckily, Mr Asda had previously accommodated ChickPea’s wish for an Umbrella. All Was NOT Lost. Just not dry. Not at all dry. Soggy jeans and damp T-shirt notwithstanding, ChickPea furled her brolly upon arrival, girded her lions, and Sallied Forth In To The Field.

Now – what’ve we got here then………..? ……………Digital……. NOooooooooo !!!!!!!!!!!!

Lots of Analogue Alternative Attractions……… blue faces, yellow faces, green faces, sparkly bits, pink bits, straps, bracelets, numbers, no numbers, round ones and square ones, big wans and wee wans………. Oooooh ! What a Field To Fancy……….

Sadly, the Boy’s Own £6.00 Man on the Surfboard (was a fine fellow and companion that one) was not to be found this time (off to the beach, doubtless)…. So, with ‘Interview’ in mind, ChickPea thought she should eschew the ‘pink pussycat’ options and get Something Suitable (TH will be relieved)………. but............. How Boring……….

Time shall again, at the point of fullness, doubtless, Tell All…………

Of Wigits, Wotsits and Learning Curves

Grrrrrrrrr ! Grump ! Gurgh-umpf ! Sigh ! Fiddlesticks and Gross Exasperation !

Who Knows (and isn't telling) - but maybe the intricacies (even basics would do for a start) of Blog layout (ok - 'design') will one day be unravelled by ChickPea…….tho 'Not Yet', you already understand........

Maybe - just maybe - the ‘widgets’, ‘feedjits’, 'whodunnits', ‘howonearthyits’ and ‘wotsits’ will actually, eventually be understood, selected and published as intended (rather than happening as Explorations, appearing On Screen as unequivocal Accidents and Then Becoming Permanent and, like Japanese Knotweed, deep rooted and fixed here till everlasting…….)

Please - PLEASE - tell ChickPea - just HOW does an Ignorant Imbecillic Computer Nobody learn all this jargon, get a handle on what is possible, track down a ‘How The F To Do It’ guidebook and tools – and then…. p’raps…… manage to DO it ?

(By the way - answers do not need a postcard – post a ‘comment’ ……….)

Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Mo........ Which is which ?

Well, as Myna and Moe have not yet arrived (and are hovering in the future as a question mark just now) it reduces the options somewhat !

The 2 fine trail-blazing Ladies have settled in well, taking over the garden whenever they are allowed out of their run.

This is ‘Eena’, who has given us a wee brown egg every day since she arrived on 5th July. As you can see, Eena is a very pale beautiful gold, with paler – almost white - petticoats and a fine ‘lacy’ shawl down her back. She loves slugs and is the bossier and ‘pushier’ of the two, usually being ‘leader’ for new experiences and usually first in snatching anything that looks edible. A favourite exercise is persuading TH to turn things over to find out what is underneath……It May Be Tasty……..

And here (along with Unexpected Space), we have ‘Meena’, who started laying on 16th July, eleven days after arriving. Meena, in contrast to Eena, is a fine brunette, with a classy lacy necklace (tho you can’t see that in this picture). She is the brains of the two - smart, not pushy, not the brave one – she prefers the ‘Number 2’ position, and was first to suss how to get a decent drink out of the water droppers.

“What sort of hens are they ?” Well, since you ask.......... They are both ‘Bovum Goldlines’, which (if ChickPea’s scribbled notes are accurate) is a hybrid hen bred from crossing a ‘Meadowsweet Ranger’ and a ‘Gold Star’…… Characteristically noted to be ‘high yield layers’, inquisitive, friendly and good to handle.

Also found since arrival to have their own comments about everything, eclectic tastes and voracious appetites. (As Kenny explained, “Scottish Episcopalian hens”).

Wow ! Wheeee ! Swing from the rafters !

Here’s a lovely surprise ! Have to share it. ChickPea has an interview next week !

(Well – she also has one tomorrow, Part II re ‘Jobseeker’s Allowance’ or whatever it is that they now call the former ‘Unemployment Benefit', but we’ll forget that one, because if it’s anything like the Part I phone-referral that she made yesterday, then I’m sure she’ll be wanting to forget it ASAP – filling in such an insensitive form yourself is one thing ........ ‘Are you looking for work ?' - yes.... 'Are you able to take up work ?' - yes.......... 'Have you any disability ?' - No........ 'Do you have any injury that would stop you working ?' - WHAT ? - NO .....'Are you waiting on any disability claims ?' - NO...... 'What have you been doing’ – fulltime carer for DJ who has just died’……’Have you been receiving any benefits ?’ – yes, Carer’s Allowance which has now stopped….. ‘Why are you claiming this benefit ?’ – because my Carer’s Allowance has now stopped…’Why have you stopped your previous allowance ?’ – because DJ has just died.…’How did you know about this benefit ?’ – because I’d previously been working for the last 25-odd years and paying my state contributions on the offchance that there just might be a time when I wasn’t working and needed to claim unemployment benefit….’When are you claiming from ?’ – well, DJ died on the 13th, and I’m told that my allowance stopped straight away, so I guess I’m claiming from the 14th…..’When did you start looking for a job ?’ – well, from about the 16th when I contacted DHSS to notify them of DJ’s death and heard that my allowance had therefore stopped 2 days before…....‘WHY were you not looking for a job sooner ?’ – because I was looking after DJ who has just died…… SCREAMS….. quietly….. being asked exactly the same unwieldy insensitive no-brainer questions over a poor phone link, in a very fast indistinct voice with a strong indiscernible accent is really no joke……).

But there – I guess it wasn’t really her fault………

So, we’ll forget the hoops of tomorrow, and today we’ll swing from the rafters with joy in readiness for next week………… this was the very first application………. even if one of the other 10 (probably) candidates gets it, it’s still a boost for ChickPea’s morale to get called for interview so soon…………

Re-Invention Roundabout

Travelling along Your Own Road, you too may well encounter this Obstacle To Forward Progress. Re-Invention Roundabout. Tends to occur just after A Life-Changing Event, but may equally unexpectedly crop up anywhere along your way.

If you are fortunate enough to have to encounter this Travellers’ Obstacle on a sunny day, you may be able to stop and take advantage of the tables, chairs and parasols which occupy the centre, to put your feet up and rest awhile, Considering Your Options. You may find others there too. Some may be lucky enough to possess the map which identifies aspects of the locality sufficient to assist Route Planning. Some may even have a SatNav to guide them onwards………

ChickPea is currently experiencing brief interludes of sunshine plus showers. So the parasols are useful. And, having the present luxury of no strict itinerary to set a timescale, there is, just now, time to pause and draw breath…. ( ie. she is unable to find a useful map, unable to work the SatNav ….can’t find the ‘on’ switch …….. dunno where the compass is either…… and now the sun has gone again…….)

Aye, it’s good there’s parasols……….

Perhaps there’ll be Light Refreshment too………

(But we’ll try and stop her pitching a tent……………)

Hello !