THIS AND THAT 197
A few minutes ago there was a loud thump on the
window of my study. I looked out and down. A bundle of
grey and chestnut feathers feebly fluttered on the gravel. A
nuthatch.
Giving a bird the finger
I carefully picked up the dishevelled, warmly palpitating, long beaked, short-tailed mite. Its eyes were three quarters shut and its beak gaped.
It brought to mind the beginning of Nabokov’s tour
de force of a novel Pale Fire which consists of a 999 line
poem with a forward by the poem’s fictional author and a
lengthy commentary on the poem by a fictional academic
colleague of the poet. The poem begins:
I was the shadow of the waxwing slain
By the false azure in the windowpane;
I was the smudge of ashen fluff—and I
Lived on, flew on, in the reflected sky.
To my delight the bird clung firmly and fearlessly to
my finger. Eventually its eyelids opened fully to reveal
bright, if puzzled, eyes. After twenty minutes, a little uncertainly, it flew off into the oak trees.
Australia is smaller then Europe
Last year’s holiday was to Australia. This year’s was to
southern Portugal. Both involved many miles of driving.
Had we not meandered, dallied and deviated in our drive
from Darwin to Port Augusta across Australia last year, the
distance would have been almost exactly the same as for the
route we followed from Caen in France to Pechao in Portugal this year. Though we did meander, dally and deviate a
little in Portugal too.
Europe is huge. Traveling there by car certainly puts
little England in its place. Mainland Europe, from north to
south, stretches from Cape Nordkinn in Norway to Punta
de Tarifa in Spain. A latitudinal distance of 2,422 miles.
From east to west it stretches from Cabo Da Roca in Portugal to the Ural Mountains in Russia. A longitudinal distance
of 3,938 miles. Its estimated area is 3,930,000 square miles.
Australia is not quite so huge. From north to south it
stretches from Cape York in Queensland to the southern
most tip of Tasmania, a latitudinal distance of 2,287 miles
(135 less than Europe). From east to west it stretches from
Steep Point in Western Australia to Cape Byron in New
South Wales, a longitudinal distance of 2,486 miles (1,452
less than Europe. The estimated land area of Australia is
2,969,898 square miles (960,102 less than Europe).
Nocturnal goings on
We caught the late night ferry from Portsmouth to
Caen on Sunday the 14th of May. Because the vessel was far
from full we were able to take a row of seats each and lie
down to sleep. During the night I felt a little chill. I scrabbled among our possessions on the floor to find one of our
blankets. What I took to be a jumper of Diana’s turned out
to be the curly head of a young woman sleeping on what
had been empty floor when I first settled down. A terrifying
mistake in this day and age. Fortunately she sleepily took my
horrified apology as genuine, turned over and resumed her
sleep. I had to open my Kindle and read for awhile before
slumber returned.
We disembarked at about half past six in the morning. Not due to meet up with our friend in Rennes until mid
afternoon we dallied along minor roads for a while before
speeding down the toll way at 130 kilometres an hour. Once
comfortably settled in Christiane’s ground floor apartment
we went for a walk along the fine River Vilaine and then to
a small and lovely local park.
Murder
Christiane is an old friend of Diana’s. Many years ago
she had had married a doctor from the Central African Republic training in France. She went with him to Africa as a
teacher of English. Her husband was then murdered on Bokassa’s orders. Christiane escaped with nothing save the skin
of her teeth and mercifully her two children.
All Andrew Neaum’s weekly articles are at: http:// www.andrewneaum.com/
St John the Baptist, Boldre
St Nicholas, Pilley
Parish Priest: The Reverend Canon Andrew Neaum
Phone: 01590 718439 Mobile 078080 57168
Email: [email protected]
Assistant Priest: The Reverend Felicity Boot
Email: [email protected]
St Mary the Virgin, South Baddesley
Parish Priest: The Reverend Richard Elliott
Phone: 07836 760150 Email: [email protected]
Benefice Office (at St Nicholas Pilley)
Office hours: Mon, Wed & Thurs: 9am-11am
Phone: 01590 673484 Email: [email protected]
Webpage: http://www.bsbb.org.uk/
THIS WEEK: TRINITY ONE 18 June 2017
St Nicholas’ Chapel, Pilley: 8.00am Holy Communion
St Mary’s South Baddesley: 9.30pm Holy Communion CW
St John’s Boldre:
10.30am Family Service & Children’s Club
St Luke’s Sway:
6.30pm Choral Evensong
For Prayer This Week
World peace and mutual toleration and respect between faiths.
Sufferers from persecution and corrupt government. All in government. Daniel and Helen married last week. Prayer requests:
Heather Collins-Wells, Colin Erne, John Hudson Davies, Janet.
Rest in Peace: Jim Butchart.
Activities This Week
Mon 19 Jun - 4.30pm Bible Study Ph. 07786194282 for venue
Tue 20 Jun - 10.30am Vintage Fitness. Seated exercise to music
at St Nicholas’ Pilley & refreshment
Wed 21 Jun - 10.30am St Nicholas’ Pilley, Communion + Coffee
Thu 22 Jun - 10.30am Vintage Fitness. As on Tuesdays
NEXT WEEK: TRINITY TWO 25 June 2017
St Nicholas’ Chapel, Pilley: 8.00am Holy Communion
St Mary’s South Baddesley: 9.30pm Matins (BCP)
St John’s Boldre: 10.30am Holy Communion & Children’s Club
St John’s Boldre: 6.30pm PATRONAL FESTIVAL Evensong
Dates for the Diary 2017
Sat 1 Jul - 1.00 - 5.00pm Boldre Church and Village Fete
Sat 15 Jul - 12.00pm St John’s - Wedding Michael & Emily
Sun 16 Jul - 3.00pm St Saviour’s Brock -‘Songs of Praise’
Sat 22 Jul - 3.00pm St John’s - Wedding Andrew & Jennifer
Fri 25 July - 8.50am WG School end of term Service
Fri 1 Sep - 2.00pm St John’s - Wedding Simon & Ionella
Sat 9 Sep - Ride & Stride - St John’s & St Mary’s 10 - 6pm
Sat 9 Sep - 1.00pm St John’s Wedding James & Camilla
Sat 23 Sep - 7.00pm Boldre Memorial Hall - Harvest Supper
Sun 24 Sep - 10.30am St John’s - Harvest Festival
TODAY IS MUSIC SUNDAY
RSCM Music Sunday is a celebration of the music and musicianship
that plays so vital and beloved a part of church life. Music Sunday salutes, in words and music, the creativity, discipline, effort, and dedication of singers, instrumentalists, organists and music leaders in local
churches. It is a day to recognise and thank God for the endeavour of
people – young and old, professional and amateur, administrator and
practitioner- who create the wonderful music that inspires and deepens
our Christian worship.
6.30pm NEXT SUNDAY
PATRONAL FESTIVAL EVENSONG
The music will be superb, the preacher remarkable, and the atmosphere electric. All lovers of St John’s should be present. The Director of
Music is Timothy Rice ARCO ALCM. The Preacher is the Revd Dr David Neaum - Chaplain of St Catharine’s College, Cambridge.
1 JULY BOLDRE CHURCH & VILLAGE FETE
The Boldre Church and Village Fete takes place in Pilley at the Boldre
Memorial Hall and Recreation Ground on Saturday 1 July1-5pm. It will
feature all of the usual attractions and much more!
If you are able to contribute to the stalls please contact the following
persons:
Bric-a-brac & Books
Carole Morris
623 188
Bottles
Peter & Penelope Chitty
672 383
Tombola
David & Penny Whately-Smith
672 367
Plants
Sarah Parish
673760
Jams, chutneys etc
Jean Gibbins
672 755
Bread cakes biscuits pastries Jill Matthew
623 013
or Carol Edge
674 271
Also needed are volunteers to help in a variety of capacities for part or
whole of the event, particularly to help set up and clear away. Contact
Sandy Walford 01590 672176..
GRAND DRAW TICKETS
If you haven’t received a book of draw tickets to sell. Please ask for one
(or two or three). If you have sold a book ((or two or three) please return
the stubs with the cash to the Vicarage (01590 718439), the Benefice
Office (01590 673484), or to Graham Edmiston (01590 678550) or ring
one of us to collect them. We need to sell every ticket we have!!