This is not my first post about toilets... believe it or not!
Something that's been on my mind for a while are school toilets. Remember when you were at school and toilets were the place to avoid a) because they smell awful and never get cleaned and b) the rumours that the "big boys" are waiting to flush someone's head down a toilet? Well...I never thought there would be a day when I looked forward to using the college toilets but now I work on site I just can't wait for a change of lavatories tomorrow!
Note to anyone visiting this site- go to the toilet before you get here!
Tuesday, 17 May 2011
Internet Searches...
I can't think of a person who hasn't Googled their own name- often with hilarious results.
With a name as common as "Brown" I have never seen me appear anywhere before page 4 of results- and it often gives suggested related comments to narrow down the results.
Today's search (no, I don't do it every day) offered the following narrowing-downs; "Phil Brown Brothel". Not something I particularly want to be associated with! I much prefer the "Phil Brown Footballer" option!
With a name as common as "Brown" I have never seen me appear anywhere before page 4 of results- and it often gives suggested related comments to narrow down the results.
Today's search (no, I don't do it every day) offered the following narrowing-downs; "Phil Brown Brothel". Not something I particularly want to be associated with! I much prefer the "Phil Brown Footballer" option!
Monday, 28 March 2011
The Cornfords...
The Cornfords left for Perth 9 months ago today. I know this because Josephine was born the day before they left, in a characteristically laid back fashion. A routine Cornford family visit turned into a rushed 5 minute visit hours before they departed- Josephine was supposed to be born two days earlier but took 47 hours to make an entrance after labour started! Such is our love for the Cornford family (a love that now goes back 3 generations!) that they were to see Josephine even before her doting English Grandparents!
We are truly full of admiration for the Cornfords- especially my wife who knows the harsh and largely unexpected reality of culture shock from one English speaking country to another.
This blog won't offer much more insight than picked up from reading his frequent blogs of his adventures down-under, and will not - and indeed can not - pay a full tribute to the Cornford family, their enthusiasm for the gospel, life and each other... just a note to say that we miss them, love them dearly, that they are never far from our thoughts and prayers and how jealous we are of Sam and Anna Isaacson being out there for the next two weeks!!!
I like that Josephine's life markers will also be a marker for the Cornfords time faithfully serving in Australia... there always has been a nice symmetry to the Brown-Cornfords families!
We are truly full of admiration for the Cornfords- especially my wife who knows the harsh and largely unexpected reality of culture shock from one English speaking country to another.
This blog won't offer much more insight than picked up from reading his frequent blogs of his adventures down-under, and will not - and indeed can not - pay a full tribute to the Cornford family, their enthusiasm for the gospel, life and each other... just a note to say that we miss them, love them dearly, that they are never far from our thoughts and prayers and how jealous we are of Sam and Anna Isaacson being out there for the next two weeks!!!
I like that Josephine's life markers will also be a marker for the Cornfords time faithfully serving in Australia... there always has been a nice symmetry to the Brown-Cornfords families!
What a Difference Nine Months Makes...
Yesterday Josephine Kate Brown celebrated her 9th monthiversary! What a difference 9 months can make...
She's gone from this...(day one)
To this...(a few months)
To this...(eight months-ish)
To this...(nine months)
What a stunner! My life has been changed by this girl. In fact, my life has been changed by two females hugely in the last 4 years - I feel like a blessed man indeed. Josephine Kate is the biggest time-waster known to man, I can watch her being her for hours. She looks just like her mom (thank goodness) and has the most relaxed temprement I've ever seen in a baby. I'm biassed, I know, but this is one special little girl who warms the heart of whoever meets her.
She is a tribute to the wonderful mothering of a fantastic woman.
One day soon my little darling will start crawling, walking and talking- she won't seem so little then. I'm cherishing these days with her more than I thought I ever would. At the risk of being soppy... I love my girls!
She's gone from this...(day one)
To this...(a few months)
To this...(eight months-ish)
To this...(nine months)
What a stunner! My life has been changed by this girl. In fact, my life has been changed by two females hugely in the last 4 years - I feel like a blessed man indeed. Josephine Kate is the biggest time-waster known to man, I can watch her being her for hours. She looks just like her mom (thank goodness) and has the most relaxed temprement I've ever seen in a baby. I'm biassed, I know, but this is one special little girl who warms the heart of whoever meets her.
She is a tribute to the wonderful mothering of a fantastic woman.
One day soon my little darling will start crawling, walking and talking- she won't seem so little then. I'm cherishing these days with her more than I thought I ever would. At the risk of being soppy... I love my girls!
Monday, 20 December 2010
Snow Snow Snow...
Tom Avery is perhaps the only person I know who's spoken sense about the recent snow falling in London...
What’s so bad about ‘The Big Freeze’?
December 20, 2010 by Tom Avery
Sure, businesses are affected, travels nigh on impossible, it’s cold and wet, the economy suffers and for some inexcusable reason do owners don’t pick up their canine’s doodoo. But look outside! It’s magnificent.
I just do not understand people who don’t like snow! Go and build a snowman, go sledging, have a snow ball fight. What could be better.
I was watching the weather report and couldn’t believe the way the reporter talked about this glorious blanket of white. “Awful amount of snow”, “Thank goodness it’s not snowing in . . .”, “Nasty band of snow”, these were some of the choice phrases he used.
Even better than the fun to be had in snow is the change it effects upon people. Suddenly, you’re talking to people in shops about the snow, delivery men have a story to tell about how they got to your front door, and passersby greet you with a hello and a knowing look is passed between you.
In short, I love snow!
And a congratulations to Tom and Chloe for the birth of their second child, Rocco Winston Thomas Avery, born 13th December!
What’s so bad about ‘The Big Freeze’?
December 20, 2010 by Tom Avery
Sure, businesses are affected, travels nigh on impossible, it’s cold and wet, the economy suffers and for some inexcusable reason do owners don’t pick up their canine’s doodoo. But look outside! It’s magnificent.
I just do not understand people who don’t like snow! Go and build a snowman, go sledging, have a snow ball fight. What could be better.
I was watching the weather report and couldn’t believe the way the reporter talked about this glorious blanket of white. “Awful amount of snow”, “Thank goodness it’s not snowing in . . .”, “Nasty band of snow”, these were some of the choice phrases he used.
Even better than the fun to be had in snow is the change it effects upon people. Suddenly, you’re talking to people in shops about the snow, delivery men have a story to tell about how they got to your front door, and passersby greet you with a hello and a knowing look is passed between you.
In short, I love snow!
And a congratulations to Tom and Chloe for the birth of their second child, Rocco Winston Thomas Avery, born 13th December!
Bah Humbug...
Our church small group recently came together for a lovely Christmas party... when we heard Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas Time/ Feed the World. We proceeded to rip this song to piece's (despite it's charitable qualities), a few lines were the main sources of annoyance.
a) Bono sings like his life depends on it the following words "Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you" ... real charitable, Bono, real charitable. If I were a starving whoever, wherever I'd be wanting to kick him in the face. Hard. There's nothing quite like a kick while you're down! Great lyric!
b) They all link arms and declare "There won't be snow in Africa this Christmas..." So what. At the time of writing there wasn't any snow in England any Christmas. Do you think African pop-stars get together in the summer all declaring "There won't be sun in Eng-er-land this summer..."??? Me neither.
c) "Where the only water flowing is a bitter sting of tears... Where nothing ever grows, no rain or rivers flow" Whoa! Way harsh!
Great chorus though!
a) Bono sings like his life depends on it the following words "Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you" ... real charitable, Bono, real charitable. If I were a starving whoever, wherever I'd be wanting to kick him in the face. Hard. There's nothing quite like a kick while you're down! Great lyric!
b) They all link arms and declare "There won't be snow in Africa this Christmas..." So what. At the time of writing there wasn't any snow in England any Christmas. Do you think African pop-stars get together in the summer all declaring "There won't be sun in Eng-er-land this summer..."??? Me neither.
c) "Where the only water flowing is a bitter sting of tears... Where nothing ever grows, no rain or rivers flow" Whoa! Way harsh!
Great chorus though!
Monday, 22 November 2010
Done and Dusted (Literally)...
We've done it. We're officially moved out. Yesterday we had a troop of friends helping to get the last bits out and thoroughly clean the place. We have some absolutely amazing friends out there - there were even people scrubbing our oven who I had literally never met or seen. Ridonculous.
I don't really know who reads this, if anyone, other than Sam, Ben and my hot hottie of a wife, and as such I write as if no one is really reading. Sometimes I get too mad, or sad, or whatever...unguarded you might say.
Leaving the house has brought out so many differing emotions in me. Last night I shocked at how I was feeling...utterly selfish. Essentially we're being kicked out of our house against our will at Christmas time. What an ultimatum to give*.
So our incredible friends have offered to put us up until we can find the right house, at the right price, in the right location. A monumental gesture of friendship in allowing us to completely invade their lives. Yet we don't want to be there. It's an amazing house and we have more than enough space - we even need to use the baby monitor now to hear our child cry!
I hate feeling like this because I think of the many hundreds of thousands of people worldwide living without a roof over their heads. I think about large families squashed into one tiny room because that's all they can afford. I get sad because we can no longer host as we choose, that it's not a "what we want, when we want it" rulebook temporarily. I keep thinking "this sucks"... but does it? It's a huge blessing! We're just being caught up in God's great grace. I know that we'll have the perfect place soon - I think I just need to adjust my attitude in the meantime**.
*Please note "kicked out" isn't due to rent payments etc etc, they are proposing putting another level on our building so the who block got given notice.
**Disclaimer - the couple putting us up are a wonderful couple. They are generous beyond belief, understanding and sympathetic to our situation, and have been great friends to Liz and I since their arrival in England. We have utmost respect for them. This blog is no way construing that they are a suffocating presence (in their own house, no less!!) or by any means lessening out quality of life. We love them dearly and are so grateful for all they are doing and have done for us.
I don't really know who reads this, if anyone, other than Sam, Ben and my hot hottie of a wife, and as such I write as if no one is really reading. Sometimes I get too mad, or sad, or whatever...unguarded you might say.
Leaving the house has brought out so many differing emotions in me. Last night I shocked at how I was feeling...utterly selfish. Essentially we're being kicked out of our house against our will at Christmas time. What an ultimatum to give*.
So our incredible friends have offered to put us up until we can find the right house, at the right price, in the right location. A monumental gesture of friendship in allowing us to completely invade their lives. Yet we don't want to be there. It's an amazing house and we have more than enough space - we even need to use the baby monitor now to hear our child cry!
I hate feeling like this because I think of the many hundreds of thousands of people worldwide living without a roof over their heads. I think about large families squashed into one tiny room because that's all they can afford. I get sad because we can no longer host as we choose, that it's not a "what we want, when we want it" rulebook temporarily. I keep thinking "this sucks"... but does it? It's a huge blessing! We're just being caught up in God's great grace. I know that we'll have the perfect place soon - I think I just need to adjust my attitude in the meantime**.
*Please note "kicked out" isn't due to rent payments etc etc, they are proposing putting another level on our building so the who block got given notice.
**Disclaimer - the couple putting us up are a wonderful couple. They are generous beyond belief, understanding and sympathetic to our situation, and have been great friends to Liz and I since their arrival in England. We have utmost respect for them. This blog is no way construing that they are a suffocating presence (in their own house, no less!!) or by any means lessening out quality of life. We love them dearly and are so grateful for all they are doing and have done for us.
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