I have retrieved the phone now, which contains the pictures, so can put them up on here. 

As I said yesterday, mum and I went to Northampton on Saturday, and spent a bit of time whilst there looking round churches.There were three that we visited, the first we came across by chance, as we were walking into the town from the train station. This was the church of St Peter, and although it is still used, it is cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust.  We had to go up the road to a local hotel in order to get the keys to open up the church, which we did after them taking ID etc. We then spent about an hour looking round and taking pictures. As we were leaving I heard someone at the gate outside, which we had locked up behind us, they wanted to come in. I had to explain that I needed to take the key back and sign it back in, before they could have it, and as such needed to follow me up the road so they could then sign it out.  The man and the woman seemed a little miffed that I couldn't just give them the key, but I had no idea what would happen if I didn't take the key back.

Anyway, from there we carried on our way towards town, when mum saw a signpost for one of the other churches that we wanted to see, but it was heading up along the side of a very big and busy road, so we decided we would get into town and have a wander round there first. We went off to find the tourist information first to get a map of the town, and found the way to the church. So off we went to St Sepulchre church, one of only four churches in Britain , where the round church part is still standing.  It was surprisingly huge inside, but lovely. 

From there we left to go and find lunch somewhere, and ended up in M&S for a cheese and mushroom toastie, which is delicious. Suitably refreshed we set off into the own again, There was a huge market there so we had a mooch round that, then round some of the shops. We had enough a little while after and headed back to the station, but a different way to the one we had come into the town, and passed the church of All Saints, and as it was open, had to go in.  What a lovely building, with probably the most comfortable pews  I have ever sat on. Everything that could be was either painted, mainly brown or covered in gold. 

Well, we left there eventually, and made our way home. Didn't do an awful lot in Brum once we had got back. 

This last week has been quite an enjoyable one for me, not sure why, it just has. Monday was spent at home getting washing and things done, Tuesday was a day at work. Wednesday was MLOs birthday, so we went to one of his favourite food pubs for a celebratory lunch. Just outside Raglan by Monmouth, the Cripplecreek Inn, who do lovely roast lamb with mash and veg, swiftly followed by the largest individual berry pavlova I have ever seen in my life, thinking back I wish I had taken a photograph of it, as it was truly gargantuan. Once MLO had nobbled most of the cream, which I am not too fond of, I have to say it was utterly delicious. MLO had a rather more mundane piece of apple pie, which was only spectacular in its ordinariness, but as MLO is the worlds biggest apple pie fan, he was completely contented. We went to Monmouth afterwards but didn't stay long due to torrential rain making it pretty unpleasant going, especially so as we only had the one umbrella between us, and neither of us were wearing a jacket. We went home then after that. MLOs mother was away up in the peak district Wednesday and Thursday, so a blissfully quiet couple of day were had at home. 

Thursday was work again, as was Friday, Saturday and again this morning (Sunday). 

During the week, I finally sorted out whether I could have the few days of next week to go camping in Norfolk, and I am glad to say I can. So camping preparations are going at a great pace, time has crept up on us and overtaken without so much as a by or leave, and we have found that due to the fact that we are both working straight through to Tuesday evening, and  with MLO having a meeting on Tuesday night there is practically no time to sort all the stuff out. We did manage to get our tent out and put it up in the back garden,to check to see if it was still waterproof. Being a heavy cotton canvas one, we weren't about to take any chances, so with MLO standing inside, and me totally drenching it with the hose outside, we couldn't find a single drip or leak, so good to go.  

As I had work this morning, we could only get to the evening service. On the way to church, I had the strangest feeling that something was happening again, quite apart from my rumbling tummy, and got to church in a far more cheerful happy mood than I have done of late. Was a good service, quite amusing in parts, especially the part where the vicar sprang a new hymn on us, and the entire first verse was sung in silence and whispers as no one could figure out the tune, even the vicar was quiet on that point.  Eventually someone sang out in the second verse, and everyone else gradually joined in as they got it. By the fifth and final verse we were going great guns. At the end of the service we said the usual goodbyes etc, then he mentioned the weather and we talked about going camping, then all of a sudden, he said that he was finally sorting out some dates for confirmation classes, but just had to finalise a date with the Bishop.  All I could do was grin like a Cheshire cat and say thank you, and positively skipped out of church and back to the car. Still haven't stopped smiling yet. I had almost begun to think he had forgotten, but just when I feel something is going to happen, it does. Totally cool. Woohoo, yay etc.  God really is Great.  :-) 

I have to be up early again for work tomorrow, and want to get quite a lot done there, so I must go for now. So TTFN. Good night etc. 

Today is going to be another of those two for the price of one posts. Sorry I didn't blog yesterday, but really, I was bushed. Hardly surprising as MLO and I had a lovely long walk, but still no real excuse.
Being Bank Holiday Monday, the original plan was to go on a full days walk somewhere with a picnic somewhere during the day too. However, the weather forecast didn't look too promising for our area, so gardening was done while the weather was dry. We then left to go shopping, and eventually got round to our walk at just after four. Decided as it was easy to get to, we would walk up in the woods above the village of Mordiford.
There is a legend of a dragon in Mordiford. A little girl, Maud was out walking in Haugh wood, when she came across a little green creature with wings .. She liked it so much she took it home with her. On arrival at home her parents were non too pleased, realising what the creature was, but allowed her to keep it after she pleaded with them to let her. She decided to keep it in the woods, and fed it on milk. Unfortunately the dragon grew, and grew, until milk was not enough to keep it going. So it graduated onto killing livestock, small animals first and eventually sheep and cattle,     then the villagers.  All the local villagers were terrified as no-one dared go near it, all except Maud who the dragon trusted. Eventually a local criminal Garnston decided he would take the dragon on, and hid inside a cider barrel, and armed himself with a bow and arrow. Along came the dragon, and spying Garnston tried to eat him, however Garnston managed to get an arrow fired which pierced the dragons heart, thereby killing it. Sadly for Garnston though, he never received a reward, as the dragon incinerated him with its dying breath.
Walking through these woods today, you can well imagine a huge green beastie roaming around, they can be quite creepy at times.
Well on our walk, MLO and I had a lovely long talk, all about how I felt about everything, how he felt about it all aswell. It is an odd feeling though for me right now. Things seem to be getting clearer, whereas before I only had a vague (but certain -ish :-)) notion of it all, now little details are filling up the gaps, and it is making a lot more sense to me now (sort of), making it easier for me to talk about it .  I said to MLO that it was like being stood at a road junction. Only one way will get me where I need to get to, but unfortunately there are about a thousand different roads to choose from. At each road there is someone shouting about the merit of going on their road, but I have to listen to try to hear the correct one. Now, the thousand road have become tens, and it is becoming easier to try and make out what each direction is saying. I probably didn't use the best analogy there, or put it particularly succinctly either, but it is what I told MLO, and is the best I can do.
With things getting clearer, I have a feeling growing in me, a certainty almost,  like something has been set in motion. It is a good way to feel don't get me wrong, almost like when I make decision to do something, and I can't alter my decision, but have to wait for the outcome good, or bad, and just accept it, as the outcome is completely out of my hands now. Not how I would expect to feel, as I haven't done anything lately, not that I recall anyway. Most odd. But like I said, not bad, not at all bad.  It really does feel like  I am at the beginning of something, an expectancy that something is going to happen. So I will have to wait and see.
While driving home from our woodland walk, we decided to follow a footpath for a little way across the lugg flats and by the river. Rather lovely walking though a flower meadow in full bloom even if most of the flowers were just buttercups. We enjoyed it so much we thought how lovely, it would be to walk that way to church on Sunday. A couple of miles down the hill, over farmland, through flower meadows and following a river to Church. What could be nicer?
Work today was excrutiatingly quiet, half term is responsible for that I think though. I haven't been able to stop grinning again today. If I get any smilier or happy than I already am, people will begin to think I am a bit deficient.
Right now I feel shattered, so will blog off for now. Au revoir etc etc etc.