Last night our girls were listing the schools they attended as part of their local knowledge project.  One of the schools has a name pronounced 'Beaverdale' and the girls were telling each other how it should be written.  Only if you live in Leicestershire would you know that the word pronounced 'beaver' is actually spelled 'Belvoir'.  But then only if you live in Northamptonshire would know that 'Nene' (the local river) is pronounced 'Nen' (as in 'men') or the village spelled Cogenhoe as 'Cookno.'  And only if you live in Scotland or have a mother who grew up in Glasgow do you stand a chance with Milngavie (~Mulguy) or Strathaven (Straven).  What chance does anyone have?

Anyone want to add any oddities?!

This morning is our annual lunch club coffee morning.  A couple in their 70's open their home - a very ordinary semi-detached house - for the purpose and people zim along the road to get there (to zim v. art of walking with a zimmer or wheeled walking aid).  A few of us drive round gathering those whose zimming days are over, then we sit around drinking coffee and sorting out the world's problems over digestive biscuits.  Another church member acts as 'shopkeeper' for the bring and buy stall and we part with our pennies in exchange for secondhand books, bars of floral scented soap or tins of exotic or unusual foodstuffs.  After the event ends any left over stuff is taken to one of the charity shops in town.

Today's efforts are to support the local community hospital - a place where many of our folk get their chiropody and physio done, where many have been treated in the specialist stroke unit and others have been tended in their final days.

It promises to be a good morning and seems to tick rather a lot of boxes of what church is really about.  Now then, where is that box of barbie pink stationery I was given for Christmas....