The end of the blog

This is it, then, the end of the blog.

Here I am sitting by an open fire at Dutch l'Abri (a Christian community) near Utrecht in Holland .

And I have made a new start on a new blog. Asha and Kirin have had a few days being with Sue and Mark in Amsterdam - and the few days of space to think and pray here surrounded by apple orchards as far as the eye can see, has enabled me to move on again. So a new phase is starting.

I hope that you will find your way to this new blogsite. It's not supposed to be a secret, but you do have to send me a request and I will activate an invitation for you to join and send you the link.

So if you want to follow what is happening in our home and neighbourhood (principally it's my take on life with Asha and Kirin)
- then please Email me!

On Saturday 27th October at 12 noon we will be planting more bulbs at the foot of Ali's tree at the top of Springfield Park E5 at 12noon. At the moment that is a very small group indeed, so please think of joining us. I'll buy all the coffees/hot chocolates from the cafe to keep us warm!

I am still getting organised to fix/make permanent this "All about Ali" blogsite, and to generate copies for people so it's still not too late to request a copy if you haven't already- it may not reach you until Spring 2008 though.

Lots of love
Chris

tide coming in

The last couple of weeks have felt so different, as if I am floating so much higher. There seems to be plenty (I'm thinking I suppose of tricky moments with the kids) that could catch me out, but I am not nearly so vulnerable to those incidents. They don't drag me down as much. We had a house full on October 2nd and I loved the sound of so much singing - soul language, songs which connect us straight back. And we planted 80 bulbs around Ali's tree in Springfield park the next afternoon - people will be puzzled in February to see so much colour and bulb activity emerging around the base of a rather delapidated pine tree. It still doesn't have a plaque or anything, and I rather like that - the tree with no name which is our special place. Asha and Kirin and I get there very regularly - three of us on a bike, and they can't wait for it to grow really big! We will do some more planting on Saturday 27th October 12noon - meet at the cafe at the big white house at the very top of Springfield Park E5.

We drove an hour to Letchworth today to meet up with about 25 other families where there has been a bereavement - where one of the parents had died while the children were still young.

One unforgettable exhange:

Me: Asha what did you feel like when Mummy died?
Asha: Sad

(see draws a picture of Asha looking sad)

Me: And what about now, how do you feel now?
Asha: (Pause...........) Safe.

(she draws a picture of Asha cuddling a bear)
That whole day trip was worth it just for hearing her say that!

Safe. What a way to sum it up. I feel that too.




Here's a picture from August on the pebbles at Sandwich - watching the tide coming in




Lots of love from Chris