Why I love Wednesdays

Or more specifically Wednesday afternoons.

My regular commitments are all at the beginning of the week so Wednesday lunchtime is when life starts to slow down. At least until life crops up again.

At a family party a few years ago.
Ken is the one in the bright white shirt

Travelled to Dorset last Thursday for my cousin's husband's funeral on the Friday. Lots of people at the funeral and once again I came away wishing I had known the deceased better. I knew Ken as a funny gentle man. I knew he was a professor of chemistry but I didn't realise the effect he and his wife, Anne, had had on so many lives. There were a number of his ex-phd -students at the funeral, all wanting to say goodbye to the man who had been more than a tutor to them.

One in particular, an Iraqi, spoke very movingly of exactly how much Ken had done for him when the Iraqi war broke out while he was in the middle of his studies. All accounts were frozen and he was unable to access his scholarship funding. Ken and Anne helped him immensely then and they remained friends, with Ken being best man when Emir married a local Yorkshire girl.

I have to mention the food too. Most funeral buffets are pretty ordinary but this was excellent with loads of choice. All very unhealthy - battered or in pastry - but delicious. Is it inappropriate to say that? 

From there it was on to Surrey to stay with Elder Son and family and see their new home for the first time. It's a lovely house, probably from the 1930s and has a definite look of 'Tom and Barbara'* about it.

Spent a lot of time playing football but also managed a walk in Windsor Great Park (and a football game). We'd hope to be able to watch GrandSon1 playing a match on Sunday morning but a frozen pitch meant it was cancelled.

The Obelisk in Windsor Great Park

Monday morning in exercise class I was Lizzie No-mates and had to work on my own, which was fine by me. The teacher joined me for the boxing bit. Most people there (it is a class for mature seniors) pat the pads but I like to throw myself into it so had good fun working with Elaine - until she decided it would be amusing to end by throwing herself on her back as if I'd knocked her out. Everyone looked at me horrified. 'I didn't do it!'

Yesterday off to Younger Son's to look after grandchildren. GrandDaughter3 is teething and was a bit tired so our attempt to join in with Rhyme Time at the library was curtailed when she decided she really didn't feel like singing any more.

Then back to head out again soon to lead bible study in Zac's. I felt ill-prepared and had to read from my notes quite a bit but actually the evening went well. People participated and there was a good atmosphere. And Rowland, our tribal elder, said to me at the end, 'That was lovely, Liz, really lovely. Everyone was drawn in.' A compliment like that from Rowland will keep me buzzing for weeks.

Today it was back to gym with Jim. Usually I wear a loose white t-shirt for exercise but as I couldn't find any of my usuals I wore a dark, slightly-more-fitted one. At the end of class several people said how slim and fit I looked. So that's the answer: wear dark. Slims you down a treat.

Oh and I wasn't going to go to Slimming World this week as I'd eaten quite a lot over the weekend but I'm glad I did: I'd lost half a pound. Wear dark and play football. The way forward.