3rd in Advent - 'Stir Up Sunday'

The term 'Stir up Sunday' comes from the collect for the 3rd in Advent, the first line of which is 'Stir up O Lord.....'   It is also the day, in the Victorian and Edwardian kitchens of the well-to-do, that the Christmas puddings were made, which was an all day job.   Before the era of Peek Freans Christmas puddings, and Sainsburys.

The bitter weather I mentioned this morning warmed up, the ice disappeared off the car, and it was about 67 at one point when I was driving through town.

My friend Sandra, who is a member of Emmanuel, plays the organ at another church and this evening I went to a concert she had organised at that church, she was playing the piano and it was lovely.

And finally, the weather.....

 

 

 

Harking back to yesterday morning......there was another competition at the Democrat's Christmas breakfast, which I won, I think because of the novelty, being a stranger etc.  Everyone brings a favourite coffee mug...

 



Mine shows all the fishing grounds around the British Isles.   But I don't drink out of it, it is a cherished reminder of home.  I am sure fishermen nowadays have all the latest in high tech communication systems, but when I was child they had to listen to the shipping forecast on the radio.  And I loved that.   Bailey; Rockhall;  Malin;  Hebrides; Faroes; Fair Isle.........................I learned them all.