[Magdalen] Happy New Year

[Ian Gomersall]

Happy New Year to one and all!

Here's a lovely piano recording of a version of  'Auld Lang Syne'
by a member of our Church - do listen and 'like' if you've time.

You Tube link is:  https://youtu.be/Lq7NAVHS4w0




*IanIan Gomersall*




On Sat, 2 Jan 2021 at 20:45, Judy Fleener <fleenerj at gmail.com> wrote:

> Happy New Year to all of you.  It has been a long time since I found you
> all.  I remember some wonderful characters that I got to know here.  I have
> met many of you in person and I value the memories of those travels.
>
> It was very icy here overnight. I was supposed to deliver communion to 6
> people today so that they could have it with the Eucharist streamed
> tomorrow. When I called them they said in one voice, "Stay home." We do
> this once a month for about 50 people.
>
> Our priest, much loved, was with us for 2 1/2 years.  He was retired and
> worked at St. Paul's part time.  His health took an unexpected turn and he
> has retired for a second time.  Our new priest is currently a deacon. She
> will be ordained to the priesthood on the 16th in a closed liturgy.  Two of
> her 4 children will be there as the limit is ten people.  She is a local
> person and a good friend.
>
> I spent a lot of time reading last year. I read too many books of little
> consequence in 2020.  I will be trying to make better choices in 2021
>
> On Sat, Jan 2, 2021 at 11:57 AM Marion Thompson <marionwhitevale at gmail.com
> >
> wrote:
>
> > it's wonderful to hear from you, Sally, and in such rich detail!  Thank
> you
> > for persevering with the typing despite the difficulty it presents.
> >
> > Onward and upward in 2021.
> >
> > Marion, a pilgrim
> >
> > On Sat, 2 Jan 2021 at 02:43, <sally.davies at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > > Happy New Year to everyone still in the Pub!
> > >
> > > It is lovely to hear from you all. I have finally managed to clean up
> my
> > > formerly unusable Gmail account and made it a NY resolution to keep
> > > clearing it. The Spam was unbelievable - much if it due to my addiction
> > to
> > > US politics. Honestly I do not know how you guys stand all these PACS
> and
> > > people pretending to be Nancy Pelosi!!
> > >
> > > These days I do everything on my phone or iPad so typing is less fun
> and
> > > much slower unless I dig out the Bluetooth keyboard. Still, I have a
> new
> > > phone which allows me to sweep what Malcolm Guite calls the “Twenty Six
> > > Summoners” into life, and I just need to master this peculiar new trick
> > to
> > > befriend social emails again.
> > >
> > > We are still in the Eastern Cape, in a village called Blue Horizon Bay.
> > > Both kids out of the house though Evan (our younger son) is studying in
> > > nearby Port Elizabeth and starts with my sister in town so we see him
> > > often. Keith has been at home the whole year with very little work but
> we
> > > get by somehow.
> > >
> > > I’m still working in InPatient rehab which has not been much of a
> fiesta
> > > this past year but continues to provide an income and a wonderfully
> > > supportive team. It’s been a sad and uncomfortable year togged out in
> our
> > > PPE; I am not working with known Covid patients (due to what my young
> > team
> > > mates, with unnecessary frankness, consider to be my advanced age) but
> of
> > > course you never know who will unexpectedly test positive in a so
> called
> > > Green Zone. So far only one of us has been infected so we did well;
> she’s
> > > now finally back at work but struggling with post Covid symptoms -
> > further
> > > reinforcing my conviction that however inconvenient life may be, we are
> > not
> > > taking any chances with this awful thing.
> > >
> > > Unfortunately the young tend to consider themselves invincible (‘twas
> > ever
> > > thus) and when what has undoubtedly been a very tough year dragged to
> its
> > > end they wanted to celebrate and to party. So now we have a second
> surge
> > > and even a new variant of the Rona that appears to be both more
> > contagious
> > > and more inclined to affect children. Our city was the first to hit
> > crisis
> > > with this; TBTG our numbers are going down now but other places are
> > really
> > > struggling.
> > >
> > > After gathering frustration and concern about the platform’s ethics and
> > > willingness to accommodate bad actors of all types,  I deactivated my
> FB
> > > account so regrettably have lost touch with Pub friends of yore who
> were
> > on
> > > there. I persisted with Twitter @sallyshuttle - but if you seek me
> there
> > > currently, you will not find me. Owing to an Unfortunate
> > Misunderstanding,
> > > sooner poor phrasing, and inability to resist tweeting historical
> > minutiae,
> > > I am exiled to “Twitmo” and currently have little hope of escape from
> > that
> > > lonely isle since their idea of investigation is “when did you stop
> > beating
> > > your wife”.
> > >
> > > I am therefore exploring and so far enjoying the visual feast that is
> > > Instagram - will gladly follow any of our number who is on there - let
> me
> > > know how to find you. IG handle is Sally_D_in_SA.
> > >
> > > Being confined to home when not at work, I’ve been improving the
> shining
> > > hours by delving into Shakespeare plays throughout 2020 - with
> occasional
> > > diversions into other delightful works such as the Ancient Mariner,
> > > Wuthering Heights, and Neil Gaiman’s Coraline. I don’t read much
> anymore
> > -
> > > eyes tire too easily - but YouTube is a firm friend. Theatre
> productions,
> > > including some wonderful American ones, are available and sometimes
> > movies
> > > as well. I haven’t had to pay for anything yet!
> > >
> > > I can’t imagine how tough it would be to get through a year like 2020
> > > without the boon of IT - from Zoom to What’s App (yes, I know that’s
> also
> > > FB, to whom I bite my thumb)- to YT, Twitter and Netflix. Also Apple
> > > Podcasts...
> > >
> > > In August, our little Mimsy cat passed away quite suddenly from kidney
> > > failure, leaving us sadly reduced. But in October, just as our elder
> > child
> > > and physics boffin Donal headed back into the wilds of Cape Town after
> 7
> > > months confined patiently at home, our fur family expanded to include
> > > Gimlet, a silky, slinky and highly adventurous black kitten. He’s now
> > four
> > > months old and growing by the day. Our bush surrounded home is full of
> > > dangers for small cats, not least our own dogs in the back yard and
> next
> > > door’s 3 cats, but Gimmi is fearless! So once again we are parents of a
> > > “teenager”, caught between his angry meows at being kept indoors, and
> > > anxious scanning of the yard as we wonder where he is and who might be
> > with
> > > him!
> > >
> > > Whatever 2021 may hold for all of us, let us hold fast to our own guide
> > > rope. We are not yet even close to the surface of this deep, gloomy
> dive
> > > into which 2020 has plunged us but we slowly rise toward the light; and
> > > blindly cling on, knowing Whose hands are firmly grasping the other end
> > of
> > > the rope.
> > >
> > > Love and blessings
> > >
> > > Sally D
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On Fri, 01 Jan 2021 at 02:02, Roger Stokes via Magdalen <
> > > magdalen at herberthouse.org> wrote:
> > >
> > > > If I had any doubt the noise of fireworks would remind me that 2020
> is
> > > > making way for 2021 as I write. Some aspects of 2020, such as Covid
> > > > restrictions, will necessarily still be around for a while and here
> in
> > > > the UK we are now in a different relationship with the European Union
> > > > but we are called to face the future with confidence and faith.
> > > >
> > > > Roger
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
>
> --
> Hope is a thing with feathers that perches in the soul.
> Judy Fleener, ObJN
> Western Michigan
>