A couple of days this week it's been very hot. More than 30C, and with the beginnings of humidity, too. Thankfully it's cooler today, with a nice breeze. But it's the start of things to come. From now until at least mid-September there's almost no chance of rain, so I have to remember to water my patio plants at least twice a week; more, once it stays hot all the time.
But it's June now, and it's Cyprus, so what do we expect? We're just glad we haven't had to use the air conditioning so far (other than a couple of days nearly four weeks ago when we had a brief early heatwave). I've gravitated to shorts rather than jeans - earlier this week - and haven't worn a sweatshirt for at least a fortnight. And I've started drinking frappés (de-caffeinated) after lunch rather than hot coffee. But we're still using a light duvet on the bed at night.
Today is also officially the start of Summer for Tim, who has come to the end of the second semester of his theology course today. He has been doing three modules since the end of February - the maximum allowed for correspondence course students - and somehow all three end-of-year essays were due today. Not good timing.
He could have asked for an extension for one or even two of them, but next week he's going to be working with Richard at Kurium in Limassol, recording the show of Esther that's being produced there at the end of the week. Monday is setup day, Tuesday rehearsals... they'll be there from 9am till late both days. On Wednesday and Thursday they hope to be able to go after lunch, depending on how well things are going. The actual performances are Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and they'll be recording them all for editing afterwards, to be broadcast on Cyprus TV and also to create a DVD.
So Tim is not going to have much free time next week, and definitely didn't want the pressure of trying to finish an essay. So as he's not good at getting things done in advance, he's had a heavy week getting them all done! He finally sent them off by email about half an hour ago, and has gone to the sea-front to treat himself to his favourite raspberry sorbet dairy-free ice cream at Haagen Daaz. Then on to youth band practice - there's a big island-wide youth service in a couple of weeks at which they're playing - followed by youth group at 6.30.
So, Summer is here. Before long I'll be 'estivating' in my air-conditioned study for several hours of the day, not wanting to cook or go out anywhere. But everything slows down in the summer here; shops and businesses shut from 1pm to about 4pm for siesta time in July and August (sometimes in June too) and everyone's supposed to be quiet for the official siesta period.
Showing posts with label theology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label theology. Show all posts
Friday, June 01, 2007
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Tuesday tiredness
It always happens.
I feel as if I'm doing quite well with Christmas preparations - one or two things to do each day as we approach the 25th, but nothing too strenuous or time-consuming. I don't hurry through preparations so as to avoid too much stress, thinking it will be nice to do just a little each day.
Then I wake up one day feeling utterly exhausted, for no apparent reason. Perhaps my brain has gone into overdrive or something. Or too many carols have worn me out.
But I never remember that this is going to happen. So when, yesterday, I had no enthusiasm for anything and kept yawning most of the day, it seemed very odd... I didn't get to the PO Box as planned, nor did I do any of the cooking I had planned for yesterday. Such as the first mince pies of the season...
Today I woke up with a slight headache. I never get much done on Tuesday morning as I help at the local mother-and-toddler group. Still, I did manage to leave half an hour early to give me time to get to the PO Box, where there were several Christmas cards waiting for us, and a book Tim needed for his theology degree course.
I turned on the computer just before lunch and was pleased to see an email from Daniel, who we hadn't heard from in over a week. He suggested it would be a good day to phone, preferably around 7pm his time. The Doulos has just arrived in Bacalod in the Philippines, and that's six hours ahead of Cyprus at this time of year, so shortly after 1pm I phoned. He said it wasn't such a good time after all, since people had suddenly arrived to load water on the ship - one of his big responsibilities as Waterman when they arrive anywhere new. So he had to supervise it for a while. He asked if I could phone back around 8pm his time, which was actually more convenient since we usually eat lunch around 1pm.
It was so good to talk to him. He said it was an enjoyable voyage - they've been at sea for about four days - and he's been taking things easy as he was getting so tired during the recent dry-dock. Loading water was hectic, but he hoped the next few days would be reasonably relaxing. They do get two days off over Christmas, then afterwards will be preparing to welcome the new group of people who will join them in Manila later in January. Unbelievable to think it's almost a year since he went.
I did remember - at last - to post this year's Christmas newsletter and photos on this blog. So that's something. And will probably go and make some mince pies in a few minutes.
But I'm still pretty tired.
I feel as if I'm doing quite well with Christmas preparations - one or two things to do each day as we approach the 25th, but nothing too strenuous or time-consuming. I don't hurry through preparations so as to avoid too much stress, thinking it will be nice to do just a little each day.
Then I wake up one day feeling utterly exhausted, for no apparent reason. Perhaps my brain has gone into overdrive or something. Or too many carols have worn me out.
But I never remember that this is going to happen. So when, yesterday, I had no enthusiasm for anything and kept yawning most of the day, it seemed very odd... I didn't get to the PO Box as planned, nor did I do any of the cooking I had planned for yesterday. Such as the first mince pies of the season...
Today I woke up with a slight headache. I never get much done on Tuesday morning as I help at the local mother-and-toddler group. Still, I did manage to leave half an hour early to give me time to get to the PO Box, where there were several Christmas cards waiting for us, and a book Tim needed for his theology degree course.
I turned on the computer just before lunch and was pleased to see an email from Daniel, who we hadn't heard from in over a week. He suggested it would be a good day to phone, preferably around 7pm his time. The Doulos has just arrived in Bacalod in the Philippines, and that's six hours ahead of Cyprus at this time of year, so shortly after 1pm I phoned. He said it wasn't such a good time after all, since people had suddenly arrived to load water on the ship - one of his big responsibilities as Waterman when they arrive anywhere new. So he had to supervise it for a while. He asked if I could phone back around 8pm his time, which was actually more convenient since we usually eat lunch around 1pm.
It was so good to talk to him. He said it was an enjoyable voyage - they've been at sea for about four days - and he's been taking things easy as he was getting so tired during the recent dry-dock. Loading water was hectic, but he hoped the next few days would be reasonably relaxing. They do get two days off over Christmas, then afterwards will be preparing to welcome the new group of people who will join them in Manila later in January. Unbelievable to think it's almost a year since he went.
I did remember - at last - to post this year's Christmas newsletter and photos on this blog. So that's something. And will probably go and make some mince pies in a few minutes.
But I'm still pretty tired.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Ups and downs
The Christmas cake looks as though it turned out fine. I turned the oven off after four hours, but left the cake in as it cooled down. This morning I wrapped it in greaseproof paper and foil, and put it in an airtight container. Other than feeding a couple of times with more brandy (if I remember) I don't need to worry about it again until a few days before Christmas, when I'll do the marzipan and icing.
So that's one thing to cross off my list.
I also wrote three cards. That means there are only about 75 left to do.
I went to the PO Box this afternoon, expecting a few items I'd ordered from Play.com to have arrived. As I got there, I remembered that Richard's colleague still has my PO Box key, which we gave him while we were away so he could check for mail. Very irritating. But I did post a parcel to Daniel (a few music books we'd ordered that arrived just after we left, and a CD Tim has made for him).
Which reminds me, anyone who reads his blog, he's updated it a couple of times this week - not much text, but there are a couple of new photos. Not mentioned on his blog is that the Doulos is currently having lifeboat inspections by a company in Italy. The lifeboats are safe (ie they won't sink!), and the crew have been complimented on their hard work, good attitude, and extensive safety training. On the other hand, the lifeboats are very old and may well not pass the new international safety requirements.
On the way back, I popped into Argos. It was nearly three months ago that we ordered a pair of fluted lightshades from them. We were told they would take 4-6 weeks to arrive. Well, I suppose this IS Cyprus. We were just wondering if the order had got lost or forgotten, when I had a phone call yesterday (asking for 'Mrs Shoe') telling me they had arrived. And indeed they had, packed nicely in a carrier bag, for someone called 'Richard-Sue'. I didn't need any identification, and as soon as I said Richard's name they produced it. That's a good side of life in Cyprus: tust and friendliness.
I also started uploading photos this afternoon, to DirectFoto, so I could order some prints, something I intend to do every couple of months, but keep forgetting. Unfortunately I got in a muddle as I apparently uploaded some before, which I didn't order. And my computer started complaining that it was low on virtual memory - something that happens relatively often when I have Picasa open. Bah. I left the rest till tomorrow.
I wrote the Christmas family newsletter, complete with photographs, about a week ago. Tim set up the colour deskjet printer on the 'guest' computer which runs Windows 98. My computer runs Windows 2000, and for some reason the deskjet printer won't work with that, so I have the black only laserjet printer on my desk.
But no problem, I emailed the newsletter to myself on gmail, then retrieved it on the guest computer.
I could probably have got hold of it somehow through the network. But it seemed easier to do something I understood, and I wanted to see what it looked like as an email attachment anyway.
When I printed it, the black ink looked smudgy. Tim installed a cleaning/setup thingy - the printer hadn't been used since we moved in July - but it made no difference. Indeed, each test print was slightly worse than the previous one. Evidently we needed a new black cartridge. We've had one refilled for the past few years, but I recalled that it wasn't very good last time, and it clearly hasn't lasted well, so it's probably at the end of its life.
But a new cartridge for this rather old printer costs over £20 in Cyprus. If they're even still available. The colour one will probably run out before long, too, and it costs even more to replace new. Which is totally ridiculous, since we can buy a new deskjet printer, complete with new cartridges, for under £40. Truly we live in a disposable society.
Tim suggested I take the file to the photocopy shop and have it printed there. But last time I asked about colour copies, they quoted me 50c per page. 80 copies at 50c each... that too would cost more than a new printer.
But we don't WANT a new colour printer. We only use it once a year. It was an impasse...
However Richard and his colleague have been discussing buying a colour laser printer for the office, for publicity (among other things). They were given a good price, and decided to order one so we can all print our Christmas newsletters on them. Assuming it arrives tomorrow. I might even get our cards and newsletters posted before the 'last posting date', which would be unusual.
Just to round off a rather mixed day, Tim was finishing the last few words of the third assignments for his theology degree course when his ibook notebook computer failed. Dramatically. The mouse ball thing refused to work at first, and when he tried to save his latest version using the keyboard, he got a grey screen (apparently the Apple equivalent of 'Blue Screen of Death') and couldn't do anything other than switch off. When he switched on again, the same thing happened. And again.
Richard thinks it's a hard drive problem. But, alas, the computer is just one month out of warranty. Even worse, there's no Apple repair centre in Cyprus. If it had gone a few weeks ago we could have taken it to the excellent Apple centre in Singapore...
So now Tim's downloading something (on my computer) to enable him to save all his data. Then he'll try reformatting and see if that helps. But he's very frustrated, particularly as he was within about an hour of emailing his essay to the course tutor. It's due tomorrow, though he may be able to get an extension if he has to work on the computer all day.
So that's one thing to cross off my list.
I also wrote three cards. That means there are only about 75 left to do.
I went to the PO Box this afternoon, expecting a few items I'd ordered from Play.com to have arrived. As I got there, I remembered that Richard's colleague still has my PO Box key, which we gave him while we were away so he could check for mail. Very irritating. But I did post a parcel to Daniel (a few music books we'd ordered that arrived just after we left, and a CD Tim has made for him).
Which reminds me, anyone who reads his blog, he's updated it a couple of times this week - not much text, but there are a couple of new photos. Not mentioned on his blog is that the Doulos is currently having lifeboat inspections by a company in Italy. The lifeboats are safe (ie they won't sink!), and the crew have been complimented on their hard work, good attitude, and extensive safety training. On the other hand, the lifeboats are very old and may well not pass the new international safety requirements.
On the way back, I popped into Argos. It was nearly three months ago that we ordered a pair of fluted lightshades from them. We were told they would take 4-6 weeks to arrive. Well, I suppose this IS Cyprus. We were just wondering if the order had got lost or forgotten, when I had a phone call yesterday (asking for 'Mrs Shoe') telling me they had arrived. And indeed they had, packed nicely in a carrier bag, for someone called 'Richard-Sue'. I didn't need any identification, and as soon as I said Richard's name they produced it. That's a good side of life in Cyprus: tust and friendliness.
I also started uploading photos this afternoon, to DirectFoto, so I could order some prints, something I intend to do every couple of months, but keep forgetting. Unfortunately I got in a muddle as I apparently uploaded some before, which I didn't order. And my computer started complaining that it was low on virtual memory - something that happens relatively often when I have Picasa open. Bah. I left the rest till tomorrow.
I wrote the Christmas family newsletter, complete with photographs, about a week ago. Tim set up the colour deskjet printer on the 'guest' computer which runs Windows 98. My computer runs Windows 2000, and for some reason the deskjet printer won't work with that, so I have the black only laserjet printer on my desk.
But no problem, I emailed the newsletter to myself on gmail, then retrieved it on the guest computer.
I could probably have got hold of it somehow through the network. But it seemed easier to do something I understood, and I wanted to see what it looked like as an email attachment anyway.
When I printed it, the black ink looked smudgy. Tim installed a cleaning/setup thingy - the printer hadn't been used since we moved in July - but it made no difference. Indeed, each test print was slightly worse than the previous one. Evidently we needed a new black cartridge. We've had one refilled for the past few years, but I recalled that it wasn't very good last time, and it clearly hasn't lasted well, so it's probably at the end of its life.
But a new cartridge for this rather old printer costs over £20 in Cyprus. If they're even still available. The colour one will probably run out before long, too, and it costs even more to replace new. Which is totally ridiculous, since we can buy a new deskjet printer, complete with new cartridges, for under £40. Truly we live in a disposable society.
Tim suggested I take the file to the photocopy shop and have it printed there. But last time I asked about colour copies, they quoted me 50c per page. 80 copies at 50c each... that too would cost more than a new printer.
But we don't WANT a new colour printer. We only use it once a year. It was an impasse...
However Richard and his colleague have been discussing buying a colour laser printer for the office, for publicity (among other things). They were given a good price, and decided to order one so we can all print our Christmas newsletters on them. Assuming it arrives tomorrow. I might even get our cards and newsletters posted before the 'last posting date', which would be unusual.
Just to round off a rather mixed day, Tim was finishing the last few words of the third assignments for his theology degree course when his ibook notebook computer failed. Dramatically. The mouse ball thing refused to work at first, and when he tried to save his latest version using the keyboard, he got a grey screen (apparently the Apple equivalent of 'Blue Screen of Death') and couldn't do anything other than switch off. When he switched on again, the same thing happened. And again.
Richard thinks it's a hard drive problem. But, alas, the computer is just one month out of warranty. Even worse, there's no Apple repair centre in Cyprus. If it had gone a few weeks ago we could have taken it to the excellent Apple centre in Singapore...
So now Tim's downloading something (on my computer) to enable him to save all his data. Then he'll try reformatting and see if that helps. But he's very frustrated, particularly as he was within about an hour of emailing his essay to the course tutor. It's due tomorrow, though he may be able to get an extension if he has to work on the computer all day.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Sons' blogs
Tim has started a new blog describing his Open Theology degree course, which he should have started (by correspondence) a month ago. Unfortunately there have been a few teething problems and although he now has some of the modules and most of the necessary books, he (along with several other students) is yet to be allocated a student ID...
Dan has not been sending me blog updates as often as before, as he's very busy now in his job as Waterman on the Doulos, but today he sent me a lengthy post about transferring water and risking floods... amazing.
Dan has not been sending me blog updates as often as before, as he's very busy now in his job as Waterman on the Doulos, but today he sent me a lengthy post about transferring water and risking floods... amazing.
Friday, September 22, 2006
No rain yet
The weather forecast has been for thunderstorms and some rain this weekend, starting yesterday and continuing until Monday or Tuesday.
Yesterday morning dawned bright and clear, though slightly cooler than it had been. By lunch-time, there was a good covering of cloud, some of it rather grey, and the air felt muggy.
I knew I would have to go to the PO box in the afternoon. Tim wanted to know if the student id card for his OTC course had come yet, and I wanted to check if there were any more birthday cards or gifts for him. The Post Office is usually only open during mornings (7.30am - 1.30pm, Monday to Friday) but on Thursdays it's also open for a couple of hours in the afternoon. We can access the PO box when the Post Office is closed, of course, but I had a feeling there might be a parcel too big for the box.
I didn't want to get caught in rain, and the sky continued to look threatening, but by 4.15 or so I knew I would have to go soon. I looked for an umbrella, but realised I have NO idea where we've put them. Richard packed all our winter clothes away when we moved here at the start of July, and I couldn't see the umbrellas anywhere obvious.
Oh well, I thought. It wasn't cold and it might be quite fun to be caught in the first rain of the season. It was unlikely to last long. So I set out. At least it wasn't too hot: with the cloud cover, the temperature everywhere was only about 30C, the 'shade' temperature for the day.
After about ten minutes, I felt a drop of water on my right foot. I glanced around, but couldn't see any other raindrops. Five minutes later, I felt another. Strange - just one drop, nothing else visible. This continued all the way to town - a fifteen minute walk - and it didn't really occur to me how odd it was that only my right foot should have felt these drops.
Then I discovered the source. The small water-bottle, which I carry everywhere during the summer, was not properly fastened. It had leaked all over my bag... and was slowly dripping out.
There wasn't much mail in the PO box, but there was indeed a slip telling me that there was a parcel too big to fit inside. So I collected it from the Post Office. It was three more of Tim's theology books, which I had ordered from Amazon.com. Yes, the American Amazon. With the dollar being so weak at present, prices there are excellent from the European point of view. More significantly, Amazon.com counts Cyprus as part of Europe, whereas Amazon.co.uk does not. So postage from Amazon USA is actually cheaper than postage from Amazon UK. I had expected that shipping would be considerably slower, so was very impressed that these books had arrived within about ten days of our order.
By the time I got home again I was pretty warm - the weather was rather muggy, even though the sun wasn't out much, but it didn't rain. Nor has it rained today although it's still forecast. I do hope we get SOME rain and thunder before the end of the month.
Yesterday morning dawned bright and clear, though slightly cooler than it had been. By lunch-time, there was a good covering of cloud, some of it rather grey, and the air felt muggy.
I knew I would have to go to the PO box in the afternoon. Tim wanted to know if the student id card for his OTC course had come yet, and I wanted to check if there were any more birthday cards or gifts for him. The Post Office is usually only open during mornings (7.30am - 1.30pm, Monday to Friday) but on Thursdays it's also open for a couple of hours in the afternoon. We can access the PO box when the Post Office is closed, of course, but I had a feeling there might be a parcel too big for the box.
I didn't want to get caught in rain, and the sky continued to look threatening, but by 4.15 or so I knew I would have to go soon. I looked for an umbrella, but realised I have NO idea where we've put them. Richard packed all our winter clothes away when we moved here at the start of July, and I couldn't see the umbrellas anywhere obvious.
Oh well, I thought. It wasn't cold and it might be quite fun to be caught in the first rain of the season. It was unlikely to last long. So I set out. At least it wasn't too hot: with the cloud cover, the temperature everywhere was only about 30C, the 'shade' temperature for the day.
After about ten minutes, I felt a drop of water on my right foot. I glanced around, but couldn't see any other raindrops. Five minutes later, I felt another. Strange - just one drop, nothing else visible. This continued all the way to town - a fifteen minute walk - and it didn't really occur to me how odd it was that only my right foot should have felt these drops.
Then I discovered the source. The small water-bottle, which I carry everywhere during the summer, was not properly fastened. It had leaked all over my bag... and was slowly dripping out.
There wasn't much mail in the PO box, but there was indeed a slip telling me that there was a parcel too big to fit inside. So I collected it from the Post Office. It was three more of Tim's theology books, which I had ordered from Amazon.com. Yes, the American Amazon. With the dollar being so weak at present, prices there are excellent from the European point of view. More significantly, Amazon.com counts Cyprus as part of Europe, whereas Amazon.co.uk does not. So postage from Amazon USA is actually cheaper than postage from Amazon UK. I had expected that shipping would be considerably slower, so was very impressed that these books had arrived within about ten days of our order.
By the time I got home again I was pretty warm - the weather was rather muggy, even though the sun wasn't out much, but it didn't rain. Nor has it rained today although it's still forecast. I do hope we get SOME rain and thunder before the end of the month.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Busy, busy, busy...
.. no, not me but Tim! He's trying very hard to finish his home education coursework, and has arranged his three final tests tomorrow. Next week he'll have to do some art and watch some science lab-tests on DVD, and he's doing two music exams, but at least there won't be any more written academic tests. In the Autumn he hopes to be starting an 'open learning' theology degree by correspondence, from the University of Gloucestershire, so he'll still be educated at home, but with the end of his high school correspondence course, it's the end of an era. Odd that the end of his school-age home education should correspond with the end of renting this house. And that it's happening only five months after Dan finished his home education and left for a couple of years on the Doulos.
However this isn't all that Tim's doing currently. The inter-church youth group has a camp in the mountains at the end of June, and tomorrow night is doing their annual 'variety night' in aid of some funds towards the camp. For some reason, Tim has ended up the main organiser of this. One of the adult leaders will be the MC, but he's been out of the country until this week. Another of the adult leaders is organising the refreshments. But Tim has been working out the schedule of acts, and seems to be taking part in at least six different items. Simply drawing up a programme on the computer doesn't sound too hard, but he's had to negotiate, and advise. Last night Tim and one of his friends spent about two hours working out what exactly they would be doing. Today one of the younger members of the group was here checking that his song would go with the sound-track (which Tim did something technical to, to enable it to work).
Then there's been a problem with the floodlights in the Community church grounds, where the variety night will be held. Previously these have been replaced by electricians at vast cost, and have then broken again soon afterwards. Probably because the electricians didn't realise that these (halogen) bulbs mustn't be touched by the hands. So Tim has found out where to buy them locally and how to change them. This afternoon he's sorting that out, after going with one of the youth group leaders to order tee-shirts for camp (Tim offered a week or two back to find out where tee-shirts could be printed inexpensively... ) then after doing the lightbulbs, which he hopes will work without problem, he has a singing lesson. Rather important, since his singing exam is next Tuesday. Oh, and the music school where he learns singing is having their summer concert/recital on Saturday evening, and Tim's singing a solo item in that. So that also means a couple of extra rehearsals.
Then this evening, he has the chance of practising for an hour or so on the piano at the music school. He learns privately with a friend at our house, but is taking a piano exam on Wednesday through the music school where he learns singing. It's a good idea to try out an exam piano before the actual exam, and this is the only time he could schedule it.
I feel exhausted just thinking about him out and about in the heat, but although he's rather stressed he seems to be coping. I think he'll be so relieved when the variety night is over that he'll find the music school concert relaxing, and barely worry at all about the exams next week!
However this isn't all that Tim's doing currently. The inter-church youth group has a camp in the mountains at the end of June, and tomorrow night is doing their annual 'variety night' in aid of some funds towards the camp. For some reason, Tim has ended up the main organiser of this. One of the adult leaders will be the MC, but he's been out of the country until this week. Another of the adult leaders is organising the refreshments. But Tim has been working out the schedule of acts, and seems to be taking part in at least six different items. Simply drawing up a programme on the computer doesn't sound too hard, but he's had to negotiate, and advise. Last night Tim and one of his friends spent about two hours working out what exactly they would be doing. Today one of the younger members of the group was here checking that his song would go with the sound-track (which Tim did something technical to, to enable it to work).
Then there's been a problem with the floodlights in the Community church grounds, where the variety night will be held. Previously these have been replaced by electricians at vast cost, and have then broken again soon afterwards. Probably because the electricians didn't realise that these (halogen) bulbs mustn't be touched by the hands. So Tim has found out where to buy them locally and how to change them. This afternoon he's sorting that out, after going with one of the youth group leaders to order tee-shirts for camp (Tim offered a week or two back to find out where tee-shirts could be printed inexpensively... ) then after doing the lightbulbs, which he hopes will work without problem, he has a singing lesson. Rather important, since his singing exam is next Tuesday. Oh, and the music school where he learns singing is having their summer concert/recital on Saturday evening, and Tim's singing a solo item in that. So that also means a couple of extra rehearsals.
Then this evening, he has the chance of practising for an hour or so on the piano at the music school. He learns privately with a friend at our house, but is taking a piano exam on Wednesday through the music school where he learns singing. It's a good idea to try out an exam piano before the actual exam, and this is the only time he could schedule it.
I feel exhausted just thinking about him out and about in the heat, but although he's rather stressed he seems to be coping. I think he'll be so relieved when the variety night is over that he'll find the music school concert relaxing, and barely worry at all about the exams next week!
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Long and rambling post about Home Education
As home education draws to a close in our household, it's hard to remember what a major decision it was when we first moved here, and decided to go for it. Not that we ever really made a long-term decision: we thought we'd find suitable schools for the boys after our first nine months here. Then, when they asked for another year of home education, Tim was sure he'd want to go to secondary school when he was old enough. But he didn't, and we did another year, and another... and now, suddenly, it's almost over. It's been one of the most rewarding and enjoyable phases of my life; I only wish I'd known just how exciting an adventure it was going to be when we started. I also wish that we'd educated Daniel at home when we spent two years in Colorado (in the USA) back in the early 1990s. But that's past history now.
It's still a bit strange having only one son at home, since Dan joined the Doulos. Still, home education and living abroad seem to have stood him in good stead, as he now works hard to help keep the ship in good repair, does music and drama and general outreach, and mixes with 350 other young (and not-so-young!) people from dozens of different countries.
Tim, though only 17, is hoping to finish his home education coursework by the summer. Five or six years ago we decided that we didn't want to go for the standard UK GCSE and A-level exams - studying them at home and finding exam centres isn't straightforward, although they can probably be done at the British Embassy. But academic exams are so artificial, and by the time we started thinking about them, Dan was already wanting to specialise in arts and music, and Tim in computer technical work as well as music.
However we did want to keep open the option of going to university one day in the UK, should either of them wish to do so. I was also concerned to ensure that they did follow at least some standard educational courses (even though I believe strongly that education is something quite individual) because home education in Cyprus isn't actually legal. The authorities don't seem to mind what ex-pats do - and we could have put up a good case for home education, if they had ever challenged us - but it seemed like a good idea to follow some recognised course, at least once the boys were teenagers, rather than the unstructured autonomous style education we did at first.
So after much discussion, we registered them both with the National Christian Schools' Certificate course. It was based, unfortunately, on a rather rigid and strongly right-wing American 'homeschooling' curriculum by ACE (Accelerated Christian Education) but is the only such course which has been validated in Europe, and is thus acceptable as a qualification in European universities. We were encouraged by friends already using it to see it as a tool for getting qualifications. ACE schools have an unusual approach to education - no group work, not even tables set up together, but individual 'offices', and little flags raised to ask questions. We mostly used it informally around the dining room table, and chatted about the contents of the workbooks, often digressing into other topics, or looking at why we disagreed with some of what was taught..
The tests at the end of each workbook have to be taken under careful supervision, marked, and sent back at the end of the year, so we followed the regulations there as it's these that are counted for the certificates. But we were very flexible about the workbooks themselves. Sometimes the boys just read through and took the 'self-test' at the end, if they were too easy. One of the good things about the ACE system is that children are supposed to work at their own level, and at their own speed, but to gain the necessary European certificates they need to complete all the workbooks from the US 'eighth grade' level onwards - and Dan at 13 was way beyond that level in most subjects. He found the workbooks often babyish and boring in the extreme, but was determined to keep going, so he whizzed through the first ones.
Tim, who started at 11, went a bit more slowly although he too was rather put off by the 'young' styles of some of the workbooks, and the dull repetitive nature of some of the maths and English grammar - very unlike what is taught in UK schools. I gather many of the workbooks have now been revised to become more like British school text books, for UK usage, but we were stuck with the old-fashioned style American ones.
Anyway.. over the years, other activities claimed the boys' attention more and more. One of the ACE mottos is that 'life is education', and we certainly followed that principle. They got involved in church music, Dan took part in local secular drama group plays, they did computer artwork, graphics, programming, and educational games; they read widely; Dan taught himself to juggle, to roller-blade, to speak simple American Sign language; he took Greek lessons, and Karate. Eighteen months ago he started work about half-time at the drama school. And last Summer he went to the Doulos for two months on their short-term programme. He had hoped to get to the end of his ACE work before then, having rather neglected it in the previous year as he was so busy with the drama school and his various music activities, so he didn't manage it. In the event, he completed his last few workbooks in a couple of weeks before he went away for two years in January...!
Tim still has about thirty left, and wants to get them out of the way before the summer, so he can study a degree-level correspondence course in theology. I don't know if he'll succeed, but at present he's spending a couple of hours each morning working hard, and taking about three tests per week. He's also going to take some music exams - singing, theory and piano - in May. His music theory teacher says she likes him as a student, because he's more creative than the other teenagers she teaches. Most of them just repeat back what she's told them, and do their work in the dullest style possible. Tim asks questions, wants to know WHY things are the way they are, and experiments with far more interesting answers. He pointed out that the reason he can think for himself is that he didn't go to secondary school, and the teacher agreed... Cypriot schools allow very little digression, questioning or challenging of assumptions. They don't encourage students to think for themselves or to do their own research. They definitely don't encourage enthusiasm and creativity.
Someone asked me recently if we'd choose home education again if we could go back in time, knowing what we do now. I had no doubts on that one. We would have opted for it in the USA as well, although the boys did enjoy their small, friendly primary school in the UK. I would have worried less, too, and been more flexible from the start. I'm not even sure if we'd have bothered with the NCSC since neither of the boys is currently planning to go to college. If Dan does, it would be for music or drama (or both) and his qualifications in those subjects would then be more relevant than his academic certificates. His experience on the Doulos will probably count for more. Once Tim's studied degree-level theology, that will be more relevant for him to any further academic education. He did consider taking a computer qualification, but those that interested him in subject were too easy. He's learned more on his own at home than he would in most formal computer courses.
All in all, I can highly recommend home education. It enables children and teenagers to avoid the negative forced 'socialisation' that can so often happen in schools - peer pressure, bullying, heirarchies, competitiveness, high fashion-consciousness, despising their parents - and enables them to think for themselves, to work fully at their own speed in subjects that interest them most, and to learn what they need in a tiny fraction of the time it would take in school. They read widely, they're fully computer literate, and they learn good research techniques. Besides all that, they grow up able to communicate with people of all ages (not just those born in the same year) and with time for a wide range of non-academic interests. And of course they can play a full part in the life of the local church, for those who are Christians. Dan and Tim were able to be in the church music group (which practised in a week-day lunchtime) for many years, to go to activities with students or adults in evenings, to help at children's clubs, and to be available to produce artwork (Dan) or help set up computers (Tim).
All in all, I am very thankful that we moved to Cyprus when we did, and found ourselves home educating.
It's still a bit strange having only one son at home, since Dan joined the Doulos. Still, home education and living abroad seem to have stood him in good stead, as he now works hard to help keep the ship in good repair, does music and drama and general outreach, and mixes with 350 other young (and not-so-young!) people from dozens of different countries.
Tim, though only 17, is hoping to finish his home education coursework by the summer. Five or six years ago we decided that we didn't want to go for the standard UK GCSE and A-level exams - studying them at home and finding exam centres isn't straightforward, although they can probably be done at the British Embassy. But academic exams are so artificial, and by the time we started thinking about them, Dan was already wanting to specialise in arts and music, and Tim in computer technical work as well as music.
However we did want to keep open the option of going to university one day in the UK, should either of them wish to do so. I was also concerned to ensure that they did follow at least some standard educational courses (even though I believe strongly that education is something quite individual) because home education in Cyprus isn't actually legal. The authorities don't seem to mind what ex-pats do - and we could have put up a good case for home education, if they had ever challenged us - but it seemed like a good idea to follow some recognised course, at least once the boys were teenagers, rather than the unstructured autonomous style education we did at first.
So after much discussion, we registered them both with the National Christian Schools' Certificate course. It was based, unfortunately, on a rather rigid and strongly right-wing American 'homeschooling' curriculum by ACE (Accelerated Christian Education) but is the only such course which has been validated in Europe, and is thus acceptable as a qualification in European universities. We were encouraged by friends already using it to see it as a tool for getting qualifications. ACE schools have an unusual approach to education - no group work, not even tables set up together, but individual 'offices', and little flags raised to ask questions. We mostly used it informally around the dining room table, and chatted about the contents of the workbooks, often digressing into other topics, or looking at why we disagreed with some of what was taught..
The tests at the end of each workbook have to be taken under careful supervision, marked, and sent back at the end of the year, so we followed the regulations there as it's these that are counted for the certificates. But we were very flexible about the workbooks themselves. Sometimes the boys just read through and took the 'self-test' at the end, if they were too easy. One of the good things about the ACE system is that children are supposed to work at their own level, and at their own speed, but to gain the necessary European certificates they need to complete all the workbooks from the US 'eighth grade' level onwards - and Dan at 13 was way beyond that level in most subjects. He found the workbooks often babyish and boring in the extreme, but was determined to keep going, so he whizzed through the first ones.
Tim, who started at 11, went a bit more slowly although he too was rather put off by the 'young' styles of some of the workbooks, and the dull repetitive nature of some of the maths and English grammar - very unlike what is taught in UK schools. I gather many of the workbooks have now been revised to become more like British school text books, for UK usage, but we were stuck with the old-fashioned style American ones.
Anyway.. over the years, other activities claimed the boys' attention more and more. One of the ACE mottos is that 'life is education', and we certainly followed that principle. They got involved in church music, Dan took part in local secular drama group plays, they did computer artwork, graphics, programming, and educational games; they read widely; Dan taught himself to juggle, to roller-blade, to speak simple American Sign language; he took Greek lessons, and Karate. Eighteen months ago he started work about half-time at the drama school. And last Summer he went to the Doulos for two months on their short-term programme. He had hoped to get to the end of his ACE work before then, having rather neglected it in the previous year as he was so busy with the drama school and his various music activities, so he didn't manage it. In the event, he completed his last few workbooks in a couple of weeks before he went away for two years in January...!
Tim still has about thirty left, and wants to get them out of the way before the summer, so he can study a degree-level correspondence course in theology. I don't know if he'll succeed, but at present he's spending a couple of hours each morning working hard, and taking about three tests per week. He's also going to take some music exams - singing, theory and piano - in May. His music theory teacher says she likes him as a student, because he's more creative than the other teenagers she teaches. Most of them just repeat back what she's told them, and do their work in the dullest style possible. Tim asks questions, wants to know WHY things are the way they are, and experiments with far more interesting answers. He pointed out that the reason he can think for himself is that he didn't go to secondary school, and the teacher agreed... Cypriot schools allow very little digression, questioning or challenging of assumptions. They don't encourage students to think for themselves or to do their own research. They definitely don't encourage enthusiasm and creativity.
Someone asked me recently if we'd choose home education again if we could go back in time, knowing what we do now. I had no doubts on that one. We would have opted for it in the USA as well, although the boys did enjoy their small, friendly primary school in the UK. I would have worried less, too, and been more flexible from the start. I'm not even sure if we'd have bothered with the NCSC since neither of the boys is currently planning to go to college. If Dan does, it would be for music or drama (or both) and his qualifications in those subjects would then be more relevant than his academic certificates. His experience on the Doulos will probably count for more. Once Tim's studied degree-level theology, that will be more relevant for him to any further academic education. He did consider taking a computer qualification, but those that interested him in subject were too easy. He's learned more on his own at home than he would in most formal computer courses.
All in all, I can highly recommend home education. It enables children and teenagers to avoid the negative forced 'socialisation' that can so often happen in schools - peer pressure, bullying, heirarchies, competitiveness, high fashion-consciousness, despising their parents - and enables them to think for themselves, to work fully at their own speed in subjects that interest them most, and to learn what they need in a tiny fraction of the time it would take in school. They read widely, they're fully computer literate, and they learn good research techniques. Besides all that, they grow up able to communicate with people of all ages (not just those born in the same year) and with time for a wide range of non-academic interests. And of course they can play a full part in the life of the local church, for those who are Christians. Dan and Tim were able to be in the church music group (which practised in a week-day lunchtime) for many years, to go to activities with students or adults in evenings, to help at children's clubs, and to be available to produce artwork (Dan) or help set up computers (Tim).
All in all, I am very thankful that we moved to Cyprus when we did, and found ourselves home educating.
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Christmas family newsletter 2005
December 2005
Dear Family and Friends,
2005 has been quite a year of milestones for the whole family....
... the rest of this newsletter can now be found on our family site, at the Christmas newsletter 2005 page.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Energy, Photos and Home Education
In the UK, Spring is my favourite season. I love the bulbs, the blossom, the new growth on trees, the warmer weather with gentle wind and (sometimes) sunny skies.
Here in Cyprus, however, I think I prefer Autumn. Despite the chilliness of the house at night, as mentioned previously, the weather is mostly very pleasant. Today, for instance, it was sunny with a deep blue sky, and a light breeze. Warm enough that I opened most of the windows at about 9am to let in some fresh air, and then left them open until it began getting cooler and dark, shortly after 4.30pm. I did three loads of laundry today, and the first one was dry by the time I hung out the third. I baked some bread this morning, and was able to leave it to rise on the kitchen window-sill, rather than having to put it over a pan of hot water.
I've realised that the only way to get much done, and keep on top of the household chores, is to leave the computer switched off until after lunch. Somehow if I turn it on 'just to check email' in the morning, I find other things to do online (broadband is a blessing, but also something of a curse as it means the Internet is constantly available) and time whizzes by. Then I rush to do what has to be done - cooking, cleaning the kitchen, laundry - and become stressed. By contrast now, I'm more relaxed and getting more done.
Of course I've tried this before: it's that extra energy that comes with cooler weather, motivating me. I'm back to cooking all our evening meals from ingredients rather than using jars and ready-made food. Baking bread and cakes has become enjoyable again. It will probably last until about Christmas, at which point I'll take a break, and relapse into bad habits again. But it's nice while it lasts.
While online the last couple of afternoons, I've been uploading photos to the DirectFoto site. We've used the DirectFoto ordinary envelope service for years, when we used 35mm film cameras. They would post processed photos to Cyprus with no extra postal service, and would include a free film as well as an index-print, and prices about half those we could get locally. Moreover the quality was always excellent, whereas in Cyprus some of the processors seem to change their chemicals only rarely (if ever!) and produce very washed-out prints.
Before we went to the UK I put several digital prints on a CD and sent them to DirectFoto for printing; as with prints from film, the quality was superb and the prices good. We even got a free CD returned with the pictures. I was going to do the same with the digital photos taken while in the UK, but discovered that DirectFoto now have an online service where prints can be stored, and then ordered as wanted. That seems like a much better idea - so much easier to get reprints, for instance. Moreover they have a special offer at present: 15 free prints with any order of £2 or more. Since each regular-sized print is 10p, and postage £1, that means I can get 35 prints for £3.
As with any of these sites, it takes a LONG time to upload high-quality pictures, even with broadband. I'm doing five at a time, and each batch takes about 20 minutes. But - so far - they've all uploaded successfully. Previously I tried using another similar service, but about half the time the uploads failed and I had to try again. So that's another point in favour of DirectFoto!
In case anyone reading this is interested in our home education - it's still continuing, in a low-key way. Dan has about eight workbooks to complete; he thought he'd lost his current science one, but found it again today. He only has two subjects to finish, then he'll have his level two certificate and can stop doing any coursework. Having got this far, we thought he might as well finish this level, even though he'll probably never need the qualifications. He's still hoping to return to the Doulos next year - if possible in January - but hasn't heard from them yet despite going for an interview in Shropshire three weeks ago.
Dan is also busy with his new clarinet - and hoping to find a more advanced teacher, but with no success as yet. He's continuing with drum lessons, teaching himself piano, taking aural music lessons, doing drama with the English-speaking teenagers at Antidote, helping out occasionally with Antidote's other productions (keeping the website up-to-date, designing posters etc), taking stage combat and karate, learning Greek, and playing in the church band. In addition he's starting to make short video productions, and hopes to be repairing/servicing more clarinets and other woodwind instruments in future.
Tim has rather more to complete for his level 2 qualifications, but is working steadily through. At last he's making sense of the maths (American-style geometry with rather convoluted proofs required - however he's grasped the techniques) and actually quite enjoys the history. Tim is busy with his other interests too: he takes piano lessons, plays keyboard in a youth band, and sometimes plays the organ at the church he attends. He also takes singing lessons and aural music lessons, plays guitar at a group for international students run by the church the rest of us attend, is on the committee for the inter-church youth group, and administers some online forums. For the future he wants to take some technical computer qualifications, and study theology.
So I certainly say that home education has not damaged their prospects in any way; on the contrary, it's given them widespread interests, social contact with people of all ages and backgrounds, and the ability to teach themselves whatever they want to learn.
Here in Cyprus, however, I think I prefer Autumn. Despite the chilliness of the house at night, as mentioned previously, the weather is mostly very pleasant. Today, for instance, it was sunny with a deep blue sky, and a light breeze. Warm enough that I opened most of the windows at about 9am to let in some fresh air, and then left them open until it began getting cooler and dark, shortly after 4.30pm. I did three loads of laundry today, and the first one was dry by the time I hung out the third. I baked some bread this morning, and was able to leave it to rise on the kitchen window-sill, rather than having to put it over a pan of hot water.
I've realised that the only way to get much done, and keep on top of the household chores, is to leave the computer switched off until after lunch. Somehow if I turn it on 'just to check email' in the morning, I find other things to do online (broadband is a blessing, but also something of a curse as it means the Internet is constantly available) and time whizzes by. Then I rush to do what has to be done - cooking, cleaning the kitchen, laundry - and become stressed. By contrast now, I'm more relaxed and getting more done.
Of course I've tried this before: it's that extra energy that comes with cooler weather, motivating me. I'm back to cooking all our evening meals from ingredients rather than using jars and ready-made food. Baking bread and cakes has become enjoyable again. It will probably last until about Christmas, at which point I'll take a break, and relapse into bad habits again. But it's nice while it lasts.
While online the last couple of afternoons, I've been uploading photos to the DirectFoto site. We've used the DirectFoto ordinary envelope service for years, when we used 35mm film cameras. They would post processed photos to Cyprus with no extra postal service, and would include a free film as well as an index-print, and prices about half those we could get locally. Moreover the quality was always excellent, whereas in Cyprus some of the processors seem to change their chemicals only rarely (if ever!) and produce very washed-out prints.
Before we went to the UK I put several digital prints on a CD and sent them to DirectFoto for printing; as with prints from film, the quality was superb and the prices good. We even got a free CD returned with the pictures. I was going to do the same with the digital photos taken while in the UK, but discovered that DirectFoto now have an online service where prints can be stored, and then ordered as wanted. That seems like a much better idea - so much easier to get reprints, for instance. Moreover they have a special offer at present: 15 free prints with any order of £2 or more. Since each regular-sized print is 10p, and postage £1, that means I can get 35 prints for £3.
As with any of these sites, it takes a LONG time to upload high-quality pictures, even with broadband. I'm doing five at a time, and each batch takes about 20 minutes. But - so far - they've all uploaded successfully. Previously I tried using another similar service, but about half the time the uploads failed and I had to try again. So that's another point in favour of DirectFoto!
In case anyone reading this is interested in our home education - it's still continuing, in a low-key way. Dan has about eight workbooks to complete; he thought he'd lost his current science one, but found it again today. He only has two subjects to finish, then he'll have his level two certificate and can stop doing any coursework. Having got this far, we thought he might as well finish this level, even though he'll probably never need the qualifications. He's still hoping to return to the Doulos next year - if possible in January - but hasn't heard from them yet despite going for an interview in Shropshire three weeks ago.
Dan is also busy with his new clarinet - and hoping to find a more advanced teacher, but with no success as yet. He's continuing with drum lessons, teaching himself piano, taking aural music lessons, doing drama with the English-speaking teenagers at Antidote, helping out occasionally with Antidote's other productions (keeping the website up-to-date, designing posters etc), taking stage combat and karate, learning Greek, and playing in the church band. In addition he's starting to make short video productions, and hopes to be repairing/servicing more clarinets and other woodwind instruments in future.
Tim has rather more to complete for his level 2 qualifications, but is working steadily through. At last he's making sense of the maths (American-style geometry with rather convoluted proofs required - however he's grasped the techniques) and actually quite enjoys the history. Tim is busy with his other interests too: he takes piano lessons, plays keyboard in a youth band, and sometimes plays the organ at the church he attends. He also takes singing lessons and aural music lessons, plays guitar at a group for international students run by the church the rest of us attend, is on the committee for the inter-church youth group, and administers some online forums. For the future he wants to take some technical computer qualifications, and study theology.
So I certainly say that home education has not damaged their prospects in any way; on the contrary, it's given them widespread interests, social contact with people of all ages and backgrounds, and the ability to teach themselves whatever they want to learn.
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
The Ability to Laugh
I'm slowly reading my way through Philip Yancey's 'Finding God in Unexpected Places'. What a great writer he is. I find more new insights in every one of his books than I've come across in church sermons in the past seven years.
He quotes WH Auden who apparently pointed out that man is the only creature to work, pray and laugh (among other things). Then he quotes CS Lewis, who said somewhere that even in the absence of any other evidence, we could argue the basic essentials of theology from the existence of dirty jokes, and our attitudes towards death.
Why? Well, as Yancey points out, most rude jokes are either about sex or about toilet functions. Two of the most natural processes in the world, which every other type of animal does when necessary, without any fuss, and frequently in public. Why do we humans find it all so embarrassing? Why do people poke fun at those who have difficulty with these natural functions? And indeed, why do we find big noses or beer bellies amusing?
Yancey suggests that deep within us all there must be a hint of our divine origins - the fact that we are spiritual beings cased within flesh and blood. I think he's right. Humour so often comes as a result of a clash between what is expected and a surprise - plays on words, or even slapstick. And yes, we humans who do share a good many features with other animals, are at the same time not animals. So sometimes we laugh because when we do what animals do, or hear of other people doing so, there's an anomaly. We're misfits in the animal world, and we're also misfits in the spiritual world because we do have the need for these natural functions.
As for attitudes towards death: again, what could be more natural than birth and death? It happens all the time, and for animals death usually comes peacefully at the end of their allotted span. Assuming they're not killed by other animals or (more likely) humans. But we spend millions of pounds ensuring that ill or elderly people can prolong their lives by just a few weeks or months. Life is good, and health is good, and I absolutely believe in the sanctity of life. But if someone is 95 and ready to die, why do we expend so much money and energy keeping them alive artificially. For what?
Then there's all the pomp and ceremony that surrounds our dying. Every human society has traditions associated with death - embalming, or burying, or burning. Just look at all the pilgrims who hurried to Rome for the late Pope's funeral. He was a good man, and of course those close to him will grieve, but many of the visitors had never met him; knew him only by repute. He was old, and he was ill. Now he's in heaven, and all the ceremony and mourning can mean nothing to him.
So all this too, Philip Yancey suggests, is an indication of our difficulty in resolving our spirit nature with our fleshly bodies. We somehow feel that life should go on, that death cannot be the end. Even those of us who believe in the afterlife find it difficult to come to terms with someone leaving behind their earthly body - even when they're old and sick. We want eternity on earth, somehow.
What has all this to do with living in Cyprus? I was weeding the end of the garden this morning, yet again. By 10am it was already too warm for me in the shade. And as I weeded (an endless battle, it seems), I wondered about this need to create something colourful and attractive. That's another thing that marks us out as humans, separate from animals. Birds create nests, it's true, but they're practical and warm. Being a thing of beauty is irrelevant to them. When the nest has finished its purpose and the baby birds have flown away, the adult birds get on with life.
My composting and watering the fruit trees makes practical sense: they provide us with tasty fresh food. But what is is about geraniums, and petunias, and above all bougainvillea that I want to nurture them when they're no practical use? Why is ugliness so unappealing, making me pull up nettles - which could be made into tea? Why did I even feel a bit disturbed even about the scarlet geranium growing next to the deep pink bougainvillea?
To me this too is part of my being created in the image of God. He didn't have to create thousands of varieties of plant, in myriad colours, but he did. My need to grow flowers has no practical use; the only reason I can see for it is that in some tiny way I'm reflecting the creative urges of God.
He quotes WH Auden who apparently pointed out that man is the only creature to work, pray and laugh (among other things). Then he quotes CS Lewis, who said somewhere that even in the absence of any other evidence, we could argue the basic essentials of theology from the existence of dirty jokes, and our attitudes towards death.
Why? Well, as Yancey points out, most rude jokes are either about sex or about toilet functions. Two of the most natural processes in the world, which every other type of animal does when necessary, without any fuss, and frequently in public. Why do we humans find it all so embarrassing? Why do people poke fun at those who have difficulty with these natural functions? And indeed, why do we find big noses or beer bellies amusing?
Yancey suggests that deep within us all there must be a hint of our divine origins - the fact that we are spiritual beings cased within flesh and blood. I think he's right. Humour so often comes as a result of a clash between what is expected and a surprise - plays on words, or even slapstick. And yes, we humans who do share a good many features with other animals, are at the same time not animals. So sometimes we laugh because when we do what animals do, or hear of other people doing so, there's an anomaly. We're misfits in the animal world, and we're also misfits in the spiritual world because we do have the need for these natural functions.
As for attitudes towards death: again, what could be more natural than birth and death? It happens all the time, and for animals death usually comes peacefully at the end of their allotted span. Assuming they're not killed by other animals or (more likely) humans. But we spend millions of pounds ensuring that ill or elderly people can prolong their lives by just a few weeks or months. Life is good, and health is good, and I absolutely believe in the sanctity of life. But if someone is 95 and ready to die, why do we expend so much money and energy keeping them alive artificially. For what?
Then there's all the pomp and ceremony that surrounds our dying. Every human society has traditions associated with death - embalming, or burying, or burning. Just look at all the pilgrims who hurried to Rome for the late Pope's funeral. He was a good man, and of course those close to him will grieve, but many of the visitors had never met him; knew him only by repute. He was old, and he was ill. Now he's in heaven, and all the ceremony and mourning can mean nothing to him.
So all this too, Philip Yancey suggests, is an indication of our difficulty in resolving our spirit nature with our fleshly bodies. We somehow feel that life should go on, that death cannot be the end. Even those of us who believe in the afterlife find it difficult to come to terms with someone leaving behind their earthly body - even when they're old and sick. We want eternity on earth, somehow.
What has all this to do with living in Cyprus? I was weeding the end of the garden this morning, yet again. By 10am it was already too warm for me in the shade. And as I weeded (an endless battle, it seems), I wondered about this need to create something colourful and attractive. That's another thing that marks us out as humans, separate from animals. Birds create nests, it's true, but they're practical and warm. Being a thing of beauty is irrelevant to them. When the nest has finished its purpose and the baby birds have flown away, the adult birds get on with life.
My composting and watering the fruit trees makes practical sense: they provide us with tasty fresh food. But what is is about geraniums, and petunias, and above all bougainvillea that I want to nurture them when they're no practical use? Why is ugliness so unappealing, making me pull up nettles - which could be made into tea? Why did I even feel a bit disturbed even about the scarlet geranium growing next to the deep pink bougainvillea?
To me this too is part of my being created in the image of God. He didn't have to create thousands of varieties of plant, in myriad colours, but he did. My need to grow flowers has no practical use; the only reason I can see for it is that in some tiny way I'm reflecting the creative urges of God.
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