Actively Retired                      Interests                           Health                         Family

Black Combe

The Lake District has always been very special to me especially the Western Lakes and in particular, The Duddon Valley.
It is impossible to visit this part of the UK and not to marvel at the sheer beauty of God's creation. I have been visiting this part of the Lakes since 1970 and I don't think a year has gone by without me making at least one visit per year. Now of course Jennifer and I are able to make regular and stay in our small terraced Stone Cottage, which we also make available to friends and relatives.
Apart from the fact that there is some breath taking scenery, high mountains and rivers you can skim stones in, there are some wonderful Inns serving excellent Pub Grub!

I enjoy painting flowers and landscapes.

Apart from my obvious interest in the issues currently challenging the Christian Church, I do enjoy Watercolour painting, cooking, snails pace DIY, reading a cross section of books and meeting up with friends for lunch.
Jennifer and I attend our local Anglican Church but because we spend much of the Winter in Tenerife we are not actively involved, although Jennifer does an occasional Coffee morning. We also like to visit friends in their Churches and benefit from a wide range of different forms of Worship and sermon content.
We also have regular contact with our three Grandchildren - always a delight and a pleasure.

Taken near Table Mountain in 2002 before I lost the 4 1/2 stone of excess weight!

I have a long term chronic illness called COPD. It is a lung condition which prevents me from taking deep breaths to get oxygen into my system and severely limits my ability to walk any great distance and has slowed me down significantly. It was much harder prior to my retirement when I was carrying all that excess weight around! As a consequence I am much more prone to chest infections which can take up to two months to get sorted. However, I am at peace with my limitations and overall it does not prevent me from doing all the things I enjoy - albeit at a much more gentle pace. Phil 4:12 is a verse that is at the heart of Shalom in the Philippi Model and serves me well.

Jennifer and I during our Winter break in Tenerife

Because of my health I spend a significant part of the Winter months in Tenerife, with Jenner making frequent visits to join me. Being away from family is a hardship and although the warm climate does help my breathing, I do miss not being close to family. Jennifer comes out for a month at a time and I come home for Christmas, trying to avoid infections! I do have internet access and speak regularly to family and friends through Skype.
Our daughter Helen and husband Ben now live in North Devon, so visits are rare occasions. Paul still lives locally and is a big help to Jennifer when I am away. We see Hollie, our granddaughter every week, and Theo and Jessica when they come north or we go south.