Hey Benners,

how are you doing? I hope you've settled into your daily routine there in Thailand, I know you're like me and love your routine that you've settled into. Pipe and slippers etc.....:)

So the weekend was busy, we did go to Luton on Saturday to see my nan. She was asleep mostly but she opened her eyes and squeezed our hands long enough for us to know that she realised who we were and that we were there. We gave her a kiss goodbye each and whispered in her ear. I told her that I thought she was just as beautiful as she always was and that God is with her inside even if she hasn't got the energy to speak.

It was sad to see her so withdrawn but I came away with a peace that she knows we love her and that God is looking after her whether we can see it tangibly or not.

We drove 4.5 hours in the morning, got to the hospital around 3pm ish, stayed an hour with my nan in the hospital then went to my mother's house to surprise her for an hour. We didn't tell her we were on our way or in Luton, just knocked on the door. She was super shocked! Unfortunately she thought we were there cos nan had passed away....oops! The fact that all three of us girls were doubled over giggling should have given it away that all was ok. After an hour with mum we drove home another 4.5 hours, stopped for a pizza to stick in the oven and then made it home just after 10pm.

We slept in late Sunday morning and didn't get up til 8.30am just in time to get ready and get to church.

After church we had a community BBQ up at the playing fields. This is the second year in a row that we've had one and I hope we continue the tradition, this is one that really was worth doing!

We took our trusty gazebo (I almost took off with it at one point!), we had three barbecues, four big tables, a bouncy castle and as many camping chairs as you could imagine!

 Check out that blue sky!!!

It was dry and sunny mostly but the playing fields are like a wind tunnel with the mountains on either side so it was pretty chilly! Wind chill factor million.


Doreen was so cold I got the blanket from the car and wrapped her up tight in it!

Today I took the morning off from work (pre-arranged, I didn't just not work!) and did some laundry, cleaning and tried to 'de-stash' a bit from my craft cupboard. Blatantly that didn't work, the doors still won't close!!

Yesterday at the BBQ I spent a little while talking with a new friend and explained about my lightbulb moment about life being full of choices and once again I came home and reflected on your comment about my being so busy being my choice. So I decided to resign.

So this morning I handed in my notice so that I can get back to what I should be doing, namely doing God's work. It almost seems as though there's this bitter resentment type competition of who's the busiest and who is the worst off. I declare myself out of that. As long as we have enough money to live on, Dus' customers are happy and I'm doing what I can to further the kingdom, who cares what other people think?

Four weeks from now, I'll be young (ha!), free (or pricey however you look at it) and single (minded lol).

It was such a relief when I handed in my notice, I can't wait to stop having to fit in everything else around working, doing a load of laundry and hanging it out on the line then quickly running to the post office AND having something to eat in a half hour lunch.

I'm looking forwards to you coming home, almost halfway there!

See you soon,
Love,