I've been trying to upload my Christmas holiday video but it's too big (I hear you breath a sigh of relief). In the meantime here are some snaps (Newton/Weavers - more photos on Facebook):

An interesting thought from Land Rover (in Times Square, NYC)

Questions abound...

(Pennsylvania road signs)




And the reason for the season?

This reindeer cracks me up

Found and stolen...

...The Metaphor of the Nautilus

Oliver Wendell Holmes, a century and a half ago, saw the metaphorical significance of the chambered home of the Nautilus. These fascinating seashells are spiral in shape and consist of a series of ever-larger chambers in each of which the sea creature lives for a season until it outgrows that particular space. The Nautilus then enlarges its shell by the addition of a new chamber suitable for the next stage of its life. Holmes wrote, in a poem entitled The Chambered Nautilus, "Build thee more stately mansions, O my soul….Let each new temple, nobler than the last, Shut thee from heaven with a dome more vast, Till thou at length art free, Leaving thine outgrown shell by life's unresting sea!" What a perfect image for spiritual evolution! In order to begin a new stage in our growth, we have to think "outside the box." Yet, every time we abandon an old worldview for a new and wider vision, we merely find ourselves in a larger box. And while each box serves its particular function for a time, we are always in danger of claiming that the chamber we currently occupy is the ultimate one. The spiral shape of the Nautilus shell suggests that it can keep growing forever. There is no design for a "final" chamber. The creature must keep building new chambers as long as it lives. It cannot go back to the previous ones; they no longer fit. It cannot stay in its present space or it will die. It has no choice but to move on. And on. Perhaps one day we might be able to create for ourselves a box so large that it would encompass all of God. But that space would then include everything, even those realities which we now purposely exclude by limiting the size of today's chamber.

An interesting YouTube THINGY sent to me by my little brother - 'interesting' for those that know my bro. Some confused theology but thought provoking nonetheless. He didn't write it...just in case you were wondering.

Thanks Vickie - I particularly like the balaclava on the swan!!!
I must admit though, I thought you were going to send me a link showing Newton's knitted hair.

I see a great similarlity between this beautiful cable-knit sweater and Newton's fine dreads.

I'm currently listening to Newton Falkner (odd fellow pictured left). If you like the Jack Johnson/Jose 'bouncing balls' Gonzalez/John Mayer sound you'll probably like Newton - he's new-t-me. Ha ha ha ha hah ha ha ha hah ha ha hah! - I really need to get out more.

Here is Pete the truck driver:
He was very friendly and just wanted to talk - it was too late/early even for me.

And a couple of other images from my week:

I had to do an exhibition for my Cheshire job last Saturday and we were next to the Young Farmers exhibition stand - I thought it was a cool T-shirt


A trip to Urbis with the College Work and Witness team on Sunday afternoon...


The rest of the week was not very interesting so no pictures :-)

For anyone who's not seen me since June 12th: I am back and did not run off with Pete the truck driver - although he was a very nice man for returning my purse I'm not sure I'd want to run of with him now I've met him.

Spain was sunny:-) Pics to follow though none of Pete:-(

So, I have a new gadget- a new phone with a half decent camera in it. I feel as though I've not seen my desk for a week or so and include a photo diary of my travels during the last week and a half.

I'm really excited that I can hook my phone up to my computer and download stuff onto my laptop - I'm easily amused by what some mught consider basic technology :-) Sunday was a day at the fair with my bro and family where we accidently liberated two scrawny fish from the carneys (D - I think this is even less politically correct than your recent reference to Pikeys). My nephew had only just got over the news that the last one died: Tuesday: an evening walk through Alderley Edge with some of the pastors during their summer school Weekend shopping at Ikea: Tuesday: Train journey from Manchester to Norfolk and back:

So VERY flat Norfolk & So JOLLY hilly Pennines

People watching - a family who shared my journey

I think I was too busy playing with my new toy that I didn't realise I'd lift my purse in Norfolk until I got back to Stockport! Hmmm.

Wednesday:'Sunny' Liverpool, traffic and the sights of Toxteth...



+ yellow ribbons...'interesting'


Spain tomorrow, Hurrah!!! - that is once I collect my purse from a truck driver called Pete currently driving north for a 2am rendezvous somewhere at the end of the M67. If I'm not back by June 12th I've run off with the mystery truck driver!

Forget Pirates and Rockin' Wise Men - here's the Longsight nativity 2007...SORTED!

See the full version from my videos on:

www.youtube.com/igwet
or
www.youtube.com/watch?v+AXp5ECT2MzE

Visit to the Taj Mahal of Manchester:

It's something I've been yearning to do since I first clapped eyes on the building that is now the view from my bedroom window. I had the rare and amazing opportunity to visit Gorton Monastery last Thursday thanks to my Mum's ability to talk to anyone, anytime about anything. Having met with Tony Hurley (the Heritage Director) a couple of weeks ago at the local community centre open day, we were able to arrange a personal tour of the Monastery of St Francis and heard the most fascinating, passionate and amazing story from a man who has committed the recent years of his life to researching the history and architecture of the building.

I’m not going to try to explain the complex story that unfolded during his talk and our tour but encourage anyone reading this to check out the website and arrange a tour for themselves. It really is a spiritual place with a story and a mystery that no film could do justice to. The monastery is due to open to the public in June this year and is appearing (with Tony) on Songs of Praise at the start of July. I believe there will be a nice (simple) café facility open to the public so avoid the ASDA café and eat at the Monastery :-)

Here are some of my pictures:

Built by a group of Franciscan Friars in 1861 (this picture isn't mine!)

Designed by Edward Pugin to Cathedral proportions

The last Brothers left in 1989 (that's not them in the overalls by the way!) and the place was vandalised and lay open to the elements until 1996 when the heritage and restoration project began. It took just 10 years for the Franciscan monks to build the entire place by hand and carve all the internal features and statues in the nineteenth century and the same amount of time since 1996 to restore it enough to open again this coming June.

Only the monks used to be allowed in this corridor
The church is built North/South rather than the standard East/West...this is the South window
Looking to the alter and the North window.
Although not as long, the nave is higher than Westminster Abbey and Manchester Cathedral, and numerous other cathedrals, to encourage the viewer to look heavenwards.
You might be able to make out a large crucifix hanging above the alter between the scaffolding.
The figure is 'life-size' but, because of the height of the roof, it's difficult to appreciate the size of the feature. It's rather like the Grand Canyon - only when you see something alongside it can you put anything in perspective.
The alter was hand carved by a monk Brother Patrick - the lead builder - but now lies in ruins with most of the statues stolen.
The artwork depicting various Saints also needs a lot of restoration. However, you can buy a brick, adopt and angel or sponsor a Saint to help them replace and rebuild the features

Window in a small room high above the alter to the right. It will be one of the many rooms open for hire as a conference facility.

There's a piece of film footage from part of my tour on myspace page (if I can get it on there). It's taken as we stood in front of the alter: http://www.youtube.com/igwet

There's a cool philharmonic concert also performing in June/July - look at their website for details of all things Gorton: www.gortonmonastery.co.uk