Diversity and other things

I said in the last post that I'd say something about the course I'd got on at the Quaker study centre in Birmingham. Well,,, it was about the wide diversity of belief amongst Quakers. Most people think of us as a religious group but then there are Quakers who don't believe in a God... and others who have a pretty conventional view of Christianity. I said at one point that I thought most people who call themselves Christians would accept two basics: first, that Jesus was the one unique incarnation of God, and second that his death in some way enabled the salvation of mankind. As I don't believe either of those things, certainly not expressed like that, I feel I've moved on from orthodox Christianity and would call myself a Post-Christian, that is someone who tries to follow the teachings of Jesus but without attaching any kind of 'magic' either to Jesus the person or to his teachings as they have come to us in the bible.

But enough of theology. The weekend was also great because of the company, the setting, the lovely gardens, and because by staying on an extra night I was able to see my daughter and grandson who live down in Oxfordshire. That was good too: and I couldn't have done this if I hadn't gone by car (or not easily, at any rate). I'd taken my lovely new car, called Buttercup because it's bright yellow, largely because having only got on the course at the last minute it was too late to get cheap train tickets. And when I left on the Monday, I could pootle back home at whatever pace I liked, avoiding the horrendous road works that delayed me literally for hours on the way down, and stopping when I felt like it.

Going by car, of course, isn't even slightly greenish when there's only one person in it, even when it's a greenish car with low emissions and only £35 a year road tax. But whilst public transport has such a silly fare structure, people will go on using cars. If all the trains were cheaper, we'd all use trains, they'd have to put more on and so there would be more money to invest in infrastructure. It could be a positive feedback system....

And meanwhile I've been having conversations about why others think I should be vegan and why I shouldn't have a kettle. Apparently cows pass so much methane it contributes more per meat-eater to greenhouse gases than a 4x4. (I find that hard to believe, especially as the statistic comes from a confirmed vegan! I mean, they would say that, wouldn't they. The kettle one was even odder: apparently, if you have a gas hob, it pollutes the world less if you boil water in a saucepan on a gashob, because the power stations that power your kettle are so inefficient. Again, I'm unclear: nuclear power stations, whatever other problems they bring, don't produce much by way of greenhouse emissions, and nor do wind farms: I'm on a green energy tariff.

What it all goes to show is that the issues aren't as straightforward and obvious as some would have you believe. My advice: don't believe what people with vested interests tell you, and use common sense.

OH, dear! I really am NOt a natural blogger. I'd intended to write every day on my trip away...ah, well, I'll try to make up for it a little.

the rest of my Cornish trip was wonderful: you can see a little of it on my friend Angie's blog (Angie's Aspirations, on here). We visited St. Michaels Mount, the Lizard and had a day shopping in Truro. At the end of the week I was dropped off at my cousin Anne's in Bristol: I'd met her for the first time only last year at my Dad's memorial service. We got on just so well, had a lovely day visiting the SS Great Britain (the world's first luxury liner) and Wesley's first chapel, the New Rooms in Bristol. Then it was off to catch the EasyJet to Edinburgh, to stay with my friend Madeleine before talking to Quakers about the Quaker operation in Europe, on the council of which I served for seven years or so across the millenium year. That too was a very pleasant episode: Madeleine and I worked together organising the huge Quaker event in York this summer - that is, we were both on the organising committee - and her husband Robin does the same job I once did with the Open University, training and managing tutors.
I finally got home on the Wednesday afternoon, nearly a week ago now, to a committee meeting in the evening and a study group the next day! Sing ho for being retired..... and then I heard I had a place on a course at the Quaker study centre in Birmingham. More of that next time.

Tis again a long time since I've posted on here. But right now I'm on an extended trip away from home, and it may be of a little interest to some to see what I've been up to.

First stop, then, last Friday, was in London. I went down, travelling First Class which I must confess I do find more comfortable nowadays, for a meeting of the Quaker Yearly Meeting Agenda Committee. This was the first meeting of the cycle to plan for the meeting next May, so it was mostly about getting to know new members and becoming a team. I was privileged to be able to offer an epilogue on the Saturday: I read Oriah Mountain Dreamer's inspirational prose poem 'The Invitation' (see http://www.oriahmountaindreamer.com/), and having discovered how to play music through my laptop from my MP3 player, I played the first section of the second movement of Schubert's haunting string quintet in C - listen on Spotify if you don't have a CD. It was a good weekend, we did get through a lot, with a new clerk (chair) and I left feeling well pleased.

I stayed on Sunday night with my eldest daughter Clare in London, and we went walking in the afternoon in their local preserved woods. This is an area beside the Grand Union Canal, roughly in Greenford, which was established and preserved by Gilbert White of Selboure fame, and it's called Selbourne Woods. It was a lovely afternoon, and a pleasant way to relax after being in committee all weekend. You can see the canal through the railings, behind my daughter and her husband.

Monday morning saw my hosts and my granddaughter all off early to work and school respectively, leaving me to get up at my leisure, wash my hair and pack in peace and without haste. In due course I took a bus to Ealing Broadway and a train to Paddington, where I lunched on a steak pie whilst waiting for my train to Cornwall. First Great Western use refurbished but old rolling stock and engines, the old HST sets, but - especially in First Class - it was very comfortable. I sat at a table for four with one other person (a rather nice man!) sitting diagonally opposite, and had the table all to myself for the last third of the journey. I'd intended to watch a film en route, but spent the time doing 'The Times' test sudokus for selection to the National Championship finals. By the time we reached Redruth I'd done all four, though hardly in the time expected of the experts!

I was met at Redruth by my honorary niece Angie, and so began a lovely relaxing week in Cornwall. More of this on the next post.