newsletter 30th August 2015

Newsletter – Sunday 30th August 2015
Almost the end of the summer: I hope that you have had an enjoyable holiday. Time to bring out the school uniforms once again and prepare for a new term. Best wishes to those who are starting at a new school, and also to those who will be going up to University for the first time in a few weeks’ time.
Monday is the Bank Holiday and I will be taking up my duties on the steam railway once again. The lines to Waterloo and Charing Cross are closed, so a complex journey by way of Victoria and Clapham Junction. Our railway runs to the end of September and then closes down during the winter period apart from a few weeks at Christmas.
For the Eucharistic Ministers, there is a day of recollection at Streatham on Saturday 14th November. If you would like to attend, please let me know and I will give you an application form.
Once again a request please for inscription forms for the First Holy Communion classes. At present I think I only have ten – I am sure that there are far more to come.
The last few weeks have been busy with results for A and AS level and GCSE. The general consensus seems to be that the results have been good but the marking has been tougher than in previous years. It was good to see how many were able to take up their places for higher education.
An attempt to move to Windows 10 was not a great success and led to a few days without emails. I understand that my experience was by no means unique. For the time being I have returned to 8.1 which seems to be more stable. Apologies if there were no replies – or worse, if you received the reply two or three times. Any more problems like this and I might return to paper and pencil and the post box.
Great excitement the other day when after a wedding, the guests departed on Routemaster 1254. This is a unique vehicle with a front entrance rather than a rear platform. It was built by AEC as an experiment and appeared at the Commercial Motor Show in 1962. Although finished in London Transport livery, it never operated in London but was loaned to a number of companies on a trial basis. For a time it was used on the service to Heathrow airport and BEA ordered a number of similar vehicles which remained in service until the tube extension opened in 1977.
Here is a simple pudding. Mix together 4oz butter, 4 oz sugar and 3 egg yoks. Add 8oz of white breadcrumbs and the juice and rind of a lemon and a tablespoon of marmalade. Lastly add the 3 egg whites whipped to a stiff froth. Steam in a buttered basin for an hour.
A prayer from St. Anselm.
Lord Jesus, fill al who love you with your blessings; let their names be written in the book of life, and give them peace in the shelter of your wings. For to you, the only begotten Son of God, with the eternal Father and the Holy Spirt, belong unceasing praise, for ever and ever. Amen.
It is always good to recall Wordsworth:
Fair seed time had my soul, and I grew up
Foster’d alike by beauty and by fear;
Much favour’d in my birthplace, and no less
In that beloved Vale, to which erelong,
I was transplanted.
The garden has survived reasonably well throughout the summer. A few brown leaves on the horse chestnut tree but the work of the disease seems to be over. All the apples were taken by the birds and the squirrels early in the season but I have managed to find some raspberries. The Rhubarb continues to grow and my herbs receive regular attention. The second pot of basil is beginning to sprout and I am awaiting a second crop of dill. I find that the pots work better than the formal herb garden.
Great nephew starts in reception class in a week or so’s time. A smart new top and a new bag as he is continuing to grow. Special sympathy for his teacher as his extensive knowledge means that there will be many challenges. He await his first school report with great interest.
Best wishes to you all
Monsignor Nicholas Rothon

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