After graduation, my daily routine has become always predictable. A normal day begins with a good breakfast of either eggs and toast or noodles cooked in Hong Kong style. Some surfing would follow suit before lunch and more surfing in the afternoon with some job hunting in between. On some days, I would help my friend in her shop. However, in months like August, business has dampened a lot and I would do nothing more than sitting behind the cash machine in case anyone comes in and rob. On other days, I would be in Beeston working part time.
On some good days however, I would be out with the folks from Clumberhall. Ruth has been very kind to me. She has brought me to quite a lot of places for sight-seeing as well as granting me time to spend with Matthew. Recently, we went to Newstead Abbey, just outside Wollaton. It's a very nice and quaint park. It belonged to Lord Byron who was one of the wealthy men in Nottingham. Apparently, the park was once his garden. Talking bout outrageous living! His home overlook a huge lake with greens on both side. We spent an afternoon walking round the park with occasional stops at the playgroud for Matthew to play. There were a few peacocks roaming round the park freely, one of which decided to take the cafe as his playground. Mischievious Matthew teased him with crackers and the peacock in return tailed him for more. Matthew was so afraid that he keep running round the table before hiding in one corner, hoping that the peacock would miss him. Thakfully the peacock found his new interest, a lady with even more crackers!
I had a date with Nancy as well, some weeks ago. She brought me to Nottingham Castle and explained some history to me. Now, the statue of Captain Albert Ball which stands in the middle of the garden make more sense to me. Apparently he was the youngest captain ever to be honoured with the Victoria Cross. Died at a young age of 18 during the WW2. He was the captain of the flying squad. We then went into a museum which housed many of the olden days time. The moment we stepped into the museum, Nancy said she felt as if she has returned home. She could relate to most of the items on display in the museum, from the furniture of the bedrooms to utensils used in the kitchen. Her home was bombed during the air raid in the forties. They fled to some underground hidings beneath Nottingham. I was privelleged to step in into one of the underground hiding places. For a moment, I thought I could feel what she was feeling then. Of course, I was no where near.
Ron and Brenda brought me to Chatsworth and Castleton yesterday. Chatsworth was the home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. A small part of the house is open to the public and the family of the Duke still lives there. It was also the house where the filming of Pride and Prejudice took place. The scene where Elizabeth walks in into Darcy's house, into a room full of sculptures was filmed in this house. This house is huge and grand, with each ceiling in every room of the house being delicately painted by famous French painters with oil pasters. The graden surrounding the house was nonetheless huge and oversized! Even the stables that once house the horses are bigger than a row of 5 houses put together. Could you now imagine the size of the house?
We then drove on to Castleton and went into Treak Cliff Cavern. Ron was very kind that despite his own failing health, he insisted of going with me into caves. In order to first reach the cave entrance, we have to climb many many steps. And when we get into the caves, more steps climbing followed suit. It was cold and slippery in the caves. But the climbing was worth it. Treak Cliff is famous for Blue John stones. This particular stone is only found in this cave and no where else in the world. It was initially thought to be coal by miners because of it's dark colours as Derbyshire was famous for its coal mining years ago. The view in the caves was spectacular. The staglatites and mites were beautiful. On the way back, we drove past Matlock Bath, a small town where Brenda used to study. She was training as a teacher in that town. Ron brought me to the assembly that Brenda used to attend during her college days. Matlock is very very hilly. Even Bristol could not beat the steepness of Matlock. Brenda said she used to climb up and down the hills, which seem easy during that time.
How much kinder can the Lord be to me? These folks and their kind hospitality. I want absorb and learn more of their kindness, to bring back to my home church. A drop of water into the vast sea may not turn the tides or cause it to roar, but without these individuals drops of water, the sea will not be a sea.
