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Another friend gone

So another friend passed into Gods presence earlier this week. Ann has been a good friend for so many years. She would regularly join us for Sunday lunch – it was usually Ann, Mary and me and occassionally some members of our family – we all enjoyed those times. We would “put the world to right” and after lunch Mary and Ann would continue their conversation at the dining room table. Often Ann would have a need for some tech support and needed some advice about using her mobile phone or iPad etc…. Ann was a good friend but also like a close family member.

She was a remarkable lady as she worked to serve the local community as a Brownie Leader and Brown Owl but also in the context of the church which was a large part of her life. See served as an Elder for so many years and was the Kemnay Kirk Presbytery Elder and represented the church by attending the Assembly in Edinburgh for many years. She was also instrumental in getting the Loaves and Fishes Cafe established – she was the manager doing that in a voluntary capacity for many years. She always had time to chat to customers and give them a warm welcome which which people often spoke about.

She also lead the catering group for various events at the church including providing Funeral Teas, Weddings meals and of course was the driving force learing a small team of ladies who provided meals for the Mens Group each time that group met. Those meals were amazing and enjoyed by all pressent. She also co-orginised the shared lunchs that we ofter had back in the day.

I remember not long after we started coming to Kemnay parish church that I ended up playing guitar for the Sunday school. I think it was Ann that invited me to get involved here. There was also the Summer Missions which the church ran – again she was involved, always in the background providing support and also probably doing a bit of catering. Ann was always a provider of hospitality at every opportunity and a great organiser. See always led by example – a hard worker and initiator. I recall the two Pentcost in the Park events which the church ran at Bogbeth Park 2000 and 2010 again she was working hard to do her bit.

I recall also the annual Kemnay Fireworks display where she managed the burger stall for many years – alway pulling in volunteers cook or serve on the stall.

Mary and I organised an annual Hogmany Party at our home. For many years Ann came and joined us and of course would provide some food ;-). We/I have so many good memories of those parties and the fun we had as we said goodbye to the year past and welcomed the year to come. There was also the Kemnay Kirk Late Late christmas parties which again Ann would be involved in organising.

She also supported Gospel4Grampian – a Christian online radio station which is based in Aberdeen. Not only was she a member but attended the AGMs and organised and supported fund raising events.


I remember so many events when Ann was involved – the Easter Garden service on Easter Sunday morning when she was there with her team cooking bacon and suassages – an annual tradition that carries on even today. She was always the first person to arrive and last person to leave.
There were so many things that Ann did in her time to serve the church – I recall her ironing the strips of cloth for the Chistmas Eve Clothing the Cradle service and also obtaining the oranges, candles and sweets etc for the Cristingle service – all the kids present made one. She did all this quietly without ever seeking noteriety for herself.

She had a great nack of getting people involved. I recall the time she decided that the church should develop/make and poppy curtain which is draped either side of the war memorial in church. She had that vision and then got many ladies to make wool poppies – I cannot recall the number but there are many hundreds – these were contributed by many people and then attached to a net so that the tribute could used on an annual basis.

The photo below was taken when it was first set in place, as you can see there was group of helpers there to attach the woolen poppies and hang the curtain in place. She was very proud of the end product.

I have one more photo I want to share as I bring this tribute post to a close.

I will miss her contribution to church life and will also miss the times we spent together and the many discussions and laughs we had.

The photo below was take a few years ago – pre-COVID when Ann came on holiday stay with my daughter Linda in Inverness for a few days. We were at the Foyers Campsite with our caravan and decided to take a Sunday afternoon run around Loch Ness – we stopped at Fort Agustus at the bottom end of the loch for a lunch break. We spent some time watching various boats traversing the locks – Ann was fascinated by this – something she had never seen before and was clearly excited by having the chance to be there and take it all in. It was hard to get her to move on she was so absorbed by the whole spectical. The weather was perfect and it really seemed to be a totally enjoyable time for Ann. This is a special memory I have of seeing her enjoyment of being there on that occassion.


In church on Sunday we listened to a sermon based on the passage Matthew Ch 25 Vs 31 – 46. No time to tell the whole story here but it is a parable about the sheep and the goats where in verse 40 we read


40 β€œThe King will reply, β€˜Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

I am certain that – this is basically saying that our conduct on this earth will have some impact our eternal destiny. I know that Ann gave so much of herself to serving the community, church and ultimately in doing so, honouring her Lord and Saviour. When she meets her Lord He will say to her “well done thy good and faithful servant”.

I look forward to that great reunion after the resurrecton when we will all be together again in the presence of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Then we will be made perfect with no more disease and no more sin to bring us down.

Mizpah

St Petersburg some general comments

Beautiful city although this is – I have a few comments to make about my first impressions upon arriving here!!!

The journey here consisted of two flights – ABZ to CDG and CDG to LED – I think that ABZ and CDG are pretty easy to guess – but LED is less straight forward!!! Have you worked out how St Peterburg comes to be LED and ABZ is Aberdeen and CDG is Charles De Gaul πŸ˜‰ read on!!!!

Well it happened to me – for the first time in the last six months travel!!!!! My bag did not arrive here with me!!! It remained in CDG!!!!!! This meant I had to fill in the customs form – twice for customs and then one more time for good measure for the lost property office. Now that can be just a little frustrating at the end of a long journey. But it has to be done in order to get you bag back – so you do it without question and bearing pleasant smile!!!!

So on to the hotel with only hand baggage in tow!

The car was very nice – a C Class Mercedes – very nice and comfortable for sure! As we drive back we pass lots of really nice buildings – first impression of very favourable for sure!

The we arrive at the hotel to check in ! The staff are VERY pleasant and do not seem to surprised in the least when I explain that I have no luggage, other then my back pack that is! Dental and shaving kits are provided as if this is just routine practice for recently arrived international travellers!!!

There is a TV in the room – flat screen of modest size – very good. All the channels seem to be in Russian – not so good!!!! I did eventually find the BBC World news channel which made me feel slight closer to home πŸ˜‰

I was very interested to hear the hot news about South Africa’s recent expressions about about Zimbabwe and Robert Mugabe’s rule over it! An interesting development – I expect that we have not head the last of that just yet!

Yes I did find Friends on one channel – light relief I thought – then realised that it was overdubbed in Russian too! Some how it did not seem natural for those words to come out of the friends mouths!!! I wonder it the Friends humour really work here in amidst the Russian culture!

Mosquitoes – in St Petersburg!!!! now that was a surprise to me !!!! The windows have secondary glazing in place with labels which warning that leaving the windows open in the evening might result in a invasion of the dreaded Mosquito!! or perhaps a few of them!!! The hotel has thoughtfully provided and electric mosquito exterminator which can be used if needed! So I guess it must be a real problem! I have not seen one so far!

Well enough of this ramble – its time for bed now 10.30pm and still daylight outside – that is unusual too at this time of night – then we are much further north than Scotland and home πŸ˜‰

PS
LED – did you forget or just know? St Petersburg used to be called Leningrad see Wikipedia for more info ! I expect that is the reason for this apparent inconsistency!

Mystery Tour June 2008

Today was the day when we went on, what has now become an annual tradition!, a mystery tour. This time we headed south ( last year we went to the north of Aberdeenshire). We had a great day and I have published some photos including the one below. The one below shows three flowers standing in front of Falkland Palace, which was our final destination. A really enjoyable and relaxing day was had by all, complemented by good food, good scenery and most of all the good company of our friends who you will see in the pictures.

Click here to view more


My good friend Alan allowed me to publish the following two photos which between them show all people who participated in out day out – a motely grew indeed! The photos were taken one by Alan and the other by Lynda his wife – is should be possible to workout who they are by comparing the two photos. A very happy bunch indeed πŸ˜‰

A walk in Kemnay with Friends

Its the last day of March and we went for a walk with our good friends. This is a first time we have all been together since our weekend mystery trip to the cottage in GlenIsla. I wrote about this back in February. That was a great weekend but did have a ‘not so good’ ending when one of our party ended up in hospital. Glad to report that he is now fully recovered and able for todays excursion.

We start from the Manse in Kemnay and walk along Leshangie then back over the hill with some lovely views of the village and church under the magnificent back drop of Bennachie. Here is one photo taken on the day which is my favourite but you can see all of them by clicking on the link below.


Click here to see all the Photos