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Saturday 5th July Woke up 7am to the sound of rain falling on the tents, which rather spoils our plan of cleaning them out properly and ensuring that they are ready to be put into storage for another year! Instead, everyone gets up slowly whilst we form a new plan of action, which is personal possessions and chairs onto the coach by 8am, when we'll have breakfast, then take everything down before prayer. 9.30am tractor ordered to take stuff to coach - works kind of to plan, but we finish prayer off on the coach! We're off just before 10am, which is perfect timing. Around 12.30 and fuel/lunch/toilet stop, and arrived at Eurotunnel early. Able to book an earlier shuttle, but we then had a few issues at immigration and were back on the same shuttle as originally planned. On the shuttle we carried out the tackiest souvenier competition (which I won with my giraffe-shaped stuffed Eiffel Towers), and the most creative photo competition (won by Gisella with he 1 head/2 bodies photo) - time passed quickly and we were soon on the last hour back to Otford where we were met by several of the team. Quickly unloaded luggage and
tents (the rest can wait) and headed back up to the Manor (saying goodbye to all those on the train), where food was ready. Rooms/luggage then sorted, and we planned a short walk to look out over the view, but were caught on our way out by James who needed us to put the tents up one last time! Probably the worst we've ever put the tents up but at least they should get a chance to dry/air! Soon to sleep after walk/hot chocolate!
Sunday 6th July Up for 9am breakfast, ready 10.20am for church. Went to St Nicholas. Not sure I truly concentrated, but remember it involved Isaac and Esau - and it's not all about deeds, but about saving grace! Soon back for lunch, and then spent the afternoon half-comatose, before heading down later in the evening for some food, and handed out some Swiss chocolate. Watched Top Gear believing that Wimbledon wasn't on - but it was - so we missed all that. Never mind, Top Gear was hilarious as usual! Early to bed
Monday 7th July Late rising (about 10am), and spent the morning trying to sort out some of my stuff. Down for
lunch to say hi to people and was ordered to the Drs as still deaf in my left ear and voice still sounds bad! Receptionist at Otford Surgery incredibly rude on the phone, but whoever I got at reception was very nice, and the Dr was funny - said if had been bacterial those antibiotics would have worked, so probably viral and will just have to rest to allow it to heal! Andy had lent me his car - seems bizarre to be driving after the best part of a year, but it was fun (I always associate cars with freedom) - and got a chance to whizz into Sainsbury's to replenish a few supplies too. Back to the Manor, caught up with Vanessa/Sarah, then finished clearing my room before/after dinner. Later - Mary's started off a Ladies Prayer night so we started that - was sent to bed 9pm when it appeared I was falling asleep. Read a bit of my book and slept...
Tuesday 8th July Woke 12.55 - quick shower and down for lunch. Quickly disappeared back to my room and spent the afternoon reading my book. Down for supper, said hi to people who were
soon disappearing off to play VolleyBall, and I disappeared up here to catch up on the text on my blog - but my battery is just about to die, and I need to sleep as I have an early morning - and not sure how I'm getting to the train station yet!
Wednesday 9th July Headed into Canterbury for the
'Justifying War' conference. Really enjoyed the initial session and the talk by Richard Overy. After lunch I was ready to head back, and was back in time for dinner, to relax a bit!
Thursday 10th July Given another day off, so I caught up on some reading, and generally tried to rest and fully recover.
Friday 11th July Spent the day pulling together the information on the campsites we'd been to this summer, and the general information, for the Europe 2008 tour. Hopefully this will truly help next year! Evening spent watching a film in the team lounge.. some chick flick!
Satuday 12th July Drove to Heathrow with Gillian and Mike who were off to Spain as Leader/Speaker. Nice to be in charge of a car again. Some fun as British Airways had moved the check-in desk
from Zone K to Zone R, so lots of running backwards and forwards to find people. Drove the wrong way out onto the M25, took 15 miles to find a bridge could turn around on. Stopped at Clackett Lane Services to find some leaflets for the local area, nipped into Sainsbury's, then back to complete some work at the Manor before dinner. By 7pm, dinner cleared up, feel ready for bed, still trying to sort out if can borrow a car for the morning!
Sunday 13th July 9am, no one had booked the car out for church, so drove off to Crawley Down. Isobel's christening held at
All Saints Church, Crawley Down. Good service, soon headed off to Nicky & Toby's where caught up with Di & Jess, plus a few others. Ate beautiful food, watched the kids. 4pm needed to get the car back, so headed back to the Manor. Tired so headed up to do a few things could do in my room!
Monday 14th July Spent all day writing up the excursions from the first 12 days of the Europe Tour, with an hour's break for lunch, followed by an hour holding the ladder for Liz to
clean away the cobwebs. Evening Glenn popped in so chatted to him, followed by chats in Mary's room, where a group of us are discussing
God's Design for Women.
Tuesday 15th July Spent all day writing up the excursions for another 10 days of the Europe Tour (9 to go). Chatted to Mary in the evening then uploaded SOME photos for the Travelblog, still more to come!
Wednesday 16th July Completed day 29 on Europe Tour notes - now need to sort out the maps I picked up and pick out the pertinent information to action for next year... whoever's doing next year has a lot of information to digest, but hopefully clearly laid out! Went to the Dr's again today - told that I just have to rest, steam with Vicks, gargle, etc. and eventually my body will heal itself. Thinks no problems in going to Venice on Saturday so here's hoping! Jon Phipps left the Manor tonight, so we held a BBQ in his honour. Soon turned into a fight to see how many people could be thrown in the pool so beat a strategic retreat to watch 'The Peacemakers' and upload more photos on the blog!
Thursday 17th July
Finished sorting through the box of paperwork from the Europe Tour so hopefully whoever does it next year (and it has been suggested that this could be me, which wouldn't be BEYOND the realms of possibility!) won't have to fight their way through a load of irrelevant stuff. Pulled together some information on Venice, ready for Saturday.
Friday 18th July Day off, slept in, meeting with Tim re: Venice, packing for Venice tomorrow!
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