God incidences or Co-incidences

We visited Ringwood Methodist / URC Church last Sunday, which is going through amalgamation, as they appear to be selling the Methodist Church building in a prime position in the High Street. We were obviously meant to go as we met with the Methodist minister from Verwood who started his introduction to the service with a statement that this was his first ministry at the Ringwood church, although he has been into schools in Ringwood. Dressed in casuals he led a nice and relaxed All Age Worship with well known hymns on the screen, and with a worship band doing three newer songs, of which we knew only one and the congregation didn't appear to know at all!

We introduced ourselves at the end of the service to Rev Ralph Ward, and said that this was also our first attendance, and this meeting led us to travel from 5 miles northeast of Salisbury to Verwood, a distance of 28 miles for the 10:45 service at the Methodist Church. The Church building is light and airy and would be similiar in size to Union Street Church without the balcony, or the Crowborough Church where Marie-Anne was stationed.

The reception given to us was friendly but not pushy. They have a service at 9:00 lead by the lay members followed by coffee which some people participate in before the main planned service. The hymns, mostly H&P which the young pianist said he only new 1 of before the service, were displayed on a screen and Margery was pleased to see some banners in the church - there were none at Ringwood!
After the service we had coffee and chatted to members and found that we had a lot in common with them. The senior steward and his wife just happen to be the Assistant County Commissioner for Fellowship in the Scout movement in East Dorset and also Chairman of Brownsea Island National Fellowship. We left the church almost the last one's, at 12:50, so nothing changes. The church has a young peoples service once a month at 7:30pm called Live it Loud at which it is stated that between 200 and 300 young people attend. This is the ministry of Rev Ralph Ward, who has been at Verwood for 1 year! WOW!

So, it seems nothing changes. We will be taking the caravan to Sherbourne in June for Simon to use from 20th June and we are house sitting until their return on 1st July. LIL is on the 4th Sunday and so we just might be spending the day and evening in Verwood! SOF seems to be the hymn book most used and comments from some other people we met who had done the same thing as us 6 years earlier said that there are two alive churches in Verwood (and we just happened to find it first time)!

We have found it!

Well, we hope so anyway! Offer accepted on a beautiful bungalow as previously described! - perhaps it looked even better on 2nd viewing! Lots of space - loads of ideas for garden - just got to wait to get in!

Lots of room for visitors - smaller ones can even go up into the loft room away from Mum and Dad!! ( did I really say that!!!!!?) Loads of space for the things we love doing ie garden! and patio/ covered verandah for barbeques! there may even be space for my hot tub.....we'll have to wait and see!

So, the meanderings are on hold at the moment - we're back in Larkfield for a while - well, until we go to house sit, while Simon borrows the caravan, that is! We'll be here for a couple of weeks then.. who knows!

We think we've found it!

Yesterday we found what we hope will be our new home. Beautiful bungalow in Ashley Heath near Ringwood. Plenty of space, double garage and space for the caravan - good sized garden with some interesting features, but not much planting yet, so we can play!

No forward chain, so the purchase should be quite simple. Hoping to be in by July - but lots can still go wrong! Definately plenty of room for visitors - and it's right on the edge of the New Forest!!

More updates later - we'll try and get some photos on when we can!

Hampshire/Dorset Borders, and it's WET!

We moved the van to near Stockbridge yesterday - half asleep as we didn't get back from London until 1.30 am! Boy was it worth it! 2 hours of fabulous rock - by 3/4 of Dire Straights + 4 other fabulous musicians! Extended Jam session - but what a sound!Verging on jazz at times, I think we're both still walking round will silly grins on our faces!

House hunting wise, things are looking up - even if the weather isn't! We found two more possibles yesterday - in Verwood near Ringwood. Simba likes the one in Bugdens Lane - because there is a lovely area of woodland for doggie walking 30 yards from the front door - so no ulterior motives there then!

In Fordingbridge today to hit some more agents and hopefully some more bungalows, then viewings in and around Ringwood tomorrow! Life is, as they say, hectic!

Sunday we're planning to go to church in Verwood - then have the rest of the day off! But we'll see what happens!

Great news and great excitement!

No, we haven't found a house yet! But a very special, much wanted and long anticipated little girl arrived this morning at 1.50am! Congratulations to no doubt proud Mum and Dad - Val and Ian! and a very warm welcome to baby Daisy! Can't wait to meet her.

The other great excitement is that Ron is FINALLY going to see one of his guitar heroes tonight! Mark Knopfler (of Dire Straits fame - just incase you were wondering!) at the Royal Albert Hall. So we're flown home - well, almost aquaplaned home with the rain - just for a bit less than 24 hrs, so we can go up to the concert. Must admit, I'm really looking forward to it as well!
Update when we can!

Moving Westwards!

Well after 3 days of traffic jams around Winchester and Romsey, we did find a lovely village that time seems to have forgotten - Titchfield. Although Jen wouldn't speak to us as it has a PO postcode ( Portsmouth!) We also found a beautiful house with a good sized garden - bit slopey at the back tho, so would need terracing so I don't break my neck - on the reserves list!

We moved the van to Plaitford, near Romsey - well, Cadnam perhaps! to a lovely CL - 5 pitch private site - in an enormous backgarden! Very nice apart from the weather! Simba wasn't impressed when he woke up with a wet head, as the rain was driving in thru the top vent!

Went into Ringwood early on Sunday ( yes, Sunday!) to try and find the Methodist Church before the service started. We did - only to find that the service was at the United Church - Methodist /URC down the road! We still got there in time, to be greeted by a very cheerful guy acting as lollipop man for the church - so people could cross safely to get in - instead of a conventional lollipop, he had a board with a cross on it, and "Christians Crossing" as well - nice one!

Ringwood has long been one of the places we felt drawn to - there are several good places just outside with plenty of bungalows - the town itself has all we need - even including a model engineering society! Can't think why we need that one!

Lots of appointments booked - one seen at St Leonards that looks very promising indeed - would need a lot of work, but the price is right, as they say! No offers made yet - if it's for us, it'll still be there after we look at Dorset over the next couple of weeks. If not, there are plenty of others around there, we couldn't book many appointments as one one agent in Ringwood was open sunday or bank hol monday!

Four days on and 400 Bungalows!

Ok, well not quite 400, but sometimes it feels like it!

We're having fun and games trying to get people to understand that you can't get a 21foot caravan onto a postage stamp garden, nor can you get it thru a 6 foot wide gate. 1 in 4 hills and drives sloping in two directions also cause minor problems!!!!

Found the perfect bungalow - loads of room, beautiful american design with sunken lounge and fab garden - until you walked outside, and all you could hear was road noise :-(

Been in Winchester today - registering with a load more agents. It seems that we're just goin to have to keep doing that in the areas we like, and then wait for something to turn up.

Booked to see a place in Fordingbridge next wednesday - very exciting as I never thought we could afford to live there!

Had a great evening with Jenny and Dan last night - Jen's "ordinary tea" was a bit like her Mum's - delightfully OTT!! Thanks Jen!

Caravan does it's first move tomorrow as the site's full over the Bank holiday weekend, so we'll be in Plaitford near Romsey for the next 4 nights. More updates as and when we can.