Rosie’s Ramblings – Spring 2024

Rosie’s Ramblings – Spring 2024    25th Feb

Welcome to the Spring Edition of Trowse Villager magazine!

It was a huge pleasure to be present at the unveiling of the village sign today, beautifully restored and back in its rightful position across the road from the church. My dad, Peter Quinton, was involved with getting the sign placed originally. Dad died just over two years ago but I know it would please him greatly to have it back looking so beautiful. A huge thank you to everyone who has worked hard to restore and replace the sign – you know who you are!

I’ve been thinking about dogs and plans – honestly! – and how things don’t always go according to plan. I’ve never seen the point of making long-term plans because in my experience the most wonderful things that have happened to me have been completely unexpected and way beyond anything I could have planned for. I picked up a copy of the EDP in Morrisons this morning, and one of the headlines on the front cover just happens to read “Neighbours barking mad over dog plans.” I haven’t read the article, but it made me decide to ramble on about dogs and plans.

My mum died just over a year ago. During her last couple of years – maybe longer - every time I saw her (at least once a day and often more than that) she would say “I don’t know what’s going to happen to Benji.” And every time I would reply, with increasing exasperation, “Mum, I will look after Benji!”

So now we have Benji the border terrier, who was never really in our plans. He is now 18 years and one month old. Apart from him asking to go outside every five minutes, lots of grumbling, whining and barking in the evenings, the constant trip hazard, (he is ALWAYS right under our feet), and the odd accident on the floor, it’s fine. He’s very affectionate and still enjoys his walks which are getting slower and slower. They certainly can’t count towards my daily dose of exercise! I’m beginning to think he’ll go on for ever…

Mum and Dad had a whole succession of dogs, many of them also “inherited” from friends who could no longer look after them. There was a Lhasa Apso called Nobby who became poorly and had to be taken to the vet. Mum got him inside and lifted him onto the examination table. The vet took one look and pronounced “But this dog is dead!” That wasn’t quite planned either. I never did ask Mum if she had to pay the vet for his verdict.

We also didn’t plan to have our previous dog – a lovely mutt called Flash. When our daughter begged us to let her have a dog, we said she could, but she had to be 100% responsible for him: feeding him, walking him, keeping him off the furniture, paying the vet bills etc. etc. Susie readily agreed. A couple of years later she married Shawn who was serving with the American Air Force at Lakenheath, and took off to start a new life across the Atlantic, leaving us holding the dog. Susie always allowed Flash to sleep in her bedroom – but he was confined to a special dog blanket across the foot of the bed. The day she departed for the States, I went upstairs to find Flash lying on Susie’s bed with his head on her pillow. He looked so sad, just how I was feeling.

I don’t seem to have got much religion into my Ramblings! However, as I believe that God is in all things, I don’t think there’s any need to be particularly explicit. Still, there is a bit of light-hearted theology in the poem “The Creation” sent in by Lizzie. I love it, and I also love the fact that it’s completely untranslatable – it only works in English!

St. Andrew’s is a very dog-friendly church. We had seven in the congregation when the archdeacon last did his visitation – mind you, that was a record! Well-behaved dogs are always welcome, and whether you have a dog or not, YOU are always welcome. Our services and events are listed in this magazine. We are currently journeying with Jesus through Lent towards the Cross and the Resurrection. In these days when there is so much darkness in our world, our need for the Easter Hope seems greater than ever. We would love to see you at any of our services, but especially on Easter Day when we celebrate Christ’s victory over death, opening for us the way to eternal life.

AMEN

Rosie