Word Clouds

Found this site wordle.net today – can produce a word cloud from any submitted text. Gives greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text.

The cloud for the words used to date in the blog is:

Commitment

Yesterday, Jan was preaching at the Cathedral on taking risks, getting out of one’s comfort zone. She used the quote:

If you want to walk on water, you’ve got to get out of the boat

It’s actually the title of a Christian book by John Ortberg but the message works in so many places and times. If we want to make something happen, we may have to take some big steps to do that – and some of them are not going to be comfortable, and may just be a little risky.

St Etheldreda

The Cathedral at Ely is dedicated to St Etheldreda (636-679), and special services are held to mark the anniversary of her death (23 June). On the nearest Saturday (in recent years) a procession (with music) has been held to mark the events in her life.

The procession is intended to start from the river and work its way to the cathedral, and the key players, and musicians, dress appropriately. Not too many people have proper Saxon garb, so a variety of ages are represented, including the modern for those without local costumiers.

Etheldreda was an incredible woman, her early life, as would have been expected in those times, included marriage to the local king to establish a political union, and when he died she was married to the Prince of Northumbria, the most powerful kingdom in England. Eventually, though, she fled back to Ely where she founded a double monastery, to which many came as nuns, and also many men and priests came to take her as their holy guide.

And the Church of England still has problems with women as priests, and won’t consecrate them as Bishops, yet ….

Some of the music at the event was provided by the Ely Waits (waits are civic or town musicians, and exist in many places across England). The Waits play sackbuts (precursor of the modern trombone), shawms (which led to the oboe), recorders and drums under the leadership of Tony Pearson.

There were many people following the procession around the Cathedral (since it was pouring with rain, which would have dampened the performances and the spectators alike) including the Mayor of Ely, Cllr Sheila Friend-Smith.

I always find it odd that City (or Town) Mayors are just Parish Council chairmen – yet get treated in such a different manner. They also have a much nicer set of robes, and chain – I was dressed as Little John – quite effective (or so I’m told, sorry there’s no picture), way out of date (12th/13th century rather than 7th) but fun and seemingly accepted by visitors to the cathedral as the norm ….

Still looking for a decent quarter staff to go with that (can you help?) -

Monthly reports

Since they were first elected our County Councillors have been doing monthly reports for their parishes. It allows them to pass on information, update Councils on what they’ve been doing – and what is coming up.

I’ve been doing the same for since September 2006 – it takes a while, but again, it both updates Council on a whole range of topics, but it also ensures that I can pass on key information without wasting valuable time in meetings or, worse, forgetting something.

5 pages, 14 topics this time – and a collection of quotes and points from the recent NALC conference. The amusing one that is currently in fashion is:

“knowledge is knowing that tomatoes are fruit, wisdom is not putting them in a fruit salad”

More relevant, perhaps, is:

“are we playing football where we don’t have any goals?”

The regular reports topic has been adopted by Councillors representing the Arbury Park area of the Parish – and their first monthly report was published yesterday – 8 pages covering a complete report on the state of the development as well as the current issues.

Whosoever said that being a Parish Councillor took an average of 3 hours a week must have found a lot of Councillors who spend very little time to balance some that work in Impington …

Histon Football Club – Parking

Met with Cllr David Jenkins, Inspector Chris Savage, Trevor George and John Webster to look at parking problems (if any) associated with games at HFC.

Recognised that all had gone pretty well for first year – no written complaints to Parish or County Council, club or Police over parking. However, Police cannot continue to put out cones, and will not replace (from their budget) ones that go missing.

Need is therefore to look at self enforcing solution, though will continue to get clear Police support.

Actions on David Jenkins to take back to County officers, who were unable to make meeting.

We’ll revisit this in November, and see whether County will move on recommendations, and whether the new season brings problems.

Guided Bus

Today Ruth Kelly, Secretary of State for Transport, visited Oakington to look at progress on the Guided Bus, and was interviewed about a range of other traffic issues.

It also marked a milestone – the Guide Way is now past Histon Station, and progressing south.

The first section south of the junction has been laid.