Legally Blonde

Benjamin and I are relaxing at my parents’ in Suffolk. D is with biker friends in Spain. I drove for 8 hours yesterday, via Stansted, and survived – still incredibly tired but now sharing the Benjamin with Granny and Grumpy, which we all gain from! I had a lovely long lie-in this morning (until D rang from Spain, forgetting the time difference and the strict instructions to take advantage and try to sleep more!) and a gentle walk to the co-op, the veg man and swings. 4 days of this, I could get used to just eating, sleeping and reading! feel like a slummy mummy, but really enjoying the nothingness. One of my brothers is coming up for the weekend, so catching up with him (haven’t seen him since the wedding – 7 months yesterday!) will be an added bonus; and my Godfather was here last night, so happy families all round.

Dear Mr. Brewer

We are writing on behalf of 498 supporters of cartoonist and blogger Dave Walker, a group which includes bishops, national journalists in the UK and US, lawyers, clergy, and concerned members of the public.

We would like to ask you please to contact Dave Walker and withdraw the demands made in the ‘Cease and Desist’ letter which you sent him in July. Your letter, as far as we know, instructed Dave to remove all his posts about the recent history of SPCK bookshops or face action for libel. With the pressures of the impending Lambeth conference, and a very short deadline given by yourself, Dave complied. He commented at the time: “I have therefore removed all of the SPCK/SSG posts on this blog, as, although I believe I have not done anything wrong I do not have the money to face a legal battle. The removal of these posts is in no way an admission of guilt.”

Many of us have read the posts concerned, and are surprised, to say the least, that they could be called libellous. Indeed, the first three posts make no mention at all of yourself, the Society of St. Stephen the Great, or anyone associated with you. The 4th post reports your takeover of the bookshops with the comment “this is splendid news.” Another post is a simple link to your SSG video on YouTube. Other items include verbatim reports of your own statements, and in the simple post on the death of Steve Jeynes, dozens of people used the comments to expressed their grief and condolences to Steve's family.

Dave is a reasonable man, and if all critics were as fair as he is the world would be a better place. If you were able to reconsider, and point out specific statements and claims you were unhappy with, we are sure Dave would be happy to correct them where appropriate. This is the normal process of debate on the internet, and in real life, and follows the strong tradition of free speech for which our countries stand and are rightly proud.

So this is a polite request from all of us: please contact Dave Walker, advise him that your ‘cease and desist' communication no longer stands, and let him report freely.

Yours sincerely

Rev. David Keen, Rt. Rev. Alan Wilson (Bishop of Buckingham), Rev. Colin Alsbury, Rev. Mark Bennett, John Cooper, Annette Gaykema, Steve Thackray, and Matt Wills on behalf of the ‘We Support Dave Walker' group.

I surprised myself by greeting relatively friendlily a woman who is usually VERY Difficult indeed; she has caused so many problems and put so many backs up she is a real divisive force in church, the opposite of fellowship and building the body. Usually I can’t even give her the peace! but today I said a cheery good morning, and she looked a little startled then smiled. Benjamin said “grumpy ***** did smile and say hello!!” we are both surprised, but it felt good being the olive branch. Very bizarre.

The boys (INSET day) had a great time decorating the Sunday School window. It looks a bit chaotic but really happy and celebratory. I hope it lasts til Sunday! (and that I remember my camera…) There’s a huge basket of sunflowers in the middle, flanked by two scarecrows, and surrounded by all sorts of farm machinery and animals, and with a sun and a cloud bluetacked to the window above. B contributed a loaf – display purposes only, as he was determined to “help” in the making, and it has too much flour, too little yeast and a lot too much salt as a result. It looks great – but I wouldn’t recommend tasting it, it weighs a ton.

When we finished the window B needed the loo so we went to the Parish Centre, and found more church friends, some we know well and some I’d never talked to before, setting up for the lunch club. It made me think how much goes on in the fellowship that most people (Sunday morning only people) never know about. they set up from 9, and cook a huge meal for whoever comes, most of them not even church, every friday. There’s a real sense of “come to the feast” – an act of faith whenever you cook, not knowing who or how many will come. And yet they flock to it; people who never usually darken the doors of church come regularly to the parish centre for food, fellowship and hopefully a glimpse of the kingdom. It may seem small to the girl I chatted to (sous-chef today!) but it struck me as really important outreach.

I am reading several of you but have been so absolutely shattered the last couple of weeks I haven’t been posting or even commenting much – apologies. Still here. Nothing terribly wrong, just spending less time on the computer and being terribly tired a lot of the time.

I had forgotten how absolutely debilitating real physical and mental tiredness is and have been slightly hit for six this week. Still, we have an INSET day tomorrow so don’t have to get up too early and fight over breakfast, uniform etc.

Instead we are going to church to help with the Sunday School’s Harvest display. This year, it is mostly being – tractors. ask a class of 3-5 year old boys what they think of when you say harvest: tractor, scarecrow, cake, tractor, bob the builder, tractor, tractor. logical. anyone who was expecting the usual baskets of corn and greenery – sorry. Sunday school window this year actually designed by Sunday School. On raiding the farm box for B’s contribution this afternoon: “honestly mummy, that’s not a tractor, it’s a combine with crop sprayer attachment. quite different.” eek.

Oh, and a nasty taxi man barged through a too small gap this afternoon, and now the lovely smart shiny new orange car is – um – slightly less than smart and shiny (we are fine but it is a bore hanging on phones for the insurance people etc.)

Sorry to be so dull! more worth reading (maybe) soon.