The alternative newsletter

Christmas greetings to you all. As many of you will be sending out newsletters to us over the next month we thought we'd send out our very first one.

January saw the arrival of the new year, which took us all by surprise. The children had great fun building a 25ft snowman which was actually visible from space. Lois sang at the O2 arena and was subsequently offered a recording contract with EMI.

February followed swiftly after with a record 2 sack fulls of valentines cards for Lydia and a new job for Kathryn. She is now a government advisor for the Acceptable Response to Secondary Education group.

March is often associated in our house with springtime and this year was no exception. Andy was fairly busy this month running round the coast of Britain non-stop for Sports Relief, but is thinking of trying something that is a bit more of a challenge next year. Sammy did his bit for the charity by running his first ever sub 4 minute mile. Hopefully he will start speeding up now.

April, Kathryn was pleased to have finally completed her genetic research, resulting in breeding chickens that laid chocolate eggs in time for Easter this year.  Quality family time was spent gathering chocolate eggs from the coop.

May,  took us from chickens to Turkey as we had annual family away time.  Fun and laughter aplenty was had as we enjoyed the warm temperatures and had some much needed downtime.

June, Andy continues to work hard on his plumbing endeavours and was very pleased for the privilege of fixing a toilet this month.  He is now flushed with success!!

July, this month saw the arrival of wonderful school reports.  It is our joy and delight to tell you all about how much our girls have achieved in this academic year.  Lois continues to hold pole position in her class, leading in every aspect.  Lydia maintains a simple delight in her education, enthralling all who cross her path with her imaginative approach to learning.

August, Kathryn renewed her car tax, whilst Andy waited in the car outside. All in all a busy month.

September,  we are delighted to report that Sammy took only 4 days to fully potty train and is now confidently passing on his new found skills to his peers.

October, Andrew completed some training for work which means he is now able to fly as well as maintain aircraft.

Over and above any other month, November follows October for which we are truly blessed and grateful.

December, as we reflect on the year gone by and so many times happy times that we have been unable to mention them all, we are thankful for so many wonderful friends and family around us that we have the undeniable joy of spending our hard earned cash on at this time of year.  

Yours in Him
The Bests!!

Toys R Us shocker

Reports are just coming in of the arrest of Geoffrey the giraffe. Apparently he has had a load of children carrying out his every command and working in his shop till late at night. Even worse, he is getting them to sing and dance for him and broadcasting it on TV. He has been compared by some to a modern day Fagin as most of the children where collected from the streets and promised "millions of toys, all under one roof". As if this wasn't bad enough, he isn't even CRB checked. Scandalous!

A gentle reminder.

 The inspiration for this poem is obvious to anyone who has read the "footsteps" poem. The strange thing is, I don't like "footsteps" very much. I guess it's a bit like an overplayed song (like "Love is all around" by Wet Wet Wet or "You're Beautiful" by James Blunt). It get read excitedly by virtually every new Christian to all their Christian friends for the week after they discover it when rummaging through the local Christian bookshop. Although this is similar, it goes in a slightly different direction. Looking back at it now one line stands out "20 20 hindsight's clear". Sometimes it's only when we get past something that it makes any sense at all.
That gives me hope that the stuff I can't understand now, will be clear when seen in the bigger picture.
Well here it is:


A gentle reminder

Silently you walk through
This life of mine.
My course is changing
All the time.

I cannot see my path
Where it leads to.
But your hand guides me
To follow you.

Only when I look back
See where I've been.
It is then your footsteps
Can be seen.

They shine up brightly
Right next to me
You walked my path too
I could not see.

20 20 hindsight's clear
To see your hand.
Mountains once before me 
Now crushed to sand.

Worry still can haunt me
May hold me back.
Doubts can soon creep in.
Fear can attack.

Then a still small voice
Says "Look behind,
Can you see my footsteps?
What do you find?"

Stretching so far back
Those steps remain.
Strength then pours in me.
I step again. 

I saw your heart/For our baby (26/09/01)

I wrote this about a week before the birth of our first child. It mostly about the sudden love that you feel for this child that you have never seen before except on a scan monitor.

I saw your heart
And fell in love
I saw your hand
And wanted to hold it
I saw your body
And wanted to lift it
I saw your legs
And wanted to strengthen them
I saw your back
And wanted to stroke it
I saw your brain
And wanted to teach it
I saw your face
And wanted to kiss it
I saw your wave
I waved back.

Late night scenes.

It's at that point
In the night
As the minute hand struggles
To the top of the clock.

Most of us
Cuccooned in warm beds.
Some sleep quietly
Some turn with annoying repetitiveness.

Some still party
Adrenaline pumping
In time with the music
Minds swim in atmosphere and red bull.

Some sit desks
Or some other work
TV or radio, their only friend.
But they won't let you answer back.

Some drive home
In metal boxes
Sat there in their own little worlds
Nearly noticing the world flying past.

Some slumped by doors
A cardboard quilt
Just too tired to beg.
No one cares anyhow.

Some sit on a bench
And weep into hands.
A love lost or never gained.
The night is cruel to loneliness.

Some sit on a bed
And stare at a candle
Frantically writing down their thoughts
In another unpublished poem.

Disconnected

Had to go to the american embassy today. They have a strict policy on electrical items including phones, so I had to leave mine at home. It felt very strange, almost as if I had left a part of me behind.
So I wrote this about it.


Disconnected

"No phones allowed!" the letter said
"Inside this embassy"
Overcome with sense of dread
"Not have my phone with me?"

Sat on the train, I feel cut off
Alone now with my thoughts
Newspapers distract enough
Briefly glanced sports reports.

So much to say, but no way to.
I'm not used to this.
Had my phone since ninety-two,
Now it's the thing I miss.

No link to the "Twitterati"
No "How's it going there"
No "Please come to my party"
No one to say they care.

Who am I when I'm not online,
Left with myself only?
Do I cease to be somehow?
Am I an iPhoney?

Andy Best 08/10/2010

The longest journey starts with just one step.

Well, here goes something new.
The idea is this.
I have a whole load of poems sat in various books in various drawers. I also have a whole load of random thoughts floating round my head. Some may be worth reading, some may not, but at least people can have a look and make their own minds up. It will also encourage me to write a bit more.
How long will it last? Who can say.
Will I be discovered and become the people's poet for a new generation? Probably not.
Will it make people smile, think, look at the world differently? Hopefully.
We will see.
Hope you enjoy it anyway.
Bestie