Monday, December 26, 2016

Merry Christmas!



It's been a very busy December, but I'm so happy to share these with the best son in the world Jack Bara and my lovely husband Andy. On Christmas Eve Andy came to midnight mass with me. 
 


Exchanging presents was made extra special by Jack's very lovely handmade Xmas card. I love our meaningful and useful presents to each other (see the photos, I got important books and chocolate Bailey's!). 


Then Andy and I went to Cornerstone Day Centre for a quick Christmas greetings. 


Saying Merry Christmas to the homeless and the volunteers, abd sharing hugs with people who have nowhere else to go is very meaningful. We felt so warm watching the happiness in the face of a young man who got a simple present of a singing biscuit tin. We chat with a young Polish man who wanted to open a streetfood soup cart (and he's been working 12hrs a day to save up for his dream!). The best part is that he's going to do a 'soup-portive' programme where people can buy soup for the next homeless person who pass. Aaaww...


After Cornerstone, it's time for our own Christmas lunch. Operation Christmas Lunch began! (See our timetable?) 

Then of course we had to watch the Queen's speech, which I think is really inspiring! The Queen talked about of "small acts of goodness" and "ordinary people doing extraordinary things".



Our Christmas lunch is delicious and filling. We thanked each other for cooking, for washing up, and for being together this Christmas. It was a short and hectic day as I had to rush to work in the evening, but it was Christmas, the day of the mother and child, and the step father who took his painful role with love and patience. It's also the birthday of The First Revolutionary who taught us to love the poor and the marginalised. Today was our family's best day of 2016! 


Merry Christmas... ❤🎄❤




Monday, November 28, 2016

Facing Racism as It is

A client at work said twice that I am Indian. I told her I am not. She said again that I have an Indian accent and that she cannot 'connect' with people with accents like me. I told her that her remark is racist and that it is offensive.

I told her that people in other countries might also have difficulties understanding her, especially when she could not be bothered to learn any other language.


I 'have an accent' because I have travelled around the world and managed to learn a number of different languages. But fyi, there are over 6 billions people in the world and there are over 6 billion accents. Of course an ignorant little piece of sh*t like this person don't have the brain to comprehend this. (This client refuses to talk to male, changed a worker because "she's too old", and say that all services she use are "useless" and "sh*t") 

If someone being racist, tell them that they are. This is the only way we can stop this bigotry. We are all part of one human race. 

Stop racism!



This is my son, me and my husbandWe are part of one human race!



Saturday, April 23, 2016

Cornerstone Big Sleep Out - raising money for winter homeless shelter

Last night #CSBigsleepout was successful. About 130 people slept outside St Christopher's Church, 
Ashton-under-Lyne. 


By 2am, we had some frost on our sleeping bag but we survived. Thanks God we can go to a warm home after! 



Over 100 people in Manchester have to sleep in the same frosty and wet sleeping bag on the street for nights after nights after nights. As Bishop John Arnold of Salford and Manchester Diocese said, "This is injustice in our society that we have to fight!" This is why we need to help them with winter shelters.

Please continue to donate to Cornerstone Big Sleep Out
http://www.justgiving.com/AdelineAndy-Cooke



Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Reflection on Growing Old

Book review on Henning Mankell's "The Troubled Man: A Kurt Wallander Mystery" 

Henning Mankell's last book about detective Kurt Wallander makes one think about life, choices of career, family and the complicated relationship with one's parents. It's nice to read and think about one's grown up child, it's sad to read about the unresolved relationship with one's parents, but it's comforting to think about how human our problems are.

The old age Wallander helps one to accept that not all questions have answers.

Highly recommended, but only after reading all other Wallander's stories.