Remarkable meeting, Burma and amazing life moments

Hi you wonderful people







Wow it is Sunday and what a month it has been and I cannot believe we are into July already. I have had to buy a new laptop as mine has broken but it has done amazingly to last 8 years and it was 2nd hand to start with. ( I will add later as I cannot add any more images )



So what has been happening in the last few months? Of course I celebrated my 51st birthday with so many of you and that was awesome. The remarkable Cloudy Bay 2002 given by Val and Ian last year was shared amongst us at Loch Fyne and was absolutly brilliant. I also organised a Chinese and about 20 from school came as well as lunches, teas and a concert. Thanks to so many of you generous people who not only donated to the Free Burma Rangers BUT also gave presents too which was not in the rules!! You are all incredibly kind. Thanks for so many wow moments and wow lunches.

I should start off by saying about a remarkable meeting with an author of a book on Burma. For those of you who have not been bored by the story I saw her book in Bangkok airport last year but it was not there when I returned. Two months later a friend at school who I love to bits and is one of the most gracious people I KNOW said she found this book in Chalfont bookshop and it had "jumped out at her"I said inspired choice and the author had signed it. I rang her publishers and said please tell her to contact me if she is interested in meeting and we can do lunch. Sure enough she phoned me 2 days later and we met recently. I just instinctively knew we would get on and for me it was a remarkable meeting and with classy lunch, a visit to Cliveden when I had only been thinking 2 days before of using my NT card more. Her book Under Running Laughter is about her father in Burma and I loved it and have just read the one on Cambodia too. I think lunch would be great every few months but I have left it with her. Pity we did not meet 30 years ago but He knows...


Of course I went to Burma over half term to Kayah State which I have been waiting 8 years to go to but was only allowed in a 2 mile radius of the state capital but I have a sense it is the 1st of many trips there. I took about 6oo photos, had a wonderful guide called Ye Ye has dear Thuzar was busy with exams and of course the whole trip had the wow factor despite me having to pay extra as I got the dates wrong as you know if you read the last posting. I saw lots of friends, went to the classy Governor' s Residence for a drink with a friend and they played PURCELL!! Wow what an amazing moment. Of course little has changed in the country! I will try and put my photos on the web as I have to say I think there are some great ones or they can go on Facebook. I also met a Muslim teacher at the airport whilst reading interesting literature and she lives in KL with her husband. I think we will be friends and she very kindly invited me to her home next time I am in KL. I am praying about the next trip but also thinking of North Korea and Cambodia keeps popping up but of course the heart is in Burma.




Over the last 8 days we have had 2 trips to the Buddhist and Sikh places of worship and on Thursday I took 57 to see Les Miserables which is probably my 25-30th visit. The girls were great as were the staff who came and I think it is something I will do on a regular basis despite the paper work! I love the story as it is SUCH a picture of grace and legalism and cannot fail to touch the heart.

The GCSE groups seemed at peace about their exams so that is good. Time will tell.


My sister came down last weekend and we ended up in a great little place called Sofra in Tavistock Street and there is one behind Piccadily near the Ritz which is great too. Of course we went to the Ritz after, but you will be amazed to know that I only had a cuppa and the wonderful waiter Jeremy said "hi Miss Gibbins how are you doing?" which always makes me smile and of course I had the amazing shortbread ( 5 pieces too). Little things please little minds!!




Yesterday following the trip to Les Miserables I went to Kew with Anita and ended up in a great place called Joy de Vivre which has 1930's stuff and you can take your own wine too. Loved it and great to see you Anita you gem. I also had wine in the evening as friends are moving to Hong Kong so we met up for the last time for a while. Should be awesome and may God bless you both abundently.



The Sixteen are doing a pilgrimage walk around 26th -4th August in Sussex to raise money for World Vision and people can join for a day or longer. That appeals as I love both.


In 1999 the King' s Consort played a great concert at the Wigmore Hall and I have the consort on a VERY warn tape so have been trying to find which Bach Cantata since then. In a moment of inspiration I rang them up and Robert King himself answered the phone and probably thought I was completely mad when I gave him my request and then said that I would blast the music over the phone and could I tell me what it was!! He actually knew it BEFORE I played it as he could remember and it was indeed the 172 so the wonderful BACH COMPACT DISC shop duly sent it. Awesome. Do not forget to listen to Christine Pluhar if you have not done so. Brill stuff.


I have the Monteverdi one now.


I am looking for some great books for the summer. In Kew yesterday I came across one about potatoes as well as others but none jumped out at me. If anybody has any recommendations please pass on. I am reading a lot and re-reading CAPTIVATING by John and Stacie Eldridge which has 2 great chapters about women in the midst of some American cringe passages in the book which you just have to ignore!! Matthew Sayad on radio 2 today on GMS was good and Tony Adams the ex footballer on DIDISCS was great to listen to as he was so honest which I love about his addictions. Must phone Kirsty Young and the BBC as she is doing a great job I think.

Yesterday was the wow factor as a friend and I had lunch in her garden starting with Pimms and then some wonderful NZ SB. It was an awesome day and your hospitality you complete gem is a real gift. Thank you does not even begin to do you justice. We must do the teashop at Greenwich over the summer.

Last Friday I went to a Handel Concert in a church which has the most uncomfortable seats on the planet. No friends could make it but I knew I wanted to go so got into a brill conversation with someone, heard a talk where the 2 involved were talking utter rubbish so I walked out, paid £5 for my ticket but then got MOVED TO A £20 one! Outside I found O and X on the pavement but instead of O they were hearts!!


I am praying for several things at the moment - direction, one unresolved issue, inspiration and much more. I am also about to watch Lewis which I like very much as the combination works well. I am sure this version was on recently as James Fox and his son Lawrence are both in it.


It has been an exhausting time too as there is a new deli opened near school and I should have shares in it as I am there so often!!! Next year it is a pain as I do not have Friday off so trips to Burma could be curtailed or even stopped over half terms BUT I could technically get back at 6 am on the MONDAY and still get to school to teach by 10. We will see. Tomorrow an ex- student is coming to talk about her trip to Uganda and we will open it up to other tricky subjects like evil, suffering, miracles, prayer etc!Next week an colleague from my previous school who was Head of Science when I was Head of RS is talking to the year 10's about his faith and science with his science colleague. so that should be great to hear them both. Great for the girls too I think.



So lots of love to you all and anyone who reads this who I do not know.How wacky!!


May peace, love, joy be ours in the coming months.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8195353.stm Aung San Suu Kyi in interview in 1995 with great purple top!

Love Fliss xx



PS the first blog on the new computer