Other interesting courses and talks were given throughout the year. One, on " Yung and St Theresa," found us drawing or painting mandalas, which were helpful and revealing. A poetry reading session with Fr. Michael McCarthy, a priest- poet of our diocese, was much enjoyed.

On a more relaxed level we had some sessions of Circle Dancing with an experienced teacher. Unlike Line Dancing this has a spiritual meaning. We have some tapes which the dancers perform to; some of the music and language is foreign e.g. Greek or Israeli, I am a watcher not a performer!

Our garden flourished with all the rain last year and we had a bumper crop of soft fruit (currant varieties) and apples. Some apples weighed over a 1lb & were splendid specimens.

A number of trees had grown from pips carefully collected by our old Sr. Raphael, who died in 1982. She would collect pips after eating an apple., so she could plant them in pots of soil, when the shoots grew big enough they were planted outside. Now a number have grown to full fruition and we have some interesting new varieties, including Raphael's Everlasting.

The 2 new kittens have done sterling work in the vegetable garden (which is their territorial area) by frightening off the pigeons and pheasants. Our small flock of sheep had a difficult year. Local shepherds said it was a bad year for lambing. Sadly we lost 2 breeding ewes as well as a couple of lambs.

All survivors are now doing well and a Shetland ram was recently in residence with his harem ! This way we hope for early spring lambs. Amber, one of the kittens, so called because of golden stripes on white, is quite dissimilar from his brother Ebony with his plushy thick tail, black coat and green eyes.

They are unalike in character too except for being affectionate to us. Amber is fascinated by the sheep and spends much time with them. It puts me in mind of the tale of Babe, the young pig who had to take on the role of a sheep dog. Amber fancies himself as a sheep kitten!

The garden we planted in 2003, in the muddy morass left by the builders of the infirmary wing, has taken root... A new feature added was a large pond. It is a peaceful place to sit and admire the wonders of nature, and await with interest the arrival of the wildlife. As yet we have not put fish into the pond, as we did in the older one right on the further side of our buildings.

This is the territory of the Ginger Triplet Brothers whose main duty was to ward off rats, which ventured up to the Extern house after exploring the Hotel's dustbins, not far off.... They are determined to get the goldfish in the pond and spend hours lurking round its edges or brooding on a stone in the midst of the water.

Sensibly the goldfish submerge. Before Christmas we held an Advent Taize service, similar to some years ago. This is because we found most of the local churches were having Carol Services on the evenings we suggested. It was very well attended by all denominations.

I'd like to draw your attention to a change in our official address. The Post Office has been giving us some hassle and numbers of communications have gone astray. It is due to our complex setting; one side of the drive is Leeds territory, the other Harroqate. so the postcodes vary.

Wood Hall is the official name of the Hotel that replaced the Diocesan Pastoral Centre. Among ourselves, viz. Carmels. we are Wood Hall Carmel but we have to omit Wood Hall to please the authorities!

A very happy New Year to you all and much prayer for all your needs. With gratitude and love.

Sr. Patricia.

Thank you Sr. Patricia, we hope and pray that your spinal problems are not too painful and that we will all have warm sunshine this Summer! We very much appreciate your prayers for us.

BROTHER RALPH LOFTUS wrote In early April to say that when he was with his sister Nelly in Hayling Island over Easter they had a lovely surprise 'phone call from their sister NORAH, SISTER MARY AGNES, & SR. KATE MORTON, in Cameroon.

The latter had joined the Nkongsamba community, where Sr. MARY AGNES lives, from Bamenda, for Easter. They both sounded cheery and well and were celebrating, African style, at the church services.

SISTER RUTH MARY BROWN wrote to thank me for sending the Order of Service leaflet for the funeral of FR. TOM SMALLEY, she remembers being at his ordination. The Smalleys were good friends of her family.

FR. JOHN SMALLEY was a priest in the Corpus Christ! Parish and also took the VI Form for Religious Education lessons, when we were pupils. He was very helpful when Sr. Ruth's father died and years later, when her mother died,went to say Mass at The Sacred Heart Convent in Oxford, where Sister Ruth was on a course. Sr. Ruth's aunt, Mrs KELL, mother of BARBARA, worked as a mother's help to Mrs Smalley when John, Tom and Mary were small.

ANNE SHOTLANDER (SPICER) invited Sr. Ruth to speak at a service for Women's World Day of Prayer at Bishop's Waltham. There was a very good crowd and later one woman spoke to her and asked if it was true that she had been at Boscombe and if she knew her sister MARIE TARRANT (BROWNE).

A few days later Sr. Ruth received a letter from Marie, to which she replied. Hopefully they will be able to meet up at the Reunion as I had a 'phone call from SHEILA HART (DANAGHER), who said that she and MARIE hoped to attend this year.

Recently Sr. RUTH has been busy with a Week of Accompanied Prayer, which is a bit like a parish retreat. It was based on the Anglican Church at Hayling and covered several parishes. Every day Sr. Ruth saw 2 ladies at Bedhampton rectory nearby, then went on to a team supervision session for about an hour at Hayling. The ladies were very interesting, a woman priest and a lay reader.

During the week they agree to spend half an hour in private prayer and half an hour visiting their "guide", so have to be pretty serious about their faith. Although that is not the main aim, they are marvellous ecumenical events too.

I don't think that there is much danger of Sr. Ruth stagnating in her 'retirement' years !

The Community at 6 Parkwood Road plays an important part in the life of Corpus Christ! Parish, we are indeed fortunate to have them here.

We are sorry to learn of the death of SISTER KATHLEEN GARROD on 18th December 2004. MAY SHE REST IN PEACE. It was always such a pleasure to see Sister Kathleen at our reunions, we will miss her.

We send our sympathies to SISTER FRANCES, whose mother died in Spain recently.

It was good to see SISTER ROSA CRONIN at the Silver Jubilee celebrations of St. Thomas Garnet's School. SISTER ROSA was Head Teacher of the Convent Junior School, St Joseph's, before the closure of the Convent.

SISTER BERNARDINE CALLAGHAN was hoping to attend with Sister Rosa but was called to Rome on important business, she hopes to be able to come from London for our reunion in July.