Tuesday, November 30
Exchange Rate
When we first arrived in the UK the exchange rate was around $1.52 to £1.00. It made figuring the cost of things relatively easy: the price in pounds was about one and a half times as much in dollars. I would look at the price of an item and figure about what it was costing me in dollars.
The exchange rate has unfortunately not stayed the same during our time here, with the pound rising in value compared to the dollar. It has wavered up and down a little, but has not been anywhere near the $1.52 to £1.00 value that we had two plus years ago.
Right now it takes $1.90 to buy £1.00. I've gotten to the point where I just try not to think about it anymore when shopping. (Although it is quite shocking when entering expenditures into Quicken to see that the £14 movie I bought thinking it was a cheap price cost me close to $30.00. Ironically, £14 for a new movie is a cheap price here.) There is no way we could afford to live here in the style to which we have become accustomed without Siemens paying our rent and utilities.
I sometimes wonder how people afford to live here. Even with the pound being valued so much more than the dollar, things still cost twice as much. Economics baffle me.
|
The exchange rate has unfortunately not stayed the same during our time here, with the pound rising in value compared to the dollar. It has wavered up and down a little, but has not been anywhere near the $1.52 to £1.00 value that we had two plus years ago.
Right now it takes $1.90 to buy £1.00. I've gotten to the point where I just try not to think about it anymore when shopping. (Although it is quite shocking when entering expenditures into Quicken to see that the £14 movie I bought thinking it was a cheap price cost me close to $30.00. Ironically, £14 for a new movie is a cheap price here.) There is no way we could afford to live here in the style to which we have become accustomed without Siemens paying our rent and utilities.
I sometimes wonder how people afford to live here. Even with the pound being valued so much more than the dollar, things still cost twice as much. Economics baffle me.
|
Monday, November 29
In the News - "The Farm"
Pig not degraded by televised sexual experience, British watchdog rules
LONDON (AFP) - In one of their more delicate rulings of recent years, British television watchdogs ruled that a pig sexually pleasured on television by a minor celebrity did not feel degraded by the experience. Dozens of viewers complained about the episode in so-called reality television show "The Farm", in which a series of celebrities were sent to do tough work with agricultural crops and animals. The audience were treated to the sight of Rebecca Loos, the self-proclaimed ex-lover of England football captain David Beckham, stimulating the boar for 10 minutes to produce a flask of semen. Many viewers complained to the government's Office of Communications (Ofcom) that this was "akin to bestiality", while a leading animal charity condemned the scenes as "morbid and sordid". But in a ruling released on Monday, Ofcom cleared broadcaster Channel Five of breaching decency standards, saying the procedure was perfectly normal. "The task performed by Rebecca Loos is one that occurs regularly on UK farms. It was properly supervised by a qualified veterinary surgeon and was carried out for a genuine purpose -- to artificially inseminate the pigs on the 'celebrity farm'," the ruling said. It added: "We don't believe that the scene was degrading or harmful to the boar."
(I wavered back and forth on whether to include this story. I remember hearing about the episode when it aired, so was interested to see what had happened in the aftermath. Not much, apparently.)
|
LONDON (AFP) - In one of their more delicate rulings of recent years, British television watchdogs ruled that a pig sexually pleasured on television by a minor celebrity did not feel degraded by the experience. Dozens of viewers complained about the episode in so-called reality television show "The Farm", in which a series of celebrities were sent to do tough work with agricultural crops and animals. The audience were treated to the sight of Rebecca Loos, the self-proclaimed ex-lover of England football captain David Beckham, stimulating the boar for 10 minutes to produce a flask of semen. Many viewers complained to the government's Office of Communications (Ofcom) that this was "akin to bestiality", while a leading animal charity condemned the scenes as "morbid and sordid". But in a ruling released on Monday, Ofcom cleared broadcaster Channel Five of breaching decency standards, saying the procedure was perfectly normal. "The task performed by Rebecca Loos is one that occurs regularly on UK farms. It was properly supervised by a qualified veterinary surgeon and was carried out for a genuine purpose -- to artificially inseminate the pigs on the 'celebrity farm'," the ruling said. It added: "We don't believe that the scene was degrading or harmful to the boar."
(I wavered back and forth on whether to include this story. I remember hearing about the episode when it aired, so was interested to see what had happened in the aftermath. Not much, apparently.)
|
Sunday, November 28
Advent Carol Service
This evening marked my first Christmas-y activity for the year - an Advent Carol Service at Saint Mary's. Both Steve and Cara would have sung in the choir this evening if Steve wasn't in the US and Cara wasn't sick with a cold. As it was there were less than 20 people there, but it was a nice service all the same. We had readings prophesying the coming of Christ interspersed with carols. As is usual here when singing church songs, only one of the carols was familiar to me: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.
At the end was a blessing which I'll pass on to anyone reading this:
|
At the end was a blessing which I'll pass on to anyone reading this:
Go forth into the world in peace;
be of good courage;
hold fast that which is good;
render to no man evil for evil;
strengthen the faint-hearted;
support the weak;
help the afflicted;
honour all men;
love and serve the Lord,
rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the son and the Holy Spirit,
be upon you, and remain with you forever.
Amen!
|
Thursday, November 25
Thanksgiving
This year we actually had a Thanksgiving dinner! (Quite a nice change from our usual trip to the orthodontist for John and Philip.) At St. Mary's there is another American couple, David and Kim Kenley. They called a couple of weeks ago to see if we'd like to get together for Turkey Day. We readily agreed and had a lovely time with them. We had all the traditional foods, with the addition of brussel sprouts (which people here eat for Christmas).
David's parents Bill and Marilyn are here visiting from Florida, so we got to share the day with them as well. They introduced us to the game Rummikub, which kept us entertained for several hours. John David has a killer instinct for the game and I had to work hard if I didn't want him playing my tiles as well as his own.
Before today I had to rearrange my usual volunteer day at the Bridge in order to be free for Thanksgiving dinner. The people I was talking to about it seemed to know of the holiday Thanksgiving, but not necessarily when it was taking place. One lady expressed disbelief that we'd eat turkey at Thanksgiving and then go and have it again at Christmas time. (She may have a point.)
|
David's parents Bill and Marilyn are here visiting from Florida, so we got to share the day with them as well. They introduced us to the game Rummikub, which kept us entertained for several hours. John David has a killer instinct for the game and I had to work hard if I didn't want him playing my tiles as well as his own.
Before today I had to rearrange my usual volunteer day at the Bridge in order to be free for Thanksgiving dinner. The people I was talking to about it seemed to know of the holiday Thanksgiving, but not necessarily when it was taking place. One lady expressed disbelief that we'd eat turkey at Thanksgiving and then go and have it again at Christmas time. (She may have a point.)
|
In the News -- British TV Poll
Baywatch' bombs in British TV poll
LONDON (AFP) - "Baywatch" has won the dubious honour of being the worst foreign television series ever seen in Britain, according to a poll of the nation's broadcasting executives.
At its height in the 1990s, the series -- which starred the likes of David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson as lifeguards on a California beach -- was the world's most popular show, seen by one billion viewers in 140 countries. But respondents to the poll -- conducted by Broadcast, a trade publication -- felt otherwise. "The appeal to a certain demographic of a series about a muscular lifeguard and his crew of pneumatic young helpers with raging hormones was enough to sustain this show through 12 years despite a script of mind-numbing predictability: beachgoer is saved from drowning," Broadcast said.
Second place went to "The Anna Nicole Show," followed by "The Dukes of Hazzard", "Wild Palms" and "Manimal". In sixth place was "The Jerry Springer Show" -- which is not only still on the air in Britain, but inspired a hit West End musical as well. Topping the list of the best offshore TV fare ever seen in Britain was "The Simpsons," which Broadcast called the "undisputed champion" of US imports", followed by "MASH", "24," "The Larry Sanders Show" and "Hill Street Blues".
|
LONDON (AFP) - "Baywatch" has won the dubious honour of being the worst foreign television series ever seen in Britain, according to a poll of the nation's broadcasting executives.
At its height in the 1990s, the series -- which starred the likes of David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson as lifeguards on a California beach -- was the world's most popular show, seen by one billion viewers in 140 countries. But respondents to the poll -- conducted by Broadcast, a trade publication -- felt otherwise. "The appeal to a certain demographic of a series about a muscular lifeguard and his crew of pneumatic young helpers with raging hormones was enough to sustain this show through 12 years despite a script of mind-numbing predictability: beachgoer is saved from drowning," Broadcast said.
Second place went to "The Anna Nicole Show," followed by "The Dukes of Hazzard", "Wild Palms" and "Manimal". In sixth place was "The Jerry Springer Show" -- which is not only still on the air in Britain, but inspired a hit West End musical as well. Topping the list of the best offshore TV fare ever seen in Britain was "The Simpsons," which Broadcast called the "undisputed champion" of US imports", followed by "MASH", "24," "The Larry Sanders Show" and "Hill Street Blues".
|
Monday, November 22
In the News -- loo blockages
Luxury rolls 'behind loo blockages'
LONDON (Press Association) -- The popularity of luxury toilet tissue is putting a strain on the nation's drains, according to a study. Thicker toilet paper and moisture wipes are being blamed for causing more bathroom blockages. Energy giant British Gas, which has a plumbing arm with 1.2 million customers, unblocked more than 35,000 toilets in the first six months of this year - a 10% increase on the same period last year. It believes modern toilet papers are partly to blame and commissioned research to find out how long it took different products to disintegrate in water. Independent scientific research firm Advantica put a number of toilet papers and moisture wipes through a series of tests. A "low price" toilet tissue from Sainsbury's took just three minutes to break up while a recycled variety from the same supermarket lasted a minute longer. At the other end of the scale, Kandoo, moist wipes designed for children, failed to break down after five days. The same was true for moist wipes made by Andrex. Alan McLaughlin, spokesman for British Gas, said: "The explosion in luxury toilet paper is placing the UK's toilets under considerable strain. Our tests have revealed that some paper takes hours to disintegrate. This is resulting in our plumbers being called out more often." He added: "It seems quite clear from these results that toilet paper specifically aimed at kids might be kind to them but could be putting real strain on your pipe work and drains. Even newspaper broke down quicker."
British Gas recently acquired Dyno Rod, the UK's largest emergency plumbing business.
|
LONDON (Press Association) -- The popularity of luxury toilet tissue is putting a strain on the nation's drains, according to a study. Thicker toilet paper and moisture wipes are being blamed for causing more bathroom blockages. Energy giant British Gas, which has a plumbing arm with 1.2 million customers, unblocked more than 35,000 toilets in the first six months of this year - a 10% increase on the same period last year. It believes modern toilet papers are partly to blame and commissioned research to find out how long it took different products to disintegrate in water. Independent scientific research firm Advantica put a number of toilet papers and moisture wipes through a series of tests. A "low price" toilet tissue from Sainsbury's took just three minutes to break up while a recycled variety from the same supermarket lasted a minute longer. At the other end of the scale, Kandoo, moist wipes designed for children, failed to break down after five days. The same was true for moist wipes made by Andrex. Alan McLaughlin, spokesman for British Gas, said: "The explosion in luxury toilet paper is placing the UK's toilets under considerable strain. Our tests have revealed that some paper takes hours to disintegrate. This is resulting in our plumbers being called out more often." He added: "It seems quite clear from these results that toilet paper specifically aimed at kids might be kind to them but could be putting real strain on your pipe work and drains. Even newspaper broke down quicker."
British Gas recently acquired Dyno Rod, the UK's largest emergency plumbing business.
|
Saturday, November 20
Apple London
Today marks the opening of the first Apple Store in Europe. Lucky us, it just happened to be opening in London. Philip and John got on the first train into London at 0620 this morning to get into the queue. They were hoping to be one of the first 300 in line so they could buy a "Lucky Bag" - £700 worth of loot for £250. Unfortunately, many others had the same idea and there were already 600 people in front of them by the time they got there at 0730. The end of the queue was three blocks away from the front door by then. The weather was a chilly 3C. By the time Cara and I got there around 0900 John and Philip were pretty chilly. We got to run off a queue jumper who made the mistake of trying to worm his way right into the middle of our family while we weren't looking. Even if he hadn't put himself there it would have been obvious - after standing there for hours you tend to become familiar with the people that are standing around you. After a few minutes of those of us around him looking at him - I finally decided it was my responsibility as the brash American to tell him to bug off. So I did. Once I started questioning his right to be there the Brits chimed in as well, but I think they might have let him stand there if I hadn't said anything. The queue continued to get longer as we approached the 1000 opening time. I think at it's longest point it was six blocks. As 1000 approached all the Apple Store employees came along the queue giving high fives and whooping. 1000 came and went and we inched forward. They only let small groups in at a time so the store would not be overcrowded. We stood there until about 1130 when it finally got to be our turn to go into the store. We were fortunate enough to be in the first 2000 people in the door so we got a free Apple t-shirt. Of course, the t-shirts were all the same size - extra large. But, we had a great time looking around the store at all the cool Mac products and I even bought a silver iPod Mini (couldn't help myself - so cute). To see the photos click here: Apple Store Opening.|
Friday, November 19
Stonehenge
After visiting Stonehenge again today, I got to wondering if I had ever blogged about it. A quick look at my Blogger page seems to indicate that I have not! Woeful oversight on my part. My first visit to Stonehenge was many, many years ago. How many is many, many? Suffice it to say it was more than thirty years ago. At that time visitors could walk right up to the stones. These days vandals and taggers have ruined our chances for a close up look, but the addition of the rope barrier does make it easier to get a photo that does not have people crawling all over the stones. We are fortunate in that our English Heritage membership gets us into Stonehenge. It's one of my favorite places to go. (Thanks to Mark and Michele for giving me an excuse to go again today!)
Here's a link to an interesting article from English Heritage: Stonehenge Information. (Oh, and the photo is Andrew and Philip earlier this year.)
|
Tuesday, November 16
More on Remembrance Day and Poppies
In Flanders Fields
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
"In Flanders Fields" is one of the most famous poems about World War I. It was written by Canadian physician John McCrae, who died of pneumonia and meningitis while serving in a field hospital in Belgium. The poppies referred to in the poem grew in profusion in Flanders fields where war casualties had been buried; they became a symbol of Remembrance Day. It reads:
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
|
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
"In Flanders Fields" is one of the most famous poems about World War I. It was written by Canadian physician John McCrae, who died of pneumonia and meningitis while serving in a field hospital in Belgium. The poppies referred to in the poem grew in profusion in Flanders fields where war casualties had been buried; they became a symbol of Remembrance Day. It reads:
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
|
Monday, November 15
God Save the Queen?
Yesterday was Remembrance Sunday (see last years post for more on the day).
The Remembrance Day service has a specific order that is followed every year, including the singing of God Save the Queen. Amazingly they expected us all to know the words! (A good opportunity to tease the curate about the fact that she neglected to announce the song number.) The song is actually in the hymnal, even if it wasn't announced beforehand for the ignorant Americans in attendance. Here are the words, sung to the same tune as My Country 'Tis of Thee:
When there is a King, the words just get switched to the masculine. Just think of all the work involved in updating hymnals, changing the currency, mailboxes and so on that have some reference to the monarch on them! (And, yes, we did filtch their music for our song, not vise versa.)
|
The Remembrance Day service has a specific order that is followed every year, including the singing of God Save the Queen. Amazingly they expected us all to know the words! (A good opportunity to tease the curate about the fact that she neglected to announce the song number.) The song is actually in the hymnal, even if it wasn't announced beforehand for the ignorant Americans in attendance. Here are the words, sung to the same tune as My Country 'Tis of Thee:
GOD save our gracious Queen,
Long live our noble Queen,
God save The Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save The Queen!
Thy choicest gifts in store
On her be pleased to pour,
Long may she reign:
May she defend our laws,
And ever give us cause
To sing with heart and voice
God save The Queen!
Nor on this land alone,
But be God's mercies known
From shore to shore:
Lord, make the nations see
That men should brothers be,
And form one family
The wide world o'er.
When there is a King, the words just get switched to the masculine. Just think of all the work involved in updating hymnals, changing the currency, mailboxes and so on that have some reference to the monarch on them! (And, yes, we did filtch their music for our song, not vise versa.)
|
Thursday, November 11
Dark, dark
It isn't even 5PM yet and it is black as night outside. It's only going to get worse for a while, too. We are having a hard time adjusting this year. It feels so late.
|
|
Armistice Day
It's Veteran's Day in the US today. Here, it is Armistice Day. Armistice Day marks the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 when the guns of World War One fell silent. At 11AM many people observed two minutes of silence. It is also a day to remember those who have lost their lives in war. The lapel poppies are out in force, the same as last year. (See last years post: Poppy Appeal.)
|
|
Wednesday, November 10
Things I miss...
How do you buy your juice? In the US my juice choice is frozen concentrated. Stores easily in the freezer, mixes up quickly and is very cost efficient. Alas, there is no frozen juice to be found here. So, the next best thing is boxed juice. Doesn't require refrigeration until it is opened. Tastes okay. Not especially cost efficient though. Some of the boxes are hard to open and others don't pour very well. It's misery to buy enough juice for our family. Add the weight of 10 1 litre boxes of juice to a trolley and it becomes almost impossible to maneuver. There is also different juice terminology here. In the US we have "with pulp", "extra pulp" or "pulp free". Here it is either "with bits" or "smooth". Most of the same types of juice are here though: apple, orange, grapefruit, cranberry, cherry and tomato. The main brands are Del Monte, Libby's and Ocean Spray. Plus the store brand.
|
Monday, November 8
In the News - Tesco
Tesco launches music download business
LONDON (Reuters) - Leading supermarket chain Tesco has launched a music download service, entering a market dominated by Apple Computer's iTunes. Tesco said songs will be available at www.tesco.com/downloads and its service will be compatible with more than 70 different music players. Shoppers will be able to download more than 500,000 songs at a cost of 79 pence each. "Music buying is changing," Tesco.com Chief Executive Laura Wade Gery said in a statement on Monday. "As the price of portable digital music players falls, customers will demand more choice."
My grocery store has just gone into the music download business! Let me see, 79 pence per song or 99 cents? I'd say iTunes is still my number one choice. How much do they charge per song on the UK iTunes store anyway, Steve? Will it be a better deal than UK iTunes for Brits?
|
LONDON (Reuters) - Leading supermarket chain Tesco has launched a music download service, entering a market dominated by Apple Computer's iTunes. Tesco said songs will be available at www.tesco.com/downloads and its service will be compatible with more than 70 different music players. Shoppers will be able to download more than 500,000 songs at a cost of 79 pence each. "Music buying is changing," Tesco.com Chief Executive Laura Wade Gery said in a statement on Monday. "As the price of portable digital music players falls, customers will demand more choice."
My grocery store has just gone into the music download business! Let me see, 79 pence per song or 99 cents? I'd say iTunes is still my number one choice. How much do they charge per song on the UK iTunes store anyway, Steve? Will it be a better deal than UK iTunes for Brits?
|
Sunday, November 7
In the News - British kids go 'retro'
British kids go 'retro' with health-minded school meals
LONDON (AFP) - Can British school children be convinced to dump their burgers in favour of more wholesome traditional foods their grandparents ate? One school in Kent, southern England, is testing the idea with the eat.retro project, an effort aimed at educating children about healthy eating. Eat.retro's new lunch menu boasts meals nostalgic of the 1960s and 1970s -- traditional British foods such as roast pork, potatoes and mince, or cabbage and butter beans, followed by cake with custard. Fizzy drinks have been replaced with jugs of water and free milk is distributed during breaks.
Other traditional British dishes may not sound so healthy -- like scotch egg, an egg surrounded by pork, the whole thing breaded over, or Lancashire hotpot, a one-pot stew of meat, potatoes and onions -- but offer diversity from fast foods favoured by teens today. Georgina Ayin, the nutritionist who devised the new menu at Medway Community College, said she aimed to give the children a choice while orientating them towards a variety of eating options. "Today, children don't consider vegetables as a necessary side dish, and often choose pizza, or pizza and chips, which they regard as a square meal," Aylin told the Guardian Friday. "Change is going to come slowly, but it is important that we work towards a compromise," she added, as concerns mount over increases in obesity especially among younger people in Britain.
The project is supported by the catering consultants Eatdot which advises British schools on menu provision, marketing and budgeting. Celebrity British chef Jamie Oliver is also leading a campaign of his own to make school dinners healthier. Oliver has been working on a new television series where he tried to make school dinners at a school in Greenwich, southeast London, healthier and tastier. After the filming of "Jamie's School Dinners" in Kidbrooke School, the Greenwich council said that Oliver was taking his new menu to 50 schools across the borough. It is accompanied by a letter to parents where he states: "I hope this campaign will empower school meals staff to strive to cook quality food that the children in Greenwich deserve."
The education department told AFP that despite the creative individual efforts, no system-wide reform of the school dinners has been scheduled. (from Yahoo! UK News)
|
LONDON (AFP) - Can British school children be convinced to dump their burgers in favour of more wholesome traditional foods their grandparents ate? One school in Kent, southern England, is testing the idea with the eat.retro project, an effort aimed at educating children about healthy eating. Eat.retro's new lunch menu boasts meals nostalgic of the 1960s and 1970s -- traditional British foods such as roast pork, potatoes and mince, or cabbage and butter beans, followed by cake with custard. Fizzy drinks have been replaced with jugs of water and free milk is distributed during breaks.
Other traditional British dishes may not sound so healthy -- like scotch egg, an egg surrounded by pork, the whole thing breaded over, or Lancashire hotpot, a one-pot stew of meat, potatoes and onions -- but offer diversity from fast foods favoured by teens today. Georgina Ayin, the nutritionist who devised the new menu at Medway Community College, said she aimed to give the children a choice while orientating them towards a variety of eating options. "Today, children don't consider vegetables as a necessary side dish, and often choose pizza, or pizza and chips, which they regard as a square meal," Aylin told the Guardian Friday. "Change is going to come slowly, but it is important that we work towards a compromise," she added, as concerns mount over increases in obesity especially among younger people in Britain.
The project is supported by the catering consultants Eatdot which advises British schools on menu provision, marketing and budgeting. Celebrity British chef Jamie Oliver is also leading a campaign of his own to make school dinners healthier. Oliver has been working on a new television series where he tried to make school dinners at a school in Greenwich, southeast London, healthier and tastier. After the filming of "Jamie's School Dinners" in Kidbrooke School, the Greenwich council said that Oliver was taking his new menu to 50 schools across the borough. It is accompanied by a letter to parents where he states: "I hope this campaign will empower school meals staff to strive to cook quality food that the children in Greenwich deserve."
The education department told AFP that despite the creative individual efforts, no system-wide reform of the school dinners has been scheduled. (from Yahoo! UK News)
|
Saturday, November 6
Ireland - Guinness Storehouse
Our final stop on Friday was the Guinness Storehouse. Wow. A huge place with exhibits about the history of Guinness, the processes for brewing stout, making barrels, exporting, drinking responsibilites, and their advertising history. Along with the admission price (at €13.50 per person it is the most expensive place we visited) comes a token for a "free" pint at the end of your tour. I got through the tour all geared up for my pint, only to remember once again that I really do not like dark beer. I happily handed my pint to Steve and ordered myself a pot of tea and a biscuit from the bar.
The Guinness shop was a sight to behold. Almost anything you can think of with the Guinness logo on it: shirts, outer wear, underwear, polo/rugby wear, playing cards, calendars, pens, pencils, ball caps, mugs, postcards, posters, golf balls, club covers, beanies, shot glasses, wallets, ties, bar ware, signs, stress balls, chalk boards, umbrellas, soccer balls, rugby balls, key rings, lapel pins, magnets, coolers, duffle bags, beach packs, aprons, gloves, mouse pads, flip flops, slippers, socks, luggage tags, as well as salt and pepper shakers. Wow!
|
The Guinness shop was a sight to behold. Almost anything you can think of with the Guinness logo on it: shirts, outer wear, underwear, polo/rugby wear, playing cards, calendars, pens, pencils, ball caps, mugs, postcards, posters, golf balls, club covers, beanies, shot glasses, wallets, ties, bar ware, signs, stress balls, chalk boards, umbrellas, soccer balls, rugby balls, key rings, lapel pins, magnets, coolers, duffle bags, beach packs, aprons, gloves, mouse pads, flip flops, slippers, socks, luggage tags, as well as salt and pepper shakers. Wow!
|
Ireland - Saint Patrick's Cathedral
After our visit to Christ Church Cathedral, we stopped in for lunch at a pub. We had some nice toasted sandwiches and soup and listened to someone at the next table (likely from St. Patrick's) complaining about American tourists taking his picture. They were less than complimentary about tourists in general. I suppose it must be difficult to be trying to "run" a church with people tromping about just looking. I certainly did not get the feeling we were intruding from the people at Christ Church, so I am assuming that these people were from St. Patrick's, based on some of the comments they made, though I don't really know. (It is only a couple of blocks away from Christ Church.)
With that for an introduction I went with some trepidation to see St. Patrick's Cathedral. Nothing happened while we were there to make my trepidation seem anything but silly, although sadly the church did not seem as friendly to me. It was much busier with tourists than Christ Church, which could explain why someone who worked there might be fed up with them.
Though larger and a bit more ornate, the St. Patrick's is very similar to Christ Church. Jonathan Swift was the Dean of Saint Patrick's during the time that he wrote Gulliver's Travels. During his time as Dean they celebrated the Eucharist every Sunday, and St. Patrick's was the only church in Dublin at the time to do so. There is a nice monument to him, as well as his tomb.
The Cathedral went through a period of decline, and over time several attempts were made to restore it. It wasn't until 1860 that a complete restoration was begun financed by Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness and his decendents.
According to tradition St Patrick baptised several converts at a well in what is now the park adjacent to the cathedral (the site is marked). To commemorate this event, a small wooden church was built. References to the well exist in many documents until the late sixteenth-century, but the site was eventually built upon. In 1901 the well was rediscovered and this ancient granite stone (marked with a Celtic cross) which covered the well was moved into the cathedral. The parish church on this site was one of the four Celtic churches in Dublin and was knowns St Patrick's in Insula (on the island) as it was built on an island between two branches of the River Poddle which still flows under the cathedral. (from History of the Cathedral)
|
With that for an introduction I went with some trepidation to see St. Patrick's Cathedral. Nothing happened while we were there to make my trepidation seem anything but silly, although sadly the church did not seem as friendly to me. It was much busier with tourists than Christ Church, which could explain why someone who worked there might be fed up with them.
Though larger and a bit more ornate, the St. Patrick's is very similar to Christ Church. Jonathan Swift was the Dean of Saint Patrick's during the time that he wrote Gulliver's Travels. During his time as Dean they celebrated the Eucharist every Sunday, and St. Patrick's was the only church in Dublin at the time to do so. There is a nice monument to him, as well as his tomb.
The Cathedral went through a period of decline, and over time several attempts were made to restore it. It wasn't until 1860 that a complete restoration was begun financed by Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness and his decendents.
According to tradition St Patrick baptised several converts at a well in what is now the park adjacent to the cathedral (the site is marked). To commemorate this event, a small wooden church was built. References to the well exist in many documents until the late sixteenth-century, but the site was eventually built upon. In 1901 the well was rediscovered and this ancient granite stone (marked with a Celtic cross) which covered the well was moved into the cathedral. The parish church on this site was one of the four Celtic churches in Dublin and was knowns St Patrick's in Insula (on the island) as it was built on an island between two branches of the River Poddle which still flows under the cathedral. (from History of the Cathedral)
|
Ireland - Christ Church Cathedral
(I know. I could back date this post so it would be with the other posts about Ireland. Perhaps I will later, but for now I didn't want it to get lost so far down the page.)
Although the site of Christ Church dates back to 1030, it's oldest surviving parts are from the 1200's. A beautiful Gothic style church with high arches and beautiful stained glass, it lacked the more overbearing ostentatious decor found in many churches. I found it to be a very lovely church.
The church has the distinction of having a relic - the heart of Saint Lawrence O'Toole in a heart shaped casket - on display in one of the side chapels. (Many such relics did not survive the reformation.) There is also a monument to Strongbow; a man often mentioned in the Irish historical fiction I've read.
Below the church is the crypt. I went down there with visions of an Indiana Jones type adventure, having forgotten that I had been in the crypt at St. Paul's in London which is nothing like that. Instead of piles of bones and rats it is a very open area with monuments around the outer walls. Apparently there was a time in the past when it was used as a market.
We had the good fortune to arrive in time for their daily prayers for peace. The vicar then said a blessing over those of us in the building at the time, then we "offered one another a sign of peace" by going around and shaking hands and saying "peace be with you". (We do this in church here every Sunday, but it was nice to do it there as well.) It is obviously a very active church as prayers were going on in one section and the vicar was walking around talking to visitors.
|
Although the site of Christ Church dates back to 1030, it's oldest surviving parts are from the 1200's. A beautiful Gothic style church with high arches and beautiful stained glass, it lacked the more overbearing ostentatious decor found in many churches. I found it to be a very lovely church.
The church has the distinction of having a relic - the heart of Saint Lawrence O'Toole in a heart shaped casket - on display in one of the side chapels. (Many such relics did not survive the reformation.) There is also a monument to Strongbow; a man often mentioned in the Irish historical fiction I've read.
Below the church is the crypt. I went down there with visions of an Indiana Jones type adventure, having forgotten that I had been in the crypt at St. Paul's in London which is nothing like that. Instead of piles of bones and rats it is a very open area with monuments around the outer walls. Apparently there was a time in the past when it was used as a market.
We had the good fortune to arrive in time for their daily prayers for peace. The vicar then said a blessing over those of us in the building at the time, then we "offered one another a sign of peace" by going around and shaking hands and saying "peace be with you". (We do this in church here every Sunday, but it was nice to do it there as well.) It is obviously a very active church as prayers were going on in one section and the vicar was walking around talking to visitors.
|
Friday, November 5
Guy Fawkes and Bonfire Night
Today is Guy Fawkes day. Back in the times of James the First (1605), Catholics in England were given a fairly rough time of it. So, a plot was devised whereby they would blow up Parliament. They hoped that with the destruction of the parliament building they'd also manage to kill the King, perhaps the Prince of Wales as well as many members of Parliament. (They were feeling a bit desperate, needless to say.) A cellar under the parliament building was used to store 36 barrels of gunpowder; the plan being to blow it up during the opening session of Parliament. However, as the date drew near, one of the group members sent an anonymous letter warning a friend to stay away from the Parliament on opening day. King James was made aware of the letter and a subsequent search found conspirator Guy Fawkes in the cellar with the barrels. After he was caught he was tortured and executed – along with many of the other plotters who were captured as well.
This event is commemorated every year on November 5 with fireworks and burning effigies of Guy Fawkes on a bonfire. I have often wondered whether they are celebrating Fawkes' execution or his attempt at doing away with the government!
|
In the News - Firefighters
Firefighters beg children for mercy
LONDON (Reuters) - Burned at the stake on bonfire night, the Guy will probably not be the only one abused by children today.
Firefighters issued a plea for mercy on Thursday to youths who pelt them with missiles for putting out unofficial bonfires. "Youngsters think we're killjoys when we turn up to put out unofficial bonfires... We get bricks, stones and bottles thrown at us... Fireworks, like rockets, have been used to attack us," said John McGhee, a Fire Brigades Union (FBU) representative, on Thursday.
The union is alarmed at the rising number of attacks on firefighters in general. Last month, a group of around 50 young people threw builder's materials at firefighters in Wales. Some attacks were pre-planned, with firefighters lured to deliberately lit fires by gangs of youths.
Previously, official fire safety procedures concentrated on using fireworks responsibly. But now the union is urging the government and fire authorities to incorporate a message of non-violence in future safety campaigns. "This has to stop before it gets completely out of control and a youngster or a firefighter is killed" McGhee added. (from Yahoo! UK News)
|
LONDON (Reuters) - Burned at the stake on bonfire night, the Guy will probably not be the only one abused by children today.
Firefighters issued a plea for mercy on Thursday to youths who pelt them with missiles for putting out unofficial bonfires. "Youngsters think we're killjoys when we turn up to put out unofficial bonfires... We get bricks, stones and bottles thrown at us... Fireworks, like rockets, have been used to attack us," said John McGhee, a Fire Brigades Union (FBU) representative, on Thursday.
The union is alarmed at the rising number of attacks on firefighters in general. Last month, a group of around 50 young people threw builder's materials at firefighters in Wales. Some attacks were pre-planned, with firefighters lured to deliberately lit fires by gangs of youths.
Previously, official fire safety procedures concentrated on using fireworks responsibly. But now the union is urging the government and fire authorities to incorporate a message of non-violence in future safety campaigns. "This has to stop before it gets completely out of control and a youngster or a firefighter is killed" McGhee added. (from Yahoo! UK News)
|
Tuesday, November 2
All Soul's Day
At St. Mary's this evening there was a Bereavement Service for All Soul's Day. This was the first service of this type that I have ever attended. It turned out to be a lovely service, with music celebrating our hope in Christ, readings about faith and a time to commemorate those who we love who are no longer with us here. I found it to be very timely as I was able to think about my brother and my uncle who both died in the last month. And of course, I spent some time thinking of Peter, too. I will be keeping my eyes out for this type of service in the future. It was very good.
|
|
One Year of Datchet Days!
Today is the one year anniversary of the beginning of this blog. I doubt I could have imagined when I began that we'd be here in the UK long enough for me to have blogged a whole year of Datchet Days. It'll be interesting to see how many more we have coming.
|
|
Monday, November 1
Halloween
Halloween is not as big of a deal here as it is in the US. No shops with Halloween decor spread everywhere. No houses with carved pumpkins on the front step. No streams of small children in costume making their way from door to door with their little plastic candy collecting pumpkins.
We did have one group of about six kids come to the door. They were in the 11 to 13 year old range, and were mostly kids from church.
A couple of shops, like Woolworth and Tesco had out one rack of costumes for sale. When we passed the one in Woolworth the other day, the kids that were standing there discussing the selection were American. As far as I could tell, there was no more candy for sale in either shop than prior to the "Halloween Season". Why waste space on Halloween candy when you can start putting out the Christmas items instead?
|
We did have one group of about six kids come to the door. They were in the 11 to 13 year old range, and were mostly kids from church.
A couple of shops, like Woolworth and Tesco had out one rack of costumes for sale. When we passed the one in Woolworth the other day, the kids that were standing there discussing the selection were American. As far as I could tell, there was no more candy for sale in either shop than prior to the "Halloween Season". Why waste space on Halloween candy when you can start putting out the Christmas items instead?
|
