Tuesday, 31 May 2011

Lovely Day

Bank Holiday over so the sun came out today along with lots of unsuitably clad bottoms in shorts.
We went to the Museum and saw a wonderful exhibition of wild life photographs by the winners and runners up
of the National Geographic Competition.   Amazing pictures from all over the world taken by photographers
as young as 10 years and as old as Methuselah and all for free.  We also had a lovely cup of coffee and a huge
piece of cake but that wasn't free sadly.

Sunday, 29 May 2011

......and talking about not being understood!

When we went to live in Spain some years ago we lived in a totally Spanish speaking area and we developed a way of speaking which became known as Spanglish amongst our Brit friends who used it too.   We would begin a conversation using (we thought!) excellent Spanish and before long would run out of Spanish vocabulary and finish the sentence in English.
Our neighbours soon got the message and sprinkled their Spanish with the odd words in English they had picked up - it seemed to work though I don't know how.
Last week I brought some books home from the library and settled down this w/e to read a good thriller which began well and then lapsed into Scots that began to lose me entirely.
'Fit can I dee for you?'   'It's mae chiz'   'It's blawin a hoolie oot there'  I should be congratulated for reading more than 200 pages before giving up.   My next prize, another thriller but what on earth is the FDLE and the AFIS database?   Oh no, it's an all American book -  I made another big mistake.  I'll struggle on for a bit.
After all this, listening to Cheryl will be a breeze.

Saturday, 28 May 2011

Oh poor Cheryl

Poor Cheryl Cole sacked from her milti million pound job in America because her Gordie accent was too unpenetrable for the citizens of the USA.   It is odd that the Americans expect everyone to understand their range of accents whilst they refuse to even try to understand any one else  - just like the French!   What will Cheryl do now poor thing?  Who cares?   She's a tought cookie so she'll be OK
It is not everyone who can be arrested for 'Actual Bodily Harm' as she was when she beat up the poor little black lady toilet attendent some years ago when she was a member of 'Girls Aloud' and then become the most talked about (never talented) member of the band  -  even after doing her 120 hours of Community Service - she was too famous to be sent to prison you understand.
It has to be said that the little black lady toilet attendant is still in the same  job on a basic wage.
Who ever said life was fair? -  nobody  -  but we all know that it does have the habit of slapping you back.

Thursday, 26 May 2011

Mr President

Oh please don't let the Icelandic Volcano extend his stay.   I have found the visit of President Obama quite
tedious I'm afraid.  He was like a guest you couldn't wait to see and then no sooner had he arrived you were looking for the time of departure.   I blame the media for a lot of the hype, boring us to death with his every move and the wardrobe of his lovely wife.   I know he is the most powerful man in the world and not one to make an enemy of but a bullet proof, iron clad car, two ambulances, a mobile IC unit, eleven vehicles brought over and 1000 US staff to look after his every move!...and we send our 86 year old Queen on the train to Sandringham.
OK Mr President you have been lovely and so has your wife, you have secured 36 million Irish/American votes for your next term in office by visiting the birthplace of your great, great, great and I think another great. We have heard loudly and clearly your calls for more European troops in Afghanistan.  Time to go home Mr President and talk to the million people converging on Capitol Hill protesting against your Presidency.
The biggest job in the world - who'd have it?   

Monday, 23 May 2011

last comment on the Rapture

I read this morning that Harold Camping is in hiding and feeling  'a little bewildered and mystified'
that his Rapture prophecy  didn't come true.    Aaw Bless!

 Last comment on this subject.

Sunday, 22 May 2011

The Rapture

I really find it hard to believe that Harold Camping spent 50 million pounds on his campaigne to promote
the fact that on a day named by him;  he and his followers were to be taken up to his idea of Heaven whilst the rest of us (mainly non Americans)
would be swept away to a place of his fabrication named Hell amidst ghastly earthquakes, volcanic erruptions and sunamis.  I think we might have been alright in the UK mainly because he did not know such a place existed and for the fact we do not have volcanos, serious earthquakes and have not yet had a sunami.                            I can't imagine anyone having the gall to think that they and they alone can rule the world.

I read of a dreadful murder of a British lady in Teneriffe by a young man who wanted to kill everyone
including his girlfriend who would not address him by his new name of 'God'.   That poor, poor lady did not even know he'd changed his name!   I would hope that he and Mr Camping might spend the rest of their lives together but the fellow in Teneriffe is claiming to be insane now that he is in Police hands and wants hospitization for the rest of his life as apposed to prison. He is full of nasty drugs that he has been filling himself with for years... so he's suffering from ...self inflicted injury.
  Not insane, just an idiot like Mr Camping.

Wednesday, 18 May 2011

A visit to Yorkshire

Left lovely sunshine behind us to drive more than 4 hours to Yorkshire where it was cold, windy and raining on arrival (which continued).   I forgot to take a pair of tights with me to wear with a suit for the funeral - bad news as it was freezing.  Went to two 'convenience stores' and they did not sell them - 'not very convenient then'
I said to the man in the shop, who replied, 'You can buy one of three different bottles of champagne - how convenient is that?  We smiled at each other and I left quickly before I hit him!   Went to the funeral with bare, cold legs.  Booked in the Holiday Inn Express because it was situated very conveniently for us but at £70 per
night B & B plus £5 to park the car it was poor value for money; only one chair in a room for two people, no wardrobe or drawers and a tiny shelf between beds to park books, clock, glasses etc for the night. Coming in late after a cold wet day to find the evening meals finished at 9.00pm plus no bath to have a warm soak was the end for me.  Only a large Gin and Tonic saved me from suicide. We booked out first thing next morning.  Just think we prefered it to the Travel Lodge next door - we could have had the same deal there for exactly half the price.   You live and learn.