Anywho, I digress …

Loosely based on what might have happened. Or not.

Happy St. Georges Day

Posted by episode81 on April 23, 2009

Building the flag

Have you noticed all the people wearing red today?  All the bars advertising red beer.  Badges and hats that say “Kiss me. I’m English”?  Me neither.  Substitute green for red and Irish for English and you have St Patrick’s day – the big Irish holiday.  Well, today is St George’s day – the modest English day.

I thought I would take this opportunity to clear up the confusion around the difference between English/British/Scottish/Welsh/Irish, United Kingdom/Great Britain/Britain and the Union Jack/Union Flag.

This wasn’t in the least bit important to me when I lived in the UK.  In fact I didn’t know much about the flag or the different country terminology.  Now I do and I am going to share that with you.  Oh you lucky, lucky people.

Anywho, I digress …

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Silicon Valley – tourist destination

Posted by episode81 on April 17, 2009

Evil, or not.Saw this article today.  Although I have encountered my fair share of tourists, I still don’t think of SV as a tourist destination.

I spent my teenage years in Paignton which is a magnet for holidaymakers (the generic British word for tourist) and SV is nothing like it!   Believe me, in Paignton, tourists shop at the supermarket in their bathing suits and are smothered in suffocating coconut oil.  Sadly, I used to take the same bus.  Never a good idea to sit in a seat once occupied by a slippery tourist – pretty funny though, when the bus pulled up sharp.  Tacky tourists all over the floor covered in bits of bus debris 😀

Tourists are called Grockles in Devon and Emmets in Cornwall.  These are not complimentary names.

Anywho, I digress …

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Did you feel it?

Posted by episode81 on March 30, 2009

I just “survived” an earthquake!

Check out the USGS website for all the details.

Lisa.

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Rhubarb and Sunflowers

Posted by episode81 on March 17, 2009

Rhubarb - the first shootsMost decent companies encourage their employees to keep a sensible life/work balance.  This is a good philosophy!  I have taken it to heart and have recently rediscovered an old hobby – gardening.

When I lived in the UK, I went to the Royal Horticultural Society show aka the Chelsea Flower Show every year.  What fun!  There was me and a huge crowd of retirees … and nowhere to sit.  I got wise to this after several years of aching feet and heat headaches – the final straw came when I ended up in the first aid tent with heatstroke.  I invested in a rather grand folding seat. Not the clunky type you take on a camping trip, but a very light weight walking stick that unfurls into a chair with a back and arm rests and weighs less than 2lbs.

I triumphantly took it to the show following the heatstroke debacle feeling very pleased with myself.  I sat down by the bandstand to eat my lunch and rest in the shade.  There were many retirees circling, looking for a place to sit.  I smiled sweetly – yes, I can smile sweetly, believe it or not.  Eager to get back to the show, I stood up to pack my bag only to be knocked out of the way by an over-zealous retiree who was after my seat!

OZ Retiree: “Are you leaving?”

Me: “Yes”

OZ Retiree: “Great! I have been looking for a seat” <gloating, looks over at the other circling retirees>

Me: “You don’t understand, it is my seat” <quickly folds seat>

OZ Retiree: “Well, now it’s my seat!”  <looks mystified> “What happened to my seat?”

I scuttled off to the bulb tent without looking back!

Anywho, I digress …

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That thing about frogs.

Posted by episode81 on March 11, 2009

BullfrogOne of the most frequently asked questions that I get is “What’s with the frog thing?”.  What indeed!

I then endure several minutes of speculative answers before I can get a word in.  No, I don’t have any pet frogs.  Yes, I do like toads as well.  No, I haven’t seen the frog in a blender video on YouTube.  NO, I DON’T WANT TO SEE IT!  Etc.

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