Your attention, please.

Since this silly site seems to have gotten out of practice from uploading cooperatively, am being forced to trick it. Earlier blog of London trip refuses adamantly to allow visual aids. Stupid thing.

Yes, listening to Blue Man Group.

*****
To begin again where images were to be inserted from other day's entry...

Met Rotary contingent. Decided that although shoes were slightly seeming to incite nerve damage in foot, cuteness factor overrode pain. Continued coffee imbibement at cafe on way to Westminster West Rotary Club meeting at The Rubens at the Palace, directly across street from Buckingham Palace (i think the side entrance). Between Cardiff invasionary force and Americans in attendance, the actual members were quite outnumbered :) Notice little American flag on podium...

Walked through St. James's Park on way to governmental office sector and was so pleased was such a lovely day. Black swans and interesting little birds called moor hens were my favorites. View to R is looking southish toward Thames (military buildings through trees on left and London Eye above trees on right). People L to R: Steve Jenkins, Dani, Steve Rogers, Fabiana. There is a little cottage in the park that we are not sure if is inhabited or not, but it would be a lovely place to live. Arts and Crafts architecture.

Upon arrival at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, we were metal-detected and issued visitor badges in very somber manner before being greeted by Chelsea Rotarian friend of Steve Jenkins's, who had offered this tour. The building complex is a massive warren that formerly housed the Foreign Office, the Home Office, the India Office and the Commonwealth Office. The Home Office has been moved from the site and the India Office merged with the Commonwealth Office, rendering the current arrangement.

Since it originally housed four offices, the central courtyard contains the entrances to each and is bisected by what was formerly a central roadway through arches and which leads to the front door of #10 Downing Street. Photos neither of the courtyard nor of #10 were allowed, although the front door of #10 was open so we peered through the gate inside :)

The complex was designed by George Gilbert Scott, who was selected by competition. After The Great Exhibition, it became fashionable to select architects and designers of official buildings by competition -- and then once selected, they were frequently asked to completely rework their ideas :)

Grand staircase (to R) is amazing and, well, grand. Ceiling work throughout building is magnificent (example 1 and example 2) and our guide was probably quite tired of waiting for The Dawdler (me) to take pictures overhead and of floor tiles, etc.

The Locarno Treaty was written here, actually at this table. The door to this room is massive, with hinges about as big as my forearm! Like a dimwit, I did not take pictures of the Grand Reception Room, which was being set up for a dinner... during WWII, this room was used for decoding machinery and in order to prevent it being detected by noise-sensing enemy, was enclosed in a ginormous black box built to the size of the room, covering all of the amazing decoration. The box remained until fairly recent renovations because no one was still around who remembered the magnificence that it is. So it was rather a surprise when the box was dismantled!

Got to see Durbar Court, where Queen Victoria would meet with representatives of the Indian provinces and British territories within India. The architecture is heavily influenced by eastern themes, up to the ceiling mosaics. The marble floor has quite a bit of discoloration and the root of this problem has led to a banning of red wine being served at receptions there...

Went into Map Room, but only briefly since a meeting was about to begin. Some of the building was not able to be photographed because it is literally a rabbit warren of offices.

We saw the Ambassador's Waiting Room, outside of which the IRA launched a grenade into the Green, although I cannot seem to locate the date of this attack online at the moment. The heaviest sheer curtains are hung at the windows in response to that attack and they are to prevent glass implosion into the building.

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Afterwards, had quick pint at a pub on Whitehall, right across the street from F&CW Offices, and next to the old Scotland Yard Building, which is now (i think) a crime museum.

Then, Steve and Steve took Fabiana and myself on the London Eye, since neither of us nor Steve Rogers had been before! It was excellent fun, and even though the vision of the line of people buying tickets was slightly more than I could have handled on my own, it went fairly quickly and was such good fun. See flickr for more photos of it.

okay -- something has worked.....

this is only a test. were this an actual emergency, this would be followed by evacuation instructions.

At sixes and sevens

Just so's certain people will know that am not completely mental, have finally pinpointed location in memory verifying that this phrase does occur in lyric form! Hoorah! And it only took me, oh, five days to remember... Isn't it wonderful how your brain does its little acrobatics at the most unnecessary times, yet will not perform when asked politely in company? 'At sixes and sevens with you' is in Don't Cry for Me, Argentina in Evita. Am also quite proud of self, since was convinced it was Andrew Lloyd Webber all along, despite sideways looks wondering if my Day Pass was up.

Note: still struggling with getting photos to upload into Blogger. Why will this silly poster upload and my photos will NOT?!?! grrrrrr.... grrrr, grrr, grrr. And there is no need (or time) to just write about places recently visited and sights seen as would detract from work that needs doing... or something like that.

Speaking of work, good news from Board of Studies last week: we all passed!!!!!! (whew!) Now can proceed with dissertation ('thesis' in UK is what is done for PhD; opposite terminology from US). Why is the testing instrument I need only available from California? And why would one need the manual to the test in addition to 1) set of 25 test booklets and 2) scoring key? Yes, indeedy, if I want the manual, will have to purchase it separately and at the unreasonable price of $40 USD (the other two parts totalling $60)... quandry, quandry, quandry.

Another note must be made of a brilliant new blog: Pago the Ninja.
Cousine Lindsey seems to have been contracted as celebrity ghost writer for Pago, who (as you may have surmised) is a ninja.

Backwards, not quite Sideways

It's a really handy thing that personal skills extend to reading upside down and backwards since am now having to write backwards to fill in gaps. Do they want that information on a CV, do you think?

Promises broken... did not write about last week's London visit in timely manner. Am only at this very minute uploading pictures from last three weeks onto computer. B-a-d Amrie.

Monday night last, had clever idea that due to visit to Foreign and Commonwealth Office scheduled for Wednesday, should invade Helene's world above the Dean Swift. After brief and high-pitched conversation, such action (no thinking, just ACTION!) was encouraged and so departed on lovely and comfy Mega-cattle trailer on 3.15.

Once in London, stopped by Delfina to leave H's number for Dutch artist, who we met earlier (will enter storyline later in backwards writing; reason being my feeling of being responsible for this earlier oversight. We shall see if it does any good.), and began foray into high caffeine level in preparation for England v. Sweden game later. Met Helene (at another coffee shop) after work. Began forage for food in Southwark docks and ended at Pont de la Tour (our seats were outside at the second table from left in picture on site linked). Yum! Although the wait staff was a little over-attentive for us :) Proceeded to another establishment where (as usual) random people befriended us and introduced us to a Welsh spirit, Toffoc; these people worked for The Sun. More anticipation to see if we get the party pics that were taken of us... must hold breath. Okay, enough.

Got up Wednesday morning after watching Bridget Jones's Diary in the middle of the night; began re-caffeination process. Continued with highly stressful search for rogue denim jacket that H needed for trip to Aarhus. Left to meet Cardiff Rotary contingent at King's Cross with issue still unresolved, although (whew), it did turn out to be in frighteningly obvious place in bottom of shopping bag much later, preventing disaster of having to go out and buy a new one :) YAY!

Met Rotary contingent. Decided that although shoes were slightly seeming to incite nerve damage in foot, cuteness factor overrode pain. Continued coffee imbibement at cafe on way to Westminster West Rotary Club meeting at The Rubens at the Palace, directly across street from Buckingham Palace (i think the side entrance). Between Cardiff invasionary force and Americans in attendance, the actual members were quite outnumbered :)

Walked through St. James's Park on way to governmental office sector and was so pleased was such a lovely day.
WHY ARE PICTURES NOT LOADING INTO BLOGGER????? GRRRRRRR......

*******
must go to Rotary-do now at Archdeacon Lewis's house!!!!!

*******

Rotary-do tonight was in honor of the President of Cardiff Breakfast being named a Paul Harris Fellow and was lovely occasion.

okay -- 23.29 and am home fighting with picture uploading into blog. just because it is out of practice does not give it the right to behave in such vexing manner. i WILL bend it to my will! or give up and go to bed...

okay. giving up and going to bed. May try again tomorrow when in better frame of attack mode since the story of the visit is not really very much fun without visual aids.

(still writing and trying to add pictures, just don't want to lose this... will be removed upon completion)

Notes for today not requiring VA (visual aids):
Dawny will be moving to Huddersfield for PhD studentship in a couple of months -- OMG, hooray!
Apparently (found this out in chit-chat this evening) missed HUGE, MASSIVE storm on Sunday. How this happened, even if it were a localized storm, I do not know, as was out and about most of daylight hours and one would think that one would see a large storm on the top of Caerphilly Mountain whilst eating at what may possibly be the world's oldest snack shack (or some claim of historical note) -- what IS most certainly of note, though, is its burger quality.
Katharine has taken John to America and will be peanut butter mule for me! Oh, Peter Pan, I miss you so (although, not this Peter Pan).
On a sad note, Matilda the Gerber Daisy is now an ex-Gerbera daisy.

Midsummer Night

Well, am only 14 minutes late. Fabiana and I didn't make it home from London in time to fully prepare for our Druidic celebration, so we'll just have to wait until next year. It was light until 11.00 at least tonight (fell briefly asleep in car and so did not make note of precise minute of light's exit).

Today, met Steve Jenkins, Steve Rogers (both from Cardiff Bay Rotary and our cat-herders for the day), Fabiana and Danielle -- the outbound Scholar from Cardiff who will be studying in Lyon next year -- in London for our visit to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, courtesy of a Chelsea Rotarian. (Reason for meeting, instead of travelling to London with, was spent last evening with Helene dining on Thames, watching England win, and solving problems of world.) First, though, our Welsh contingent lunched with Westminster West Rotary club and there were three other Americans there visiting the club as well! Random :) A Methodist minister from Minnesota, a lady from Iowa and her friend from Illinois -- they had all been to the Copenhagen conference as well and have been travelling around since.

Will write about Foreign Office visit tomorrow -- so interesting!... at moment, however, a) feet hurt from vanity of wearing Cute Danish Shoes longer than sensible before changing into Slightly Less-Cute Welsh Shoes, which admittedly have added bonus of not further irritating blisters from yesterday's vanity as well as not cutting off circulation to first and last toe digits of feet and b) shoulders suffering from idiocy of carrying overnight bag through entire central part of London today and refusing help from others as did not want to burden them with my silliness :) It was a magnificent day and also very windy! (this is not a complaint, just an observation... as I love wind, except in combination with lip gloss.)

It is time

for Hiroko to come home from St. Louis. The silverware drainer does not get emptied unless she is here and it was really difficult to make those last two tea spoons fit in just now. Esp. with the scalded stumps of fingers that I have left due to the excellent heating capacity of our boiler. And someone needs to become aware that knives pointing upwards are dangerous. But as for me getting involved with that... maybe another glass of milk and a good book will make me forget :)

How is the weekend over? How have I not updated on marvelous trip to Denmark (or other trips either)? Where is all the time going?

About all can manage now (since am 'writing' busily for meeting with supervisor tomorrow -- no laughing), though, is supplying weekend update...

Thursday -- located calendar (hoorah!). Returned spoiled milk. Rode bike in sun to do errands. Read. Watched first half of Sweden v. Paraguay game at Mackintosh. Joined Katharine and John and friend for quiz. Was entertained by this mad Irish/Welsh person (John's friend) named Eamann (or something like) and contributed little to the quiz, except that LXXX = 80. Ended by annoying mad I/W person with personal stubborness so that he stormed off in fit of pique.

Friday -- More reading. Evening dinner at home of President Jack Ayles of Llandaff Rotary. Lovely time! President-elect Peter Clarke was my kind chauffeur. So we stopped to collect his wife, Mo, on the way... where I was baptised by Bagel. Bagel is the precious tiny dachsund with whom I went on the Llandaff Charity Walk in the Autumn (photos are back there). Being widdled on on one's way to a dinner party is not nearly as traumatic as burning one's hair off, but that should be a story for another time... (and probably my mama will be happy to do the telling).

Saturday -- 'read' and cleaned during day. And bought milk. Joined mad Italian group for viewing of Italy v. USA game. Was prevented from enduring overwhelming mockery as American since one of the Italian players was kind enough to kick a wrong goal, leading to a non-win for Italy :)

Sunday -- Corpus Christi. Cooking. Wishing Daddy happy day! Reading. Future should include typing, I suppose...

do what?

... you'll do what you're TOLD!

anyhoo.

How does a person manage to completely lose her calendar (diary, in UK-speak) when she has been home fewer than 20 hours? This has rendered said person extraordinarily distracted, incapable of coherent conversation, and unaware of her surroundings or of where she might be supposed to be at any particular time.

Plus, milk purchased on walk home from the station last night is spoiled. There are few things to compare to the vexation of taking a greedy gulp of milk one expects to be deliciously sweet only to find the opposite.

So now must venture forth to return milk (idiot shop) and retrace steps and stops in desperate search for calendar... so if anyone sees me wandering aimlessly, you will at least know why i look so foolish (this time).

Gesundheit

'Why is she even here?'

This is the question Jeppe and Karsten have just asked because of my cleverness in explaining that you bless people after they sneeze because of the ancient belief in expelling demons from your body or something. I DID get the Seinfeld joke... i just thought they might like to know :)

Am thieving wireless signal at moment, but shall have to continue rambling later as we are about to go on golfing expedition. My job is that of observer and comic relief.

Goal for the day is to not injure myself further. Yesterday I managed to fall off of bike into a gate while attempting to exit a park.

and we're off...

...like a herd of turtles.

To London Town today -- evening with Helene and Co.

To Aarhus tomorrow at the utterly mad hour of 7.30 am. Meetings with universities and other fun people!

To Copenhagen on Friday. Will attempt not to pick fight with Karsten immediately, as then would have no place to stay. Rotary International Conference begins Sunday.

Home again, home again, jiggety-jig on Wednesday.

Then will take nap for four days straight.

Iolanthe

What a fabulous Friday evening for operetta!

Archdeacon John Lewis from Llandaff Rotary, also Dean of Llandaff Cathedral, collected me around 4.30 this afternoon after which we collected Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan, Norman Lloyd-Edwards on our way to Cowbridge for tea at Archdeacon Lewis's house with the rest of the party attending tonight's performance. After sandwiches, strawberries, chocolate eclairs, tea and wine, we drove to Llantwit Major Comprehensive School for the Cowbridge Amateur Operatic Society (CAOS -- hee hee hee) production of Gilbert and Sullivan's Iolanthe. Rotarian John Rogers's granddaughter, Sarah, was part of our group and she and I had a lovely time -- she is a pianist and an avid reader and we both think David Blaine is a bit of a nutter. This is a picture of, L to R: Archdeacon Lewis, moi, Sarah Richards and Capt. Lloyd-Edwards.

The Welsh word 'Llan' means 'church of' and Captain Lloyd-Edwards did cleverly tell me that Llantwit Major does not refer to the Church of St. Twit, but is rather a corruption of St. Illtyd :)

Llantwit Major was the first Christian site in the British Isles, dating to before St. Augustine came to Canterbury. St. Illtyd (or Illtud) founded a monastery here and it was an important seat of faith and learning, but nothing remains of it today. St. Donat's Castle is outside Llantwit Major and was owned by William Randolph Hearst as a get-away. Done up in the Hearst way with a hall imported from here, a mantle-piece from there... Apparently, Charlie Chaplin and the early Hollywood set were frequent guests! It is now Atlantic College, an international 6th form IB school.

Grand time, excellent fairy story (superb Lord Chancellor) and such interesting people with whom to spend an evening.

Shaft and Cheese-rolling

Why, Paul Belcher, is the theme song to Shaft in the vast music file? I thought to myself, "Hmmmm. What is this album called 'Collection' and why is there no artist listed and why is there only one track on it? And so we are now enlightened. Thank you! Hee hee.

(Rightfully, you may inquire as to why it has taken me so long to find it... well, today, i cleverly figured out how to transfer files from elsewhere on hard drive into RealPlayer -- the horror, the horror. But i LIKE RealPlayer.)

To my KnitWit friends, you may notice some new links to the right, courtesy of Matthew, who does not mock people for knitting :)

He also has provided this insight into British culture (he is a foreigner here, too -- from Gloucestershire): Cheese Rolling. This is where an enormous cheese is rolled down a remarkably steep hill and after which masses of people chase in, not just one but several, races. Most of the video (handily linked below) involves bodies flailing through the air and a lot of flying mud, due to the rain of this year's event. Whoever tumbles across the line first wins the cheese. It reputedly has a rind on it so it is still edible after tumbling through mud.

Apparently, I have only missed this festivity by a mere four days. Words cannot express my dismay to have not been a participant in The Chaotic Fifth Race. There is always next year -- 28 May 2007!

If anyone can confirm that there is a nursery rhyme or children's story that involves a cheese rolling down a hill, it would be much appreciated. Cannot seem to think of this link at the moment, but truly think there is one there.

mouse in house

My keen powers of naturalistic observation have brought me to the conclusion that we have a mouse in our house.

This morning, Maurizio asked why a piece of styrofoam with which he had plugged into a hole in the baseboard behind the stairwell door had been removed from said location and lay on the floor immediately in front of the hole. 'Tis a puzzlement!

Sadly, Georgia was not here to assist with this detective work as her level of hysteria sparked at the appearance of small furry animals exceeds that of Oma!

After lighting my pipe and donning my hat, a gander down the hall found tell-tale signs of various shredded items such as the aforementioned styrofoam and a suspicious remnant of black rubbish bag, led me to a preliminary hypothesis of rodent presence. Closer inspection revealed one final, albeit tiny, confirming clue.

Logically, this means we NEED A FELINE!