Saturday, May 23, 2009

Shackleton Speaks III & Stumbling Into Windsor Castle And the Synod of Dort



No time for a proper blog post this last little while but I have been mentally composing something unusual, possibly awful. Perhaps it will see the light of day here. Perhaps not. Stay tuned. Meanwhile, I just wanted to pop in and say "hello" and also record (before I forget again) a couple of Shackletonisms.

Most of today was spent in the usual springtime Saturday way, first to piano lessons, then grocery store, then library. When we stopped at the library it was near closing time and if we had gone in it could only have been for a mad dash for a DVD for tonight. Also, Shackleton does not like to browse in the library. He thinks of it as a kind of shopping for me and his sister and is bored by it very quickly. So, today, I just parked out in front, handed him the books we had to return and told him to drop them in the bin. (Translator's Note: For any UK visitors, in the U.S. "bin" is not synonymous with "garbage"). It was only a few steps to the car but I couldn't see him. It took him longer to get back then it should have. I asked him what took so long and he said, "I was pretending I was Superman and had to save some people."

OK, maybe that's not a complete rib-binder but I thought it was funny.

Since it is Memorial Day Weekend it is also, unofficially, lawn sale Saturday here in northern Vermont. We shopped one lawn sale because a promising bike was parked in front - too expensive. Mostly, however, we just drove by the signs and rubbernecked at the goods on their plywood-cum-sawhorse tables. (As a Black comedian I heard once accurately observed, White people love to haul their stuff out of the house on weekends and sell it in their yards).

One sign promised a lawn sale and "free kittens".

"Hey look, free kittens," I said.

"They're probably really ugly" said Shackleton.

In Other News and a Propos of Nothing In Particular

I stumbled into the Wikipedia article on the English Civil War the other day. From thence to the Synod of Dort, then to a description of appropriate formal wear for Royal occasions, to a history of Windsor Castle, the usual hodge podge of link following. These two images of Windsor Castle illustrate the article of that name and I was so taken by them I wanted to share them here. Here ya go.




Don't you want to visit/live there? (circle one). I do. Happy Memorial Day.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi there how are you?

I was reading your posts and found your blog interesting. I want you to come and visit mine here in Broken Arrow.

I hope we can become blog friends and Maybe follow each other?

I hope to hear from you soon,

Julian

Kim Velk said...

Thanks for the nice comment. I always like to look at the blogs of anyone who bothers to comment here but I haven't signed up to "follow" any(even my favorites). I just pop in when I have the time. I looked quickly at your blog and liked the art. Thanks again.

Denise @ Swelle said...

I've always passed by Buckingham Palace (I did a bus tour with a visiting friend once and the driver/guide asked if anyone wanted to get off to see and no one stirred) but Windsor certainly does look like a place worth exploring. Add to the list of things to do 'at home'!

And, did Shackleton save those people in his mind or did he act that out, because I would have loved to see that!

Happy Memorial Day!

Anonymous said...

Glad you're still around. Summer busy-ness takes precedence over blogging.

Cheers.

Catastrophe Waitress said...

i read this on my phone but this is the first chance i've had to pop by.
oh how i larrrfed!

i see the day arriving when Shackleton shall have his own talk show. can you imagine the hilarity? he has a unique way of looking at things. give the boy a camera!

Kim Velk said...

Hi R- I am busy but also feel want to keep you on tenterhooks for a meatier blog post. Coming soon.

Hey Denise - The Understudy and I stumbled onto Buckingham Palace while looking for Westminster Abbey during our trip to England last year. It was nice to look at from the gate. 5 minutes max. I liked St. James Park though and would, as noted, love to see Windsor. Tell me what you think if you make the trip.

Proj. Talk show host might be perfect. Do they check to see if you passed second grade?

Anonymous said...

Hi! To tell you the truth, since you asked, no, I would not like to visit or live in any old castle. I would like to once more visit or for a time live in Pierre, South Dakota.

Kim Velk said...

Hi Anon - Well, that is a thought provoking comment. I live in a place now that is probably a lot like Pierre, although with more hills and less glamour. I think Windsor Castle is the one the British royal family likes best (of all their castles) and the one they think of as home. Whatever you may think of them, I doubt they are asked to put up with drafts or bad plumbing or straw on the floor or anything else called to mind by "old castle". Not to take anything away from Pierre, of course.