Odds & Ends

It’s a small start, but a start nonetheless to our wee herb garden. In the United States, we’d pop into a pharmacy – or, what would be considered a chemist – and pick up packets of seeds along with shampoo and hand lotion (which, now that we think of it, is a bit weird, but at every Long’s Drugstore that we ever knew of, there were potted plants for sale out front. Hm!), or a grocery store, or a plant nursery — we had access to seeds all over. Here, we don’t know where seeds are in our small neck of the woods, so we have taken to simply trying to root cuttings of all of the fresh herbs which we buy.

We have several varieties of mint (thanks, Mary!) sitting next to the sink, and are hoping to grow a bit of watercress and broccoli sprouts when our little sprouting flats get here. (Yes, we know, you’re sick of hearing about what we DON’T have – so are we! We’ll soon change our tune, by the grace of God — as our things are a mere ten miles from us… Anyway, we hope you’ll bear with us until then…)

Here’s a dictionary moment: The OED defines the word ‘scheme’ as “a systematic plan or arrangement for obtaining some particular object or putting some plan into affect.” And that’s the definition that’s used widely in the UK. In the U.S., however, the second definition of ‘scheme’ is commonly understood: that of the verb form, in which ‘scheme’ is “a secret, or underhand plan; a plot.” Thus it is with some amusement that we read the BBC News briefs which hourly come into our in-boxes. There are schemes for free school meals (breaking and entering in the cafeteria, obviously), schemes to ban street flyers (by sneaking up and forcing them to fly on the sidewalk, of course,), schemes to promote conservation (freeing the animals from the zoos), schemes to build new clubs (er… that’s a tough one. Overnight moving disco balls into government buildings?). The face of the news is suddenly a great deal more interesting, with a schemer on hand, rubbing his hands together in malicious glee, waxed mustaches twirling, shoe-blacked eyebrows wriggling madly…Every time I read the word, I picture Dr. No from the old Bond series, stroking his fluffy white cat….

The long-awaited moment of shoe shopping has almost arrived. We find ourselves eying the footwear of strangers, as we have found that so much walking has really put serious wear on the few pairs of shoes we have with us. We are somewhat (*cough* LAZY!!) unmotivated shoppers, but shoes are okay, since you can’t waste a whole day in a store trying them on. (Oh, wait. You can? Sorry, my bad.)

We can’t do our usual lazy thing of mail-ordering the same shoes of the same brands in the same size that worked so well before, alas. Now we have the joyous UK sizing thing to add to the confusion. So, it looks like we’ll have to (groan) actually GO INTO A STORE AND SHOP. (Please note that T is now writhing on the floor in agony. A predisposition to hate shopping was somehow grafted onto her genes, and this, she fears, just might kill her. The suggestion of Marks & Spencer as a painless place to shop has been duly noted, and she strides forth this weekend… [maybe]. Details to follow [unless they’re far too gruesome]).

Another bit of random fluff for our UK readers: has any of you ever seen a badger or a hedgehog? We are hoping to see at least one each before we go back to the U.S., so we have a solid three years to start (gingerly) poking under bushes during our trips to Edinburgh, Manchester, and other places where we have to go for Conferences anyway. We’re hoping to see live ones, mind you, so any directions (other than “outside of Glasgow, you dolts!”) helpful.

It’s a gorgeously bright, sunshiny (and quite cold!) morning, and the weather has shown periods of dazzlingly bright sunshine all day, but when it’s not sunny – wow. Yesterday we actually learned the definition of a cloudburst — the ‘burst’ has actually a sort of percussive sound when it begins to rain, suddenly and furiously. Wind whips up out of nowhere, and a half an inch of rain falls in about five minutes. Fortunately, both of us were indoors at the time, looking out the window with some surprise. Neither of us has an umbrella; we only used one if it rained when we were going to church, otherwise preferring to put our heads down and dash. That’s not much of an option, here; thus far we’ve just put our heads down and… kept walking like everyone else. As the golfing analogy goes, “the weather clears up on your back swing” anyway. Give it five minutes, and the sun will shine again.

Hope the sun shines for you,

– D & T

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