What are you reading?

I am currently reading this book

http://www.simongarfield.com/pages/books/private_battles.htm


It is incredible. A collection of diarists who wrote for the Mass Observation in one book. They comment on what life was like in Britain during WWII. There is a lot about rationing and queues! I read the companion volume over the summer - was hard to put down - but I had to occasionally so I could cycle to various French Chateaus.

I wonder how present society would respond to food rationing? 2 pints of milk per adult per week! Having to hand over coupons to buy onions or how people would react if forced to do 'war work'? The people in this book seem to get on with it....I wonder what i would do?

Portugal

Ho hum......back at school now. Holidays are a distant memory.

Highlights of being in Portugal
1. Being in Portugal
2. Not having to go to school
3. Spending whole days reading
4. Swimming everyday
5. Great restaurants
6. Lying on the beach on beach chairs under umbrellas
7. Tea in bed everymorning - and knowing there is time for a second cup!
8. Time with friends
9. Seeing Cape Vincent
10. Watching movies outside in our outdoor cinema created by Drew
11. Having my bed made by the maid each day
12. Not being shot by intruder

Lowlights of being in Portugal
1. Travel delays
2. Delayed luggage
3. Driving to airport twice to look for delayed luggage
4. Having money stolen by intruder
5. Trying to converse with a shoplady in Portuguese and French about where to buy underpants because mine were being held hostage in Lisbon by Groundforce.
6. Watching Wise Blood
6. Leaving

Some carefully selcted pictures

we peddled this great big yellow thing to a private beach!


relaxing in style by pool outside villa


pre-dinner drinks at the golfclub

A Little Break

Well.....unfortunately I have to spend the next 10 days here!

(Am secretly very happy about this, and the idea of being here has brought me through many assignments and exams this year! Eg: Christology exam next week.... aaahhhhhh - I know nothing about Christ, let alone theologians concepts of how the atonement works, and what is the Christus victor model, and surely substitution says it all and Anselms theory of due honor surely holds some value....breathe......... its ok, in August you will be in Portugal.....wooohoooo! just make it thru this exam and then the next one and before you know it.......you will be beside a pool bearing your svelte body to the world, sipping martinis)

You may even be able to view my dear friends and I on this webcam at some point

http://www.cam1.carvoeiro.com/

and this is where we are staying, do stop in for a drink or such if you are near by..

ahhhh Another Test!!!!

Just when I thought I was free of exams, tests and assignments - I am forced to do another one!! This one takes place tomorrow at 3.30pm - and what is it for I hear you ask....It is to check whether or not I am capable of being British!! The fact that I like tea, teach Britain's children, can handle warm beer, understand cockney, cope with tube delays and no summer, speak read and write English and have lived here quite happily for some time now, etc etc, is of no value - I need to prove all of this by cramming information about geography, government, statistics and culture into my short term memory and reproduce it by answering multiple choice questions!

Follow these links and test yourself.....let me know - Are you capable of being British???

The official website - http://www.lifeintheuktest.gov.uk/

A practice test - http://www.lifeintheuk.org/

First Ever Blog Post

My lovely friend Kathryn helped me to set this up!

I will put little things of no importance and big things of some importance on it every now and then, and maybe a few photos as well.

Today we went to Abney Cemetry and saw the grave of William Booth. We had a nice lunch and a catch up and then I came home and cleaned off my shoe shelf and put those i no longer wear in a bag to take the charity shop and felt guilty about having so much when others in the world have so little. Being at the cemetry today reminded me that our lives are fleeting and in God's hands - I hope I am doing something useful with mine....

This is the lovely Kathryn
She will probably not like it that i have put this photo of her on here - but I think it is a great photo :)