Chit-chat - Page 318

annie · #**3171** 02-06-2012, 05:52 PM

I was told, by an American, that The World was a newspaper that once sponsored the World Series - but am not sure if he was teasing us Brits who kept saying "how can it be a World Series....?"

Amy obviously doesn't listen to BBC Radio 5 or she would know that they broadcast the Superbowl live, and this morning were interviewing an American commentator about it. As he was explaining, the BBC presenter said "sorry to interrupt, but we've got to go to Dubai, where a wicket has fallen....."
Just to make sure you know where your Superbowl stands against a Test cricket update!!!!

PS: for any (probably none) of you who are wondering why a Test cricket match is being played in Dubai, it is temporarily hosting the Pakistan team, as it is sadly considered too dangerous to play in Pakistan.

AmyLizzie · #**3172** 02-06-2012, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by annie

Amy obviously doesn't listen to BBC Radio 5 or she would know that they broadcast the Superbowl live, and this morning were interviewing an American commentator about it. As he was explaining, the BBC presenter said "sorry to interrupt, but we've got to go to Dubai, where a wicket has fallen....."
Just to make sure you know where your Superbowl stands against a Test cricket update!!!!

PS: for any (probably none) of you who are wondering why a Test cricket match is being played in Dubai, it is temporarily hosting the Pakistan team, as it is sadly considered too dangerous to play in Pakistan.

Lol Annie! No I don't, unfortunately I'm forced to listen to Radio 1 at work which I detest. Occassionally I get my way and they'll let me have Radio 2 on but then only for Steve Wright in the afternoon! Jeremy Vine is pushing it somewhat...

Jennifer · #**3173** 02-06-2012, 08:12 PM

Everything stops for different sports in different parts of the world! I can attest that big parts of India come to a standstill during a test match. I was there in 1983 and witnessed all sorts of people in front of any available telly watching some HUGE 3 day test match. It would have had to have been in August or Sept of 1983. I remember thinking "those floppy hats they are wearing certainly wouldn't be popular in the US." but other than that, other than the utter inscrutability of cricket, it looked fun! Football is a lot sweatier, a lot more dangerous too. I have never seen a golf cart taking an injured cricketer off the pitch. But we all have our hearts and souls wrapped up in games like these! Baseball gets the Japanese, Mexicans, Dominican Republic's citizens, all kinds of folks stirred up. Just as cricket does the same in many parts of the world. I think it would be neat to study these games, each in the countries where there are rabid fans to see what people like about them, why they move us....
Jennifer

SCWillson · #**3174** 02-08-2012, 08:42 PM

I got the results of some blood tests back yesterday and talked to my GP this morning. The net results: 1) I have no allergies whatsover (which we wrongly suspected might be the cause of my asthma); and 2) My recent near-hospital crisis was exactly what I suspected - overmedication. My doctor's conclusion: I've had some sort of bacterial lung infection since mid-December or early January and in trying to treat the symptoms of what we thought was simply recurring asthma ended up using too many medications; the effects of which combined made my heart race. As my doctor put it, "a perfect storm" (coincidentally I used the exact same term describing it all to my family) of medicine. So the upshot is I still have asthma but can continue to treat it as I was before this all exploded last month. I've dropped one med totally and reduced the dosage on another to 1/3.

I restarted my tai chi classes last night after a month-long hiatus (I was utterly exhausted at the end of class) and plan to sign up for an 18-hour class over 6 weeks on tai chi staff techniques offered by my instructor starting this Sunday. It's expensive ($190) but should be fun if I can make it through 3-hour-long sessions.

And I've lost 1 more pound: now 203 lbs.

annie · #**3175** 02-09-2012, 04:18 PM

Well done Steve, and I hope things continue to improve, and that you enjoy your tai chi.

annie · #**3176** 02-20-2012, 07:14 AM

With impeccable timing, I shall be dropping off the board for a few weeks.
We have been building our own house, and as we now have one room habitable, a shower room & makeshift kitchen, it's time to move in.
We shall be without internet access for a few weeks as there are a few problems with making connections. We can use the local pub's Wi-fi on good days, but on bad days, the signal has difficulty with the 500 year old, 15" thick stone walls.

I wanted to post a photo of the bottom of my garden - the reason we sunk our savings into this plot & are working so hard at the build ourselves, but can't seem to copy & paste one. So I shall just tell you that there is a brook, bordering our garden, with views across to the flood meadows & river. The snowdrops are just out now, and the winter light is glinting off the frost.

I also wanted to add that BBC radio 4 extra are serialising the work of Victor Whitechurch - an author who has dropped into obscurity (probably deservedly so) but whose attention to detail, especially railways was admired in his day by detective authors, and was also published in The Strand.

I shall pop back when we are connected, to find out where you have all gone to!

KarenB · #**3177** 02-20-2012, 12:12 PM

We shall miss you Annie! What an exciting time for you making a new home. I would love to se a picture of the garden if you can get it uploaded, it sounds lovely. Take care!

Jennifer · #**3178** 02-20-2012, 11:30 PM

Annie,
You can see we are here for the long run so just get back to us as soon as the situation allows. Would also love to see the garden, any photos actually!
Jennifer

Pat Floyd · #**3179** 02-22-2012, 05:57 AM

Best wishes on your home building. Your garden sounds lovely--better a brook and flood meadow and river views than fairies. We shall look forward to hearing from you whenever you can connect.

Lenore · #**3180** 02-29-2012, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jennifer

Have you heard anything about the Staffordshire Hoard? The reason I am still puzzled is that the things they found seemed to be the great majority, broken down into very small bits. It's almost as if whoever obtained them was intent on destroying any meaning to the objects. A few escaped being utterly torn to pieces but even then, they are bent or had been dismembered to some degree. The "Star" 100 objects (about 3,500 artifacts were found) are at the National Geographic Museum in Washington, DC right now until March. I so wish I could out there to see them!

I FINALLY got to see it today! Wonderful exhibit, with great commentary and interactive explanatory devices. The Hoard has a very few religious pieces, but most of it appears to have been decorative items from warriors' accoutrements -- e.g., swords, knives, helmets -- which lends credence to the theory (espoused as one possibility by the curators) that these were booty taken from battles. Also, much of the destruction may not have been intentional, but rather due to the fact that the artifacts were not found as they had probably originally been buried, in a hole together. Rather, the original bag or container the pieces were in had long disintegrated and, as this was a field that had been plowed and trod on for hundreds of years, the pieces were scattered over something like (if my short-term memory serves) an area of about 30 by 50 feet. Anyway, it all made me want to run out and read the latest Bernard Cornwell book.