The summer and beyond

Summer 2008 was wonderful, in too many ways to try to recap. But now the fresh memories are fading and its time to have some more wonderful layers added.

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In four weeks I'm heading to one of my favourite cities in one of my favourite countries to spend some time with my all time favourite friend. And oh I'm excited. There will be sunshine and laughter and love. And visits to Lush

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This last week I've been surprised by the kindness of colleagues and overwhelmed by the care of friends. And parental issues have been raised to the foreground again. Mostly because friends can't believe the levels of effort I'm going through organising a surprise 70th birthday party for my father in January. Just because some of my family are rubbish doesn't mean that the rest are.

I've booked 5 rooms for family at a lovely little Coaching Inn for all, put down a deposit for a Saturday night dinner for 9 of us. And thanks to the wonders of facebook have been able to track down my fathers cousins who along with friends, in laws and siblings are going to turn up for a surprise Sunday lunch. I've got a flight back to the UK thats not going to cost more than a months salary and booked time of work. The ONLY thing my sibling has to do is to tell my parents she is taking them to dinner at the Inn on his birthday so they don't make other plans.

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Thanks to the best geek hero in my life I have also been able to catch the latest episodes of Emmerdale - clearly life is good!

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And I'm weighing up the options of downsizing all my worldly belongings to leave me free to just jump freely to a new country in the next six months. Which raises the questions, even if I scan in all my old photos from pre digital era what to do with the originals?

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Education

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It has come to my attention in the last few weeks that there are a number of cultural references that I make that fly past the heads of those who come from the Colonies*.

#1. 'Bob' Yes when you make me say the name 'Bob', it has to be said with a pop to it in the style of Blackadder - (NOT to be confused with Mr Bean). Blackadder is the best of British comedy

Blackadder is the generic name that encompasses four series of an acclaimed BBC One historical sitcom, along with several one-off instalments. The shows were produced by John Lloyd, and starred Rowan Atkinson as the eponymous anti-hero, Edmund Blackadder, and Tony Robinson as his sidekick/ dogsbody, Baldrick.

In 2000, Blackadder Goes Forth ranked at 16 in the " 100 Greatest British Television Programmes", a list created by the British Film Institute. Also in the 2004 TV poll to find " Britain's Best Sitcom", Blackadder was voted the second best British sitcom of all time, beaten by Only Fools and Horses .

Although each series is set in a different time era, all follow the fortunes (or rather, misfortunes) of Edmund Blackadder (played by Atkinson), who in each is a member of an English family dynasty present at many significant periods and places in British history. Although his intelligence levels rise over the course of the series (the character starts as being quite unintelligent in the first and gradually becomes smarter and more perceptive through each passing generation while ironically decreasing in social status), each Blackadder is similar in that they are all cynical cowardly opportunists concerned with maintaining and increasing their own status and fortunes in life, regardless of their surroundings. In each series, however, Blackadder is usually a cynical (almost modern) voice puncturing the pretensions and stupidity of those around him, and what might - through modern eyes - be seen as the more ludicrous and insane follies of history (from the cruel and unjust medieval religious witch-hunts and the petty whims and insanities of various British monarchs to the pointless bloodshed of World War I).

The lives of the four Blackadders are also entwined with their servants, all called Baldrick (played by Tony Robinson), who in each generation acts as Blackadder's dogsbody/punching bag and who decreases in intelligence (and in personal hygiene standards) just as his master's intellect increases. Each Blackadder and Baldrick are also saddled with the company of a dim-witted aristocrat (who is even dimmer than even the dimmest Baldrick) whose presence Blackadder must somehow tolerate. In the first two seasons, this role was taken by Lord Percy Percy (Tim McInnerny), whereas this position was assumed in the third season by Prince George ( Hugh Laurie) and in the fourth by Lieutenant George, again played by Laurie.

Each series was set in a different period of English history, beginning in 1485 and ending in 1917 (with one special set on New Year's Eve 1999) In addition to these, three specials were also made: " Blackadder: The Cavalier Years" appeared as a 15-minute insert during the 1988 Comic Relief telethon; Blackadder's Christmas Carol was a 45-minute Christmas instalment, broadcast the same year; and Blackadder: Back & Forth was a 30-minute film originally shown in a special cinema at the Millennium Dome throughout 2000.

#2 Curly Wurlys

Curly Wurly is a type of chocolate bar manufactured by Cadbury and sold in the UK and Australia. It was launched in the UK in 1971 and relaunched in 1976. Its shape resembles two flattened, intertwined serpentine strings. The bar is made of chocolate-coated caramel. Also available are "Curly Wurly Squirlies," which come in a bag and are just the cross beams of the ladder.

A 2004 online poll found that the Curly Wurly was the most popular chocolate bar still in production.


And these people made themselves a giant one!



#3 Richmond Park is one of my favourite places in London. At almost 1000 hectares (2500 acres), it is the largest Royal Park in London and is home to around 650 free roaming deer.

Especially of note is the Isabella Plantation.
Many many happy hours spent there and one of my top 4 places to have a picnic.

* Colonies - It seems that most if not all of my favourite people (outside of family) come from the former colonies, so you know that was meant in fun right! ~grin~