Povey Prattle

I was at the Sarasota Opera’s production of “The Pearl Fishers” by Georges Bizet this afternoon. As is the case in many operas the plot is a bit thin.  (That’s also the case for many Television “Dramas”.) So I suspended judgement in order to enjoy the music.  In particular I wanted to hear the famous tenor/baritone duet in which two characters (Nadir and Zurga) pledge eternal friendship. For you see, I have heard thus duet many times via recordings, but I’ve never before heard it “live”. I was not disappointed. Nadir (sung by Heath Huberg), and Zurga (sung by Lee Poulis), were very good. Indeed their singing brought tears to my eyes. This was partly because of the beauty of the music. But it was mostly because of memory. I “saw” myself in the back kitchen of our home in Bristol.  There my dearest Dad would often sit, enjoying classical music from the B.B.C. My fabulous oldest sister Maureen would sometimes be there.  From time to time I would join...

My good cousin Janet asked this question on Facebook:  “ Am I the only one wondering what all the fuss is about this new Pope? ” No Janet, even religious people ask the same question. Here are my tentative responses. 1.       Whether we like it or not, most people in our world are religious in one way or another.  (Even strident atheism is a religion of sorts) 2.      The Roman Catholic Church is the largest of all organised religions. So when that Church selects a new leader it is not surprising that it makes world news. 3.      The resignation of Pope Benedict and the election of Pope Francis are newsworthy because:  Benedict retired voluntarily unlike the Pope who resigned 600 years ago -  under pressure! Pope Francis is the first non-European Pontiff, (though this is a bit of a stretch since he is Italian by his parents and Argentina is the most “European” country on South Americ...

My good nephew Nick snapped a photo' of a BBC 4 presenter (who was talking about ants). Nick thinks that this man is my doppelganger. My doppelganger? ======================================================= My first cousin Chris posted a photo of him with my Aunt Irene.  She has always been my favorite aunt, and is the only one of my five aunts (all by marriage) who still lives. (Some Sarasota friends have met my cousin Janet. She is Irene's daughter, and Chris's brother.) My favourite Aunt and her son, my cousin Chris. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My dear friends Jack and Pat McLaughlin are once again at their time share on Longboat Key.  I knew Jack, Pat and their children when I was the Rector at St. Stephen's, Pittsfield. I was always very fond of their younger daughter Jennifer, who was 14 years old when I began my ministry in Pittsfield.(1984)   So ...

A bit of silliness via my friend D.

As was the case with many British, Irish and American folks of my generation I grew up with a very bland diet. Dinner often consisted of over cooked beef or lamb, and vegetables which had been boiled to death. There were saving graces. We ate roasted potatoes which were all crispy on the outside, and fluffy within. We enjoyed wonderful steak and kidney pies or puddings.  And our Mum made fabulous stews. British Fish and Chips (fried in lard) were second to none. But we never encountered pasta, pizza, curries, or rare steaks. We’d never heard of hamburgers until a British chain restaurant known as “Wimpy Bars” introduced us to what were called “Beefburgers”. Bit by bit we expanded our options. My youngest brother Martyn and I were the first to be adventurous. I remember when he and I ordered “escargots” in France many years ago.  Damn they were good! But with my native gastronomic reserve I drew the line at Sushi. A couple of years ago I was at a big buffe...

He prays it every week when he is at Church:  “For the safety and success of our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan”. I have no problem with the “safety” bit.  But I am not sure what “success” means. That’s probably because former President George W. Bush was never able to articulate why we were at war in those countries.  He inferred that it had something to do with “the war on terror”, but we never knew what he had in mind as to  what could or might happen in those countries once we had won that “war”. In the meantime we are bailing out of Iraq with no clear sense of “mission accomplished”, and we are (off the record of course) negotiating with the Taliban in Afghanistan. President Obama has been no more successful than former Pres. Bush in articulating a rationale for our war loving ways.  Indeed he has upped the ante with his enthusiastic endorsement and engagement in a war from the skies via American drones. How in heaven’s name do we measure “...