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Showing posts from August 12, 2018

Much over-rated donuts, but quite good coffee

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That 9500 mile 'bus trip was indeed a great adventure.  It had its wonderful days, and others which were trying. I look back with gratitude to the people who opened their homes to us,  in Tulsa, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Bellingham, Calgary, Toronto, Marblehead and Washington DC.  Comfortable beds, good food, hot showers and the like were a gift to be treasured in the light of many overnight 'bus rides and fast food meals. Here are a few of  my memories, culled from the Journal I kept that September. ------------------------------------------------------------- * Entranced by Manhattan.  We stayed at the Episcopal Church's General Theological Seminary (Chelsea area) with my friend Paul G who had studied there and who knew the Island well. He was our tour guide and driver. NYC, especially Manhattan Island, attracts tourists from all over the world. Ann and I were the 1975 tourists who were energised by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central Park, Times Square

Steve Povey 18th August 1953

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Born on this day in 1952. Passed from this life 22nd June 2016 He was my brother, and a good bloke. With his super wife Ange

The Summer Of My Beard.

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I have writer's block re the fourth and final posting about the 9,500 mile 'bus trip Ann and I took around the U.S.A. and Canada in 1975.   So here's a bit of huma to tide us over.  It comes via the website "Grammar Monster". ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Irony 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Irony 2

School Daze

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Pet Therapy Teams at The New College of Florida in Sarasota today.  Four accidental humans. Four essential canines. We were there to provide support and encouragement for the 2018/19 Resident Advisors  (R.A's) who are being trained before the new students arrive on Sat 18th/Sun 19th; and the returning students on Weds 22nd. On a day of intensive training the R.A's took a break at lunch time and got their dog fix. Two of the other therapy dogs with their human caregivers. A staff member greets two dogs  Zion goes belly up at the slightest invitation. Three new R.A's pay him tribute. And of course I also got some therapy.  Nothing better than (albeit brief) conversations with splendid and bright young women and men.

A horrid tragedy in Genoa.

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We've all see photo's or videos of the ghastly and tragic bridge failure in Genoa, Italy. We've probably given it more attention than we have devoted to the 500,000 Syrians who have been killed in the Syrian Civil War. After all Italians are US,   Syrians are THEM. I am as certain as I can be that I drove on this Genoan elevated highway back in (maybe) 1985 when I was in Italy with my good friend Joe R, and his friend John F.  I certainly remember  driving on an elevated Motorway which overlooked the port area, and some of the urban sprawl. The traffic was fast.  I was as nervous as a live chicken in a supermarket parking lot. Joe, John and I beat it hastily from the City until we  found a Tent Camping area in the nearby countryside. BUT  APART FROM THE TRAGIC DEATHS HERE IS WHAT "GETS" ME. Please look at these photo's Oh the indecency, the horror, the evil, the health consequences when cars and trucks are more important than standards of l

Hail to the beard (and a long journey by bus)

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SUMMER 1975  -  my second great adventure in travel.   The first was in 1973 when I spent a month in east Africa (mostly Kenya but with a few days in Tanzania) with a group of men from my Seminary (St. John's College, Nottingham, U.K.). In 1975 after eight weeks of "labouring in the Lord's Vineyard" helping to run Vacation Bible Schools in Western Massachusetts, my girl friend Ann flew from LHR to JFK.  I met her there and we began our long trip by 'bus around the U.S.A. and Canada. Are they still in business? -------------------------------------------------------------------- Of course you'd like to meet Ann! Here are some of the statistics: The trip lasted for twenty nine days.   We slept on the 'bus for eleven nights, in a run down New Orleans Hotel for two nights, in a nice Hotel in Vancouver for one night, and in the homes of friends and acquaintances  (may their memory be held sacred!)  for the balance

Who remembers

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Kodak disposable cameras? They are probably best forgotten.

When I was young(er) and beardless en·tr'acte - More tomorrow.

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In which I plan to re-visit the summer of 1975 when I grew a beard,  and traveled 9,500 miles around the USA and Canada by Trailways 'bus, with my then girl friend Ann (of happy memory). I am in my "Operation Clean Up"  as part of which I have opened up a Scrap Book which I made in 1975 - my first summer in the U.S.A. I've not looked at the Scrap Book in many a long year (probably thirty) -  but even as it is falling apart my memories of that summer have been delicious.  Fortunately I kept a journal that summer so I have a reference point for old memories. The toy 'bus above?  Yes,  I bought it in 1975 as a souvenir of that long 'bus ride.  It's been on show in so many of my homes,but next to no people have asked me why it is on display. 1975 marked a major and good turning point in my life.  It led to so many good things about which I am deeply grateful.  I have free time tomorrow (Tues 14th Aug) so I plan to write a bit about my long '

When I was young(er) and beardless.

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This photo' was taken at the former Bement Camp and Conference Centre of the (Episcopal) Diocese of Western Massachusetts. It was in June 1975.  I was a 31 years old seminarian from the U.K., in between my third and fourth years in Seminary. I was at Bement to be trained to help lead Vacation Bible Schools in Western MA.   I was in a team with (l-r)  Debby Jenks, Alan Womer, and Cathy Ambler.   Our supervisor was Noreen Suriner ( r ), later the Revd. Noreen Suriner. We served parishes in Greenfield, Worcester, Northborough, and Oxford -  all in Massachusetts - each for two weeks. That American Summer of 1975 paved the way (all unexpectedly) for me to come to the U.S.A. after Seminary,  to serve parishes in Massachusetts (Fitchburg, Chicopee, Pittsfield and Cambridge); to become an American citizen, and in due course to retire to Sarasota, FL. I was skinny enough back then!  1975 was the year I grew a beard.  It's been with me more or less ever since then. (I sh