Povey Prattle

I heard this joke today on the most estimable Rick Steves' radio programme about travel, on National Public Radio ( 6:00 a.m. on WUSF in the Sarasota/St. Pete/Tampa area.) Some of the programme had to do with the joys of travel in North Wales. Rick Steves' guest was a Welshman with the unlikely name of  Martin de Lewandowicz.   Rick asked him about the historic English antipathy to all things Welsh. Martin told us that the very word "Wales" has a Germanic language  origin meaning "foreigner". In other words the continental  Anglo-Saxon invaders of England were bemused by the existing Celtic population and did not understand them.  So they designated them as foreigners . Those Celts (Wales, Cornwall, Ireland), down-trodden by the English/Anglo Saxon invaders, used humour as resistance. Hence this, a joke via  Martin de Lewandowicz.   Welshman with a question.   "Why are the English buried twelve feet underground? Answer,...

Via Arthur L 88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

1. English Parliament  1648  "The Rump Parliament" In which the English Parliament, having been purged of quasi-Royalists, manipulated the stage to allow for the trial of King Charles I, his being found guilty of treason, and his subsequent execution.  Regicide https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rump_Parliament ======================================================== 2. Scottish Parliament 1707 In which the Scottish Parliament - utterly cash strapped - voted itself out of business.  Henceforth Scottish M.P.'s sat in the Westminster Parliament. (Selling one's soul for a mess of pottage?) Old Parliament Hall, Edinburgh. After the death of the English Queen Elizabeth I , the Stuart  King James VI of Scotland also became King James I of England.  The subsequent Stuart Monarchs were Kings of Scotland and of England ( one head, two crowns ), until the Reign of Queen Anne, during which the Scottish Parliament was abolished, and the cr...

.......... with my i Pad which I left at the T.S.A. security check point at San Antonio International Airport. This, you must  understand,  was deliberate on my part.  It is a part of my on-going training to become an old coot/old fart/old codger. 😕 Kudos to the entirely helpful TSA "lost property" agent at S.A. Airport who was so pleasant and gracious when we spoke by telephone.  He found my i Pad within minutes. Warmest thanks to my San Antonio host Ward Symons who retrieved it from the airport and sent it to me by FedEx. Good work by FedEx who received it in San Antonio on Monday 25th, and delivered it here on Wednesday 27th. Just before I left Ward and Kelley's home they gave me a copy of their 2018 Christmas Card which bears a great photo' of them. I placed it under the cover of my i Pad so that it would not get crumpled in my luggage. Nice........   'cause this made the identification of my i Pad (probably one of several o...

I had lunch today with my dear friends Pat and Jack McLaughlin (ex Pittsfield, MA, and now Nashua, N.H.) who come down to Sarasota (in truth to Longboat Key) for a month each year. They are great folks We ate at the 1812 Bistro on (South) Osprey St. Goodness gracious it was a super lunch for the three of us. Good food, freshly made, nothing from a can! My Grouper Fish Tacos were terrific. https://1812osprey.com/menu-1 N.B. (full disclosure)  I know the owner/chefs Jim Palermo and Adam Palermo from St. Boniface Church. (But if I had not cared for their food I would be silent - in truth it was great! ) I whispered to Jack and Pat "don't order coffee" , not as a judgment on the 1812 brew,  but because I wanted to take them around the corner to Cafe Perq on Hillview St. for some of the best Java which Sarasota offers. http://www.perqcoffeebar.us It's expensive,  their coffee beans are sourced directly from the farmers,  bu...

It's my grumbling time. INTERNET (and other) purchases. 1.    I used them for one short ride in Austin, Texas.   The driver took me to the wrong address, miles from my destination. She tried to correct the error, by concluding the first (erroneous address), and booking herself for the correct address. UBER then charged me for six rides.  But of course I could not correct this with a simple 'phone call.  Instead I had to make a complicated series of internet communications.  UBER canceled four of the six charges, but since I could not figure out their complicated hieroglyphics I am still $11+  out of pocket. I gave up trying to correct this $11 error for the sake of my blood pressure. ---------------------------------------------- 2.   I rarely use Amazon  but I did so today to purchase a nylon/fabric watch band, which seems to be unavailable in local stores.  (I cannot wear leather or me...

I spent my final two days in Texas as a guest of Ward and Kelley Symons. Ward grew up in Fitchburg MA where I was the Rector at the Church of the Good Shepherd, 1976-1980 By that time he had already flown the coop, but I knew and liked his parents Les and Jesse Symons. Sorry, no picture of Kelley -  it will come later. But know that she makes the most  fabulous Apple Pie! Kelley and Ward were good enough to invite their neighbours Vicki Chew and Sherri Lipper for dinner on my first evening. Vicki Don't tell Zion , but I had an affair with Vicki and Sherri's gorgeous Doberman,  "Bella".   Bella 1 Bella 2 --------------------------------------- Of course you cannot be in San Antonio without a visit to the Alamo Mission. "Remember the Alamo" of course, but  recall that it was the scene of a Mexican victory against the expansionist Americans who were bound and determined to conquer and subdue Texas - then ...

I left him with  an unlaudered tee shirt which I had slept in the night before he went to Bayside, thinking that my scent would comfort him. My scent certainly did something for him!   This is how the tee shirt was returned to me.

I had an all too brief visit to San Antonio, TX to see my friends Ward and Kelley Symons.  Ward grew up in Fitchburg MA where I was the Rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd 1976-1980. By 1976 Ward had already flown the coop, but I knew and liked his parents - Les and Jesse Symons. Much more about my San Antonio trip tomorrow (with photo's).    For today I report that  we had lunch last Monday at one of the finest restaurants on the River Walk -  "Boudro's" http://www.boudros.com I chose the...  CHICKEN ENCHILADAS VERDES $12 Corn tortillas filled with breast of chicken and topped with tomatillo sauce, queso fresco and sour cream with pico de gallo and black beans. 'Twas a great choice, and the food was delicious. But after I had placed my order I watched our fine waiter as he created (table side) Boudros' utterly fresh Guacamole for guests at another table. It was a work of art. How I wished that I had ordered Guacamole rathe...