Friday morning : A kid from one of the school programmes answers the question about what happens to a worker honey bee when she stings by saying,
'She sacrifices herself for the hive.' He said it several times and with vehemence. I admire vehemence. That kid totally got it.
Friday afternoon : A letter arrives from the Canadian High Commission in London. Our immigration visas are ready, then one of those mathematical problems they used to pose you at school. I have to respond within 60 days otherwise the application will be cancelled. I have to send all four passports in together. If I send, then they will send all of the passports back to one address and it will take 30 days. I can take the passports in to the high Commission, but only between 14.00 and 15.00 on a Thursday. I can then collect them a fortnight later, same time, same day. To send them I have to wait until I get back to Canada, but then my daughter Alex wouldn't be able to fly out because her passport wouldn't be back in time, so the only option we can see is for me to miss my flight back to Canada and collect the passports from London.
Friday evening : Our flight leaves on time. This is vital because we need to arrive in England in time to get photographs done for Alex, Ben, Laurence and myself, to take in with the passports. This is the only opportunity for this since we are flying to Edinburgh tomorrow and won't be back until Wednesday.
On the Air Canada CBC news we see the body of Captain Nichola Goddard, killed in action fighting the Taliban, being sent back to Canada. She sacrificed herself for the human hive and its ideals. She has also made history because for the first time ever a woman soldier's bravery will be remembered with a medal which will be awarded to her widower. Her mother was also courageous and said that her daughter had known the risks of her job and wanted to go to Afghanistan. A brave woman who did not dishonour her daughter's life and work like some others in both Britain and the U.S.
Saturday morning : Slept.
Saturday early afternoon : Arrived in London to cool temperatures and rain. Oops, I wanted it cooler, and it sure is.
Saturday afternoon and evening : Spent time with Alex, Ben and Laurence in Woking, got photos done then left for Portsmouth where we had Tang's excellent Chinese food at Austen and Sue's. Edward has grown, and was very much awake, but Holly was asleep when we arrived. And then we slept too.
Nothing new under the sun
2 years ago
4 comments:
"A brave woman who did not dishonour her daughter's life and work like some others in both Britain and the U.S."
- we'll debate that comment when you get back, my little conservative friend.
So it sounds like you are going to stay longer in London. Boo hoo. No, it's good for you I know.
- Karen
What a busy weekend you had. But sounds like you got everything that you wanted done, which is good. And you're in the UK, which is also good.
Regarding Nichola Goddard -- I have two opinions. First I despise war, second I despise war, third I despise war. But I won't weep for her, altho I felt like it. Poor dump bitch goes off to get herself killed when she had just begun living. AR
Probably me being thick... But isn't dying an occupational hazard when you join one of the Armed Forces? You make an oath to defend your country and follow the orders of your government. If you don't agree to your government's overseas policy, don't join up or leave! BUT don't start crying two tears out of one eye because someone is injured or sadly, killed.
IT'S YOUR JOB.
And those who want compensation....... Don't get me started! There are many families who can claim 1 or more relative killed at The Somme, Ypres, Flanders etc all for a few metres of muddy earth. A whole generation was lost! Any of those families ask for compensation? Or did they have pride in their relative,take the piss poor pension and struggle on raising their families.
I have "Iraq Fatigue", the longer it goes on, the less I give a shit.
Can't even remember what it's really all about anymore we've been lied to so often.
I am relying on Historical repetition, All Empires fall. I can't wait for America's decline!
Simmi
I'm with you Simmi with regard to the decline of the US.
I personally think that anybody who joins either the Army (Navy, Air Force) or the police force has something wrong with them in the first place. I am always suspicious of their motives. Either they want to save the world (ridiculous, except in the case of Bono from U2 -- who obviously has the balls, the money and the reputation) or they are control freaks. Then take those who wanted to save the world and in less than a year they BECOME control freaks. So in the end all of them are control freaks. AR
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