Fourth Wall

Saturday, July 01, 2006

A Few Notes

1) Wide ties are "in" over here. All together now: ick!

2) I'm somewhat concerned with being for Portugal in today's game. At least I'm out of England now.

3) I went to mass at Cardinal Newman's Oratory, where Tolkien studied as a boy. St. Philip Neri is there, looking...well, incorrupt, waxy, and a little creepy. Managed to get to confession, even though the rather deaf and heavily accented priest and I had difficulty understanding one another.

4) I was there for about fifteen minutes before I realized that the altar is supported on either side by naked cherubim. "Ah," I thought to myself, "quelle baroque".

5) When I am in Newark, I feel I am in hell-- but when I'm in hell, I/ll think I'm only in Newark. (With all appropriate apologies to Ruskin and Wilde). Bad weather on the East Coast left me stranded for a night.

6) I haven't had any beer yet (Tom: I don't know what to do without you to order for me), but the restaurant where I ate on Thursday had "Old Speckled Hen" on tap. If I hadn't been trying to get over jet lag, I would have been sorely tempted, just to be able to tell the story. I did, however, have fish & chips and a bread-and-butter pudding that was good enough to kill for.

7) Carolyn: Birmingham's main square features a fountain referred to by locals as "the floozy in the jaccuzi." I thought of you.

8) Many, many, sheep.

2 Comments:

  • just ask for a half-pint of bitter and take what they throw at you. it's an adventure that way.

    By Blogger Mr. G. Z. T., at 12:40 PM  

  • Inquiring minds wish to know WHY, as you contemplated your immortal soul and its defects, were you gazing upon naked cherubim? It would seem the near occasion of sin.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:01 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home