Time for the little ones to move on. 

Mute Swans - Parental Role Models

The more I learn of swans, the more I see what good role models they can be for humans. First of they mate for life, something very few of us seem to be able to do these days.

Next, they are fiercely protective of their young.

But, once it is time for the young flock to leave their parent's side, there is no turning back. The young adult is forced to leave and go stand on its' own two wings, or will be killed by its parents.

Seems we could learn something in this day of adult children continuing to move back home, or never leaving their parents protection.

And They All Wore White - An historical Fiction

It was the 3^rd of March in the year 1913, a day before the inauguration of the 28^th President of the United States. It was an unusually warm but overcast day for March. As Woodrow Wilson arrived expecting crowds of well wishers, he was surprised to find himself alone on the street. It seemed the crowds had gathered at a different kind of spectacle down on Pennsylvania Avenue, a woman suffrage march.

Five thousand women dressed in white carrying purple, violet and gold banners, marched behind suffragist leaders Alice Paul and Lucy Burns. Knowing both press and crowds would be there for the inaugural, the women hoped to bring attention to their cause, an amendment to the US constitution to grant women the right to vote. An estimated ½ million watched as the women marched; mostly just curious onlookers but it also included a very loud and angry opposition group. The women were greeted with shouts and jeers. They were spat at. Lit cigarette butts were thrown at them. They were slapped, mobbed and beaten; the police did nothing to protect them.

Included in the crowd were three youngsters, Thomas Majors, 13 years old, his younger sister Sarah, 8 years old, and his friend Charles Boris, also 13 years old. They had snuck through the large crowd to get a front row position. At first they had come out of simple curiosity, but the boys got caught up in the moment and began hollering insults at the women marchers, mimicking the hostile crowd.

Charles shouted, “Look at those hags. You are hags, witches! You need a good slapping you hags!”

Thomas joined in yelling: “Go away witches. None of you have the sense to know how to vote. Just look at those cows. Where are your udders? “

Charles continued: “Go home where you belong you stupid cows.”

As the boys continued to yell and hoot at the women, neither one noticed Sarah At first she just stood there watching the women marching. As she looked at the women looking both proud and frightened, Sarah then turned to look up at her brother and his friend. As she watched the boys jeer and yell, she got noticeably upset. But nobody was noticing her.

Sarah then turned and watched others in the crowd. She saw faces of her neighbours, but she could hardly recognize them all contorted with anger. She saw, more than heard, the ugly words being slung out of their mouths. As the crowds started to move towards the women, shoving and hitting, Sarah seemed to disappear into herself.

The din and anger of the crowd pushed Sarah forward until she found herself holding tightly onto the hand of one of the marchers. Two hundred women were injured that day, including 8 year old Sarah Majors.

The hostility and violence toward the women created a public outcry, and in effect generated increasing support for woman’s rights and suffrage. It could be called a turning point for the success of the amendment. For Sarah Majors it was the defining moment in her life. She never looked back from her road of activism.

Rambling Expat Thoughts

It is amazing how different the social culture is between the UK and the US. As part of my Expat experience, I have been taking courses with local programs. I have taken a series of courses on London taught by a London tour guide, and have also been taking a Creative Writing Class at the local college. So often I find someone tells a joke, relates a story, speaks about a TV show or a book that everyone seems to know about - but I don't. Prior to being an expat, I would rarely find myself in this predicament. Even if I hadn't seen the show or read the book, if it was common to our culture, I had usually heard about it.

When I go back will I be a misfit in both cultures?

Just as a clarification, colleges are not the same in the UK as in the US, unless we are speaking of a college within a University like the colleges within Oxford. College is for students who have finished their basic school years (I think that happens at around 16) but who are not yet ready for University or will not be going to University at all. Some of these are very distinguished like Eton College where both Prince William and Prince Harry received their further education, and some are more technical.

As as further aside, public school (such as Eton College) in Britain is what the US would consider private school - for children ages between 13 and 18, whose parents pay for their education. The children often live at the school while they are studying.

Confronting some of these basic differences takes time to understand. Some of the basic cultural differences probably take a lifetime to overcome. Being in a different country, even one that speaks English, is a wonderful lesson in tolerance.

The Dinner Party

It was with little anticipation that I had walked into the door. I knew this was a moment of celebration, a time for us to reward each other for our sales successes this past year. I tried to come up with a good reason to cancel, but I couldn’t come up with anything that wouldn’t make me look like a bad team player. I dreaded spending one more business dinner where I would be the only one without a date.

Quickly I managed to slip into the room and find a place at a table before everyone could see I was alone again. I manoeuvred myself between two couples whom I didn’t know so that if I got an opportunity to slip out early, they would not mention that I left. As I sat there, sipping on the glass of wine the waiter poured, I looked up and saw Katherine walk into the room.

I should have realized she would have found a way to get an invitation, but I didn’t expect to see her here. Katherine was in another department that normally would not be coming to this event. As I looked past her, I saw that he had come with her. Immediately my heart jumped. It had been a while since I had seen him. Last time was the company New Years Party.

It was at last year’s kick off dinner that we first made eye contact. Just like tonight, he had come as Katherine’s date. I felt his eyes on me then, and was so flustered that I didn’t know what to do. It was the first time I understood what it meant to meet your soul mate. We hadn’t actually talked. We didn’t need to. I felt the connection and I knew that he did too. It was the same at each company event after that.

I saw they were coming to my table. I almost stopped breathing as they sat across from me. I nodded to Katherine, mumbling some inane comment. I could feel him looking at me. When I looked up all I could see was the dark pools of his eyes. It seemed as if we were the only ones in the room. No one else existed at that moment. There were no noises, just our voices intermingling, yet we were not making any sound. Still I could hear him calling me, and feel his eyes boring into my soul. It felt as if our souls were touching, as if the table between us did not exist. In some sense I knew that there were people around us, yet at the same time, we were together in a plane where no one else existed.

The waiter showed at my elbow with my dinner plate shaking me into reality. I felt flustered as I reached for my silverware. The hard cold feel of the fork and knife contrasted with the emotions running through me. As I looked up again, he had turned away to speak with Katherine. With his attention focused toward her at the moment, it gave me a chance to compose myself.

I was still shaken with the intimacy we had felt together, and found it difficult to understand how he turned his attention away so quickly. I was not sure I could leave him another night without talking to him, acknowledging our connection. As he continued to talk to Katherine, I pretended not to be watching his every move.

It seemed like Katherine was totally unaware of what was happening. While he talked to her, laughed with her, I knew that he must have heard my soul cry out to him. As he touched her hand, he felt my fingertips on his.

As the meal was served, I pretended to concentrate on the food, but I didn’t know what I ate or how much time elapsed. I hoped that I didn’t look flushed as I laboured through the meal. All of a sudden, he got up. I knew it was a signal to me. This would be our opportunity to connect, to speak to each other at last.

After a moment, I too excused myself, stumbling off in the same direction. Thoughts of what would follow consumed me. After months of meeting through furtive looks, our opportunity had finally happened. This was meant to be.

As I followed, I found myself standing at the door of the toilet. I waited for him to come out. Emotions were swirling around me making me dizzy with anticipation. All of a sudden the door opened. He looked at me with confusion. Then he smiled and said, “Oh excuse me, I didn’t realize there was a queue out here.” He then sauntered off to the table and to Katherine.

British Elections or How I came to love the Vote

It is an interesting experience to be on the sideline during an election. It really is like watching a short series of political drama- Mr. Smith goes to 10 Downing Street or should we call it the Downing Wing? Maybe it will run on Fox television. Then again, Fox probably does not know there is an election happening the UK. Fox news is still producing positive Bush antidotes in case he gets a chance for a third run. Oh, I guess that will happen only it will be Jeb Bush in '08.

It has all the intrigue of a good family show. There is the family reconcilliation between Blair and Brown. We even saw them getting identical wine glasses. There is a newborn family member for the Kennedy's, and of course, there is Micheal Howard. Maybe it should be called - Desperate Politicians? This definitely has a lot of potential for good ratings.

Conquering the Thames Path .... Almost

It was a year ago on the 9th of April, 2004, that we started. After purchasing a copy of David Sharp's "The Thames Path" we began walking. We have now walked a total of 13 days, 152 miles in 8 outings and find ourselves in Greater London with two days and about 30 miles left to the Thames barrier. It all began during a four day extended weekend. The first initial walks required taking two cars, parking at either end of the walk. This took some careful planning and committment to where we would end our walks. We are now only limited by where the trains stop.

Pictures follow show the Thames head near Kemble, the mile marker a few miles along the walk, and Old Father Thames, all seen in the first four days of our walk. We started at a slow pace. Our first day walk was 7 miles long; now we are up to 17 miles a day on our last two walks. This has been a real challenge to my feet and legs, but is a testament to the fact that I have gained my walking legs.

Walking along the Thames has provided us many pictures, many fine views, and experiences of places in England otherwise missed. In the earlier parts of the walk, we met characters along the way that wanted to share our journey. In two villages, we had personal tours of historical churches by elderly women caretakers. We saw bits of English history, old Roman ruins, multiple locks and bridges, small communities, beautiful wild flowers, and multiple river views.

It has provided hours of togetherness, as well as lovely solitude. We have walked up to six hours at a time through all types of weather. Now as we are nearing the end, and have less than a days walk till we enter the London most tourists know, with another day then to the barrier, I feel excitement, but also some sadness that this walk will be coming to an end.

We have made it to Greater London! We now have two days walking to the Barrier. 

We felt 'sheepish', as we continued our trek along the path. 

I would have walked a mile for a ..

Just a little further to go.

Father Thame 

Beginning of the Thames Walk near Kemble. Once at
the source, we only knew it because it was marked.
There was no water!

Delay Tom DeLay!!

Haven't we had enough of this behavior? As he continues to pile up one after another unethical activity, he has the nerve to stand there and preach to us about morals and ethical values.

It is just another political Delay tactic!


This morning, the Washington Post and the New York Times each broke new scandals involving Republican Majority Leader Rep. Tom DeLay. According to the Times, DeLay paid his wife and daughter more than $500,000 of his political donors' money over the last four years. And the Post article highlights a seedy 1997 trip DeLay took, underwritten by "a mysterious company located in the Bahamas" that was tied to Russian business interests.