18:00 Vi spiser aftensmad og bagefter skal Lois ude. Hun vil deltage i en
bibelklasse, som hendes kirke holde i aften i Tewkesbury. Hun må ikke køre bil
for tiden på grund af grå stær, men hendes ven, Alf, kommer og afhenter hende.
Jeg har lidt alenetid, og bruger resten af aftenen på at se lidt fjernsyn. De
viser en interessant dokumentarfilm (anden del af 2), der handler om
Storbritanniens fjerneste beboede ø, Fair Isle, der ligger midtvejs mellem
Orkneyøerne og Shetlandsøerne. Fair Isle er kun 3 miles lang, og 1,5 miles
bred. Folk har boet på øen siden bronzealderen og de fleste stednavne stammer
fra oldnordisk. Nogle gange kan man ikke forlade øen i flere uger, på grund af
vejret, især om vinteren. Fly og skibe kan ikke nå dertil. Det blæser kraftigt
hele tiden.
Serien følger livet af to nye "indvandrere" fra grevskabet
Lincoln i England, et ungt par, Sean og Rachel. I seriens første afsnit, som
jeg for et par dage siden så sammen med Lois, gav øens indbyggere en varm
velkomst til Sean og Rachel (2 ekstra par hænder for at holde liv i øens
økonomi), men Lois og jeg mærkede , at det, indbyggerne allemest ønskede, var
at Rachel blev gravid – uha!!! Naboerne ønskede, at parret gik til den, når
lysene gik ud om aftenen (elektricitet bliver slukket hver aften kl 23:30 over
hele øen). Så ingen pres ha ha ha!
Lois og jeg følte i det første afsnit, at Sean var frisk på, at gøre Rachel
gravid, men da vi læste mellem linjerne, kunne vi mærke, at Rachel selv havde blandede følelser – uha! Vi så problemer forude !!!!!
I aften i dette
andet afsnit finder seerne ud af, at Sean og Rachels problemer eskalerer, først
med adskilte soveværelser, og efter 18 måneder en beslutning om at gå fra
hinanden. Et hus bliver uforventet ledigt på den anden side af øen, og Sean
flytter ud.
Det må have været
lidt pinligt, at deres forholds problemer blev vist på fjernsyn. I programmet
ser man mange interviews, hvor parret sidder i sofaen. Rachel snakker
åbenhjertigt om deres problemer, mens Sean siger næsten intet, og hans
kropssprog er meget afslørende. Da TV-kanalen påbegyndte dette projekt,
besluttede den at sætte fokus på Sean og Rachel på indlysende grunde, men deres
forhold begyndte at gå ned ad bakke, så snart de ankom på øen. Parret havde
været sammen i kun 3 måneder, før de besluttede at flytte til Fair Isle fra
deres hjemsted i grevskabet Lincoln. Måske alt for tidligt i forholdet for at
slå sig ned sammen på sådan en fjern ø.
Seans kropssprog
er meget afslørende – du godeste!!!! Parret sover allerede
på adskilte
værelser og til sidst går de fra hinanden – uha!!!!
21:00 Jeg
fortsætter med at se lidt fjernsyn. De viser en anden interessant
dokumentarfilm (anden del af 3, 6. serie), “Stol på mig, jeg er læge”.
Programmets vært er den charmerende tv-læge, Michael Mosley, sammen med nogle
af hans tv-lægevenner.
En interessant serie, der giver det nuværende officielle råd, når det
kommer til forskellige aspekter af sundhed. Men stilen er ikke så god, fordi
filmsekvenserne og diskussionen ofte springer konstant fra det ene aspekt til
et andet (og tilbage igen) – uha! Programmagernes forsæt er tilsyneladende at
holde seerne i suspense og forhindre dem i at skifte kanal, men resultatet er
lidt forvirrende
Mange af programmets anbefalinger gælder ikke for et gammelt vrag som mig,
men jeg får uden tvivl flere nyttige oplysninger, som altid.
Programmets værter eksperimenterer med 3 metoder for at forbedre
metabolisme: den første gruppe
prøvekaniner skal drikke en liter af meget koldt vand hver dag på 8 uger, den
anden gruppe skal drikke en masse grøn te, og den tredje gruppe skal dyrke
modstandsøvelser. Det viser sig, at kun den tredje metode virker – pokkers!
Juryen er stadig ude om meget koldt vand og grøn te.
Hvis man dyrker lidt vægtløftning, er det ikke vigtigt, hvorvidt man vælger
tunge vægte eller lettere vægte, men med de lettere vægte må man træne længere:
til man bliver forpustet for eksempel.
Det viser sig også, at det er ikke en god idé at spise for meget ris, fordi
den indeholder en masse arsen. Men man kan reducere væsentligt andelen af arsen
ved at koge risen med vand, der er 5 gange mere, end risen (kvantitetsmæssigt).
Virkningen er endnu mere effektiv, hvis man bløder risen op i vandet natten
over. Du godeste – sikke et vanvid!!!
22:00 Lois kommer hjem igen – Alf sætter hende af foran huset. Jeg går i seng. Men Lois trænger til at
slappe af og geare ned efter aftenens stimulerende bibelklasse. Stakkels
Lois!!!!
Som sædvanligt anbefaler jeg et par tv-programmer, der efter min mening er
egnede til formålet, to gamle sitcoms fra 1980’erne: ”Yes Minister”, der tager
pis på engelske embedsmænd, og ”Allo Allo”, der tager pis på det besatte
Frankrig, den tyske hær, den franske modstandsbevægelse, britiske agenter og
alle klicheerne af den anden verdenskrig i bøger, film, og teaterstykker.
Gordon Kaye, der spillede hovedrollen som en liderlig fransk caféejer, døde
desværre for et par uger siden.
23:00 Zzzzzzz!!! Jeg vågner ikke, da Lois hopper op i sengen til mig. Zzzzzzzz!!!!
04:00 Jeg står tidligt op og laver én af mine rutinemæssige danske
ordforrådtest.
Jeg kigger lidt på nettet. Joy, en medlem af vores danske gruppe har sendt
mig en email. I løbet af gårsdagens møde, diskuterede vi de engelske og danske
navne på ugens dage, som ligner meget hinanden, bortset fra lørdag (Saturday på
engelsk). Jeg sagde, at jeg troede, at lørdag betød vaskedag på de
skandinaviske sprog. Vi var ikke helt sikre på, om ordet vaskedag henviste til
tøjvaskning eller personlig renhed.
Det viser sig, at begge forklaringer er mulige. Joy har gjort lidt
forskning på nettet, og hun har fandt ud af, at arkæologer under udgravning af
vikingebyer osv altid finder masser af redskaber til soignering, for eksempel
barberknive, pincet osv. Historikere ved også, at vikingerne fremstillede meget
stærk sæbe, som de brugte ikke kun for at bade, men også for blege håret, hvis
man ikke var født blond. De satte dengang stor pris på lyst hår.
De angelsakserne syntes, at vikingerne var lidt sindsyge, fordi de badede
en gang om ugen (om lørdagen), mens angelsakserne selv badede kun én eller to
gange om året. Vikingerne skiftede tøj regelmæssigt også, og redte håret hver
dag.
Vikingernes omhyggelige soignering og hyppig omklædning betalte sig i
soveværelset. De havde nemt ved at forføre angelsaksiske koner og døtre, der
blev tiltrukket af disse duftende, lyshårede fremmede – du godeste!
Vikingerne havde ikke nogen brug for
voldtægt og plyndring – det ved jeg med sikkerhed!!!
07:45 Jeg skynder mig ind i køkkenet og laver to kopper te. Jeg tager dem
med op i soveværelset og kryber tilbage i sengen til Lois. Vi drikker
teen og står op. Vi spiser morgenmad.
09:30 Vi skal ude. Vi tager bussen ind i byen, kigger ind i Waterstone’s
boghandel og udveksler én af de 3 Peppa Pig-bøger, vi for 2 uger siden købte til
vores børnebørn i Australien, Sarahs 3-årige tvillingdøtre, Lily
og Jessica. Jessica er vild med Peppa Pig for tiden – og Lily er vild med
kaniner, så derfor køber vi hende ”Flopsy Bunnies” af Beatrix Potter.
Bagefter kigger vi ind i Cheese Works, for at købe brød og ost.
Til sidst smutter vi ind i Huffkins, en lille café, der ligger ved siden af
boghandleren, for at drikke en kop te og spise et stykke kage – nam nam!
11:30 Vi tager bussen hjem igen og slapper af i stuen.
12:30 Vi spiser frokost og snakker lidt. Julen og nytåret er nu forbi, og
der er ikke nogen tvivl om, at Lois for tiden savner meget Alison og Sarah,
vores to døtre, og deres familier, der bor i udlandet – henholdsvis Danmark og
Australien. Sidste vinter havde vi meget travlt – Sarah var lige flyttet til
Australien og havde efterladt en masse babytøj og andre ejendele, som vi skulle
tage med til velgørende organisationer og deres butikker. Vi havde i mange uger
planlagt vores første ferie i Australien og havde lige købt vores flybilletter,
noget både spændende og skræmmende – samtidigt!
Men holdningen i år er meget roligere og Lois har et følelsesmæssigt hul,
hun ikke kan fylde. Jeg foreslår, at hun planlægger at vi besøger slægtninge,
der bor i England, for en gangs skyld – vi er i hvert fald lidt ked af at rejse
med fly, de hyppige flyveture, besværet med lufthavne og lufthavnssikkerhed
osv.
13:30 Jeg går i seng og tager mig en gigantisk eftermiddagslur – zzzzzzzz!!!!
15:00 Jeg står op og vi slapper af med en kop te i sofaen.
16:00 Jeg kigger lidt på nettet og den indflydelserige amerikanske
nyhedswebsted, The Onion. Webstedet bringer en bekymrende historie, hvor
anonyme kilder fortæller, at en frisk banan har ligget urørt hele dagen på et
unavngivet arbejdskollegas skrivebord, lige ved siden af hans computer. Mandens
kolleger kan ikke på det nuværende tidspunkt forstå, hvad han venter på, fordi
klokken allerede er 16 eller senere, og han har vist ikke noget tegn på, at han
ønsker at spise den.
Jeg er selv begyndt at bekymre mig over situationen, og jeg er begyndt at
tjekke op på webstedets hjemmeside hver femte minut, for at se, om historien er
blevet opdateret, med andre ord, om manden endnu har spist dem eller ej. Du
godeste! Klokken er 16:30 og der er på tide at tjekke igen.
English translation
18:00 We have dinner and afterwards Lois has to go out. She wants to take
part in a Bible class that her church is holding tonight in Tewkesbury.
She is not allowed to drive for the time being because of cataracts, but her
friend Alf comes and picks her up.
I have a little alone time , and
spend the rest of the evening watching TV. They show an interesting documentary
(Part 2 of 2) about Britain's remotest inhabited island, Fair Isle, located
midway between the Orkneys and the Shetlands. Fair Isle is only 3 miles long
and 1.5 miles wide. People have lived on the island since the Bronze Age and
most place names derive from Old Norse. Sometimes you cannot leave the island
for several weeks because of the weather, especially in winter. Planes and
ships cannot get there. The wind blows fiercely all the time.
The series follows the lives of
two new "immigrants" from the county of Lincolnshire in England, a young
couple, Sean and Rachel. In the series' first episode that I saw with Lois a
few days ago, the island's inhabitants gave a warm welcome to Sean and Rachel
(2 extra pair of hands to keep alive the island's economy), but Lois and I felt
that what inhabitants wanted most of all was that Rachel get pregnant - oh
dear!!! The neighbors wanted the couple to go to it when the lights went out in
the evening (electricity gets turned off every evening at 23:30 all over the
island). So no pressure ha ha ha!
Lois and I felt in the first
episode that Sean was keen to get Rachel pregnant, but when we read between the
lines, we could tell that Rachel herself had mixed feelings - oh dear! We saw
trouble ahead !!!!!
Tonight, in this second episode
viewers find out that Sean and Rachel's problems are escalating, first with
separate bedrooms, and after 18 months a decision to split up. A house becomes
unexpectedly available on the other side of the island, and Sean moves out.
It must have been a little
embarrassing that their relationship problems were shown on television. In the
program one sees many interviews where the couple are sitting on the sofa.
Rachel talks openly about their problems, while Sean says almost nothing, and
his body language is very revealing. When the TV channel started this project,
it decided to focus on Sean and Rachel for obvious reasons, but their
relationship began to go downhill as soon as they arrived on the island. The
couple had been together for only 3 months before they decided to move to Fair Isle
from their home in the county of Lincolnshire. Maybe too early in the relationship
for settling down together on such a remote island.
Sean's body language is very revealing -
my god !!!!
The couple are already sleeping in separate
rooms
and eventually they split up - oh dear!!!!
21:00 I continue to watch TV.
They show another interesting documentary (Part 2 of 3, 6th series),
"Trust me, I'm a Doctor." The program's host is the charming TV
doctor, Michael Mosley, along with some of his TV doctor friends.
An interesting series that
provides the current official advice when it comes to different aspects of
health. But the style is not so good because the filmed sequences and the
discussion often jump constantly from one aspect to another (and back again) -
oh dear! The program-makers' intention is apparently to keep viewers in
suspense and stop them changing the channel, but the result is a little
confusing.
Many of the program's
recommendations do not apply to an old wreck like me, but I get several pieces
of useful information, as always.
The program's hosts experiment
with three methods to improve metabolism: the first group of guinea pigs have
to drink a liter of very cold water every day for eight weeks, the second group
has to drink a lot of green tea, and the third group has to do resistance
exercises. It turns out that only the third method works for certain - damn!
The jury is still out on the very cold water and the green tea.
If you do a little weight
lifting, it is not important whether you choose heavy weights or lighter
weights, but with the lighter weights you have to train for longer: till you
becomes breathless for example.
It also appears that it is not a
good idea to eat too much rice because it contains a lot of arsenic. But you
can reduce significantly the proportion of arsenic by boiling rice with water
which is 5 times more than the rice (quantitatively). The effect is even more
powerful if you soak the rice in water overnight. My god - what madness !!!
22:00 Lois comes home again - Alf
drops her off in front of the house. I go to bed. But Lois needs to relax and
unwind after the evening's stimulating Bible class. Poor Lois !!!!
As usual, I recommend a few
television programs that I think are suitable for the purpose, two old sitcoms
from the 1980s: "Yes Minister" which takes the piss out of British
officials, and "Allo Allo" that takes the piss out of occupied
France, the German army, the French resistance, British agents and all the
cliches of the second World War in books, films and plays. Gordon Kaye, who
played the role of the horny French café owner sadly died a few weeks ago.
23:00 Zzzzzzzz !!! I do not wake
up when Lois jumps into bed with me. Zzzzzzzz !!!!
04:00 I get up early and do one
of my routine Danish vocabulary tests.
I look a bit at the net. Joy, a member
of our Danish group has sent me an email. During yesterday's meeting, we
discussed the English and Danish names for the days of the week, which are very
similar, except for Saturday ("lørdag" in Danish). I said I thought that "lørdag" meant washing-day in the Scandinavian languages. We were not quite
sure whether the word washing-day referred to clothes-washing or personal
cleanliness.
It turns out that both
explanations are possible. Joy has done a little research on the web, and she
has found out that during excavations of Viking towns etc. archaeologists
always find plenty of grooming tools, for example razors, tweezers etc.
Historians also know that the Vikings made very strong soap which they used not
only for bathing, but also for bleaching hair, if you were not born blonde. They
valued blonde hair very highly.
The Anglo-Saxons thought that the
Vikings were a bit mad, because they bathed once a week (on Saturdays), while
the Anglo-Saxons themselves bathed only once or twice a year. The Vikings
changed clothes regularly too, and combed their hair every day.
The Vikings' meticulous grooming
and frequent changing of clothes paid off in the bedroom. They found it easy to
seduce Anglo-Saxon wives and daughters, who were attracted by these fragrant,
fair-haired strangers - my god! The Vikings had no need to rape and pillage - I
know that for sure !!!
07:45 I hurry into the kitchen
and make two cups of tea. I take them up to the bedroom and crawl back in bed
with Lois. We drink the tea and get up. We eat breakfast.
09:30 We have to go out. We take
the bus into town, look in Waterstone's book store and exchange one of the 3
Peppa Pig-books we bought 2 weeks ago for our grandchildren in Australia,
Sarah's 3-year-old twin daughters, Lily and Jessica. Jessica loves Peppa Pig at
the moment - and Lily loves rabbits, so we buy her "Flopsy Bunnies"
by Beatrix Potter.
Afterwards, we pop into Cheese
Works to buy bread and cheese.
Finally we slip inside Huffkins, a small cafe next to
the bookstore, to have a cup of tea and a piece of cake - yum yum!
11:30 We take the bus back home
and relax in the living room.
12:30 We eat lunch and chat a
little. Christmas and New Year is now over, and there is no doubt that Lois is
currently very much missing Alison and Sarah, our two daughters and their
families, who live abroad - Denmark and Australia respectively. Last winter we
were very busy - Sarah had just moved to Australia and had left a lot of baby
clothes and other belongings that we had to take to charities and their shops.
We had for many weeks been planning our first holiday in Australia and had just
bought our plane tickets, something both exciting and scary - simultaneously!
But the mood this year is much quieter
and Lois has an emotional hole she cannot fill. I suggest that she plan for us
to visit relatives who live in England, for once - we are in any case a bit fed
up with traveling by air, the frequent flights, the hassle of airports and
airport security, etc..
13:30 I go to bed and take a
gigantic afternoon nap - zzzzzzzz !!!!
15:00 I get up and we relax with
a cup of tea on the sofa.
16:00 I take a little at the web
and at the influential US news website The Onion. The site is running a
troubling story from anonymous sources, reporting that a fresh banana has
remained untouched throughout the day on an unnamed work colleague's desk,
right next to his computer. The man's colleagues cannot at the present time
understand what he is waiting for, because the time is already 4pm or later,
and he has shown no sign that he wants to eat it.
I'm even beginning to worry about
the situation myself, and I've now started checking on the site's homepage
every five minutes to see if the story has been updated, in other words, if the
man has eaten it yet or not. My God! The time is 4:30pm and it's time to check
again.
No comments:
Post a Comment