QUIET CELEBRATIONS

Current Work: Queries and Catch up

Listening to: Radio 4 Serial “The Scoop” Evelyn Waugh

Reading: Bad Luck and Trouble (Lee Child) – nearly finished!

First Thought for the Day:

To profess to be doing God's will is a form of megalomania. -Joseph Prescott, aphorist (1913-2001)

Birthday Girl

Yep, its my birthday today. My Man Friday tried to persuade me to take the day off and as it is a most beautiful bright day, I was tempted. However, as we have planned a trip to Florence next week, I felt duty bound to refuse! Silly me. Anyway birthdays are never the same once you are over 21 are they? I love reading the birthday cards though, there is so much choice these days. Having said that they don’t ‘do’ birthday cards in Italy so I hand make all mine which is quite satisfying. I’m not so good at the prose though, poetry is not my bag. I always feel a bit silly. The best birthday cards I got were made (with a little help from parents I suspect) from my granddaughter and grandson.

Something for the Weekend?

Well not much being as its my birthday weekend – you have to stretch it out a little. I’ve got it up to three days so far, birthday eve, the actual birthday and a boxing birthday! But I think that’s pushing it. Queries are done and this short blog posted and the dog is whining at my feet for his tea. So I think I shall sign off and call it a day. Buon Compleanno to fellow Pisceans celebrating this weekend.

And Finally, the Last Word of the Day:

God's acre

PRONUNCIATION:

(godz AY-kuhr)

MEANING:

noun: A cemetery, especially one next to a church.

ETYMOLOGY:

Loan translation of German Gottesacker, from Gott (god) + Acker (field). The allusion is that the bodies of the dead are sown in the field in hope of resurrection.

USAGE:

"Mourning strangers also came to weep anniversary tears at another cheerless God's acre."

Frank Keating; Ask Not For Whom the Bell Tolls, It Tolls For These; The Guardian (London, UK); Sep 26, 2006.