Tea, Trousers, and a Knackered Bloke

And now I'm in an English-speaking part of the world. Well, almost English. It's a long update, but I know most of you could write just as much about what's happened in your own lives the last two weeks. Though if you need a vicarious vacation, here are a few words intended in inspire and intrigue...

Ironically, I have not yet visited London downtown... So many other things to see! I arrived at Gatwick airport and went straight to York. It was fascinating to see how Charlotte went to school in downtown York, about two blocks from Yorkminster cathedral, which we visited. During an open lunch hour in high school, she could join the throngs of pedestrians shopping and eating in the charming little streets (though the overhanging buildings may not be quite up to code.) *pic1,2*

We had some tea too.

How appropriate to watch the final episode of Harry Potter in England! Ha, movie theatres are like airports, the same the world-round... But! Seeing England has enlightened me on the origins of JK Rowling's inspirations, including but not limited to: winding roads, trains, old architecture, an obsession with famous people, the word 'brilliant,' and 7 years of high school.

Then we had some Tea in white teacup.

Huby, the small town where Charlotte's parents live, has one 'fish and chips' shop and one pub, both of which we visited on foot to partake. We also visited the coastal town of Dymchurch, where her 'Grandy' lives, and rode a steam train just big enough for two side by side. I heard it serves in place of a school bus in the mornings and tourist attraction in the afternoon! Well back when I was a boy in 2011, we rode a steam train to school... Later on the beach, Jack, Tom, and I made a sand castle fortress, and watched the tide invade and destroy it. *pic3* Sand is the ultimate etch-a-sketch.

We also had some tea in Huby (with milk of course.)

Speaking of castles, Dover Castle *pic4* is on a huge hill just beyond the white cliffs of Dover, where WWII pilots could breathe a sigh of relief. I like the rustic grandeur of Dover Castle with its large halls and wide spiral staircases. More historically interesting was an exhibit in underground tunnels, in which officers organized the rescue of 338,000 Allied troops from Dunkirk, France in 1940. I'm getting so much WWII history!

Then we had tea (always hot.)

We also visited Windsor Castle near London, which I hear is one of the Queen's favorites. I was impressed with our British tour guide, who was so good that thousands of people were carrying him around on the little audio devices they provided for us. If I ever go back to being a 6-year-old, I might try out as a soprano for a UK boys choir, and sing in a castle like that.

We had tea afterwards.

My friends Charlotte and Paul live in a 'terrace' with the canal off the river wey in their backyard, where she cut my hair. Rowing the rowboat is good 'physio.' One of Charlotte's hobbies (other than traveling around with me) is typing up sermon's from her Grandfather, most of them during the 2nd World War. Apparently he wrote them all down on 6x8 pieces of paper in script handwriting, and it's been interesting to hear bits of them from Charlotte.

Charlotte's Grandfather liked tea as well.

I got to go to the Isle of Wight to visit Paul's family. We took the car on a ferry and saw the hovercrafts transporting people back and forth. No dock required right?! We had a bike ride, a swim and kayak in in the ocean, and a "Full English" breakfast. Paul's father Dave took me to a have a beautiful view of the Island, the Ocean, and Blity (English mainland), where he told me in a very fatherly way that it was time to get my life figured out. I pray that for all of us. *pic5*

Dave also bought me an official "English Creme Tea!"

I went to church one sunday here in Addlestone, and I marvelled at one point in the service the combination of ancient and modern. My eyes were perusing the beautiful stonework adorning the ceiling, walls, and front of the sanctuary, and my ears were distracted by the distant rumble of enormous international jets taking off from Heathrow. I am also now a temporary member of the choir at that church, and sang in a wedding yesterday! *pic6* The groom was Welch; you should hear the Welch language someday, very fun. For you choir buffs, we sang Zadok the Priest by Handel among others, and a song in Welch. "Ach!"

I wonder if the Welch like tea as much...

All right, just to prove that it's not all vacation, I helped out with Paul's construction company a week. I did whatever was needed, cleaning up, ripping out a kitchen, filling in a hole in the brick house (that was the most fun.) So far so good. It's funny that here where they have milder weather, they build all houses out of brick... Our wood houses in KS don't seem all that tornado-resistant. But then what is?

At work, Paul, Dean, Harry, Ben, Neal and I have tea three times a day.

With some encouragement from Paul, I asked our neighbor Liz if I could join her Mountain Biking, which we did today, and it was splendid. Some of the trails were overgrown a bit, and I did hit some "nettles" a couple times, but the variety and the rolling hills made the trip a blast. *pic7* We stopped for a pint near the end, and I was amused to find out that they're all originally from another English speaking country. When I told Charlotte, she said it sounded like a joke: "An American, a Scot, a South African, and a New Zealander walk into a bar..."

I didn't have ANY tea today!

We rode to the top of Leith Hill; yet so many things in life aren't about the destination, but the journey and people you're with right? I was reflecting on the bike ride, and really appreciated the opportunity, because I would have gotten totally lost on the trails. Though England may be a bit crowded, there is a LOT of "public right-of-way." Footpaths and bike paths are everywhere; I even had to swerve around a herd of cattle today, so the path was clearly on private land. So if you want to reflect with me, encourage somebody today today to do something... Cause I'm thankful to Paul, even though I'm "knackered."

I took the Vespa to Stonehenge yesterday, *pic8* which was lovely, though extra touristy... Still, I am so fortunate to be here with friends! There's a lot of speculation about the origin of Stonehenge, but I think Evolution put the stones there.

And so my UK adventure continues, but here I must to backtrack to Hamburg, Germany to tell about "Dialog in the Dark" or "Dialog im Dunkeln." ...A 90-minute "production." Any guesses? I'll give you a play-by-play:

Nele and I and about 7 others stepped into the room where Hans gave us an introduction and passed out walking sticks, like for the blind. Then we stepped thru the next door into pitch blackness, where Andre introduced himself and asked our names. Andre became blind through via cranial tumor when he was twelve, and this is his job now, or one of them. He led us by voice and touch over a bridge, where we could hear the water, then into a supermarket, where we felt for the fruit. Next we crossed a street, thank goodness it wasn't real, because the 9 of us moved far too slowly to have made it across in time! Of course, Andre knew the environment, and hopped about as fast as he normally would. At the end, he led us into a bar, became the bartender and brought us our drinks and our change! He tried to speak to me in English and Nele translated some too; it was enough to make me very much impressed with the idea and the thoroughness with which it was carried out. I'll gladly keep my eyes if God wills it but it's enlightening, mentally, to relate for and hour and a half with that way of life.

Thanx for reading. I hope this finds you all well. God be with you!

Seth Pro