Trust on Fire

In another one of those incidents fitting the category "It Would Never Happen In America", we just had a fire drill at work this morning.

Now, forget the fact that this is the first one we've had in the THREE years I've been here (!); something even more shocking happened.

Of everyone in the building, almost all of whom are female, only one other woman brought out her handbag!!  Am I the only one who thinks that is just weird?

I've gotten used to the whole not locking my car door thing while I'm driving, but this... this is just crazy!  Or... is it me still stuck in the American suspicious mindset?

Friday Pearls

He that speaketh against his own reason, speaks against his own conscience, and therefore it is certain that no man serves God with a good conscience who serves him against his reason.
- Bishop Jeremy Taylor, 16th Century

Turophilia

I can't believe this country has yet to discover the joy that is fake orange cheese.  For a nation built on the back of agriculture and with such a strong dairy background, you'd think they'd have made the wonder-filled leap to virtual cheesiness by now.

Boxes of Cheez-Its and tubs of Utz cheese balls?  Nope, not a bit.  True Vermont sharp cheddar cheese?  Nowhere to be found and, to be frank, "mature" cheddar is just not the same.  And my most immediate frustration at the grocery store today....Why, oh why can I not find any cheddar-flavored rice cakes??  Caramel, triple berry yoghurt flavor, organic hazelnut and chocolate, it's all there.  But no cheesey goodness.

Really Irish people, there's no reason to fear the fake cheese.  Embrace the chemically formulated goodness!

Day One

The theme for today is Family and (locally sourced) Food.

Happily spent a couple of hours letting my dad name and give the back story for virtually every tree and flowering stake in his yard.  In the process have eaten a not quite ripe cherry, and a young guava and orange, picked limes and ackees, and helped cut a banana bunch from on of the many trees with my dad's trusty machete.  Who knew you had to let the "hands" drain after you cut them from the bunch? 

The trip to the outdoor farm market was only slightly less adventurous.  It would have made a fantastic picture.  Too bad I stupidly forgot my camera.  I'll have to try to make it back there again. before I leave.

Friday Pearls

Marriage hath in it less of beauty but more of safety than the single life.  It hath more care, but less danger.  It is more merry and more sad.  It is fuller of sorrows and fuller of joys.  It lies under more burdens, but it is supported by all the strengths of love and charity, and those burdens are delightful.
- Bishop Jeremy Taylor, 16th Century

It's A Wonderful Life

April 21 - flights booked to Jamaica for family reunion.  Looking forward to hanging out with my dad for a couple of weeks and seeing my 93 year old grandmother.

June 29 - pull an allnighter to pack, all the while ranting back and forth with sister and a duo of cousins re crazy, last minute family drama.  Thank God for the chance to vent or my head might just have blown off.

June 30 12:45 p.m. - British Airways flight delayed 90 minutes due to minor technical difficulties.  On the plus side, find out that crowding has bumped me to Business Class.  Nice!

June 30 1:45 p.m. - board flight that leaves less late than expected.

June 30 1:50 p.m. - am offered champagne by nice waiter steward.  Am good and take juice instead. 

June 30 2:15 p.m. - because my Business Class seat cubicle just isn't perfect enough, I switch from aisle seat next to someone else to empty middle double seat.  Now that's the ticket!

June 30 2:25 p.m. - first round of alcohol cart makes it's pass.  It order a Kir Royale 'cause I'm smooth like that.

June 30 2:30 p.m. - already am stretched out on reclining seat with free socks, puffy blanket, and movie previews playing out on my private video screen.

June 30 2:40 p.m. - have just given my 4-course meal order and am contemplating the extensive wine list. 

June 30 3:00 p.m. - I give the salad a 3/10, but the smoked sea trout with horseradish creme fraiche is definitely an 8.

June 30 3:10 p.m. - apparently I do not drink anywhere near the rate of the Brits either.  I'm still only halfway through my Kir Royale AND my Bordeaux, and the stewards have come by to ask me if I need a refill twice already!

June 30 3:35 p.m. - grilled beef is slightly tough but the ragout with buttered leeks and wilted spinach make it still quite tasty.

June 30 3:50 p.m. - these stewards are the most efficient ever!  Let me digest a bit before you bring the next course, why don't you?  I'll have to save the Baileys till later. 

June 30 5:00 p.m. - 2 glasses of wine, a Kir Royale and a Baileys have me quite mellow.  The movie's pretty good too.  How To Train Your Dragon: 4.5/5 stars.  Time for my nap now.

June 30 6:40 p.m. - am wide awake again.  Weird.  Is this all the sleep I'm going to get?  Maybe I should get back to the drinking.

June 30 8:45 p.m. - Up In The Air was both poignant and sad.  Does it say I'm cynical that I guessed George Clooney's love interest was married the whole time?

June 30 10:00 p.m. - "afternoon tea" on board involves finger sandwiches and scones with jam and clotted cream.  If only I could travel this way all the time!

June 30 10:30 p.m. - am ready to disembark.  What are the odds of a similar glimpse of the high life on my way back?  Sadly, probably not that high.  But hey, no time to dwell.  Jamaica here I come!

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