The British Museum, London
Date: c. 1893
Technique: Drawing, 308 x 204 mm
Illustration to 'Irish Fairy and Folk Tales' by William Butler Yeats, 1893, p.313
Source
James Torrance, The Story of Conn Eda
The British Museum, London
Date: c. 1893
Technique: Drawing, 308 x 204 mm
Illustration to 'Irish Fairy and Folk Tales' by William Butler Yeats, 1893, p.313
Source
Western's College of Veterinary Medicine: An Interview with Two Faculty
By Donald F. Smith, Cornell University
Posted July 31, 2012
This historical blog is in recognition of the 150th anniversary
of the American Veterinary Medical Association (1863-2013).
This historical blog is in recognition of the 150th anniversary
of the American Veterinary Medical Association (1863-2013).
Drs. Ana Alcaraz and and Jose (Txema) Peralta left Cornell University in 2007 to join the faculty of the recently-established 28th veterinary college in the United States. Western University of the Health Sciences had admitted its first class of students four years earlier and the wife-husband Alcaraz-Peralta team have now witnessed five classes of graduates complete their DVM degree requirements.
 |
| Drs. Ana Alcaraz and Jose Peralta are faculty at Western University of the Health Sciences in Pomona, CA Photo by the author |
‘Western’, as it often called, was established in 1998 as the first veterinary college to open in the U.S. since the early 1980s. Located in Pomona, California, it is one of four veterinary colleges not affiliated with a land-grant university. When Western was accredited fully by the AVMA in 2008, it ushered in a new era of how veterinary colleges can meet national standards for clinical education. That is because Western adopted a model that uses private clinical practices to a significant extent instead of maintaining its own comprehensive veterinary teaching hospital.
Ana and Txema visited Cornell recently, and I asked them to characterize the college’s reputation as they start their tenth year of teaching this fall. “Graduates are our best ambassadors,” Dr. Peralta replied without hesitation, citing their broad distribution in practices throughout the country and their success in attaining competitive internship and residency programs. He gave the example of Dr. Vanessa Rizzo who graduated in 2010, and is now a second-year oncology residency here at Cornell.
“One of the advantages that our students experience is that they receive much of their clinical education in private practices where they see a broad cross section of routine and primary care cases similar to what they eventually experience in their own practices. This is different than university-based teaching hospitals that rely more heavily on specialty cases. While complex referral cases provide good instruction for residents, the hospital accessions are sometimes less appropriate for third- and fourth-year veterinary students who need to first master more basic material.”
“This allows students to gain a realistic picture of what follows in their careers,” added Dr. Alcaraz, “and the students are more often able to interact directly with the supervising veterinarian because many of the practices do not have the tiered resident-intern-student structure that is the norm in large academic hospitals. Also, these practices do not usually have as many students rotating through a service at a time as in a university setting.”
The distributed nature of the third-year curriculum allows students to spend up to 40 weeks not just in traditional clinical practice, but also in a variety of non practice settings, such as laboratory medicine, wildlife or zoological medicine, and public health centers and facilities. Ana believes this gives students exposure to a more expansive array of career choices in veterinary medicine.
Txema also noted that because the college is private and does not rely on public funding, they have been spared some of the economic challenges of institutions that rely on substantial levels of state support. “Everybody has financial challenges these days, but as long as we have a competitive curriculum, Western will continue to flourish. As I said earlier, our graduates are our best ambassadors and prospective veterinary students often choose to apply here through word of mouth.”
I shall present the introductory lecture on the history of veterinary education at the AVMA meeting in San Diego this weekend. During these remarks I shall pay tribute to Western for having created a new paradigm in the dynamic world of veterinary education.
Dr. Smith welcomes comments at dfs6@cornell.edu
Lovis Corinth, Tragicomedies: The Women of Weinsberg
Graphische Sammlung Albertina, Vienna
Date: 1894
Technique: Etching, 34.7 x 42.1 cm
/.../ The elongated faces and caps of the men in The Women of Weinsberg recall similar features in paintings by Dirk Bouts. This print depicts the amusing story told about the siege of the Bavarian town of Weinsberg in 1140, when the Hohenstaufen enemy Conrad III accepted the surrender of the town on the understanding that only the women would be spared; they were allowed to leave the town with whatever they could carry. The resourceful women met the conditions of the agreement by marching forth with their husbands on their backs. /.../
(Uhr, Horst. Lovis Corinth. Berkeley: University of California Press)
Source 1
Source 2
Lovis Corinth, Tragicomedies: Walpurgis Night
Graphische Sammlung Albertina, Vienna
Date: 1893
Technique: Etching, 34.6 x 41.9 cm
/.../ As Corinth's three closest friends embarked on their individual pictorial explorations, Corinth himself experienced a minor crisis that made him unusually receptive to their experiments. Still dissatisfied with his handling of anatomy in Diogenes and the Pietà, he felt he needed further practice in drawing from the live model. Eckmann, whom Corinth fondly remembered as his "spiritus rector," who supported and steadied him whenever he was in danger of losing his footing, suggested that he try making some prints; Corinth began a series of studies that eventually resulted in his first graphic cycle, Tragicomedies, nine etchings completed in 1893 and 1894. Working "daily, for months on end, . . . with individual figures and groups of several models," he was so taken with this project that he, too, was tempted to give up painting for good. Corinth had in mind for the cycle motifs of "eccentric originality," as he put it, with which he hoped to astonish and impress his colleagues. His professed intention explains both the odd emblematic details in some of the compositions and the farcical tone that turns each episode into a true tragicomedy, no matter how serious the subject. The cycle has no thematic unity. Instead, the illustrations follow in random succession.
The first etching in the series, Walpurgis Night, is based on Goethe's description of the witches' nocturnal ride to the Brocken, their annual meeting place in the Harz Mountains. Faintly visible in the background, old Dame Baubo on her sow and several other shadowy figures on brooms hurry through the sky as four youthful witches, accompanied by a flock of ravens, encircle a skull suspended in midair. A shooting star streaks through the sky at the upper right. Surviving drawings for the cycle indicate that Corinth prepared the etchings with considerable care. He began with quick preliminary sketches and then drew the individual figures from the model, subsequently incorporating these studies into a more finished composition drawing for transfer to the copper plate. In Walpurgis Night the postures of the floating witches can still be recognized as positions assumed by the models in the studio, standing, sitting, or lying down. There is special emphasis on the contours, and strong contrasts of light and shade render the major figures fully tangible. The composition itself, however, is simplified and derives its effect from the silhouette formed by the interlocking figures. /.../
(Uhr, Horst. Lovis Corinth. Berkeley: University of California Press)
Source 1
Source 2
Peter Cornelius, The Riders of the Apocalypse
Staatliche Museen, Berlin
Date: c. 1845
Technique: Drawing, 472 x 588 cm
This drawing is a study to a monumental fresco.
Source
The Body in Luke-Acts
I've been working my way through Luke-Acts for a research project related to the Bible and disabilities. In so doing, I've been struck by the extent to which Luke is concerned with bodies. Time and again, Luke stresses the physical, corporeal nature of human existence, and God's concern for us as embodied beings.
If you'd like a good book on the topic, I recommend Mikeal C. Parsons' Body and Character in Luke and Acts: The Subversion of Physiognomy in Early Christianity.
Physiognomy is the practice--which was quite common among the ancients--of linking physical appearance and character. In other words, you could draw conclusions about a person's character by observing his or her appearance. Sound strange? It has a long history, and still carries (normally unacknowledged) currency today.
If you'd like a good book on the topic, I recommend Mikeal C. Parsons' Body and Character in Luke and Acts: The Subversion of Physiognomy in Early Christianity.
Physiognomy is the practice--which was quite common among the ancients--of linking physical appearance and character. In other words, you could draw conclusions about a person's character by observing his or her appearance. Sound strange? It has a long history, and still carries (normally unacknowledged) currency today.
Theodor von Holst, The Wish
Holst Birthplace Museum, Cheltenham
Date: 1840
Technique: Oil on Winsor and Newton canvas, 90 x 71 cm
Source
Conference: Jesus, Criteria, and the Demise of Authenticity
United Theological Seminary and the University of Dayton's Center for Scriptural Exegesis, Philosophy, and Doctrine will host a conference on October 4 and 5 called "Jesus, Criteria, and the Demise of Authenticity." Speakers will include:
Dale C. Allison Jr.
Mark Goodacre
Chris Keith
Anthony LeDonne
Loren T. Stuckenbruck
Jens Schroeter
Dagmar Winter
Rafael Rodriguez
The conference is based on a book by the same title, edited by Chris Keith and Anthony LeDonne.
You can learn more about the conference and register by clicking here:
The conference will be held at South Park United Methodist Church, near the University of Dayton.
Dale C. Allison Jr.
Mark Goodacre
Chris Keith
Anthony LeDonne
Loren T. Stuckenbruck
Jens Schroeter
Dagmar Winter
Rafael Rodriguez
The conference is based on a book by the same title, edited by Chris Keith and Anthony LeDonne.
You can learn more about the conference and register by clicking here:
The conference will be held at South Park United Methodist Church, near the University of Dayton.
O is for Ouija
I have never used an ouija board!
I know, I know, isn't that something every witch in the world (or at least western world) has used? Am I just that lame?
Well, when I was younger, young teens about, I wanted to use an ouija board and even asked my mom for one to use for slumber parties and whatnot. It seemed perfectly harmless as it was sold right next to Scrabble and cards in the toy section of the store. Mom was completely against it and later on, when she felt I was ready, she told me why.
When mom was in the military and traveling around a lot without me, she and her then roommate tried out the ouija board. The spirit answered all their questions but mom was sure that her roommate was moving the planchette. To prove to mom that she wasn't the roommate told her to ask a question only she knew the answer to. So mom asked what her father's name was - my grandfather died when mom was 14 years old and she doesn't talk about him hardly ever so her roommate wouldn't know his name.
Slowly, the planchette moved and spelled out my grandfather's name - Walter. Mom got so scared, she threw the planchette against the wall and hasn't touched one since. I have a feeling that more than that happened and mom simply isn't telling me.
Damon has used ouija boards and so has his mother - at one point his mom threw all of the boards in the house (about 3 of them total I'm told) out. I'm thinking she got a weird visitor or some bad news.
My belief about these boards is that the people asking questions of the spirits doesn't know who they're talking to and just because something is a spirit doesn't mean that they don't lie - they do. You could be talking to a dead relative...or something pretending to be one. I just recommend anyone using them to be careful, trust your gut instincts - if something feels wrong, it usually is.
I know, I know, isn't that something every witch in the world (or at least western world) has used? Am I just that lame?
Well, when I was younger, young teens about, I wanted to use an ouija board and even asked my mom for one to use for slumber parties and whatnot. It seemed perfectly harmless as it was sold right next to Scrabble and cards in the toy section of the store. Mom was completely against it and later on, when she felt I was ready, she told me why.
When mom was in the military and traveling around a lot without me, she and her then roommate tried out the ouija board. The spirit answered all their questions but mom was sure that her roommate was moving the planchette. To prove to mom that she wasn't the roommate told her to ask a question only she knew the answer to. So mom asked what her father's name was - my grandfather died when mom was 14 years old and she doesn't talk about him hardly ever so her roommate wouldn't know his name.
Slowly, the planchette moved and spelled out my grandfather's name - Walter. Mom got so scared, she threw the planchette against the wall and hasn't touched one since. I have a feeling that more than that happened and mom simply isn't telling me.
Damon has used ouija boards and so has his mother - at one point his mom threw all of the boards in the house (about 3 of them total I'm told) out. I'm thinking she got a weird visitor or some bad news.
My belief about these boards is that the people asking questions of the spirits doesn't know who they're talking to and just because something is a spirit doesn't mean that they don't lie - they do. You could be talking to a dead relative...or something pretending to be one. I just recommend anyone using them to be careful, trust your gut instincts - if something feels wrong, it usually is.
UMC health care coverage for mental illness
This one seems to have gotten in under the radar in the furor of GC: UMC health care coverage for people with mental illness extends only for two years, after which benefits cease.
Rationale? It is very likely financial. Never mind that we spent almost 9 million dollars at a GC where we seem to have accomplished almost nothing (besides cutting health care benefits to people with mental illness).
This must have gone through on the consent calendar, but it's still pretty stunning.
Rationale? It is very likely financial. Never mind that we spent almost 9 million dollars at a GC where we seem to have accomplished almost nothing (besides cutting health care benefits to people with mental illness).
This must have gone through on the consent calendar, but it's still pretty stunning.
Veterinarians working with Physicians
By Donald F. Smith, Cornell University
Posted July 15, 2012
A 200-page report on the Workforce Needs in Veterinary Medicine was recently released. Five years in the making, the authors (mostly veterinarians and several of whom I know well) assessed the current and anticipated needs of veterinarians. They paid special attention to agricultural animals, global food security, industry, public service and biomedical research. However, the role of practicing veterinarians in promoting the role of pets to enhance human health and well-being within the family was not given a high priority compared to other critical-need areas.
I recently authored the following op-ed on the question, "What can physicians learn from veterinarians?" It presents a more expansive view of how veterinary medicine can enhance human health by considering our pets an integral part of a healthy family structure.
Reprinted from Zocalo Public Square, June 17, 2012
How to work together
"When my daughter was a first-year Yale medical student in 2006, I told her that family medicine practices would someday offer services for both people and puppies. They would enter the same door and be seen by the appropriate member(s) of a team of healthcare professionals that included physicians, veterinarians, clinical psychologists, and veterinary behaviorists for annual checkups; nutrition, exercise, and disorder counseling; noninvasive imaging; and family planning.
"There was a time when physicians and veterinarians worked together, and when Harvard and New York University’s medical and veterinary students learned side-by-side. But the replacement of the horse by the automobile led to the closure of almost all of the large urban veterinary colleges by the mid 1920s, and the medical disciplines drifted apart. However, the modern resurgence of comparative medicine has given the once-accepted concept of one medicine, one health new hope as more physicians recognize what they have in common with veterinarians.
"As a veterinarian, I dream of a day when cancer wards of hospitals, assisted living homes for the aged, and hospice centers for the dying welcome pets to provide comfort, reduce pain and suffering, relieve anxiety, and smooth the transition from machine-living to compassionate-passing. I dream of a day when we consider substituting pets for prescriptions, and when we can modulate high blood pressure and cholesterol levels by more dog-walking and less pill-popping.
"I long for the day when the NIH funds research that examines the positive role that pets can have on children with mental disorders, on returning veterans with PTSD, and on prisoners as they return to society.
"I am ever hopeful for the day when physicians partner with veterinarians—with their education in comparative medicine and their sensitivity to the human-animal bond—to advance human health and reduce the cost of healthcare."
Dr. Smith invites comments at dfs6@cornell.edu
Tragedy Has Struck Our Sea Turtles
I never really quite grasped the idea of sea turtles until I moved to St. Kitts. We had a professor, Dr. Kimberly Stewart, come and speak to our class in my vet prep (and 1st semester) about her research and work with the sea turtles that visit the beaches of St. Kitts when they nest. The St. Kitts Sea Turtle Monitoring Network works diligently to prevent illegal harvesting of the sea turtle species in the area (critically endangered hawksbills, leatherbacks, green sea turtles, and even the loggerhead sea turtles) that utilize the beaches of St. Kitts. Not only has the organization helped improve legislation here in St. Kitts to protect these turtles, there are many other efforts that they take on to protect these awesome creatures. They have helped provide education for the younger generations through awesome hands on experiences (turtle camps, ecotours, etc.), they have helped re-shape the way fishermen of the island think as well as providing alternatives to earning an income (rather than fishing for these sea turtles and wiping out viable turtles that could help sustain the populations), frequent and regular beach clean-ups that involve the students of RUSVM as well as community members, collaborative satellite tagging program of the sea turtles that visit our beaches, and so much more.
It is now more than ever that I know the importance of these species. They have played a vital role in the health of our world's oceans for more than 100 million years! From maintaining coral reef ecosystems to transporting essential nutrients from the oceans to beaches and coastal dunes. With their dramatic decrease in numbers has come evidence of their importance. What threatens them?? Commercial fishing, loss of their nesting habitat and climate change...what do all of these have in common?? They are human-caused threats and they are pushing our sea turtles towards extinction. Without them, we will loose vital functions that they serve towards our ocean ecosystems.
What do we need to do....PROTECT and help them REBUILD their populations to ensure a healthy and resilient future for our oceans.
Protect their homes.
Protect them.
It broke my heart when I saw the headline today: "Up to 20,000 sea turtle eggs crushed by bulldozers on Caribbean island". What happened in Trinidad will hopefully open the eyes of those throughout the world that work to protect the world's sea turtles as well as the eyes of the public. Our impact on these creatures is becoming more than a problem...we are destroying their chances to continue their vital relationship in our world's oceans. I hope this kind of tragedy never strikes the sea turtle population again. Tourism Minister of Trinidad: This must never happen again.
"It is a tragedy what happen with these turtles , I agree... and a lot of people are to be held responsible ... I hear the cries for this one throat and that one job, but check yourself ... if you are not recycling YOU are killing more that turtles DAILY ... YES DAILY !!! mistakes happens ... actually everyone make them ... but I sure do hope this will open up the minds and heart of more people about our environment ..."-Papa Bois Conservation group
"Trinidad has the second largest number of Leatherback nestings in the world. Grande Riviere is the densest nesting beach in the world, with hundreds of turtles nesting on the beach each night at the height of turtle nesting season. The village of Grande Riviere attracts thousands of turtle tourists each year and the income generated by this is a big incentive for local turtle conservation. (Marc)
The meandering of the river is a natural occurrence, but this year the course of the river was more extreme than normal. Grande Riviere villagers have described the extent of the river's changing of course as a once in a 15 year event. The meandering river had already destroyed a portion of the beach, which also happened to be the most productive section. If the river had been left to continue its
meandering course, it would have destroyed more nests and endangered the Mon Plesir Hotel, portions of which were already eroding in to the river. Local fishermen also use the river to launch their boats, an exercise which had become difficult due to the extended course of the river, and dangerous due to surf conditions at the new mouth of the
river. Clearly action was required to contain the river.
The Grande Riviere beach falls under the jurisdiction of the Trinidad & Tobago Forestry Division. The Forestry Division would have had to give permission for the works to take place.
The complaint is that stakeholders had been asking for intervention for a long time, without a response. When the response did come, it was unplanned, unsupervised, and the way in which it was done did unnecessary damage to hatchlings and nests. An earthmoving crew was left to operate, without any qualified supervision, on one of the most environmentally sensitive beaches in the world, with a D8 bulldozer and an excavator.
Clearly the "chain of command" at the beach was broken, resulting in the unsupervised action. It is important to investigate how this was allowed to happen, and to find a solution so this won't reoccur in future. What is needed is an immediate meeting between stakeholders, including the Forestry Division, the Environmental Management Authority, Turtle Village Trust, turtle protection groups, persons representing the turtle nesting communities and other stakeholders, which would result in new, effective, procedures being put in place."-Papa Bois Conservation group
It is now more than ever that I know the importance of these species. They have played a vital role in the health of our world's oceans for more than 100 million years! From maintaining coral reef ecosystems to transporting essential nutrients from the oceans to beaches and coastal dunes. With their dramatic decrease in numbers has come evidence of their importance. What threatens them?? Commercial fishing, loss of their nesting habitat and climate change...what do all of these have in common?? They are human-caused threats and they are pushing our sea turtles towards extinction. Without them, we will loose vital functions that they serve towards our ocean ecosystems.
What do we need to do....PROTECT and help them REBUILD their populations to ensure a healthy and resilient future for our oceans.
Protect their homes.
Protect them.
It broke my heart when I saw the headline today: "Up to 20,000 sea turtle eggs crushed by bulldozers on Caribbean island". What happened in Trinidad will hopefully open the eyes of those throughout the world that work to protect the world's sea turtles as well as the eyes of the public. Our impact on these creatures is becoming more than a problem...we are destroying their chances to continue their vital relationship in our world's oceans. I hope this kind of tragedy never strikes the sea turtle population again. Tourism Minister of Trinidad: This must never happen again.
"It is a tragedy what happen with these turtles , I agree... and a lot of people are to be held responsible ... I hear the cries for this one throat and that one job, but check yourself ... if you are not recycling YOU are killing more that turtles DAILY ... YES DAILY !!! mistakes happens ... actually everyone make them ... but I sure do hope this will open up the minds and heart of more people about our environment ..."-Papa Bois Conservation group
"Trinidad has the second largest number of Leatherback nestings in the world. Grande Riviere is the densest nesting beach in the world, with hundreds of turtles nesting on the beach each night at the height of turtle nesting season. The village of Grande Riviere attracts thousands of turtle tourists each year and the income generated by this is a big incentive for local turtle conservation. (Marc)
The meandering of the river is a natural occurrence, but this year the course of the river was more extreme than normal. Grande Riviere villagers have described the extent of the river's changing of course as a once in a 15 year event. The meandering river had already destroyed a portion of the beach, which also happened to be the most productive section. If the river had been left to continue its
meandering course, it would have destroyed more nests and endangered the Mon Plesir Hotel, portions of which were already eroding in to the river. Local fishermen also use the river to launch their boats, an exercise which had become difficult due to the extended course of the river, and dangerous due to surf conditions at the new mouth of the
river. Clearly action was required to contain the river.
The Grande Riviere beach falls under the jurisdiction of the Trinidad & Tobago Forestry Division. The Forestry Division would have had to give permission for the works to take place.
The complaint is that stakeholders had been asking for intervention for a long time, without a response. When the response did come, it was unplanned, unsupervised, and the way in which it was done did unnecessary damage to hatchlings and nests. An earthmoving crew was left to operate, without any qualified supervision, on one of the most environmentally sensitive beaches in the world, with a D8 bulldozer and an excavator.
Clearly the "chain of command" at the beach was broken, resulting in the unsupervised action. It is important to investigate how this was allowed to happen, and to find a solution so this won't reoccur in future. What is needed is an immediate meeting between stakeholders, including the Forestry Division, the Environmental Management Authority, Turtle Village Trust, turtle protection groups, persons representing the turtle nesting communities and other stakeholders, which would result in new, effective, procedures being put in place."-Papa Bois Conservation group
Teamwork.
Together we can.
RUSVM Students at work learning the ropes.
If we don't protect them...who will?
Community outreach here in St. Kitts.
The job gets a little messy at times :)
St. Kitts nesting leatherback.
An opportunity to learn for all.
The generation of hope for our sea turtles.
Norma Jean's Coffee Shop
New coffee shops seem to be popping up all over PE. Most of my recent posts are about those that have just opened in the past few months. This week I figured it was about time I hit one of the more established places.
Norma Jean's Coffee Shop, conveniently located directly accross the street from Fruit and Veg at 18 Newton Street in Newton Park, has been in business for more years than manager Megan Smith can remember. She just knows that her mother, owner Sheryl Smith, has operated the business for 5-6 years. Prior to that, two shops, Norma Jean's and Marilyn's (see March, 2011 post), were owned and operated by the same person who obviously had a fascination with Norma Jean Mortenson Baker aka Marilyn Monroe. Both places are decorated with famous photos of the legendary star and feature facts about her on their menus. The businesses have both been sold to different owners but have retained the original shops' names.
I have heard a lot about Norma Jean's over the past two years and the shop has been on the "places to visit on the Crawl" list since the beginning. For some reason or other is has always been usurped by another shop. I guess I figured that since it's been around for so long it could wait. (Let's face it... for as many new coffee shops that open in PE there are just as many that close down and we need to visit them before they do!)
So, just as with Marilyn Monroe's celebrity status, Norma Jean's has withstood the test of time... and for good reason. It's a wonderful little coffee shop with a relaxed atmosphere, friendly staff and great menu which includes incredible cakes not to mention one of the best cappuccinos I've had to date. As a matter of fact, the Masterton's secret Norma Jean's blend cappuccino, prepped by barista Precious, was so good that I had another for the second round instead of my usual filter coffee, no cream, no sugar.
 |
| Meet the Manager Megan Smith |
 |
| Meet Our Waitress Zimkitha |
 |
| Meet the Barista Precious |
Norma Jean's offers a daily Tea Time Special from 2:00-4:30 which includes Cake and Cappuccino for R18.95. What a deal! We were there too early for that but I went ahead and ordered probably the best Apple Crumble I've had in my life to go along with the cappuccinos. Delicious!!!
The shop also has Wed-Fri Breakfast and Lunch Specials as well. Norma Jean's is open Mon-Fri, 7:30-5, and Sat 8-2. So, after picking up your fruits and veggies at Fruit and Veg, stop across the street and take advantage of one of Norma Jean's Specials. No need to worry about running over on your parking time limit!!!
 540 minutes?!? |
| Photo credited to Mandy de Beer |
Okay, so at a recent Crawl, I saw a placemat with a pic of someone who I mistook for the actress who played Samantha Stephens on the TV show, "Bewitched." I couldn't think of the actress' name at the time and put it out of my mind.... no use losing sleep over it. Well, Crawler Gail Darne did.... lose sleep, that is! The first thing she said to me on Thursday morning was that it had been driving her crazy and, finally, she was awakened at 3:00 am that Crawl night with the "Bewitched " theme running through her head along with the actress' name.... Elizabeth Montgomery. So, that got Gail and me started on a discussion of 60s sitcoms, "The Lucy Show," "Mister Ed," "Gilligan's Island," "My Three Sons," "The Beverly Hillbillies," and on and on and on. This led to a brief mention of the recent death of another legend, Andy Griffith of "The Andy Griffith Show" fame.
 |
| This Week's Crawlers Nomusa, Mandy, Fran, Beryl, Marilyn, Stella, Gail, June, Beth |
The rest of Thursday's Crawlers, Nomusa Nkomo, Fran and Mandy de Beer, Stella and Beryl Dawson, June Nash, Beth Vieira, were mostly unfamiliar with the shows so on we went to another topic, that being pumping gas (petrol). In the States we pump our own gas so when I arrived here in 2010 and tried to do the same the station attendants looked at me as if I had ten heads! Needless to say, I haven't pumped my own gas in two years! The South Africans and Zimbabweans at the table had humorous stories of when they traveled abroad and were confounded when they had to pump their own gas. That was good for a few laughs. We went on then to a lengthy debate over the terminology of "traffic light" vs. "robot." Ah, and the cultural exchange continues..............
~Thank you to Norma Jean's manager, Megan Smith. Tthe place was running quite smoothly... your mother
would be proud!
~Thank you to the Norman Jean's staff, especially to our waitress, Zimkitha, and the barista, Precious.
~A belated Happy 40th Anniversary to Fran and Keith (July 1)....married all those years...... and to the
same person!
Until next week,
Ellen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)