Did you know that Harry Potter is based in England? Well, I kind of had an idea but never having watched the movies nor read the books, I thought it might have been from one of those Deep Southern American states. Well, I guess there's a part in one of his books where he goes through a wall. This wall is found at King's Cross St. Pancreas train station in London. And to commemorate it, the station actually has a wall with platform 9 3/4 and a trolley embedded in the wall. Here is a picture of Dwarf in front of platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross Station.
Sunday, July 30, 2006
July 30th - Tottenham v. Inter Milan
We were able to secure tickets to the Tottenham Hot Spur friendly versus Inter Milan at White Hart Lane in North London. We got there after the game started because the city decided to shut down the Underground to the stadium for today. We had to walk for at least 30 minutes to get to there and when we did it was pretty amazing. I guess Tottenham are known for their rowdiness and because of this the police presence was amazing. We walked down the south side of the building and it looked like a riot was going to break out with the number of mounted police and ambulatory police wearing riot gear. We tiptoed around this and entered to find that our seats were only 10 or so rows from the pitch. The game was amazing. The crowd, however, was a little disappointing. It seemed that a friendly doesn't bring out the normal home crowd so the atmosphere wasn't as footballish as we'd hoped. The fans did get up and sign a couple of times but it wasn't as hair raising as I've heard it to be. The score at the end was 2-1 Tottenham. Here's a picture of the game from our seats and a picture of Dwarf at White Hart Lane at the end of the game.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
July 29th - Cambridge
Norman and I went to Cambridge today. I've been to Cambridge dozens of times now and I still find it one of the best places I've visitied in England. It's got so much stuff in such a small area. I thought Norm would appreciate the Cambridge Tourism Walking Tour. It's concise but very informative. We went to all of the requisite tourist sites that I've already been to previsously. However, I got to go to Trinity College for the first time. Trinity is a very small college at Cambridge. It's the college of Sir Isaac newton and his office is still visible from the front of the building. The college was opened by Henry VIII and there is a statue of his likeness over the gates leading into the college courtyard. The neat thing about this statue is that it is holding an orb in one hand and a wooden table leg in the other. It used to have a sceptre but some students stole the original sceptre and replaced it with a wooden table leg. It's been replaced a couple of times but the students kept stealing it and replacing the sceptre with another wooden table leg. So, to stop the insanity, Trinity College has left the wooden table leg in the King's hand. This is a picture of the statue of Henry VIII holding an orb in his left hand an a wooden table leg in his right hand.
Friday, July 28, 2006
July 28th - London
Norm and I spent some time in London. We checked out Harrods. It's the biggest and most elaborate department store that I've ever been. I can't remember the number of floors that it has - it's a lot - but they sell everything from condominiums in Dubai to multiple carot diamonds. This is a picture of the seafood department in Harrods. Harrods is owned by Dodi Al Fied's father Mohammed. I don't think he hangs out at Harrods like Montgomery Burns at Springfield Power does, checking to ensure that everyone in his employ is working as hard - and making as much money - as possible. No, he has more faith in his people than that. But to ensure that they don't forget who the boss is, Mr. Al Fied has a wax statue of himself near the entrance of the store. He also has this weird hommage to Dodi and Princess Diana. It's this kind of ugly bronze statue of Dodi and Diana dancing in a circle as they hold hands. Who do you think Mr. Al Fied loves?
Saturday, July 22, 2006
July 22nd - Stratford-Upon-Avon
Zel and I drove down to the birth place of William Shakespeare. This picture has Homer in front of Willie's Stratford home on Henley Street. It is now a museum full of Shakespearean stuff. The price of admission was a little more than two teachers from lowly Ramsey could afford so we just looked through the windows at all the Japanese tourists that could afford the price of admission as they wandered through a staircase...the only part of the interior of the house visible from the window. Then we went to the pound store. We can afford that.
We tried to get to Holy Trinity Church where both Willie and his wife Anne Hathaway are buried but we always seemed to get onto the wrong road. We must have passed through the city centre three times on three different roads. We finally gave up and unfortunately for us we didn't get to see dead Willie.
We tried to get to Holy Trinity Church where both Willie and his wife Anne Hathaway are buried but we always seemed to get onto the wrong road. We must have passed through the city centre three times on three different roads. We finally gave up and unfortunately for us we didn't get to see dead Willie.
july 22 - ross contrast the killer storm
This is Ross. The clouds looked really bad but we decided to stay at the fair. Of course, that was the wrong decision. It got super windy about 4 minutes after I took this picture and the raindrops can down in the size of small rodents. All of the portable gazebos began to blow away and the fair field emptied in about 3 minutes flat. It rained for the next hour or so before it stopped and turned the day into a normal dreary English summer day. Ross thought the cloud was forming a funnel and wanted to warn people to get into their storm cellars. Madge and I just wanted to go home. We went home.
july 22 - marianne and snoopy
This is Marianne and Snoopy. She won him on a tab pull game. The only thing I won during the fair was a fingerboard skateboard thingy. I gave it away.
july 22 - homer and weird parade elephant
Well, the fair was a bust. It wasn't as big as I expected. There were about fifteen booths and all were selling either food or raffle tickets to wine booze or second hand gifts. Zel and I missed the parade - though I heard from Len that it wasn't anything to write home about anyway - but this is the fire mascot thingy that led the parade into the fair grounds. I think it's an elephant but its association to the Queen is up for debate. It must have been hot in that suit, though. The temperature during the parade must have been nearing the 30s. Maybe he pissed off the Queen somehow and this was his punishment.
Friday, July 21, 2006
july 21 - wayne birks
Today was the last official day of school. We haven't had students in the classrooms since Tuesday as Mr. Birks sent all of the students home three days early so the teachers for the new school - Abbey College @ Ramsey - could pack up, move, and set up their classrooms for the coming academic year. Of course, this meant tons of lifting, which in the end almost killed me and probably many of the other teachers in the school.
The weather has been super the last three days. Unfortunately, 30-35 degree weather is not the weather you want for lifting. However, it is the weather that you want for tennis and football, which is what we've been doing after school.
The school gave a going away party for the members of staff not returning for the following year. I didn't actually expect to have to give a speech so mine was a little lacking. It didn't help that I was going through the red wine pretty quickly, too. I ended up giving all the members of my department a tee shirt. As well, I gave the headteacher of Ramsey Abbey School and the headteacher designate of Abbey College one of my shirts, too. This is Mr. Birks with the tee. Tomorrow is Ramsey Fair Day. It's suppose to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's 80th birthday. It's suppose to be huge. We'll see.
Planning for a trip with Norm through Eygpt. I have some apprehensions about going to North Africa but I guess there isn't any better time than now to go there. We'll that's before Blair and Bush piss them off and make it a no-go for Brits and North Americans.
The weather has been super the last three days. Unfortunately, 30-35 degree weather is not the weather you want for lifting. However, it is the weather that you want for tennis and football, which is what we've been doing after school.
The school gave a going away party for the members of staff not returning for the following year. I didn't actually expect to have to give a speech so mine was a little lacking. It didn't help that I was going through the red wine pretty quickly, too. I ended up giving all the members of my department a tee shirt. As well, I gave the headteacher of Ramsey Abbey School and the headteacher designate of Abbey College one of my shirts, too. This is Mr. Birks with the tee. Tomorrow is Ramsey Fair Day. It's suppose to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's 80th birthday. It's suppose to be huge. We'll see.
Planning for a trip with Norm through Eygpt. I have some apprehensions about going to North Africa but I guess there isn't any better time than now to go there. We'll that's before Blair and Bush piss them off and make it a no-go for Brits and North Americans.
Monday, July 17, 2006
two hundred paper airplanes - July 17th
The pentultimate teaching day is now over. I'm doing a two day unit on paper airplanes and how to make them fly straight and long. In doing this, I spent the weekend making paper airplanes so the students would have examples. I made two hundred different paper airplanes that they could chose to make themselves. If anyone wants my lesson plan I'll be happy to email it to you.
The contests included: best looking plane, flying the plane into a box, the longest distance flight, and 'the run and catch'. The last one was pretty funny as the students had to throw their plane and then try to catch it before it landed with a butterfly net. Thankfully, none of the students bailed - thus, no one was injured while competing in a paper airplane contest which would have been very hard to explain to the parents - and someone was actually able to catch the plane in the net. Actually, two students were able to do this 'catch and throw' contest and they looked goofy doing it. Winners got popping candy.
The contests included: best looking plane, flying the plane into a box, the longest distance flight, and 'the run and catch'. The last one was pretty funny as the students had to throw their plane and then try to catch it before it landed with a butterfly net. Thankfully, none of the students bailed - thus, no one was injured while competing in a paper airplane contest which would have been very hard to explain to the parents - and someone was actually able to catch the plane in the net. Actually, two students were able to do this 'catch and throw' contest and they looked goofy doing it. Winners got popping candy.
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Dragon Boating in St. Ives - July 16, 2006
Sunday was a smoking hot day of 34degrees. And we had to boat the river three times. Representing the new school, 14 teachers and 2 'civilians' that we picked up to fill out the team, our day started out at 1000hrs and lasted until 1700hrs. We came out slow, got a little faster, and then pooped the bed in our third race. Because of it, we finished 9th and out of the top 6 by 2 or so seconds. 2 or so seconds prevented us from making the semi finals. It was devistating. The day only got worse as the beer tent ran out of cold, tapped beer and they began selling hot canned beer.
Only two more teaching days. Paper airplane lessons!!!! Then, it's three days of moving as we shuffle the departments around for the new school. Yippee.
Only two more teaching days. Paper airplane lessons!!!! Then, it's three days of moving as we shuffle the departments around for the new school. Yippee.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
France through - July 5
So, Portugal is out on a Zidane penalty at the 33 minute of the match. Portugal, and especially Ronaldo, were diving all over the place and it is fitting that they lost on a penalty goal. So, the final for Sunday is set. France v. Italy in Berlin. It should be a great match. Go, France, go. The tutor group that I covered today finished 6th out of 11 in the homeroom activity days. It was all worth it watching senior management hoof it in a teachers v. students 4x100m relay. Only 8 more teaching days.
Ed
Competitions-July 5
Today is 'Year Ten' Activity day at Ramsey Abbey. I'm not doing much right now because the students are all outside. Yesterday, another very important competition took place in New York: Nathan's Hotdog eating competition. Of course, Kobayashi won again. He narrowly beat the second place man by eating 1 3/4 more hot dogs with a grand total of 53 3/4. Unfortunately, I could only find a pic from his 2005 victory.
Sunday, July 02, 2006
St. Andrews scorecard
I found my scorecard. It was in a pile of newspapers. 103. 33 over par. I blame it on the 10 on hole 12. I pitched 4 or 5 times on that hole. Couldn't handle the short irons.
Bastard spiders - July 2
This picture really doesn't do justice for this spider but this beast was huge! I found it in a box in my kitchen. It's the same type of spider I persistantly found during September. These things are so huge they make noise when they walk. It's like a small three year old walking over pebbles. I hate them more than anything. I know they aren't poisonous (there aren't any poisonous spiders in the UK) but they are very imposing things. Zela just arrived and is moving into the front room right now. It'll be nice to have another teacher in the flats again. She begins teaching again tomorrow.
ed
ed
Saturday, July 01, 2006
July 1
Howdy all. It's July 1st - Dominion Day or Canada Day. I got back about an hour ago from getting my hair cut. First cut in 4 months. It's amazing what those women at Great Clips can do with a pair of scissors when they know you're holding a possible £2 tip. I asked for a David Beckham a la World Cup 2002. I got a Bruce Lee a la Enter the Dragon.
I'm inside right now because England lost their quarter final match against Portugal 3-1 in penalties about 90 minutes ago. I'm afraid that all the British have gone crazy and will beat me as they rampage through the town linching up anyone that might have a semblance of loyalty to the Portugese. Obviously, if I could get to the local Ladbrokes I'd be putting down a shiny penny on the fact there'll be some chaos in Germany as the English visitors leave the country.
I'm into the last three weeks of work and, though my last few months haven't been as exciting as Fiona's (check out her blog when you have time) I'm excited about all that's happening right now. All the teachables have been done so I'm teaching a CSI (crime scene investigation) forensic science section to wrap up the year. We're in the midst of doing finger printing now. Next, well do blood typing, physiological evidence - such as stride length and footprints, flame testing of unknown substances, and hair and fibres.
A week ago I got to play golf at St. Andrews. Unfortunately I've misplaced my score card but I shot 102 on a par 70. Not too bad since I haven't played golf in over 700 days. Dad and I played with two locals. They told me that the residents of the area only pay £110 per year to play any of the 6 or 7 St. Andrews courses year round. That's amazing considering we paid £140 for fees and clubs just to play one round on the Eden course. The golf course was okay. A links course so not a lot of trees, water or rough. However, the bunkers were 6 feet deep and smaller than a sirloin steak at the sizzler. Plus, the biggest RAF base is just around there and we got to see all the planes doing their practice. Amazing stuff.
Wasting time.
Only 11 more teaching days until the end of the school year!!! Is it wrong to count down the days? It's not that I don't like it here. It's just that I've run out of things to tell these people. There are only so many circus tricks you can do before it starts to hurt. 
I've been wasting my time making up hockey pucks and t-shirts. The pucks are kinda thank you pucks for the members of staff that have helped me out during the year. I know. It plays on the sterotypic one-track-mindedness of Canadian towards ice hockey but it's true so why not play along with it. Anyway, most of them won't even know what they are when they get it. I'll tell them it's a paperweight or something. Whatever.
It doesn't look like I'll be able to get to world cup this time around. I'm still pissed off about the ticket transfer thingy. Bastard fifa. I don't think I'll be able to get to Wimbledon either. The tourney ends next Sunday and I can't find time to get there; I'm teaching until a week after that. Plus tickets are more than a sane person would pay to watch the rich wack a ball around. But those strawberries and cream may intice me to show up and drop huge coin on scalper tix anyways.
I haven't been able to get out much during the year to do anything amazingly athletic but I did get to play tennis on Thursday. The head of physics, Dave Hodges, thoroughly kicked me and handed me my proverbial ass in less time it takes to shake out the three tennis balls from its plastic cylinder. However, I have an excuse. I had to use a PE tennis racket which neither had a true oval form - more squarish than anything - nor the correct size grip. I guess the students do have much smaller hands than me. However, I did get to play tennis on grass for the first time ever. Everything is so much better on grass. It's supple and you slide. But there are down sides as well. Like Dave's pee-inducing, high velocity serves which seemed to pick up speed as they skipped off the grass and past my flayling stabs of cheap £5 racket and poly-cotton blend strings. And grass dents, too. So unpredictable bounces seem the norm. There'll be a rematch as soon as I can find another racket and some skill.
I've been wasting my time making up hockey pucks and t-shirts. The pucks are kinda thank you pucks for the members of staff that have helped me out during the year. I know. It plays on the sterotypic one-track-mindedness of Canadian towards ice hockey but it's true so why not play along with it. Anyway, most of them won't even know what they are when they get it. I'll tell them it's a paperweight or something. Whatever.It doesn't look like I'll be able to get to world cup this time around. I'm still pissed off about the ticket transfer thingy. Bastard fifa. I don't think I'll be able to get to Wimbledon either. The tourney ends next Sunday and I can't find time to get there; I'm teaching until a week after that. Plus tickets are more than a sane person would pay to watch the rich wack a ball around. But those strawberries and cream may intice me to show up and drop huge coin on scalper tix anyways.
I haven't been able to get out much during the year to do anything amazingly athletic but I did get to play tennis on Thursday. The head of physics, Dave Hodges, thoroughly kicked me and handed me my proverbial ass in less time it takes to shake out the three tennis balls from its plastic cylinder. However, I have an excuse. I had to use a PE tennis racket which neither had a true oval form - more squarish than anything - nor the correct size grip. I guess the students do have much smaller hands than me. However, I did get to play tennis on grass for the first time ever. Everything is so much better on grass. It's supple and you slide. But there are down sides as well. Like Dave's pee-inducing, high velocity serves which seemed to pick up speed as they skipped off the grass and past my flayling stabs of cheap £5 racket and poly-cotton blend strings. And grass dents, too. So unpredictable bounces seem the norm. There'll be a rematch as soon as I can find another racket and some skill.
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