Across the Pond

Rome

2007-09-29T19:46:00.000Z

Steve and I have just returned from a few days in Rome. Mum came and stayed at our house to look after the boys, while we boarded an Easy Jet flight to Italy. We arrived at the airport and realised that we had no idea how we were going to get from the airport into Rome. We had landed at a smaller airport just outside of Rome and with no direct rail link. For a moment we were wondering why we hadn't chosen a package holiday with a tour guide and door to door transport, and then we reminded ourselves that we were the same couple who had backpacked around the world on our honeymoon. We could do this. We caught a bus to the local Campino railway station for a bargain price of 1 euro each and then caught a train into Rome for a further 1 euro 20 each. We arrived at our hotel safe in the knowledge that we can still call ourselves real travellers.

We were amazed by the size and magnificence of the Colosseum. It was spectacular. We couldn't wait to go inside the next day.

I wondered how those prisoners must have felt as they approached this huge structure and prepared to meet their fate, nearly 2000 years ago.

The pits at the bottom were where the lions were kept prior to being lifted into the stadium, ready for lunch. I was interested to read that when two prisoners fought each other, the person who was losing had the option of calling a halt to the fight and putting his life in the hands of the audience. They could vote for either him or his opponent. This might have been a good option for charismatic individuals who were hopeless at fighting. The Colosseum could hold up to 70,000 people.

The Trevi fountain was an large and impressive fountain, which interestingly has been replicated in our neighbouring town of Cheltenham.

A barber whose shop overlooked the Trevi fountain was constantly criticising the project. The architect, Salvi got his revenge by sculpting a large barber's soap pot to the right of the fountain, thereby obstructing the barber's view of the fountain.

We were going to throw 3 coins into the fountain, until we realised that throwing one would ensure you returned to Rome, but throwing 2 and 3 would mean that you would fall in love with and marry an Italian. We skipped the second and third, preferring to return to Rome without the complication of additional spouses.

Steve was keen to go the Pantheon. I was less so, feeling sure that it wasn't going to be of any interest. It was, however, like most Roman buildings quite awe-inspiring. To this day architects are not completely sure how this structure could have been built and still be standing. The dome is a perfect hemisphere, with it's height being exactly equal to it's diameter. It is generally accepted that if this structure was built today, using modern materials, it would collapse under it's own weight. The Pantheon has been standing for around 2000 years.

Granny's birthday - August 5th 2007

2007-09-17T20:41:00.000Z

As promised, better late than never:

Sylvia on her 84th birthday!

Mum and Granny. Granny blowing out her BIG candle!

Granny, Jill, Adrian, Sara, James and Matthew.

"Is there anything else I can get you sir?"

Water water everywhere - part 2

2007-07-29T19:02:00.000Z

I mentioned in my last post that in Gloucester we have been living without water. It's hard to believe that just one week ago I had never heard of a 'bowser' and yet now it is a word that is part of everyday conversation for everybody in the neighbourhood:

"Have you been to the bowser today?"

"Yes, I've tried the one in outside the Church, it's empty. There's some left in the bowser opposite the social club"

Here is the bowser in the street where we live. Things got off to rather a slow start with about 450 bowsers being delivered. They were supposed to be filled 5 times a day but this proved impossible for Severn Trent water authority. Soon there were reports of unrest as people began to get anxious that there wasn't enough to go around. The police had to be brought in to the local supermarkets to keep the peace! It is interesting really because there is no shortage of anything else, we still have plenty of orange juice and coke and lemonade and just about any other drink you can think of. Contrary to people's fears and the situation portrayed by the national media, we are unlikely to die of thirst.

There are currently over 1000 bowsers in Gloucestershire. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes but are most are this bright blue colour, so can be easily identified from the road. The water shortage has brought out the extremes of human nature. There are stories of people urinating in the bowsers and vandalising them by pulling the taps off. Other people have been emptying the whole bowser for themselves and leaving none for anyone else. However, these people are few and far between, the vast majority of people have been keeping a good sense of humour. The local mosque has been distributing bottled water to those in need and many people are checking regularly on elderly neighbours.

Despite the fact that most people have been calm and orderly. There was, a few days ago a growing sense of frustration that bowsers were often empty. People were driving or walking to 10 or more bowsers and still not being able to get any water. It was at this point that Severn Trent admitted it really couldn't cope with the demand of keeping up to 350,000 people in water. It was then that the government decided to bring the army in:

I am impressed. They have brought a sense of calm and order. They are organised, polite, friendly and reassuring.

We also can also collect supplies of bottled water from the same place. Bottled water is being given out by friendly volunteers:

So all in all it has been an interesting week. I have a much greater awareness of how much water I use. I am astounded at how much water is needed to flush the toilet and now find a great sense of satisfaction from collecting rainwater. I have rediscovered a simple pleasure.

On Friday I took the boys swimming and got to wash my hair after 4 days. It was bliss. Yesterday Elaine and Mog invited us over to their house for a BBQ, showers and to wash our clothes. True friends.

Water water everywhere and not a drop to drink

2007-07-29T18:58:00.000Z

If you're in the UK you will undoubtedly know about our recent flooding. It's been headline news for quite a few days now. Last Friday a month's worth of rain fell in one day. It was quite spectacular. It rained and rained and rained. The streams burst their banks and there was lots of localised flooding. One of the problems in our area was this normally babbling brook that quickly overflowed it's banks. In this picture you can see the reeds on the left that are usually the edge of the stream. For families in the area it was great entertainment. Everybody donned their wellies and raincoats and marvelled at the scene that was unfolding before them. A popular refrain from the older people in the area was "I've lived here for X (anything up to 60) years and I've never seen anything like this before.

Further downstream the water spilled onto the road, making it impassable like so many others in the area.

We began to get a little more alarmed as the stream passes through our road. It was quickly becoming clear that this was serious. One of the houses in our street soon had a swimming pool in their garden.

Our friends who live in the house to the left of this next picture were just starting to move their valuables upstairs and call the council for sandbags when fortunately the rain subsided and water levels began to fall.

but that was only the beginning. Gloucester has the river Severn running through it. 2 days after the torrential rain it became apparent that more trouble was in store. Water pouring down from the hills had swollen the river to unprecendented levels. As we watched our neighbouring town of Tewkesbury become submerged and completely cut off by floods, the realisation dawned that we were next. The town waited anxiously knowing that it was inevitable that the river Severn was going to burst it's banks and Gloucester was going to flood.

In the midst of this people were still mopping up from the local flooding that had occurred on Friday. The doctor's surgery where I work was one such place. The stream there had burst it's banks and in a matter of moments swept it's way through the building. I spent Saturday with James mopping up my office and wondering what on earth I was going to about the 150 sets of patient notes that were now soaked in muddy water.

On Sunday we also received the news that the water treatment plant in Tewkesbury had been flooded. There was no way for people to get into it to start the repairs, so we would be without water until at least Wednesday (that was yesterday). We have now been without water for 3 days and it is expected that we will be without it for another 7 - 14 days! Believe me it is quite a challenge learning to live without running water. The water is the next stage in this unfolding saga, but I'll have to tell you about that in my next post.

Anyway, how about some reasons to be cheerful:

I now have an office that is pretty much clean and dry and ready to use.
Our house wasn't flooded
It hasn't been boring!

New York, New York!

2007-05-19T15:46:00.000Z

Mum and I had a great time in New York. It's hard to put into words how I felt about it. I had wanted to go there since I was a teenager. I was totally awestruck by the place. I just kept looking around thinking "Wow, I'm actually here. This is it. This is New York". However, after 3 days I was glad to return to my quiet suburban life, feeling richer for having experienced the Big Apple.

Mum at Heathrow airport before we left

Me on the plane, don't be fooled by the smile. I was bordering on terrified.

View of New York from the Empire State Building, looking towards the financial district.

We went on a speedboat ride called 'the beast' to see the Statue of Liberty.

Visiting Ground Zero was a sobering experience. Even after all this time the memory of that day was fresh in my mind.

By the third day I was craving some green space. Thank goodness for Central Park.

Meanwhile back in Blighty Steve was managing the boys single-handedly, and doing a very good job. Maybe I'm redundant?

They were tackling the quarry path on Robinswood Hill again. I'm glad I didn't know!

Our holiday in Devon

2007-04-29T22:03:00.000Z

The view from our caravan park

A tree hangs on for dear life!

The Devon Countryside, from Canonteign falls

James and Matthew enjoying the sea on Teignmouth beach

Matthew's 7th birthday!

2007-04-08T20:22:00.000Z

We were really thrilled with Matthew's new bike and was expecting a BIG reaction when he came downstairs to see it. His reaction though, was rather surprising. "Oh" he said and then proceeded to open all the presents that were behind the bike without even acknowledging the bike at all. He was delighted with his numerous lego kits though. After a while I asked him "Aren't you pleased with your bike?" "yes" he said "but I'm just not expressing it at the moment". I'm glad to say he has shown a little more enthusiasm since we have been out for a ride on it.

An adventurous walk

2007-04-01T19:57:00.000Z

We have had a nice weekend. The weather has been great and we have done quite a bit of walking. This has been quite therapeutic as we are all feeling a bit worried about Steve's dad, Gordon who is back in hospital again. It's hard being so far away when someone you love isn't well. That said, Gordon is in his usual good spirits and Steve has been chatting to him on the phone.

Yesterday we went walking on Robinswood Hill, we go there quite often for a walk and usually take the same route up the hill. Yesterday, though we decided to go a different way. We started off with our usual visit to the farm animals that live at the bottom of the hill:

James found the animals quite unsavoury. "They smell" he complained. He then went on to do an impression of the above pig:

After taking a flat path around the hill, we decided to take a steep path up the quarry. It was one of those that looked manageable from the bottom, but about half way up I was beginning to wonder what we had got ourselves into. It was an incredibly steep, unstable path. The boys had gone up ahead of us and were sending avalanches of dirt and gravel down behind them. It was really hard to get a foothold but we had gone so far that the only way was up. At one point I became quite immobilised. Steve was calm and in control of the situation. James was oblivious to the potential danger and Matthew, sensitive soul that he is, picked up on my anxiety and being the highest up the near vertical slope started crying and saying "I want mum". Well it was an adventure, but not one that I will be in a hurry to repeat! Here are a few pictures. The first is a view from the top, when we finally got there, but you can see where we started from:

"I want my Mum.........."

Finally, we made it..........................

Walking in the Malverns

2007-02-24T17:41:00.000Z

We went walking in the Malverns this afternoon. The Malverns are a special place for us as Steve and I went walking there a couple of days before James was born. I was, at that point, 8 days overdue and desperate to get myself into labour. I remember lumbering up those hills, determined that this baby was going to get moving. Since then we go back there every year in February, around James' birthday. It's a beautiful part of the world and the children always enjoy it. As you can see.

Because the Malverns are a row of hills surrounded by flat countryside, you can see for miles. It's often overcast, with more than the odd passing shower. We enjoy making a game of it though, we see the rain approaching in the distance and try to guess how long it will take to reach us. It's usually a wet and windy walk, but invigorating. A cup of tea and piece of cake at 'The Singing Kettle' was a nice end to the walk.
Before we went out Steve had made a beef stew and left it cooking in the slow cooker, it was a perfect warming meal to come home to. Thanks Steve!

Elaine and Mog's wedding!

2007-02-19T22:16:00.000Z

Mr and Mrs walking from the church.

Cutting the cake.

The wedding was held at Fairford church which was built in the 15th century. Elaine's dad is the vicar there so he got to marry them, which made it very informal.

Sara enjoying a glass of wine at the reception.

It was James and Matthew's first wedding. There were lots of children there and Elaine had prepared goody bags for all of them, they were packed full of things to keep them occupied. Matthew said "It's like Christmas!"

Steve was designated driver and chief child-carer. He did a great job of both.

James' 9th birthday!

2007-02-12T20:38:00.000Z

"Just what I wanted!"

The novelty soon wore off for Matthew though...

Before long it was too much for all of us and we went to the park to burn off a bit of energy.

Back home for tea and birthday cake, carried in by domestic god, Steve

(the apron was just for show!)

James blew out the candles but told us "I don't like making wishes, because they never come true!"