Although a God fearing man, 'he could lie like a trooper when it was necessary.' (Cough) My tombstone will very likely read: Although a God-fearing woman, if shown an ugly baby, out of guilt and a mis-placed sense of compensation, she could lie like a trooper when it was necessary. I have a thing about ugly babies. I feel just terrible that a common and unkind thought has whispered past my cerebellum when faced with what ought to be one of the sweetest things in the universe. It prompts me to go way overboard on the compliments. So if I tell you your baby is gorgeous, more often then not, I am lying.There is a field trip to the Roman Baths (in Bath). You can't swim in them anymore (such a bummer) due to the original lead pipes that the water passes through. Also, the more significant danger is now considered to be infectious diseases. In 1979 a girl swimming in the restored bath swallowed some of the source water, and died five days later from amoebic meningitis. Tests showed that a species of amoeba was in the water and the pool was closed, and remains closed today.
Also, there is a field trip to Cheddar Gorge. I found the most marvelous blurb about it on Wikipedia: The gorge is the site of the Cheddar show caves, where Britain's oldest complete human skeleton, Cheddar Man, estimated to be 9,000 years old, was found in 1903. I think that's the first time I've ever heard the words 'Cheddar Man' outside a sentence about the Wisconsin State Fair...At the end of term program (just before summer break), the senior girls put on a play they wrote themselves, and the choir sings a song about speeding the boat over to Skye (?), something by Gilbert and Sullivan and a sad song about snow. It makes me wonder if they learned the snow song for their Christmas show and had to bump it for lack of time. With many years of pageant watching under my belt (and many, many yet to come) I'll vouch for this common practice. If they went to the trouble of learning it then, by gum, you're going to hear it.
Gretel was going to unionize the other milkmaids,
but first she had to separate the cream...
Olivia and Nel go to see the big picture at the Rijksmuseum (the Nightwatch). Olivia makes up stories to tell Nel about all the characters. I always do this when I go to museums even though my degree was in Hey-look-at-the-pretty-art-and-wax-profound-for-the-space-of-a-10-page-paper. It's a much better game. Cheaper too.
Betty Barbara here--
ReplyDeleteIs my memory faulty (certainly possible) or is Bad Mom Rita the only Neels "other woman" with a real job? She is obviously some executive's personal assistant, not a rank and file office worker. And she even says that she loves her job and doesn't want to give it up--so she is not in it just for the paycheck. (Does she need the paycheck?) She obviously flunks juggling a child and the job--she just ignores the child!
And to show that I was paying attention in Betty Magdalen's class, here is the answer to the boat to Skye song in their school program
Betty Barbara - I think you're right in your assumption that Really Bad Mom Rita is a career girl by choice. She states that she likes her job and won't give it up. As for money, Haso says that she has been left with 'plenty'...someone else (either Haso's mother or brother...I think) mentions that Rita 'borrows' money from Haso whenever she doesn't have enough for her fancy clothes. So... she has lots of money, makes a good salary and still doesn't bother to live within her means.
ReplyDeleteWasn't some Other Woman an actress?
ReplyDeletep.s. I bet Betty Barbara always sits in the front row of desks and never throws spitballs (unlike Betty Mary).
Betty Barbara here--
ReplyDeleteBetty JoDee--
I spent Grades 1-3 in a Catholic school, with Nuns for teachers. This is back when Catholic nuns still wore full black and white habits and felt no qualms about wielding the Ruler of Loving Correction. So, having no desire to have my fingers gently whacked, spitballs were not in my repertoire. But we won't mention the times I had to stay after school for talking in class!
Re: Actress Other Woman--
Yes, you are right. It was a short story,The Proposal (reviewed HERE). And surprise, the basics are very like--Actress is widow of Doc's best friend, has small daughter, etc, etc.
And then there's the gal who was some sort of artist--the young one with way out clothes...
ReplyDeleteBetty Barbara here--
ReplyDeleteWith a reminder for Betty JoDee--if you are sitting in the front row, you CAN'T throw spitballs(even if you wanted to and had no fear of Sister Mary Francis' Ruler of Loving Correction). Alas, if you are sitting in the front row, you make an excellent target for all the mischief makers in the back rows--and we know who they are, don't we?
Betty Keira--yeah there was the young artist--but was she actually making a living as an artist? or was this just a glorified hobby for her? I remember her, but can't remember which book it was.
I always sat in the front row. I was *that* kind of student.
ReplyDeleteYeah, we know Betty Magdalen.
ReplyDeletep.s. Betty Barbara, I once had a junior high math teacher who always sat everyone in order of the scores of our every Friday math test. You can tell that was in pre-P.C. days. Otherwise, I was always a just-to-the-left-of-the-teacher-in-the-second-row student, in a futile attempt not to seem the nerd. Ironically, as a faculty member I always sat on the back row of faculty meetings with the cynical but funny veterans who made Statler and Waldorf from the Muppets seem like Pollyannas.
Does anyone know if actual spit is involved in a spitball?
Spitballs definitely require spit to fly.
ReplyDeleteAgain, must I say, It wasn't a spit ball! My English-Lady-Mother (of Irish descent) only raised ladies and gentlemen!
ReplyDeleteDo ladies deal in spit? Heaven's, No!
If you must know, it was a disposable pocket hankie soaked in hand sanitizer.
And that's the end of that discussion. As Sr. Grace Electra would point out,"A word to the wise is sufficient." Yes, that's a real nun name, and quote. She taught me in 6th grade.