Camera's Back ....Another cold front coming through in celebration of Helens arrival tomorrow. Promised Storm building up this evening as I sit on the front Porch drinking chilled coffee. Lightening in the distance already Thunder around.
Cooling down to a chilly high 70's low 80's and it's only just Spring.














Visited Telge park again the other day. Some more photos from there.



















Worried about Hazels eyes she thought this was an otter....
















. ........It's not...

















One more day until we're are all on this.to celebrate Jonathan's 18th . .













I've been on a couple of Princess Cruise line Ships and a couple of Royal Caribbean Ship.
This is the first Carnival ship we have been on. Sails from Galveston at 4.00pm to somewhere in Mexico across the Gulf.

One of these cabins at the top front with balcony (I believe 4th from the front), will be the room I share with Hazel and Helen.

(I'll be out of the room, A LOT....)





The kids will be across the corridor in an inside room.

St Georges Day:


It was in the year 1415 AD that St. George became the Patron Saint of England when English Soldiers under Henry V won the battle of Agincourt.

Still without Camera.....you guessed it... Not my photos...

So the National Parton Saint of England is held close to everyones heart... or is he .........

St George, having defended his faith was beheaded at Nicomedia near Lyddia in Palestine on the 23rd of April in the year 303 AD.

Like St Patrick do we really know anything about this person? Well at least I didn't get up to a barage of people pinching me just because I forgot to wear green..(see blog entry from March 17th). I know little about St. George apart from the fact that it is St Georges day and the Churches fly flags from the flag poles and he gets a mention in the sermons. Seems there has been a lot of discussion about this guy over the last few years.

What will revive him will no doubt be the renevue people can make of him and the symbol of a National Saint. Doesn't it always come down to money. Where is the passion the conviction the sentimentalism.

Here are a few things I found from ...guess where, yes the BBC from 2005 and 2006

The failure to celebrate St George's Day with the same enthusiasm as St Patrick's Day could see English firms missing out on millions of pounds, groups promoting the anniversary have claimed.

The Value of St George Campaign - which aims to make firms realise the benefits of marking the saint's day - said that while celebrations were increasing, much more could be done.
A study carried out for the campaign concluded that firms across England were missing out on nearly £40m a year by not celebrating the day as much as their Irish counterparts.
'So much negativity'
It suggested pubs should encourage more customers to spend money celebrating, while other businesses could be selling items related to the day.
The report for the Value of St George Campaign was carried out by the Future Foundation, an organisation which aims to make businesses better understand their customers' wants and needs.
It concluded firms across England could make an extra £38.8m annually by doing more to mark the day, with pubs alone missing out on £14m every April by not encouraging customers to celebrate the event as they would St Patrick's Day.

What is it to be English? It is a very serious question. When you ask a lot of people in this country they are very vague .

Multiculturalism has left the English embarrassed about celebrating their true national identity, Britain's first black archbishop has said.

England is the culture I have lived in, I have loved," the Ugandan-born cleric told The Times newspaper. He called for the English to properly mark St George's Day on 23 April.

"They have done some terrible things but not all the Empire was a bad idea."
Born in Uganda, Dr Sentamu said he would not be where he was today were it not for the British Empire and the English teachers and missionaries who worked in Africa.
"Because the Empire is gone, there is almost a sense in which there is not a big idea that drives this nation," .

And other links

http://www.royalsocietyofstgeorge.com/historyofstgeorge.htm

http://www.thevalueofstgeorge.com/index.php?oURL=home
We hope you celebrate St. George's Weekend each year by marking the occassion in true English style!
In 2005, St George's Day fell on a Saturday with licensees across the land having a fantastic opportunity to turn the whole weekend into a celebration.The nationwide campaign, led by Wells Bombardier, the British Tourist Authority and The Publican, has continued to gain momentum with an ever increasing number of licencees celebrating St. George's Day Weekend in style!Greater numbers every year get involved, you can visit Events to see what pubs across England are up to and then have a read through our top tips and great English recipies.It's a great chance for licensees to maximise profit potential and capitise on the ever-growing support of the campaign to make St. George's Day not only as recognised as St. Patricks Day but also to get official recognition in the form of a public holiday.

David Blunkett, the former home secretary, has spoken out to encourage the English not to be "apologetic about our history" and to be proud of the cultural mix and acceptance - forming "a new English identity for the modern age" and celebrating St George's Day in a positive manner on April 23rd.

David Blunkett wrote in The Guardian on 19/03/2005: "...how do we affirm our Englishness as part of being British in a new way?

By celebrating our culture, from the music of Vaughan Williams and Elgar to the poetry of Christina Rossetti, Wilfred Owen and Philip Larkin and the quintessentially English humour of Tony Hancock, Round the Horne and Monty Python; by celebrating our landscape, our heritage of Victorian cities, our history..."St George's Day can be a way of reconnecting Britain's diverse community with national history, giving people of all backgrounds a sense of Englishness and confidence in identity.

I remain a confused Englishman in the USA........Dont worry I get the Camera back sometime this week.....

(no this is not a picture of me....)

What to do without a digital camera. (Friday)
Well after Tim dropped the small Nikon digital camera at Tennis last week,and it being in the repair shop and my D70 in the shop for cleaning what is there to do .
Well to be honest it is hard.
Friday Morning and was awakened by am amazing storm at 5.45am. Rain pounding at the window and Thunder and lightening blasting for two hours or so.
At one point I could't even see the the gas light or trees in the front garden.
The wind was so strong the trees were bending over. The wind eased and the Thunder and lightening increased continous and intense and far too captivating to not watch so I sat on the front Porch watching it. When it eased off it was already getting light. In the back garden all the metal tables and chairs were on their side as was the cactus in its pot.
Three trees in the neigbhourhood had snapped in half and at Tim's Tennis one of the large spotlights had been blown over. The wind was very selective in what it impacted. I went for a bike ride around the area as the sun came out and before starting work. I've been out on the mountain bike every morning and evening these last few weeks in an attempt to keep fit. Mountain bike in Houston gives a bit of a wrong impression but I do go cross country a little bit where a few little hills or bumps add that air of risk and exhiloration. (OK your not convinced ...but at least I get out)...
(Saturday)
I'm currently sitting at the wrought iron table on the front porch eating toast, frustrated that I left the tea unmade in the kitchen and that I'm going to have to get up again to get it. It's a hot sunny day, and I'm thankful that the porch faces North it is bearable to sit out on, the tables in the back garden are in full sun and far to hot to sit at.
Im listening to the BBC on the computer whilst I type this. (no photos today). Hope to get the cameras back early this week.
I'm watching a small woodpecker pecking and foraging for insects on the trees at the front. The bright red Cardinal is still around, singing from the trees and rooftops. No doubt he is thankful for his freedom from being trapped in our house the other weekend, and unaware of the effort expended in trying to give back its freedom. I hear Sparrows and the Mocking bird wooshes past to land on the gutters on the porch, then back again onto the gas light, always busy.
On one of the mosquito screens on the windows a black wasp has started making a nest. Whilst on a conference call this last week I watched as he looked for what seemed to be a perfect spot in the middle of the screen.
He started by placing a damp mud spot high up then three others strategically in places below each about 2 t0 3 inches apart. Then the 4th spot , by each visit started to get bigger, yet each return visit started at the first mud spot then he'd work his way down to the 4th spot where he added more mud to make the nest. He had made himself reference points or markers to guide him. My conference call was very interesting , im sure, but the wasp captivating to watch.

Hazel is out at a baby shower, never a missed opportunity to socialize. I never understood baby showers and why they wash the baby before its born, or is it that they shower the baby with gifts....Neither, I feel but more like grown adult women, eating, drinking and playing silly games, that I'm sure any baby would be totally embarrased to have been attending, so just as well they hold these things before the birth.
Jon headed off to work at 7.30am, with non matching scrubs for the animal clinic, and Tim has just made me a cup of tea with whipped cream on it and Kaily filmed me drinking it whilst I was getting cream all over my face. Interesting concept , tea with whipped cream..
Anyway that's it for now. Other exciting things for the day ahead? Well, probably clearing up in anticipation of Helen's visit from the UK on Wednesday. Thursday we head of for the Cruise to celebrate Jonathans 18th birthday. He intends to have a cocktail on the beach in Mexico, 'Sex on the beach' with his Mother and Aunt. go tell your friends about that Jonathan......We wil return on the Monday where Helen will spend the week with us, likely recovering from sea sickness and alchohol poisoning.
The following weekend Hazel goes away for her Club Med Travel Course ( right !). Helen returns to the UK on the Sunday and I will be heading out to a 3 day Management Course in Kansas City. Oh joy...
Other events....Seems it is the Queens birthday celebrations in the UK and Sunday is St Georges day...should I get the flag out and hang it from the porch?

Creative energy...Timothy is becoming a film director....
He has had the video camera out all weekend. So far we have re inactments of Dr.Who and what I can only assume is his attempt at capturing life at the Strouds.
I think Dr. Who comes as a close second as the scary fiming.















He also spend some of the day on Hazels computer, looking at my film edited creations of family friends and other stuff...










On Saturday evening, Tim and I went to See the Semi finals of the US Mens Clay Court Championships. Tim won the tickets at last weeks tennis event.
His hero Andy Roddick was knocked out by Hass the day before so the event was not going to be as exciting as he origionally hoped.
We arrived at the West side Tennis Club around 6.00pm, before the crowds. Trying to compare faces in the brochure to players walking around.














The Singles Match between Tommy Haas and Fisher was being televised on the Tennis channel.














All started well with what looked like it could be a good match.






























Hass started losing points and games were all too easily being won by Fisher.

Soon Haas had to retire from the match as his right hand was hurting him and obviously it was effecting his game.

Following the singles was a doubles match and that ended in 2 straight sets.

The event was an interesting insight to Tennis 'USA style'.

My last Professional Tennis watching experience was Center Court at Wimbledon with Nana Ruth where I saw Pete Samprass slaughter his opponant.
From what I remember the atmosphere was one of serene respect, you could feel the tension the players were under, hear the balls being bashed across the court , the players breathing and the planes over head coming into land at Heathrow.

Once again the Americans excel themselves with Noise, and Commercials and drunk loud individuals thinking they were 'cool dudes'.
Each time the players took a break, music was played loud over the intercom, ' We are the Champions' and they even played the repetative music from Baseball at one point.
Am I just to English or just getting old maybe....

Soon we'll have Professional Tennis Cheer Leaders and Fireworks when each set is one.

Even Tim's Tennis Tornament matches there is still an air of refinement or more like fear of making any noise, I guess to show respect for the young players with the occasional clapping and words of congratulations on winning a well deserved point allowed without the ref' telling anyone off.

The US professional match was in a way a bit like going to a football match with a load of drunk holigans with Mr Mouth and his friends sitting behind us all with bucket sized Maragrita in hand.
They then spotted, and called down to some good looking woman they knew several seats in front of us, who stood up and turned around did a little dance for us all, also with a bucket sized Margarita in her hand. Now the tennis was becoming a secondary event for me.

Tim already on form with the people calling our 'Go Fish'. Started calling back to them 'why not Go home'..... I tempered his enthusiasm for responding to people calling out.

Half way through the second match the young trim woman , wearing a T-shirt with the words "What Boyfriend" embrioderd in glitter across her chest, made it up to the the seats behind us, to meet her 'soul mate'.

Mr Mouth behind us says to the lady "take a seat" Timothy looks round says in a not to quiet voice...."...why not take a hike...".
Then gives me a look with a raised eye brow. What could I do, tell him off for being so rude?

Well maybe I failed in my fatherly duty but I gave him a high five. 'Go boy!'



Was a moment I'll cherish for a long time..






The evening ended with a long wait for the shuttle bus to take us back to the car but Tim did get his US Champiionship ball autographed.

Hot Cross Bun day:

(Not my picture, but one posted to show what they used to and maybe should look like).

Hot cross buns are normally served during the Easter season, especially on Good Friday.
The white cross, baked into the bun, some cheat and use icing.





Progress.!..Hot Cross Buns purchased with covering of icing. (also this icing carefully disguising the cross. Maybe a politicallly correct approach...)

I tried toasting them....the icing was a bad idea but the buns tasted almost like I remembered from years ago..


I remember my Dad always used to go purchase hot cross buns at Easter, not unlike the ones in the top picture. We ate them cut in half, toasted them and covered in real butter that would melt on the toasted bun.

Those sort of things stick with one as special memories, and so the traditions goes on, yet the time and place dictate that nothing is quite the same as the memories one holds.

Those changes continue as what we everything we call progress impacts our daily life.

Political correctness also hits again.
The Oaks Primary School in Ipswich in the United Kingdom banned traditional hot cross buns for fear the religious symbol drawn on the top of each roll might offend some students.

Maybe people need to understand the traditions rather than changing everything in an attempt to protect individuals from their over sensitive uninformed and non accepting attitudes.

Some Easter facts ....

To Christians hot cross buns symbolise the cross that Jesus was crucified on and it is traditional to eat them on Good Friday, the anniversary of his death.

The Saxons ate buns marked with a cross and it is thought the bun represented the moon and the cross the moon's four quarters. (was a full moon yesterday).

One superstition is that hot cross buns baked on Good Friday would last a year without going mouldy.

Hardened buns have been used as a lucky charm to protect homes from fire.

Hot cross buns and Easter are also connected with seafaring superstition: sailors took hardened buns to sea to protect them from shipwreck and many fishermen will not go to sea to catch fish on Good Friday.

The Hot Cross buns that Dad got from the shops at Tattenham Corner on Epsom Downs went well with a cup of tea in the morning, just before scoffing all the Easter Eggs from the Easter bunny.

The Easter Bunny evolved from pagan times when the hare was a powerful symbol of fertility and the new life of the spring season.

The first documented use of the bunny as a symbol of Easter appears in Germany in the 1500s; although the actual matching of the holiday and the hare was probably a much earlier folk tradition.

It was also the Germans who made the first edible Easter Bunnies in the 1800s. Interesting fact but I believe bunnies in 'Bunny Stew' goes back much further, and you don't have to wait until Easter for that either. (Very nice with a beer based gravy).

The bunny's association with Easter, having originated from 16th century is rooted in German folk lore where children were promised that the Easter Hare would bring them eggs on Easter Day if they were good.
Never really bothered me about bunnys and the association with eggs and doesn't seem to have effected me too badly, but surely in todays politically correct world, maybe people should worry about that.... The implication of bunnies laying eggs and handing them over to Childern could severely damage their education. (was that subliminally why I sucked at Maths, and spelling? I really wonder now !).

So when was the last indulgance? As with all good Christians it was surely on Pancake day. (Mardi Gras), Shrove Tuesday the day before 40 day fasting in the desert, whatever you call it or whatever it means to you.

Or was the last indulgence one of many bars of chocolate consumed over the last few weeks?
Or the 20 or so small packets of chocolates I consumed whilst stuck in traffic, frustrated, travelling back from downtown Houston Thursday.

So is eating Hot Cross Buns really a traditional way to start up once again indulging in eating bad food again, to get back on track, close out that fasting from tasty sweets, candies and other foods..?

Is anything special like it used to be ? I guess the world is changing and I'm just getting older.

Everything available all the time and shops open 24/7 begin to make averything easy and bland all at the same time.

Sunday and ....another Tennis day of the worst kind. The get up at 6.00am kind for an 8.00am match miles away.
Got there early in fact. First on the courts in fact at a cool 7.15am...No traffic on the roads. All the good people getting ready for Church.










I warmed Tim up for Tennis. Nothing like yesterday's approach with Kaily.
This was Dad on the tennis court, an awesome sight. . . (or was that aweful ..he said?).

In fact I got a lot of compliments from Tim for the warm up game, and I had a good time.

I gave him the run around and it paid off with him actualy being awake for his game, which he won.

See the fear in his eyes? Or is the a litle bit of sleepy dust?

The second match later that morning he lost and in a desperate attempt to get over the loss, Timothy went for a haircut and tried various disguises , so not to be recognised.

The rest of the after noon was spend clearing out the garage, getting Tim to clean out the game room. (It now looks like a room and not a collection of items after a particularly violent burgulary) . Jon worked Hazel did more of her Global Travel Agency stuff and then Finally when Jon finished work we headed out for Sushi, and ended up at a Mexican Restaurant. ( Sushi place closed Sundays it seems).

In celebration of my pending birthday I had a very large Margarita and tried to get Jonathan to believe Hazel and my wedding anniversay on Tuesday was for 16 years not 19, with him being 18 on the 29th I thought this might phase him a little.

He seemingly not good at Math took a good 15 minutes before what I was saying actually sunk in), the news that he was an illegitimate son of Saddam Hussein sort of woke him up and brought him back into the conversation. I guess he was just tired after working....

However, he did ask us to please tell him that he was adopted. Sorry Son your mine , but I can't tell you who the mother is.

Saturday Tennis and Revenge of 'One Bird Power Line'?.
An interesting Mix of events today. Tim's Tennis some a mixture of interaction with Timothy and Kaily and Texas wildlife in and out of the house. Jon called and left me a message whilst we were all eating DAD you need to get home NOW !(see below).

So many weekends are tied up with Timothy's Tennis. Although I love to support Tim in his tennis, but sitting down on my bum all day stressing out over shots not resulting in a point for Tim, is just not good for my heart rate. Emotions and feelings from 'Good shot Tim', to 'what was he thinking' to 'yes he's going to win' through to 'what went wrong there'.
I have learned not to glue myself to the seat, intently watching the game, whilst munching my way through Timothy's energy snacks. The closer the scores between the opponents, the more I scoffed those snacks, getting full of energy but doing nothing myself.
I now balance watching the game which is always full of great rallys and close scores to walking around, or talking to other parents. Taking photos, yes sometimes of the game, or reading a book.
I'm still finishing off a book I started in January when in the UK, slow reader, easily distracted best describes me.
Today I was joined by Hazel and Timothys friend Kaily from next door.
Timothy warmed up with Kaily's help today.

A great gymnast Kaily seemed to be helping Timothy warm up by using with some very new and interesting techniques for warming up for his Match.

Here is my interpretation of what I believe was going on.


All good sporting events in the US start Before warming Timothy up for the pending Match against the Number 2 seed they dedicate themselves to the upcoming activities.








Kaily attempts various tree poses whilst allowing Timothy to hit balls at her.
Not sure how effective this kind of training is but Timothy seemed to be enjoying the challenge although he never hit his target.













The next technique seemed to be incorporating the fine balance that ballet can bring to the game of tennis.










However something Timothy found more satisfying was reverting back to the previous technique of just hitting balls at Kaily ?











One final attempt to get Timothy moving I believe this is the synchonized dancing. Maybe the Cha Cha, or the Jive.....












Announcing the score during the game is very imporant but for spectators it is not always easy to hear so Kaily I believe here is teaching Timothy the are of Semaphore.

40 all - Deuce....

Yes Timothy your Match is going to be on the court right over there.

You'll have to get in the car and drive there.

Texas is a big place and this was at a big school. We drove to the other courts.
It was flat and the wind strong.

So let the game commence...


Love watching you Timothy, but sometimes we all need to stretch our legs. and what better place than to stroll along to the nearest drainage pipe.

So what was the score ...?

Oh look a biplane......

The ladies returned to watch Tim and I took that as an opportunity to explore the drainage ditch and dried out lake, (or retention pond).

After Tennis (and Tims next Match is consellation 8.00am somewhere miles away), we went to eat at Clays.

I love the location and in a cool evening it is a great place to relax and sit outside with plenty to watch and see for the kids.

I

It was whilst we were at Clays that Jonathan called..DAD you need to get home NOW ! Seems that a Bright Red Cardinal had gotten into the house. Probably via the Chimney. It was scared and sittng the highest most unreachable window in the house. Several techniques were needed. A couple of question to Jonathan as I drove back to sort this out. Has it shit everywhere? and did it sneeze?....Ok no to both . House clean and the bird does not have flu. Whats the panic then Jon.....

First challenge was to get the window locks undone without scaring the bird any more than it was. The window the hight of second floor and ladders reachto first floor.

Once the locks were undone it was a matter of getting the window open and the screens off. That was a job to be tackled from the roof.

There was no way this bird would use the door.

Once that was done just a matter of luring the bird back to the window.

My kids take after me I guess. Not a moment to be missed everything has to be captured.

Timothy seen here on the ladder captunig the moment on video......:-) Hes not really that tall . He is on the ladder..

Jon now also on the roof managed to get a great shot of the bird gracefully flying away.

It is a great view from there as Timothy and Kaily also thought...