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The question is asked in White Christmas, “What does a retired general do?” The same sort of question can be asked of the estates of former aristocrats. Most people of the 21st century have scarce knowledge of the feudal system of economics and government which existed in Europe from about 500 AD to 1500 AD […]
Read MoreChange of Plans 2–London
After arriving in England, I learn that a former boarder of ours has moved to London from Hong Kong. Toby lived with us for his final year at Portland Christian High School. He moved with us from one address to another as 2015 turned to 2016. Plans are to meet in London on May 28th–last […]
Read MoreJune 10th/10th of June
If you visit the United Kingdom for any length of time, you must relearn how to express a date. Take a birth date, for instance. Written with numbers in America, it would look like this: 06/10/76. In Britain, it appears as 10/06/76. It is so easy to say, “Just keep in mind that the numbers […]
Read MoreRoundabout
When visiting England, one of the first things to learn is where to sit in a car. The front passenger seat is not on the right but on the left. When turning left, the turn occurs immediately; the street is not crossed first before the actual turn is made. This left-right difference is easy to […]
Read More80 Years Since….
Disabled as he is, Rick spends his days at home in front of his screen, working at his computer or watching TV. When he is in TV mode, it often is the daily news that holds his attention. I don’t sit down to watch the news, but I hear it as I pass by. Last […]
Read MoreAt the YWP
This week, we again visited the Yorkshire Wildlife Park. My fourth post (1.4.25) focused on the cold temperatures of that first visit on December 30th. This time the weather was gloriously comfortable! And the focus will be on the animals. YWP is home to some 400 animals of 70 different species. Many of them are […]
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World Famous Sites
At 6:30 last Tuesday morning, we headed southwest to Stonehenge! The five and a half hour drive included 90 minutes of slow-downs due to a stalled truck, road construction, and rush hour traffic here and there. Stonehenge sets on the Salisbury Plain, which is “a chalk plateau in southern England covering 300 square miles.” Not only does […]
Read MoreHallelujah!
After the cold, gray, dreary months of winter, folks often declare that spring–with its increasing warmth, bursting color, and new growth—is their favorite season. It all heralds the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, who of His own power overcame the stranglehold of death and returned to life–speaking, eating, drinking, teaching. As we enter Easter weekend, consider […]
Read MoreRick’s Birds of Britain
Kat and Rick are well suited for each other in many ways. For one, they are collectors. Before college, Katie collected all the Mandy books and, later, all the Star Trek films and TV series. Rick has collected planes, trains, and small woodland animals. Together they have collected the figurines of more than 140 birds […]
Read MoreCat Walk
This is Bella, Kat’s cat. She has been part of the Dodge household for three years. Whenever she condescends to leave her sleeping place and come into our presence, she provides live entertainment that is better than anything on TV: from scratching her kitty post to gazing out the window to suddenly jumping up and […]
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