Happy Birthday to my aunt, Jennifer

Tourists!

You'd think that, having grown-up in Miami - tourist Mecca of the southern US, I'd have grown a tolerance for the idiocy of the tourist. Doe people leave their intelligence and their manners at home when they travel? Today's rant is brought to you by the Polish tourists that irked me at the hotel this weekend.

I didn’t want to spoil the reports of the lovely weekend by complaining about the idiotourists who shared the hotel this weekend. I first got the idea that they were going to be a problem as I checked into my room on Friday afternoon. The couple was standing in the middle of the lobby smoking. Now, normally, this would not be a problem for me. I am not one of those militant ex-smokers who think everyone should quit.

It was more annoying that they were standing in the middle of a traffic area obstructing the passage of the other guests of the hotel through the lobby, than that they were disobeying the law by smoking in an enclosed public space. As of 01 July 2007, it is illegal to smoke inside an enclosed public space. Why they chose to ignore that, I do not know.

They really got my goat on Saturday morning, however, when I went to breakfast in the hotel restaurant. The restaurant had a breakfast buffet set-up with the breads at one end of a long table, cereals and fruit in another area and hot "Traditional English Breakfast" foods at the opposite end.

I arrived to see the bread baskets were empty so I asked one of the restaurant staff (behind the buffet table) if they could put out some more bread rolls. I was told they would and she walked off to get them. So I stood there, plate and tongs in hand, waiting for the woman to return.

"Are you going to go?" asked the voice to my right, displaying what I took to be more than a trace of annoyance.

"Yes, they’re getting more rolls." I responded, indicating the returning restaurant employee with the bread baskets.

"Then do you mind if I start?" she (the rude tourist) asked.

I looked around at the tables spread around the end of the room. "Not at all, please do." I started reaching for a roll when the basket came. For reasons I cannot begin to fathom, the woman decided to push her way past me between the table and the tongs, knocking my hand out of the way rudely in the process.

Why she felt it necessary to walk along the curve of the elbow in the tables rather than just stepping directly to the foods she wanted further along, I will never know. I helped myself to a roll and stepped along the curve to where the preserves were and helped myself to some marmalade, drawing an acid glance from the tourist in the process even though I was in no way impeding her progress as she piled half-a-dozen fried eggs and as many sausages onto her plate.

Ah! Well, no need to allow the tourists to spoil my day!

I hope that wherever you are today, you're having a great day!

Don Bergquist - 30 July 2007 - Thames Ditton, Surrey, UK

Day Of Rest

Ah! Well, at least I was right! I overdid it yesterday!

All that walking was not good on my bad knee! I hardly slept last night because of the pain. I forgot to pack my Naproxen Sodium. So I tossed and turned in the hotel all night. Oh well!

This morning, Pieter and I had breakfast and then I saw him off and made my way home. Saga was glad to have her Daddy home. Although she loves visiting her friends (I owe huge thanks to my friend Elaine and her family for watching Saga whilst I was away), she loves having her Daddy to fawn over her. I think she intentionally plays-up the "you left me behind" guilt to make me give her cookies!

It was a lovely weekend. I have some other friends who came into town yesterday that I hope to get together with tonight so I am spending the day reading the papers in the back garden. Relaxing and recharging my batteries is the plan for the day!

Wherever you are today, I hope that you have a very relaxing day!

Don Bergquist - 29 July 2007 - Thames Ditton, Surrey, UK

Saturday in London

I could not have asked for a better day to visit Central London with my friend, Pieter. The weather was lovely, just enough cloud cover to make the sky photographically interesting, but not threatening. Cool enough to be comfortable but warm enough not to need too many layers.

I've been to Central London a number of times with Colleagues and Friends who are visiting and it never seems to be the same. This time, there was a temporary display of art made from lava rocks and water. (There are pictures of it at the link above.)

We also took in a show at the Tate Modern gallery. (They had a wonderful retrospective of the works of Salvador Dali!) This picture of the domes of Saint Paul's cathedral was taken from in the front of the Tate Modern. I love the juxtaposition of the ancient cathedral with the modern skyline which is so new it is still under construction.

After the show and the walk, we crossed the Millennium Bridge and made our way back toward the hotel. I paused to take this picture from a point of view that few people stop to notice. The lines of the bridge passing over the supports, I though, were interesting. The obelisk that you see is a time-line of British invention. This was not an easy shot to get! I wanted to get a picture without people in it. Unfortunately, owing to how nice the day way, the walk along the river was bustling and I had to stay ready to snap. There are actually people just out of shot on both sides of the frame.

The gardens of Central London were in bloom, there was interesting art and buskers to enjoy on a walk along the Thames. It is surprising where to find things to look at when you are walking along the Thames. There are little niche gardens tucked into hidden little corners along the walk. I found these lilies in a lovely little garden tucked into an alcove along the river by the Blackfriars Tube station.

It was a lovely day, but I walked to much. My tricky knee is going to hurt tomorrow!

Wherever you are today, I hope you've had a day you can enjoy!

Don Bergquist - 28 July 2007 - London, England, UK

What A Difference

The weather today looks promising! The day dawned blue and clear. The skies are beautiful. That's a good thing. I have friends visiting the UK this weekend and I was worried that they would get here to the rain and cold that we have had.

Well, I need to cut this short today. I am taking off early to meet a friend and act as tour guide to London. I hope to see some things that I have never seen too! I've gotten a list of walks to take in Central London. We'll see what interesting stuff there is to see.

Wherever you are today, I hope you're feeling well and that you have a great day!

Don Bergquist - 27 July 2007 - Thames Ditton, Surrey, UK

Under The Weather

Perhaps it is because the weather has been so crappy lately, perhaps it is because of the stress that I am under (a story for another time), maybe it is just that I need to take a day and sleep. Whatever the reason, I am feeling truly under the weather today.

I awoke to a headache and light-headedness. I thought after a cup of coffee and a bowl of cereal I would get to feeling better and get with the program, but having eaten and headed into the office I felt no better. So, after a few hours at the office, I returned home to take a nap. I then slept for six hours uninterrupted.

It's now early evening and I feel a lot better. The weather is still crap, but you can't have everything. I think I am going to eat something, walk the dog and go to bed. Good night!

Wherever you are today, I hope you're feeling well!

Don Bergquist - 26 July 2007 - Thames Ditton, Surrey, UK

Head Above Water

Try, try, try I'm holding on, holding my
Head above water
It's so hard to keep my Head Above Water

Despite what Hall and Oates have to say about the subject, it is pretty easy to do here in Thames Ditton. In response to the emails and calls I have received from a number off you, I wanted to write in my blog that yes, I am okay, and still high and dry.

Sure there has been a lot of rain and I have been unable to ride as much as I would have liked to, but the area that I live in is not one of those that you have heard about in the news. Most of that rain is over in the west country, Cheddar, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Wales, etc.

Granted, the very name of my village: "Thames Ditton" means "Low-Lying Wetland on the Thames" but we're doing okay right now. Farm Island (which I understand has historically taken some pretty bad hits in flooding time) is still high and dry, relatively speaking. This picture was taken this morning.

A few of the home owners over there have been inserting the barrier doors into their flood walls, but most that I can see haven't. Checking this morning, there is still about four or six inches before the green at the end of the bridge goes under.

Ye Olde Swann, on the other hand, is not in as good shape. Their dining wharf (usually on the river) is now a part of the river. But even this is a misleading photo. Sure, their dock is under four inches of water, but that wall you see, is topped by their parking lot. They have feet to go before anyone gets their tootsies wet in the Swann!

Harris Corporation is faring well, the entry to the building is about five feet higher than the car park at the Swann; the first thing to go at the office would be the cycle hut where I park my bike each morning. But even that is three feet-or-more over the current river level.

The Villa, being a quarter-mile further inland, is far from being in any direct peril. All this could, of course change, as the flooding of the previous weeks makes its way down the Thames and the predicted rains of this week take their toll.

Wherever you are today, I hope you’re high and dry and happy!

Don Bergquist - 25 July 2007 - Thames Ditton, Surrey, UK

Head Above Water
by
Hall & Oates

Oceans emotions yeah we all feel the same
Afraid of undertow and great tidal wave
may go under many hundred of times
keep on kickin', baby throw me a line
C.C. Sick, Mai de Mer
Try, try, try I'm holding on, holding my
Head above water
It's so hard to keep my Head Above Water

No never envy the big fish in da Pond
It's deep and dark when all the surface is gone
My kind of humor kind of keeping me dry
On the horizon, water touches the sky
C. C. Sick, Mal de Mer
Try, try, try I'm holding on, holding my
Head Above Water
It's so hard to keep my Head Above Water.

The Prospects Are Looking Up…

After the wet weather lingered this morning, the prospects are looking up. The clouds were breaking as I was getting ready for work. Since it looks promising, I think I'll leave early and take the long way in.

It would be nice to be able to take my time, but we have a huge release going out the door this week and I have a lot of testing to get through so I still want to get in as close to on-time as possible. So I had best post this and get moving.

Wherever you are today, I hope you'll have a great day!

Don Bergquist - 24 July 2007 - Thames Ditton, Surrey, UK

Monday, Monday

The Mama's and the Papas were right! Mondays suck.

Well, okay, they really didn't say just that. But you get the idea. After what was a bit of a wet and miserable (weather-wise) weekend, we're in to a wet and miserable Monday morning.

The forecast is for continued rain and miserable weather. But that's okay. I have a pile of testing to do on my desk at the office. So at least I won’t have to deal with it.

Wherever you are today, I hope you'll have a good day, despite the fact that it is Monday!

Don Bergquist - 23 July 2007 - Thames Ditton, Surrey, UK

Molesey Regatta

Yesterday was the annual Regatta at Molesey.

I was first introduced to Molesey Regatta this time last year. It was a fun time (please see my posting of 15 July 2006) and I knew that I would have to make it back here this year for the Regatta even if I had gone home by now.

Well, I'm still here and this year could not be more different than this time last year. Last year we were in the grip of a severe drought and there were hosepipe bans. Afternoon temperatures were hovering around in the low thirties and there was no way I was going to leave on my light cloth summer coat.

This year it is pouring, we have flooding all over the place, and the temperatures struggle to reach into the twenties. The rain could not dampen the spirits of my friends and I. We were determined to have a good time at Regatta regardless.

Once again, Phil and Lucy hosted a wonderful pre-Regatta gathering at their house in East Molesey. We gathered around noon and had a few glasses of fizz while waiting for the cabs that would carry us to the park. The rains started just about the time the first of the cabs was due.

By the time we reached the Lunch Pavilion the rain was falling in earnest. The lunch, the same menu as last year, was very nice and the beverages were shared and enjoyed by all. In the brief breaks in the rain, we went down to the river to watch the races…

This was the winner of the first race. You can see that this guy trained all his life to win a Regatta. You've got to admire such determination. Sure, there were charges that he was taking performance-enhancing feed, but the charges ran off him like water off a duck's back.

A little later on we went back to the river to have another gander. This race was a much closer finish. One person was trying to challenge the finish results, but the judges called the guy a silly goose and told him to drop it.

After enjoying a rainy afternoon at the park, we all headed to Kevin's place for an after-regatta party. We all have a lovely time and I've already got it in my calendar: Third Weekend in July - Molesey Regatta!

I hope that wherever you are today, you're having a wonderful weekend!

Don Bergquist - 22 July 2007 - Thames Ditton, Surrey, UK

The Weekend Outlook

The outlook for the weekend is not very good. The BBC is suggesting that the weekend is likely to be a long, wet one. Right now it is lovely, but the skies are definitely threatening.

On my ride this morning, the temperatures were pleasant but it was a bit breezy. The skies were partly cloudy. The cloud cover was a lot thicker by the time I got back and got ready to leave for the Regatta. With all the rains and the flooding upstream, I'd be interested to see them actually boat this year. (As you may remember from this weekend last year, there are actually boar races at the Molesey Regatta.)

So, the weather looks like the Regatta may be a bit wet. And not just on the bottom of the boats. Look for pictures and reports tomorrow.

Wherever you are this weekend I hope the outlook is positive.

Don Bergquist - 21 July 2007 - Thames Ditton, Surrey, UK

Rainy Morning

This morning there is no guessing what awakened me before the alarm. It was the thunder. There was one thunderclap (that I heard) just before 04:40 that roused me. I was awake. I lay listening to the rain hitting the windows and the wind blowing the tree outside my window around.

It was a pleasant way to spend a few minutes before the clock came on and played the news on Radio Four. The good thing is that the garden needs the water. The bad thing is that Saga really hates the wet. She went downstairs anxious enough but had to be coaxed to actually go outside. She is spending the morning in the vestibule because she kept running right back inside.

The other upshot of the rain was that my ride in will be a bit wet. I think I will take the short, direct route into the office today. I hope the rain ends by tonight… Molesey Regatta is tomorrow!

Wherever you are today, I hope your day is lovely!

Don Bergquist - 20 July 2007 - Thames Ditton, Surrey, UK

The Rest Of The Story

"What kind of cloud is that?" she said.

"Where?" he said. I could view him leaning toward the glass of the train window, one hand shielding his eyes, like an Indian scanning the horizon in those old Cowboys and Indian films of the fifties and sixties.

"There!" she said, apparently pointing somewhere in the sky. "That long straight one."

I have to explain, I could not see them because they were sitting behind me. The train was crowded and I was sitting on the second row of backward-facing seats in the front of the train.

"What?" he said, apparently spotting what she meant "That one that is pointing toward the aeroplane and growing as the plane moves?"

"Yeah." She said. "That one."

"That's smoke coming out of the aeroplane's engines."

What!? Ah. They are definitely not the teachers I had thought they were earlier in the trip. Or at least they are not teachers of mechanics of meteorology. Were they mechanically inclined, they would have known that to leave that much smoke behind the plane would have to burn a hell of a lot of oil or would be really inefficient at burning its fuel. Besides, were it actually smoke coming out of the engine it would be visible coming out of the engine and not just as a trail that forms behind the plane.

Were they meteorologically inclined, they would have noted that contrails only form under certain conditions, generally when the air is cool and still. My understanding is that they are caused when a jet has gone through a patch of cold, still air and are formed by the difference in pressure that is caused either by the hot, high pressure jet exhaust suddenly expanding in the rarified atmosphere or by the sudden clash of pressures in the wake of the wings.

Were I a bit more gregarious (or if I wanted to let them know that I had been eavesdropping) I would have explained it. Oh well, they'll be blissful in their ignorance.

Wherever you are, I hope that you have a wonderful day!

Don Bergquist - 19 July 2007 - Thames Ditton, Surrey, UK

Conversation On A Train

It's not really practice to wantonly eavesdrop on people, although I have been known to use my fellow passengers on the train into London as a source for my blog. Last evening, however, there was no way to avoid it.

The train was fairly full as I boarded at Surbiton, and I got one of the few remaining seats left. It was a rear-facing seat right at the front of the train. There were 16 seats in the area of the train ahead of the first doors and all but two were full. I took one of the empty seats and the train pulled out of the station.

For a few minutes, the car was fairly quiet. The conversation started innocuously enough. It was a droning discussion of how she was going to San Francisco on vacation although she never went the same place twice. He was going to miss her, though not so much as to want her to cancel her trip.

From here, free-ranged onto the people she gossiped about, what his opinions of her as a manager was, her feelings about kiss-up employees, his belief that we were running late on the scheduled journey, and other un-fruitful grist for my column. I was intermittently listening to their conversation (possibly dozing) when she said. "None of the clouds looks like anything! Do you remember when you were a kid and all the clouds seemed to look like something or other?"

"Sure then do." He replied. "That one there, for instance, looks like a cat. Or perhaps it's a squid."

"Which one? Where?" She asked. I could picture her leaning over him to look out the window.

"Right there!" He said; I was picturing him pointing at some random point in the sky.

"What? That big triangle? Nah! That looks more like a dog. But look there! A whale!"

"I do believe you're right! That is certainly a whale."

Casually, I glanced out the window… aside from a randomly amassed collection of water vapors made visible by the condensation driven by the changes in pressures and enhanced by the late afternoon convection, I saw nothing. Nothing was up there but a bunch of clouds. (Though, to be honest, one of them did sort-of look like a carnival serving of cotton candy!)

Their game went on for a while punctuated periodically with comments from her or him such as "Can you believe it? Here we are, two adults, playing 'see things in the clouds' as if we were school children."

I was about to lose interest again when he said "Look, that one there!"

"Where?"

"There! It looks just like an aeroplane!"

"My yes, it does." She responded, chuckling. "Look how well defined it is! And how fast the wind is moving it."

This brought their game to an end. He was pointing at a jet coming into land at Heathrow about twenty miles away. It was fun while it lasted, but then the train pulled into the station and we went our separate ways. They'll probably never know how their innocent, childish game inspired me to write this article. To them (should they ever trip across this): Thank You! I enjoyed it!

Wherever you are today, I hope that you'll take time to notice the wonders around you with child-like abandon!

Don Bergquist - 19 July 2007 - Thames Ditton, Surrey, UK