11. Back Home: Autumn

Sunday 27 October.  7:53 a.m. GMT (time changed last night).

Back from Ireland.  Everyone is on penicillin as we return from Ireland. The time changed on Sunday.  Windy.   Dreamt last night I had to go to Hawaii.  Was it a wedding or a funeral?  In Cork I dreamt I had to do something for Jon at the bank right now, nevertheless I didn't.

Monday 28 October.  11:20 a.m.

Thomas: "Yes I are."  "Yabody" (Everybody).  "Jus leave me lone."  "Chose" (Clothes).  Add to this, the young boy sniffing his way into bathrooms, like a rabbit, to make sure it doesn't stink and make him gag.  Sunrise Monday: 6:46 AM, sunset: 4: 42 PM.

Wednesday 30 October.  Cathy to cooking class on Tuesday.   Thomas' siren:  "Nee non C ooooo.  Nee non ooo oo." 

Wednesday, Cathy and I go to St. Edmunds for a rugby game at Ware, the school that had looked so great back when we were looking at schools. It is very nice though we are happy enough with St. Johns. The game is canceled, it's too wet. We have pizza afterwards in Cambridge. Jeffrey almost gets run over crossing the street to 31 Flavors.  He runs the wrong way across, then realizes his mistake and runs back without looking!  The leaves are almost gone.  There is a big difference from before Ireland.  London trees have more leaves.  The pheasants seemed to thin, now are back in force.

Thursday 31 October.  On a grey day with some mist, Cathy, Thomas and I board the 9:01 train to London to see the State Opening of Parliament. There is a good parade.  We are close to the carriages and horse guards and have a good view of the Queen, Charles and Diana.  We see the return as well an hour and a half later after a quick visit to the National Portrait Gallery.  Later we stroll through the Burlington Arcade and visit the Italian Tourist Bureau.  We finish with tea at Brown's and return on the 4:32 train.  Cathy and I split up (train and car), but both get to St. John's at 5:50.  We see no trick-or-treaters on our return from St. John's and in the evening there are no trick-or-treaters at our door.  The children are dying to go. I say that if anybody comes to us you can go to them. Robert has a splendid devil face makeup, eyeballs, teeth and horns, but washes it off after a while as we have no visitors.

The Opening of Parliament Parade

Tea at Brown's;
Watching the Parade

Getting Ready for Halloween

9:10 a.m.  Train to London.  The train makes a wind that rushes aside and stirs up the leaves that rush by the train windows.

 Everyone waiting for the 9:15 train.  It's £6 cheaper with the travel card.

 Birds on ponds, including swans.  It is a grey day, breezy.  Noisy car.

 Friday, 1 November.  Cathy and I see "An Inspector Calls" by J. B. Priestly in Clavering in the evening.  We are too late to enjoy the pre-theatre atmosphere, drinks around the table and open bar.  We enjoy the play, it's well done. Robert babysits.

 Saturday 2 November.  I take Robert to school in Cambridge and stay in town until he gets out, I walking around and taking pictures.   After school, Robert and Jeffrey begin taking golf lessons in Saffron Walden.  In the evening we walk down to the Anglo American Playing Fields in town and go to the carnival.  Afterwards we watch the Guy Fawkes fireworks. There is a big bonfire and Guy's eyes glow at the top.  We have hot dogs and return home.  It is a fun evening.  Robert spends too much as always on the shooting games, but he does do well.

Guy Fawkes Festivities

The Carnival;
Sunday Outing

8:30 a.m. Sitting in the van after taking Robert to school.  Cloudy and breezy. 

When we all say grace, Thomas chants along, "Jesus died!" above the prayer.  We think it cute, but he does have the message!

The trees are very lovely on the way to Cambridge and particularly in Cambridge.  Even the many trees that have lost all their leaves: naked branches present a striking picture with their stark patterns of branches contrasted against the sky.

 Things to report on that I have not mentioned:

 ·         rugby fields with what look like old fashioned American goal posts (shaped like a capital H).

·         Walkers!
·         Hedges.
·         Radio report on controversy over product called, "I can't believe it's not butter."  Academic reports that the Americans are much more literal than the British.  Americans are direct, the British are indirect, and the latter read more in between the lines.  Cathy asked last night about the British sense of humor, and perhaps this is what is different.
·         Seasonal variations of the fields: straw colored at harvest (August), black with burnt left overs after harvest, brown when ploughed, green now with new crop.  Harvest Sunday at church was sometime in October before the 20th.
·         Different English accents, the Queen's very minimal.
·         Flashing headlights to another driver facing head on means come on by.  In France on the Motorway from behind: Get out of my way!
·         Cars have dim fog lights (sometimes in the headlamp, sometimes as 1/2 of the directional lamp, half orange and half white.).
·         L signs for learner drivers.

Sunday, 3 November.  We visit Montfitchet Castle and Toy Museum with Gemma, our next door neighbor and Mara's friend.