Helen Chick
Yes, yes, let’s talk about the weather: It was about 4°C when I cycled to work this morning (and it was drizzling), so I was rugged up in just about everything warm and waterproof. It will probably get to about 7°C outside, although it should warm up again towards the end of the week. However, it is doubly concerning when Hobart’s overnight minimum temperature last Sunday night was about the same as my office’s current temperature (16°C). It’s strange how 16°, as a number, doesn’t suggest that it’s all that cold … but although I’m not exactly shivering I think I need to go and work in the library before I turn purple.
And another reason for not having shared offices: I needed a 15 minute powernap yesterday. This is a well-established productivity-enhancing activity … but just a tad awkward in a shared office, even if you don’t snore. 🙂
Gunpowder, treason and plot: November 5 was Guy Fawkes night but somehow folks have managed to make the fireworks last all week … and then some. Yes, they are still allowed to have fireworks in the UK. I’m not sure how many people know the story in any detail beyond “Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament” … but then I never had any idea why we had Empire Day on May 24. It was just an excuse to let off crackers and light sparklers.
Remembrance Day: In Australia the ANZAC day commemorations seem to have become our significant war remembrance event, and November 11 is less acknowledged. Maybe this is just because I can recall having Remembrance Day activities at primary school, but it has not really been a part of my adult life, whereas ANZAC day has become, if anything, more conspicuous than it was in my childhood (even though I don’t do anything particular). Here, however, recognition of Remembrance Day is very noticeable, with poppies having been worn for at least a couple of weeks and services (both church and military) having been conducted before the day itself (the Sunday before seems to be designated for that purpose). Of course, the World Wars had a much greater influence on the national psyche here, I suppose, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are very much in the public mind.
7°C sounded nice (to me) as an overnight temp – didn’t realise it was your daily high!!!
I don’t even recall a thing called Empire Day.
Growing up in Canberra, we always did Guy Fawkes on the Queen’s Bday weekend in June…
ANZAC was always the bigger one for me, mainly cos Dad marched (still does) and so we went in to ANZAC Parade and supported he & the other Vets.
We did always stop for the minute silence for Rememberance Day in primary, but it was hit and miss through high school, and that always irked me a bit. I’d be counting down the minutes – not wanting to show disrespect – and then class sometimes continued as though it were any other day.
Took my minute this morning.
Good luck with the power napping!
Spare a thought for the Adelaide Mob; a max of 39 forecast for today – their third consecutive day above thirty, for the second time already this month! Hobart is a very pleasant low to mid twenties which is much more civilised after our 32 on Monday. Swimming today was not the usual masochistic exercise for which I am truly thanhful.