Shark in the streets...

This article about a shark swimming in the streets of an Australian city is written lightly, but it seems to me it's rather horrific. It also seems quite possible to me that the shark was attracted by the butcher's shop.

Towton..

This article about the Battle of Towton is interesting; and this paragraph struck me as a good example of the way journalists view history:

In Shakespeare’s cycle of eight plays, the story of the Wars of the Roses is told as an epic drama. In reality it was a messy series of civil wars—an on-again, off-again conflict pitting supporters of the ruling Lancastrian monarchy against backers of the house of York.

My first thought was: "What's the difference between an epic drama and a a messy series of civil wars?" Obviously, in the point of view: the difference between the point of view of a dramatist, and the point of view of a journalist who tends, as they all do, to denigrate the past by portraying it in unflattering terms, like the fashions of the last generation.

Seems to me that for the pwople at Towton, the battle was neither 'epic' nor 'messy' but part of the ongoing struggle that life foisted upon them - possibly both epic and messy, and many other things besides.

Fear...

Never, never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society's punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way. - Martin Luther King, Jr, 1929 - 1968

The Palace of Tarquinius Superbus...

They're excavating it! They found it!

This is so very cool.

Grocery expedition...

I gathered my courage and went to the grocery store despite the bitterly cold weather. I could probably have scrounged together supper without buying anything more, but I had this plan in mind to make moussaka for supper tomorrow. So I put on my winter walking gear - down-filled leggings under down-filled coat, feeling like those cute little kids in the playground these days, in their oh-so-cute purple or pink snowsuits that make them all look like baby Pillsbury dough-boys.

It says something about how cold it is today that I wasn't hot, even indoors, in all those layers of clothes. The sun was bright and the sky clear all day. One of those classic January days, where I always wonder how bright sunshine can be so bitterly cold.

I read somewhere recently that it's good for the health to go out every day in winter, whatever the weather. And I wondered why. I'm not sure whether to put it to the test, or stay home cosy when I can... while I can.

I took the wonderful cart that maaseru gave me last year, when I couldn't carry things because of my smashed-up arm. Mostly I use it for laundry and, occasionally, moving books - but I discovered today that it really does work wonders in carrying groceries, too. And it manouvres well on snow.

The gentleman at the meat counter said they were all out of ground lamb, and I believed him - until I discovered three packages hidden under the chops. Perfect for my moussaka. I am almost drooling in anticipation already.

Dreamwidth Friday Five... even though it's Monday...

( The Dreamwidth Friday Five )

The grocery bill...

While checking what I spent on groceries today, I was looking over my sales receipt. You know how they list abbreviations for certain foods? I thought I was buying multigrain crackers; turns out it's "organic crack".

This amuses me mightily, and will make them all the more fun to eat.

Coloured light...

An excellent (and satisfying) meeting this evening with Lisa and Lynne.

During the course of our conversation, I had a symbolic mental image of my life as a beautiful multifaceted rose window.