Japan 2020 Part 2

The Olympics and Paralympics that never were would have been over by now but this little gem has just arrived from DownUnder. Issued by the Royal Australian Mint, this lovely Fifty Cent coin marks the Aussie national teams' participation. All being well- Covid permitting- late August next year the games will go ahead.

Watch Out (Part 2)

Keep an eye out for anyone sporting a t-shirt like this. They can only be trouble LOL.

Taking Over..?

Pretty little thing isn't it? This is the Lantana I purchased only a few months ago. It has already more than doubled its size; I hope it won't expand exponentially and uncontrollably as it has in parts of Australia.

354

Three hundred and fifty-four years ago today, in a Pudding Lane bakery a fire got out of hand. The exact cause of that fire and its actual location in London may have been lost over the years but most British school kids still learn about the Great Fire and the diaries of Samuel Pepys.

Black Panther

 The news this morning has covered the announcement of the unexpected death of actor Chadwick Boseman, star of Black Panther, at only 43 years. Reports say he battled cancer quietly and in private.

No doubt in the fullness of time, Hollywood will turn their attention to how to continue the film franchise. Perhaps it is appropriate to consider casting a black female actor in the lead and also simply calling the character Panther..?

Good English

Borrowed...

Award

Today not only marks the day mum died but also (this year) school kids including ll receive their GCSE public exam results. Normally the awards consist of a grade based mostly on the outcome of final examinations, held in late May through to July. Of course this year thanks to Covid things have been different, no one has sat exams. Teachers instead have had to put forward predictions and local assessments for use in determining grades. 

It's been a tough sort of year for these kids, no formal education since before Easter and uncertainty regards how their previous hard work would be assessed. I'm pleased ll has now received mostly the grades he was hoping for, which should enable him to pursue his chosen subjects at Sixth Form college. Well done young man, I know your grandma would have been very proud of you. As am I.

Warm

It's been a tad warm again today; starting to be something of a habit LOL. In fact it's been nearly a week with daytime temperatures of over 34 degrees, that's pretty unusual for us.

Prentender

Could this be a suitable (dark chocolate) alternative to Australia's yummy Violet Crumble pieces? There's only one way to find out!

Wilting

 Temperatures in the UK officially hit 36 degrees Celsius, making today the hottest August day since 2016. Needless to say this recent warm weather has really taken its toll on my dad's Japanese Acer, which I have been custodian of for the past few years. Will give it a good soaking later tonight but I fear the worst.

On the plus side, the agreeable weather gives ample excuse to drink cold cider LOL.

Mayflower

It's hard to believe in these days of super fast travel (although at present not many of us are able/willing to) that a journey from Plymouth, England to the New World could take over three months. The Pilgrims and craftsmen landed late December 1620 at a place they named Plymouth. Sadly not many of those original arrivals would see the following year out.

To mark their Autumnal departure, the UK Royal Mint has issued this beautiful Two Pound coin. Enjoy!

Japan 2020

The Olympic and Paralympic games that never were. Nevertheless the Royal Mint have issued this lovely Fifty Pence coin into circulation. All being well, this time next year the games will be held in Tokyo.