Kevin's Watch

Today is ANZAC day - we remember Australian and New Zealand soldiers killed in WW1. 60,000 young Australians died in this war - at the time Australia's population was 5 million. 150,000 wounded, 18,000 have no known grave. Over 8000 killed at Gallipoli.

Thank you for reminding us Stevie. At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them!

The loss of life in WW1 and 2 is just mind-numbing.

I remember reading about a battlefield in France where the dead of both sides were so enmired and tangled together, it wasn't even possible to identify which side many were on. A huge mass grave was dug, or like in Devonshire, the slain may have been buried in the trenches they fell in. I wish I could find the epitaph because it was so haunting; something about a tangle of faces and arms, but God would know them.

Highs and lows of life the last two weeks.

Last week I had a great vacation with my wife down in Florida. Hung out at the beach, relaxed, at bad food (well bad for you but good), drank too much and overall just had a great time

This week has been crappy. I can count the number of 'tried and true' friends on one hand and one of my oldest and closest purposely killed himself yesterday. He answered an email from me at 6AM and was dead by 8AM. No indication that anything was up..... We work in the same facility and have for 13 years. He came to work that morning, seemed OK, left the bldg early, texted one of the Sr. Managers on what he was going to do, they called the cops and had them go out to his house, and sure enough he had done it. Leaves a wife, 8 year old son and 16 year old daughter. As close as we were, I didnt even know he was broken.

SB...so sorry to hear that. Rough on those left behind, both family and friends/colleagues. That he told someone in leadership at the office, but not a close friend...one wonders what broke him so badly and on such an odd fracture line.

Sorry to hear it SB.

--A

Omigosh Soulbiter, so sorry. That is horrifying. I know what you mean by "counting your tried and true friends on one hand." To lose any of them takes a piece out of you.

I am so grateful for a lot of blessings this week. I guess I'm on the other end of things for today... my drop-dead gorgeous daughter has her Prom tonight and she is going to look soooo amazing in her dress, and her graduation just got moved up a whole week (we had "crisis days" built into the calendar and used none of them for the first time in years), and just some other good stuff with friends and family.

A week from today I'll be in London for the weekend (Friday lunchtime to Monday lunchtime). Anything I absolutely must see while I'm there?

SoulBiter wrote:This week has been crappy. I can count the number of 'tried and true' friends on one hand and one of my oldest and closest purposely killed himself yesterday. He answered an email from me at 6AM and was dead by 8AM. No indication that anything was up..... We work in the same facility and have for 13 years. He came to work that morning, seemed OK, left the bldg early, texted one of the Sr. Managers on what he was going to do, they called the cops and had them go out to his house, and sure enough he had done it. Leaves a wife, 8 year old son and 16 year old daughter. As close as we were, I didnt even know he was broken.

I am so sorry. That's horrible.

Dam-et's white blood cell counts finally have made it back up to high enough levels after the first round of chemo that he may get to come home tonight...a month to the day that he has been hospitalized.

Baruch Hashem!

There is still a long road ahead, but this is good.

Good news about your son!

I scared my coworker again! He was loading stuff from a pallet to a shelf so he kept turning to the pallet with a quarter step, grabbing a pile of stuff and then turning with a quarter step back to put the stuff on the shelf. I came directly up behind him so that I was outside of his vision at either extreme of his movement and then waited until he turned to the pallet and stepped right in the line of where he would turn next. He dropped the stuff, yelled, "OH GOD!" and sidestepped a few steps away in his moment of shock and fear. That's Jenn 2, Andy ZERO!

I'm Murrin wrote:A week from today I'll be in London for the weekend (Friday lunchtime to Monday lunchtime). Anything I absolutely must see while I'm there?

Depends on what you're into. Art, antiquities, music, architecture...? I had a 12 hour layover and went to the British Museum, which is free. Good stuff, and I was starved for pretty buildings, wrought iron, trees, and like that, so I just enjoyed walking to and from the tube station.

I'm Murrin wrote:A week from today I'll be in London for the weekend (Friday lunchtime to Monday lunchtime). Anything I absolutely must see while I'm there?

I'm in London now. Arrived Thursday afternoon. Went to the British Museum yesterday. Quite a collection! Good luck on getting close enough to the Rosetta Stone to take a picture of it. I was at St Martin in the Fields church last night, listening to Baroque music. As it is on Trafalgar Square, I took a walk over and stood by Nelson's Column. I've spent today wandering about in Hyde Park. Tomorrow, I'll go down by St Paul's and Westminister Abbey.

SB -- sorry for your loss.

Deer -- hope your daughter had a great time at the prom!

SD -- great news!

Murrin -- British Library. Their exhibit on famous manuscripts was just about my favorite thing we saw in London.

Jen --

Ali, I actually would have gotten him twice in one day but a customer asked me to help them just as I was lying in wait, crouched down behind the fashion planners and with perfect vision of the center aisle and close enough to reach out and grab his leg as he walked by on his way out at the close of his shift. I had to stand up and go help the customer and as soon as I got to pens I heard the breakroom door open so opportunity lost...

I'm Murrin wrote:A week from today I'll be in London for the weekend (Friday lunchtime to Monday lunchtime). Anything I absolutely must see while I'm there?

That's asking for a very subjective reply, isn't it? What do you like?

--A

I basically have no sense of geography when it comes to Britain, but if they are in London and if you haven't been yet, I would love to hear a first hand report of The Dr. Who Experience and the Warner Brothers Studio Tour - The Making of Harry Potter.

Yes, yes. There are tons of historical sights I would have to see,; but I figure for a British native who may have grown up visiting the historical sights, these two newer attractions may be of interest.

Avatar wrote:

I'm Murrin wrote:A week from today I'll be in London for the weekend (Friday lunchtime to Monday lunchtime). Anything I absolutely must see while I'm there?

That's asking for a very subjective reply, isn't it? What do you like?

--A

No, I'm looking for stuff I might not have considered myself.

Savor Dam wrote:Dam-et's white blood cell counts finally have made it back up to high enough levels after the first round of chemo that he may get to come home tonight...a month to the day that he has been hospitalized.

Baruch Hashem!

There is still a long road ahead, but this is good.

That's brilliant news SD.

I'm Murrin wrote:

Avatar wrote:

I'm Murrin wrote:A week from today I'll be in London for the weekend (Friday lunchtime to Monday lunchtime). Anything I absolutely must see while I'm there?

That's asking for a very subjective reply, isn't it? What do you like?

--A

No, I'm looking for stuff I might not have considered myself.

National Archives at Kew? I could give you a whole list of things to look up for me (just joking )

My daughter is supposed to be taking me to the Harry Potter film studios, but it hasn't come off yet. You have to book a particular day and time in advance.

It's a very long time since I went to London to sightsee. I usually go to record repositories.

A friend of mine went here www.museumoflondon.org.uk/london-wall/ recently. It is a new museum, I think, on London Wall, near the Barbican. It's free and open 10-6 every day.

Science Museum is always good, (although I tend to get stuck in the kids play area there :lol ), there's the Tate Modern, the Maritime Museum in Greenwich, (and the observatory if you're there anyway), Camden can be amusing, Portobello Market isn't bad (always thought Covent Garden quite over-rated).

(I was going to mention that I always had a soft spot for the Intrepid Fox in Wardour Street in Soho, but feeling nostalgic I searched for it, and it's gone. (Well, it closed, and then reopened in St Giles High Street, so I don't know if I can still recommend it.) )

Will let you know if I think of any more.

--A