New Zealand On My Mind (Spain Too!)

 

The World Cup is finally over and Spain is the winner! Oddly enough, the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee is the first thing that came to my mind when they beat Argentina.  Did you know that the Spanish team trained in Chattanooga before their two matches in Atlanta? (Since our son lives in Chattanooga, I follow the news there fairly closely.) I read an interesting article in Forbes Magazine about this. I have a link to that piece just here.  Can't help but think of all the folks that saw these men training in Chattanooga and now, they have won, they must really be pleased.  (And since Spain won out over Argentina, I imagine my English friends are pretty happy too.) AND the match yesterday where England beat France means that they are third place in the World Cup, so that is really not too bad, folks!

Now, you all must know that I can't spend ALL my time watching sports, just most of it! HA HA! Today, Ryan Fox from New Zealand won the Open Championship in golf!  This pleased me very much as he was the one that I wanted to win. I really liked the way that he would march up to hit the ball and didn't linger over it. Also, he is 39 years old and had never won a major championship. Now, I am not a betting person, but I really should be! I really "felt" as if he would win. And he did!  

This past week we lost Sam Neill, a very well-known actor from New Zealand. (He moved there as a child, born in Northern Ireland, his mother was English and his father from New Zealand).  How much he was loved! I knew he was a great actor, but I now know that he was a very well respected for his sweet and gentle nature.  "Hunt for the Wilderpeople" is a film that Sam Neill did in 2016.  Search for it! You will enjoy it as much as I did, I am sure!

As I was watching Ryan Fox, I was curious about his background. I found out that his Dad, Grant Fox played for the New Zealand All Blacks and was part of the team that won the Rugby World Cup in 1987!  The All Blacks, you must remember the HAKA that they do before matches, don't you? I have had that on my blog before, but here, let me see if I can show you again....

My friends, I do hope that all that I have written here makes sense. It is so dang HOT, I can't even think straight.  

Take care!

World Cup Winners and Losers/C's New Article

 

Since I last wrote my post, England won their next match in spectacular fashion...and USA lost theirs in an equally spectacular way. As good as the English victory was to celebrate, the USA match was one that we should all forget. It was dismal. By the way, I cannot help but feel for the teams who have played extremely well and end up losing anyway.  I mean, it truly looks heartbreaking.  I am reminded of one of my favorite Peanuts comic strips.  Let's see if I can share it with you here....

"How did the other team feel?" 

That is what Charlie Brown says to Linus after Linus is so excited over his team winning a football game.  (Just in case you can't see the cartoon.)

I also wrote about the joy of the English fans at the Atlanta Braves baseball game and how much fun they had with the outfielder, Michael Harris. Our son wrote about the very same thing in his piece for "The Last Word on Sports"! You may read it just here  and I truly hope you will click on that and read it! It is so well written!

3 Braves Players Who Were All-Star Snubs

Braves Pitching Torched In Three Monster Games

TWO more articles above! Just click on the links!  

By the way, when I said that the USA match was dismal, I am reminded that Chris Evert is not a commentator at Wimbledon this year. She is going through some cancer treatments, I believe.  I really like her.  What made me think of her in regard to the USA being bad, is that I loved it when she was speaking at Wimbledon and after a particularly unusual show of poor tennis play, she would say, "Well, that was just awful".  Not in a mean way, just an honest observation-simple and to the point. Love that! 

If England wins their next match against Norway, they will play July 15th in Atlanta against either Argentina or Switzerland. (I believe that is correct.) You know who I am rooting for! England last won the World Cup in 1966. Yes, that is correct! A lot of their football shirts have that 66 embossed upon them. Here is a photo of Christopher (our son) and you can see the 66 on there!

I think the English sports commentators are very good, by the way! Some of their statements are so clever and funny. I was watching a match years ago and I actually wrote two quotes down. (Yes, I collect things like that to make me chuckle.)  "50 years of hurt is about to be extended".  This was when the match was hopelessly lost and for whatever series that was for, it was obviously the 50th year since they had won it!  And this: "It's as if everyone in a white shirt has decided to have the worst England game of their lives - all at the same time". 

There, I hope I have not jinxed that great England team by sharing these quotes with you.  I sincerely wish them the best and hope that 2026 will be coupled now with 1966 with England being World Cup Champions! 

The English fans sing "Wonderwall" by Oasis after they win. I hope they will keep singing this song!  If you want to sing along with them, I have the song here along with the lyrics.

World Cup Joy -USA & England! (MICHAEL HARRIS)

 

You know how tickled I am that England and USA both made it to the round of 16 in the World Cup!  Their matches were on the same day! Yesterday, England played right here in Atlanta, Georgia and in the evening, many of the English fans attended a baseball game and cheered on the Atlanta Braves.  (Many of them had t shirts that said, "England is Braves Country".  I wish I could find out where they got it, I want one!)  They were so funny.  Remember how I told you that Boston enjoyed the Scottish fans? Well, it seems that Atlanta had the same admiration for the English!  They sat behind the outfielder, Michael Harris and had great fun chanting his name. Michael Harris seemed to enjoy it too. When Michael caught a routine fly ball, they cheered loudly!

"There's only one Michael Harris!"  

W

 And Michael Harris not only plays for the Atlanta Braves, but he is also a native from Georgia! (Just like me!)

Oh, the baseball game was wonderful too.  The Atlanta Braves won! And when Ozzie slid into home base, he winked at the umpire.  Joy!

We stopped today at a small vegetable stand and when the lady there heard Richard's accent, she thought he might be visiting here. When I told her that Richard has lived here since the 80's but he is forbidden to lose his accent, she just laughed. Then she said that the World Cup was just what this country needed right now.  Good thing for people to come here from all over the world and see what we are really like! I think I saw a quote on-line from a German fan who said that if you want to hate America, watch the news but if you want to love it, to drive through it! In other words, meet the people. For me, the World Cup has been a joyful celebration.  And even for those who end up losing, they play with such heart! (Did you see the back flip that the player from Congo did yesterday when he scored his goal? Joy!)

Richard is such a great photographer, he knew this photo would be better if he cut my head off.  HA!  (This was from several years ago, I think Richard has a red one just like it. I probably stole this from our son!)  OH! And don't worry, I just got myself a USA shirt today and I got my son one too.

So, did any of you watch the England match AND the USA match? I had to go back and forth between the USA match and the baseball game in the evening!  No worries, I got to see what I wanted to see.

Tomorrow is Friday, the 3rd of July.  Since July 4th is on a Saturday, the 3rd is a holiday for many.  Of course, be sure and check for any business for the 3rd or 4th to see if open!  It is really "Independence Day" but honestly, everyone here just says, "Happy July 4th!".  

What song? My favorite rendition of "America the Beautiful" by a fellow Georgian, Ray Charles!

Choo Choo Me Home

 

Missing butterflies?  I am.  Richard and I keep looking for butterflies but so far, we have only seen a few.  (The above photo was taken last summer.)  Climate change to blame?  Pesticides? Whatever, it is to be hoped that we will see more.

Earthquakes, floods, tornados, fires, extreme heat... so many are suffering just now.  Living in Georgia, we have always had hot summers but this year, it is nearly impossible to be outside. Why, even the cities up North, the heat looks just as bad!  I pity anyone who has to work in it. Since our son lives in Chattanooga, I sometimes see stories from there that I otherwise might not know.  I recently learned that there was a severe flood in Chattanooga in 1867. The Tennessee River (which runs right through the city) rose 58 feet above the normal levels. As this was just after the Civil War, the city was not equipped to repair the streets and buildings. Here is what they did- they simply brought in soil and packed it onto the flooded streets. The buildings that were on the first floor became the basements. The new entrances were made into the 2nd floor, which then were the 1st floor. Does that make sense?  Funny thing, in England, if you get on an elevator (and even that is called a "lift"!) you will see a button for G and then 1, and then 2, and so on...  "G" means ground floor! (Richard says that is how it used to be anyway! And it seems I remember that also.)

In other Chattanooga news, the only Frank Lloyd Wright house designed in Tennessee is on the market! Yes, the "Shavin House" in Chattanooga is a cool $1,600,000.00.  It is a "Usonian" home.  "Usonian" is a mid-20th century architectural style conceived by Frank Lloyd Wright. Usually the homes were small, single stories with L- shaped layouts, flat roofs and had radiant floor heating with lots of natural light. Frank Lloyd Wright got the word from "Usonia" which is...wait for it... an abbreviation of "United States of North America"! (He didn't make it up, I think I read that someone in either Scotland or England came up with it!)  Anyway, if anyone wants to buy that house, please do so and I can stay with you and visit our son in Chattanooga! The address is 334 N. Crest Rd. Chattanooga. I have the link below for you!

334 N Crest Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37404 | MLS #1346032 | Zillow

Did you know that I am interested in architecture? It's true! I think I told you in a post that I asked about a building on the front of our text book in 6th grade! (The teacher had another student write to the government of that country about the building. No, I am not bitter. Honestly!)

Richard and I spotted a native plant on a walk recently. It is a spotted wintergreen, and it had the tiniest of buds! It is a native and I hope that we have not missed the blooms. In other floral news, our night blooming cereus cactus bloomed last night! 

Hope all of you have a great 4th of July here in America, my fellow Usonians! And for anyone else in the world, you have a great day that day also!  What song? Why, "Chattanooga Choo Choo", of course! 

Sing It Out Again! (World Cup/ Toy Story 5)

 Hello to all my friends in the blogging world! (And for anyone else who happens to drop by.)

There is a little thing going on right now called the World Cup! For the first time ever, it is being played in several cities in North America, not just in one spot.  For an old lady like me, it is a bit confusing. (Who is playing? Where are they playing? What day is it? LOL.)  Anyway, it is FOOTBALL in the entire world but in the USA, it is called SOCCER. It is believed that the word "soccer" comes from the middle part of "association" but reading more about it, no one really knows for sure but in the USA and Canada, it is soccer. (It is called soccer in Australia too! If I had ever been lucky enough to visit Australia, I would have known that.  Thanks to my blogging friend from there, I know it now. Thanks, Patricia!)

Now, have any of you been watching? It has been a big thing for Atlanta, since Atlanta is one of the host cities. Have I been there? No, even though it is about 30 miles away, I can watch anything on TV, and I try to avoid the crowds. (Tee hee, not that I would ever spend that much money on a sporting event!)  Having said that, I do hope you have seen how much Boston enjoyed the Scottish fans! Why, the president of the Boston Red Sox wrote a letter to the fans, positively gushing with appreciation. They had attended a Red Sox game, with their kilts, bagpipes and sing-alongs! The fans had pretty much taken over the bars with their "No Scotland, No Party" signs and also, putting traffic cones on the statues! Now, the Scottish fans are in Miami, and it looks as if the same is happening there. For me, it is the SINGING that I think I would most enjoy.  Wouldn't that be great fun?

I was well pleased to hear the singing after USA won their match against Australia. They sang "Country Roads" by John Denver! For years, they have sung "Sweet Caroline" at the Boston Red Sox games, and I have loved hearing that when we watch the baseball on TV.  I saw recently that Neil Diamond himself led the singing there! Isn't that wonderful?

One other song that I was very pleased to hear...the new song from Taylor Swift from "Toy Story 5."  Yes! Richard and I saw that film too and we both really enjoyed it. (If you go to see it, be sure to stay after the credits, okay?)  Oh, and "Disclosure Day" has gone right down in box office.  Gee, could I be an influencer? Ha, made you laugh!

In other news, our son is writing for "The Last Word On Sports" about the Atlanta Braves! Look, I have a link, you can read an article by him just here.  Even if you don't know the first thing about baseball, I truly think you will like his writing! You know I do.

Hope your June is going along nicely. Take care, my friends! I am either watching the World Cup or baseball. (Wimbledon will start soon!) If there is a ball involved, I am THERE! 

Disclosure Day/Red Cardinal

Richard and I saw "Disclosure Day", the new film by Steven Spielberg. The critics are raving about this movie, and it seems that most of those who have seen it have very positive reviews also. Full disclosure: we disliked it intensely.  Now, I must tell you something that might amuse you... I try very hard to not watch "trailers" about films before I see them, but I did see two trailers, and I do fear that I got them mixed up! 

"The End of Oak Street" is a sci fi flick that will be released in August.  When I saw this, I knew it had to be filmed locally and sure enough, that cul-de-sac is very close to my neighborhood! Also, part of the film was filmed in England! So, that is a film that I think I would like to see.  Okay, let's go back to yesterday with the Spielberg film... I kept thinking I would see background scenes that looked familiar and when I didn't, I realized that I must have gotten my wires crossed and tried to enjoy the film. Alas, it was all cartoonish type characters, car chases, bad acting, CGI birds and animals and lectures on empathy. From the opening scene, I was looking for the exit door. I made myself stay until the end, thinking that the ending would somehow redeem itself but NO, it did not.   One reviewer said that it made them cry three times! What? It made me cry thinking of the good money I paid to see it! 

  
                   "Mr. Spielberg, please depict us in an accurate manner".

The Northern Cardinal also known as simply a red Cardinal is a lovely sight. We see this bird in our yard every single day.  To see it in "Disclosure Day" was a bit startling to us.  They tried to get it right as a CGI version, but it is nothing like the real thing! Please, don't let me stop you from seeing "Disclosure Day" if you really, really want to do so but don't say I didn't warn you!

We thought it be a good idea to see a movie and escape from this intense heat that we are having in Georgia just now. It is 92 degrees today and the "feel like" temp is 98, with no rain in sight.  It is most important to have water for the birds.  Can you see the photo above? That is a bird having a great big splash in the bird dish! Our birds love us. Why, they know that I won't even let a big director insult them! You could say that Richard and I are "for the birds".  That is fine with us!

Hope all of you are having a lovely June.  We try our best to get out and walk very early before the day becomes unbearably hot! Stay cool, my friends. Except I have to remember anyone reading this from Australia, your seasons are opposite from us.  Patricia from Australia, used to use "Red Cardinal" as her blog name so I hope she sees this post!  Camellia Cottage   There! That is her new name of her blog, if anyone wants to learn of a great blogging friend of mine from Australia, click on that link! Thank you, all of my friends in the blogging world!

Shall We Dance? (Before May is Over)

 

Before the month of May is over, I have to just tell you a few things that I have learned recently....

The St Bernard Waltz!  I saw this from one of my blogging friends from Yorkshire. She and her husband danced this at one of the dances that they go to, and I would gladly link you to her post, but I can't seem to find it! (Welcome to my world these days, folks.) Anyway, I found a video to show you the steps!

Are you familiar with those flat woolen caps that men wear? To my eyes, they are very flattering. I got Richard one to wear this winter! I just learned the background behind them. In 1571, there was an Act of Parliament which supposedly was to stimulate domestic wool consumption. For every male over 6 years of age, they had to wear the flat woolen cap on Sundays and all holidays. If not, they had to pay a fine.  The Act was repealed in 1597 but by then, the cap had become attached to the working-class man.

Are you worried about robots taking over everything? I was so pleased to learn this: robots CANNOT crochet! I jotted this down in my little notebook...." Unlike knitting, crochet cannot be fully automated. No machine can replicate the way a hook moves through loops. EVERY crochet piece was made by human hands, stitch by stitch.".

Do you know that I crochet? I do! I love to make things! I write so many patterns down and then, can't understand my writing and end up with something a bit wonky but hey, sometimes it works out. I make hats, scarves, blankets, phone cases, coasters, baby things, and I even like to crochet edgings on small towels! 

"You, You, You" was a song that was used on a TV show that I watch from England. It was used as a couple's favorite song during a wedding.  I could recognize that it was from Gerry & The Pacemakers but was not familiar with it. After some research, I found that it was on the B side of "Ferry Cross the Mersey"!  (Will future generations understand the term "B side"? We will have to educate them!) Anyway, Gerry Marsden was not only the singer but also the songwriter behind both of those songs! Isn't that wonderful to know? You know I think so! 

Here, you know I had to give you both songs! Sadly, Gerry Marsden died in 2021, and you all know I love songwriters in general, but I truly love them when they are such nice guys. Look him up, see if you don't agree. His "Ferry Cross the Mersey" was a number one hit in 1989 when it was released as a charity single for the Hillsborough Disaster Fund. 

June is almost upon us now and many couples get married in June (as Richard and I did!)   Did you know that in Germany the married couples tend to wear their wedding rings on their right hands, rather than the left hands? I think I read that this is also in the custom in Turkey and Russia. Is that right? Hey, don't quote me, I can't keep up with all that I research.

There is a lake in Africa and is called the "calendar lake". It is Lake Malawi and is about 350 miles long and about 52 miles wide. Now, this was an answer on Jeopardy, but when I looked it up, I found that it is also called something else, something that David Livingstone said when he saw all the lighted fishing boats on the water.... he said it was a "lake of stars".  There, isn't that nice to know. Numbers are interesting but give me a nice turn of phrase every time!

Now, shall we dance? Go back and see if you can do that dance!