Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

blondie95 wrote:i think there was suggestion the grecians houses were called barnes and wallis to honour him!

The future hubby was seriously impressed when watching the dambusters the other weekend (he loves war films) that barnes wallis was a pupil at my school!

re the Grecians Houses:

Wallis would be good for sure but, as we already have a Barnes, could I humbly suggest Blunden?

Those names would mark a significant Housie contribution to both World Wars as well as reflecting the achievements of more modern Old Blues without any dimunition in the calibre of Old Blues recognised by having houses named after them.

Rex wrote:One or two corrections needed here…

The <b>Middleton</b> block takes its name not from the Jacobean dramatist but from <b>Thomas Fanshaw Middleton (CH 1779-88, Governor)</b>, first Bishop of Calcutta. Details here:
http://chi.gospelcom.net/DAILYF/2003/01 ... 2003.shtml

Perversely, <b>Barnes</b> is named after the scholar <b>Joshua Barnes (CH 1656-71)</b> and not the great editor of <I>The Times</I> <b>Thomas Barnes (CH 1796-1804)</b>, surely the more notable of the pair.

And I don't think <b>Sir Henry Maine (CH 1829-40)</b> can really be described as an essayist. The Wikipedia page gets it right: 'comparative jurist and historian', renowned for his <I>Ancient Law</I>.

Thank you Rex!

I was hoping you'd sort out the uncertainties. I'm glad somebody knows what they are talking about even if I don't!

Ajarn Philip wrote:Must dash, it's time for bed, and there's something large and hairy buzzing around the room.

Perhaps the reason he has to dash is that she's shrieking for his help in removing the terrifying furry item of wildlife - before he can climb into his catsuit.

Munch

blondie95 wrote:i think there was suggestion the grecians houses were called barnes and wallis to honour him!

The future hubby was seriously impressed when watching the dambusters the other weekend (he loves war films) that barnes wallis was a pupil at my school!

There, the question answered. FH

what question was that?

blondie95 wrote:what question was that?

Someone asked what you were going to call your other half after you became engaged I think

That was me Vonny. I was wondering if "fiance" was now out of date.

Mr Plum considered that "partner" made him sound gay.

Amy has settled for "future hubby". It sounds kind of cosy!

Munch

Angela Woodford wrote:That was me Vonny. I was wondering if "fiance" was now out of date.

Mr Plum considered that "partner" made him sound gay.

Amy has settled for "future hubby". It sounds kind of cosy!

Munch

I agree, though mine and I agreed that if I EVER called him my hubby or he called me THE wife it was immediate splitsville.

He has settled on "my first wife".

future hubby doesn't like the term at all! But i do! He knows never to call me the wife, missus or her in doors!

finace sound odd, and i agree with Plum partner sounds a bit serious and official!

Angela Woodford wrote:

Ajarn Philip wrote:Must dash, it's time for bed, and there's something large and hairy buzzing around the room.

Perhaps the reason he has to dash is that she's shrieking for his help in removing the terrifying furry item of wildlife - before he can climb into his catsuit.

Munch

I'm sure I saw earlier a query from someone about the timing of my entries (i.e. off to bed at 6.40 p.m.). We're 6 hours ahead of the UK at the moment.

I'm sorry to say that the large, hairy Thai fisherman with whom I was living left me for a retired Norwegian trawler skipper - he said they had more in common, would you believe?

Insects aren't really a problem here, unless you have a real phobia about them. Ants are a nuisance. This afternoon there really were squeals coming from the kitchen, as Mrs Ajarn took exception to a snake trying to gain entry via the mossie grill. It was removed (carefully) with the aid of a broom. I really must find out which are dangerous and which aren't, most people seem not to know, surprisingly, and it is kind of crucial!

I used to find a surprisingly casual attitude to things like snakes when we were overseas. Tip - if you do run one over check in your rear view mirror that you can see the dead body on the road - otherwise you might find a hot, injured snake (that is bound to be deadly!) on the chassis when you stop the car!!

In Brunei there is a large water village - houses built on stilts into the river. When we were there a child fell in the river and drowned - the local headman didn't understand the fuss in the paper 'If you live on land you expect a few toddlers to get killed on the road, falling in the river is the same thing. Plenty more where they come from!'

Took note of local headman's pronouncements, Katharine - aargh!

My current husband, as I like to call him, who was initially raised in Hong Kong, remembers only the baby boys being tethered to the sampan. It didn't matter if the girls fell in and drowned.

Snakes now - was it a big snake, Philip? Imagine a hot angry snake, semi run over, on the car chassis...

It must be so terrifying/fascinating to live abroad.

Munch

I know, we're seriously off topic now, but I can so relate to this;
"I used to find a surprisingly casual attitude to things like snakes when we were overseas."
We came home a few weeks ago to find a scorpion and a tarantula on the kitchen wall (in Mexico, not Ireland, obviously). A couple of years ago I would have grabbed a broom and beaten them to death. My reaction now is, "Ooh! How interesting! Lets sit down with a glass of wine and watch to see which one wins."

Ajarn Philip wrote:Insects aren't really a problem here, unless you have a real phobia about them. Ants are a nuisance. This afternoon there really were squeals coming from the kitchen, as Mrs Ajarn took exception to a snake trying to gain entry via the mossie grill. It was removed (carefully) with the aid of a broom. I really must find out which are dangerous and which aren't, most people seem not to know, surprisingly, and it is kind of crucial!

Not so different here in Oz. If ever anyone recounts that they have seen a snake, the immediate response is 'Was it a Brown Snake'. I never know - it was scaly, had no legs, was possibly brown, and I headed in the opposite direction pdq. So, was it a brown snake? Highly likely, as snakes in South Australia don't seem to come in pretty colours. Was it a Brown Snake? Don't know, don't care - enough that it was a snake.

kayinbaja wrote:I know, we're seriously off topic now, but I can so relate to this;
"I used to find a surprisingly casual attitude to things like snakes when we were overseas."
We came home a few weeks ago to find a scorpion and a tarantula on the kitchen wall (in Mexico, not Ireland, obviously). A couple of years ago I would have grabbed a broom and beaten them to death. My reaction now is, "Ooh! How interesting! Lets sit down with a glass of wine and watch to see which one wins."

That man Patrick has a lot to answer for sending all the Irish snakes over to England. FWIW England has it's own native (and wild) scorpions.

Over here we have three snakes that I know of - big ones up to 3ft long and thicker than your wrist; dangerous if they bite you only because they don't brush their teeth. There is a smaller (and far rarer - I have perhaps seen 3 in the last 9 years) variety which is poisonous but has a close to zero killing rate - the common viper and an even smaller one which is related to Cleopatra's asp - I think I've seen two but they are thick as pencils and 8 inches long. In conclusion, snakes here are not dangerous to humans and I don't think any of our guests / visitors have ever seen one. We had infinitely more vipers in Devon than here.

We do have a variety of lizard like creature which exudes a mucous which farmers reckon will kill their cattle. They don't let humans get close.