What's for Tea?

Though we're living a very different life here in many ways, life here settles down into a routine as well.  Part of my daily routine is getting groceries, I'm delighted to say! I have always enjoyed this chore. It's even more fun when the shops offer different things than what you're used to.

I go daily because the bread tastes so yummy when it's fresh, and because my groceries come home on this trusty fold-up (notice hinge in middle) bicycle, and so I can only carry so much.  I even brought home our Thanksgiving turkey in that basket on the front. There's only been one mishap--my newly bought quiche jumped out of the overly full basket as I went over a bump and landed on the pavement. Oh oh. Felt a little odd picking up chunks of quiche off the road.

 

We were delighted with the choice of cheese! 

 

Temptingly inexpensive! We could gain a lot of weight on this stuff.

 

 

 

Many varieties of pot pies,

 

 

 

and honey.

 

But no "Aunt Jemima" for Ken's pancakes, so it's either the real stuff or molasses!

 

Still can't resist a bargain, especially if it involves ingredients we've never tasted.

Move over, ketchup, we've taken a shine to brown sauce. It's a bit



Move over ketchup. We've discovered brown sauce. It's like a mixture of barbecue, ketchup, and worcestershire. Yum.

 

Some things never change, though. We are on our fourth jar of peanut butter in six weeks.

School Britannia

In As You Like It, Shakespeare writes about "the whining schoolby with his satchel/ And shining morning face, creeping like snail/ Unwillingly to school" (2.7.144-146), no doubt reflecting on his own school-days in Stratford. Fortunately, Daniel, Ben, and Levi don't feel this way -- yet, at least -- about their school experience here.

 

Looking sharp in their uniforms. Daniel and Ben have learnt to tie a tie. Felt like a preview to their weddings watching Ken supervise the tie tying on the first day.

 

 

 

 

We have a 1 km walk to school, a nice way to start the day.



 

 

 

 

The boys have made some nice friends and joined after-school "football" and trampolining.

Bouncing boys are happy boys.

Nancy is impressed with the schools' homemade, healthy hot lunches. If you have a magnifying glass, you will see some choices like chicken and vegetable curry, pork medalions in tomato sauce, margarita pizza. Maybe Jamie Oliver has been to town.

 

 

 

 



Here are some "reviews" of the English school system by our resident experts:

LEVI: "My class is called the Mrs. Jefferies Jaguars, and I'm in Ash House at The Willows Church of England Primary School. The other houses are Beech, Elm, and Oak, all different types of trees. You can earn House points by doing good work in your tasks. There are two school councillors for every class, a  boy and a girl. We elect them, and they go to meetings and make decisions for the school. There are also House captains. The system for lunch orders is different because there is a red or green choice every day. In the morning when the teacher takes attendance, if you want a hot dinner, you state your choice, and she throws you a red or green band. Then, at lunch, you go to the gymnasium and collect your lunch and sit at a table and eat. You have to pay for hot dinners; the rest of the pupils sit in their class and eat their packed lunch. I have a friend here named William who is in my class, and we are both new this year."



BEN: "I go to Stratford-Upon-Avon High School, and I'm in year 8. I'm in Shakespeare House (the other houses are Hathaway and Arden, like in Harry Potter). The kids are sort of like normal except their names are different from Newfoundland names. For example, there aren't many Ryans, Kyles, or Brandons; instead they have names like William, Henry, George, and Jack. There are more after-school activities than in Corner Brook like football, rugby, and trampolining. The school sorts the students by how good they are at the subjects so there are many teachers and the school is about the size of Corner Brook High. The technology is very good because everyone has their own bank account for school lunches and you use finger scanners to pay for your lunch rather than cash."




DANIEL: "I've been having a great experience so far at school. Everything is so well-organized. It seems like schooling is taken very seriously by everyone, teachers and students. I miss my friends but I've made some new ones."