Wednesday 16 April 2014

Wednesday Wittering



I spent most of this morning with my head under the sink giving the bathroom its annual clean so to improve my view of the world I present an old picture of an Edinburgh penguin!  Cleaning I can inform those eager to know is not much fun.  Apart from inhaling the aroma of cleaning chemicals the dust, now ingrained, decided my nose was the place to be.  After an unseemly long time there was a vain attempt to continue the clean up elsewhere but for reasons as yet unexplained I gave up instead, it's only muck anyway, it will still be there next week.  I also considered doing the windows and their grime but decided to leave them until after the weekends rain has passed by, that will do the job for me.  No need to be too enthusiastic about such things.

Sadly this detracted from chasing dead soldiers although I did get some work done on one or two other items including the county habit of religious dissent. Since the early attempts to translate the bible into the native tongue caused the then authorities much distress and led to their desperate need to suppress such nasty goings on the locals have always done their best to disobey.  Bible reading in the vernacular became quite popular in the 1500's.   What surprised me however was the use of burning at the stake to remove such felons.  I never quite understood the reasons for that.  Hanging is quicker, as is a sword, yet this was the chosen means of execution throughout Europe, very strange. Several hundred years went by with dissent continuing until religious freedom appeared in the late 17th century with the 'indulgence act.'  Such freedom is being restricted once again however in the UK.

I made little attempt to get involved in the news today but found myself gripped when I came across the ferry in South Korea that capsized.  I think it was the thought that wee girls and boys were trapped inside that moved me.  It appears they were mostly adolescents and hundreds are trapped inside the upturned hull even now, probably past it by now.  How sad.

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6 comments:

Lee said...

Perhaps it was because hanging was so quick that the slower burning at the stake was the preferred method.

Those poor students...the search continues still for survivors...so many young lives lost by the sounds of it...a report has just been on the news as I type. As you say, Adullamite...it is sad...so very sad.

Life is full of sadness, which is why we must allow ourselves to appreciate fully the silly, joyful moments when they come our way.

My bathroom cupboard needs a good clean out, too...but it can wait. I don't feel like doing it today...no matter what you say!

Unknown said...

A thought came through about that South Korean ferry hitting an old underwater mine from the Korean War era that the North Koreans had turned loose in the area. I sure hope the thought was just a result from my own head rattling. For more than insults will be exchanged if it proves to be true.

Carol said...

I missed the ferry disaster in Korea yesterday ~ one too many stories about red wine took priority here.

I hate cleaning too ~ but could never pay someone else to do it for me. It is just a necessary evil of life ~ like ironing.

Adullamite said...

Lee, I'd love to clean your cupboards for you, but I've just made a cup of tea.

Jerry, Hmmm, I would hope the area had been cleared of those. The NK submarine scouting around crossed my mind. However if the story re the captain getting off first is true, and that he was off course then there may be other causes.

Carol, I would never pay for cleaning, I just leave it.....

Mo said...

I wish all of London was much much cleaner. Including buses, trains, stations, streets everything. Me OCD what me?

The tragedy of the Korean ferry reminded me of the one in Italy, why was the captain off the ship while people were still on board especially when they had been told to stay sitting where they were.

Adullamite said...

Mo, London would fall apart without the layer of grime!
It appears the captain has indeed got questions to answer here.