Shark!
We left our flat way too early for my taste this morning, heading out to go south to Farnborough. Forty-eight miles, supposedly an hour and twenty minute drive. We got into some heavy stop and go traffic and it was closer to 2 hours before we got there.
We inspected the two young sisters' flat, which was beautifully clean and organized. They are cute sisters. They had been in London yesterday for zone conference and excitedly shared all they had heard and been taught. They had their notes out and were very cute to repeat some great messages from President Checketts.
I hardly ever talk to him when he isn't dealing with numerous issues in the mission and in the middle of at least one or two crises, and planning the next gathering....all at the same time. It must be that he and Deb are in a constant state of stress. But he has cleared the half-way mark. I wonder if he knows how highly he is esteemed by these young missionaries, who quote him now, who will quote him when they get home, who will quote him 40 years from now as they recall the mission in London England and majesty and magic of being here. As they look back on this steep learning curve for their faith, their knowledge of the gospel, their ability to talk to people, to teach, to adjust to changes, to learn to live with a complete stranger in harmony....they will be so very grateful for this experience.
From Farnborough, we traveled another 45 minutes to Basingstoke where we have two young elders living on the 11th floor of a high-rise building. They have big picture windows and the day was a dark gray with rain. They have a beautiful view of the city. SK never found a parking spot, so as he circled, I went up and spent a half hour with them.
We tried the curtains that SK and I had purchased. The lady at the store told me that iron-on tape was included for hemming. I thought it would be a slam-dunk, but the curtains were at least 18 inches too long and I think that would look ridiculous. I need to find someone with a sewing machine who will cut off a foot or more, then stitch up a small hem so that we can properly iron it to the right length. Either that, or go back to the store to try again. But from what I've seen, no one makes the length we need.
After coming back to our flat, we set out again for Headington, a sub city of sorts of Oxford. I think it is technically part of Oxford but has its own name. I had found a framer in that part of town who promised high quality to "fit your budget." I told him first thing that we were on a fairly low budget. He spent a few minutes with us and both SK and I knew that he knew what he was doing. We felt great confidence in him. I had trolled around the internet looking at framing prices and had asked in another frame shop about prices.
I am confident that the price we will be charged at this place is in keeping with all other experiences that I had had getting things framed. They will be done in two weeks!!!!!! I can hardly wait.
I'm certain you are not aware of the great work of art in Headington, a shark. It was only a few blocks away, so we paid the great beast a visit.
This is the basic story:
We inspected the two young sisters' flat, which was beautifully clean and organized. They are cute sisters. They had been in London yesterday for zone conference and excitedly shared all they had heard and been taught. They had their notes out and were very cute to repeat some great messages from President Checketts.
I hardly ever talk to him when he isn't dealing with numerous issues in the mission and in the middle of at least one or two crises, and planning the next gathering....all at the same time. It must be that he and Deb are in a constant state of stress. But he has cleared the half-way mark. I wonder if he knows how highly he is esteemed by these young missionaries, who quote him now, who will quote him when they get home, who will quote him 40 years from now as they recall the mission in London England and majesty and magic of being here. As they look back on this steep learning curve for their faith, their knowledge of the gospel, their ability to talk to people, to teach, to adjust to changes, to learn to live with a complete stranger in harmony....they will be so very grateful for this experience.
From Farnborough, we traveled another 45 minutes to Basingstoke where we have two young elders living on the 11th floor of a high-rise building. They have big picture windows and the day was a dark gray with rain. They have a beautiful view of the city. SK never found a parking spot, so as he circled, I went up and spent a half hour with them.
We tried the curtains that SK and I had purchased. The lady at the store told me that iron-on tape was included for hemming. I thought it would be a slam-dunk, but the curtains were at least 18 inches too long and I think that would look ridiculous. I need to find someone with a sewing machine who will cut off a foot or more, then stitch up a small hem so that we can properly iron it to the right length. Either that, or go back to the store to try again. But from what I've seen, no one makes the length we need.
After coming back to our flat, we set out again for Headington, a sub city of sorts of Oxford. I think it is technically part of Oxford but has its own name. I had found a framer in that part of town who promised high quality to "fit your budget." I told him first thing that we were on a fairly low budget. He spent a few minutes with us and both SK and I knew that he knew what he was doing. We felt great confidence in him. I had trolled around the internet looking at framing prices and had asked in another frame shop about prices.
I am confident that the price we will be charged at this place is in keeping with all other experiences that I had had getting things framed. They will be done in two weeks!!!!!! I can hardly wait.
I'm certain you are not aware of the great work of art in Headington, a shark. It was only a few blocks away, so we paid the great beast a visit.
This is the basic story:
The Shark became the most famous resident of Headington when it landed in the roof of 2 New High Street in the early hours of Saturday 9 August 1986.
This ordinary home (built as a semi-detached house in about 1860 but now attached by a link to a second house to the north) suddenly became the centre of world attention, and the headless shark still excites interest today.
This ordinary home (built as a semi-detached house in about 1860 but now attached by a link to a second house to the north) suddenly became the centre of world attention, and the headless shark still excites interest today.
Bill Heine commissioned the shark, and was living in this house at the time. An American who studied law at Balliol College, he was running two Oxford cinemas, but from 1988 he became better known as a Radio Oxford presenter. When pressed by journalists to provide a rationale for the shark, he suggested the following:
The shark was to express someone feeling totally impotent and ripping a hole in their roof out of a sense of impotence and anger and desperation…. It is saying something about CND, nuclear power, Chernobyl and Nagasaki.
The headless sculpture, with the label “Untitled 1986” fixed to the gate to the house, was erected on the 41st anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki. Created by the sculptor John Buckley, it is made of fibreglass, weighs four hundredweight, and is 25 feet long.
Oxford City Council tried to get rid of the shark on the grounds that it was dangerous to the public, but engineers inspected the roof girders that had been specially installed to support it and pronounced the erection safe. The council then decided that the shark was development within the definition contained in Section 22 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971, and that as such it had to be removed. Their offer to display it in a public building such as a swimming pool was not, however, accepted by Bill.
Well.....now we can say that we have seen the shark!
 |
| SK captured this beautiful rainbow from our flat window in the afternoon....isn't it gorgeous? |
We had ward council this evening....which took most of the evening, but it was a good meeting, and helped us coordinate what we are doing with other auxiliaries.
After getting home, we called Anna to wish her Happy Birthday (sweet 16) and Derek (Sweet 48!!!). It was so lovely visiting with them. We also had a few minutes with Andrew and Erin and waved at Ethan. Facetime is a magnificent thing.
Comments