Aaarrr!!!

Avast maties, today be National Talk Like a Pirate Day. Shiver me timbers.

Unfortunately, sometimes you feel like talking like a pirate, and sometimes you don't. I woke up feeling decidedly unswashbuckling this morning. Pirates aren't supposed to wake up feeling fragile and emotional!

But a pirate's gotta do what a pirate's gotta do, eh? Hoist the mainsail, ye scurvy landlubbers! Bring 'er round, that's the way, and we be off for adventure!

Due to popular demand (more than one person telling me they wanted to buy me a book for my birthday, but didn't know what to buy), I've created a BooksForPresents page on my wiki. (What's a wiki?)

Today I drove up to Little River Canyon National Park, and hiked (okay, walked) down into the canyon at Eberhart Point. I did not take my camera (the point was to get away from all that), so you'll have to look at other people's pictures (hmmm — perhaps a trip in early Autumn when the leaves are changing is in order).

Little River Canyon is quite amazing - apparently it's the longest river in the US that runs along the top of a mountain (in this part of the world, a "mountain" is anything hill higher than about a ten storey building). The river is always surprisingly warm, and today was no exception. Although it seemed to be running somewhat low, there were still many large, deep pools. The threat of rain seemed to have kept people away, because I didn't meet a soul down in the canyon... wonderful!

I chatted with my cousin Con yesterday, and he encouraged me strongly to visit South Africa when they're down there. I shall have to broach the subject of unpaid leave again with the powers that be. Explaining to Con how little vacation we get in America compared with England was funny, in a sad kind of way.

Speaking of differences between America and England, I watched a good chunk of tennis this weekend. In South Africa, we used to watch Wimbledon every year, and I've hardly followed it at all since we moved here, so Wimbledon is still my picture of what tennis is supposed to be like. The focus on the prize money during the award ceremonies left me feeling a bit disgusted. It just seemed so crass.     However, I was totally drawn in by the tennis. I'd forgotten how enjoyable it is to watch. Some of the plays left me almost teary-eyed they were so amazing.

And speaking of tennis, last weekend was probably the first time I've actually  played  since the two or three times we hit around in college, and the lessons we used to take in Senior Primary (Middle) School. Serving is so much easier when you're 6'2''! I think I might have to play a bit more. I'm sure I could beat Andy if I practiced for - oh - about three years or so!