Where have I been? Not much of anyplace, home, the gym, the pool, the farmers market, the library, dropped a donation off at the local animal shelter, a walk in a park, Aldi, and out to lunch on King Street.
Who have I talked with? My sweet bear, John from upstairs, the lifeguard at the pool, my old office mates (a Zoom board meeting last week.)
HoW is everyone doing? My sister is recovering well. Sweet Bear's oldest brother had open heart surgery last week and post op complications. It is going to be a rough recovery, he is 83.
What have I read? 32 Yolks, The Ideas that Made America. When I finish the current stack from the library, I will have read 50 books, my goal for 2024.
What am I watching? The Tour De France finished on Sunday, the Olympics start next weekend. The Indy Car Race from Toronto (we will be in Toronto in August of 2025.) On YouTube: Billy at the Convent, an amazing renovation, Glen and Friends cooking, Photo Dude, Dude's best friend, and an remarkable expat in Japan. So far as broadcast television, the CBS Sunday Morning Show and 60-Minutes are about it.
What am I listening to? Saturday afternoon, the sounds of silence. I went to the pool, in a light rain. About ten minutes into 30 minutes of swimming laps, the power went out. I heard it go, come back on, and go out again. Then it got quiet, really quiet. I came back the house and had a hard time taking a nap, it was so quiet. The power was out about an hour.
Where am I going? Chicago soon.
What did I learn this week? The development of American English was intentional, an effort to create a unique identity though changes in spelling, definition and word usage. We use the spelling, tires instead of tyres, color instead of colour, because of an intentional effort to create American English. We say someone is in "the hospital" instead of someone is "in hospital" because of a difference in defining what article of speech "hospital" is. Confusingly we have "ice cream," instead of "an ice cream." In a music or theater performance, we have an "intermission", as a break between parts of the show, instead of an "interval" a word we use to define a period of time. All of this is the result of an intentional effort by intellectuals in the late 1700's and early 1800's in North America, to define differences unique to the Americas.
What is the strangest thing I have done this week? Swimming in the rain. It wasn't raining when I went to the pool, a few minutes in, it started to rain. I thought, oh my, I will get wet!!!!! It was actually very pleasant, the water is warm, maybe even warmer than the weather.
What fun have I had in the kitchen? I made a peach pie, fresh peaches from the farmers market, Mary Berry's sweet crust pastry, a glaze made with a chopped peach, brandy, sugar and cornstarch. It set wonderfully, and the pastry is some of the best I have ever made.
I love swimming, well, flipping around, I don't swim well, in the pool in the rain. As long as it's not lightening.
ReplyDeleteIf it starts to lightening, the lifeguards close the outdoor pool.
DeleteYour peach pie looks so good.
ReplyDeleteAustralians of course with our language and writing have some very UK English and some very American. Interval, intermission...they are interchangeable to me and I think I use both, although I am not sure what would prompt using either.
I have read and traveled enough to not be surprised or baffled by the differences in a common language.
DeleteI have often wondered about the differences between American English and British English. Thanks for enlightening me!
ReplyDeleteDaniel Webster started with a spelling list of 3,000 American English Words, then developed a dictionary.
DeleteSwimming in the rain is oddly fun.
ReplyDeleteThat pie looks fabulous! You are quite the MasterBaker™.
I wing it in the kitchen, most of the time it works.
DeleteMmmmm, your peach pie looks magnificent!
ReplyDeleteThank you, I do enjoy playing in the kitchen.
DeleteThat peach pie looks fanstastic. I wish I had a slice.
ReplyDeleteThere are a couple of slices left.
DeleteApplause for your peach tart! The slice that has gone was far too big! You must try harder to control your portion sizes David!
ReplyDelete"Swimming in The Rain" sounds like the title of a romantic novel..."David Godfrey captures the mood of love in the Michigan back country. A tour de force" - Washington Post.
Being an adult, I set the slice size.
DeleteOh, David, that peach pie! My mouth is watering. Origins of American English, how fascinating. Because the only native English speakers we know here are from the UK, my English has become very confused. I use some British English words and spellings and other American English words and spellings. It’s a muddle. Swimming in the rain when there’s no threat of lightning is wonderful. So glad your sister doing well hope J’s brother makes a surprising recovery. Thinking of you both (and them):
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy playing in the kitchen, and sometimes it works well. There was good news on J's brother yesterday, for the first time in a week.
DeleteJust got new read from our library, Frida Kahlo Song of Herself. By Salomon Grimberg and forward by Hayden Herrera.
ReplyDeleteI have started a bio of Tony Bourdain.
DeleteOh yes the attempt to make English less English is true - it is one of the few times someone deliberately tried to change spelling and it stuck.
ReplyDelete