Up early to talk to men in dark suits. A lot to discuss this morning. The stimulus bill, a Russian hack, a mutated virus, Brexit , Sidney Powell and Xi's fast footwork on an EU a trade deal. The conversation finally over , Sophie carefully studies my feet. When the second shoe is on and laced up she throws her head back and howls with excitement. Weighty issues can be left at the office door. At last a day of great adventures can start.
Despite the early hour the motorway is busy. Probably Parisians and Bordelais fleeing the big city and heading off to the coast or ski resorts. There are so many layers of lockdown in place that we are now totally confused as to what we can and cannot do. There is certainly a curfew in place because at nine at night all noise within a hundred miles stops. We are having a lot of silent nights.
Back to London for Carol #18 memorable for that impossibly high ' Oh so English descant '. The congregations at these things are always so interesting. Will we ever see them like this again ? Watch out, through the incense, for the floor in front of the altar at Westminster Abbey. It is one of the best but least known wonders of British history . It was until recently covered with carpet : https://youtu.be/l1wHyMR_SCA?t=300
And here's a brief description ( you'll have to scroll down a bit through the C-19 warnings ) of the Cosmati pavement(s) and how it was used to calculate how long the Earth would survive :https://www.westminster-abbey.org/about-the-abbey/history/cosmati-pavement
7 comments:
The information about the Cosmati pavement is fascinating. Apart from its usefulness in calculating the survival of the Earth, I like the idea of these Roman workman traveling to London in the 13th century and doing wild and crazy things like incorporating glass in the mosaic. Innovation and creativity are timeless.
When I worked in an office in Westminster I was periodically invited to attend evensong at the Abbey. I'm a non-believer, but I always went.
No wonder Sophie needed a lengthy sniffing session after sitting in on this mornings session with the men in dark suits. I ran into a neighbour's daughter yesterday evening. - she's back home for Christmas from her job for Total in Paris. I asked if she was worried about getting back to France after Christmas. She hadn't heard the latest news on the virus variant and closed border. She will have now.
Oh joy of joy's - yesterday Inca found a smashed yoghurt pot someone had obviously dropped when unloading their car. It was nearly full, and almost untouched! She wasn't best pleased to be dragged away from it, and even more distressed when she found it had been cleared up this morning. She says that Sophie would never have allowed such a thing to happen!
Hari OM
The YAMster is back in her Hutch... after a very, very long year that almost feels like a bad dream now that am in a place of tranquillity and vistas green and blue. (Well, various shades of grey at the moment, but you get my drift...) Have been following all the carols, for which, thanks.
Seems I have made it back west in just good time to be once again 'shielding'. Roll on 2022 is all I can say. (Yes, you read that right.) YAM xx
I do love your posts and read them daily though I rarely comment. I wish to be at Westminster Cathedral feeling the organ music and voices reverberating. The Cosmati pavement is a thing of wonder. I'd love to see that too. Thank you.
Hi Yam! Glad you're back.
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