Okay, mark your calendars. Today was cleaning day. Yes, that’s right; we’ve been here for eighteen days and today is the first time I’ve cleaned. It’s pretty amazing how clean a place can stay with just two people in it. Even so, eventually, cleaning is required. Our flat was beginning to look like our (Joneal's and mine) dorm room did two weeks after our proud mom and dad left us to our own limited cleaning resources and desires. Johnny had decided the ironing board would be his closet and everything he’s worn for eighteen days was piled on top. Shoes were thrown under the board. That had to go. There’s no carpet in our flat, but we have a small Hoover, no broom. So I vacuumed the tile floor and cleaned the kitchen and bathroom. Honestly, it only took two paper towels each to get them sparkling clean. Then, I was done. Twenty-five minutes---tops! Why did our dorm room stay so messy??? This is so much easier than a five bedroom house!!
After cleaning, we spent our self-disciplined three hours working on our books before our date I told you about yesterday. We left our flat at 4:00 and walked about a mile, then caught a taxi to Dr. Kelly Clark’s house. Kelly (see photo above) is here on sabbatical from Calvin College in Grand Rapides Michigan. He is a Doctor of Philosophy and the author of several books. In spite of all the academic titles and appointments (he has several), he is a normal, great guy with a wife and three kids. He is staying in a totally different part of town, so we had fun seeing the sights he has discovered in his part of town.
Warning: History from here on out! We walked down the road behind Kelly’s house to a pasture complete with cows and cow patties, large cow patties. We serpentined our way through the pasture and made it to the “tow path.” The tow path is a walking path along the famous Thames River (also called the Isis River). This section of the river is about half the width of the Ouachita River through Monroe. In London, the same river is much wider than the Ouachita, but through Oxford you could throw a rock across it (well, someone could, probably not me). The name, tow path, comes from the time when boats were actually pulled down the river by people or horses walking along the path. Now it’s a place people go for leisure and sports activities. Three times a year the colleges hold their famous boat races there. We got to see several teams practicing as well as talk to some team members about the training process. It’s a beautiful sight to witness. The boats glide so effortlessly down the river powered by a well-trained team of rowers. They work very hard to make it seem so easy. I was dying to get in one. We’re going to check on renting some kind of boat later. Once a year, Oxford and Cambridge compete for the big title in London. Further down the river we came upon a different type of boat (see above). I’m not sure what they are called, but they look a little like a train car and are actually used either as full time houses or rentals allowing people to tour the river for a weekend or longer. Of course, I peeked inside the window as they passed and it’s similar to a travel trailer—beds, kitchens, etc. The river is so narrow in some places only two of these boats can pass at a time. On down the river, we came to a little village with the most beautiful thatch roof homes and a church built in 1170. The picture above shows us standing in front of the side door. The vicar of the church happened to be in the church yard so we had an unexpected guided tour. We ended our evening at a pub Kelly likes because it’s more out of the way than most. Their food is homemade daily and the atmosphere was quiet and relaxing, candles on the tables and a rustic, ski-vacation kind of feel. All in all, we probably walked about four miles today, so great exercise, great company, and good homemade food. Who could ask for more?
I hope your Saturday has allowed you to explore something new, whether it’s through a book, a movie, a person or right out your back door. How blessed we are to have so much beauty around us wherever we are.
“I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men!” Ecclesiastes 1:13
Much love to you all. Have a good evening and a blessed Sunday.
Hugs,
2 Mama
After cleaning, we spent our self-disciplined three hours working on our books before our date I told you about yesterday. We left our flat at 4:00 and walked about a mile, then caught a taxi to Dr. Kelly Clark’s house. Kelly (see photo above) is here on sabbatical from Calvin College in Grand Rapides Michigan. He is a Doctor of Philosophy and the author of several books. In spite of all the academic titles and appointments (he has several), he is a normal, great guy with a wife and three kids. He is staying in a totally different part of town, so we had fun seeing the sights he has discovered in his part of town.
Warning: History from here on out! We walked down the road behind Kelly’s house to a pasture complete with cows and cow patties, large cow patties. We serpentined our way through the pasture and made it to the “tow path.” The tow path is a walking path along the famous Thames River (also called the Isis River). This section of the river is about half the width of the Ouachita River through Monroe. In London, the same river is much wider than the Ouachita, but through Oxford you could throw a rock across it (well, someone could, probably not me). The name, tow path, comes from the time when boats were actually pulled down the river by people or horses walking along the path. Now it’s a place people go for leisure and sports activities. Three times a year the colleges hold their famous boat races there. We got to see several teams practicing as well as talk to some team members about the training process. It’s a beautiful sight to witness. The boats glide so effortlessly down the river powered by a well-trained team of rowers. They work very hard to make it seem so easy. I was dying to get in one. We’re going to check on renting some kind of boat later. Once a year, Oxford and Cambridge compete for the big title in London. Further down the river we came upon a different type of boat (see above). I’m not sure what they are called, but they look a little like a train car and are actually used either as full time houses or rentals allowing people to tour the river for a weekend or longer. Of course, I peeked inside the window as they passed and it’s similar to a travel trailer—beds, kitchens, etc. The river is so narrow in some places only two of these boats can pass at a time. On down the river, we came to a little village with the most beautiful thatch roof homes and a church built in 1170. The picture above shows us standing in front of the side door. The vicar of the church happened to be in the church yard so we had an unexpected guided tour. We ended our evening at a pub Kelly likes because it’s more out of the way than most. Their food is homemade daily and the atmosphere was quiet and relaxing, candles on the tables and a rustic, ski-vacation kind of feel. All in all, we probably walked about four miles today, so great exercise, great company, and good homemade food. Who could ask for more?
I hope your Saturday has allowed you to explore something new, whether it’s through a book, a movie, a person or right out your back door. How blessed we are to have so much beauty around us wherever we are.
“I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men!” Ecclesiastes 1:13
Much love to you all. Have a good evening and a blessed Sunday.
Hugs,
2 Mama
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