Monday 21 May 2007

a bit of this and that

21 May 2007, Rabat Morocco

Cherries!!! Have come to Morocco; or rather have come into season. What is as expensive as steak in the West cost a pittance here, which is great news for me, as I love cherries. They are sweet and ripe.



I had to share this article I found in the Onion with you..

.BOISE, ID—The Idaho Legislature passed a unanimous resolution Monday declaring English the only language the elected assembly knows how to speak, write, or understand.

"We're putting into law a general feeling that everyone here has had for years: English is the only language we know, and English is the only language we want to know," Lt. Gov. James E. Risch said during a press conference outside the State Capitol building. "It's a good language, serves us well in matters of communication, and we can't think of any good reason to go around knowing some other language that we have no use for."

The legislature is expected to pass a separate resolution later this week officially declaring out-of-towners "suspicious."




And in case you are running short on emotions or just can’t put a name to it, Hallmark (a brand of greeting cards) has done the research for you. They actually have a very expensive research center to identify and codify emotions. I can only assume to increase their market share. Here is the latest:
The first emotion the project successfully isolated was "requiapathy," the combination of relief and guilt that comes with the sudden realization that you no longer miss a dead loved one. That discovery quickly led to the uncovering of "seprudity," the feeling of appreciating a coworker's dedication without fully understanding his or her job function, and "trepatiousness," a synthesis of rage and jealousy, though more muted and often accompanied by a sensation of weightlessness. (Onion)

I really have to find a way to use those words in a sentence!





-Leaving the Medina, no taxis to be had, making our way with plants in hand, made waiting for a taxi in that area unpleasant to say the least. We walked out of the cul de sac watching for a taxi, we lost one to two aggressive young men. As we are approaching the crossroad, and darkness is approaching, and the chance of getting a taxi is decreasing – we spot two chaps sitting in their lawn chairs besides two taxis. “Taxi?” (in English and Arabic)
“No, no. You need a taxi?” and “Mohammad” my Moroccan knight gets up from his comfy chair where he is no doubt awaiting sundown to end his fast, and approaches the road where he imperiously lifts his arm –
And I swear to you out of the twilight appears an empty taxi that pulls right up to us! We are all grinning and laughing, I am giving him the thumbs up; his friend is applauding, and he is giving me the thumbs up as we drive away. It was brilliant.

18 comments:

The Good Woman said...

I believe that, should I ever have the opportunity to meet someone from Boise, I might treat them with suspicion too. But, somehow, I doubt they ever leave Idaho.

Enjoy the cherries!

lady macleod said...

Indeed, and oh yes!

thank you for coming by Good Woman.

elleeseymour said...

Sounds like you are having a lot of fun in Morocco - do enjoy the cherries, lucky you. It's raining here now in the UK as I write this.

Annie said...

I LOVE cherries. I used to buy a 'punnet' of them at lunchtime in Marks and Spencer and keep them on my desk and munch on them all afternoon!

lady macleod said...

eleeseymour,

I am enjoying it I assure you, but I wouldn't mind a day or two of soft British rain
thank you for coming by.



Annie,

Me too. Last summer I was in the States and they were SO expensive. Here you can eat as many as you want.
Thank you for coming by. Is your trip soon?

debio said...

I simply adore cherries and they've just reached the shops here too.
Idaho potatoes are excellent too; that's exhausts my knowledge of Idaho - or maybe that's all that there is worth knowing?

lady macleod said...

debio,

Idaho has snow yes? Now I'm out.

Thank you for coming by.

rilly super said...

I once came across a website with the slogan 'let's give idaho back to britain' but I'm not sure what offical backing this has. I think it must be beautiful there, a state the size of britain with only a couple of million population.then of course there is the river phoenix movie..

James Higham said...

Cherries - yes, understood them. Now what was the bit about English? Was there some doubt about the language?

Andres, JCT said...

how fortuitous. boise, idaho is not too far from where i am but the social and political climate are very much the same.

lady macleod said...

rilly super,

Are we sure Britain wants Idaho?

thanks for coming by.



James,

apparently in Idaho there is a necessity to explain to people that they can speak English is my guess.

thanks for coming by.


andres carl sena,

thanks for coming by.

Shauna Loves Chocolate said...

Sounds delicious! I'm so jealous! We never get good cherries!
Thanks for commenting on my blog!

Mutterings and Meanderings said...

You have a veritable magpie mind, Lady M ...

lady macleod said...

shauna,

You're welcome. I love your photograph. thanks for coming by.



M&M,

Thank you Sparky. I try to pick up a few things here and there...

thanks for coming by.

I Beatrice said...

Cherries, ah yes! I always buy them - just don't look at the prices.

Chelsea Flower Show here at present, and your taxi-with-plants story reminds me of Chelsea closing day when all the plants are sold off. Sloane Street resembles Burnham Wood having gone to Dunsinane (?sp). And you can't see the faces of the people staggering on to buses, for the 6-foot hollyhocks they're trying to take with them...

Plenty more rain has fallen here - but now the sun has come out and everything in the garden is fresh and lovely. (Sigh for England!)

lady macleod said...

oh I love the Chelsea flower show! I used to go up on the train, and go to the tea shop at Hampton Court in the morning, and the lovely restaurant on the river across the bridge for lunch. It was so much fun to watch, as you say, the visitors loaded up on their laps with greenery for the train trip back to London. thank you for reminding me; and thank you for coming by.

I Beatrice said...

You were just across the Great Park from me when you took tea at Hampton Court lady m. Such a pity I didn't know you then!

Not sure they still sell-off the plants on closing day, mind - it's a while since I've been

HM Queen and Family were out in full force yesterday though (PM of Kent and all - she does muscle-in on every damned thing, that woman!). Kissing all the assembled Rels on both cheeks, they were (Camilla looked a bit uncomfortable about it, I thought).

And Alan Titchmarsh out in fine fettle and all his witty splendour on the telly......

(Are you sighing yet?)

lady macleod said...

yes! *sniff*