Tonight is the World Tour Final...final. It's Federer and Djokovic, here in London, which means I've gone another year without managing to see him at this one or Wimbledon. With Wimbledon, I have some excuse, but it's fairly easy to get tickets to the WTF, at least for the earlier rounds. I suppose I don't need to worry since he's now saying he might play at the next Olympics as well... I assume he's not serious, but with Federer, who knows? He is, as Nadal once said, from another planet.
And apparently I wasn't the only one thinking of Red yesterday. I got a call from Spence this morning...as well as a series of drunken texts from Murray around 3am his time, asking me if I remembered the time Red decided he was going to save the bottle cap off of every water bottle he drank while he was over there, and did I know what had happened to them. (I do know - he was ordered to get rid of them, because within a week there were so many he was having to hide them in other people's packs without their knowledge, so that when they stopped to get something out, a waterfall of white plastic caps would flow out...)
Today's poem...Don Blanding isn't someone you'll find taught in any school, I'm pretty sure, but I like him. He lived in Hawaii, wrote mostly in the 1920s and 30s, and a lot of his poems are about that, or about his travels.
Driftwood
Don Blanding
Never a tide goes out to sea
But carries a bit of the heart of me
Riding the foam and the gray sea-wrack,
Caring no whit if it ne'er comes back,
Drifting over the seven seas
Driven by trade-wind, storm and breeze,
Hearing the cry of the sad sea-loon,
Floating a while in blue lagoon,
Bleached and scorched by the tropic suns,
Spun away when the rip-tide runs,
On and over and back and forth
Up to the still white frozen north
Where a weary day is a long half year
And out of the icebergs dead men peer.
Hither and thither and on and yon,
Glamorous night and clamorous dawn,
Gaining nothing and losing less,
Loving the joy, accepting the stress,
Taking whatever the Fates may give.
God, it's a glorious life to live.
And apparently I wasn't the only one thinking of Red yesterday. I got a call from Spence this morning...as well as a series of drunken texts from Murray around 3am his time, asking me if I remembered the time Red decided he was going to save the bottle cap off of every water bottle he drank while he was over there, and did I know what had happened to them. (I do know - he was ordered to get rid of them, because within a week there were so many he was having to hide them in other people's packs without their knowledge, so that when they stopped to get something out, a waterfall of white plastic caps would flow out...)
Today's poem...Don Blanding isn't someone you'll find taught in any school, I'm pretty sure, but I like him. He lived in Hawaii, wrote mostly in the 1920s and 30s, and a lot of his poems are about that, or about his travels.
Driftwood
Don Blanding
Never a tide goes out to sea
But carries a bit of the heart of me
Riding the foam and the gray sea-wrack,
Caring no whit if it ne'er comes back,
Drifting over the seven seas
Driven by trade-wind, storm and breeze,
Hearing the cry of the sad sea-loon,
Floating a while in blue lagoon,
Bleached and scorched by the tropic suns,
Spun away when the rip-tide runs,
On and over and back and forth
Up to the still white frozen north
Where a weary day is a long half year
And out of the icebergs dead men peer.
Hither and thither and on and yon,
Glamorous night and clamorous dawn,
Gaining nothing and losing less,
Loving the joy, accepting the stress,
Taking whatever the Fates may give.
God, it's a glorious life to live.
39 comments:
Oh, I didn't know it was the final final tonight...
I sort of organised a bit of a date type thing... Mrs H said she could watch Sherlock.
But if you'd rather stay in and watch Federicorn...we can do the date-thing...well, some other time, I guess... if they let me.
I can record it. I'd much rather go out with you. Also, I knew you were planning something!
are you sure? You might not even enjoy what I planned...
Sorry, if I'd known I would've worked something else out.
Of course I will! Anyway, I'll be with you, and it'll be lovely no matter what else we do. So what are we doing?
Not telling. You might decide Federicorn is the better prospect.
I won't! Just a hint?
I'm glad you were reminded of good things about Red John even if it was in the middle of the night, that sounds like a lovely memory :-)
I hope you've had a good day and that the man in your life deosn't drive you too mad with keeping his plans secret ;-)
A hint.
You can dress casually. If you could get to the yard for about 7 that would be good. Either on your bike, or bring your kit to go pillion on mine.
Remember to put Federicorn on to record! I don't want you to miss it and hate me.
Anonybob - thanks. :)
L - that is not a very hinty hint...
Actually... bring your kit. If it goes badly you might want a drink after.
Do you own steel toe boots?
And...have you any idea what style you'd like our first dance at our wedding to be? Modern? Waltz? Cha Cha cha? Something a bit racier...gangnam style? :)
Are questions one and two related? Because if it's anything complicated, you'll be the one who needs steel toed boots...
...it is possible they are. I refuse to say.
My work shoes are steel toes.
Doc, what did he do with all the bottle caps? Did he put them in the "collect your bottle caps to fund a cure for cancer" boxes that were everywhere? Did he string them to make Christmas tree decorations like we did? Did he use them to fill a decoy care package that was hidden somewhere in lieu of a package held for ransom from someone? All of those are hypotheticals, by the way.
Enjoy your date night. :)
DW you have the best hypotheticals.
Fellas, good luck with tonight's adventure.
He wanted to make wigs with them, believe it or not. They do make decent garlands for the tree though... wonder how L would feel about those instead of tinsel...
DW - you have had an amazing hypothetical life. Sometimes I wonder whether your imagination could lead you into trouble ;)
Have a great evening guys, and let us know if there are any injuries!
Ha, DW, as KHolly says, awesome hypotheticals!
John, I love that poem. (I'm really enjoying your choices, even when I forget to say thank you for them. Thanks!)
And have a lovely time doing whatever tonight!
Actually, just come to the yard. We'll get the tube. I might need a drink...
And I really like that poem.
We're not eloping tonight are we? You sound nervous...
I'm glad. I really like a lot off his stuff.
Sometimes I wonder whether your imagination could lead you into trouble
Frequently and persistently. The care package one put me in the dog house for about three months. Although, that was an extreme overreaction. It's not like I actually took a bite out of the cookie.
Are we taking bets on what tonight's plan is? Because my money's on "underground rap battle" as always.
Did you get whatever ransom you were asking?
Underground rap battle... surely too much to hope for...
Hehe Dw. Care packages are sacred!
I hope you guys have tonight whatever you do.
No, Doc. Just an enormous amount of trouble. I found a cool ransom note generator online, though. http://strix.org.uk/ransom
Apparently so, Pip. ;)
I'm not nervous! Well...only a bit! no more than usual.
You left yet? You should leave...
Ask sherlock to lend you something with sequins on...
Here's to sequins and the fun kind of nerves! :)
Leaving now... no sequins.
Avoid Victoria - been evacuated because of a security alert.
No sequins? I'll see if they have some you can borrow...
Sherlock, sorry I'm stealing John away from you. Be good for Mrs Hudson, won't you? And go to bed when she says, even if we're not back.
Are there going to be glowsticks and partial nudity...?
there could be, if you wanted...
*dying of curiosity*
I think there are actually glowsticks available...
And I think he likes it :) He just nearly killed me hugging me on the escalator out of the tube.
I don't know why you were so nervous, it's wonderful! It's amazing! You're amazing, and I love you!
I don't know...scared he might lose! I shouldn't say that, right?? I should just shut up...
It will still be amazing if he loses, I promise. And he won't lose!
*falls off chair laughing*
That is almost too perfect!!!! (Also, excellent misdirection skillz, L., on top of being one of the best surprise pickers ever!)
Brilliant, Lestrade, you devious detective.
COming from you, DW, I take 'devious' as a form of great praise! :)
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