Will's House & Warwick's Name & the Butchers from Baldock

Fri 24th Feb took half a day off and went to my new chums, the South Africans, at Hitchin, about 40 minutes south, toward London. I was took cook a roast for them. Tom and I went to this amazing butcher in Baldock. It was so good I got a picture. They sold all things South African, Biltong and the like, which is why Tom likes it. Bought the leg of lamb. And off to fire up the Weber.
Tom and Katinka are the couple, very hospitable. Their friend Karen was over and Tom's cousin. He is an officer in the British Army, just about to go to Afghanistan. So he had a far bit to say. He's just become a Christian. How's this for a dilemma. The orders are to take extra rounds, so that if you are caught you don't fall into enemies hands. As a Christian is it right to end your life under these circumstances?

Let me know what you think in the comments.

Anyway they took up a fair old part of the evening. I stayed up the late, I haven't stayed up that late since I lost my youth, I'm hoping one day to find it again. If you happen to see it...
Sat 25th Feb Went with up the north west to Leamington Spa. We stayed with friends of one of the South African people, Jacqui and Richard's friend Karen. Saw a few of the sights around there. Went to Stratford - upon - Avon on Saturday night to see The Crucible. Really good play. You may have seen the film with Winona Ryder. The part must have cost her quite a bit. She got caught shop lifting soon after! Later, after the play we went and visited Will's house, nothing much doing, no one was home. I thought we might be able to get a cup of tea and a few sonnets, but nay...

Sun 26th Feb visited Warwick Castle. A grand affair. They have all these people dressed up in medieval costume, Old Sydney Town style with the whippings and the jousting and the pillaging. They have a full scale catapult they give a whirl in the summer. That's one thing I've noticed, everything seems to happen in the summer. It probably isn't the best time of the year to visit England in the winter, if your planning a trip over here. Napoleon made the same mistake. He seemed to make a lot of mistakes! I think this is the place Warwick was named after.

Could someone confirm that.

Another thing I've noticed is that South African's say Oh is it! not a question but a statement like we might reply to someone's information they just told us Is that right? Funny hey.

Mon 27th Feb Had left my pushy down at Cambridge Station for the weekend. Was surprised to see it still there. They have a huge problem with bikes being stolen. Apparently there is a racket that operates between Oxford and Cambridge. They steal the bikes from one place and sell them in the other. A few years ago Cambridgeshire Council thought they would put a stop to the theft, they brought a truck load of push bikes and just left them all around the city. No need to steal anyone’s. If your coming home on a Friday night with the old wobbly boot on you can just pick up a bike at the designated depot, ride it home. Wake up smelling like Roses on Monday and ride it back into town. Good idea? With in a week they were all gone, the lot had been stolen. AH the heart of darkness of the human kind.

Started on my translation of John 19:16-27. It's only a few verses, but when your Greek is up the creek it takes a while.

Tues 28th Feb finished translating and commenting and flowcharting and listing further research topics which was assignment number 6 gone. Only have the major essay to write. Am vacillating between Herod Antipas and Pontius Pilate.

Any suggestions.

Plan to take an easy day tomorrow and go on the Round Church walk of Cambridge. It is a walking tour that the Round Church, an evangelical church, which they use to evangelise. It is the Scholars and Saints tour of all the colleges and how Cambridge was central to the English Reformation. I hope the weather is fine.

Today it snowed 6 times in between sunny breaks...