Names are funny things. There are those we are given, those we acquire and those we opt for. Changing my name when I married never bothered me. Maybe it should have done. I know people who wax indignant at “giving up their identity”. I know others who are quite relieved to change their name on marrying. And I know some who keep their married name on divorcing because they have been known for so long by that married name. It’s surely a matter of personal choice and no-one has the right to criticise women for the choice they make in that respect.
I am going on about all this because this morning I had one of those reminders that tell you “Today is so-and-so’s birthday.” In this case it was someone I worked with long ago. I remember her starting work at the college as a newly qualified teacher, Miss X. Some years late she married and became Mrs Y. And so she remained for a long time. She and her family went to live in the United States and suddenly she has become Mrs X-Y. I wonder why she changed it. It’s possibly a very modern thing to do. The daughter of a friend of mine decided to do this when she married. I am pretty sure she persuaded her husband to adopt the same double surname. And why not?
Every so often the Guardian fashion section features a shopping guide to the best … (insert item of clothing) featuring options to buy new, rent, or buy from a thrift shop. Presumably because of the sunny weather we have been having, today’s item of choice was sun hats. Of course, the buy new sun hats were of the expensive variety: £35 to £82. Who pays £80+ for a sunhat? The cheapest rental sunhat was £11 for three days! Most expensive was over £35!! Again, I wonder, who does that sort of thing? Why rent a sunhat? Especially when you can buy one for considerably less than £35. I understand all the philosophy behind renting clothes, especially for fancy occasions like weddings but, really! I suspect someone is jumping on the bandwagon with the renting sun hats business!
I came across a claim that Oldham, our home town for all our working (and retired) lives, is the birthplace of the fish and chip shop. Specifically, Tommyfield Market is supposedly where it all started. The claim goes: “The first chips were fried in Tommyfield around 1860, from which London’s fish and chip shops can be traced”. Well, what an odd claim to fame. Inevitably, this post led to counterclaims in the comments that in fact the first chip shop was in nearby Mossley! Will this be the start of chip shop wars?
I haven’t featured the estimable Michael Rosen’s ‘Boris Johnson’ posts for a while. So here’s one:
“Dear Mogg
The great Mel Brooks play 'The Crucible' shows us how a witch hunt can destroy the lives of innocent people. It anticipates my plight in the face of a ruthless kangaroo. But we have a guiding light: Nadine. She is our Joan of Ark.
Ave Maria Dorris”.
Which brings me to a photoshopped picture of Nadine Dorries wearing a T-shirt with the slogan: Boris Johnson promised me a seat in the House of Lords and all I got was this lousy T-shirt. Thank you Newsthump!
Today is a cooler day. Maybe I’ll get around to tidying up the jungle that is my front garden. Last week it was a wonderful riot of colour with aquilegia and poppies - a wild garden. Now the flowers have gone to seed and the remaining stalks are hiding the roses! Time to get busy!
Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!
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