Moving On

The international part of my sabbatical divides into two halfs. For the past month, I've enjoyed living in Leicester and participating in the School of Museum Studies. Tomorrow I head to London and begin the second half, which will entail lots of moving about and visiting museums. I'm not very good at leaving, but this arrangement gives me something always to looks forward to. Plus Tom is coming soon, so I've very excited. More from London...

Street Names

Welfare State

Sue and I have had frequent discussions about the United States and England. She finds it difficult to believe that the U.S. does not provide many of the benefits available here, such as universal healthcare. In England, housing is provided for anyone in need, and all citizens get a card on their 60th birthdays for free local bus transportion. Paid maternity leaves are a year long--and there are paternity leaves, as well. There is also liberal medical leave and a minimum of 6 weeks of time off a year. (People can't understand why Tom isn't here with me, and they are horrified when I tell them he has only 2 weeks of vacation.) That said, the economy is not good in England, and the new government is struggling over possible cuts, most of which are not going down well with the folks here.

And the Cupboard was Bare...

Many people in the States might be alarmed to see how little food is in our house at any given time. It's not that we can't afford it. People here tend to shop more frequently--sometimes daily--to ensure freshness. The grocery stores stock much less junk food, flavored drinks, and "convenience foods" than in the United States, which means people aren't consuming so many sweeteners, chemicals, and preservatives. Also, a lot of the food here is local and organic. (The free-range eggs I bought came complete with feathers!) I know that English food gets a bad rap, but I've enjoyed eating healthy here. Although England is very concerned about its obesity crisis, I've seen no one who qualifies as obese in U.S. terms. The grocery where we shop has devised a nutritional stoplight that it puts on all its products. At a glance, you can see how good or bad any food is for you.

Hallowe'en!

Yes, the U.S. holiday has made its way to Europe and the U.K. Traditionalists in England are none too happy about it, preferring to celebrate their holiday, Guy Fawkes Day (or Bonfire Night), on November 5th.

Seperated by a "Common" Language...

More Signs

Fire Ball!

Sue has a gas fireplace that gives me flashbacks to Door County fish boils. (If you haven't been, check out the June 15th post, Dinner and a Show.) This evening's effort was a little lame; usually I stand by, ready to throw her on the carpet and roll, roll, roll to extinguish the flames. It's all business as usual to Sue, but the fire balls made me reluctant to use the fireplace while she was away.

Another Clever Sign, Seen at a Pub

("Creche" is a term used here for "daycare.")

Busy Sunday/Sue's Back

Sunday dawned chilly but bright. After two days spent mostly inside, I was eager for a walk. Without a specific plan, I headed towards the city center. Leicester has a major Indian population, so the streets were decorated for both the upcoming feast of Diwali [in November] and Christmas. Realizing my time in England is winding down, I decided I should have a jacket potato experience. I stopped at Spuds-U-Like, offering a "special" of Coronation Chicken (???). My resolve faltered as I watched the folks queued up ahead of me get their spuds: baked potato with a scoop of cold, canned pork and beans, baked potato with cheese and cole slaw, baked potato with shrimp salad and two slices of lemon. (My first week here I watched an English cooking competition on TV, and one of the judges insisted that lemon never goes with potatoes. I would have to agree...) I made the most innocuous choice possible, cottage cheese and chives. As you can see in the photo, the topping was rather dry and mashed. And there was no butter available. I managed to eat most of it, but I think I'll have my next baked potato back in the States.

On the way home, I couldn't resist stopping in TKMaxx. Same shopping experience, just with a different initial. (Which made me wonder if there's a TFMaxx or whatever elsewhere in the world.) The skies had turned dark by the time I left the store, and soon I was walking through a sleet storm. My first, but certainly not last, white of the sabbatical. Brrr!

Sue returned from two weeks in Syria by late afternoon. Some of the first words out of her mouth were, "The whole country was dry. We're going to the pub tonight. My treat." We had a nice evening, although it was hard to go back out in the cold. I thought with Sue back that the house would warm up, but I was wrong. She turned the thermostat DOWN, and it was 53F in my room this morning. Flashbacks to camping...

Miserable Day in the Kitchen

This morning was cold and dreary, and I choked down a small quantity of porridge in a feable attempt to warm myself. When I started thinking about lunch by 10:00, I decided it was the perfect day to stay indoors and do a little cooking. I had already purchased some stock and cannellini beans, so I was ready to make pasta fagioli. Or so I thought. I'm not accustomed to cooking with gas, so the onion and garlic got a little crispy, even in the heavy Le Creuset pan. "Not a major problem," I thought. "Do the British thing and carry on." I opened the pouch of stock and poured it in. Hmmm...it looked pretty dark for chicken stock so I gave it a taste. Yuckorama! There was no seasoning to speak of, and the only tastes I picked up were burnt and alcohol (?!). "Maybe it just needs some more of the ingredients to flavor it..." (This type of thinking is usually a bad sign.) I added the veg and reached for the can of beans. No can opener! A lengthier search unearthed one unlike I'd ever seen before, and I could not for the life of me figure out how to use it--although I probably looked like a monkey trying. I decided it was time to cut my losses. I turned off the cooktop and backed out of the kitchen. When the mess cooled, I carried it outside and unceremoniously poured it on the compost pile. I try not to waste food, but this was absolutely inedible. So now Sue has a can of beans in the pantry. Maybe she knows how to use the #$%^ can opener.

Perfect for a Professor

Sue is a major international scholar, and she has the books to go with it. With the exception of the loos, there is not a room in this house that is not lined with bookshelves. (There's even a bookcase in my closet.) It makes me think of one of my first Korean students at FSU. Hai-Kyung's dream was to have a room lined with books and a table in the middle for reading. Well, Sue's got it, and I'm envious. (Tom is now cringing, envisioning another run for IKEA bookshelves. I need them, but where to put them?...)

London Fieldtrip

Yesterday was the big day, and I think we spent a little more time sitting in the coach [bus] than enjoying the museums. On train, it's about an hour 15 to London, but it's 3 hours by bus, with all the time you spend snarled in traffic. Again, there was not much scenery, but I had a lively chat with one of the professors. At 11:30, we finally dismounted at South Kensington, with 3 national museums to choose from: the Victoria & Albert [mega art museum], Science, or Natural History. I, of course, headed straight to the V&A. I started in the book store and thought of my friends who would have loved to be shopping there with me. Then I went to the cafe for a delicious tureen of sweet potato and squash soup. From there, I headed to the galleries; with so much choice, it was tremendously difficult deciding how to allocate my time. Some of the highlights were an exhibition of camera-less photography, a fashion gallery, and the glass collection. I made it to the Natural History Museum shortly before our scheduled pick-up time. I suspect I'll go back for more when I'm in London at the start of November.

Christmas Dinner

As I've walked through Leicester, I've noticed that many dining establishments are already promoting fixed-price Christmas dinners. The local pub is offering a Christmas menu available all day from November 27th through Christmas Eve. (One must keep Christmas afternoon free to listen to the Queen's speech...) For $56 per adult and $24 per child, here are the options. Pick one from each category.

STARTERS
Roasted Tomato Soup (V) served with puree of basil and mozzarella croutons
Smoked Haddock Fishcake with a pepper, lime, and coriander salsa
Game and Cranberry Terrine served with rocket leaves with a red wine and redcurrant jelly
Medallions of Roe Deer with roasted chestnut puree, winter leaves, and game reduction

MAINS served with a selection of seasonal veg
Traditional Roast Turkey with chipolata and bacon rolls, walnut and apricot stuffing with cranberry sauce
Gnocchi Tossed with Wild Mushrooms (V) sage and olive oil, rich tomato cream sauce topped with Parmesan shavings
Pepper-Crusted 10oz. Sirloin Steak with parsnip and vanilla puree with a thyme jus
Cajun-Spiced Sea Bream with chardonnay creamed peas and lardons of smoked bacon

PUDDINGS [Desserts]
Rich Christmas Pudding with Warm Brandy Sauce [think dreaded fruit cake]
Blueberry Creme Brule with broken shards of chocolate and a shot of minted berry vodka
Individual Tart Tatin served with warm Christmas pudding ice cream
Coffee and mints
Mince Pies

So who's in for Christmas dinner?

And to Think I Was Complaining Before...

My bedroom is in the 50s (low teens C.) this frosty morning. And I'm sure there would be some local folks who would respond, "Ah, jolly good, you've got some heat, then..."

Going Places

I needed a break last evening, so I went to the neighborhood pub for dinner. I ate on the saloon side (see earlier post) to be right next to the fire. I ordered bangers and mash and was surprised when a huge pile of potatoes and gravy came out surrounded by three sausages. I had no idea what I was going to do with it and was astonished when I ate it all. Oh, well, calories for warmth, I guess...

Today I opted for a cultural experience and went to the Moscow State Circus, set up in a park between my home and the university. I've gone to only a couple of circuses ever, but a visit to the Circus Museum at the Ringling in Sarasota with friend Mary sparked my imagination. We were particularly enthralled with a miniature model of the circus; you could walk around it and see the story of set-up, performance, pack up, and all the details in between:
http://www.ringling.org/CircusMuseum2.aspx?id=632
I thought of that immediately when I saw the crews raising the tent here.

The first thing that struck me when I entered the tent was how intimate the scale was. (I had a cheap seat [$16] in the front row.) I was happy to see a circus without animals and impressed with the physical conditions of many of the performers. I must admit, however, that the crossbow act left me a little nervous. Fortunately, the husband-and-wife act were flawless shots. (He split a piece of paper held sideways, and she severed the string to a balloon. They also took aim at each other...)

Tomorrow is London! There will be a lot of bus time, but I'm looking forward to the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Coin Farm

The smallest English bill is a 5-pound note, worth just about US$8, at the current [poor] exchange rate. As you might imagine, change can accummulate quite quickly, especially when you're unwilling--like me--to stand at the check-out and slowly sort through your 1- and 2-pence coins. (The largest coin, in contrast, is worth about $3.20.) So the short version of this post is that I have quite a coin farm going on my bedside table. By my calculations, the assortment in the photo is worth about $14.25. I'll have to use it before I leave the country because you can't usually exchange coin. Hmmmm...maybe I could pay my rent with it. Or buy Tom some fish-flavored crisps........

Berries of Every Color

Cambridge and Cold

I did make it to Cambridge yesterday. It was almost surreal walking around in the midst of so much history. I hardly knew where to look. (I now understand why Leicester, which I like very much, considers itself an unattractive city.)

As the cold weather sets in--see previous post--I am quickly moving into hibernation mode. Although I haven't gained weight for winter, I am already in bed, just shy of 8pm, sandwiched between my electric mattress-pad heater and my laptop. And you don't even want to know how much clothes I'm wearing. I admit to being chillier than most, but...

Oh, Crap!!! (she said, delicately...)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1321288/Brrrrace-big-freeze-Polar-winds-blowing-south.html

Frosty Morn and Trains

Even with the radiators warming sporadically, it was around 60*F (15C) in my bedroom this morning. I'm holed up in Sue's office eating dreaded porridge with raspberries and Golden Syrup. That latter is viscous like honey but has a scent that reminds me of cotton candy. I may go to Cambridge this afternoon for a look around if I can manage a reasonable train ticket. Fares here vary widely, depending on what time you travel and how far in advance you buy your ticket. For example, I didn't pre-buy a ticket when I flew into London, and I ended up paying close to $70 to come to Leicester that afternoon. I can go back, however, for around $20, first class, if I get my ticket now. More later...

Yum...

For dinner I'm having a Moroccan-spiced lamb burger with grilled peppers, onions, and tomato, and a glass of red. Just the thing for a chilly evening. In the not-yum category, I further checked out the crisps [potato chips] when I went to the market today. The worst flavor, IMHO, was grilled steak. Yuck, yuck, YUCK! What's next, meatball-flavored custard?!

Oh, Happy Day!

Somehow late this afternoon, the boiler turned itself on, and some of the radiators started to heat. Given that it's supposed to go down into the 30sF tonight, that's great news, indeed. Maybe now I can stop pressing myself against the towel-heating bar in the bathroom for warmth...

Incredible Week!

Where to begin?... The University of Leicester has the best-stocked bookstore that I have ever seen in my area. I thought I would have to compile a massive wish list to take home with me because there is no way I can trundle a pile of books through Europe for the rest of my sabbatical. When the head of school heard of my concern, he gave me a large box and offered to ship it home for me at the university's expense. Now my challenge is deciding how best to fill it. (I like those kinds of challenges...)

Wednesday I gave my first presentation here, with several faculty and the head of school in attendance. It went very well, and I am looking forward to other teaching opportunities, including a class on Tuesday.

Thursday was the fieldtrip to Sheffield, which is about an hour and a half north of Leicester. When our chartered double-decker bus arrived, everyone laughed as I rushed to find a window seat upstairs, declaring, "I can't wait to see all the scenery." Well, there wasn't much, so I later rode home with the faculty--and cake! We visited a very interesting local museum that has throughly incorporated the community into what it does. Although its holdings are diverse--art, history, natural history, etc.--the most popular destination in the museum is Arctic World and Snowy, pictured here. The entire gallery was designed in consultation with school children, and it shows in the lay-out, with many exhibits at knee level. Yesterday I went to a session where students debriefed their experiences at the museum. It was interesting seeing them try to determine if there should be a line between the educational rols of museums and the entertainment factor of Disney World. (A current exhibition on food offered children the opportunity to dress up as their favorite fruits...)

Last evening, a colleague who lives nearby invited me for dinner. I walked over through wind and rain and was thrilled to enter her home and find it HEATED. "Aaaah!" We had a delicious meal of mussels and pasta before moving to a cozy room for tea, clementines, and excellent conversation. Viv is in my academic area, and her husband David is a retired art teacher, so we have much in common. They also have a cat, Timmy, who looks just like Milly. When Viv kindly offered to drive me back, I tried to get in on the wrong side of the car, to her great amusement. At home, I dove into bed, trying to retain the accumulated warmth.

I have some work to do today, but I may head off on my own fieldtrip tomorrow. Happy weekend, and thanks for reading.

OMG!!!

And I thought the jacket potato toppings were bad enough... On the fieldtrip to Sheffield yesterday, a Canadian student advised me to check out the English flavors of crisps. (Here, crisps are potato chips, and chips are French fries.) I did so when getting my lunch today and was astonished to find roasted chicken and shrimp cocktail crisps! (She also reports that some are flavored like chicken tikka masala.) I'm not biting, so to speak, but I may bring a bag for Tom to try...

Guess Who's Sleeping on my Bed...

Milly finally came up, although she's doing her best to ignore me. Here's hoping she helps keep me warm.

Great Week

Things are getting busy for me here. I sat in on a class today, and I listened to a brilliant lecture from a touring US professor. Tomorrow I have a meeting with the head of the department, who is just back from a conference in Australia (33 hours of travel, door to door!). Wednesday I have my first teaching gig, and I'm quite excited about it. Thursday I'm going along on a fieldtrip to Sheffield. More on that later, no doubt. All very stimulating and exciting. This is why I came on sabbatical. Cue the fireworks!

High/Low Weekend in Leicester

When Sue and I went into town last weekend, we received leaflets alerting us that there would be demonstrations this Saturday by two racist, opposing political factions, neither supported by the local citizens. I was pleasantly surprised to see the Leicester response. A peace vigil was organized for Friday evening, and Sunday was the Leicester marathon and We Are One Leicester festival, held at the site of the previous day's demonstrations. The promotional brochure read, "All welcome to the events. Come along and show you're proud to live in Leicester, promote peace and oppose hate, celebrate what is great about our city." People were also asked to wear lime green at the events to show support.

The weather was bleak on Saturday, and Sue and I stayed home during the day. She completed preparations for her trip to Syria and suggested that we go to the local pub in the evening. It had a warm and inviting atmosphere, and Sue explained that historically drinking establishments were divided into pubs, where the public drank, and saloons, for the higher classes--both under one roof. We entered on the pub side, but finding no one staffing the bar, we had to "cross over" to the saloon to get our drinks. I noticed the decor was a bit nicer there, and there was carpeting on the floor. We returned to the pub and sat and watched four young guys play darts. I commented that I was surprised at how quiet they were. "What do you mean?" Sue asked. I explained in the States they would be rowdy and laughing and slapping each other on their backs. "Oh, that wouldn't be allowed here," came her response. "The patron would throw them out." So the "blokes" finished their game, sat quietly talking with their pints, and left. Sue offered to buy "the other half" (another round) before we tottered home in the chilly night.

Her taxi picked her up early Sunday morning, and I did a load of wash before walking in to town. I passed through the half/marathon site and was surprised at the diversity of the folks running, walking, and hobbling. (I saw one young woman complete the half-marathon on crutches!) I was particularly impressed with how the locals, police force, and other runners supported the runners. There was continuous applause and words of encouragement--"Well done!"--along the route throughout the hours of the race.

It was a brilliant fall day, and I was out in just a sweater. After some window shopping, I started the long walk home. By the time I stopped for groceries, my leg was reminding me that it wasn't "all better" yet. I soaked it in a hot tub and then made some pizza for dinner. (Sue left me with an assortment of sweet peppers, which I am enjoying immensely.) I went to bed rather early, but Milly didn't join me. Yet. (Sue is betting that the cat will cave by Wednesday.)

Spuds

During one of our recent conversations, Sue indicated that she had never had a baked sweet potato (although sweet potatoes are a common ingredient in ethnic foods here). I offered to make some for dinner and did so tonight, along with a veggie stir-fry. She thought it was delicious, and we ended up talking about typical holiday fare in our countries. Baked white potatoes, also called jacket potatoes, are more popular here, albeit with different toppings. I haven't tried one yet because, uh, of the toppings... (Read the sign in the photo. Some places are more adventurous yet.)