Perhaps a Mass offered that Brexit actually happens, and that Old Blighty decides to again trade preferentially with her long-sundered Antipodean relations - rather than betray them for a lot of supercilious Frogs and Huns, as in 1973 - would be more useful...
I'm too young to recall the fine orchards of the Huon Valley as they were before the EEC barriers swung shut, and the apples once sent Home were all left to rot, and the farmers paid to cut down their trees, but there will be Tasmanians (and other Australians, and even New Zealanders) who still recall what Britain turning her back on the Commonwealth meant for the livelihoods of people here.
I knew an old lady who died at 107: as a young girl, she watched the men of Cygnet marching off to fight and die in the trenches back in 1914, for King and Empire. So less about the Ashes please.
I am (genuinely) sorry to have irritated you! A long time ago we had a jocular exchange about a previous Ashes series.
I have been told that the Antipodes have moved on in their own trade patterns, and it might not be easy to recover the old links. But most of the Cox apples I buy seem to come from NZ.
In any case, we are getting our come-uppance; I gather soft fruit is in many places rotting because the cheap Eastern European labour that used to pick it is staying away. Nobody loves us. I suspect that we do deserve it.
The antipodeans who died in WW1 had not been forgotten when I was at primary school ... I remember the vivid description given of how the Germans trembled in fear when they heard Waltzing Matilda being sung in the opposing trenches. The glorification of Churchill may, perhaps, have led to national forgetfulness of his unfortunate WW1 misjudgment.
All forgiven and forgotten, of course - cricket can trigger rather more than merely friendly banter, alas.
To repay you, I will mention a joke that did the rounds here after, ahem, a certain unsportsmanlike incident in South Africa: Did you hear about the new sponsors of the Australian cricket team? - Bunnings (a local hardware chain that stocks sandpaper)!
Naughty, naughty, Fr!
ReplyDeletePerhaps a Mass offered that Brexit actually happens, and that Old Blighty decides to again trade preferentially with her long-sundered Antipodean relations - rather than betray them for a lot of supercilious Frogs and Huns, as in 1973 - would be more useful...
I'm too young to recall the fine orchards of the Huon Valley as they were before the EEC barriers swung shut, and the apples once sent Home were all left to rot, and the farmers paid to cut down their trees, but there will be Tasmanians (and other Australians, and even New Zealanders) who still recall what Britain turning her back on the Commonwealth meant for the livelihoods of people here.
I knew an old lady who died at 107: as a young girl, she watched the men of Cygnet marching off to fight and die in the trenches back in 1914, for King and Empire. So less about the Ashes please.
Quod cricetis sciunt qui solum cricetem sciunt? (CLR James) And if you excuse the pun, I suggest the Votive Mass include the rubric: "Ignis agitandus"
ReplyDeleteApologies, auto-correct strikes again: "Quid..."
ReplyDelete"He will toss thee like a ball into a large and spacious country." (Is. 22:18)
ReplyDeleteSports are biblical, don't forget.
Dear Joshua
ReplyDeleteI am (genuinely) sorry to have irritated you! A long time ago we had a jocular exchange about a previous Ashes series.
I have been told that the Antipodes have moved on in their own trade patterns, and it might not be easy to recover the old links. But most of the Cox apples I buy seem to come from NZ.
In any case, we are getting our come-uppance; I gather soft fruit is in many places rotting because the cheap Eastern European labour that used to pick it is staying away. Nobody loves us. I suspect that we do deserve it.
The antipodeans who died in WW1 had not been forgotten when I was at primary school ... I remember the vivid description given of how the Germans trembled in fear when they heard Waltzing Matilda being sung in the opposing trenches. The glorification of Churchill may, perhaps, have led to national forgetfulness of his unfortunate WW1 misjudgment.
Dear Fr H.,
ReplyDeleteAll forgiven and forgotten, of course - cricket can trigger rather more than merely friendly banter, alas.
To repay you, I will mention a joke that did the rounds here after, ahem, a certain unsportsmanlike incident in South Africa: Did you hear about the new sponsors of the Australian cricket team? - Bunnings (a local hardware chain that stocks sandpaper)!