During one of our evening walks, Glammy and I stopped by the Moreton in Marsh Cemetry and came upon WW2 tombstones, where 45 airforce personnel are buried together in a group. Of those 45, 12 were Canadian, the majority remaining from Britain, but we also noticed some airforce headstones from the US, New Zealand and South Africia. We later found out that during WW2, Moreton-in-Marsh was one of many flight training stations for the RAF Bomber Command. The building work for the training station was delayed by bad weather in January 1940, and despite the delays, by November the Air Ministry saw it fit to send the first Squadron over, despite the thick mud everywhere and the 'J' type hangar which had a roof but no sides, earning the bombing station the nickname of "Moreton in the Mud."

Such a lovely Irish lass!

Spent some time talking to the locals ... it takes a bit of getting used to the Irish accent and the way they speak; bringing to mind Yoda from Star Wars, talking in reverse, ie: sit yourself down there, why don't you?

High Fivin' it in Dublin

Where better to discover Dublin than in an open top double decker bus? Glammy loved hangin' out the Temple Bar area of Dublin, especially at night! She's such a party animal!

Bad Mannered Garden Gnome!

tsk, tsk, tsk!! He blew this photo op!

Standing Tall

We couldn't help but feel dwarfed by this soldier standing at attention @ Windsor Castle.

Windsor Castle

Ahh... a castle fit for my queen!! The royal apartments are shown in the background here ... while we couldn't go into the private residences, we did see the royal state rooms and Queen Mary's Doll House, which both Glammy and I found very interesting! The doll house was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1924. Nearly every item in the house was specially commissioned on a scale of twelve to one. The mechanical and engineering equipment is made to work, including the water system, the electric lights and the two lifts! Sadly, we could not take any photos of the doll house, but check this site out for more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Mary's_Dolls'_House

Summer means Ice Cream!

Decisions, decisions .... oh so many choices!! with sprinkles? dipped in chocolate? syprup?

My, my, what big eyes you have!

Ironically, Mr. Fox is dressed in traditional fox hunting attire, as the hunter, not the "huntee", which I found rather amusing!

Fox hunting facts:

- an activity involving the tracking, chasing, and sometimes killing of a fox (traditionally a red fox, by trained foxhounds (or other scent hounds), and a group of followers led by a master of foxhounds, following the hounds on foot or on horseback;

- originated in the UK in the 16th century;

- earliest known attempt to hunt a fox with hounds was in Norfolk, England, in 1534, where farmers began chasing down foxes with their dogs as a form of pest control;

- foxes feed on rodents, rabbits, birds (including chickens) and other small game (thankfully, they never developed a taste for penguin);

- has been (and unless banned) is still being practised all over the world, including Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, Italy, Russia, and the United States;

- fox hunting is controversial, particularly in the UK, where a ban on fox hunting was introduced in November 2004. Proponents saw it as an important part of rural culture, vital for conservation and pest control, while opponents argued it was a cruel and unnecessary sport.

Hangin' Out with Post Man Pat & his little Black Cat!!

We found Postman Pat to be a very fine chap!

For those of you in the world who have not grown up watching Postman Pat, copy & paste this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ-CQEF5Or4

Whoa!

I allowed my photo to be used for a beverage company's promotional material ... didn't realize the outcome until now!

Sitting by the Seaside

Ok, the weather was a bit wet, but that didn't bother Glammy or I! We love frolicking in/by the ocean!

Hangin' with the Minotaur & Hare

The Minotaur and the Hare is a bronze sculpture created by Sophie Ryder in 1995. It can be found on The Promenade in Cheltenham, opposite Cavendish House.

Staying Cool

Hanging out by the fountain is one way to stay cool on a warm day. As you all know, I'm one cool penguin dude and surprisingly, I have not lost any of my "coolness" going exclusive with Glammy Glacier.

Most have a desire to be "cool" at some point in time, however, I find not everyone makes the effort to be cool which is understandable, given the effort. It takes dedication, time, and creativity. Being cool could bring about some positive changes to your life: ie: you'll find yourself in control, and well-liked, among other things. So with this in mind, I've decided to share a bit of "Slappy Wisdom" on how to to be cool:

Exert Self-control: If you lose your composure, you are at risk of doing something irrational, potentially even uncool.

Be Patient: It takes time and practice to be cool; it won't happen overnight. Depending on how much effort you expend, it could take weeks, months or possibly years. Besides, no one likes someone who is easily rattled and complains. Being a chronic complainer is definitely not cool.

Have a good sense of humour: Who doesn't like to laugh? If you make others laugh, you'll be cool. (just don't make fun of others when attempting to be funny.)

Be Humble: just like complaining, it's not cool to be a bragger or arrogant. If you're cool, don't brag about being cool. It's just not done.

Be Confident: there is no reason why anyone shouldn't like you, right? Don't waste any time trying to be liked by everyone. The fact is, not everyone will like you, and if they don't, that's their problem.

Tewkesbury Medieval Festival

Thousands of re-enactors travelled from around the country and the world to re-create the 1471 Battle of Tewkesbury this past weekend and we were there to see it happen!

Grabbing a Starbucks

Did a little shopping today in Cheltenham. Didn't find much to buy (surprising how few shops cater to penguins in the UK!). We stopped to rest of weary flippers and refuel with a coffee. As we love to people watch, we snagged the much coveted window seats, looking out onto the busy town centre. What did we order you ask? I had a grande tazo chai (extra hot) of course, and Glammy Glacier had her favourite: a tall non-fat caramel macchiato. Yummm...

Rollright Stones

Spotted these stones in the distance while on an evening walk in the English countryside. Upon investigation, we found out that these rocks are a 5000 year old burial chamber, believed to be part of a Neolithic long barrow, called "The Whispering Knights Dolmen", a small group of five upright stones, who got their name because of the conspiratorial way in which they lean inwards towards each other as if they are plotting against their king. Amazing to think these stones (which would have been put in place somewhere between 9,000 and 8,000 B.C.) have been left untouched in their original position for all these years!

Fun at the Village Fete

A momento from our visit to Barton on Heath's village fete. Our photo was taken under a huge oak tree planted in the centre of the green on which brass plaques were affixed commemorating the Silver Jubilee of King George VI, Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth and the marriage of Diana and Prince Charles.

Glammy's Public Service Announcement!

What a good reminder to us all. You've got to stop & smell the roses ... Life' too short!

Fierce as a Buttercup!

I may only be small in stature, but I'm a fierce as a buttercup!

Glammy Glacier on the cover of Vogue!