Eye - 18 May 2012
From soggy toes to graffiti memories
Soggy visitations
Intrepid visitors to Ettington Meeting House recently braved distinctly soggy conditions.
Kathleen Randall wrote to Eye with a tale of how heavy rainfall led to a morning navigating a newly formed water feature!
Thirty-two people from Droitwich visited the Meeting as part of a tour of churches and historic buildings in South Warwickshire on 29 April. When they arrived they were confronted with a huge puddle (or small pond!) blocking their way – heavy rainfall had cut off access to the Meeting House and Meeting for Worship had been cancelled.
The group was not to be deterred – they tried a variety of methods to cross, with a number whipping off their socks and shoes to wade through.
Thankfully a kind-hearted neighbour appeared with two pairs of wellies and any visitors able to fit into them took the opportunity to see the building and keep their toes dry!
Kathleen said: ‘They hope to return in the summer when they can also enjoy the garden.’
Are you interested?
Eye continues to prompt the curious and critical side of our readers and to offer them opportunities to reveal their talents.
Take a recent sentence printed on these pages: ‘However, Eye was interested to learn that seven antiquarian books have been left homeless by disinterested local bookshops’.
Most readers probably felt a heartfelt concern for the homeless (in this case books) on reading the words. Eagle-eyed Friend David Hitchen, correctly, honed in on the use of language.
It is only recently, he writes, ‘that many people have ceased to observe the distinction between “uninterested” (couldn’t care less) and “disinterested” (impartial)’. David adds: ‘If ever I was involved in a legal case I would want the judge to be disinterested but not uninterested. There will soon come a time when the distinction is forgotten but for the moment I think that it is a useful one.’
David also cites other distinctions that have gone: ‘For example, the Book of Common Prayer injunction to “truely and indifferently minister justice to the punishment of wickedness and vice…” and the prayer that God will “prevent us in all our doings” should now be understood as “go before us in all our actions”, but if only God would “prevent” sloppy use of the word “disinterested” before it is too late!’
We can assure you, David, we have been warned. We are not uninterested.
Graffiti memories
Eye was pleased to hear from Stan Lee, of Sutton Meeting, following a recent graffiti-themed reminicence:
‘Your memory of the East Belfast grafitti “Jesus saves, but Keegan scores from the rebound” made me smile. I am from the Shankill Road (West Belfast). Despite its reputation for a somewhat one sided approach to certain issues, there was a strong streak of socialist self-awareness running through the population. Gerry Fitt was elected in 1966 as a Republican Socialist for Belfast West (Westminster Parliament), which included part of the Shankill. A common gable-end graffiti was “No Pope here”; to onesuch some Shankill wit, obviously aware of his own difficult economic/social condition, had added “Lucky Man!” I often wonder if reading this marked the awakening of my political consciousness.’
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