splitting threads

Have you noticed it? -- a new usage creeping in and taking over that's replacing 'who' with 'that'?
That's doing this? I mean, who is? Is it the zeitgeist that's (who's) lessening our contact with the human and veering us ever more towards the non-human? Or maybe, the anti-zeitgeist??

It was my ninety-year-old uncle, since deceased, who first brought the trend to my attention. In his penthouse flat in Cheltenham he folded over his copy of the Daily Telegraph (a fairly right wing newspaper, so you would expect traditional English usage) and handed it to me.
"Read this, Brenda, then tell me what you think."

So I did, and realized I'd been coming across the use of 'that' rather than 'who' quite a bit in North America. I told him that (or do I mean who?). Piercing but faded blue eyes held my gaze for several seconds. My uncle didn't say anything, but I knew exactly what he was thinking:
What is the world coming to?

Good question.

I merely told him that (who) had to be deliberate. They must have laid it down in the Daily Telegraphs style book, so likely it was here to stay.

the darkest storm

We had a cloudburst, lightning type of summer storm yesterday. I was in the car, transporting my dear friend who's visiting from her Cape ostrich farm, back to her son and daughter-in-law's. The rain was so heavy we couldn't see the buildings on the side of the freeway. At home, my dear husband was cooking in anticipation of receiving some dinner guests. At four in the afternoon, it was as dark as 8.30 or 9 at night and he was forced to light some candles. Even he, who loves thunderstorms, said it was quite scary. Although, interestingly enough, there wasn't much thunder.

This morning I've been out of order. First of all, I managed to pull down the curtain rod in the guest bedroom. Then I disengaged the plug from the bath while cleaning. And, to add insult to injury, my computer wouldn't print, neither would my emails send. Not all of this could be blamed on the storm. How lucky that my dh was able to solve all my problems!

On a different topic, I mean to add a couple of things to my post on texting etc. I'm interested in the abbreviations that have become common currency on emails. I'm talking about things like LOL, which, to me at any rate, means almost a smile rather than laugh-out-loud. And what about visiting my d-i-l when I'm her m-i-l? Will I soon be calling my daughter in law my dear Dill??

that certain moment

It was a sunny day in mid-July when I sensed it, that certain moment when summer suddenly turns towards autumn. I'm always surprised how early this occurs, especially these days when, officially, summer only starts at the solstice. To me it makes more sense if the 24th June is considered as mid-summer, and the best is when you can go see a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream (got that a bit wrong, I know) .

But anyhow, there it is, the sudden shift in the air that brings that first, subtle whiff. And then, summer carries on but I know the change of seasons is approaching, we're on that gentle slide from summer into fall, and I feel different. Not quite so dreamy, perhaps, a little more energetic and able to take on new tasks, or take up old ones with renewed enthusiasm or, at least, resolution!

What a wonderful thing it is, to have the chance to experience all four seasons. I can't imagine how it must be to live on the equator, just have the same all year round. So, even if summer here always feels too short for me, I'll welcome the change.

messaging

While we were away, I quite got into texting. well, it's cheaper than calling on the cell phone. I'm getting quite adept at tapping those little keys in order to get the letter I want, and am even learning the abbreviations like c u. and what 4 ? (haven't discovered how to add the question mark as yet)

During my younger days in London I used to travel by tube. There I'd sit, gazing up at the advertisements, one of which proclaimed 'Gt a gd job and mo pay'. So I was thinking it was a pity I didn't go for that kind of shorthand instead of learning Pitmans, now long forgotten. It would have stood me in good stead in these modern times.

Still, now that I'm settled back, I find myself inclined to use the kind of shortenings that are okay for texting in my emails. I had to put on the brakes. And I began to think, what really is the meaning of spelling? Because I have a bit of a photographic memory, my spelling was always good, although it's deteriorated with age. Not that I ever entered a bee or anything like that, but, loving words, I took a certain satisfaction in knowing how to spell. Texting has kind of thrown that out the window for me.

So, is the meaning of spelling purely a historical one? Does it simply give us an etymological clue? I can't say I have any idea. On this question, I'm clueless. Maybe someone's come up with a study!?

On-line again if not yet on track

Yes, I'm back, after a full but fabulous month in California. Now I can report that I've swum in the Pacific Ocean! Better yet, it was 'twice as warm as it usually is' according to our son. 

Lake swimming is lovely and has its own appeal with its calm surfaces (usually) and views of treed islands and shores. But the beach, with that smell of ozone and the waves foaming and crashing on the shore? Nothing else can be quite so invigorating for me. And I love looking out over the swells and wondering, if I sailed towards the horizon and went on and on, where would I land up?

I've notched up dips in the Atlantic -- usually as chilly as the Pacific on the California coast is reputed to be -- in the Indian Ocean, the English channel, the Mediterranean and the North Sea. Yes, that was the coldest. Perhaps someone who's more in the swim might notice differences in the various oceans. If so, apart from temperature, I wonder what they might be . Some are definitely saltier than others, but I'm thinking of deeper, more subtle sensations.

Talking of sensations, we were in L.A. for the recent earthquake. My husband was in a hardware store buying paint. He said the paint tills rattled and swayed on the shelves and he told the assistance they wouldn't need mixing after that! As for me, I was next door in a pharmacy full of natural products and accessories and was so fascinated by all the wonderful things in store I didn't notice a thing!

Dear me.