Old Petrie Town


Today we decided that it was about time that we explored our local neighbourhood, so we made the five-minute trip to Petrie Old Town, which nestles in the North Pine Country Park, about 2 kms northwest of modern-day Petrie (which is pronounced, rather confusingly, “Pea Tree” – please don’t ask us why).

It was Boadicea’s plan to explore the Museum, but we were disappointed to discover, on reaching the door, that it was only open Wednesday to Friday.   We began to retrace our steps to walk around the reconstructed old town, but we were stopped by a cheery “Come in, come in … please do come in”.   The curator explained that a school party had visited this morning and that since he was still here, he’d be glad for us to fossick. Continue reading “Old Petrie Town”

Grannies 1 – Thugs 0

Heard this on my lunchtime news yesterday, really made my day, thought that I’d share… enjoy 🙂

My front page today

From today’s E.P Herald

AN elderly St Francis Bay woman  shot and killed one of two intruders in her home early yesterday after they broke into her house and held her hostage. Police said the 72-year-old was assaulted and robbed at about 3am by the men, who were armed with a screwdriver and knife.

The attackers gained entry by breaking a window and opening  a sliding door.

Warrant Officer Marianette Olivier said the woman had heard a noise inside the house just before the men stormed her bedroom and attacked her.

“They confronted her, tied her hands behind her back and blindfolded her, demanding bank cards and pin numbers,” Olivier said. “One of the robbers allegedly took her Mercedes-Benz and drove to a nearby ATM, where he withdrew an undisclosed amount of money.

“While he was drawing the money, his accomplice remained behind in the house.”

The nearest ATM is at a local shopping centre about 2km from her home. During the time that the robber was at the ATM,  the woman managed to untie herself when the other attacker left the room.  In a panic, she grabbed her 38 special revolver. Continue reading “Grannies 1 – Thugs 0”

In the beginning was the word

I love the English language; I love its beauty, its directness and its simplicity. There are wells of our language, sources where words and expressions were first drawn that people continue to use, often unconscious of their origin. The work of William Shakespeare is one of the most important; the other is the Authorised Version of the Bible, the King James Bible, the translation of which was completed in 1611, four hundred years ago.

So far as I am concerned the King James Bible is the Bible, though I have never known it used in worship: the Church of England has long favoured the modern translation. But I grew up in a literate household, one where I was introduced to a range of influences from an early age, including the translation of 1611, based on the earlier Bishop’s Bible of 1568 and William Tyndale’s New Testament of 1525.

There is a marvel to it, a sacred marvel, if you like, lost in modern translation, a marvel that was to have a huge impact on the subsequent course of English literature. I am tempted to say that in abandoning the King James Bible the Church of England abandoned sacred language altogether, the beginning of a process of secularisation, disengagement and decline.
Continue reading “In the beginning was the word”