Last Friday my flatmate, Danny, persuaded me to come to a Friday night Dinner at St John's Wood Synagogue. He said we could either turn up at 7.15 p.m for the Service or at 8 p.m. for the meal. I chose the former. Although we were going to an Orthodox (United) Synagogue we drove as it's a little too far to walk (Although I was brought up in a traditional household, I don't consider myself religious).
The service was taken by Dayan (Judge) Ivan Binstock of the London Beth Din (Rabbinical court).
It was an extremely pleasant meal and I'm relatively sure that most people there were about my level of Judaism (prefer an orthodox synagogue but are not that religious). I know for a fact that on my table: one man was taking Public transport and another had driven. I knew one other man (other than Danny) quite well and he was the only one on the table I know for a fact keeps the Sabbath. He was staying with a friend locally.
There was supposed to be a speaker who is an American Expert on anti-Semitism but unfortunately he'd been unavoidably detained in the USA so instead Dayan Binstock gave a talk on the weekly Torah portion (which coincidentally was my Barmitzvah portion) and then led a discussion.open forum on whatever subject people wanted to talk about.
Sunday, 25 February 2007
Friday, 23 February 2007
Football
For those of you don't know I'm a supporter of Liverpool FC. I couldn't let this week go past without mentioning the four English teams involved in Champions League action on Tuesday and Wednesday this week (all matches were the First leg, the matches are all over two legs with the aggregate score determining who goes through to the next round):
PSV Eindhoven 1-0 Arsenal
Lille 0 -1 The Scum
FC Porto 1-1 Chelsea
Barcelona 1-2 Liverpool
As all English Teams topped their table in the first stage of the Champions League they all play at home for the Second Leg.
Liverpool have done extremely well to beat Barcelona at the Nou Camp (so far our record at the Nou Camp is played: 4, Won: 2, Drawn: 2). We are still the only English Club to have played Barcelona at the Nou Camp and never to have lost there. However, Barcelona are arguably the best team left in this year's competition (as last year's winners). Unfortunately for them they have defensive vulnerability and we exploited that to score twice and take a huge advantage into the second leg, considering we haven't lost or drawn in Europe at home this season.
No doubt other football fans will have their own opinions.
PSV Eindhoven 1-0 Arsenal
Lille 0 -1 The Scum
FC Porto 1-1 Chelsea
Barcelona 1-2 Liverpool
As all English Teams topped their table in the first stage of the Champions League they all play at home for the Second Leg.
Liverpool have done extremely well to beat Barcelona at the Nou Camp (so far our record at the Nou Camp is played: 4, Won: 2, Drawn: 2). We are still the only English Club to have played Barcelona at the Nou Camp and never to have lost there. However, Barcelona are arguably the best team left in this year's competition (as last year's winners). Unfortunately for them they have defensive vulnerability and we exploited that to score twice and take a huge advantage into the second leg, considering we haven't lost or drawn in Europe at home this season.
No doubt other football fans will have their own opinions.
My Birthday
Yesterday was my birthday, I went to work mainly because I can't bear taking just one day off midweek, it makes me feel overly tired.
At work it's customary to bring in cakes, pastries or something sweet, so I just popped down to the local Sainsbury's store and bought cookies and Muffins. As I normally do I overestimated how many people would want and ended up with a pack of Muffins left over.
As my father works in Central London I went and met up with him and my mother, we also met up with my sister at Brown's Restaurant in Covent Garden. Nice place, if a little noisy.
After leaving we went for a hot drink at a nearby coffee shop and then my parents decided that they had to leave as they had to get back home (Brighton). My sister and I travelled back via the Northern Line as far as Golders Green where I disembarked to get a bus home, my sister lives further North.
I got home just before 10.00 p.m. and was absolutely knackered as I'd woken up at 6.15 a.m.
Was in bed and asleep well before 11.30 p.m. Didn't really help woke up today at 7.2o a.m. But as I took today as leave was able to just turn over and go back to sleep.
At work it's customary to bring in cakes, pastries or something sweet, so I just popped down to the local Sainsbury's store and bought cookies and Muffins. As I normally do I overestimated how many people would want and ended up with a pack of Muffins left over.
As my father works in Central London I went and met up with him and my mother, we also met up with my sister at Brown's Restaurant in Covent Garden. Nice place, if a little noisy.
After leaving we went for a hot drink at a nearby coffee shop and then my parents decided that they had to leave as they had to get back home (Brighton). My sister and I travelled back via the Northern Line as far as Golders Green where I disembarked to get a bus home, my sister lives further North.
I got home just before 10.00 p.m. and was absolutely knackered as I'd woken up at 6.15 a.m.
Was in bed and asleep well before 11.30 p.m. Didn't really help woke up today at 7.2o a.m. But as I took today as leave was able to just turn over and go back to sleep.
Thursday, 22 February 2007
Brigade last night
Went to Brigade last night for the first time in three weeks, due to missing one night through illness and the other as it was half-term.
I felt good all night, unlike my Commanding Officer (CO) who was looking distinctly green. He obviously felt very rough, he took a couple of Ibuprofen tablets and was perking up by the end of the evening.
We also had a visitor, our Battalion Sergeant-Major (BSM) Jason Braier. Also for the first time this year one of our Warrant Officers, Robert Rams, turned up , admittedly he's got a good excuse. He's a Councillor and had a by-election in his ward (see his blog for more details).
I felt good all night, unlike my Commanding Officer (CO) who was looking distinctly green. He obviously felt very rough, he took a couple of Ibuprofen tablets and was perking up by the end of the evening.
We also had a visitor, our Battalion Sergeant-Major (BSM) Jason Braier. Also for the first time this year one of our Warrant Officers, Robert Rams, turned up , admittedly he's got a good excuse. He's a Councillor and had a by-election in his ward (see his blog for more details).
Thursday, 15 February 2007
Illness and weather
I've unfortunately been fairly ill over the last few days. I was ill on Friday, worse over the weekend and bad on Monday. I've been into work for the last two days but I think Tuesday may have been a little too much and didn't do much good for my stress levels.
Being off on Friday I wasn't too annoyed at, as the snow was still on the ground and was icy and that makes it far, far worse than fresh snow which I don't mind. Of course now it's sunny and fairly warm for the winter.
Working from home today and it's hot in my lounge, mainly because we've got a South-facing patio window, so if the sun's shining it's like a greenhouse. It can be uncomfortable in the summer without a fan, but in the winter it saves on heating costs. :-)
Being off on Friday I wasn't too annoyed at, as the snow was still on the ground and was icy and that makes it far, far worse than fresh snow which I don't mind. Of course now it's sunny and fairly warm for the winter.
Working from home today and it's hot in my lounge, mainly because we've got a South-facing patio window, so if the sun's shining it's like a greenhouse. It can be uncomfortable in the summer without a fan, but in the winter it saves on heating costs. :-)
Thursday, 8 February 2007
Let it snow
Woke up this morning to about two inches of snow where I live. Thought about working from home today but decided to come in.
I was pleasantly surprised, the journey was not a complete nightmare, admittedly the train was packed but they were at least running and it only took about fifteen minutes longer than normal. It was still snowing when I left home at 7.20 a.m. I got in to work at 8.35 a.m. since then it's been intermittent from sleeting to snowing heavily. It appears to have stopped for the moment but it still seems too cold for it to thaw out.
As was expected many staff have decided not to come into the office today and I should imagine a large number are working from home. I know that when I looked out the window today I felt like going staright back to bed!
I was pleasantly surprised, the journey was not a complete nightmare, admittedly the train was packed but they were at least running and it only took about fifteen minutes longer than normal. It was still snowing when I left home at 7.20 a.m. I got in to work at 8.35 a.m. since then it's been intermittent from sleeting to snowing heavily. It appears to have stopped for the moment but it still seems too cold for it to thaw out.
As was expected many staff have decided not to come into the office today and I should imagine a large number are working from home. I know that when I looked out the window today I felt like going staright back to bed!
Sunday, 4 February 2007
Richmond Park
Spent a few hours today at Richmond Park in South London. For those who don't know it, it is one of the Royal Parks and it is one of the few places in Britain that still has wild deer.
The reason for going was that Wednesday was my sister's birthday and it was a chance for my parents to see her. There were 5 of us - my parents, my sister, her boyfriend and myself. We ate at the restaurant in the park and then went for a long walk round part of the park to walk it off.
The walk may have been slightly more enjoyable if most of the paths weren't muddy and boggy and involved a lot of leaping across puddles to get to dryer land.
My sister was driving and due to traffic we decided to turn off and try and rejoin the road further up. This involved a detour through Ealing and getting lost, despite that we still rejoined the road only 15 minutes later and probably didn't take any more time than if we'd stayed in traffic.
The reason for going was that Wednesday was my sister's birthday and it was a chance for my parents to see her. There were 5 of us - my parents, my sister, her boyfriend and myself. We ate at the restaurant in the park and then went for a long walk round part of the park to walk it off.
The walk may have been slightly more enjoyable if most of the paths weren't muddy and boggy and involved a lot of leaping across puddles to get to dryer land.
My sister was driving and due to traffic we decided to turn off and try and rejoin the road further up. This involved a detour through Ealing and getting lost, despite that we still rejoined the road only 15 minutes later and probably didn't take any more time than if we'd stayed in traffic.
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