Lettuce and Peace

I apologize sincerely to anyone who reads this blog (hard to tell with the lack of comments :)) for the absence yesterday. My brother Shrug was using the interwebs to speak with his friend of the lady-like gender. I have various updates then from yesterday and today, split up into days.

August 9th today news- Today we went BACK to the war museum to actually look at the museum bit. Came out a bit queasy and very much a pacifist. I really hope we outgrow bombs and weapons in my lifetime. Anyone who tries to convince people that war is a necessary function of the world has no consideration for the lives lost senselessly before, or the respect for the families of those they ask to sacrifice themselves. My humble opinion.

We then went to the Bayeux township and saw the 950+ year old tapestry depicting another war, that of Harold and William. So much death, and only three women in the massive tapestry. One of them was the daughter Aeygl (spelling?). The monitor told me (word for word) "His daughter, Aegylkdhbfkjgb is depicted here as returning and being reminded of her betrothal, as evidenced by her being slapped by a priest." I beg your pardon? Dear Parents, please don't smack me when I get engaged.

Other sightings-
Police in jeans... Casual tuesday for law enforcement?
So many creepy posters of clowns. Tis the season of circuses (circi? latin whizzes??

August 8th-

Drove in the morning to Omaha golf club.

Quotes from drive out by my Grann

"dear me, have they misplaced their accelerator?"
"my, she was a fiesty little driver."

Terrible head cold, as such left after first 9 and went with Shporty and Pickles (she wants a new name, given all the flac she's getting from various persons. Please stop teasing her, I like this nickname).

Paid Shporty 50p to be silent, and had a to do list from Pickles of

-Lunch
-The Sea
-Something Impulsive.

Learned how to drive a stickshift (APPARENTLY I was pretty impressive, and only stalled going from 2nd back to 1st. And maybe starting once or twice.)

Quotes from dinner

Rando- "What did you shoot Shrug?"
Shrug- "85"
Rando- "And you Janda?"
Janda- "I shot myself."

"So how did you get so good at golf Janda?"
"Well thank you, that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me."

Things I learned on August 8th
-Obama in Normandy is a huge selling point. Woot Americans.
-RVs are popular at Omaha beach. The scourge is everywhere.
-They have raunchy novels in the supermarkets too! The titles are hilarious, translated "The Frenchman and The American" "A Flight to Remember" "Tall Dark and Dangerous."
-Apparently in cricket it is good to be a leg break googley bowler.

Most common phrase on trip, "are you going to eat your lettuce?"

Happiest of birthdays to my Ruthie.

The British Are Coming!

Today I walked by the graves of 9,000 people. Soldiers, mostly, and a few nurses (including the one from Saving Private Ryan, who died not in combat but after, in a plane crash. She was a BABE.)

We visited the American and French Memorials for the D-Day landings, with a Romanian tour guide called Corina (WONDERFUL job, you should reward her for being so awesome if you're reading this, French Memorial Foundation).

Very humbling and sad, to think that people my age and younger (the youngest who died fighting was 14) lost their lives so tragically. Also, I was shocked to hear that 2,000 civilians died... just in one city, Caen. We only talk about the joy of being liberated from the Nazis, but many people lost their lives before they could be "liberated." And so much battle and carnage... Instead of going on a gap year or going to college, my friends and I could've been going off to war.

In the War Museum there was a record playing of the Andrews Sisters. New favorite band. "Rum and coooo-CAH! Cola."

Most exciting news of the day was seeing a tattoo parlor that offered "bijoux dents." Yes, even in a randy city in Normandy you can get Grillz.

Also, Caen has some very talented graffiti artists. Most of the french graffiti I've seen has been BORING, just tags or initials. No, you vandalizers, it doesn't make you cool. But this stuff is CLASSY and awesome. Keep at it!