Sophie
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(Picture Credit: LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images)
Being the first cat of the United Kingdom is not an easy job, especially when you have to deal with a revolving door of prime ministers. Larry is the first cat to hold the title of Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office.
Larry the cat, who resides in 10 Downing Street, has outlasted the past three prime ministers of the United Kingdom: Boris Johnson, Theresa May, and David Cameron.
Even though the timeline for Boris Johnson’s replacement has not been confirmed, Larry is expected to still be at 10 Downing Street when the new prime minister takes office.
Larry spends his days greeting guests to the house, inspecting security defences and testing antique furniture for napping quality.
His day-to-day responsibilities also include contemplating a solution to the mouse occupancy of the house. Larry says this is still ‘in tactical planning stage’.
(Taken frm Snopes.com)
Notting Hill Carnival ….
Pictures sourced from The Guardian
A brief history of this event….
After a series of racially motivated attacks on the West Indian residents of West London’s Notting Hill area in August 1958, Trinidadian human rights activist Claudia Jones decided to create a special gathering in an attempt to unify the community.
Called the ‘Caribbean Carnival’, and broadcast on the BBC, it was held the following January, in St Pancras town hall. Little could Jones have then imagined that, more than 60 years on, this expression of community solidarity would have grown to become the largest street party in Europe, held every August bank holiday weekend …and an event that has become a cornerstone of British culture.
I remember as a youngster, we sneaked off to have a look and it was not as grand as it is today (our parents didn’t know)…however…I have always loved it !!
Liz Truss will replace Boris Johnson as Britain’s new prime minister after defeating Rishi Sunak in the Conservative leadership election.
Truss, the Foreign Secretary, defeated the former chancellor of the exchequer 81,326 votes to 60,399, winning 57 per cent of the vote.
On Tuesday she will head to Balmoral in Scotland to be sworn in by the Queen as the United Kingdom’s 56th prime minister, becoming the third woman to hold the role after Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May.
Swearing in at Balmoral is a break in tradition as the Queen is too unwell to travel to London. According to news reports, the Queen may never travel to London again.
On Aging
When you see me sitting quietly,
Like a sack left on the shelf,
Don’t think I need your chattering.
I’m listening to myself.
Hold! Stop! Don’t pity me!
Hold! Stop your sympathy!
Understanding if you got it,
Otherwise I’ll do without it!When my bones are stiff and aching,
And my feet won’t climb the stair,
I will only ask one favor:
Don’t bring me no rocking chair.When you see me walking, stumbling,
Don’t study and get it wrong.
‘Cause tired don’t mean lazy
And every goodbye ain’t gone.
I’m the same person I was back then,
A little less hair, a little less chin,
A lot less lungs and much less wind.
But ain’t I lucky I can still breathe in.… by Maya Angelou
By practicing a little laughter each day, we can enhance social skills that may not come naturally to us. Research has shown that the health benefits of laughter are far-ranging. Studies so far have shown that laughter can help relieve pain, bring greater happiness, and even increase immunity.
Instead of complaining about life’s frustrations, try to laugh about them. If something is so frustrating or depressing it’s ridiculous, realize that you could ‘look back on it and laugh.’ Think of how it will sound like a story you could tell your friends, and then see if you can laugh about it now.
In other words don’t sweat the small stuff!
Have a happy week!!!
Meteorologists with the U.S. Space Force Space Launch Delta 45 predict a 60% chance of favourable weather conditions for an Artemis I launch attempt during a two-hour window that opens at 2:17 p.m. EDT Saturday, Sept. 3. While rain showers are expected in the area, they are predicted to be sporadic during the launch window.
A fueling webcast will begin at 5:45 a.m. EDT (0945 GMT), with the launch webcast beginning in earnest at 12:15 a.m. EDT (1615 GMT).
Did you know!
Artemis 1 is named after the mythological Greek goddess of the Moon who was also the twin sister of Apollo, the Artemis Program aims to land the first woman and the next man on the Moon by 2024.
The A symbolizes an arrowhead from Artemis’ quiver and represents launch.
The tip of the A of Artemis points beyond the Moon and signifies that our efforts at the Moon are not the conclusion, but rather the preparation for all that lies beyond.
The crescent of the Earth at the bottom shows missions from humanity’s perspective. From Earth we go. Back to Earth all that we learn and develop will return. This crescent also visualizes Artemis’ bow as the source from which all energy and effort is sent.
The trajectory moves from left to right through the crossbar of the “A” opposite that of Apollo. Thus highlighting the distinct differences in our return to the Moon. The trajectory is red to symbolize our path to Mars.
Taken from spacecenter.org
NASA.gov
SOURCE DHX Media Ltd.
Have a great weekend!!
Twenty five years…gone but not forgotten.
Daily Express
Princess Diana’s Memorial Gardens at Kensington Palace
The Sunken Garden was reportedly one of her favourite parts of the palace.
DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/GETTY IMAGESGETTY IMAGES
“In the mornings, she would go out for a jog and would stop by the garden and have a chat with Graham [the gardens manager] and the gardeners,” head gardener Sean Harkin told Country Living. “She would say how much she liked the garden and comment on what it was looking like depending on the seasons. She would have a bit of a joke with them and was really friendly and warm.”
Taken from Town and Country
Some really good news for our Barrier Reef!
Scientists in Australia have achieved the first-ever off season coral spawning in the history of coral breeding and restoration sciences.
The breakthrough dramatically expands the capacity to grow corals in captivity to then use to restore the Great Barrier Reef, since it allows the scientists to spawn coral 50% more often than in nature.
At the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences, coral colonies are kept in captivity with the hopes of one day transplanting them to the biggest reef on earth. Out on the GBR, coral spawning happens only twice a year, between October and December.
Spawning coral – Credit: Australian Institute of Marine Science by Marie RomanIt’s all here….
Spawning coral – Credit: 