by coach and boat we'll bear you home

I love that the British government is sending out warships to bring its stranded citizens home. I also love that in British English touring buses are called coaches, because then, when the BBC says that they are also sending coaches to help bring people home, you can picture this huge gathering of teams of coaches-and-six, horses stamping, people climbing in.

Let's hear it for international emergencies that (a) don't involve one group of people hurting another and (b) involve (as far as I know?) no loss of life. Really just huge inconveniences. But what an adventure! I suppose I'd be pretty stressed out if I were stranded in a foreign country, but if I wasn't about to have a baby or in need of medical attention, I think it would be exciting, all things considered. Thrown together with other people, maybe being the recipient of the kindness of strangers... neat.

When 9-11 happened, we hosted some stranded tourists, friends of my husband's parents, who had been seeing the sights in New England and were stuck here. 9-11 was awful, but hosting people in an emergency was wonderful and warm.

Yay Wakanomori!

Let's give a big round of applause to Wakanomori!! He just finished the Boston Marathon! Official time, 3:22:03, average pace, 7:43.


Go, Waka, Go!