Fis and Chips, and other sights

This place is on my list. I'll let you know how it fares. I'm optimistic - they've been in business for 43 years - but is it a red flag that they don't know what a fish looks like? This picture is too small for you to see very well, but the cartoon creature looks more like a duck than a fish.

Today, while Robin worked on her book deadline, I hiked back into Uxbridge to grab some more missing items: towels, cups, cutting board, bathmat, 4-port USB hub, USB printer cable. The usual stuff.


Another shot of the guys I mentioned in an earlier posting.


Also in an earlier post, I mentioned that no one was dancing to the band. These two guys were dancing, but this was before the band started playing.


Just to belabor the point, this is the non-dancing audience after the band started playing. Man, I miss the Beatles.

Here are some other places in Uxbridge I hope to check out soon. All of them are within a block of the Uxbridge town center.








Hmmm. Maybe I'll just ask about this one.


There's something for everyone, from Spongebob to old St. Andrews church. St. Andrews was built in 1865 (brand spanking new by English standards) and cost 12,000 pounds. The spire is 180 feet tall.

Spongebob (1997) is a sea sponge, but he resembles a kitchen sponge. He's a fry cook at the Krusty Krab restaurant, at which he has won employee of the month many times. He attends Mrs. Puff's Boating School, analogous to a driving school, but cannot pass the boating test. SpongeBob lives with his pet snail Gary in a large "pineapple-house" on 124 Conch Street in Bikini Bottom, which is located beneath the tropical isle of Bikini Atoll. His neighbors are Squidward, who is a squid, and SpongeBob's co-worker at the Krusty Krab, and Patrick, a star fish and SpongeBob's best friend.

Some Wednesday morning notes

Wednesday morning. We worked in the flat until just before noon as Robin had a noon appointment at the on-campus bank, to set up a bank account. Of course, a piece of paper work was missing when she got there (a letter from the student union to the bank, verifying that she is a student). Of course, that process took a couple of hours. Of course, I wondered around the campus looking for photo-ops.

Of course, when you use the phrase "of course" three or more times, it sounds weird and meaningless.

The main concourse in the center of the campus is where most everything happens. Students with signs about some event or organization are everywhere. Two girls screeching a song in unison are wearing signs that say "Pay me to shut up." A "living statue" guy is posing motionless, painted copper color from head to foot.


Posters in the student union help me plan my activities. I definitely want to go to Barmy Bingo. I can also try out for the Cricket team, the Rugby team, the SkyDiving club, The Hindu Society, The Islamic Center, and more. I can be multi-sport, multi-cultural, and multi-sexual. Blimey!


There's also a Tambourelli league. It's like badminton, only you use a tamborine instead of a racquet.


Lots of Hindus here. Love 'em. Just sayin'


A band was setting up on the quad, so I waited around to get some video of a cool English band, that looked like Johnny Rotten and the Sex Pistols, or some other punk band wannabe. I don't remember their name, but after shooting about one minute of video, I could suggest some names for them: The Untalenteds, Audio Garbage, Sensless Screamers. I really shouldn't be too critical because I couldn't really hear the screamers - I mean singers - due to the excessive screeching and electronic non-musical noise coming from the guitars and keyboard. And it wasn't just me. If this was good stuff, the students sitting around the quad would have been rocking like some primitive jungle tribe. Instead, they were looking on in disbelief. Like they were waiting for the music to start. Maybe I should have stayed to see what the second song was like, but I started losing self respect subjecting myself to that kind of aural abuse.


This poster says it's for Rugby, but anyone can see it's the Gay Get It On Club. Can't fool me.


These guys are holding a banner advertising a trip into London. Whenever pretty girls approach, they reposition themselves so the girls have to walk under the banner.


Robin at the front of the line in the Student Union, to pick up her official letter for the bank stating she really is a student.


Rosetta cut her foot and had to go to the vet a couple of days before we left home. Here we are in the vet's office. She's doing fine.

Bonus photos

Bonus is what merchandisers call the stuff they can't sell, so it should work for photos that I haven't posted yet. So here are a few Bonus shots until I get out and about with the camera today.


Brunel's main concourse at night.


Our residence building, Shoreditch Hall. Love that name.


View of the main concourse from the balcony of The Hub sports bar.