The Prized Treasures

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  “Will the prized treasures of today always be the cheap trifles of the day before? Will rows of our willow-pattern dinner-plates be ranged above the chimneypieces of the great in the years 2000 and odd? Will the white cups with the gold rim and the beautiful gold flower inside (species unknown), that our Sarah Janes now break in sheer light-heartedness of spirit, be carefully mended, and stood upon a bracket, and dusted only by the lady of the house? . . . .   The “sampler” that the eldest daughter did at school will be spoken of as “tapestry of the Victorian era,” and be almost priceless. The blue-and-white mugs of the present-day roadside inn will be hunted up, all cracked and chipped, and sold for their weight in gold, and rich people will use them for claret cups; and travellers from Japan will buy up all the “Presents from Ramsgate,” and “Souvenirs of Margate,” that may have escaped destruction, and take them back to Jedo as ancient English curios.” Jerome K. Jerome, “T...

Happy "Day After New Year's Day!"

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New Zealanders have a really cool name for today, which in some countries (like Scotland) observe as a “bank holiday.” Today is “Day After New Year’s Day!” The day is so cool I wonder why I'm not wearing a bow-tie, or a fez. Might start a new tradition here . . . hmmmm.

There are many ideas out there as to how this day came about, many of which include the word “hangover.” I trust you don’t have one, though it is a fact that hangovers are the result of sleeplessness more than alcohol.

Regardless, those of us who live on smaller islands off the coast of New Zealand are back to work today. You remember work don’t you?

New Zealanders may have something for us, though. Today is the next day. We are not promised a “next day,” but here it is. We should be thankful to our Creator for this day. He made it, so rejoice in it! 

 Now, where's my bow-tie?

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