Mystified of Littlehampton

 

 Key Biscayne Florida

First of all today, I want to make it clear that that Steve and I have been to the USA many times and hope to go there again sometime soon. We have a lot of friends there, a lot of friends. We have had some great time on our trips. We have been to so many different parts of the USA in the last forty years. We have in the last twenty five or six years, usually tied a race or two into those trips, as well as visiting the people we do business with there in the antiques world that we have always made our living in. Steve is at least a third generation antiques dealer, as were his parents and his grandparents and further back than that.

 

 

 My friend Mary Ann who is in my age group and met on the podium at Worlds

We have competed in triathlon events on many occasions, I think our record is probably three events in one trip and we have done that a good few times. I have also made training trips there when I have stayed with a good friend in Naples, Florida for a month during which time she and I did a number of events together. Key Biscayne, St Anthonys triathlon in St. Pete’s and another one in Clearwater, Gulf Coast, Panama City Beach. We have done Memphis in May, and Lake Placid, Timberman in New Hampshire. Then a whole bunch of events in California, Vineman, Wildflower, California Man in Folsom, Camp Pendleton, Solana Beach, Day at the Beach near Los Angeles, Muncie Indiana, Chicago and probably lots more that I did not recall today. Such great times.

 

 

I just wanted to make the point that I have nothing to complain about in all the trips to America. All this is leading to is the ‘Happy Holidays’ thing. I really do not understand why that was ever introduced in place of Merry Christmas. I have heard the arguments… all of them. It is more openly embracing they say, because Christmas is not the only religious celebration around that time of year. Well that seems fine to me so why not use which ever expression suits the friends or family you are giving good wishes to? Happy Hanukkah is heard plainly enough too, so why just try to smother Happy Christmas? It seems to me to have been singled out. It makes no sense to me at all. Is it just about money? Are the stores wanting to able to target people of all faiths or even those of no faith or belief?

 St Anthony's Triathlon, St Pete's Florida I am also a Mad Dog!

Why then keep the American money the same? I have a purse full of left over coins and notes from holiday money that states very clearly; In God WeTrust. That is not all embracing though is it. I noticed the other evening when we were watching the end of series double show of Conviction’, that in the courtroom, that this very same American motto is also on the wall behind the Judge’s bench. Do they have separate court rooms then for every group? I have seen posters in many public buildings and all sort of places that have that same motto with the American flag waving behind it.

 

So, as the kids on Facebook say…. Just sayin’. However I do find it very confusing and I will be sticking with what I was brought up with and hope it offends nobody because I fail to see that it can be offensive since it is a kindly wish. 

We are planning to go to Switzerland for Christmas as we have done so many times before and it will be a holiday and I hope a happy holiday, but of the languages that the Swiss people speak; French, German, Italian and in the part we go to, Romansh that is spoken by 50-70,000 people in the Grisons region (Graubünden), their greetings will all refer to Christmas when translated. Having said all that, I can still do my swim training all that week because the handsome new pool and fitness centre will be open on Christmas Day, whereas in Littlehampton the sport centre will be closed and thereafter will have shortened hours until the New Year. The world is a contrary place. 

Mystified of Littlehampton.