Adrian & Gee Valentine Cards! (15.2.2025)

Until this year, I was completely unaware that February 7th is “Rose Day” in the UK! This falls just before St Valentine’s Day (Fedrusty 14th). I think many people conflate these two rituals as roses are often given on the 14th. I suspect there is an involved explanation for all this – perhaps pre-Christian (Pagan) verses Christian, etc. Whatever the case, Shakespeare seems to have known both these dates. Both dates are designed to renew assertions of love and affection between men and women.

When Radios Were Real!

UK: “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now!” Especially For Gee (from the Kids) – Remembering Spectrum Radio! (1.2.2025)

In the old days there was a thing called “Spectrum Radio” (I think on AM) that used to separate the 24-hour cycle into 24 different hours broadcasting music in languages different to English. I believe “Cantonese” (kind of our local Hong Kong language – despite being Hakka with a distinct language of our own) – was broadcast in the evening between 6pm – 7pm. In the early 1990s, I used to teach ethnic Chinese children English in the Sutton area. In the evening, our local Chinese community was much larger then than now – and we used to visit one another for dinner and a cup of tea. On occasion, and long before we were married, me and Gee used to listen to Spectrum Radio together – listening to contemporary (English) tracks rendered into Cantonese. Gee remembers “My Heart Will Go On” (Celine Dion) – the theme from the hit Movie “Titanic” – sang in Cantonese! Our children – Mei-An and Kai-Lin – have designed a post on this blog around our memories!

Gee's Birthday Treat - Cornish Cream Tea!

UK: Gee’s Birthday Treat – Cornish Cream Tea! (5.12.2024)

The box is delivered by a private Courier and contains four scones, four pots of jam, four tea-bags, two-bags of biscuits, and a pot of clotted cream! We breakout the best China tea-pot and tea-cups and saucers to consume this magnificent gift! As my parents live in Devon, we often visit nearby Cornwall and appreciate the history and old buildings. Cornwall is essentially a “Celtic” region of the UK with kilts, bagpipes and a Gaelic language all of its own!

Gee: “1993” School Project Regarding “Hong Kong” – Coins & Stamps! (23.11.2023)

Therefore, we reject Bourgeois notions of ‘nationalism’ – whilst recognising the ‘International’ identity of the Working-Class! It is a resounding irony that whilst Gee delivers hundreds of babies within the British NHS – many of the parents of those babies actively work to have Gee expelled from the UK premised entirely on her bodily differences – whilst simultaneously welcoming in to the UK thousands of Chinese ‘criminals’ who recently participated in the US-derived riots in Hong Kong! These are just some of the dialectical paradoxes that we live within.

Football History – I Was There! Pre-Season Friendly: Sutton United Vs Leicester City – Played Tuesday July 16th – 2002 [Kick-Off 7:30 pm]! (14.6.2002)

Eventually, during the 1970s, he founded the ‘Tiverton Town Cricket Club’ (TTCB) – and for a time found fame with the antics and achievements this sporting entity achieved! I was actually researching old newspaper articles featuring ‘Peter Wyles’ who is described as the ‘Captain’, ‘Manager’ and even ‘Groundsman’ between 1975-1980! Like everything, eventually other power-bases (and egos) developed and my father quietly withdrew! This is why today all kinds of people make ‘fake’ claims to having founded ‘Tiverton Town Cricket Club’! As a young child, I used to accompany my father to the Tiverton Cricket Club Home Ground (during all kinds of weather) – situated on the outskirts of Tiverton (near the Rugby Ground) – where he used to cut the grass, ‘roll’ the ground and ‘mark-out’ the pitch! I even have memories of attending one or two ‘Home’ matches – and remember talking to the other team members (including ‘Peter Goldsworthy’ and ‘Pete Townsend’, etc). I also remember that one or two of my father’s friends in the team were attending St Luke’s Sports College (in Exeter) at the time – which meant they were of ‘Professional’ cricketing standard with no one locally realising the situation!

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