Tag: Kai-Lin

Buddhapadipa Temple Wimbledon

UK: Visiting Buddhapadipa Temple on Kai-Lin’s 10th Birthday! (27.9.2026)

We travelled by car from Sutton to Wimbledon to visit what we know as the “Buddhapadia Temple” – a Thai Temple financed by the King of Thailand. This caters for the UK’s relatively small Thai population (and the Theravada School of Early Buddhism they follow) – and for other Asian and non-Asian populations that follow all types of different people. The Thais are fairly tolerant. Due to the lack of Buddhist Temples in the UK – Chinese people tend to visit this Thai Temple – as do we. Richard Hunn stayed in this temple studying meditation during the 1970s, and I think he returned their in the 1980s to make a documentary about the famous murals (I am not sure about the exact dates).

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Father's Day 2026!

UK: Father’s Day Cards! (21.6.2026)

With regards Mother’s Day – the UK has a different day to that recognised universally. Why this is I do not know. Apparently, the UK invented Mother’s Day – which was originally the “Mother of Christ” Day. I am told that “Father’s Day” is the same in and outside the UK. So, there you have it. Anyway, my two daughters are still children and tend to give me cards. Parenting is a difficult and demanding undertaking and certainly not the starry-eyed pastime popular literature likes to portray. It is not romantic to say the least. Of course, children never understand the burden parenthood – and as parents we would do well to remember that we were once children. Although there is no standard rule-book – there are rules. It is hoped that common decency and common-sense hold sway and all difficulties navigated. And on the journey goes!

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A Summer's School Pick-Up!

Sutton: A Typical Summer School Pick-Up! (20.8.2026)

Of course, we live in South-West Greater London (Sutton & Cheam) – which used to be East Surrey until 1965. The place is countryfied and full of trees and parks – the trees are in the streets – planted down the side of the pavements (my dad said – when he visited in 2000 – that this is “posh”). Sutton used to be terribly wealthy in all areas, but now is just a place that well-off people like to live despite the economy completely collapsing). Obviously, I am here just by accident. I ended-up here more or less by accident due to a relationship, etc. Still, we are where we are and have to make the most of it. The schools are good and we are providing the best education we can for our two daughters. This is my partner “Gee” (left) walking with “Kai-Lin” (right) – I am the rear-guard holding the ‘phone. Earlier that day, me and Gee had attended a School Assembly – within which all the children demonstrated to their parents what they had laerned over the last academic year (September-July).

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Kai-Lin Driving the Tractor!

Surrey: US WWII “Jeep”, Garage & Tractors! (30.5.2026)

Structures like this formed the early “Garages” – or “Petrol Stations” in the UK. This version caters to the early car-driver – who were few in number – and the bicycle rider – which were many in number. Bicycles were the main business – with the rich car-drivers forming a lesser number – although potentially lucrative due to the ongoing costs of maintaining a car. Below is a WWII US “Jeep”. The story is that these were originally called “General Purpose” (GP) Vehicles – but that a US shoulder spelt the initials “GP” as “Jeep” – and the designation stuck and is really popular. The US was an ally of the UK and USSR during WWII – and thousands of Jeeps were used during D-Day and afterwards!

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A Cuckoo Pecks the Tree Outside Our Bedroom Window!

Sutton: A Woodpecker Outside Our Bedroom Window! (6.11.2025)

Whilst getting ready for school – our youngest daughter (Kai-Lin) – heard a “knocking” outside our bedroom window in our first-floor flat (the window is more or less in-line with the treetops nearby). When Gee pulled-back the curtain (it was around 8 am) to everyone’s surprise – there was what looked like a juvenile Woodpecker attempting to develop a head of steam through its inexperienced pecking! Normally, we only ever hear these birds “out of sight” as it were, but even then, only at a considerable distance (usually in woodland or nears forests) – but I have never seen such a rural bird landing within a city context.

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Digging into the Trench!

Sutton: St Nicholas Church – Feeding Squrrels & Pigeons! (21.9.2025)

We visited the Church-yard of St Nicholas Church on the 14.9.2025 – a pleasant Saturday afternoon in South-West London (formerly East Surrey). At the moment we are experiencing what we use to call an “Indian Summer” – providing this is still an acceptable analogy (who knows – the ground upon which we stand keeps dissolving into loose sand). Either way, communing with wild animals teaches children empathy, sympathy, and kindness. This is inter-species communication – a very important aspect of a civilised upbringing and education. From a superstitious Buddhist view – all life is karmically inter-related following endless cycles of rebirth (bundles of life-habit living through all different life-forms until the realisation of enlightenment breaks the cycle). Is this real? I have no idea – but the Buddha seems to think rebirth is a Brahmanic myth – but it is a myth which he uses to convey his teaching and make his point, etc.

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