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The Islander - Thursday 5^th October 2000

CONGRATULATIONS!

Keira Leigh arrived at 5:12pm on 25th September weighing at 8lbs 10oz. She decided that she was going to put in an early appearence by one week for Uncle Ian, who left on the RMS for St. Helena on Sunday 1st Ocotober. Both mother and daughter are doing fine.

Father Keith Writes:

PARISH CHURCH OF ST MARY THE VIRGIN.  ASCENSION ISLAND (Diocese of St. Helena) Parish Priest: Fr. Keith James - +247 6431 Church Warden: Mervyn Isaacs Church Warden: Cheryl Anthony

Dear Friends, Yes - and No! "Will you bless our new flag?" asked Cheryl, our Girl Guide Leader. "Yes of course!" I replied. And so we did at the beginning of our Harvest Thanksgiving Parade/Family Service last Sunday. "Will you speak for a few minutes at our Service and tell us a bit about the Harvest of the Desalination Plant, along with the Power Station and the Relay Station?" I asked David Bones, the new manager for Merlin. "Yes of course. How long do you want?" replied David, and brought with him symbols of the harvest, a valve, a cable and a bottle of L'Eau d'English Bay, complete with label and clear as crystal. "Can you tell us something about the Harvest of Cable and Wireless? " I asked Johnny Green. "Yes of course, no problem," was Johnny's reply, and he told us a little of the marvel of telecommunications on the Island. And then I asked myself if I would end the service by speaking briefly about the Harvest of the Church and of our Faith. I could hardly say "no", could I? And so we had a Harvest Thanksgiving with a difference, thanking God for just a few of the things that we produce on this Island, through working with the things he gives us and the knowledge which is also his gift. In the UK some years ago one of the big banks started to promote itself as "The Bank that likes to say Yes." I don't know how well it lived up to the claim, but for those of us who had been used to the Banks saying "No" all the time, who had gone in fear and trembling when we desperately needed a loan, it was like a breath of fresh air. It's easy enough to say "Yes" when there's no risk involved, no inconvenience to yourself. And to say "No" when there is. We are fortunate on this Island. In general we try to work together, usually a request for help in one way or another is met, and most people like to say "yes". Saying "Yes" really does enrich our lives. So my thanks this week to all who said "Yes" - David and Johnny for enriching the service, and our congregation, both the adults and the Guides, Brownies and Cubs splendid in their uniforms, who said "Yes" to the invitation to come and join us.

God Bless you and keep you, Fr Keith & Ginny.

FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR Mr Geoffrey Fairhurst

Live Ammunition Another cache of live and dangerous ammunition has been found on the Island. It will take some time before the experts can deal with it. May I remind everyone that if they come across this or any other weapons related equipment, they should mark its location, leave it and report it.

Administrator's Office To assist in the preparations for next year's change in the administration of Ascension, my office is being reinforced on a part-time basis. Matt Young, formerly Financial Secretary in St Helena will be helping me with the financial aspects. His first visit to Ascension in his new role takes place this week.

Anniversaries On 22 October we will have the 185th anniversary of Ascension being claimed for the Crown by the Royal Navy.

Geoffrey Fairhurst
2nd October 2000

Click on stamps for higher resolution image		CHRISTMAS 2000 Price: £1.70 - Set Price: £2.20 - First Day Cover Issued: 16th October 2000

LETTERS

The Met Office Weather Report

ASCENSION SEA SWELL FORECAST: The charts have been predicting a bit more activity than of late. The North Atlantic, since I've been here, has been almost like a mill pond. However, there are signs of swells picking up to the north, and this is as much a consequence of the Hurricane season as anything. Whilst the swell looks set to persist from the south for the time being, there are indicators that the seasons are slowly changing. Sea temperature around Ascension Island:24.4 Celsius. If the weather holds out, there are few better pleasures than an afternoon at English Bay or Comfortless Cove.

ASCENSION ISLAND: Hmmm? Vox Pop suggests that the weather hasn't been very good. Certainly we've had our share of rain, and at times I'd almost forgotten that Green Mountain was part of this blessed isle as it kept hiding behind the clouds. Perhaps Vox Pop is correct?

ST HELENA: Gary Thomas says: Drizzle., light showers and some fog amid blustery conditions were the order of the week with very little sunshine, best day of the week being questionable. Sunshine 7.4 hours, mean wind 17.6 knots.

UK: Well, if you think Ascension's been bad, then let's have a look at the UK. It's late September and the weekly maximum hasn't been so bad, but 40.6 mm of rain? That's bloomin' wet! Not only that but they've also had thunder and lightning and hailstones as well.

FALKLAND ISLANDS: Meanwhile, down at MPA....Well, their week has finished with an area of high pressure overhead. Not only were conditions brilliant for flying into and out off the Falklands, the weather was actually described to me, by flight crew mind, as 'very nice indeed'. I said, excitedly, "Did you go out in it?", and they replied, "Erm, well, no we didn't...".

 

It's hard to believe that this is my 24th of these entertaining, yet informative little pieces of Metchat. I dare say that if I find that hard to believe, then you must find it even harder to believe! Still, not to worry, because after this one and the next it will be somebody else's turn. Yup, I'm getting de-mob happy already! So much so that as I write this I have an awful feeling that I'm going to have to tell you about the days of the week. Whether it's been too much sun, or too much Ollies, or simply too many shifts down here at the Met Office I'm not sure, but I'm going to tell you anyway... I am writing this on a Saturday. Now, you must surely have wondered why on earth it's called Saturday. Well, according to my trusty dictionary it's the day named after Saturn! Obvious, isn't it? Perhaps that was a tricky one to start with, and we should have started with something simpler. How about Sunday? Well yes, it's the day of the sun. The moon shouldn't be left out of this either and it too has it's own day, we now call it Monday. What set me off on this was one day at Junior School, many years ago...We were doing something about the Vikings (like you do), and they had this god called Thor. He must have been the butt of a lot of poor jokes - "Hello, I'm Thor" he would say, and they would say, "You're Thor? Try putting thome cream on it then!", and how they would laugh...Still, he was the god of thunder and so impressive was he with his big hammer, that they gave him his own day, Thursday. (The dictionary also says that this is also a translation of 'Jupiter's day'). Another big god at the time was Odin, other things I've read lead me to believe that he was the god of wood, obviously an important god in the old days. He was married to Frigg (well, that's what it says here!). Anyway, they too had their day, and we now call them Wednesday and Friday. Again the dictionary suggests that these are translations of 'Mercury's day' and 'Venus' day'. So, if you've struggled this far, you must be wondering about poor old Tuesday. Well, as I understand it, this is the day in honour of the god Tueska, but Tueska was the Germanic god associated with Mars. The Romans and Saxons and Norse obviously have a lot to answer for, but I suppose if it wasn't for them, then we wouldn't be here, would we...? Last week I mentioned an old marine engine at one of the beaches not far from Crystal Bay. I have been duly informed that this 'is almost certainly the remains of one of two boats lost by the Americans in WWII'. These boats were used to supply lookout posts. Many thanks to the Administrator for this information, (we hope the rain has been satisfactory, by the way). However, this talk of 'lookout posts' was new to me. Apparently they take the form of 'oil barrels filled with rocks, some English Bay railway lines across the top and some metal sheets all topped with rocks'. Well, bloomin' heck! Of course I've seen these and I never knew what they were... This explains an awful lot. A few weeks ago I climbed to the top of Gallows Hill, just outside Georgetown. It's not as spooky as you might expect, given the summary justice that must once have been dispensed there. However, there's these oil barrels, lots of them, and there's rocks and concrete in them, and there's an old bedstead as well. And they were prepared to defend the realm from these? Enough respect, eh? 'Bye 'bye now! 'Teessider'

Hash Trash

Hash number: 820

 

 

Hash Hare: Frank-N-Furter Hash Hounds: Grasshopper,The Major,Pants,Woodswrecker,Thunderthighs, Limp Sausage,Crystal Tips,Beany Baby,Occasional,Hong Kong Phooey,New Knees,A-Drain,The Skipper,Rubber Duck,Bonehead,Bronwyn,Laura,Charlet, Fran The crowd gathers. The crowd listens. The crowd waits in anticipation of today's journey. For the 'newbees' of today's jaunt,a description of what should happen. "Go forth, run amok, create havoc, scar thyself, and return to consume food & drink." And with this, the On-on is directed towards Georgetown Proper. "?" As this maurding mob attacks the thoroughfare of this fine town, the expression of the local constable turns from surprise to horror as we descend on his domain. Calls for reinforcements could be heard as he barred the windows and doors of his office. Off towards the base of Cross Hill where the first of hundreds of bar checks was reached.(I think it was a bar check) On-on straight, and up to the cannons of old for a refreshing circle check. Off again and another bar check to confuse us more.(As if we need more confusing) Thunderthighs finds what appears to be the trail, however, these are dropping from previous hashers. Right is right(or is it lite is lite and left is long). Down and back up to a pinnacle of stone for a O-check. As Woodswrecker arrives, questions are asked if his portable defibrillator needs fresh batteries. Down again, more bar checks, and a hidden circle check awaits us after a trek thru some nasty dusty stuff. Around the ball field once and to yet another bar check. Trickery sets in as F-N-F faints a false on-on towards the right when this time 'left is lite'. Back to F-N-F's abode where Monsta Mummy has set out some goods eats. After which, we set upon naming three sorry souls and un-welcoming them to the fold. From henceforth Rubber Duck, Bonehead, and The Skipper shall be chastised & ridiculed with the rest of the hashers. Has anyone seen these hashers? Colgate,Gilligan,Arsonist,Peacock,PJ's, Lollipop,Mr.Tickle,Chief Longpole,or Stud Muffin. Up-coming Hashes: 7 Oct - The Major & Bonehead from NASA site 14 Oct - Grasshopper & Rubber Duck from Command Hill 21 Oct - Thunderthighs 28 Oct - A-Drain & HKP Hash Scribe - Hong Kong Phooey

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