Drivel

Well it looks like Autumn is fast approaching, much as we have enjoyed an Indian summer this last few days, overnight the temperature is dropping - and in the early morning it is decidedly chilly - nearly time to get the vests out me thinks.

The trees are just beginning to turn, and you can hear the cries of the leaf sweeper upperers, as they cast their eyes upwards and gaze upon the leaves, which in not so distant future will begin there journey downwards, or if there is a wind blowing sideways, possibly upwards, but at finally downwards. Thereupon to be swept up and disposed of - but where ?

Last weekend also what may prove to be the last weekend for the great mushroom hunt. As far as I can gather it is in-bread in every Latvian, that she/he must go and gather mushrooms in the woods, however as the summer this year was not conducive for mushroom growing ( at least not in the wild), it has only been in the last few days that collecting has been possible. So now you know why Riga has been so quiet the last two week-ends (cretins do not count)

Never quite understood all of this - as Rimi stores seem to have plenty of mushrooms - but I suspect it is simply the Latvian love of nature that prevails, and the fact that you can collect a few mushrooms is simply a bonus !

A few words on Sport, as many of you know I am not a great lover of football, particularly as it means having to cope with the great gathering of cretins - however this season, wholly due to my "local" team Reading being in the English Premiership, I have taken a more than passing interest in there exploits - and can you believe it -as we speak they are lying in 6th place, and next weekend will face the might of Manchester United at home - so one way or another I am going to go and watch this game. Probably will mean the kiss of death for them !

Last week saw me check the possibility to get the UK Freeview channels here in Riga, via the Astra 2D satellite. No problem in getting reception, as long as I mount a 3 metre ( 9 ft) dish on the roof - so bang goes my hopes of that ! - anybody want a Freeview receiver ?







This week sees the the start of the Arsenals film festival, where a whole host of instantly forgettable films will be on - but for those whose film interests are more esoteric than mine then check out http://main.arsenals.lv/main-eng.php?p=5

and for other cultural events coming up

8 – 17 September, Liepaja
5th International Organ Music Festival
http://www.liepaja.lv/
Tel. 371 3404798
10 – 30 September, throughout Latvia
European Cultural Heritage Days "The Preservation and Restoration of Historical Interiors"
http://www.mantojums.lv/
Tel. 371 7224519
13 September 2006 – 15 May 2007, Riga
Exhibition "Latvian Traditional Cuisine", Latvian National Museum of History
E - mail:
museum@history-museum.lv
Tel. 371 7223004
14 – 25 September, Daugavpils
International plein-air "Mark Rothko - 2006"
http://www.daugavpils.lv/
Tel. 371 54 04377
16 – 24 September, Riga
Riga 18th International Film Forum "Arsenal"
http://www.arsenals.lv/
Tel. 371 7221620
16 September, Ergli
10th Latvian Choir Meeting
Tel. 371 7228985
16 September, Valka
Baltic States' Opera Festival
http://www.valka.lv/
Tel. 371 4723705, 371 4707522
22 September – 22 October, Riga
Raimonds Staprans' Solo Exhibition, Latvian National Museum of Art
http://www.vmm.lv/
Tel. 371 7325051
29 September – 19 November, Riga
Exhibition "Art, Information and Propaganda. Posters in Latvia in 1940/44-2006", exhibition hall "Arsenals"
http://www.vmm.lv/
Tel. 371 7325051
30 September, Riga
Harvest Fest, Riga Old Town
http://www.rdkp.lv/
Tel. 371 7043648

So do not say that this blog is not informative, but again as you have gathered from the content, not a lot is going on - at least for me - here in Riga. Seemed to have settled into a steady rythm, of work and a little social pleasure in the evenings.

On Children's home front, nothing to report, other than the fact that we need to raise money !! as we have spent over Ls580.00 helping them with bits and pieces in moving to the new home. Any ideas on fundraising ?? - I have been asked by Rietumu bank to put their logo and web link on this and the Zvannieki web site - No problem with putting in link, but does anyone know how you insert a graphic ? - in this case the Rietumu logo.

finally a joke for all you dog lovers out there ( OK P.... its for you !)

A man had a dog called Minton. One day Minton ate two shuttlecocks. When the owner found out he said, "Bad Minton!!"

and there is more -

While robbing a home, a burglar hears someone say, "Jesus is watching you." To his relief, he realizes it is just a parrot mimicking something it had heard. The burglar asks the parrot, "What's your name?" The parrot says, "Moses." The burglar goes on to ask, "What kind of person names their parrot Moses?" The parrot replies, "The same kind of person that names his Rottweiler Jesus."