The Tomb of Seti l When I was 10 years old I was given a book by a family friend called ‘The splendour that was Egypt, by Margaret Murray. She was an Egyptologist, archaeologist and a historian and became the first woman to become appointed as a lecturer in Archaeology in the United Kingdom. She was an authority in her field, excavating temples and being the first woman to unwrap a mummy publicly. Toward the late 19th century, the interest in anything Egyptian was gaining momentum; therefore, she wrote several books aimed at the interests of a more general audience. That’s why I found the one I was given…
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Surely You’re Joking, Mr Feynman! – Book Review
I was given this book as a birthday present last year by my friend who is a physics teacher. I was slightly concerned upon receiving it, because I have no knowledge of physics and couldn’t see how I’d find it interesting, so I approached the book with caution. I needn’t have worried though – this book is an easy recommendation, which should probably be required reading for everybody… It turns out that Feynman didn’t actually write the book – it’s a collection of transcribed stories, taped by a friend of his. All are real stories, told with precision, primarily because they are fun, and there’s a lesson or a laugh in…
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My Doppelganger
Almost 3 weeks ago, I was walking out of a coffee shop, and stopped in my tracks. A woman was sitting eating a pastry of some description…we glanced at each other, and smiled in total recognition. We looked exactly the same!!! I had found my doppelganger, my double, my sister from another mother. It was really strange – a feeling I’ve never experienced. There is a saying, that’s been around for years, that we all have a double somewhere, and I know I’ve finally seen her. I thought the word ‘doppelganger’ was relatively new, yet it’s from a 19th century German word which means ‘double-goer’; an apparition or a double of…
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My Last 4 Spectacular Falls
This is no exaggeration, but I have fallen over 4 times in the last 8 weeks. It started to worry me on the third fall as I felt there must be some sort of medical explanation – I’m losing the plot, some hormonal problem, unexplained (‘idiopathic’…thanks, Dr. House!) giddiness, or my age. I had a discussion about this a few days before Fall Number 4, with my mother, who actually hit the nail on the head and informed me that is was quite simple: “The reason why Pip, is because you don’t look where you’re bloody going!” And she was correct. As I stumbled into the wall during Fall Number…
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Podged up to the Eyeballs!
The English language is full of wonderful and downright weird phrases. My grandmother, after eating a very large dinner would exclaim that she couldn’t possibly eat any more as she was “Podged up to the eyeballs!” I have no idea whether this is just a saying that originated in the Midlands or it’s known throughout the UK as a whole. As English speaking people, we tend to hear them every day without giving the phrases much thought. It becomes a part of who we are; and they can be very different according to the region you were born in or where you live. I think some of them are very…
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Lincoln- An Enchanting City
I wanted to write this article today about the lovely city of Lincoln. I have visited a few times over the past two years and I’m feeling the need to return because I love it so much. Lincoln is full of attractive properties, including 16th century and Georgian buildings with the beautiful Norman Cathedral and castle. Once you visit the centre of the city you feel that you’ve stepped back in time. Lincoln was a Roman town and many of the buildings reflect this, such as the 3rd-century Newport Arch; the northern gateway that is still used by traffic. When you have reached the summit of what’s called ‘Steep Hill’,…
