Category: Postaday2011

Are Airline Seat Sizes Shrinking?

Posted on by Marcia Mayne
SAA row 15
Image by mralan via Flickr

Like most travelers, whenever I plan a trip, the first thing I think about is the cost of the ticket. Depending on how long my flight will be, I also think about snacks I’ll take.

The size of the airline seat never crosses my mind.

I consider myself average in weight and size – 5’6″ and approximately 165 pounds. Yet, lately, I’ve noticed that even on international flights, I just fit the size of the seat.

Now, I might have gained a few pounds in the last year but not enough so I just barely fit.

So if it’s not my size, I can only conclude it’s the seat. And I have to wonder: Are airline seat sizes shrinking?

On my last flight, on Virgin Atlantic, I had to get out of my seat in order to reach the remote control that was housed in the armrest.

And once I pulled out my tray, it was practically in my stomach. When the person in the seat in front of me decided to recline his seat, I had to do the same as there was hardly room left for me to manoeuver.

Needless to say, it was one of my most uncomfortable flights in recent memory. I felt better standing or walking the aisle. But even that’s problematic – the aisles seem to be getting narrower and narrower and except for space near the washrooms, there’s no place to stand. I was stuck in my uncomfortable seat.

If I have a problem, what about someone larger? Or taller?

According to what I’ve read on Wikipedia, economy class airline seats are about 17″-18″ (43-46 cm) armrest to armrest. That’s just enough room for a small person or a child.

As for legroom or seat pitch, in most economy class seats it’s between 30″-32″ (76-81 cm). I’m not a very tall person but my knees were pretty close to the seat in front of me. (Of course, I could have upgraded to an aisle seat. For an additional fee, of course.)

I think the airlines have deliberately made seats smaller so they can carry more passengers and make more money.

Unfortunately, for the moment, there little we can do that won’t cost extra. Before you fly next time, think about your seat and check your airline’s seat plan on Seat Guru‘s list of more than 700 airlines.

Happy travels!

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Mother’s Day? It’s Complicated

Posted on by Marcia Mayne

I’m not a mother and ever since I lost my own mother ten years ago, Mother’s Day has been emotionally complicated for

Mama, a few years before she had me

me.

Funny thing is, I was never big on Mother’s Day. It was too commercial, too contrived.

And maybe because I lived far away from my mother, I never waited for that one day to let her know how much she meant to me. I made sure that I did something special for Mama each time we saw each other, and told her how important she was to me every time we talked.

You see, my mother was my best friend, my confidante, my role model and teacher. I wanted to be just like her – to be as creative, as intelligent, as caring and as supportive as she was.

Mama wrote poetry, created music and baked elaborate cakes from scratch. She made our clothes so expertly, so neatly they could have been worn inside out – I rarely wore store bought clothes.

Watching her, I learned how to sew but she also taught me how to crochet, embroider and play the flute.

I got my love of crossword puzzles and mysteries from her.

And though she tried to teach me math, I was never as good as she was. As the unofficial bookkeeper for my grandfather’s business, I watched her do the payroll every Friday with just receipts, a notebook and a pencil.

Because of everything I learned from Mama, I wanted to be a mother just so I could pass her gifts on to my daughter — yes, I knew I’d have a daughter.

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

So on Mother’s Day, especially, I feel her loss acutely and I think about what might have been.

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Wildlife

Posted on by Marcia Mayne

I took these photos last year in Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park. The experience of watching wildlife in their natural habitat was life changing.

I knew that animals are intelligent, compassionate and caring but watching them interacting with each other or with other species and taking care of their young was heartwarming.

Zebras and Impalas

Zebras are incredibly beautiful up close. And almost every time we saw them, impalas were not far away.

Giraffe

Despite their height, giraffes are stately and gentle animals.

Lioness at rest

We watched this lioness for about 20 minutes. She was so full after a kill the previous night, she hardly moved.

Buffalo and elephant

As we watched this herd of buffalo — there could easily have been 100 of them — we noticed several herds of elephants approaching. Despite their size — they’re the largest land animals in the world — they’re incredibly quiet. You hardly ever hear them coming!

Elephant

We were watching a baby elephant on one side of the road and didn’t see her mother standing a few feet away. I was so shocked, I’m glad I didn’t scream or fumble the camera.

Enjoy!

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Tasty Thursdays: Shepherd’s Pie

Posted on by Marcia Mayne

After my first visit to London, I returned home and cooked Shepherd’s Pie almost every week! I couldn’t get enough of it. It’s quite simple to make and very tasty.

Shepherd's pie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s a recipe I found on epicurious.com

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
  • 1 pound ground lamb (or substitute half with another ground meat)
  • 1 cup beef or chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh or dry rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup milk (any fat content)
  • Kosher salt to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the oil, then add the onion, carrot, and meat. Cook until browned, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Drain the fat and add the broth, tomato paste, and herbs. Simmer until the juices thicken, about 10 minutes, then add the peas.

4. Pour the mixture into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish; set aside.

5. Meanwhile, bring the potatoes to a boil in salted water. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes; drain.

6. Mash the potatoes with the butter, milk, and salt.

7. Spread them over the meat mixture, then crosshatch the top with a fork.

8. Bake until golden, 30 to 35 minutes.

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Eye Over London

Posted on by Marcia Mayne

My sister kept saying that she’d wait for me to arrive so we could take our 84 year old aunt on the London Eye. But by the time I got to London, our aunt was beginning to have difficulty getting around.

Maybe it was a good thing as it took more than 45 minutes from the time I picked up my ticket to the time I climbed aboard the ‘pod.’

But it was worth it. This is what I saw:

Passenger pods

One of the 32 oval pods that take passengers high above London.

Houses of Parliament seen from the London Eye
Hungerford Bridge
Waterloo bridge
House of Parliament with Big Ben
Haven't been able to identify this building
County Hall
South Bank view

I think our aunt would have loved this.

The ride on the London Eye was smooth, the view breathtaking. Just before each pod returned to home base, it discharged passengers and took on new ones. Each ride took about 30 minutes.

Some facts about the London Eye:

  • Designed by husband wife team of David Marks and Julia Barfield
  • It was opened in March, 2000
  • Hosts 3.5 million visitors annually
  • At 443 feet (135 meters), it is the 4th tallest structure in London
  • It is the world’s largest cantilevered observation wheel

If you’re not afraid of heights, next time you’re in London, make sure you check out the London Eye.

Enjoy the view!


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Lacock, a Proper English Village

Posted on by Marcia Mayne

Established in 1232, the village of Lacock was given to the National Trust in 1944 by Matilda Talbot. It is best known as the location for the television series and movies, such as Pride and Prejudice, Emma and Harry Potter.

I can see why.

Lacock house
Detail
Roof detail

Houses are made of natural stone.

I didn’t notice until our tour guide, David, pointed out that there was no electricity in Lacock. No electricity, no electrical wires snaking through the air.

Lacock Garden
Lacock garden
Flowers
Lacock Church
Detail
Bicycle outside King Johns Hunting Lodge

When King John (1167-1216) hunted in the forest outside of Lacock, he stayed at his hunting lodge. The lodge is now a tea room, restaurant and bed and breakfast.

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Woohoo, I’m Versatile Blogger. Thanks, Judith!

Posted on by Marcia Mayne

Woohoo, I’m a Versatile Blogger!

My fellow blogger, Judith Baxter at Growing Younger Each Day just nominated me for a Versatile Blogger Award. Thanks Judith!

I wasn’t sure what or who a Versatile Blogger was but I would soon find out. This is actually a very cool thing. It’s also the first time I’ve been nominated for anything since I began blogging in earnest late last year so it’s very special to me. Once again, thank you, Judith.

I just discovered Judith and my eyes lit up when I saw that she was a life coach. (Life coaching isn’t a job for just anybody – she went way up on my respect meter.) I also enjoy reading her posts. Check her out here.

So what’s the Versatile Blogger Award?

It is an opportunity for a blogger to recognize fellow bloggers who they admire and enjoy.

Next, the bloggers who’ve been nominated have to link back to the blogger who gave them the award

Share 7 things about themselves

Choose 15 other bloggers to pass the award to and inform them that they’re passing the award on to them.

So here goes.

Seven things about me

  1. It’s still very difficult to talk about myself because there are so many other more interesting things and people around me. Seriously.
  2. I registered my blog 3 years before I posted anything. Now, I can’t go a day without posting something. (Who said I had no discipline?!)
  3. I love art, books, music and travel. True story: I had minor surgery recently and my doctor told me afterwards that while I was under the anesthesia, I carried on a long conversation with them about books and art. (I’m an avid reader and in my other life, I’m a book publicist.)
  4. I love Masterpiece Theatre and I never tire of watching Keeping up Appearances, As Time Goes By, Ms. Marple, Hercule Poirot with David Suchet. My ‘new’ fix is M1-5. My guilty pleasure is The Young and the Restless and General Hospital (soap operas). And for competition and armchair travel, I love the Amazing Race.
  5. I realized how good my French was when I was able to tell off someone in French. (It would get even better if I practiced more.)
  6. I’m looking forward to owning a backyard, a dog and parrot – exactly in that order. Oh, and a garden near the ocean.
  7. I’d love to spend a year traveling to sacred places around the world. You could call it my personal year of living dangerously?

The 15 Bloggers I’m Giving a Versatile Blogger Award to:

In no particular order, these are the blogs I look forward to reading everyday for inspiration, for humor, for their refreshing content.

Drumroll, please!

My Versatile Blogger Awards go to —

  1. Tony Newboult – Tony’s my first blog buddy.  He blogs about music but right now he’s doing the A-Z Blogging challenge.
  2. First Year of Freedom – Despite the differences in our ages, I love reading Mozes Sanchez’s posts. Mozes, who’s in high school, blogs as First Year of Freedom. Reading his posts is like looking over his shoulder at high school life.
  3. Wander Woman – There’s so much power in this name. Carla’s posts are an interesting mix of travel and everyday stories. Always fresh, and refreshing.
  4. Hakea – I depend on Narelle to bring me the good stuff. She’s also made me add Australia to the list of countries I want to visit.
  5. Heather‘s stunningly sumptuous photographs are a feast. And her posts are just as sweet. She inspires me to be a better photographer.
  6. Queen of Zoom – I love reading Theresa’s posts about her family and her view of the world from the back of a motorbike. I’m taken back to my teenage years riding on the back of my uncle’s bike.
  7. Polly’s Space – Polly’s photos are powerful, her writing gentle. Check her out and see what I mean.
  8. Journey Through a Writer’s Life – Cheryl’s poems move me by their simplicity. Don’t be fooled, writing poetry is hard work. She just makes it look easy.
  9. Pass the Douchey channels my irreverent and decidedly liberal political side. I wish I could be as eloquent and as prolific.
  10. Marge Mercurio’s latest series of posts is focused on using the internet to find goodies. Please check out the really cool things she’s found.
  11. Grown up for Real – You know just by looking at a blogger’s page whether you’ll like what they post.
    D. Rene does it all – career, a blended family, home.
  12. My English Thoughts – Isabelle is bold and gutsy to write a blog in a language not her own just so she can learn. I wish I could be as gutsy and write at least one post in French! Read hers here
  13. Wandering Around – John is the kind of traveler/blogger I hope to become – one of these days, hopefully not too long from now.
  14. Leeswammes – I live books. Judith blogs about and reviews books. Nuff said!
  15. Amusing Elephant – Anyone who loves Sunday Brunches is worth reading. Jasem writes about food and life in India.
Now, do the same and pass the Virtual Blogger Award to some bloggers you admire!
Thanks for stopping by.

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Soulful Sundays: Phoebe Snow – RIP

Posted on by Marcia Mayne
Phoebe Snow - photo courtesy of nme.com

RIP Phoebe Snow.

This song, Poetry Man, reminds me of my days at university, sitting in the backyard in late spring/early summer drinking wine and having lazy conversations.

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Phoebe’s voice is languid and unbelievably rich.

Enjoy!

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