Tara and I walked today to St. Andrew’s church, located a short distance from the ACU house. We were joined by three of our students this morning. Most of our students opted to go to St. Aldate’s for their late afternoon service. St. Aldate’s has served as a church home for many ACU students over the years. Tara and I opted to attend St. Andrew’s ten years ago primarily because of the family-oriented feel of the community. Our kids had a good experience in their children’s ministry. We liked the contemporary worship of the family service, which is more contemporary than what we expected a decade ago when we assumed that all Anglican worship was high church, stodgy, and emotionless. No, St. Andrew’s church is none of those things. It felt a little bit like Highland, our church community in Abilene. Ten years ago, our young kids got their first taste of wine at this church. During a eucharist service in 2012 we accidently took them to fermented communion wine line. The expression on the kids’ faces was priceless.
After worship, Tara and I went back to our flat for lunch. While Tara rested in the early afternoon I opted to explore some Oxford sites that we previously visited. I didn’t realize when I arrived here just how much I would miss my kids. Walking through Oxford University Parks today I had to snap some pictures of large trees that my youngest, Gabriel, climbed when he was 8 years old. Gabe, this is for you…
The nostalgia escalated on my walk back to City Centre where the scene was of workers setting up for the St. Giles Fair, which runs tomorrow and Tuesday. Ten years ago my young kids rode this exact ride together. I have vivid memories from that day of their faces. All of this has me reflecting on a philosophical debate about travel that Tara and I disagree about. When traveling, Tara prefers to visit new sites and create new memories. I, on the other hand, prefer to revisit sites that I’ve already seen to see what has changed and what has stayed the same. I don’t know what this says about our personalities. It is true that I am prone to flights of sentimentalism and nostalgia. What can I say?
I miss my kids.
I returned to the ACU house late afternoon so that Tara and I could make our way to Jude the Obscure pub to catch the Sunday afternoon Manchester United-Arsenal match. Finally, finally, finally, I had the UK football pub experience I was dreaming about! For two hours we sat next to a table filled with Manchester United and Arsenal fans, cheering, clapping, and engaging in good-natured banter over food and pints. It was Tara’s fist experience watching football at a pub. It was a lot of fun, and Manchester United won 3-1. It seems that Ten Hag has righted the ship for the moment. They looked a little like the Manchester United of old.
At some point in a future post I want to come back to some things I am learning about pub culture in the UK. While in Jude the Obscure I noticed that the food menu is exactly the same as the menu at Wig and Pen, the pub I visited our first night in Oxford. This made me realize that both pubs are owned by some sort of corporate conglomerate. One of my students shared a story about a conversation he had with a local who turned up his nose when hearing talk of the Wig and Pen. I don’t recall the exact expression, but the local said something like “That’s not a real pub.” I’m curious about the relationships among pubs in places like the UK. How many pubs are owned by large pub conglomerates? What impact do these corporate entities have on local, privately owned pubs? Is it the case that corporate pubs are less “authentic” than pubs owned by locals? This week I want to head back down to the local pub that has no television to have some conversation with the bartender. More to come!
Return home…
I’m not surprised you are mIssing
Theo, Naomi and Gabriel. They are just about perfect! ❤️❤️❤️