O stands for Over the Water.

People who live in Liverpool refer to The Wirral Peninsular as 'Over the Water', which in fact,  geographically speaking,  it is 'Over the Water'. The 'Water' is indeed the famous River Mersey. 

You will see Liverpool on the map and directly opposite is The Wirral. It was often referred to as The Dormitory of Liverpool as the people who worked in the flourishing Shipping, Banking and  Stockbroking  Companies took up residence there and commuted by the famous Liverpool ferry boats that would carry them to their offices etc. 

In the foreground is a Mersey Ferry and in the background, the famous buildings 'The Three Graces' from left to right The Royal Liver Buildings,(complete with Liverbirds), The Cunnard Shipping Company, The Port of Liverpool Building, (where I worked for a stockbroking company). Too the far right is the Majestic Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, built from red sandstone which was extracted from a Liverpool quarry.

You will see the office buildings, behind the ferry boat, with the weary workers sailing 'Over the Water'  back to their homes, on The Wirral, after a busy day at the office.

India Buildings (Entrance)

Holts Arcade that ran through the centre of the building.

When I first married I lived in a little apartment 'Over the water' I really loved living there and every morning used to walk along the promenade on the edge of the river, then take the ferry 'Over the Water' to Lloyds Bank, in India Buildings Liverpool, where I started my career.

 After a busy day working in a hot office, it was a joy to take the ferry boat home 'Over the water' and blow off the cobwebs, to our little love nest on the edge of the river. I would take a bus home because I would feel too tired to walk along the promenade, after working so hard.

 Whereas the buses in Liverpool were always painted in corporation green, the Wirral buses were painted blue and cream. Whenever I boarded one, a wave of nostalgia enveloped me because as a child we used to take a ferry across the river, then the bus to a seaside town called New Brighton which was a favourite holiday, or day out place for Merseysiders.

The promenade with Liverpool' in the background ' over the water'. We would walk the other way to get to New Brighton..

 Our little flat was just up the road from New Brighton, so each weekend we would spend a lot of time there just meeting friends and going to a lovely 'Olde Worlde Pub' called The Magazines, which many years ago was a popular haunt for smugglers... but there lies another yarn for me to spin! 

New Brighton Lighthouse at the mouth of The River Mersey

'Ahaarr me 'earties' (Pirate talk, meaning 'hello my friends'.) 

The Magazines as it looks today.

Well folks that's me done with  'Over the Water'....

My thanks to the Obliging Denise for devising ABCW also to Roger our Omniscient Overseer for doing what he does with such devotion. Thanks too, to all the helpers who assist Roger by visiting and commenting on assigned sites.

Best wishes,

Di.

ABCW team.

N stands for Ogden NASH (part two).

Ogden Nash 1902 - 1971.

Ogden Nash was renown for his light verse;  At the time of his death in 1971 the New York Times said his"droll verse with it's unconventional rhymes made him the country's best known writer of  humorous poetry". Some of his prose indicated that he was 'anti establishment'.

This feeling reflected in one of his sardonic verses;

Common Sense.

Why did the Lord give us agility,

 If not to evade responsibility! 

In 1934 he moved to Baltimore, Maryland, where he stayed until his death. He always thought of Baltimore as home. After his return from a brief move to New York he wrote;

"I could have loved New York had I not loved Balti - more."

Some more of his amusing anecdotes....

The Cow. The cow is of boring ilk;

 One end is moo, the other is milk !

The Dog. the truth I do not stretch or shove, When I say the dog is full of love,

I've also found by actual test, A wet dog is the lovingest!

  

The Ant.

The ant has made himself illustrious, industry, industrious,

So what ?

Would you be calm and placid,

 if you were full of  formic acid.

After writing about Ogden Nash I realised I had written about him a while ago. On checking the previous contribution I was able to heave a sigh of relief for I hadn't repeated myself!

My sincere thanks to  Denise who NOTABLY devised ABCW and also to the NOBLE  Roger who does what he does in keeping us all in order. Finally the team of helpers who assist Roger in the NICETIES of  abcw by making weekly visits to other sites. 

Best wishes , Di.

 ABCW team.

M stands for Maya, MAYA Angelou.

Maya Angelou.

Maya is one of my favourite American writers.

 To label her 'just a writer'  really does her an injustice;  whilst, indeed it is admirable in  being a renown author , Maya Angelou is even more than 'just a writer', she was a playwright, performer, actress and composer. 

She has written and appeared in many plays and films being nominated an Emmy for her role in the 1977 movie Roots.

Maya Angelou was active in The Civil Rights Movement and worked with Martin Luther King and was widely respected as a spokesperson for black people.

 In 1993 she was invited by President Bill Clinton to write and read the first inaugural poem. Americans all across the country watched as she read;

 On The Pulse of Morning.

A rock, A river,  A Tree

 Hosts to species long since departed,

 Marked the mastodon,

 The dinosaur, who left dried tokens

 On their sojourn here On our planet floor,

 Any broad alarm of their hastening doom

 Is lost in the gloom of dust and ages.

But today,  the Rock cries out to us, clearly,  forcefully,

Come, you stand upon my Back and face your distant destiny,

 But seek no haven in my shadow,

 I will give you no hiding place down here.

 You created only a little lower than

 The angels, have crouched too long in

 The bruising darkness

 Have lain too long Face down in ignorance,

 Your mouths spilling words

 Armed for slaughter. The Rock cries out to us today

 You may stand upon me But do not hide your face :

AS this oration is rather long for me to quote here please just Google  Maya Angelou, 'On the Pulse of Morning' .There is also an recording on U tube of the actual inauguration and  the moving speech by Maya Angelou.

She concluded her address in this last verse saying:

"Here on the pulse of this new day 

 You may have the grace to look up and out

 And into your sister's eyes, and into

 Your brother's face, Your country and say simply

very simply

 With hope - Good Morning".

. In this last verse I feel she was challenging the new administration and all Americans to work together for progress.

My sincere thanks to the Marvellous Mrs Nesbitt, Denise..for devisising ABCW and also to the Munificent Roger for doing what he does in such a Malleable Manner .Also the team of Matchless assistants who help with the weekly visit to all the other ABCW' s sites.

Best wishes.

Di.

ABCW team.