After my 'routine' blood test we went to Ikea for breakfast; so self indulgent. 2 slices of bacon, two sausages, 3 hash browns, a grilled tomato, scrambled egg and I opted out of the beans. Then to Nottingham to call at the Solicitors, so it was necessary to ignore the pouring rain. Although I could have parked outside their offices it wouldn't be possible to leave the car there, so our trusty tram triumphed. From Market Square it isn't far to Castle Gate. I also 'needed' something from Jacobs Camera Shop and that is only 100 yards from Theatre Square. Needed is in quotes for obvious reasons - I never actually need anything from a camera shop do I? The tram stop is just past the theatre, on the left. While pausing to recover I thought a 'panorama' might interest readers. A normal photograph however wide-angle doesn't quite put the theatre building in context so to speak. A glance at the road-surface will show what the weather was like.
Ditto Picture 2. There are advantages to pouring rain. Usually our bronze lady outside the theatre is surrounded by passing people who are thoughtless enough to sit on the benches provided. But, as you can see, not this morning. Still too much litter, but cloning it out would be against my religion.I must stop waffling and mention the big news. For some time Tracy has been doing a job quite a bit further up her scale without it being officially recognised. Yesterday though the job, and her upgrading promotion to it, was confirmed. Good for her, and Congratulations TJ.
I don't feel so cross at the dishwasher now I know they are comparatively short-lived. Re 'O' levels etc., I did the very first year of the then new GCE and Y did the 2nd year. In those days it was pass/fail there were no gradations. My school, even though chartered by Elizabeth 1, had a french motto rather than a latin one. It was 'en bon espoir' and I try to remain so! Y says she finds her Latin very useful for working out the dates on grave-stones and at the end of TV programme credits !! I know she finds it more useful than that.
Nice to have a comment from Julzika who is 18 and an Art Student. I saw some of her work on the net and complimented her on it and she responded by reading this blog and leaving a pleasant comment. We need her to keep us fuddy-duddies in order. I suspect it should have been we fuddy-duddies. But it would have been such an ugly sentence. There is a link to Julzika's blog in her comment. Just click on her name in blue!
I've meant to mention, but keep forgetting, an observation about blackbirds' song. They have stopped mimmicking the 'wolf whistle' as part of their repertoire. The 'wolf whistle' seems to have stopped amongst the human population doesn't it? So I wonder if that's the reason they've stopped including it? Or is there a paucity of attractive lady blackbirds? The question might stand a Letter to the Telegraph I think.
Tomorrow is a National Trust Mansfield Chapter thrash to Stamford and Burghley House. Just hope the weather is better. Jean usually organises the Sun. So............
1 comment:
After a rather wet spell from 7.00 till 9.00, the weather in north Notts was appreciably better than yesterday.
The picture of the Royal is interesting and informative, albeit distorted. Perhaps they should ‘panoramarise’ the seats?
I like the photo of the lady in the rain but would want to try
1) cropping off the right hand 40% of the picture.and
2) viewing it in b&w.
Very civil of Julzika. I must look her up.
My school was QE too. Started off at St Peters, the parish church of Mansfield. Old Boys include Chappell, Sterne, Dodsley and Halifax after whom the houses are named School song
‘Queen Elizabeth sat one day / Watching her courtiers rich and gay /
And there were the Tilbury guns at play /
And there was the bold sea rover’ (Drake of course)
and the school hymn was
‘To Be a Pilgrim’.
I discovered recently that my younger cousin did A Level Latin (and presumably passed as he went on to study law at university). I have no reason to think that the additional learning has proved much more valuable to him than my failure at School Cert has been to me.
I reckon ‘US fuddy-duddies’ is the object of the sentence and therefore correct.
So many people, TV presenters etc, struggle to use ‘we’ when it should be ‘us’.
POINT OF VIEW
I suspect many people will share my delight at the recent ‘volte-face’ over metric units. The pragmatic reason (trade between Europe and the USA) may be cynical but it will be a pleasure to once again have a legal right to use the old familiar measures.
Since 1957 I have worked with millimetres as well as inches. I have not found this particularly difficult but am strongly of the opinion that the metric units are more likely to lead to errors. The numbers are so big that they become difficult to assimilate. I have long contended that Imperial is more readily comprehended, having the great advantage of being related to body parts (Personnl Dimansions in RE speak) making it easier to comprehend and hold in the memory. If you don’t believe me just try adding 1’11” to 3’4” to 9’5” in your head and then try it with 584mm + 1016mm + 2871mm.
A youngish man (under 50) explained this to a Newscaster on TV the other day:
"But children today are taught in metric,” she responded.
“I was taught in metric,” he replied. He also pointed out the French have a colloquial measurement a ‘pouce’ (literally a ‘thumb’) which is effectively one inch!
Whatever their age, ask anyone their weight and, if they know it, at least nine out of ten will give the answer in stones and pounds, Their height? Almost certainly in feet and inches.
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