We had to visit Nottingham this morning to deliver some documents to the solicitor, and also to go to Bromley House.My legs weren't bad so I decided to go for a browse, always a pleasure and I found a lovely new publication of selected bits about nature. It looks as if they average out around 1,200 words so I'm looking forward to it as a bedside book.
While I was there I checked that it would be OK one Wednesday, to take a WOW chum, provided I didn't suddenly turn up with a large group. I knew it would be OK and it is, but a recent mention seemed like a good idea. My 'brommers' membership goes back to the 70s when all 380 of us each owned a share in the Library and they are always so pleased to see me. No mention of the book of b & w photographs that Reg is keen to peruse, and I forgot to ask. But I will next time I'm in. Then home for lunch, sausages etc., and in the odd burst of sunshine I nipped round the garden to collect the raw material for Picture 1. Picasa's 'collage' tool is very useful. You just need to remember that each mini-pic is going to be square, so you need to crop accordingly beforehand.
I now use the TV room, third bedroom, spare room whatever, as a study and although I can't keep an eye on the bird-feeders because it looks out onto Church Lane, there is always something interesting happening. Over the past hour 2 teenage girls have walked past three times, looking for lads to 'ignore'. Some things never change do they?
Picture 2 is a hangover from yesterday and shows a young, grossly overfed, goldfinch. Perhaps I'd better cut down on the nyger seed or he may be taken into care.The Telegraph are giving Gordon Brown lots of gold stars. As Janet Daley says, at the moment we want 'dour and serious' not 'jokey and cheerful'. And Gordon does 'dour and serious' rather well. This morning the Today programme allocated it's prestigious 8.10am slot to Jacqui Smith, The Home Secretary, and I must admit I found her quite impressive too.
We have a busy day tomorrow. 8.50am blood-test. 10.30am full Nat Trust committee meeting at Connie's, 3pm Y's nails at Carlton Hill.
None of that is a real chore though. We can have lunch at our favourite Italian Restaurant, and I can raid the charity-shops.
Then on Wednesday we have the National Trust Annual Dinner at Mansfield. I have checked with Peter that it isn't a dinner-jacket job but I shall have to try and look semi-smart at least.
Pleased to say that Steven continues to improve. I spoke to him about 10 minutes ago and he has been prescribed steroids which, he reports, have improved his breathing significantly. He still has pains though and sounds to me as if he has quite a way to go before he is 100%. He slept well last night, and another good night's sleep would be good. It's a bit like rebooting your computer; it seems a good remedy for all manner of ills!
Two quotes attracted my attention :-
"I adore adverbs; they are the only qualifications I really much respect"
Henry James
and inevitably -
"A man's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another drink"
W.C. Fields
Hope the weather improves. But most of all no bombs. Sleep tight everyone !
Gordon Brown does seem to be playing it about right, saying the right things, so far. Not bad considering the critical alert. And I agree that Jacqui Smith is so far looking impressive. She must be a bright prospect having ‘come out of nowhere’ (not true of course; as someone once said ‘It only took me 40 years of effort to become an overnight success’). Let’s hope no one digs up something irrelevant from her past to bring her down.
ReplyDeleteI was expecting a succinct explanation of your apparently contradictory ‘Mess Dinners as an LAC’. And I got one (by email). I think an edited version worth blogging as a matter of record and in case others are confused as I was.
W.C. Fields is very reliable.
Ironically, my favourite is the fiction (based on something he probably said) that his headstone is inscribed ‘On the whole, I’d rather be in Philadelphia’ .
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