It was nice to learn from AnonymousReg that the Rufford Walk was a success and the eleven who turned up had a pleasant stroll round the lake and through the woods and gardens. The weather must have been OK or he would have mentioned it. He sent me this lovely Robin picture. Apparently he was very tame and you could approach to within 18 inches. (That's the Robin bytheway, not Reg)
As a weird sort of 'spot the robin's whereabouts?' competition I've cropped down to his eye. The idea is that Rufford hands who weren't able to attend, try to identify where at Rufford the picture was taken? Reg, of course, is not eligible to enter, but I am relying on him to judge the entries.
Comments.....Thanks David and AnonymousRob for your e-bay help. I tracked the Sanyo microwave down and it went for £39.99 so my tenner was way out. Also, at 19ltres, it wasn't really big enough anyway so we probably had a lucky escape. Our existing one is 28ltrs. I suppose I must specify that in my search criteria.David said on the phone that Asda at Spondon is worth a visit for electrical goods. Asda are selling a microwave for £29.99, but again, only a small capacity. And we do need to be able to warm up 6 large-size dinner plates. (Not as strange as some of the functions described)
Bungus.....there was no need for such a recantation re Bruce. You original assessment, and Jill's is quite a logical and reasonable position. I suggest we now leave 't'owd lad' until he surfaces again. Thanks for the foodie update, and also Jill.....It is quite amazing how one can produce a perfectly adequate (sometimes inspired) meal by the addition of 'bol' - plus perhaps a caramelised sliced onion.
Old words. One of Y's presents from Santa was a pair of "Galoshes" for slipping on for forays into the garden. The word wasn't used on the pack and. not having heard or seen the word for decades I didn't expect much luck definition-wise. But Wiki came up trumps, as so often. Please click here. Wikipedia's 'power to the people' approach to matters encyclopedic happily tells us all we need to know on the subject. And BTW, thanks Bungus for the hard copy newspaper cuttings that actually came through the letter-box yesterday. Your throwaway line "of possible interest" was unnecessary. Both were extremely interesting and, in the case of the Vaughan Williams letter, most amusing. It had to be true. You couldn't make it up.
Tomorrow, after my blood test in the morning, we are off to TJ's for her New Years Eve do. It will be great to see the children together. We were invited to Peter and Sheila's to actually see the New Year in, but have declined because we shall be well and truly 'done for' well before midnight. Have a nice time whatever you decide to do. Catch you sometime.
Pleased to hear that the team who walked Rufford enjoyed it. I suppose they will have had some protection from the gale but am surprised no-one mentioned the intense cold. And yes, a lovely Robin indeed.
ReplyDeleteThe eye reflection clue is a good Hitchcockian touch but I haven’t been to Rufford for years despite it being on the doorstep. I’ll take a guess and say the Courtyard.
A good time to be looking for a microwave, with Sales on. Currys could be worth a try.
No, I actually felt sorry for what I had said about Bruce but now we can let it lie.
I suppose I was technically wrong to call Stephanie’s Picasa emailed shoes galoshes but it did sort of fit a secondary meaning and described the general appearance quite well. Odd that Yvonne should have received a present of the real thing too.
You mention amaryllis, Jill. Sandra always thinks they look pornographic – I suspect she may have had an unfortunate experience in her early life? But they are a bit obvious aren’t they?
At risk of being thought to protest too much; a little more consideration of ‘the love that dare not speak its name’.
‘Mano a mano’ is not something that has ever appealed to me (even in basketball I preferred to play a zone defence).
Personally I do not understand why anyone would choose homosexuality but I didn’t go to a public school or serve in the navy (I saw no sign of it in the army). Beckham in his shreddies does nothing for me - although I can admire his six-pack *.
I can, however, easily understand women choosing sapphism as women are so much more attractive than men (but why do so many choose plain or even ugly partners?).
I also believe women must realise that it gives them a political advantage which they are now making full use of. Men are now but playthings or donors.
What do people so admire about Philip Pullman?
I tried reading ‘His Dark Materials’ and could not get further than halfway through the first chapter. It has recently been release as a feature film under a different name and taken something of a panning from the critics.
Tonight I watched ‘The Shadow in the North’ on BBC1 and, in spite of Billy Piper, who I always want to like, thought it a load of tosh; less convincing than ‘Hetty Wainthrop’ or ‘Midsomer Murders’. It was not only unentertaining but absolutely unbelievable and crass with a ridiculous plot (certainly sub-Hotspur or Wizard) and totally unconvincing characters. That’s just my opinion of course.
* Do others of my age group take a small delight in what they can still do? eg, stand on one foot in order to dry the other? (And, having lost weight, I have just discovered that I can almost assume the lotus position once again! Taraah!)
Graham, please tell me how you heat plates in a microwave - I tried once and cracked two of them.....Mine usually go into whichever oven I am not using or on top of whatever is boiling in a saucepan.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't get on with 'His Dark Materials' either.
I can't hop on either leg - found this out when playing with 5 yr. old who felt so sorry for me! But I think I can live without hopping. And I have to sit down to put socks on.
Am sitting here looking at my amaryllis, trying to get inside Sandra's frame of mind.....I think they are blowsy and in-your-face as opposed to obvious....much the same, I suppose!
Having never been to Rufford, I'll guess the cafe......outside where there are a few tables and chairs!
I switched off the Billy Piper thing after ten minutes.