As promised, the Find the Ball solution. No correct entries were received. I wish 'blogger' would sort out this picture enlargement problem. The present system renders useless the method of preparing the picture to 1025px and there is a storm of protest on the forum.
Much more important, Y has returned, tired but happy and in Thomas The Tank Engine phraseology, she has been 'a really useful engine' and had a super time too. Some lovely grandchild stories - R (7yrs) had to do a 'shape poem' for her homework and Y didn't understand what they were. So, having ascertained how to spell shape, R googled 'shape poem' and quickly found two good examples. I know we shouldn't be amazed, but we are. Y has talked me through St Pancras and took some video footage on her Samsung mobile and some stills too. She talks then down (as she always does) but they look pretty good to me. It will be good when I 'download' them and can see them on a larger screen. Along with AnonymousRob, when he has recovered from his shingles - I can't wait for our big adventure ! And Y says that although she could walk it if necessary, no problem, she would prefer to come with us, in the train !
Picture 2 is one of the David Austin roses, name forgotten but - will she won't she stick it out till Christmas ? It had been raining, hence the water-droplets, and the light was quite low. Which gave me the opportunity to use my 50mm f1.8 Nikkor with the aperture wide open to get a very limited depth of field and a shutter speed within the camera's range.This morning I saw a different doctor about my legs, solely because my own doctor was away. But Dr. Wells, for it was she, is young but exudes competence. Her approach is to hit the pain with a full barrage of different drugs. So, in addition to my patches I now take the full permissible dose of DiHydrocodeine, Paracetamol and Amitriptyline (which I thought was for nervous disorders but I am assured is also used as a strong pain-killer) and when the pain is under control, she will reduce the dosages until we plateau at minimum dosage/minimum pain. I can live with the strategy - anything, so long as it works. I feel better already.
Having started re-reading my Montaigne I continued, and it's surprising what one finds. My essays are the Florio Translation (I'm not up to reading 16th century French) and he has the word 'cariere' (at full gallop). We've always understood about something "careering along at a breakneck speed" without at all understanding its source. I'm always fascinated to find current and 400yr old phraseology linked like this.
I completed my Nat Trust 'briefing note' from the regional meeting and e-mailed it to Peter who was delighted. I've done enough copies for t'committee and my little old Epson on 'draft' spews them out incredibly quickly and of a more than satisfactory quality.
Love the comment Madeline and it is indeed 'nature red in tooth and claw'. There was the lovely story during the summer of the 'twitchers' all assembled in some remote spot to peer at some rare bird when a sparrowhawk made off with it. The spelling seems fine to me. As you know I dislike spell-checkers anyway because I consider the occasional typo or misspelling conducive to original thought ! And you are quite right Bungus - everybody is sympathetic to AnonymousRob's shingles and I understand, not wishing to sound gloomy, that they can go on for weeks. Perhaps copious libations of whisky would help, taken internally of course, rather than as a poultice. And I hope you are feeling better too Jill. Oh what a mélange we are. Perhaps when the summer comes.................
Our National Trust lecture tomorrow evening is "The Lost Houses of Nottinghamshire" by Philip Jones. Sounds good and here's hoping he's got lots of pictures.
Quotation for the Day....... I really like this, and quite modern for a change ....
"Never knock on Death's door: ring the bell and run away! Death really hates that!"
Matt Frewer
I think an early night is called for, and Y does too. As she has been away a few nights I put her electric-blanket on this morning so she will have a nice warm bed. Sleep tight everybody and I'll catch you tomorrow.
.....For Madeline - and - For Bungus 
.....For Madeline - and - For Bungus
Love the dancing ?Laurel and Hardy. That cat looks as if it has a stiff neck like me. I thought mine was better until I drove today, turning my head to the right was a definite 'ouch'. Nothing like your 'ouch' though, that different doctor seems to have the right idea. I think it is a good idea to see someone different sometimes - like changing hair-dressers - they have a different view-point.
ReplyDeleteWas pleased that Letitia and Darren were saved on SCD. We thought Kylie Minogue was definitely miming.
Tomorrow sees the arrival of a new cooker from John Lewis, and a new blender/liquidiser from their on-line shop. No, they couldn't be delivered together as they come from different depots. I bought some extra potatoes and leeks to make soup with in the afternoon in my new liquidiser and using my new cooker. Now what odds will you give me on that happening?
From Jill
I'll take some satisfaction in only being about 15mm out withe 'spot the ball'.
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember a shape poem about a mouse. I think the one most often used as an example.
We have several periwinkles in bloom (I think minor but will check in daylight). Is that unusual at this time of year?
How strange that you always seem to see women doctors. Although I have encounteed several at hospital, in our GP practice there is only the one (to 4 men) who works part-time and who is pretty exclusively reserved for female patients who may have to wait days or even weeks if they insist upon her seeing them.
I am somewhat aghast at your ready acceptance of drugs (says he who is currently taking 21 tablets a day).
When asked recently (after several hours of severe pain) if I had taken any painkillers I answered quite truthfully that the idea had never occurred to me.
I am not making any judgment, simply saying that we all view things differently.
Re amitriptyline I also recently discovered that codeine is not just prescribed as a pain killer but alternatively to combat diarrhoea.
On etymology, you bring to mind the word 'careening' which originally meant turning a boat over to remove the barnacles from its hull but which is now accepted usage in place of 'careering' in the sense you use it.
The cat is the spitting image of the one which visits us, now almost full grown.
And for once I really like your closing action sequence.
That said, I think Paul Merton's TV series about silent film comedy takes itself so seriously that it removes almost all the humour from the sequences.
But Cranford, I thought, was right back bang on form on Sunday. A lot more people seemed to die in those days. It's a wonder there were any left.
Lee Mack and Sean Lock each made me laugh out loud several times tonight on The Apollo show.
Tommy Cooper would have been happy with the latter's closing joke:
"I had a letter this morning that said 'Do Not Bend'.
I couldn't pick it up."
I remember that story about the twitchers, it really made me laugh! I must be a horrible person, but for the life of me, I can't understand people who travel, sometimes hundreds of miles, to see a bird! I love birds and I'm a member of the RSPB, but that's a step (or many steps) too far.
ReplyDeleteI like my spell checker, but it doesn't understand French.
Thanks for the picture of the lovely cat, our little ragamuffin is black and white too, but has long hair. I hope he'll grow up to be as handsome as the one you posted. At the moment he's a real scamp.