Must start today with a reference to yesterday, when I collected Y from Burton Joyce.There was only one of Hannah's scones left and it was toasted for me when I arrived to accompany a mug of tea. I broke a bit off because Y hadn't tasted them either. Thanks Hannah - delicious ! Anytime you want .........
Today we had a prompt start and even so the supermarkets were busy. We did Lidl first because we needed frozen chips for our Friday fish & chip lunch, then we braved Morrisons. Sod's law I think, because we encountered a lengthy queue at each checkout but by the time we were through, all the queues had vaporised and people weren't having to queue at all. The fish was also from Lidl and was first rate.
Our shopping also included ingredients for a vegetarian curry from my Hairy Biker's Book (Christmas present) and it looks good. The only item which proved elusive was curry leaves. I used to grow it in the greenhouse but no more - no greenhouse for a start !
The idea is to cook it for ourselves as a test-run. As hosts of some experience we realise the dangers of cooking an untried recipe for guests.
Picture 2 is a collage of some of Jill and Ro's holiday snaps and they give a good feel for your trip Jill. You clearly had a welcome respite from this very cold winter we are having.
When I saw the TV News at lunchtime there was the statutory piece about elderly people unable to afford to have their heating on. T'was ever thus wasn't it? Over the decades I seem to have regularly seen this TV stuff. The simple fact is that old people are reluctant to spend money on keeping their homes warm irrespective of how much money the government throws at the problem. They won't take taxis either - yet a taxi fare split 4 ways if they went shopping together would be most reasonable. Mini-rant over !
My responses to your previous comments.
Jill ...... When I sort out my guillotine you will be one of the first I contact for candidates. They don't have to be national figures - there are one or two locals too. And all you and Y and Helen C and Madeline will need to say is "Off with his/her head"
You are right to feel it is milder. Google tells me that in North London today it should have been 45F (7C) - but with a 13mph SE wind to contend with it wouldn't feel too cosy outdoors.
I think you may have hit the nail on the head with the duck ID. It is probably, as you say, a common or garden farmyard duck. I can mangle adjectives with experts.
Roy might come up with the definitive answer when he reads the blog and sees the picture.
Reg ..... I think we've now 'got it' with the info on Sky. And the 'paws' facility must be very handy. The only reason we stick with Virgin Media is because of the TV, Phone, and Broadband package at £30. But it isn't very reliable and Y often says (after yet another shutdown and reboot) we should give Sky a whirl.
Just an aside, having recently watched a TV journalist on an outside broadcast, on WebUser forums there was new word for 2009. ..... Testiculating : waving your hands about and talking b****ks.
Younger readers should not worry about the above sentence - it's old folks humour.
I'm glad the competition went well and my commiserations on your not being placed.
And using my response to you, as a suitable spot - Congratulations Mike H ! I shall no doubt see the pictures sometime during the year.
KevinB ...... Congratulations ! I think I must steel myself and brave another competition evening, even if I don't enter anything myself.
I'm also pleased to hear of such good work from our recent joiners. Did our young ladies enter stuff ?
Quotation time ....... I tried to find a relevant quote - and this caught my eye .....
"Focus on competition has always been a formula for mediocrity"
Daniel Burrus
I hadn't come across this chap before but he is impressive - I actually found time to read his blog - we bloggers must stick together.
"Sleep tight - catch you tomorrow"
.
Some good pictures of Madeira - Funchal but a pity there isn't one of Jill careering down the hill from Monte on a wooden sledge as it would have provided some exciting local interest.
ReplyDeletePity Reg is disappointed in not winning, he obviously had not offered enough "incentive" to the judge. There is another way to avoid disappointment - don't enter.
Graham
ReplyDeleteYou missed nothing on Thursday, the quality of the general entry was mainly disappointing. Most people felt that there were much better pictures in the Beginners Competition last week. There were very few imaginative pictures.
Not wishing to bore non-camera club members further I was interested in your comments about Rupert Brooke. Whilst I agree with your comments about the sugary sentiments I think you have to take into consideration the circumstances. Most of the First World War poets seem to have written in either this or a very pessimistic vein, presumably because once they went over the top the chances of surviving were very slim. Ironically although Brooke failed to survive the war, he died in 1915 of septicaemia following a mosquito bite on his way to Gallipoli.
By the way your odd looking duck is an “Ey up Me”
Helen C
Your “dip” into photography shows lots of promise so keep it up.Very few new members show your progress in the first two years.
Roy
Hello. I'm glad you liked my scones. I never tried one toasted my I did have one and a half, they were lovely. Going cooking on Saturday dont know what we are making , but I'm now going as more as a helper than a student. So this sounds quite fun!
ReplyDeleteHannah
x x
See you Sunday!
Sorry, forgot to comment on the Whatstandwell day! seem to remember camping near the river and floating out of the tent at night on my airbed because of the torrential rain.
ReplyDeleteJBW I am not really bothered about not winning it was more of an in joke between me and RG. After 25plus years at the club not winning does not bother me at all.
ReplyDeleteLove the new word "Testiculating" sums it up perfectly and one which I will use in the future. Oh to have the luxury of choice for TV / broadband/phones etc for the princely sum of £30 per month....Here we have to pay.....
ReplyDelete£30 per month broadband
£10 per month phone rental
£15+ per month phone calls
£23 per month sky basic package
Sky advertise that we can have the package in their small print but it's a different story when it comes to getting it.
Price we have to pay I suppose for living in such a lovely place.
It would also be nice to have an Aldi or a Lidl to shop in as well.
Mannanan
I'm sure I've put a comment on this - unless I have been ex-communicated? I have done the careering down the hill on a sledge bit, twenty years ago.....
ReplyDeleteScones look delicious, made me hungry looking at the picture.
'Testiculating' is great, now how about one for women (that is printable).