Friday, February 13, 2009

Shortish Blog - Ikea Flat-Packered

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I must finish telling you about Thursday night's Camera Club talk. The lecturer was Bill Hall from Derby Rolls Royce Club and he was good. Very widely travelled both holidays and with his job he had a wide range of excellent images to show us. And he talked good sense photography to photographers. Unfortunately due to leg ache etc., I thought it prudent to bail out at half-time. I explained the position to Bill rather than just vanishing. I would be happy to hear him again.

Reg realised I had been suffering a little because he kindly rang this afternoon to enquire how I was.

This morning Y had a sort of 'annual MOT' at the Doctors and everything seems to be fine I'm pleased to say. Then, after some brief shopping and odds and ends in Eastwood, I tackled the Ikea flatpack 'Billy' bookcase.

As you will see from the picture on the left I succeeded and already it is nearly full of books. There must be some version of Parkinson's Law which covers this.

Y paid me the ultimate compliment by saying "It looks as if its always been there".

I had frequent coffee stops, but even the simplest flat-pack leaves me exhausted. However my bedroom is now much tidier because I used the venture as an avenue for throwing out much clutter, dog-eared magazines and outdated paperwork.

Picture 2 is a smashing snap of Jill's urban fox taken from her bedroom window. The fox looks so comfortable in what resembles a purpose built lean-to for passing foxes.

Further photos will be most welcome Jill as I guess our young people will be very interested. Not to mention us 'oldies' too of course.

The final picture, on the right, is a Chaffinch in one of our rowans. And yesterday, although I wasn't lucky photo-wise we had a visit from a bullfinch during the morning. and, in the middle of the night a tawny owl which perched on one of the upright posts which has attracted the sparrowhawk.

Plans are afoot for Hannah to visit for a 2 night sleep-over during half-term. She has so much computer stuff she needs to teach to Grandma, and to GG too I suspect.

We are all looking forward to it. And I am not talking tongue-in-cheek at all about her teaching us things because although she is only 11 her IT knowledge is amazing.

My responses to your previous comments

Yvonne.... Looks like, so far, you are out-voted on the artistic merits of The White Horse. Time will tell. But I will be prepared to wager you an even fiver it will not have the artistic longevity of the original White Horse cut into the chalk hillside at Uffington, Wiltshire. As you know it dates from the Bronze Age and is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful things ever produced by mankind.

Bob .... You have explained to me about Ogee curves and cast-iron gutters before. But to hear it again is welcome.

It doesn't worry me at all to wear Lady Gloves, if that is what mittens were called. Whatever their real name is I missom.

How interesting to hear about Jilly Cooper's diminutive stature. I always thought she was a horsy type of woman !

Reg ..... The Comment Deleted line in the comments box was yours, at 3.14pm. It showed up twice, so I decided to delete one of them. And both vanished. And I hadn't had a drink either.

It wasn't a problem though, because I was able to retrieve it from my e-mail inbox and I re-posted it myself and signed in as Reg..... Hope you don't mind. It now reads as being originated at 7.24pm though which might have mystified you.

As so much interest has been generated I've decided to post a link to Bennets the Ironmongers of Derby.

You are right about Pearsons of Nottingham too. I never failed to be enchanted by the fact that you could enter from Long Row and emerge into Parliament Street 3 floors up. Simple things .... simple minds....etc.

Next time we WoW down Nottingham way we must stop on Lenton Boulevard and have a look at Mitchells who I am sure are still going strong as an old-fashioned ironmongers.

Jill .... Fancy you and Ro knowing the Devon ironmongers which Reg referred to. Small world innit?

Pleased Y has a fellow voter for the White Horse. But like you, Anthony Gormley's work is, mostly, impressive. He is just brimming over with creative ideas.

I like your idea of a string, or a piece of elastic didn't it used to be, passing through my coat sleeves so I don't lose my mittens. Would you really knit me another pair ? They really would be much appreciated.

Pete ..... It is so sad that these city sculptures are prone to vandalism. There was a small bronze in Theatre Square Nottingham which welcomed you as you got off the tram. But that has had to be removed due to vandalism.

Re The White Horse. If I feel like it tomorrow I might go on WebUser in the Open Forum and pose a question with a 'poll' - I've never done that ! But I guess it will be fairly user-friendly.

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Quotation time ..... I always thought this was attributable to Frank Zappa but my 'reference' sources say Tom Stoppard ....

"It is not hard to understand modern art. If it hangs on a wall it's a painting, and if you can walk around it it's a sculpture."

Tom Stoppard


"Sleep tight - Catch you tomorrow"



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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Flatpacks - we don't do those anymore, son will do them in return for a pack of smoked salmon, which seems like a bargain! We have the larger version of a Billy bookcase.

Fox - the purpose-built rustic lean-to was erected by R to stop next door's children climbing onto our shed roof (we thought barbed wire not a good idea...). We have a long-standing boundary dispute with them, similar to Bob. I don't know how fox gets up there, it's about eight foot off ground, we did see him jump down.

I've heard that quote before, and always thought it was Tom Stoppard.

We used to have owls near here, Lombardy Poplars used to line the railway embankment and that was where tney lived. Then BR cut them all down, we now have scrubby blackberries and foxes. The foxes come up the railway line from Barnes Common, the chap in the corner shop says he sees them walk out the station at first light. I think 'our' one stays around here though. One year we had an earth down the end of the garden, and 4 cubs. They caused a great deal of damage - but also a great deal of delight.

Unknown said...

Happy Valentine's Day to anyone who didn't get a card - I got three (including an electronic one) but I suspect they all came from the same person.........

Anonymous said...

Bungus believes Jill’s fox wins today’s battle of the pics.

I think AG’s ‘Angel’ misproportioned but his figures in the sea are great.

I’ll doubtless ‘explain’ ogee every time it’s mentioned!
Likewise I won’t tire recalling Pearsons being founded by ‘four-bears’ of my mother. She shared aunts, notably missionary Emily Pearson Strutt (1880-1971), with prewar MD(?), Duncan Macpherson.

I’ll view Bennett’s website interestedly, later. I’ve only been once and hadn’t realised ironmongery section existed.

Jilly C resembled racehorse only in looking timid, like she’d ’shy’ at sudden loud noise.

Reg:
Thought you were to say Benetts closing down FULL STOP! (which, sadly, wouldn’t surprise presently).
Deliberate ‘chalk-’n-cheese’ bedding Durban House and Welly.
But I suspect DHL (in my view overrated writer but great literary influence) might feel Palladium-of-the-North more worth preserving than museum to his own memory, not that he’d say so!
I don’t refer to the actual undistinguished OBMW building but the institution as a symbol.
Bilsthorpe Welfare was renowned for readily available talent, when husbands on nights.

“I have noticed that people who are late are often so much jollier than the people who have to wait for them.” EV Lucas

Anonymous said...

Bungus believes Jill’s fox wins today’s battle of the pics.

I think AG’s ‘Angel’ misproportioned but his figures in the sea are great.

I’ll doubtless ‘explain’ ogee every time it’s mentioned!
Likewise I won’t tire recalling Pearsons being founded by ‘four-bears’ of my mother. She shared aunts, notably missionary Emily Pearson Strutt (1880-1971), with prewar MD(?), Duncan Macpherson.

I’ll view Bennett’s website interestedly, later. I’ve only been once and hadn’t realised ironmongery section existed.

Jilly C resembled racehorse only in looking timid, like she’d ’shy’ at sudden loud noise.

Reg:
Thought you were to say Benetts closing down FULL STOP! (which, sadly, wouldn’t surprise presently).
Deliberate ‘chalk-’n-cheese’ bedding Durban House and Welly.
But I suspect DHL (in my view overrated writer but great literary influence) might feel Palladium-of-the-North more worth preserving than museum to his own memory, not that he’d say so!
I don’t refer to the actual undistinguished OBMW building but the institution as a symbol.
Bilsthorpe Welfare was renowned for readily available talent, when husbands on nights.

“I have noticed that people who are late are often so much jollier than the people who have to wait for them.” EV Lucas

Anonymous said...

The bennetts info was onlt over heard by chance in a pub.
Hucknall Welfare had a simmilar reputation our erectors were told how good it was whilst working in Scotland The informant little realising that was were they came from.
Durban House is one of Eastwoods few assets. Its exhibition space is booked up for about two years in advance, which just shows the lack of such facilites in the area.
Broxtowe have a last managed to pay 4 ticks we had better get the cheque to the bank quick.
Is a Ratting Cap/'at a local expreesiion?
4ticks is on the phone to our daughter that will be 59mins 59secs.(free phone time)