Sunday, March 29, 2009

John's visit - 48F and no wind - still cold though

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John called over with Laura and Alannah. It was lovely to see them and I deliberately didn't take pictures. The girls are so beautiful and I suspect I would have embarrassed them. So I contented myself with this 'exit off-stage right' shot on my mobile.

It was great to hear all the news. Tomorrow Alannah is back at University and Laura and Joe set off on their 'trek' . Some places, like Russia, they have to be there on a particular date. But with Europe of course no restrictions apply. And Europe is so extensive nowadays isn't it? We all look forward to a bulletin, with pictures, when she feels appropriate.

Alannah is working hard at Uni. She is reading English Lit. and wow, what a reading list ! It sounds like a great course though and super for her. Y and I are envious !

Picture 2 is Reg and Maureen's home baked Tiger Bread.

All I can say is that the loaf looks very professional to me. Just like it looks in a Supermarket but I bet tens it tastes a lot better.

Another thing I mustn't forget is to thank Brian S re my Epson printer. I followed exactly the steps he suggested to resurrect it. Result - the printer now works perfectly and produces scans like it did when new. Thanks Brian !

Another restful day and although my 'weather page' tells me we have a 5mph SW wind, it is in fact quite still. Doesn't stop the cold though. Nice chat with David this morning. I was late ringing him. Although I remembered about the clocks I went back to sleep and my mobile reminder to ring him didn't work because my mobile was an hour slow. Caught up with their news too and they were going to a shadow-puppet show later in the day.

My responses to your previous comments

Bob ..... When the bullfinch re-appears I shall provide him with a google-map to Boughton. I didn't know they were partial to black-currants. When we lived at Mansfield we had a small (4 trees) orchard and the bullfinches were unpleasantly keen on the centres of apple-blossom. In the end I bought an old air-rifle - only to scare them off, obviously.

Re Cartoon pedantry. I didn't realise cartoon characters were supposed to have studied Fowler's English Usage. Dennis The Menace will have to re-enrol at Bash Street School. Anyway as Helen points out, 'of' was quite correct in the context.

Thanks for the Sports Desk update. David got up early to watch the Australian Grand Prix. And Sky got up with him. That's nice.

Yvonne..... As you know, I agree. I think Bob has failed to read it correctly and Helen is correct. And, as you imply, I thought that, in cartoons anything goes.

Jill .... I don't know whather Mrs Bullfinch was around or not. From your description I shall have a more careful look next time he appears. I'm sure one of my reference books has a picture of the female. And there's always google-images isn't there?

Glad your cod worked out. And No! our salmon was sauce-free. 'Obesity-clinic' for me and Y isn't at all keen on sauces, or even gravy.

I don't think the East Midlands has graduated to carvery meats in cuboid form yet. Our local carveries always seem to carve from an actual joint of meat. Surely if it's pressed into a cuboid shape it is probably re-formed meat ? - horror of horrors.

Helen C ..... As with Boughton - when the bullfinch returns I shall instruct him to fly a few hundred yards South West and look out for your place. A google-map shouldn't be necessary.

Re Chatsworth .... As you know my first quarrel with the new duke was moving Elisabeth Frink's magnificent War-Horse into the courtyard with that silly little chain round it. That and massive price- hikes !

Anyway. Hope you and Julian have had a good day and a walk. Nice that yesterday's wind stilled, even if only temporarily I am assured.

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Quotation time .....

"My spelling is Wobbly. It's good spelling but it Wobbles, and the letters get in the wrong places"

A. A. Milne

I have decided against a cartoon today lest it contain spelling or grammatical errors.



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6 comments:

Rob said...

I've enjoyed the pictures on the blog recently, especially the ones of buildings which are reminiscent of some of William Egglestone's work.

Pah, RG. Publish and be damned. I don't think an f off of should upset Bobbungus too much if at all. There are more important things to worry about such as how the Stags will perform next season.

Was A.A. Milne dyslexic?

Sports Desk:
Panthers qualify for the Play-Off finals weekend by beating Manchester 9-5 on aggregate. We went to the game in Nottingham last night when Panthers won 6-3. It was 2 games in one for us - our first of the season and our last. Regretfully, at £15 a ticket, it's too much to pay on a regular basis.

We had a very enjoyable Thai meal after the game at the Siam Thani Restaurant in Hockley. It's our favourite Thai restaurant.

Is anyone going to see the film The Damned Utd? Jonathan Ross gave it a good review.

Rob

Jill said...

It sounds as if you had an enjoyable visit with John and children. I wondered if when you said Europe was extensive, if that was what you meant or whether it was a typo for Europe was expensive - both apply!

That Tiger Bread looks terrific - I used to make my own bread at one time, but never anything up to that standard.

Mrs.Bullfinch is the same plump shape, with a black cap, but no red/pink breast, all subtle greys.

Carveries - it is the turkey that was cuboid, the pork was shaped like a meat loaf, the beef was the only one that was a 'proper' joint. Being boneless I suppose it is much easier to carve - I don't expect they had any staff there who could carve properly? An art in itself - my Dad was the best carver I knew, he was taught by a chef, he could carve very thinly and make the meat go a very long way.....

I did enjoy 'Lewis' last night.

bob said...

F-I-S-H-P-I-E, pronounced ‘SUCCESS’.
But I think it would be difficult, given decent ingredients, to make a bad one.

The Reg/Maureen loaf looks excellent (just like Tesco’s !)
Tiger and similar (esp the one sprinkled with sesame seeds) I enjoy occasionally but I generally prefer something more solid like rye or sourdough.

I watched Aussie GP too (in bed, couldn’t sleep). Hamilton did well, considering.

Yvonne:
Other things to do, yes.
Better, no!
And, as the detestable Michael Winner says, ‘It’s only a joke’.
(geddit?)
But I hold my hands up this time! (see below).
I can see the case for dropped apostrophes, unconventional grammar and esoteric spelling but…
I’ve never quite accepted the definitive Rolling Stones song.
If I sing along, in my head, it’s ‘I CAN get no satisfaction’. (yes, I KNOW it doesn’t work rhythmically).

Jill:
Mnemonic: Planets from Sun.

Jill:
I presume RG meant, ‘Now Europe includes Turkey and (sometimes) Israel…’

Helen:
Mea culpa! I missed the ‘off’ before the ‘of’.
Sincere apologies to all
(but please don’t let the Saracens…).

Rob:
Well done Panthers but I appreciate your frugality.
Last Pemiership match I went to (Forest v Villa) cost me £18 ! End of !

Unknown said...

The blue car in yesterday's blog is Alannah's - John and both girls are 6 feet+ and it's amusing to watch them fold themselves into a little car! I feel like a pixie when I stand beside them!

Jill: I'm watching 'Lewis' on catch-up later today - no adverts, which I'm sure you know. Such a relief. (I'm surprised though that you weren't watching Precious Ramotse - you were the one who recommended the books. I think it's excellent.

I'm up to Plato and Socrates in my 'Great Books' - if anyone thinks modern fiction is bloodthirsty they ought to read about this lot. When they're not eating their brothers or putting people's eyes out, they're walling people up in caves to die long lingering deaths.

Anonymous said...

Boo from ancoben-webuser, problem now solved!! See webuser.
Anne

Anonymous said...

ps the bread looks good!!
Anne