Windy Monday - 44F - 7mph W - Colder than that !

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Somebody. probably Bob or Jill, liked our ancient little mint-sauce jug so I decided to offer a multi-view collage. The centre picture shows it standing on a normal sized 'coaster' so I felt the statutory 50p piece was redundant. I chose that shot also for the centre-piece because I like the reflection of my bedroom window therein. Its age must remain uncertain but I can't remember acquiring it so most likely it is a family piece. Cousin Kenneth would know because his recollection of the contents of my childhood home at Ashbourne is much clearer than mine. And more acquisitive ! Whenever we go over to his place I keep seeing things I remember. Not to worry, I haven't got a hang-up about possessions.

Picture 2 is from my Hairy Bikers Cook Book. Bob said he hadn't fared well with a Vegetable Curry so I thought I would publish the recipe I used on Sunday.

Looking at it I am a little ashamed at the annotations. Many years ago I was successful with the story "The Book Reviver" which Heinemann published.

The thrust of the story was about an eccentric old codger who takes exception to people writing pencil comments in Library books and makes it his business to erase them. (The comments that is, not the people). I can only plead that cookery books one owns, are in a special category. Someone else's book, or a Library copy, would remain sacrosanct.

We've had a lovely restful day. Re the title of this blog-post - from the temperature and wind-speed you would imagine "quite mild". It isn't. Its viciously cold. In my bedroom en suite loo there's no heating and I have felt no desire to linger therein with my RPS monthly magazine. Good job I haven't been hitting the pain-killers too hard. They have a certain side-effect.

Just a brief aside about qualifiers like 'very'. One of the Radio 4 editors this morning was talking about 'really'. He says that occasionally he is forced to allow a 'really' but he frowns on the multi-really, really. He definitely draws the line at the 'really, really, really' that he sometimes encounters. I will be really really careful in future.

My responses to your previous comments

Yvonne ..... I think you are wise not to name names, and we will leave the identity of the 'smelly men' unstated. They weren't that smelly anyway but you were wedged in a bit. But we did, as I remember, mostly ensure you had a window-seat.

Bob ...... I suppose my aversion to 'dialects' is an aversion to people speaking forcefully in a way I can't understand and who make no effort to make themselves intelligible. The people in the programme seemed too pompous to bother.

Mostly, as you know I love local 'speech', Erewash Valley, Mansfield and North Notts, Derbyshire, Yorkshire, Geordie, Norfolk ----- as I'm doing this list I realise how many I do actually enjoy. Maybe it was just the people I didn't take to.

Thanks for the fun quotes. All good. Even the Sports Desk.

Rob .... Lovely Haiku - much appreciated. The verse form suits you.

Indeed - 'those were the days my friend' - well worth a link so I've made it one. In fact, to the original Mary Hopkin version. As I recall, she didn't prosper after falling out with Lennon & MaCartney.

Jill .... Can't add much to all this weight-gain advice from your blog-chums. I just hope you aren't burning up too many calories with those knitting needles. I bet that, when you get to an easy bit of a pattern your needles are simply a whirr ! Does you compact do videos ? If so I bet that helpful granddaughter of yours would act as camera-man ? We would all love to see you going full-tilt.

Or Carrie could YouTube you. Talking of which this link is to Carrie's Youtube about her house. I know our readers will be fascinated. She is quite a girl !

I'm not 100% about your Lech Walesa suggestion for Bob's 'Woodman'. I'm still scratching my head !

Your Brown's afternoon tea sounds splendid. And a sincere thanks for the details. These particularities are so important to the blog, forming as it does, a historical record.

I was fortunate to stay at Browns wayback en route to Canada with my Mum and Stepfather (who wasn't a man to stint himself). One of my contacts was a Police Inspector chum stationed at West End Central. He gave me a number to ring and a person to speak to etc.etc. ....

This evening we watched The Book Quiz on BBC 4 and I meant to link you to the actual programme. However, too quick off my blocks, 'cos it isn't available yet. So the link behind that title is to an actual quiz you can fill in and instantly see how well you did. Have fun ! By-the-way, the programme is always slated by the critics. The Guardian in particular is quite venomous. Dunno' why.

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Quotation time ................ While searching for a suitable London quote I was side-tracked when I read this. It was so charming I wanted to share it .......

"Any member introducing a dog into the Society's premises shall be liable to a fine of one pound. Any animal leading a blind person shall be deemed to be a cat."

Rule 46 , Oxford Union Society, London.

"Ordinary Tuesday tomorrow - Karen coming - Ikea breakfast for us"

"Sleep tight - catch you all being well"


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