Sunday, April 05, 2009

Canal-side Walk - 54F - SW at 3mph - Steak and Chips

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We had a lovely walk this morning. Starting off at the Langley Mill end of the Nottingham/Cromford Canal - not a great distance but I managed it with only one stop for a sit down. We went outwards via the footpath and returned along the canal bank. This bridge is almost at the end of the walk. Lots of photogenic things and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Y was very patient because, being a rambler, she wants to stride purposefully forward.

There's been quite a lot of work down there too (still the same council) and small areas have been fenced off into wild-life friendly enclosures.

Talking of which I acquired a good specimen for my bird collection. A tree-creeper no less. If you look closely you can see what big feet he/she has.

He was creeping up a post however rather than a tree. The picture won't win any prizes - but I don't want it to, it's just a record-shot for my collection and to illustrate the blog.

We didn't see many people. Family with bicycles, families with dogs. men with dogs, a fisherman with fishing tackle ....that sort of thing .....

When we got home, after a sit, I cooked Steak, mushrooms, eggs, and chips. For pudding Y did hot Syrup pudding and Custard. Not very 'obesity-clinic' but it IS Sunday.

My responses to your previous comments

Rob .... Strange about the localised nature of the Virgin 'outage' as they called it. It was restricted to NG16 which must mean you aren't NG16 I suppose. Anyway, I was happy enough with my 'dongle' and quite enjoyed being sort of self-sufficient. And Vodafone were most helpful. I had a box flash up saying I had exceeded my limit. But I hadn't in fact, and a very helpful young lady, probably in India, talked me through upping my monthly limit from 50mbs to a respectable 2500mbs, at no extra cost.

I actually watched the Nimmo Brothers YouTube link which I posted and I liked them. Quite a grungy sound I thought, And they aren't kids which is nice.

Bob ...... Bad luck about the horses. But console yourself. If you had actually backed them, they would probably have lost.

I thought folks would like your 'bike on the pit-tip' collage. Such a poignant picture. Are you sure the cyclist's body isn't in the water ?

You are quite right about tonights's telly viewing. Thank goodness for BBC iPlayer and Catchup TV.

Re - Headstocks. Reg's explanation is first rate but I think Jill, and everybody else too, would like to see a shot of Clipstone's headstocks, dramatic as they are. You took some from the bus I seem to remember - if your impeccable filing system etc ......

Re - JBW. There is no fakir to stand comparison.

Jill .... Sound advice with the Kerria. Cutting back to ground level works wonders for many plants.

Glad you enjoyed the 'collage' and Reg's piece about 'headstocks' is faultless. It doesn't need adding to. And we all seem in agreement about pies too.....

And you are right about the sunshine. It lifts everyone's spirits. Particularly after such a long, hard, winter.

Yvonne ..... As you say, fancy you missing the internet ! Never thought ... ...

I know your approach to pain makes sense. But even you can't always control your face. And when your bursitis strikes, a big wince is inevitable.

I'm sure the Sports Desk will be pleased with your input. But shouldn't you be reporting ladies tennis and lacrosse and things like that. Rather than Soccer, Ice Hockey and Rugby League ! ...... I speak in jest ! And when you see Margaret Mulligan and have a snippet about Lachs .... you can WoW them all.

Reg ... Thanks for the spot-on explanation of 'headstocks'.

When I was at Langold, a pal of mine was the Engine-Wright. What a skilled job ! It's probably different now but in those days he had to work out how to stop the cage precisely at the bottom of the shaft. Or at different seams on the way down. This of course varied from time to time and ropes stretched, and shrank. And lives depended on his skill.

Like 4 ticks, son David had a temp. job at Northern Foods - to begin with, squirting hot jelly in the hole at the top of pork pies.

He went on to work for them full time and was making a good career for himself in management. Then he decided on a complete career change and now teaches Maths.

............................

I had a nice chat to David this morning and secured Sky's permission to use a few lines of her poetry. She has been collecting together 20 poems to send to her adult Poet friend who wants to see them.

She wanted to complete that assignment before I published anything. They are on holday now and on Friday morning are off to Shropshire with the Caravan. Here's hoping they have a lovely time and great weather.

Quotation time ......

"Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and the shadows will fall behind you"






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5 comments:

David said...

Had a very pleasant afternoon sailing at Swarkestone SC. Very friendly. We had both the old Topper and the new boat, the Topper Buzz out. The Buzz seems very quick and fun. Do you know anything about the Swarkestone bridge ancient monument?

bob said...

Erratum:
'Now when I hear people curse the chance that was wasted...'
is from 'Begin the Beguine'
NOT 'Smoke Gets In Your Eyes'.

Well done with the Tree Creeper.
But Moorhens’ feet are proportionately MUCH bigger, esp when chicks.

Palliative words on my non-gamble do not ease the suffering.

I watched BBC4 again for 2 hours this evening; Humph concert followed by Oscar Petersen with Andrew Preview.
Humphrey Lyttleton joke (attributed to Barry Cryer):
Two men talking.
One says, “Have you ever shoed a horse?”
“No,” says the other, “but I once told a pig to piss off.”

Then effective sad drama (about Ireland) before MoD2.

I’ll send Clipstone headstock collages for you to select.
I’ve discovered with Picassa that I can just type ‘Headstocks’...

Nice cartoon.

Yvonne:
Like you, I’d rather wince than take a pill;
but I agree that SOME pains demand pacification.
It’s fortunate that a lot of the sharpest ones are either relatively fleeting (eg, torn cartilage and tennis elbow – if you keep still) or non life-threatening (cramp). That said I definitely needed the morphine a year last September and, as a child, I would have taken anything to stop earache.

Unknown said...

Graham: lots of women are interested in sport but think lacrosse and women's tennis are rubbish!

I've supported Chelsea since I was about 15; lived walking distance from the White City Stadium when it staged all the athletics (Roger Bannnister, Emil Zatopek, etc); and was made to learn all the cricket positions before my brother would take me to The Ashes Test of 1953 (Keith Miller and Ray Lindwall starred).

But my favourite sport is rugby - I just wish I understood the rules! (I live in hope that Graham - who played for the police - will explain them to me one day).

Jill said...

That's a lovely canal picture, all the blossoming trees. And lucky you with the tree creeper - I saw one once, on holiday in IoW, years ago. Always wanted to see a wryneck...was reading a bit in paper, some chap took a year's sabbatical to see all 40 birds on the 'danger' list, which he did. Great way to spend a year - he must have had a very understanding wife!

Headstocks, thank you one and all for explanation. I bet I'm the only person in Chiswick who knows....it seems an odd word to describe them? I suppose they would be considered industrial archeology?

I liked the cartoon - did you see that Tescos have stopped NZ farmers using dogs to control sheep, as they get stressed? Must be a lot of wimpish sheep in NZ - the alternative they now have to use is men shouting and firing starting pistols. And that doesn't stress the sheep?

Rob said...

Reg, I absolutely love your spelling. I don't care how commiserations should be spelt (Bob might, though) but you are bang on spelling Steelers as Stealers!! If you believe the rumours they used to break the rules in order to win trophies. I have no evidence that they ever did though, but I think I read somewhere once that they were fined £50,000 the year they won the Grand Slam (about 6 or 7 years ago?). I could be wrong, of course.

Yvonne, I presume you can explain the offside law in football? I heard a brilliant explanation of it by a woman on the radio recently which I will post after you have explained it. I'm sure you will realise my tongue is firmly in my cheek.

Does anyone know the Italian for "another brilliant Fergie Fledging"?

Rob