Yesterday on our Codnor Reservoir walk we saw this Coot's nest. Obviously comfortable enough to sit in but not quite complete. If we assume that Mrs Coot is sitting in the nest Mr Coot was bringing quite large reed leaves in his beak. These were graciously received by Mrs Coot who set them around her.
I wasn't lucky enough to snap the actual handing-over bit. Charming scene though.
Today we decided against a walk because of an 'obesity-clinic' appointment and we also decided against National Trust this evening. I'm waiting to see if the clinic change my warfarin dose and don't want to venture out unnecessarily. It is the first time for years when we haven't had to go.
The 'obesity-clinic' lady is very pleased with my progress. I have lost a further 2 kgs (4.40lbs) which she considers a good result. I have to go again in a fortnight but then it may be modified to monthly visits.
Picture 2 is the Ring doves in the Silver Birch tree and I'm not sure what to make of it. They are usually in pairs and I'm not sure Brinsley is ready for a dove 'Ménage à trois' just yet.Virgin media problems continue, both TV and Broadband. Sometimes we have to shut-down and reboot several times a day
One of today's problems though was due, we think, to Karen being a little vigorous with the hoover at the back of the TV. In the absence of a picture, closer examination revealed a scart-lead detached. David has told us we really need a multi-jack scart lead to take stress away from the existing ones. We will get one on Friday. Tomorrow we are hoping to go to Clumber Park for our wedding-anniversary outing and a meal.
My responses to your previous comments
David ..... I 'googled' the Wineglass Dinghy and they don't look as nice as your Topper Buzz. In fact I thought that, in comparison to your boat, they look rather boring.
And I also looked briefly at the handicap system - but didn't pursue it.
Bob..... Hope all was well with your 'endoscopy' and they get to the bottom of it.
We intended to watch The Book Quiz over our mid-day meal. But please see above re Virgin problems.
Y had a good time googling Ashes series, and teams (players) names this morning. I think she is beginning to grasp the power of the internet.
I like your FA interest in soccer. Me too ! And No! I didn't rise to the dizzy rugby heights of Harlequins. My limit was playing for the Police (Notts) the RAF in Germany and here a County Trial (unsuccessful).
Jill ..... Celandines are no trouble to anybody and I can't understand the RHS's strictures. Creeping-Buttercup now IS a problem. We spent many hard hours eradicating it, or trying to, at our Derby Road house.
Reg has answered your mining queries so I won't go over the same ground.
Yvonne ..... Going over to Swarkestone to see David & Helen sailing, plus the girls would be very pleasant. We must mention it directly.
Reg ..... You make a very good point about the cost of tickets to first class Cricket in the 50s and before. My pocket-money wasn't large but I was able to go.
Being Derbyshire of course, Cliff Gladwin, Les Jackson and earlier Bill Copson were my schoolboy heroes. When the daily paper had been read I used to cut out the cricket results from the back page and paste them into an exercise book.
If Dennis comes on the blog we must tell him that, under the new rules, he will have to be Dennis now and not Incy Wincy.
Tilly .... Nice to have you back and hear your news Hannah. You are being very brave with regard to your teeth.
Glad you liked the 'headstocks' pictures. I seem to remember that you took a picture of Brinsley Headstocks for a competition and it did well. If it is easy for you to access it and you could e-mail it to me, I would be delighted to publish it on the blog.
It will be nice if you can meet up with the Long Eaton folks when you are in Dorset.
Pete .... Glad you liked the canal picture. I'm sure there will be more as the year progresses.
AnonymousHelen .... Kind of you to ring to explain the blogger.com-glitch. There seems to have been a lot of them just lately.
However, when you mentioned Julian in your last sentence, it was a sort of clue !
I agree with you about the nit-picking attitude to the 'listing' of the headstocks. I think we have all seen 'listed' buildings with quite modern windows in them for instance. Probably Bob knows much more about this than I do.
.
Quotation time .......
"There cannot be any more crises this week. My schedule is already full"
Reg: I lived in London in 1953 so went to the Oval for the last crucial match in the Ashes series: it was stalemate up until then and they had to play an extra day. I know from my googling this morning that I saw Len Hutton, Jim Laker, Alec Bedser and Freddie Truman. But, if I'm honest, I can only remember the tall, handsome, sun-tanned Keith Miller (I was only 16!).
ReplyDeleteJill: the Brinsley pit closed in 1930 but was used as an access to the other local mines. The significance of it is that D.H. Lawrence's father worked there. The headstocks were brought back six or seven years ago - like most people I thought when they say 'restored' on the information signs they meant 'returned'. Obviously, from what Helen says they were actually over-patched up. They still look nice though!
Hannah: Brave girl!
Surely an 'endoscopy' doesn't get to the bottom of it. Thats a colonoscopy!!
ReplyDelete500kg lambs’ kidneys 20p (Tesco Reduced).
ReplyDeleteCooked Monday (nice with rice - half deep-frozen for pie).
Damn temperamental Virgin!
Couldn’t find names of England ’53 Series players?
League basketball for Mansfield and QUEGS Old Boys’ Reserves apart, my sporting glory limited to medal-winning ‘plunge’, CRE Tripolitania Gala.
Cannot grow Celandines. Plenty Creeping-Buttercup though!
Jill:
Thoresby Colliery (operational) within 3 miles.
7-miles distant Clipstone headstocks visible from top of former pit-tip half-mile down road.
Only descended one pit (Bilsthorpe). Different than imagined (eg, pit-bottom spacious, white not black) but cramped at coalface. Unpleasant but less dangerous than construction and fishing – occasional fatalities mainly ‘haulage’-related (ie, underground traffic accidents).
Sandra also claustrophobic (had to quit Castleton’s Blue-John mine).
Yvonne:
Your offside rule will do!
Reg:
Post-war, Trent Bridge, I watched next-door-neighbour Walter Keeton
(312n.o. in 1939), Charlie ‘Stonewall’ Harris, Joe Hardstaff, Reg Simpson, Cyril Poole (Mansfield left back), Jepson (Port Vale goalkeeper), Butler, Voce.
Sheffield folk most friendly.
Tilly:
I needed 4 teeth out same reason.
Glad you like headstocks.
Anonymous ?: (applaud RG for breaking publication rule)
Surprise no Brinsley listing!
David:
All one to my surgeon!
(unable to join RG’s giant leap forward to forecast examination result).
Yvonne - you are quite right about the offside rule. Which (going back a couple of days) makes Ronaldo always onside except when he plays for Portugal.
ReplyDeleteThe explanation I heard on Radio 4, from a female West Ham supporter, was this:
Imagine you are in a crowded shoe shop and have found the shoes you want. You notice your friend at the front near the till. However, you cannot pass your shoes to your friend unless there is at least one other person between her and the till assistant. That's the offside rule.
How brilliant is that?
Reg - yes Little Den rang me a few days ago but I haven't seen him yet. Maybe this week.
Sports Desk:
Thank heavens the Stags won last night otherwise it's been pretty bleak this week.
The listing/non-listing of Brinsley Headstocks reminds me of an episode of Only Fools and Horses when Trigger was receiving an award from the Council for having the same brush for 25 years.
"You've had the same brush for 25 years?" said a disbelieving DelBoy.
"Yes, that's right", said Trigger, "and it's only had 15 new heads and 14 new handles."
Rob
Graham, looking forward to seeing those canal images already. Rob, love the explanation regarding the offside rule, excellent.
ReplyDeleteEven I could understand that explanation of off-side rule, and I have no interest/knowledge of the game at all. If I had, I would be saying 'but why can't you?'.
ReplyDeleteBob, thank you for the info on pits. Grandson went down one with school, on an outing, he was surprised how clean it all was, but perhaps not a working one? Are there any that are open as tourist attractions?
Tilly, good luck with teeth. Grand-daughter has had same thing done, and she has been wearing a fearsome-looking brace for about a year, and now has beautifully straight teeth, not crowded. Think she is older than you, she was late getting it done.
Nice coot photograph....a pair are nesting - or trying to - on my friend's boat in Surrey Docks in east London, they are very aggressive and will attack people if they go too close...
And there are three wood=pigeons nesting in the roof of our local station, I haven't worked out who's who yet!
I hope you have had a good day today, at Clumber, and congratulations......