Saturday, May 09, 2009

Friday Rest Day - SW at 15mph but 29mph gusts

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I thought I would begin with a panorama of part of a rear border which I would like to tackle soon. But it isn't fun being outdoors today because Watnall Weather Centre tells me we are having gusts of up to 29mph and when you are unsteady on your feet ...........

Basically I have enjoyed a rest day - shame to admit I'm still in my parjies. Why not? as TJ would say. However, I seem to have achieved things. My new laptop, a Dell, is more or less fully installed. The programmes I use have been downloaded and I have configured it to suit me. Getting rid of side-bars and a thing called a docking bar at the top of the screen which I can't see the point of. Just things which clutter the desk-top.

The WoW Picasa Web Albums are now about sorted. I suspect there are still some errors where I have misnamed locations. For sure there are some of Brian's captioned Cromford when they should be Nottingham - but I'm not sure which - he will have to tell me when I see him.

I decided on the Dell because of its specification and its physical weight. About a 1lb lighter than the Fujitsu and only a little heavier than my Asus Eee notebook.

And I can see the script clearly without benefit of magnifying glass. The only downside is 2hr battery life as against 6hrs on the Asus. But you can't have everything. A Mac notebook would have been lovely but I couldn't justify £1,400 !

Another example of the brick/stonework on the Monks Way at Strelley appears on the right. One could spend a morning in good light doing nothing but photograph it. I must work out with my sunrise/sunset gadget when would be the most propitious time of the day.

It's tempting to look for faces. and mountain ranges and caverns but thats just my over-active imagination.

Today has been TJ's birthday, so Happy Birthday Tracy ! She is having a luxurious Spa day as a treat.

My responses to your previous comments

Dear Anonymous ...... Much as I value your lovely comment I am afraid that, in accordance with the rules of this blog, I have had to delete it.

Above the 'comments' box I say that 'Anonymous Comments' are only accepted if the person posting goes on to identify themselves. There was a history behind this which you couldn't know of. I have copied your comment into a 'word' document and if you let me know your identity I will be delighted to copy it back in for you. Sorry !

Bob .... Glad you too enjoyed the 'Stones of Strelley'. Not quite the clout of Ruskin's 'Stones of Venice' but the title has the edge I think.

Whether or not animal behaviour is by its nature always guilt-free is open to argument (a long one I think) which we must have one day. A cats's propensity to torture a mouse rather than killing it straight away is, I know, a characteristic of cats. You could similarly argue that stealing, aggression, and lying are characteristically human traits. But that doesn't make them excusable - or does it?

You already know I agree with you that Architecture, and Art (including Photography) should be 'of it's age' and not soul-less repetition of what has gone before.

Draw on the past by all means but don't just try to recreate it.

Yvonne .... How lovely to have a comment. An Andy dinner is sure to be delicious.

Glad you enjoyed the Ice-skating and all your other activities. Including taken pictures on your razor sharp little Fuji...... Don't worry about becoming an addict - they can't send you to prison for it !

I'll leave alone the 'Sports Desk' stuff because I don't understand it.

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Quotation time ......

"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."




Mies Van de Rohe and Picasso amongst others have said much the same thing.

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4 comments:

jbw said...

Are the people at Watnall trying to confuse us or are they just testing our mathematical abilities. Why show the wind speed in Miles per Hour and the visibility in Kilometers? (Is it perhaps Tim's sense of humour?) They really should put an easy conversion chart as part of the display.

Jill said...

I was anonymous - sorry! But as soon as it came up I added anothr comment saying it was me what dun it, but obviously that one didn't appear.....

Now the brickwork in today's picture doesn't look nearly as old, looks as if it has been ?varnished or something.

I get tired just reading what Y is doing....well, I assume she is not actually doing ballet (though am not sure about the skating?). Me, I could easily be the original 'woman in dressing gown' most days.

Daughter-in-law's birthday today too (Happy Birthday Tracy), I walked round there having as I thought giving them time to finish lunch, to find the champagne had just been opened and lunch not started, so I stayed on a bit, came home and fell asleep.

I can actually add a bit to the Sports Desk - son's team that he has followed all his life (and his son is doing the same) is Brentford, and they have just got promotion. Son and Daughter-in-law (who knows as much about football as I do) are off to Brentford tonight to a celebration dinner, not her idea of a birthday evening, hence the special lunch!

Yvonne said...

Been on ebay -or rather Elli aged 6 has - to find iceskating dresses! These computer-literate children amaze me!

Weather gorgeous today and we didn't have the winds yesterday. But it's not very warm.

Going to have another go at the wisteria picture as I'm not satisfied with the one I took yesterday ............

bob said...

Tomorrow always seems a better time for weeding.

The ‘docking bar’ MAY be a device to connect your desktop keyboard to the laptop. I have one, so far unused (like my laptop!)
I believe Dan considers Dell stuff good – but their printer ink cartridges are expensive.

More lovely stonework.
‘Pictures in the fire’.

I think humans are generally expected to control the ‘natural’ characteristics you mention whereas other animals lack necessary reasoning powers.
That said, a few species (eg, dolphins) do seem intellectually kind and gentle.
Some fearsome-looking creatures display tenderness (King Kong) while others that appear cuddly can be surprisingly dangerous (look out, it’s those Polar Bears again).
I’d suggest vegetarians are mostly nicer, but wouldn’t want to debate it with a bull or even a rutting rabbit.

As a non-veggy, I recommend Netto’s ‘British Dry Cured Smoked Back Bacon’; 200gm (6/7 rashers) for 99p(?) Excellent quality and value.

Jbw:
I think something’s to be said for retaining the power to confuse both the French and Americans.
Sheets of hardboard are still 2440mm x 1220mm and I suspect there are still plenty of timber merchants who’ll supply 3metres of 4x2.