Tardy blog-post - definitely cooler - 53F - No wind

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At last I've got round to doing my blog.

I publish the picture of my Ikea chest-of-drawers almost as the mug-shot of an offender, because that is where my time has gone and leading to my being flat-packered.

Y's praise, whilst welcome, was a little premature. The outer shell was no problem. But the drawers had wheels running in runners and were hard (for me that is) to assemble. Anyway the task is now completed.

I managed to make it to The Widow Frost in Mansfield to meet Bob for lunch. We both opted for the 'veggie-burger/salad/chips - plus drink' option which seemed reasonable at £4.69p. Mine came with a Becks Alcoholfree and Bob had a pint of bitter. We had a good chat and some laughs although I had to leave fairly early, to return to my chest-of-drawers.

Y did her usual Burton Joyce run but it tires her a little these days. It is a 3½ hr round trip, and she has her routine tasks whilst there. When Millicent starts proper School in September Y thinks she will make alternative BJ visiting arrangements. She has been going since Hannah was born - 12yrs ago and she has loved it.

Millicent was kind enough to ask Y to bring me the picture on the left. As you can see, it is a portrait. Millicent says she 'can't do bodies' hence my long legs leading straight down from the neck. Its all there - the sun (with rays) a blue sky above my head, some grass to stand on, and a tree with a very narrow trunk but with plenty of red berries. It is some time since I had a new grand-child picture for my wall and I shall treasure it.

Our National Trust trip to Thaymar IceCream was a success and it is good to support and find out about local environmentally friendly enterprises. The lady proprietor who founded the firm 20 yrs ago was good to listen to. Minor problems were due to her being under-staffed and over-stretched. The buffet was of excellent quality but a pot of tea with it would have been nice. At our table for instance, as with the others, Joan G had to ask for water.

Another good thing happened today.

I searched the car thoroughly for a 'pin' which Bill S has lost. Something under a rear seat gleamed and I thought he was in luck.

The lucky person however was me. The item was my 'lost' Police College cuff-link which I can't remember if I told you about or not.

A difficult subject to photograph. On camera flash made a right pig's ear of it. The best result was on 800ISO and photographed under-exposed under my desk light. I then corrected the 'white-balance' in photoshop.

My responses to your comments

Bob .... It is a Witch-Hazel and the nut-shaped things are quite hard like cobnuts. Just that it hasn't had them before.

Glad we were able to semi-sort out your phone's abilities. 'Text' reminders should be just what you need.

Yvonne ..... Please see above re chest-of-drawers.

We shall just have to disagree about the 4th Plinth.

Jill ..... TK-Maxx sounds well worth a visit. I've just googled to find that we have 2 in Nottingham and 1 in Mansfield so I shall have to go and see for myself.

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Quotation time .....................

"I detest life-insurance agents; they always argue that I shall some day die, which is not so."

Stephen Leacock

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"Sleep tight - catch you tomorrow (really will)"



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Shortish Blog - Ikea Flat-Packered

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I must finish telling you about Thursday night's Camera Club talk. The lecturer was Bill Hall from Derby Rolls Royce Club and he was good. Very widely travelled both holidays and with his job he had a wide range of excellent images to show us. And he talked good sense photography to photographers. Unfortunately due to leg ache etc., I thought it prudent to bail out at half-time. I explained the position to Bill rather than just vanishing. I would be happy to hear him again.

Reg realised I had been suffering a little because he kindly rang this afternoon to enquire how I was.

This morning Y had a sort of 'annual MOT' at the Doctors and everything seems to be fine I'm pleased to say. Then, after some brief shopping and odds and ends in Eastwood, I tackled the Ikea flatpack 'Billy' bookcase.

As you will see from the picture on the left I succeeded and already it is nearly full of books. There must be some version of Parkinson's Law which covers this.

Y paid me the ultimate compliment by saying "It looks as if its always been there".

I had frequent coffee stops, but even the simplest flat-pack leaves me exhausted. However my bedroom is now much tidier because I used the venture as an avenue for throwing out much clutter, dog-eared magazines and outdated paperwork.

Picture 2 is a smashing snap of Jill's urban fox taken from her bedroom window. The fox looks so comfortable in what resembles a purpose built lean-to for passing foxes.

Further photos will be most welcome Jill as I guess our young people will be very interested. Not to mention us 'oldies' too of course.

The final picture, on the right, is a Chaffinch in one of our rowans. And yesterday, although I wasn't lucky photo-wise we had a visit from a bullfinch during the morning. and, in the middle of the night a tawny owl which perched on one of the upright posts which has attracted the sparrowhawk.

Plans are afoot for Hannah to visit for a 2 night sleep-over during half-term. She has so much computer stuff she needs to teach to Grandma, and to GG too I suspect.

We are all looking forward to it. And I am not talking tongue-in-cheek at all about her teaching us things because although she is only 11 her IT knowledge is amazing.

My responses to your previous comments

Yvonne.... Looks like, so far, you are out-voted on the artistic merits of The White Horse. Time will tell. But I will be prepared to wager you an even fiver it will not have the artistic longevity of the original White Horse cut into the chalk hillside at Uffington, Wiltshire. As you know it dates from the Bronze Age and is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful things ever produced by mankind.

Bob .... You have explained to me about Ogee curves and cast-iron gutters before. But to hear it again is welcome.

It doesn't worry me at all to wear Lady Gloves, if that is what mittens were called. Whatever their real name is I missom.

How interesting to hear about Jilly Cooper's diminutive stature. I always thought she was a horsy type of woman !

Reg ..... The Comment Deleted line in the comments box was yours, at 3.14pm. It showed up twice, so I decided to delete one of them. And both vanished. And I hadn't had a drink either.

It wasn't a problem though, because I was able to retrieve it from my e-mail inbox and I re-posted it myself and signed in as Reg..... Hope you don't mind. It now reads as being originated at 7.24pm though which might have mystified you.

As so much interest has been generated I've decided to post a link to Bennets the Ironmongers of Derby.

You are right about Pearsons of Nottingham too. I never failed to be enchanted by the fact that you could enter from Long Row and emerge into Parliament Street 3 floors up. Simple things .... simple minds....etc.

Next time we WoW down Nottingham way we must stop on Lenton Boulevard and have a look at Mitchells who I am sure are still going strong as an old-fashioned ironmongers.

Jill .... Fancy you and Ro knowing the Devon ironmongers which Reg referred to. Small world innit?

Pleased Y has a fellow voter for the White Horse. But like you, Anthony Gormley's work is, mostly, impressive. He is just brimming over with creative ideas.

I like your idea of a string, or a piece of elastic didn't it used to be, passing through my coat sleeves so I don't lose my mittens. Would you really knit me another pair ? They really would be much appreciated.

Pete ..... It is so sad that these city sculptures are prone to vandalism. There was a small bronze in Theatre Square Nottingham which welcomed you as you got off the tram. But that has had to be removed due to vandalism.

Re The White Horse. If I feel like it tomorrow I might go on WebUser in the Open Forum and pose a question with a 'poll' - I've never done that ! But I guess it will be fairly user-friendly.

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Quotation time ..... I always thought this was attributable to Frank Zappa but my 'reference' sources say Tom Stoppard ....

"It is not hard to understand modern art. If it hangs on a wall it's a painting, and if you can walk around it it's a sculpture."

Tom Stoppard

"Sleep tight - Catch you tomorrow"



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Late evening 'quickie' - post 'Strictly'

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Not been particularly busy but, after Strictly come Dancing, I was overtaken by a quick nap. 'Strictly' was good, but I am coming round to the widespread belief that Brucie is almost past it and should be replaced before the next series.

Of the dancers I feel, along with the judges, that it is well time for John Sergeant to go. He has entertained us but his performance this evening was lamentable. I voted for Jodie and Ian. For a tall girl she has such elegance.

Tomorrow I must try to do my blog during the day then, hopefully, I won't feel so exhausted.

Picture 1 is the 'mini-salad' - grown back yet again, and ready to be harvested. Probably it should be chucked but I so admire resilience I am reluctant to administer the coup de grâce . It is capable of one more plate-garnish - at least !

Picture 2 is my birthday camera-bag plus my birthday gorilla-pod threaded down a side-strap. It is good to have my WoW camera equipment all together.

The bag plus gorilla-pod makes me think of a set of bagpipes. Dunno why !

This morning I made some ginger tea, as recommended on Womans Hour by Lulu (I know I should be watching Football matches and things, but I can't help it) and, as predicted, google found me a suitable recipe. Please click here if you would like to try it. Although I don't like sugar in normal tea I felt, on tasting, that ginger tea needs a spoonful. Honey is recommended but we don't have it. Very pleasant I thought.

Comments

bungus ......... Such good news about your 'clinics' and not to have to return for a year is splendid. I would guess the blood-pressure problem is medication based. They will probably prescribe tablets to combat the tablets they prescribed to deal with the tablets ...... This is rather like mirror's repeating to infinity.

You are right of course to point out that sporting success by the likes of Jesse Owens did little to lower racial tension. And more recently of course Muhammad Ali. If anything, among certain groups, discrimination worsened I think and Barack Obama may well experience a redneck backlash. My hopes for the future of the world were strengthened however when I read in The Telegraph today that he s a poetry lover (Derek Walcott no less) and that Picasso is his favourite artist. Walcott is 'as sound-as-a-pound' and as most of you know I'm right along there with his Picasso rating.
(unfortunately 'as-sound-as-a-pound' isn't the ringing endorsement it once was)

Your mention of a 'slumping kiln' was fascinating. As somewhat of an adept at 'slumping' I had no idea a specially designed kiln was necessary.

jill ...... I don't think there is a chip-cob gene - just a strong local tradition. Y would eat one if she had to but she's not that keen on bread anyway, so she would probably decline.

I love the olde English 'chyps' - I think it is v.14 of Chaucer's prologue to The Canterbury Tales.

"Ful wel she ate the verray parfit gentil chyps"

....... No doubt one of our in-house poets will correct me if I'm wrong....

I'm with you about all the underwater faffing about on Autumn Watch. Simon King is OK coated with guano on a remote island but, for me, he is a little intense otherwise.

Quotation time ....... Having spent a fair portion of the day in bed, I had a re-read of Wilde's Ballad of Reading Gaol and looked .....

"Upon that little tent of blue/
Which prisoners call the sky"

Oscar Wilde

p.s. please remember that, if words are underlined and appear in orange colour, they are a 'live-link' and if you left click them you will be taken to an appropriate web-page. You get back by left-clicking the 'page-back' button at the top left of your page....... Editor

Catch you tomorrow - all being well !


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Shopping - Fish & Chips - NT work

A 'guest' picture to start with - Roy's "ET from Suffolk". He didn't want to miss out in the 'knobbly trees' series.

It was really nice to see him at the Club last night, still convalescing from his hip replacement though, and I think the stairs were a major hurdle which he overcame.

But I understand how he couldn't really miss out on his son's evening.

And Roy drove the projector and the laptop and we all hope he will soon be back in full swing - blue hat included !

I promised before & after pictures of our flat-pack telly stand. So pictures 2 and 3 are exactly that. It looks good and even Tracy convinced us that she really does like it. Being a lovely person she would say she did even if she didn't, if you know what I mean.

But I think she actually does.

Yvonne's comment of "It looks as if it's always been there" sums up how well it blends in.

This morning Reg came round and sorted out a computer problem for me. Reg's copy/paste worked where my drag/drop had failed. But I really love this environment where "somebody knows the answer". We all have different bits of expertise and it's good to share them.

Then we went shopping - Lidl and Morrisons for essential provisions. I managed Lidl OK but opted out of Morrisons and let Y do it. I cooked lunch haddock & chips with marrowfat peas - no bread and butter, followed in my case by Tiramisu for pudding. Y had healthy grapes !

This afternoon, after naps, we tackled Nat Trust stuff and unfortunately my printer played up again and I spent a good hour cleaning print heads and changing ink cartridges etc., perhaps the time is coming .................. Anyway, we got it done.

Comments.......Jill..... Hope your day trip to see Barbara (yes - Y did know) went well and that it didn't cause you too much of a problem for your arm. And that you enjoyed the train, and the coffee !

Jill and Bungus........This silly business over the walking frame without wheels is just that - silly! He took the wheels away with him. What is the betting that when the frame arrives, it will be without wheels ?

Bungus..... I quite like being unframed. But, re my 'disability aids' perhaps it would be easier all round if I just stayed in bed and took a series of photos of my feet for instance, read poetry and listened to the radio of course. WoW could come round and instead of thumbnails they could photograph toenails.

I'm not convinced by your 'short-fibred potato flour' theory. But I don't feel strongly about it.

Not surprised by your bumble-bee sighting. They are hardier than honey bees which, I can assure you from my bee-keeping days, don't emerge until the temperature reaches 56 Fahrenheit.

AnonymousRob....... That's fine about why you vanished last night and I admire your strength of principle. Hypocrite that I am I have no compunction about using the Conservative Club. In fact taking advantage of the facilities without any intention of being swayed suits me fine.

Very interesting about the girl in Doisneau's "The Kiss" and her retrospective fee. Joan Hunter Dunne, the muse for one of John Betjeman's finest poems, die a few days ago at 92 bless her. It is called "A Subaltern's Love Song" and I've made that a link for you.

Hope your Tandoori was a success. Agree about Notaries - but I would settle for 1hr a week's pay, so long as I still got all my pensions and everything plus. Looking forward to your call.

Quotation time.....Being a quotation person, I find the following a little harsh:-

"A facility for quotation covers the absence of original thought"

Dorothy L. Sayers

You can all 'google' her yourselves, if you wan't to. I thought she was racist and anti-semitic and I couldn't stand that stuck-up upperclass twit Lord Peter Wimsey.

.....Sleep tight. Catch you tomorrow.

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Blood Test - Fish & Chips - Rest Day

Wanted to show you the Ikea table & chairs, and use my 'why dangle' lens at the same time.

Blood test this morning and follow up with the Doctor on Monday. My ankles haven't ballooned again although I am very unsteady. Need to be travel-fit for next weekend because we are going to Jill and Roland's Golden Wedding Anniversary. It is being held in The Richmond Gate Hotel which is well known to me, at least it was 22yrs ago because Joint Central Committee members of The Police Federation used to stay there for meetings at Surbiton. The Federation HQ is just the other side of Richmond Park. I don't know if Jill remembers but once, when Y was with me, we invited Jill and some friends over for afternoon tea.

Cooked classic battered Haddock, chips, and marrowfat peas for lunch and it was a success. Y has done lots of washing and housework and I actually went down to the end of the footpath and cut back the overhang of a conifer about which someone complained to The Council. It didn't take me long with my big rip-saw and I enjoyed being in the fresh air and doing something physical for a change. A lovely morning and it was a pleasure to be outdoors.

Then I have done a lot of tidying up, sorting books, and rearranging my office and bedroom slightly. Is it spring fever do you think?

Comments.....We have all enjoyed your Hospital account Jill. As you say yourself the minutiae of life is more interesting than politics and world events. Your 'clothes problem' can surely be overcome simply by not getting dressed ! Or cadge one of Ro's pyjama jackets. Also, as Bungus says, and I can testify - enjoy the morphine if you need it again - you might as well get some pleasure out of the NHS. And keep away from the caps and exclamation marks !! Think e.e.cummings. I rejected the Wikipedia link because they used upper-case E. E. Cummings which he would have hated.

Bungus..... As requested a link to The Northern College an excellent institution where both Bungus and I, in varied hats, have spent some happy and fruitful times. The courses nowadays are social work, and vocationally orientated but, f you keep a wary eye on the brochure, there are other things as well.

Re the mincers. I have a fading mental picture of the maker's name embossed on my Mum's. It will come to me in the middle of the night whereupon I shall e-mail you.

Thanks for the pi information. I probably now know more than I need about the subject - personally I prefer the sort than you put in the oven.

Quotation time..........

"Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it"

Andre Gide

I know that from time to time I recommend ArtDaily for people who might want to keep uptodate with the Art world. If you subscribe to their newsletter a pleasant e-mail gently alights in your inbox every day. At the moment there is so much in there. Sale of Ansell Adams photographs, a Jeff Koons Exhibition in Chicago etc.. And if you open their homepage and scroll right down to the last item there are usually 3 interesting if eccentric videos. A little gem today is Grappelli & Menuhin playing 'Jealousy' live on the BBC introduced by Parky.

Sleep tight and I'll catch you tomorrow. We are baby-sitting at Burton Joyce while Steven and Lisa go to a 'ball'.

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Safe Return - Tired but Great Time - now raining

Thanks Pete for the compliments on the pictures. Nice to see your 'comment' anyway and to hear that you managed a little time. I know from your site how busy you are !

For everyone else's benefit please click here for Manaman's Cloak and see how Peter crams 26 hours into each day.

As I had my tripod handy, from last night's 'Sunlight on Church Wall' picture I decided to do a couple of my room. Without flash is always better, and beds and grade 2 listed beams don't move about much anyway, so you can use a long exposure. The Vines is timber framed dating from the 15th Century and I hope that my snaps capture the feel. I was extremely comfortable in it and at peace with the world. The breakfasts were more than good and a starter was fresh fruit salad which included locally picked blackberries ! (Please see last night's blog)

After breakfast and packing we headed for home and decided to stop halfway at Boston a Lincolshire Market Town famous mainly for it's 'stump' which is in fact the Tower of St. Botolphs which is reputed to be the tallest in Britain.

The journey home was not quite uneventful - on one part of the A17 a van pulled out of a side road to turn right and it didn't seem as if he saw us, then, in the nick of time as we swerved, he braked. Then later on, on a narrow country road a lorry overtook cars and finshed up on our side of the road. In both cases Bungus was at the wheel and he did well to avoid collisions.

Almost as soon as I arrived home it started to rain. We were lucky to have such pleasant weather. But Y says it has been nice here too. It was lovely to see her. I've got so much to relate. It was also nice to hear that she has had a similarly good time at TJ's. Poor Joan's cough and chest infection is still troubling her, after all this time.

Quick quote then an early night I think:-

"The important work of moving the world forward does not wait to be done by perfect men"

George Elliot

Done driving for a bit - any distance anyway. Sleep tight and I'll catch you tomorrow.

Aug 1st - Warm - Arnold - Office

Lovely August morning. I hope you all remembered to say "rabbits". Don't ask me why? My Gran swore that it brought good luck.

First job this morning was to motor over to Arnold, eventually to see the Accountant. He put our minds at rest over several matters which are certainly not blog-material. But before that Y collected her glasses. They are nice, and the opticians managed to make the lenses less thick at the edges. She looks very 'chuchi' in them, but most important she claims she can now see things.

We had time for a quick coffee (and biscuit) in Subway which isn't always very nice but the Arnold version is most pleasant. Arnold people at their best and always game for a laugh. Our decision was to sit at the window bar so we could people-watch and it had high stools. The lady manageress, seeing my mobility problem said "Do you want a leg up?" I replied "Did you say a leg-over?" to which she instantly laughed "That's the best offer I've had all morning". A pleasant 15 minutes was spent people-watching and, through glass, it doesn't cause offence. I managed a couple of Charity Shops and in 'Save the Children' I discovered two ex-colleagues who run it on a Wednesday. Much reminiscences and laughs were enjoyed and I shall call in again. My two books though ( see Picture 1) came from the 'British Heart Foundation' and it was halfprice book day. So the two together came to 60p, but as it was a charity shop I gave the lady a £1. The last of the big-spenders.

After the accountant, we picked Joan up and took her for lunch at The Treetops. Food fine and we had a good chinwag. Then while I did the rest of the Charity Shops she and Y had a wander and I met them in a great little place The Plantations, who do excellent tea and coffee and cakes, and import Belgian Chocolate. Then home.

Picture 2 shows that our Office is now reaching completion. I needed a small table to stand the printer on, and found just the thing in Yeomans Outdoor Shop. It is decribed as a picnic table but it is exactly what I wanted and foresaw.

Aint I got a smashing view? And I find that I can still unerringly hit the waste bin with screwed up balls of paper. All that I really need to do now is to tidy up the inevitable tangle of wires.

Lovely to have your 'comment' Jill and I'm so glad you penned it because I like the blog to be a bit of a journal of record. And it was pleasing to learn from the content that you are recovering well even though, it is obviously going to be a considerable time before you are 100%. I think that under the circumstances you describe you did brilliantly to type so well. Please keep us all posted.

And thanks for your help with butterflies etc., Bungus. Most interesting about the Comma and climate change. Also, you make an excellent point about The Hop Pole Hotel. It must have been much warmer then. I bet that now you know how to access your EXIF data for you photos you will be doing it all the time.

Very interesting piece in the Telegraph about Autumn coming early, and an apple-grower whose Discovery crop is ripening 6 weeks early. Another most interesting article was Fiona Reynolds being inerviewed. She really has worked wonders with the National Trust and we agreed with every point she made. Read the article here. Only 49 and a Cambridge M.Phil and is one shrewd cookie. They seem to be recruiting some top class people because we were also very impressed by our new Regional Director who came to our Mansfield Annual Dinner.

Quote for the day, from my iGoogle home page:-

"If only God would give me some clear sign! Like making a large deposit in my name in a Swiss bank."

Woody Allen

When I first saw Annie Hall with Diane Keaton, 3o years ago I discover, I thought "Here is a major talent". And I think I was right.

.... I'll close there because I've had a busy day. Hope everyone has a good night.

Pleasant July day - 70F - Rest Day

Weather changes again and today has been a lovely July day with a light wind. I guess that in July one is supposed to call it a 'summer breeze' which sounds altogether more acceptable.

Picture 1 is some phlox which, in spite of sounding like a mild skin disease, are very reliable and, as far as ours are concerned, trouble free. The snails don't seem keen, neither do the greenfly. They aren't invasive and, if you decide to move them, they come out easily. Pretty good plant I think?

I included the sprig of honeysuckle to indicate where these particular phlox are, i.e. next to 'sparrowville' and in front of a weigelia.

This morning we went to the 'Buyrite' shop in Heanor, hoping to buy a suitable box in which to hide the plug extension and assorted wires which link to the stuff on my computer desk. It is now beginning to look more 'like me' and it is great for instance to have the printer there and permanently attached and switched on. I printed a copy for Y of the Nat Trst stuff that Gordon forwarded, and it is more conducive to getting things done promptly than when I had to carry the printer from a shelf in my wardrobe, and then read how to plug it in and get it to be 'live'. We didn't find a suitable piece of furniture/equipment but as we go to Tracy's on Sunday, we pass a Wilko !

A problem with the pedal bin has been that a black plastic bit, which covers the pedal, kept dropping off. I would stick it back with a progressively changing variety of adhesives, up to and including super glue. No matter which, it persisted in coming off so this morning I had bright idea 6,325. I threw away the plastic bit and sprayed the pedal black. A casual walk past wouldn't reveal it and after all who is going to inspect the pedal bin and say "I think you will find that there is a black plastic bit missing here".

I can think of one 'commenter' who will now do precisely that, next time he visits. Fish & Chip day today and while our usual 'chunky haddock pieces' from Lidl were fine we had changed from our normal variey of oven chips and didn't like them as much. Apricots and greek yoghourt for pudding though !

As you may note from 'comments' I had omitted mention of Reg's foot equivalent of 'tennis elbow' and I hereby remedy the omission. Further research in Wikipedia about tennis/golfers/elbow did not take me immediately to a foot version. My attention was grabbed by "osgood-schlatter's syndrome" because Peter Osgood is one of the few footballers I can remember. I was also encouraged when I saw there were 'footnotes' - ha ha! But it was a blind alley I'm afraid and in anycase is mainly suffered by 10-14 year old boys which rather conclusively rules out Reg. None of this Reg should be taken as diminishing a very painful ailment about which you have all our sympathy.

When I collected Y from Burton Joyce it was nice to see Steven and he does genuinely seem much better. I think though that he still has a fair way to go because he said how quickly he tires and how stairs make him not only 'done-for' but also breathless. It would be nice to think that their holiday would be a chance for rest, but, with a young family, it never is is it?

My quote for the day is :-

"Not only is there no God, but try getting a plumber at weekends"

woody allen

Plus a favourite from my own personal quote Library :-

"Jenny kissed me when we met
jumping from the chair she sat in.
Time you thief, who love to get sweets into your list
put that in"

J.E. Leigh Hunt

He was much criticised by the mainstream poetry lobby for 'triviality' but I've always rated him for some memorable lines. Takes all sorts as they say. And I love Bungus's invention of the name 'Nisson Lycra' for their new stretch limo ! John says stretch limos are basically unsafe and unroadworthy and their import should be restricted, and he should know !!

Leisurely coffee. Finish off Xword, read, radio and early kip. I must set my phone to remind me I am helping with the Exhibition in the morning. Catch you all tomorrow. Sleep tight.

Some Sun - 70F - still managed a downpour

As promised, a picture of my ex-flatpack Ikea computer desk. At the moment it looks uncomfortably tidy - for me! But, give it time - give it time.

Its name is Goliat, and the bookcase is Billy. I do hope they get on.

Our first commitment this morning was Y's eye test at Spec Savers and she reports that they were meticulous. After checking the charity shops while she was 'done' I helped her choose frames and then left her to go down town while I made my way over to the Council Offices to do my first stint of Exhibition sitting. The final display, of both Art Club and Photography Club, really looks good and before it is taken down I will try a 'record shot'. I thought I would be sitting single handed and took radio, newspaper, book etc but in fact I was double-crewed with Reg - and Alan from the Art Club arrived too. So a fun time and good conversatrion was enjoyed by all and we atracted 27 visitors, all of whom genuinely seemed impressed. I've a sneaking fear that that is a 'split infinitive' or something.

Picture 2 is Echinacea, or 'purple coneflower' and we have quite a large clump which are just starting to flower. It has a quality whereby the centre seems to glow. If that doesn't come over I shall try again in better light. Around 5am would be ideal - so I must remember in the morning.

I know they are the basis for a popular herbal remedy. Should we chew them, brew them or stew them I wonder? And what would it cure us of?

Madeline corrected her 'negroids' to 'nigroids' and I am reassured that she also, considered them to be 'sweets'. During the war real sweets were virtually non-existant. I remember some, name unknown, about an inch long which looked like coloured blackboard chalk. The texture and flavour was like that too.

While we are on the subject of 'comments' Jill gave me permission to 'blog' her e-mail about their house-sitting in the New Forest. I am pleased that she is willing for me to do so because it is a lovely account and my view as 'editor' is that the comments and other people's contributions add enormously to the 'blog' and prevent it deteriorating into a sort of 'Hi' letter. (Jill's letter can be found in the 'comments' column).

From my Office window I have a clear view of the Wednesday evening motor-cyclists who I understand all meet at The Boat at Shipley. Although I don't get a clear or close view I can see enough to spot some gorgeous and potent machines. I suppose - once a biker etc.....

Nothing from the house re-viewers and potential hagglers so I think we can assume that they found a dfferent place which suited them better. Not to worry. I am going over to Boughton to see Bungus tomorrow lunchtime, and then collect Y from Burton Joyce. Then on Friday I am Exhibition sitting again. My new Logic DAB radio is great. Mono - but as I only listen to the spoken word the absence of stereo concerns me not at all. In fact I suspect that one bigger speaker is better than 2 little ones? Madeline will have a view because she is defininitely into 'heavy metal' and the like.

A 'smiley' for Madeline. Sleep tight everyone. Catch you tomorrow.

Blood Test - Ikea - Flatpack assembly

Mini photo, mini blog.

The photo is filched off e-bay and I could only find a picture of the tin and none of the actual sweets. It seems that Bungus is right and they were 'medicinal' even though not on prescription. I'm not sure about Madeline's 'negroids' because I thought that was descriptive of a racial characteristic. And 'Melloids' is also a little confusing. Tomorrow I will research - I could 'waste time' for England let alone the County.

The reason for brevity is that, after my blood test, we went to Ikea and bought the awaited computer-desk. Another flatpack and after lunch I couldn't resist just unpacking it. Four hours later it was up and sturdy and good-looking! But I was a comparitive wreck albeit with a smug grin of satisfaction. A picture will surely follow !

I can't accept that vegemite is an inferior version of marmite. Try that comment out on an Australian and tell me the response. The flavours are completely different and I prefer 'vegemite'. But it takes all sorts etc......

Just about to close down and a lovely newsy e-mail arrived from Jill who has returned from her New Forest sojourn. I think I will read it fully at leisure tomorrow..... But nice to have you back Jill.

Must do a quote today. What about this ?

"Truth is beautiful, without a doubt. But so are lies." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tomorrow morning Y is having her eyes tested at Spec Savers and in the afternoon 2pm-4pm I am security-sitting our Exhibition in the Council Offices. I shall take my laptop and catch up on lots.

Sleep tight - catch you tomorrow etc. etc..

61F - Some Rain - Busy Day - Steve in Hospital

To coin a phrase, I'm 'flat-packered'

From box to chair took me nearly 3 hours and, as previously, I finished up in my vest and pants due to generating so much heat. Y helped, passing me screws and things and brewing lots of tea.

None of that is important - Steven being in Hospital is. He has been diagnosed with pneumonia which of course can be very serious, but when we visited him he looked fine and was in good spirits. We took him loads of magazines and things and so has Tracy but all he wanted to do was sit and look at the ceiling. He said he loved his oxygen machine, and I well remember how good mine was when I was similarly afflicted. I thought if they would just let me take this home with me I shall be fine. He seems to think he will be out in a couple of days but.......... He had the great satisfaction, when looking around him, of knowing that he manufactured the doors! I'm serious folks, he did; he has three factories now and they make all sorts of expensive doors - for architectural projects, for banks and all sorts. We plan to go and see him again in the morning and things should be clearer by then. The National Trust trip to Riddlesdon Hall on Wednesday may have to be abandoned. We shall see.

Seeing what a trial the assembly of the chair from Ikea was it was perhaps just as well that the 'computer table' we chose was out of stock till next week. I would have been 'flat-packered x 2' - we did however, enjoy the fabulous value Ikea breakfast and surprisingly good coffee.

It was all worth it though because as you can see my office is going to be a lovely place to work. Nice room - super view - it's just a matter now of fine tune. Do I want my reference books on my left, or my right ?- do I need a desk lamp ?

I'm pleased to hear that Bungus's Cantonese meal worked out so successfully. The staff did marvellously to cope with all those special needs and requirements. I like Green Tea too but it is essential to have the sort with twiggy tea-leaves not the tea-bag variety. My Gran was very keen on it and of course that was before tea-bags were invented.

ArtDaily is mercifully free of typos - just the odd one to amuse, as this did :-

BARCELONA, SPAIN.- Marc Lacroix, photographer and friend of Salvador Dalì, has died in France after a long disease, his family reported. He was born in 1927 in Paris and livid in Catalonia since the 1970’s.

I've been 'livid' in Nottinghamshire for some years.

Tidying up my bedroom, and continuing to sort out my Office are calling for attention so I'm going to close down soon.

"The nice part about being a pessimist is that you are constantly being either proven right or pleasantly surprised"

- George F. Will

Just a quick p.s. Dr James le Fanu who writes a regular column in the Telegraph and always talks good sense, draw attention this morning to the massive over-prescription of statins to lower cholesterol and accused them of causing "aches and pains, poor mobility, disturbed sleep etc. etc. which can often be mistaken for decrepitude" I take quite a strong dosage and I think I'm going to self-medicate and leave them off for a fortnight to see what happens. Watch this space !

Firefox Vs IE ................. Everyone should be on Firefox by now - honest ! It's so much better.

Trip to Bromley House - 7C - Slight Breeze

Impulse decision to go down Nottingham and visit Bromley House. ( See Picture 1). If you didn't know where to look you would walk straight past it! We subscribers aim to preserve that facet. The image has been photoshopped, but solely to deal with 'converging verticals' . So that doesn't count as 'interference' in my book.

We are down town tomorrow because it is our Venice course at WEA. But Y needed to book her train-ticket and with her senior-citizens rail card good concessions are available if booked a week+ in advance.

Good job she went because the Friday when she wanted to travel was booked up with students or something and it would have cost her over £20. And she usually travels for a tenner, so she is going on the Saturday instead.

I wanted to visit our Library to sort out with the Librarian about Brian's 'Goose Fair in Market Square' pictures. She was extremely grateful for the prints he had done. They really are amazing and he has some framed in his shop. As I have previously mentioned the photographer's viewpoint was from Bromley House or extremely close and they are tack-sharp front to rear and there is no blurring due to movement. So, old-timer shutter speeds was my research project for the morning. And I was lucky. In the card-index (don't even dare mention computer) I found a book entitled 'The Complete Photographer' published 1906. It was found for me in less than a minute and, of course, I discovered that shutter-speeds as such hadn't been invented yet. There were primitive shutters but how long the lens was open was entirely down to the skill and judgement of the photographer. I also discovered that Alfred Barber was the first professional photographer in Nottingham and opened his studio in the attic of Bromley House in 1841. For the privilege he had was required to pay £1,200 for a 'license'. I shudder to think what that would be in today's money. There is evidence though, that he, together with early photographers in other cities were prosecuted for operating without a licence. Lots of other interesting facts, which I shall 'trot out' in due course.

Picture 2 is, I think, my favouritest reading stand of all. I opened the book before taking the picture because without it, it looked a little 'blind'.

The Librarian was happy for me to snap away, and also to photograph archive papers, provided they were not going to be used for commercial purposes. If my Blog becomes a 'bestseller' I shall need to renegotiate my position. And I was ultra-careful to wait so that I didn't annoy fellow subscribers.

It was very nice that my 'grizzle' about Acronis True Image was heard in deepest Wales and Madeleine very kindly sent me two relevant tutorials which I confess I haven't yet read. But it is reassuring to know that they are there. We 'elders' as they call them in USA, need a day length of at least 26hours. Or are 'elders' something to do with religion?

Thanks bungus for Colemans Starch, Reckits, and Zebo et al. but I think the contributor was talking about adverts on Radio Luxemburg, and I don't think they were.

....Absolutely sure I've forgotten something this evening..............

Wet Rest Day - Shopping - Tidying

Although there is a slight risk of the 'reds' causing Bungus to have a spasm, I wanted to share the picture. The plant is Cotoneaster horizontalis and the bit shown is about a tenth of the whole, on the A610 Kimberley ByPass. It has gone completely 'feral' and I've never seen such a bed of it. Must be global-warming !

The gremlins have been at work again. Yesterday Y bought me 2 replacement pyjama-cords from the old-fashioned haberdashers in Eastwood, having been unable to track any down in Nottingham. My view is that, if Marks & Spencers and John Lewis sell pyjamas with cords, they have a moral responsibilty to sell spares for them. But they obviously don't agree. When we got home we couldn't find them anywhere. I found them this morning; the OAG had put them in my camera-bag ! There must have been a logic.

Picture 2 is simply to show the helpful effects of Billy on my room. It isn't my intention to start to publish bedroom scenes so you can all relax. If some of the books look a little beat-up it is because they are. For instance I still use my Aunty Tot's 'Concise Oxford' circa 1922 - it seems quite the equal of the 2006 edition, and it's surprising how little has changed . Most of the definitions are word-for-word the same as our more current household one. We are well-blessed with dictionaries because as one of my retirement gifts I asked for the Times Atlas and The Shorter Oxford as an alternative to the customary whisky decanter and glasses. I still have, and use, my original Penguin Quotations Dictionary which is now heavily annotated and held together with an elastic band. It cost me 10s 6d, a considerable sum in those days.

The Camera Club was good again and there were many echos of support for my idea of an 'un-photoshopped society'. Everyone agreed with my point that in 200 years historians won't have a clue as to what we looked like, how we lived, or even how our landscapes and skies appeared to us. I accept the point that it has always gone on, in one form or another. But we have some place-mats with Nottingham scenes that really do show what the place was like.

A relief to have Jill back. And I'm glad she hadn't a cold or anything. Bungus has pointed out the difficulty with the 'word verification' function in the 'comment' system. But, of course, I don't leave comments on my own Blog. I suppose, having thought about it, it would make sense to 'comment' on a 'comment' rather than use the following days blog for any reply I may care to make.

p.s. to Ikea trip. I was charmed to be told that the paper-napkins were now on Condiment Island. It sounds like a nice place where I wouldn't mind living!!

Tarrah............................

BJ Day - Ikea bookcase - EPS night

I am not the world's tidiest man, nor the most untidy. In the field-events I guess I'm a middle-distance runner.

Picture 1, taken while sitting on my bed, shows the mess I have got into with reference books and stuff that I need frequently. I realised that a solution was necessary. Hence the trip to Ikea and the purchase of a new bookshelf. Inevitably it came as a flat-pack and it has taken me most of the day to construct. Also inevitably, when I had proudly finished it, I realised that the crucial bottom shelf was in the wrong way and showing its rough fibre-board edge to the world instead of its veneered face. The whole thing had to be deconstructed and then put back together again. The cardboard box said the whole item was called Billy. It's quite nice having furniture one can be on first-name terms with.

Picture 2 is the completed job and I put a book in it to show scale. The position shown is not where it is going to live, but I constructed the thing on the big-room floor because there is plenty of space. Of course I had 4 nails left over - always a worry. I hope I don't discover where the designer intended them to go in the middle of the night when reaching for a book.

So the disarray depicted in Picture 1 will soon be a thing of the past. Maybe !

A further slight holdup was caused by a spontaneous visit by Brian who needed someone to talk to. He has had to put his Mum in a Home and clear her house and deal with unhelpful and incompetent officialdom. He was welcome. He helped me so much computerwise in my early days that I certainly owe him one, or two. We talked cameras and computers a bit which gave his brain something different to chew on. Elderly parents are a problem that comes to us all, and I suppose it will come to our kids eventually.

The Amazon books have arrived. It's a brilliant system - it seems about 10 minutes since we ordered them. Also, Alex called and all the 'rear of the garage' problems which have been worrying Y are no problem to Alex. He can deal with the fence, the conifers, the tatty rear window, the junk etc., and he says he won't need a skip. A couple of trips with his trusty trailer.

Next job is to put a tape in for Strictlt..... then collect Y from the tram. We've decided on Moor Bridge instead of Phoenix Park in the hope that the road-traffic will be less congested. Then Camera Club. Not had a comment from Jill for some days and I hope she hasn't got this wretched cough/cold/flu that is prevalent. Maybe she's nipped off to the Carribean or somewhere.

More tomorrow.....................