Busy day - warm and windy - Sainsburys

The tree in Picture 1 is a Liquidamber and is always gorgeous in its Autumn livery. If you ever think of buying one it is necessary to make sure get the dwarf version (max. eight 8-10 feet) the standard issue tree can reach 80 feet without even thinking about it. The reason Picture 2 abuts is because it is a detail from the same tree, down at the bottom. Weirdly varied leaves are the Liquidamber's thing and can vary from a shimmering blue, through emerald green to postbox red.

Picture 3 is just some gazanias? from Lidl and the orange colour is quite eye-catching. If they last till Thursday I'll probably take a bloom for Roy's close-up session. We don't want everyone stuck with artichoke heads!

Today has seemed action-packed. Shopping in Arnold Sainsburys' where lots of alterations are taking place. Difficult to park and freezing cold inside - a little fine tuning may be necessary. We picked Joan up and went to The Cheesecake Shop on Mapperley Top for lunch. Y and I both settled for the soup and toasted ciabatta, and Joan had a pasta and salad which looked more like a risotto with pasta bits in it. Ours was delicious but Joan's looked a little heavy.

The coffee, as always, was ace!

Re: Comments Thank you very much Jill for all the info on the Knitting Week. What with 13/14yr old youths wanting to knit and everything else you must feel good that you could make such a contribution. I'd love to see something knitted in wool from the underbelly of a musk ox - so, when it's finished please take it's photo! If you e-mail it me I would love to blog it. And the best anagram I could manage from Ungleby Cowpertrew is " Get up Brewery Clown " - anyway, Bungus is having us on !

AnonymousRob. According to Wiki, Bruce was born 22nd Feb 1928 and 'Doesn't he do well?'

Bungus. I admit that I must have enough rhythmic and tone sense to be able to enjoy Take Five. When I read your comment my first thought was "Good. At least the link worked". And Ungleby Cowpertrew also claims to have seen a musk ox roaming on the old Brinsley Pit Tip. If so the beast will be pursued and slain, whereupon I shall cook it, we can all eat it and send Jill the wool from the underbelly.

Quote of the day:-

'We are going to fetch you your bread and your butter,

Your beef, pork and mutton, eggs, apples and cheese"

Big Steamers - by Rudyard Kipling

We omnivores have never really got excited about lettuce and cucumbers and such......

....Catch you tomorrow.

TJ for lunch - Sky's charity Zip pulls

A panorama of the 'galley' during sunday lunch preparation. OK - so the door into the dining room isn't really that shape, it's one of the botherations of creating panoramas. The programme has no concept of doorways being rectangular - it is solely concerned with merging the clock and the top of the door-frame seamlessly. With a lot of elbow-grease in Photoshop I guess I could straighten it, but is only a record shot for the blog. And as such it conveys the morning and the cooking of TJ's favourite barnsley chops with onion sauce and mashed potato. Which turned out well by the way.

Picture 2 is to do with a charity called 'Jeans for Genes' which David and family have got involved with for reasons which I won't blog because it concerns a neighbour of theirs. There are these little zip pulls with flowers from 'Fifi and the flowertots.' attached to them.

Sky, in her thoughtful way, said "I could sell some of them at School" So David ordered a box of 50 expecting to have about 40 left over. Sky took them to School and after asking the Head Teacher's permission, stood up in Assembly, demonstrated them, explained the Charity and has sold 82. As I said to her Dad "She is going to be a formidable young lady isn't she?" He wholeheartedly agreed. He said "We will put you down for a couple". Echoing Dave Brubeck I said "We'll take five".

Please click here and hopefully I have linked you to the original track. Woweeee - I've just checked the preview and it's worked. On this blog we try not to let you get bored. Just hope that Bungus's speakers are working.

Off now to watch 'Strictly come Dancing' but I shall return. Duly watched and I'm back. Stephanie Beecham was the one voted out and she seemed greatly relieved! I know she is an actress but there was an air of sincerity about her response.

"The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that you've got it made"

Jean Giraudoux

That's nice. A quotation presenting itself so to speak. And to add to Bungus's famous quote:-

Ungleby Cowpertrew; 1961. "“Old rabbits die hard. ............and tough"

Don't even try to research it folks - his sense of humour is back in full swing! Pleased to hear Jill that you like "Strictly come...... " too. Brucie does annoy many people but I just rate him as a hangover from the old vaudeville days and enjoy seeing him in action, bad jokes and all. Anyway Jill, we all want to hear more about your National Knitting Week !

Little jobs to do tomorrow. Some shopping, nip over to see Joan, perhaps lunch in the Cheesecake Shop - all sorts of possibilities. Purchaser's electrician visiting at 5.30pm.....
I'm off for an early night. Catch you tomorrow......

n.b. For new readers. Anything in orange lettering is a live link. i.e. click it and magic happens.
If you left-click on a picture, you will get a full screen enlargement in a new window.

Dullish Day - 63F - House move

No new pictures today. These are from a few days ago when I produced the collage.

Picture 1 is 'Ballerina' a delightful rose and quite old. There are lovely beds of it at Haddon Hall which well repays a visit in June, for the roses alone. I tried to link you to a site emphasising the gardens, but I failed, so the included one is the best of the ones I examined.

When we have our new garden we shall certainly find a place for 'Ballerina' even if in a tub. We shan't dig up one of our existing ones - wouldn't seem fair on the plant. I don't know the name of Picture 2. It is a David Austin acquisition some years ago and always performs well.

Talking of our new garden, things have moved a step closer today. Our purchaser came and looked into the drains for herself and I think we managed to put her mind at rest. She is to have an electrician check the wiring and a builder to look at a lintel over the office window which her surveyor had mentioned. but all solve-able. Unfortunately she won't be able to proceed till early in the new year but is still determined to live here. We have told Aunty Etty and Uncle Reg about the situation and they are still happy with it all.

But we feel that, to be fair to them, we need a positive answer from our purchaser sooner rather than later.

Re Comments .....Bungus is right that Geoff Young could scan his pictures and insert them in his blog. If he had one ! I googled carefully and couldn't find a website and, during his lecture, he seemed 'not too keen on computers' . He also said that, while doing an MA, he had access to colour printing facilities. So the problems of time for films to be developed, and cost for large colour prints (my information is that scanning a 6x4 and then enlarging it in the computer, doesn't give good results) would be much reduced if he accepted the digital-life.

And it is all about immediacy ! A very famous writer, cajoled into chairing some 'creative-writing' course said, to the students - "If you really want to write what are you doing here? You should be at home writing." Although the advice is a little harsh it is basically true. People who want to write get on and do it. The problem is stopping them not starting them.

Quote for the day:-

"Without the aid of prejudice and custom I should not be able to find my way across the room"

William Hazlitt

I first encountered Hazlitt as a very young man (that's me not him) and immediately felt in tune. Although writing nearly 200 years ago his prose still sparkles and his ideas grab you. Please click here for a page or two of Hazlitt quotes. No need to read them all (there's too many) I just thought it would give you some idea of the man.

...'Strictly come Dancing' again tonight. Hurrah/Boo - depending where you stand. Catch you tomorrow.

Special Issue - Welcome back Bungus !

Virginia Creeper again I'm afraid - but I feel I am getting closer to the actual red. Which, in the sunlight, is red, red, red. Quite garish and feel bad about using it because poor Bungus might open the blog without his shades.

Talking of Bungus; it is great to have him back and what a harrowing story ! It's better that he did you a précis himself rather than me having serial 'goes' at . And I don't know if it is force majeure but hasn't he become succinct ?

And welcome back also AnonymousRob and I remember how much you love France. It was very nice to see you too at EPS and thanks for your appreciative comments about my tea-mashing abilities. "Can't take photos but his tea is brilliant !" Your comments about Geoff Young are astute and I mainly share your view. It was an excellent lecture because he is an interesting chap but I felt that he slightly 'fell between two stools'. His previous 'factory closures' and 'Raleigh' stuff was straightforwardly an important historical record whereas now, as he said himself, he is not quite sure what he is doing. Much of his stuff was too 'close-up' to be described as record photography; yet, as he says, he is definitely not producing work which would please judges (that approach I endorse 100%). In my opinion, his shot of the butcher's stall was simply 'not good' - however, he is a vegetarian and no doubt the subject matter didn't appeal. I shall collect other opinions and report back.

I share wholeheartedly his desire to link his photography to his wish to produce some creative writing. If he were not so vehemently 'anti digital photography' he would find it so easy to produce a 'blog' in which he could publish his own colour pictures and write words to accompany them all within an hour or so.

Y has done excellent work re the house-move and the Insurers have agreed that, as the claim is now ongoing. they will continue to cover it until the work is completed, even if we have left by then. We also received the Drain-Man's report even though I was told we weren't entitled to it. So I have photo-copied it all for our purchaser's benefit, when she comes tomorrow to see for herself. Five neighbours are affected, and the Loss-Adjusters have written to them all informing them of their responsibility. The response to this has been mixed to say the least. As Lytton Strachey said of Florence Nightingale :-

"and in some of her speculations she seems hardly able to distinguish between the Deity and the Drains"

...Hope everybody enjoys a good night's telly followed by sweet and undisturbed sleep. Catch you tomorrow.

EPS - Lecturer Geoff Young - House Move

This fisherman photograph appealed. The hobby has never attracted me, unless it is angling for food like sea-fishing or salmon/trout.

Strange thing though - when I was a young bobby-on-the-beat, at night I used to enjoy looking in fishing-shop windows which are always full of colourful interesting looking bits.

The house move continues to lurch forward with drain reports and electricians coming etc., and of course how much delay has been caused by the postal strike I don't know.

Picture 2 is just the Virginia Creeper again in the morning sun. I don't seem to achieve the depth of red necessary to portray it accurately. I'll try again in RAW (digital photography term folks, sorry) on a suitably sunny morning.

Thanks Jill for telling us about your absences due to National Knitting Week and we all hope that you do not in fact encounter too many travelling problems. The above is a live-link but I thought our readers should have another look at your Yarnstorm blog. So that is a live link too. Multifarious interests are encouraged !

Bungus continues to improve and I have no doubt he will appear in person before too many more days have passed.

It is my EPS camera-club night tonight and our lecturer Geoff Young has an excellent reputation. He developed an interest in factory closures and obtained photographic access to some priceless bits of history, including Raleigh. I have seen him before at our RPS meetings but he has fresh stuff to show and I am looking forward. I am on 'cookhouse-fatigues' again tonight, doing the tea, and have remembered to buy the milk and a few more chocolate biscuits. When I joked about cookhouse-fatigues yesterday Reg remembered the RAF charge-form number '252', some things stick in your mind don't they ? Whatever else I do I must sit facing the pictures and not at right-angles ! It took me 10 days to recover from it last time - or was it the judging ?

Quote for the day :-

"Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy"

H. L. Mencken

I may return with more copy but I'm off now to collect Y from Burton Joyce. It is more reliable and considerably less hassle than her having to catch a bus and then the tram.

If I don't return this evening, sleep tight, and I'll catch you tomorrow.

WoW at Vicar Water - some Sun -nice outing

Another successful WoW day (Walking on Wednesday - for new readers) and today we went to Vicar Water at Clipstone please click here for their excellent website.

There was lots to photograph but I can't really top those in the link I have given you.

I stayed in the bottom carpark with my coffee flask and laptop and wasn't short of picture opportunities I tried to follow an article in Digital Photo magazine, about using depth-of-field on a prime lens at f22, ignoring autofocus, in order to get sharpness front-to-rear. Load of cobblers. We could have told them in advance that at f22 with the camera on a tripod, it was going to be sharp front-to-rear whatever. I was pleased to see within the Vicar Water website an excellent photo of the old Clipstone Headstocks which are so dramatic. Many of the residents would like them demolished but there is a campaign in which Bungus is prominent, to retain them. I feel for both sides !

I haven't had chance to research it, and maybe there are details in the Vistors Centre, but the names of the authors of the various art-works were not shown.

Picture 2, The Hand, reminded me of the work of Jeff Koons and that is not necessarily a criticism. Wikipedia uses the word kitsch in its description of his work and I guess this 'hand' is a bit isn't it?

After Clipstone and calling in at Morco (photo suppliers) we had our cobs at the Bird in Hand at Blidworth and very nice it was too. Our arrival more or less coincided with the arrival of a pub-full of ramblers but we were served quickly enough. I couldn't find a web-page of it with a decent picture, so I haven't linked you to one. (perhaps an opportunity for a photo-colleague to sell them a snap).

Then it was home. No cooking to do because we finished off yesterday's spag/bol - as always it was tastier second day.

Although the time at the bottom shows quite early, it is in fact 21.10pm now because I broke off to watch Michael Palin repeated on BBC 4. An excellent series. He has a gift for meeting interesting people and some of his humour demonstrates that he hasn't lost his Python-esque wit. The link above was the best I could find !

"Those who believe in telekinetics, raise my hand"

Kurt Vonnegut

Sadly Kurt died earlier this year. Much missed by his many fans.

Stop press ....... Delighted to report an e-mail from Bungus; now back home - but not yet up to blogging. I won't steal his thunder by saying more. Just 'Welcome Back' and all the very very best.

Convenient spot to stop. Better night last night - here's hoping for another ......

Blood Test - Y's Hair - shopping - Swimming

Always on the look out for interesting skies and this one attracted my attention. Not really a 'mackerel sky' but definitely 'fish-skinny' - perhaps a 'trout sky' ?

This morning was my blood-test, the first since the increase in my pain-patch strength and when we arrived home this evening there was a message from the clinic to inform me that it was messed-up again and increasing my warfarin dose. Ah well.

Y had her hair cut and then we shopped and tried a new Butcher. Quite impressed at first visit so we will see how it goes.

This afternoon we went over to BJ and hence to Southwell to see Hannah and Miles at their swimming lessons. Both did extremely well and Miles seemed to be the leading member of his class.

Also on our return there was a message from Bungus saying he had arrived home but was 'washed out'. Not surprising, in view of the last fortnight +. A better night's sleep will do him a lot of good and I've no doubt we shall exchange e-mails tomorrow.

Picture 2 is just some extra-large fir-cones. I had hoped to track down the variety but the best that 'google images' can do is 'sub alpine fir-cones'.

Whatever they are they look very attractive.

I had a ghastly night last night and plan early to bed, hoping for the best. But I shall retire, equipped with lots to read, laptop to play on, tea-mashing stuff - and, if I can't sleep again I am determined to enjoy it. Last night I copied out a few valuable PhotoShop shortcuts and learnt how to put a copyright mark and my 'rights reserved' details on any pictures I consider worth it. But there is lots more I can do tonight!

I noticed in Aldi's e-mail newsletter that they are selling Nürnberger Gingerbread and as I said to Y "We shall have to give that a 'trial'.

Quote for the day:-

"The gods too are fond of a joke."

Aristotle

We are off WoW-ing tomorrow - I know not where. But if the weather is good Y might come too, or she may prefer a day absolutely pleasing herself. Sleep tight everybody.

Early blog - Been nowhere - 56F - Cloudy

Picture 1 is a 'collage' of what we still have in the garden. Fairly typical I think for October. Michaelmas daisies around normal, still a few Roses but very weak.

Not been out at all today; nothing we need desperately and I managed one of our favourites for lunch - Egg & Chips. Forgetting to obtain eggs from anywhere else yesterday we bought Lidl's 'Free Range' and they were surprisingly good, in terms of colour, flavour and size and, of course, incredibly cheap. And I don't plan to go and see Bungus this evening because he still easily becomes tired.

And I agree Jill that it is probably 'mosey' and not 'mozy' which is a computer 'back-up' programme. You must be careful though that, while sitting in his 'comment chair', you don't pick up a touch of pedantry ! Also, Y and I share your dislike of sausages with weird bits in. Joan had some with rhubarb in, but she did have the honesty to pronounce them 'awful'. Our, more local , 'Lincoln Sausages' have herbs and spices in though and they are delightful. There were no odd contents in our Wild Boar sausages and I have since learnt that a nearby Nottinghamshire farmer now rears wild-boar, so he was no doubt their source. And 'tracklements' is indeed lovely word - so English! Ralph sounds as if he is, as you say, missing Bungus. They had to build him a ramp so he could get into the house over the patio-step, but it has to be modified to a series of shallow steps because he kept falling off the side (his eyesight has nearly gone, poor old lad). Finally, I couldn't agree with Nigel Slater more - one can get away with many culinary misdeeds so long as youy use plenty of butter. We buy a specially cheap brand which I call 'cooking butter'.

Picture 2 Jill is specially for you - another sepia artichoke-head - because I remember you liked the last ones. I have printed you a postcard size copy of that, but due to the strike I am unable to send it to you.

I had an e-mail from Amazon this morning saying that they had successfully found alternative carriers and that instead of their 1 to 2 days delivery might now be 1 to 3 days. It's big business for somebody and I guess, if it works out, Amazon won't go back to Royal Mail. Hard to know what to think because an under-inflation pay-rise is in fact a pay cut and I can understand the postal workers being steamed up.

I've still not worked out how to create a live-link to a video, a YouTube in particular. It's probably a case for Ray or Madeline. I must e-mail Ray anyway to see how he is.

These lists about 'You know you are getting old when.....' should include an item 'You become preoccupied that your vests are long enough'. Can't remember bothering much about it when I was 35 !

Quote for the Day:-

"How well I know what I mean to do
When the long , dark, autumn-evenings come"

Robert Browning

Nice 'comment' yesterday from Steve, Hannah and family and I will certainly pass on the best wishes to Bungus.

..... Not a bit tired tonight - might go out 'clubbin'. Catch you tomorrow.

Wollaton Lake - Bungus much better

I know I said I had finished the 'Wollaton Hall day out pictures' but I forgot I had this snap of the lake which looked particularly beautiful so, please forgive me.

A short blog tonight because I have been over to Mansfield to see Bungus in Hospital and am tired. I am pleased to report that he seemed cheerful, witty and much stronger. All his tubes and drips and things have been removed so he is able to mozy about the ward and look out the window and things. Also he is now able to eat and drink a little. He is definitely on the mend and thanks everyone for their good wishes etc. I took him some more 'blog pages' and have discovered that the easiest way to print is to copy/paste them into a Word document and print from there.

For lunch we had our Wild Boar sausages with mashed potato/swede, carrots, runner beans and onion sauce. Really tasty and followed by Xmas pudding and Brandy Sauce. An early start !

Nice chat to David and they had a good time at Goose Fair alth0ough they didn't go on too many rides. Brooke managed it to the top of the climbing wall, with encouragement from Sky. But very very good because they are scary. Hannah continues to churn out excellent blog posts and Grandma actually appended a comment today !

No quote. Hope to be back to normal though tomorrow. Goodnight everyone.


I had hoped to be clever and create a link to a video about Le Corbusier (from my Art Daily newspaper) but so far I have failed

Wollaton Hall - Just 2 more pictures

This engraved stone tablet is on the second floor above a main door at the rear. And I am hoping that one of our latin scholars can do a working translation. I guess if all else fails I could 'google' it.

Picture 2 is in the Great Hall and shows some muskets from the civil war. I was attracted by the interplay of the sunlight on the weapons, with the windows above.

We could have done with longer there, and it seemed that there was only one computer terminal on which to unearth further information. There were two people using it when we arrived, and three when we left.

I aim to leave Wollaton Hall for now but more will follow a further visit. We were so impressed, I think better research before we go would be a good idea.

Today has been a classic Rest Day and spent lazily. Shopped at Aldi, Lidl and the cheap shop because I wanted a storage box for computer software and photoshop tutorials where I could stores the discs in their cases. Normal storage equipment seems to expect you just to store the disc even though there is info you need on the case itself. Anyway, I found just the thing, so I have had a good tidy up in the office and books sorted too.

Fish, chips and peas for lunch and a very casual tea while watching 'Strictly come Dancing' which started today for its 4th year. The words are a live link folks and a very good webpage it is too. All the pictures of the competitors are in themselves live links so people who are interested can browse at will. Y tells me that the frocks were well up to standard and we each voted for our favourites. I voted for Willie Thorne the snooker player, but John Barnes the footballer was very good.

Quiet day planned for tomorrow too. Going to see Bungus in the evening and I shall take him a couple of 'blog posts' so he can develop some comment for when he returns. He is really sleeping badly so we must keep him occupied in the 'wee small hours'.

Sorry to hear Jill that your Virginia Creeper hasn't in fact 'crept'. And I have e-mailed Pete a ready guide to 'links'. Also Madeline, I shall see Roy on Wednesday and find out about his 'picture problem'.

Quote for the day :-

"Indecision may or may not be my problem."

Jimmy Buffett

Off to bed now. Lots of reading to catch up on. Sleep tight everybody.

Wollaton Hall - Renovations - Lovely Sun

Decided against conventional views of the Hall because they are easy to find but this roof in the Great Hall is eye-catching since its renovation. One can only assume that this how it looked in the 16th Century. There was a dearth of stewards to ask questions. However, the grounds, the gardens, and the lake were impeccable - mind you the brilliant sun, clear blue sky, and no wind, helped a lot. With such a wonderful place to explore within the city boundary makes one wonder why we travel all day to see something less good !

But, as entrance to everywhere was free I suppose that corners have to be cut. The restaurant allegedly sold hot meals but at 12.30pm the 'cod loin' we fancied had all gone. Also, people were having to wait ages and some gave up after about 10 minutes. We finished up with toasted bagel and cream cheese and smoked salmon. It was very nice actually. My new stronger patches worked well and I was able to move around quite firmly.

Picture 2 is the famous gorilla who used to stand on a landing halfway up a flight of stairs and frighten children of all ages. Now he has a glass case all to himself and shares a room with a giraffe and cases of stuffed animals and birds.

We didn't manage a full tour of the Hall but we did visit the Nottingham Industrial Museum, full of lace and knitting machines, Raleigh bicycles and Brough Superior motor-bikes.

There are tours to the Prospect Room twice a day, right at the top of the building with marvellous views over the city, but we felt we had done enough for one day. However, we shall return.

Comments now. Thanks Pete for the 'rhymes'. Don't apologise- they are lovely. And I accept that I must have dreamt the bit about your age and lifeboating . I apologise. Glad you enjoyed the 'misty Derbyshire' snaps and it is on our doorstep so to speak. I will indeed pass on to Bungus your best wishes !

Madeline. Thank you very much for your clarity re Roy's accessing blog pictures. I am sure that, if he follows your instructions, he will be able to sort it.

..... Catch you all later. Have a nice weekend.

Burton Joyce - Postal Strike - Virginia Creeper

Just another misty Derbyshire shot from yesterday. Hopefully a 'mood capturer' from the picnic-bench where I enjoyed my coffee.

I delivered Y to the tram and then this evening drove over to Burton Joyce and collected her. That particular bus-route into town is a pain. Irregular, surly staff and as I wasn't going to the Camera Club I had plenty of time. My chum Millicent made me very welcome, as she always does and I saw Hannah for only a few minutes because she was off to her dancing class. Miles, Millicent and Grandma played football and Y is still a pretty nifty goalkeeper.

It is National Poetry Day and I was intending to give you a link to the official website but my 'McAfee site-advisor' was far from happy so I didn't even open it myself. This BBC one though is clean - please click - so I've linked you to that instead. I'm not sure how many of my readers, if any, have an interest in poetry anyway. I just thought I ought to do my bit. June rang this morning to chat to Y and was very impressed with my links - I've told her not to be shy about adding the occasional comment.

The Virginia Creeper in the rear conifer hedge is a picture in the early morning light, so I decided it was worth blogging. Y had drawn it to my attention yesterday because, unless picking raspberries I don't often venture down there.

Weatherwise it has been gorgeous and the setting sun during our return journey from BJ was a joy. So nice for our little people who are visiting Goose Fair, because the weather-forecast for tomorrow is also good.

If it is, we aim to visit Wollaton Hall because we haven't been since the extensive restorations, please open the link if you are interested in what has been going on and the Restoration Update Leaflet, halfway down is good. Except that it is PDF (how I hate it - don't know why). The shopping can wait till Saturday - we shan't starve.

If Madeline is reading you could maybe help with a query. Don't know if you are still on Dial-up or whether broadband has finally arrived for your area? The reason I ask is that my photographer friend Roy is still dial-up and says that when he reads the blog the pictures don't download. He gets the picture-shaped spaces in the text but no pictures and I wondered if it is a dial-up problem?

Quote for the day. As it is National Poetry Day and Dany Abse is featured I've decided to use a whole verse of his:-

"So in the simple bessing of a rainbow,

In the bevelled edge of a sunlit mirror

I have seen visible, Death's artifact,

Like a soldier's ribbon on a tunic tacked"

Danny Abse

I bet Goose Fair is swinging. But it is bed for me. Catch you tomorrow.

WoW at Curbar - Misty - Mild and damp

Even thought the light wasn't promising and didn't improve WoW decided to go into Derbyshire in search of autumn colour.

We didnt actually find much but around Curbar and Froggatt is beautiful even in less than ideal conditions.

I have entitled Photo 1, by Roy
"WoW photographer at work on the edge"
and it pictures Duggie engrossed in his picture-taking. Mike, Roy, Duggie and me turned out and we enjoyed our fairly fruitless round trip. We chip-cobbed at The Peacock again and used the laptop to look at some pictures. Last week the pub was bursting at the seams and this week it was almost deserted. Perhaps we were a little later but the difference was dramatic. I tried to send Reg a text-message including picture from my mobile but it didn't work.

When I had walked as far as I wanted to the others trekked off along the edge and I sat at a picnic table and enjoyed my flask of coffee. Roy was kind enough to walk back to the car and collect my bag and my tripod so I busied myself taking pictures across the valley.

Picture 2 captures the mistiness of the morning and, left to myself, I was able to try lots of things. Different lenses, different apertures and exposure compensation etc. and I was perfectly happy. There were 'mosses, lichens and liverworts' in abundance and Joan would have had a field-day. Yvonne must come with us again soon because she would have loved the walk.

On the way home I called in at Morrisons for milk and bread and they had both of our current favourite loaves. The Rustique and the Polish Bloomer.

Now to comments. The cooking appliance Jill is a Prestige Electric Steamer please click and it is in use most days. You put a litre of water in the bottom bit and cook the veg. above. Mostly things take the same time i.e. 25 minutes but occasionally you have to put things like broccoli in half way through. You can also used the bottom bit as a slow cooker and I do a very popular braised steak and onions in it. You would definitely want a round of bread to mop up the gravy! It is big enough to cook for say 8 people or small enough for just us two.

Jill - re raffle prizes. Y tries to arrange for 6 or 7 prizes to be on the table and aims for an assortment. Wine and biscuits and books are always popular and Y then adds less sought after items like hankies and bath-salts. You are right, NT people must be more 'upmarket' because 90% of the prizes are donated but occasionally we buy a bottle of wine etc.. We have a very aristocratic lady who always puts her £1 in the money-box but declines her tickets. Y once asked her "Do you not want the tickets because you may have to leave before the raffle is drawn? She replied most sweetly "No. It's because I don't want to run the risk of winning any of the prizes". Bless her !

Burton Joyce day for Y tomorrow and I have decided against the camera-club because it is predominantly about darkroom work and I personally don't want to go back to it. The computers available for others are only equipped with Paint Shop Pro, not PhotoShop - it's OK but not really that popular anymore. So, apart from venturing out on tram-courier service, I'm planning a lazy day. I'm due for one.

Sleep tight folks. Off to watch Michael Palin now.

Nails Day - Lunch out - Nat Trst this evening

Another mobile 'phone shot, mainly to capture a blog-spot which I may return to later this evening - after our National Trust lecture. I know the picture quality is low but I suspect that once one has learnt the camera's foibles the results will not be too bad.

Ok. it burns out highlights (squeals of shock horror from camera-club judges) but so what? My RPS magazine arrived this morning and I am so delighted that Don McCullin has been awarded the Centenary Medal. His 'Shocked Marine - Vietnam' looks out at us from the cover with that unforgettable confused stare. My reason for mentioning it here : - Don McCullin's sky is burnt out. But it doesn't stop it from being one of the 'pictures of the century'.

It is now 10.45pm and only just back from Mansfield Nat Trst. The original speaker (about the Monopoly Board) cancelled but Ian Morgan slotted in and gave us a fascinating talk on The Fossdyke - a watery tale of mystery and intrigue. An admirable replacement - I hadn't realised the Romans built it, and Ian took us via the canal, all the way to Lincoln. And excellent photography too. Y did well with the raffle and took a record? over £50. Always hard to estimate numbers but I would guess at over 70. It was great to see everybody and have lots of chats.

Not much to add. WoW-ing tomorrow but don't know where at the moment.

Quote of the day. This appeals:-

"I wanna hang a map of the world in my house. Then I'm gonna put pins into all the locations I've traveled to. But first, I'm gonna have to travel to the top two corners of the map so it won't fall down"

Mitch Hedberg

Thanks for the comment Madeline, and your best wishes have been conveyed to Bungus. And likewise Jill - I have popped your super card in another envelope and redirected it to Bob's home, in the hope that he and the card will arrive at much the same time.

That's it folks. Sleep tight - even in Welsh Wales ! And I'll catch you termorra !

Y returns - Jobs done - Bungus visited

Just the one picture tonight, due to suffering a bit, tiredness etc. But I wanted to show you an example from my new mobile 'phone.

With CarPhone Warehouses help I can now transfer pictures from phone to computer but I still haven't sussed the intricacies of 'sending' as part of text messages. They were very helpful but I might need another tutorial.

This rather 'Dickensian' scene is outside the Solicitor's to whom I delivered the completed forms she had requested. OK, it's going a bit blurry at the far edge but from something which altogether is smaller than a box of Swan matches........... I rest my case.

Y has returned with lots of super photos AND VIDEOS on hers. She is comfortably in the lead with the videos - I haven't tried that yet. But it was great to see Ruby and Elli's new bunk beds, and them playing - somewhat vigorously !

But the main reason for my brevity is that I have just returned from visiting Bungus in Hospital. He has bowel-cancer and doesn't feel there should be anything of a secret about it. They have removed the offending bit I think, and after several days of mixed moods and hallucinations, he now seems quite normal Bungus. One night he tried to persuade on the doctors to join him in buying Chelsea FC ! I certainly wasn't going to 'blog' any of that without his specific authority.

Picture 2 is a poem Jessica who is 12 wrote for her Grandad and Bungus quite rightly thinks it merits publication, at least in this modest outlet!

Our young people really do 'tell it like it is' don't they ? And it certainly needs no additional comments from me.

In this case readers, I am afraid you are going to have to left-click it to get an enlargement big enough to read.

I am pleased to report though that Bungus and Sandra both expect him to be home within a couple of days. It will be good to return to normal 'blogging' with lots of comment.

And now it is an early night all round. Y has returned tired but happy and has again been a 'really useful engine'. Tomorrow is 'nails day' followed by lunch at the Cheesecake Shop. Then Mansfield National Trust in the evening. The lecture title is 'London from The Monopoly Board'. Sound is if it should be fun.

Sleep tight and I'll catch you tomorrow.

Long Eaton - Cup Cakes - 57F - 7mph E Wind

A lovely autumn morning and I arrived at Long Eaton promptly at 10.30am, nicely in time for my favourite coffee out of the proper espresso pot which David and Helen know I love.

David spent ages with my new mobile and 'memory card' and in the end couldn't get it to work properly. In a way, it was a relief because I considered that I had read the manual and followed all the necessary steps. We proved that the card was OK because we could write things to it from the PC. The problem is that the camera won't 'write' photos to the card. Definitely a case for a snooty trip to CarPhone Warehouse tomorrow morning. I need to go into Nottingham anyway to deliver some forms to the Solicitor.

The girls had made the cup-cakes and cornflaky things and I was presented with two of each put in a paper bag for my tea. I've just eaten them and what granddad could even feel aches/pains at such a time.? I delivered their goose fair envelopes, one each, and I also put a few pennies in an envelope for 'Mummy and Daddy' because they might like some mushy-peas or one of those disgusting hot-dogs with onions and that unique mustard. Here is a Goose Fair link. I like this one 'cos it's got flashing lights and video bits to click on.

Picture 2 is some Michaelmas Daisies which seem to be out early. But so is everything.

I don't know if Jill's 'Gold Crests' are a augury of a early winter in Scotland or not. No doubt due to global warming - everything else is. Our 'gold finches' have gone AWOL since their feeder wasn't topped up while I was in Norfolk. Probably having a 'strop'.

Matt's cartoon for the start of the Tory Party conference hits the spot again. As he so often does. I'm pretty sure he doesn't mind me very occasionally reproducing one of his drawings. It is meant as a sincere compliment.

Proust is being read on Oneword by Neville Jason and I am enjoying it greatly. I always thought that the translation of "À la recherche du temps perdu" was "Remembrance of Things Past" but now it is translated as "In search of lost time". Ugly in my opinion and conjuring up a picture of a mislaid wrist-watch. Can't they leave anything alone? A favourite Proust bit is "the famous tea-soaked madeline biscuit episode, where the taste prompts the memory of childhood" and there is no doubt at all, that smells and tastes can instantly bring to mind things long forgotten.

This quote appealed :-

"Men live in a fantasy world. I know this because I am one, and I actually receive my mail there."

Scott Adams

The creator of Dilbert no less.

....... Sleep tight everybody and I'll catch you tomorrow..............

Feet-up day - Warmer - Still Butterley

You are quite right David, the 3rd Class coaches still look comparatively luxurious. As you enjoyed the last pic. I thought I would publish another. And I do accept that you are not an 'anorak' waiting to be free.

Another point about the coach illustrated. No-one could have any objection to the tasteful and discreet NO SMOKING lettering on the window. But that ghastly red & white job that is now stuck up everywhere, often flying in the face of aesthetics. I have even seen one on a cathedral door !

Little short of vandalism. Banksy would have far more scruples.

Aches and painwise:- Thank you all for your good wishes and can report some improvement. I still feel as if I have had a six-inch knife plunged into my back just to the left of my spine below the kidney area. And I haven't got colleagues to blame these days !

But I shall recover - I always do. In addition to my patches I'm munching my way through strips of codeine and my hot-pad is in constant use. Not so bad now it is a bit cooler outside, and it saves on the central heating bill.

Thanks Pete for the comment-on-the-comment, and I know you like to be in the thick of the action. It was that I had somewhere in the recesses, that due to getting older someone wanted to shield you from some lifeboat activities. If I've got it wrong please chip in and put us right. The last thing I want to do is mislead my readers. It was a pleasure to link to your site and for anyone who missed the link here it is again. Always a joy to read, always something new, and super pictures. We stayed with Mr and Mrs Roast at Port Erin and had a great time.

What with her fear of heights Y managed to get stuck halfway up/down the Laxey Wheel but her maternal instinct saved the day when a group of children needed to get past.

You are quite right Jill to mop up good gravy with a round of bread. If I had cooked the meal I would consider it to be the sincerest compliment. Debra unashamedly uses her dessert spoon!

Picture 2 is some fungi at Butterley. Identity unknown to me I'm afraid. Bungus would know but unfortunately he is away. Help please anyone?

My attention was drawn by their similarity to cobs fresh out of a baker's oven. We shall probably now be in for the argument as to whether they are called cobs, rolls, baps or whatever.

By the way, the dark lines around some, are the harsh shadows as a result of using flash - they haven't been photoshopped.

And Yes Reg! I agree about the judge at EPS. A man who can mark a picture as 20 out of 20 and then go-on to suggest ways in which it could be improved, is not a man whose logic or intellect commend him to me. And if he is a 'reader of blogs' good. If someone feels qualified to judge photographs he must be prepared for an assessment of his judging.

"Sed quis custodiet ipsos custodes"

Trans.- "Who shall guard the guards themselves?" Juvenal around 100AD

Appropriate quotes seem to present themselves at the moment. Much better than scouring t'internet.

I am determined to go to Long Eaton tomorrow, pains or not. But I shall have another early night. Strangely enough under the circumstances, I am sleeping well. Catch you tomorrow



p.s. How can the Ian Huntley business ber described as an 'attempt suicide' when he told the warders that he had taken an overdose?