Typical December Day - Very cold and dull

Let me begin by thinking you all for your 'get well comments' and I consider myself fortunate to have such a cheery bunch of friends and supporters. Jill's is a stirrup because I don't want to be responsible for anyone's 'withdrawal symptoms'.

And all plus a late realisation-moment with the word 'stirrup'. I've spent 65 years fully understanding the word without working out that those things which horse-riders use, actually 'stir up' the horse. I recognise that some of the messages are from friends who are also going through ill health patches. And thank you to the e-mailers too. Several people read the blog who seldom if ever appear in the comments column.

The picture is from the 'Radiogandy 4 poster' because I am still grabataire. Still suffering a bit but nowhere near as excruciating as yesterday. I am able to watch my birds and take in lots of coffee, radio, and reading matter. Y is great, as she always is.

Football Section ..... So Capello it is! and this link please click seemed the best coverage. Y's Palmers Green cognoscenti says he is the right choice. Mature, successful, very strict, and no more WAGS causing distractions. Also that it is absolutely correct to allow him to bring with him his 4 henchmen. I understand also that Y's contact still hopes for the return of please click Mourinho to Chelsea.

I won't push my luck first day back, so I'm going to lie down again. Up and about for an hour or so tomorrow unless I have a bad night. ............... Sleep tight.

No issue - due to staff illness

Sorry folks. No issue today. RG gone to bed. Not ill, but back/legs painful and useless. Catch you all tomorrow - hopefully !!

Rest Day - Printer problems - Sea Bream

As promised, my charity-shop acquisitions. A brand new Pyrex Cafetiere and my Classic Bikes Encyclopedia. I actually have owned 3 which are featured - a Model 18 Norton, A Royal Enfield Bullet and a BSA Bantam. I think the latter qualifies as a classic, not because it was an outstanding motorcycle but due to the volume which were produced and owned. Mine was very underpowered and the hills between Ashbourne and Derby were a severe test. The other two though were marvellous beasts.

The full throated roar of that long-stroke, single cylinder, 500cc Norton was a 'once heard, never to be forgotten' experience. The Cafetiere is cafetiere, but brand new, boxed and £2.95p I suppose was a bit steep.

As you will see from Picture 2 the Xmas Card hangers are filling up nicely. Bungus's card was one of his own photos, and very nice too. But - is it due to Y and I becoming pernicketty but don'y you receive so many awful, naff cards these days.

And as we discussed at Mansfield Nat Trust last night, some of these stereotyped 'Hi' letters are terrible. I know that as a blogger I should be careful but we aren't really interested that Uncle Arthur put some more shelves in the garage. In fact I feel it is rather rude to feel that anyone might be interested. A handwritten paragraph, somewhere on the card, is infinitely preferable.

I cooked Sea Bream for lunch (from the Lidl range) and it was quite splendid. Quite like Sea Trout but a unique flavour, and 25 minutes in the oven is recommended, which seems sensible to me although I now Bungus differs. I also did a tray of oven-baked veg which worked well, as usual thanks to Delia.

My Epson Printer is messing-about and producing random streams of alphabetical letter, with numerals mixed in, and when plugged in makes my systems-tray twitch. Reg suggests an 'uninstall' followed by 'reinstall' from the original drivers. I'm sure he is right but I shall have to leave it till tomorrow. He was kind enough to print off a few copies of a 'word' doc. I have prepared for this evening, about the team-blog.

Fortunately my laptop otherwise is OK and I have now put my WoW photographs on a CD instead of a memory stick.

Comments ....Pleased to hear that Playing Card bingo is widely played. But 13 cards !! Mansfield National Trust would have dropped off before reaching the 'house' call.

How strange Jill that AOL doesn't like wet weather. Perhaps someone has stolen the lead of the Time-Warner roof. And Peter might be losing his Broadband altogther, due to his role in the Hospitals changing, and Google-mail going belly-up on Bungus.

I'm not an AOL expert Jill but usually to do mass deletes, you need to hold down 'Ctrl' while clicking successive files. All that you click should then remain 'selected' while you press the delete button. Other systems, like google-mail for instance have little square boxes at the left of each file. If you click in each box you should get a tick appear. When all you want to delete are ticked, press the delete button. With most systems you are asked to confirm before it actually deletes them.

Quotation for the day......This is so true:-

"The conventional view serves to protect us from the painful job of thinking"

J. K. Galbraith

Ending there. Strictly come Dancing......It takes two. (it will have Philip Jackson, the real expert on this evening). Then sort myself out for the WoW evening meeting. And when I return I shall be too tired. Catch you tomorrow. Hope AnonymousRob continues to improve.....

Sisley's "inondation" - Nat Trust Social - Nails Day

The discussion of Picasso's "dove" and the "olive branch" and the "flood" sent my mind racing back to a favourite picture "Sisley's 'L'Inondation á Marly' 1876.

Hence my fairly pretentious use of the word 'inondation' for which I apologise. I agree Bungus, that sea water is implied in the Bible story.

The visitor responsible for the 'Fromaldi' story was Y, and it is a good tale isn't it? with the advantage of being absolutely true.

Super 'thread' folks about the cobs and I cannot really add to it. Great addition to the 'record of the times' aspect of the blog. The National Trust Social Evening went very well. We had an NT quiz organised by Frank who had 25 pictures of NT places and things and the winner was Dorothy who scored 18, which was truly amazing. Most folks hovered around the 7-10 mark. I scored 4 ! Then we sang Carols (old ones where people knew the tune - we had been given hymn sheets) then Y's raffle (a great success) and finally bingo with playing cards ( a smashing way of doing it - you have 7 cards and then, from other packs, the caller shouts the card) - The evening was a real success and people had put in so much work ! Oh. and I nearly forgot, there was food - lots of cobs and things !

Picture 2 is a hangover from WoW at Hardwick. I wanted the short depth of field, so the blurry front duck is semi on purpose; what really attracted me was the Millais type background foliage. I don't expect it to be a popular picture and I shan't be entering it in anything. It is for me, and t'blog.

Bungus has google-mail storage problems and I'll have a go with him tomorrow and try and fix it.

If there are other matters which I have omitted to mention please excuse me. It is now 12.15am and kip calls.

Quotation........Time for a quote though...

"Seeing ourselves as others see us would probably confirm our worst suspicions about them"

Franklin P Adams

It was Y's 'Nails day' so we did our regular run to Carlton HillTop. I managed two charity shop acquisitions. A Pyrex 'Cafetiére' and an 'Encyclopedia of Classic motor-cycles'. Pictures will almost certainly follow. Hope you are all sleeping comfortably. Catch you tomorrow.

Blood Test - Shopping - Xmas Tree - Boughton

Picture 1, contributed by AnonymousReg, is of AnonymousRob (extreme right of picture) up a mountain somewhere with friends. I am sure that further & better particulars will appear.

Maureen has also kindly provided us with a web-address for picture & photo mounting. Click here should take you to it.

We made an early start this morning. I did Santa runs to the Chemists, The Garage, and the Doctors. My blood test (which I suspect will be all over the place due to tablets change) was at 10am. Then Morrisons, pop in home to unload the shopping and then to Boughton for lunch with Bungus and Sandra. Sandra prepared delightful 'cobbaprolls' (there is always the essential conversation as to what they should be called) with a super salad garnish, and crisps and unlimnited tea or coffee. Followed by a smashing Lemon Cake (Sandra-baked and irresistible) and we had two pieces to bring home. Gorgeous ! Although Bungus looked a bit 'done for' (he had had the district nurse [not in a biblical sense] and other visitors before we arrived but mentally he was well up to his usual standard. We had a great time for a couple of hours, but around 2.45pm we felt we had to leave because we didn't want to overtire him, or drive in the dark.

We have lights which come on on timers and our Xmas Tree which Y did yesterday was so welcoming ! No cards on the hangars yet but they are arriving, more each day.

Comments.....Glad you have taken the plunge Jill with the slow-cooker and we shall all await a report on its first outing.

And how interesting that ring-dove grey reminds you of suede gloves/handbags. That grey always reminds me of aluminium saucepans ! Shows where our different preoccupations lie I suppose.

Thanks Bungus for your full and interesting comment. My Uncle Vince wore spats, but his were that pale buff colour. Your varied steak experiences folks, are fascinating. For the reasons you describe I have not ordered a steak while eating out for ages. My own view is that thickness is crucial. I always have the butcher cut steak 1" thick because I know then that I can produce a tender, moist steak, to people's choice, of rare, medium-rare, or well done but still moist. If I was asked for dried-out and rubbery, I would first slice the steak laterally into 3 one-third of an inch thick steaks and start from there Ha Ha !

I think the ballet-dancer/fairy should now be left in peace to enjoy her shafts of sunlight. Which brings me to doves and peace. I should have known - it came from the biblical description of the dove brining the olive branch to Noah after the inondation. Made so famous of course by Picasso's genius drawing. I just feel that the old boy wouldn't mind at all appearing in this humble publication.

A suitable place to end. Tomorrow evening we have our annual National Trust Social evening at Mansfield. Should be fun and we are looking forward to it.

Quotation ......You have AnonymousReg to thank for this one :-

"The recruitment consultant asked me "What do you think of voluntary work?? I said "I wouldn't do it if you paid me."

That will do for today. I is droopin' and need a lie down. Catch you tomorrow....

Sunday Off - Cold but no Storm.

Inspired by The Shoulder of Mutton open fire David has sent me a picture of their log-fire and it certainly looks great. Do any of you remember those bent wire toasting forks which produced such wonderful toast ? Or is it the rosy glow of nostalgia? Did it actually have charred edges and taste of smoke ?

David had taken the picture using flash, and I've only fiddled with it a bit, to make the embers glow more. Only he can tell us what it actually looked like.

Comments......Thanks Bungus for 'The Life and Times of Gonzo The Moorhen'..........He now has his secure place in history. A journalist recently described blogs as 'the first draft of History' which is rather charming I think.

Your request Jill for stuff about slow cookers set me agoogling. The Lakeland job at £19.99p looks good and I'm sure would be up to their usual high standard. But when I was researching others I thought that this person made an important point:-

" Bought this a couple of months ago to replace a small 1.5 litre sized one which I bought as I didn't think I'd use it often enough to warrant a larger size for the two of us. Wish I'd bought this one first: it's wonderful - I can now cook larger quantities and freeze for another meal. The meat just falls apart after cooking and is so tasty. Gave the small one to my 84 yr old mother who is now also enjoying the cheaper benefits of slow cooking. My son and daughter are vegetarian and particularly like the Ratatouille I make. So much so, that my son and his partner bought one also. "

I think the point she makes about the capacity is very important and although you can obviously google for yourself this Tesco Slow Cooker seemed to me to be the best bet. The same sort of price and just over twice the capacity. Which I suppose means 4 portion rather than 2. One and a half litre in The Lakeland Mini doesn't seem very big, especially if you like to cook enough to do two days. Our Prestige Cook 'N' Steam is basically a steamer but the bottom bit used alone serves as a slow cooker and I've had great success with it. From the customer-reviews in that link, so have others ! I couldn't find a bad review. But of course it's twice the price nearly.

Bungus and Sandra are experienced slow-cooker people and as you see from his comment they are happy users. His 'many meals from the same stew comment' reminded me that I once read of a Dickensian street cry enthusiastically proclaiming "Seven days in the Pot" and if they had tummy upsets they kept quiet about it.

Going to end soon because excitement is building as to 'who goes home' from the 'Strictly Come Dancing' Studio.

As previously mentioned I think that probably Letitia is due for the elbow, but if Matt goes we shall be spared his histrionics in the future.

Thanks Bungus for your lovely foodie comment, but the bait you dangled about the X factor doesn't seem to have attracted many bites.

Picture 2 is a simple Ring Dove; and I suspect is the progeny of the pair which used to 'copopulate' on the garage roof in the spring. It is easy to see why they are associated with 'peace' - they look so peaceful. I'm not sure of the history of the association but when I have spare googling time I might try to find out, unless a reader has it to hand.

Sleep tight folks - put another log on the fire - have a couple of ladles of stew - and watch the telly. Catch you tomorrow.

Awful Day - Stormy and Cold - Wooziness

We haven't actually got an open log-burning fire, so this is from The Shoulder of Mutton at Hardstoft on Wednesday. It's the sort of day when it would be great to have one, cold and very stormy. Wind speeds up to 90mph are spoken of even though 70mph is more likely.

Don't know who the picture should be attributed to. I set the camera up (The Casio) and put it on the end of the table. Mike then jiggled it about laterally until the flames were in the right place, and then I pressed the shutter-button. Can't see it winning many prizes anyway. It is an atmosphere-blog-shot.

I feel distinctly woozy due to handfuls of pain-killers and we decided against the car this morning and Y braved the weather to walk round to the little shop for essentials. Then she cooked a real comfort meal - bacon, fried bread, and fried egg together with grilled tomatoes which are one of her specialities.

Picture 2 is of Bungus and his tame Moorhen (triggered by yesterday's Moorhen Picture) and I will leave it to him via the 'comments' column to give you the history.

Comments....Talking of 'comments' and Bungus's complaint that he sometimes doesn't understand what I am talking about.

Re the woodland picture and the cloned-in ballet dancer, I am sure that anybody who uses 'photoshop' would understand what I was saying, without seeing the picture. AnonymousRob would be a fair test because due to illness he wasn't there. Re: Anything else, I feel unable to comment on the clarity of my prose. It is for others to judge, not me.

Broccoli & Stilton soup always seems a winner Jill and I'm glad you share the dislike of the George Foremans (or should it be the George Foremen). I've made Fishworks a live link so we can see where you ate . Shame if it is faltering because it looks an exciting place to eat. Presumably your Skate would be 'wings' because I'm not sure if there are any other 'cuts'. Son David still tells the story of when I cooked them and insisted on the being finished up. He says they were awful and probably he was right. No doubt the cook's fault rather than the fish's.

Our continued best wishes go to AnonymousRob. Perhaps we ought to research 'folk remedies' for shingles. There must be some, somewhere, and there is no stopping us Googlers poking about in hidden nooks and crannies.

Tonight is the big night for Strictly Come Dancing junkies. Even though Letitia has done really well to improve so much, I feel that perhaps this week should be her last. Competition is now fierce and 'marks for effort' should now be replaced by 'quality of performance on the night'. Then later we have This is Civilisation which we both love. Matthew Collings is excellent and I understand tonight's episode includes stuff about Ruskin who we know a bit about.

Hence the early blog. Two programmes to watch. Lots of telly, for me anyway.

Shan't be going 'clubbing' thats for sure. Sleep tight and I'll catch you yomorrow. What a mover Whacko was ?

This is the current moon, if anyones eyes are good enough to see it. 1% ? I'll take their word for it.

Clementines and Chicken Stew

Another Hardwick Lake bird. Only a common Moorhen but they are so attractive with contrasty plumage and jazzy beaks. A bit like chaffinches, they always look immaculately 'turned out'.

I suppose Michael Moorhen would sound about right.

Comments.......With regards to Bungus's complaint that my words about the 'ballet dancer in the woods' meaning nothing to people who haven't seen the picture. I am sure Bungus that you realise if I limited my 'blog post' to matters which all readers had seen, heard, or watched equally I would have very little to write about. So, sorry but tough ! Your foodie news was good. Are 'sprats' and whitebait the same thing? I love the latter, with horseradish sauce but I also can't bring myself to eat the heads in the approved manner. Pity about the 'rump' but I feel you were expecting a lot in your anticipating 'tender' from one of those awful George Foreman devices. I consider that applying heat from top and bottom at the same time is not conducive to tenderness or flavour retention. Don't know what others think ? Glad the veg saved the day. Liked both quotes !

Thanks AnonymousRob, for you efforts from your sick-bed. Your suggestion of The Weeping Ash instead of the Shoulder of Mutton finally produced some web-pages but the only one with a picture was this Geograph entry please click but info was still pretty sparse. Thanks for 'copuple'. People 'copupling' sound more fun than simple 'coupling'. And I hope you soon are sufficiently recovered to enjoy you sick-leave ! Damned nuisance when one is too poorly.

Today I cooked a Chicken Stew for lunch and there is plenty for tomorrow. The box of Clementines is nothing to do with it. They were being sold very cheaply i.e. £1.49 at Lidl and I fell for the box ! Real old-fashioned wood - no cardboard nor plastic. The sort we all used to grow bedding plants and chrysanth cuttings in. And the fruit are lovely - easy peelers and very few pips. I guess when we've finished them Y will insist that I throw the box away. But I shall resist.

Very little to add to last night's EPS night. The judge was going fine in the first half, with the projected images, and at the interval I offered him my apologies and left. I was enjoying the evening but, as a first evening venture out I thought it prudent to leave before the seat became really uncomfortable. Everyone was so nice to me and so sympathetic. Please click here for what I hope is the judge's web-site.


Hoping to have caught up with everything by tomorrow. Sleep tight !

Camera Club - Wet and unseasonly mild

A speedy blog to catch the date and then to return to add more. Picture 1 was taken deliberately as 'blog material' and as I said yesterday I used my tripod. It's strictly 'as is' of Hardwick Lake, close to the car-park.

Comments......Bungus, I don't understand why yesterday's snap was hard on Duggie? Striding manfully in front, shows him in a good light, I thought. Re tonight's 'judging' - he was fine with the projected images, except for missing what seemed to me (and Roy) to miss the cloning-in of a ballet-dancer in the winning picture. We could be wrong I suppose but rays of sunlight in a wood passed straight through her without illuminating her at all. I suppose she could have been a fairy and sunbeams are in the same category as the devil not casting a shadow. Nice picture though, even if chocolate-boxy. Close-up scrutiny would be necessary.

Sorry - I didn't return. More will follow tomorrow......

WoW at Hardwick - Birds

Picture 1 is entitled "Duggie the Pathfinder" - he often seems to walk about 15 yards in front of the others !

They are walking on the east side of the small Hardwick Lake having left me in the Visitor's Centre Car Park and there were six of us today. We were lucky with sunny spells because, on the way home in the early afternoon it rained heavily. I noticed this morning how the barometer has fluctuated widely over the past 24 hours..

There weren't many people about and I concentrated on bird pictures with my 300mm Tamron and tripod. That is how I managed Picture 1 because they really were quite a long way away. Although the Pied Wagtail is not a garden bird - at least, it isn't at Radiogandy villas, so I wanted to nab him for my collection. I guessed that, if I sat quietly, he would come quite close, and he did. Nosy creatures aren't they ? And of course, he was free to leave and having said 'g'day' he cleared off.

We went to The Shoulder of Mutton at Hardstoft for our chip-cob, and were served magnificent one. The 'real' chips were so big they were more like mini-roast potatoes and delicious with it. I would have provided a 'link' for the pub but I couldn't find one. As a fellow blogger reported - "No site, no picture, no details, and, therefore no recommendation". Shame - because it 's a super pub with a handsome restaurant and the food looks good".

Comments....Glad your kitchen stuff arrived Jill. And I'm pleased you have been ouch-free.
Let us know how the soup is ? It sounds as if we are all 'cook today eat tomrrow' people. I like the idea of Sandra's cheese-on-toast croutons.

You are correct Bungus to identify Crescenet's language as Portuguese. Google, in it's magnificence, provided a translation of the 'comment' . To find the service by the way, you go to Google, more>>, then scroll down the right hand column till you reach 'Translate' - click it and follow the instructions. What would we do without Google ? Basically it seems that Crescenet provides a programme which can carry advertising and pays you for the number of 'hits'. I liked the Esperanto 'snako in herbo'. It made me conjure up a picture of a fit young lady frollicking naked in the grass. I can guess the correct translation but prefer my version.

Thank you Crescenet for your interest in this Blog, but it exists solely for the diversion of family and friends. I do not wish to carry advertising for anything.

AnonymousRob is still obviously shingle-bound and we wish him respite from the pain and a speedy recovery.

Tomorrow night is a competition night at EPS and, as I have not entered anthing I can just toddle along and look at everyone elses pictures. Unless I have a particularly bad day I intend to go though, it seems ages.......

Quote for the Day..........Still reading my Montaigne essays :-

"When I am attacked by gloomy thoughts, nothing helps me so much as running to my books. They quickly absorb me and banish the clouds from my mind"

Montaigne

I would like to think that, post the invention of radio,and the internet, we could have welcomed him aboard.

..........Off to bed now. Catch you tomorrow.

Karen day - Idea 6,328 - Photoshoppery

When making scrambled egg & smoked-salmon on toast for lunch I had bright idea 6,328.

These black, substantial, bendy polythene basins are the packaging for Xmas puddings and make excellent mixing bowls. The domed base is excellent for beating and their ductile quality makes them excellent for p0uring out of.

Feel free etc.,........

Karen came this morning and seems to bearing up under the strains of the 'single life'. She said that a lad she went to school with had invited her out for a drink and both Y and I enquired if it was a 'love interest' ? She said, "Oh No ! I wouldn't go out with him, he always looks as if he had an uphill paper-round". Some Erewash Valley sayings are priceless.

While we had lunch we watched "This is Civilisation" by Matthew Collings and we really rate it. He has the knack of 'describing thoughly' without everything being overlaid by his 'opinions'. Only 4 parts unfortunately because it is excellent television.

Picture 2 is a photoshoppery experiment. An idea I picked up from RPS and that is to 'desaturate' all colours except one (red in this case) and you finish up with a monochrome picture with just the main feature in colour.

Views please ?

I'm also pleased to report that 'blogger have fixed' the picture enlargement glitch. A left-click on a picture will now open a full-size piccy without any intermediate 'faff', as it used to.

We are going to have to record Strictly....It takes Two... this evening because of the need to shoot off to Mansfield for our Nat Trust evening. It is a pretty foul evening here so I'm glad I shan't be driving alone.

Comments.....Hope your neck has been less of an 'ouch' today Jill and I also hope that your new kitchen equipment turned up. Leek and potato is a prince of the Soup world. For some strange reason in my personal recipe book I wrote it as Potato and Leek Soup and always have a small spasm when I can't find it. I ought to know it off by heart now anyway, but I don't.

In my opinion Bungus your vinca minor is performing quite normally. It always seems to carry the odd flower at any time of year and, by its nature it seems to favour shady protected places.

Tea break, and Mansfield but I'll be back........................

"The Lost Houses of Nottinghamshire" by Philip Jones was very interesting and we saw some very important pictures some of which illustrate Philip's book. It was interesting to see for instance architectural similarities between the original Worksop Manor and Hardwick Hall - and then discover that the same architect was responsible for both buildings. Since 1945 there have been 60 major houses in Nottinghamshire demolished. Mind you, in Y's and my mind, some of them were no great loss. Ugly, over-gothic, untidily designed buildings which sometimes we are well rid of. We don't subsribe to the 'must preserve it because it's old' school at all.

I'm well aware though that my position is vulnerable to somebody saying "That is a value-judgement and in a hundred years what is now considered hideous might be considered beautiful". Difficult decisions because we simply can't afford to keep everything. Lots of people there again, 80+ at a guess, and Y took £51.50p on the raffle.

Finally breaking off because I'm off WoW-ing tomorrow morning, and need some kip. Sleep tight everybody. Catch you tomorrow...................

Y returns - Doctor and Legs

As promised, the Find the Ball solution. No correct entries were received.
I wish 'blogger' would sort out this picture enlargement problem. The present system renders useless the method of preparing the picture to 1025px and there is a storm of protest on the forum.

Much more important, Y has returned, tired but happy and in Thomas The Tank Engine phraseology, she has been 'a really useful engine' and had a super time too. Some lovely grandchild stories - R (7yrs) had to do a 'shape poem' for her homework and Y didn't understand what they were. So, having ascertained how to spell shape, R googled 'shape poem' and quickly found two good examples. I know we shouldn't be amazed, but we are. Y has talked me through St Pancras and took some video footage on her Samsung mobile and some stills too. She talks then down (as she always does) but they look pretty good to me. It will be good when I 'download' them and can see them on a larger screen. Along with AnonymousRob, when he has recovered from his shingles - I can't wait for our big adventure ! And Y says that although she could walk it if necessary, no problem, she would prefer to come with us, in the train !

Picture 2 is one of the David Austin roses, name forgotten but - will she won't she stick it out till Christmas ? It had been raining, hence the water-droplets, and the light was quite low. Which gave me the opportunity to use my 50mm f1.8 Nikkor with the aperture wide open to get a very limited depth of field and a shutter speed within the camera's range.

This morning I saw a different doctor about my legs, solely because my own doctor was away. But Dr. Wells, for it was she, is young but exudes competence. Her approach is to hit the pain with a full barrage of different drugs. So, in addition to my patches I now take the full permissible dose of DiHydrocodeine, Paracetamol and Amitriptyline (which I thought was for nervous disorders but I am assured is also used as a strong pain-killer) and when the pain is under control, she will reduce the dosages until we plateau at minimum dosage/minimum pain. I can live with the strategy - anything, so long as it works. I feel better already.

Having started re-reading my Montaigne I continued, and it's surprising what one finds. My essays are the Florio Translation (I'm not up to reading 16th century French) and he has the word 'cariere' (at full gallop). We've always understood about something "careering along at a breakneck speed" without at all understanding its source. I'm always fascinated to find current and 400yr old phraseology linked like this.

I completed my Nat Trust 'briefing note' from the regional meeting and e-mailed it to Peter who was delighted. I've done enough copies for t'committee and my little old Epson on 'draft' spews them out incredibly quickly and of a more than satisfactory quality.

Love the comment Madeline and it is indeed 'nature red in tooth and claw'. There was the lovely story during the summer of the 'twitchers' all assembled in some remote spot to peer at some rare bird when a sparrowhawk made off with it. The spelling seems fine to me. As you know I dislike spell-checkers anyway because I consider the occasional typo or misspelling conducive to original thought ! And you are quite right Bungus - everybody is sympathetic to AnonymousRob's shingles and I understand, not wishing to sound gloomy, that they can go on for weeks. Perhaps copious libations of whisky would help, taken internally of course, rather than as a poultice. And I hope you are feeling better too Jill. Oh what a mélange we are. Perhaps when the summer comes.................

Our National Trust lecture tomorrow evening is "The Lost Houses of Nottinghamshire" by Philip Jones. Sounds good and here's hoping he's got lots of pictures.

Quotation for the Day....... I really like this, and quite modern for a change ....

"Never knock on Death's door: ring the bell and run away! Death really hates that!"

Matt Frewer

I think an early night is called for, and Y does too. As she has been away a few nights I put her electric-blanket on this morning so she will have a nice warm bed. Sleep tight everybody and I'll catch you tomorrow.

.....For Madeline - and - For Bungus

A better day - Spot the Ball - Water pistols

Picture One is a 'Spot the Ball' competition like they used to run in the Evening Post. Perhaps they still do - it's ages since I read it. So dear reader. There is a ball in the photo but I have'photoshopped' it out. Please try to guess where it is ? Tomorrow I will publish same snap with the ball back in.

While the blogger picture enlargement problem persists my 'workaround' will be to publish the pics. in the body of the blog, as large as I can get them without pixelation. It then doesn't matter much whether or not you try to enlarge them. It will be good when it's fixed though which it isn't yet because I've just checked.

Picture 2 is the Liquidamber, still with some leaves, but suffering. Hasn't he done well ? It's watching Brucie you know. Strictly come Dancing was a nail-biter and as you will see if you open the link Kenny and Ola went out. If you saw the show you might agree that it was a close thing. Letitia stayed in even though in one sequence I thought she looked like a dray horse trying to break into a gallop.

My legs are much much better and I can stand up from a sitting position without having to go through a pain like having a tooth extracted without anaesthetic. I can stand with just a stick for ages, and walked to the front gate to get the footie pictures. My decision to see the doctor tomorrow though still stands (ha ha ha!).

And poor AnonymousRob with shingles. Sooooo painful and debilitating ! If it has kept him away from a camera and his noxious chemicals he must be bad.

I've been contributing some advice in WUforums about the use of 'google advanced search'. And the boolean operators of +, -, 'OR' and ~(tilde) Apparently, with the massive amount of information available on the net people are feeling deluged by the amount of sites google finds for them. When I was chatting to David this morning, about this, he came up with a gorgeous Confucius quote :-

"The foolish man can ask more than the wise man can answer"

I don't mind at all that he has inherited the quotation gene but I am devastated that he seems to have inherited the bad back too. He described his problems in finding a comfortable sleeping position and says he feels he needs the bed equivalent of a spit-roast mechanism to keep turning him over. I know John also suffers as my Dad, Grandad, and most of my Uncles did.

Comments now......With you 100% Jill about waiting till Sunday to discover about Strictly. It would spoil the fun to find out straight away. Wherever you put your name Jill it worked because your comment carried it. I think the trick is to remember to click in the little grey button to the left of the nickname box.

Yours came through loud and clear Bungus. Your comments about knicker-elastic reminded me that extra-strong Stella was reputed to rot it ! Now we shall be in trouble. Thanks for the wiki extract re Newcastle Central Station and I've made that a link for the others.

Madeline. You are right about the cats. It's just that I love the garden birds so much. Instead of a squeezy bottle I think a Mookie Water Pistol might be just the thing. If you open the link and scroll down it's the 'looped trigger' job that appeals. The trouble is it might be such fun I shall be sitting there waiting for a cat to appear ! I speak in jest because I do recognise your sensitivities about cats. I remember your avatars on WUforums, now sadly missed !

AnonymousRob. We will definitely do the St. Pancras thing and I know Bungus feels he won't be up to it but we can always hope. Y is checking out the walking distances involved in getting from one bit to the other but to go to Paris as well would be 'dreamweaver' stuff (What a super name for a bit of software innit?)

Far too much for one day. If you are still with me thanks for your patience. Sleep tight and I'll catch you tomorrow

Bit sedate but it will do.

Blogger Problems - Access and Pictures

The blogger-help forums are busy with people having a whinge. One of the problems is that when you click a picture hoping for an enlargement you get instead a box inviting you to open it in a Windows viewer etc. Eventually a google person posted :-

"Blogger employee -Hi all,
Thanks for the discussion here. I just want to chime and to let you know that (as you've heard) this is an issue that we're aware of and quickly working to fix. So, for the moment, the workaround is the way to go. Thanks for everyone's help and clarification on that! - Jordan"

So the problem should soon be remedied. The other problem seems to be between Firefox and Blogger and being unable to access my Blog-dashboard which is essential to create a new blog -post. So, here I am in IE7.......Different, but I'm getting there......... I'm going to publish this now, and see if I can pick it up to edit in Firefox.

YES HE CAN - I feel like Bob the Builder. Believe me folks, in an immediate comparison, FireFox is streets ahead. Good to have easy tabs, access to my bookmark-toolbar, and my google-toolbar, et al ! I know I could work on IE7 and customise it to suit. But too much faff while Firefox is so good and handy.

You are quite right Madeline to slap my wrist for 'throwing stones at cats' and your water-pistol solution is no doubt kinder. I probably should have said 'pebbles' rather than 'stones' and Picture 1 is to show you the objects in question. The dried leaf and the bottom of the wheelie bin give you a good idea of their size. And they are so handy just outside the kitchen door.

Picture 2, when I looked at it closely, made me think I had a visit from a Crested Tit. I have 'photoshopped in' a drawing of one and also a Blue Tit for comparison.

I think on reflection that my photo is nothing more than a Blue Tit with the wind in his/her hair.

My other adventure today was to create a Word Document from a scanned page. Having mentioned my Montaigne Essays I wanted to scan a bit and create a link for you. I selected a paragraph from his excellent essay on 'Idleness' a trait at which I have become accomplished. The title above should be a link to the document.

An old colleague rang me; he has been reading the blog. He reminded me of something I said many years ago after apparently deliberately provoking a fellow officer of slightly senior rank. I am quoted as saying to my chum :-

"Sometimes you can stir things better with a knife than a spoon"

Graham Marsden circa 1970-s

I think I'll let that be my quotation for the day.

Strictly come Dancing was very good indeed. Following my method of voting for who is best on the night, I voted for Gethin and Camilla who were brilliant. In the coverage of their week's training it was disclosed that Gethin had had the services of an 'acting coach' and wow it showed. Alesha, and Matt, were also good but poor Letitia is in my opinion, clearly at the bottom. I think the 'dance-off' will be between she, and Kenny who did one brilliant, but one poor.

Comments......I would like to assure you all that I have not cooked Greenfinch Soup, nor Goldfinch chicken Curry. Mind you the Roasted Hedgehog idea might be a possibility ! I speak in jest 'passer by' and nice to have your comment.

It was a pleasure Jill to do the little Castle-y bit and like you, I'm sorry that you and Y didn't manage the Millais. With her being 'sick' all over the place and your neck too stiff to look, you would have made a right pair. Mingy old Tate Britain for not letting you reschedule the tickets though. We shan't forget.

As you say Bungus about St. Pancras - "What a roof". In a month or two, when you are feeling up to it, we must just go as far as the Station even if we don't do the Paris bit. AnonymousRob seems to have been quiet for a day or two but I bet we could count him in. And I'm sure you all need his footie views. Y will have some Andy gems when she returns from Palmers Green.

To all 'commenters' ..... Blogger in their wisdom seemed to have changed the comments box. Your comment for instance Jill was published as Anonymous and I only knew it was you from the content. I think that, unless you really wish to remain anonymous, you will have to put your chosen name in the Nickname Box and click that button before clicking 'Publish Your Comment'.

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

Hedgehog Day - Greenfinch - Soup

I was busy photographing birds this morning because I want to record the Blue Tits, The Great Tits, Coal Tits and Long-Tailed Tits all of which visit from time to time. In addition of course, to my extra-special Goldfinches, and today some Greenfinches arrived. Equipped as they are with those massively powerful beaks they make short work of the peanuts and seem more than willing to dib into anything from the á la carte menu provided.

As you know I am a long way from being a twitcher because I wouldn't drive a hundred yards to see some unusual bird. But I love the garden-birds and feel a resposibility to provide a reasonable habit, water, and a bit of 'snap'. I also throw stones at invasive and threatening cats. Dignified walk-throughs are permitted and I don't mind them catching the occasional wood-pigeon.

While doing mi' birds this hedgehog scurried across the patio and vanished under a cotoneaster bush. I got my camera and waited because I thought "I know he doesn't live under there" Two minutes later he emerged, with his mouth full of dried leaves. As he is obviously "feathering his nest" it occured to me that he must be a 'politician hedgehog'. I moved to another window to see where he was going because several trips were involved. Hedgehog - I now know where you intend to spend the winter. You can relax safe in the knowledge that I wont allow you to be disturbed. Unless of course we move shortly after Xmas. All about Hedgehogs - this BBC page is the nicest and most informative link. In fact their first picture looks very like our little chap - perhaps he was moonlighting.

Picture 3 is especially for Jill because she said the one I used for Rockingham Castle was not very 'Castle-Y' and I agree. This main entrance is in fact the only castle-y bit about the whole place which, as castles go is on the small side. It has a Belvoir Castle feel to it but not as big or Castle-like.

Apart from 'messing about' and researching team-blogs for EPS, I also managed an hour in the galley and made Broccoli & Stilton soup from my National Trust soup book. Another good one which I have made several times before. Very easy to do, and to get right. I won't bore you with the methodology.

Comments.......You are right about Delia not grinding her own spices Bungus. She would put it, as I do into the "Life's to short to stuff a mushroom" category. The 'Voting for Sherwood' online is possible but awful to do. So many hoops to jump through. You have to register first before being allowed to vote etc.. many many people just won't be bothered.

Welcome Nice Man. I think that in many ways the Practice 'Round The Corner' is better than the Church Street one. But ours please click has got a pretty website. Now then, how about that? In our surgery one of the digital notices says ' Carers Advice available'. I misread it as "Careers Advice available" and thought "Oh mi gawd - they want me to go back to work".

Unfortunately due to both Y and Jill not being very well the projected Tate Britain visit for the Millais Exhibition had to be cancelled. Jill feels she may be able to rearrange the tickets. But getting them both feeling 100% again is more important. Elli, who might be the source of Y's attack has recovered a lot and Y already feels better. Y has taken some St.Pancras shots on her mobile, also a video, so I am looking forward to seeing them

Quotation for the day......This strikes me as unavoidably true:-

"Nothing fixes a thing so intensely in the memory as the wish to forget it"

Michel de Montaigne

One helluva writer, from the 16th Century, and I am the proud ower of a collection of his essays. Unfortunately not a first edition !

Can't find another in my motorbike series. So you will just have to do with pedal cycles. Sleep tight and I'll catch you tomrrow............

The Return of The Goldfinch - chicken curry

Until just before Strictly...... It Takes Two... I thought there was not going to be a blog at all today. I won't bore you with the technical problems, because eventually, here I am.

As you will see from Picture 1 our wandering Goldfinches have returned. It really pleases me because so few other people have them at all. This morning the Greenfinches were here too, being assertive as is their wont. Really envious of your Goldcrests/Firecrests Jill - please keep us up-to-date. I'm not turning into a 'twitcher' but I love the garden birds and to me, they amply repay the small fortune I spend on their 'refreshments'. As I tell Y, it's better than 'wild wild women, whisky, and song' and I've never been able to sing anyway.

It's been a 'good news/ bad news day'. The good/nay excellent news is that the Dent Man came and the rear panel dent is no more. He also tapped out the front 'white-van man dents and scratches' and gave me the number of a paint-man who will give it a quick spray over. The car looks respectable again - total cost £50 ! I got him to split it with the result that my unexplained dents came to £30 and Roy's came to £20. So, no more sleepless nights for Roy !

The potentially bad news is about the house sale. Aunty Etty did some inspired googling and her results are certainly not blog-able. As barristers say "Further and better particulars will follow".

An example of horrible English - In the Surgery they have a digital display board on which your name appears and which room you are to go to etc., they also have a notice which appears saying:-

"Smoking cessation advice available"

Oh dear ! Oh dear !

Picture 2 is a Delia 'chicken curry' I decided to cook at lunchtime. It was a success ( as always with Delia) and tasted delicious.

Dear Readers ....Could I ask for your support, whichever part of the Country you live in. Next Wednesday evening on the ITV you will have the chance to vote for Sherwood, The Living Legend - all the other contestants have already had lots of help and we really need that £50 million in Sherwood.

A telephone number will be published. But, as you will see from the link you will also be able to vote online.

Glad you like the scarf. It caused much amusement yesterday because some people assumed I had bought it for Y. They immediately accepted though, that it was for me ! I shall be able to wave it as a banner because occasionally something reminds me that the old socialist embers are still glowing. I love this quote for instance:-

"Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well- warmed, and well-fed"

Herman Melville

Who, if you've every read it, can forget the first line of his Moby Dick :-

"Call me Ishmael"

I decided to give my Camera Club a miss this evening because I feel a little 'under-exposed and certainly not sharp'. Tomorrow morning I'm going to try to get in to see one of the doctors and if not, certainly early next week.

Different bike. Sleep tight. Catch you tomorrow.