Wet and windy again - 46F NE wind at 6mph

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Another fairly short blog because I'm still suffering a bit. I seem to have reached the stage of "frequent naps interspersed with rest periods". Y was going to ring up and cancel her usual Thursday at Burton Joyce but I persuaded her I was quite OK to be left, and I have been. I haven't eaten much, a few dry biscuits and a clementine, and I seem to have gone right off strong tea and coffee - don't know what that's all about ! I'd done jacket potato and salad for evening meal, on Y's return, but I left half of mine.

The picture on the left is a further adventure in bottle-top country.

Some fascinating images are available to experiment and I've discovered that manual focus is better so as to get the image in the sphere sharp rather than anything else. On auto-focus it was all over the place.

Interestingly one can see the whole patio, the potted plant which becomes the background in the snap, not to mention the garage, garden etc. I suppose it's like a fish eye lens on the cheap, with added interest.


My responses to your previous comments

Yvonne .... Thanks for the Sports Desk update. I listened on Tuesday night to hear if you were shouting "Chelsea, Chelsea, easy, easy" but, as you explained, it was a hard match.

JBW .... Thank you for your good wishes. You are right about tablets in general and their side effects. One ponders on the fact that our parents didn't take all these tablets. They didn't, but they died ! My Dad had the same heart condition as me, in that era untreatable, and he died when he was 64yrs. And I've really enjoyed the bonus 10yrs so far, so I'm not really complaining.

Tilly - Glad you enjoyed the woodpecker. Grandma has told me how brave you have been - again ! ...... and that you have had a further 3 teeth removed. One really difficult one which was growing behind one you need to keep. And you haven't complained, not even once ! We are really proud of you.

Bob ..... Don't worry about 'lost response points'. I'm sure I repeat myself often enough for you to find a suitable place in the future to drop them in.

Thanks also for your Sports Desk take. There is so much of interest to come.

Jill ..... Glad to be back too. Even though you say it's your daily fix, we all love your comments - always relevant, and witty with it. What could be better ?

Like you, I'm quite sure of the greenfinch's identity. I know of no other garden bird with such a fearsomely powerful beak. Odd areas of colouring can be so subject to the light.

I'm sure your gardener Martin sounds like a knowledgeable chap.. Trees and shrubs can look dead but then suddenly come back. We had a big garden fuchsia that looked done-for and the next spring I was going to dig out the root-ball. Lo and behold, it started sprouting. As I think we've said before, I think that if you threaten them, they start off again.

Helen C .... Thanks for your comment. It's true that I no long feel at death's door but I'm still not too well.

Pete ..... Thanks. I hope so too. I've sent you a collage of a snap of me next to the picture of you that you published in Ramsay Ramblings. When Y first saw it she thought it was me...... How peculiar!

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Quotation time ......

"Without observance or respect of any,
In will peculiar and in self-admission"

Shakespeare - Troilus and Cressida

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Good to be back - 57F - 15mph NE - very windy

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How lovely it was, this morning, to emerge from my bedroom and to lurch into my office next door. So welcoming !

Senior Management has issued strict instructions that I am only to pen a mini-blog and I shall do as I'm told. Thank you all for your good wishes and I do feel quite a lot better. The doctor rang this morning and she is sure that the coughing-up blood is due to internal bleeding caused by my Warfarin dosage. We decided to do nothing rash until my INR level is down to normal. If I am still coughing blood then, that will be the time to explore different procedures. She knows how reluctant I am to go into hospital and is very level headed. We trust her judgement.

Before I left my bedroom I managed a few bird pictures and this 'collage' is the result. A blackbird in full song, an evil looking greenfinch, and a startled great tit.

I was very proud of Y, taking over the editor's chair for a day, but now I am back. She is really busy because I leave everything to her at the moment. Excellent meals have been produced and and gardening has been done, not to mention all the washing and stuff. TJ as always has been concerned and thank you Jill for keeping an eye on me, via Yvonne.

I hope the WoW-ers had a good day p.s. an e-mail just in from Helen tells me the weather in Matlock Bath was pretty awful. So I won't expect too many pictures. Bet the pub was good though.

If 'comments' posted earlier, remain unacknowledged, I crave your indulgence.

Quotation time .....

"As you from crimes would pardon'd be,
Let your indulgence set me free"

Shakespeare -The Tempest: V,1

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From Yvonne - Guest Editor for the day

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Graham continues unwell but definitely improving, Thank you Roy for your kind call. I'm sure Graham will be back tomorrow - he is in good spirits. He did look at the internet this morning and this quote appealed to him.

"If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail."

Abraham Maslow

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No blog today. Not up-to-it.

So - No comments please

cheers G

Easter Sunday - Dullish weather - 52F and 2mph E

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The border on the left is, I admit, 'robust' but Y considers it OTT and brash. At the moment you can only see the red tulips, the yellow ones have still to come.

I assure her it is Fauvist and André Derain with 'complimentary colours' but she remains unconvinced. As you can see from the foreground roses, we aren't going to have to wait till June to be ablaze.

Today has been dull and overcast and in need of some brightening-up anyway.

Yesterday's 'bottle-top garden' did very well on Ephotozine, gaining 13 ticks which is good for me. Some folks regularly score 25 plus.

So I thought I ought to show the bottle in question, in place on the kitchen window-sill.

As people can see, it isn't a complicated technique - just a matter of positioning the bottle so as to obtain a decent picture in the top, snap it, and then crop till you are satisfied with the result.

I think it deserves to be Idea 6,332.

We've had a quiet pleasant day. Caught up on yesterday's papers and supplements. I cooked mackeral (so good for us) and chips, with courgettes and mushrooms. For pudding we had Long Eaton Easter Cake which was most pleasant.

David sent me 2 pictures via his mobile phone, one of characters at The Blist Hills Museum and the other a nice landscape from their caravan site. A minor problem is that I can't work out how to move the pictures from my mobile phone to my PC. But I'm sure I shall. When David rang me this morning he said that their weather has been gorgeous and bright, as against our dull and uninteresting. Apparently Sky was going to exchange her entire 'holiday tenner' into old-money at the Blist Hills Bank and spend it in the oldie worldie shops. The Museum is in fact a recreated Victorian Town and is great fun !

Picture 3 is a 'collage' of some of this mornings garden-birds. No Blue Tits or Great Tits, and certainly no Wren.

The two on the bottom row are a Chaffinch, and a Sparrow (Tree, House, Dunnock ?) but I'm not at all sure about the top two.

Y has found 2 'birdsong' DVDs but I find that, if I can hear the bird singing, I can seldom see the bird and vice versa.

My responses to your previous comments

Yvonne ..... I know of your scaredness of birds, but of course you overcame it to reassure Millicent. Bob is quite right to identify your look as 'apprehensive' and Misty's as well. You did well to cope and at least to force a smile.

Bob .... Glad you are enjoying RhymeZone. There is such a lot there to browse around in.

Jill ..... Y is e-mailing you a picture of Millicent and I think that, when you see it, you also will feel that she doesn't look like a Milly.

Re the nationality of Owls I am at a loss. As nocturnal creatures I worry a little about them having to be 'on parade' each day, in the sunlight !

Re the source of 'expressions'. Chaucer of course is another good bet. 'Thin as a rake' - 'Dull as ditchwater' - 'Brown as a berry' - 'As Merry as the month of May' are just a few which spring to mind !

Re Eschallot sauce - Eschallots are of the onion family and it was just that Lidl had them in. We've used them before and found them delicious. If you open the link you will see that they hail from Palestine, which I didn't know.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, my Eschallot Sauce is onion sauce made with Eschallots.

Tilly ...... It is really good that you all had such a super day. The little birds look very dear.

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Quotation time ......

"Thou say'st his meat was sauced with thy upbraidings:
Unquiet meals make ill digestions"

Shakespeare - The Comedy of Errors

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Easter Saturday - Millicent's 4th - 49F 2mph E wind

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Shortly after 10am Y disappeared with Tracy to go to Millicent's 4th birthday thrash at Manor Farm at East Leake.

The Farm is full of fun things for children to do. Birds and animals to stroke, donkeys to ride, walls to climb - phew !

Picture 1 shows Y with a tame Owl called Misty. I had my doubts at first but was assured that the birds have all been rescued from bad conditions where they have been mistreated and starved and stuff. So I guess Manor Farm is better. Y says they all seemed happy enough.

Millicent is going through an "I love ponies phase" so, poor Steven, I guess it is just a matter of time.......

I was excused duty and left at home to mess-about, which I managed to do plenty of.

My Reg Cure problem is well in hand and I have sent the firm the 'Scrn Prts' they need to diagnose what's holding things up. I also spent several hours spring-cleaning My Pictures, moving old picture material to Ext Hard Disc, rationalising folders and things - all jobs which have needed to be done for some time.

Also sorted out Picasa WebAlbums re WoW material.

Photo 2 is by way of another photographic experiment. Y had thrown out a posh bottle of bath gunge with a spherical glass stopper and, as it was waiting to go into the appropriate re-cycling box, I noticed that the top was acting as a lens. So I had a play with it. More will follow.

David texted me to say they had arrived at Stanmore Hall Touring Site near Bridgnorth and they had settled in comfortably. The website looks most attractive and I'm sure they will have a great time.

When Y and TJ returned I cooked the promised lamb-chops, a rather delicate eschallot-sauce, pan-fried potatoes, carrots, fine beans and purple-sprouting. Much praised and even though I sez it as shouldn't ...... Some nice fancies for pudding and TJ found room for some stilton and fudges 'thins' for a final course.

My responses to your previous comments

JBW .... People do so enjoy their caravans and your friends pursuits seem harmless enough.

Re the 'smiley'. I keep my eyes open and wherever I see a promising looking 'icon' or 'animation' I simply right-click it and 'save as'. Then, when it is in My Pictures, I have a folder called 'current icons' in which I store them. The 'caravan' came originally from Rob I remember.

I also subscribe to a file-hosting site called Walagata. Please click and I store lots of different material from documents to icons and animations there. The idea of a file-hosting site is not only storage but anything you store there is given a URL (http etc..) which means I can post a link either on the blog, or in an e-mail etc.. Although the package I have with Walagata is a paid-for one there are several free ones around.

Bob ..... I suppose 'looking forward to forecasts' is the only option really.

Obviously you are right about the background to the freesias but it was only a record-shot, as usual.

Jill ..... Y and I both love freesias ! The scent is intriguing and quite unmistakable.

I'm sure the History of Guernseys would stand serious research. This site please click makes them sound most attractive. The oiled wool sounds just the thing for serious outdoor activity but, as you say, it must have been the very devil to knit.

Rob .... You will be most welcome to borrow the Weather Forecasting book ! It is, as I think I said, unputdownable ! Its emphasis is perhaps a little 'coastal' but all the explanations are fascinating. The first thing to do is to stand with your back to the surface wind and then, look up to see what the upper clouds are doing etc.. etc...

Thanks for your concern and, as you will derive from all the above, I am feeling much rested. Plenty naps. But the day-length is confusing me. I wake up at say 6.30 and the only clue whether it's morning or evening is pyjamas or underpants.

You are right about the 'still-lifes' and backgrounds. Simple carelessness Sir ! I'll do better next time.

Thanks for the update to the Sports Desk.

Helen C ..... We must use our sunrise/sunset gadgets to find the best time to photograph the Hucknall Miner. I'm so glad that you like it too. Great piece of work !

I'm sure that, with some careful planning, we can minimise the effetcs of the surrounding clutter.

Glad you liked the Shakespeare quote. It seemed germane.

I don't know if you saw this site please click when I posted details of it the other day. Although at first sight it looks like a simple rhyming dictionary it is in fact much much more. If you enter your word and then click the down arrow at the side of the 'find rhymes' box there is a drop-down menu of all other goodies. Including Shakespeare, And then, when it has found your word in Shakespeare, you click 'the play' at the right hand side and the whole scene unfolds before your very eyes.

Fancy 'knock, knock whos there?' being Shakespearean.

I can play with it for hours.

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Quotation time .......

"The midwife wonder'd and the women cried
O, Jesus bless us, he is born with teeth"

Shakespeare - King Henry V1 Part 111

"Sleep tight - catch you tomorrow - weather looks dodgy though"


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Good Good Friday - Good sleep - 52F/ 3mph S

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After the useful interchange with Tim Dawson, about wind-speeds and things, I found the above book irresistible. It caught my eye in the National Trust shop at Clumber during our Wednesday visit. Inside is plenty of technical explanation but the main thrust of the book is 24 beautiful sky-portraits. What can be inferred from them appears on the facing page. I shall take it with me wherever .........

It is perhaps best if I don't comment on yesterday's blog. One comment was about twice the length of the blog itself but .....ah well !

Picture 2 is here solely because of my love of natural light 'still-lifes'. The method seems to imbue the picture with more life than using flash or any other form of artificial light. The colours are better and you don't get that harshness, and shadow outlines etc....

David and Helen and family are safely off on their big holiday and I know they will send me pictures. It was good to see their new Toshiba laptop yesterday. Glossy and shiny seems the 'in' thing and it certainly looked attractive. And I guess it will perform well. It is well specified and Toshiba are good. Even the keys are glossy. Running Vista rather than XP but folks seem to be getting used to it. Y is very happy with hers.

Tomorrow is Millicent's 'do' at the farm and TJ is picking her Mum up during the afternoon.

This morning we went to Hucknall Tesco for bits of shopping and I acquired (on David's recommendation) a three-headed Scart lead adaptor and en route we called in at the Watnall Farm shop for lamb-chops for TJ on Sunday. We did ask if she would like a change from lamb and got the reply "If it isn't going to be lamb, I'm not coming!"

My responses to your previous comments

David ..... See above re your Toshiba and please thank Helen and Sky and Brooke very much for the super Easter Cake. Beautifully finished and presented but we haven't actually tasted it yet.

Bob ..... Thank for your e-mailed info about The Reindeer at Edingley. We have been with Peter & Joan. But I shall pass on your comments.

We do remember Typhoon Tyson and how extremely fast he was. Probably accuracy was a little sacrificed for speed ?

Endoscopy probably is a 'catch-all' description. But I have never know it used for the other end i.e - throat or oesophagus.

Pete ..... Thanks for congratulations ! Never too late. And, bearing in mind previous efforts, we are quite proud of our 26yrs this time.

Brian S .... although via e-mail rather than the 'comments' system, we likewise thank you for your congratulations and best wishes.!

Jill ..... You are right about the tiny bird being a Wren. Our bird-consultant Miles (nearly 8) said immediately "It's a Wren". He also identified some Geese I wasn't sure about as Greylag.

There often is a Sutcliffe Exhibition at Whitby. They are justifiably proud of him and lose no opportunity to exhibit... Sensible people because they always pull a goodly number of photographers. And I'm sure the hand-knitted Guernseys were a bonus. Or vice versa .....

Where we went today i.e. Hucknall Tesco there is a superb modern sculpture of a Miner. When the weather is better I'll take a photo for you. But today there was so little light you would have been able to see the finer points.



Tilly ..... Please don't spend hours searching for the 'Headstocks' picture. If you have sent it me once it must be on my computer too. And I've got more time than you.

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Quotation time ......

"He draweth out the thread of his verbosity

finer than the staple of his argument ....."

Shakespeare - Loves Labour Lost

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No real blog today.

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Happy Easter everyone !

I've had a really busy day. Over at BJ this morning for Millicent's fourth birthday, then Blood Test at 12.30pm, then computer jobs, sort out WebAlbums and WoW - Y stayed on at Burton Joyce

David and Sky and Brooke called in to bring us this lovely home-made Easter Cake. Helen was taking her Dad's car back.

Then Tracy brought Y back, and only now at 9.30pm have I had a window. But I am too tired to climb through it.

I shall respond to all your super comments tomorrow.

David and family set off tomorrow for their big Shropshire Holiday. Sleep tight !



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Good day at Clumber - Weather pleasant but coolish

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Even before we set off for our Wedding Anniversary day at Clumber I managed this quick picture of a Great Tit sitting just above the feeders, in the ornamental Rowan.

As you can probably remember I've been trying for sometime to get a halfway decent pic of one of these.

It isn't brilliant but, yet again, a record.

Their colouring is so strong it is difficult to quieten the contrast down a tad without rendering the picture completely wishy-washy.

We enjoyed a leisurely start to the day - why not? - we thought. It is our anniversary. When we reached Clumber we decided on lunch first followed by walk down to the lake, through the woods, then the walled garden and the glass-houses and finally back to the Restaurant for scone with jam and cream, plus tea. For our main meal we both decided on the fish-pie (an excellent decision because it was delicious) followed by bread & butter pudding and custard. One portion would have been enough for us both. But both courses were very good. Can recommend the Restaurant - and I noted the vegetarian options for Helen and Julian.

During our woodland walk I spotted and managed to capture a snap of this tiny bird. At first I thought it was a wren, but now I can see the photograph I am not sure. It is, I'm afraid a wobbly photo but perhaps enough for an ID. Any help, or ideas, would be welcomed.

When we arrived at the walled garden it was well worth the extended walk. And, with benefit of wheels, I managed with just one sit down. They really have extended my range quite dramatically. I'm so pleased for Yvonne's sake because she does so love a walk. My frequent camera-stops can irritate her but, overall, she is very patient with her patient.

We drove home the picturesque route, through Edwinstowe and hit the rush-hour in Mansfield Woodhouse. But a minor matter.

I've still got computer jobs to complete but they will just have to wait their turn.

My reponses to your previously posted comments

Yvonne ...... Going back to 50s cricket, the fast bowling was dominated by Freddie Truman and Brian Statham. If it hadn't been for them Derbyshire's Les Jackson would have collected many more England Caps. He deserved them.

David ...... You are quite right about 'endoscopy'. Merely a little poetic licence I'm afraid.

Bob ..... The Tesco kidneys sound a real bargain. But with most offal I have to be quite careful because Y can be a little picky re them.

I think Y eventually tracked down a list of 'players' in the Ashes series in question. But I know it wasn't easy. I bet she will provide a workaround though.

My 'giant leap forward' was a 'leap in the dark' to 'where the sun never shines'.

Rob ..... Talking about radio and sport - Y has just listened to Liverpool v Chelsea on BBC 5 live and loved every minute of it. From the other end of the house I could hear chortles, boos, and even applause ! She explored the idea of watching it live online but it would have involved paying Sky £2 and she didn't like the sound of that.

We must get little Den back on the blog and we must gentle him into being Dennis instead of Incy Wincy.

Jill .... My interest in football is about the same as yours, and it doesn't make us bad people. Looking out of my office-window I can see a beautiful moon - now that is interesting.

Hannah will be pleased with your comment about her teeth. She knows it will all have been worth it, when, as a a beautiful 16yr old she is flashing white bright smiles around !

So nice to have a blog-comment from her anyway. It stops us fogeys sinking too far into fogey-hood.

Coots can certainly be aggressive. I had a colleague (unfortunately no longer with us) Bernard John Clegg Coote and he was. - shall we say assertive ?

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Our EPS vice-chairman Tim Dawson works in the local Met.Office and he had previously e-mailed me information on the Beaufort Wind Scale - having picked up my interest from the blog.

He has written his own version for photographers. Please click here. I rate it as 'very funny' and an 'excellent piece of writing'. Congratulations Tim !

The © copyright remains strictly with him. And I can prove the date of publication.

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Quotation time ......

"Anything too stupid to be said is sung"

Voltaire

"Sleep tight - Catch you tomorrow"


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Tuesday Karen day - 55F SW at 8mph - Shopping

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Yesterday on our Codnor Reservoir walk we saw this Coot's nest. Obviously comfortable enough to sit in but not quite complete.

If we assume that Mrs Coot is sitting in the nest Mr Coot was bringing quite large reed leaves in his beak. These were graciously received by Mrs Coot who set them around her.

I wasn't lucky enough to snap the actual handing-over bit. Charming scene though.

Today we decided against a walk because of an 'obesity-clinic' appointment and we also decided against National Trust this evening. I'm waiting to see if the clinic change my warfarin dose and don't want to venture out unnecessarily. It is the first time for years when we haven't had to go.

The 'obesity-clinic' lady is very pleased with my progress. I have lost a further 2 kgs (4.40lbs) which she considers a good result. I have to go again in a fortnight but then it may be modified to monthly visits.

Picture 2 is the Ring doves in the Silver Birch tree and I'm not sure what to make of it. They are usually in pairs and I'm not sure Brinsley is ready for a dove 'Ménage à trois' just yet.

Virgin media problems continue, both TV and Broadband. Sometimes we have to shut-down and reboot several times a day

One of today's problems though was due, we think, to Karen being a little vigorous with the hoover at the back of the TV. In the absence of a picture, closer examination revealed a scart-lead detached. David has told us we really need a multi-jack scart lead to take stress away from the existing ones. We will get one on Friday. Tomorrow we are hoping to go to Clumber Park for our wedding-anniversary outing and a meal.

My responses to your previous comments

David ..... I 'googled' the Wineglass Dinghy and they don't look as nice as your Topper Buzz. In fact I thought that, in comparison to your boat, they look rather boring.

And I also looked briefly at the handicap system - but didn't pursue it.

Bob..... Hope all was well with your 'endoscopy' and they get to the bottom of it.

We intended to watch The Book Quiz over our mid-day meal. But please see above re Virgin problems.

Y had a good time googling Ashes series, and teams (players) names this morning. I think she is beginning to grasp the power of the internet.

I like your FA interest in soccer. Me too ! And No! I didn't rise to the dizzy rugby heights of Harlequins. My limit was playing for the Police (Notts) the RAF in Germany and here a County Trial (unsuccessful).

Jill ..... Celandines are no trouble to anybody and I can't understand the RHS's strictures. Creeping-Buttercup now IS a problem. We spent many hard hours eradicating it, or trying to, at our Derby Road house.

Reg has answered your mining queries so I won't go over the same ground.

Yvonne ..... Going over to Swarkestone to see David & Helen sailing, plus the girls would be very pleasant. We must mention it directly.

Reg ..... You make a very good point about the cost of tickets to first class Cricket in the 50s and before. My pocket-money wasn't large but I was able to go.

Being Derbyshire of course, Cliff Gladwin, Les Jackson and earlier Bill Copson were my schoolboy heroes. When the daily paper had been read I used to cut out the cricket results from the back page and paste them into an exercise book.

If Dennis comes on the blog we must tell him that, under the new rules, he will have to be Dennis now and not Incy Wincy.

Tilly .... Nice to have you back and hear your news Hannah. You are being very brave with regard to your teeth.

Glad you liked the 'headstocks' pictures. I seem to remember that you took a picture of Brinsley Headstocks for a competition and it did well. If it is easy for you to access it and you could e-mail it to me, I would be delighted to publish it on the blog.

It will be nice if you can meet up with the Long Eaton folks when you are in Dorset.

Pete .... Glad you liked the canal picture. I'm sure there will be more as the year progresses.

AnonymousHelen .... Kind of you to ring to explain the blogger.com-glitch. There seems to have been a lot of them just lately.

However, when you mentioned Julian in your last sentence, it was a sort of clue !

I agree with you about the nit-picking attitude to the 'listing' of the headstocks. I think we have all seen 'listed' buildings with quite modern windows in them for instance. Probably Bob knows much more about this than I do.

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Another cartoon form Squiffy's Multiple Scleroris website

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Quotation time .......

"There cannot be any more crises this week. My schedule is already full"

Henry Kissinger

and thanks again to Ray for this 'smiley' he knew the gears working would appeal


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Another Walk ! - Codnor Park Res - 57F 2mph S

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First things first and Picture 1 is one of Reg's very successful panoramas. The subject is the Headstocks at Clipstone Colliery. They are impressive aren't they? And famous for being the second highest in the world. The linked page shows an aerial view and tells you about it.

Picture 2 is Bob's 'Collage'.

Some, if not all the constituent pictures, were taken from the top deck of a bus travelling through the village.

As Jill hints in her comment, she will soon be Chiswick's leading authority on the Mining Industry.

This morning Y and I went for a walk at Codnor Park Reservoir and we both enjoyed it. The weather wasn't brilliant and the light wasn't exactly Californian but the fresh air was welcome. We heard and saw many birds, but nothing to top yesterday's tree-creeper.

Much of the wooded area was carpeted with 'celandines' which I personally consider more subtle than buttercups. The yellow is softer and the flowers more sophisticated. I note on the linked page however that the Royal Horticultural Society describes it as 'this invasive weed'. Well ... I suppose it is, in ones garden, but out in nature I rate it as 'delightful'.

Picture 3 (mine not theirs) illustrates.

I've still got PC problems but I've decided to shelve any remedial action till tomorrow. It is working well enough to function.

The blood-clinic rang to amend my warfarin dosage because the level is up to 4.7 again. It's doubtless due to the increased dosage on Fentanyl patches, previously mentioned.

My responses to your previous comments

David .... Glad you all had a good 'boating' time and the Topper Buzz does sound like fun. On the linked webpage it certainly looks fast and stylish. Just what you want.

Re Swarkestone Bridge Ancient Monument I can add nothing to the linked site. I was amazed to learn that the structure dates to the 14th Century ! Now that is going back a bit.

Bob .... Are Moorhens feet not webbed ? I've always considered them primarily water-birds.

BBC4 is an excellent channel I think. They are prepared to experiment. The editor's blog can be interesting.

I think the Humph/Barry Cryer 'horse' joke is superb. Y liked it too.

Yvonne ..... Excellent comment ! I knew about your long-standing athletics interest. And haven't you also mentioned 'speedway' ? The Sports Desk' will have problems keeping up with you.

I would love to have seen the Ashes Test with Miller and Lindwall. The only one I might have preferred was the one with the injured Dennis Compton soldiering on to a century.

Jill .... I certainly have never seen a 'wryneck'. I've managed a wrysmile now and again though.

We are all so glad you are soaking up all the mining stuff. They will be telling you about chucking packs on, and top-end supply gates next. Not being a miner I can only assume that 'headstocks' derives from the 'head' of the shaft which goes from the surface all the way down to the deepest bit of the mine.

It is truly amazing that do-gooders extend their stupidity as far as the relationship between sheepdogs and sheep. I agree with you that the new method of herding (or should it be flocking?) seems much more stress inducing.

Rob .... You know by now that I am with you 100% about spelling. What people have to say is far, far more important. In Shakespeare's time there was a much more casual approach. And is some modern teacher about to criticise his use of English.

With regard to Y and the 'offside' rule. Don't tempt providence. She'll 'google' it or 'wikipedia' it.

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Quotation time ..... I'm assured this was actually said by a commentater.....

"Ronaldo is always very close to being either onside or offside."


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"Sleep tight - Catch you tomorrow"


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Canal-side Walk - 54F - SW at 3mph - Steak and Chips

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We had a lovely walk this morning. Starting off at the Langley Mill end of the Nottingham/Cromford Canal - not a great distance but I managed it with only one stop for a sit down. We went outwards via the footpath and returned along the canal bank. This bridge is almost at the end of the walk. Lots of photogenic things and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Y was very patient because, being a rambler, she wants to stride purposefully forward.

There's been quite a lot of work down there too (still the same council) and small areas have been fenced off into wild-life friendly enclosures.

Talking of which I acquired a good specimen for my bird collection. A tree-creeper no less. If you look closely you can see what big feet he/she has.

He was creeping up a post however rather than a tree. The picture won't win any prizes - but I don't want it to, it's just a record-shot for my collection and to illustrate the blog.

We didn't see many people. Family with bicycles, families with dogs. men with dogs, a fisherman with fishing tackle ....that sort of thing .....

When we got home, after a sit, I cooked Steak, mushrooms, eggs, and chips. For pudding Y did hot Syrup pudding and Custard. Not very 'obesity-clinic' but it IS Sunday.

My responses to your previous comments

Rob .... Strange about the localised nature of the Virgin 'outage' as they called it. It was restricted to NG16 which must mean you aren't NG16 I suppose. Anyway, I was happy enough with my 'dongle' and quite enjoyed being sort of self-sufficient. And Vodafone were most helpful. I had a box flash up saying I had exceeded my limit. But I hadn't in fact, and a very helpful young lady, probably in India, talked me through upping my monthly limit from 50mbs to a respectable 2500mbs, at no extra cost.

I actually watched the Nimmo Brothers YouTube link which I posted and I liked them. Quite a grungy sound I thought, And they aren't kids which is nice.

Bob ...... Bad luck about the horses. But console yourself. If you had actually backed them, they would probably have lost.

I thought folks would like your 'bike on the pit-tip' collage. Such a poignant picture. Are you sure the cyclist's body isn't in the water ?

You are quite right about tonights's telly viewing. Thank goodness for BBC iPlayer and Catchup TV.

Re - Headstocks. Reg's explanation is first rate but I think Jill, and everybody else too, would like to see a shot of Clipstone's headstocks, dramatic as they are. You took some from the bus I seem to remember - if your impeccable filing system etc ......

Re - JBW. There is no fakir to stand comparison.

Jill .... Sound advice with the Kerria. Cutting back to ground level works wonders for many plants.

Glad you enjoyed the 'collage' and Reg's piece about 'headstocks' is faultless. It doesn't need adding to. And we all seem in agreement about pies too.....

And you are right about the sunshine. It lifts everyone's spirits. Particularly after such a long, hard, winter.

Yvonne ..... As you say, fancy you missing the internet ! Never thought ... ...

I know your approach to pain makes sense. But even you can't always control your face. And when your bursitis strikes, a big wince is inevitable.

I'm sure the Sports Desk will be pleased with your input. But shouldn't you be reporting ladies tennis and lacrosse and things like that. Rather than Soccer, Ice Hockey and Rugby League ! ...... I speak in jest ! And when you see Margaret Mulligan and have a snippet about Lachs .... you can WoW them all.

Reg ... Thanks for the spot-on explanation of 'headstocks'.

When I was at Langold, a pal of mine was the Engine-Wright. What a skilled job ! It's probably different now but in those days he had to work out how to stop the cage precisely at the bottom of the shaft. Or at different seams on the way down. This of course varied from time to time and ropes stretched, and shrank. And lives depended on his skill.

Like 4 ticks, son David had a temp. job at Northern Foods - to begin with, squirting hot jelly in the hole at the top of pork pies.

He went on to work for them full time and was making a good career for himself in management. Then he decided on a complete career change and now teaches Maths.

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I had a nice chat to David this morning and secured Sky's permission to use a few lines of her poetry. She has been collecting together 20 poems to send to her adult Poet friend who wants to see them.

She wanted to complete that assignment before I published anything. They are on holday now and on Friday morning are off to Shropshire with the Caravan. Here's hoping they have a lovely time and great weather.

Quotation time ......

"Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and the shadows will fall behind you"

Walt Whitman

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Out for a walk - 52F - 3mph SW wind

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I’m doing this in ‘Word’ because we still have no internet connection via Virgin, although I can get online with my Vodafone device.

As Y so expressively puts it “It is good when a man can rely on his dongle”.

Virgin/NTL has been off since early afternoon yesterday and although most helpful the engineer this morning said there were ‘issues’ in the area but it should be back on by 6pm. We shall see.

It has been a pleasant day and mild, but a cool breeze. We decided on a walk (with wheels) and went to one of our favourites – the old railway track which goes past the old ‘headstocks’. Our lovely council (not being sarky because they are generally good) have done much work in tidying-up and cutting-back. They have even gone to the expense of having hedges properly layered.

Due to starting in 'Word' it seems that the font is going to be all over the place but should be readable. The problem in completing today's post in 'Word' is access to your comments and the insertion of pictures.

Picture 2, much enlarged and cropped, is I believe, a Comma butterfly but am willing to give way to anyone who knows better.

I've tried to draw attention to where the commas protrude from the rear wings.

My responses to your previous comments

Jill .... Thank you for your kind comment and I'm glad you would do the same with regard to the Fentanyl. I know Bob is a 'grit your teeth and suffer' person and so is Sandra, but I'm not although Y has tendencies that way. I shall try to remain as sharp as poss.

Your "Old Age is not for wimps" is brilliant and will be stored in the RG Book of Aphorisms.

I went into the front garden this afternoon to take a closer snap of the kerria for Bob and different from yours, ours doesn't look very well at all. The foliage doesn't look in good spirits. Perhaps they have a limited life-span and ours must be quite old. Re the apparent 'arrangement' by the way - it was just two bunches split into 3 vases. It wasn't intentional because the buds were closed on purchase.

Bob ..... I think either version of the Sisyphus story will do.

Thanks for your further contribution to The Sports Desk. I really wish I knew what you are talking about. I'm more at home with Sisyphus and 'marching men up to the top of the hill and then marching them down again'.

Reg ..... Indeed - when is a pie not a pie ? I agree with you and your friend. A pie should have a top, bottom and sides. Maybe 'cottage pie' is 'the exception which proves the rule'. friend.

Nice to hear the inside story behind the picture. And to see your balusters etc., actually in being.

JBW .... Your 'medication' sounds worse than any of us. As Jill astutley remarked "Old age is not for wimps".

My grandmother however, used to say "A bit of pain is good for you, it lets you know you are still alive".

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Quotation time ......

"Pain is as diverse as man.

One suffers as one can."

Victor Hugo.....

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Funny Friday - Fentanyl increase - 57F 2mph SW

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The view from the office window is beginning to look more summer-y I think. The tree in the top left corner is one of our favourites and is breaking leaf most attractively in the afternoon sun. To complete the idyll the birds are singing away lustily and I have a window open.

This morning I had an appointment with Dr. Barrett and she was complimentary on my progress in obesity-clinic terms.

Re my continued aches and pains she has prescribed another increase in my Fentanyl patches. They kill the pain but the morphine has a strong soporific effect. - we talked it through and she is very matter-of-fact. The choice is between "pain relief and feeling dozy" or "being sharp snd suffering". As a coward I am going for the first option. Unfortunately the increase will probably send my INR blood-level haywire again. Oh, the pleasures of getting old.

This blog will be short I'm afraid due to computer problems. I can't get onto the normal household broadband, and neither can Y on her laptop. But fortunately I have my dongle and I am speaking to you from it.

Picture 2 is our Kerria, the yellow flowered shrub centre frame. Not yet in full bloom. Bob's Sandra had recently been seeking an ID and I thought their picture looked more like it than anything else.

Jill ..... Re the hall-table narcissus. They were bought. I know it is silly but we are always reluctant to cut garden ones. They last so much longer in the garden and are happier there.

There is so much variety in the genus. I always think the multi-headed ones have a stronger scent.

As Y remarks, the Steak pie you describe is exactly the one we have. Just got a pastry lid, no sides and bottom. Lovely meal and we share one and have lots of vegetables.

Yvonne ..... I know that Ruby and Elli are always very concerned that you have made me a jelly. How sweet of them to keep you on your toes.

Helen C .... Even though there weren't many pictures at EPS, it sounds as if you had a good time. I certainly hope that one of yours was selected. Being published on a calender must be an accolade.

The Spaghetti tree April Fool's day hoax was in 1957. You are far too young to have seen the original and remember it.

Bob ..... If you see 'Funny Friday mark 2' you will know I'm in original title trouble. It isn't really a problem anyway.

Your 'Sisyphus' remark camus a surprise to me. A snap of the hall-table will be taken when the light is right. I'm not lugging it into another room. But I shan't forget.

I suppose you are lucky to havePeacocks over-wintering in the garage. But don't they make an awful noise in the mornings?

Talking of cartoons you won't be surprised to learn that Matt has been voted 'Cartoonist of the Year' - again ! ...... We Telegraphees are lucky to have him.

Rob ..... Oh dear ! Poor Rob ! Both Y and I have heard of this happening before. Doesn't make it any easier though. I know that eventually you will get it all back but nobody likes being co-opted into an involuntary savings-scheme.

I'm sure you will enjoy the Nimmo Brothers. I've linked to a Youtube clip of them. Obviously the YouTube embargo on Music hasn't yet come into play.

Thanks for Sports Desk update. You've crammed a lot of information into a small space there my boy.

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Quotation time - triggered by the narcissus discussion ....

"The flower in the vase still smiles, but no longer laughs"

Malcom de Chazal

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Thoroughly good Thursday - 49F 5mph NE wind

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Past its best but still pretty.

By the way, if you ever wonder about the rather complicated blog-post titles this is the reason.

As a 3yr old blog, radiogandy now has 1,056 posts in the can. And I try each day to invent a 'never used before' title.

Both Y and I had a good night's sleep and it was pleasant to be back under my summer duvet. It's very thin, around 3 tog, which suits me. I'm not that keen on fluffy duck-down which seems to have a mind of its own and go all over the place.

Y is over at Burton Joyce and I have had a good rest. I'm not really ill or anything, just weary and achy. That looks wrong - should it be ache-ey ?

I haven't been completely idle though. In order to revert to a previous build of Picasa 3 I did a system restore on my PC and thereby undid my good work on uninstall/reinstall my Epson printer programmes. It wasn't a problem to repeat the work, just tedious. The Epson is now back to robust good health and scanning and printing like good 'un. Where would we be without Brian S's expertise in these matters?

These narcissus on the hall-table will have to go tomorrow but they have been a joy. Particularly at a certain time in the morning when they are lit by shafts of sunlight coming through the front door.

The hall-table btw is a family heirloom. It was made by my great grandfather who was the village carpenter in the village of Denstone in east Staffordshire, but close enough to Ashbourne for my grandma and grandad to do their courting. The family name, appropriately enough for a carpenter, was Wood.

Apart from computer-diddling I spent a pleasent afternoon exchanging e-mail badinage with Bob. Mainly on the subject of old age and forgetfulness. At least, I think I did - ha ha!..... And I also managed time on WebUser forums and the ex-coppers site where I'm a moderator - not an onerous job, we only have 80 members, mostly from the Mansfield area.

The last picture is a blue tit doing its own thing in one of our more distant trees and taken on my 70-300mm. By the time I had sorted out my x2 convertor, put the camera on a tripod, managed to find the blue tit and focussed - to use a good old cliché - the bird would have flown.

As I'm not going to the club this evening I am cooking a nice meal for Y to return to. Steak & kidney pie (M&S) with carrots, jacket potato, shredded spring greens and mushrooms. Thanks to Y, pudding will be mandarin orange jelly. and in deference to the obesity-clinic, no ice-cream.

My responses to your previous comments

Bob ..... All by yourself today - in the comments box. I know that, if I publish early it is often too early to fit in with Jill's day. Rob of course, bless him, is still at work and paying taxes to support us all.

The Chad always was a great user of clichés. When I used to read it, if there was a house-fire the house was always 'gutted'. I queried it once with a reporter and she didn't understand what I was talking about. The house in question had only suffered damage in one room. But, according to her, it had still been gutted.

This is a true mnemonic story. When I was in training we use to teach 'Bogger the BBC' to remember the reasons a child could be taken into safety. They stood for exposing to the risk of 'Buggery', Burning', 'Begging' and 'Cruelty'. A student, Paddy O'Flyn, emerged from an exam and said "I could remember the mnenomic 'Bollocks to the ITV' but I couldn't remember what the letters stood for".

We shall have to disagree about the radio play. Anyway 3 good laughs is good isn't it? When I consider some of the rot you watch on the telly I'm surpised you rated it 'school concert' level.

Lucky you with your Peacock butterfly. I saw one out of my bedroom window - I think it was a common-or-garden tortoiseshell - but too far away for a snap.

Well done with the 'collages' you e-mailed me, using the suggested 'picture pile' method. The only problem seems to be that you can't, as with the other methods, leave a space between each picture. I must have a further expreiment myself.

I too remember the spaghetti tree April Fool joke. A classic which I doubt has ever been bettered.

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Quotation time ......

"None are so busy as the fool and the knave"

John Dryden

"Sleep tight - catch you tomorrow"


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Abnormal Wednesday - Not WoW-ing - 54F and Mild

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Although I didn't WoW myself I wanted to open with this picture of Brian S's. As I said yesterday they visited Nottingham's canal and I guess this is some modern development of expensive waterfront apartments. They look good though.

I love the light. As a sucker for good architectural photos - if you throw in some water and reflections, not to mention a bit of foliage breaking up the sky in the corner, well .........

I took Y to the tram this morning as she was meeting Joan for lunch at The Bell, they secured their favourite table (previously booked) in the window overlooking the square and they had a great time.

On the bit of dual carriageway, just before turning into Phoenix Park tram station, I spotted this bed of wild primroses. So I went back after dropping Y.

Not since boyhood have I seen such an extensive bed. The Ashbourne ones always used to flourish on a particular slightly sloping bank. The genuine wild ones seem to enjoy a slight tilt to their environment. Guess it is to do with drainage.

Had a good day doing all sorts of things. Finished the Telegraph crossword, listened to the afternoon play which starred Ricky Tomlinson and Johnny Vegas -

A Question of Royalty - By Andrew Lynch

Two bungling losers, self-employed plasterers, blithely ignorant of the constitutional crisis their action could precipitate, steal The Queen's wedding certificate while working on the refurbishment of the Public Records Office

A funny play which I recommend if you listen to radio at all. Please click here

You might like the love-birds on the left.

It seems to have got to that time of year doesn't it ?

They will soon be at it up in Boughton I've no doubt. My x2 converter works, but focussing is a helluva problem. Without autofocus it seems very easy to get the twigs in front sharp and the birds fuzzy.

I've also fixed a couple of computer problems which I won't bore you with. It also came to my attention that Twitter is to restrict people to one tweet a day, and their word-count is 149 characters. Characters folks, not Words. (I suppose this also could be an April Fool's joke, but we don't 'twitter' so we don't know).

At my request Y has swapped my winter duvet for my summer-weight one. I hope I haven't been hasty.

Tomorrow Y is at Burton Joyce so I shall, as usual, do plenty of 'messing about'. I also think I may give EPS a miss and save myself for the following week when our young ladies Millie and Frankie are having the evening to themselves. It'll be standing room only.

My responses to your previous comments

Bob ..... I assume your Jessica story about 'gullible' was an April Fools day joke !

Re Collages - I think this is the answer. When you open 'collages', set 'picture pile'. With Picasa 3 you can left button and drag each picture to exactly where you want it to be. At the side of each picture is a red button, via this you can tilt and enlarge each constituent picture separately, and finish up with just what you want. Try experimenting with it. Let me know how you get on.

Yvonne ..... I think we were both fooled to begin with. Before we looked at the calendar.

Tracy ..... How nice of you to put in a guest appearance.

Jill .... I was fooled by almost all the news-stories. When I read about the fish generating electricity by twanging the wires I actually thought "They will hardly generate anything at all". I never thought April Fool. So I certainly was gullible !

The 'high up the ankle' boots are OK for walking in or sitting in. But dangerous to drive in. They are rather insensitive under-foot. As I've found, managing to depress accelerator instead of brake. I was in the drive fortunately. and immediately moved my foot.

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Quotation time ...... I've heard this one before but I don't think I've used it here...

"There is no reciprocity. Men love women, women love children, children love hamsters."

Alice Thomas Ellis

"Sleep tight - Catch you tomorrow"