quote:

---

Originally posted by St Everild:
What, no kettle? Shocking...

---

Absolutely. How can you possibly be properly British without a kettle????

You'll just have to stick with the GIN ...

There's apparently a fireworks display by the river at 8 o'clock (midnight your time), and if we can muster up the energy*, we might go and take a shufti.

In the meantime, Happy New Year to one and all.

* we shifted the big stuff out of the flat into D's office this afternoon with a bit of help from a couple of friends with a trailer, so we're a little bit knackered.

[ 31. December 2016, 22:33: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Happy New Year indeed!

I think I'll go and put the kettle on...

IJ
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
Happy New Year

I have a posh new kettle, a Dualit
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
The people for whom we're house-sitting have a fairly posh kettle (it's see-through!) but they haven't got a teapot!!!


We'll be bringing ours along tomorrow.

As I appear to have caught a cold, I've mostly been making Lem-sip, which doesn't need a teapot.

**cough cough sneeze snuffle snuffle**

eta: I've just re-read this and found I'd written "Lem-sip doesn't need a kettle" when I meant it doesn't need a teapot. Maybe I need more coffee ...

[ 01. January 2017, 15:02: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Happy New Year to all those in the land of my birth.

And yes, moonlitdoor, I love flowers - I haven't seen a snowdrop in over ten years but we do grow roses here.

The local kids were around [briefly] at about 10pm last night with some drums just outside my bedroom window but I slept through the fireworks at midnight.
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
Happy New Year!!

I have three arches ready for new climbing roses this year
 

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Posted by Sarasa (# 12271) on :
 
Happy New Year everyone. Like Piglet I have a cold, so the New Year was seen in with lemsip too.
I like the thread title. I planted some snowdrop bulbs in the autumn, but am not altogether hopeful they will actually appear.

[ 01. January 2017, 08:23: Message edited by: Sarasa ]
 

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Posted by Nicodemia (# 4756) on :
 
Happy New Year everyone!

I have all those flowers, prticularly foxgloves which seed themselves everywhere, but the bees love them!

And I have a kettle and a teapot.

And a toaster.


 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Ah! Tea, and Hot Buttud Toce! How very English..

(Shame about all the colds, though...).

IJ
 

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Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :
 
I've got all these both in the garden and my allotment, which is turning into an extension of my garden as much as a veggie plot - I am addicted to plants but haven't got much room or where there is space it's not the right conditions form what I've acquired. Last year (it feels strange writing that!) I took rose cuttings from front and back gardens, and also from wild ones in a hedge along a track leading up to the farm where I store my caravan and which will soon be hit by developers so I am keen to preserve those - I think most of the cuttings have survived, but will only really know in the spring.

I have a red electric kettle and a toaster, but my halogen oven is no more - the glass bowl cracked in two. So now I'm learning how to cook again - I got very lazy!
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
I have a solid-fuel range, so I cook on coal (or wood)!

Must go and check on the chicken, and baked potato.....

IJ
 

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Posted by St Everild (# 3626) on :
 
My kettle has 4 temperature settings....very useful for tea, coffee, filling my hot water bottle...and anything for which hot but not boiling water is required.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I think this may have been the quietest new year I've ever had* - we went to watch the early fireworks, which were very pretty, then D. went to sort a few bits and pieces in the office. He came home about half-past eleven and we caught the midnight countdown on CBC Atlantic, toasted the new year (me with wine, him with tea ) and went to bed.

I'd be ashamed to admit that over on the Scottish thread ...

* unless you count the time we heard the bongs on the radio as we were driving through the Blackwall Tunnel going from Kent to Essex ...
 

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Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :
 
Love the thread title and can't imagine a spring without snowdrops. for WW.

Happy New Year to everyone.

Nen - also coughing and spluttering.
 

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Posted by Pangolin Guerre (# 18686) on :
 
I actually don't own a kettle, even though I drink tea through the day. Years and years of living in apartments whose kitchens have often had "economical" storage space led me to purge my batterie de cuisine of unitaskers. I can do only one thing with a kettle, but many things with a pot. That said, once I finally settle down with a capacious kitchen, a dark blue whistling kettle sounds like just the thing.

On the subject of flora, in December 2011 I had the opportunity to hike a good chunk of the South Downs (vertigo on the Fulking Escarpment - good thing there was a pub for medication), and later to visit Wrest House. I surprised myself at my excitement to see holly and mistletoe in the wild (or, what passes for wild in England). Simple gift.

A happy 2017 to all!
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
Pangolin Guerre, does your tea not taste of garlic?

I'm one of these 'super smellers' and 'super tasters' and have an overblown sense of taste and smell. The number of times I have to rinse pots to remove tastes is silly. I can tell people what they were eating hours ago.

In another life I could have been Jo Malone (rich perfumier who, like me, was also dyslexic with the brain being better than most at smelling and tasting - but, unlike me, used those talents to great advantage)
 

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Posted by Pangolin Guerre (# 18686) on :
 
Well, Boogie, that's an interesting question. My uninteresting response is no, the tea doesn't taste of garlic. I do have a highly developed sense of taste, but I'm certainly not a super-taster, so you might detect something that would elude me. In addition to the state of my sense(s), it might have something to do with the pot's finish being a non-stick stainless steel, so, if properly washed soon after use, *shouldn't* retain any residual flavours or aromas.

Any metallurgists and/or biochemists want to weigh in?
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Whenever we fly with Air Canada (and we really have very little choice) D. complains that they've made the tea in pots that were previously used for making coffee and inadequately rinsed in between.

I avoid the issue by drinking GIN.

We got about a foot of sn*w last night, and I was v. impressed by the efficiency with which D. applied the sn*w-blower - you'd think he'd been doing it all his life.

After clearing very nearly all the rest of the stuff from the flat (just one more trip should do it) we had a lovely lazy evening watching re-runs of proper Top Gear (the trip across India) and James May's Cars of the People, probably the things we missed most about not having television since July.
 

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Posted by moonlitdoor (# 11707) on :
 
I was glad to see your kettle/teapot edit. I thought at first you mean that lemsip is taken cold in Canada, which is not particularly appealing.
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
Happy New Year everyone.

We got back to Paris early this morning on the night train from foie gras land.

As ever, the new year's menu chez rouge (in the interests of honesty, I didn't have much to do with this. I am following in my mother's footsteps of sitting on the sofa and letting the man of the house do the cooking for important posh meals on account of him being better at it and enjoying it more):

Amuse-bouche: crayfish mousse
Entrée: tartare of scallops served on a bed of lentils with citrus and vanilla vinaigrette
Plat de résistance: veal medallions with flash-fried foie gras
Selection of cheese
Dessert bought at the patissier's by the outlaws

Wines: champagne for the apéritif and dessert and a cru class Chablis for the rest.

Now back in Paris and giving the liver and digestion a rest.
 

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Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :
 
Happy New Year everyone.

quote:

---

Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
Now back in Paris and giving the liver and digestion a rest.

---

Is that maybe the only time that phrase has ever been used?

MotherinElmet makes her own mincemeat and we've finally got around to having her signature cut-and-come-again bakewell-ish mince pie. Yum.
 

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Posted by Sarasa (# 12271) on :
 
Son, the ace cook, went home today, but not before making a rathe splendid apricot and frangipane tart with the apricots in amoretto I'd brought on a whim from M&S.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
That sounds rather wonderful Sarasa. Apricots are one of my favourite fruits.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
La Vie, can we come over to yours for New Year next year?

I went slightly into Domestic Goddess Piglet mode this morning, and made a batch of chicken stock and some French sticks, discovering en route that our friends' oven doesn't behave in quite the same way as the one in the flat did; when the usual baking time was up, they were decidedly pale, so I'll have to do a spot of timing adjustment.

We cleared the rest of the stuff from the flat this afternoon and bade it farewell. I couldn't honestly say we'll miss it (although its shower is vastly superior to either of the ones in our friends' house), but it did us all right when we needed it.

We've had another offer* on the former Château Piglet, and our estate agent says the potential buyer wants all the documents signed as soon as possible, which is sounding (whisper it) almost promising. Cross everything crossable!

* Not a particularly good offer, but probably the best we can hope for
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
Fingers, toes and paws crossed Piglet!
 

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Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
Not to mention little trotters.
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Stewed trotters (crossed or not) go nicely with a smidgin of cheese...



IJ
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Go away, BF.

Documents signed, and D's just faxing or scanning them or something to our agent.

Now we're going out for a spot of breakfast.
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
We are also looking for a new chez rouge. We’re in no great hurry because we’re not in the street, but we would like to live somewhere bigger and quieter. We visited a place yesterday that might be not bad but only if the owner is prepared to negotiate. It’s a 1970s building and the kitchen and bathroom have never been done up since. Think orange faux marble. But if she’s prepared to come to an arrangement to replace the worst of the ugliness we would be interested.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
... It’s a 1970s building and the kitchen and bathroom have never been done up since ...

---

But is the bathroom avocado?

Our first house had a hideous orange bathroom suite ("Sun King" they called it ), and when we were house-hunting the second time I swore we wouldn't even look at anything that wasn't white. We ended up with avocado, and because it was in working order, D. wouldn't consider having it replaced.

Good hunting!
 

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Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:

quote:

---

Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
... It’s a 1970s building and the kitchen and bathroom have never been done up since ...

---

But is the bathroom avocado?

Our first house had a hideous orange bathroom suite ("Sun King" they called it ), and when we were house-hunting the second time I swore we wouldn't even look at anything that wasn't white. We ended up with avocado, and because it was in working order, D. wouldn't consider having it replaced.

Good hunting!

---

My Dad has a Hideous Orange bathroom suite; a few years ago he was thinking of giving it a makeover. Rather than changing the suite, he gave his odd job bloke free rein. The room currently has fully artexed walls, one of which is sky blue, another, moss green.

[ 03. January 2017, 16:37: Message edited by: ArachnidinElmet ]
 

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Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
To change the subject: you couldn't make this up - could you?
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
It's a pity the motor-cyclist's friend didn't have a bathroom like Arachnid's Dad. The pickled-egg-devouring chap would have sicked them up nicely before leaving, had he needed the loo...

IJ
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
In the early 80s we had a navy blue bathroom suite just like this one. Awful - it showed every little fleck of toothpaste.


 

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Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
It's a pity the motor-cyclist's friend didn't have a bathroom like Arachnid's Dad. The pickled-egg-devouring chap would have sicked them up nicely before leaving, had he needed the loo...

IJ

---

Good point. I may suggest he use it in the public service as a cost effective replacement for stomach-pumping...
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
As long as he makes a small charge for his services, so that eventually the £££ accrued will pay for another make-over...

I recall looking at a house for sale many moons ago. It was a typical little 'two-up, two-down' terraced property in a quiet side street. Every wall and ceiling in the house, along with the woodwork, was painted white, giving the whole place a wonderfully light, austere, but almost monastic atmosphere.

The then current Mrs. BF didn't like it, so we didn't buy it. She preferred magnolia ..



IJ
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I was looking at the estate agents' web-site last night for candidates for the next Château Piglet, and the one that fitted all our main criteria (number of bedrooms, bathrooms, appliances etc.) had a couple of bedrooms that had obviously been inhabited by Small Persons, and had hideously-coloured walls.

I think we'd have to have a painting party before we moved in ...

In other news, soup has been manufactured, and Therapeutic Cat Time™ has been observed.
 

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Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
The one that fitted all our main criteria () had a couple of bedrooms that had obviously been inhabited by Small Persons.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
The one that fitted all our main criteria () had a couple of bedrooms that had obviously been inhabited by Small Persons.

---

For a moment there, I thought you meant mice!

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by St Everild:
You can always redecorate, you know!

---

Oh, absolutely. I'm still hanging on to a vague (and very possibly vain) hope that the house we originally offered for might just have been taken off the market because the owners were fed up with trying to sell it, which would be lovely, as it doesn't need anything doing to it at all.

However, if we have to re-paint, so be it. As you say, magnolia (or similar) hides a multitude of sins.

BT - I should have been more specific - I meant children, not mice ...
 

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Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
A beautiful sunny morning with frost on the ground. And the boys have returned to school today - heavenly! So I thought I'd pop in and say hello and happy new year
No new house here but our old one is looking very run down and I'm trying to convince my other half to let me loose with a paint brush downstairs.
De-cluttering in the kitchen this morning, followed by an afternoon of study (part time masters in ed, my last year of 3 thank goodness). And bible study group resumes this evening after a break.
 

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Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 
Your beautiful frost on the ground made a hard frost on the windows of the Sionimobile. We have this off to a fine art, even on a bitter morning, but we were still delayed by enough for me to miss my hoped for bus connection. Ho hum, I get free buses later this year if I'm spared and there are still any buses.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Hello Heavenly Anarchist - long time no see!

We have the most glorious silver frost at the moment - every tree is covered in white frost, and if you catch them with the sun in the right direction, every little twiglet sparkles as though it were encased in diamonds.
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Another frosty day here, with a frosty night now under way...my poor Cycling Men looked a bit sorry for themselves earlier, but a little dead-heading has improved matters, and there are lots of buds ready to blossom!

I always find January to be the looooooongest month of the year - once February arrives, one feels that Spring is at least on the bus, if not yet arrived. Mind you, not everyone thinks that way:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eT40eV7OiI&nohtml5=False

IJ
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
... I always find January to be the looooooongest month of the year ...

---

When I worked in the UK, January was always a long month - in Belfast we were paid on Christmas Eve, and, depending on how the days of the month fell, pay-day in January could be as much as six weeks after pay-day in December.

I thought it would be a bit weird being paid fortnightly when I worked in Newfoundland, but it was actually preferable - pay-day was every other Thursday, no matter how the calendar was organised.

Thanks, for the Flanders & Swann link, BF - I enjoyed that.
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Flanders and Swann were always good value. Thanks.
 

---

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
When I worked in the UK, January was always a long month - in Belfast we were paid on Christmas Eve, and, depending on how the days of the month fell, pay-day in January could be as much as six weeks after pay-day in December.

---

When I lived in Portugal many years ago, I discovered that annual pay was divided up into thirteen parts. This meant that you got "normal" pay every month, but a double dollop in December. The total pay was the same, but it certainly tided people over Christmas. I don't know if they still do this.
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
A “thirteenth month” is quite common in France. My last place of employment had one, divided up into two bits, paid in June and December.

Back to our favourite topic (food ): husband en rouge has spent his Christmas money on Auguste Escoffier’s recipe book, updated by a couple of chefs to be workable in a modern kitchen. I am deeply excited about this, although my arteries should probably be quite worried. How much butter can one human being ingest?
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
My son had a 'thirteenth month' in Germany. A great idea!

We had the opposite when I started teaching - double salary in July, none in August - a terrible idea!

Today we have drizzle, drizzle, drizzle - so the puppy's training involved a garden centre which has a nice covered outside bit to practice lead walking and some cafe training - my favourite 🐾🐾
 

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Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
How much butter can one human being ingest?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:

quote:

---

Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
How much butter can one human being ingest?

---

Surely the question should be, "How much butter can one human being ingest and survive?"

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sipech:
You could always try creating your own thirteenth month. It's kind of how I save for Christmas.

Every month I squirrel away a bit of money into a separate bank account and don't allow myself to make any withdrawals from that account. Only when I start my Christmas shopping (usually around October) do I use it to pay off my credit card bills. That way, the money doesn't come out in huge chunks from my monthly disposable income.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
... How much butter can one human being ingest?

---

How much have you got?

I know I'm always wittering on about Costco ready-cooked chickens (and they are indeed excellent), but the food that our friends have instructed us to use up included a couple of (very) small frozen chickens, so today I decided to have a go at roasting one.

I got a hold of a Blessèd Delia recipe that involved lemon, garlic and thyme and chunks of onion and potatoes roasted round the chicken and it really was as easy as falling off a log. Definitely a "keeper". Although it only fed us once (at under 1kg it really wasn't very big), I turned the bones into a couple of cartons of stock, so we'll get soup and a casserole out of it too.

On the subject of saving for Christmas, I'm utterly rubbish at saving for anything, but when Belfast got a Tesco's their club-card points paid for our Christmas lunch on at least one occasion.

There's a pharmacy chain over here called Shoppers' Drug Mart, and their loyalty card builds up quickly enough that it doesn't take long to have a useful accumulation of points (which can be spent in multiples of $10 or $30). This is a very good thing, as it's ridiculously easy to rack up a $30 bill.
 

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Posted by Pangolin Guerre (# 18686) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by la vie en rouge:

husband en rouge has spent his Christmas money on Auguste Escoffier’s recipe book, updated by a couple of chefs to be workable in a modern kitchen

---

Was it Ma Cuisine? This very evening I posted about Ma Cuisine on a different site. As I noted there, it was intended for the bourgeois household, but to my reading, it still required an equipe* of three commis* under Madame's command. I would be interested in seeing how the update reads, which recipes were omitted (my 30+ year old edition was 900+ pages), and how the surviving ones were adapted.

*Because I've been admonished previously:
Trans: equipe = lit. team; in this context, those collectively under the chef.
commis = a subordinate; sing. and pl. look the same
 

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Posted by M. (# 3291) on :
 
We save Nectar points for Christmas food as well - we had about £200 last year, not a negligible* sum.

M.

*spellchecker changed that to 'negligee' at first!
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
When I started to claim my UK state pension, I was thrilled to discover that it was paid every four weeks!

At one stage Mr. S was paid on the 28th of the month and I was paid on the 15th - that worked very nicely. When I moved to a company that paid on the 6th, that was fine too, until you left, when you suddenly discovered how broke you were!

Mrs. S, no longer gainfully employed
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by St. Gwladys:
Last year I tried saving weekly 10p the first week, 20p the second, etc. I needed £100 in cash a hurry so didn't finish the year, but I've started again this year.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:
Well, this implies that, in week 52, you are saving £5.20! The total must therefore be around £140.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Boogie:

quote:

---

Originally posted by St. Gwladys:
Last year I tried saving weekly 10p the first week, 20p the second, etc. I needed £100 in cash a hurry so didn't finish the year, but I've started again this year.

---

Please do the sums for me - what does that add up to?

---

It depends. If you double the amount each week, rather than increase it by 10p, it gets very big very fast. Day 3 = 40p, Day 4 = 80p, Day 6 = £1.60 and so on. After a few months you will be saving something close to the budget deficit.

[ 07. January 2017, 18:07: Message edited by: Sioni Sais ]
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Please, what is this thing called say-ving of which you speak?



IJ
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
I saw someone down here advocating putting aside $52 the first week of the year. $51 the second and so on. That would be a substantial amount by end of year but somewhat of a shock to the system to begin with.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I'm delighted to report that my faith in Great British Comedy has been restored. Last night, BBC Canada broadcast a "marathon" of a show called Upstart Crow, written by Ben Elton and featuring David Mitchell as Shakespeare. Think Blackadder meets Shakespeare in Love and you're about there; it was so enjoyable I sat up until a very silly time of night* watching it.

Our clear-out of our friends' fridge continues apace: there was a big load of broccoli and some Stilton, so, having found a book called The Soup Bible, I decided to test D's Soup Theory** and made broccoli and Stilton soup, which, accompanied by some home-made bread, was really very good.

* so silly, in fact, that I realised I'd have to get up in a couple of hours to feed the cat.

** D. reckons one of the marks of a good restaurant is that they can make soup he likes from ingredients he doesn't. He doesn't like broccoli and I don't particularly like Stilton.
 

---

Posted by Stercus Tauri (# 16668) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:


** D. reckons one of the marks of a good restaurant is that they can make soup he likes from ingredients he doesn't. He doesn't like broccoli and I don't particularly like Stilton.

---

I don't know about restaurants, but he's dead right where our kitchen is concerned. I don't like broccoli, do not care for parsnips and loathe sweet potatoes, but a couple of days ago I made a good thick winter soup with all of them, plus potatoes and some spices, crumbled blue cheese on top, and It Was Good.
 

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Posted by Nicodemia (# 4756) on :
 
Glad someone else loathes sweet potatoes! I always feel such a yokel when I read foodie articles - they are apparently the route to healthy heaven if you believe what they write!
 

---

Posted by Sarasa (# 12271) on :
 
Glad you liked Upstart Crow Piglet. The one where he thought he saw Banquo's ghost had me roaring out loud.
I still have the horrible virus that's been going round, so am having a lazy morning rtaher than goign to church and coughing over everyone.
 

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Posted by M. (# 3291) on :
 
Humour really is in the eye of the beholder, isn't it? Neither Macarius nor I liked Upsatart Crow at all!

Urgh - thinking about trying to get to work tomorrow. I am trapped by Southern Rail. I am one of the lucky ones in that my work does not mean I have to be in dead on time, my boss is very supportive and I can work from home. But I get a knot in my chest as I walk to the station and am near to tears not knowing what will be happening with the trains each time. And tomorrow we have the joy of an underground strike on top, so I will have to walk from the mainline station to work (which is fine, except I'm carting my laptop and papers around with me everywhere at the mo, in case I can't get in).

A plague on both their houses!

M.
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Indeed - if only (a) government, and (b) union bosses all had to rely on public transport....

Sarasa, what you have, I'm afraid, is The Dreaded Lurgy. There is only one cure, and (as I may have remarked elsewhere) it has only one malt in it. May TDL soon be gone....

I've just noticed that outside, in the Wide World, there is a great big Round Yellow Thing shining in the sky...

IJ
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
....the big Round Yellow Thing is not , I think, the Star of the Magi...

...but they'd welcome it in Greece, which, along with many other parts of Europe today, is very cold indeed.



IJ
 

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Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :
 
I wasn't convinced by Upstart Crow either, but lots of people disagree, as obtaining the tickets for the recordings has moved from lots or reminders to one reminder and a lottery allocation.

I saw two Epiphany concerts yesterday - an afternoon concert from the BBC Singers conducted by Sofi Jeannin with a very Scandinavian themed selection at St Paul's, Knightsbridge. She is currently director of Chorus of Radio France, the French equivalent of the BBC Singers. I wasn't impressed by the Anders Hillborg piece muosaaeyiyosoum* but the rest was amazing. This one will be broadcast next week sometime.

The second concert was by Porcupine Production in St James's Piccadilly which opened with the 2015 winner of A Carol for Christmas, Christmas Bells by Jo Nicholls and another modern carol Could it be Christ? by Emily Hazrati, well performed by a female ensemble. Britten's The Journey of the Magi wasn't great because the counter-tenor wasn't up to it, followed by Britten's A Ceremony of Carols sung by the female group in I guess the SSA version. The second half was Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors which I hadn't come across before, but was charming - a one act operetta about the Magi.

And I got to see the Serpentine Gallery and the Zaha Hadid exhibition.

I'm dreading tomorrow too - my journey is reliant on the underground and is going to necessitate catching the 6:09 bus for starters, followed by two other buses.

* according to the composer it doesn't mean anything, it's a vocalisation of phonetics to get a sound to set to music.

eta sort out coding

[ 08. January 2017, 13:01: Message edited by: Curiosity killed ... ]
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
... [in] many other parts of Europe today, is very cold indeed.

---

A FB friend is on holiday in Annecy at the moment, having decided to go now because her holiday in the autumn was a washout, and she posted pictures of snow this morning.

Best of luck to those of you who have to get about tomorrow morning - your transport system seems to be sadly lacking at the moment.
 

---

Posted by Tree Bee (# 4033) on :
 
I really enjoyed Upstart Crow, but then I'm not Shakespeare's biggest fan.
Travelling mercies for those struggling to w**k tomorrow.
 

---

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
I have an unwell child at home with a stomach upset. I'm not feeling brilliant myself (still not completely shaken off my viral chest infection which laid me up over Christmas) so it's going to be a very lazy day round here with some crochet. I need to do a little work online with my students but I'm working up to that this afternoon.
Some of my Tudor re-enactment friends really enjoyed Upstart Crow so I might look into it.
 

---

Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :
 
I'm getting fed up of calls from "talktalk" - I've had two in the last hour. The first caller told me my internet was going to be down for 15 days and was rather nonplussed when I just treated that calmly and she put the phone down on me. The second told me there was a problem with my router and they could arrange for an engineer to look at it, free of charge. They put the phone down when I told them I was disabled and couldn't get upstairs to switch the computer on. Mind, when I said that to another caller last week, he called me "liar" and put the phone down.
Lord P was home over Christmas and has built a "virtual computer" - haven't a clue how - but kept a caller on the line for over an hour last week before telling them that he was looking at all their files!
Does anyone else have good tactics for dealing with these calls? (This could almost be a thread in itself!)
 

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Posted by Sarasa (# 12271) on :
 
Boo to annoying calls from 'computer' firms St. Gwladys. Luckily we don't seem to get too many of those things, though we kept on getting a recorded one for, I think, windows, that started 'with winter coming..' I put the phone down before they got any further.
I'm trying to ignore this annoying virus and went for a longish walk today, sorting out an audiology appointment and signing up to a calligraphy class on the way, all of which made me feel vituous.
I'm now going to settle down to watch Father Brown and do some knitting.
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
My late Auntie Ethel, on receiving calls trying to sell her double-glazing etc. etc., would express keen interest for some minutes, and then say that she would have to go and consult my Uncle Tom. Half-an-hour later, she would return, only to find (no surprise) that the cold caller had long ago got even colder, and rung off.

At the time when she was receiving these nuisance calls quite frequently, Uncle Tom had been lying quietly in his grave for several years....

Of course, she could have just put the phone down on the cold caller, but she had a curious sense of humour....

IJ
 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
My late Auntie Ethel, on receiving calls trying to sell her double-glazing etc. etc., would express keen interest for some minutes, and then say that she would have to go and consult my Uncle Tom. Half-an-hour later, she would return, only to find (no surprise) that the cold caller had long ago got even colder, and rung off.

At the time when she was receiving these nuisance calls quite frequently, Uncle Tom had been lying quietly in his grave for several years....

Of course, she could have just put the phone down on the cold caller, but she had a curious sense of humour....

IJ

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by St. Gwladys:
Does anyone else have good tactics for dealing with these calls? (This could almost be a thread in itself!)

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by St. Gwladys:
I'm getting fed up of calls from "talktalk" - I've had two in the last hour. The first caller told me my internet was going to be down for 15 days and was rather nonplussed when I just treated that calmly and she put the phone down on me. The second told me there was a problem with my router and they could arrange for an engineer to look at it, free of charge. They put the phone down when I told them I was disabled and couldn't get upstairs to switch the computer on. Mind, when I said that to another caller last week, he called me "liar" and put the phone down.
Lord P was home over Christmas and has built a "virtual computer" - haven't a clue how - but kept a caller on the line for over an hour last week before telling them that he was looking at all their files!
Does anyone else have good tactics for dealing with these calls? (This could almost be a thread in itself!)

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by St. Gwladys:
Does anyone else have good tactics for dealing with these calls? (This could almost be a thread in itself!)

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sipech:

quote:

---

Originally posted by St. Gwladys:
Does anyone else have good tactics for dealing with these calls? (This could almost be a thread in itself!)

---

My tactic is to try to talk to the human being on the other end, and ask them about their hopes, dreams, ambitions, fears. Ask them if they really wanted to be a call centre worker and if not, what was stopping them from pursuing an alternative career. None thus far have ever engaged. But in my heart of hearts, I have a hope that I've prompted one or two resignations in favour of a more worthwhile job.

---

Hmmmm, my niece worked in a call centre. She was a student at the time financing her degree. She now has a PhD and an excellent job.

Not all of them will lack ambition.



 

---

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :
 
Lots of call workers know it's a rotten job but they don't have a huge amount of option instead of this one, so talking to them about how bad a job is isn't that great.

TalkTalk say that the router thing is a scam and how to report it.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Not sure how true this is, but I'm told that many firms' call centres are in India (I think BT is one), and that jobs in such centres are highly sought after, and comparatively well-paid.

On the odd occasion I've had to contact BT (failing Broadband, problems with billing), I've received nothing but the utmost courtesy and practical help from the person at the call centre.

Not the same as the unwelcome cold callers, of course!

IJ
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
A chap we used to know had quite an effective cold-caller strategy: "This is Smith the butler speaking; I'm afraid His Lordship is unavailable at the moment".


For reasons I can't explain, I felt ridiculously sleepy this morning (it's not even as if I was particularly busy yesterday or didn't sleep well), so apart from baking a batch of loaves and feeding the cat, I've had a very lazy day.

I suppose I could use the excuse that my body's still fighting the cold I developed after Christmas ...

It was a beautiful, sunny day, but the temperature never got above -15° so it was quite nice not to have to do anything.
 

---

Posted by Stercus Tauri (# 16668) on :
 
The "Do not call" list is reasonably effective for filtering out legitimate, but unwanted, calls here, so it's fairly safe to assume that most cold calls are scammers, and I have numerous simple minded ways to amuse myself while discouraging them. The latest one exploits the fact that I have a phone in the garage close to the table saw, so I politely ask the caller if he would just hold on a moment while I finish a small job that I am doing. It makes a diabolical noise. The drawback is that being somewhat deficient of short term memory, I don't always remember to put the phone back after the poor caller has deserted his post.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Another method, which I admit I haven't tried, might be to simply announce to the cold-caller (in doleful tones) that you've Just Died....

Meanwhile, our current spell of mild weather is likely to be succeeded later in the week by SNOW!

Probably not the many inches known in pigletland, but even a light dusting (think icing sugar) brings this part of the UK to a halt....

IJ
 

---

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
Stewed trotters (crossed or not) go nicely with a smidgin of cheese...



IJ

---

From Piglet: Go away, BF.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4NWehvRjOs
 

---

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by St. Gwladys:
Lord P did a stint as a door to door canvasser for an agency collecting for Hadith and got sacked because he didn't pull in enough pledges over a certain amount per month. He now does what you'd like to do, Sipech, if he's in when we get someone at the door.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Galloping Granny:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
Stewed trotters (crossed or not) go nicely with a smidgin of cheese...

---

From Piglet: Go away, BF.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4NWehvRjOs

---

Also from Piglet: Go away, GG. Poor little piggy.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Moo:
Piglet, how are you and D getting along with the cat?

---

Not bad at all - she's a very easy cat to get on with, and while she miaows and looks expectantly at the cupboard where the cat-food is whenever we come into the house, she seems to have taken reasonably well to us and is happy for us to stroke or comb her.

Yesterday she was miaowing at the cupboard, looking for treats, and I said, "what part of 'no' don't you understand?" She miaowed again, and D. said, "what part of 'miaow' don't you understand?"

She has us totally wrapped around her finger (paw?); we usually end up giving in and letting her have a treat when she shouldn't, so she's going to be the size of a small elephant by the time her usual humans come back ...

[ 10. January 2017, 21:56: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Well, it's true what they say - 'Dogs have owners, but Cats have staff!'



IJ
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Absolutely, BF.

Everybody told me when I was feeling apprehensive about looking after Tabby that I'd probably fall in love with her and be wanting one of our own by the time her humans came back. I'm not quite at that stage, but I will admit to becoming quite fond of her - she's really quite nice ... for a cat.


 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
If you do end up being employed by a cat, make sure it's not a marmalade cat. Every time you look at her/him, s/he'll remind you of Trump's Hair.



Enjoy, anyway! I rather like cats (well, I admire them, which is not quite the same thing, but, alas, I'm allergic to their fur - and have twice ended up in A & E as a result... ).

IJ
 

---

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 

quote:

---

]Also from Piglet: Go away, GG. Poor little piggy.
[/QB]

---

Don't be concerned for dear little Piggy Sue. Now a big girl, she is living out her happy life at the home of an admirer in the country, after charming the whole of New Zealand. Her Human, in this ad, isn't hiding her future fate from her, but the dreadful things that happen to other pigs.
I think I've posted the original ad before, but I'll find it again after breakfast (I really slept in today!)

GG
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Possibly piglet was feeling sorry for the piggy who had been roasted...



IJ
 

---

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 
This is slightly changed from the original ad – I haven't seen it quite like this
on TV.
Found an Irish version too – different accents, different landscape. Such fun!

GG

[ 12. January 2017, 09:41: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
Boogielet2 is home for a few days. He's a pilot and every few months they have to do simulator flights, to practice a wide variety of issues from fires in the hold to undercarriage not working etc etc which they can't practice in real life. He lives in Bristol but the simulators are in Manchester so he stays at hotel Boogie.

It's good to have him here - but I forget just how much these youngsters EAT!! I've made two loaves a day this week and still need to do another

(And I don't eat bread at the moment due to my no-carb diet!)
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Hmm...perhaps five (barley) loaves, and two small fishes might suffice?

Meanwhile, it's a real Dismal Desmond of a Day here - no SNOW! (yet), but pouring down with rain. Spring seems a long way off still!

At least if we do get SNOW!, I'm well stocked up with biscuits, soup, potatoes, and wine...

IJ
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Galloping Granny:
This is slightly changed from the original ad – I haven't seen it quite like this
on TV.
Found an Irish version too – different accents, different landscape. Such fun!

GG

---

I'm sorry GG but your link to that advert seems to be malfunctioning - it won't play for me or for others but I can't see any obvious errors in the coding.

Would you care to have another go, please?
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
...and Pete went mad in a bookstore!

Never take a librarian [albeit retired] to a bookstore! He wanted to pull the whole place apart and put all the books back in Dundridge Digit order, or something. As it was he settled for spending a small fortune on acquiring 4 new books to read in the plane on the way home...

...but has since admitted that he may start on them before he leaves.

Self control is not his strongpoint!

I, of course, restrained myself because of my nature being so -ic, but it all reminded me that I have yet to put my monthly money in my Kindle account

However, I did spend a not particularly small fortune on cheese including some Chilli Sambal Ruscello, which is like a rather pleasant spicy sort of version of Gouda.

Yum yum.

A good time was had by Pete and I last night when we went to the performance night at the local temple festival here in the village - the whole programme was really well presented with a mixture of theyyam and thiruvadiyar traditional dance styles, all danced by locals - the temple itself is well known but not enormous having never been fully rebuilt since it was sacked by Tipu Sultan of Mysore back in the late 18th century.

We didn't eat the free food on offer as we had already had supper but when a young neighbour boy brought me a paper cup of payasam, a sort of rather delicious pudding, I did force it down so as not to upset the lad. I'm good like that, always thinking of others.



Now I think it is approaching my bedtime, I can't do two late nights in a row these days.

[edited to correct appalling spelling error!]

[ 12. January 2017, 15:04: Message edited by: Welease Woderwick ]
 

---

Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :
 
We actually had s**w today - thankfully, it was big, wet flakes which didn't stick.
I was in my Welsh lesson at the time, and we have a great view over the valley. Strangely enough, the topic was the weather, so we could legitimately say "Mae'n bwrw eira" - it's snowing.i
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Well, we call it SNOW! in Estuary English, and we've got it now....about an inch of the bl**dy stuff. More worrying for some, though, is the threat of a tidal surge and flooding along parts of the East Coast...



I just hope WW enjoys his cheese.

IJ
 

---

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Galloping Granny:
This is slightly changed from the original ad – I haven't seen it quite like this
on TV.
Found an Irish version too – different accents, different landscape. Such fun!

GG

---

I'm sorry GG but your link to that advert seems to be malfunctioning - it won't play for me or for others but I can't see any obvious errors in the coding.

Would you care to have another go, please?

---

I think it might have been taken off, Even the Irish version (perhaps it was earlier?) that came up this time is about cellphone coverage. I'll have one more shot.
There is a TV interview of a larger (3 months later) Piggy Sue in her permanent home with the Milnes – Kevin Milne is a familiar senior TV journalist/presenter.
You may try googling piggy sue
If she's gone, I shall miss her. And unless VodaFone initially made a series of ads all at once there must have been more piglet TV stars. She is an English Large White and fully grown will be HUGE.

GG
 

---

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 
Result of Googling piggy sue

I like using Preview because I get such a nice Thank You.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
piggy sue!

Thanks, GG...

IJ
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Galloping Granny:
Result of Googling piggy sue

I like using Preview because I get such a nice Thank You.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
... We didn't eat the free food on offer ...

---

Yeah, right.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
Well, we call it SNOW! in Estuary English, and we've got it now....about an inch of the bl**dy stuff.

---

My heart bleeds for you.

Actually, some of our sn*w has buggered off, courtesy of a couple of days with temperatures in Plus Numbers and a spot of fog, but it would take about a week of that for it to properly go away, and the temperature forecast for Saturday is -13°C, so I reckon we can whistle for that.

The chief result of the thaw is that there are humungous Patches of Treachery™ just waiting to catch out the unwary (probably me).

By the way, I love Piggy Sue.

edited for spleling

[ 13. January 2017, 02:25: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

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Posted by M. (# 3291) on :
 
It was bad enough it took me 2 hours to get home last night because of snow and flooding, but it took poor Macarius nearly 5 hours (usually 1)!

He said there was no way through a lot of roads because of cars skidded everywhere, and abandoned cars etc. - which also lead to huge queues of course.

M.
 

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Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
Here in Suffolk we have had no snow, it is cold and bright. However there are predicted gales later today and, together with very high tides, this could cause quite a lot of coastal flooding - some villages have been evacuated as a precautionary measure.

Having said that, the morning high tide has passed uneventfully in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, but hasn't yet got to East Anglia. And there is another danger point at the evening tide. All depends on the wind.
 

---

Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
No sn*w here so far, but gale force winds last night. On the fifth floor, it felt like our windows were about to explode .

I have been feeling quite domesticated. Since Christmas is finished, poultry is all reduced, and I got a free-range corn fed chicken for €7. I roasted it on Tuesday (Dad en rouge’s method: stick half a lemon, a bit of onion and some thyme inside the cavity then rub the skin with olive oil, add salt and pepper and some herbs) then last night I made club sandwiches with some of the leftovers. They were tasty. I even peeled the tomatoes and everything and replaced the mayonnaise with hummus because (a) it’s healthier and (b) I’m not mad about mayonnaise and I didn’t want a whole pot hanging around afterwards that we wouldn’t eat. There’s even enough meat left over to make a risotto, with proper stock made out of the carcass. My Home Ec teacher would be proud of me.
 

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Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
I came out of the supermarket and got hit by a blizzard: strong wind and huge sticky wet flakes. It's stopped now (but still quite windy). Flooding threat seems to have diminished although there are still worries along the coast.
 

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Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
It reached here in NW Kent shortly after Greenwich. Small flakes, trees lashing about, blown stuff blowing off the roofs.
It is landing on my living room, double glazed west facing windows, and melting immediately! Kitchen window, east facing, ditto.
The person who had their roof redone the other week has all the snow from last night slipped off. Goodness knows what the roofers used. Or did to the loft insulation.
No depth built up from today's fall.
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
Pleasant snow here - just a dusting for everything to look pretty - see my 'walk' blog
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Woke up this morning to SNOW!, ice, cold winds, and a power cut (now restored). Fled into Town - buses are running, but the Bus Station seemed unusually deserted, being full of nice warm buses (with cheerful drivers) but empty of Glums (aka passengers).

You colonials, of course, are used to it...but snow which sticks is actually quite rare in this part of the world - it must be 2 or 3 years since the last lot, and it generally only lasts for a few days (said he hopefully).

I do recall Epiphany a few years ago, when usual Wednesday evening Mass (for which I had prepared a superb homily had to be cancelled because of a heavy snowfall which brought the town to a standstill. Notwithstanding which, the Mad Churchwarden and the Mad Reader (i.e. me) got to church, and said Evening Prayer (BCP, of course). A cold coming we had of it.....

IJ
 

---

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 
First snow of the winter yesterday evening in South Wales. It even settled on car roofs and on the ground a few hundred feet up.

Perishing cold this morning - I should have taken a scarf to go with my cap.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
*sings*

'The snow has (nearly) gone, I can see clearly now'

...and the Yellow Face is shining in the sky.

However, the tide is still rising.....

IJ
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
... You colonials, of course, are used to it ...

---

You're absolutely right, BF - while it's easy for us to snigger at the whole of the UK coming to a standstill for a couple of inches of sn*w, it really is a matter of being prepared for it with the right infrastructure - ploughs, salting/sanding and what-have-you.

It looks as if our brief January thaw was just that - brief. It's a cold, clear, beautiful day here, but any bits of road or pavement where the ice hasn't melted completely are utterly treacherous, and the forecast is for the temperature to wend its way back down to -13° tonight, so there won't be any more thawing for a while.

In other news, D. got a message from a lawyer in St. John's today to say that the potential buyers of the former Château Piglet have signed something. I'm not quite sure exactly what this means, but I'm still crossing everything and not counting any chickens.


 

---

Posted by Stercus Tauri (# 16668) on :
 
But it's not so bad. After a few days of rain, hanging around the freezing mark or slightly above with everything squelchy, slippery and generally gloomy, it was back to -5°C, dry and sunny today, which is fine. Really, I don't care how cold it gets as long as the sun shines and the wind don't blow too hard. Remembering Edinburgh in the winter, when they just put the sun away and nobody sees it for three or four months.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
... I'm still crossing everything and not counting any chickens.

---

Just as well I didn't count those chickens. The buyer (an estate agent in Toronto) is now trying to bully us into accepting an offer so low it's an insult, citing a frankly ridiculous quote for having the plumbing updated, despite the fact that her offer was "as-is" and took into consideration the condition of the property.

The condition isn't that bad* - it's an old house with the problems that come with old houses - but insurers in St. John's more-or-less refuse to insure downtown properties, because they can get away with it. If someone were to set up an insurance agency specialising in downtown houses, they'd probably be coining it.

We're hoping our agent can return the bullying, with interest, but at this rate we'll be lucky to be able to afford a cardboard box in a doorway in Fredericton.

Feck.

* According to the City assessment for rates purposes, it's worth over twice her latest offer, so she's getting a bargain.
 

---

Posted by St Everild (# 3626) on :
 
That is an embuggeration, Piglet. Despicable. What does your lawyer (and Estate Agent) have to say about it?

I hope that it is sorted, and soon, and that you can begin to settle in Fredericton.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
We haven't engaged the services of a lawyer yet, although we did have some communication with one when the Scumbag's offer was still on the table. Having said that, he was from the same firm as the Scumbag's lawyer, so there may have been rather less impartiality than one might desire, and when things went pear-shaped, the silence from him was deafening.

With any luck there might be one in the congregation, or someone who can recommend one.

Now I ought to go and check on the chicken I put in the oven an hour or so ago.

[ 14. January 2017, 17:17: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

---

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
Yes, it might be scratching at the grit on the floor. Seems a funny place to keep a chicken?

[ 14. January 2017, 17:10: Message edited by: Baptist Trainfan ]
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
BT, you're an eejit.
 

---

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
Guilty as charged.

Seriously, I trust this house-buying goes better for you, you must be so angry and frustrated. We're in the same process at the moment but, at the moment, it's going smoothly.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Seconded re god wishes for house-buying, Piglet. Been there, thrown the book out the winder etc. etc.

There is, I hope, a Special Circle In Hell for bullying and awkward estate agents (and lawyers).

IJ
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Thanks for your good wishes, gentlemen.

Just after I'd typed that post (hence the edit) we had an e-mail from our estate agent enclosing an amended offer from the buyer, at the insulting price plus $10k!!!, which should be enough for Buying in Fredericton Plan B. We've signed it and e-mailed it back to her, and are now hoping (still crossing everything) that the deal should close next Friday.

Still a bit apprehensive but maybe this time ...
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
May BiF Plan B proceed successfully...

....all Episcopal Digits duly crossed!

IJ
 

---

Posted by neandergirl (# 8916) on :
 
Fingers crossed!
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Oh Piglet, I hope that it all goes well - such a frustrating time!

Here's wishing it all goes well, and by Friday.



* * * *

In other news I got down on the floor mat with the babies this morning then took a tumble trying to get up again! Silly Me!

Nothing was hurt except my pride, and I may well have an excess of that anyway, but I need to organise myself better! Later Beautiful Bertie Boy was screaming so I got down on the mat with him [again] and held him a bit then just rubbed his back and he promptly fell asleep.

A point to me, I think.
 

---

Posted by Wesley J (# 6075) on :
 
And what do points mean? - Prizes!

Piglet's special hell dwelling for lawyers I can only support (all present company excepted!), and also add accordion players. There is a great cartoon by Gary Larson on that, and I think another one where a little boy accordion player gets chucked into hell. Justice!

However, Ladies and Gentlemen, (re)discovering French composer Olivier Messiaen, I have come across this stunning performance: 'La Nativité' (The Nativity) not on the organ, but on a Russian accordion, here!

(Some Messiaen from the Nativité was organ-ised on at the end of a recent BBC Radio 3 Choral Evensong, from Merton College, Oxford.)

Wishing you/us all a lovely and blesséd Sunday!
 

---

Posted by Wesley J (# 6075) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Wesley J:
And what do points mean? - Prizes!

Piglet's special hell dwelling for lawyers I can only support (all present company excepted!) [...]

---

Sorry, that was axshually Bishop's Digit who dixit. And for estate agents, too!
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
Fingers and paws crossed Piglet
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Another Dismal Dennis of a Day here, with clow loud, drist, and mizzle abounding....not much fun for dog-walkers! I made it to church, and we had an uplifting sermon from our Lay Reader (though I do wish he wouldn't preface his discourses with 'Mornin' all! Take a pew!'.. ).

It seems that the East Coast's predicted storms/surge/high tides over the past day or so did much less harm than forecast, for which no doubt all are thankful. There was some flooding, but not, apparently, as much as had been feared.

IJ
 

---

Posted by moonlitdoor (# 11707) on :
 
Like WW i also took a tumble yesterday but have hurt my shoulder rather than my pride. I am a member of the British Airways athletics club, which yesterday hosted a fixture in the Surrey league cross country, division 4. We are a small club and you need 10 runners for a cross country team, so I was prevailed on to take part. Division 4 of the Surrey league is quite a low standard but as with the higher reaches of athletics, it is better to maintain an upright position while running, rather than tripping over a tree root and falling forwards to land on your chest and shoulder in the mud.

I was able to resume and complete the race but by the evening my shoulder had seized up a bit and I have rather restricted movement in it today.

I spent the evening reading on the internet various suggestions for how to remove extreme levels of mud from a shirt.
 

---

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
Another Dismal Dennis of a Day here, with clow loud, drist, and mizzle abounding....

---

Yup, describes it perfectly.

I had the unusual experience of preaching in the local A-C church - all went well but it was a bit chilly. Now I can see why the High Church folk wear all those layers of vestments!
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Wesley J:
... 'La Nativité' (The Nativity) not on the organ, but on a Russian accordion ...

---

Eek indeed! Although actually, he seemed to be making not a bad fist of it. D. played Dieu parmi nous* after Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve and was, I think justifiably, rather chuffed with himself.

Moonlitdoor, I'd love to offer a sympathetic oink (and I sincerely hope you haven't done yourself any lasting damage), but IMHO anyone who voluntarily indulges in cross-country running deserves all that's coming to them.



* or "Dieu parmi bleedin' nous" as a late organist friend used to call it.
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
moonlitdoor - I hope the shoulder mends soon
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
So do I - ouch!

Best thing for extreme levels of mud on a shirt = a new shirt...

It's all very well for piglets - they have four (short) legs, and hence have less far to fall when running....

IJ
 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
It's all very well for piglets - they have four (short) legs, and hence have less far to fall when running....

IJ

---

And they don't mind landing in the mud.

 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
True, though I rather fancy there's not that much mud in pigletland at the moment....

In other news, I've given thanks to Him Upstairs elsewhere for being able to walk up the hill to Church and back this morning without the help of the walking stick I've been using since leaving hospital last June. Yay!

IJ
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Something tells me tha Ship Piglet does not like mud much,

Sore shoulders are horrible. I hope yours heals quickly.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
Something tells me that Ship Piglet does not like mud much,

---

You are so perceptive! And BF's sort of right - there's plenty of mud, but it's covered with ice and sn*w.

We tried out another of Fredericton's culinary delights for lunch today - a First Nations restaurant specialising in seafood called Wolastoq Wharf - and it was very excellent. I had a delicious seafood fettuccine, and D. had spaghetti jambalaya and although we don't usually bother with puddings, they were so reasonably priced it would have been daft not to. Proper, un-messed-about-with crème brûlée for me and a lovely, not-too-sweet New York cheesecake for him.

With a half-carafe of very decent Chardonnay the bill came to about $62 (about £40) before tax, which was considerably less than we might have expected. I'd say we'll be going back - perhaps not every week, but certainly occasionally.
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
Just seen a wood pigeon attempting to access stuff on the bird table - balancing on a squirrel proof fat ball holder! Moved before I'd finished typing, so no picture.
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Wood pigeons don't half make a noise when they fall asleep, topple off their perch, and crash through the tree.

BTW, they're nice when casseroled in a red wine sauce, with mushrooms, celery etc. to taste....

IJ
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Forgot to add - accompanied by a good claret, and some mature CHEESE to follow.



IJ
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
A heck of a lot of plucking to do, though! Can you use the hotchi-witchi technique with clay?
 

---

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
Wood pigeons don't half make a noise when they fall asleep, topple off their perch, and crash through the tree.

BTW, they're nice when casseroled in a red wine sauce, with mushrooms, celery etc. to taste....

IJ

---

New Zealand wood pigeons are notoriously stupid; in suburban areas they crash into windows more than other birds. There's a special Pigeon Rehabilitation unit at a nearby bird sanctuary.
But they're a protected species, so it would cost me many thousands of $$$ to try cooking one.
GG
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
I don't think they're a protected species here, given the availability of their meat, and the plethora of recipes. They are, it seems, flourishing in the UK, so eating a few might redress the balance a bit.

I imagine they do take some plucking (perhaps more plucking than plucking pheasants....), but I've only ever eaten them in...er...fairly upmarket restaurants, rather than preparing them myself.

IJ
 

---

Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :
 
If you buy them rather than clubbing them off your bird feeder no plucking is necessary, and they're not particularly expensive.

I had lunch in a local Polish restaurant today. Pickled herring, onion and dill salad and plum bread. A tiny bit too onion-y, but otherwise, delicious. And homemade beetroot and beef cheek stew and apple crumble for tea. I've definitely eaten well today
 

---

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Galloping Granny:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
Wood pigeons don't half make a noise when they fall asleep, topple off their perch, and crash through the tree.

BTW, they're nice when casseroled in a red wine sauce, with mushrooms, celery etc. to taste....

IJ

---

New Zealand wood pigeons are notoriously stupid; in suburban areas they crash into windows more than other birds. There's a special Pigeon Rehabilitation unit at a nearby bird sanctuary.
But they're a protected species, so it would cost me many thousands of $$$ to try cooking one.
GG

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
All birds are pretty dim, hence the expression bird-brained ...

---

... but they can fly ...

One of the nice things about this house-sitting stint is that they've got a proper bird-feeder on a pole (mostly patronised by house-sparrows and the occasional cardinal-bird); there's a fat-ball holder hanging from it, and they also put out dog-food for the crows.

And there are several squirrels - we spent a lovely half-an-hour this morning just watching them chasing each other up and down the fences, trees and wires.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
All this talk of pigeons and squirrels reminds me of this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNA9rQcMq00&nohtml5=False



I'll get me coat.

IJ
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
I'm not so sure about the brainlessness. I have seen the woodpigeons put a good deal of thought into how they approach my feeder. It takes me a good deal of thought to find ways of outwitting them, too.
And my current betes noir are the black bird couple who not only keep the small birds out of the garden, while not eating all that is available, but the male has worked out how to get the peanut butter from the glass jar held in a small wooden structure on the fence. In theory, he should not be able to get at it. They are ground feeders by reputation. But he grasps a couple of stems of honeysuckle which hang down in front of it so that he can peck into the jar. Mrs blackbird picks up dropped bits from the ground underneath. When I have a photo, I shall prune those stems. I want the tits to have a look in.
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Brainless or not, birds are indeed fascinating creatures, and very entertaining to watch.

Round here, on the banks of a tidal river, the principal winged denizens are, of course, gulls of various types (all noisy). Kingfishers nest nearby, albeit rarely (if unforgettably) seen, and magpies are frequent visitors. Also, of course, mallard ducks, herons, and cormorants, and we have at least two families of swans in the area.

Wading birds are seen less, now that the dunlins don't migrate so far south (the result, I guess, of mild winters further north), but I did see a redshank today. Oystercatchers are occasional visitors - we have in the past had a nesting pair nearby (and what noisy bu**ers they are).

I really must get me a new pair of binoculars...

IJ
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
If anyone fancies pigeon, there are far more than we need down here. Tempted by the proximity of a McDs, Subway and Nandos they are taking over from the ibis and sea gulls. You are welcome to them all.

I have spent several hundred dollars on electronic gadgetry which was partially successful , bird spikes for balcony and large planter boxes, coiled wire spring on actual soil in said boxes and more.

The mess they left on my balcony floor from germ laden droppings was disgusting. They coo all morning from precarious sitting spots not covered by defences mentioned above. Noise drives me crazy.

You want them, you come and get them. Pest control suggestion was to come around at midnight and shoot them. Yeah, right. I have got rid of seven nests over some weeks and eggs too.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Would they be what we would call feral rock doves/pigeons?

If so - agreed. Noisy pests, albeit not unattractive in ones or twos....

A local church has AFAIK successfully deterred pigeons from its tower by placing a large stone owl in a niche originally occupied by the image of a saint! The local hospital, which possesses two huge towers (one for the clock, the other for water) keeps the pigeons at bay by simply hiring a falconer every couple of weeks....

IJ
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I've heard of putting stone owls into gardens to deter pigeons. Some of our neighbours in St. John's actually put food out for them, but I can't imagine why - as someone once wrote, they're really little more than vermin with wings.

The creatures in our friends' garden seem either to get on quite well - each seems to know which food is for him and ignores the rest - or just ignore each other. When we put food out for the crows, they'll come and eat it, but as it's at a different level from the feeder, the little birds don't seem to be too put out. The squirrels seem to look after themselves.

Having said that, this morning the cat took a stroll round the deck and the crows got off-side pretty damn quick ...



I'm messing about on here while turning Saturday's chicken into a curry. The fridge (which our friends requested we empty if we could) contains the most eclectic collection of condiments, but unfortunately mango chutney (which was called for in the recipe) isn't one of them, so I mixed some apricot jam with a teaspoon or two of apple-cider vinegar, which may or may not have the desired effect.

Either I'm a Very Resourceful Piglet or I'm turning into the organist from The Vicar of Dibley.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Pigeons abound in the city near here but thankfully are a rare sight here in the village.

I hope the apricot jam and cider vinegar worked Piglet, it sounds an excellent solution. I often add a little sweet mango chutney and/or tomato chutney to my faux North Indian mushroom curry and it/they smooth the flavours wonderfully.

For the first time for years Himself gave Pete & I a pizza day yesterday - he uses a scone rather than a bread base - and it was so wonderful that both of us made complete pigs of ourselves and then felt ill later in the day - nothing wrong with the food, just plain, simple gluttony. Well, there were three separate savoury pizzas and then an open apple, raisin and cashew plate flan. Although strongly tempted I resisted topping the flan with Mascarpone.

I know, I'm an of restraint.

Talking of things angelic, when talking to the twins Herself refers to me as uncle and Himself refers to me as appappa [grandfather] - I have suggested they both refer to me as malakha [angel] but no takers so far.

Hmmmm.
 

---

Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
Pigeons abound in the city near here but thankfully are a rare sight here in the village.


I know, I'm an of restraint.

Talking of things angelic, when talking to the twins Herself refers to me as uncle and Himself refers to me as appappa [grandfather] - I have suggested they both refer to me as malakha [angel] but no takers so far.

Hmmmm.

---

They know better.
 

---

Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
Man it’s cold here. On Sunday it was sleeting, which we remedied by going in a brasserie on the way out of the evening service and ordering pot au feu. Marrowbones I can take or leave but the rest of it was muchly delicious. Dry cold today but you don’t want to be out in it for long.

I spent most of Sunday rehearsing for this weekend’s concert. If you can feel a slight seismic disturbance coming from somewhere in the region of Vienna, it’s Beethoven spinning in his tomb hearing what we’ve made of the Seventh. Think we all need to practise a bit more . OTOH, we are following in a long and noble tradition of musicians complaining that Beethoven is unplayable .
 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Uncle Pete:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
Pigeons abound in the city near here but thankfully are a rare sight here in the village.


I know, I'm an of restraint.

Talking of things angelic, when talking to the twins Herself refers to me as uncle and Himself refers to me as appappa [grandfather] - I have suggested they both refer to me as malakha [angel] but no takers so far.

Hmmmm.

---

They know better.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
I'm sorry, this is a family board and the name is definitely NSFW!

---

Ironic, given your monicker. Remind us, what was it that Woderick did higher than anyone in Wome?
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
It's a lovely, bright, sunny day here, and at -3°, it's almost warm.

I'm currently waiting for the bread-machine to do its thing for French sticks for the spaghetti supper this evening.

We had the curry for lunch - I stirred in some more yoghurt as it re-heated and did some lightly-spiced rice (cumin, cardamom and turmeric) and it was rather good.

We got some legal stuff yesterday about the house sale that needs to be sealed by a notary, and D's been chasing about all morning trying to get hold of the lawyer from Sue, Grabbit & Run ( ) but keeps getting their answering machine. Bearing in mind how untidy their office was, I suspect that her secretary has disappeared underneath a pile of affidavits ...
 

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Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
In New Hampshire, my bank had a notary. I haven't needed one here, but I suspect that many American banks have notaries.

Moo
 

---

Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
Yes indeed, and they are either free (if you have an account) or cheap otherwise. Like, a few dollars or so.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
When we had to get a similar thing done when the Scumbag's offer was still extant, they only charged us $20, which we thought was very reasonable. D. eventually went to their offices and made an appointment for Thursday afternoon, but then this evening we were talking to the Dean and he said there was a Commissioner of Oaths who works at the Diocesan Office, so we might be able to use his services. Also, he may be able to do it on Wednesday, and bearing in mind the vagaries of Canada Post, the sooner we can get it on its way, the better.

eta: I've just been joined on the desk by the cat, in full lkk*

I meant to say she's in full purr mode, all engines firing, and is now contemplating the fate of the computer mouse.

I know I said I'm not a cat person, but this one really is rather growing on me.

* that was her walking over the keyboard ...

[ 18. January 2017, 02:37: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

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Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
Piglet, I think you would enjoy this thread in Limbo.

Moo
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 


Be careful, O Piglet!

Catz are not always as innocent as they seem....and once they evolve to having thumbs....

In other news, a fair, sunny, if cold day here in Our Lady's Dowry (bottom right-hand corner), with more frost to follow overnight. Never mind - it's pleasant enough out, and yesterday I did some Pastoral Visiting. More planned for tomorrow!

IJ
 

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Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
There are spots in NW Kent where the morning's frost has not shown any sign of melting (in the shade). And others where the snow heaped by the roads is still hanging around.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Legal whatnots signed and sealed by a very nice lawyer* (it turned out the Diocesan office bloke wasn't qualified - it had to be a notary public) and she didn't charge us anything, despite taking the time to make sure we understood what we were signing.

They're now in the hands of Canada Post but D. was assured they'd be in St. John's by Friday morning, and then things should be Sorted.

If you can spare a prayer that things don't go pear-shaped in the interim, it'd be very much appreciated.

* not the one from Sue, Grabbit & Run - she wasn't available.
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Local town may be quite small but has a major court so there are loads of lawyers of various sorts including several notaries public and we have found a very nice female notary who is quick and thorough and her office is quite near to the stamp office - stamp duty on almost everything is alive and well and living in India!

* * * *

This week the babies reached their 6 months semi-anniversary [doesn't time fly!?] and today we took delivery of two baby slings to make life easier taking them round the supermarket or carrying them up mountains or what have you.

Exciting times whilst we work out how to use them without dropping a twin [or two!] over a cliff.

* * * *

Less than an hour before the 2nd India v England LOI starts so must dash to make sure everything is ready.
 

---

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Penny S:
There are spots in NW Kent where the morning's frost has not shown any sign of melting (in the shade). And others where the snow heaped by the roads is still hanging around.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
Would that have been the winter of 1962-63?

I remember that one - the sn*w was over the top of me wellies...

IJ (also a denizen of NW Kent)

---

No, it was in the early eighties, probably 1983-84 as our first child was very young. We lived in in a second floor flat with an exterior staircase. Mind your feet!

I'm just old enough to remember 1962-63 though. We lived in Lincolnshire and that was when my brother lost his bike in the snowdrift for a couple of months. Nothing moved for about a fortnight.
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Oooh, apple and blackberry crumble! What a wonderful way in which to forget the Tr*******lypse!

In other reminiscences, yes, there were some sn*wy winters in the 80s in Kent. On a Wednesday in January 1985 or 86 (can't quite recall which), it took the last train (!) from Charing Cross to wherever-it-could-get-to over 5 hours to travel from London to Tonbridge (about 30 miles). We left London at about 230pm and arrived in Tonbridge, with the help of a hefty Class 47 diesel locomotive (the third rail was well and truly bu**ered) at about 8pm. AFAIK, the train got as far as Ashford, and never made it to Dover - but (and this would not happen today) it wasn't for the want of effort on the part of the driver, and also of the two senior management officials with him in the locomotive's cab!!!!!!!

for trying..

Ah, those were the days. Nostalgia's not what it used to be...

IJ
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Having been born in February 1962, I don't remember 62/63, but I recall an Easter holiday (probably late 1960s) when we visited my grandparents in Greenock and while we were away Orkney got over four feet of snow, and my other granny (who lived with us) was trapped in the house and had to be dug out by a neighbour. I think the snowiest winter I recall from my youth was 1978/79, when we had at least a week off school (my dad was then the Director of Education, so it was his call whether the schools opened or not; it must have been bad for him to keep them closed that long). As I recall, we also had a fair bit of electricity absence, and the television signal was off for weeks.

In completely non-weather-related news, and despite today being about as inauspicious as you could get on a world scale ...

EUREKA!!!

The former Château Piglet has now been sold!!!



D. got a phone-call from the lawyer's office in St. John's as we were eating our lunch; the legal whatnots arrived safely, and as they put it, "you needn't worry about the house any more".

I suppose that means that technically we're homeless, but I can't tell you what a good feeling that is ...

Thank you all for your prayers and good wishes over the last few months - they're very much appreciated.

Now to see what we can get with the price we got for the old place ...
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 


Happy Chateau-hunting!

IJ
 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 
Congratulations, Piglet! I'm so glad something positive happened today!


 

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Posted by Sarasa (# 12271) on :
 
So glad you've finally sold Chateau Piglet. You should now be in a strong position to buy something in your new location. Happy house hunting.

[ 20. January 2017, 21:02: Message edited by: Sarasa ]
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Great news on the sale, Piglet and D.



Still no snow here but I do recall sliding down a hill in Knutsford on my back having fallen on my way to the train in my Civil Service days - so a VERY long time ago!

One of the admin/clerical staff shortly before my retirement told me quite confidently that I would miss winter if I moved to India - it will be 20 years this year and I'm still waiting!
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Doesn't Pete go over there so that he can miss winter?

I'll see myself out.
 

---

Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
Doesn't Pete go over there so that he can miss winter?

I'll see myself out.

---

As much of winter as I can afford.
 

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Posted by Japes (# 5358) on :
 
Alleluia for the sale of the former Chateau Piglet. (Transfers prayers for that to prayers for purchase of new Chateau Piglet!)


 

---

Posted by Polly Plummer (# 13354) on :
 
Piglet!
 

---

Posted by Nicodemia (# 4756) on :
 
Hooray for Piglet - and her buyers!

Now to find another lovely chateau Piglet
 

---

Posted by ThunderBunk (# 15579) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nicodemia:
Hooray for Piglet - and her buyers!

Now to find another lovely chateau Piglet

---

.....or pigsty.......

(more natural fit, surely?!)


 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Possibly, but one feels that poor piglet has suffered enough already...

...so how about something like this:

http://bnps.photoshelter.com/gallery/Fancy-a-job-in-Britains-poshest-pigsty/G0000mbgYu.My230/

IJ
 

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Posted by St Everild (# 3626) on :
 
Yay Piglet! So pleased to hear that your former abode has sold. Enjoy looking for the next!
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Thanks for all the good wishes!

That pigsty certainly looks posher than the former Château Piglet ...

We're meeting the estate agent here on Sunday afternoon to see what's what and look at a couple of potential châteaux - I'll let you know how we get on.
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
Yay for château Piglet!!

And because I’m a copycat - I think a new chez rouge is also in the offing. We visited an apartment on Saturday just round the corner from our current one, but bigger (3 rooms instead of 2) and hopefully quieter. It’s not much more expensive and upstairs from a bakery (tasty baking close by and yummy smells and reduced heating bills). Only downsides: kitchen’s a bit small and we’re not sure there’s a cellar. What will we do with the wine???*

The lady from the agency is sending our papers to the owner and letting us know. We’re apparently top of the list.

*My Dad thought there was a fairly simple answer to this one: drink it. All 50-odd bottles.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
If you're above the bakery, presumably they've got the cellar.

If your dad's plan isn't an option*, you'll just have to get one of these.

* I'm sure there are several people on here who'd be pleased to help.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
I love wine, especially French....

PM me for shipping address. I have a PayPal a/c.



(Thinks: living above a French bakery..mmmm....you could practically live on the aromas!)

IJ
 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 
I suggest a French Shipmeet -- we could all help with the move and do our best to deplete the excess supply of wine.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Excellent idea!

We took a little drive out of town this afternoon and had a bite to eat in a road-side caff, but I think I made a bit of a duff choice - they had striploin steak for $15 and it really wasn't awfully good. IMHO striploin isn't nearly as nice as sirloin anyway, and this one wasn't very well cooked. I asked for it medium-rare, as is my wont, and although it had some flavour, it was tough on the outside and underdone and stringy on the inside, and had a huge great strip of gristle running down the middle.

The lemon meringue pie we shared afterwards was nice though - they specialise in pies, which are usually very good indeed.

I'll know better next time; I suppose you can't really expect top-quality steak at that price.
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
The apartment is ours!

Turns out it does have a cellar after all so no symposium is in the offing. Anyway, some of it was bought to age and it would be a shame to drink it now. We were thinking of getting an electric wine cellar if necessary but it would have taken up space and they don’t work as well as a real damp murky cellar under your building.

Now we have to put all our belongings in boxes, which I’m not very excited about.
 

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Posted by Wesley J (# 6075) on :
 
Hurray! When are you planning to move? If it's as close as you say, are you moving over gradually, instead of in one big go?

Congrats and have fun - perhaps even with the boxing up? And if you're lucky, i.e. more consistent than many of us , you'll still be LVER and not La Vie En Boîtes (in boxes)!

[ 24. January 2017, 08:15: Message edited by: Wesley J ]
 

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Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
Can I join in the fun? We are hoping to move in March and expect to be signing the contract on a house on Friday.

As we have always lived in church property, we will be first-time buyers - in our early 60s! And, no, I am not retiring.
 

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Posted by Wesley J (# 6075) on :
 
Oh, and of course congrats (and even a couple of hallelujahs!) for the Piglets as well!

ETA: And for the Baptist Trainfans! Will there be space of a wee liddle model train layout?

[ 24. January 2017, 08:21: Message edited by: Wesley J ]
 

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Posted by Wesley J (# 6075) on :
 
*space for, sorry. Linguistically challenged this morning...
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
Well done all the movers

Well, I'm off to work this afternoon - I only work two afternoons a week, but I'm very lazy about it!

Today we are painting ancient Mayan symbols
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
Well done BT. Accommodation can be a real headache for Baptist ministers later in life once they retire (I know you said you’re not yet) and there’s no tied housing anymore.

I don’t know when we’re moving. Previously you had to give 3 months’ notice when you left before the end of your contract. In view of the French housing crisis, a law came out last year reducing the notice period to one month, but only if you signed after the law was published. However, a lot of people don’t know about the second bit and we’re hoping our current landlord is one of them . We’re going to innocently say “we’ll be moving out in a month then” and see if he contradicts us. It’s not like he’ll have trouble finding a new tenant (aforementioned housing crisis). If he says no we’ll have more time to get organised, but we’ll have to pay three months’ double rent .
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
There is a strange custom locally, I don't know if it is a general Hindu custom or specifically a Kerala Hindu custom*, when babies get to 6 months old they are taken to a temple with parents, grandparents, extended family, etc. to receive their first rice prepared for them by the Brahmins [hereditary priests] of the temple**.

Our pair were taken on Sunday last to a Naga [snake] Temple about an hour's drive away - Gorgeous Gertie Girl screamed the whole time whilst Beautiful Bertie Boy had to be woken to have his! It is all cooked thoroughly so it is very soft and there isn't much of it but custom and practice was, apparently, maintained to the satisfaction of all. I say apparently as it is very definitely a Hindus Only sort of event so I stayed at home and looked after Pete - well, I made him breakfast and later I made his lunch even though they were all back by then.

*Himself has just been upstairs so I asked him about this practice and he says it is restricted to Kerala and Tamil Nadu, just in case you were wondering.

**Brahmins are usually [very] good cooks as they learn the art of temple cooking almost from birth. Whether they take over the cooking at home from their wives I have no idea.
 

---

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Wesley J:
Will there be space of a wee liddle model train layout?

---

I doubt it ... it'll be hard even to fit in my railway books!
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Now, now...must try harder!

http://www.carendt.com/



IJ
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Mustn't let D. see that website ...

Congratulations, La Vie and Mr. Rouge, and health to enjoy your new place (and the contents of the cellar) when the time comes; and happy hunting to BT and Mrs. BT.

Now that we've got the remains of the sale price of the old house (considerably reduced by all the expenses) in our sticky trotters, our buying power seems to be very small indeed - we can just hope that people selling here will be as desperate to get rid of their places as we were to get rid of ours.


 

---

Posted by Barnabas Aus (# 15869) on :
 
Bishop's finger wrote

quote:

---

Now, now...must try harder!

http://www.carendt.com/

---

The late Carl Arendt published solutions to so many space problems. I have modified three of his designs to satisfy my N scale fetish. Currently building a modification of his folding terminal for a local exhibition in May.
 

---

Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
Well, if we had any lingering doubts that we’re right to move… the heating is broken down again at (the current) chez rouge. Last night it was -2°, going down to -6° tonight. Brrrrrr. We have plug-in electric radiators so it’s bearable but frankly, y’en a marre*.

Turns out we only have to give one month’s notice. The original law only applied to leases signed after it, but Emmanuel Macron (God bless his cotton socks) has passed another one since to make it apply retrospectively in stressed areas which basically means Paris and its suburbs. So we’ll move at the end of February.

*sick of it
 

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Posted by Wesley J (# 6075) on :
 
Can you get the landlord to pay some compensation towards the leccie bill? After all, them heaters are very costly in terms of power consumption! - With our last heating breakdown, in deepest winter too, and for a few days, the landlord had to cough up some cash towards to leccie, as its within their responsiblity to provide a working heating system.

Hope you will be ok soon. And I hope that the temperatures you indicated were rather outside than in the flat! May all go well!

<-- helpful warming smiley
 

---

Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
In Canada, for y'en a marre*, we often says j'ai/avais mon voyage* to mean much the same thing as "sick of it*/ I've had it!*
 

---

Posted by moonlitdoor (# 11707) on :
 
For my education, who or what is the il of il y en a marre ? Is it like man in German, 'one is sick of it' or is it a different construction ?
 

---

Posted by Ferijen (# 4719) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
There is a strange custom locally, I don't know if it is a general Hindu custom or specifically a Kerala Hindu custom*, when babies get to 6 months old they are taken to a temple with parents, grandparents, extended family, etc. to receive their first rice prepared for them by the Brahmins [hereditary priests] of the temple**.

---

How fantastic is that? Is that the first taste of solid foods? Ferijenet is coming up to ten months old. His first food was also ceremonial. Ceremoniously dumped all over the floor and that and most meal times since...

Good luck on the various house moving plans. We, too, intend to move at some time this year, but can't begin to comprehend the uphill battle required of sorting the house, and keeping it tidy. We're also tied to a very small area due to older Ferijenet's school, and there is very little on the market.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
We went to look at another house this afternoon* and we think it's The One. It's only just come on the market, but the owners have already moved out (I understand one of them is in poor health), and it really has everything we want and nothing that we don't.

And we think we can afford it!

We've put in an offer a bit below the asking price, but we may be able to be a wee bit flexible - wish us luck!

* The one we saw on Sunday was a bit of a non-starter - although it was cheap, it was very poky and needed a new roof.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Here's hoping, Piglet.

* * * *

Today is Republic Day here so not much is going on as it is a Public Holiday but our house painters still turned up.

Schools will be in for the kids to parade, raise the tricolour and sing the national song and then they will all go home again...

...and I will go back to bed shortly.


 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Go Piglet and D!
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
We've offered and they've accepted!

We just have to get the estate bloke to approve us again (he's probably still got the paperwork from our previous attempt), get the legal whatnots and insurance sorted and, DV, we should be closing on 9th February.

As we'll still be house-sitting until the end of March, this'll give us a chance to get a spot of internal painting done before we move in - the kitchen and hallway are a sort of yellow colour - not horrendous, but I really don't like yellow, so I think it'll have to go ...

We may have a few bits of furniture to get rid of - although it's probably not much less in square footage than the former Château Piglet, it's laid out differently (all on one floor, for a start), and because the kitchen's better-equipped than our old one, we probably won't have space for the pull-out larder. We might also ditch the old spare bed, because (a) it's hideous; and (b) we've got a futon which will do the job. We're thinking the two smaller bedrooms will work with one as a study and one as a library-cum-ursularium, which should keep everyone happy, including the bears.
 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 
Wonderful news, Piglet!

 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Brilliant news!

A small caveat is that an Ursularium may not work - I tried concentrating mine all in one room but then I found that Certain Bears [etc.] liked to be separate from the rest so I now have 4 that share my bed, one of whom looks after my specs whilst I sleep. Eeyore, being A Snooty Sort of Donkey, sits all alone on a bookshelf then complains that nobody ever comes to see him!
 

---

Posted by Sarasa (# 12271) on :
 
Good news on the house fronter Piglet. It's great that you'll have some time to sort things out before you move in.
 

---

Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
That’s lightning speed, piglet

We sign this afternoon and then the dreaded boxes begin. We want to move on the 18th which doesn’t give us long.
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
I used to have an Ursularium, for Very Small Bears - it was the 'parcels shelf' of my 1970s vintage Mini (known, ingeniously IMHO, as 'Min'). The Ursularium could accommodate about 35, IIRC.

Min, alas, passed away some years ago, from terminal corrosion, but the bears were rescued, and are now safe indoors.

Best wishes to you box-packers!

IJ
 

---

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 
A busy week ahead. In addition to helping Eldest Son & d-I-l deliver their second child (which consists mostly of looking after their 18 month old firstborn) we have to clear the stuff/junk from under our bed so that the replacement bed can be moved in.

The old bed is a superking size (six foot wide) so it covers a considerable area and we've used it all. There isn't much room elsewhere so a serious clearout is needed. Mrs Sioni and I have become hoarders as a consequence of periodic enforced decluttering when young so this will hurt.
 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
A small caveat is that an Ursularium may not work - I tried concentrating mine all in one room but then I found that Certain Bears [etc.] liked to be separate from the rest so I now have 4 that share my bed, one of whom looks after my specs whilst I sleep. Eeyore, being A Snooty Sort of Donkey, sits all alone on a bookshelf then complains that nobody ever comes to see him!

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pigwidgeon:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
A small caveat is that an Ursularium may not work - I tried concentrating mine all in one room but then I found that Certain Bears [etc.] liked to be separate from the rest so I now have 4 that share my bed, one of whom looks after my specs whilst I sleep. Eeyore, being A Snooty Sort of Donkey, sits all alone on a bookshelf then complains that nobody ever comes to see him!

---

Poor Eeyore. Can't you find him a friend?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
We've offered and they've accepted!

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
All right, if you insist I'll try Eeyore on my bed for a week and see how it goes.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
[...] PeteC has suggested I move him on to my bed but I'm not sure how the others there will take to him and he will undoubtedly moan about them in his usual passive/aggressive manner. [...]

---

Holy moley, I read the 'move him' as 'move PeteC' on to your bed...!! TMI!

I clearly need a wee bit of rest over the weekend! Which I do wish jolly and restful to all here.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
The bears won't be all in the one room; some of the larger ones will live on the sofa*, and there are one or two who live on our bed. Most of our bears are really quite small (under 6" tall), and they can live on top of bookshelves, of which there will be many. Both spare bedrooms (sorry - the office and library ) have built-in cupboards, which could probably be fitted with shelving for books and/or bears. One will be for D's clothes, as his bathroom** is at that end of the house but there's no reason why the other shouldn't become an ursularium.

* for purposes of curling up and falling asleep, you can't beat the company of a generously-proportioned bear.

** Somebody (I think it may have been Sir Michael Caine), when asked the secret of a long and happy marriage, replied, "each having your own bathroom". I think he was right.

[ 27. January 2017, 23:09: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

---

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
I did hear someone saying recently that not all that many husbands and wives consider divorcing their partners at some time, but most consider murder ...

We went to look at our new house on Thursday and did some Measuring Up; on Friday we met the solicitor and signed the contract; this morning I have sent her the deposit. We hope to exchange next week.

Having never done this before I find it quite nerve-wracking, and my wife said that I therefore Talked Too Much while we were with the solicitor!
 

---

Posted by Nicodemia (# 4756) on :
 
Just remember, Baptist Trainfan, that every sentence you say at a Solicitor's costs at least £5!!
 

---

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
As little as that??? You're obviously using the wrong kind of solicitor!

Actually we're on a "fixed fee" deal.
 

---

Posted by Wesley J (# 6075) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:
[...] Talked Too Much while we were with the solicitor!

---

Some people say that about sermons!
 

---

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
Cheeky!
 

---

Posted by Wesley J (# 6075) on :
 
Sermons in general I mean. Present company excluded.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I'm sure BT won't mind - Baptist sermons are meant to be too long ...

I didn't realise you'd got to the exchanging contracts and measuring-up stage, BT - that was really quick! Hope it all works out for you (and your furniture all fits - see my previous posts).

I'm having to imagine what size a lot of our furniture is; we haven't seen it for over six months, so it's really going to be fun and games getting everything sorted when the time comes.

I think we may have to have the collection people for Habitat for Humanity on standby when the movers do their bit, so that we can ditch what we can't accommodate.*

* Obviously, this will not include any of the bears.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
We're just back from a very nice feed indeed. There's a winter festival going on here at the moment called "Frostival" which includes a feature called Dine Around Freddy - several local restaurants offering a three-course meal for $31 (about £19). The place we chose is the restaurant of a hotel, but happened to have the menu that most appealed to us.

We both started with the pâté, which was solid and flavoursome, rather like an English pork pie.

Then D. had the partridge and I had the salmon, both of which were excellent - nice balance of meat and veggies (who knew that kale was nice?) and sensible portions, which left enough space for the puddings (he had the berry pudding, I had the crème brûlée). Normally I'd say that crème brûlée with anything added to it is an Abomination Before the Lord™, but this coffee-flavoured version was all right.

Accompanied by a v. nice French sauvignon/muscat, it was a very nice way of celebrating the sale of the former Château Piglet and the (almost completed) purchase of the next one, and at $125 (£75) it didn't break the bank.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
One of the glories of Quakerism is the lack of sermons - many clergy friends think that is A Very Good Idea.

Apparently I have a high BP which is causing a blood vessel behind my left eye to press on the optic nerve but more investigations tomorrow morning...

...meanwhile last night Kelly Elves appeared to me in a vision - well, I had a dream where she was with me in my old house in Liverpool and she pulled the banister rail off the wall!!

The fact that there was no banister rail allows me to forgive her, as does the fact that I haven't lived there for nearly 20 years!

I hope you had a good flight back, Kelly - mine passed in an instant.
 

---

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
I'm sure BT won't mind - Baptist sermons are meant to be too long ...

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sarasa:
I once worshiped at a Catholic Church that had a joint Christmas carol service in Advent with the local Baptist church. A nice fun occasion for all concerned.

---

Some of our folk go to the RC Easter Vigil. And, in the Place We're Going To, the Catholic church down the road has just started a joint Alpha course with the nearby evangelical/charismatic church.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
If I wanted to be really snarky ( moi? ), I'd say it shows how desperate the RCs must be for new recruits, by joining an Alpha course!



Seriously, though - an innovative venture, and it would be instructive to know how it pans out...

IJ
 

---

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
Actually, said priest is not only charismatic himself, but has a strong sense of mission and evangelism. Specifically he wants to see "cradle Catholics" coming into a living faith.

If anything, it's the Evangelicals in this case who felt that they might not have enough potential folk to form a complete Alpha group. But I don't know who approached who!
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Well, good luck to them, however it came about!

IJ
 

---

Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :
 
My RC shack has held continuous Alpha courses, some original flavour, some catholic version, for nearly 20 years.

We have a pretty active Churches Together here in my corner of the rhubarb triangle, and have joint services in holy week with the local Methodist and C of E churches.

Re: sermons. We've had Fr O'H, a retired priest, subbing for us the last two weeks. Apparently he was a curate here in 1968! At some point inbetween, someone told him that the only thing they needed was to hear in a sermon was that God loved him. That is now his go to sermon when visiting a parish. Very quick in the telling and to the point.

During post-match coffee, he was telling us what it was like to perform his first 'facing the congregation' mass.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
There was a very well-attended Alpha course here at the Cathedral in the weeks leading up to Christmas. We weren't involved (it's not really our thing) but I'm glad they got a good crowd.

BT, I'm delighted that you and your RC colleague get on so well. The minister of the Baptist church where I grew up was so anti-Catholic that he withdrew the church from the local Council of Churches; apparently at one meeting, Fr. B----- came in one door and Rev'd. M------ immediately left by another.

One of the things that was noticeable about Northern Ireland was that, with the exception of Ian Paisley's lot (who really were a law unto themselves) the clergy of the different denominations got on very well. One Candlemas we sang at the RC cathedral (I believe we were the first non-Roman choir to do so), and the Monsignor was absolutely delighted - for one thing, he said it was the most Latin he'd heard since before Vatican II.

Talking of sermon lengths, the Dean got a bit of a snigger this morning: he was preaching on the Beatitudes and pointed out that they only took 40 seconds to say, but he'd be taking rather longer ...
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
With all the ghastly brouhaha going on in the USA (and the world in general), it's so refreshing to hear about nice things.

All best wishes to BT, for the new Manse, to Piglet, for the new Chateau, and to anyone else moving to a new abode. Happy packing, and even happier unpacking!

I'm hoping to stay put for a year or two yet, but the time will no doubt come (unless I'm Promoted To Glory suddenly) when I, too, will have to pack boxes...

IJ
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Thanks, BF - your good wishes are much appreciated.

We went and signed up today with the estate where the future Château Piglet is - it was really just a formality as they'd already approved us when we thought we were going to buy the previous house. We were a bit surprised that we needed to get approval to live in what is basically a glorified static-caravan park*, but I suppose it shows it's a bit more upmarket than that, and not just a repository for riff-raff ...

Also, insurance has been arranged (phew!) and will cost much less than we expected.

We're getting there!

* but one with spectacular views.
 

---

Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Such good news, Piglet!

A view would be lovely - we have only trees at the back, rather than another house, but it would be soooo wonderful to be able to see Out, as it were - i do try not to covet (honest!) but a View is something that I can't help myself with*

*I know the syntax in that sentence stinks, but it's early and I'm on my way to see the Dowager.

Mrs. S, not at all jealous of Piglet, oh no
 

---

Posted by moonlitdoor (# 11707) on :
 
It's an interesting indication of the differences between the UK and Canada that anything other than a decidedly upmarket house would have two bathrooms.
 

---

Posted by Jengie jon (# 273) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:

Talking of sermon lengths, the Dean got a bit of a snigger this morning: he was preaching on the Beatitudes and pointed out that they only took 40 seconds to say, but he'd be taking rather longer ...

---

Yes, but Jesus went on for another two and half chapters! The beatitudes is just the opening gambit.

Jengie
 

---

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
Assuming, Jemgie, that the Sermon on the Mount actually took place as a one-off event and Matthew wasn't just compiling various different pieces of Jesus' teaching ... as you well know!

In any case, Jesus could speak faster than the Dean as he wouldn't have had an echo to contend with. (My sermons always last longer if I preach in a certain URC church, for precisely that reason!)
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
What, you mean the Faithful get two sermons for the price of one?



IJ
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
We are off to Heidelberg tomorrow to visit my son for the weekend.

The dogs have been duly dispatched to their holiday homes - the house is now seriously quiet!!


 

---

Posted by Wet Kipper (# 1654) on :
 
going back to the "mixed denomination" alpha course discussion made me think of this joke I saw on Facebook recently (might even be on one of the SOF pages, but can't find it now)

quote:

---

After the revival had concluded, the three pastors were discussing the results with one another.

The Methodist minister said, “The revival worked out great for us! We gained four new families.”

The Baptist preacher said, “We did better than that! We gained six new families.”

The Presbyterian pastor said, “Well, we did even better than that! We got rid of our 10 biggest trouble makers!”

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
What, you mean the Faithful get two sermons for the price of one?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:
In any case, Jesus could speak faster than the Dean as he wouldn't have had an echo to contend with.

---

But He had to deal with the folks at the back of the crowd who thought He said "Blessed are the Cheesemakers."

 

---

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
That was because he had a poor interpreter to translate into English.

You just couldn't get the staff ...

[ 01. February 2017, 14:12: Message edited by: Baptist Trainfan ]
 

---

Posted by Jengie jon (# 273) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Wet Kipper:
going back to the "mixed denomination" alpha course discussion made me think of this joke I saw on Facebook recently (might even be on one of the SOF pages, but can't find it now)

quote:

---

After the revival had concluded, the three pastors were discussing the results with one another.

The Methodist minister said, “The revival worked out great for us! We gained four new families.”

The Baptist preacher said, “We did better than that! We gained six new families.”

The Presbyterian pastor said, “Well, we did even better than that! We got rid of our 10 biggest trouble makers!”

---

---

Wet Kipper

That is so right!

Jengie
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I'm enjoying the delights of a proper desk-top computer, with a fully-functional mouse (the Dean decided that D. needed a functioning computer and understands that laptops are basically rubbish).

The printer's still playing silly-beggars, but we'll get there ...
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Ah - happy days! I can't for the life of me operate a Kom-Pooter sans mouse - my fingertips just aren't sensitive enough...and I only have room for a lap-top and a very small printer.

IJ
 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 
I even use a mouse with the tablet I take with me when I travel. (At home I'm on a desktop, not a laptop.)
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Pigwidgeon, thanks for that, I bought a tablet recently and I didn't realise I could use a mouse, I will investigate further. I bought the cover separately and it came with a small stylus which was so useful (mainly for my phone) I went out and bought 3 more
(insurance against losing them).
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
I bought some fabulous Bluetooth headphones, brilliant for listening to podcasts - and promptly lost them at Stuttgart airport

It's fine and dry here in Heidelberg - we are about to meet my son for an all-you-can eat breakfast followed by a long walk. 🤗
 

---

Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :
 
I'm enjoying the breathless silence about the allegations of abuse connected to the 'Bash' camps. Could it be that the links to things still valued in the CofE are too close to hearts for anyone to risk making a comment?
 

---

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
Or is it a case of - sadly - that we've got a bit too used to such allegations?

Nothing to do with the Bash camps, but I was profoundly shocked when a friend of mine in holy orders was found guilty of similar abuses and sent to prison.

I did have a rather horrible thought about the current allegations, which is that the use of corporal punishment in schools was still permitted in schools at that time. Of course, what is alleged to have happened went far beyond that - but was there in any sense a feeling that this was almost "normal" behaviour?

Or - as implied - is this the "Establishment" protecting its own?
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
BT, I think you make a fair point about corporal punishment being legal (and accepted) in schools at the time, but it seems to me unlikely that it would have been acceptable at Church camps. Part of me is shocked that it would have gone unreported, but another part of me wonders if there was an element of "not making a fuss" or putting up with it because of the overall "good" perceived to have been done by the camps.

As in so many such cases, there seems to be a reluctance on the part of the Establishment (whether in the form of church, school or whatever) to admit that such things have taken place.
 

---

Posted by Nicodemia (# 4756) on :
 
What's a Bash Camp? From what I am hearing it sounds as though the name is rather, unhappily, suitable!
 

---

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :
 
There was a very public school based Christian summer camp based at Iwerne Minster, Dorset back in the day and many of the current leading lights of evangelical Christianity in the CofE cut their eye teeth there.

I showed a couple of its alumni around the local (Grade II* listed) Victorian church and their immediate questions were "Where are the screens?" "Where is the nave altar?". But they also talked of the Bash Camps. The Victorian Society and English Heritage would not be impressed.
 

---

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
Pete Ward, in "Growing up Evangelical" has a very useful section on this. Start reading at p.37 or thereabouts.
 

---

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Curiosity killed ...:
I showed a couple of its alumni around the local (Grade II* listed) Victorian church and their immediate questions were "Where are the screens?"

---

quote:

---

Alpha can... be summed up as [Nash] camp rationalistic conservatism combined with Wimberist charismatic expressivism... this is a highly unusual, even paradoxical hybrid.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Curiosity killed ...:
I showed a couple of its alumni around the local (Grade II* listed) Victorian church and their immediate questions were "Where are the screens?"

---

How very rood of them!

---

When they asked me I did blink and look surprised as there is a very large rood screen separating the chancel from the nave and another between the Lady Chapel and the nave. The one between the chancel and the nave is large enough to walk on. (Yes, I've been up there and done it.) I suspect they had to clarify that they meant screens for projection.

(All Souls Langham Place has a painting under the screen behind the altar, if the screen ever comes down.)

[ 04. February 2017, 11:44: Message edited by: Curiosity killed ... ]
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I've been a moderately busy piglet today. After going to the Farmers' Market for the first time in ages, we went to a very enjoyable meeting with the local organists' association; there were a couple of other newcomers apart from ourselves, and we had a very jolly time swapping tales of Embarrassing Experiences and such-like (and finding that there may even be organists available for depping, which is always useful to know).
 

---

Posted by Wesley J (# 6075) on :
 
Piglet, do you already know when you are going to move? (Apologies if this has been asked before!)

I'm currently listening to Sunday Worship on the Home Service, which is from St. Martin-in-the-Fields. However - strangely enough, the mic of the chief rev there isn't working properly, with the other mics only picking up the reverberations of the rev's sayings! Eeek!

Luckily the other mics - choir, readers, speakers - were working, and the service was inspiring I'd say. And with Handel's music for firework on the organ, to finish off, which I'd never heard played on the organ before!

Hm... does Radio 4 have a mic problem? Same non-working mic thing happened last night throughout all of Loose Ends. Ach well.

Wishing everyone a lovely and blesséd Sunday!
 

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Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
The Home Service?
 

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Posted by Nicodemia (# 4756) on :
 
Some people never grow up!
 

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Posted by Wesley J (# 6075) on :
 

 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Alas, I, too, knew what he meant....

BTW, I'm not sure it's a Good Idea for piglets to go too often to Farmers' Markets.....

IJ
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Wesley J:
Piglet, do you already know when you are going to move?

---

The sale is due to close on Thursday, but the folk we're house-sitting for aren't back until the end of March, so we won't actually move in until then.

The plan is that once we get the keys we'll go up and do a spot of painting (the kitchen and hallway are currently yellow, which I really don't like), have our stuff moved in some time in the week after next (to save paying for any more storage than we have to) and then have a few weeks when we can go up as and when we feel like it and get things sorted out (we might even get Things Taken Out Of Boxes ), so it should look quite civilised by the time we actually move in.

That's the plan; the reality may be somewhat different ...


 

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Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
I'm not sure it's a Good Idea for piglets to go too often to Farmers' Markets.....

---

They'd be OK if they stayed within the Vegetarian/Vegan section.

And never, ever, went to any market in the vicinity of Melton Mowbray.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Time to 'fess up - I bought some rather good cooked ham and salami yesterday.

I'm not a very good piglet, am I?
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
No, but hopefully the one who provided the ham was.



(What are these Things Taken Out Of Boxes of which you speak? Surely the point of possessing Boxes is to Keep Things In Them.)

IJ
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
It's our last night in Heidelberg - last Weissbiers - the time flies by when we are here. This afternoon I enjoyed a Berliner with my coffee (a doughnut).


 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Isn't that what JFK described himself as?

'Ich bin ein Berliner....'

IJ
 

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Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
British and Canadian and Australian Republicans may scroll past this post. Also Kiwis.

65 years ago on February 6th 1952, the King died. Those of us who sang to the Queen "Long to reign over us" had no idea how literally she would take this prayer. More years, Ma'am!
 

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Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
As an Oz republican, I can say that she has proven very true to her Coronation oaths, much more so than many of her ministers here and elsewhere. I'd suspect that the reason she has not abdicated is that to do so would be contrary to her oaths.

On a variation, I can clearly remember the change each morning from singing God Save the King to Queen.
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
We spent the weekend on the boxes. We are getting to the critical state of chaos where you can’t move round the apartment properly anymore but there’s still flipping loads of stuff to be packed.
 

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Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :
 
My sympathies, LVER. If anyone could invent packing boxes with TARDIS power, they'd make a fortune.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
... What are these Things Taken Out Of Boxes of which you speak? Surely the point of possessing Boxes is to Keep Things In Them.

---

I don't think we actually possess them - they came from the moving company, so presumably once they've been emptied (and their contents put neatly on shelves and in cupboards and ursularia) they'll be given back.

I suspect that where we'll need the TARDIS properties may be not so much in the boxes as in the house ...

However, we now have a date for the reunion with our belongings: the movers are to deliver our stuff to the new house a week on Wednesday.

We'll get our winter clothes back!



And the rest of our bears.
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
You can do without the winter clothes but those poor bears! They will need much TLC to get over the trauma.

Eeyore seems to be coping on the bed but he does mutter to himself sometimes at night moaning about the great lumping bears taking over the place - there is no pleasing some people.

Seeing as the bears were there first he has a bit of a cheek but he's always been a bit self-centred - I must find an empty honey-pot and a broken balloon for him.
 

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Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Uncle Pete:
65 years ago on February 6th 1952, the King died.

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quote:

---

If you love someone let them go.

If you hate someone let them go.

Basically let everyone go.

People are Stupid!

---

I think that at 31 he is a bit young to be so cynical but I can see his point.

A Question: Why is there much month left at the end of the money?

[ 07. February 2017, 14:18: Message edited by: Welease Woderwick ]
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
WW, your young friend is indeed rather more cynical than he should be at his age! He sounds like me, at my age (slightly more than twice his).

As regards the Egregious Eeyore, I think I would rather be inclined to stuff him inside the hunnypot, covering same with the broken balloon. Lessons need to be taught and learned.



IJ
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
... Why is there much month left at the end of the money?

---

When I was paid monthly I always found that January was when there was the most month left at the end of the money. Where I worked in Belfast was closed from the afternoon of Christmas Eve until 2nd January, and we were paid on the last Thursday before Christmas, which sometimes meant that January had six weeks, and there was no way one month's salary was going to last that long!

Legal whatnots now completed for the purchase of the new Château Piglet; D. just has to go to the bank tomorrow and instruct them to pay out the dosh. This may be more complicated than it should be, as we're forecast to get a big dump of weather, but with any luck the roads will have been cleared by the time we have to get anywhere.

Then (trotters crossed) we should get the keys on Thursday.



rather excited piglet

PS I think WW's right - the bears will need a fair bit of TLC (and hugs) after being in storage for nearly six months.
 

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Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:

PS I think WW's right - the bears will need a fair bit of TLC (and hugs) after being in storage for nearly six months.

---

Just tell them it was hibernation, rather than storage.

But they will still need TLC and hugs.


 

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Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pigwidgeon:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:

PS I think WW's right - the bears will need a fair bit of TLC (and hugs) after being in storage for nearly six months.

---

Just tell them it was hibernation, rather than storage.

---

No, you can't do that. They'll suffer a mental crisis, being no longer sure if they're bears or squirrels.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I quite like the hibernation idea. Not all squirrels seem to hibernate - there are still a few in our friends' garden who come up to the deck and help themselves to the bird-food we put out.

Money now exchanged, final pre-purchase inspection of house done and spectacular view properly admired (it was a bit misty the day we went to view the house, so we couldn't fully appreciate it).

Wow cubed.

We think we may have to acquire more Stuff to fill all the storage space in it - there appear to be more cupboards than you could shake a stick at ...

We got enough sn*w last night for D. to exercise the sn*w-blower, but not really enough to make life difficult; that's apparently due to happen tomorrow night, when they're forecasting about a foot of the stuff. Hmph.

Talking of sn*w-blowers, there's apparently one included with the house, so we won't have to buy one.

Further
 

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Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 
There is no such thing as extra storage space. It will fill up all by itself with no effort on your part -- much like "extra" bookshelves.

I'm so glad you're so happy with your house, and trust that the bears will be too.


 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
I was about to post the same as Pigwidgeon - it is axiomatic that there is NEVER enough storage space - even when you design your own house and think you can never, ever use it all!

There are certainly never enough bookshelves even if a couple of hundred of mine are now stored on the Tablet.

The move sounds wonderful and the view sounds more than exciting.
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
OTOH moving house always proves that your *present* cupboards are like the Tardis. You get all the stuff out and go “how did that all fit in there? This defies the laws of physics.”

We have started selling all the stuff that we don’t want to keep. The items that we can sell for more than about €10 we’re listing individually (a sewing machine that’s been in the cellar since the last house move, an almost unworn pair of shoes that hurt my feet…) on a well-known small ads site at highly bargainous prices. The rest we’ll flog in a general junk sale. I don’t think we’ll make all that much money but the purpose is to get rid of things and I’d rather sell them (or give them away) than throw them out.
 

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Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
Our house moving seems to have reached an Annoying Hiatus. We have signed the contracts, the Vendors are about to sign, but there seem to be holdups further down the line. It had all been going so well: Sigh ...

Re. Cupboards etc.: why is it that we have thrown a lot of stuff away, taken things to the charity shop, put items in a convenient builders' skip (with permission!) - yet the house looks Just As Full As Ever?

[ 09. February 2017, 08:34: Message edited by: Baptist Trainfan ]
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
I've just spent the morning cleaning and tidying the kitchen. Not an occupation I enjoy at all - but satisfying once done

The fruits of my labours can be seen on my 'room' blog.

Now a well deserved cup of coffee and some cashews (nut snacks due to low carb diet - on going)
 

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Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:
Our house moving seems to have reached an Annoying Hiatus. We have signed the contracts, the Vendors are about to sign, but there seem to be holdups further down the line. It had all been going so well: Sigh ...

Re. Cupboards etc.: why is it that we have thrown a lot of stuff away, taken things to the charity shop, put items in a convenient builders' skip (with permission!) - yet the house looks Just As Full As Ever?

---

It's a corollary of Parkinson's Law "Matter expands to fill the space available". (That's how the universe works, so it shouldn't be a surprise.)
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I think you have the right of it, Penny.

We got the keys this morning and are now Proud House Owners.

It seems that we may have to ditch some of our "moveable" storage things (chests of drawers, the pull-out larder cupboard) because (a) there isn't space for them; and (b) there's (possibly) enough storage space allocated already.

We're hoping that the big things we won't have space for (a superannuated sofa, a double bed and so on) will be able to go to Habitat for Humanity or some such; it's probably not worth trying to sell them.

Now if it would just stop sn*wing* ...

* we're forecast to get about a foot of sn*w between now and tomorrow.
 

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Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:

We got the keys this morning and are now Proud House Owners.

---

quote:

---

Now if it would just stop sn*wing* ...

* we're forecast to get about a foot of sn*w between now and tomorrow.

---

Here's hoping you don't have too much hefting to do with sn*w on the ground.
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Just make sure that, as new PHOs, you have in the New House (a) heating, (b) water, (c) comfy chairs, (d) kettle, (e) alcohol (to taste), and (f) easily-cooked food.

The sn*w can then look after itself....!

Best wishes - Exciting Times!

IJ
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Talking of sn*w, we've got a few flurries here, down in the bottom right-hand corner of UKipperland.

I blame Garbage and Trumpannon (and, of course, the Mexicans).



IJ
 

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Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
Our Choir Director, fearing snow, has just cancelled tonight's rehearsal.

To be fair, he has to make a 50-mile round trip, and his eyes are giving him problems.
 

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Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
Well, from a not dissimilar location, I wouldn't call what I've been having flurries. Widely spaced single crystals or very small clusters. All afternoon, but nothing to show for it anywhere.

Oh drat, the Moon has now disappeared again so no chance of catching the eclipse tonight.
 

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Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Penny S:
Widely spaced single crystals

---

is all we've had. It's been pretty cold, mind.

I've been cheered up by the orangey fumes from the kitchen as MotherinElmet has been marmalade making.
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Perhaps ours were widely spaced single crystals etc. - I didn't stay out long enough to find out (wuss that I am...).

IJ
 

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Posted by Celtic Knotweed (# 13008) on :
 
Yay Piglet
We've been home owners and moved in for over 12 months. There are still boxes to unpack and half the rooms (in a 3-bed semi) are a bit of a muddle... not helped by 2 full-time jobs, DIY projects, and visiting Sandemaniac's parents on a regular basis. (The parental Knotweeds live much closer, so can be visited with much less planning).

There were slight flurries of white stuff here near the cattle-crossing this afternoon, but none of it settled. Not sure if that's or .
 

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Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :
 
A sprinkling of white stuff is settling here on car roofs and fence tops. Nothing so far on the pavements. Which is a Good Thing™, because I was wearing suede boots to work and out to the theatre and would have been most aggrieved to have spoilt their black elegance with white watermarks.

Tonight I saw Nice Fish which was surreal. It is, according to the programme, based on prose poems strung together into a sort of narrative

[ 10. February 2017, 22:18: Message edited by: Curiosity killed ... ]
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:
Our Choir Director, fearing snow, has just cancelled tonight's rehearsal ...

---

D. cancelled Thursday's too, which was just as well, because by the time we'd have been going home it was really snowing in earnest.

He went into the office late in the evening to sort out his programme for Friday's organ concert, and by the time he came back (very late - he's a total night-owl) he had to dig a little space at the base of the drive for the Pigletmobile. By this morning, a combination of being ploughed in, an accumulation of about two feet of snow and well-sub-zero temperatures meant we couldn't get the car shifted at all. Someone who was already at the Cathedral came and picked us up and the concert went ahead, but it got stuck again later, and it took the help of a friendly neighbour with a heavy-duty snow-blower to get it freed. Poor little car.

The people we're house-sitting for don't get back until the end of March, so we're not actually moving into the new Château Piglet until the beginning of April, but our stuff is supposed to be being delivered next Wednesday - we'll probably have to do some fairly serious digging and snow-blowing up there before that can happen.

It's all go (I think) ...
 

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Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
A light covering this morning. Can see the grass sticking up through it. Still falling, but I can see the trees a couple of hundred yards away. You may mock, Piglet.

[ 11. February 2017, 07:26: Message edited by: Penny S ]
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
It is sn*wing lightly here, so no need to dig out the Episcopal Chariot (if there were such a vehicle)...



IJ
 

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Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
We've had more than forecast, so I thought I was headed for some private hygge, but no. It was drivable, anyway. And I'm not going anywhere again until tomorrow.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Penny S:
... You may mock, Piglet.

---

Thank you - I shall.



D. has just gone up to the new house with the snow-blower from the house where we're staying; we went up this afternoon thinking we'd need to dig out with shovels, but he reckoned the snow was still soft enough that the blower would work, which would obviously be much easier.

There's an annoying irony in the fact that the snow-blower we've inherited with the new house is in the shed, whose door is blocked by snow ...
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
We've got a very cold wind and the occasional flurry - no snow blower needed!

I'm being lazy, skipping Church walking the dogs in the woods instead.

I've got the ridiculous cold lurgy almost everyone has - it slows me down and I hate being slowed down
 

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Posted by Wesley J (# 6075) on :
 
Sorry to hear you've got the the dreaded lurgy, Boogie! May appropriate lit-(French: bed)-urgy, rest, food, and play with the beloved canines soonish restore you to full health!

Did you ever get back your bluetooth headphones that were lost at the German airport? I wonder if you could ring or write them to ask. Perhaps they were handed in after all? Always believe in the good in humankind, and with the German efficiency at organising things, they might even be helpful with lost property there, who knows!

Piglet: I hope all goes well with the clearing of at least some of the snow! Oh, and once you've liberated the snowblower from its white prison, you and D. could have a little snowblower battle! After all, you'll have two of them for a while!
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
Thanks Wesley J - when we got to the airport it felt like too big a task to find the lost property office.

Good idea to phone 'tho - I'll get my son on it!


 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
The correct term for the illness which Boogie has (along with about 90% of the population of UKipperland - I blame Garbage and Trumpannon) is The Dreaded Lurgy. The capital letters are most important, as they emphasise the Gravity of this Fell Disease. Skipping Ch**ch and going Dog-Walking are sovereign remedies, though.

I am sympathetic, as I've had TDL on and off (mostly on) since bl**dy Christmas.....

IJ
 

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Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
I suspect that TDL is a fairly close cousin of A Bug, and a moe serious variant of Feeling A Bit Off-Colour Today. Of course both are different to I Put My Back Out (from which I occasionally suffer).
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
It's been a glorious weekend here, both mornings the weather forecast on my phone has predicted 0% possibility of precipitation and it has been right! Not a cloud in the sky, pleasant breezes and temperatures hovering either side of 30 Celsius. It is very rare for temperatures here in the village to go over 35, just possible in late April and May before the rains start. Deepest sympathies to those in Aussie Land and South Africa with their rather higher temperatures.

* * * *

This week I wrote a long screed to the woman who was my co-counselling partner for many years and poured out all the woes in my life - then today I called her and found that all my angst about things had just dissipated; obviously the email I sent helped me to put things in perspective - not everything is perfect in my life but ultimately I have SO much to be grateful for, a fact I tend to forget at times.

* * * *

Back to Out-patients in the morning to see the lovely consultant and, as Tuesday is Valentines Day, a quick visit is required to the ward to give the staff some sweeties to share. Here's hoping they don't want to admit me again.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
... Here's hoping they don't want to admit me again.

---

Yea and amen to that, but if you keep giving them sweeties, you just never know ...

It's a glorious, sunny but very cold day (-17°C, feeling like -20) here; I'm messing about on here while D. plays for the 11:45 service (the one with the band).

I must be getting old; we're going to a 75th birthday party (one of the Archdeacons) this afternoon.

elderly piglet
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
The ward staff were grateful for the sweets, the subsequent tests and so on in Out-Patients went well and we were home by midday - an excellent result. The Dr didn't mention about re-admission, just to keep on taking the tablets then go back in three weeks time...

...AND, I noticed lying in bed last night, in the dark, that there is a definite improvement in that I could at least see where the windows are with my right eye covered.

All good stuff.

BUT, although I recognise their utility I loathe and detest the dilating eye-drops that have to be put in, particularly trying to walk to the bus stop on a bright and sunny morning - I kept my eyes closed for about 38 minutes of the 40 minute bus ride home then slept until it had all worn off.
 

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Posted by blackbeard (# 10848) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:
I suspect that TDL is a fairly close cousin of A Bug, and a moe serious variant of Feeling A Bit Off-Colour Today. Of course both are different to I Put My Back Out (from which I occasionally suffer).

---

Another ailment, endemic around this time, is SPOD (Seasonal Pissed Off Disorder), to which I am prone. This can be cured by Summer (assuming we get one).
 

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Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
By the way, I was negligent in my reference to A Bug.

I should, of course, have spoken of The Bug That's Doing The Rounds.

Summer, of course, brings on the dreaded of affliction of I Really Can't Stand This Hot Weather (not an ailment to which I am prone, providing the humidity is low).
 

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Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :
 
The affliction of I Can't Stand This Hot Weather is tempered by a lack of The Arthitis I Bad When It's Cold And Damp.
 

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Posted by Tree Bee (# 4033) on :
 
WW ,I'm glad there's an improvement in your sight. What a worry our eyes are when they grow dim.
I was brave today and made an appointment to return to the dreaded eye clinic as my left eye is playing up too.
 

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Posted by Jack the Lass (# 3415) on :
 
Echoing Tree Bee, WW I'm glad your sight seems to be improving. My dad is also having to have eye drops and at this week's review at the hospital was told that they're helping so he has to keep having them. He said that in something of a resigned fashion, I know it's not something he particularly enjoys, but then another relative is being treated for macular degeneration and is having not drops but injections into her eyes, so it could be worse! (I am pretty squeamish about eyes, I'm not sure I could handle that at all. My mum is on the waiting list for a cataract op and has already opted for the general anaesthetic, I'm pretty sure I'd do the same as that's the last thing I'd want to be conscious for!).
 

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Posted by Barnabas Aus (# 15869) on :
 
When I had my first cataract operation I was semi-conscious for most of it, and was fascinated by the process. It was my surgeon's first procedure at that hospital, so he was telling the nursing staff of his preferences. Then the lens was aspirated, and I could see in a blurred manner the implant being slid in.
When the other eye was done, the anaesthetist asked me about the previous op, and when I told him how interested I had been in how things went, he promptly knocked me out cold for the whole thing. I was most disappointed.
 

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Posted by Pangolin Guerre (# 18686) on :
 
Interesting about the cataract surgery. I had my right eye done in July 2016, and a general anaesthetic wasn't on offer, only a sedative. And I'm pretty squeamish about my eyes. As it turned out, it was happily uneventful, save for the use of a vaguely Clockwork Orange - like device. (Actually, I don't know precisely what it looked like.) I thought that I would freak out, but the sedative helped me to be a good little soldier.
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
I had laser eye surgery three years ago. It was the strangest experience of my life. You had to look up into the laser as it was doing its stuff. Like looking into a crazy kaleidoscope.
 

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Posted by Wesley J (# 6075) on :
 
I'm glad you can all see eye to eye on this.
 

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Posted by Bene Gesserit (# 14718) on :
 
It lens itself to that sort of humour...
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
O, put a lid on all this 'ighbrow stuff....

IJ
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I was born with cataracts, and have had people prodding round my eyes most of my life. I had surgery on both eyes; both times I was knocked out (the second time at my request, as while I'm not exactly squeamish about it, I had no desire to be aware of what they were doing).

In other news, we got 79cm (about 2½ feet) of sn*w yesterday - it's apparently the biggest single sn*wfall there's been here since 1967.

If any of you consider moaning about a couple of measly inches, I shall mock without pity.

I didn't cross the threshold all day; the kind neighbour with the turbo-charged sn*w-blower came and cleared the drive, so there are sn*w-banks several feet high on either side.

It could have been worse: our Stuff is being delivered to the new Château Piglet tomorrow, the estate people have ploughed out the drive and there isn't any more sn*w expected until Thursday (6 inches, apparently).

Piglet, looking forward to being reunited with her bears.
 

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Posted by Ferijen (# 4719) on :
 
It's bear day today for Piglet!! hope it goes uneventfully. I'd love a little bit of your snow - maybe the top 10cm? - just for a day or so for prettiness and snowman making with the ferijenet, who has only seen the stuff as a baby...you can keep the other 69cm though. (I'm struggling to visualise what that even looks like)

Happy half price chocolates day everyone
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
Happy bear day Piglet!
 

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Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:

In other news, we got 79cm (about 2½ feet) of sn*w yesterday - it's apparently the biggest single sn*wfall there's been here since 1967.

If any of you consider moaning about a couple of measly inches, I shall mock without pity.

I didn't cross the threshold all day; the kind neighbour with the turbo-charged sn*w-blower came and cleared the drive, so there are sn*w-banks several feet high on either side.

It could have been worse: our Stuff is being delivered to the new Château Piglet tomorrow, the estate people have ploughed out the drive and there isn't any more sn*w expected until Thursday (6 inches, apparently).

Piglet, looking forward to being reunited with her bears.

---

I had been praying for no sn*w for your move and it looks like the Clerk of the Weather took no notice whatsoever. I hope He sends rain to NZ instead, where fires threaten Christchurch

 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
As it turned out, we had a very easy move. Three lovely gentlemen (two who are called Derek and one who isn't) turned up with a vast lorry and somehow managed to squeeze all our belongings into the new house.

We haven't started properly unpacking yet, but we have retrieved some of the bears, who all looked as pleased to see us as we were to see them.

And it's a beautiful day - the next batch of sn*w isn't expected to start until late tonight or early tomorrow.
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Yay for the re-homed Piglet, D., and bears!



More Yay for me, as today I went and did some Light Gardening at Our Place (the church front door has a raised bed nearby, plus tots and pubs, that all needed clearing/pruning/de-leafing etc.

After an hour-and-a-half, I felt Completely Knackered, but in a nice sort of way, and the main entrance to the church looks better than it did.



IJ
 

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Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
As it turned out, we had a very easy move. Three lovely gentlemen (two who are called Derek and one who isn't) turned up with a vast lorry and somehow managed to squeeze all our belongings into the new house.

We haven't started properly unpacking yet, but we have retrieved some of the bears, who all looked as pleased to see us as we were to see them.

And it's a beautiful day - the next batch of sn*w isn't expected to start until late tonight or early tomorrow.

---

Edited to add actual post. Still having breakfast coffee down here.

Piglet, I do know the unpacking has to be done at some time, but at least you do not have a deadline rapidly approaching before your friends get back and you need to move out.

Enjoy finding old friends again and comfortable clothes and familiar objects.

[ 15. February 2017, 20:47: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Thanks, Loth - that's exactly the way we're viewing it.

We had more sn*w today (about a further six inches), so we haven't been up to the house, but we're planning to go up tomorrow after D's concert and make a start on unpacking things.

We've spoken to a lady at the Cathedral who runs the drop-in group they have for people in need, and she said she'd ask if there'd be any takers for some of our unwanted furniture (they support people starting out in "low-income" housing who may need stuff to furnish their new places). This would suit us well, as it would be nice to support a Cathedral-run project.

BF - that sounds like a very Good and Noble Thing you did, and your knackeredness will be rewarded in Heaven.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
Yay for the re-homed Piglet, D., and bears!



More Yay for me, as today I went and did some Light Gardening at Our Place (the church front door has a raised bed nearby, plus tots and pubs, that all needed clearing/pruning/de-leafing etc.

After an hour-and-a-half, I felt Completely Knackered, but in a nice sort of way, and the main entrance to the church looks better than it did.



IJ

---

Good that your recuperation has let you reach this stage.
 

---

Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
Oh my goodness. I have just had one of the great epiphanies of my life.

Get a ticket and come to Paris this minute. This may cost several thousands of your local currency units, but it will be worth it. Hie ye to the boulangerie on the corner of the avenue de Courcelles and buy their crème brûlée. It is the most flipping perfect foodstuff that can be imagined. The sugar is barely burnt – not enough to be bitter and still a little bit moist and crunchy. The cream is thick and unctuous and full of vanilla.

My life is complete.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
I've always thought that one could happily subsist on just the aromas emanating from a French boulangerie..

Vive la France!

IJ
 

---

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
Oh my goodness. I have just had one of the great epiphanies of my life.

Get a ticket and come to Paris this minute. This may cost several thousands of your local currency units, but it will be worth it. Hie ye to the boulangerie on the corner of the avenue de Courcelles and buy their crème brûlée. It is the most flipping perfect foodstuff that can be imagined. The sugar is barely burnt – not enough to be bitter and still a little bit moist and crunchy. The cream is thick and unctuous and full of vanilla.

My life is complete.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
Hie ye to the boulangerie on the corner of the avenue de Courcelles and buy their crème brûlée.

---

I wish I had. It was the first day of the local Rhubarb Festival and I came home with a Yorkshire Curd Tart from a usually reliable source. It's gritty and the pastry is pale and waxy. Enough to make you
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Alas, tarts are very often unsatisfying....or so I am informed.

I'll shut the door on me way out.

IJ
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
A good, un-messed-about-with crème brûlée is indeed a wondrous thing. I don't understand why chefs seem so keen on corrupting it by putting Things in it.

Woke up this morning to find that the snow-plough had been past the drive and left a four-foot wall of snow blocking us in, and as our friends' snow-blower is still on the blink it took about half-an-hour of both of us shovelling and pushing to clear just a space big enough to get the Pigletmobile out.

As far as I can see, the only purpose served by snow is so that rich people can spend their holidays falling off mountains.


 

---

Posted by Sarasa (# 12271) on :
 
Hmm, I like snow to look at,but anything else I can leave. Well at least it was exercise.
I suppose you don't want to hear that the weather in London was lovely for February. I passed a family picnicking in the park on my travels yesterday, and it's set to get even warmer over the next few days.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Yes, a nice, mild, sunny day here as well.

What is this 'sn*w-blowing' of which you speak?

Mind you, I once went falling off mountains aka skiing in France, when there was so little sn*w on some slopes that they were using diggers to shift the stuff around. A couple of days later, it sn*wed continuously for about 36 hours, so they had to dig the diggers out....

IJ
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sarasa:
... I suppose you don't want to hear that the weather in London was lovely for February ...

---

Too right I don't.

The temperature's supposed to go up to +6° tomorrow, but for it to make any impression on the sn*w-heaps, it'd need to stay there for about a fortnight. D. remarked that when he came over for the interview there was still sn*w on the ground.

In April.

We went up to the house earlier this evening, cleared a space in the drive for the Pigletmobile* and started unpacking things. I'm now reunited with my long boots, my favourite winter coat and several other pieces of warm clothing, which probably explains the expected temperature surge ...

I know this is going to sound rather daft, but I'm actually enjoying sorting things out in the walk-in wardrobe.

* There's space for two cars, and the Pigletmobile isn't very big, so we've actually got somewhere to put the sn*w, which is helpful.
 

---

Posted by Japes (# 5358) on :
 
I love my walk-in wardrobe, Piglet, and it's easily one of the best things about my current abode (of which there are many good things, to be fair) - I've never been so organised about clothes and laundry in my entire life and there are those who would have you know I'm utterly over the top on the organisation front when it comes to these matters. Just because I have 4 different bags for laundry (whites, lights, darks and reds) and hang clothes up in rainbow order according to kind. Trousers, t-shirts, blouses, fleeces. Dress. Only one dress. But it goes at the end where there's most space under the rail.

I won't describe the day she discovered I put clothes pegs on which match/blend colour wise with the clothes I putting them on and just why I seemed to take a very long time to hang out laundry on the washing line...

Enjoy being reunited with everything which was in storage!

[ 19. February 2017, 13:23: Message edited by: Japes ]
 

---

Posted by ThunderBunk (# 15579) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sioni Sais:

quote:

---

Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
Oh my goodness. I have just had one of the great epiphanies of my life.

Get a ticket and come to Paris this minute. This may cost several thousands of your local currency units, but it will be worth it. Hie ye to the boulangerie on the corner of the avenue de Courcelles and buy their crème brûlée. It is the most flipping perfect foodstuff that can be imagined. The sugar is barely burnt – not enough to be bitter and still a little bit moist and crunchy. The cream is thick and unctuous and full of vanilla.

My life is complete.

---

I had a similar event in Amboise, an excellent charcuterie. The rillons there were to die for. At least twice the price of any in the hypermarche but so much better that one would (and I mean this) forego wine to eat them.

You'll have no trouble finding the place. Follow the civilised but hungry crowd.

---

Any decent charcuterie will have rillettes, though the best I had during my eight months in Paris were from a market stall near Port Royal RER station - between that and the hospital. Rillettes d'Oie (goose) have the simultaneous distinction of being utterly delicious and of being marginally healthier than rillettes de porc. Just thought I'd mention that, given the location next to what I think is France's leading cardiac hospital...
 

---

Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :
 
A bit overcast here. The thermometer says 7C but it feels more like 3C.

Still, there are bright spots: the churchyard is full of snowdrops and crocuses, plus some tiny tête-a-tête daffodils near the north porch.

Matins was good this morning: bumper crowd who seemed to enjoy the music (Benedictus in B flat by Stanford and The Heavens are telling by Haydn) and hymns, including the magnificent Spacious firmament on high by Joseph Addison - the only hymn AFAIK that can be dated by its references to then scientific knowledge of the solar system.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
We had Schubert's German Mass this morning, and Byrd's Teach me, O Lord (with solo piglet) as the psalm (it fitted the psalm set in the lectionary and because it's by Byrd it's nicer than Anglican chant).

We've got the Cathedral AGM this afternoon, so it'll be a quick turn-round once D's finished with the 11:45 service: nip home, placate the cat with a few treats and grab some bread and cheese to take to the pot-luck sandwich lunch.

I wore the Favourite Coat this morning and, as it has done for the last 12 winters, it elicited admiring comments. It just refuses to wear out, which is just as well.
 

---

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
I don't know Byrd's "Teach me, O Lord"; we sang the very simple Attwood version last week. It's one of our "fall-back" anthems if we have had little time to rehearse.
 

---

Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :
 
I nipped into the local Sainsbury's on the way back from Mass this morning. They were selling reduced fat cat milk! I'm impressed they got the cat to stand still that long
 

---

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
And not just one cat ...
 

---

Posted by Wesley J (# 6075) on :
 

 

---

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by ArachnidinElmet:
I nipped into the local Sainsbury's on the way back from Mass this morning. They were selling reduced fat cat milk! I'm impressed they got the cat to stand still that long

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:

* There's space for two cars, and the Pigletmobile isn't very big, so we've actually got somewhere to put the sn*w, which is helpful.

---

You have a real Pigletmobile? Could it possibly be related to the personal transport of a certain gentleman best known as the creator of Playboar?
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
I can't help thinking that our Piglet has far better taste (in Pigletmobiles, I mean).



IJ
 

---

Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
The new chez rouge has been moved into. It is a wasteland of boxes and suitcases

In a couple of weeks from now it should be better but we’re still waiting for the man to come round and repaint the cupboard so we can rebuild the wardrobes. Also our new kitchen is smaller than our old kitchen so putting the crockery away is proving a challenge (some of it will go in the dining room but we don’t yet have the necessary furniture). OTOH the bottles are already all worthily ensconced in proper bottle racks in the cellar because we have our priorities straight.

I keep reminding myself it will be awesome once it’s finished…
 

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Posted by Sarasa (# 12271) on :
 
Good luck with the unpacking LVER. I'm impressed that you keep wine long enough to lay down. Hope the snow hasn't hampered your unpackign plans too much, Piglet.
We went for a lovely walk along the Pool and Ravensbourne rivers today. The weather was very mild for February, and its an area that looks a lot better than it did when we lived there thiirty odd years ago. We went with a friend who knew a lovely French cafe for lunch at the end, so all in all a very satisfactory day out
 

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Posted by moonlitdoor (# 11707) on :
 
So the mystery of why people have been practising trying to herd cats is now revealed. Purr d'Auvergne anyone ?
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sarasa:
... Hope the snow hasn't hampered your unpacking plans too much, Piglet ...

---

Not too bad really - and when we went up to the house today we could actually see some tarmac!

La Vie, I'm completely with you about unpacking when things aren't yet where they should be. The kitchen is so full of boxes that I can't get at the ground-level cupboards to put things into, and there are things that'll be going into the sideboard, but it's not yet where it's ultimately going to be, so there's no point in putting things in it before it is.

I did manage to get quite a big box in the kitchen emptied; it was full of glasses, which I put in an upper cupboard.

And they were all intact - D. is obviously better at packing than I am.

We've decided that a couple of tall shelves which are currently a not-very-nice and rather scruffy green will be much better painted black, which will have to happen soon so that we can empty some boxes of books into them.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
... our Piglet has far better taste in Pigletmobiles ...

---

She certainly does!
 

---

Posted by Wet Kipper (# 1654) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Japes:


I won't describe the day she discovered I put clothes pegs on which match/blend colour wise with the clothes I putting them on and just why I seemed to take a very long time to hang out laundry on the washing line...

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by blackbeard:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:
I suspect that TDL is a fairly close cousin of A Bug, and a moe serious variant of Feeling A Bit Off-Colour Today. Of course both are different to I Put My Back Out (from which I occasionally suffer).

---

Another ailment, endemic around this time, is SPOD (Seasonal Pissed Off Disorder), to which I am prone. This can be cured by Summer (assuming we get one).

---

Summer, however, is the season of Hayfever's Starting To Kick In closely followed by High Pollen Count Today and I'm On The Full Dose Of Allergy Medication. Everything feels worse, of course, when accompanied by I'm Not Sleeping Well, which can strike at any time of the year and is usually Chronic.
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Won't you get a wee bit of spring before all the horrors of summer start to kick in?

In Newfoundland, we got used to the fact that spring happened (usually) on the third Tuesday in May, at about 2:30 in the afternoon. All of a sudden the trees would burst forth with little green budlets and by the next day the temperature would have gone from about 5° to about 20° and we'd be into full-blown, hot, sticky summer.

We've yet to experience New Brunswick spring, but the temperature has risen considerably in the last few days and it's feeling decidedly less winterish. As I suggested a few posts back, I'm quite certain that my winter clothes becoming available again had something to do with it ...
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Pace the posts on eye surgery above, the glaucoma in my left eye is progressing (in the right eye, mercifully, it hasn't yet caused any damage). This means I now have 3 lots of eye drops:

one, twice a day, in both eyes;
one, once a day, in both eyes;
one, twice a day, left eye only.

Given that I wear contact lenses, and the drops can only go IN the eyes when the lenses are OUT, It's Complicated!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining - I can put drops in every hour on the hour, if they protect my eyes, but I'm in a permanent state of ferment over whether I've put which drops in yet I also wish I had some inkling myself of how the disease is progressing, rather than having to go to the Eye Unit to play the Space Invaders game ...

Mrs. S, giving thanks for the good ol' NHS
 

---

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nenya:
Summer, however, is the season of Hayfever's Starting To Kick In closely followed by High Pollen Count Today and I'm On The Full Dose Of Allergy Medication. Everything feels worse, of course, when accompanied by I'm Not Sleeping Well, which can strike at any time of the year and is usually Chronic.

---

Failing any of those, there are always:

I Just Can't Be Doing With This Hot Weather (spoken as soon as temperature rises above 25 degrees); and the old favourite

What We Really Need Is A Good Drop Of Rain (said after three consecutive days of warm sunshine).

But neither of these are really ailments, merely species of the Great British Grumble.
 

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Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :
 
Our church once had a CareForce worker from Kenya. He said that the weather in Kenya is so predictable you could practically set your clock by it, so wondered why he was told that British people talk about the weather all the time.
Within a week of being over here, he knew.
 

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Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
In taking in the plastic cover of my growframe to avoid Doris, I spotted an Iris Reticulosa out, and a self sown snowdrop from the ones brought from my parents' garden, and the doubles that came with the house.

But a load of bulbs I put in last year have not shown.
 

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Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
We have a few snowdrops out. That's amazing as the bulbs have been in for years and never done anything before. Perhaps they know we're moving.

We also have early daffodils and several lovely Hellebores - my wife's favourite winter flower.
 

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Posted by Tree Bee (# 4033) on :
 
Mrs S , sounds like you need a spreadsheet to keep track of your eye drops.
While I wait to see the eye doctor I'm managing to keep my eyes soothed with lubricating drops. I manage to get the drops in my eye rather than on the lid about 1 time out of 3.
 

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Posted by Polly Plummer (# 13354) on :
 
Mrs. S., I have only two lots of drops, but the bit I find tricky in the evening (when the doctor told me the best way is to lie down in bed so that the drops go in the eye rather than all over the place) is waiting the prescribed five minutes between the two different lots without falling asleep.
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
Yes, Polly, ain't that the truth!

I did seriously consider getting a tick-sheet now I'm up to three lots of drops, cos it's getting harder to remember whether I've actually put the drops in, or merely thought about doing it *sigh*

In other and better news, we're just back from the Lighthouse in Poole, where we (and six friends, aka the Usual Suspects) had the most hilarious evening ever, watching The Play that Goes Wrong It was a sell-out and I can see why. As a cure for what ails you, it was unbeatable

Mrs. S, still chortling to herself
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I'm glad I never had to cope with more than one sort of eye-drops at a time. I got so used to putting them in I could do it practically anywhere, but when I had the second eye operated on it was nice not to have to put them in at all.

Painting of the two shelving units for the sitting-room chez Piglet has happened and I'm really rather pleased with how they turned out. The loose shelves are still to be done, but they shouldn't take too long.

quite industrious piglet
 

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Posted by M. (# 3291) on :
 
We went to see The Play That Goes Wrong at the Trafalgar Studios in London. I agree, just hilariously silly, laugh out loud the whole way through. And very cleverly done. We took a brother and sister in law to see it after it had moved to a bigger theatre, and they had had to change it a bit to make it work, but still so, so funny.

We've since seen Peter Pan Goes Wrong and The Bank Robbery That Goes Wrong. All very funny, but I think we probably need a rest for a while!

But I would recommend it to anyone who needs a silly, harmless, laugh.

M.
 

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Posted by The Intrepid Mrs S (# 17002) on :
 
We have Peter Pan on our Humax box, recorded over Christmas - having watched it once, we're keeping it for one of those evenings when we just need to cheer ourselves up

Mrs. S, who has not yet come across the Bank Robbery!
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
It's feeling decidedly springy here today (despite the sn*w-heaps), and the temperature briefly hit double digits. I don't imagine for a minute that we're completely done with winter yet, but it's a start ...
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
We had a nice time up in the mountains but it was nice to come down the hill yesterday and be properly warm again! At night up there it got down to about 12C which might seem warm enough to you but having been coastal and tropical for nearly 20 years it seemed a bit on the cool side to me.

The twins seemed to love it up there but I think that at that age [7 months] they are just happy being surrounded by lots of loving attention. Male twin has not yet worked out kissing so tends to grab my hand and lick the back of it - but he is cute. Female twin is a bit of a flooze and definitely prefers male attention which she rewards with huge smiles.*

One lovely thing was that in a couple of eating places staff came and picked up the kids and wandered about with them thus giving the parents a chance to eat in relative peace - and the wife of our hotelier was cooing over them like mad, but then so were most of the female guests in the hotel.


*eta: there is a character in Louisa May Alcott's Little Men who is a sort of older version and has all the boys in her thrall - give this one a few years and she'll be just the same.

[ 23. February 2017, 22:29: Message edited by: Welease Woderwick ]
 

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Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Glad to hear you had such a good time, and that the twins were properly appreciated.

The formerly scruffy and green shelves are now nice, smart and black (probably needing just a bit of touching-up once they're dry) and as I mentioned on the decluttering thread a lady at the Cathedral has found someone who could use the bed, sofa and chest-of-drawers, which we'll be very glad to get rid of. Apparently the prospective recipient lost her furniture to an unscrupulous flat-mate and will be glad of some freebies - winners all round!


 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
We had a pleasant, sunny winter day yesterday - back to damp and drizzle today. Waterproof trousers and wellies it is
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Quite dense fog here today - no bad thing as it helps to get rid of the sn*w - but it did make getting about a bit more, um, interesting than it might have been. We went up to the shopping mall in the early evening and kept taking wrong turnings as things looked so different in the fog.

Some shops here give you birthday vouchers if you buy regularly, and one of these yielded a nice leather handbag for under $20 (about £12); we discovered that the shop where the other one came from closes early on Saturdays so I'll have to give them a go on Monday or Tuesday, as the voucher expires at the end of the month.
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
The boxes are diminishing. We now have one in the living room (husband en rouge’s administrative papers), two in the bedroom (shoes) and four in the dining room (the good crockery and glasses). In order to empty all but the first one we first need to get the relevant furniture.

The man came round on Saturday and did up the walk-in wardrobe and connected all the light fittings, except for one ceiling light that has disappeared without trace. I think a monster’s eaten it. He also put up the curtain rails and oh woe our old curtains are too short. They are miniskirt curtains. Dammit.

He’s coming back this week for a few last minor bits and then to take on the bigger works in the bathroom.

And after that it will be finished. And I will be happy. And not moving house again for a *long* time.
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
If the curtains are too short, why not lower the curtain poles, so that it's the top part of the window that is uncovered? All you need do then is to wear a Hat whilst you are moving about the room.

I'll get my own coat on the way out...

IJ
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
We did quite a bit of box-emptying this afternoon, and discovered that while the stuff that D. packed himself is (so far) still all intact, the same can't be said for the stuff that the movers helped him with.

We have a set of little wooden boards that we use as side-plates that D. brought back after his godson's christening in Norway, and two of them have split (I mean really, how do you break something made of wood???); and a few other dishes have arrived in considerably more pieces than they left in. So far mostly just cheapies and dollar-store buys, but we haven't unwrapped The Posh Set™ yet.

We think the wooden boards might be reparable with the application of some Superglue, but that's not really the point.

However, the bookshelves are now completely painted, and I've found a place for the pull-out larder (a corner in the hallway opposite the kitchen), which should leave much more space for the dining-table and chairs.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
That is a shame about breakages.. I think wood glue may work better than superglue on the wooden side dishes. Called Aquadhere downhere,water soluble and made for wood.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
I second the idea of wood glue, SuperGlue works on the principle of the exclusion of air which is very difficult with wood even if you do wet it thoroughly first.
 

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Posted by Barnabas Aus (# 15869) on :
 
Probably not water-soluble PVA glue, Piglet. Look for some good-quality waterproof wood glue, apply thinly to both faces and make sure the edges marry up tightly before you quickly wipe away any excess. Leave until completely dry so the bond is complete and strong.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
That sounds good, Barnabas. My suggestion of Aquadhere shows sign of 80s, if not 70s.
 

---

Posted by Wesley J (# 6075) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Barnabas Aus:
[...] apply thinly to both faces and make sure the edges marry up tightly [...]

---

It not only sounds good, it also sounds terribly romantic!

May Piglet's and D's, as well as LVER's and hubby's settling in and down be crowned with lasting success and joyfulness, and may they happily live there ever* after.

* (or insert appropriate, friendly timeframe)
 

---

Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :
 
la vie en rouge
If the curtains are far too too short (if you know what I mean) then you could try getting complimenting fabric and giving them a decorative hem? Have a couple of cushion covers in the new fabric and people will think it was your original intention.
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
That, I have to admit, was a far more useful and sensible suggestion than mine....

I'll shut the door on me way out.

IJ
 

---

Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
Meh. The curtains are about 10 cm too short with little pathetic bottom hems that are too small to let out.

For the trouble it would take to try and change them I might as well make new ones.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Probably the most sensible idea of all!

IJ
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Thanks for the wood-glue advice, folks - will give it a go. We've had the boards for nearly 30 years, so I don't suppose they owe us anything, but I'd miss them if I didn't have them. When we moved here, I only packed what I thought we'd need (and what would fit in the Pigletmobile), so I only put in two of the boards, never thinking the others would get broken.

I'm pottering around on here waiting for D., who volunteered his services for the Holy Joes'* pancake supper (v. nice pancakes, sausages and indecent quantities of maple syrup), where ladies are Not Permitted in the kitchen.

* The Guild of St. Joseph - the Cathedral gentlemen's association
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Well, I hope D. brings you back some nice sausages, though personally I'd prefer them without maple syrup. Brown sauce, now that's quite another matter....

IJ
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
...the Cathedral gentlemen's association...

---

Now that, you'd think, would be an oxymoron!



* * * *

Pete leaves at a completely indecent hour tomorrow morning which is probably just as well as the bearings on his castor wheels, or one of them, appear to be giving up the ghost making mobility a trifle unsteady on his evening walk last night.

For some reason he wanted a big, thick fleece jacket packed at the top of his bag for easy access when he lands in Toronto - will it really be that much cooler there?


 

---

Posted by Stercus Tauri (# 16668) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
Thanks for the wood-glue advice, folks - will give it a go. We've had the boards for nearly 30 years, so I don't suppose they owe us anything, but I'd miss them if I didn't have them. When we moved here, I only packed what I thought we'd need (and what would fit in the Pigletmobile), so I only put in two of the boards, never thinking the others would get broken.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
...the Cathedral gentlemen's association...

---

Now that, you'd think, would be an oxymoron!

---

Not at all - our Cathedral's full of gentlemen.

Pete, you have my sympathy. The only time we had a stop-over in Ottawa it was February, and it had been a particularly balmy February in the UK: real, actual shirt-sleeve weather in the south of England. Ottawa was not balmy; it must have been about -15° with a goodly dollop of wind-chill on top of that, and it came as something of a culture-shock.

Wishing you safe travels and a gagnez on your first Timmy's when you get back!
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Pete has been delivered into the apparently completely indifferent hands of Air India and we didn't even get to say goodbye!

We got to the airport and unloaded Pete but the Air India outside office wasn't staffed so we took him to the Departures doorway where we were told by big burly armed police to get help from the outside office - DUH! - so I mentioned that it wasn't staffed so they instructed us to push Pete and the trolley through into the building and then were told quite summarily that we then had to leave so we didn't even shake his hand or anything! I doubt he even knew we were leaving.

As far as Customer Care went it was crap both on our part and that of the airline!

He is now half an hour out from Delhi so I fervently hope that he gets better treatment there.

Meanwhile peace, perfect peace, has descended on the house - well, as peaceful as you'd expect with 7 month old twins in the establishment.


 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
Hope Pete has a good onward journey (as pilots like to say!)

Today was the wettest, coldest yukkiest day. Snow, hail, rain and mud mud mud. But I was dressed for the weather and went with a good friend and her dog. So the dogs zoomed for an hour and we happily put the world and the Church to rights, followed by a well earned coffee ☕️ ☕️
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I was just thinking after I posted good wishes to Pete that it seems like five minutes ago that I was wishing him bon voyage on his way to India. Tempus fugit*, eh?

I'm pleased to report that I've (a) remembered why the dinner-plates of a favourite set haven't surfaced: we brought them with us to use in the flat, so they're in a box in D's office; and (b) found Bruno, a generously-proportioned teddy-bear who was in a box guarding some breakables (which didn't get broken). Well done Bruno.


* Time flies; or as the old joke goes, "time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana".
 

---

Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
Château rouge has got messier, not tidier.

The man is now doing the work plumbing in the shower and moving the washing machine. The place looks like a bombsite again. Also he left the detritus of his lunch sitting right in the middle of the dining table instead of putting it in the bin because, hey, building site. Does he do that at home?

It’s supposed to be finished by this evening. We’ll get there…
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
It [more than] surprised me recently when we had the decorators painting the outside of the house when they not only cleared away after their snack breaks but they washed up their dishes as well!

I've lazed most of the day but suddenly woke up at 5pm all motivated and raring to go - this is a positive sign.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I did one of the more enjoyable bits of unpacking this afternoon: arranging the main ursularium.

We've put a tall set of shelves in one corner of the bedroom and I had a lovely time renewing acquaintance with lots of little bears and arranging them in such a way that they'll enjoy each other's company. This was achieved in part by putting the Norwich and Ipswich bears on different shelves ...

There are still quite a few bears to be accommodated, but once the office and library are sorted out, there should be plenty of bookshelves with empty tops ripe for ursine colonisation.
 

---

Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
to all those wondering - uneventful flight from Kochi onward to Delhi - usual kerfuffle in Delhi, but nothing serious, Hotel was lovely - 2 nd room was accessible. Flight was long and I am COLD. sighs Must go have breakfast - 2200 Friday, but actually stomach says Saturday morning
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
I always knew you were a bit behind the times.

quote:

---

I say, I say, I say: why does going to eye hospital always remind me of Pete's sense of humour?

I don't know, why does going to the eye hospital always remind you of Pete's sense of humour?

His jokes are cornea than most!

Ta-da!

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
This was achieved in part by putting the Norwich and Ipswich bears on different shelves ...

---

Different shelves? They need to be in different houses, one of them preferably near Vancouver!
 

---

Posted by Nicodemia (# 4756) on :
 
Piglet! How many bears have you got???
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
As another Ursophile I can give an answer to that - not enough!

My collection also includes dogs and cats and Eeyore [who really is a bit of a misery] and a bright red rabbit and a gorgeous raccoon!
 

---

Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
As another Ursophile I can give an answer to that - not enough!

My collection also includes dogs and cats and Eeyore [who really is a bit of a misery] and a bright red rabbit and a gorgeous raccoon!

---

And a Christmas koala! And a moose, I think,

[ 04. March 2017, 14:24: Message edited by: Uncle Pete ]
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
All those Bears! And all those Shelves!

However do you do the dusting around them?



IJ
 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
My collection also includes dogs and cats and Eeyore [who really is a bit of a misery] and a bright red rabbit and a gorgeous raccoon!

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nicodemia:
Piglet! How many bears have you got???

---

quote:

---

As another Ursophile I can give an answer to that - not enough!

---

I find that the number of bears we have at any given time is exactly the right number; if another one decides to adopt us*, then that's the new right number. I don't think we've ever counted them, but I'd guess it's somewhat over a hundred. Many of them are very small (under 6 inches tall), so they don't take up quite as much space as you might think, and a few are specifically Christmassy, so will only be on display when the decorations are up.

We also have sundry Other Creatures: several piggies, a badger, an Andrex puppy, a few rabbits, two Clangers and an Eeyore (who, unlike Wodders' one, seems to be reasonably contented wherever he lives).

BT - I couldn't send either of them that far away!!!

* D. sometimes goes into a charity-shop looking for a shirt and comes out having been adopted by a bear.

* * * * *

We're just back from supper with one of the Archdeacons, who was a student at Queen's in St. John's when D. taught there, and we had a very jolly evening reminiscing, drinking blueberry mead (much nicer than it sounds) and eating v. good food.

You might like to know that at the moment it's -14°C, and feeling like -24, which is a bit brrrrr even for me.

eta: BF, what is this "dusting" of which you speak???

[ 05. March 2017, 01:29: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

---

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
Point of pedantry: should a bear-lover really be called an "ursophile"? The word mixes Latin and Greek roots, so wouldn't "arktophile" be better?
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Yes it should, thanks for the correction - I knew ursophile wasn't right but had my brain seize on me...

...a not unusual occurrence.
 

---

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :
 
You might want to check ursophile in the Urban Dictionary before you use that particular neologism again, it may not mean what you think it does. Arctophile is the recognised word for a lover of teddy bears.

The misuse of of perfectly good words and phrases is unhelpful. I use glory hole to refer to the store cupboard at one of our sites. I am forever being told off by one of my colleagues, as it is now being used very differently as per urban dictionary.
 

---

Posted by M. (# 3291) on :
 
The word 'television' also mixes Latin and Greek roots, so It seems to be permissible to do that in English.

M.

[ 05. March 2017, 10:50: Message edited by: M. ]
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
Automobile and hyperactive do too
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Being neither a bear nor an ursophile I still should have known that!
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I've just googled "glory hole". Oh dear.

What am I now supposed to call a repository for junk?
 

---

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :
 
You can see why I didn't provide links to either of those words or phrases, can't you?
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
Glory hole

Noun

1. A place, such as a cupboard, for storing odds and ends.
2. The opening of a furnace used in glassblowing.
3. A vertical mine shaft or pit used for mining ore.

You're welcome.

My dictionary does not include rood slang!
 

---

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :
 
Yes, Boogie, I linked to that definition. Under the words glory hole. It's the one I think of when I use the phrase.
 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 
I looked up "ursophile" on-line -- that's why I chose to refer to my sister as a lover of bears instead. (The other definition just didn't fit her!)
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Large furniture declutterment chez Piglet is now accomplished!

The lady who's taking it off our hands turned up with a friend, an estate car and a trailer and it's now all gone, so arrangement of the furniture we actually like can now commence. The painted bookshelves are in their corner, and will start being filled forthwith, and once we get rid of all the dismantled boxes* we can really get things organised.

* With any luck, the movers might take the boxes back; D. bought them from them, second-hand, but they could probably be re-assembled and used again.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
You might be lucky, Piglet. Down here,they can be sold back but only if they have been used just the once.

Otherwise they need to be advertised privately.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Down here all boxes can be sold to the recycling man for yer actual real money in cash - not a lot of it but any little helps. It is sold by weight and condition doesn't seem to be an issue - as Herself doesn't produce enough milk to feed both babies adequately our current major seller is empty formula, etc. boxes, which they get through at an alarming rate!


eta: Having spent years being sniffy about Tablets and Kindles and then eventually giving in getting a Tablet and loving it I now must say that it is even more wonderful than I had thought - now I am having this rather annoying eye problem a quick couple of finger movements and the font is increased so I can carry on reading - I was a bit panicked about the idea of losing reading as my major form of entertainment but I've still got it and I don't have to invest in large print books

In other news I am happy that Pete flew home when he did as the few days have been quite remarkably wet and it is well known here that Pete loathes getting muddy tyres on his chair - another storm forecast for later today and several more this week.



We desperately need the rain after last years terrible monsoons.

[ 07. March 2017, 08:05: Message edited by: Welease Woderwick ]
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
I sympathise with Pete's aversion to mud on his tyres.

Dog-poo is even worse. I know whereof I speak.



IJ
 

---

Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
How is it possible for objects to just disappear? I am looking for the Borrower who has walked off with my foundation cream.

This morning, running less than early if not exactly late, no sign of it anywhere. Not with my other make-up, not in the bathroom, not anywhere it might feasibly be. I know, thinks I, I have a sample in the drawer. I try it. It is much too orange for my skin tone and I realise it is going to make me look like Donald Trump . I remove same (now running definitely late), put on the rest of my make-up without foundation, and apparently no-one notices, which makes me wonder if I’m wasting my time putting it on the other days…
 

---

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
Ha! In one church I served the kitchen was the lair of the Gobbler, which devoured J-cloths.

Of course, there is one sure way of getting something that has hid itself to creep back out of its hidey-hole. That is to BUY ANOTHER ONE - they don't like that!
 

---

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 
This of which you speak is the Curse of the Safe Place. LVER has recently moved so it's a guinea to a gooseberry that it will turn up. OTOH, J cloths are way too useful. Some enterprising yoof is probably "borrowing" a few and using them to clean cars, raising funds for some worthy cause.
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
It is not true that buying another one causes the original to turn up.
Item, my Shakespeare, owned by me since college, taken from my study when watching the Tempest with Helen Mirren, and Coriolanus, and not seen since. Bought new version from Oxfam. No sign of old one.
Item, a collection of tooth repair kits bought before Christmas. Last known position, on a chair at the foot of the stairs out of my living room, waiting to be taken upstairs. Hurriedly moved due to expected visitor. Not seen since. Buying replacements has been difficult, as there seems to have been a general purchasing of the stuff across northwest Kent and South London. But buying replacements has not recovered the originals.
 

---

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
J cloths are way too useful. Some enterprising yoof is probably "borrowing" a few and using them to clean cars, raising funds for some worthy cause.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
... I am looking for the Borrower who has walked off with my foundation cream ...

---

Assuming that Husband en rouge is innocent, would it be the same one who half-inches socks from the washing machine/tumble-dryer? No matter how even the number of socks one puts in, it's nearly always an odd number that comes out.

I shouldn't worry about your colleagues not noticing the absence of make-up - it just shows how cleverly subtle you are with it. I'm reminded of a colleague who was always immaculately maquillaged, who came back to work after sick-leave (when we all thought she was swinging the lead) without her face on*. She looked completely different, so much so that someone asked her if she'd started wearing contact lenses. When she replied that she hadn't, he said, "but you're not wearing spectacles today". She explained that she never wore spectacles, and I suddenly realised that what he'd noticed was the absence of her eye-makeup.

* I suspect it may have been a ruse to make her look less healthy than usual.
 

---

Posted by Stercus Tauri (# 16668) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:

quote:

---

Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
... I am looking for the Borrower who has walked off with my foundation cream ...

---

Assuming that Husband en rouge is innocent, would it be the same one who half-inches socks from the washing machine/tumble-dryer? No matter how even the number of socks one puts in, it's nearly always an odd number that comes out.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
<snip>Assuming that Husband en rouge is innocent, would it be the same one who half-inches socks from the washing machine/tumble-dryer? No matter how even the number of socks one puts in, it's nearly always an odd number that comes out.
<snip>

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Stercus Tauri:
For some time, based on exactly that observation, I have been considering an almost infallible business plan for getting rich quickly. I shall sell socks in packs of three.

---

Good idea, but how will you know whether to include two right-footed socks or two left-footed ones in the pack?
 

---

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
I put all my socks together in a mesh bag before I put them in the washing machine.

It works!

Moo
 

---

Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
In the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, a guy is mentioned who came up with a theory about how biros slipped away through wormholes in space to their own special planet where they enjoyed a uniquely biroid lifestyle.

I think he had it almost right. Not biros, though. Socks. (FWIW I think ours usually go asunder on the way out of the washing machine. The wormhole to Planet Hosiery is located somewhere between the machine and the clothes horse.)
 

---

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Moo:
I put all my socks together in a mesh bag before I put them in the washing machine.

It works!

Moo

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Moo:
I put all my socks together in a mesh bag before I put them in the washing machine.

---

Poor wee things, cruelly deprived of their liberty.
 

---

Posted by Jack the Lass (# 3415) on :
 
Rejoice with me, for today is the first day of 2017 that I have been able to put washing outside on the line. It won't dry, it's still too cold, but it will dry indoors more quickly than usual and smell so much better. I am really aware of my extreme middle-age - when I saw we had blue sky this morning my first thought was "get the washing on and out!"

In other news, today marks the end of week 5 of the Neverending Lurgy. It started with that horrible viral cough that is doing the rounds (which I still have, but it's not so frequent or painful now), with side order of feeling like someone was permanently sitting on my chest, then a snotty cold decided to join it and is showing no signs of sodding off. I did though eventually manage to get a practice nurse to take me seriously rather than dismiss me, and am now measuring my peak flow readings several times a day. When I go back (end of the month) I'm expecting they will either confirm or rule out asthma (looking at my readings, which are consistently rubbish, my money is on confirming it).

I am a bit fed up of constantly advancing decrepitude. I could have sworn I was only 21 a couple of years ago ...

[ 09. March 2017, 13:14: Message edited by: Jack the Lass ]
 

---

Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :
 
Regarding socks, I'm sure I once read a poem about single, solitary socks.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Love the Laundromat story. In the few weeks when we had to use such an establishment (just after we moved here and were staying in a grotty motel), I don't think we lost any socks, but that may have been because it was July, the temperatures were in the mid-20s and most of the time we weren't wearing any ...

The Posh Dinner Set™ has now been relocated in the sideboard, along with the Good Whisky Glasses and Good GIN Glasses. I don't know if it's because the new house has more cupboard space or because we gave such a lot of stuff away before we left, but we seem to have lots of empty space.

I wonder if this is God's way of telling us we ought to buy some more?
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Oh dear me! GIN glasses, particulary the ones for Oude Geneve, are really meant to be kept in the freezer and the GIN kept in the fridge thus the GIN needs no ice - watering down classic GIN is surely a SIN!
 

---

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
Oh dear me! GIN glasses, particulary the ones for Oude Geneve, are really meant to be kept in the freezer and the GIN kept in the fridge thus the GIN needs no ice - watering down classic GIN is surely a SIN!

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
I have to say we don't put the whisky and brandy glasses in the freezer, just the run-of-the-mill stuff. We are fond of our cocktails and they form a big part of our Staycations.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Boogie:
Monty Don has far more spring flowers blooming than us.

---

Yes, we noticed. He's on virtually the same latitude as us, but much further west.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
We seem to have been doing some rather good eating of late. Last night we were at a v. good dinner party with a lady from the Cathedral (good wine, good food and excellent company) and today after a lazy morning we went out for brunch. I had a variant on eggs Benedict with Cajun hollandaise, spinach, avocado and tomato, served on potato rosti instead of the usual muffin, and it was really good. They managed to achieve subtlety with the Cajun spicing, which is a rarity over here - usually anything with the word "Cajun" in it blows your socks off, but this was lovely.

Then up to the new house to do a bit more Arranging of Stuff (and assembling our bed, which is always something of a headache - there's always one nut or bolt that doesn't want to go where it's supposed to), followed by helping D. re-set the Cathedral clock (well, watching from floor level and letting him know he'd got it right) as our clocks go forward tonight.

Better go and get what sleep I'm going to ...

BTW, you might like to know that it's currently -19°C and feeling like -29. Brrrrr.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
...following on from which I can explain how to lower the temperature of a tropical house by about 20C in just 2 minutes!

This morning I told Herself, politely but clearly, that the advice she has been giving me over the last few days about my eye condition feels like bullying, however well meant she says it is.

I went back upstairs and put on a fleece jacket...

...but felt a bit chuffed with myself.

* * * *

Yesterday I ate far too much ice cream, as did boy twin who then decided he rather liked the sound of himself screaming in the car - scream, register effect of scream, grin at everybody then repeat!. On the way home he looked at me, yawned and then curled up on my lap to sleep.

Bliss!
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
... Yesterday I ate far too much ice cream ...

---

It's still Jolly Cold here, (currently -13° but feeling like -23), but beautifully sunny with hardly a cloud in the sky.

Am messing about on here as I usually do while D. plays for the worship-band service, and then he's going to cook me a steak for lunch. He's not a steak-eater (he's doing sausages for himself), but he cooks it beautifully. Add fluffy mashed potatoes and a glass or two of something nice and red, and I'll be a v. happy piglet.

Then a spot of curling up with a bear - despite knowing that the alarm was going to go off an hour early, I didn't sleep the best last night*, so I think a nap will be more than justified.

* until just before the alarm went off (obviously), when I was deeply in the land of Nod ...
 

---

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
Add fluffy mashed potatoes and a glass or two of something nice and red.

---

What, you have Vimto in Canada?
 

---

Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Boogie:
just crocus and snowdrops here, the daffs are all tight buds.

---

Full size daffs are still all bud, but our mini daffs are blooming nicely and the primroses are going crazy.
 

---

Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
First proper Spring day here yesterday. We went for a walk without coats (sweatshirts only) to the Eiffel tower. ‘Twas most pleasant.

Saturday night was my best friend’s birthday party. The theme was things beginning with the letter C. There may exist photographic evidence of me dressed up like a cow. Moooooo.
 

---

Posted by Nicodemia (# 4756) on :
 
You live too high in the hills, Boogie! We've got masses of polyanthus, daffodils, crocuses in bloom (mostly little early daffodils, but the big ones in pots on the patio have been blooming for ages. I also have a pot of glorious orangey-red tulips (called Early Harvest, since you asked!)

And everything else is shooting madly with green leaves!

I like Spring, especially when it stops raining and the sun shines!
 

---

Posted by moonlitdoor (# 11707) on :
 
That outfit must have had any non English speakers wondering.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
Add fluffy mashed potatoes and a glass or two of something nice and red.

---

What, you have Vimto in Canada?

---

I did specify nice and red ...

Sorting things out is progressing slowly chez Piglet, but it's definitely beginning to get there. I've re-assembled a coffee-table and two side-tables (I'm usually pretty rubbish at doing anything that involves screwdrivers, but these were easy) and unrolled The Carpet*, so the sitting-room is beginning to look rather nice.

* The Carpet started life in a bar in a student hall of residence in Bristol. It came by a very circuitous route into D's possession, and although it's maybe not quite our style, it's apparently a good quality one, and has been a feature in every Château Piglet.
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
Two brownish butterflies circling over the garden investigating each other closely before drifting off next door.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
And I've seen a number of Queen bumblebees out foraging. (The bees foraging, that is, not me).

IJ
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
The sn*w being sent to us by our American chums (thank you very much - NOT) has started, so I probably ought to get back home while the driveway's still navigable ...
 

---

Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
I recall an Easter sunrise service in the park where we had to set the candles in snow.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
It could have been worse - I suppose we got about a foot of sn*w, but of course the plough went up the road and left a heap about two feet high across the bottom of the drive. D. got it cleared* (along with a little path from the door to where the Pigletmobile was parked and the path to the front door so that the postman can deliver) in about half an hour.

The man's a saint.

* our friend's sn*w-blower still refuses to work, which is an embuggerance.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Dare I say that South-East UKipperland was basking in balmy temperatures of around 18 degrees C today?

We'll Pay For It Later, You Mark My Words....

(BTW, is it D. who's a saint, or the postman?).

IJ
 

---

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lamb Chopped:
I recall an Easter sunrise service in the park where we had to set the candles in snow.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
Dare I say that South-East UKipperland was basking in balmy temperatures of around 18 degrees C today?

---

No.

Pete, you're absolutely right - I do wish they'd stop sending us their weather.

In other news, I decided to try my hand at making tomato chutney today (we'd bought a big pack of tomatoes and they weren't being eaten quite fast enough), so once it's done the maturing thing (a week or two) I'll let you know how I got on.
 

---

Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :
 
Chez Arachnid has been wall-to-wall preserving for several weeks now, ready for Spring Day (a mini fayre) at church next week. MotherinElmet has been making marmalade, varying chutneys and has just started on the jam. It's a useful and delicious pastime, but I keep having to move empty jars and bags of onions off kitchen surfaces to get to the kettle.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
My Old Mum used to make a most delicious Green Tomato Chutney, whose delicate sweetness was an ideal complement to a strong mature Cheddar Cheese.

She was a dab hand at Flaky Pastry too, using what would probably now be illegal amounts of Butter.

BTW, it's been another lovely mild, sunny day here, though we could Do With A Good Drop Of Rain. The Churchyard Grass received its first trim of the year, but I think I'll leave the second, third etc. trims for the (much) younger and stronger Churchwarden to do...

IJ
 

---

Posted by Nicodemia (# 4756) on :
 
Bishops Finger told us about his Mum:-

She was a dab hand at Flaky Pastry too, using what would probably now be illegal amounts of Butter.

You can never have too much butter in a good flaky pastry. My Mum was a great pastry-maker too! Goes with that generation, maybe?
 

---

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nicodemia:
Bishops Finger told us about his Mum:-

She was a dab hand at Flaky Pastry too, using what would probably now be illegal amounts of Butter.

You can never have too much butter in a good flaky pastry. My Mum was a great pastry-maker too! Goes with that generation, maybe?

---

Pastry lives! Mrs Sioni and one of her sisters do wonderful pastry, especially shortcrust which is the pastry for pies.

Mrs S reckons that keeping things cool (including a cool room) and not over-working the mixture are important, so a centrally heated kitchen, or one with the cooker going full blast, will probably knacker your pastry. We also have a marble (or faux marble) slab to work on.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Proper Flaky Pastry does indeed go with that generation, and probably further back. My Old Mum told me that she acquired her skills simply through following the example of her own mother, who was born in 1885.

IJ
 

---

Posted by M. (# 3291) on :
 
I do love flaky pastry! Which is very easy to make, put the butter into the freezer for a little while and then just grate it into the flour.

Now puff pastry - when I was about 10, mum made me make puff pastry, just so I'd made it once, and then told me just to buy it from then on. Which I always have.

M.
(A couple of months older than Sioni)
 

---

Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :
 
I make flaky pastry and also what I was told was 'rough' puff pastry. What I cannot make is common-or-garden shortcrust pastry.

I do make quite a few things with choux pastry, both sweet and savoury. And when I really have time (and can be arsed) I have been known to make cold-water crust pastry for things like game or pork pies for a picnic.
 

---

Posted by Sarasa (# 12271) on :
 
My grandmother (born circa 1890) was a great puff pastry maker. She lso made wonderful liver and bacon with mashed potaoes. As a vegetarian not something I'd eat now, but I loved it as a kid. My other grandmother (born circa 1900) made rather nice shortcrust jam tarts and great spotted dick.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Oooh! Spotted dick! With loads of runny golden syrup! Another of My Old Mum's masterpieces....



IJ
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
When my mother was not up to a 'proper' pudding, she would serve up plain suet pudding and put on the table golden syrup, butter, white sugar and brown sugar, possibly jam, and let us choose what to add to the pudding. I can remember the mouth feel of softening butter with the crunch of the sugar as if I were eating it now.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I know this is descending into a sub-foodie thread but as it's specifically British food we're talking about, maybe it should pass ...

Steamed pudding (a sponge pudding with golden syrup) was something of an institution in our family; there was a sort of in-joke that we only had it once a year (which probably wasn't quite true). At one point (we'll say it was in about 1969) we had it rather more often than usual and I remember my dad joking that we were on to 1975's pudding by the end of the year.

As I recall, it was served with the top of the milk* poured over it, which sounds a tad parsimonious, but it served to cool it down, which was a good thing as the syrup made it very hot.

I can just about taste it now ... **drooling smilie**

* There may well have been cream for those who liked it, but as a small piglet I hadn't yet developed the taste for it. I have now.
 

---

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 
Sponge pudding, made with golden syrup is Eldest Son's favourite. We serve it with custard as we do with apple pie and every kind of crumble, treating cream as an affectation: OK in it's place, such as with fruit, but not with a bona fide pudding.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
Sponge pudding, made with golden syrup is Eldest Son's favourite. We serve it with custard as we do with apple pie and every kind of crumble, treating cream as an affectation: OK in it's place, such as with fruit, but not with a bona fide pudding.

---

It is a shame most of the family are eating fairly low carb now. However, if I made golden syrup steamed pud, as known in my place and visitors smelt it. I think an exception would be made. We have always served ours with cold milk and were dumbfounded when a guest suggested custard. Custard with other things, be never with golden syrup steamed pud.

Made in my steamer basin, now around 100 years old.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
The runny golden syrup which My Old Mum used to serve with spotted dick was due to my aversion to custard (sorry, custard fans).

She made it runny by putting the quantity required in an old marmalade jar, and resting it on top of the oven whilst the spotted dick was cooking. By being warm and runny when applied, it soaked quickly into the hot spotted dick.

Yummmm..........

IJ
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
Most of my golden syrup has crystallised. It doesn't seem to melt properly.
 

---

Posted by Nicodemia (# 4756) on :
 
Try standing the tin in very hot water for a while. works with honey!
 

---

Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :
 
Speaking of food (for a change) all the stalls at Leeds Market seem to be selling stacks of very cheap citrus fruit. I've come home with 2 dozen lemons and a dozen limes for the grand total of £3.00. Lemon curd!
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Lemon curd? Delicious. I used to make mine from an updated Mrs Beetons cook book. It was then called lemon butter. I doubt it would survive being posted down here or the possible surveillance of Customs officers.. they do a wonderful job in stopping and nasty diseases for plants and animals getting through.

I will dream of (imaginary) toast with butter and lemon butter. Not exactly low carb friendly.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
A friend gave me a lovely little pot of home-made lemon curd for my birthday a few years ago; it was delicious spread on freshly-made bread.
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
(Watching Strongbow commercial with pronounced skepticism)

How do y'all Britmates feel about flavored hard cider?
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nicodemia:
Try standing the tin in very hot water for a while. works with honey!

---

First port of call - not happening. I think the invert sugar has reverted.

I think this is organic chemistry (which mystified me at college) not physics.

[ 19. March 2017, 07:11: Message edited by: Penny S ]
 

---

Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
Unless the hard cider tastes of apple (as God, herself, intended), the concept of flavoured cider is and I am sure I am not alone in feeling this way.

What they do with apple juice is beyond my ken.
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
Ummm - owns up to liking the pear stuff.
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Uncle Pete:
Unless the hard cider tastes of apple (as God, herself, intended), the concept of flavoured cider is and I am sure I am not alone in feeling this way.

What they do with apple juice is beyond my ken.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Penny S:
Ummm - owns up to liking the pear stuff.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gracious rebel:
I think I am right in saying that 'hard cider' is what Americans call cider (ie alcoholic). What they call 'cider' may be just an apple juice based drink, not alcoholic.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
... How do y'all Britmates feel about flavored hard cider?

---

I can't really imagine cider being flavoured with anything except apples (except, as others have said, pears, in which case it's perry).

What on earth are Strongbow up to???

I must confess to being rather ambivalent about cider; my very first hangover (aged 16) was courtesy of a rather sweet cider called Autumn Gold, and I've never really felt the same about cider since.

Having said that, there's an independent cider brewery here with a nice little restaurant attached, and when we go there I'll have a glass - it's very refreshing.
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
Me too - also aged 16, I still can't drink it!
 

---

Posted by jacobsen (# 14998) on :
 
It wasn't the cider, mild-as-mother's-milk-drink that it is.

No. It was the preceding beer, schnapps, white wine and red that did the damage.....
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Do ee be careful with thi zider, me dee-ars....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp9yK_k6wCk&nohtml5=False

IJ
 

---

Posted by jacobsen (# 14998) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
The runny golden syrup which My Old Mum used to serve with spotted dick was due to my aversion to custard (sorry, custard fans).

She made it runny by putting the quantity required in an old marmalade jar, and resting it on top of the oven whilst the spotted dick was cooking. By being warm and runny when applied, it soaked quickly into the hot spotted dick.
Yummmm..........

IJ

---

I see no problem with having that and custard as well.
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
The pear cider I have come across seems to be cider flavoured with pear juice rather than perry, which has more tannin. It is Swedish, from a company called Kopparberg Pear cider There are other things on the page which seem un-cidery in the extreme. My Little Ciders for the gurlies.
 

---

Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :
 
Fruit ciders are usually too artificial and should be avoided like the plague, and you're right, Penny S, about Koppaberg which tastes like pop, but some small producers make their own with proper fruit juice. The Most Blessed Aspall's make a blush cider with blackberries which is pretty good.

I do confess to violent urges though when I'm asked if I want ice in my pint of cider.

Lothlorien, I'm sorry I can't post you some physical lemon curd, rather than making do with the virtual. It's definitely worth making, and according to MotherinElmet, very easy to make.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Thanks for the offer. Yes mine was easy to make too.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
D. spent three years at university in Bristol, and has probably patronised most of the cider dives there (at least once anyway). He told me of one where IIRC the cider came in three varieties - Regular, Strong and "I wouldn't have more'n half a pint of that if I were you".

He also takes great pleasure in recounting tales of hapless Northerners, used to downing several pints of beer of an evening, having three pints of Scrumpy and falling over.


 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
A Pub Near Me In My Yoof used to offer the third pint of scrumpy free. There were no known takers....although there was a rumour that the landlord had run out of space in which to hide the bodies.



IJ
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gracious rebel:
I think I am right in saying that 'hard cider' is what Americans call cider (ie alcoholic). What they call 'cider' may be just an apple juice based drink, not alcoholic.

---

Pretty much this plus what Moo said. American "soft" cider is juiced that is pressed but not strained clear.
 

---

Posted by M. (# 3291) on :
 
I've certainly heard of pubs in the West Country where they wouldn't sell grockles more than one pint of scrumpy.


M.
 

---

Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
Back feeling bleary-eyed from celebrating the in-laws fiftieth wedding anniversary in foie gras land.

For the first time in my life, I am feeling grateful for a French strike. We were meant to leave at 9 am from Orly and then the Air France staff walked out and the flight got cancelled. Consequently we booked the night train with much complaining and grumpiness. In view of subsequent events it seems rather providential that we weren’t at the airport at 8:30 on Saturday morning when the gun-wielding maniac turned up . We wouldn’t have been in actual danger but the whole place got shut down for hours so we wouldn’t have made it to the South and the outlaws would have been très upset.

Weather was warm and sunny in foie gras land and I didn’t want to come back…
 

---

Posted by Celtic Knotweed (# 13008) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kelly Alves:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gracious rebel:
I think I am right in saying that 'hard cider' is what Americans call cider (ie alcoholic). What they call 'cider' may be just an apple juice based drink, not alcoholic.

---

Pretty much this plus what Moo said. American "soft" cider is juiced that is pressed but not strained clear.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by M.:
I've certainly heard of pubs in the West Country where they wouldn't sell grockles more than one pint of scrumpy.


M.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Celtic Knotweed:

In the UK that's just called apple juice, possibly with 'cloudy' on the label (but equally possibly not).

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
(Watching Strongbow commercial with pronounced skepticism)

How do y'all Britmates feel about flavored hard cider?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Leorning Cniht:
Nothing made by Bulmer's (the makers of Strongbow) is worthy of being called cider. It's like calling Budweiser "beer".

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Celtic Knotweed:
Ah... This has finally cleared up my confusion as to why someone in a Heralds of Valdemar book was drinking cider when in the infirmary and wishing for alcohol.

In the UK that's just called apple juice, possibly with 'cloudy' on the label (but equally possibly not).

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Penny S:
... I still ended up with the room rotating round me ...

---

Been there, done that, got the paracetamol. Thankfully, the last time was probably about 20 years ago.

The dining-table chez Piglet has now been assembled, accomplished by D. in about 10 minutes with hardly any swearing (especially when I suggested that the tool-box might have the sort of Allen key that was needed, which it did).

We now have an enormous pile of dismantled boxes on the kitchen counter ready to go either back to the movers if they'll take them, or to the recycling centre if they won't. Once they're out of the way, the kitchen/dining-room is going to look really rather nice (and our fears that the dining-table wouldn't fit when fully extended came to nothing).
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
D. has contacted the movers, and not only will they take the dismantled boxes back, they'll come and collect them.

They're going to contact him, which may mean an earlier-than-planned start at some point, but it'll be worth it.

We were emptying the last box with pictures in it this afternoon and discovered another casualty - not a picture, but D's crumhorn, the end of which has got broken.

Not quite sure how they managed that, as it's made of plastic ...

* * *

I think it's as well we're going to return Tabby to the care of her usual humans in a week or so; one of the "sidebar" adverts just said "What is your Car Worth?" and I read it as "what is your cat worth?".


 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Good news about collection, Piglet. Those flat boxes are hard to manoeuvre . Sorry about another breakage.

[ 21. March 2017, 20:36: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
A plastic crumhorn?

Not a Renaissance-period original, then...

...though it's still a shame it got broken.

IJ
 

---

Posted by Wesley J (# 6075) on :
 
It's a rum 'un, that crumhorn.
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
It wasn't just the room rotating. I managed to stumble back two doors to my home, up the two flights of stairs, and dropped on the bed, completely without any control over myself for some time after.
I tried to recall the name, to avoid it thereafter, and have never, ever, drunk anything without a meal since.
 

---

Posted by Gill H (# 68) on :
 
Don't like Kopparberg fruit cider, it tastes tinny. My mum in law likes the non alcoholic version which tastes like expensive Vimto.

I do quite like Rekorderlig fruit cider though. I think of that in the same category as Belgian fruit beers - a proper drink rather than an alcopop.

[ 22. March 2017, 11:07: Message edited by: Gill H ]
 

---

Posted by Sipech (# 16870) on :
 
You'll have seen the news from Westminster. Just letting you know I'm fine. Had a lunchtime meeting so wasn't in Parliament Square as I normally would be at that time on a Wednesday.
 

---

Posted by M. (# 3291) on :
 
My office is just near Whitehall, am also fine.

Lots of sirens and helicopters.

M.
 

---

Posted by Gill H (# 68) on :
 
Hugal and I both work nearby - we're fine.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Thinking of you all.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Have just posted on prayer thread but am very glad to see these posts from Shipmates.

Terrible.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Glad to hear from those of you who are in London and are OK; prayers ascending for those who are not.

Gill's post about Belgian fruit beer has reminded me how nice the raspberry one was - I wonder if we can get it here?

Boxes now all gone except for the picture ones (which got forgotten about) and a couple that have been used as general dumping-grounds. We've now had a session of hanging pictures and it's really beginning to look the way Château Piglet should.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
I now have an image of Chateau Piglet looking like a smaller version of the Louvre....

IJ
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Not quite.

We do have quite a few pictures (wedding presents, farewell presents, you name it), but we're gradually finding the right places for them. Several of them are temporarily on nails that the previous owners had hammered into all sorts of odd places on the walls, but will be positioned as we want them once the painting's been done.*

D. having discovered a large plastic sack full of Small Bears, I spent a pleasant while this afternoon rehousing them.

* The plan was that we'd paint over the rather nasty yellow in the kitchen and hallway before the furniture arrived, but we were scuppered by the 2½ feet of snow that fell a couple of days before, and everything ground to a halt.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Perhaps we could send you our current easterly wind (the Very Breath Of Sauron) to blow away the sn*w?

IJ
 

---

Posted by St Everild (# 3626) on :
 
I still have pictures in a box which have not yet been hung in the present Chateau StEverild...and we have lived here for nearly 11 years....

In my defence, some of them need to be hung away from sunlight and too much light, which is not good for prints and pictures....or embroidery and tapestry either, come to that...

Nice sunny day here now
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I suspect that we have a few pictures that never made it on to the walls of the former Château Piglet as well.

There's also a rather nice print of part of St. Magnus Cathedral which hasn't even made it to Canada. A few years ago, D. played for the wedding of the organist's daughter, and as it was a favour to a friend, the "payment" he received was this lovely print. Alas, it's just too big to fit into any of our suitcases, and it's been reposing at D's mum's house ever since, as we haven't quite worked out the best way of getting it over the Pond. Taking it on the plane would be really awkward and having it sent by post or courier would probably cost an arm and several legs.

BF - thanks, but you can keep your easterly winds to yourself. After a couple of rather blustrous days here, it's calmed down considerably; the Weather Channel actually described the wind speed as "calm" yesterday, which is a rarity indeed.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
I hate the east wind - it makes my ears feel far too tight...


IJ
 

---

Posted by Ethne Alba (# 5804) on :
 
Banned from banging nails into walls, yet very grateful for some picture rails.....i am now flummoxed by the loss of our old and beautiful brass picture rail hooks.

So our pictures will have to continue sitting there on the floor....
.
.

[ 25. March 2017, 11:24: Message edited by: Ethne Alba ]
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
O woe. Only for a while, though - surely new old-style (IYSWIM) picture hooks can be purchased? No substitute for the Original Brass Ones, I know...

IJ
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
BF - is this the sort of thing you mean? And are they any good?

I'm messing about here while D. plays for the Holy Joes' annual service to mark the feast of St. Joseph, then heading to the farmers' market to get some charcuterie - the chutney I made should be about ready to eat, so it'll need some company.

Then with any luck I'll be able to persuade him that going to buy some paint for the new château would be a good idea.

eta: that's just reminded me - we need to get some more picture-hooks, so we'd be going to the hardware shop anyway ...

[ 25. March 2017, 13:24: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
No, this is what I was thinking of:

Picture hook

(O rats. Could some kindly Hostly Person please shorten the link? My brain hurts today....)

These are hangy or dangly, rather than sticky, things. Much kinder to the décor!

IJ

[Link shortened - Piglet, AS host]

[ 26. March 2017, 15:46: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

---

Posted by Jengie jon (# 273) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
O woe. Only for a while, though - surely new old-style (IYSWIM) picture hooks can be purchased? No substitute for the Original Brass Ones, I know...

IJ

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
... I must purchase some Brasso, and some Elbow Grease to go with it ...

---

Where do you buy the elbow-grease? Can you buy it in bulk? I could do with some ...

D. got our picture-hooks in the dollar store, where they probably cost about $2 for really quite a lot.
 

---

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
Now that question was asked by Charles Pooter in "The Diary of a Nobody" many years ago!
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Elbow-Grease is available from the same shop which stocks Holes For Bus Tickets, Polo-Mints, and Fishing-Nets.

Every town should have one, and, whilst you're looking for it, I'll get me coat...

IJ
 

---

Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
That must be where you buy the round tuits, which are essential at the beginning of any task. How often, when someone asks you when you're going to fix something, do you say, "I'll get a round tuit."
 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 
I've never gotten a round tuit.

 

---

Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :
 
Does anyone have any idea what someone who herds pigs might be called (I don't mean Bob or Steve)?

We had our spring mini-fayre yesterday and are left with half a pig's worth of pulled pork. I've made a non-shepherd's pie with it today, but am unsure what to call it.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
The same shop also stocks Lerts, as in 'Keep a Lert'...

IJ
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
ArachnidinElmet - swineherds?

IJ
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Swineherds, question mark unnecessary.
 

---

Posted by Gill H (# 68) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Brenda Clough:
That must be where you buy the round tuits, which are essential at the beginning of any task. How often, when someone asks you when you're going to fix something, do you say, "I'll get a round tuit."

---

I had On in the 1970s. They were everywhere in gift shops with a message similar to the above printed on it. Mine was a plate.
 

---

Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
Back from the works outing – three days skiing in the Alps. I’d never been on a pair of skis before and didn’t find the first day very fun, with a big group and too much falling over in the snow. The monitors decided to start by only putting us on one ski to learn to balance, which I conclude is harder than having two skis . I liked it better on the second day when the group had lost two thirds of its members (either because they were partying until 3 am and didn’t get up or because they didn’t enjoy it the first day) leaving the courageous few with much more personal attention from the monitors. After that I started to get the hang of it and managed to get down the (admittedly quite small and pathetically unslopy) hill all by myself without falling over or breaking any limbs which is good enough for me .

Saturday afternoon was a team-building exercise involving things like sledging and playing golf in the snow. Would have been quite fun had the weather not been ghastly with lots of the white stuff falling out of the sky. OTOH the massive snowfall (apparently 60 cm on the highest slopes and even a good 20 cm lower down) meant that it all looked very pretty on Sunday morning. I managed to sneak off by myself (introvert heaven!) to the village in search of Savoyard cheese to take home and procured a very yummy chunk of Abondance. I will leave you to imagine the smell ten hours later when I opened my suitcase .
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Ah - memories of my first skiing holiday in the French Alps, at half-term, February 1989! To my great surprise, as a complete newbie, I found I was actually quite good at keeping upright, and going at a fair pace down some very slopy slopes...

Can't recall any particular cheese, but lots of cafe noir and cognac seem to be stuck in the memory, along with Dr. Rosie, a GP from South Wales who was also in the newbie class...

IJ
 

---

Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :
 
Swineherd Pie it is, thank you, Bishops Finger and Gee D. I pronounce it a tasty success, whatever it's name.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
... without falling over or breaking any limbs ...

---

I've never skied, but I think that would be the definition of a good skiing holiday.

Talking of sn*w, it's been falling here in gentle flurries since about lunchtime but appears to be easing off a bit now. Hopefully it'll not be enough to necessitate shovelling ...

"Spring", my fat aunt.
 

---

Posted by Jack the Lass (# 3415) on :
 
Hmmm. So I'd probably best not mention the glorious blue skies and sun in central Scotland today. Washing dried on the line, and I even needed to break out the sun cream for the Elf Lass earlier.

Today's the last forecast good day for a while though, I gather.

In other news, our back court appears to have been adopted by a stray rabbit, we suspect it is from a gang of them who live in a nearby cemetery. When we had an allotment we had to try and rabbit proof it (wire fencing going several inches below the surface of the ground, etc), but I never imagined having to rabbit proof a 1m x 2m raised bed in a tarmacked back court.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jack the Lass:
... I'd probably best not mention the glorious blue skies and sun in central Scotland ...

---

No need - I was speaking to my sister (in Edinburgh) yesterday and she gave me chapter and verse.

Enjoy it while it lasts!
 

---

Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
My awesome sister-in-law is visiting Paris from California!

She is coming round for dinner tonight and there is a damn tasty coq-au-vin waiting in my fridge. I’m so proud of it I’m probably going to end up eating grass like a donkey or something.

Big question: do I buy foie gras on the way home? That I am buying dessert from the patissier’s goes without saying Also the Savoyard cheese isn't finished and an excellent bottle of Burgundy will be making its way up from the cellar. I love France.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
... Big question: do I buy foie gras on the way home?

---

Absolutely. And some nice bread to eat it with.

Hope you and your sis-in-law have a great time - the food sounds excellent.

We were singing/playing for a funeral at the Cathedral this morning, and I'm just dropping in after the reception, which was held in the hall (where D's office and the computer are).

I really ought to b*gger off now and start organising things for our friends' return on Friday - do a spot of cleaning and tidying up, and pack up our clothes and bits and bobs so that we'll be ready to move in to the new Château Piglet on Friday.

Beginning to get excited ...
 

---

Posted by St Everild (# 3626) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by ArachnidinElmet:
Does anyone have any idea what someone who herds pigs might be called (I don't mean Bob or Steve)?

We had our spring mini-fayre yesterday and are left with half a pig's worth of pulled pork. I've made a non-shepherd's pie with it today, but am unsure what to call it.

---

A person who herds pigs is called a Swineherd.
 

---

Posted by Ethne Alba (# 5804) on :
 
Jengie jon.....you are correct

+ i do mean those types of picture hooks....only yes, they were ours...old....somewhat battered,,,,and Brass.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
O what a glorious, balmy, sunshiny Spring day it has been here in this sequestered corner of an otherwise benighted country! The east wind (aka Breath of Sauron) of earlier in the week has become a gentle south-westerly zephyr...

Mind you, I gather that school holidays begin (for some) tomorrow, so We Shall Pay For It, You Mark My Words (again)...

In other (but related) news, I find that our local Co-Op is selling a most refreshing light Golden ALE, just the job after a saunter from the Bus Stop.

IJ
 

---

Posted by Sarasa (# 12271) on :
 
My first day in spring like clothes, espadrilles and no socks. Lovely. Out place is small so I have to put away summer clothes, to get out winter ones. Do I trust the weather enough to put away long sleeved t-shirts and jumpers, and get out shorts and short sleeved tops or do I wait?
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Best wait, I think....

We've Had The Best Of The Weather - Now We Need A Good Drop Of Rain For The Garden (heard at the Bus Stop today...).

IJ
 

---

Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :
 
Ne'er cast a clout and all that, Sarasa. It's been nice and sunny today, but I'm sat under a duvet right now.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
It's been a nice, almost-springish day here, and looking at the forecast for the next few days, the temperatures do seem to be heading in a generally upward direction (famous last words ...)

In other news, we woke up to no electricity this morning* - not what you need when you'd planned on a laundry/hoovering/cleaning blitz in time for the return of the cat's regular staff.

As we had no electricity, there was nothing for it but to go out for lunch, so we went to a place called Uncle Pete's Diner (yes, really ), where D. had an all-day breakfast and I had v. decent fish and chips with the nicest tartare sauce I've ever tasted, and the whole thing came to under $30 (about £18). It's just down the road from the new château, so I suspect we may be back.

* there were men with chainsaws doing things to trees, which I assume had something to do with it.

[ 30. March 2017, 21:40: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Ah - Chish and Fips - one of the Finest Meals known to man or piglets! The Tartare Sauce sounds good, too, though I hope to have Mushy Peas with my Chish and Fips tomorrow....

IJ
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Thankfully, they haven't discovered mushy peas over here ...
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
O well - each to his own!

Hope you get your Lecktrickicity back soon...



IJ
 

---

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 
My workplace has a canteen style restaurant which turns out meals of, let's say, variable quality but Wednesday's roast, Thursday's curry and Friday's fish'n'chips, all priced at about £4 really aren't bad at all. Quite how some of my single friends manage at the weekend and on Monday & Tuesday is a mystery. Maybe they have sandwich toasters?
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Microwaves, perhaps? Mr. Co-Op sells ready meals e.g. lasagne, chicken + bacon pasta, shepherd's pie etc. at £4 for two, and I daresay other supermarkets do something similar

Guess how I know this....

I had my fish 'n chips 'n mushy peas at the bistro in a sheltered housing development in Our Parish (I was catching up on some pastoral visiting as well as having lunch). £4.75 for the meal (freshly cooked, and just right), and a Nice Mug Of Tea.

The café at the Bus Station provides decent grub at similar prices, too.

IJ
 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
Quite how some of my single friends manage at the weekend and on Monday & Tuesday is a mystery. Maybe they have sandwich toasters?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
Yeah, I've never tried Strongbow, and now I'm thinking no big loss. (I tend toward locally brewed craft cider, which is definitely not oversweet. Yuck.)

---

I must start calling scrumpy "craft cider"!
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
After all the faffing about, today is The Day!!!

Our friends are due back from France late tonight, and we're in the last stages of taking our stuff out to the new place, so when they arrive back, we'll let them into their house, and then bugger off up to our house.

Did I mention ?

And, though I never imagined I'd say it, I will miss the cat.

I think at this point I should say a huge thank-you to everyone on this thread - your support over the last while has been much appreciated.


 

---

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:


I think at this point I should say a huge thank-you to everyone on this thread - your support over the last while has been much appreciated.

---

Your thanks are appreciated. While I have shared (a little) in some of your pain, the despatches from the front line have been fascinating and kept most of my own problems (like why do standing bus passengers congregate in the narrowest part of the damned bus?) in their rightful place.

May you from now forever be at peace.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Piglet, I have the cutest little black cat hanging around here. She is black, affectionate and short haired. Shall I parcel her up and post her to Chateau Piglet? My cat hates her.

Great that your finally settled into your home.

Huia

[ 01. April 2017, 06:54: Message edited by: Huia ]
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Much as I've enjoyed Tabby's company (and seeing her again today when we called round to pick up the things that we'd left behind ), I really don't see us having a cat of our own. D. isn't at all keen on the idea, and they're really a luxury we can't afford; if he/she were to become ill it could absolutely bankrupt us.

I'm quite content with the knitted Piglet whose name I borrowed for my Ship name and our large collection of small bears.
 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 
Small bears and knitted Piglets rarely get ill -- and they don't eat very much.

 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Actually cost was the reason driving me to find where the black cat belonged as G-P needs regular meds that aren't cheap, and may need more visits to the vet as she gets older.

I had a Piglet sewed out of pink calico with blue beads for eyes when I was a child. It was lopsided and my favourite toy. It lost it's nose on a Wellington bus

Huia
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Dangerous places, those Wellington buses.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
I read it as Wellington boot....

Ahem.

Meanwhile, all best wishes to Piglet and D., as they settle into the new Chateau.



IJ
 

---

Posted by ThunderBunk (# 15579) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
I read it as Wellington boot....

Ahem.

Meanwhile, all best wishes to Piglet and D., as they settle into the new Chateau.



IJ

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by ThunderBunk:
That will be the chateauneuf de la porcelette, then, give or take the occasional accent. Not quite the same thing as chateauneuf du pape, but nearly.

---

Love it!

Perhaps we ought to toast our new abode in Châteauneuf du Pape?

Our Piglet was the creative result of D's sister getting fed up of knitting little boots when she was expecting her daughter (who's now 28 and happily married ). He's become a sort of mascot: where we go, he goes.

I used the dishwasher in the new place for the first time last night, and am glad to report that it seems to be most excellent. It was a real luxury to take dry dishes out of it; the one where we were house-sitting left everything absolutely dripping.

Before he left, the owner said that he only puts rinsing-agent in because the machine demands it, and actually waters the stuff down, which strikes me as a complete waste of time.



[ 02. April 2017, 15:51: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Whatever is this Dish Washing of which yu speak?

Cold water, and a handful of sand, was good enough for my Grandmother....

IJ
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
"Dish Washing" is something for which I much prefer to have a machine.

Today has been mostly cancelled - we both slept very late - apart from having lunch (left-overs cleared out from the freezer when we left our friends' house) all I've done is a bit of re-organising of my jewellery box, with a view to finding a place that'll buy a few bits and pieces.

I don't have anything particularly valuable, but much of it's good-quality silver that would cost a lot to replace, and a few bits of gold. I have a fair collection of stuff I wear regularly (I love jewellery and don't feel completely dressed without it), but there's a good deal of stuff I haven't worn in years, and if I could get even a fraction of its retail value I'd be well pleased.
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
I am chief dishwasher as I (almost) never cook.

I put the dishwasher on after tea (that's the evening meal to those less cultured). In the morning, after breakfast, I wash up in the bowl. If I don't do this the dishwasher is too full after tea - Mr Boogs uses a LOT of pots and pans
 

---

Posted by Nicodemia (# 4756) on :
 
You are very lucky, Boogie! Mr. N does not know how to cook, though he occasionally looks over my shoulder.

In order to give me a bit of a rest I have resorted to Tesco Finest Ready meals once a week.


My mother would turn in her grave.
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
Jolly useful - Waitrose and M&S in my case. Usually from the reduced shelves. Feeding one person after 9, which is much too late for me, is pretty tricky with proper cooking. Two separate ready meals are helpful.

[ 04. April 2017, 17:51: Message edited by: Penny S ]
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
When we lived in Belfast and were both working (me full-time, and D. with the odd hours inhabited by cathedral organists) we used ready-cooked meals rather more than we should have, as they were just so convenient.

These days we don't give them a second look - we both like cooking, and with me still a Piglet of Leisure, we don't really need the extra expense. We usually have a pizza in the freezer for those occasional late-night bursts of peckishness, but only buy them when they're on special offer.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I've just looked at Environment Canada's web-site, and they think we're going to get 15° on Monday and Tuesday.

Better look out my flip-flops ...

Actually, I'll believe it when I see it - at the moment it's 4°, wet, misty and rather miserable. I suppose at least the rain/fog combo will clear some of the sn*w that's still lying about.
 

---

Posted by moonlitdoor (# 11707) on :
 
Not much news from Kerala lately, does anyone know what Welease Woderwick is up to ?
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Perhaps WW is still recovering from Uncle Pete's recent visit? (Sorry, Uncle Pete....).

Meanwhile, this corner of UKipperland awaits Armageddon (courtesy of Chump, Putin, Assad, Kim Wrong-Trim et al) whilst basking in warm sunshine, with the trees and spring flowers bustin' out all over!

I think we'd better make the most of it - might be our last...



IJ
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
We have double digits!

It's 12° and feeling beautifully spring-like - I'm out for the first time in lightweight shoes (I haven't quite ditched the socks yet, but it may not be long ...) and a short-sleeved shirt with just a long waistcoat over it.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
'Ere oi be!

Sorry for the rather long absence but when one can't see the monitor properly checking through The Ship can be a bit chancy! L. eye still improving slowly but as per schedule and R. eye now striding on ahead, still a way to go but I feel I can read through at least once a day now.

When Dr looked at R. eye she found it was heavily bruised internally but no bruising around it but we tracked down the cause, or rather 8 month old nephew scored a direct hit again with his little fist [just the right size!] and we worked it out from there.

I worked out the other day that I have a nephew of 58 this year and a niece who is just 50 and yet I also have these twins not yet 9 months old - loads in between as well, of course. The twins have recently developed a fetish for saute potatoes, preferably smeared all round their mouths!

In other news, now I can see again perhaps it is time I get to work on designing this year's Christmas Card.

Time Marches on!

[ 08. April 2017, 11:29: Message edited by: Welease Woderwick ]
 

---

Posted by Sarasa (# 12271) on :
 
So glad the sight is improving WW, I hope it gets completely better, pronto.
A lovely sunny day here again. I went walking round the park as part of my keep fit campaign, being lapped by lots of joggers. I don't know how they do it.
 

---

Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
Wodders, I'd smack you too if you planted raspberries on my tummy every five minutes!

Ps: Christmas card? How come I never get one?

[ 08. April 2017, 11:34: Message edited by: Uncle Pete ]
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
So are you signing the nephew up as a future boxing contender?

Glad your vision is improving.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Glad to hear the sight is improving, WW - we've missed your wit and wisdom around the teapot the last wee while.

Just finished singing in the choir for a funeral, for which the Cathedral was packed almost to the doors, and I think we gave the deceased (a gentleman in his 80s who had been ill for some time) a decent send-off.

Now off home for a short spell of R&R (or "quality bear time" as D. calls it ) then to a local United church in the evening to turn pages for D., who's playing for the local Choral Society's performance of Fauré's Requiem.

As for most of next week - I'll call in when I can; the week before Easter offers no rest for the wicked or the choral singer.

Or even the wicked choral singer ...
 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
Glad to hear the sight is improving, WW - we've missed your wit and wisdom around the teapot the last wee while.

Just finished singing in the choir for a funeral, for which the Cathedral was packed almost to the doors, and I think we gave the deceased (a gentleman in his 80s who had been ill for some time) a decent send-off.

Now off home for a short spell of R&R (or "quality bear time" as D. calls it ) then to a local United church in the evening to turn pages for D., who's playing for the local Choral Society's performance of Fauré's Requiem.
As for most of next week - I'll call in when I can; the week before Easter offers no rest for the wicked or the choral singer.

Or even the wicked choral singer ...

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Uncle Pete:
Ps: Christmas card? How come I never get one?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:
So are you signing the nephew up as a future boxing contender?

---

I think his career path is already set as a Professional Sadist as he laughs as he punches me!

Both of the twins are now climbing up to stand using any wall or door or chair or a passing uncle - Girl Twin then looks around for something to cling on to so she can move about, Boy Twin just looks around as if to say "Okay, I'm standing, what do I do next?"

[ 09. April 2017, 02:08: Message edited by: Welease Woderwick ]
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
Welcome back WW, I hope your sight continues to improve. If you ever feel the need there are excellent screen readers out there I can point you to
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Boogie:
Welcome back WW, I hope your sight continues to improve. If you ever feel the need there are excellent screen readers out there I can point you to

---

When my dad developed cataracts some guy came to set his PC so the monitor screen was black and the text a medium sized white and he found that very helpful - if my situation goes back to like it was a couple of weeks ago then I think I'll see if I can find something similar.

* * * *

We went to a house warming thingy at lunchtime at some friends/relatives but the kids ended up a bit fractious, I think being passed around from hand to hand was a bit of a strain...

...but the food was good...

...but three [or was it four?] helpings of ice cream was possibly an unnecessary indulgence on my part!
 

---

Posted by M. (# 3291) on :
 
Talking of indulgences, Macarius knows that I don't really approve of having hot cross buns except on Good Friday and Easter Day.

But recently we have been having quite a lot of spicy tea cakes with a cruciform motif.

Not the same thing at all, I assure you.

M.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
M., you're probably a heretick. Actually (confession time) I bought a couple of HCBs at the market last week and we ate them, but TBH they weren't the best I'd ever tasted. Serves me right. If I'm a very organised piglet I might try and make some myself ...

We had a v. nice Palm Sunday service today - usual hymns coming in, Victoria's setting of the Passion Gospel sung very nicely (but rather slowly) by the Dean and Tallis's Salvator mundi for the motet, which was new to me but I suspect will be entering my top 20 - it's got the most gloriously squidgy cadence for the first altos ( ) near the end.
 

---

Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
And now I want hot cross buns, dammit.

I'll have to go and see if they have them in Marks and Sparks.
 

---

Posted by Sarasa (# 12271) on :
 
UK Marks certainly has HCB, and in lots of flavours too. I've not had any from there this year but had some from our local market, that were OK, but not as good as I'd hoped. It's probably a lesson about waiting until the appropriate time.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Marks and Sparks here doesn't do food at all but then there is a pretty big food Hypermarket in the same Mall.

It's still good for socks and underwear.


 

---

Posted by Jack the Lass (# 3415) on :
 
I just wanted to add my voice to the chorus welcoming back WW - it's good to see you here again (although presumably not as good as you seeing again!).
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
I go to the village bakers early on GF morning for fresh from the oven, true to description, HCBs. (Rather naughtily, I don't go there for much else. I don't eat much bread.)

I also get some richly fruited, and some wholemeal HCBs from Waitrose, which are suitably spiced. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and then no more.

I hope this satisfies my guests.
 

---

Posted by Tree Bee (# 4033) on :
 
I've recently found M&S's hot cross sliced loaf a revelation.
Tasty and easily popped in a toaster.
 

---

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tree Bee:
I've recently found M&S's hot cross sliced loaf a revelation.
Tasty and easily popped in a toaster.

---

And here is a recipe - yum!

Served with clotted cream *sigh*.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Apparently there's a lady in the Cathedral who sells HCBs in aid of the Fabric fund, so D. has put our name down for half-a-dozen.

I envy all you with Marks & Sparks in the vicinity - especially La Vie and WW - I thought they'd closed all their non-UK branches except the Dublin one several years ago. The one in St. John's closed shortly before we moved there; I don't know if there was ever one in Fredericton or not.

Never mind the hot cross buns - now I want a prawn and mayonnaise sandwich.


 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Spring is almost certainly beginning to spring.

D. actually managed to get into the shed this afternoon - enough sn*w had gone from between the deck and the shed door that he was able to (a) put the sn*w-shovels away*; and (b) find the sn*w-blower. That's the trouble with getting the keys to your new house in February ...

He says it's very spacious in there - his exact words were "spare bedroom".

* This may, of course, trigger a massive demonstration of Sod's Law.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
'Spare Bedroom' in Man-Speak can also mean 'Hobby Room' aka space for Model Railway!



IJ
 

---

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
'Spare Bedroom' in Man-Speak can also mean 'Hobby Room' aka space for Model Railway!



IJ

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:

Piglet - peccavi! [I have sinned!]

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:

Piglet - peccavi! [I have sinned!]

---

Or Sind - but never sure just how historical that was

---

I think it is probably accurate as it appears quoted in so many well-respected texts - and is the sort of clever thing folks like that say. The sort of thing I'd think of saying about a week after the event!
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
And as it has the WW seal of approval, I shall treat it as true! A very quick and sensible thing to do.

In WW II, the Japanese used a sort of Ultra machine to encrypt messages written in an old Japanese formal language as an extra protection. Fortunately, the head of the Australian team attempting to break the system recognised some short passage; he had worked in the Aust office in Tokyo for quite a few years in the early 20s and had picked up this language. The code was then broken, much as the Bletchley Park team worked. As an aside, a member of the team was Donald Robinson, who was the Anglican Abp of Sydney during much of the 80s. Vey sadly, Robinson's mind has all but completely gone by now. We know a son.

[ 12. April 2017, 06:43: Message edited by: Gee D ]
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Mea culpa - I have indeed sinned!

Checking I find that the true author appears to have been one Catherine Winkworth who submitted it to Punch who then published it as factual - and it seems to have been generally accepted from then on.

Apologies all round, particularly to GeeD.

* * * *

Nearly lunchtime, sheets still not changed and teddies still on the line - next week I must get organised!
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Aha! It just sounded too good to me to be true, but thought that you can never tell with the Victorians.

At least I can confirm my account of the Japanese is correct.
 

---

Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
Yes, this is all very well - but what about WW's teddies? Still on the line?



Is Outrage!

IJ
 

---

Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
Too bad about the teddies, etc. It's WW's fault entirely. He will insist on feeding them honey.
 

---

Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :
 
Well, it's now official - they've put it on f/b - Lord P is now engaged to his Lady.. This means that Darllenwr and I are going to be in-laws, probably next Autumn. Gosh, it does sound old!
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Poor teddies!!!

When I was a very small piglet, I remember crying my eyes out when Mum put Teddy on the washing line by his ears (I still have him, by the way - he's not in the best of health, but he's settled nicely in the ursularium beside my side of the bed).

I do hope yours feel better very soon.

St. G. - congratulations to Lord P. and the future Lady P.! Easter is a very good time for it - D. and I got engaged on Easter Sunday 30 years ago.

We've just had a very nice Tenebrae service. It was very simple - readings from the Lamentations (Authorised Version), plainsong chanting of the Psalms (Cranmer's matchless prose) and part of the Tenebrae Responsaries by Healey Willan, with candles and lights being extinguished between each.

Simple but very effective.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
...plainsong chanting of the Psalms (Cranmer's matchless prose)...

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
Poor teddies!!!

When I was a very small piglet, I remember crying my eyes out when Mum put Teddy on the washing line by his ears (I still have him, by the way - he's not in the best of health, but he's settled nicely in the ursularium beside my side of the bed).

I do hope yours feel better very soon.

---