Early Risers.

[pH]

Come to think of it the only prize I received in skuel was for reciting Burns poetry. I think it was "Tam O'Shanter". It was a bit of a doddle. Mum and dad lived in Ayrshire and I was already familiar with much of the vocabulary.

I have a book of Burns poetry awarded by the Ayr Burns Club to my Mum "For Recitation from the Works of Robert Burns" while she was at school in Ayr in 1928. What did you get as your prize?

[pH]

Must all have been at the same pub quiz.

No, just taught to the same syllabus at school.

[AndyID]

I have a book of Burns poetry awarded by the Ayr Burns Club to my Mum "For Recitation from the Works of Robert Burns" while she was at school in Ayr in 1928. What did you get as your prize?

 

A certificate and probably a book-token. No idea what happened to the certificate.

[roundhouse]

Good afternoon.

apparently a lot of TSA staff are calling in sick since t ng e Trump shut down but luckily we got through SFO security fairly smoothly. Did get asked to pull my trousers up before entering the scanning booth which is hardly surprising considering I had to remove my belt!

 

Our transport home is a Dreamliner. I like these planes as they really are quieter than most others.

 

Our US beer drinking is now over till the summer. See you on the other side of the pond soon.

Edited January 6, 2019 by roundhouse

[BR60103]

Andy:

I always wonder how someone who speaks a dialect manages to read the dialect rendered in a different (standard?) form of English.

I think Hardy was challenged by a Scotswoman on his rendition of Scots, and claimed that she just exemplified what he had written.

 

I would have great trouble trying to read an American's version of Canadian.

 

We had Dragonfest today. Friend Mike refers to his wife (fondly) as the Dragon, so we have an annual gathering of modellers and their wives. Chaotic operating session as Windermere looked more like Wurmburg, full of German whatevers.

I have Lord St Vincent back from maintenance and it managed several circuits and was still running.

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all

 

 

May I introduce The Tie, seen here adorning my neck in a hotel bedroom in Mainz.  It will apppear in public again, possibly when least expected.  It is not clear whether Harry's comment yesterday "Looking good" refers to me or the tie but I fear the worst.

 

Good news yesterday from the newly revamped cafe at my local Tesco.  Far from degrading breakfast to a cuppa and a muffin, as is so often the case, it now dispenses a Big Breakfast which is a pretty good plateful for £6.25.  Oh me of little faith.  It fortified me for yesterday's tasks, including cussing volubly when the broadband went down three times while I was listening to The Archers' version of the Canterbury Tales.  Today's Archers listening will be via the tranny in the kitchen while I am doing the latest batch of ironing.  Later I will enjoy a Sunday lunch of sirloin steak courtesy of Jim the butcher before settling down to catch up with EastEnders, broadband connection permitting of course.

 

In  the week ahead, my next counselling session takes place on Monday and on Thursday I have an appointment with Sister Syringe for my hormone injection.  Tuesday sees me at the shed where the layout lives, chez Poorly Pal, and in the rest of the week there is bound to be more laundry and ironing.  Serves me right for being away for two weeks, I suppose.  I must also get to grips with my forthcoming trip Down Under, pausing as I do to wonder why I do not yet have the jitters.

 

Warm thoughts to John and Sandy and to all in distress or missing

 

Chris

 

EDIT: Oh blast.  Just because I was in a bedroom doesn't mean I was lying down ...

Edited January 6, 2019 by chrisf

[AndyID]

Andy:

I always wonder how someone who speaks a dialect manages to read the dialect rendered in a different (standard?) form of English.

 

Hi David,

 

Old Scots is just a variation of English. if you know the vocabulary it's not difficult. A lot easier than reading a foreign language (I was crepe at foreign languages.)

 

Burns could write in both. At a couple of points in "Tam O'Shanter" he drops into standard English to make a sort of parenthetic comment to the reader. "But pleasures are like poppies spread, You seize the flower, it's bloom is shed;....."

 

Some people might imagine "Tam O'Shanter" is a warning that if we don't behave ourselves bad things will happen to us. But it isn't. The only bad thing was what happened to Tam's horse. Quite a punch line

 

Andy

[TheQ]

Mooring awl inner Temple here,

About 6.5 hours sleep in all, not to bad, I would have been more but Ben the Border Collie wanted out.

 

Chilly northerly breeze out there very overcast, but should be good for sailing.

 

I too, did have to study Tam o'shanter as well as a couple of other Burns poems, it did not go down well with the gaelic first language students at school in Inverness, I think I coped with it better than them.

Burns night's were not originally just on his birthday, he was a rock star of his day, readings of Burn's poems at literary evenings were held throughout the UK. These evenings were often in pubs with food and a meal. It's only since his death they formalised? Into their current format.

There were huge numbers of Scots in England hence regiments like the Liverpool Scottish, or London Scottish. Even at around the time of Burn's death (1796) Nelson was guest of honour at a fund raiser for the "indegent" poor Scots in London.

 

Time too.. Go sailing...

[45156]

Morning All

 

Sorry I've been AWOL, but all posts have been read and rated.  As usual, generic greetings are on offer, but nice tie, Chris, seems to be in order, and John, pleased to see that some progress is being made with Sandy's chemo now.

 

January 6th - as yes, a date I remember well, as it was the date when we got married in 1979, in the middle of one of the worst winters for a decade.  Forty years today, then, but we did celebrate yesterday with a special meal - we don't really do much for anniversaries - our present to ourselves for our 25th was a new stove for the living room!

 

I must say, I do still enjoy a bit of Burns, and could probably, with a bit of prompting, still recite the whole of Tam O' Shanter, which IMHO is still one of the finest poems written in any dialect.  The line "where lies oor sulky, sullen dame, gathering her broos like gatherin' storm, nursing her wrath tae keep it warm" really does still have real vaildity today.

 

Possibly back later, but I also have a writing task to tackle before Wednesday for the writing group, and I can't use the computer for that and here at the same time.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Another dry but very overcast start to the day. However it is a bit warmer than of late and there may be the odd sunny spell.

Rugby watched and enjoyed yesterday, more to come today,

The offer of a cooked breakfast was accepted earlier so will look forward to that shortly. Looking forward even more to tonight's meal which will be roast beef. I have been put in charge of overseeing the cooking of said joint of meat. ("Because you are so fussy about how it should be cooked!") No pressure there then!

Sounds of breakfast now being prepared so I will be back later.

Have a good one,

Bob.

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

It is a bit warmer than yesterday here.

Aditi enjoyed her ballet matinee at Sadlers Wells yesterday. It was Swan Lake but with an all male corps de ballet.

We are off later this morning to see MiL. She has relatives who live in Osterley and they are coming to see her in Enfield today.

Tony

[81C]

Morning All

It's one day to go before we find out if there will be more toys of our choice to buy from the red team I need to get rid of some of the old loco's 

before buy any new one's but I could just squeeze one Saint class loco should it appear wishful thinking I suppose.

Today is polystyrene day landscaping an Indian Hill in the depths of Hampshire,  if it warms up a bit outside I must remove a cwt of sand off the

carpets in the car it's been there for about 6 weeks I wish car companies would build self cleaning cars or I might pop down to the Polish carwash

they do a good job for £12.

                                          Must get on enjoy your day Simon Eyes   

[benachie]

 

 

 

Old Scots is just a variation of English. 

 

 

 

Strictly speaking, both are dialects of Anglish with Scots being much closer to the original.

 

Alan

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Bosnian car washes are cheaper - the one here charge a a tenner including an interior clean (they'd probably charge £25 for mine as cleaning the interior would be a big job.   Usual Sunday plans but the Tesco visit will need to include some 'expectorant' from the chemist for the chesty cough I have acquired from herself although otherwise the passed on cold doesn't seem to be hitting me too hard unlike the manner in which it is still bashing her.

 

Mushrooms for lunch again today I think but unlike yesterday's effort I doubt I shall bother with the accompanying bacon and fried potatoes.

 

Have a good day one and all.

[Purley Oaks]

Morning all

 

Cloudy here. Today our prospective house purchasers are paying a short visit to "measure-up". Hope this is encouraging news because we/they still have to sign any papers. Will enquire how close they are.

 

Yes, I think we need more festivals or special nights in January to deal with the month's dreariness, that's why Burns' Night is so welcome. Had forgotten about St Valentine's Day, another excuse. And there's Shrove Tuesday, a moveable feast which is quite late this year on 5 March. Could be an argument for Easter being a set weekend. And the 6Nations begins in February, another reason to be cheerful. 

 

But it's only 5 weeks from Burns' Night to the meteorological start of spring (or 8 to the equinox).

 

And it's less than a day until the red sign disappears...

 

Strictly speaking, both are dialects of Anglish with Scots being much closer to the original.

 

Alan

Where does Doric fall in the language thing, Alan?

 

Our neighbours started drilling at 10am. Thanks a lot pal!

 

Have a good day all

 

Mal

[dseagull]

Morning all

 

A leisurely start to the day but the dreaded Sunday weekly shop will be upon us shortly, and then I have to do a tip run before 1.

 

Good to hear from John that Sandy seems to be making good progress, and hope that all ERs have a pleasant day.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. David, I have always had a knack of being able to distinguish Canadian and American accents, I think because the Canadian accent is 'softer'. There are different accents in other languages as well, I remember when the twinning between Havering and Ludwgshaven was just starting and one of our group having a friend in Austria and speaking fluent German was roped in as interpreter. It amused our German friends that he spoke in a distinct Austrian accent. Nice tie Chris, its so long since I wore a tie that I'm not even sure I could knot one now. Thats it for now, muggatee time, be back later.

[newbryford]

 

 

And it's less than a day until the red sign disappears...

 

 

 

 I wonder if it will be replaced by a blue one...…?

(Their big reveal is on 14 Jan)

 

Work is being worked.

 

Cheers,

Mick

Edited January 6, 2019 by newbryford

[Gwiwer]

A wee bit nightie?

God bless the Freudian slip. As in

 

“You call that thing a nightie?”

- “No ma’am - it’s a Freudian slip”

 

Morning all. The coughing continues. Lungs and all feeling sore. And since sharing is caring SWMBO has begun coughing in sympathy which means both of are taking time out today.

 

Nasty little germ, this.

 

Wishing a respectable Sunday to one and all and a warming alcohack to our missing member.

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone

 

Only just got out of bed, we must have needed the kip! It’s dull but a bit warmer here in the northwest, once muggertea No2 has been consumed I’m off to the workshop, I may be some time.

 

Chrisf. Nice tie.

 

Stewart. Congratulations on your 40th anniversary.

 

Back later

[benachie]

 

 

Where does Doric fall in the language thing, Alan?

 

 

Doric, i.e. the Scots dialect of the North East (of Scotland) is just a form of Scots that has been better preserved than any other in Scotland (although our friends in Orkney and Shetland might contest that   ).   Because of Norse influence, we have things like " 'I quinie couldna get ungrotten" ="The girl couldn't stop crying" and some similarities with the North East of England plus some influences of Gaelic - notably "F" in place of initial "Wh" e.g. "Faar ye gaa'n" = "Where are you going".

I think I should stop there!

 

Alan

Edited January 6, 2019 by benachie

[Coombe Barton]

Of course, the red counter, once it reaches zero, could just restart for next year.

[JohnDMJ]

Of course, the red counter, once it reaches zero, could just restart for next year.

 

Then it will be truly annihilated!

[81C]

Morning all,

 

Bosnian car washes are cheaper - the one here charge a a tenner including an interior clean (they'd probably charge £25 for mine as cleaning the interior would be a big job.   Usual Sunday plans but the Tesco visit will need to include some 'expectorant' from the chemist for the chesty cough I have acquired from herself although otherwise the passed on cold doesn't seem to be hitting me too hard unlike the manner in which it is still bashing her.

 

Mushrooms for lunch again today I think but unlike yesterday's effort I doubt I shall bother with the accompanying bacon and fried potatoes.

 

Have a good day one and all.

I done all I needed doing myself in the end Mike.

 

Phil JW would have laughed as Reg was out cleaning his & hers all the cleaning stuff line up jet wash, hoover,

a row of cleaning fluid bottles line up various clothes all neatly hanging over the wheelie bins with his head

phones on whistling away to himself he must have been in Utopia 

 

I done the same and got everything out of the garage set it all up just the same then just hoovered the carpets and

cleaned the screen SWMBO and some of the other neighbours were in stitches I'm glad I made some one smile

today.

                                                                                                                                                                                    A Karcher 

Edited January 6, 2019 by 81C

[jamie92208]

Good afternoon from a chilly bit of the Charente.   Up a bit late this morning then off to the market.   On return a visitor was waiting for Beth so I took myself off to the dining room to work on the jigsaw.   Moules for lunch then some outdoor work, siphoning the rainwater off the pool cover, or rather as much as I could get off.   I made an empirical discovery that if the inlet is less than 6" below the surface then a vortex develops.   Perhaps it is dependant on the fall to the outlet.   Now back in the warmth.   A nice piece of lamb has been slowly roasted and this evening, dancing on Ice starts so I will be heading for the shed with the paraffin heater on in the modelling room.

 

By the way, The Tie, looks very smart Chris.   Also glad to see that Sandy is progressing John.  Ian (RH) I hope that by the time you read this you will have had a smooth flight and safe return to the UK.

 

Jamie