Early Risers.

[The White Rabbit]

Afternoon awl,

 

Well, I spent some of the morning hurling small pieces of plastic at the spiders on the ceiling. Bear would be pleased... however Deborah would not be, as I was clipping unwanted pieces of plastic off a model railway kit and these exited stage left with remarkable velocity, usually upwards. Poor spiders... It's been rather wet lately, so not much done outside. I did wonder if the weather would improve once the school holidays finished but not yet. 

 

Speaking of which, who had to cope with such essay titles as 'what I did on my holidays'? Pah, turdycurses and such epithets. As a partial revenge for such assignments, I offer Little Johnny's take on a 'back to skool' creative writing task...

 

A day in my holidays:

 

My Daddy plays golf with Uncle Mike. Uncle Mike is very old, as old as Daddy. Uncle Mike has to play golf with Daddy because he has no children of his own to keep him amused. I do not like Uncle Mike. He is not as nice as my other uncle who comes to sleep over when Daddy is away on business.

 

Uncle Mike used to give me presents sometimes but he hasn’t since I was sick in the back of his car. When Daddy and Uncle Mike go and play golf they come back smelling funny. Daddy says it is Brains and I’d need some to understand that.

 

One day Daddy took me to watch him play golf with Uncle Mike. Mummy made him do it as she wanted to have her hair done. Uncle Mike wasn’t pleased and asked Daddy why he couldn’t have left the brat at home, preferably in the kitchen with all the gas taps turned on. When they got to the golf course they went into a little room in a big house and changed their clothes. Then they came out and waited with a lot of other old men while some others hit their balls.

 

When one man hit his ball he said, “Shave off” and ran to one side to watch it hit the trees. All the others said, “Ardluck Dave” but I think they were actually very pleased.

When Uncle Mike had his turn to hit his ball he spent a long time waving his big club and then he lifted it very high in the air and hit the ground. He dug up a huge piece of earth with it and was not pleased. All the men looked at him and each other and said, “Oh dear”. And a few other things which Mummy has told me never to say again.

 

I said, “Are you digging for worms Uncle Mike?” and everyone laughed and one patted my head and told me I was a clever boy. But I don’t think Uncle Mike was pleased.

 

After Daddy had his go he went into a little wood on one side of the field and Uncle Mike went into another on the other side to look for their balls. Daddy found his ball under a bush. I got it out for him and he built a little mound of earth and put his ball on the top then hit it out of the wood into the field. Then he went to help Uncle Mike who was looking into a drain.

 

I said to Uncle Mike, “Daddy has just found his ball under a bush and I got it out for him” and Daddy put his hand over my mouth and went red. Uncle Mike said I was a good boy and gave me a sweetie. Then some naughty men came along and told Uncle Mike and Daddy if they had lost their balls they should let them have their go but Uncle Mike was rude to them. Then Uncle Mike found his ball but hit it straight back in the drain and we all had to wait while the naughty men had their go.

 

Daddy did not go into the wood again but took a tiny club and went to play in a sandpit like we have in the school playground only a lot bigger. Daddy had a lovely game throwing sand around all over everything so I went into another sandpit next to the one Daddy was playing in and built a beautiful sandcastle with a moat and everything.

 

I showed this to Daddy and he went red again and said, “Good God, look what the child’s done” and then he and Uncle Mike went down on their hands and knees and flattened out my castle. While they were doing this a man came past on a mowing machine and said they should be ashamed of themselves and he’d report them to the Club Secretary. Uncle Mike said that word again.

Then Uncle Mike and Daddy went to play on a small field with a lot of sandpits round it and a big stick with a flag in the middle. Daddy let me hold this after he took it out of a nasty little hole with water in it. So when Uncle Mike hit his ball and it rolled to the nasty little hole, I stopped it going in with my foot. Uncle Mike got cross and red and threw his club at Daddy and it hit him on the knee. Daddy said, “You can’t blame me for what the boy does” and Uncle Mike said at least I was as happy as if I had all my senses.

 

Then we saw two lady golfers and they were very old, at least as old as Mummy and Uncle Mike said something to Daddy and they went away and whispered and laughed a lot.

Next we came to a big river and Daddy and Uncle Mike tried to see who could hit the most balls into it. Daddy won as he hit the river most but did not look pleased about this. Uncle Mike asked me to go and look for the balls, preferably in the deepest bits but I did not go as Mummy had told me to keep clean.

 

Then Daddy and Uncle Mike went to play on another small field with a stick in the middle again. Daddy took out his tiny club again, the one he uses in the living room with the waste paper basket. He stood on the grass and looked hard at the big stick and then on one leg and the other. Then he started to breathe heavily and asked Uncle Mike to stop blinking as the noise of this upset him.

 

I got bored watching Daddy do this and then I saw a squirrel in the wood and whispered to Uncle Mike. He said go and tell Daddy so I did, just as Daddy was swinging his tiny club. I ran and shouted, “Daddy, I’ve seen a squirrel Daddy!” and Daddy jumped and he hit the ball very hard, much harder than he hits it with that big club with the big lump on the end when we are in the big field and the ball went off into a sand pit.

 

Daddy went all pale and trembly like Nicola Helliwell did when she was sick in the playground and kept twitching and muttering and said, “God forgive me, I want to strangle the little brute”.

Uncle Mike told me I could pull his funny little truck for him if that would keep me quiet and I found it ever so easy. I ran round and round one of the long sticks just like a racehorse. Then two nasty men came along and shouted at me and Uncle Mike took his truck back and said if I had any more Brains I would be halfwitted. Daddy sounded very tired and said he and Uncle Mike should get some Brains in.

 

Then we got back to the big house where we started and Daddy gave me a lemonade and twenty pence and I put it into a funny machine with lots of coloured lights all over it and I pulled a lever and lots of coins came out of a hole in it. Uncle Mike and Daddy both made noises like they were going to be sick and said it was typical of their luck and they had tasted the gregs of Irony Fate. I do not understand this as I have never seen it on their menu.

 

I will not play golf when I grow up as it is a stupid, silly game. I told Mummy this when she was getting my tea and she said I was quite right but some played it as they were stupid, silly people and Uncle Mike was the silliest and stupidest of them all. I asked her if Uncle Arthur who comes to stay sometimes when Daddy is away plays golf but Mummy went red and asked me if I had liked my lemonade.

 

The teacher liked my work but said that there was no need to try and spell the exact words used by Daddy and Uncle Mike.

[TheQ]

I've met Henry Blofield a couple of times, as he's sold his books at the Horning fete.

 

We  live 1/2 mile inland, in a storm we get salt spray on the windows. Two of the three possible exit routes from this village involve driving on roads often covered in sand.

 

I have two sets of descendants of uncles in OZ, or rather that's where they live, part of one set is in the UK at the moment, others to follow as there's a family reunion soon.

 

Afternoon Awl,

Bin sunny with occasional clouds all day, a bit breezy though.

 

Much work on the unmentionable, almost all works of woodworking type completed, except of course the beams.

Other work followed. It's one of those days where there is a huge visual step forward.

While doing this, swmbo was spinning Doggy fur, seemingly Daschshund is not very good for the purpose.

 

During that, there were discussions on clothing the layout. I won't be buying yards of black cloth. I've been donated some old curtains by SWMBO. Two have been chosen as they have vague similarity in colour to the moving kettles formerly in this area. SWMBO also promises to tailor the curtains to fit.

 

The above was followed by an hour's consideration of next moves, aka an eyelid inspection. In recognition of discussions in above posts, cake Icing is next, substituting calcium carbonate and talc for sugar.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 8 by TheQ

[Erichill16]

Afternoon All,

Could have been for ride behind a large kettle but spending the afternoon waiting for mil who we’ve taken to A&E. 

sigh

[iL Dottore]

Belated, but heartfelt, Happy Birthday Wishes to ER's very own Permanently Piqued Punk Pharmacist @Erichill16

[iL Dottore]

3 hours ago, Hroth said:

 

Cake-splatter licker-upping?

Have you no shame???

 

No, he doesn't.

 

Anyone who proselytises for curly fries and baked bean pizza has long abandoned any sense of decorum or of embarrassment.

 

Actually, come to think of it, I wonder if he is an "influencer" on the payroll of Dr Oetke (pizza), McCain (fries), Heinz (beanz) and the CoOp (LDC) - it would explain a lot.......

[DaveF]

The trip to church went well, I managed to the right things at the right times, didn't break anything and remembered to switch everything off afterwards.  

 

Back home I had a second cup of coffee having had one in the church hall and finished the days e mails and phone calls to friends.  This afternoon has been peaceful, I watched the last part of the Great North Run and then the Test Match while slowly reading a magazine and part of yesterday's newspaper.  I have never "done" the Great North Run, I used to enjoy running at school but never wanted to take it up again later.  A number of my work colleagues used to do it most years - some used to come in on the Monday following in considerable distress.

 

I think this evening will be more TV and reading.

 

None of the plants wanted watering today so they will have to wait until they dry out for their weekly feed.  Even the tomatoes haven't taken up as much water as usual.

 

David

[iL Dottore]

I've just had a most disturbing thought: what if Polybear's persona of being a down to earth, not-a-fussy-eater, an everybear kind of ursine is just a facade? A charade? A fabrication?

 

Perhaps he is promoting the products of big UPF companies as a way of making enough money to fund a sybaritic and self indulgent lifestyle. An expensive lifestyle.

 

Now that I think about it, maybe it was PB's indecipherable scrawl that I saw in the Diner's Ledger at the dining rooms of the prestigious Le club gastronomique exclusif de la société des ours gourmands  in Paris (membership fees starting at €100,000).

 

I know the above is just pure supposition, but don't you think it's curious that every time we have had a BT meeting at a Gastropub, @polybear always goes for the gourmet option – never pizza, never fries!

[Erichill16]

7 hours ago, BSW01 said:

I’m on the final straight of the terrace house build, the frames of all 4 are built, just the chimneys, roofs doors and windows etc to finish, oh and the outside toilets! 

Later this afternoon, James, Sophie and Amelia are calling round, so I don’t think I’ll get all the work done
 

Buddy ‘ll, I wish my builder worker that fast!

[Winslow Boy]

5 hours ago, Hroth said:

 

Cake-splatter licker-upping?

Have you no shame???

 

This is the Bear we're talking about isn't it?

[Hroth]

12 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

This is the Bear we're talking about isn't it?

 

Its something to do with the size of his headware...

 

[Winslow Boy]

1 minute ago, Hroth said:

 

Its something to do with the size of his headware...

 

Getting a bit personal aren't you.

[Coombe Barton]

3 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

With or without a shower?

The shower works

 

[Ozexpatriate]

3 hours ago, The White Rabbit said:

Well, I spent some of the morning hurling small pieces of plastic at the spiders on the ceiling.

I found one running across the bedsheets just before I planned to retire for the evening. I found something to transport it outside but it apparently escaped between my bedroom and the front door - likely at the top of the stairs - where I thought I saw it on my way back, without being able to recapture it.

 

I'm seeing more house spiders. Even though it is still warm and dry outside they seem to know the seasons are changing and it is time to come inside.

[Tony_S]

Our journey home was fine, I wonder if people were avoiding the motorway today. I decided we would just follow the sat nav (it has live traffic updates) and our normal route was clear, though it hadn’t been an hour earlier. Reports earlier suggest the traffic incident  involved a lorry and pedestrians, though there was also another one involving a car. The coincidental closure of the A12 junction this weekend can’t have helped. 
Tony

Edited September 8 by Tony_S

[Tony_S]

I had one of those Facebook “on this day “ posts today. 
We found this place in 2019 as Matthew had told us about it. He had been there in 2013 . His photo and ours were very similar. 

 

He had helped some US tourists who had been anxious about using French and they took him out for a meal, his choice of  restaurant. He chose the one with rabbit (mainly rabbit) on the menu. We didn’t eat there though. 
Tony

Edited September 8 by Tony_S

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. A bit warm and muggy this evening though it's predicted to get colder by the end of the week, an expected low of 5C. by Friday morning as high pressure builds in. The joints have stopped aching from todays exertions which means I should get a good nights sleep tonight.

[New Haven Neil]

Still alive, sorry.

[PhilJ W]

https://www.facebook.com/reel/398010279240050

[Coombe Barton]

... At the time of writing I’m cosy inside the caravan listening to the rain beating down. Elsewhere in the field there are a couple of people with car top tents. I wonder how they’re getting on. They’re more hardy folk than I am. ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2024/09/08/postcards-from-the-other-periphery-2024-28/

[monkeysarefun]

6 hours ago, rockershovel said:

I have distant cousins in Oz - one of my grandfather's cousins emigrated (at the age of about 12) on some sort of Church-sponsored scheme.

 

My late father wanted to emigrate but couldn't get accepted because of his war injuries. He did arrive there but couldn't ultimately make it work, and returned. 

 

Its not for everyone and those who come here with unrealistic expectations (not referring to your late father, but rather many of those on youtube who post up excited "We re moving to Australia!" vlogs) can be quickly disappointed. House prices in the capital cities are some of the highest in the world, as a result rents are shooting upwards, and we have the same "Cost Of Living Crisis" as everywhere else.

 

 

 

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

More card building has taken place, although my first task was to print a sheet of roofing slates and a sheet of stone, suitable for window sills. I then started fitting the window sills and lintels, I was just about to add the window frames, when James, Sophie and Amelia turned up, at this point I packed up, but it’s almost done now. 

 

Yesterday I had an email from Bachmann Europe, informing me that their subsidiary companyEFE Rail are making an LSWR, Adams T3, locomotive, so I’ve got my name down on the I’m interested list!

 

I’ve just got off the phone from my monthly chat with my brother in Canada, as usual we didn’t discuss anything in particular, mainly what’s in the current news as well as my recent operation. But it’s always nice to catch up etc. 

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[BSW01]

Goodnight everyone 

[DaveF]

1 hour ago, Coombe Barton said:

... At the time of writing I’m cosy inside the caravan listening to the rain beating down. Elsewhere in the field there are a couple of people with car top tents. I wonder how they’re getting on. They’re more hardy folk than I am. ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2024/09/08/postcards-from-the-other-periphery-2024-28/

 Canny sourdough is a baker based in Rothbury, one place he supplies is Tully's of Rothbury, a delicatessen.

https://www.cannysourdough.uk/about-us

https://www.rothburydeli.co.uk/about

 

I was in Aldersons, the ironmonger you took the photo of, last Wednesday buying things I can't find on the coast where I live.

 

Edlingham church is very worth a good look.  Next to it is of course the viaduct on the closed Alnwick to Coldstream line of the North Eastern Railway.

I think you will be able to find enough churches in Northumberland to keep you interested for a long time.  I've found Pevsner's book to be quite useful for information on the county's buildings, including the 70 (I think) castles.

 

The ship you saw is the Trinity House vessel Patricia.

https://www.trinityhouse.co.uk/commercial-services/our-services/vessel-hire/thv-patricia

 

The views on the road between Alnwick and Rothbury are very good in clear weather.  If you drive up the hill towards Alnwick from the turning for Edlingham church there is a parking space on the left near the top of the climb which gives good views to the Cheviot.

 

David

Edited September 8 by DaveF

[polybear]

8 hours ago, Hroth said:

 

Cake-splatter licker-upping?

Have you no shame???

 

 

Er, well since you ask.....

 

NO!!

 

(I occasionally always received "Words of Advice" from a previous Polina when out to Lunch/Din Dins/Whatever when faced with an ikky stikky gooey plate after scoffin' some sticky cake/ice cream/whatever.  She'd say "DON'T YOU DARE...." as I gazed longingly at it; for some strange reason she considered a quick wipe(s) of the paw around the plate to be "poor form".  It was often followed with "IF YOU DO I'M GETTING UP AND WALKING OUT......."

 

Needless to say A Certain Bear became rather adept at distracting her so I never was actually caught...though the resulting evidence was plain to see.  I do recall hearing those immortal words "I MEAN IT....." on several occasions, however.....😁)