Category Archives: ramblings

personal, ramblings

Five Questions, Series 6 #5

OK, so at last here is the last of Series 6 of Five Questions.


Question 5: What gets you out of bed in the morning?
For once we have a very simple answer!
The need to pee. Every morning! Without that I would quite likely not bother to get out of bed.
———————

Judging by my total inability to get round to answering these five questions, I may or may not do another series sometime next year.

personal, ramblings

Five Questions, Series 6 #4

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! I had completely forgotten about the ast two questions in my Five Questions series. No excuses; just incompetence! So without further ado, here is the answer to Question 4.


Question 4: If all the nations in the world are in debt, who’s got the money?
Well for a start it isn’t me!
What are we talking about here? Governments being in debt? If so, well yes they are, almost by definition.
Remember that no government has any money. All they have is what they take from us as tax and what they can borrow either on the open market or in exchange for government bonds. So government will always, by definition, be in debt.
So who do governments borrow money from? Basically anyone who will lend it to them. That’s how the market works. And these people are? Businesses and the rich. They are the only people with money.
So however they manage to acquire it — basically selling things either legally or illegally — businesses and people are the only ones with any money.

environment, links, ramblings

Coming up in November

Here’s my selection of events, celebrations and customs that are happening during November.
[Reminder: These listings contain an eclectic mix of anniversaries, historical events, red letter days and upcoming “awareness events”, mostly UK-centric. My rules for the inclusion of awareness events are that they must not be medical, nor aimed specifically at children, nor too obviously purely commercial; and they must have a useful website.]
1 to 30 November
National Novel Writing Month. Can you write a novel in a month? That’s the challenge for all the budding authors out there. The idea is to write your 50,000 words in just thirty days. More information, hints, tips and events over at http://nanowrimo.org/.
1 November
London (Regent Street) Veteran Car Concours. If you’re in central London on this day you’ll find many of the cars taking part in the London-Brighton Veteran Car Run on display in Regent Street. And some may even be limbering up around the West End. So take your camera and keep your eyes open. Basic evnet information at www.classicshowsuk.co.uk/classic-car-show-event-information/classic-car-show-by-date.asp?id=515.


2 November
London-Brighton Veteran Car Run. This is reportedly to be the longest running car event in the world and ranks as one of Britain’s biggest motoring spectacles. It attracts entrants from around the world, all eager to take part on the first Sunday in November. Only cars built before 1 January 1905 are eligible to take part so this is a fine spectacle of early automobile engineering. More details at www.vccofgb.co.uk/lontobri/.
5 November
Guy Fawkes Day when the UK celebrates the defeat of terrorism by the foiling of Guido Fawkes’ 1605 plot to blow up King James I along with the whole of Parliament. The celebration is traditionally marked with bonfires and fireworks, much to the annoyance of most of our pets. Many places have their own special Guy Fawkes celebrations, including Tar Barrel rolling at Ottery St Mary, Devon and Lewes Bonfire Night in East Sussex.
8 November
Lord Mayor’s Show. Held on the second Saturday in November, this is the pageant to accompany the inauguration of the new Lord Mayor of the City of London. Along with the usual plethora of floats there are military bands and pikemen in gaudy medieval dress.
9 November
Remembrance Day. The UK’s annual commemoration of those lost not just in WWI and WWII but in all wars.
11 November
Martinmas, the Feast of St Martin of Tours, is a time for feasting celebrations — much like American Thanksgiving — and in many places another bonfire festival. Traditionally at this time the autumn wheat seeding was completed and there was the annual slaughter of fattened cattle and swine which could not be kept through the winter. Historically, hiring fairs were held where farm labourers would seek new posts.
29 November to 7 December
National Tree Week is the UK’s largest tree celebration and launches the start of the winter tree planting season. It is also a great chance for communities to do something positive for their local treescape. Full details at www.treecouncil.org.uk/Take-Part/National-Tree-Week.
30 November
On this day in 1934 the Flying Scotsman was the first steam locomotive to exceed 100 mph.

amusements, ramblings

Rolling Geriatrics

This is such a wonderful picture! The Rolling Stones at the Adelaide Oval preparatory to recommending their Australian tour. Just which geriatrics home have they been let out of for the day?


Mind, they’ll probably still be going strong long after me!

history, personal, ramblings

Birthtime TV

There’s an interesting new resource from the BBC … the BBC Genome project.
It contains the listings information (TV and radio) which the BBC printed in Radio Times between 1923 and 2009 … and you can search the site for BBC programmes, people, dates and specific Radio Times editions.
That means you can find when a particular programme was broadcast, who appeared in a particular episode of your favourite comedy series and even what was being broadcast the minute you were born.
Now this latter I find sort of scary. Having been born in another century and on a different planet — ie. before we had 24 hour, wall-to-wall TV — I was totally unsure what I’d find being broadcast when I appeared.


I know I was born at lunchtime, about 12.50 according to my mother. And of course I now the date and place (University College Hospital in London’s Gower Street). But back in 1951 this was not just before the days of 24 hour TV but at a time when there were only three radio stations and one TV channel. TV (now BBC1) and the Third Programme (now BBC Radio 3) broadcast almost exclusively in the evenings with just the occasional TV programme during the day (see later).
That left me with entering the world to either Workers’ Playtime on the Home Service (now BBC Radio 4) or Hullo There! on the Light Programme (now BBC Radio 2) which featured comedian Arthur Askey.
OMG! I remember hearing Workers’ Playtime when I was a bit older. It was awful and condescending. But then so was everything in those days. As an example, the afternoon I was born TV screened a programme called Designed for Women which included “John Gloag reviews some recent books” and “Round the Shops, Margot Lovell reports on what she thinks will interest you in the shops this week”. Can’t you just hear those awful Fanny Craddock-style presenters?
Thank heavens we live in another age and in a greater light!
What about you? What was being broadcast when you appeared in the world?

personal, ramblings

Who would you choose?

1 Comment

I saw this the other day and thought it such a great idea — if only to make one think — it seems worth sharing.

who

My answer?
My immediate answer when I saw the question was: Prof. Alice Roberts.
But there are just so many great people to choose from. Galileo. Leonardo. William Byrd. Anthony Powell. Richard Feynman. Samuel Pepys. Tony Benn. Dalai Lama. And of course one or two of my ancestors who could unlock some riddles in the family tree.
So who would you choose?
Answers in the comments, or on your blog with a link in the comments, please.

environment, history, ramblings

Coming up in October

Here’s my selection of events, celebrations and customs that are happening during October.
Reminder: These listings contain an eclectic mix of interesting (to me) anniversaries, historical events, red letter days and upcoming “awareness events”, mostly UK-centric. My rules for the inclusion of awareness events are that they must not be medical, nor aimed specifically at children, nor must they be too obviously purely commercial; and they must have a useful website. (It is surprising how many get cast asunder by the lack of a useful website.)
Anyway here’s this month’s list …
4 October
French painter Jean-Francois Millet was born on this day in 1814.


Jean-Francois Millet; The Goose Girl

6 to 12 October
National Knitting Week. Celebrate by bringing knitters together, sharing techniques and learning something new. More information over at www.ukhandknitting.com/.
6 October
National Personal Safety Day is an annual event aimed at highlighting some of the simple, practical solutions that everyone can use to help avoid violence and aggression in today’s society. It’s about helping people live safer, more confident lives. Find out about this year’s campaign and getting involved at www.nationalpersonalsafetyday.co.uk/.
10 October
Tavistock Goose Fair has been held on the second Wednesday of October since 1823 (but with roots back to the 12th century) and it is one of only two historically established traditional goose fairs in the UK, the other being the larger Nottingham Goose Fair held in the first week of October.

Waltham Abbey Church, East End,
with the alleged burial place of King Harold in the centre foreground

11 October
King Harold Day. Waltham Abbey in Essex (very near my childhood home) celebrates each October the life and death of our last Saxon King — Harold — killed at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066. Harold founded the abbey at Waltham and took “For the Holy Cross of Waltham” as his battle cry. He is allegedly buried under the old high alter of the abbey church (now outside the remaining church). More details of the day’s events can be found at www.kingharoldday.co.uk/.
13 to 19 October
This is a massive week for Britain’s food lovers with the concurrent celebration of Chocolate Week, National Baking Week and National Curry Week. Mmmmm … yes … curried chocolate cake! Well maybe not!
21 October
Apple Day. Sponsored by Common Ground, Apple Day is intended to be both a celebration and a demonstration of the variety we are in danger of losing, not simply in apples, but in the richness and diversity of landscape, ecology and culture. More information over at commonground.org.uk/projects/orchards/apple-day/.
31 October
All Hallows’ Eve (or Halloween) is a celebration on the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows’ Day, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead. Although it may have roots back into Celtic harvest festival celebrations, many of the present-day customs are recent innovations.
This day is also the Pagan feast of Samhain, a Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter or the “darker half” of the year. It is celebrated from sunset on 31 October to sunset on 1 November, which is almost midway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. Along with Imbolc, Beltane and Lughnasadh it makes up the four Gaelic seasonal festivals.

food+drink, history, personal, pleasures, ramblings, topographical

Ancestors and Mussels

Yesterday we had a day out hunting my ancestors — my father’s direct line — in Kent. And what a splendid day, despite not making any new discoveries.
We trotted off from home about 7am and arrived in Goudhurst about 9.30; just in time for coffee and apple cake.
Having been refreshed we pottered on to Benenden from where, if the connections I think are there are right, my family lives for several generations in the early 18th century and probably earlier. Benenden is such a gorgeous village with houses and the church round a large village green which doubles as the cricket ground — just as it should be.


Benenden Church

Then onward the few miles to Rolvenden, where I had higher hopes of finding evidence. What we found first of all was a small farmers’ market in the church. Yes, in the church. Excellent. This is how churches should be used; the more they are used the less they will be vandalised and the less they need to be locked. We were needless to say beguiled and stocked up from a lady selling mostly smoked meats etc., including some Oak Smoked Mussels. We also succumbed to some bread, tomatoes and a tub of fresh Lemon & Coriander Pesto.

Rolvenden Farmers’ Market

Following this and a look at the interior of the church we adjourned to The Bull for an excellent pub lunch and a pint. Staggering out we looked around the churchyard without luck, as almost every headstone was unreadable. But as we were leaving I did identify the house where my great-grandfather (Stephen Marshall, born 1849) was born and brought up.

Great-Grandfather’s birthplace in Rolvenden

Next we diverted to Smallhythe where I suspected a connection; and indeed we found a Marshall grave but of a later generation. Smallhythe is delightfully non-existent: about six houses, a vineyard, an early 16th century brick church and Ellen Terry the actress’s amazing Tudor house (now in the care of the National Trust) which was sadly not open. This is a far cry from the days of Henry VIII when he River Rother here was a wide estuary and the local industry was shipbuilding. All that ceased when the river changed course following the great storms of the late 16th century.

Samuel Austen (GGG-Grandfather) grave at Tenterden

Next on to Tenterden where we managed to find the grave of one Samuel Austen who is one of my ggg-grandfathers who died in 1838. Tenterden is full of Austens, and Jane Austen’s family originate here. Luckily the monuments in Tenterden churchyard have all been recorded as we would have been hard pressed to read the entirety of the headstone.
After a look in the church we were all running out of steam, so a quick drive on to Biddenden in the hope of easier parking and afternoon tea — both achieved. Following tea and cake we were disappointed to find the church locked; the only locked church of the six we tried during the day.
Leaving Biddenden we drove through Sissinghurst and retraced our steps to Goudhurst for a look at the church there and another pint. At this point there was a sudden realisation it was 6pm and we had a 2+ hour drive home round the M25.
OK, I was disappointed not to find obvious evidence to connect my ggg-grandfather Marshall further back, but that was really quite a long shot. It was also disappointing to find a locked church and nowhere selling Kentish apples or plums. But overall an excellent, and very tiring, day.
So now, today, we have a problem. What to do with those Oak Smoked Mussels and the pesto? Thoughtfully I procured a small pack of large prawns at the supermarket this morning (do not ask how we achieved the supermarket before 10.30 this morning!). So this evening I did one of my quick pasta dishes. 150g each of mussels and prawns makes a good feast for two, thus:
1. Cook some pasta; when cooked drain it and keep it warm.
2. Sweat some finely chopped onion and garlic in a little oil until translucent.
3. Add the mussels and prawns and cook for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the pesto, stir together and cook for another minute or two.
5. Then add the pasta, stir to mix and coat the pasta and cook for a couple of minutes to ensure everything is hot through.
6. Serve and enjoy with a bottle of white wine.
And boy, was it good! The smoked mussels were to die for. As Noreen observed “I’ve eaten much worse in restaurants”.
Cheers, to the ancestors! We’ve come a long way since their days as farm labourers before 1850.

ramblings, topographical

Oddity of the Week

The view of the dome of London’s St Paul’s Cathedral from Richmond Hill, some 10 miles distant, is protected by legislation. As Diamond Geezer, visiting Richmond Hill, reports:

A protected line of sight exists to the northeast, with a narrow gap cut through Sidmouth Wood in the precise direction of St Paul’s. And this invisible beam from Richmond exerts considerable influence on planning policy in the City ten miles distant. Buildings along the viewing corridor must not interfere with this view of the cathedral, so there are no tall office blocks or skyscrapers either in front or behind within a margin of two dome widths. Richmond’s protected vista is the precise reason why the Cheesegrater retreats to a triangular point, and why Liverpool Street station is as yet undefiled by highrise development.

environment, food+drink, history, ramblings

Coming up in September

Some of the events and traditions coming up during September. Everyone’s back from holiday (and in days of yore the harvest is almost done) so there is more happening this month.
1 September
On this day in 1914 the Passenger Pigeon become extinct when Martha, thought to be the world’s last passenger pigeon, died at Cincinnati Zoo.
3 September
Outbreak of World War II in 1939 when the UK declared war on Germany.
6 to 21 September
Scottish Food and Drink Fortnight. Discover and celebrate Scotland’s culinary heritage. No, not just whiskey and haggis, but a great deal more besides. There’s lots of information at www.scottishfoodanddrinkfortnight.co.uk.
9 September
This day in 1839 Sir John Herschel (son of astronomer William Herschel, discoverer of Uranus) made the first photograph on a glass plate. He made many other contributions to photography, astronomy and botany.
11 to 14 September
Heritage Open Days. Four days to explore more of England’s beautiful architecture when over 4000 buildings that are usually closed or charge for admission will open their doors free. Find more information at www.heritageopendays.org.uk.


15 to 21 September
National Cupcake Week. Many of my friends seem to be cakeophiles, so they’re going to love National Cup Cake Week — a chance to show off your baking skills and eat cake. What’s not to like? More over at www.nationalcupcakeweek.co.uk.
19 to 22 September
Great British Beach Clean. Organised by the Marine Conservation Society this is an opportunity to look after your local beach by helping clean it up. Find an event near you at www.mcsuk.org/beachwatch/events.
21 September
Autumnal Equinox. One of two days a year when we get exactly 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night, the Autumn Equinox marks the passage from summer to the dark days of winter.
22 September to 23 October
Seed Gathering Season. Through this autumn festival The Tree Council aims to inspire everyone, particularly school children and families, to gather seeds, fruits and nuts and grow the trees of the future. More information and events over at www.treecouncil.org.uk/Take-Part/seed-gathering-season.

29 September
Michaelmas, the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel. Falling as it does near the equinox, it is associated in the northern hemisphere with the beginning of autumn and the shortening of days. In medieval England Michaelmas marked the ending and beginning of the husbandman’s year and was one of the English quarter days. The traditional food on this day was goose, nicely fattened on the grain it had gleaned amongst the fields of stubble.