This week’s photograph is one I took in Lyme Regis quite a few years ago. I couldn’t resist the symmetry between dog and owner.
Dog and Owner
Lyme Regis, August 2006
Weekly Photograph
Dog and Owner
Lyme Regis, August 2006
Dog and Owner
Lyme Regis, August 2006
Things to do Out of London in December
A few days ago IanVisits published (as usual every month) a rather super list of things one can do out of London during the coming month — ie. December.
The list is full of wonderfully festive events including Christmas tree festivals, boy bishops, torch-lit processions, mummers, football and tar barrels. Many are (or are based on) very ancient traditions especially to do with mid-winter fire and light festivals. You can find the full list here. I commend it to you!
Buggerred Britain #20
Another instalment in my occasional series documenting some of the underbelly of Britain. Britain which we wouldn’t like visitors to see and which we wish wasn’t there. The trash, abused, decaying, destitute and otherwise buggered parts of our environment. Those parts which symbolise the current economic malaise; parts which, were the country flourishing, wouldn’t be there, would be better cared for, or made less inconvenient.
I could not resist this! The care home where my mother lives is having some building work done. This notice is posted outside their front door. Absolutely brilliant builder’s English!
Beaujolais Nouveau #2
Just a quick update on this evening’s tasting of our second Beaujolais Nouveau from Nick Dobson Wines.
This one is a true Beaujolais Nouveau from Philippe Deschamps (Vincent Lacondemine makes a Beaujolais Villages Nouveau — like the French care about these things!).
The Deschamps Nouveau is definitely the better of the two I have. Much more body, much more fruit and decidedly smoother, with red berry fruits, especially blackberry, coming though quite strongly. Exceedingly drinkable. Still clearly a young wine but this might well keep whereas I have my doubts about the Lacondemine. (Yes, I know you’re not supposed to keep Nouveau, but last year’s has kept brilliantly.)
Quotes
Another small selection of amusing or enlightening quotes encountered recently.
Why do we spend billions of pounds searching for life on other planets, yet we cannot preserve the life on the one we live?
[Seen on Facebook]
If you don’t like gay marriage, blame straight people: they’re the ones who keep having gay babies.
The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men.
[Leonardo da Vinci]
It’s a shame to waste [the uniqueness that is you], by doing what someone else has done.
[Joseph Campbell]
There is a goal but no way; what we call the way is mere wavering.
[Frank Kafka]
A strong conviction that something must be done is the parent of many bad measures.
[Daniel Webster]
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.
[Lao Tzu]
You can’t have a light without a dark to stick it in.
[Arlo Guthrie]
Recently, someone asked me if I believed in astrology. He seemed somewhat puzzled when I explained that the reason I don’t is because I’m a Gemini.
[Raymond M Smullyan, Five Thousand BC and Other Philosophical Fantasies]
At all costs, the Christian must convince the heathen and the atheist that God exists, in order to save his soul. At all costs, the atheist must convince the Christian that the belief in God is but a childish and primitive superstition, doing enormous harm to the cause of true social progress. And so they battle and storm and bang away at each other. Meanwhile, the Taoist Sage sits quietly by the stream, perhaps with a book of poems, a cup of wine, and some painting materials, enjoying the Tao to his heart’s content, without ever worrying whether or not Tao exists. The Sage has no need to affirm the Tao; he is far too busy enjoying it!
[Raymond M Smullyan, The Tao Is Silent]
Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.
[Mahatma Gandhi]
Something for the Weekend
This one is for all the parents out there …
Beaujolais
We have Beaujolais Nouveau. As every year for the last few we have bought a couple of dozen bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau from Nick Dobson Wines. And today is release day, so our consignment arrived in the middle of the morning. I had to resist cracking open a bottle until this evening.
In fact what we have is a dozen bottles from each of two houses:
- Domaine Philippe Deschamps, Beaujolais Nouveau
- Vincent Lacondemine, Beaujolais Villages Nouveau
Over the years these two have produced some absolutely stunning Nouveau — in fact last year’s has matured brilliantly and we are lucky to still have some; it really is rather wonderful a year on, although I think it may not keep another year. Vincent Lacondemine also produces some gorgeous, regular Beaujolais Villages vintages.
This is a photo I took of a Lacondemine bottle a few years ago;
it could just as easily be the one I opened a short while ago
So this evening we have tried the Lacondemine Nouveau. OK, you know immediately it is a very young wine. And maybe this year’s is a bit thinner and less fruity than the last couple of years — hardly surprising considering the appalling start to the summer; it has been a difficult year for wine growers. But it is definitely very, very drinkable.
We’ve just downed a bottle with some smoked duck, bean and pasta salad. But it would go well with something like a spaghetti bolognese, a hearty risotto, cheese, or just on it’s own!
I shall report back when we’ve tried the Philippe Deschamps, probably tomorrow — I wasn’t allowed to open a second bottle this evening. Humph!
Word: Glabrous
Glabrous
Free from hair, down, projections or pubescence; having a smooth skin or surface.
And hence used jocularly for anything smooth.
Now used only as a scientific term.
The origin in the Latin glaber, without hair, smooth, bald.
The OED records the first usage by Wilkins in 1640 who applied it to the orb of the Moon.
Weekly Photograph
More pussy porn this week. Tilly had an interview with the vet on Wednesday and came away without her nuts. It doesn’t seem to have slowed her down any! On Friday I did a major reorganisation of my desk area, installed lots of new filing trays and a couple of plastic crates for holding the build up of filing. Small madam has decided the top crate, which is tucked under a shelf, is a good place to snooze., despite (because of?) the fact that she can only just squeeze in there one leg at a time and that via another stack of filing trays.
The first photo is of her bedding down; in the second she is on ther way out and looking for something to pounce on and destroy.
Pussy in a Box
16 November 2013
Pestle Pussy
16 November 2013
National Road Safety Week
18-24 November is National Road Safety Week.
We’re all human: we daydream, get side-tracked, run late and make mistakes. But on roads, distractions can be fatal. National Road Safety Week 2013 focuses on the theme of tuning in to road safety and avoiding distractions.
When using roads, we all need to tune in to road safety and give it our full attention — particularly if we’re at the wheel, but also when we’re walking, cycling, skating, running, you name it — to keep ourselves and each other safe.
And that means not just instilling the awareness into our children — and I remember endless amounts of this when I was a kid — but also remaining alert ourselves and doing the sensible things like not using our mobile phones when on the move.
As always there is much more about National Road Safety Week over on their website at www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk.