amusements

You're Selling What?

Even our more up-market local-ish auction house have their moments of amusement …

An unusual silver plated four branch epergne on hairy paw feet, lack glass bowls.

Two boxes of early 20th century British made, medical, chemist and surgical instruments, some military, including dental elevators, atropine injection, First Field dressing, various tube and glass ointments, circa 1945, etc.

An unusual yellow metal coiled snake, with blue cabochon eyes and a gold quartz ring.
[A species new to science?]

An early 20th century Chinese embroidered silk rope [sic], cream ground with embroidered floral vase arrangements, blue sleeve and neck trimming.

A ‘Milliners Joy’, German 1870s, tucks combs dressed as Millers … (one lacks right leg), a grotto diorama of small houses, a windmill and farm animals, painted and carved wood, including horses, deer, dog and cat … (loose small parts, windmill needs two blades repaired, sits in old wooden box with no front).
[Yes, it’s a box of toot!]

An old North-West Persian runner, with co-joined complex medallions …
[Pity his cleft stick isn’t included!]

A 19th century Chinese hardwood carving of an athlete with glass eyes.
[How do we know the original athlete model had glass eyes?]

A 19th century unusual brass syringe with ivory nipple.

A modern concrete statue of David (weathered).

And for the pedants amongst you, I spotted “a candelabra” and “a pair of candelabrums“.

amusements, arts, links, medical, science

In Case You Missed …

The usual links to things which have amused me and which you may have missed …

First of all … politics. Never short of an Idiot, and interesting cynical take on James Murdoch vs David Cameron.

And secondly … politics. The politicians are about to remove some of the interest in our lives by having “a bonfire of dead wood statutes” and abolishing some 800 outdated and obsolete laws. Have they really nothing better to do? Oh, sorry, it’s their job to make our lives boring.

So to alleviate that boredom here are a few seriously amazing items …

How long would it take to travel to the moon at the speed of whale? One Minute Physics has the answer.

[Not safe for the faint-hearted!] Turning to biology, entomologists have recently found and described an enormous Warrior Wasp, aka. Waspzilla. Talk about awesome! Yes, I really would love to meet one.

Still on the biological, I discovered The Tiny Aviary, the website of illustrator Diana Sudyka. Gorgeous drawings like the one above.

And finally more stunning art, this time from Dalton Ghetti who carves sculptures in pencil lead. How you even start doing that makes my head hurt!

Enjoy!

food+drink, personal

Reasons to be Grateful: 21

Experiment, week 21. This week’s five things which have made me happy or for which I’m grateful.

  1. Bacon Pieces. I think I’ve said that whenever we go up to Norwich to see my mother we drop into the nearby Roy’s supermarket. One reason is that they sell 1 kilo packs of smoked bacon offcuts — buy two or three; use one, freeze the rest! I learnt when I worked in a supermarket as a teenager that bacon offcuts were not only cheap but often contained good bacon. And with these if you pick over the packs you can usually get some good ones. We broached a pack of such this week and as well as some scrappy bits (great for risotto, pasta etc.) there were some decent pieces which can be cut however you want. It’s good bacon, and it’s British bacon! We got three main meals for two of that pack: great value at £2.64!
  2. National Archives Online. I continue to be amazed at the records the National Archives have online. Hunting this week I turned up the records for cases heard at the Old Bailey, including James Gambridge (whether my ancestor or another, I don’t know) who was found guilty in 1826 of stealing 17 sheets of glass to the value of 7 shillings. He was lucky to be sentenced to just 3 months incarceration as this was a time when had the value been not a lot greater he would have been deported to Australia or even hanged.

  3. Florentines. As our Easter treat Noreen bought us each a couple of Waitrose’s large Florentines. Yummy!
  4. Marrow Stuffed with Chilli Beef Risotto. This was another Noreen special, she having bought a marrow. Although I can take or leave courgettes, I love marrow. I suggested stuffing it with risotto. So Noreen cooked a nicely chillied (not too hot) risotto of beef mince, stuffed it in the marrow (with the extra around it) and bunged it in the oven for a bit. Out came some soft marrow with a tasty, sticky beef risotto. Most excellent.
  5. Spring Greens. No I don’t mean the cabbage leaves — though I like those too — I mean the garden! Looking out this morning at what one of our Irish friends would call “a soft day” (ie. damp and slightly misty), suddenly everything is green again. Fresh green leaves. Spring!!

Bring on the English asparagus!

ramblings

Dreary Weekend

I don’t understand.

Why is it that Easter is always such a miserable weekend?

No, I don’t mean the weather. OK, so far today is dull and damp, but that isn’t always so.

Nor do I mean the fact that it isn’t the most joyous of Christian festivals. As a non-believer this weighs with me not at all, but I don’t dislike Easter on principle.

I’ve noticed, though, over many years, that Easter is somehow always a miserable, dull, boring, depressed and joyless weekend.

OK so as a culture (religious or secular) we’re not indulging in the festivities of Christmas. But Easter took over the old pagan Spring festival, when everything was growing again and there was more daylight than darkness. Even leaving the chocolate aside, there are flowers and cute Easter bunnies (which should really be hares anyway!). Despite the fact that I don’t do cute, that still ought to make Easter weekend joyful.

But it isn’t.

Why?

I don’t understand.

beliefs, ramblings

Cross Spotters

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Oh dear! The Christians are fluttering in their olive trees again. Various clerics, most notably Cardinal O’Brien, Roman Orthodox Archbishop of all Scotland, are telling their flocks to wear a cross to signify their faith.

Why? Why do they have to be told? Are they sheep? [No, don’t answer that!]

And why do they need to do this? I don’t give a flying wombat what fictions you believe. I’m glad to say that’s your problem, not mine.

And yet most true believers already wear their faith on their sleeves and — very rudely — make sure we’re not allowed to forget it. But sure, if they want to wear an emblem, why shouldn’t they?** Who is to stop them going around adorned with badges and looking like a bus spotter? Moreover I’m sure the monasteries could find enough spare saints’ fingers for them all to have a few poking out of a breast pocket to complete the bus spotter look. The same applies to believers in any other faith, or no faith.

Most of us don’t need to advertise our beliefs on our lapels. But if others are sufficiently insecure in their faith that they have to remind everyone, including themselves, what harm? None really if they stick to just wearing a badge. But I bet they don’t. The harm is if, as so often, it becomes another nauseating means of proselytising beliefs. That’s something the rest of us have no need to do; indeed don’t believe in doing. We’re secure enough in our beliefs; beliefs which are personal and not to be imposed on others. We don’t need lots of other like-minded fools around us to convince us we’re right.

Yes, OK, fine if you want to wear a discrete cross, pentacle, Star of David, swastika or whatever on a chain round your neck. But is it just me who finds badges, bumper stickers, prayer beads hanging from driving mirrors etc. somewhat nauseating? And I don’t draw the line at religious symbolism. Badges for the Rotary Club, football club, train spotters guild are just as annoying. Why do we need to advertise our allegiances in this way? If we can’t spread our faith (whatever that is) by shining example then pretty poor show. Good works and humility, not faith alone.

Who are we to deny such poor benighted souls their comforts? Although can you imagine the outcry if they were forced to wear some identification, as were the Jews in Nazi Germany? They’d be up in arms quicker than a ferret down a drain-pipe.

Maybe I should have a supply of “There is no god” badges made? Or should we all have 42 forceably tattooed on our foreheads?

** There will always be employers who, rightly, ban jewellery for safety reasons. But that is really a side issue.

quotes

Quotes : On People

He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire.
[Sir Winston Churchill]

Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
[Benjamin Franklin, 1759]

Whatever you are, be a good one.
[Abraham Lincoln]

A person with a new idea is a crank until the idea succeeds.
[Mark Twain]

When trouble arises and things look bad, there is always one individual who perceives a solution and is willing to take command. Very often, that individual is crazy.
[Sigmund Freud]

photography

Buggered Britain 5

Another 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.

Buggered Britain 5

This is the Greenwood pub in Northolt, about a mile from where I live. It’s no surprise it closed as a pub because although often used for filming it also had a reputation (how justified I don’t know) for regular drugs raids. It has been in this state for a couple of years. I’m told that there is (or was) a potential buyer interested in rejuvenating it as a restaurant, although what business they’ll find at this location is an open question. What makes things more interesting is that the building is Grade II listed by English Heritage, so the exterior, and reading the listing maybe also the interior, are protected and so can’t have too much done to them. Such a shame because it is a good building which ought to be able to be reused and could look quite stunning. Let’s just hope McDonald’s don’t get their hands on it!

personal

Camouflage

For all cat lovers … this is Sally trying to blend into the carpet while doing her Miss Cute act last evening!

Camouflage

Considering she’s a fairly lazy pudding of a cat who could do with losing a pound or two of kibble (who couldn’t?!) she’s doing well for 13+. You’d not know she’s had her thyroids removed. She’s still a pretty (not so) small cat with semi-long hair (nice light fluffy striped fur that floats everywhere) an apricot evening gown and black gloves. And yes, she still does cute all too well.

photography

The Gallery : At Peace

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This week’s theme over at The Gallery is At Peace.

Now this can be interpreted, as Tara did when announcing the theme, as personal peace and quiet (“a quiet corner with a book, or sitting in the bath by candlelight”) or in the sense of beyond the grave. I’ve chosen the latter interpretation.

David Masey Grave
Click the image for a larger version

This is the grave in churchyard of St Nicholas, New Romney, Kent of David Masey (10 October to 28 July 1882) who was my great-great-grandfather and his wife Mary. Also commemorated are a number of their family members (none in my direct line). We know from the census returns that David Masey was a fisherman, but I’ve been told that he was also variously a greengrocer, fishmonger, boatman and a lifeboatman at Littlestone.

St Nicholas, New Romney is an interesting church in a small country town and has the usual peaceful and rather idyllic churchyard. When I searched there last I was unable to find any other Masey graves, although sadly very many of the headstones are so weathered as to be unreadable.