Saturday, December 29, 2007

Merry Christmas

I'm just back from my brother's family in Scotland where we celebrated Christmas. But everyone was struck down with colds. I've still got one.

My nephew and niece were angels. Most of the time. :)

Thursday, November 22, 2007

The Daily Kitten

Much kitten goodness here.

E-mooning!

We all know those cute little computer symbols called "emoticons," where:

:) means a smile and

:( is a frown.

Sometimes these are represented by

:-)

:-(

Well, how about some "ASSICONS?"
Here goes:

(_!_) a regular ass

(__!__) a fat ass

(!) a tight ass

(_*_) a sore ass

{_!_} a swishy ass

(_o_) an ass that's been around

(_x_) kiss my ass

(_X_) leave my ass alone

(_zzz_) a tired ass

(_E=mc2_) a smart ass

(_$_) Money coming out of his ass

(_?_) Dumb Ass

Friday, November 09, 2007

Best Science Blogs

Seems Bad Astronomy and Climate Audit are neck and neck for the Best Science Blog.

Looking at the other awards, I'm going to find this one useful. I think next year I'll be voting for Misty for that.

Saturday, November 03, 2007

Today, I am mainly

Today I am mainly doing the ironing. I'vegot a month's worth to do and I've left it too long.

This evening, I shall be going to the fireworks show. I'll walk; hopefully, I'll manage to lose some of the weight I've put on recently.

Monday, October 29, 2007

Party!

I went to a wonderful party at the weekend, hosted by my friends Karin and Roland. Good company, good food, good wine; for what more can one ask?

Friday, October 12, 2007

Friday, October 05, 2007

The day I tried mead

I used to quite like mead, but I hadn't had any since my student days. Anyway, I was given a bottle. So, some time later, I got out a tankard and poured myself a glass. And took a long pull. But this was no ordinary mead: it was more honey wine - 13% alcohol! It was not the long refereshing drink I had expected. Still, it tasted very nice.

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Today I shall be...

sorting paperwork.

Deep joy.

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Pictures from WW1

My grandmother was a doctor in WW1, first in Leith and then in France. I've scanned some pages from an album she kept. All done by her patients.

Thursday, August 23, 2007

I've been humbugged!

This is gettting distressing.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

I think a lawyer's trying to steal my aunt's estate

Obviously I can't go into details here but I'm seriously worried.

Monday, August 13, 2007

This could be expensive

My car's in for a MOT and major service and I was expecting a bill of £300-£400. But there's an additional £200 for broken shock absorbers, £50+ for a tyre, and the gearbox is leaking. That last could be majorly expensive, just when I don't need to be spending money.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

So I went to bed at 03:30

Almost dawn!

Anyway, I'd finished watching Cliffhanger on the TV and went to check my email before going to bed. And shortly thereafter felt slighty nauseous and smelled gas. So I went round the house and checked everything. I hadn't left the oven on or anything. But the smell was still there. And outside. So I rang Transco and we went through the usual palaver. An engineer duly arrived at about 02:30 and found nothing. But the smell had gone. He left a bit after 03:00

We reckoned it was fuel - or something else - dumped by an aircraft.

Still, going to bed at that hour is not fun. I must be getting old...

Monday, July 02, 2007

Pissed off

I am just so pissed off at the moment, and have been for the past week and more.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Pub review: Rose & Crown, Kew

I was on my way home last night and in need of a pint and some food. As I was driving through Kew, I spotted the Rose & Crown. A nice pub by the green. There was plenty of parking around the green.

I ordered a pint and a mixed grill - at £13, very expensive - from a very helpful barman and settled to a seat by a window overlooking the green. Earlier in the day it would have been a lovely view.

The pub was very quiet. Too quiet, really, for that time of night.

The food seemed a long time in coming, but I had a newspaper to occupy me, and when it came, I was pleased to see a generous platter. Chips, two sausages, steak, ham steak, two eggs. Tartare sauce was supplied without demur. In a proper pot too, not a little packet. The food was great, except the chef needs to learn that a steak ordered rare is not cooked well done. I was too hungry to complain too much - the steak was still good.

I'd go there again.

Monday, May 21, 2007

Busy with the builders

The builders have finally turned up - they were due last week but were delayed due to the weather. Not their fault, and I've allowed for the delay. They've been doing the edging of the patio, which crumbled over the winter. This time, it's being done with engineering bricks. More expensive, but they'll last.

The skip's due tomorrow and I don't think I'll have too much trouble filling it.

It's a good thing I was prudent and put the money aside some time ago.

The delay has meant that I've not been to my aunt's house for a while. There's just so much to do there.

Thursday, May 03, 2007

Go vote

For those of you who have a vote, go and use it.

Friday, April 27, 2007

The Roebuck and the New Inn

After a hard and very boring but profitable day's work on Richmond Hill, I needed some food. The Roebuck was the nearest and they had a decent menu - steak and ale pie would have hit the spot nicely - but they don't sell draught cider, so I walked straight out. I used to take my aunt to the New Inn on Ham Common for a good feed - they have a nice garden - so I went there. It's been over a year - if not two - since I visited and they've changed owners and the food has gone downhill significantly. Both in quality and range. My scampi and chips wasn't bad but it was decidedly average.

Monday, April 23, 2007

Busy, busy.

Got to prep my house for sale, and clean up my aunt's for her return.

And hayfever sucks.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

The Wierd 24 Movie Meme

Via The Smallest Minority

1. Name a movie that you have seen more than 10 times.

Lord of the Rings. All three films.

2. Name a movie that you've seen multiple times in the theater.

Star Wars.

3. Name an actor that would make you more inclined to see a movie.

Denzel Washington, Sean Connery, and Alan Rickman for starters.

4. Name an actor that would make you less likely to see a movie.

'Hanoi Jane' Jane Fonda.

5. Name a movie from which you can and do quote.

Aliens, assorted Monty Python.

6. Name a movie musical that you know all of the lyrics to all of the songs.

Nope. Unless you count one of the filmings of Handel's Messiah.

7. Name a movie that you have been known to sing along with.

Nope.

8. Name a movie that you would recommend everyone see.

The Incredibles. Fun for all the family.

9. Name a movie that you own.

I've got many DVDs.

10. Name an actor that launched his/her entertainment career in another medium but who has surprised you with his/her acting chops.

Fred Thompson. Seriously.

11. Have you ever seen a movie in a drive-in? If so, what?

Are there any drive-ins in the U.K.?

12. Ever made out in a movie?

Nope.

13. Name a movie that you keep meaning to see but just haven't yet gotten around to it.

Hot Fuzz.

14. Ever walked out of a movie?

In a cinema? Yes.

15. Name a movie that made you cry in the theater.

Probably most romances. A Tale of Two Cities never fails to bring a tear to my eye.

16. Popcorn?

Iced Water

17. How often do you go to the movies (as opposed to renting them or watching them at home)?

Very variable. I never rent, though.

18. What’s the last movie you saw in the theater?

300. Excellent fun; not terribly historical.

19. What’s your favorite/preferred genre of movie?

Anything that isn't horror. I like action, adventure, romance, comedy, farce, and more. Curiously, I generally only like comedy and farce the first time around.

20. What’s the first movie you remember seeing in the theatre?

No idea.

21. What movie do you wish you had never seen?

The Lair of the White Worm. I saw it at too young an age.

22. What is the weirdest movie you enjoyed?

That would be telling.

23. What is the scariest movie you’ve seen?

I don't actually enjoy horror movies, but I'll make an exception for Alien.

24. What is the funniest movie you’ve seen?

Here my mind goes blank. I've seen plenty of funny movies but I couldn't say which one was the funniest. Seems like some rewatching is in order.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Narcotics

Misty describes her previous (and often involuntary) uses of narcotics. I've never taken narcotics stronger than alcohol - and I don't do spirits. I don't smoke, either. Cigarette smoke makes me choke or sneeze.

In other words, I'm a sad boring young fart. :) And I'm happy to be one.

Thursday, April 05, 2007

More photo goodness from Misty

http://www.freebasingjellybeans.blogspot.com/

Another excellent Fishmongers' do last night

Pity my guest couldn't make it, but I sat with some fascinating people. A retired mogul in the shoemaking industry, the head of English heritage, the chief archivist of a county, the Renter Warden of the Gardeners and more.

The food was, as ever, spellbindingly good, but it's the first time I've started with ice cream! There was an interesting speech afterwards.

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Very cool animal and bird photos

Hie thee to http://www.fotocommunity.de/pc/pc/mypics/12278

I'm free!

I am now unemployed, having accepted voluntary redundancy and a modest wodge of cash.

Now I've got to decide whether to sell my house or to rent it out. Anyway, I've had the estate agents round and things are looking modestly favourable.

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Big news coming up!

Title says it all, really. I'm not allowed to say anything at the moment, alas.

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Busy, busy!

Good stuff, bad stuff, difficult stuff. My aunt is sliding, but not fast, and it's not a pretty experience. There's more about which I cannot blog at the moment.

Good luck, Misty

Looks like Misty has a boyfriend at last. Good luck!

Sunday, February 11, 2007

My first hangover!

Only a mild one, though.
At 40, I've been drinking alcoholic beverages for 22 years and until this morning had yet to have a hangover. This is probably because I stick to decent stuff and don't drink too much. But last night I was sipping Thatcher's Katy cider and really rather regretted it this morning.

Thursday, February 01, 2007

Bother said Q

As his server died.

Oh well, a new box has been ordered and will arrive on Saturday. This means I get to spend part of my weekend building a server.

Saturday, January 20, 2007

I've got a cold.

And it sucks.

Friday, January 19, 2007

Fishmongers' Livery Concert

Ah, bliss!

It was a black tie do. We started with Champagne and nibbles, courtesy of Stephen Pini. Then it was off to listen to the Forte String Quartet from the Guildhall School of Music for some Haydn and Tchaikovsky. A break for more drink and nibbles (I had proper lemonade). And back for a piano recital by Anton Lyakhovsky and Toms Ostrovskis who played pieces by Rachmaninov and Lutoslawski. Piano music isn't normally my cup of tea, but the two pianos together made a real difference. I was surprised at how loud they were, even though I was right at the back.

And then we had a buffet supper. Top quality food.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

This ticket is cursed!

I've a spare ticket for a do tomorrow and no-one wants it!

Saturday, January 13, 2007

So I have a spare ticket

I've two tickets for a concert on Weds. And no guest. Poo.

Thursday, January 04, 2007

Torchwood finale

Crap, wasn't it? It was so bad that I couldn't watch it all the way through but switched over to other programs then switched back. And the big baddie? I'm sure they've used him before.

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Predictions for 2007

Happy New Year to my one reader.

Now, Misty's made her predictions, I'm going to make mine.

January: Nothing of significance happens; the press get distracted by twin badgers.
February: I get fixed up for a blind date on St.Valentine's Day with a blind Russian shot-putter; being a gentleman, I get her drunk and put her in a taxi home.
March: Excitement about Tony Blair's resignation reaches fever-pitch; TB tells them to fuck off.
April: Showers. The badgers are doing well.
May: Gordon Brown succeeds Tony Blair and calls a quickie election. The skunks topa BBC poll and get proposed as candidates.
June: Elections. Who cares who wins? They're all after my wallet. My MP's a tosser, so I'll probably vote for her best opponent. Round here that would probably be the Monster Raving Loony Party. The badgers almost get elected.
July: Sunshine! My nephew's 5. Damn the rest.
August: More sunshine!
September: Prime Minister Cameron announces that Britain will leave the EU but remain in EFTA.
October: Cameron announces that the UK is negotiating membership of NAFTA.
November: Georgina celebrates her first birthday. Yay!
December: The badgers do what Guy Fawkes failed to do: blow up Parliament. Everyone thinks it's part of some celebration and nobody notices that all the MPs are dead. When it is finally noticed, nobody really cares.