tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20600290608495500942024-03-19T08:21:39.100+00:00jabblog'Be yourself, everyone else is taken.' Oscar Wildejabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.comBlogger2084125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2060029060849550094.post-7719317918691258222024-03-19T01:00:00.039+00:002024-03-19T01:00:00.136+00:00Dredging<p><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span> <span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;">Dredging</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAiG60MzNLacXudOWbZRKVRhlvomr7oB8Tc5hiyOaMG9oHtJzC7hMJRRAbVkEQ7Tn2-JkUHO9_276s9UpgXLQgq_quVZ_Q1Hxs2aLKFJPCNZg2JXTQlGAfmlbP4BLTP5JTKCycZn08hW_E5hd-wanPg3B3HJBj1qSYgQ28TlMJVUV0uczEAsT9F1Ht87uo/s640/Xcentric_Ripper_XR120_in_a_dredging_work%20(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="640" height="405" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAiG60MzNLacXudOWbZRKVRhlvomr7oB8Tc5hiyOaMG9oHtJzC7hMJRRAbVkEQ7Tn2-JkUHO9_276s9UpgXLQgq_quVZ_Q1Hxs2aLKFJPCNZg2JXTQlGAfmlbP4BLTP5JTKCycZn08hW_E5hd-wanPg3B3HJBj1qSYgQ28TlMJVUV0uczEAsT9F1Ht87uo/w579-h405/Xcentric_Ripper_XR120_in_a_dredging_work%20(1).png" width="579" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;"><i> Backhoe dredger Xcentric Ripper</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><i>Image courtesy Wikimedia</i></span></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">Trawling through
YouTube recently we came across a fascinating video showing a huge dredger being
used to widen a navigation channel in Southampton’s Western Docks.</span></div></blockquote><div><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Dredging is
essential to maintain the viability of shipping channels, as sediment is constantly
being washed downstream and filling channels and harbours. Associated British
Ports (ABP) required the navigation channel to be widened by up to 46 m over a
stretch of 2,300 m and for it to be commenced on December 1</span><sup style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">st</sup><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> 2023
and completed by 15</span><sup style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> March 2024. These time constraints were
necessary to minimise disturbance to wildlife, for example sea trout and migrating
wild salmon.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXW3Y19TZrRKy8gzMNwGcm9qTnhfpSZ_oAfabV2CrxBc5zAJCR8ZDo6houYxqEH2FTsFj3qgIfnSBq1yikOrqE9FuLmaAK1hlJg78F9-xbP-DzI3jiELXWKFtOwBWc44499KI5MMrfLkvv_-xcwfAfoigiUWFxliO8ArHx4oqg6AKvBXyEqPxNNgA-I8to/s1920/thumbnail_IMG_2857.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1221" data-original-width="1920" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXW3Y19TZrRKy8gzMNwGcm9qTnhfpSZ_oAfabV2CrxBc5zAJCR8ZDo6houYxqEH2FTsFj3qgIfnSBq1yikOrqE9FuLmaAK1hlJg78F9-xbP-DzI3jiELXWKFtOwBWc44499KI5MMrfLkvv_-xcwfAfoigiUWFxliO8ArHx4oqg6AKvBXyEqPxNNgA-I8to/w527-h336/thumbnail_IMG_2857.jpg" width="527" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;"><i>Boskalis backhoe dredger 'Magnor'.</i></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><i>Photograph taken from television</i></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">The work
was carried out by Boskalis using trailer suction dredgers and the enormous
backhoe dredger ‘Magnor’. Boskalis is a Dutch company with 100 years of experience
in dredging across the world. With more than 500 vessels and floating equipment,
it has conducted work in 90 countries and employs 11,000 workers.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYD1NBWOthnrkEONFAOS06F-DBpQuQ6uuNUApK55HcZMKDJsWj5UQvvbH_Xoea6XvG-kYVyayxA2YrfKpKyEDFDdL-WlZhKbQt0fFYedskki4BNQOaeqLZBgsfT3LPV0-NPcfvJZEWuPUFCTXh7gvMn05Q0X3flNtHZIHl2_HPI7cpZ1p_8FE_Wm4Ejgzp/s1475/thumbnail_IMG_2863.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1361" data-original-width="1475" height="491" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYD1NBWOthnrkEONFAOS06F-DBpQuQ6uuNUApK55HcZMKDJsWj5UQvvbH_Xoea6XvG-kYVyayxA2YrfKpKyEDFDdL-WlZhKbQt0fFYedskki4BNQOaeqLZBgsfT3LPV0-NPcfvJZEWuPUFCTXh7gvMn05Q0X3flNtHZIHl2_HPI7cpZ1p_8FE_Wm4Ejgzp/w533-h491/thumbnail_IMG_2863.jpg" width="533" /></a></div><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;"><i>Boskalis backhoe dredger 'Magnor'.</i></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><i>Photograph taken from television</i></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">‘Magnor’
is the largest backhoe dredger in the world. Its bucket can hold 33 cubic
metres of material. More detailed technical information can be found </span><a href="https://magazine.boskalis.com/issue04/magnificent-magnor" target="_blank"><u style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: red;">here</span></u><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">.</span></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkkevPkO5Zcu-W6n1cFraTic-oFwk4Hv-9HIGemB01a8LdQ71f_TLDGsuSaA_VFKPadM7B9C3nLKoV-o_lkOSaSc4WPLQGMkwz4DzMY4cjdeUD7OSWupiPfmA8N_wrpMNIvvV8O83_1Uu-2_YAH7GIq70SBJUKWCH5kiuJx4NdBIKMAlE3vyycZYks2qvS/s1825/thumbnail_IMG_2868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1335" data-original-width="1825" height="357" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkkevPkO5Zcu-W6n1cFraTic-oFwk4Hv-9HIGemB01a8LdQ71f_TLDGsuSaA_VFKPadM7B9C3nLKoV-o_lkOSaSc4WPLQGMkwz4DzMY4cjdeUD7OSWupiPfmA8N_wrpMNIvvV8O83_1Uu-2_YAH7GIq70SBJUKWCH5kiuJx4NdBIKMAlE3vyycZYks2qvS/w488-h357/thumbnail_IMG_2868.jpg" width="488" /></a></div><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;"><i>Boskalis backhoe dredger 'Magnor'.</i></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><i>Photograph taken from television</i></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Before
the dredging work could start, sediment had to be tested for to discover the concentration
of chemicals in it. Below specified levels, the dredged material could be
dumped at sea in locations licensed by the Marine Management Organisation. Above
those levels, the material would have to go to landfill.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">The work
has now been completed and all the dredged material has been dumped south of the
Nab Tower in the Solent.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwx4RfPFVcEFQgm6TFgY0Ilhb0_hx1lDvpLvxPfGB3WiApvCm2hPMR_zM1ho8PLqjxZoXF0DJ2NK7iZIlZtR7utx_MXWcFLQILiC_7bMsKB62_urJAePw4u6_mUo1xtpfsgNSNH9zszQ5I4SWrJRzopJb8aA0u256b6dG4Ks5G1ZKjtpHZQqybm80Zvjd3/s529/Image_of_the_Nab_Tower_after_extensive_repairs_and_alterations_in_2012..JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="365" data-original-width="529" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwx4RfPFVcEFQgm6TFgY0Ilhb0_hx1lDvpLvxPfGB3WiApvCm2hPMR_zM1ho8PLqjxZoXF0DJ2NK7iZIlZtR7utx_MXWcFLQILiC_7bMsKB62_urJAePw4u6_mUo1xtpfsgNSNH9zszQ5I4SWrJRzopJb8aA0u256b6dG4Ks5G1ZKjtpHZQqybm80Zvjd3/w568-h392/Image_of_the_Nab_Tower_after_extensive_repairs_and_alterations_in_2012..JPG" width="568" /></a></div><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;"><i>The Nab Tower, Solent</i></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;"><i>Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons</i></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">A
professor of biology at the University of Portsmouth, Alex Ford, expressed concerns
that the dredging would have deleterious effects on marine snails. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"><u><a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=tributyltin&rlz=1C1CHBF_en-GBGB881GB881&oq=&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCQgCEEUYOxjCAzIJCAAQRRg7GMIDMgkIARBFGDsYwgMyCQgCEEUYOxjCAzIJCAMQRRg7GMIDMgkIBBBFGDsYwgMyCQgFEEUYOxjCAzIJCAYQRRg7GMIDMgkIBxBFGDsYwgPSAQo1NzI4MjZqMGo3qAIIsAIB&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8" target="_blank">TBT(tributyltin)</a></u></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> used to be a component of antifouling paint, and was in use globally
for 40 years, but was banned in 2008, following the discovery that it was
extremely toxic to marine life, causing reproductive anomalies. In snails it
caused females to grow male appendages and become infertile.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-25kHs2kQss7JD3gsr5YPVFK2zZn5uBsGlEm2mFpVe9JQx6edKrL9gJS-IeiREB7_y3qxJKSJB1Szaoxpe8v8ekejg_5vKIQMXtDkLGVM3Se5pullhHRIEi5UTSLViOAsqarKiN_QIpaRmRCect02GNOxVMzcyeQw2aFB43rHiyd6fQz-LBAS9Zzp2Z8x/s640/640px-Sea_snail_Veddo,_cropped.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-25kHs2kQss7JD3gsr5YPVFK2zZn5uBsGlEm2mFpVe9JQx6edKrL9gJS-IeiREB7_y3qxJKSJB1Szaoxpe8v8ekejg_5vKIQMXtDkLGVM3Se5pullhHRIEi5UTSLViOAsqarKiN_QIpaRmRCect02GNOxVMzcyeQw2aFB43rHiyd6fQz-LBAS9Zzp2Z8x/w484-h363/640px-Sea_snail_Veddo,_cropped.jpg" width="484" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"><i>Marine snail</i></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">The professor
said, </span><span face=""Noto Sans",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><i>“Since its ban in 2008, the incidence of imposex snails (females
with a penis) has dropped considerably around our coasts but still
persists in a few areas in the UK where there had been heavy shipping and
ongoing dredging.</i></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 16.8pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 15pt; word-break: break-word;"><span face=""Noto Sans",sans-serif"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><i>“Unfortunately, the concentrations of TBT in sediments do not
need to be high to cause sexual abnormalities in marine snails.”</i></span><span style="color: #333333;"><o:p style="font-size: 13.5pt;"></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">
</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p></div>jabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2060029060849550094.post-35771758375276320422024-03-18T01:00:00.023+00:002024-03-18T01:00:00.347+00:00Mid-March in the garden<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Mid-March
in the garden, 2024</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeD-2hiuFZFVs8ou5hyphenhyphen6jgK9JtDrWxgYgYwtZu_N55uh3pUg6pv7XWXUEIKBv9Qz2Y140Rl7rONakkdy_nJIOfzBL-29jzD7EQz_6XFzpJtblOrkTHplbwpRoke0-XX2zTyB5T2PTFJVfawXeKY25sHn9K8b4fdMZUGUdGLzmHRT92cEFccsMEv-VzwaVY/s4828/EOSR8533.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3555" data-original-width="4828" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeD-2hiuFZFVs8ou5hyphenhyphen6jgK9JtDrWxgYgYwtZu_N55uh3pUg6pv7XWXUEIKBv9Qz2Y140Rl7rONakkdy_nJIOfzBL-29jzD7EQz_6XFzpJtblOrkTHplbwpRoke0-XX2zTyB5T2PTFJVfawXeKY25sHn9K8b4fdMZUGUdGLzmHRT92cEFccsMEv-VzwaVY/w534-h393/EOSR8533.jpg" width="534" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;"><i><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>Hyacinth, a beautiful perennial with a luscious scent</i></span><br /><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">It seems,
to me, anyway, that it has been a slow start in the garden this spring, so it
was a joy to discover how much was putting forth its beauty. </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiMa8H3CGQUEd7Pml2KAw8AAkiOHTBKdDHFFSqklmaqukPSovEGoSoTsVAON7HLvWoEDsPYAtmAeW1NY_Y7cirsK3h2sXl4RIzFFWK9vAGwU4VmgzXa17kml5DgKruHoPFQjULH-xZE69rRXYPCxTbaedEHjG6EmPQ1L5o4DhalYu03GLHJ-MpGvwR8TIX/s4480/EOSR8525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="4021" height="559" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiMa8H3CGQUEd7Pml2KAw8AAkiOHTBKdDHFFSqklmaqukPSovEGoSoTsVAON7HLvWoEDsPYAtmAeW1NY_Y7cirsK3h2sXl4RIzFFWK9vAGwU4VmgzXa17kml5DgKruHoPFQjULH-xZE69rRXYPCxTbaedEHjG6EmPQ1L5o4DhalYu03GLHJ-MpGvwR8TIX/w502-h559/EOSR8525.jpg" width="502" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDMt48OZWH-xqYvf1OyqvnyKi5iBbvbjOa9VZPHnOA52kYr1nDusN2qt3qyFLdUWh1TXJf2NpFlqt9sbnHGJqC7dExpksw0iYIglJcGFjc4M_AJvAEFdcA2KkQhJ5q2wp1idzxxrpJLVzaq1FXj_1j-wmETKG3srssqigPK800nIy7FgsCwEVQsjqIqhbY/s3641/EOSR8523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3641" data-original-width="3107" height="602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDMt48OZWH-xqYvf1OyqvnyKi5iBbvbjOa9VZPHnOA52kYr1nDusN2qt3qyFLdUWh1TXJf2NpFlqt9sbnHGJqC7dExpksw0iYIglJcGFjc4M_AJvAEFdcA2KkQhJ5q2wp1idzxxrpJLVzaq1FXj_1j-wmETKG3srssqigPK800nIy7FgsCwEVQsjqIqhbY/w514-h602/EOSR8523.jpg" width="514" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;"> </span><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;">More hyacinths</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKcFdFe9dmzSG4W0-xct1TEkZ050z467rrtya_lKCusW249H6-kjnIqtYM1Euh1fq8tPJ18G2MwbyUR0NA07FnbSi2seMFN22kCEJn-8uSyl1njWkL4xnFBsdTpdve5E8dEA_Ra6dCEQHAgtWaoItXRn355zS_PkcXQHhq1aAosi10VO5zVJnery3-GnP/s4806/EOSR8550.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4125" data-original-width="4806" height="455" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKcFdFe9dmzSG4W0-xct1TEkZ050z467rrtya_lKCusW249H6-kjnIqtYM1Euh1fq8tPJ18G2MwbyUR0NA07FnbSi2seMFN22kCEJn-8uSyl1njWkL4xnFBsdTpdve5E8dEA_Ra6dCEQHAgtWaoItXRn355zS_PkcXQHhq1aAosi10VO5zVJnery3-GnP/w529-h455/EOSR8550.jpg" width="529" /></a></div><br /><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqbKuZaCDX3O_OwtdzmKygNTkhcfOf0bc3Ih3EVyoez6rBOh0e7XuefgI3fbM1-yyH7oCYvQyWVLOxTqKFhCHL-P6Hmthwy7EDYIojZ9oYRnAcX8W2G1DdIYAUFClqF7juUgvzJ0AMdpm5REMSKrYL-1wymAC4-m_tWg4zF25zJ3rbCAGHoyzZXGtmSfTA/s4204/EOSR8551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3964" data-original-width="4204" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqbKuZaCDX3O_OwtdzmKygNTkhcfOf0bc3Ih3EVyoez6rBOh0e7XuefgI3fbM1-yyH7oCYvQyWVLOxTqKFhCHL-P6Hmthwy7EDYIojZ9oYRnAcX8W2G1DdIYAUFClqF7juUgvzJ0AMdpm5REMSKrYL-1wymAC4-m_tWg4zF25zJ3rbCAGHoyzZXGtmSfTA/w538-h508/EOSR8551.jpg" width="538" /></a></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrlWm-RC6y9KYxd_ezACmDKmeTlYK4k7FKX31j_QB2nU1n5UXThyphenhyphenzYqeE_mxonKmrIJZg8sbZaMCq9AohR-q78sTfBlNZAMYjMiR1Nfl6VaUYPoEpLOqKEtdkjSuGdQuXQPTWOBCsUM4Wt5Be14IOb0QY-gnLuhcOz4yH8w_zjpFk79P6dk6c2vUJAiQQ/s6021/EOSR8552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6021" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrlWm-RC6y9KYxd_ezACmDKmeTlYK4k7FKX31j_QB2nU1n5UXThyphenhyphenzYqeE_mxonKmrIJZg8sbZaMCq9AohR-q78sTfBlNZAMYjMiR1Nfl6VaUYPoEpLOqKEtdkjSuGdQuXQPTWOBCsUM4Wt5Be14IOb0QY-gnLuhcOz4yH8w_zjpFk79P6dk6c2vUJAiQQ/w537-h398/EOSR8552.jpg" width="537" /></a></div></div><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;"><i>Forsythia</i></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqk18pFOHvCLfG7YLgc6R-jRgNXzvkPfoPkJEbwRcdzVpLMrRXarNZ2e-r9BVEnjDc9hJ0-BWQhKL4TPB6zKivtPKnyJcCuNOQDjod727i5gZV91YMmrXb3t2oDVsw9tecbtkqInJt18EiwfkEQWmPhnNnqns6F7Tp3K7JUnSLe0q8n3hBe5Luvv4LWFY/s6365/EOSR8559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4265" data-original-width="6365" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqk18pFOHvCLfG7YLgc6R-jRgNXzvkPfoPkJEbwRcdzVpLMrRXarNZ2e-r9BVEnjDc9hJ0-BWQhKL4TPB6zKivtPKnyJcCuNOQDjod727i5gZV91YMmrXb3t2oDVsw9tecbtkqInJt18EiwfkEQWmPhnNnqns6F7Tp3K7JUnSLe0q8n3hBe5Luvv4LWFY/w542-h363/EOSR8559.jpg" width="542" /></a></div></span></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><i>Pieris 'Forest Flame'</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0EuDwPdviQomjdphfjqt4THbGsZLag_CkGSZ9Ac2gOnDqX1wCrws0SzsOwa2rV62TwArepKKh18-KrZEXprrER_Hd0M6GFeM5IBmh8JkOhcmy-fAYcyTJYutwsoDsWHqsKZT4IFkahZg-tiekDjLPNkuJ_kMWp_EFdlrnhFMGm8PjHsAkF_E__ve3yMGO/s4967/EOSR8535.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4318" data-original-width="4967" height="459" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0EuDwPdviQomjdphfjqt4THbGsZLag_CkGSZ9Ac2gOnDqX1wCrws0SzsOwa2rV62TwArepKKh18-KrZEXprrER_Hd0M6GFeM5IBmh8JkOhcmy-fAYcyTJYutwsoDsWHqsKZT4IFkahZg-tiekDjLPNkuJ_kMWp_EFdlrnhFMGm8PjHsAkF_E__ve3yMGO/w529-h459/EOSR8535.jpg" width="529" /></a></div><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2kG7aVqQMcS4PZm7f4JJnLhEoxmA7hj9tWAnW6eUBR0WdIhGeY28OgTE25nUOEj_n2ey8umTIrqfO2yDg4DYKAys0wiXqX8cKaDA4_dJtRZEglW2k3fW5Jir-HUaGrXZxX8DwDyUgF8_jkYtA7RSvD-_q95yLJh7HCq5meiaBNfz7CoCiqY8Bw3yjZgO/s6720/EOSR8538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2kG7aVqQMcS4PZm7f4JJnLhEoxmA7hj9tWAnW6eUBR0WdIhGeY28OgTE25nUOEj_n2ey8umTIrqfO2yDg4DYKAys0wiXqX8cKaDA4_dJtRZEglW2k3fW5Jir-HUaGrXZxX8DwDyUgF8_jkYtA7RSvD-_q95yLJh7HCq5meiaBNfz7CoCiqY8Bw3yjZgO/w524-h349/EOSR8538.jpg" width="524" /></a></div><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSJqwjnvYfqxetg05uhu4m-rou0Zn5OsZpzs18Lgd2Vdlz_9rvzzA9Fzg6TAzXoib-ftEREYHYafZRyuw3fSueAvo9s7Hf7lsj0Vp9lFeva_HLG58lzpbvRF5EmywecjwZhrYCF5ISeYT0DeGylAb9ZyOo7reQxULxynbazW5kBNXQyYSC8NKLEQvIpufZ/s4785/EOSR8536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="4785" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSJqwjnvYfqxetg05uhu4m-rou0Zn5OsZpzs18Lgd2Vdlz_9rvzzA9Fzg6TAzXoib-ftEREYHYafZRyuw3fSueAvo9s7Hf7lsj0Vp9lFeva_HLG58lzpbvRF5EmywecjwZhrYCF5ISeYT0DeGylAb9ZyOo7reQxULxynbazW5kBNXQyYSC8NKLEQvIpufZ/w563-h528/EOSR8536.jpg" width="563" /></a></div></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;"> <i>Magnolia</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYRJhyphenhyphendpaA6CKoQ6Rr0IV_hTSk6S64VNGFUu6E2mwerzFUzBKqMGWigHk3jf_wo8XxibbxyI2rhtH2eOrIBFMQIfFlk4vsWejftxRzC03HLIYlNx62gsc7jXZfuef31tJz7CLo7uqfSmt93vDHjyRhETqYKWYri22g9B4wZptejPi6dYki5YQToAJBpojn/s6720/EOSR8555.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYRJhyphenhyphendpaA6CKoQ6Rr0IV_hTSk6S64VNGFUu6E2mwerzFUzBKqMGWigHk3jf_wo8XxibbxyI2rhtH2eOrIBFMQIfFlk4vsWejftxRzC03HLIYlNx62gsc7jXZfuef31tJz7CLo7uqfSmt93vDHjyRhETqYKWYri22g9B4wZptejPi6dYki5YQToAJBpojn/w539-h359/EOSR8555.jpg" width="539" /></a></div><i><br /></i></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6D5b5JRim0M-L6TuGc6lJQ81jDxAUn2MNzfP5PxzB3znO88CS5Ojqf1xb6T1NvWYW1wXlHnL2M6EjOYLovnl93BXAniumvPXj4tw3umlRjsA9Dkb-PYbOsXZyFi6H1Yx0Itp-p5nckynkOVTh1Ex0mLT4KnMB6yq2ufJYdxSUZAm3DZOKVs6Ms-NtRi2/s5881/EOSR8539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4093" data-original-width="5881" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6D5b5JRim0M-L6TuGc6lJQ81jDxAUn2MNzfP5PxzB3znO88CS5Ojqf1xb6T1NvWYW1wXlHnL2M6EjOYLovnl93BXAniumvPXj4tw3umlRjsA9Dkb-PYbOsXZyFi6H1Yx0Itp-p5nckynkOVTh1Ex0mLT4KnMB6yq2ufJYdxSUZAm3DZOKVs6Ms-NtRi2/w548-h382/EOSR8539.jpg" width="548" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;"> <i>Kerria Japonica</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjE8___Rh_iqqG5cnHI92IsQ7sUd3PE2LR65YNsZp9yNrx1g67e1TbnioZSoQlDLr-NJszAyXa2J1Xy9uVl3I8tWkIi3lcMfp28y9M7sVAjuwiqdsIpWDaL742R6lgaWH2_GjnCdykUKu69I9IW2beNHHHcjk7zr2F-J_iggfHgO00ym_JfMIS2q_B87G/s4319/EOSR8530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4319" data-original-width="4204" height="549" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjE8___Rh_iqqG5cnHI92IsQ7sUd3PE2LR65YNsZp9yNrx1g67e1TbnioZSoQlDLr-NJszAyXa2J1Xy9uVl3I8tWkIi3lcMfp28y9M7sVAjuwiqdsIpWDaL742R6lgaWH2_GjnCdykUKu69I9IW2beNHHHcjk7zr2F-J_iggfHgO00ym_JfMIS2q_B87G/w533-h549/EOSR8530.jpg" width="533" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZb7zUiz_Dk8-vl0zuV0Ja6EyxQz_B73udctESD7PNwu_tFQs2tSGUYdES7E98XfAUjhjmwxawJRb5EUYzTJ8htiviLbbd330vzQhvBqXmsV8dorEPN8u7xcL_Nqm56nh7j6gNEQjFxkeNfHd5XcP2trwhcoQZmj6milY6vIzd7JdE9Bk0mb6FPFnn2PaD/s6720/EOSR8563.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZb7zUiz_Dk8-vl0zuV0Ja6EyxQz_B73udctESD7PNwu_tFQs2tSGUYdES7E98XfAUjhjmwxawJRb5EUYzTJ8htiviLbbd330vzQhvBqXmsV8dorEPN8u7xcL_Nqm56nh7j6gNEQjFxkeNfHd5XcP2trwhcoQZmj6milY6vIzd7JdE9Bk0mb6FPFnn2PaD/w545-h363/EOSR8563.jpg" width="545" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <i>Kilmarnock Willow</i></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljHgqzG6ghCqVZkz5WbnchPWtgIoa_0J0tEQ5QBO2LTildupGJ-k2D9yqOPyFR8OPc5z3pHqeVr-8eMXJw6o1EKOuRpwE9-2W4PI46ZZR0jxraW8azYfsr6h1y8gFKGSJ2wwfT8MYUuFMjAdJiMWafXX-Sj6mtXONxueB2DvzGcUbZJrQaW0JSw7Nt0Fb/s2613/EOSR8569.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2189" data-original-width="2613" height="443" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljHgqzG6ghCqVZkz5WbnchPWtgIoa_0J0tEQ5QBO2LTildupGJ-k2D9yqOPyFR8OPc5z3pHqeVr-8eMXJw6o1EKOuRpwE9-2W4PI46ZZR0jxraW8azYfsr6h1y8gFKGSJ2wwfT8MYUuFMjAdJiMWafXX-Sj6mtXONxueB2DvzGcUbZJrQaW0JSw7Nt0Fb/w530-h443/EOSR8569.jpg" width="530" /></a></div><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;"><span> </span></span><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;">Hydrangea</i></div><div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheikOq1chS3jhJ80sq3pN-bhDwe91VE90pNdtN83hX9v_mDTDPnNzKns00tul3yRPPxs1rqxKU4YJHeNqoRJU8SirzztTXWa5h8pOI-hACOaNLCHN42A8B8Wjzyiea_TEYpX_zWhNIThTxwvWmZVNJKvfey2HRJv56o0-laUNj42c2oU91riMa_ZR4QWpf/s3813/EOSR8547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3813" data-original-width="3516" height="582" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheikOq1chS3jhJ80sq3pN-bhDwe91VE90pNdtN83hX9v_mDTDPnNzKns00tul3yRPPxs1rqxKU4YJHeNqoRJU8SirzztTXWa5h8pOI-hACOaNLCHN42A8B8Wjzyiea_TEYpX_zWhNIThTxwvWmZVNJKvfey2HRJv56o0-laUNj42c2oU91riMa_ZR4QWpf/w537-h582/EOSR8547.jpg" width="537" /></a></div><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;">We thought this hawthorn had died!</i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOKcoVwfcAQmw6xSaJLeqpDDDe2u-OKiRymH-M9DYM4w8cMtmBox9YUVCcxiLB8BWfGo0q8FYdRnYp2kxR380ZV9X8J9XN1l-58qSoi4qa040FYI6N7KC9MQB3IYEy8tv0JsExlEwmYMyyUYpMPvu1R-1o7YULIdiaiqxrsffpZmee4vnMy58KsulV9qLG/s6720/EOSR8557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOKcoVwfcAQmw6xSaJLeqpDDDe2u-OKiRymH-M9DYM4w8cMtmBox9YUVCcxiLB8BWfGo0q8FYdRnYp2kxR380ZV9X8J9XN1l-58qSoi4qa040FYI6N7KC9MQB3IYEy8tv0JsExlEwmYMyyUYpMPvu1R-1o7YULIdiaiqxrsffpZmee4vnMy58KsulV9qLG/w535-h356/EOSR8557.jpg" width="535" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;"> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> <span> </span></span></span><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;">Pear blossom</i><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;"><br /></i></div><div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZGyAHtP8I2AuxcpeBBJ8VB1arvuAiF4_OlxAzNS1vrdo64kI8mjGax-G1QYSw-bFJquA3kkTj6Byb4xjv7QgVuowI7XpI6CBL0UacOZf9m7Li-ZtGyGh1nwWGoTKPfB3NoczMY_9nyuh34xVAifiFwS9-L2IyeH6Axaqu1pN_fMzbb4PV4VZsYR71uGoG/s4480/EOSR8528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="3570" height="683" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZGyAHtP8I2AuxcpeBBJ8VB1arvuAiF4_OlxAzNS1vrdo64kI8mjGax-G1QYSw-bFJquA3kkTj6Byb4xjv7QgVuowI7XpI6CBL0UacOZf9m7Li-ZtGyGh1nwWGoTKPfB3NoczMY_9nyuh34xVAifiFwS9-L2IyeH6Axaqu1pN_fMzbb4PV4VZsYR71uGoG/w544-h683/EOSR8528.jpg" width="544" /></a></div><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span><i>Swiss Willow, Salix helvetica, 'Oliver'</i></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3I6JWCkrx1uyUWEYZavnLYfph23rmv9N9xdTzBWDKCkVIeC07Zl2jfHlnEmX8o_pDksVnPhfLOJVuzWQhcZbqnVQZRTwWj0MCx1SGl1-dlPWUSRUUA3KoqjaGu6CNNWkFauLtxvGSucrAWLbvm1_8pnJYOgWS4qpRL2W39PQJH_765x-QAW6W9mw5ZVoV/s5785/EOSR8568.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="5785" height="409" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3I6JWCkrx1uyUWEYZavnLYfph23rmv9N9xdTzBWDKCkVIeC07Zl2jfHlnEmX8o_pDksVnPhfLOJVuzWQhcZbqnVQZRTwWj0MCx1SGl1-dlPWUSRUUA3KoqjaGu6CNNWkFauLtxvGSucrAWLbvm1_8pnJYOgWS4qpRL2W39PQJH_765x-QAW6W9mw5ZVoV/w527-h409/EOSR8568.jpg" width="527" /></i></a></div> <span> </span> <i>Rosemary</i></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJUFX_4_JbNHqyEhbyqHjq0lpsImzxzcqQWG8EycSnRzM3ODPouOTfu96qVNaFQR_LDzQryNvH1fYTcAsbqEB9lGiIEdpEpKNYdYL9G_Zu_L6f3FcQa9p6e5pYTlXMNvku0GbHNFD4yuXxawO0yYsqqrhrP1QsysQQVqSdau1McZZJICzk6QXm38yUnQb/s4226/EOSR8529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3921" data-original-width="4226" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJUFX_4_JbNHqyEhbyqHjq0lpsImzxzcqQWG8EycSnRzM3ODPouOTfu96qVNaFQR_LDzQryNvH1fYTcAsbqEB9lGiIEdpEpKNYdYL9G_Zu_L6f3FcQa9p6e5pYTlXMNvku0GbHNFD4yuXxawO0yYsqqrhrP1QsysQQVqSdau1McZZJICzk6QXm38yUnQb/w534-h496/EOSR8529.jpg" width="534" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;"> <i> Narcissus</i></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidumm26EMBGIoNEohmbi9shOJspbkF5WjbhehFYE-Du84tnhSmQdul33V8egA_TqYirhuZH_WB877kBM2wYSevM4R0OEsMYopGy6Cq2xJHscl1CyYnlDYu-6QHKEkFVjIqB0mEkvJxqNR7df5QdUxxQRsgpNSMHAoMDQ6wbibyk9H4xTrQNFuLfBudEQ1y/s3630/EOSR8531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3630" data-original-width="2269" height="831" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidumm26EMBGIoNEohmbi9shOJspbkF5WjbhehFYE-Du84tnhSmQdul33V8egA_TqYirhuZH_WB877kBM2wYSevM4R0OEsMYopGy6Cq2xJHscl1CyYnlDYu-6QHKEkFVjIqB0mEkvJxqNR7df5QdUxxQRsgpNSMHAoMDQ6wbibyk9H4xTrQNFuLfBudEQ1y/w520-h831/EOSR8531.jpg" width="520" /></a></div></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;"> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;">Tulip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWq8XiGzdqByf3TVYgI5JgfV-I3vahdtgxO_7IhFf7COCtosrTSFEMgl7OiRuQ3tq_qII7rgML-cbpgFgyACEUHIwBu2wY6w112IIumgFRebhpwzxZhMf8jE1kaCbzOcc5Jnw5IQ2NdHg6Qb8-5uqqJQlNVSfWhUkoQRpW2-izWUMwKRWTLJywNhDrREL/s5623/EOSR8532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="5623" height="407" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWq8XiGzdqByf3TVYgI5JgfV-I3vahdtgxO_7IhFf7COCtosrTSFEMgl7OiRuQ3tq_qII7rgML-cbpgFgyACEUHIwBu2wY6w112IIumgFRebhpwzxZhMf8jE1kaCbzOcc5Jnw5IQ2NdHg6Qb8-5uqqJQlNVSfWhUkoQRpW2-izWUMwKRWTLJywNhDrREL/w510-h407/EOSR8532.jpg" width="510" /></a></div></i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;"> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> <span> </span></span><span> Primula, slightly battered in parts</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYPPAliMsCc2X2sCPhbm6zmYT_1KtY7ykhBkbu8Xc3pwBovWOV8svATzIiZucRj2n9XTA1_zVuW_PpsVtaYbrzfy1Qtj188zARBqvVWwLbQqLyg5iw7Hse-wr5DpiZKA1Z9LiiVb6GbcqKVzSI-B7aak48doiSghfypo-g4MMYewp5btxR9u1TcJbATEOl/s3774/EOSR8566.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3533" data-original-width="3774" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYPPAliMsCc2X2sCPhbm6zmYT_1KtY7ykhBkbu8Xc3pwBovWOV8svATzIiZucRj2n9XTA1_zVuW_PpsVtaYbrzfy1Qtj188zARBqvVWwLbQqLyg5iw7Hse-wr5DpiZKA1Z9LiiVb6GbcqKVzSI-B7aak48doiSghfypo-g4MMYewp5btxR9u1TcJbATEOl/w521-h488/EOSR8566.jpg" width="521" /></a></div></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;"> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;">Privet berries</i></div><div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLK_eyZHqpjUmcfNCkEffRezjTn4tRYKwK-zaaxpIc6Miek4Hf6M2fjcZ014lYW0fKjF-bWXH-Cv5nKipTrn3yu2-nruPIWD5TlnFytEg0oMiPi8ses8mTqZbjHgcjvWXrz3rODFTNoTsSR6LdUtb_VEB2ITnt_AK-1Qaap4hJo5B0hwyxo8LbWBptrxlj/s5000/EOSR8542.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4007" data-original-width="5000" height="417" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLK_eyZHqpjUmcfNCkEffRezjTn4tRYKwK-zaaxpIc6Miek4Hf6M2fjcZ014lYW0fKjF-bWXH-Cv5nKipTrn3yu2-nruPIWD5TlnFytEg0oMiPi8ses8mTqZbjHgcjvWXrz3rODFTNoTsSR6LdUtb_VEB2ITnt_AK-1Qaap4hJo5B0hwyxo8LbWBptrxlj/w521-h417/EOSR8542.jpg" width="521" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVGnPmdmyVBNW6KjO_sLHtK_U43WHM16z4Cw8W9tVNetR8bPaVVJE__-SXbmTYeKlyDEYJ2C7SslpnQsN7Kv8x6t0YJCuTQfeAQ8vEBcUbdOOhec8vYlAgzje2Fv1Sjo0dOXqnagBQotnWIEKMW1wnKINmK2Qcn25SymHxgMR7eAQqAgp2WEujNDlVT94c/s4265/EOSR8545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4265" data-original-width="3387" height="678" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVGnPmdmyVBNW6KjO_sLHtK_U43WHM16z4Cw8W9tVNetR8bPaVVJE__-SXbmTYeKlyDEYJ2C7SslpnQsN7Kv8x6t0YJCuTQfeAQ8vEBcUbdOOhec8vYlAgzje2Fv1Sjo0dOXqnagBQotnWIEKMW1wnKINmK2Qcn25SymHxgMR7eAQqAgp2WEujNDlVT94c/w538-h678/EOSR8545.jpg" width="538" /></a></div></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span> <i>Apricot blossom</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5D37DqIYoasYt49HgO57T3xWHdp82aT4_oPZJgmopk_836qL47Mq0W890Sp0fCnzB7lx3hCrzRUmXO2sncmZUQO9U8VEjw9SpN-CCuj8-Tfo059Jy6vjfQaViVewWriBkO9h7LzPGgeyQc-YgQQP9RPMVbQj1dGYbLY5Lhxpb4p8Db9hRfeC0v1QU19U1/s5591/EOSR8556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3910" data-original-width="5591" height="367" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5D37DqIYoasYt49HgO57T3xWHdp82aT4_oPZJgmopk_836qL47Mq0W890Sp0fCnzB7lx3hCrzRUmXO2sncmZUQO9U8VEjw9SpN-CCuj8-Tfo059Jy6vjfQaViVewWriBkO9h7LzPGgeyQc-YgQQP9RPMVbQj1dGYbLY5Lhxpb4p8Db9hRfeC0v1QU19U1/w524-h367/EOSR8556.jpg" width="524" /></a></div></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;"> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> Euonymus, Spindle tree</span></span></div>jabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2060029060849550094.post-32353848492125158692024-03-17T01:00:00.000+00:002024-03-17T01:00:00.130+00:00<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Microfiction
4</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydMYywjERsW7e_RyyYkBZAM7eezoaO8wJe5ir3CJeUSPIQ_uks-1csexFxGs6OsO8GETGTdXBakhmx7dy1BHEyZPxCny7SYcutZvQIPH_M5OVIh6bjIaCg39dj0FgDIkYFhyphenhyphenaVrcZgdfkCcguUJYV4D3YbqAMEjPzP8qmG2IVRrDxgaZU-jQUU3CnUY6n/s200/monpetitlapin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="121" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydMYywjERsW7e_RyyYkBZAM7eezoaO8wJe5ir3CJeUSPIQ_uks-1csexFxGs6OsO8GETGTdXBakhmx7dy1BHEyZPxCny7SYcutZvQIPH_M5OVIh6bjIaCg39dj0FgDIkYFhyphenhyphenaVrcZgdfkCcguUJYV4D3YbqAMEjPzP8qmG2IVRrDxgaZU-jQUU3CnUY6n/w387-h638/monpetitlapin.jpg" width="387" /></a></div><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">This was another 2010 microfiction prompt. The challenge was to
write a response in 140 characters or less. Spaces are characters, too.</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">What do you mean, “Where’s your cane?” I’m the White Rabbit, not
Fred Astaire. I don’t dance! Ask Alice.’</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;">(105 characters)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Erm, I don’t want to tell you your business, but shouldn’t
I be inside the hat?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;">(79 characters)</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><!--EndFragment -->Join
me?<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<!--EndFragment --><p></p>jabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2060029060849550094.post-44280545159728422372024-03-16T01:00:00.029+00:002024-03-16T01:00:00.130+00:00Would you rather . . . ?<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Would you
rather . . . ?</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjHOgpJsOHKr83ZSoGB4r49c8YxT8Sd2MRxdca-4J3UvKOsRL21E_ogi3846uqfyUw85uRlkOf-ZCCfT0HdqbcVBtCw-rVrX0Dy7OPVGq54102IWwfpByiWcSE5uvVRK_0ni452U9LriwLvzT5OtvB9fZWvShUUFNOTOcxu2ug27hj_yaMLbvHow07he-m/s584/640px-Bobby_pin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="167" data-original-width="584" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjHOgpJsOHKr83ZSoGB4r49c8YxT8Sd2MRxdca-4J3UvKOsRL21E_ogi3846uqfyUw85uRlkOf-ZCCfT0HdqbcVBtCw-rVrX0Dy7OPVGq54102IWwfpByiWcSE5uvVRK_0ni452U9LriwLvzT5OtvB9fZWvShUUFNOTOcxu2ug27hj_yaMLbvHow07he-m/w613-h176/640px-Bobby_pin.jpg" width="613" /></a></div><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons</span><br /></i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Reading
<a href="https://anenglishgirlrambles2016.blogspot.com/2024/03/i-confess.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;"><u>Denise’s</u></span><span style="color: red;"><u> post,</u></span></a> I was reminded of a small incident a few years ago in a
supermarket. It was quiet, the spacious aisles allowing easy access to shelves
and their contents. Do shelves have ‘contents’, or do they simply ‘display items’?
‘Whatever’, as the young used to say.</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Anyway, I
noticed another shopper, well dressed, neatly turned out, quite unlike me in my
sloppy attire. Even if I attempt to present a decorous, though never
decorative, image, I fail miserably and this I know when I catch sight of a scarecrow
creature in a pane of glass and realise, with horror, that it’s me.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">As I gazed
surreptitiously at my beautifully styled fellow shopper, I suddenly noticed a
hair clip in her hair. It wasn’t a decorative thing, an intentional addition, a
pretty ornament, but a hair grip, intended to flatten wayward locks or entice
hair to remain where required and then removed. It was not meant to be there.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">I was in
a quandary. Should I quietly alert my peer to the unintended accessory? Would she
prefer not to know? How would she react? Tentatively, I said, ‘Excuse me,’ and
she turned to look at me. ‘Did you realise you have a hair clip in your hair?’</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Startled,
her hand flew to her hair to remove it and she thanked me most profusely. I was
relieved that she wasn’t embarrassed and glad I had told her. Certainly, I would
prefer to have such an anomaly pointed out to me, though, to be honest, it would
be quite difficult to settle on just one – there are so many inconsistencies.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">I remember
seeing one of my daughter’s teachers out shopping one day. She was wearing
casual, comfortable clothes, which, if not actually shabby, had definitely seen
better days.</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Round her neck hung the
most beautiful jewelled pendant. It was clearly valuable and completely out of
keeping with the rest of her outfit but I imagine it had sentimental value and gave
her great pleasure to wear.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">When it
comes down to it, at the end of the day, when all’s said and done, in the long run,
and other inconsequential platitudes, so long as you’re comfortable in your own
skin and choice of clothes, no-one else’s opinion matters. </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>jabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2060029060849550094.post-32138292710853635672024-03-15T15:26:00.001+00:002024-03-15T15:26:10.357+00:00Red Nose Day<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Red Nose
Day</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQN-YR6EZ4UDQZ0mroDPQrWPUZxVK5tFDo7Tq1_aa1borJGarEnlN0LMoKl1ctmEhvgk7SiGOiVP2AN0pXnudrcAchovHVdS5EZ7rxKQXUkeWIt9rDRITrmXBNIaE91A-89iiPqLhP4b18MtYSsWwOZ9PQbuvLVL7eI00X28saadH5GWhHApwSt_wXp-ia/s1998/53566430_10157134387588841_2575114772655636480_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1998" data-original-width="1680" height="567" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQN-YR6EZ4UDQZ0mroDPQrWPUZxVK5tFDo7Tq1_aa1borJGarEnlN0LMoKl1ctmEhvgk7SiGOiVP2AN0pXnudrcAchovHVdS5EZ7rxKQXUkeWIt9rDRITrmXBNIaE91A-89iiPqLhP4b18MtYSsWwOZ9PQbuvLVL7eI00X28saadH5GWhHApwSt_wXp-ia/w477-h567/53566430_10157134387588841_2575114772655636480_n.jpg" width="477" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;">Frankie, aged 7, wearing a red Mickey Mouse top and a red nose in 2019</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Today is Red
Nose Day in the UK. As the highlight of the charity Comic Relief, the brainchild
of charity worker Jane Tewson, it is an annual fundraising campaign to
alleviate child poverty in the UK and around the world. It was initiated by the
comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and the comedian Lenny Henry in 1985, at a
time when Ethiopia was experiencing severe famine.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">The slogan
for 2024 is ‘Do something funny for money’ and many organisations and individuals
rise to the challenge. The BBC evening schedule is taken over by Comic Relief
from 7.00 with comedy skits from otherwise ‘serious’ people like news
presenters, parodies of popular programmes and challenges. There is a live
telethon and the aim of the evening is to raise as much money as possible.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">In
schools throughout the British Isles children will be sporting red noses and possibly
red clothing. Ordinary people will be doing extraordinary things and everyone
is invited to donate to the cause.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM9o_T6S0e9q9wPXyNsP0XPUE-AS5P-rEccFjBA4O_VSpeY4Km16FH_aI7rJlySAFDLxWZm8JXX5jjEq2CJTGxlofpNboLfUx-WlXlOT5Je3gA77mCYuRjQL_M8NiTftpn3YVwW9IyhG2H8zMDTjaeWGWqoxO4IXdomkP9RxBHOplNZ9wt0qQf0CI9Wxes/s2048/54256005_10157134387193841_8577963362799845376_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1647" height="593" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM9o_T6S0e9q9wPXyNsP0XPUE-AS5P-rEccFjBA4O_VSpeY4Km16FH_aI7rJlySAFDLxWZm8JXX5jjEq2CJTGxlofpNboLfUx-WlXlOT5Je3gA77mCYuRjQL_M8NiTftpn3YVwW9IyhG2H8zMDTjaeWGWqoxO4IXdomkP9RxBHOplNZ9wt0qQf0CI9Wxes/w476-h593/54256005_10157134387193841_8577963362799845376_n.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">The red nose looks more like a teapot!</span><p></p>jabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2060029060849550094.post-17940648339008530452024-03-15T01:00:00.006+00:002024-03-15T15:36:18.622+00:00Brookwood<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Brookwood</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZVFVdMSBGGJyVsRizEV9OnV83xnvMhgZvzN21Jo23dEG9P_Bhhp9bor51PaQaMNiuymnmhLK4KQVuaNzpu1Ls_NRPtmqJ5WDuM88vo3G_AscutGwaulMk_JNoFpU8oDUecyJ3HSq36J7O__UU-8l1qAI1rUpCHoVisW4L8MgOpbwpfaPr0rne3A00zYG/s612/Italian_Graveyard_,_Brookwood_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4010752.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="612" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZVFVdMSBGGJyVsRizEV9OnV83xnvMhgZvzN21Jo23dEG9P_Bhhp9bor51PaQaMNiuymnmhLK4KQVuaNzpu1Ls_NRPtmqJ5WDuM88vo3G_AscutGwaulMk_JNoFpU8oDUecyJ3HSq36J7O__UU-8l1qAI1rUpCHoVisW4L8MgOpbwpfaPr0rne3A00zYG/w559-h244/Italian_Graveyard_,_Brookwood_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4010752.jpg" width="559" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;"><i>Italian graveyard, Brookwood</i></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><i>All images courtesy Wikimedia Commons</i></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">I mentioned
</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brookwood_Cemetery" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Brookwood </span></a><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">in a recent blog post. Its name refers to the many small streams or
brooks that once rose within the area.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">The
cholera epidemic of 1848 – 1850 in London created problems of disposal of the
dead. An idea was mooted to develop a large cemetery outside the capital and 220
acres of common land in Woking, Surrey, were acquired for the purpose. The London
Necropolis and National Mausoleum Company (LNC) was instituted by Act of
Parliament in June 1852. The first burial was conducted there in 1854.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkxNACMRT8Z3etRB-DBAu562HUwWAGAIi1u1BQz_UHjhs5ow9gQ_scdVaYQlYdVIlj-_sNEw2gb0O5BQ_GuGQRXA7m8vGJotfOksJlO4pX3Vqdsxy7y17qMbBEHI37o6VkEcIBVCCLchaWmFhy5If5baDQwRgcsusUzenxDsK_yfHfieseEn77QBNG3GY/s640/French_Memorial_,_Brookwood_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4011224.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="421" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkxNACMRT8Z3etRB-DBAu562HUwWAGAIi1u1BQz_UHjhs5ow9gQ_scdVaYQlYdVIlj-_sNEw2gb0O5BQ_GuGQRXA7m8vGJotfOksJlO4pX3Vqdsxy7y17qMbBEHI37o6VkEcIBVCCLchaWmFhy5If5baDQwRgcsusUzenxDsK_yfHfieseEn77QBNG3GY/w561-h421/French_Memorial_,_Brookwood_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4011224.jpg" width="561" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;"><i>French Memorial </i></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Bodies
were transported to the cemetery from the London Necropolis Railway Station,
next to Waterloo, which ran funeral trains to Brookwood. At that time, there
were three classes of carriage, according to the class and means of customers. Separate
carriages, again in three classes, transported the coffins. </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Mourners bought return tickets, but coffins
were carried on a single ticket!</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGJp269Y2bT37u4VQVei_7dRN2SPMXhNk0fwZto4Jg5CW4IFC6DhVeJNZRPx5ZhhGdCCY0RUNBPZS0Mvhle54TXg1SpXicxS1esnPDjj4t94VrTkrW8NwiGDmmoSRKojqzsr2WMs2Tkas9KvCwC6tSjvDg4n8M2uJLFnjSFzNO0Lb_BZnlAiNZZ0Kd8PyL/s200/Brookwood_Coffin_Ticket.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="113" data-original-width="200" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGJp269Y2bT37u4VQVei_7dRN2SPMXhNk0fwZto4Jg5CW4IFC6DhVeJNZRPx5ZhhGdCCY0RUNBPZS0Mvhle54TXg1SpXicxS1esnPDjj4t94VrTkrW8NwiGDmmoSRKojqzsr2WMs2Tkas9KvCwC6tSjvDg4n8M2uJLFnjSFzNO0Lb_BZnlAiNZZ0Kd8PyL/w530-h300/Brookwood_Coffin_Ticket.jpg" width="530" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;"><i>Third class coffin ticket - single only!</i></span></div><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">People
selecting a first class funeral could choose and buy a grave site anywhere in
the cemetery for £2.10 shillings – that is around £250 at 2024 rates. The LNC expected
patrons to erect a memorial stone after the funeral.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVXiLaCVdyUDBuRJu9Bvy268vkNxmGwASvRUiKxqzM-NWSm2H1bPNqN9G0XuBjBnBazA4MigZGTsraSjIDnzUPUJTS2YUKy2bjT6NtEphl27EAsTULK94wBSO6ILCog5U1y2WxxyVefRxDT1Ib5C1EJrTUPJ9m6r1snI_AyAPMgBYfPgh3kyBGM8DsDaE/s640/Buddhist_Burial_Plot_,_Brookwood_Cemetery_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4110810.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="640" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVXiLaCVdyUDBuRJu9Bvy268vkNxmGwASvRUiKxqzM-NWSm2H1bPNqN9G0XuBjBnBazA4MigZGTsraSjIDnzUPUJTS2YUKy2bjT6NtEphl27EAsTULK94wBSO6ILCog5U1y2WxxyVefRxDT1Ib5C1EJrTUPJ9m6r1snI_AyAPMgBYfPgh3kyBGM8DsDaE/w554-h282/Buddhist_Burial_Plot_,_Brookwood_Cemetery_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4110810.jpg" width="554" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;"><i>Buddhist burial plot</i></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Second class
funerals were cheaper, about £1 (£100 in 2024) and allowed for some choice of
location. If mourners wished to erect a memorial, they paid an extra sum of 10 shillings
(£50). If they decided not to buy a memorial, the LNC was entitled to reuse the
grave in the future.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyftWaS1f7UkEGSN5wDCAq9iHviMf0kEDWkiMquHpC5zZoDIRcg8nEjiXZReV_3-Z1sOvd1uw0lRBkj_bs51niouGbIBzvVSEk6gegMTvqDx8UPaapSmQq9iDjikFkG7KAe6tONx494n3IdHnQtDsHZofUjKh6c42vptuplYtC_rcPvTOv_rLuiiRZz-7y/s640/Czechoslovakian_section,_Brookwood_Military_Cemetery_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4163888.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyftWaS1f7UkEGSN5wDCAq9iHviMf0kEDWkiMquHpC5zZoDIRcg8nEjiXZReV_3-Z1sOvd1uw0lRBkj_bs51niouGbIBzvVSEk6gegMTvqDx8UPaapSmQq9iDjikFkG7KAe6tONx494n3IdHnQtDsHZofUjKh6c42vptuplYtC_rcPvTOv_rLuiiRZz-7y/w507-h380/Czechoslovakian_section,_Brookwood_Military_Cemetery_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4163888.jpg" width="507" /></a></div><i><br /><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;">Czechoslovakian section </span></i><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Third class
funerals were for the poor. Unlike all other cemeteries at the time, Brookwood
did not have mass graves, so each pauper had his or her own grave. If there
were a desire to mark the grave with a permanent stone, that could be arranged
with an upgrade to a higher class. It rarely happened.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96jRvTZMgGQtHKDqO8tiU8eVckWSFuDciUEJdCcyhtfLAvG7NGGZmykja9LHXdXFvJVCMJV0GGZF749_SkU_p2wiOjyoz6kVhp0N7Z7TjEmZ6sbMM4olVQ8-0JGdNHR8w7v6Io08FkCnmfpqLkTfAjpNxEwFQeph_kKvdT98Ub6M1tmG9l-TjBEGOgVFK/s640/Parsee_Brookwood_Cemetery.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="357" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96jRvTZMgGQtHKDqO8tiU8eVckWSFuDciUEJdCcyhtfLAvG7NGGZmykja9LHXdXFvJVCMJV0GGZF749_SkU_p2wiOjyoz6kVhp0N7Z7TjEmZ6sbMM4olVQ8-0JGdNHR8w7v6Io08FkCnmfpqLkTfAjpNxEwFQeph_kKvdT98Ub6M1tmG9l-TjBEGOgVFK/w476-h357/Parsee_Brookwood_Cemetery.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;"><i>Entrance to Parsi (Parsee) section</i></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">About 80%
of burials were pauper funerals for London parishes and prisons, and remain
unmarked, but the LNC also provided dedicated sections of the cemetery for different
societies, religious communities and other organisations. The thinking was that
those who had lived and worked together should be allowed to remain together in
death. For example, the Royal Hospital Chelsea has buried its Chelsea Pensioners
at Brookwood since 1893.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl06B9llrKZ0fa9FeIKU4or1LelkKLs9x-stM0lPTJY-cG4u2NdxlNQA8k7MbcXXCh9UDmlCOH9JtfP_V0t1CMhg-YmUiulQJWelRhPvbIvgMYiEdw-xSECxfuFV5kP47L9_RdJ58hyphenhyphenOu5WtWtD8apVn4LzOuXhB9HwrqGDN8ziLcl2BlvUG2mtxs-GbpW/s640/640px-Brookwood_Military_Cemetery_(4828489362).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl06B9llrKZ0fa9FeIKU4or1LelkKLs9x-stM0lPTJY-cG4u2NdxlNQA8k7MbcXXCh9UDmlCOH9JtfP_V0t1CMhg-YmUiulQJWelRhPvbIvgMYiEdw-xSECxfuFV5kP47L9_RdJ58hyphenhyphenOu5WtWtD8apVn4LzOuXhB9HwrqGDN8ziLcl2BlvUG2mtxs-GbpW/w517-h388/640px-Brookwood_Military_Cemetery_(4828489362).jpg" width="517" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;"><i>Second World War German plot, Brookwood Military Cemetery</i></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Brookwood
is a peaceful graveyard, set with beautiful flowering shrubs and trees. The
objective was to create a sense of ‘perpetual spring’. It is open every day apart
from Christmas Day and New Year’s Day and anyone may visit it.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSnqKvublk0CIKUIEjTt7qguoWlWrT5HHiKQT7SyFmoxDthQECyocNJZ7NlUZZCaZWvE26i9RDwr2NwtsUVrQsIlIHmWVJ3woJ7IhUXe6q_mriM5H3QVLVoiPG4IS47ilJ0ELFuUZGkFs2yTVJ-3leRTiHTCSVzdZo3c-3s5loTxBsvXjecMgfl0nSzlAF/s640/Brookwood_American_Military_Chapel.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="640" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSnqKvublk0CIKUIEjTt7qguoWlWrT5HHiKQT7SyFmoxDthQECyocNJZ7NlUZZCaZWvE26i9RDwr2NwtsUVrQsIlIHmWVJ3woJ7IhUXe6q_mriM5H3QVLVoiPG4IS47ilJ0ELFuUZGkFs2yTVJ-3leRTiHTCSVzdZo3c-3s5loTxBsvXjecMgfl0nSzlAF/w519-h341/Brookwood_American_Military_Chapel.JPG" width="519" /></a></div><p></p> <i> </i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: center;"><i>Brookwood American Cemetery and Memorial</i></span><br />
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Around
235,000 people have been buried there since 1854.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7SkZQAkao_xg5BqA0DAjbAgAmlnMCeaej_mV9zadk1328DapKjrfNITdm9-uy6YkpNzfsizIgavjQ9c7TZR7Nurts-BGodux5bjio6-_om56vX2mMbQeYIpdRhT-0pSrIZ-3yzvIKsxwFbwzkRp7n5UVHMUUmVdioSKjFBn418C7dHbwrajeNmehkE1K/s640/Emblem_on_the_shelter_-_geograph.org.uk_-_3203842.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7SkZQAkao_xg5BqA0DAjbAgAmlnMCeaej_mV9zadk1328DapKjrfNITdm9-uy6YkpNzfsizIgavjQ9c7TZR7Nurts-BGodux5bjio6-_om56vX2mMbQeYIpdRhT-0pSrIZ-3yzvIKsxwFbwzkRp7n5UVHMUUmVdioSKjFBn418C7dHbwrajeNmehkE1K/w511-h342/Emblem_on_the_shelter_-_geograph.org.uk_-_3203842.jpg" width="511" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;"><i>Emblem on RAF shelter</i></span><br /><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Notable
graves accommodate the American artist John Singer Sargent, Abdullah Quilliam, 19</span><sup style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">
century convert to Islam, who founded England’s first mosque and Islamic centre,
Dennis Wheatley, occult and mystery writer, Margaret, Duchess of Argyll, Alfred
Bestall, author and illustrator of Rupert Bear, Sarah Eleanor Smith, widow of
the Titanic’s captain and Horatia Johnson, granddaughter of Horatio Nelson and
Emma Hamilton.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtTguqe6xVpycM7AC9PTLzm1yfSEAFcgp85UU9ez5p-HC30ZOXWwGLYr9t6WruS5XZC8NQtXE5ik9fsUp5iNVKSBFMJ3YEeTdXF0PRTmEO1eRAl4feylQVRbLNFoCVuTcp1Odr_uDmZWPkP3EUo-KgoHF_vLhrQep75K6WIjyAEIaX7o8KBTWGY7Z3qORg/s960/Brookwood_Cemetery_-_51188746990.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" height="740" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtTguqe6xVpycM7AC9PTLzm1yfSEAFcgp85UU9ez5p-HC30ZOXWwGLYr9t6WruS5XZC8NQtXE5ik9fsUp5iNVKSBFMJ3YEeTdXF0PRTmEO1eRAl4feylQVRbLNFoCVuTcp1Odr_uDmZWPkP3EUo-KgoHF_vLhrQep75K6WIjyAEIaX7o8KBTWGY7Z3qORg/w493-h740/Brookwood_Cemetery_-_51188746990.jpg" width="493" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuzI-Qd3kNbYcwOPLkIW-IHdweuNDBkB36I7zL80rcGiEc0UhP_6_uGXKn2FeCvanLKzsidRr1sv-isz9CY_Izuuo0Y-AxQ6FQLRv8diELx3d4-Gop8B74XJNJyihUjBal5ZfUVRXoNN4oeSMzuTVwwM2S8SxOPD0g9idKTZPe_-Wsl7TG6BxJX6rlJqzm/s640/Brookwood_II_sunset.jpg" style="font-size: 14pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuzI-Qd3kNbYcwOPLkIW-IHdweuNDBkB36I7zL80rcGiEc0UhP_6_uGXKn2FeCvanLKzsidRr1sv-isz9CY_Izuuo0Y-AxQ6FQLRv8diELx3d4-Gop8B74XJNJyihUjBal5ZfUVRXoNN4oeSMzuTVwwM2S8SxOPD0g9idKTZPe_-Wsl7TG6BxJX6rlJqzm/w514-h386/Brookwood_II_sunset.jpg" width="514" /></a><br /><br /></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga6SEMw0dps6Yo0ZCBbGUjorlFCeusOFM86cAPxAvc2v6cb8wsuZpo7TvlmsLkZdYHfoQZWFlR3oHHW-3UVBivrFG9PhmyFkqLUnZxupiD3kjoY0d3aWWhMh_doBX654wlPmZNMFuIFyspSyEDj1dgLs_HWtDfJl3_lJ3QhaExNytDhsj9l9vP-zQSPr9w/s569/Brookwood_Military_Cemetery,_seats_in_the_garden_behind_Beaver_House_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4651757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="569" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga6SEMw0dps6Yo0ZCBbGUjorlFCeusOFM86cAPxAvc2v6cb8wsuZpo7TvlmsLkZdYHfoQZWFlR3oHHW-3UVBivrFG9PhmyFkqLUnZxupiD3kjoY0d3aWWhMh_doBX654wlPmZNMFuIFyspSyEDj1dgLs_HWtDfJl3_lJ3QhaExNytDhsj9l9vP-zQSPr9w/w510-h387/Brookwood_Military_Cemetery,_seats_in_the_garden_behind_Beaver_House_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4651757.jpg" width="510" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFjt7BYBO55MEpyxOoX_W487dY1NRWrXCYMsBOPin9NY8m_8KpMlaFxSeyZ_m64yJP2icZeAQn2At1TM3LwK1nxRp74P-oChyphenhyphen8RiauUCYyHf_khoWkN4s-DYl1Dnawegn7Tp4bGVfkuLxB3MyxxnqRmB3JYIS1Hnh5GZvi__oZDcqwXu-5YxAkrGvRnbOf/s895/DSC07480.thumb.JPG.21385b0585fc52e90872539cf1808a56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="662" data-original-width="895" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFjt7BYBO55MEpyxOoX_W487dY1NRWrXCYMsBOPin9NY8m_8KpMlaFxSeyZ_m64yJP2icZeAQn2At1TM3LwK1nxRp74P-oChyphenhyphen8RiauUCYyHf_khoWkN4s-DYl1Dnawegn7Tp4bGVfkuLxB3MyxxnqRmB3JYIS1Hnh5GZvi__oZDcqwXu-5YxAkrGvRnbOf/w506-h375/DSC07480.thumb.JPG.21385b0585fc52e90872539cf1808a56.jpg" width="506" /></a></div><br /><p></p>jabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2060029060849550094.post-33888155677195256132024-03-14T01:00:00.012+00:002024-03-14T10:06:06.998+00:00Wrinkles<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-no-proof: yes;">Wrinkles</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdNp-w82eMbLAMaesFzjii9no_mYat-NP7pUGFQlDqpx2oFFez0A6QNDnpNOFFpqVQzftnb1ziICmnyJvZAiJ_xPEg30YgBxB3KWjRwg_CZsdVCU7gqcQLgDk9SZ0pNLAwhUmcvEs4GUdfM5tUYilqREIV5HtMKY-JkzRkHLC35HiiwSybgDPkzj6Li36/s878/MacArthur_Manila_(cropped).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="878" data-original-width="640" height="581" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdNp-w82eMbLAMaesFzjii9no_mYat-NP7pUGFQlDqpx2oFFez0A6QNDnpNOFFpqVQzftnb1ziICmnyJvZAiJ_xPEg30YgBxB3KWjRwg_CZsdVCU7gqcQLgDk9SZ0pNLAwhUmcvEs4GUdfM5tUYilqREIV5HtMKY-JkzRkHLC35HiiwSybgDPkzj6Li36/w423-h581/MacArthur_Manila_(cropped).jpg" width="423" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;"><i><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>General Douglas MacArthur, with his corncob pipe</i></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><i>Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons</i></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">I wrote the following quotation in my Commonplace book a few years ago and wanted to learn a little more about it.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">‘Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow
old by deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up
enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.’</span></p>
<p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-no-proof: yes;">Samuel
Ullman (1840 – 1924)</span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">These lines come from Ullman’s poem ‘Youth’, written when he
was 78. It was a favourite poem of General Douglas MacArthur, who was deputed
to oversee the rebuilding of Japan after the end of WWII.</span></p></blockquote><p> <span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">When he was appointed
Supreme Allied Commander in Japan from 1945 to 1951 he had a copy of the poem on
his office wall. It became very familiar to the Japanese, who admired the General and his diligent work routine. MacArthur regularly quoted from the poem in his speeches,
which inspired a nation occupied in rebuilding their ravaged country.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-no-proof: yes;">From Birmingham Historical Society:</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">‘</span><i style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">In 1945, Reader’s Digest published the poem and reported that
MacArthur posted the poem in his office. Yoshio Okasa, a Japanese businessman,
upon reading the article, was inspired to create a beautiful and moving
translation in Japanese and display it in his offices. The popularity of
“Youth” in Japan soared. Many carried folded-up copies of the poem in their
pockets and wallets. </i></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">In 1985, the Youth Association was formed in Tokyo. Its
corporate and individual members across Japan are encouraged to study “Youth”
and the writings of other philosophers and to share the joy and hope expressed
in the poem. </i></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Writing in 1992, Jiro M. Miyazawa, who wanted to share the message
of the poem and who had distributed more than 10,000 copies across Japan,
stated: “Japan has been completely rebuilt since the devastation of World War
II. I believe Samuel Ullman’s poem ‘Youth’ played a part in this process by
sustaining the Japanese mind with its inspiring message.’</i></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><i><br /></i></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>YOUTH</i></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of
mind; it is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees; it is a
matter of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotions; it
is the freshness of the deep springs of life.</span></i></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"><i>Youth
means a temperamental predominance of courage over timidity of the appetite,
for adventure over the love of ease. This often exists in a man of sixty more
than a boy of twenty. Nobody grows old merely by a number of years. We grow old
by deserting our ideals.</i></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"><i>Years may
wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. Worry, fear,
self-distrust bows the heart and turns the spirit back to dust.</i></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"><i>Whether
sixty or sixteen, there is in every human being’s heart the lure of wonder, the
unfailing, child-like appetite of what’s next, and the joy of the game of
living. In the center of your heart and my heart there is a wireless station;
so long as it receives messages of beauty, hope, cheer, courage and power from
men and from the infinite, so long are you young.</i></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">When the aerials are down, and your spirit is
covered with snows of cynicism and ice of pessimism, then you are grown old,
even at twenty, but as long as your aerials are up, to catch the waves of
optimism, there is hope you may die young at eighty.</span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-no-proof: yes;"><i> </i></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">In 2020, Birmingham Historical Society published an <u><a href="https://birminghamhistoricalsociety.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/bhs_newsletter_2008_ullman.pdf" target="_blank">article</a></u>
about Samuel Ullman.</span></p>jabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2060029060849550094.post-16531030609218318262024-03-13T01:00:00.003+00:002024-03-13T08:46:07.281+00:00Handwriting<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Handwriting</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHc4Ce7uz6LY1cjPAkUJdLirLwjwq-tWye_g5v2LLfKeJYzRPg8nCSn4PVk7avqdgu0rwcdDMIQM66ADrOgHzpqmj5UxstGl9lyBWVfWTKzdplm5iCM7A3sJNWf8aG5zey2b1uANKrsWg4ih1aWvgdXNwIDQqKdjgqRq9-IWLJy-ncMPyNlBHbwe0uBGTZ/s471/Lucida_Handwriting_sample.svg%20(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="207" data-original-width="471" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHc4Ce7uz6LY1cjPAkUJdLirLwjwq-tWye_g5v2LLfKeJYzRPg8nCSn4PVk7avqdgu0rwcdDMIQM66ADrOgHzpqmj5UxstGl9lyBWVfWTKzdplm5iCM7A3sJNWf8aG5zey2b1uANKrsWg4ih1aWvgdXNwIDQqKdjgqRq9-IWLJy-ncMPyNlBHbwe0uBGTZ/w595-h262/Lucida_Handwriting_sample.svg%20(1).png" width="595" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; line-height: 107%;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons</i></div></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">I was
surprised to discover that the National Curriculum requirements for handwriting
have changed. By the end of Key Stage 2, when children leave Primary school at
the age of 11, the guidance states that children should have ‘neat and legible’
handwriting. They are no longer expected to write using cursive handwriting.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Research shows
that most secondary school students abandon cursive script in favour of print because
they find it faster. Research also shows that writing a joined-up script helps
the writer to remember notes better and it has been shown that primary age
children benefit from writing in cursive when learning spellings.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Choose
your research carefully!</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">My
handwriting is execrable and I admire those who can produce a beautiful script
apparently effortlessly.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">The following
are examples of handwriting in the last century.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcEoH8qs67-JOVFEKsHczHHP726Bw05YHyAMiduqdJmwQV7wt2ypHnq3a9Z_PI9B4ga2tttj625OgkEqClXFCq9k1op9OexFhzcjZlBvSKUmonMtPhOVdnj4YzHbnuxg3uJUbHcEE3n25x29DvKqdenK-JbL7DzrcCaYzjMmx4aq7YYYZmXPkHVVFg8pp/s680/M1krF18DQcW4a2eBx79Ukw.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="654" data-original-width="680" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcEoH8qs67-JOVFEKsHczHHP726Bw05YHyAMiduqdJmwQV7wt2ypHnq3a9Z_PI9B4ga2tttj625OgkEqClXFCq9k1op9OexFhzcjZlBvSKUmonMtPhOVdnj4YzHbnuxg3uJUbHcEE3n25x29DvKqdenK-JbL7DzrcCaYzjMmx4aq7YYYZmXPkHVVFg8pp/w490-h472/M1krF18DQcW4a2eBx79Ukw.jpeg" width="490" /></a></div><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"> This was written in 1920 by a teacher who would have been taught to write in the late 19th century. Henry G Mayne was my father's older brother, the middle of three boys.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvz_O7wGuolWYD-2eU-_FbUXKN6gQOiajRNsQuEX1VqSwi3XyJoEswem1eHbdhkbdkIK9LGCLevKhCBvMOdje-GOVP7LexvusRp0lvtyE4xxEVtK5rY4PZxhC2iInWDtnpdJZ6Sjg1bzjw4ylc0ghbejXi14i1a2LY2dA4g-drYkq78pSEVDQ3fXUB2v2Y/s589/sRpOfyQ0R2WM1YND7394iw.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="589" height="467" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvz_O7wGuolWYD-2eU-_FbUXKN6gQOiajRNsQuEX1VqSwi3XyJoEswem1eHbdhkbdkIK9LGCLevKhCBvMOdje-GOVP7LexvusRp0lvtyE4xxEVtK5rY4PZxhC2iInWDtnpdJZ6Sjg1bzjw4ylc0ghbejXi14i1a2LY2dA4g-drYkq78pSEVDQ3fXUB2v2Y/w493-h467/sRpOfyQ0R2WM1YND7394iw.jpeg" width="493" /></a></div></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;">This was inscribed by my father in a book. He learnt to write in the early 20th century.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgup1WKVvD8_WmJp4UpielNCtplG5hWPASenI5K9ZSQNA4QTBSAgauHSd8SncOLge_4ENVYIfvhtr0oE_JjqJPPnFQrsICq6pJvOMgmQlEKh8ccqm7cmt7tpb-A7xk1tLRaI1oOxPbDVpHTqMmK3aEfIQWr-wncr2slViVYFCR0W-ykb2obOs8oCKOcFgek/s661/fhG5F0MsRLuxLzfvL2AJUw.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="245" data-original-width="661" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgup1WKVvD8_WmJp4UpielNCtplG5hWPASenI5K9ZSQNA4QTBSAgauHSd8SncOLge_4ENVYIfvhtr0oE_JjqJPPnFQrsICq6pJvOMgmQlEKh8ccqm7cmt7tpb-A7xk1tLRaI1oOxPbDVpHTqMmK3aEfIQWr-wncr2slViVYFCR0W-ykb2obOs8oCKOcFgek/w663-h246/fhG5F0MsRLuxLzfvL2AJUw.jpeg" width="663" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;">This writer learnt to write in the 1930s.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipwIAcmtCOL3QJkcfR8jqgylox11MDHgClzfmkXPP3MMn0lqXIVyUThd664_uvfMJl91haDUQd5vmhjLZDEBZbV1-hN6b6CjcY1qtQzMW0ZCaQ7xI-1NVCsttBevpYKxih7vivWw1dgOsaSIsS2_6u7EZMh-u3H4k9_Si9gv_YkMRlbnuliTBhB1_PDHhS/s301/XCLStntdQkC8NdsvuEvHkw.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="245" data-original-width="301" height="401" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipwIAcmtCOL3QJkcfR8jqgylox11MDHgClzfmkXPP3MMn0lqXIVyUThd664_uvfMJl91haDUQd5vmhjLZDEBZbV1-hN6b6CjcY1qtQzMW0ZCaQ7xI-1NVCsttBevpYKxih7vivWw1dgOsaSIsS2_6u7EZMh-u3H4k9_Si9gv_YkMRlbnuliTBhB1_PDHhS/w493-h401/XCLStntdQkC8NdsvuEvHkw.jpeg" width="493" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;">All of these girls would have been taught handwriting between 1940 and 1950. There is such a disparity of styles, the most attractive and legible being 3 and 4.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;">All of the following were also taught between 1940 and 1950.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCiLVXYtofAiO-88ZE390_2lf_phrGH17HXP-4VVJyasnvIEXsMgdM1xujR7RTjqVMZNkdbmklHYHCYE8G5rhFArljmJbbAsUBWOhV-u8eJXTdbBsa5o_9ffCHr3mlA5bNZFZ6lOswq2msQC1ydpcTiVQAWEonQdOl6X-7BV8I82c0LQ0pwC-4oWiBzgd7/s890/Ir_tIOOHTfKyRJDoLFcEmg.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="890" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCiLVXYtofAiO-88ZE390_2lf_phrGH17HXP-4VVJyasnvIEXsMgdM1xujR7RTjqVMZNkdbmklHYHCYE8G5rhFArljmJbbAsUBWOhV-u8eJXTdbBsa5o_9ffCHr3mlA5bNZFZ6lOswq2msQC1ydpcTiVQAWEonQdOl6X-7BV8I82c0LQ0pwC-4oWiBzgd7/w523-h309/Ir_tIOOHTfKyRJDoLFcEmg.jpeg" width="523" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGvpeIv-0n_tRqo1lQOeRdN4h23oLEN_VNjmFgeUDCg08cIf77hYTdQX4GvOsU91CTdm7yBwjwSpoocuKz7kcRtyeWBgR_1XdzhhmqoI9fbkLOXGJDmUv3inOwmodCpwppqPRV1cPEiJ7Q-1p9WErGLRtP_u14Y9G1L2aHy8KgO6_D40ZTILKrkLaSm-YC/s957/ZOmrXJxxRHaZWwUSPbeH8g.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="957" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGvpeIv-0n_tRqo1lQOeRdN4h23oLEN_VNjmFgeUDCg08cIf77hYTdQX4GvOsU91CTdm7yBwjwSpoocuKz7kcRtyeWBgR_1XdzhhmqoI9fbkLOXGJDmUv3inOwmodCpwppqPRV1cPEiJ7Q-1p9WErGLRtP_u14Y9G1L2aHy8KgO6_D40ZTILKrkLaSm-YC/w531-h264/ZOmrXJxxRHaZWwUSPbeH8g.jpeg" width="531" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNETtCpWk-do1KGCapVj-9lsqidGR4xQAKYBxh8Sr3Gb4DdG0wEr6Q-LrtK8CIoo892vqYMwk1kj-Jz8jxiRaxXXyY5S7Fzre3fF36V7ZKwNtiWGDw7UAbwyMAan8p5bPey7UqBRPOHasNnn27oTes9e9rQfyhDwVXriZUWjMDEoLtdIfOXYYzcOuCz35/s957/7z-m85rxTaWbNEjpU9_H6A.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="957" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNETtCpWk-do1KGCapVj-9lsqidGR4xQAKYBxh8Sr3Gb4DdG0wEr6Q-LrtK8CIoo892vqYMwk1kj-Jz8jxiRaxXXyY5S7Fzre3fF36V7ZKwNtiWGDw7UAbwyMAan8p5bPey7UqBRPOHasNnn27oTes9e9rQfyhDwVXriZUWjMDEoLtdIfOXYYzcOuCz35/w537-h314/7z-m85rxTaWbNEjpU9_H6A.jpeg" width="537" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0UCYTheqWmyM9rYT-m5VvmbdV3cN0awnKi28rRoDiJmzYLtQSaQ1-ULxvH5u9pX-6WFyyuC-jA_NnkBMxTToy4mAbZZD4pbs27Fy9xb4Z3pEJuMjXUlaxwtuK_3EtxunJW-j7RZDKMarUfJvtoVrtTCl3hIg0s0SBWzbJ6I24OuVQqpyoMokwRB7SDc_A/s950/y8caw5BuS9moubYg7qZD8g.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="950" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0UCYTheqWmyM9rYT-m5VvmbdV3cN0awnKi28rRoDiJmzYLtQSaQ1-ULxvH5u9pX-6WFyyuC-jA_NnkBMxTToy4mAbZZD4pbs27Fy9xb4Z3pEJuMjXUlaxwtuK_3EtxunJW-j7RZDKMarUfJvtoVrtTCl3hIg0s0SBWzbJ6I24OuVQqpyoMokwRB7SDc_A/w542-h227/y8caw5BuS9moubYg7qZD8g.jpeg" width="542" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0-k80PhY6eOFuJOcchI7JZ69qKp7v9CSWf3iHguvh_LARlQmNlieaqSBj_sceQjkDesnrLbD9kLUGr57oC4hmF7UR0a3gzirDsuJDyIHo6C6ChNYBNJYQNny0BmQrNxf88INes0NY0eiV0pruTnSAzPxpmj66m0mn8YilayNwQHAGOYXLTl4zD1xsgPR/s901/AOPMgUz4S_ClYARVgieaCw.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="364" data-original-width="901" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0-k80PhY6eOFuJOcchI7JZ69qKp7v9CSWf3iHguvh_LARlQmNlieaqSBj_sceQjkDesnrLbD9kLUGr57oC4hmF7UR0a3gzirDsuJDyIHo6C6ChNYBNJYQNny0BmQrNxf88INes0NY0eiV0pruTnSAzPxpmj66m0mn8YilayNwQHAGOYXLTl4zD1xsgPR/w518-h209/AOPMgUz4S_ClYARVgieaCw.jpeg" width="518" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9KUEayhfHPe9TFy96iQypGZ_U9ReEHtzyZ0_D5XNERJ_Ti_C1xFLSN2RLzSwljzE6DU1Ga2Ay7KFwOXHjW5HAHnH7aehg0J8TE1JL3zxjA_WNW0WIhFa_Go3ZJg4DcTUH0jm2AWwzBfbBdr4HMOHSCPsQ-yU0xQvZUoB48owvFf3_LtHF9MHfPYrpN80/s629/srwWfz0gRp-H6NaN_oInUA.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="629" height="439" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9KUEayhfHPe9TFy96iQypGZ_U9ReEHtzyZ0_D5XNERJ_Ti_C1xFLSN2RLzSwljzE6DU1Ga2Ay7KFwOXHjW5HAHnH7aehg0J8TE1JL3zxjA_WNW0WIhFa_Go3ZJg4DcTUH0jm2AWwzBfbBdr4HMOHSCPsQ-yU0xQvZUoB48owvFf3_LtHF9MHfPYrpN80/w526-h439/srwWfz0gRp-H6NaN_oInUA.jpeg" width="526" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;">In the next generation, the 1970s, some were taught italic writing, others the Nelson method. Each person adapts their handwriting.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRnzhTzASFdtWA2f2kUw7bazaz_FPXQDyshJh0XrIwBcLKU27vHIhE3MdiqzkOKD2WXvpMvPAKpoX6C5hVjxmv4VkM4qZ0leGD9IT9u4SeEgW7EjoufvbkGmfBbRidr2bnxO0AOCsE3XofoTlLuGeNuGWBwzlITRJyGjasEoUZV5MHAkSJ72QLeGvsOZTO/s843/MepZRmrARM6ij2PjidjGmQ.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="843" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRnzhTzASFdtWA2f2kUw7bazaz_FPXQDyshJh0XrIwBcLKU27vHIhE3MdiqzkOKD2WXvpMvPAKpoX6C5hVjxmv4VkM4qZ0leGD9IT9u4SeEgW7EjoufvbkGmfBbRidr2bnxO0AOCsE3XofoTlLuGeNuGWBwzlITRJyGjasEoUZV5MHAkSJ72QLeGvsOZTO/w528-h312/MepZRmrARM6ij2PjidjGmQ.jpeg" width="528" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbXTiKnQZxFCVrxGA-IojlBXWF4v6mBMfHGLy0MNrGLrjIxB-eum1tWVrZyXQC6yQHxnKqGe6Tobob98P8B_4jzA5mNV33vUJ94NUOaN4PhFTpnzdFfOVTjNMMAs_uDJxQ6AZ6R_TI2sfp68_DUbotVPYUOKLMqE_8AVZ85p9drSTplVH7h38pgqnm80N/s919/0G-QT14nTxSeH1ifb6v5ZQ.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="919" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbXTiKnQZxFCVrxGA-IojlBXWF4v6mBMfHGLy0MNrGLrjIxB-eum1tWVrZyXQC6yQHxnKqGe6Tobob98P8B_4jzA5mNV33vUJ94NUOaN4PhFTpnzdFfOVTjNMMAs_uDJxQ6AZ6R_TI2sfp68_DUbotVPYUOKLMqE_8AVZ85p9drSTplVH7h38pgqnm80N/w548-h266/0G-QT14nTxSeH1ifb6v5ZQ.jpeg" width="548" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDE4i-6jLGEmEP-6HCfCXZDtBfmH5I4sPVpm9sJPGk3cLC0q9eif-tjbdytxjeUGDXltNYTPAgC9_44ndeJLLl1yjoLnKsMPGfO25UlNGKOeH1JEaDwJeOXSf-7tDGhG7nP0up5jSOvE0DFma8qA2DRm2mwsYabJ-h-suBUqi1tpUFX9nb27cl_m5_w0tQ/s957/_TxZeWLVRHGHt4hyy3yPnQ.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="705" data-original-width="957" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDE4i-6jLGEmEP-6HCfCXZDtBfmH5I4sPVpm9sJPGk3cLC0q9eif-tjbdytxjeUGDXltNYTPAgC9_44ndeJLLl1yjoLnKsMPGfO25UlNGKOeH1JEaDwJeOXSf-7tDGhG7nP0up5jSOvE0DFma8qA2DRm2mwsYabJ-h-suBUqi1tpUFX9nb27cl_m5_w0tQ/w547-h404/_TxZeWLVRHGHt4hyy3yPnQ.jpeg" width="547" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;">In the early 2000s, some handwriting looked like this.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRUrNygH9_x1IRjxq1KyKhnZkmWf7H-D2ud8mZUgct-Ghs4qvam677jAYEpTOAZZEKUXNLZwGmEevL0VMLbS4YULjVIm4A4W299bRK9Z6ajNpugmHDYpmYeQJO1lkx-s7fpUP2BuMN5MCWflaxPFUlGbPRktFMA1RS93ZXJYmXGJYAcncVTPPR5vlHoavn/s848/UY3qj2lcTe2I1s9oJ6hk-Q.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="848" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRUrNygH9_x1IRjxq1KyKhnZkmWf7H-D2ud8mZUgct-Ghs4qvam677jAYEpTOAZZEKUXNLZwGmEevL0VMLbS4YULjVIm4A4W299bRK9Z6ajNpugmHDYpmYeQJO1lkx-s7fpUP2BuMN5MCWflaxPFUlGbPRktFMA1RS93ZXJYmXGJYAcncVTPPR5vlHoavn/w518-h210/UY3qj2lcTe2I1s9oJ6hk-Q.jpeg" width="518" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;">Finally, in around 2017, the script is like this. </span></div></span><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0iP9IbjcVh6_7fU_RDijZ3ZudBbD8KlezFYPKchsfykXH3VAIS-8_KigvSzrInoNOjNtZBIDpwqK5f66PTw40LnjQZEohAKkTfggspniOCqb-lmv8Wr0FmGaiJ5lL7cql94xgfahLUTm470zDt2whprk0tc1UXuyRJ7ZaI5-ZRthyphenhyphenxTrX1ZOkIzTbGs1/s681/IjtZkRSSQAalVSrp6kOB3Q.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="681" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0iP9IbjcVh6_7fU_RDijZ3ZudBbD8KlezFYPKchsfykXH3VAIS-8_KigvSzrInoNOjNtZBIDpwqK5f66PTw40LnjQZEohAKkTfggspniOCqb-lmv8Wr0FmGaiJ5lL7cql94xgfahLUTm470zDt2whprk0tc1UXuyRJ7ZaI5-ZRthyphenhyphenxTrX1ZOkIzTbGs1/w533-h365/IjtZkRSSQAalVSrp6kOB3Q.jpeg" width="533" /></a></div></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;"></span><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><div style="text-align: center;">This was written by a seven-year-old and there is no indication of what the adult writing will look like.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span> </span>Do you like your handwriting? Have any of you practised calligraphy?<span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div></span></span></div></span>jabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2060029060849550094.post-55103596263814815252024-03-12T01:00:00.082+00:002024-03-12T01:00:00.133+00:00Weight control<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Weight
control</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijB29VXdYwpTkzznhoVCxho4UTK5qKPoB_-WJIxmhjrDROu-Jhxi27YX8xpZb2DjzsqiDRrh6l7CHOW_r8uytY7OuHyZx00furxKwktwfUVMb6ovOyuAOc8c-rc2fL6uj486z6Un16l3qPUbiiJA_1pnn0jVNv97BtW-U2w1_mvbAfHC1Yn2QrmKBhpmgZ/s612/0K6LByZ-Rg-zEkdlxaJ0qg.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="371" height="796" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijB29VXdYwpTkzznhoVCxho4UTK5qKPoB_-WJIxmhjrDROu-Jhxi27YX8xpZb2DjzsqiDRrh6l7CHOW_r8uytY7OuHyZx00furxKwktwfUVMb6ovOyuAOc8c-rc2fL6uj486z6Un16l3qPUbiiJA_1pnn0jVNv97BtW-U2w1_mvbAfHC1Yn2QrmKBhpmgZ/w483-h796/0K6LByZ-Rg-zEkdlxaJ0qg.jpeg" width="483" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>Anticipation!</span></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Some dogs
are permanently ravenous. They don’t seem to have an off switch to tell them
their stomachs are full and can take no more. Some medications can cause this.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6kkuFCEIe9eLaSMXfknZ8l852eMklxZbjuV77USe54lKQyi1AcbzmxDHLEdUNKS9K_fP44M0ChZbLxHV9Eau5-uY1SATXGRQgfoV8DIzs7NmyJ0YoZX3OOZL5wgaN-G6ctzzLqN6ACX9yAHj5WI0yBSzWc0z8aGgt2eltOQQi_E6dQq9GOu6yWUv9l8Gz/s823/IqlWmDUbS4aBtN685r8p9g.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="823" data-original-width="808" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6kkuFCEIe9eLaSMXfknZ8l852eMklxZbjuV77USe54lKQyi1AcbzmxDHLEdUNKS9K_fP44M0ChZbLxHV9Eau5-uY1SATXGRQgfoV8DIzs7NmyJ0YoZX3OOZL5wgaN-G6ctzzLqN6ACX9yAHj5WI0yBSzWc0z8aGgt2eltOQQi_E6dQq9GOu6yWUv9l8Gz/w449-h458/IqlWmDUbS4aBtN685r8p9g.jpeg" width="449" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;">Double anticipation, with Jellicoe adding to the tension.</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">The many
tablets Frodo the Faller took every day to control his epilepsy had the effect
of making him hungry all the time. He wasn’t as severely affected as some I
heard about. One dog was so driven to eat that all food had to be securely out
of his reach, or rather, he had to be contained in a room where there was no
likelihood of him getting at food. Otherwise, he broke into fridges, freezers
and cupboards – nothing was safe when he was in the vicinity of food.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1n43CODopBLHC0C5WJnunbCk67bWX0wcX6332lUTzKenyKT1RKdJt4QLdySwaW3AQ9fZoCITMAn5vgi6SbxPOZsqWCV3N9a9N9ZcqwRzOpbKyIjHZw3G04u4TCarqnD43NW1XXOlrneZxZHAkFzg4ujMS8D8a2weYZLWKMJRVgIRYSPj6rfxYMeNEBmS/s768/pi3vb-EjR5aIudK5gr31-Q.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="603" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1n43CODopBLHC0C5WJnunbCk67bWX0wcX6332lUTzKenyKT1RKdJt4QLdySwaW3AQ9fZoCITMAn5vgi6SbxPOZsqWCV3N9a9N9ZcqwRzOpbKyIjHZw3G04u4TCarqnD43NW1XXOlrneZxZHAkFzg4ujMS8D8a2weYZLWKMJRVgIRYSPj6rfxYMeNEBmS/w441-h562/pi3vb-EjR5aIudK5gr31-Q.jpeg" width="441" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>Would you like a carrot? </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">However, some
Labradors and Flat-coated Retrievers are insatiable and it is not their fault.
It really is due to their genes, or rather a genetic mutation that insists they
are starving and makes them liable to gain more weight than is healthy for
them. A study has shown that about a quarter of Labrador retrievers and
two-thirds of Flat-coated retrievers have this genetic mutation. It has not
been seen in other pure-bred dogs. The affected gene is POMC </span><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">(Proopiomelanocortin)</i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">The research says: </span><span style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">The POMC gene and the brain network it affects are
similar in dogs and humans and the new findings are consistent with reports of
extreme hunger in humans with POMC mutations, who tend to become obese at an
early age.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">The study showed that
dogs with the POMC mutation burn 25% fewer calories while sleeping than dogs
without it. The ancestry of Labradors and Flatties includes Newfoundland water
dogs, who were used </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;">from the seventeenth century </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">to bring in fishing nets from the icy waters . These dogs worked hard, so increasing fat reserves to
allow them to work without freezing was essential.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVoZtpu0oPBFQ7UXafoOPwAf-98JdV4czeFsniXZ904tmpSM9ClKDua5xEk4xsXfHEsTKxt2729iHv0rIIRLxSFIFuAoONyawjfgmqsgUfUOjt3lBJHDwj701ok5_TYU-bPNps3ukjyzU6jAx4OMFn8L3XB_OHKoL8oE2umIHi6HvCVfTD0fBK4mVlMrgZ/s614/YgzrYwj7Rtmzln3KJBPugw.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="363" height="721" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVoZtpu0oPBFQ7UXafoOPwAf-98JdV4czeFsniXZ904tmpSM9ClKDua5xEk4xsXfHEsTKxt2729iHv0rIIRLxSFIFuAoONyawjfgmqsgUfUOjt3lBJHDwj701ok5_TYU-bPNps3ukjyzU6jAx4OMFn8L3XB_OHKoL8oE2umIHi6HvCVfTD0fBK4mVlMrgZ/w426-h721/YgzrYwj7Rtmzln3KJBPugw.jpeg" width="426" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;">Wait!</span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">Roxy waited so patiently until she started to drool.</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> It is possible that breeding from the best working dogs led eventually to the 'insatiable' gene being passed on and becoming common. One good stud dog can sire hundreds of puppies. </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvmpvfadu9_5-yOFC0acs8alnN2OB5CXdgF9hfqwk272pYNEFTVdJXoxW01M_dZFOvoCAPZqUldDg19jz9l5raCLFPWcAa-3cro3Sf5eraJS2AHRimoLd2offkvc2fNGfv7UFoz0idVRpUT-Uq5ORfV1uuqARm0CzMXchMulpBMaMzUYRklE0ls7EI2GxF/s542/9ePEybVNRMqPDj2IMb_kYw.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="380" height="663" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvmpvfadu9_5-yOFC0acs8alnN2OB5CXdgF9hfqwk272pYNEFTVdJXoxW01M_dZFOvoCAPZqUldDg19jz9l5raCLFPWcAa-3cro3Sf5eraJS2AHRimoLd2offkvc2fNGfv7UFoz0idVRpUT-Uq5ORfV1uuqARm0CzMXchMulpBMaMzUYRklE0ls7EI2GxF/w464-h663/9ePEybVNRMqPDj2IMb_kYw.jpeg" width="464" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;">Anticipation!</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Our Labradors have always been interested in food and, on occasion, have joyfully 'found' an endless source of food - that is, when the dog food has not been safely stored - but they have never eaten themselves to the point of illness and any rotundity has soon dissipated. </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPdimK8TcCnRr6s0iD2rH1kAI0Gp70keXPJvtZvhhff409d4O5o-xCvqAoJUErL1OIkbDfq1IPNfDwXVZzi04IHcczWCjky-whUhBoLP90Lhkm4YrtRSyz9pLp0RmSBlZtRIIAiiWvRhsy7VBDkwiyONUMDsAP-8tqvkBrVoVRop376J8LigQwF3ICDy3/s908/Vcm3DjBoSA2T8lTYj18Ceg.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="525" height="674" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPdimK8TcCnRr6s0iD2rH1kAI0Gp70keXPJvtZvhhff409d4O5o-xCvqAoJUErL1OIkbDfq1IPNfDwXVZzi04IHcczWCjky-whUhBoLP90Lhkm4YrtRSyz9pLp0RmSBlZtRIIAiiWvRhsy7VBDkwiyONUMDsAP-8tqvkBrVoVRop376J8LigQwF3ICDy3/w390-h674/Vcm3DjBoSA2T8lTYj18Ceg.jpeg" width="390" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;">Tension in every fibre of his being.</span><p></p>jabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2060029060849550094.post-66826848991104674192024-03-11T01:00:00.001+00:002024-03-11T01:00:00.147+00:00 On the roof<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">On the
roof<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJRctlcN34pvDNPR-_sxxKFnNPSKavIlqGpeWVtr5qHzK-ewT5ycIx1tDE_ccDnfJmI31oC8wOiy41uYGIvkuVs3_rGSNBbHaSA35f5a56rUejLYQ3ibhhawEFjX2reBhr8l5AVoTKswZqDUo3TjHa3yr-VOIrOR8KANJaF0hVz4RGOjjVf9FDkTq-_fgi/s626/JXSSVuwcR96Dif1lr7eBYA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="626" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJRctlcN34pvDNPR-_sxxKFnNPSKavIlqGpeWVtr5qHzK-ewT5ycIx1tDE_ccDnfJmI31oC8wOiy41uYGIvkuVs3_rGSNBbHaSA35f5a56rUejLYQ3ibhhawEFjX2reBhr8l5AVoTKswZqDUo3TjHa3yr-VOIrOR8KANJaF0hVz4RGOjjVf9FDkTq-_fgi/w482-h452/JXSSVuwcR96Dif1lr7eBYA.jpeg" width="482" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">. . . no, not of the world, but our house.</span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">It is
impossible to assess the condition of a roof from ground level and all the
time nothing disastrous happens in the house, it can be ignored only too
readily. Heavy, persistent rain points out the weaknesses in the structure we rely
on to keep us safe and dry.</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">While replacing
the guttering last week, the workmen discovered that many of the tiles were loose,
the pointing needed to be repaired, the flashing round the chimney was in need
of attention and much of the lead also needed to be replaced. They returned on
Saturday to rectify these defects.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">While the
dogs took little to no notice of the banging and hammering, the cats were intrigued,
particularly when they caught sight of the workmen through the kitchen Velux in
the flat roof of the kitchen. It was amusing to watch them as they briefly adopted
‘hunter’ poses.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">We were grateful
that these faults were discovered. When external defects cannot be seen, the
potential damage to roof joists is also not considered and could be substantial
and costly.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKfnk5iD1z37Kd_RMcrT8uRnmdsGfdu1PSIy2hRtPMY-HDp6uv9vI-x6nOhuuiOGONbXzcuTMopIOfdvCytQIzYXMYihmz45py5S84oTQr-nW0Epct_mlOOT2zOyC14zqnWzJkG9CnSF0XYu29z-vNIW3568rcggJHceHYg8loN_3_K-GIu6Sas9NaP3I-/s513/IZSDAJl9QDSmU27Y6SSmdA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="513" data-original-width="468" height="537" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKfnk5iD1z37Kd_RMcrT8uRnmdsGfdu1PSIy2hRtPMY-HDp6uv9vI-x6nOhuuiOGONbXzcuTMopIOfdvCytQIzYXMYihmz45py5S84oTQr-nW0Epct_mlOOT2zOyC14zqnWzJkG9CnSF0XYu29z-vNIW3568rcggJHceHYg8loN_3_K-GIu6Sas9NaP3I-/w490-h537/IZSDAJl9QDSmU27Y6SSmdA.jpeg" width="490" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">It’s just
the flat roof to be repaired now, two stretches above the front door and the
garage and around the side of the extension, which was built before we bought
the house. Flat roofs are a nuisance, for even if there is a slight slope to
drain rainwater, they are not as effective as pitched roofs. Water collects in
puddles and can damage the material covering the roof.</span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Apparently,
architects like to design buildings with flat roofs, because they are more aesthetically
pleasing. I found this:</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">One of the primary reasons modern architects embrace flat roofs is the additional usable space they offer.
Unlike sloped roofs, which limit the utilization of the top area of a building,
flat roofs provide an ideal and open platform for rooftop gardens, recreational
spaces, and even urban farming.</span></span></i></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">A rooftop garden sounds an attractive
proposition, but I wonder how sensible it is to lay tubs or raised beds on a
roof and fill them with soil and plants. Watering them would be essential, of
course, and that would create even greater weight. I have seen such gardens
locally, and they look attractive and productive, but the roof maintenance must
be difficult and ongoing. What is happening underneath cannot be seen.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Creating a roof garden is not straightforward. Planning permission and
building regulations are required. Once in place, it could last for 40 or 50
years.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">In cities, a roof garden can improve air quality, as plants absorb carbon
dioxide and release oxygen. It can also increase the management of storm water,
absorbing rainwater and returning it to the atmosphere through evaporation and
transpiration. It adds a layer of insulation to a building, thereby reducing
energy consumption, and lowers surface temperatures. Traditional rooftops are
about 50 degrees hotter than roof gardens. Most importantly of all, a roof
garden will attract bees, butterflies and other wild life.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">In a city full of buildings, roof gardens could do much to ameliorate
the</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> effects of dense traffic. You can read more about some of London’s roof
gardens <a href="https://secretldn.com/rooftop-gardens-london/" target="_blank">here.</a></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>jabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2060029060849550094.post-82434056395273888622024-03-10T01:00:00.000+00:002024-03-10T01:00:00.265+00:00Concentrate!<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Concentrate!</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguwI6ZurXube_yM41oo3yNiL4HTkHk7p71PYEtKGkf8gvyMf_mbv2SpMRxl81I-zsztGZmiCIMOlS1oFC68HpCiYqFajPUErR0JwaSDgIEp_9wa5YxxfURvieg20lI79Rn0xv5wODoaF8rGKjwQW4O2Zr2mUaDOMOWpoEB1UnQL278DrNI9lr8Jru2wsUb/s1920/9WNYEnhORVKDSfUb84nj5Q.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1033" data-original-width="1920" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguwI6ZurXube_yM41oo3yNiL4HTkHk7p71PYEtKGkf8gvyMf_mbv2SpMRxl81I-zsztGZmiCIMOlS1oFC68HpCiYqFajPUErR0JwaSDgIEp_9wa5YxxfURvieg20lI79Rn0xv5wODoaF8rGKjwQW4O2Zr2mUaDOMOWpoEB1UnQL278DrNI9lr8Jru2wsUb/w542-h291/9WNYEnhORVKDSfUb84nj5Q.jpeg" width="542" /></a></div><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;">Jellicoe snoozes</span></i><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">On Saturday
morning I was feeding the animals, assisted, as ever, by Jellicoe purring round
me and giving me encouraging little nips as I measured his insulin in the </span><s style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">insanely
small</s><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> hypodermic syringe. There were no B12 capsules to split and spread on
his food. He is supposed to have half a capsule every day but it’s </span><s style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">difficult</s><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">
impossible to be accurate so he has one capsule every other day.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">The routine
is well established and I could almost do it in my sleep. Herschel and Jellicoe
are fed first, as it’s the only way to stop the incessant yowling. I had switched
on the radio, which I don’t normally do, and something interesting caught my
attention, something so enthralling that I cannot now remember what it was.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">While the
cats were happily occupied eating their breakfast, Jellicoe in the kitchen,
Herschel in the conservatory, I turned my attention to the dogs. Roxy is always
fed first and Gilbert waits patiently. It’s a matter of moments before he can
also eat, as Roxy consumes her food rapidly.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">When I put
Roxy’s dish on the floor, she looked at me with a puzzled expression. Gilbert appeared
a little alarmed but he’s a well-mannered pup and doesn’t push in. As soon as Roxy
started eating, I realised I’d already fed her and so she was enjoying a generous,
unexpected second helping. Her rate of consumption was not noticeably slower
and her girth had not <br />expanded, but she had a smaller supper later on.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIe4VmCp0pD7hl6kShh773xjNinZQr3ZXRBJW42fXAvXl0qYGJCmZZ_4wyNyeHtDxhbRVYldEcefilNcES7hNg4o3EQOFpwF8CnrHZO0GPWw7lTUppx4ElfdbQr6z9T3Y_6iFxm5NgGVHkYzaRT3HgrTw3zix6h3VHItwDcZ35KtUtqFn_gPq4HwcYMDW/s1317/AP-xlK5vSQSgJL3ZJ1Z1Sw.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="1317" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIe4VmCp0pD7hl6kShh773xjNinZQr3ZXRBJW42fXAvXl0qYGJCmZZ_4wyNyeHtDxhbRVYldEcefilNcES7hNg4o3EQOFpwF8CnrHZO0GPWw7lTUppx4ElfdbQr6z9T3Y_6iFxm5NgGVHkYzaRT3HgrTw3zix6h3VHItwDcZ35KtUtqFn_gPq4HwcYMDW/w597-h256/AP-xlK5vSQSgJL3ZJ1Z1Sw.jpeg" width="597" /></a></div><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;"><i>Herschel finds a box to sleep in. He is a very long cat!</i></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">I’m not usually
easily distracted but the radio interrupted my concentration. I’m sure Roxy hopes there will be further lapses.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></p>jabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2060029060849550094.post-49960488146898633012024-03-09T01:00:00.003+00:002024-03-09T11:40:02.076+00:00Dates to remember in March 2024 – 2<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Dates to
remember in March 2024 – 2</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ckTfJuANZhUE1mzJ5yUD7L-1udPO0GpUfP0Ep5oXbJVcPeVhME75k-8kp5-YhG8TuPHybwXYevpnmzvWUBPbo0i_gMZ0g5l22g4dulwliG9zjRVqjFZy47Lqs_EoE9kO22xhWipGFnqReMYQi0-GFL5zS4QthPcNXSBrHD_z32zgwa4H-lCnQCS9DIqz/s640/640px-Civil_war_reeanactment.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="640" height="433" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ckTfJuANZhUE1mzJ5yUD7L-1udPO0GpUfP0Ep5oXbJVcPeVhME75k-8kp5-YhG8TuPHybwXYevpnmzvWUBPbo0i_gMZ0g5l22g4dulwliG9zjRVqjFZy47Lqs_EoE9kO22xhWipGFnqReMYQi0-GFL5zS4QthPcNXSBrHD_z32zgwa4H-lCnQCS9DIqz/w603-h433/640px-Civil_war_reeanactment.jpeg" width="603" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: left;"><i>English Civil War reenactment</i></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><i>Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons</i></span></div><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Some of
the more esoteric memorable March days are intriguing and not as widely known
as St Patrick’s Day, on 17</span><sup style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> March, when the whole world seems to claim
Irish ancestry, or the Gemini Boat Race, (usually just called the Boat Race),
on 30</span><sup style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> March.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">11</span><sup style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; text-align: left;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;"> March: Penny Loaf Day</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">The English Civil War, which was actually a series of wars, took
place between 1642 and 1651. Newark-on Trent, in Nottinghamshire, was strategically
positioned at the junction of the Great North Road, from London to the North, and
the Fosse Way, from Exeter to Leicester by way of the Cotswolds. The roads
linked Chester and York to Oxford, where King Charles I had his headquarters.
Newark-on-Trent was a Royalist stronghold.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">In March 1644, Henry Clay had a recurring dream for three
nights that his house was on fire. Becoming convinced that his dream foretold
disaster, he evacuated his family from the house. A short while later, a bomb
fired by the Parliamentary forces destroyed the house on 11</span><sup style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; text-align: left;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;"> March.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">In gratitude, believing he had been saved by a miracle, Henry
Clay left £100 in trust, the interest on half the sum to be paid to a vicar to
preach a sermon annually commemorating the event and the interest on the other half to be
used to buy bread for the poor of the parish every year.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">This year, 2024, Penny Loaf Day will be celebrated on Sunday 10</span><sup style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; text-align: left;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">
March. A procession proceeds from the Town Hall to St Mary Magdalene. The loaves
of bread are distributed to local charities.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">A strange, rather macabre legend holds that the body of a drowned
man could be located by putting quicksilver (mercury) in a penny loaf and throwing
it in the river.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;"><br /></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-align: left;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">18</span><sup style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; text-align: left;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;"> March: St Edward the Martyr’s Day</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">Edward was the Anglo-Saxon king of England from 975 to 978.
When he was 15, he was murdered on the orders of his step-mother on 18</span><sup style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; text-align: left;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">
March, 978, in Dorset. His body was buried at Wareham, but after miracles occurred
at his tomb, he was venerated as a Saint and Martyr and his body relocated to </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">Shaftesbury
Abbey.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihvxwx-F4N6EVtk_TNywXbxXCwkUtv-tTzY8BfjFCc0cDHVmPgPBoblDtnZWFvUG_12TYoPX4Iv2Elke1_SY63X8055ri2QRl406C9XPiWMpT_i_o9PIqlSRz5G3w4tChxNNyfq_fzXhESQ9_UNc2N-7T0rD_rirV-TEF99-VvOHCdb3zybiKHeq9IonE8/s640/Brookwood_Cemetery_-_51186984172.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihvxwx-F4N6EVtk_TNywXbxXCwkUtv-tTzY8BfjFCc0cDHVmPgPBoblDtnZWFvUG_12TYoPX4Iv2Elke1_SY63X8055ri2QRl406C9XPiWMpT_i_o9PIqlSRz5G3w4tChxNNyfq_fzXhESQ9_UNc2N-7T0rD_rirV-TEF99-VvOHCdb3zybiKHeq9IonE8/w522-h349/Brookwood_Cemetery_-_51186984172.jpg" width="522" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-align: left;"><i>Brookwood Cemetery, Surrey.</i></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons</i></div><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">In 1982, the Saint Edward Brotherhood was founded at Brookwood
Cemetery in Surrey. Brookwood, the London Necropolis, is set in 220 acres and is
the largest cemetery in the UK and one of the largest in Europe. </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;">The Saint Edward Brotherhood is a monastic
community who created a new church in the cemetery grounds,
eventually to house the mortal remains of St Edward the Martyr. This was
accomplished in 1988. Daily services are chanted at the shrine every day.</span></p>jabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2060029060849550094.post-87362270090773747902024-03-08T01:00:00.022+00:002024-03-08T09:27:25.708+00:00Mothering Sunday<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Mothering
Sunday</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDuevFVQkXiqHGG0ealJdN3bKNdmnVwQ4onNXBUaBm2dMWPraJY_R99FV9ulIWM4BQQZi00asc0XN7SknheVCX8__TNGFVOlH9yWB699PSkJqUg2MV0ryKjfuc1bwuVgZYCWthZ6snkPMNCc2crZA9uCFXestnC8u59kZf0rape5kJUaA9c9d8-nUwweXX/s762/gPrdKAvpRsahmyraRWyPNw.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="762" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDuevFVQkXiqHGG0ealJdN3bKNdmnVwQ4onNXBUaBm2dMWPraJY_R99FV9ulIWM4BQQZi00asc0XN7SknheVCX8__TNGFVOlH9yWB699PSkJqUg2MV0ryKjfuc1bwuVgZYCWthZ6snkPMNCc2crZA9uCFXestnC8u59kZf0rape5kJUaA9c9d8-nUwweXX/w561-h414/gPrdKAvpRsahmyraRWyPNw.jpeg" width="561" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;"><i>The latest post box topper, a beautiful bunch of tulips.</i></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Mothering
Sunday, more commonly referred to as Mother’s Day, is on Sunday 10</span><sup style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> March
in UK. It is fixed in the Christian calendar on the fourth Sunday in Lent, precisely
three weeks before Easter Sunday. It was first observed in the Middle Ages, </span><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">(500
to 1500 AD)</i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> when children working in domestic service were allowed to visit
their home or mother church on Laetare Sunday.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Laetare Sunday took its name from the first
words of the Latin introit for the daily Mass, Laetare Jerusalem </span><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">(Rejoice, O
Jerusalem)</i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">. Eventually, the day developed into a day of celebration. Lenten
fasting rules were relaxed, so the day became known also as Refreshment Sunday,
Simnel Sunday or Pudding Pie Sunday. Simnel cake is a light fruit cake covered
with marzipan and decorated with eleven balls of marzipan, representing the
eleven faithful disciples. Some sources say that it was traditionally baked on
Mothering Sunday, others that it was baked by the girls in service, as proof of
their cooking skills, and taken home to their mothers. The cake was a
traditional component of an Easter Sunday tea.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDq34aUJjz6nAn0_kx8hO-UniDrOJNBYwYTZJsqvxV43C1ipPUgCjidbW_-mqRP00JBwyumvMYPgYKfckO9nClKVFbO5qG2nq9EnFt_jVu65VMP_oF8MNcOVh7fXVIhFU23tBMKJ8sl8DdVGDP2pdyXmKLGS-8BB_mLeUItSOZ2O8SF7EkpBjvi-GChEB7/s757/9X1TQs9tQtKpGNypGk710A.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="543" data-original-width="757" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDq34aUJjz6nAn0_kx8hO-UniDrOJNBYwYTZJsqvxV43C1ipPUgCjidbW_-mqRP00JBwyumvMYPgYKfckO9nClKVFbO5qG2nq9EnFt_jVu65VMP_oF8MNcOVh7fXVIhFU23tBMKJ8sl8DdVGDP2pdyXmKLGS-8BB_mLeUItSOZ2O8SF7EkpBjvi-GChEB7/w539-h388/9X1TQs9tQtKpGNypGk710A.jpeg" width="539" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Mothering
Sunday became a day when families reunited. Often, the children would pick spring
flowers on their way home and gradually flowers became associated with the day.</span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Mother’s Day was initiated in 1907 by Anna
Jarvis, whose mother tended injured soldiers during the American Civil War </span><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">(1861
– 1865)</i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">. She wanted to see a day of celebration that would honour mothers
and the work they did. She chose the second Sunday in May. By 1911, all the US
states observed the holiday, and in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson declared it
a national holiday.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1X6YmtdRxXyUbexORgu3Bq6xYO6iHPJ17Kp0zzNu8ZBAxBCIXwgvgDvZu4cRqgxd_4wMpNySjetXiE2ZBViMdyB8ITYA6Tn1GudcCBFpiHbGBLlWkSkZhoPru-k2auuiO1IBLtxm8S-5zFLuIHFAklUTO9mNNr0zF0uxdxFEpMOiRHopxjItlL-2P4bd/s684/O9Hq2aARTrmQZtMzzU2Y8w.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="483" data-original-width="684" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1X6YmtdRxXyUbexORgu3Bq6xYO6iHPJ17Kp0zzNu8ZBAxBCIXwgvgDvZu4cRqgxd_4wMpNySjetXiE2ZBViMdyB8ITYA6Tn1GudcCBFpiHbGBLlWkSkZhoPru-k2auuiO1IBLtxm8S-5zFLuIHFAklUTO9mNNr0zF0uxdxFEpMOiRHopxjItlL-2P4bd/w541-h382/O9Hq2aARTrmQZtMzzU2Y8w.jpeg" width="541" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Eventually,
Anna Jarvis deplored the commercialism that overtook the holiday and campaigned
against it, even though she had founded it. Naturally, as night follows day, the
UK copied the USA and Mothering Sunday became Mother’s Day. It is a day that is
celebrated around the world, at different times of the year. Many countries mark
the day on International Women’s Day in March.</span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Like all
the other ‘celebrations’, the day has been overwhelmed by commerce. It is sad that
a simple celebration should have become so overblown and it is yet another day
on which those who have no cause to celebrate are isolated.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Once the
last overpriced bunch of flowers has been sold, Easter will be the next intense
focus of the retail world.</span></p>jabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2060029060849550094.post-43164800587940803582024-03-07T01:00:00.000+00:002024-03-07T01:00:00.443+00:00Homework! <p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Homework!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxreL44xqJEJH0VUwl2jBIKNg5K8dVR-dyI6nAse2FoPDmnXGBzcoa2SXJlDpoMi5Ax0NXko2Xyh-W_BH14ih_6iyV2jV6eGNIMm_d5gQ2qOmX-v9YNLW8GmbWFDOMSnsWEVobJal8g8nKzLdqicq5RPGECXNnm5DPC4CzlS1w-AgSzv3KaP9XbvCNLNwZ/s918/3F20B4XNTXO43W_KY6X0GQ.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="581" height="728" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxreL44xqJEJH0VUwl2jBIKNg5K8dVR-dyI6nAse2FoPDmnXGBzcoa2SXJlDpoMi5Ax0NXko2Xyh-W_BH14ih_6iyV2jV6eGNIMm_d5gQ2qOmX-v9YNLW8GmbWFDOMSnsWEVobJal8g8nKzLdqicq5RPGECXNnm5DPC4CzlS1w-AgSzv3KaP9XbvCNLNwZ/w462-h728/3F20B4XNTXO43W_KY6X0GQ.jpeg" width="462" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Almost
the first homework task we had when we started grammar school was to cover our
books. All text books for every subject had to be covered with brown paper –
such a cheerful look. Of course, it was to preserve the books, which had to do
duty for many years, in school, in school bags, at home; there were many
opportunities for damage or loss. Although I’m convinced we covered our text
books, it occurs to me to wonder how we knew what subject they covered u</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">nderneath the
paper. Maybe the books were issued to each girl for each subject for the year. Maybe
my recall is completely shot!</span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Harmony, a book on the theory of music, was somehow never returned
to school. There are no helpful or interesting scribbles in it, no little
mysteries to unravel, nothing to prompt the imagination.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">On the
fly leaf of each book was a library checkout card, indicating the user and the
date of usage, much as public libraries used before the advent of
computerisation. Sometimes, notes had been written in the books, though that
was strictly forbidden. Occasionally, the scribbled notes would be useful.</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpxo4Rrr_4AxF9BHsEbuWyQ9rU7NWDsCNlEGewF6_Ih-b6DDqFJjTZ9D-p3yYd7uIrqNEHVDkFIruD3tlrwVgXMxcGTzRAqWGsDElSuw008puI-ZSueONRwrp4906_YwGPhqYWHVRyMMzQKDTMCd6kLZK26xks-Hs1rhN2kXHr6nQEf5rcZ8yIHuHQXhKJ/s916/XCLStntdQkC8NdsvuEvHkw.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="916" data-original-width="540" height="721" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpxo4Rrr_4AxF9BHsEbuWyQ9rU7NWDsCNlEGewF6_Ih-b6DDqFJjTZ9D-p3yYd7uIrqNEHVDkFIruD3tlrwVgXMxcGTzRAqWGsDElSuw008puI-ZSueONRwrp4906_YwGPhqYWHVRyMMzQKDTMCd6kLZK26xks-Hs1rhN2kXHr6nQEf5rcZ8yIHuHQXhKJ/w426-h721/XCLStntdQkC8NdsvuEvHkw.jpeg" width="426" /></a></div><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">We also
had to number all the pages of our exercise books, to discourage us from
tearing out pages. No-one explained why.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">There
were other rules we had to obey. No bottles of ink were to be carried around
school. That was a rule I disobeyed, to my shame. The ink bottle I was carrying
dropped to the parquet floor, spreading inexorably far and wide. I don’t know
who saw or reported it, but the next morning I was summoned to the
headmistress’s office to be reprimanded. My punishment was to scrub the floor.
I can’t remember if the ink stain was removed – I rather doubt it, but I didn’t
carry ink in school after that.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">We had to
change into house shoes when we arrived at school. They were unflattering,
bulbous-toed black affairs and we hated them. Our skirts had to be knee-length,
neither above nor below the knee and when we were out of school, we had to wear
hats, velour in winter, straw in summer. We were left in no doubt that we were
representing the school and it was our job to be good ambassadors. It was
considered a grave misdemeanour to be seen without the school hat, though, of
course, some risked it, crushing their hats into their bags as soon as they
were out of sight of the school. One sixth-former cut a hole in the crown of
her hat so that her pony tail could swing free. We thought that very daring.
How innocent it all seems now.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Some were
more knowing than others. One girl appeared in school one morning in full,
heavy make-up, claiming she had mistaken the day and had been getting ready for
her Saturday job. She was made to scrub it off. Bearing in mind the amount of orange
foundation, it must have been quite a task.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Another
girl in my year became pregnant and was banned from school. She was allowed
back to take her public examinations but we were not permitted to socialise
with her. Perhaps they thought she would corrupt us, or that pregnancy was
catching! Poor soul, she must have felt very isolated and scared. She was only
15 or 16 at a time when unmarried mothers were viewed with, at least, disdain
and more often, condemnation. I don’t know what became of her or her baby. I expect the baby was put up for adoption, as so often happened. </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Today’s
secondary school students are more mature, more aware, but the world they have
inherited and must inhabit is more difficult and complex than the one my peers
and I had to navigate. I look at my youngest great-grandchildren, the three who
are 3, 16 months and 1 year, and wonder and sometimes fear what manner of world
will become familiar to them.</span></p>jabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2060029060849550094.post-60336431768774601392024-03-06T01:00:00.003+00:002024-03-06T01:00:00.130+00:00Discoveries<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Discoveries</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglONd_8usFsqRU-ooFZYLLesyepFh8Majq1uplGdI0iB7x-y_M0MVaPrYBJDHEpdjKOA10Q-pZmVYcC9y3nf1VL3GQOokWua_xBDHq-16b0Yhs3GiEHqGZmEKprp9P2E7WUq4DqATtT5BwLCisb7VViis2YB9onh_KvADFl0iDm4W8OprtxGvVAM3m2Uek/s962/K-2fdl1BTNe9EJ5azfzUUQ%20(1).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="962" data-original-width="628" height="770" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglONd_8usFsqRU-ooFZYLLesyepFh8Majq1uplGdI0iB7x-y_M0MVaPrYBJDHEpdjKOA10Q-pZmVYcC9y3nf1VL3GQOokWua_xBDHq-16b0Yhs3GiEHqGZmEKprp9P2E7WUq4DqATtT5BwLCisb7VViis2YB9onh_KvADFl0iDm4W8OprtxGvVAM3m2Uek/w504-h770/K-2fdl1BTNe9EJ5azfzUUQ%20(1).jpeg" width="504" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">It was
not a job we intended doing and it could not be called serendipitous but it had
to be done.</span></div><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">In our
kitchen we have one of those useless corner cupboards, a space filler between
two runs of cupboards. In fact, there are two. The upper cupboard is where we
keep fuses and batteries for small appliances, sticking plasters and over-the-counter
remedies like paracetamol and ibuprofen. It is adequate and only slightly
awkward to access.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijomhm1RbH7tNOLF7dtitQoiq430Z5hVgE75BG0oqpYRizCVJuAkn87qFmkNZZxQH7r9iPHrQ5OYmIeOAGuMBGIOSus5EtpJOGTda8AsFLCK4hVs2CcYNHN5JJyIaZjXsmXsKBWFlFLvjgNBwU-J5FnLibjCkFrtjVxlB7FOtlZrWwPpjokU22u4NlXHIh/s928/dBVD8I43Sh-Xsl6uaiOlsQ.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="705" height="667" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijomhm1RbH7tNOLF7dtitQoiq430Z5hVgE75BG0oqpYRizCVJuAkn87qFmkNZZxQH7r9iPHrQ5OYmIeOAGuMBGIOSus5EtpJOGTda8AsFLCK4hVs2CcYNHN5JJyIaZjXsmXsKBWFlFLvjgNBwU-J5FnLibjCkFrtjVxlB7FOtlZrWwPpjokU22u4NlXHIh/w506-h667/dBVD8I43Sh-Xsl6uaiOlsQ.jpeg" width="506" /></a></div><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">However,
the base cupboard is another matter entirely. It is larger and difficult to get
at. It is the place where pots and pans and ‘unique, must have’ appliances go
to die. Well, the shelf shifted somehow and listed at an alarming angle. I
mean, if you were on a ship and it did that, you would be seriously worried,
worried enough to encourage all your ship mates to dash to the other side of
the vessel. During the Battle of the Solent in 1545, the crew of the Mary Rose all
rushed to one side of the ship, anxious to see Henry VIII, who was watching
from Southsea Castle, and the ship capsized. Actually, that’s not true. It’s
just an urban myth. No-one really knows why the ship sank, but nearly 500 men
drowned. Most sailors then could not swim and died within sight of land.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">*We could
not remove the shelf, no matter how we tried. It remained sulkily in place, thwarting
all efforts to release it. How was it fitted, then? It was put in place before
the worktop was attached. Everything was removed from the cupboard and the
business of identifying items began. </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Surprisingly, we discovered that most of
it was still useful, though maybe not to us. I mean, cake tins and bun trays! I
do not inflict my cakes on anyone. As for Yorkshire puddings, I dislike them and
have never attempted to make them. A willing recipient was found for these
extraneous bakeware items and a couple of other gadgets, bought in haste in an
excess of enthusiasm, used a couple of times, then banished to everlasting
darkness in the corner cupboard.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">*We considered
sawing the shelf in half, a messy business in a confined area, but the problem
was solved when it slipped down to the bottom of the cupboard, saying, ‘I’m not
coming out and you can’t make me.’ Everything we wanted to keep has been put
tidily in the cupboard.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtAn5Nwe72gi-3KniV94gA_WBaIaQU3WyrtNrgQO3VttR_DYHu8yrzrdB5L6qABiYTMBX3THRJG2yNpZH1eQuj59JZ1RbCZ_-_xmQDiYA89c-EzG_REDlrZo7t-wHVK2sHdrq9vF4-H5J_QlCecIdcW1Za2ae2HXZq4mPCjuQdAKCT-br0CXCYF6lQNKPd/s1078/k39pgxuST1CfoCoJnwfe6g.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1078" data-original-width="808" height="630" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtAn5Nwe72gi-3KniV94gA_WBaIaQU3WyrtNrgQO3VttR_DYHu8yrzrdB5L6qABiYTMBX3THRJG2yNpZH1eQuj59JZ1RbCZ_-_xmQDiYA89c-EzG_REDlrZo7t-wHVK2sHdrq9vF4-H5J_QlCecIdcW1Za2ae2HXZq4mPCjuQdAKCT-br0CXCYF6lQNKPd/w472-h630/k39pgxuST1CfoCoJnwfe6g.jpeg" width="472" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">In the
course of this exercise, appliances were tested to make sure they still worked
and manuals were consulted. The manuals live in another cupboard and those
applying to machines and gadgets long since defunct were binned. It’s quite a
pleasure to look in the cupboards now, if you’ve got nothing better to do.</span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6d8rHDzb352mR_cpOIZTMm3ErcPHuTKbrjSbSUFCJmEUoPVH8VNlV38yrioxEuWrw8_5eHrejVXcsMG3lE0IJUl6wJynaIaHhXsJSh2nAnjngAhVndo4RntDrOcQlMPTrwRjN-FiATwlU6KTMVd73AqWElCr59YypVRx7_SXl5smMPwjXU89jce5mUtZ1/s937/6mecRpHUT0yaoV3jrWqJpQ.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="937" data-original-width="690" height="656" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6d8rHDzb352mR_cpOIZTMm3ErcPHuTKbrjSbSUFCJmEUoPVH8VNlV38yrioxEuWrw8_5eHrejVXcsMG3lE0IJUl6wJynaIaHhXsJSh2nAnjngAhVndo4RntDrOcQlMPTrwRjN-FiATwlU6KTMVd73AqWElCr59YypVRx7_SXl5smMPwjXU89jce5mUtZ1/w484-h656/6mecRpHUT0yaoV3jrWqJpQ.jpeg" width="484" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">There are
other cupboards . . . and drawers . . . but tomorrow is another day!</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*When I say ‘we’ I really mean Barry.</span></i></p>jabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2060029060849550094.post-12201840517985076722024-03-05T01:00:00.003+00:002024-03-05T01:00:00.261+00:00 How not to . . .<p> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">How not
to . . .</span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7IJzvcGiaejoBnJw3g69wafxkghQ_8Xz0JvZIvfkNmP3GC92yy2GgFwAhEDgwyphG8MIlljHENhsudDLRf2bDQ1wBOsIHfyk21i6iDng5foE0094aoRXvM9XeYt3vOC38FH3DwOwHqeaLk185lWLCkUkqP4hcARdLKw8v3yy6ctCaDqqC6mkjysJ95m6/s640/Gutter_(PSF).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="640" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7IJzvcGiaejoBnJw3g69wafxkghQ_8Xz0JvZIvfkNmP3GC92yy2GgFwAhEDgwyphG8MIlljHENhsudDLRf2bDQ1wBOsIHfyk21i6iDng5foE0094aoRXvM9XeYt3vOC38FH3DwOwHqeaLk185lWLCkUkqP4hcARdLKw8v3yy6ctCaDqqC6mkjysJ95m6/w458-h424/Gutter_(PSF).png" width="458" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"> </span><i>Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons</i><i> </i></span><p></p><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><span> </span>We had our
gutters cleaned a little while ago, but they have been leaking in places and
need repair.</span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><span> </span>Barry
contacted someone to come and quote for the job. He was a nice chap, chatty,
but I heard him say to Barry, ‘I was talking to someone, an old boy like
yourself,’ and I felt my hackles go up. That is </span><b style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><i>not</i> </b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">the way to
speak to a potential customer. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><span> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">Barry was unfazed by it and said he was just being amusing. Maybe, but if
someone said something similar to me, I would be most annoyed. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><span> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">After all,
you wouldn’t refer to someone’s size or skin, would you? Would you? Just
imagine, ‘I was talking to someone, a skinny gal/a fat guy/a bottle blonde wench/a
black man/a short fella/a spotty youth/ a beanpole like yourself.’</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span> </span>I think I’ve temporarily
mislaid my sense of humour. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> The job is being completed </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;">by reliable, efficient, courteous workmen </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">as I type. It transpired that all the guttering needed to be replaced, which didn't really surprise us. It's good to get such jobs done. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>jabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2060029060849550094.post-63542551669453033102024-03-04T01:00:00.003+00:002024-03-04T01:00:00.146+00:00Gull and heron<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Gull and
heron</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildWDCYDXZn7j_SrNwpJb24HhRTCtc5IHwlMyZQYeL58gmwvhni9S9C9L6mtASVjZqYtFbVFGFHenm-Awy513dEwrBhKAfDGIyHK0o4hj-mxzKzv9KHIJVl_Fb4AtPacNSkO-oDt-jGjDnh-SDZt_fKys-knheUx2FBS3nkJVDePz5e1TAbLByd_PNxujp/s640/Go%C3%A9land_brun_(larus_fuscus)_d%C3%A9tour%C3%A9e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="640" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildWDCYDXZn7j_SrNwpJb24HhRTCtc5IHwlMyZQYeL58gmwvhni9S9C9L6mtASVjZqYtFbVFGFHenm-Awy513dEwrBhKAfDGIyHK0o4hj-mxzKzv9KHIJVl_Fb4AtPacNSkO-oDt-jGjDnh-SDZt_fKys-knheUx2FBS3nkJVDePz5e1TAbLByd_PNxujp/w530-h399/Go%C3%A9land_brun_(larus_fuscus)_d%C3%A9tour%C3%A9e.jpg" width="530" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Lesser black-backed gull</i></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; line-height: 107%;"><i>Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons</i></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><strike>Hacking
my way through the jungle</strike></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Doing a little gentle gardening on Sunday, </span><s style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">trying
to conquer</s><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">trimming the clematis that was </span><s style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">strangling</s><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> climbing
through the Eucalyptus and the Olivers </span><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">(Swiss willow, Salix Helvetica)</i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> I
heard a persistent mewing cry, almost like a cat. A gull was calling, which is
not unusual, but it was remaining in the same area, not flying on to the nature
reserve nearby, as gulls commonly do.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">It cried
for such a long time that I began to wonder if it was trapped somewhere.
Suddenly, it appeared, chasing a heron which was considerably larger than it. We
could not identify it, but it was probably either a herring gull or a lesser
black-backed gull.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">It is too
early for eggs or fledglings, unless the quirky weather has disturbed their rhythms.
Gulls mate for life and conduct their courtship from late March onwards,
through to September, though principally between March and April, after which
they build their untidy nests and lay their eggs. Often, they will return to the
previous year’s site if the nest is still intact.</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">We have
seen a heron in the garden several times recently, presumably intent on feeding
on our pond fish. They are such nervous birds that it is very difficult to
photograph them, though we have managed to snap them from inside the house on a
few occasions.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyJUSiKojXnMq9BJ3ZcGy5tPFHrBZz82O5XH6qqnxh9ZaPNWRKbMech7jYQS_lyjV_0skk0KTMcn5HEWSZwa19jNRSAFRQUe8KcaWCACAOtQzalP6CMKk3mMInTJIlImZFqpmZVDF2yI76zcWpBv9NJMndguxc853epqCPqZROTEz_8YFhQ3xpQuJQPfd7/s3264/CM1I5722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3237" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyJUSiKojXnMq9BJ3ZcGy5tPFHrBZz82O5XH6qqnxh9ZaPNWRKbMech7jYQS_lyjV_0skk0KTMcn5HEWSZwa19jNRSAFRQUe8KcaWCACAOtQzalP6CMKk3mMInTJIlImZFqpmZVDF2yI76zcWpBv9NJMndguxc853epqCPqZROTEz_8YFhQ3xpQuJQPfd7/w495-h500/CM1I5722.jpg" width="495" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;">Heron, 2018</span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">However,
it is not just fish that herons eat. They are quite opportunistic omnivores,
taking snails, rats, frogs, small birds like robins and larger species like
wood pigeons. They will even kill and eat other herons. Maybe the heron we saw
had been attempting to kill the gull and discovered that it had met its match. We'll never know!</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginQag9iJ8V7voNSCKPDdPEW6dTskliTKchz6oxRN5cRH75UrPFf2NX8x66BaWw_fQLysG_fuo2iWafAlEbrhzlHrZgzH68qosXKgb0RFxV2EWXFXDhyphenhyphen6xocxiSUNIHvzkazsZtMLwt6eXzH4y28abSRR068gpRnz7YIo1P3_gRUN73wq7pOeuQK2Cb5ZY/s3951/908A8141_DxO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3951" data-original-width="1770" height="933" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginQag9iJ8V7voNSCKPDdPEW6dTskliTKchz6oxRN5cRH75UrPFf2NX8x66BaWw_fQLysG_fuo2iWafAlEbrhzlHrZgzH68qosXKgb0RFxV2EWXFXDhyphenhyphen6xocxiSUNIHvzkazsZtMLwt6eXzH4y28abSRR068gpRnz7YIo1P3_gRUN73wq7pOeuQK2Cb5ZY/w417-h933/908A8141_DxO.jpg" width="417" /></a></div>Heron, 2023<o:p></o:p><p></p>jabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2060029060849550094.post-18967877222193974832024-03-03T01:00:00.006+00:002024-03-03T01:00:00.243+00:00March birthdays<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">March
birthdays<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhR_BEjx3W5KPz9ASLBaSyoeM6qUZIkeyehRe7vxE1C8XS8sFept96abyoLrQKHpWcwj_BPKeN5nA6hDavDncQ2Wpm-ZbbJwv7piS-yvCJE-_vhPZa0FVEeYDQLs0VNS8sTlgzm8dkVKBY7suKJEPOthyTSRPfyf8GoWWO7ERoz-kSvM7f8Cz-lfiexxC/s1233/scan09124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1233" data-original-width="710" height="775" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhR_BEjx3W5KPz9ASLBaSyoeM6qUZIkeyehRe7vxE1C8XS8sFept96abyoLrQKHpWcwj_BPKeN5nA6hDavDncQ2Wpm-ZbbJwv7piS-yvCJE-_vhPZa0FVEeYDQLs0VNS8sTlgzm8dkVKBY7suKJEPOthyTSRPfyf8GoWWO7ERoz-kSvM7f8Cz-lfiexxC/w446-h775/scan09124.jpg" width="446" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Monday’s
child is fair of face,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tuesday’s
child is full of grace, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Wednesday’s
child is full of woe,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Thursday’s
child has far to go,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Fridays’
child works hard for its living,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Saturday’s
child is loving and giving,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But the
child that is born on the Sabbath day<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Is bonny
and blithe and good and gay.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">March
seems to be a popular month for birthdays.</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">It’s my eldest daughter’s birthday today. She was born on the Sabbath day
and the verse suits her well.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tomorrow is
my Norfolk niece’s birthday.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">March 11</span><sup style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">
sees my great-granddaughter’s third birthday, followed the next day by her cousin,
my oldest great-grandchild, Isla’s eleventh birthday.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">My eldest
grandson was born on March 27</span><sup style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> and his daughter was supposed to be
born in March last year, but she arrived in February, instead.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">My late mother-in-law’s
birthday was in March, too. For all the many years I knew her I never managed
to remember which date was her birthday. I used to think it was 17</span><sup style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">
March, until one year she told me sharply that she wasn’t born on St Patrick’s
Day. I determined to remember it the next year, but forgot, and never did
manage the correct date until the year she died, the day before her 96</span><sup style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">
birthday, and then it really was too late. It was after that that I started
writing the dates down, as the family expanded.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiZGuFvT1YsEvYLa2bJNxco1SMEZLK5QTrW24SA7FSguJAi1SYrNRRvNKKL2OKtUHCuK3AaZVCm97XsA0eDULQM2dy2sezpzZmBCdxpHjXeb684uF2iX1Z99dnVvMgK_fiFoeGelwAMKcG7HP_AuWkE4MvvmzIl6HXD4vQ7onD-K8VJzesshfaeN28oDqF/s1633/Gillian%20and%20Gareth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1633" data-original-width="927" height="719" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiZGuFvT1YsEvYLa2bJNxco1SMEZLK5QTrW24SA7FSguJAi1SYrNRRvNKKL2OKtUHCuK3AaZVCm97XsA0eDULQM2dy2sezpzZmBCdxpHjXeb684uF2iX1Z99dnVvMgK_fiFoeGelwAMKcG7HP_AuWkE4MvvmzIl6HXD4vQ7onD-K8VJzesshfaeN28oDqF/w409-h719/Gillian%20and%20Gareth.jpg" width="409" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Now,
although I write all the important annual dates in my diary, I somehow seem to forget
or overlook some of them, realising too late to post a card. I could ask Alexa
to remind me, but we already have so many reminders and it’s all too easy to
say, ’Alexa, stop,’ and then forget what the reminder was.</span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">It’s strange to think that Isla and Frankie
will both be going to secondary school in September. They are first cousins
once removed or second cousins . . . are they? aren’t they? This is what I
found.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">A </span></i><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">second cousin </span></i><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">and a </span></i><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">first cousin once removed </span></i><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">are related, but they are not
the same. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Second Cousin</span></i><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">:<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Your second cousin is someone
who shares a </span></i><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">great-grandparent </span></i><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">with you.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 9.0pt;"><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">In other words, your second
cousin’s </span></i><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">grandparent</span></i><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> is your </span></i><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">great-grandparent</span></i><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The common ancestor is </span></i><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">two generations </span></i><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">away from both of you.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">For example, if your
great-grandparents are the same, you and your second cousin are second cousins.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">First Cousin Once Removed</span></i><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">:<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Your first cousin once removed
is either:<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The child of your </span></i><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">first cousin</span></i><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">, or<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Your </span></i><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">parent’s first cousin</span></i><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The common ancestor is </span></i><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">one generation </span></i><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">away from one of you and </span></i><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">two generations </span></i><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">away from the other.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The “once removed” indicates
that there is a </span></i><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">one-generation difference </span></i><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">between your cousin and you.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 9.0pt;"><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 9.0pt;"><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">In summary:<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Second cousins share
great-grandparents and are two generations apart.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">First cousins once removed have
a one-generation difference in their relationship to the common ancestor.</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">So, Frankie and Isla are second cousins</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">. </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">If ever I had
considered taking up genealogy as a hobby, those types of relationships would tie
me in knots immediately. I haven’t the patience to unravel them and in any case
would find it frustrating to come across so many unanswered questions. Inevitably,
the further back in history the searches go the more such questions arise.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Even in the best regulated and documented families, records have not
always been kept rigorously and it’s easy to travel along the wrong road. We
have found mistakes in quite recent documents relating to near relatives. I know
many people thoroughly enjoy their researches – Barry’s sister-in-law has
studied her family (and some of his, as she was married to his brother), for
years.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoffuGpg7saeYWxz-n8LU2onXZPxVobhB7QDYi_R9euhCHji41sjekMp9Qwz_c7kb9qthJNkloSB4-35DAgIqYGuVqofLbNPPJFZITt0KYbgCly6twB12D3o7YelW9M-IfpvX_6wjyGeGFhxEKkA615CWn0hD8ZWUNg3lJlJHXTkkP1PO0OisEmxIx8njA/s424/gillian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="379" height="511" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoffuGpg7saeYWxz-n8LU2onXZPxVobhB7QDYi_R9euhCHji41sjekMp9Qwz_c7kb9qthJNkloSB4-35DAgIqYGuVqofLbNPPJFZITt0KYbgCly6twB12D3o7YelW9M-IfpvX_6wjyGeGFhxEKkA615CWn0hD8ZWUNg3lJlJHXTkkP1PO0OisEmxIx8njA/w457-h511/gillian.jpg" width="457" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">I was contacted some years ago by a far-flung relative who was researching
a different branch of my family. It was interesting to see what he had discovered,
but not sufficiently inspiring for me to conduct my own researches. Ah, well,
each to their own.</span><p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: 72.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Must go and walk the dogs, now. Their genealogy is very plain to see on
their pedigrees!</span><span style="color: red; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>jabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2060029060849550094.post-45927445433216944742024-03-02T01:00:00.054+00:002024-03-02T01:00:00.127+00:00Mad as a March Hare<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Mad as a March
Hare</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMyFQq9ZlBJFqrp84-7dUxBApBVhNbKLsTn-mZTl2sp5b_QBY2iYtgKe4iqMd3dZ0RJVufhGeEUMA3BUd77lPYasNUZ0eTfmjPGp796Clblzdvow0r0w-lNthx4R8JVMqF2oxGa_X01fLLJLvmW8_g7vUw_wXrxe23D1kbcOQxf7v2x6-9rSsyL4sRQtN7/s817/European_Brown_Hare_-_Lepus_europaeus_(52832876129).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="480" height="717" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMyFQq9ZlBJFqrp84-7dUxBApBVhNbKLsTn-mZTl2sp5b_QBY2iYtgKe4iqMd3dZ0RJVufhGeEUMA3BUd77lPYasNUZ0eTfmjPGp796Clblzdvow0r0w-lNthx4R8JVMqF2oxGa_X01fLLJLvmW8_g7vUw_wXrxe23D1kbcOQxf7v2x6-9rSsyL4sRQtN7/w421-h717/European_Brown_Hare_-_Lepus_europaeus_(52832876129).jpg" width="421" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><i>Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons</i></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;">Hares have long ears with black tips. The white part of the tail is not shown when a hare runs, unlike a rabbit's scut.</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Made
memorable by Lewis Carroll in ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’, the mad March
hare is used as an allusion to excitable, unpredictable activity. Although
March is particularly associated with flamboyant behaviour, hares can be seen
behaving giddily at any time between February and September.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CN9ODTh2RHDHrcUYrT1ul5VY60xEogbeMH4piBQI14rgq4Jtz6r0muv0mQJW1vxBbTG8hGrMYpohystwkmocgMK4heJG3gecZPXEiza6X4mydTJN0HeHGzA1kz0Z-Kul9VMUiLS7nZYxRBLArUAgGaU6GdaYiL4BUFbzDXLcLXfknTELb6_JDrCu1Srf/s467/Boxing_hares!_(49898514632).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="467" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CN9ODTh2RHDHrcUYrT1ul5VY60xEogbeMH4piBQI14rgq4Jtz6r0muv0mQJW1vxBbTG8hGrMYpohystwkmocgMK4heJG3gecZPXEiza6X4mydTJN0HeHGzA1kz0Z-Kul9VMUiLS7nZYxRBLArUAgGaU6GdaYiL4BUFbzDXLcLXfknTELb6_JDrCu1Srf/w624-h285/Boxing_hares!_(49898514632).jpg" width="624" /></a></div><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"><i style="font-size: medium;">Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons</i></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">The
expression has been in use since the 16</span><sup style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> century. In 1500 The
original poet of Blowbol’s Test wrote:</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanne þey
begyn to swere and stare, And be as braynles as a Marshe hare</span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">(Then
they begin to swerve and stare, And be as brainless as a March hare)</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">March is
the peak time for hares to mate. The madness of the March hare is caused by the
urge to mate. A male will chase a female to entice her and if she is not
receptive she will begin to box with him, both contestants standing on their
hind legs and hitting each other with their paws.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy6oN9uEK_vmwdWFfSDS8n4Q5UVdvageN4DumZr6XhR2x8zuh6lsuWr6l-nFCk78jDYn8kzFTdCe8Rt2LbkLURJTumz87kwchla2Rmp1RBcoBiYoW-BGN2Yz12k_55nLykoJoDFsz-3Ip_tdSR66HBasfot4cNn_QGWl8g9enlQD81lKu0BRSfZYChPUZz/s500/Boxing_Hares_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1474037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="500" height="489" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy6oN9uEK_vmwdWFfSDS8n4Q5UVdvageN4DumZr6XhR2x8zuh6lsuWr6l-nFCk78jDYn8kzFTdCe8Rt2LbkLURJTumz87kwchla2Rmp1RBcoBiYoW-BGN2Yz12k_55nLykoJoDFsz-3Ip_tdSR66HBasfot4cNn_QGWl8g9enlQD81lKu0BRSfZYChPUZz/w510-h489/Boxing_Hares_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1474037.jpg" width="510" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Sculpture of boxing hares </span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"><i style="font-size: medium;">Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons</i></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">The brown
hare, </span><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">(Lepidus europaeus), </i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">was brought to Britain by the Romans. They
probably originated in central Asia. They are largely crepuscular, but can be
spotted in daylight. Hares do not live in communities in burrows, but lead
solitary lives above ground, sheltering in forms about 4” deep that they scrape
from the earth. Unlike rabbit kittens, which are born naked, blind and deaf and
completely helpless, leverets can see and hear and are covered with fur at
birth. A female hare can have up to four litters a year, each averaging four
young, which she cares for on her own, leaving them in the form while she forages
for food.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5et6Zj7j4J6VzDizEghkmasK63Mryheo5gDdFV4Fc8zyHB0TDo2zeoB29XsFfTUQZrszyRrM1wg5t-uAKGnnGTT6jwYx61HfJf9ZN4bkMkAhnwpXy786r06HsFx8BsRQxDxNFZd0Zbj3tWPJFRctUUY6WNprdiKm_cW4RWLvvC98ZSSEJMWyb3Gy6VOyr/s640/Feldhase,_Lepus_europaeus_3a_(cropped).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="640" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5et6Zj7j4J6VzDizEghkmasK63Mryheo5gDdFV4Fc8zyHB0TDo2zeoB29XsFfTUQZrszyRrM1wg5t-uAKGnnGTT6jwYx61HfJf9ZN4bkMkAhnwpXy786r06HsFx8BsRQxDxNFZd0Zbj3tWPJFRctUUY6WNprdiKm_cW4RWLvvC98ZSSEJMWyb3Gy6VOyr/w510-h351/Feldhase,_Lepus_europaeus_3a_(cropped).JPG" width="510" /></a></div><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons</i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Foxes are
the major predators of hares, which exhibit a prodigious turn of speed when fleeing.
They can reach 45 mph. Sometimes, they seem to disappear into thin air, an
illusion created by them dropping into a form. On average they live for only
two or three years, sometimes five. The oldest documented wild hare was 12½. Notwithstanding
the threat from foxes, hare numbers have declined by 80% in the last century,
largely due to changes in farming practices. They are also hunted as game and
shot as pests. Wildlife Trusts are working with farmers to help them manage their
land with wildlife in mind, planting hedgerows and maintaining field margins.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVLN5eAlNJRstbphnQEG4pD608Fkgsb_eowwS6m3-z_LbpTgaOl70fptXleiZeLT72qDSunahBWwFzVqRrRfz3YapakHBGo240Xpn7m4P3U1FoCAdICG86LoQ-N1E0S0fZBGB3D4x1LRLBR4NTuFLk5QkSX8bl0HL4Y5jTy53AMO0fGteq1NJ3uHl06d9C/s853/Lepus_europaeus_(Causse_M%C3%A9jean,_Loz%C3%A8re)-cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="640" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVLN5eAlNJRstbphnQEG4pD608Fkgsb_eowwS6m3-z_LbpTgaOl70fptXleiZeLT72qDSunahBWwFzVqRrRfz3YapakHBGo240Xpn7m4P3U1FoCAdICG86LoQ-N1E0S0fZBGB3D4x1LRLBR4NTuFLk5QkSX8bl0HL4Y5jTy53AMO0fGteq1NJ3uHl06d9C/w411-h548/Lepus_europaeus_(Causse_M%C3%A9jean,_Loz%C3%A8re)-cropped.jpg" width="411" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"><i style="font-size: medium;">Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons</i></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Although
hares are not generally seen in great numbers, there are at least four collective
nouns for them – a down, a drove, a flick and a husk.</span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB2y5OpU85EwfP9zqFiVstWnNcYyvbiPXl8XzOzgn4USEI36SDwxnsb8owBb9NgmP4LZXBf1eQHZh2SdwPlUNtqblfPsf_fYJ3SXWRH17TzTSVQhLMr1UdXlMNraJ1U3nKrb7vC3u5TTXnVgdgOAImcpaNUEEwN_Kj8p-pqc-gtJ1yNVxaGgI5AipqKeuj/s546/European_Brown_Hares_-_Lepus_europaeus_(50187345198).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="271" data-original-width="546" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB2y5OpU85EwfP9zqFiVstWnNcYyvbiPXl8XzOzgn4USEI36SDwxnsb8owBb9NgmP4LZXBf1eQHZh2SdwPlUNtqblfPsf_fYJ3SXWRH17TzTSVQhLMr1UdXlMNraJ1U3nKrb7vC3u5TTXnVgdgOAImcpaNUEEwN_Kj8p-pqc-gtJ1yNVxaGgI5AipqKeuj/w639-h317/European_Brown_Hares_-_Lepus_europaeus_(50187345198).jpg" width="639" /></a></div><p></p>jabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2060029060849550094.post-27078321939993515802024-03-01T01:00:00.023+00:002024-03-01T01:00:00.129+00:00Dates to remember in March <p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Dates to
remember in March 2024</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUO7JYjjxtRVqwwCNIYXJyNU1AaxxbWX862fnFO2NfhE4qUkyk6Auhr_pv0knFxG-RMT9AW0S67inhiliFoWrDUiWigvWGzGfeLliSNmXFQra2MPv2_B0VwRLX0t0waAKJPGLOqjEQDheR74rVvJP4-E9VabJexZPEuh1yuWGyide2JwwvxRiB4Eh3m4bk/s640/Flag_of_Wales.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="640" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUO7JYjjxtRVqwwCNIYXJyNU1AaxxbWX862fnFO2NfhE4qUkyk6Auhr_pv0knFxG-RMT9AW0S67inhiliFoWrDUiWigvWGzGfeLliSNmXFQra2MPv2_B0VwRLX0t0waAKJPGLOqjEQDheR74rVvJP4-E9VabJexZPEuh1yuWGyide2JwwvxRiB4Eh3m4bk/w523-h314/Flag_of_Wales.svg.png" width="523" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;"><i>Image courtesy of Wi</i></span><i style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 18.6667px;">kimedia Commons</i></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">March 1</span><sup style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">st</sup><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">
is St David’s Day. St David is the only patron saint to be born in Britain and
he died on this day in 589 AD. Welsh people will display their national pride
by wearing daffodils or leeks and dressing in national costume.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus!</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">9</span><sup style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">
to 12</span><sup style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> March at the NEC in Birmingham will see the annual dog show,
Cruft’s. It is an opportunity to see well-bred pedigree dogs trotting their
stuff and also to witness the extraordinary lengths their breeders and owners
go to in presenting their charges at their best.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">On grooming
tables, hapless pooches will be strung up tightly so that they can be ‘trimmed’.
Some will have curlers in their fur, later to be brushed out and completed with
a pretty bow. Others will have chalk applied to the white parts of their coats,
though Kennel Club rules demand that no chalk is left in the coat when the judge
‘goes over’ the dog. Chalk is also used when people are stripping their dogs’
coats, to give a better grip.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">All the exhibits are required to have short, neat claws, so there will be a great </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">degree of
nail clipping going on.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Apart from
the beauty pageant, there are many other things to see. At ‘Discover Dogs’ 200
breeds of pedigree dogs can be seen and petted. Friendly and knowledgeable
owners are very happy to talk about their chosen breed and advise on their suitability
for specific circumstances.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">The
Kennel Club Dog Hero Award competition is an opportunity to honour and applaud
the very special relationships that arise. Some dogs show exceptional bravery,
others are support dogs, sensitive to the indications of approaching epileptic
seizures, or diabetic problems among other things. Some are assistance dogs
that help owners with disabilities, like deafness or autism. Then there are the
Search and Rescue dogs, the police and military dogs.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Agility and
flyball competitions are a great favourite with the crowds. Many of the dogs
participating are small breeds, and inclined to be fairly vocal. The ones that
win the hearts of the audience are the mischievous dogs that don’t quite do
what they should and make everyone laugh.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">‘Heelwork
to Music’ is a chance to see what dogs are capable of, given the chance.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Police
and Gundog displays are always impressive and ‘Scruffts’ is an arena for the
beautiful, intelligent, non-pedigree dogs to shine.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">The last
day of the show is where every human competitor longs to be, in the finals. The
dogs don’t care one way or the other. I hope the winner this year represents a
healthy breed that hasn’t been adapted to man’s opinion of what is beautiful
and ruined in the process.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">My Velcro
dog, Frodo the Faller, qualified for Crufts in 2002. You can read about him
<u><span style="color: red;"><a href="https://jabblog-jabblog.blogspot.com/search?q=dog+show" target="_blank">here </a></span></u>and velcro <a href="https://jabblog-jabblog.blogspot.com/search?q=velcro" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;"><u>here</u></span>.</a></span></p>jabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2060029060849550094.post-24107337732503509522024-02-29T01:00:00.003+00:002024-02-29T01:00:00.442+00:00Photographs<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Photographs </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Dd0WUj0xxVCIKM0m_V0eYwLXmYyDaXnhpX6o5U7hrHc6rl8Na_Zz4nMnsaGwTnt-eVRp0GisoyKc36vSTxkvl2w4SOu03Rd1MZZwh4DVks80C7qY71V836gDkPhqDlzAMikHUMHo2jfq9WBp4Y8iVsUwNpQbny41YuEZtw0-hQ0YCBhuNmOTKVFJRuUh/s186/DSCN0023-4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="186" data-original-width="177" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Dd0WUj0xxVCIKM0m_V0eYwLXmYyDaXnhpX6o5U7hrHc6rl8Na_Zz4nMnsaGwTnt-eVRp0GisoyKc36vSTxkvl2w4SOu03Rd1MZZwh4DVks80C7qY71V836gDkPhqDlzAMikHUMHo2jfq9WBp4Y8iVsUwNpQbny41YuEZtw0-hQ0YCBhuNmOTKVFJRuUh/w356-h374/DSCN0023-4.jpg" width="356" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">I was
just reading Liz Hinds’ blog post on <u><a href="https://liz-and-harvey.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">‘Finding Life Hard?’ </a></u>The title was ‘Do you need a
wee?’ Now that’s a catchy phrase but it led on to Liz’s dislike of all
photographs of herself. I share that feeling, but latterly – well, in the last
five years or so – I have reached the conclusion that avoiding the camera is
foolish and actually extremely difficult with the demon photographer to whom
I’m married.</span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">I used to
joke that our grandchildren would never recognise him because he’s always
behind a camera, but they have grown up with a healthy attitude to having
photographs taken, able to look entirely natural and comfortable. My son and
two younger daughters have also been able to face the camera easily. My eldest
daughter and I have always tried to avoid it; consequently, there are a myriad photos
of hands, back or top of heads, cups or glasses held directly in front of our
faces or, when unable to escape, gurning gargoyle images, (not eldest daughter -
she’s very pretty). Not a flattering look – and I look grim, stern, unyielding,
but if I smile, I look like a simpleton. Well, the camera never lies!</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">I regret
it, because when I look back at the few photos I quite like, I think, ‘I wish I
looked like that now.’ Maybe, in a few years’ time I will wonder what face I
presented to the world. It will not have improved, of that I’m absolutely
certain, but as it’s only going to get worse, perhaps I should have some
portraits done so that when I’m in my dotage – or more in it than I already am –
I can repeat, ‘I wish I looked like that now.’</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">I did
point out to Barry that there are few photos of him as he’s always the
photographer, so have tried to snap some of him. Funnily enough, his reaction
is the same as mine. He doesn’t like his photos, either. It’s all the fault of
the person behind the camera.</span></p>jabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2060029060849550094.post-84854404140107285082024-02-28T01:00:00.003+00:002024-02-28T01:00:00.240+00:00Bubble car<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Bubble
car<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;">All images
courtesy of Wikimedia Commons</span></i></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhteIQVwjF5XSCoZfZUj4nXHR8RuEVgTSPQ65WRNR3LW8PHEaYCcdbg_a53Wm_-n0VatoQ2l3Txfp0JuFTniaCmenSX4iTOx8rjB7n2WcJB6_-Eay0IkL0xiuNEYOCZk0-qN9MNOAvIY7n01XjlD2vlxOIRUfue62Dce7UEP3YSxGJvl0f-oOjGIVht0atw/s521/560px-BMW_Isetta_-_Flickr_-_mick_-_Lumix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="521" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhteIQVwjF5XSCoZfZUj4nXHR8RuEVgTSPQ65WRNR3LW8PHEaYCcdbg_a53Wm_-n0VatoQ2l3Txfp0JuFTniaCmenSX4iTOx8rjB7n2WcJB6_-Eay0IkL0xiuNEYOCZk0-qN9MNOAvIY7n01XjlD2vlxOIRUfue62Dce7UEP3YSxGJvl0f-oOjGIVht0atw/w573-h516/560px-BMW_Isetta_-_Flickr_-_mick_-_Lumix.jpg" width="573" /></a></i></div><u style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://nobod2.blogspot.com/?zx=65b3b61f73ebd587" target="_blank">JayCee’s post</a></u><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> reminded me of Mrs Ball and her three-wheeled bubble car. Mrs Ball was our
biology teacher, a very nice lady, and well suited to her surname. Her car reflected
her physiology and it amused us to see her drive across the playground behind
the science labs.</span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">I don’t
recall the make – I wasn’t interested in cars then and only noticed more
unusual ones. My friend’s mother had an Austin Metropolitan, which seemed quite
flashy at the time, but other than that, and Mrs Ball’s car, I don’t remember
any others.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9SwOem7y7gZWrAPmZtjkdtsDpC8lPWBBY6KZk3huVyJWkQkEEq_wNG2WRoqw8nFXDo1Qcwmw8fYcCozv5Cf8Hm5Ott5rl0SCFSFv3ZNZZRRMUsXwE291MzHnsJIEmjFj0AbRRG8w0j6tMXI1zGM00AJGJaSSfTxd61t2_Do5OTl6i6oNNQfKP9zdbRAT/s640/Austin_Metropolitan_(1957).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="640" height="339" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9SwOem7y7gZWrAPmZtjkdtsDpC8lPWBBY6KZk3huVyJWkQkEEq_wNG2WRoqw8nFXDo1Qcwmw8fYcCozv5Cf8Hm5Ott5rl0SCFSFv3ZNZZRRMUsXwE291MzHnsJIEmjFj0AbRRG8w0j6tMXI1zGM00AJGJaSSfTxd61t2_Do5OTl6i6oNNQfKP9zdbRAT/w576-h339/Austin_Metropolitan_(1957).jpg" width="576" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Bubble cars
became popular in UK in the 1950s, when worries about Middle East oil supplies prevailed.
The first models were built in Germany and then other European manufacturers began
to produce the little, fuel-efficient vehicles.</span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyipErlpyVCHcb2ooPkrLLiqpSH94y74HJcD9KONHi142psRACMmJLj4qey7eIhu8MQU2gnQ4xsz0ytL9FHYx9_vQrWKbrUbN5eh2HsU_IExZOrAw_oqh-9CmZLohnptYRuzG2kjLfBdppro9OyqJ-9NEL7wkU2LB4JcKs2pZ2QsgGv5mzhyV7AgQsaXsH/s479/BMW_Isetta_(4346916883).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="479" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyipErlpyVCHcb2ooPkrLLiqpSH94y74HJcD9KONHi142psRACMmJLj4qey7eIhu8MQU2gnQ4xsz0ytL9FHYx9_vQrWKbrUbN5eh2HsU_IExZOrAw_oqh-9CmZLohnptYRuzG2kjLfBdppro9OyqJ-9NEL7wkU2LB4JcKs2pZ2QsgGv5mzhyV7AgQsaXsH/w551-h450/BMW_Isetta_(4346916883).jpg" width="551" /></a></div><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> The
entire front of a car like Mrs Ball’s bubble car was hinged so that it could be
completely opened to allow entry. It was powered by a two-stroke motorbike engine
and could achieve 70 miles per gallon. It carried just under three gallons, so
a full tank would allow a journey of 210 miles. As its top speed was about 47
mph, a journey of any appreciable length would take a very long time. I think its
main purpose was as a runabout, a little vehicle to get its driver short distances
from A to B.</span></p>jabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2060029060849550094.post-84652272176824190012024-02-27T01:00:00.002+00:002024-02-27T01:00:00.144+00:00Driving tests<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Driving
tests</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4WqXXGDsImhdOZK6h1hmZEr_fNpaPt-GqxeFc0iNG-Xk_BsfCwnhgJX6i_iE0zbeLD7WF8lPUvzPO0TPuhYNEOrf3svmvcy9baqfS8-BmchfOM2fc-ebpksrDPZYJpvuZPJtw6wsLZD0Y-9eu7OewO7PTEAQBdeOvn-94mQSpqIj_ssq6Nd9Ip47nEhae/s569/41YsL0QZKFL._AC_SX569_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="569" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4WqXXGDsImhdOZK6h1hmZEr_fNpaPt-GqxeFc0iNG-Xk_BsfCwnhgJX6i_iE0zbeLD7WF8lPUvzPO0TPuhYNEOrf3svmvcy9baqfS8-BmchfOM2fc-ebpksrDPZYJpvuZPJtw6wsLZD0Y-9eu7OewO7PTEAQBdeOvn-94mQSpqIj_ssq6Nd9Ip47nEhae/w477-h474/41YsL0QZKFL._AC_SX569_.jpg" width="477" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://www.taskerdunham.com/2024/02/hand-signals-and-semaphor-indicators.html" target="_blank">Tasker Dunham</a> posted a blog the other day about hand signals when driving, and
included a very amusing anecdote about his aunt’s driving test. This reminded
me of the story of Barry’s first driving test.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Do all
males fail their tests the first time? There used to be a theory that examiners
failed boys and passed girls on their first test. The feeling was that boys
passing their test would be overconfident and prone to
showing off, and therefore a potential danger behind the wheel. This was less
likely to happen with girls. <u><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/reported-road-casualties-great-britain-older-and-younger-driver-factsheets-2022/reported-road-casualties-in-great-britain-younger-driver-factsheet-2022#:~:text=Young%20male%20car%20drivers%20aged,4%2C935%2C%20a%20fall%20of%2060%25" target="_blank">In fact, statistics </a></u>show that drivers between the
ages of 17 and 24 are more likely to be involved in car accidents during the
first year following a successful driving test.</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">I was
taught to drive by a retired police driving instructor and passed my driving
test first time, when I was seventeen (small brag there!) My daughters passed
first time, first time and second time, but my son had at least three tests. My
examiner was unremarkable and I remember nothing about the test. My husband’s
experience was rather different.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Driving
along a quiet country road, the examiner told Barry he would indicate when he
wanted him to execute an emergency stop. As I remember, the usual method was to
strike the clipboard against the dashboard. Anyway, the signal was given and
Barry duly slammed on the brakes.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">A man came
storming out of his house and banged on the passenger door, the examiner’s side,
shouting, ‘I’m fed up with all you lot doing your emergency stops outside my
house. Why don’t you go and do them somewhere else and leave me in peace?’</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">The
examiner ignored him and told Barry to drive on. Barry pointed out that the man
was hanging onto the car.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">‘Drive
on! <a name="_Hlk159664122">Do as you’re told,</a>’ said the examiner. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a name="_Hlk159664104"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">‘I can’t,’ </span></a><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">said the hapless examinee. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">‘Do as
you’re told,’ the examiner shouted.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">At that
moment, the man relinquished his hold on the passenger seat door handle and rushed
to the front of the car and draped himself across the bonnet. He persisted in haranguing
the examiner and all the while the examiner kept yelling, ‘Drive on’.</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">‘I can’t.’
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">‘Do as I tell
you! Drive on!’</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">This continued
for several moments until the man on the bonnet grew tired of his uncomfortable
position and withdrew, still shouting and gesturing.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">The driving
test resumed, examiner and his charge somewhat unsettled.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">‘Take the
next turning left,’ the examiner instructed, so Barry did. Unfortunately, it
took them into a one-way street.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">‘Why did
you do that?’ barked the instructor.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">‘You told
me to,’ Barry answered.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">There followed
a more than three-point turn to exit the road and the examination continued.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Back at
the driving test centre Barry was informed that he had failed the test. Later
on, he took his test in the army and passed.</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>jabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2060029060849550094.post-70177559566517775082024-02-26T01:00:00.004+00:002024-02-26T01:00:00.131+00:00<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Fireworks</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBubDoDXDbDRZxGb_WJY5y-yHZ_gmUG6bCBq-CUuPldOAw6kYXMIgyNlkIBUFqpNq5-H3pGzWu1bx1lo1WVQvZkWhKllx9NfV_RdZeSsSqWTdS8dq2BAceOGLSOqX6RYZP0YjZ9kuR2lvDd9_vXFByaeGUzvYbPJsLh_tcDSKtUw6v2Z_c_O7aWvdxgZvg/s419/Fireworks_at_the_Durham_Bulls_Athletic_Park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="326" height="653" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBubDoDXDbDRZxGb_WJY5y-yHZ_gmUG6bCBq-CUuPldOAw6kYXMIgyNlkIBUFqpNq5-H3pGzWu1bx1lo1WVQvZkWhKllx9NfV_RdZeSsSqWTdS8dq2BAceOGLSOqX6RYZP0YjZ9kuR2lvDd9_vXFByaeGUzvYbPJsLh_tcDSKtUw6v2Z_c_O7aWvdxgZvg/w508-h653/Fireworks_at_the_Durham_Bulls_Athletic_Park.jpg" width="508" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">The Six
Nations match between France and Italy on Sunday was preceded by the customary fireworks.
The roof of the Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille was closed, so the smoke was
trapped. It gradually cleared at ground level, drifting up as the game progressed.
More fireworks exploded after successful penalty kicks, resulting in more smoke.
</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">It cannot be good to play in and is certainly
unfortunate for crowds in the upper stands.</span></div><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">The result
was a draw - 13-13.</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">France played with
14 men for most of the match, Danty being sent off for dangerous play. It need not
have made a difference. Teams have been known to win with two men down.</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It was
exciting.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Usually,
games would be played at the Stade France but the stadium is being prepared for
the Paris Olympic games in the summer.</span></p>jabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2060029060849550094.post-7690618203606478882024-02-25T01:00:00.004+00:002024-02-25T01:00:00.128+00:00Golden syrup<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Golden
syrup</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqwNYSRkMKbVpisYKeuDTwR1f2ZNAhhw68uoLGNzIydTB3MwRTCs9-xaFYJkUwOl0908Q4WxlU5GT-FVOglpsTvmExVr9EFNhTZVQpde9YS8lQTuDEsp1GTDUcaBsi4jwH5snnsJ24Smwo3A92gG-_SmsnQAoscV1n85GyxlSpC1GI7w50BHalYf9c0aD/s620/lyles-golden-syrup-pa-wire-880903631.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="620" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqwNYSRkMKbVpisYKeuDTwR1f2ZNAhhw68uoLGNzIydTB3MwRTCs9-xaFYJkUwOl0908Q4WxlU5GT-FVOglpsTvmExVr9EFNhTZVQpde9YS8lQTuDEsp1GTDUcaBsi4jwH5snnsJ24Smwo3A92gG-_SmsnQAoscV1n85GyxlSpC1GI7w50BHalYf9c0aD/w494-h494/lyles-golden-syrup-pa-wire-880903631.webp" width="494" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"><u><a href="https://tiggerswee-blog.blogspot.com/2024/02/grandmas-ginger-biscuits.html" target="_blank">F fromTigger’s Wee-Blog </a></u>posted her grandmother’s recipe for mouthwatering ginger biscuits.
It was the mention of one of the ingredients, golden syrup, that triggered this
post.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">I read
recently that Tate and Lyle were changing the 140-year-old trademark on their
classic green and gold tins of golden syrup because some customers had
complained that the current one was grim. The illustration shows a cloud of
bees buzzing around a dead lion. Underneath are the words, ‘Out of the strong
came forth sweetness’. The logo and words are repeated on the red and gold black
treacle tin. (Tooth-achingly sweet golden syrup is refined from stronger,
slightly bitter black treacle, which is said to be similar to molasses.) It holds
the Guinness World Record for the oldest unchanged logo. This year, 2024, it
was replaced by a stylised lion’s head and a single bee.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">Tate and
Lyle’s Golden Syrup became Lyle’s Golden Syrup after the sugar business was
sold to American Sugar Refining in 2010. Tate and Lyle continues to trade other
commodities.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">I remember
studying the syrup tin when I was a child, but it never occurred to me that I was
seeing something offensive, and even now I see nothing wrong with it. It was
based on the story of Samson and the lion in chapter 14 of the Book of Judges.
Briefly, Samson killed a lion and later discovered that bees had used the
carcase as a hive and produced honey. He then posed a riddle to the Philistines,
one of whose daughters he wanted to marry, ‘Out of the eater came forth meat,
and out of the strong came forth sweetness.’</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">I must remember
to keep the empty tin, as a reminder of simpler, less antagonistic times . . .
and my childhood.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">My guilty pleasure, but one I rarely indulge, is
syrup on hot, buttered toast. 😔 </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14pt;">I like ginger nuts, too.</span></p>jabbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12176958811589489979noreply@blogger.com34