Mine is hanging on the wall.

Phew, what a relief.

PS If it were not that I know you for a gentle soul, LiR, I would interpret your "temping"/apostrophe post as a bit of dig at my well-known, rather desperate obsession with that particular punctuation mark.

I like "Messers" - especially when writing to solicitors.

Temperance wrote:

Mine is hanging on the wall.

Phew, what a relief.

PS If it were not that I know you for a gentle soul, LiR, I would interpret your "temping"/apostrophe post as a bit of dig at my well-known, rather desperate obsession with that particular punctuation mark.

I like "Messers" - especially when writing to solicitors.

Not having a go at you at all Temperance.  Just not sure if "temping" is a bona fide dictionary word so used inverted commas.  Or were you joking about your ResHistorica name?

MM - they prop up the pics because they can't drive a nail in the wall themselves for tuppence and don't want to ask someone else in to do it. But that's me - neither nouveau riche nor Trot - so perhaps not. It also says 'Ain't I display smart. I have chosen this lot for a bit but I've stacks more to change them with.' And I know that for a truth from  friends who do it.

Courgettes! Why is it either none or a glut of the shiny green things? It's courgettes in some guise with every meal at the moment, so has anyone got an imaginative recipe to use some before they become monster marrows?

I've got the same problem though with me it's tomatoes ... we should get together and make ratatouille!

Just used both to make a pasta sauce (with onions, of course!) - about to stir in mature Shropshire Blue cheese - off on hols Thursday and it will stink the place out unless used before then!

Bloody wildlife! I thought my mole was a problem but last night the garden was invaded by a troop of wild boar and they've made a right mess of my lawn. Grrrrr.

Oh come on folks - where are you? Someone has to say it - booooooooring! I had a visitation too. I suddenly saw a white feather and just knew it was me mum telling me that there was a pigeon on the veg patch.

Sorry, mm. Forgive me - as humanists do.  doggy dog is looking very pleased about something - are you certain it was wild pigs?

Donald 'the hair' Trump, not content with running for POTUS and destroying a SSSI in Aberdeenshire, now wants to build a 25 ft. high fountain outside Turnberry Hotel.  As you can see it perfectly reflects its sponsor - tasteless, vulgar and totally unsuitable for the situation.
Grrr, I have happy memories of a wild and naughty weekend there, long, long ago.

I have this morning - September 5th - received an Email from Liberty of London (posh department store for them as don't know) informing me of the joyful news that: "Christmas has arrived at Liberty!":


Christmas Shop

The festive season is very nearly upon us! Get ahead of the game and establish the focal points of your Christmas interior scheme; whether you're thinking rustic, traditional or all-out opulence, we'll guide you in the decorations and gifts that will make this year one to remember.

"Very nearly upon us!"? My "interior scheme"? What the ...

I wonder are other posters already planning their interior schemes, rustic, opulent or other?

My interior scheme never seems to alter - a little pine tree cut from a friend's property, decorated with bits and pieces, some made by my children when they were about five,  some string along the ceiling to put about 30 Christmas cards on, and...well, and nothing. On the day a nice tablecloth and some flowers. My sister does spend some of her time making decorations for people and a new one of those gets onto the tree. (If it isn't displayed there is the threat that next year's won't come my way.) Could that be called opulence?

And I suppose we should now be fretting about the "focal points" of our exterior festive schemes too. I hope, Caro, your preparations for the outside of your house are now also well underway?

Seriously, it's no wonder young women today are driving themselves quite mad - trying to hold down responsible jobs, raise children, cook superb meals from scratch, keep themselves super fit and slim and have the various focal points of their Christmas "schemes" in place by the end of September.

No one actually does it, Temps its just another sales pitch as for instance, in journals that give a timetable for how to spend a few hours of indulgent home beauty treatments. I know someone who used to do daft columns like this for a magazine, tossing it off in  an hour with a suitable pic being the hardest bit. It was all a load of rubbish and I doubt anyone followed the 'tips.'  She got a useful cheque  for it all, of course.

I think things like that still go on Priscilla.  I mentioned in a little while ago that I'd been researching online work (small tasks - that sort of thing) and there are sites that will pay (not much but better than a poke in the eye with a dirty stick) for people to go to sites such as Amazon and make positive statements about their ebook. If I were accepted by such a site I wouldn't mind making positive posts but I don't think I could bring myself to lie - I'd only be positive about something I thought had merits. Might explain though why some (to me) trashy books get rave reviews though - people are being paid to make posts. (Sorry if I said this in my earlier post).  I'm still looking for something though my local Asda are seeking loo ladies (well ladies to join the "hygiene team").  

If Temperance reads this I hope I don't drive her batty (as I know English is her strong suit) although the old song tells us to "accentuate the positive" - I've noticed I put three instances of said word in the above paragraph.

Oh, LiR, do I really come across as so ridiculously pedantic?

I am ashamed - really.

Nah, Temps. I mean iss de boss wot does grammer 'ere. LIke wot wen u rite fings dat 'e don like an 'at. Innit. I mean. An den   he say he gonner ge de hevvies in cos yer gibber aint cler an not wot he finks iver  anyway. Whatever.  Amazing innit. An ower boss, e dun harf rite clever stuff wot no wun gets but don menchun it, lady, u in de retred biz, yer wont git a blush from  im. E ony duz clobbers.

Temperance wrote:

Oh, LiR, do I really come across as so ridiculously pedantic?

I am ashamed - really.

Sorry Temperance - I was tired when I typed that and it was a rather feeble attempt at humour which obviously didn't work.

I wasn't ranting, LiR - honest. I really was worried you thought I'd notice your triple positives and have stern and disapproving thoughts about them!

Can we restart the Grammar V Comprehensive Wars again - Pleeeeeeze. I failed both  and Reform did no good either. But, LIR, this is no place for a triple positves,dear. Negate, negate, for nongod's sake.

I misread your post originally as "grammar" v "comprehension", Priscilla.  Oh dear, what I typed has come back to bite me on the behind.  I can't remember whether I mentioned this on a thread here, but once a street preacher handed me a tract and I quipped "Do I look so very wicked then?" - words to that effect anyhow expecting that I would get a reply something like everyone was a sinner. Basically the street preacher (was he joking - I don't know?) told me I looked as though I was going to the fiery furnace in a handcart but to meditate on the tract and perhaps the Lord would have mercy on my wicked soul.

Not my day - I originally typed "medicate on the tract" and had to edit quickly.

Oh dear, no wonder this board is so quiet if folk are terrified they will be castigated for grammatical and ideological unsoundness should they dare to contribute.



.

And you are supposed to be a castigator, ferv - a clobbering  supporter of our dictator, or so he hints. And LIR I am much more incomprehensible than comprehensive. As the site fool and quiver free after a life time of fighting people whose egos obstructed courtesy, differing opinion and tolerance,  I may have caused you a  problem in the flak, and  I am sorry if I did. This site gets us all in a doohdah at times.

Slobbering - often, clobbering - never!

Did I sound like "I'm a poor little diddums and everybody's having a go at me"?  'Twas meant to be good-natured banter - oh dear, I'll chalk that up as another fail then. Please don't be afraid of expressing an honest opinion, Priscilla.  Coincidentally I was visiting  another - quite different, nothing to do with history - website where the issue of being honest without being brutal had raised its head. Never mind what the subject matter was (no, it wasn't bodice rippery pseudo-historical novels) but people said if they tried to make constructive criticism in some corners of the bloggersphere (sp?) they were bashed as mean haters from hell, that type of thing, or their comments were deleted.

By the way, when did the world and his wife (or and her husband) all start writing blogs? I know that's a slight exaggeration but bloggings does seem to have become one of the 'in' things to do. A bit like in the 1970s there was the explosion of punk rock and in the 1990s there were a heck of a lot of "alternative" stand-up comedians (some better than others).

Priscilla wrote:

And you are supposed to be a castigator, ferv - a clobbering supporter of our dictator, or so he hints

I have never hinted anything of the sort. In fact I have never "hinted" anything at all. Provide an example please - or do the honourable and honest thing.

I'm not even sure why anyone should be clobbering anyone, even figuratively. Sounds like a Christian thing. Count me out.

Wonderful! A true dictator! You've edited out  the  clobber post  with  skill that would do the papal state proud. Says much for your raising in  the one and true faith. And done without trace - such skill we, the puppets, can only be  in awe. An edit is as close to an apology as you get from the master folks - and note he's fallen back on a Chinese defence line. At my Reform school I was told to  drag in something Chinese when my arguement faltered. You should play Chinese Chess, nordmann; in which the bishop cannot cross the river - and other odd moves.
I ought sing a hymn but all that springs to mind is something that goes along the lines of "Pills of the north rejoice." I have never understood what that one was about. I am counting you out.... One two....etc. Warm Regards, P.

Priscilla wrote:

You've edited out the clobber post with skill that would do the papal state proud.

Haven't a clue what you're on about. No clobber posts have been deleted.

Irrespective of our dictator's skill in editing, Priscilla I thought you were joking about reform school - or did you teach in one?

As I once wrote on the BBC Board, I am a dodecahedron sort of person. Or, possibly like that awful tinned ham, reformed. Oh how I wish I'd taught in a Reform School. I used to be called the Ultimate Deterrent. Otherwise I am rather a quiet person who prefers solitude - especially if played by Thelonious Monk.

Sorry to show how low brow I am (or was) Priscilla, the first time I heard a record on the radio by Thelonius Monk I thought the presenter said "The Loneliest Monk" (well some people do say "loneliest" as "loniest").  I was in my early teens and it was around the time of The Beatles and The Singing Nun and there were some "creative" names for musicians and singers then, though maybe not as "creative" as in the later sixties when the trend was - yeah, love and peace man - all touchy feely communing with the universe.  I agree Thelonius Monk does what he does well.

PS, LIR, I ought say also that without seeking it out or pushing for it, I have had a most extraordinary life, going places, meeting people, having adventures, happenings and experiences - sometimes beyond belief. If I write here of them they are true - but I could not commit to writing otherwise - no one would believe it. And even the worst bits were fun in a way -  because nothing truly awful happened - just  near misses in riot, war, terrors(assorted and frequent) encounters with livestock (wild -  furious on occasion) important people - who are just like everyone else - or worse and so on. See? it all sounds a big lie. And who cares, anyway. But it's been fun. Now I'll shut up for a while after far too much on the site from me. It's just fun to torment the dictator Like all cats I have several lives.

Oh I feel a tad envious, Priscilla (though maybe not of the near misses regarding war etc). Something always went wrong when I planned to go abroad (apart from short sojourns in France, that type of thing).  Once I fell and broke my wrist.  In my early 30s I was doing a part-time degree but thought I'd perhaps travel when I finished it but my Mum had a nasty fall (she had rheumatoid arthritis anyway) and I left London for the midlands to look after her till she was on her feet again but of course she never did walk properly again.  I could have gone abroad in some fashion after I took retirement I suppose but since I took on She Who Must Be Obeyed (aka the cat) that would be a little difficult.  At least you have done something with your life.

Well, I may not have had as exciting a life as Priscilla but I have taught in a reform school. More than one except they weren't called that. On the whole I loved it, the 'reformees' were,  for the most part, great kids, life's survivors, and most of the the 'reformers' were pretty good fun too - a bit odd many of them but that meant I fitted in just fine.

Then, latterly, the education department realised we were there and in their wisdom decided that what these weans really needed were lots of totally meaningless certificates and that there should be tables of results and all that mince.
Fortunately I had the option to retire not too long afterwards and escaped relatively intact.

Tables of results? I could never have worked here without causing a problem - actually I did in north London once when I rebelled against an edict. I had nothing to lose but the others did so I belled the cat.  LIR, I didn't plan anything or had ambitious drive -it all just happened.

And I don't think, ferv, that being the wrath of God is the way to reaching young people, either. I hope you saw through the flippancy. I admit to the belief in firm but just parametres and holding to them yet flexible when circumstances dictate. Troubled children are a challenge and answers hard to find. As for feckless parents, they are problem.  In history social circumstances probably had the bigger influence  on a young person's raising than today. What do you think? You are closer to the scene here.

I think being able to relate and command respect (I don't mean that the pupils would be licking one's boots or anything) from troubled pupils is a quality teachers either have or do not have.  I'm not a teacher but I don't think I could have taught children/young people who had been transferred to a particular school because they had anti-social aspects to their behaviour (though I suppose that begs the question "What is 'social' in this context?").  I've a cousin - though I haven't seen her for some years and am out of touch since her last house move - who at one time headed up a school for children/young people who had missed a lot of schooling, whether through illness, truanting or whatever reason.  She took early retirement when the more specialised schools were absorbed into the mainstream but occasionally does "supply" work and seems to get on well with the sixteen and seventeen year olds who have behavioral/psychological problems etc.  As I say it's not my line but I don't think I could thrive in that environment.

Priscilla you are right, people can make plans but life evolves in a way folk can't really control.

Priscilla wrote:

Troubled children are a challenge and answers hard to find. As for feckless parents, they are problem. 

Their dogs, too. I once had a troubled child, parents and dog in my office for an interesting half-hour. I won over the child and mum very quickly, but dad and dog took longer. Both obviously thought I was a bit of an idiot: they did, however, stop growling at me after a few minutes, which I suppose was a victory of sorts. The scratching, unfortunately, continued until the end of the interview.

I bet Michael Gove has never had one of these weighing him up from under his desk.


Crossed posts!

Ah yes, the dogs. I don't miss knocking on a door and hearing the growls and barks and then the door being opened by someone clinging to the collar of a ravening hound scrabbling to get its gnashers in me. The "Don't worry, he's really friendly" never seemed to help nor did the snarling and clawing at the door of the room in which it was shut make conversation easy. I still think the 15ft snake wins though.

It wasn't always poor parenting though that brought kids our way, sometimes that relationship was in its own way exemplary. I recall one family with several children, each of whom on reaching early teens was turfed out of school because they just didn't conform to the school's expectations. These children were a joy to work with in our setting and a home visit was positively uplifting despite the evidence of minor criminality over generations. Rarely have I known a family who were quite so warm and evidently caring to each other - the whole atmosphere was cosy and, well, happy. Old granny sat in the corner, disabled and with dementia, but clearly an integral part of the family as they all sat round the fire. Admittedly, when granny eventually died, it slipped their mind to mention that fact to the authorities for quite some and the resultant court case was awkward.......

On a completely different topic - my rant today is about the photos I have just had taken professionally for my new passport. I look absolutely dreadful in them. They made me sweep my fringe to one side because no wisps of hair are permitted past the eyebrows and, because you are not allowed to smile, I look hard as nails - rather like the mug shots you see in the Daily Mail of those women who get arrested trying to smuggle cocaine out of Peru. It's not - I hope - a good likeness.

I am mortified, and want it done again - this time with soft lighting and a professional hair and make-up artist attending. And me smiling.

Oh how times have changed.....

This is the passport photo accepted by the Foreign Office for the visit of a certain Dr Randall Davidson, aka the Archbishop of Canterbury, to northern France in 1916:



...... although in those times even 'umble folk could get away with quite a lot. These passport photos are obviously both cut from bigger group photographs, but were still accepted by the Foreign Office for passports. The first is from 1920, the second, of the same person, is from the 1930s: 

Temperance, both my photo for my over-sixties pass and my passport photo make me look like I have had a mug shot taken before being sent to Holloway or somewhere similar.  As for dogs, a little old lady came to the office where I worked as a legal secretary once with her little old dog. (She had been banned from the local supermarket for putting the little dog in the child's seat in one of the supermarket baskets) while she went round shopping.  It's a while ago but I think a solicitor who did criminal work managed to write a letter persuading the supermarket back down (playing on the heart-strings a bit - poor old lady - nearest alternative supermarket was a long way away, she wouldn't do it again blah de blah de blah). My silly cat has been biffing the nose of one of the direwolves next door (house is built on an incline so there is a gap at the foot of the fence and the dog can stick its snout through for a few inches).  But there is the rest of the garden the cat can go in without having to go near the fence but cats will do their own thing.

Love the picture of the Archbish of Canters, MM. Very impressive with his crozier at the ready, n'est-ce pas? Fair few places these days, though, where they'd never let him in - not with that picture stuck in his passport.

I've been looking at pets' passports this morning. Some of their pictures are definitely better than mine.

Although the same grim determination my passport face betrays is clearly evident here. Oh dear.

OK I know this is very silly .... but when my partner was alive he was a CSD (Cabin Services Director) for British Airways. Now BA used to do a Skyflyers program for kiddies (they probably still do) in which children could get their own "proper passport" with their photo, and then when they'd clocked up 10,000 - 25,000 - 50,000 or whatever air miles, they got a certificate presented by the pilot and a little present. So ... I once gave Olivier a badger glove puppet (don't ask) and he got it registered with Skyflyers and used to take it with him to work. So inevitably Fumper Badger, as is his name (and he at least is still with me), clocked up quite a lot of air miles, mostly flying around Europe but with some long-haul trips to the US and the Caribbean (he's even been on one of the last Concorde flights to New York). But Fumper did also regularly earn his keep, often being called upon to entertain bored children in mid-flight, or keep cabin crew spirits from flagging in the mid-Atlantic doldrums.

Here's his BA Skyflyers passport:





.... But once I was flying with Mr Badger in my pocket, and, having sent his passport forward to be signed, the stewardess came back and asked, "Who's the little girl or boy with the cute badger ... the captain's invited them to come onto the flight-deck", (this was pre 9/11) ... and I had to admit that the little boy was actually forty-something ... and he was me!

When she was 6 my daughter had done 50 000 miles and was invited up to the cabin - but strongly refused. Eventually I got a reply to my concern. She thought she did not have quite enough experience to fly the plane yet.

Did anyone watch Newsnight last night? It was the second of two excellent reports on the current conflict in Yemen and looked at whether British arms and expertise are being used by the Saudis. Unfortunately the interview with the Saudi thug general is not on youtube but the one with the British minister is. If ever there was an example of visceral hatred of the BBC made evident in all its spitting, snarling fury, this is it.

When any foreign news channel fans critical observation or even just reports anything  highlighting a dictatorial regime's circumspect policy it is lambasted and often closed down for a  while. I regret that our home news channels have become so parochial these days and that wider issues and such condemnations only come into progs such as Newsnight - which is watched by far fewer. Newspapers are little better.
My own rant is closer to home and very parochial. An army of snails has invaded my new rockery as if it were a 5 star hotel with choice balcony buffets laid out just for them. It's nasty blue pellet time.

Oh Priscilla, my 'gardening' is really a  damage limitation  exercise   but local mollusca destroyed most of my planting efforts. I have admittedly spent a  sparse amount  of time weeding in  the summer months though I  have  suffered severely with hayfever this year despite cetrizine  pills and  have only just started  playing catch-up with the said damage limitation.

I've just seen MM's badger passport - it's great!!