Sunday, December 28, 2014

Mutterings - Dec 28

This week's free word associations from Unconscious mutterings are:
  1. Locked out :: Strike
  2. Hourly :: Rate
  3. Criminal :: Negligence
  4. Seventeen :: Janis Ian
  5. Assistance :: Legal
  6. Closes :: Handbag
  7. Cubicle :: Headphones
  8. I´m just saying :: Lie
  9. Paperless :: Office
  10. In charge :: Management

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Mutterings - Dec 21

This week's free word associations from Unconscious mutterings are:
  1. Disappointment :: Despair
  2. Searching :: Wandering
  3. Counters :: Snakes (and ladders)
  4. Snippet :: Paste
  5. Carol :: Concert
  6. Tiresome :: Rage
  7. Booger :: Sniff
  8. Freak show :: Vulnerability
  9. Summarize :: Bullet point
  10. Heartache :: Separation

Saturday, December 20, 2014

A Pennine pub crawl

A bit back now I joined a group doing a rail trip back from Hudderfield via various pubs - this was the report from one of the travellers:
We weren’t de-railed but “beer-railed” on Friday 21 November when eight blokes from All Saints visited five hostelries in Yorkshire. After re-grouping on Piccadilly Station, Manchester, we travelled to Huddersfield where the magnificent station provided a large range of alcoholic drinks and excellent food (not at all fast). Off to Slaithwaite (pronounced “Slouwit”) for a short walk to a friendly local for more beer. Back to the station and next train to Marsden, down-hill to village and pub with brewery attached. More beer (some had very large sausage rolls to assuage their hunger). Back to the station and next train(s) to Greenfield and later Stalybridge for repeat performances. As the rain fell heavily and more and more of us squashed together in the platform shelters with the other groups (about 50 men), on the same pilgrimage, the noise and banter level increased proportionately to the amount of alcohol consumed. Phil met some former colleagues but this paled to insignificance when one of our party admitted (under pressure) to being the father of Jamie Donaldson. This most enjoyable trip ended for most at roughly 9pm and our thanks are due to Phil Marsh for his communication and leadership skills. “We’ll all drink to that!”

Monday, December 15, 2014

Mutterings - Dec 14

This week's free word associations from Unconscious mutterings are:
  1. Stuck :: Down
  2. Elevator :: Buttons
  3. Vaccine :: Ebola
  4. Pepsi :: Cherry
  5. Rotund :: Waistline
  6. Wonder :: Awe
  7. Solo :: Hans (that's a little alarming!)
  8. Voodoo :: Pins
  9. Sticky :: Back plastic (Blue Peter's non advertising circumlocution for Sellotape - oh dear I think that'll need translating too!)
  10. Summarize :: Bullet points

Sunday, December 07, 2014

Mutterings - Dec 7

This week's free word associations from Unconscious mutterings are:
  1. Fantasy :: Final
  2. Square one :: Chess
  3. Impostors :: Masks
  4. Hydrate :: Test tube
  5. Card :: Christmas
  6. Respects :: Last
  7. Big city :: Manchester
  8. Alert :: Danger
  9. Scrabble :: Domino (the names of our first 2 cats)
  10. Neighborhood :: Friendly

Wednesday, December 03, 2014

Disgrace



Last week, silkscreen showed Disgrace, the film of the J M Coetzee novel. We read this in our book group a few years ago - I can't find any mention of it on this blog. A study of shame, forgiveness and the new South Africa. It's very true to the novel (as far as I can remember!) as it confronts a nation in a state of change. Watching the film will probably lead - for me - to a re-read of the book!

The Cold season

Those who follow me elsewhere may have already picked up the news that I'm working again - out of IT - driving for a local artisan bakers Flour Water Salt - very local to us - 5 mins walk from the house. I get to drive though quiet bits of Cheshire countryside and there's frequent visits to Jodrell Bank. Today was the first really cold day, so here's a photo and a quote from T S Eliot's Little Gidding:
Midwinter spring is its own season
Sempiternal though sodden towards sundown,
Suspended in time, between pole and tropic.
When the short day is brightest, with frost and fire,
The brief sun flames the ice, on pond and ditches,
In windless cold that is the heart’s heat,
Reflecting in a watery mirror
A glare that is blindness in the early afternoon.
And glow more intense than blaze of branch, or brazier,
Stirs the dumb spirit: no wind, but pentecostal fire
In the dark time of the year. Between melting and freezing
The soul’s sap quivers.
Being out in the countryside in this cold, clear light brings life..

Tuesday, December 02, 2014

Teaser Tuesday - Dec 2



Teaser Tuesday

The rules are:
  • Grab your current read.
  • Let the book fall open to a random page.
  • Share with us two (2) 'teaser' sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
  • You also need to share the title and author of the book that you’re getting your 'teaser' from .. that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given!
'What earthly use are what-ifs?' she asked, pulling a golden muffin off her long fork and reaching for the honey. 'I was born in the body allotted to me.'
Something warming for a winter evening! From Emma Donoghue 'The Woman who gave birth to rabbits' a collection of fictions which are true. The quoted sentences come from the 'Salvages' tale - a wonderful collection of whacky tales full of entertaining historical detail. This is a re-read for me.

Monday, December 01, 2014

Mutterings - Dec 1

This week's free word associations from Unconscious mutterings are:
  1. Smug :: Complacent
  2. Swan :: Song
  3. Ginger :: Nut
  4. Doctor :: Finlay (harking back a bit!)
  5. Handshake :: Masonic
  6. Studies :: Op 42 (Scriabin piano work)
  7. Pond :: Life
  8. Register :: Awareness
  9. Surgery :: Forceps
  10. Compass :: Moral
.. a little late!