Dreaming with a Receding Hairline. (Though I’d prefer a receding Hareline)

I’ve been waxing nostalgic recently. Perhaps it’s because once again I’m ready to pick up my life and move it to a new, unexplored place. Perhaps it’s also because of the frustrations felt by having a life that’s not come together quite as planned. Maybe the reason why I’m writing this is because I saw my hairline receding today, not bad, but the skin around my temples is growing a bit more exposed — that and the fact that I see more and more grey hair.

I’ve grown wistful about the things I’ve never seen. I wonder, how is it in Spain? Is it beautiful or only disappointing? How are things really in Portugal? Is it really a country where one can lose onself drinking a bica, watching the sun go down over Lisbon? Continue reading “Dreaming with a Receding Hairline. (Though I’d prefer a receding Hareline)”

Only a couple of weeks to go….

Photo comp #25

Come on, fellow Charioteers. There are only two (very good) entries so far. Surely some more of you can come up with some photos of musical instruments.

It does not have to be anything grand, although it could be. Your kid’s school recorder, your toddler’s Fisher-Price drum or even a comb and bog paper. The potential for full use of your imagination is endless. 🙂

A breath of fresh air for Hay-on-Wye’s festival

So the Hay-on-Wye Literary Festival is spreading its influence to Budapest next month.

Budapest-the-Hay-Festival-heads-east-to-Hungary (DT article)

I suspect it might get some of the pretentiousness knocked out of it when it encounters the writers from the former Communist bloc countries who know what lack of freedom really is.  Anyone with time to spare can inspect the damage to the impressive parliament building caused by Russian tanks not that long ago.

A Grand Day Out

Cold and wet with a blustery wind: that’s what we woke to this morning. The forecast did not suggest any improvement for the rest of the day.
After that lovely spell of hot Spring weather a week or so ago, we have returned to normal Easter Bank Holiday weather, here in Oxfordshire.

What to do?
With two boys disinclined to join in (understandably as both have major exams in the coming Summer term, and both need to revise) we three adults, Cyclomaniac, his mother (Milly) and me, decided to visit a National Trust property.

We are members of The National Trust and as such pay an annual fee and receive in return a regular newsletter, a handbook and free entry to many properties around the UK. Some of them quite spectacular.

Today’s trip was to Claydon House in Buckinghamshire, only about a half an hours drive away. The house is managed by the National Trust, but the gardens, grounds and other aspects are still in the hands of the Verney family, who live in a wing of the house.

After wandering around the outbuildings where we found arty shops and galleries, plus the cafe for a quick lunch we considered the garden tour, but given the biting wind and the earliness of the season, we decided to come back to investigate another time. We went next to a small bookshop… second-hand books in a warm snug room, with comfy chairs and several families enjoying the books. It was completely unmanned, and to pay  there was a small posting slot in a door. All done on trust at the National Trust!
We came away with garden books, novels, a hardback copy of AA Milne’s ‘When we were Six’ and spent about £15 in all!

Next the house. Continue reading “A Grand Day Out”

Christina Schmid

It is reported today that she is “moving on”.

Having lost A Zangada and found the NSW, I wish the lady well.  Staff Sgt Olaf ‘Oz’ Schmid

and my RFC fighter-pilot grandfather are the names I think most about on Remembrance Day.

References to the former are the only comments I do not feel worthy to sign with my usual moniker.  I shall therefore sign

O Zangado

Who do you think you are kiddding, Mrs Windsor?

Yes, I know how sensitive cherished colleagues are when it comes to Buck House and its endless soap opera. But p-lease. The ever-loyal DT opines how ‘wonderful to see how (Camilla) has won the public over’, thus deserving the Queen’s gift of the ‘Dame Grand Cross’. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/queen-elizabeth-II/9193856/A-gracious-gift.html

I’d be absolutely astounded if any opinion poll supported such a statement. I believe the public’s perception is still of a manipulative interloper who has succeeded in bagging the rôle she wanted all along. She will never be forgiven for ousting Diana, whatever gloss the Windsors choose to put on it.

Just to cheer you up a bit.

I gather it has been a grim rainy day in the UK today for most so I thought I’d tell you about Mt Baker to cheer you up.

On Saturday I was driving up the valley towards the mountains and noticed that the Sisters looked much whiter than usual.  They normally  show high rocky ridges exposed at the summit delineating the glaciers (7500′), but they were completely enveloped in snow, no ridges showing, most unusual for April!

Out of curiosity I checked the precipitation stats. Evidently we received over 21 FEET of snow up there in March ALONE.  I’ll let you know whether they ever manage to open the roads up there this summer.  I am not placing my bets in favour.

So you see that rainy day could be a deal sight worse.

Remember the old proverb. “I used to complain I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet.”

Happy Bank Holiday.

Only four days left

That is, if you fancy your chances of winning the Chariot’s exciting Easter pome competition (or if you just like messing with words).

There are plenty of targets at which to aim your vitriol, I’m sure – or on which to lavish your praises too. From the Tideway Twerp to Shivnarine Chanderpaul, from Assad to Bubba, from Balotelli to Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger. The very stuff of the classic cinquain.

Backside

Alter ego

Never looks back

Can’t avoid his gaze

Pest