Christmas and New Year report
I may as well post something while it's possible to cross-post to LJ. I seem to be able to access LJ for a few hours late at night, which is making me wonder if Russian state hackers knock off at midnight... Anyone wanting to add Dreamwidth to their portfolio of journals, you don't need an invite at present, though I probably have a couple if you like that sort of thing.
I did say I might post some photos from our Christmas Day walk by the Mersey. They're not all that exciting, but it's an opportunity to remind everyone that the Mersey is that river at the end of my village, where my father and I used to play Poohsticks; it ends up in Liverpool 60 or 70 miles downstream.
Given the forecast for Christmas Day, it was a bit of a surprise that we managed to walk for more than two hours at all. There was a brief, light shower at one point, but the main problem was that the path along the bank was quite muddy.
The current was very fast, and the amusing thing which this photo fails to convey is that the birds (geese?) were facing into it, so they were whizzing backwards at great speed.
And then we had a moment on the set of a Hitchcock movie.
Then some gulls lined up to watch the water pouring over the weir.
And then we went home and watched Doctor Who.
On Boxing Day, we went to see The Hobbit, and I am looking forward to hedgehogs playing a significant part in the climactic battle(s) in part three. They could roll themselves under the wargs' paws like caltrops, or hurl themselves in orcs' faces. Also expecting John Watson to display his skills with conkers any time now.
And on the 27th we went to see Rats' Tales, Carol Ann Duffy's retelling of mostly Grimm tales at the Royal Exchange Theatre. Earlier in the day, I went swimming for what I've calculated was the 20th week running, though unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to make it 21 this week, and indeed my attendance may be patchy for the next couple of months. It was a very good time to go - usually I swim from about 9.45 to 10 p.m., which is when the pool shuts, but last week I got there about 10.15 a.m. and there were only four people in the water, who must have arrived when it opened at 10 as they all got out about 20 minutes after I started. As there was no time pressure and I had the place to myself I just kept going, and managed a full hour and 60 lengths, which is a record.
So that was quite a good Christmas, with some very nice visitors.
Tabitha seems pleased with the new computer chair, which is the old computer chair, reupholstered in red because the old covering had holes in it. She spends a lot of time sitting on it, with or without the human cushion.
Programme alerts: Cabin Pressure is back next Wednesday, January 9, at 6.30 p.m on Radio Four. Apparently I was right about it being Birling Day, but it's Timbuktu not Toronto. They play rugby in Timbuktu?
And there's going to be a BBC dramatisation of Wodehouse's Blandings novels, with Timothy Spall as Lord Emsworth and Jennifer Saunders as Connie. As soon as I heard David Walliams was in the cast, I thought "He's got to be the Efficient Baxter" and he is. Starting on Sunday, January 13, at 6.30 p.m. on BBC One.
Also posted on Dreamwidth, with
comments.
I did say I might post some photos from our Christmas Day walk by the Mersey. They're not all that exciting, but it's an opportunity to remind everyone that the Mersey is that river at the end of my village, where my father and I used to play Poohsticks; it ends up in Liverpool 60 or 70 miles downstream.
Given the forecast for Christmas Day, it was a bit of a surprise that we managed to walk for more than two hours at all. There was a brief, light shower at one point, but the main problem was that the path along the bank was quite muddy.
The current was very fast, and the amusing thing which this photo fails to convey is that the birds (geese?) were facing into it, so they were whizzing backwards at great speed.
And then we had a moment on the set of a Hitchcock movie.
Then some gulls lined up to watch the water pouring over the weir.
And then we went home and watched Doctor Who.
On Boxing Day, we went to see The Hobbit, and I am looking forward to hedgehogs playing a significant part in the climactic battle(s) in part three. They could roll themselves under the wargs' paws like caltrops, or hurl themselves in orcs' faces. Also expecting John Watson to display his skills with conkers any time now.
And on the 27th we went to see Rats' Tales, Carol Ann Duffy's retelling of mostly Grimm tales at the Royal Exchange Theatre. Earlier in the day, I went swimming for what I've calculated was the 20th week running, though unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to make it 21 this week, and indeed my attendance may be patchy for the next couple of months. It was a very good time to go - usually I swim from about 9.45 to 10 p.m., which is when the pool shuts, but last week I got there about 10.15 a.m. and there were only four people in the water, who must have arrived when it opened at 10 as they all got out about 20 minutes after I started. As there was no time pressure and I had the place to myself I just kept going, and managed a full hour and 60 lengths, which is a record.
So that was quite a good Christmas, with some very nice visitors.
Tabitha seems pleased with the new computer chair, which is the old computer chair, reupholstered in red because the old covering had holes in it. She spends a lot of time sitting on it, with or without the human cushion.
Programme alerts: Cabin Pressure is back next Wednesday, January 9, at 6.30 p.m on Radio Four. Apparently I was right about it being Birling Day, but it's Timbuktu not Toronto. They play rugby in Timbuktu?
And there's going to be a BBC dramatisation of Wodehouse's Blandings novels, with Timothy Spall as Lord Emsworth and Jennifer Saunders as Connie. As soon as I heard David Walliams was in the cast, I thought "He's got to be the Efficient Baxter" and he is. Starting on Sunday, January 13, at 6.30 p.m. on BBC One.
Also posted on Dreamwidth, with
comments.