segh: Whatever happened to cottage cheese?
G.: All the cottages got turned into second homes.

SIX NAMES YOU GO BY:
Beth (to friends)
Elisabeth (to people who don't know me so well)
Mrs Hopkin (to people who don't know me at all)
Diakonissa (to people at church)
Byrne (to my best friend)
Bat - well, if there's anybody left who knew me at school!

THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW:
Black clothes (because it's Sunday and I always wear black to ( Read more... )

I just did a survey on attitudes to Christmas. It included a long list of aspects of the season, and you were invited to say which three you liked most and least. I was happy that "belief in Santa Claus" was mentioned, so that I could mention how much I loathe it ( Read more... )

Well, the party's over now. But what a hell of a party it's been ( Read more... )

We've just spent a week in the Lake district, but I won't bore you by rhapsodising about the scenery, or cursing the weather, though I could go on for some time about either; I will merely mention that http://www.johnbyhall.co.uk/johnby/Johnbyhall%20index.html is probably the loveliest place we've ever stayed, and that we did indeed see a red ( Read more... )

G: Where's Peter?
Rick: I think he's in the bath, reading Middlemarch.
G: But it'll be cold before he's finished!

Last night I dreamed that we had a swimming pool in the front garden. (Which, I should mention, is about six metres square.) When I mentioned this dream to G. he said that you couldn't dig a swimming pool in the front garden, because that's where all the utility pipes come in.
Of all the reasons for not having a swimming pool in the front garden ( Read more... )

We've been having a lovely few days with Kit, Adam, Rick, Andrea (his girlfriend) and Peter. On Sunday we went to Lullingstone Roman Villa (an old favourite of ours; now has added movie and stuff). On Monday we saw Crazy for You at the Open Air Theatre - it rained lightly but persistently but the show was such fun we easily ignored it. On Tuesday ( Read more... )

I spent a few days in Sheffield, finishing off the bridesmaids' dresses for the wedding of serenasnape 's brother and then attending the wedding. I can speak highly of the Rutland Hotel, where miss_next and I spent two happy days having a sewing bee. I can't speak so highly of the roads around Sheffield, which feature frightening junctions and confusing signage. On ( Read more... )

I got my harp exam certificate today. It tells me that my qualification is worth 22 credits at Level 3 of the QCF. According to the government's website, each credit represents a notional 10 hours of learning. So I should have had to practise for an average of two hours a day for about 18 weeks to get Grade 6.
Seems about right, actually.