Saturday, January 12, 2013

A Bit Of History



I watched a biographical movie about Benjamin Disreali Prime Minister of England in the 1850’s. After the death of his wife he tried to hand in his resignation to Queen Victoria, she refused citing the war clouds gathering in Europe led by the Russians. He was so bereaved he felt others could do it....She said "who"? He rattled a few names off names one of which was the name Cardarvon.....an ancestor of the now real Earl of Highclere castle that is used in the current series Downton Abbey!!

The Crimean War was one of the results of the many Russian campaigns during that time. One of the battles there was the Battle of Balaclava led by commander the Earl of Cardigan. I kid you not. Seems there was a clothing theme going on lol. The suicidal mission was immortalizes by Lord Tennyson's Charge of the Light Brigade.
Who says history is boring?





Thursday, January 10, 2013

Testing The Waters Or Lack Of....

This item is a gift for my ever expanding indoor flower collection (there are also 3 babies on my window sill) and I needed to stop guessing about whether the plants need to be watered or not.
As you can see my sofa is quite dry--and that's a good thing!



The Calm Before The Storm

The weather man is threatening us with a big snow snow storm over the next 48 hours. With that in mind I ventured out in the still blue-hue of this morning to forage for food. As I was standing at the checkout I happened to look out the windows overlooking the parking lot and lo and behold there was a Downy woodpecker In a small tree closely. Downies are not rare here that's for sure but for one to be jamming away in a busy parking lot in a small tree is! I dare say he got the weather report too and thus his bold and adventurous spirit today.











Wednesday, January 9, 2013

MOUTH WIDE OPEN

I spent an hour and a half reclining in a chair with my mouth wide open at 9 A.M. this morning. Mornings are hard enough to face without having this prospect looming as the day barely dawns on you.
When the dentists decided a couple of years ago to build a new office they did so in grand style sparing little in the way of quality and visual pleasantness and obviously the latest in dental technologies. Before I even entered the first time I thought it was a bit pretentious for the size of our little city. On first glance it looks like a two story building with huge front windows facing south, quite awesome but I think it is like the false front on stores in old western movies.
Today as I was waiting in the room usually named as such, I noticed that the metal chairs had the Apple logo on them. Now if that isn't pretentious enough the glass doors to the torture chambers also sported the apple with a bite taken out of it.
I dare say that their expenses could have had a bite taken out of their bottom line by buying cheaper comfortable chairs. Or cosy slippers instead of paper ones which afford little protection from the cold slate floors. Or automatic doors for some who almost can't get into some buildings without them. I guess you have to cut corners somewhere. I'm just sayin'
You've heard it said "If you got it, flaunt it." I don't subscribe to that thinking, but that's just me.

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Fun Day

If you look like your passport picture, you probably need the trip.

For every action, there is an equal and opposite government program.

Not one shred of evidence supports the idea that life is serious.

My idea of housework is to sweep it with a glance.

If you're too open-minded, your brains will fall out.


Winter

It's dark outside and I find it so hard to get started in the mornings this time of year despite the fact that the days are really getting longer unnoticed day by day? I do know that about the middle of next month it becomes very noticeable and my spirits will be lifted.
In the spring and summer I'm up before 6 A.M. when not much is happening except the birds and the breeze. When one can sit outside with a cup of coffee and drink the beauty in as well and hope you can get away with being in your housecoat or pyjamas!