Year: 2009
December 25, 2009

Final Score: Christmas Lunch 0, Chris & Friends 3 (after extra time)

So as I posted earlier in the month, what might have been a solitary Christmas for me turned out not to be, as two of my board-gaming friends found themselves on their own as well, due to various circumstances.

Originally, I had ordered a stuffed turkey leg joint, which should serve 2-3 typical portions, and would have fed me with plenty of leftovers for Boxing Day. When John said he would join me, I thought it would still suffice, but on hearing Bob could make it too, I decided to get a breast joint instead, serving 4-6 people.

Read the Post <span class='p-name'>Final Score: Christmas Lunch 0, Chris & Friends 3 (after extra time)</span>
December 25, 2009

White Christmas

Some of you looking outside this morning may be surprised to be told that we will probably not have a White Christmas in England this year, although Scotland may achieve it.

This is by the definition of bookmaker William Hill, which claims a White Christmas requires actual snowfall over the 24 hours of Christmas day – according to them, the couple of inches of snow already on the ground does not count.

Read the Post <span class='p-name'>White Christmas</span>
December 20, 2009

Desert Island Discs – Michael Caine

I’ve been listening to the Sunday repeat of Michael Caine’s Desert Island Discs (on BBC Radio 4), and it has to be said he has a surprising range of music in his choices. The opening song was Cold Play’s “Viva la Vida”, he also had music by Elbow and Bent’s “Swollen” (making a joke that someone should do a mashup of the two and call it “Swollen Bent Elbox”); as well as more conventional choices, such as Elgar’s “Nimrod” and John Lennon’s “Happy Christmas (Was is Over)”.

All in all, a very pleasant show, and worth listening to – it should be up on Iplayer in a little while.

Read the Post <span class='p-name'>Desert Island Discs – Michael Caine</span>
December 10, 2009

New Toy

I have been watching/listening to a lot of Ukulele music recently.

I was already a bit of a fan of the instrument, from my exposure to the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain and Israel Kamakawiwo’ole

Read the Post <span class='p-name'>New Toy</span>
December 9, 2009

Game: Tobago

Last week I popped in to see my friends Robert and Janet, as I was working in their area. We had a very pleasant evening, during which we played Tobago.

It’s a delightful game, where the players collaborate in adding clues to up to 4 treasure maps that will lead them to treasure; but when the treasure is revealed they are trying to beat each other to the richest pickings.

Read the Post <span class='p-name'>Game: Tobago</span>
December 6, 2009

Planning for Christmas

I’ve just ordered my Christmas from Riverford Online. As well as a good selection of veg and fruit, I have ordered a small stuffed turkey roast, Xmas pudding, mince pies and other bits and pieces. Riverford have a minimum order of 25 pounds for meat orders, so I made it up with some pork and mutton, which can always go in the freezer, if it doesn’t look like being used.

This Christmas is going to be a strange one. For years, we have been round at my brother’s house, together with mum and dad, and my sister-in-law’s parents. Even when dad was in a nursing home, we would manage to get him to my brother’s for Christmas dinner – on a couple of years, mum and I even had two Christmas dinners – an early one at 12 at the nursing home, and then a late one, mid-afternoon at my brother’s.

Read the Post <span class='p-name'>Planning for Christmas</span>
December 5, 2009

My point exactly

Being of a certain size, larger than the usual sizes stocked by high street stores, I do a lot of shopping online.  Although full marks to Debenhams, who recently sold me an instore, off-the-peg suit without any fuss, surprise or embarassment – I even let them sell me the shirt, tie and belt to go with it, I was so pleased.

However, I find the problem with online stores – specifically clothing stores – is you only have to order from them once, and they start sending you regular paper catalogues. Now, to me this seems unnecessary; after all, they already know that I buy online. But the catalogues pile up on the doormat, and are then moved straight to the recycling.

Read the Post <span class='p-name'>My point exactly</span>
December 1, 2009

USA Tour 2004 – now in WordPress

I have been doing a little bit of tidying up.

In 2004, I was kindly invited to be the British Guest of Honour at Conterpoint, the American NorthEast Filk Convention. I’d originally planned to fly out the week before the convention, and maybe stay for a few days after. However, I very quickly received many invitations to visit and stay with various people on the East Coast, and eventually my planned trip was going to last a whole month.

Read the Post <span class='p-name'>USA Tour 2004 – now in WordPress</span>
December 1, 2009

USA Tour 2004 – now in WordPress

I have been doing a little bit of tidying up.
In 2004, I was kindly invited to be the British Guest of Honour at Conterpoint, the American NorthEast Filk Convention. I’d originally planned to fly out the week before the convention, and maybe stay for a few days after. However, I very quickly received many invitations to visit and stay with various people on the East Coast, and eventually my planned trip was going to last a whole month.
Wanting to keep a record, and also to keep in touch with the folk at home, I wrote a small and simple journal application, that I could easily maintain during my travels. It worked really well, most of the journal text was written and uploaded direct from my Palm, while photos were taken and uploaded from a mobile phone. When I got back, I added a further archive of photos taken on my camera.

Read the Post <span class='p-name'>USA Tour 2004 – now in WordPress</span>
November 24, 2009

Another one to watch

November 21, 2009

One step forward, two steps back.

The information in this post will be old news to many of you, but it was new to me, so I will still moan about it.

A few months ago, my increasingly-tatty paper driving licence finally fell to bits. It had already been repaired with tape, so I thought it was time to get a new all-singing-and-dancing photo-id license. It would be easy to keep in my wallet – unlike the paper license – and I would have it wherever I go.

Read the Post <span class='p-name'>One step forward, two steps back.</span>
November 20, 2009

Remembrance

Today I met up with my brother and sister-in-law for the last part of saying goodbye to mum; the burying of her ashes, and my dad’s plaque being updated to commemorate both of them.

It was only a short ceremony, as the main service had been at her cremation, back in August.

Read the Post <span class='p-name'>Remembrance</span>