Thought for the day:"I am trying hard to get into the New Year Spirit - but I can't get the cork out"
Best get ready with the old facebook covers for the New Year
From the Crimson Moon
From Vollsanger
and a change of face...
and a New Year Wish...
From me (“the wisher”) to you (“the wishee”). Please accept without obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, politically correct, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, celebration of the northern hemisphere winter solstice / southern hemisphere summer solstice holiday, practised within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious / secular persuasions and / or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.
I wish you a financially successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2017, but with due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures or sects, and having regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith, choice of computer platform or sexual preference of the wishee.
By accepting this greeting you are bound by these terms that:
This greeting is subject to further clarification or withdrawal.
This greeting is freely transferable provided that no alteration shall be made to the original greeting and that the proprietary rights of the wisher are acknowledged.
This greeting implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes.
This greeting may not be enforceable in certain jurisdictions and/or the restrictions herein may not be binding on certain wishees in certain jurisdictions and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher.
This greeting is warranted to perform as reasonably may be expected within the usual application of good tidings, for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first.
The wisher warrants this greeting only for the limited replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.
Any references in the greeting to “the Lord”, “Father Christmas”, “Wise Men”, “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” or any other festive figures, whether actual or fictitious, living or dead, shall not imply any endorsement by or from them in respect of this greeting, and all proprietary rights in any referenced third party names and images are hereby acknowledged
Thought for the day:"What's a foot long, made of leather and sounds like a cold? A shoe."
It was three years ago that I sang at the Cross Hands Cinema building and one of the acts with me was a lady who had a lovely voice and wrote her own songs - Amy Wadge. I was privileged to play earlier in the session and one of my first public appearances with a microphone ...
I enjoyed..
this is a song that I filmed her playing - one of hers - called "Seventeen"
At the time she was writing with a young up and coming singer songwriter in collaboration - his name was Ed Shearan and the songs that they were writing were destined to stay at the top of the charts for months - changed her life I understand - certainly paid the mortgage - and she now jets around the world as a celebrity ... She is just one of three rock star ladies I know - but I think she is probably the most successful ..
It seems that she was born in Backwell near Bristol, where my parents lived while I was at College in Aberystwyth.
Wiki tells me : Apart from writing songs for herself, Wadge has been active in collaborating with new performers in Britain, most notably Ed Sheeran. Wadge and Sheeran collaborated on a number of songs together, and Sheeran titled his self-released 2010 EP Songs I Wrote with Amy. One track was included with the deluxe edition of Sheeran's album. Wadge continues her collaborative relationship with Sheeran in 2014. The single "Thinking Out Loud", written on a guitar given to Sheeran, features on the album. She has also written with Lewis Watson, with tracks "Halo" and "Sink or Swim" appearing on the album The Morning (All of the Songs), and she has collaborated with Shannon Saunders, Anna Pancaldi and numerous other notable artists.
Thought for the day :"Someone threw a bottle of omega 3 pills at me - luckily my injuries were only super fish oil"
So, a morning of lots of presents - and a visit from my mother in her wheelchair proved a bonus for us all. Until we got back to her home of course - when we were faced with the lift being broken. I now find out that it broke yesterday when Erin was inside, but it was working fine as I left this morning... So, a bit of a dilemma - except my mother then decided to walk up the stairs like a sprightly 60 year old instead.... I was steadying her from behind - but she did all the work - so a good day for her as well...
Smells of food cooking downstairs - maybe time to start with a little sherry
Meanwhile...
Please be advised that all persons planning to dash through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh, going over the fields and laughing all the way are required to undergo a Risk Assessment addressing the safety of open sleighs. This assessment must also consider whether it is appropriate to use only one horse for such a venture, particularly where there are multiple passengers. Please note that permission must also be obtained in writing from landowners before their fields may be entered. To avoid offending those not participating in celebrations, we request that laughter is moderate only and not loud enough to be considered a noise nuisance.
Benches, stools and orthopaedic chairs are now available for collection by any shepherds planning or required to watch their flocks at night.
While provision has also been made for remote monitoring of flocks by CCTV cameras from a centrally heated shepherd observation shelter, all facility users are reminded that an emergency response plan must be submitted to account for known risks to the flocks. The angel of the Lord is additionally reminded that prior to shining his/her glory all around s/he must confirm that all shepherds are wearing appropriate Personal Protective Equipment to account for the harmful effects of UVA, UVB and the overwhelming effects of Glory.
Following last year’s well publicised case, everyone is advised that EC legislation prohibits any comment with regard to the redness of any part of Mr. R. Reindeer. Further to this, exclusion of Mr. R Reindeer from reindeer games will be considered discriminatory and disciplinary action will be taken against those found guilty of this offence.
While it is acknowledged that gift-bearing is commonly practised in various parts of the world, particularly the Orient, everyone is reminded that the bearing of gifts is subject to Hospitality Guidelines and all gifts must be registered. This applies regardless of the individual, even royal personages. It is particularly noted that direct gifts of currency or gold are specifically precluded under provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act & Money Laundering Regulations. Further, caution is advised regarding other common gifts, such as aromatic resins that may initiate allergic reactions.
Finally, in the recent case of the infant found tucked up in a manger without a crib for a bed, Social Services have been advised and will be arriving shortly.
Thought for the day :"So, this Thesaurus I just bought has only blank pages - I have no words to describe how angry I am!"
Found this little clip and was rather fascinated ..
11,000 penguins fight 4,000 Santas
But in other news - the Mark Masons Christmas newsletter sums up some of the good deeds done this year ....
Mark Masons’ Hall London December 2016
Dear Brethren,
Once again it’s been another packed year!
In January the Grand Master, M.W.Bro. H.R.H. Prince Michael of Kent, GCVO opened the Smile Support & Care Centre for disabled children in Waterlooville, Hampshire following a grant of £169,000 by the Mark Benevolent Fund (M.B.F.) The M.B.F. quickly stepped in again as flooding ravaged the north of England and Wales and £100,000 was distributed amongst stricken Provinces.
April saw Most Illustrious Companion Kessick J. Jones Installed as Grand Master of the Order of the Royal and Select Masters in the footsteps of Most Illustrious Companion J. Alan Wright who served as Grand Master with distinction for 11 fruitful years.
In June Prince Michael of Kent celebrated his 34th year as the Most Worshipful Grand Master of our esteemed Order. We are honoured by his commitment and dedication to Mark Masonry. The 148th Mark Benevolent Fund Anniversary Festival in July was hosted by the Province of Devonshire in Torquay raising a magnificent £1,014,000. This is only the second time in the history of the M.B.F. that the one million pound mark has been exceeded. A sterling effort!
Sadly, August brought a devastating earthquake to the centre of Italy. The M.B.F. immediately sent a grant of £25,000 to the District for the relief of Brethren and their families affected by the disaster.
I announced my retirement from the office of Grand Secretary in September this year and this will take effect from the June Investiture meeting. My successor will be your Deputy Grand Secretary, V.W.Bro. Ryan A. Williams, P.G.J.O. It has been a great privilege to have been able to serve as Grand Secretary and I wish Ryan every success in this most challenging of roles.
These are just a few of the events during 2016 and I am sure you will agree that the administration and catering teams at Mark Masons’ Hall, have continued to pull out all of the stops to make sure that everything runs as smoothly as possible. Looking forward, 2017 brings the M.B.F. Walk to take place in May and is set in some of London’s most famous parks, Hyde Park, Green Park and St James’s Park. We hope that many of you from the Provinces will join us in this most worthwhile of fundraising events.
Finally on behalf of everyone at Mark Masons’ Hall, may I take this opportunity, during these turbulent times, to wish you and your loved ones a very Happy Christmas and a Peaceful, Healthy and Prosperous 2017.
R.W.Bro. Lt Cdr Angus PD Hannagan, RD, P.G.J.W. Grand Secretary
Thought for the day:"I've just got home and found all the doors and windows open and everything gone! What kind of sicko does that to someones advent calender?!!! "
Bad weather in Haraklion stops flights - we are watching as flights are cancelled...
Fingers crossed for a later flight for Bethan and Scarlet..
In the meantime..
Who is the Baddie ?? No-one will ever know !!
Thought for the day:"Irony ?? Dying in the living room !"
Yesterday saw another known person die - Rabbi Lionel Blue passed away aged 86. I used to hear him regularly on the Radio, I thought Radio 2 back in the days of "Morning Morning Jameson here!" though his obituaries mark him as a regular on Radio 4. Used to enjoy his rambling, find out now that he was a pioneer and the first Gay Rabbi to come out... apparently, when he had prostrate Cancer in 2000 - he decided to write his own obituary and broadcast it. Nope - not going to try that one ...
Today was an early morning day. I don't normally "do" early mornings ... happy to rest until the crack of ten, but the kitchen flooring is coming today - don't know what time - and the agreement was that I would lift the old flooring. Fed the dog, let the chickens into the coop, not allowed into the garden at the moment as there is Bird Flu around, and popped around the corner to get some milk for a well earned cup of tea.. No idea when they will come - but we are ready for them...
5 Days until Christmas - Best change some cover pictures .... and finish a video ...
Thought for the day :"Remember when the teacher said "You won't have a calculator everywhere" - well we showed them !"
Last few days of 2016 - and the last few celebrities to pass on their way - Zsa Zsa Gobor today ..
But she did get to 99 !!
Other than that I have had a day that my mother would have enjoyed in the old days - I have been to the dump so many times! there are great advantages in having chickens in the back garden. Fresh meat that tastes great - occasional eggs - though some are still free- loaders - but to be honest the one part that is less than glamorous is the disposal of the chicken urr "stuff"... Especially if it is collected into blue bags over a period of months and then left to sit and ferment in its own juice and sawdust and hay...
So, deciding to get to the dump today - armed with a number of blue bags (stuff for recycling), some various bits and pieces destined for the warehouse to make room for a few nefarious guests over Christmas ( BAH! Humbug) - I broached the piles garden waste and festering chicken poo ...
Had to pump the tyre up on the trailer - and it took two trips to unload the lot ...
Used some latex gloves this time - learned my lesson from the last time - where my hands stank for a week despite washing every day...
Clothes into the washing pile - not usable for anything else...
But job done ...
Rip up the Kitchen flooring tomorrow so the new stuff can be laid...
And working on a video
new piccie for the Crimson Moon
Thought for the day:" I hate it when I see an old person and realise I went to school with them !"
So.. there was a task!!
Somewhere in the warehouse there are Christmas decorations from two years ago - I had a fairly good idea that I had put them somewhere accessible at the time - but later forgot and covered them in boxes.... but probably in that far corner on the right...
Then I got a request last night from some good friends who sent us some CD's several years ago to see if we could sell some at the Christmas Market in Caerphilly. Well we managed to sell a few, and sent some money off to them - and thought that we would bump into each other as we passed around the medieval re-enactments.. Meanwhile the box with the CD's sat on the shelf in the living room. It was not really in the way, tucked behind some books ...
But, after being away in Germany, Susie decided to re-arrange the mess that was our main bookshelves - so on my return I re-arranged the second bookshelf to hold all the files ... And I moved the stuff that was on the shelves - most likely into a box which would then get sent to the warehouse....
One of those boxes ! No idea which !!
So - since I was looking for the decorations - I started in the right corner and duly found the tinsel after moving about 16 boxes and checking as I went along... Having cleared three columns, I had a choice to carry on form the back and work to the front - or start the next row from the front and work backwards.. Good Choice!! Box 27 !!
Found the CD's ... still in pristine condition !!
Will have to pop to the Post Office tomorrow ...
Would be nice if there was a system - but the original idea was to move and get a big barn - and every day would be a pleasant surprise as we opened a box and decided what to keep ! I think I was just lucky today !
I'll drink to Luck!!
(Actually I'll drink to anything !!"
Thought for the day :"Guess who got their life together … Not me - but someone somewhere in the world probably did "
Most of the time Facebook puts loads of rubbish between the posts from friends and photos of kittens, but occasionally one of the news items that creep in catch my attention. This was one of them. It seems such a simple idea. Crash Barriers are designed to do that - stop a crash, prevent further damage etc, but in many cases a hit onto a crash barrier will tip the vehicle, somersault it, or cause severe damage to everyone involved. I agree it is probably better than having no barrier in many cases - but this little idea caught my eyes. A crash barrier made from wheels that can take the impact and spin to reduce the damage....
New Barriers - South Korea
Worth taking a little look at the way it works - via Youtube...
Thought for the day:"I don't need anger management - I need people to stop annoying me"
So, my wife says to me today - "what is it about Londoners that means that the remnants of Cockney, or at least the East Enders legacy means that even today - Londoners tend to drop their "th" into an "f"?" Well, that wasn't the full question, because we all understand that that speech mannerism is set in history and tradition. No her real question was why it is not consistent.. F for "Fings" and "Fursday" and such like - but I have never heard a Londoner say Fis or Fat instead of This and That.
So if you are capable of using the "TH" in some words - why not others?
I do not have an answer for it - I simply raise a question...
But - having been asked the question - it appears that the subject is called th-fronting - and there is a full entry in Wiki about it. It is all about Theta (ð) turning to EFF (f) - but also it refers to "TH"
(ð) turning into VEE (v) in the middle of a word... An example given is BATHE turns to Bave... A study shows that though it is rare for the latter style of th-fronting to occur at the start of a word, such as the one I mentioned - THAT becoming VAT - this was found in the speech of South-East London in a survey completed 1990-4...
Th-fronting is a prominent feature of several dialects of English, notably Cockney, Estuary English, some West Country and Yorkshire dialects, Newfoundland English, African American Vernacular English, and Liberian English, as well as in many foreign accents (though the details differ among those accents)..
Well - if you have a question there is an answer out there!!
A 2003 study found that th-fronting was most prevalent in and around the cities of London and Bristol.The first reference to "th"-fronting in London speech occurs in 1787. By 1850 it appears to have been considered a standard feature of
working class speech in the city, and had the same status in Bristol by
1880. The use of the labiodental fricatives [f] and [v] for the dental fricatives [θ] and [ð] was noted in Yorkshire in 1876.In his 1892 book A Grammar of the Dialect of Windhill, Joseph Wright noted variable th-fronting in his district in words such as think, third and smithy.
In 1988, it was noted as spreading amongst non-standard accents in England. Although th-fronting is found occasionally in the middle and upper (middle) class English
accents as well, there is still a marked social difference between
working and middle class speakers. Th-fronting is regarded as a
'boundary marker' between Cockney and Estuary English, as depicted in the first descriptions of the latter form of English
and confirmed by a phonetic study conducted by researcher Ulrike
Altendorf. Nevertheless, Altendorf points out that th-fronting is found
occasionally in middle class (Estuary) speech as well and concludes that
"it is currently making its way into the middle class English accent
and thus into Estuary English".
In popular music, the singer Joe Brown's 1960s backing band was christened The Bruvvers (that is, "the brothers" with th-fronting). The 1960 musical Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be was stated to be a Cockney Comedy. Even if it was written by Lionel Bart
An article in the Telegraph in September 2016 stated that multiculturalism was causing th-fronting to spread and that the /θ/ sound would disappear from British speech by 2066...
Well - today the Chateau 41 was bottled and Demi-Johned
It beginning to look a lot like Christmas ..
Have a Dalek
