SimonM

We use oxtails from William Rose to make stock too - overnight in the bottom of the Aga >:D

The owls are not what they seem

>>Just started reading Clockwork Orange but couldn't understand the Anglo-Russian so put it down after 1st page<< A pompous pseud writes:- You are not supposed to understand the language right away - but if you persevere you pick up the meanings the same way any other mew language is picked up. When the film was released in 1973(?) Penguin pubished a paperback edition with a language glossary at the back you could refer to, and Anthony Burgess was apparently deeply irritated by this! Getting to grips with the lingo is all part of the sublime cultural experience that washes over one when one surrenders to the literary smorgasbrod Burgess so wittily lays before us etc etc...

I believe that for years it was hotel only for men - and no I don't understand the rationale either - but it has looked rundown for years - no decades! Is it actually being renovated as hotel or gutted and done up as flats?

...and stirring a huge pot of fairtrade chocolate? B)

Well the irony was instantly apparent to me.....but I confess it's a trifle worrying that others' first reaction was to take yoru words at their face value. And relying on emoticons to convey a mood or nuance is I think the first resort of the inarticulate and should be eschewed at all costs >:D<

>> remind me when it is published and I will give you one (a book I mean...) I will try not to soil it with my muddy hands.<< What a very generous gesture! However I shall be more than happy to fork out for a copy myself, and will naturally write a fulsome review on Amazon (even if I do buy my copy in the Village or at the much-maligned Chener!) provided that you agree to sign it with your very own deliciously muddy digits...B)

>>I don't believe there was ever a time when every "normal" local popped in just for a half. << Good point. I think "Coronation Street", with its Rover's Return, & EastEnders with the Vic, have cultivated this myth. I doubt it was even true in 1960 when CS was first broadcast, but of course this sort of pub is an absolute gift for serial drama writers :))

>>Anyone ever read anything by Peter Tinniswood>> Yes! Years ago I read the whole canon - cannot recall all the anmes but I think the first was called "The Book of Daniel" or something; another was "I didn't kmow you cared". The whole lot was made into a TV series featuring "Uncle Mort" and all the other larger-than-life characters. The humour could be espeically especiually appreciated if you grew up/spent a lot of time in South Yorkshire (I believe the late Mr Tinniwood was originally a journalist on either the Sheffield Morning Telegraph or Star". He also wrote some rather droll stories with a cricketing flavour...

Although I love (plain) chocolate Leibnitz the really really great news recently was my discovery that Chcolate Olivers were now available again after several years' absence, if you know where to find them....>:D

>>And Helen Lederer lives on the same road but a stones throw away.>Oh it's like Mulholland Drive up here.<< Yup. Borrowed a cup of sugar from Naomi Watts only the other day B)

>>Anyone know why it's spelt in the american fashion?:D

>>I am rather attractive for a retired brickie from Penge - don't you think? I smoke a pipe in real life and smell like a >>wrestlers jock strap!:D< I look forward to the book signing at Village Books all the same! :)-D Such a shame it is not being published in December though as it would have solved the Christmas present problem for all the women in my life at a stroke....:))

oh and, (madly replying to myself), for a book that can be read once and only once I'd suggest "Portnoy's Complain">:D

>>Is anyone here a re-reader? Are there any books you've enjoyed so much that you've returned to them again and again?<< I never tire of re-reading "Catch 22" - and also re-read "The Great Gatsby" every 5 years or so :)

Hmmm...Enid Blyton eh? But C S Forester was also from ED - so how about a life-size model of Bogie pulling "The African Queen"? >:D

Myself I would like to watch some local cricket, whilst sat in a deckchair applauding excellent strokes and/or inspired fielding, and maybe buying a delightful afternoon tea from either the Beer Tent or the Pavilion. I used to do this many many eyars ago in South Yorkshire, where of course cricket is taken seriously at every level...

>>the principle is that as a society as a whole we throw away too much and beyond recycling and freecycle you can feed>yourself perfectly well by using good food thrown away by shops.<< Bit ti has to be vegan food no?

Then I'm against 'em, If we must have a tacky chain shop could it at least be a tacky British chain shop that uses proper English by God?!

I looked at their web site too, and see that they sell pants but not pants, so to speak. What about us chaps that still wear trousers eh?

>>I shall write on the back of my postcard that -ize is actually the 'correct' spelling of many English words, and that the blanket use of -ise is merely a widely-accepted alternative<< I would surmize that that's about the sise of it...B)

>>>Some babies were born with the mother not immediately certain of what name to give the child. These children all had >>>their name entered on the birth register as "Mary" so that the Blessed Virgin (RC country) would look after and >>>protect them. Hence I had two uncles called Mary! (Behind their back you understand? - Joseph and Anthony to their faces...) Oh this story has real resonance for me, as my father, born 1923, was almost called "Mary" too, as the Priest (for a reason I have never been able to estabish) thought this a wonderful notion, so he did. This was not Ireland, but South Yorkshire, although my grandfather was catholic and his parents had both been Irish. My grandmother however was Chapel and bigger than my grandfather so the Priest was shown the door...:))

>>>How cool. I wish you well SimonM even if you clearly don't reciprocate ;-P >For the record my best mate at uni was a huge Owls fan and his little brother a Blade, and my mate would delight in>going off on painfully researched diatribes to belittle his brother's chosen team.>I can honestly say I've wasted no opportunity to give Lawrie a thumbs up when seeing him in recent years at how much >he must be enjoying rubbing his older brother's nose in it these days.<< Well good. That is the stuff to give him! And to show there are no hard feelings I hope you beat the Pigs (we never refer to them as "owls") 5-0 twice next season!:))

I have just found out that both the Man Utd v West Ham and Sheff Utd v Wigan games are being televised live by Sky. We are due to arrive in Harrogate for a week early on Sunday afternoon and I have yet to inform SWMBO that I have already lcoated two Harrogate pubs with big Skyports screens.....:)-D>:D

>>Yes, very good result for both of us last night. Europe beckons for the Spurs again and it's bye bye Charlton. I wouldn't worry too much about the Hammers game at Old Trafford because I think Sheffield Utd will stuff Wigan and, well after the result against Bolton at the weekend I reckon you're pretty safe. Best of luck though, just in case<< I'm a Sheffield United supporter and I am certainly not expecting anyone to get "stuffed" at Bramall Lane on Sunday: I reckon it will it be pretty grim, much like the recent game against Watford. Obviously I want us to win - but, like a lot of other premier league club supporters, will not shed that many tears if we lose 1-0 and West Ham get stuffed and deservedly relegated at Old Trafford.