ABOUT ME

I live in a camper van with a West Highland Terrier for company.
My passion is creating images but it is a work in progress.
I am always willing to share what knowledge I have and can be contacted through the comments on this post or e-mail ADRIAN
ALL IMAGES WILL ENLARGE WITH A LEFT CLICK

Friday 3 August 2012

HO HUM! (03/08/12)

Yesterday was van test day…………it didn’t fail…..it didn’t get that far as it requires a new handbrake cable and everywhere is closed for the duration of the hopping, skipping, blubbing and falling down extravaganza in London.

Whilst waiting for the verdict on the camper I switched on the television. Television has a novelty value for me. I watched Murder She Wrote, a bit of a very strange programme which featured an old lady and an excitable chap of dubious sexual orientation selling an antique diamond ring in an auction room. The lady and her mentor seemed to find the whole process the zenith of exciting experiences……..Like watching paint dry for me.

I swapped channels and found the hopping, skipping and jumping. This was the nadir of entertainment.

First up were two girls in pyjamas who kept patting each others hands then falling over. This they repeated for a while then one won….Thank the Lord!

We then switched to a group of chaps shooting clay pigeons full of red powder. This was much better, Bang-Bang-Puff! It dragged on for a bit but we won…….I use we in the context of the royal we, like 99.99% of the population I can claim no credit. A fat Swedish man was second and an interesting chap in a woolly hat who seemed to be from the Balkans somewhere was third……I think.

It got better, canoeing, this was more like it people paddling their hearts out and raising a sweat and risking being drowned. We won and  got second place, the latter they were robbed by us. Time for a comfort break………..for me not for them. A wonder no one appealed……..they were useless sobers.

The coverage switched to rowing……..not at the same venue. Pity really, the sight of a coxless four  rowing down a white water course would have been well worth paying to for.

My entertainment was far from over…….ladies and gentlemen bicyclists doing a velodrama in the velodrome. The velodrome cost thirty eight  million pounds. I remember this because I was told every thirty seconds by the commentator. Thirty eight million for something that resembles a flattened wall of death. Folk set off peddling as fast as they can one drops out then another and the one at the end is the winner………I think. It’s miles wide and they only use a bit of it near the middle.  Scintillating stuff!

It was enlivened by one poor soul falling off, he was one of ours so they let him have another go. It took a while, they had to find him a new bike and a clean pair of socks which for reasons that are beyond me he wears over his shoes, a bit akin to Superman and his knickers. Clean socks?…….I’d have needed a change of underwear if I’d wobbled off in front of all those people. It was time to fetch the truck…………Little wonder there are empty seats.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAMatt summed things up much more succinctly.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Alfie found it totally unwatchable………..It is possible to discern the results of my attempt to clip his coat with the horse clippers.

Today has been much better, early morning mist and a bright start to the day.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA I’m on my way to get the paper.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Contre Jour the French call this……….I call it blown. I prefer the French, they ‘ave a way wit foreign words.

Back for breakfast and after a dismal performance with the crossword we set out for a walk along the Tees.

augbrcroft1  Over the bridge we toddled. Butterflies by the dozen but non would pose. I was a bit late. Can one be a bit late? One can!…. If one can be a bit pregnant.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA  This is a field full of Flax. A useful plant, it’s seeds make linseed oil for cricket bats and paint. It’s stems make linen for serviettes and shirts and the rough bits they use for rope.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA It’s a pretty plant………worth growing at home for decoration and doubly so if one has a cricket bat or requires a new table cloth. For the latter one has to break it, scutch it and heckle it……….worth the trouble if after your labours someone asks what one has been up to……….’Not a lot, a bit of scutching and heckling.’……’Scutch you flax, Rubbish to you flax!’…….Be more entertaining than watching girls play ‘pat a cake’ and then falling over……On second thoughts they did broaden my mind, they do end up in some interesting positions.

It was time for home and lunch and a dog wash……………………………

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA ‘It looked like water……….it really did!’……..’Can’t we just let it dry and brush it off?’ Dirty little mites.

Have a great weekend……..go shopping. The economy needs you.

26 comments:

  1. Great post Adrian. Bang on form.

    Love that misty shot, and the bridge.
    The Flax certainly is a wonderful plant; and so many uses.
    The dogs.......aaahhhh, so photogenic.

    Enjoy your weekend.

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  2. Ta Keith, the dogs are wee buggers. Good companions though.

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  3. Love the shot of Matt, he seems to have the same opinion of TV as I do. Like the misty shot, but love the spider web! Hope you get the van going again without too much expense.

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    1. Gillian Matt is an artist and an anarchist. My only problem with him is.........lack of respect. This oly business is serious man, innit!

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  4. Come on, you miserable old bu***r you, these are top class affaleets that you're dissin!! Don't you realise that they've spent months, nay years, away from home travelling around the world trying to find a nice warm climate and the perfect conditions in which to build up their beautiful bodies so that they can all come back home for two weeks and play in those expensive playgrounds that we've had built for them!! they must deserve at least a little pat on the back, surely!!

    Great post Adrian...Interesting facts on the Flax (try saying that quickly!) and it's the misty street that wins the Gold!...[;o)

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    1. Trevor, a good slap is what they need. His Lordship Coe wants hanging......what a balls up. All that money spent on activity mortals like me cannot begin to understand. It's giving me a complex bigger than the complex they have built. I need help from a health service we can no longer afford.
      I got the flax stuff off Wikipedia.....was not something I knew. No matter.......it helped with today's story.

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  5. HI Adrian...Your TV watching description in so right on..you should or could have been a critic writer!! I always enjoy your rambling!! : }
    Flax seed has become an expensive little thing in the health food stores, and expensive to...I only enjoy the lovely color of the flowers myself..not interesting on chewing on the seeds!!
    The cobweb is gorgeous..like crystal beads hanging from it!!
    Love those dirty dogs...well that doesn't sound good...cute scruffy little mutts!! lol ; }
    Grace

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    1. Grace, you are too kind.
      Don't eat flax seed it will bung you up. If you are a curry aficionado eat it mixed with chalk. We call it putty and use it for holding widow glass in. If it can contain big sheets of glass it can contain big sheets.

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  6. I loved your post - better than the commentators. The pictures are great and the dogs are so cute!

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    1. Ruby, it's about time you came out of the closet and used your real name. Indians now own half our industry and we are grateful.
      People are bad, good, evil and saintly but non of these attributes have any connection with colour or race.......with the exception of Scots when we play them at rugby they are totally beyond the pale. Now and again they have the temerity to win a match.

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  7. Not an Olympics fan, eh? :)

    So is flax and wild chicory one and the same? The lovely blue flowers are called the latter around here.

    Lovely photos one and all. I especially like the road shot.

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    1. Hilary. Olympics.......were it amateur I'd support it and cheer. Sport should be fun....I see no fun here nor in pro soccer. It's just business. I hope these atheleets understand this.
      I like the road shot it is in colour but as i hate blow out I won't print it.

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  8. Adrian, this is absolutely wonderful. I haven't laughed so much in ages. Thank you!

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    1. Ta, I'm mad as a box of frogs. Glad I got a chuckle.

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  9. Ah you have me laughing with your TV experience:) It sounds rather interesting....should turn it on once and awhile. I did catch the Olympics and GB's gold and silver wins. That was fun. Love that spiderweb and view of the road. Hope you enjoy the weekend. Chris:)

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    1. Don't even think about switching the box on. Rubbish it is.

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  10. I really like the one of Alf on the couch. The bridge is nice as well, and yes, the boys are very cute.

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    1. Horst, should have bracketed Alf. I am an anorak, feel undressed without a camera..........just a grab shot. Ta!

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  11. I enjoyed your description of the Olympics. I don't watch it at all.
    Great flower shots.

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  12. "...after a dismal performance with the crossword we set out ..." If you will try doing the crossword with a couple of dogs I'm not surprised the performance was dismal. Which same certainly cannot be said for your post which displays your wit at its best. I truly wish that I could write like that. As it is I can't even think like that. The misty street with the high contrast is very atmospheric and gets my vote.

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  13. Beautiful dogs, they were a bit dirty!!! I now know why Flax is great, it's 'cause of the cricketeer.

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    1. They were a whole lot worse........Filthy little devils.

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  14. You've watched more of the 'lympics than I have - what stamina the man must have. I've missed the Matt cartoons as they have been relegated from the front page - the only bit I get to see on line.

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  15. Great post, and great pics Adrian! This is the most coverage I have gotten so far.

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