BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)

Subject: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 24 Dec 16 - 04:48 AM

I am pretty sure it was Joe Offer coined the phrase 'the usual suspects' to refer to a small section of Mudcat who appear to have long running battles. These include, but are not limited to -

Me
Steve Shaw
Keith A
Raggytash
Teribus
Jim Carroll
Akehaton
Bobad
Greg F

In an effort to help us better understand each other may I suggest that we all have far more in common than we have differences. The main thing is, of course, we are all human and, presumably, we all love music. But what else do we have? I will start

I am 63; been married for 43 years; have 5 children and 2 grandchildren; I like fantasy books and comic book films but also enjoy historical 'faction' such as Sharpe and Hornblower; my favourite bands are Jethro Tull and Steeleye Span; my favourite type of folk music is English dance and most things Scottish.

I would also like to invite those brave folk who have to keep us in check to join in, again including but not limited to -

Joe Offer
Acme
Jeri

It's Christmas day tomorrow and chances are, after about 4pm today. I shall spend the holidays in a haze of turkey, pies, wine and whisky so, prior to that, may I take the opportunity to wish you all a very happy and peaceful winter festival, however you celebrate it.

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 24 Dec 16 - 04:59 AM

Cheers Dave.
I am sure we have much in common so it hurt when you claimed moral superiority over me yesterday.

I have read all the Sharpe books and some of Cornwell's pre Norman stories too. Also Hornblower and similar.
3 grown up children and a grand child from each.
I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer October last year so I did not expect to see this Christmas. I am well at the moment.

I remarried three and a bit years ago and will enjoy a family Christmas in a full house. May yours be as joyful.
keith.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: DMcG
Date: 24 Dec 16 - 05:18 AM

Good idea, Dave. As I said some time ago, these battles do tend to limit other people's perception of the combatants to their fields of battle and omits the fact they are real, complex humans with lots of other interests.

So I will follow up your lead. I am 63, still full time employed, largely UK but occasionally dragged in to help with issues in the US branches of the company. A mathematician by training with IT stuff in all its aspects a large part of what I do. My main musical interests are the traditional ballads, with both Child and Bronson at my elbow as I type, but I look wider than that and have presented 'feature evenings' at my main club on "The Hammond Brothers" and "Alex Glasgow". I love the theatre in all its aspects and in the past month have seen The Northern Ballet's version of "Beauty and the Beast", Damian Barber and co in "The Lock Inn", Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band's current version of "Carols and Capers" and Lindisfarne. I was supposed to see a local West Gallery group "The Madding Crowd" last night but my wife was too exhausted.
I have three children: two sons (36, 33) who live in the UK and a daughter (30) who leads a complex international life but is at home with us for the next month or so.

While I consider myself quite well read, there are huge areas of ignorance, especially anything to do with sport (in quizzes my entirely family delegates these questions to my eldest son, and if he is not available we resign ourselves to a zero score on that section except by sheer luck.) I am also very weak on history for various reasons. And I have never got anywhere with spoken foreign languages, but a smattering of stuff I have picked up over the years enables me to vaguely guess a lot of German, French and Italian written notices etc given time.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Iains
Date: 24 Dec 16 - 05:24 AM

Seasons Greetings to you all. Best Wishes for the New Year.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 24 Dec 16 - 07:30 AM

Thanks all. Apologies for the hurt, Keith, it was unintentional but let us not bring any disagreements into this please.

I know you were a Scottish Cousin of the tG's, McG - Almost the same name, same age and both into computers! I am a Unix and High Availabity specialist and work for a major supermarket chain. I enjoy it and intend going past 65, possibly part time. I am also useless on sports and don't really understand a lot of it but do enjoy watching the odd game of football. For recreation I tend to stomp about my local Airedale with the occasional foray into the 3 peaks area.

Keep 'em coming :-)

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 24 Dec 16 - 08:25 AM

As you know, I prefer to split us into suspects and convicts. 😂

All my lot will be here tomorrow. Turkey with the works. The gathering will be entirely heathen as this midwinter ceremony should be. If Jesus was born at all it was on July 25, several years before Christ. There's the Christmas Day dip at Crooklets beach in Bude in which I'm being severely pressurised to partake for the first time ever. I had to give up playing in sessions a couple of years ago due to my hearing loss but I've been playing the harmonica this morning, a few polkas, reels and Christmas songs. Got all sentimental over the Pogues and found Thousands Are Sailing, Rainy Night In Soho and Summer In Siam on YouTube. The Nobel committee that picked Dylan have obviously never heard of Phil Chevron and Shane. But Beethoven is unshakably my favourite as he has been for the last forty years. Driving back from Manchester last Tuesday I listened to Clifford Curzon playing the Emperor Concerto, Stephen Kovacevich playing the Diabelli Variations and the Smetana Quartet playing the E flat late quartet. Kept me awake! Oh, and that new Planxty retrospective I started a thread about recently.

It was our ruby wedding last week too.

Merry Christmas from Steve Rambleaway. 😉

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: bobad
Date: 24 Dec 16 - 08:37 AM

Wesołych świąt Dave, et al.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Raggytash
Date: 24 Dec 16 - 08:50 AM

Go for the Dip Steve, I've done the Boxing Day Dip here twice, Christine three times, bloody cold but great fun AND we raised a lot of dosh for the Rescue Boat.

Out of the water, red hot Tomato soup washed down with a dram, get dry and go to the pub at Lunchtime..................champion.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 24 Dec 16 - 09:02 AM

This is fun although I'm now a sporadic poster to MC and try to stay out of the angrier threads.

Me 57, lost interest and dropped out of school mid physics chemistry and maths A level. Hobbyist level with IT but can hack out some Java python, etc. or my own needs. Work included forecourt attendant/car cleaner, setter/operator making automotive parts and a bit of stock/MRP.

Music comes and goes a bit but favourite area usually comes back to the Irish tune session. Since getting the marvellous present of a 12" pot Ome banjo, tenor banjo is back as favourite instrument. All that said I think I can enjoy and join in with a reasonable selection of folk. I'm much more small event and participate than possible concert goer. Other music tastes I suppose are varied eg. I still have memories of glam rock of my childhood can enjoy some classical music etc. Some music I take to, others bits I can't stand…

Books. I probably view them as possible references and haven't been a regular reader since teens. Favourite books are probably J Mead Falkner's Moonfleet and Phillipa Pearce's Tom's Midnight Garden – kids books but I think an adult who's not read them could still get something out of them.

Pets currently 2 ageing cats but we've had all sorts in the past. A sheep, geese ducks, peacock, rescue things like a carrion crow and bats, a ferret as well as other cats and dogs.

nadolig llawen or whatever.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 24 Dec 16 - 09:09 AM

Thank you, Bobad and счастливого Рождества to you and yours :-)

Yes, Steve, go for it! I will think of you...

The rot has started here. Picked up son #3 from Manchester and twin daughters from just down the road. The car is now staying put until Boxing Day,unless Mrs G wants running to Satans Church in Keighley on Christmas morning. Oh, hang on, no, St Anns, not Satans. Anyway feet up. Glass of Tamnavulin and a raspberry ruffle. Bliss.

We have 11 for Christmas dinner tomorrow.

I don't want this to be about me but a couple more things that may be common ground. For jeans, I only ever wear Wranglers! I have model train set that is currently undergoing major engineering work to install a river and, as its centre piece, I have a not quite to scale model of the unseen university from Terry Pratchett's Discworld.

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Dec 16 - 12:11 PM

Thank you, DtG, and that reminds me, time to let one of the usual suspects out of the digital hoosegow . . .

Despite years of decluttering threads (an homage to katlaughing who loved to read those) I do participate in the music threads (I need to get back to one - a Sandburg American Songbag project that Joe initiated). Every now and then someone living in an over-stuffed house emerges in the current thread and reveals their lurker status and USUALLY also reveals that they went ahead and did it - cleared out a room or a house. Makes the rest of us slow-motion declutterers feel like duffers, but it is nice to have inspired someone to get started.

There is always sound in my house - a radio in every room - and I have an extensive classical CD collection. I originally had a modest set but got lucky at an estate sale (300+ high end CDs in a 30-gallon bin with a disparaging handwritten note on top "All Classical.") I was examining the bin, wondering if I wanted to dive in, when the woman running the sale walked up and complained "I'll never sell those. $20 and the bin is yours." Sold, and it took two of us to lift and carry it to the truck. (Think about all of the high quality name brands out there - Naxos, EMI, DGG, Angel - they make up most of the contents.) Upon examining the collection I speculate that the original owner must have taught a music class in which various conductors' styles were compared and includes a remarkable sub-set of non-religious vocal classics.

My father was a folksinger (who loved classical) and I know many of his songs, but I am not a performer. I confine my music to the piano and the antique family instrument needs to be restored one of these days. I have my dad's extensive folk collection here and have slowly been working my way through notes and papers. He was also a retired reference librarian so the collection of obscure song books is the motherlode for researchers. I need to transcribe the reel-to-reel and cassette tapes and donate them one of these days (probably to the University of Washington, since Bob Nelson - Deckman - has already donated a number of performance recordings there that include dad).

Family-wise we're to the stage when the grown kids live elsewhere and we stagger our holidays on the calendar (this year the xmas eve/morning events are on Dec. 28 and 29). One runs a university computer lab, the other is a computer science geek for the one of the world's largest online retailers. Son and his girlfriend are at her parents home now, and they fly here early on the 27th. My daughter lives an hour north in a particularly active and vibrant college town. Several of them share a house, and she'll probably bring a friend down for the festivities. We plan to prepare three of their father's Puerto Rican recipes for xmas eve dinner so the kids learn some of their Abuela's recipes. Their dad lives nearby, it's one of those we-get-along-much-better-when-we're-no-longer-married situations and we do all of the major holidays together.

I still work full-time in higher education, though am planning to retire some day and move into a new job for a few more years. In January I will begin volunteer tutoring K-12 students in a program near my university; I'm an organic gardener and I cook most foods from scratch. I can (hot water bath process), freeze, and otherwise preserve much of what comes out of my garden and since the garden is in full view in the front yard I share produce with my neighbors. They don't see a jungle of tomatoes, okra, and eggplant, they see many summer meals in the works. I love the mudcat food threads (something that Rick Fielding was so brilliant at starting when he was here).

Will this work for you, Dave? :)

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 24 Dec 16 - 01:12 PM

It works brilliantly, Acme, thank you. We certainly have a lot of common ground. My Dad was not what you call a folk singer but he was a singer and musician of no mean talent. I shall process your information better when I am out of the Christmas fug and and I am sure there will be plenty more to talk about.

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 24 Dec 16 - 01:49 PM

It's nearly seven o'clock and I'm just off to find a bottle of fug. Or two.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Charmion
Date: 24 Dec 16 - 02:03 PM

And a merry Christmas from Ottawa, where we are having a slushy last shopping day. I'm off to acquire a fish for supper, then it's church till midnight. No fug; I can't afford to fall asleep in case somebody shakes incense over me.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: keberoxu
Date: 24 Dec 16 - 03:40 PM

This thread isn't for my benefit, however it has made my Christmas this year much more fulfilling and worthwhile, thank you. I'm keeping my username on, as I don't feel like slouching into the spotlight, but my metaphorical hat is off to all of you.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 Dec 16 - 04:04 PM

A Christmas present for the Usual Suspects (taken from my all-time favorite movie):

Major Strasser: [arriving too late to stop Victor Laszlo from escaping] What was the meaning of that phone call?
Captain Renault: [pointing to the plane] Victor Laszlo is on that plane.
Major Strasser: [after looking at the plane] Why do you stand here? Why don't you stop him?
Captain Renault: Ask Mr. Rick.
Rick: [sees Strasser begin to move toward the telephone, and draws a gun] Get away from that phone!
Major Strasser: I would advise you not to interfere.
Rick: I was willing to shoot Captain Renault and I'm willing to shoot you.
Major Strasser: [picks up the telephone] Hello?
Rick: Put that phone down!
Major Strasser: Get me the radio tower.
Rick: PUT IT DOWN!
[Strasser draws a gun, he and Rick both fire simultaneously, Strasser falls mortally wounded, shortly afterward, some police arrive on the scene]
Captain Renault: Major Strasser's been shot.
[Renault looks at Rick, Rick gives him a look]
Captain Renault: Round up the usual suspects.
[the police pick up Major Strasser's body and leave, Renault looks over at Rick, who is smiling]

Here's looking at you, kids! Remember, we'll always have Paris....

Merry Christmas!

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: DMcG
Date: 25 Dec 16 - 02:51 AM

Merry Christmas to one and all! I am awake before the rest of the household so a post here is permissible on Christmas Day.


I've explained before but 'DMCG' related to the fact that the first time I used the Internet the computer only allowed four letters in login names so I have been that ever since when internetting. Dave McGlade at your service. Not Scottish, directly, but it is likely the name is a corruption of MacLeod somewhere and somehow.

I went to a local midnight mass which did their usual thing to irritate me: carols beforehand, starting with the ones we hear all the time then moving towards the ones which are still standards but not heard as often, such as "See amid the winter's Snow". What annoys is they always have more carols than time so they never get to these ones and end up only singing the 'shopping mall standards'. But I had a breakthrough at my local folk club this year when I got them to ditch our old carol leaflet and replace it with some more folky ones. Nothing too rare, of course, since carols are essentially communal but a reasonable selection. One oversight though: one of our regulars is blind, so she was a bit excluded. However, thanks to the RNIB a Braille copy of the booklet I had made arrived yesterday..

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Mr Red
Date: 25 Dec 16 - 05:52 AM

Well I ain't that complex. Give me a red T-Shirt and a pint of decent cider, and a dance to go to, and a partner who can dance, and a decent band, at a week long festival, in the summer, by the seaside, and ............. another 50 red T-Shirts and .................

Oh! Maybe I am complex, or persnickety. But, I hope, not disagreeable. Maybe you disagree!

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 25 Dec 16 - 06:08 AM

Somehow that makes me think of

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.

And mum's favourite.

And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

But when rarely I do look at verse I'm more Pobbles with no toes...

Not sure what that would make me.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 25 Dec 16 - 08:26 AM

Anyone know if it is still called Buck's Fizz if it is made with Prosecco BTW? I would like to know what I had with my Breakfast is called. Ms G did go to Satans church so I had to limit it to the one but I see no reason not to make up for it now. :-)

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 25 Dec 16 - 08:31 AM

Do gnomes like Jimmy Shand then? more Irish dance tunes (although not really into dancing) myself (as said before)

but where would we be without the Bluebell Polka?

And I think he was a master at his accordion.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 25 Dec 16 - 08:35 AM

I am a bit more colour co-ordinated Mr R. A veritable dedicated follower of fasion. Not! Today's ensemble is the usual Wrangler jeans over Royal Stewart tartan boxers and purple socks under tan suede slippers topped by a pink, yellow and blue checked Fat Face lumberjack shirt. Don't think I will be winning any catwalk prizes :-)

As a lad I used to try to keep up with the latest trends but gave up about 50 years ago. My favourites are still, as I said, Wrangler jeans but I also like Ben Sherman shirts - Only when I can find them in a charity shop :-) I like Rohan and Mountain Warehouse gear. Not just for walking but general leisure.

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 25 Dec 16 - 08:38 AM

I love Jimmy Shand. Trying to learn accordion myself but it is just a basic 72 bass piano one - nothing like the Maestro's.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Senoufou
Date: 25 Dec 16 - 08:49 AM

Dave, that's just how I've imagined you look; brightly coloured and jolly, having read all your lovely posts with the jokes! You've made me laugh such a lot over the past year, so thank you, and Merry Crimbo!!

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 25 Dec 16 - 09:34 AM

Compared to me Dtg, you sound like a "Dedicated follower of fashion". I like pockets to fit things in - mobile phone in one, then I like a dedicated torch for this rural spot. Then if I do get out, house keys are needed, mostly playing fretted strings I might need a capo...

Fleece jackets do the job.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Senoufou
Date: 25 Dec 16 - 09:57 AM

Jon, my husband always wears trousers/jeans with pockets all down the legs, which he stuffs with all sorts of gubbins. Then he walks about in town looking like a man with grossly deformed legs.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Charmion
Date: 25 Dec 16 - 10:16 AM

I am a fashion-proof person living in wintry Canada, where flannel is a very good idea at this time of year. Consequently, my usual turn-out is jeans (with flannel lining when the thermometer drops below -10C), a t-shirt or light-weight cotton turtleneck shirt (again, depending on level of mercury in thermometer) and a Black Watch tartan flannel button-up shirt on top. This sartorial splendour is always accompanied by earrings: pearls on normal days, bezel-set sapphires on days when I go to the gym, and the diamonds that Himself gave me for my 50th birthday on high days and holy days.

I don't fancy Jimmy Shand, preferring the banjo to the accordion. Give me bluegrass, honey, with Old Time fiddling on the side!

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 25 Dec 16 - 10:59 AM

I'm wearing an Asda short-sleeve shirt and my tatty old ten-quid M&S shorts that I've had for 15 years. And ancient sandals that cost me five quid. It's so hot in this house. Everybody else is dressed up posh. I don't give a damn.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Jeri
Date: 25 Dec 16 - 11:01 AM

For the record, the "BS" designation happened because some folks didn't like the silly discussions about recipes and cats and their personal lives up there with music. It was never "designed" to be anything, other than a warning to serious music people that they might not like the thread. The split (upper/lower) happened later.
I'm pretty sure Max would be happier with a love-in than with interminable fighting. The funny/silly/friendly discussions were the glue that held things together. But I DO remember him saying that Mudcat is what we all make it. Turns out it's what only the most persistent and figuratively louder people make it. But we take the best and disregard the rest (if we can manage to let it slide).

I just bought two heavy flannel shirts and a couple lightweight ones. I'm feeling very flannelphilic these days. Got jeans, got boots. It's beautiful out and I don't have anything going on. First time I've been not not home in years, so now I get to see what all the elderly hermits do on Christmas.

Have Merry/Happy Christmahanakwanzika, y'all. I'm planning a repast that honors the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: akenaton
Date: 25 Dec 16 - 12:51 PM

Jon Freeman... Jimmy Shand and his Scottish Country Dance Band were very popular in the Fifties and early Sixties in the West of Scotland.
Saw him play several times as youth. He was regarded as a master of "tempo"....He was followed in the sixties and seventies by his son Jimmy Shand jnr who also played for country dancing. There was a plethora of bands who did the circuit filling village halls and larger venues all over the country.

Unfortunately the dancing more or less finished with the advent of TV people in remoter areas being unwilling to venture out with ready made "entertainment" in their own front rooms.

Great days and a great community though.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Raggytash
Date: 25 Dec 16 - 03:00 PM

I have just had a most wonderful day. Up early, my good lady and I opened the presents we had bought for each other then I retired to the kitchen.

Made a loaf of bread and started preparing the Christmas lunch for ourselves, my son, his partner and her children. (both lovely kids, and she's a smasher)

Out to the pub for a couple of pints and then back to finish everything off.

Buzz's Fizz when my son and his family arrived and another opening of presents for him, his partner and the children.

Then for the meal a choice of smoked salmon, melon balls, or a selection of pates (or of mixture of all should some prefer) followed by a roast of Fillet steak (cost a fortune, but what the hell)or Capon (or both if wanted) Duchess Potatoes, Duchess Portuguese, carrots, peas and the ever wonderful sprouts followed by then Christmas pudding or trifle.

All washed down with copious amounts of red and white wine and a coffee and a nip to round things off.

To my mind it was a PERFECT Christmas day and I couldn't be more delighted than to know my family is happy.

I truly hope everyone's was as good.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Charmion
Date: 25 Dec 16 - 03:37 PM

Trifle *and* Christmas pud? On top of fillet steak *and* capon? Wow, Raggy, you really push out the boat chez vous!

I'm impressed, not least by the implied capabilities of your kitchen. I want a cooker that would handle both a roast of beef and a capon at the same time, but I don't see that happening until I win the lottery. Then I'll buy an Aga, or its gas-fired equivalent, and build the kitchen around it.

I'm not hosting the family this year, so our contribution to Christmas dinner is portable: we are bringing the pudding, by taxi, clear across town to The Brother's house where his dear wife is preparing the Roast Beast and its accompaniments. The taxi driver ain't gonna like us much, because -- as well as the pudding and its hard sauce -- we will be toting a six-gang bottle bag, prezzies for several close kin, and a loaf of Himself's new-made bread teetering on top of the load.

Speaking of Himself, I can tell by the bellowing of the television that the baking session has been followed by rugby. Christmas is going well chez nous.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Dec 16 - 03:14 AM

I have to add something to what Acme said above - she makes the best eggplant parmesan I've ever tasted, with fresh eggplant from her garden.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Raggytash
Date: 26 Dec 16 - 03:39 AM

Charmion, Many years ago I made a Rumtopf through the summer. The Rum by November was fabulously infused with the flavours of all the fruit and I strained in off to drink at Christmas. However I was left with a bowl full of the fruit infused with rum that tasted great but didn't look very nice.

I stuck it in the freezer and at Christmas made a trifle using Blackcurrent jelly to "hide" the fruit.

My Mother had some on Boxing Day ........... in fact she enjoyed it so much she had three helpings and was decidedly inebriate by the end.

Recommended helpings were one per person after that!!

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: DMcG
Date: 26 Dec 16 - 04:40 AM

Finished of the day with a nice touch of drama. We left home around 6pm to drive for a few hours to meet up with eldest son, leaving daughter at home because she has to work on Tuesday. Around 10:30pm we get a phone call that she has snapped the front door key in the lock. It is her only key to the house, since she is normally abroad. Now to puzzle out whether we can avoid a 4h round trip to get her in and still be back here in time to visit other son, throw presents and then drive them to the booked lunch at 12:15, which also involves picking up eldest son and his wife.

(The lock concerned is a security one and it has taken months to find anywhere that can cut additional keys cut and the firat set they cut didnt work. So no neighbour has one.)


In the end we decided it was simpler if she broke in...

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Senoufou
Date: 26 Dec 16 - 06:08 AM

Oh crumbs! How maddening DMcG! Could an emergency locksmith not come out to at least extract the key and get the door open? I expect they charge a mint, but it would save the expense of repairing a smashed window.
These things always happen at the most inconvenient and troubling moment don't they? Hope you can get it sorted.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 26 Dec 16 - 07:40 AM

We had a good Christmas day too. 9 adults and 2 children! First time in years we have had the whole family under one roof. It was really enjoyable. Pressies, good food and drink and culminating in the traditional fall asleep watching something on TV :-)

So, what are we learning about each other? Loads I think and doesn't it make a big difference when you can see that everyone is a real living person rather than an adversary! We all have our little quirks and foibles (Good morning Quirks and Foibles solicitors... :-) ) and we all human! Shame we have not had more from everyone but that is their choice and must be respected.

I'd like to see the thread kept alive so we can celebrate our similarities rather than our differences. It is far more fun :-)

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Amos
Date: 27 Dec 16 - 12:49 AM

A quiet day at home, reunited with our son Tucker newly arrived from the Bay area (San Francisco).

We are in a flutter of preparations for a family move from sunny Southern California to the nippy but welcoming breezes of North Carolina, with a new house and a new array of dear friends awaiting. Needless to say, the bumpy tides of change are giving us all the collywobbles but we are brave adventurers and shall persevere!

If you have been using my san.rr.com email address, it will expire in a few weeks. PM me for the new one!

A bountiful season and a happy year to all my Mudcat friends.


A

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: DMcG
Date: 27 Dec 16 - 04:15 AM

Daughter managed to break in with minimal damage so I think it will turn out cheaper than a locksmith would have as they have also got the fragment of the key out of the lock.

Family lunch went well. Only seven of us, including 8 month old grandson who is off on his first flight in two weeks to Milan to meet most of his mother's family for the first time. Today we are off to see her mother and that part of the Italian clan that live in the UK.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Will Fly
Date: 27 Dec 16 - 04:51 AM

I prefer to post above the line most of the time, on musical topics, with just the occasional foray down here, but I thought I'd add a little to the thread (glad it's a civilised one).

On Christmas Day there was me and Mrs F., her mum (age 90, lives over the road), our son, his partner and 3 grandkids for much of the day. They all went home to respective houses around 3 and I settled down to a double stint with the dishwasher and a gigantic kitchen clean-up! M-I-L had had a bit of a strop the previous day, as she does now and then, saying she wanted to be alone and no-one ever talked to her and it was all too much fuss, etc. (Shades of Dickens's "I'm a lorn, lone creetur" in Pickwick Papers!). But, after a bit of a talking-to from Mrs F. - She Who Must Be Obeyed - all went well and she enjoyed the day. Whew!

I bought myself a s/h Martin guitar a few weeks ago, so that was really my Christmas present to myself, but I was also treated to a wonderful book by Christopher de Hamel (Fellow and Librarian of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge) called "Meetings With Memorable Manuscripts" - which takes the reader on a journey to meet twelve medieval illuminated MSS in various libraries across the world. Superb scholarship mixed with wit and clarity and fantastic illustrations - what better combination could there be - and I spent a huge chunk of Boxing Day reading it, in between cooking the venison steaks with dauphinoise potatoes and enjoying more washing up (!).

I see that many people here wear jeans. Not for me - I wore my last pair of jeans about 40 years ago - but good old moleskins! I stopped wearing jeans while doing a lot of walking in all weathers - Pennine Range, Dorset coastal path, Langdales, etc. - and realised that the old-timers were right: wet denim gets you chilled very quickly. So it's moleskin in winter and white cotton in summer.

My son, who's in the wine trade, bought me a small bottle of Japanese whisky - apparently the Japanese have produced some really good whiskies - and I had a shot on Christmas Day. Very smooth - and 50% ABV. But I'll finish the bottle of Jura before I really tackle it...

The music gigs finished about a week ago, but I've been playing as much as I can in all spare moments - when not gawping at Mudcat threads!

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Mr Red
Date: 27 Dec 16 - 05:04 AM

with fresh eggplant from her garden

eggplants should be for Easter - surely.



But in the spirit (I'll have another one!) of this thread:

Peace and goodwill to all men (and menesses)

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Pete from seven stars link
Date: 27 Dec 16 - 03:50 PM

Been pretty hectic over Xmas . Lots of family and friends . Glad it's quitter now .

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Charmion
Date: 27 Dec 16 - 06:22 PM

We are not travelling this Christmas, thanks be to Whomever Is In Charge. Himself's sister, the acknowledged Niner of the kin group, took a bit of a spell on Friday and spent several hours in A&E, where she was told to cancel all Christmas commitments and Rest with a capital R. She phoned us to say Stay Home, It's All Orf.

I'm sorry she had a bad scare, but I'm not at all sorry to not be spending the week between Christmas and New Year's Day on the road in what can be the most dangerous weather of an Ontario winter. It's not as cold yet as it will be by mid-January, so the risk of sleet is high; indeed, we skidded home from the Boxing Day sales yesterday with rain freezing on the windscreen faster than the blue goo could dissolve it. Today was not much better.

Best of all, Christmas dinner was at The Brother's house, so, not only did we eat excessively well, but also my kitchen never developed into that bombed-out bordello state, and I did not have to spend half of Boxing Day over the sink, washing stemware.

And we got luverly prezzies and far too much chocolate. Life is excellent.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Raggytash
Date: 27 Dec 16 - 07:06 PM

Is it possible to have TOO much chocolate?

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Charmion
Date: 27 Dec 16 - 07:50 PM

My head says not, but my digestion says Definitely.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Janie
Date: 27 Dec 16 - 10:13 PM

Lovely thread.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Dec 16 - 11:59 PM

Eggplant is what I consider a Mediterranean vegetable, happiest in hot weather and then, when the plant is robust and going full tilt, it puts out a great crop in the fall. Joe visited when the plants were happily producing, so I felt a bit like a wine steward, I picked the purple orb then let him see which one was selected for dinner. It was on our plates within the hour.

Amos is coming to visit one day soon, along with his family on their migration east. I have some frozen breaded eggplant in the freezer so we might start a mudcat visitor tradition.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Donuel
Date: 28 Dec 16 - 03:45 PM

With our son Robert back for school break the house there is lots of laughter. Imagine a gregarious curly blonde Tim Conway. He made a compete duck dinner that was divine with all the fixins.

As for fashion I consider it merely a cure for nakedness, I have no standard jeans & flannel outfit. I guess I have 3 levels of laundry for sweaters and everything else is priority. If my "fashion" makes a statement it would be how brave to wear 'that' or some kind of bourgeois proletariat.

My best half made prime rib roast beast for Christmas and although we have a winter heat wave we've mostly huddled inside. Our youngest Dean made an appearance on Christmas morning and reminded me that the new year promise has to be to trust more and make new relationships. Without them Dean has vanished. otter resolutions include volunteer work and no more cigarettes ever.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Mrrzy
Date: 28 Dec 16 - 03:57 PM

Love to you all.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 29 Dec 16 - 09:43 AM

Thanks for all the contributions and good wishes. Let's see if we can continue getting to know each other better in the new year:-)

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: DMcG
Date: 29 Dec 16 - 02:20 PM

So on towards New Year. As a child, this used to be a big faniily event, where many of my father's cousins and siblings and their children gathered , but these days we don't do so much. Nevertheless, one of my wife's nephews will be with us along with his partner: they are in their early twenties and you might think they'd prefer to celebrate New Year elsewhere, but as we are flattered they choose to spent it with us. (His parents live some 250 miles away, hers a mere 150 or so. ). We will also have a few other relatives, neighbours etc so there will probably be between 8 and 15 at various times of the evening.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: keberoxu
Date: 29 Dec 16 - 04:22 PM

Don't forget that Keith A of Hertford announced (on an earlier thread) plans to travel with his wife in January, health permitting. Bon voyage!

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 30 Dec 16 - 05:29 AM

Thanks. We are so looking forward to our first holiday for a while.
Best wishes to all in your travels in 2017 too!

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 30 Dec 16 - 05:45 AM

Yes, good luck, Keith. You need a break and I hope it goes well. I did not know anything about it until it was mentioned here so, there is another good reason to keep the thread going :-)

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: David C. Carter
Date: 30 Dec 16 - 06:47 AM

I'd like to wish Happy New Year,to those who no longer post:

Bobster,Little Hawk(Chongo),Bruce(Guest999),Georgian Silver,Jenny O,

Sandra in Sydney,Giork,Liz the Squeak,Lizzie and anyone I may have

missed.I know that some of these people still look in now and then.

Plus:A Happy New Year To You All.And the best of health to you.




David:)

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 30 Dec 16 - 07:30 AM

Thank you, David. I second that move and wish all a happy Hogmanay too:-)

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Charmion
Date: 30 Dec 16 - 09:16 AM

New Year's Eve chez nous will be celebrated with The Brother and his lovely wife at a fish restaurant our family has patronized for something like 30 years. Himself will join us when he has completed the Resolution Run, an annual 10-km foot race that he will walk (as fast as he can) for the benefit of his wonky back. OC Transpo, our esteemed public transit system, offers free rides on New Year's Eve to keep the drinkers out from behind the wheel, so the First Foot will arrive at our house on the Number 1 bus.

Himself will retire from the Canadian Army in March, and soon after we will leave Ottawa for sunny Stratford, the seat and beating heart of Perth County, Ontario. So this is our last holiday season in Ottawa as we approach the end of a 20-year groove of family routine. Just as many of our contemporaries are contemplating a gradual letting go of responsibilities as they age, we are looking forward to Himself starting up a criminal law practice in a small town with almost no military presence. That's about as different from our current situation as we can get without actually leaving the legal profession or the province of Ontario.

I keep wondering about silly things: Where am I going to buy cheese and fish? Who speaks French in Stratford? Will we find a house with enough cupboard space?

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 30 Dec 16 - 11:10 AM

Lovely Charmion. With all the spare time you will have you can spend half the year on the Cote de Azure to buy as much fish and bread as you want and speak French to everyone :-) Can't help you much with the house apart from to say that we have had 2 x downsizes in the last 15 years. Life laundry can be very enjoyable and liberating :-)

Good luck and happy new year.

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 30 Dec 16 - 11:12 AM

Sorry - Cheese and fish, not bread and fish. I think I had a bible story in mind :-)

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Donuel
Date: 30 Dec 16 - 06:18 PM

Thanks for the expansive post Acme, so much came to life. It seems I am a bit thin on empathy right now but hope rebounds.

Comrade Genericov, if we all had Russian names call me Rudolf.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Janie
Date: 30 Dec 16 - 09:01 PM

I semi-retired the first of December. Left the full time paid job at a non-profit clinic but at the same time doubled my private practice. Haven't quite figured out a sane routine that allows me to feel semi-retired. However, did get to spend several days at Christmas with my mom, sister, nephews and grandnieces which was very lovely. The grandnieces put the excitement back into Christmas for this otherwise shrinking and aging family. Was also the first Christmas in several years when I was actually able to stay several days instead of rushing up Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, and then having to rush home again to return to work. Sorely missed my son and his lovely partner, but it was her family's year, and I know he was surrounded by people of good cheer who hold him in high regard.

Having several people, including my son and a couple of Mudcatters over for supper New Year's Day. Has become a bit of a tradition. Corned beef and cabbage is my family's tradition.

Weather, spine and finger joints permitting, will resume a former tradition I had to abandon for several years of spending New Year's Eve and/or New Year's Day planting tulip bulbs and daffodils. Haven't been able to garden much to speak of since I moved in 2008 so see this as a promise to myself to make time to do so again. I know I can not manage gardening on the scale I once did, but eager to add it back into my life and routine again.

Looking forward to having the time to become more a part of the immediate community to which I moved 8 years ago but which has only been the place where I sleep at night for the most part, and already getting to know a little better some local folks who are also folkies. Excited that Amos and his lovely 'better half' will soon be local denizens.

So, hoping the New Year will herald new beginnings of some old traditions, bring new friends into my life and offer the opportunity for me to volunteer and contribute to the life of the town where I have been 'camping out' for the past 8 years.

Immediately, looking forward to beginning the new year in the company of old friends and family I hold very dear.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Senoufou
Date: 31 Dec 16 - 04:15 AM

I too would like to wish Keith a lovely time on holiday, after so much worry.
I expect people know quite a bit about me as I'm always rabbiting on in the BS section. But in case you don't, I'm a decrepit old thing, a long-retired teacher, living in Norfolk UK with my African long-time husband who is from the Ivory Coast. He's a British Citizen and has been for many years, but we speak French to each other most of the time. We have three Siamese cats, one of which (Minty) is very ill at the moment but is just back from the vet's and hanging on by a thread.
We adore watching Morris dancing, Maypole dancing, Punch and Judy etc and going to village fetes. Not to mention the Royal Norfolk Show (a large agricultural event) We spend our time trundling around Norfolk and having cups of tea in small villages, fish and chips at the seaside in Sheringham and Cromer and posh coffees in Norwich.
I eat far too many toasted crumpets dripping with butter and like an occasional half of Adnam's ale.
I'm so glad I found Mudcat quite a few years ago. It feels as if the 'usual suspects' are my friends, although I've never met any of you in person.
Wishing everyone here a Happy New Year, and a big thank you to those who run this forum.
All the best everyone for 2017. Onwards and Upwards!

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Charmion
Date: 31 Dec 16 - 08:50 AM

Spare time, Dave? What's that? Surely you remember what an all-encompassing time-sink moving house always is! And we still have to eat, so there's cooking and washing up, plus we go through underwear and socks at a fair old clip. But the greatest commitment of all is the activity we call "keeping the cats happy", which consists mostly of providng lap space. In fact, I'm doing it now, with both cats settled in tandem on my outstretched legs while I hold my iPad clear of Isobel's ears.

This task could keep me busy until lunch time -- theirs, not mine.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: fat B****rd
Date: 31 Dec 16 - 06:49 PM

Happy New Year everybody !!!

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 31 Dec 16 - 07:25 PM

Same to you wi' knobs on! 🍾🍸

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 01 Jan 17 - 06:13 AM

Hoppy new beer!

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 01 Jan 17 - 06:31 AM

Happy Nrew Year to everybody other than Trumpites and Farragos
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: keberoxu
Date: 01 Jan 17 - 06:49 PM

Happy New Year, David C Carter:
Sandra in Sydney
posts on a regular basis to Jane's Rainbow thread
and one or more of the ongoing Weather threads.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: David C. Carter
Date: 02 Jan 17 - 06:03 AM

I have never visited Janes Rainbow thread?Guess I screwed up;)

Happy new year anyway.


David

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 02 Jan 17 - 07:29 AM

Happy New Year to EVERYBODY here!
No exclusions.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: DMcG
Date: 02 Jan 17 - 08:10 AM

Ditto from me, also without caveats or exclusion clauses.

We are nearly back to normal, having waved off the last but one visitor about an hour ago. Had some good times over the break, beginning with visiting a friend of a friend who turns out to be a Cambridge educated biochemist by profession who is also a concert level cellist, violinist and is currently teaching herself guitar. Whole thing ended up with us dueting a cappella Sheffield carols and various classical motets she dug out, and discussing some research in the breaks.

Then as I said we had my nephew (research scientist) and his partner (recently qualified nurse) over for New Year, so more science and medicine, but completely different branches.

I did also explain Newton's equations of gravitional attraction to my 8 month old grandchild, but I don't think he got the subtleties.

Fortunately my wife is used to this sort of behaviour, since her father used to take her round power stations whenever they were on holiday...

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Ed T
Date: 02 Jan 17 - 08:36 AM

"I knew a man who, in the age of chain-saws, went right on cutting his wood with a handsaw and an axe. He was a healthier and a saner man than I am. I shall let his memory trouble my thoughts."

Wendell Berry, The Art of the Commonplace: The Agrarian Essays of Wendell Berry

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 02 Jan 17 - 08:52 AM

Ploughs to wake grass in every field,
Chisels men's hands to magnify.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 02 Jan 17 - 02:31 PM

I remember seeing a documentary many years ago showing a group of men digging a new road in some backwater place. The interviewer suggested that the work could be done with one quarter of the men if they used powered mechanical equipment. The foreman thought for a few moments then replied "But what will the rest of the men do then?"

Not saying we shouldn't use technical innovations but it did make me think :-)

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 02 Jan 17 - 03:44 PM

Capitalism doesn't allow happy mediums to be sought. The great god Profit sees to that. "Efficiency" is everything when it comes to that. The happiness and enjoyment of the workers at their work doesn't get a look in. Get your hands on a little paperback by John Seymour called Bring Me My Bow if you can. John was never what you might call a leftie, but he was bloody good at exposing the absurdities of capitalism and gigantism, whether of state or of industry.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 02 Jan 17 - 03:53 PM

You can get a second-hand copy including postage for about a tenner on Amazon market place. I notice that I reviewed it years ago!

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: DMcG
Date: 03 Jan 17 - 07:25 AM

While I agree in many ways, perhaps we should discuss this elsewhere, becuase it brings a while lot of contentious issues to the thread. As a thread specifically set up to find common ground, that would be a shame.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: DMcG
Date: 03 Jan 17 - 07:26 AM

A whole lot. Naturally it was the uncorrected post that 'took'.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Ed T
Date: 03 Jan 17 - 02:14 PM

I suspect most of the, "bubbly" holiday hugs have been reaped from this yearly, festive thread, as many are recuperating from the friendly hang over (booze often leads to temporary friendships). Some of the low hanging, though firmly wired, have moved over to much greater posting opportunities in the, more fragrant, sports bra tread.

Just my observation, for what it is worth.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 04 Jan 17 - 09:42 AM

I was hoping it would be more than a 'festive thread' Ed! I would like to bring the warring factions on here closer by providing some common ground with which they can establish better relationships.

But maybe I was over optimistic and how could I hope to compete with fragrant sports bras?

:D tG

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Donuel
Date: 04 Jan 17 - 03:00 PM

"holiday hugs have been reaped" call the authorities

Dave, start small like peace in the middle east.

Subject: RE: BS: Best wishes - the usual suspects:-)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 04 Jan 17 - 03:41 PM

Probably easier to do than achieve peace on here Donuel :-)

Thanks for the idea!

DtG