Had a rare old time in Barcelona, thank you for asking. Lots of nasty, fizzy, cold beer and warm, sunny weather. Kept forgetting I was in Spain, being convinced, for some reason or other, that I was in Italy. On the first evening, I got so pissed that I insisted on buying an old Spanish/Italian… Continue reading From an email to Stense
Nonsense
Buying coal
Conversation with the local coal merchant: "What sort of coal have you got?" "We've some new stuff from Selby. They say it's all right, but the last lot they sent was really poor." "Perhaps it was past its Selby date." "…That was bad."
Straw poll
No slur intended on either of the gentlemen concerned, but, is it just me, or do UK Foreign Minister, Jack Straw's spectacles bear an uncanny resemblance to those once worn by SS Reichsführer and Nazi war criminal, Heinrich Himmler?
Jesus, Mary and Mungo!
Have you seen the latest BBC 5-day weather forecast for my neck of the woods? Yeah, right. Who are they tryng to kid? It's quite clear they're not from round these parts.
Barcelona (with the emphasis on the Bars)
Just back from five days in Barcelona. Great city, but it's a pity about all the graffiti. It's nice to see that bars in Barcelona know their audience. Note the sudden change into English on the following receipt: L'ARC TABERNA VASCA MEIR-TETRO S.L. N.I.F:B-61.791.216 RAMBLAS, 77 (BARCELONA) 11/03/2003 20:47 ****** *02* T001 CAJERO-2 MESA 59… Continue reading Barcelona (with the emphasis on the Bars)
The Carter Manoeuvre
Today, BBC News published an interview with Henry Heimlich of lifesaving manoeuvre fame. The interview got me thinking. It must be really cool to have an actual manoeuvre named after you. So I've gone ahead and invented a manoeuvre of my own, henceforth to be known as The Carter Manoeuvre. The Carter Manoeuvre is used… Continue reading The Carter Manoeuvre
Weather forecasting
Jen has this crackpot theory that it always snows in this neck of the woods on her friend's birthday. The theory might well be ludicrous, but it is at least capable of being falsified (i.e. it is possible to devise a test that could disprove the theory). According to the philosopher Karl Popper (1902-1994), this… Continue reading Weather forecasting
Undies
According to a passing visitor, gruts is Kiwi slang for underpants. Cool.
I need to get my ears tested
Conversation at work: "I remember when I was on my sex-change course…" "What did you just say?" "I remember when I was on my exchange course…"
Precision surgery
Conversation with Carolyn while removing a splinter from her finger with a tiny pair of tweezers: C: "Richard, why is your hand shaking like that?" R: "Parkinson's."