Happy New Year!

However you spend it and wherever you are and whoever you are with I'd like to wish you a wonderful New Year and a peaceful, prosperous and happy 2009. Slainté!

Good news!

The day before Christmas Eve I took big child and her brother shopping. We did Waitrose at Paddock Wood and then Sainsburys at RTW. While pulling into the car park there the car started making a most unholy noise from the front bit - technically I understand this is referred to as the "engine".

Rather than camp out in a barren car park for the festivities we collected some delectibles and headed for home. The racket from the front was so loud it was difficult to drown out with the radio; that must give some indication of how bad things were, but the engine wasn't showing any degredation in performance. Arriving home we noticed some smoke from the front bit so unpacked PDQ and locked the car up.

My limited technical knowledge suggested two things. Firstly that this wasn't going to heal itself and also that it might be terminal. Eeeek! No good time to have to replace the car but this is probably the worst given the lack of spendables and the weather and lack of opportunity to get round a range of places to get some tyres kicked.

Anyways - blokey came and took a look yesterday and it's not as bad as it could have been. He's going to get some parts and sprinkle magic "fixing dust" and I need not get a different car just yet! All should be well in a few days - just waiting in some form of sprocket (or rocket or docket or some such which).

I've not been out of the house since the car died though so I'm using Jam Cab to hit a supermarket so that I can restock on carbohydrates - going stir crazy here!!!

Soooooooooooooooooo

Kid Rock - "Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long" ripped Zevon's "Werewolf of London" - no brainer

Zevon is worth the time - the other thing is bobbins

Season's greetings

All the very best to everyone. Whether you celebrate Christmas, something else or nothing at all at this time of year I wish you all you wish yourself.

Norad tracks Santa

I post about this somewhere every year and now they have a video of highlights for those who've yet to check it out.

Wagamama

Wagamama

Oyster Morris in Canterbury

Oyster Morris in Canterbury

Ruined!

My life is ruined. A heartless unthinking decision by an unelected government employee has blighted my life and probably that of my children and possibly even their, as yet unborn, children. In fact the whole country will probably be laid barren and birds will never sing again. Crops will fail and grapes will wither on the vine. Darkness and pestilence will stalk the land and the long shadow of death will touch us all as was foretold. The cause of all this? The appalling state of Strictly Come Dancing and the latest voting disaster.

Of course I might be overstating the effects - I've never watched the programme so I didn't witness the terrible act - but my conclusions are based on the news coverage today. If the BBC had been playing martial music between news broadcasts I'd have thought the Queen had died.

I only hope we can all pull together, the old Dunkirk spirit, and maybe we'll get through this.

Postgate dies

Oliver Postgate has died. Postgate, working with Peter Firmin, created Noggin the Nog - the real hero was, of course, Nogbad the Bad. For those who don't know about these things check out this page about Noggin and listen to the first sound file. That's Oliver Postgate reading the intro. It's worth having a look round that site, it's lovely and includes a copy of a letter from Postgate giving approval for the site to be created on the understanding that he and Firmin could veto any parts they felt weren't accurate or in keeping with "the Noggin atmosphere". Check the disclaimer for the letter.

Rejoice! Glory is ours!

John Connell is a man for whom I have the utmost respect but he will keep dissing prog rock!

Thinking of Manchester

Thinking about Manchester and this is one of the things that springs to mind.

That blog again

I've mentioned Anne Stott's wonderful blog before but it's time to shout about it again.

I had a look today because I'd mentioned it to a prospective student who expressed an interest in A207. Reading the recent postings, particularly about Cowper, Newton and Mary Unwin (you'll have to read it now!) almost made me sign up for the course. I'm still puzzled about why knitting socks might be controversial or make for an unconventional relationship but what would I know of the world of Arts?

I've shamelessly taken this lovely picture of John Newton from there.

Treat yourself, visit the blog and bathe in Anne's eloquence - you know it makes sense!

D'oh! It's iSimpsons

The Simpsons take on (M)Apple! Read more about it here