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Archive Page Design Click here to go to Balletco's new home page and site navigation | About the Change |
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 The Chat Page
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The Chat Page is where you can get togther with others to .... well chat with each other! It is un-moderated and can be exactly what you want. Chat postings are easy to send and get added to the site within seconds. Please note the following;
Please do not advertise/spam this page - thanks. That means no links to cheap dancewear etc for example.
We have a thread in the main forum to talk and update folks about Chat spam etc - it's a conversation that can't easily happen here because of the ephemeral nature of the page contents:
Chat Page Spam - Ways Forward If you want to add to Chat simply use the Post Chat page. Here is the chat.......
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BM 18:04 on December 10, 2011 
test |
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Viviane 17:47 on October 29, 2011
Anneliese : welldone to all! :-) Keep me updated ! |
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Anneliese 22:26 on October 27, 2011
VIVIANE: I'd forgotten I mentioned those! Yes, very well :-) Tim got a merit and I got a distinction and the comments were very good so we're delighted! Tim has a big solo at the weekend as well so keeping fingers crossed... |
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Viviane 09:45 on October 23, 2011
Anneliese : hope singing exams went well !? |
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Anneliese 13:06 on October 13, 2011
A little standing and waiting by trees in the churchyard paid off today as I was eye to eye with first a coal tit, then a goldcrest :-) Also blue tits and great tits. Oh and I saw a green woodpecker on my way to work last week - first time in years!
Good Luck vibes are needed for singing exams for me and Tim and four of our choir friends at the weekend... and of course we all have had colds this week... |
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Anneliese 21:12 on October 04, 2011
VIVIANE: both of them do love dance - but no! Lucky you to be in Sicily, wonderful wonderful place! |
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Viviane 20:18 on September 05, 2011
Back from Sicily ! Fantastic place ! |
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Viviane 23:10 on August 20, 2011
Anneliese : good to read...it must have been a frightening situation for many ! Any chance you'll have a little dancer among your boys ? ;-) |
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Anneliese 08:49 on August 18, 2011
Hello Viviane! Riots didn't reach us here (apart from the usual ones in our house ;-) ) |
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Viviane 17:38 on August 15, 2011
test :-D |
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dd 21:26 on August 07, 2011
dd |
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Viviane 20:05 on July 18, 2011
Anneliese : It sounds very unlikely to me to see a hoopoe in your area ?! Sigh...we are nearly drowning in my city, the famous festivities in Ghent are coping with cold and rain... |
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Anneliese 20:31 on July 17, 2011
BIRD FOLK: You know I told you how excited I was to see a linnet outside the office window? Well last week the girl at whose desk I was came out of her way to tell me that she had seen a hoopoe at the weekend! So the spirit lives on... |
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Viviane 07:56 on July 15, 2011
SIMON : speechless...some houses are far more than a superposition of stones...step by step it's all becoming too real...inevitable... but Maalie Court isn't the same without it's king...that's life isn't it...and it's going too fast :-( !? Sincerely hope the blog can stay for a long time on the net ?!
I have a day at the sea with my office before summerclosing, will greet the maalies x |
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Simon 07:01 on July 15, 2011
P.s. the Maalie court has been cleared and is on the market for sale. |
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simon simoncotter@hotmail.com 07:00 on July 15, 2011
its a spongecake covered with coconut and cream in middle cut into cubes....or a national park in queensland! |
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Viviane 21:58 on June 27, 2011
Simon : Lamington...thanks to Wikipedia, I learned : it can be a village in Scotland, a sponge cake or a National park in Australia :-) |
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Simon simoncotter@hotmail.com 07:25 on June 27, 2011
Yes Vivianne, In fact some pretty good stuff already! Anyway I am off to Lamington land..... |
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Viviane 06:43 on June 24, 2011
SIMON : Mixed feelings overhere too...With your new binoculars and Jim's guidance, you'll up to loads of new birds, I think ! ;-) |
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Simon simoncotter@hotmail.com 06:10 on June 24, 2011
Hi Bruce. I have mixed feeling about closing it. So many other things have stopped- Jims blogs, his bird ringing and the Maalie Courst will be sold soon. It seems a shame to shut it down. But I underestand why you are suggesting it too.
Anyway- I saw a Plains wanderer ( v.rare) like a quail with long legs for running, and a spotted Quail thrush - a difficult bird to find too! |
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Viviane 12:03 on June 22, 2011
BRUCE : thank you ! :-) |
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Bruce bruce@ballet.co.uk 07:08 on June 22, 2011
ALL: I'll leave Chat as is for those here already. But I think everybody can see it's not a mainstream part of the site liable to grow and really for many years its been a story of slow contraction. There may also be technical issues arise at some point and if you follow the link above re Chat Page Spam (the 2007 one) I explain I had to do a bunch of work to keep it going and if something else arose then I would not be able to justify it. That was back in 2007 and nothing has changed - you are more than welcome to carry on as you wish but it's not a service I've been able to guarantee for a few years now. My feeling was that Jim was the heart beat of chat, but if there is relish to drive on, and there seems to be, then by all means do. |
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Anneliese 00:19 on June 22, 2011
VIVIANE: You could be forgiven for not really noticing the solstice... it was grey and rainy for a lot of today! |
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Viviane 19:14 on June 21, 2011
...and in the meantime I'm forgetting about Summer Solstice :-) |
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Viviane 18:50 on June 21, 2011
ANNELIESE : so good to hear you :-)
I've emailed Bruce about closing the Chat...Honestly it was with tears in my eyes...Otherwise I must admit that after I learned about Jim's passing away, I thought : the Chat should stop here... The Chat will never be the same...
On the other hand, I don't want to loose contact with you and Caz...!! :-(
Linnets are quite common in my region, you know ? (I had to look-up the english word...;-) I'm still learning !) |
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Anneliese 13:02 on June 21, 2011
has anyone told Helen? |
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Anneliese 13:01 on June 21, 2011
BRUCE: Oh! Please don't deprive us chatters of our random space - I popped in to get all excited about a linnet outside my office window... I don't know where else I'd share this thought, and it's nice to think "well I can share it with Jim's friends"... VIVIANE AND CAZ: I saw a linnet today - it's so many years since I saw one that I wasn't even quite sure. But the people I was talking to googled it to confirm my diagnosis. Honestly, it's been 30 years since I saw one - but last week a local friend said that her neightbours were a bit annoyed that she'd got kittens as they had linnets nesting in their garden. Maybe a resurgence in Hampshire? Not sure... um... thoughts anyone? |
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Bruce bruce@ballet.co.uk 07:16 on June 20, 2011
Dear All
This was Jim's space I've always thought - he gave it personality and others dropped in from time to time to see what was happening and swap stories of life and birds. I think with Jim's passing the heart of chat has really gone and what I suggest is that we close it to new contributions but leave what is here as a permanent archive of what it was for him and others. What I suggest is that I leave the page open until the end of June, so people can say any final things they want, and then I stop the ability to post. I'd do a final post about what has happened and link to the thread in the main forums about Jim, so that there would still be a place to recall him and the chat page. If anybody feels this is wrong or might be handled differently do email me. All bests
BM |
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jackie jackie.rawley@live.co.uk 21:22 on June 18, 2011
hello
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grey rabbit 04:20 on June 18, 2011
red kites in profusion locally majestic! stuffed penguin yes we have one in our bathroom |
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Viviane 21:32 on June 06, 2011
Jay and Sparrowhawk at Spa-Francorchamps this weekend...despite the noise ! |
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Viviane 20:11 on June 04, 2011
Simon : Good to know the stuffed penguin really exists ;-) One never knew with Jim ! I have a stuffed Kingfisher...one of the many birds my father owned.
Still speechless overhere ... the most runcible romantic, intelligent, overactive and caring man will never be forgotten.
Wish you and your family a good trip to Willandra National Park, a fine 'adieu' to Jim. Nature can have a healing function, Big hug to all. |
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Simon Cotter simoncotter@hotmail.com 12:38 on June 04, 2011
Viviane- I have indeed seen the stuffed penguin! In fact I have a stuffed Wedge-tailed Eagle in my piano room, and we are trying to get a nankeen kestrel stuffed- one that was hit by a car whilst Jim was here. Its a small bird of prey.
Caz- lol you are right!.
you can shine your shoes on escalators providing they have the brushes along the side.
My family and I are going back out to Willandra National park to say goodbye to Jim in our own way... You can check out the park on Jims blog or mine.
Sylvie Guillem said some very nice things about JIm btw...
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Viviane 20:51 on May 26, 2011
CAZ : Jim described it himself here :
http://www.danze.co.uk/dcforum/happening/1640.html
The brushes from the ROH escalator were quite long :-) |
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Caz 01:33 on May 26, 2011
ANYONE: I'm puzzled.... how do you shine your shoes on an escalator? Which bit? |
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Caz 01:32 on May 26, 2011
SIMON: the Sylph is a runcible creature! I think she may have out-runcibled even Jim a few times. She was supposed to watch over him but usually just helped him get into more trouble. I s'pose a runcible Glaswegian Sylph whose favourite hobby is porage-throwing maybe isn't the best choice for a guardian angel! ;)ANNELIESE: I'm afraid Irek the hamster is long gone and so have many successors - actually found a photo of him t'other day though. I'm currently hamsterless though I will fix that once I empty some boxes and make some space. VIVIANE: never met the penguin either. I haven't come up with anything for the sensible page yet. Every time I try and compose something it turns into a mile-long ramble. It's impossible to stop burbling about Jim once you start! |
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Viviane 20:46 on May 25, 2011
Anneliese : I didn't ! Wah...trying out an Ipad at the moment. Hmm..terrific ! I haven't seen as many birds as during last days.... I still can't find words to post something on the sensible pages... |
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Anneliese 12:43 on May 25, 2011
Doesn't everyone shine their shoes on the escalator? I do! We left the nestbox alone on the assumption that the cats know something about it :-(
Now, whatever happened to Irek the hamster? |
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Viviane 22:14 on May 24, 2011
SIMON : I've never met the Sylph :-) I wonder if you ever saw Jim's 'stuffed' baby penguin ? |
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Simon Cotter simoncotter@hotmail.com 03:38 on May 22, 2011
The Sylph! lol! yes... I recall getting back from Shetland to Maalie court for the first time. I was there by myself. Jim said "Mate, just be careful. There is a sylph and she appears at odd times... thought "bullshit"... then as I was in the bathroom i look up and jumped out of my skin..then I thought "hahaha stupid me". later I got changed in the spare room and there she again! I shat myself ran down to the bathroom and there she was...back upstairs, THEN..as I relaxed I was in another room and there she was again. lol!! Never forgotten it!
:o) |
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Viviane 03:15 on May 22, 2011
oops...I meant 'escalator' !
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Viviane 03:12 on May 22, 2011
CAZ : I think I wasn't around here yet. I discovered Ballet.co end '99/2000. But I do remember some posts where the Latin re-appeared.
I remember his endless efforts to make me understand the cricket-game :-) And the first time we met 'in real'at the amphi-bar : I spelt over his glass of wine (it could have rather been the other way round...) and didn't know one had to order interval-drinks before the performance...he made a whole joke of it ! and he polished his shoes on the ROH elevator :-) |
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Caz 01:32 on May 22, 2011
VIVIANE: Do you remember when Jim and I (and Bruce sometimes I think!) were doing our Chat Page posts in morse code? Not sure if you were here then. I taught Jim Saxon runes so he could write those too, but we couldn't write those on the Chat. We had a phase of posting in Latin as well - that was hard work!SIMON: would love to share some more Jim stories. Did Jim ever tell you about the Sylphe? ANNELIESE: Are your blue-tits alright? There are very foolish blue-tits and great-tits here that nest in the extractor fan vents. We have to remember never to turn them on or tiny birdlets would be blown out through the walls! (I think we owe it to Jim to keep up the bird talk!) |
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Anneliese 17:32 on May 21, 2011
ALL: Devastated. Jim, we'll miss you! As if in sympathy, our blue tit nest box fell off the tree last night. :-( |
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Viviane 15:11 on May 21, 2011
SIMON: thank you so much ! I'm looking forward to read and see more of the Australia-adventure.
Just back from a walk in the 'Bourgoyen' near Ghent - in remembrance of Jim. I simply had to go and tell the Grutto's about this great loss. |
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Simon Cotter 01:59 on May 21, 2011
oops email is simoncotter@hotmail.com |
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Simon Cotter simoncotte@hotmail.com 01:58 on May 21, 2011
Hi Viviane and Caz and Bruce, Thanks for your emails and for sharing your memories. I am going to continue to post on my blog in detail the month of April and Jims trip here ( including the royal wedding lol!).
I was going to attend the funeral but decided not to. Jims last words to me at 3 am on the tuesday as I dropped him off at the airport were " mate you really do need to get better bins. you are no longer a beginner"
So, I have purchased a new pair and I am sure thats exactly what Jim would have wanted rather than an airfare.
From reports of the autopsy I am told that his heart was pretty bad and that it was a "time bomb"
I know his father died at 52 and his uncle at 49. So I think because of Jims active life style he got many more years out of it. Frankly I am comforted that he got home and got to Coniston waters. It would have been shattering for him to pass away here so far from home.
We had some really great conversations around camp fires here, about ballet, his friends and life. In retrospect I wonder if he knew something was up.
Anyway.. Sylvie Guillem once said " life is movement and movement is life." Jim was always moving and so full of life. I am confident he would want us all to have this passion for what we do.
Keep in touch! would love to here more.
Simon |
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Viviane 21:55 on May 20, 2011
CAZ : the upside-down typing was fantastic ! Oh dear, I wish from the bottom of my heart to hear or read Jim once again...life isn't fair. He has been in my mind for the last 24hours, tears and so many fine memories... I'm completely overwhelmed what this news did to me. I've never met you, but I wished I did. It's difficult not to be able to share this great loss. xxx take care. |
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Caz 20:21 on May 20, 2011
Viviane: when I looked into the Chat page it was to see if Jim was still typing upside down or if he was the right way up again. (I knew he would never be able to resist the upside down typing and if he didn't know how to do it he would quickly find a way!)
I saw Paul's reply to Simon's news at the top of the page and when I glanced at it I misread this as being something that Jim would be upset about. Immediately I though this could mean that one of his favourite ballerinas of the past had just died. I thought I'd send poor Jim an email and maybe some nice pictures of the ballerina. I was totally shocked as I scrolled down the page and found out what the news really was!It's so unreal. Jim was far too bouncy and full of life to ever be gone. BRUCE: thanks so much. Will try to think of something to post. |
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Bruce Marriott bruce@ballet.co.uk 08:43 on May 20, 2011
CAZ: Email arrived and account all sorted and tested - have emailed back. |
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Viviane 06:08 on May 20, 2011
CAZ : Same overhere. I'm completely overwhelmed since I've read the news. 'Going to the Chat' yesterday was a shock...instead of finding a joke... On the other hand, I'm gratefull to Simon for informing us. Last time I've met Jim was at his retirement. I have many, many fine memories but I'm too emotional atm.for putting something decent on the sensible pages. Till later, take care xxx |
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Caz 00:49 on May 20, 2011
Bruce: have emailed. Let me know if you don't gettit and I'll send it again from another address. Ta. |
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Caz 00:18 on May 20, 2011
VIVIANE: yes, I hadn't seen Jim for a few years but now I keep remembering meetings - especially the silliest of them! - that I'd almost forgotten!Jim had such a strong personality that I keep expecting him to pop up on the chat page at any moment and join in. |
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Viviane 22:22 on May 19, 2011
I'm shattered and in tears with this sad news. Fragments of time - spent with Jim - go through my head atm.
fine memories, loads of laughter and silly talk. Dear friend, someday we'll meet again x |
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Bruce bruce@ballet.co.uk 12:06 on May 18, 2011
CAZ: email me the new email address and password you would like. No probs. BM |
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Simon simoncotter@hotmail.com 04:44 on May 18, 2011
Caz, not a problem. I have been asked to do a tribute for the newspaper in Kendall and have done so today. Let me know if there is anything I cna do for you. |
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Caz 17:29 on May 17, 2011
BRUCE: is there any way I can get my original login for the sensible page back? I have tried before but I must've used an old work email address to register that doesn't exist any more. |
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Caz 12:13 on May 17, 2011
SIMON: will be emailing to ask a favour once I've stopped being quite so wahful. Hope you won't mind. |
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Simon simoncotter@hotmail.com 03:06 on May 17, 2011
Yes he will be sadly missed. We are happy to have spent a month with him here in Australia, it was a brilliant time.
thank you for your comments |
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Caz 02:14 on May 17, 2011
Arbuthnott is very sad too. Jim would know who that is. Arbuthnott still has his tartan ribbon but has lost his trumpet. Will find him a new one in memory of Jim. |
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Caz 02:05 on May 17, 2011
...:( Will go and light small bonfire in tribute. |
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Paul 20:42 on May 16, 2011
Simon: I'm so very sorry to learn of this news. Jim will be deeply missed. Thank you for your heartfelt and moving tribute. |
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Simon Cotter simoncotter@hotmail.com 11:48 on May 16, 2011
Thanks Bruce. We are all gutted. He was here in Australia only a few days ago. If you follow his chat you will see the results. My family including my children ( now young adults ) regarded him as family. |
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Bruce Marriott bruce@ballet.co.uk 11:41 on May 16, 2011
What a terrible shock - the world is a far less fun place without him and his runcible ways. I very quickly put some thoughts and reminiscences on our
news page.
And thank you Simon for posting and also your tribute to Jim. A great man indeed. |
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Simon simoncotter@hotmail.com 04:03 on May 16, 2011
Caz and other members of the chat room.
Its with sadness I am to inform you that my dear friend Jim Fowler has passed away. he had just returned from Australia and was kayaking on Coniston Waters on the 12th of MAy. It appears that, after kayaking, he pulled to shore to set up a base camp to fish from, removed his life jacket and kit. The police think he has had a heart attack. He was not found until Saturday.
We are all so gutted by this. I can be contacted via email for further information and have a tribute to him on my blog. The police have yet to do an autopsy this will be later in the week.
Sincerely
simoncotter@hotmail.com
www.dailybitsnbobs.blogspot.com
Simon Cotter |
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Caz 01:05 on May 12, 2011
JIM: Hmmm... think you may have to type standing on your head for a while until your letters turn the right way up! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 09:20 on May 09, 2011
CAZ: ˙˙˙pǝqɹnʇsıp sןǝǝɟ ןןıʇs uoıʇɐʇuǝıɹo ʎɯ ʇnq ʍou uıɐƃɐ ǝɯoɥ ɯ,ı |
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Jim Mintcakeland 09:18 on May 09, 2011
VIVIANE: Nothing so exotic, I'm afraid. I only had a day and could not go far from the airport so I only saw about 20 common species. My list in Australia was 170, though :-) |
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Viviane 17:41 on May 08, 2011
KIERAN : please put up your questions in one of the forums. (What's happening or Doing Dance - if not in the appropriate one, Bruce will re-direct you :-) )I'm sure it will trigger a whole interesting debate !
This place is for non-ballet chat.
Good Luck ! |
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Viviane 17:38 on May 08, 2011
JIM : so, you didn't saw much in Japan :-) a japanese nightingale ;-) ??? ermm...that's the only bird I know who lives in Japan.... |
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Kieran kieran_pole@hotmail.com 14:28 on May 08, 2011
Hey, i'm not a dancer i'm a film maker. I'm currently do an essay on representation and one of the things i choose to watch for my essay was the "Agony and Ecstacy" series on BBC4 recently and i was just wondering if any dancer watched it and if so how well did you think it represented ballerinas? If you could let me know i'd really appreciate it for my essay thank you =) x |
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Jim Mintcakeland 07:40 on May 08, 2011
VIVIANE: But back in my home Mintcakeland now!But I shall be off for a well-earned drinking holiday in Zweigeltland before May is over :-) |
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viviane 07:54 on May 07, 2011
JIM : you're on a worldtour ! :-) |
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Jim Tokyo 00:34 on May 06, 2011
Sends greetings from Japan. |
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Jim The tropics 02:43 on May 04, 2011
Greetings from tropical Cairns - in transit to Tokyo! |
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Jim Australia 12:39 on May 02, 2011
CAZ:¡ǝɹǝɥ uʍop sǝıqɐןןɐʍ ǝɯos ǝɔıɟıɹɔɐs ʎǝɥʇ ʞuıɥʇ ı
Not many virgins left now. Osama Bin Laden will claim them all. |
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Caz 17:46 on May 01, 2011
JIM: Hmmm... I s'pose really the upsidedownitude should look the right way up to you as you're in upsidedownland! Maybe your phone has it right?Hooray for Royal Wedding parties! Not sure about splitting up the albatross - sounds messy! Happy Beltane! Must go and set fire to something in celebration! Should we torch a virgin or will a sacrificial bunny do? |
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Jim Australia 08:20 on May 01, 2011
Happy Beltane from Australia everyone (even though it is Autumn here!). |
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Jim Australia 00:52 on April 30, 2011
CAZ:The upsidedownitude works on my laptop but not on my portable telephone! |
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Jim Australia 08:13 on April 29, 2011
Having a Royal Wedding tv party in Australia!
Oh, Caz, there are dozens of species of albatross and the taxonomists keep creating more by splitting them. It's hard to keep up ;-) |
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Caz 00:05 on April 27, 2011
JIM: ¡ʞɹoʍ pıp ʇı ¡ʎɐʎ
¡ssoɹʇɐqןɐ ɟo sǝıɔǝds ʎuɐɯ ʇɐɥʇ ǝɹǝʍ ǝɹǝɥʇ ʍǝuʞ ɹǝʌǝu |
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Caz 00:03 on April 27, 2011
JIM: (not sure if this is going to work.... but)¡uʍop ǝpısdn ǝɹ,noʎ |
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Jim Australia 20:17 on April 24, 2011
Had a brilliant day's birdwatching out at sea yesterday - five species of albatross!Viviane - is that in Greece? Sure to be good! Anneliese - a great list there!
I'm just off to the outback for a few days, no communication of any kind! |
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Anneliese 09:08 on April 22, 2011
Hi Jim! Just had a great trip to Egypt where we saw either purple or allen's gallinules, loads of white egrets, the occasional (?long legged?) buzzards, kestrels, at least one kite, small wading birds (including one black and white one), some grey herons and what I think was one of those night herons (short neck, bluey-grey apparently all over but it was dusk) and also something that I thought was a bittern (same shape as previous but browny speckled) as well as numerous pied kingfishers and laughing doves and one jay. Oh, also some glossy ibis. I did wonder if all the egrets were little ones as they seemed bigger than the ones in England. Some terns and quite a few of what must be a species related to the black-headed gull. Others saw hoopoes but I only heard them. Unfortunately I forgot the insect repellent on our evening nile boat trip... |
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Viviane 17:44 on April 21, 2011
Hey ! I envy you !!!!! Please tell me later how was Australia :-D. Recently met another 'bird'addict, next week he's spotting birds on the island of Kos ? anygood ? |
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Jim New South Wales 12:44 on April 21, 2011
Greetings from Sydney everyone!
Thanks Viviane! |
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Viviane 23:25 on April 11, 2011
JIM : fantastic ! enjoy australia ! |
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Anneliese 15:48 on April 11, 2011
Moorhen chicks have hatched, and lambing is in progress! |
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Jim Hong Kong 09:57 on April 11, 2011
Greetings from Hong Kong! |
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Jim Heathrow Airport 18:21 on April 10, 2011
Greetings everybody - on my way to Australia! |
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Jim Wales 06:20 on April 04, 2011
Ooops, sorry, Anneliese I meant! |
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Jim Ceredigion 06:18 on April 04, 2011
Good morning from Wales! I camped by the sea and listened th the waves!
Wow, you've been busy Annliese! There are plenty of Blackcaps about now! Saw first Swallow on Sunday. Also Sand Martins and Wheatears are arriving. |
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Anneliese 00:00 on April 04, 2011
Today's concert went well too! Think I might have seen a blackcap but surely too early? Blue tits seem to be using our box. |
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Anneliese 22:55 on April 02, 2011
JIM: I am quite warm today having done ironing, sung at a wedding (in choir robes), rehearsed all afternoon bassooning, bought tea, cooked it, emptied dishwasher and washing machine, changed, played Zauberflote overture, Parry's symphonic variations, a suite by a local composer, the 1st mvmt of Dvorak's wind serenade and beethoven's 5th. Tomorrow it's church then Carmina Burana rehearsal and concert. I want a nice cup of tea and a sit down! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 17:39 on April 02, 2011
Hello Lynn! |
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lynn lynn_dancer3201@yahoo.com 02:20 on April 02, 2011
hello everyone |
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Jim Mintcakeland 12:08 on April 01, 2011
Lucky you, Anneliese! It has reverted to winter up here! |
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Anneliese 09:31 on March 31, 2011
Cowslips! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 07:12 on March 27, 2011
Happy National Census Day everyone!
ANNELIESE: frst spring migrant in Mintcakeland yesterday - Wheatear! |
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Anneliese 18:49 on March 26, 2011
Only if I'd noticed! baby lambkins in Wiltshire now... def. spring! |
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Jim Still here... 17:07 on March 22, 2011
ANNELIESE: couldn't you have put your foot down? :-) |
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Jim Still here... 17:05 on March 22, 2011
ANNELIESE: couldn't you have put your foot down? :-) |
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Jim Slovakia 17:03 on March 22, 2011
Greetings from the land of the Slovaks!
CAZ: My difficulty is the palava of of gnosing into the shore to do what is necessary if I have taken out a McEwan's Export (or even a flask of coffee). Apparently wetsuits were not designed to be worn for more than an hour or two ;-) |
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Caz 01:30 on March 22, 2011
JIM: nope, didn't fall in that time but temporarily left a glove and my paddle in a tree while I drifted off!Still - it's not a proper paddle if someone doesn't wind up in the drink. The gods of unplanned dunkings must be satisfied! |
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Anneliese 22:53 on March 21, 2011
ps violets now gone from lawn; Him Indoors was moved to mow them down as he felt they spoilt the look of the garden.
Grrrrrr |
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Jim Zweigeltland 18:38 on March 20, 2011
Happy Ostara everybody! |
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Jim Sraussland 14:56 on March 19, 2011
Greetings from Vienna!
A few migrants turning up here, too, Anneliese though it's not very spring-like here today! |
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Anneliese 18:16 on March 18, 2011
Spring is approaching; lots of robins shouting, a treecreeper creeping about, a grey wagtail wagging about, a moorhen sitting on its nest, sparrows carrying feathers into bushes, bluetits investigating the nestbox, violets in the lawn, a newt on our doorstep, redlegged partridges in the fields, and a colleague killed another badger at the weekend (he has trouble missing them on the roads, it seems...) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 18:38 on March 04, 2011
CAZ: Wah! Did you fall in? |
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Caz 01:42 on March 04, 2011
JIM: so no Bownessie this time then? I had one of those vastly silly and amusing kind of kayaking incidents while sheltering from a storm alongside that cormorant island a couple of years ago.... |
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Jim Mintcakeland 18:25 on March 01, 2011
CAZ: And to you! I maintained my Ancient Custom and Practice and camped out in the woods overnight!Bownessie report is here! |
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Caz 01:37 on March 01, 2011
Oooh - I just noticed.... Happy St. David's Day to all! Now where's me daffodil? |
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Caz 01:36 on March 01, 2011
JIM: sadly meaningless until Ginster's abominations are outlawed! But at least you get proper pastys (note correct plural!)in Bowness and Keswick! Any luck with BowNessie? Last time I was kayaking on Windermere it was all soupy. Wouldn't have seen BowNessie if she'd swum under the boat! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 22:33 on February 24, 2011
Have spent the day kayaking around Windermere seeking Bownessie! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 19:45 on February 22, 2011
CAZ: I see today that the European Union has granted official protected status to the Cornish Pasty! |
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Caz 23:32 on February 14, 2011
ALL: Happy Valentine's Day!
JIM: definitely looks mysterious! I've heard the fish are a bit quiet, never tried fishing there though. |
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Jim Mintcakeland 12:28 on February 13, 2011
CAZ: It was certainly moody and mysterious yesterday - take a peep here!I agree it is sterile, I never had a bite in five and a half hours :-) |
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Caz 01:21 on February 13, 2011
JIM: ooooh! I like kayaking on Thirlmere. It's a strange sort of lake... a bit moody and mysterious... but also a bit sterile. Hope the weather was good!Ah... doesn't look as if it was bad today. Hoorah! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 21:50 on February 11, 2011
CAZ: Oh no, it's not spring by a long chalk, but there are hints that it might not be too far away :-)Early start tomorrow (Sat.) for kayaking on Thirlmere! |
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Caz 01:19 on February 10, 2011
JIM: I refuse to believe it's Spring until the daffodowndillies are out. That's not including any on the Isles of Scilly 'coz that would be cheating! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 20:32 on February 09, 2011
CAZ: Things looking up in the last couple of days in Mintcakeland. Hazel catkins are coming out and I've seen the first snowdrops! |
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Caz 02:37 on February 09, 2011
JIM: well I think it's a little early for the beginning of spring just yet, Bridget must have lived in warmer times! Although I did see a slo-worm basking t'other day (actually I thought it might've frozen to death at first!), so that could count as a serpent.... |
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Jim Mintcakeland 06:06 on February 01, 2011
HAPPY IMBOLC EVERYONE! |
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Caz 23:49 on January 24, 2011
ALL: Merry Chrimble, Happy New Year, Happy Wassailing and Happy Birthday to me! All of them a bit late! :o)I've got coughles and sneezles. Wah! |
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Viviane 17:36 on January 02, 2011
Anneliese : Hi ! Good to see you're looking into the chat sometimes :-) Thought the other day, Bruce could close down this feature...since hardly a handfull of people find their way to this page ;-)
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Anneliese 16:35 on January 02, 2011
Happy New Year, one and all! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 14:03 on January 02, 2011
And to you Viviane!And to anyone else who looks in here :-) |
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viviane 11:57 on January 01, 2011
Happy 2011 ! :-) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 08:49 on December 29, 2010
I shall be with my sister and her husband in Manchester this New Year, so I guess it will be a few drams with him :-) |
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Viviane 22:28 on December 28, 2010
JIM : I'll drink a good glass on the New Year and depending on the weather I'll go and see the fireworks in the yacht club. A pity this is no longer in the centre of the city : that was superb!(along the canal, next to the pub !) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 16:16 on December 28, 2010
Thanks Viviane! Are you partying New Year's Eve? |
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Viviane 14:14 on December 27, 2010
JIM : it all looks fantastic ! except for the cold ofcourse...brrrr... Great pictures ! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 11:13 on December 26, 2010
Viviane: No, no fish this time! I have always tried to catch fish for Christmas breakfast ever since I have lived in Mintcakeland, but only succeeded once!
There are piccies of my kayaking trip here ! |
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Viviane 08:03 on December 26, 2010
JIM : fish for breakfast ? I can't imagine being on the sea in such a tiny boat...When on a really big cruiseship, I already didn't felt at ease with big waves :-) In my part of the country we have no new snow for now...only freezing cold. |
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Jim Mintcakeland 18:17 on December 24, 2010
Viviane: Oh well that's a relief! I went kayak fishing on the sea today (Christmas Eve), I didn't catch my Christmas breakfast but it was most pleasant bobbing around in the clear winter sunshine.Happy Christmas to you too, and to everyone :-) |
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Viviane 08:59 on December 24, 2010
JIM : no problem though : I live only a walk from the pub :-) Happy Christmas !!! |
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Caz 02:04 on December 22, 2010
ALL: Happy Solstice! Have kept the spunkies away by setting fire to things... ;)JIM: We have many refugee pheasants here keeping their heads down to avoid becoming xmas munchies. Also partridges - though none in the pear trees so far. Lucky for them all that goosey is safely tucked up in the pantry! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 19:53 on December 21, 2010
HAPPY WINTER SOLSTICE EVERYBODY!Viviane, oh so you won't be able to moor up for the night next to the pub then!
CAZ: Oh, there are numerous gods I make generous sacrifes to. Back in April during the volcanic ash cloud event, I sacrificed a whole case of McEwan's Export to Vulcan and it eveidently worked 'coz I got to Austria in time to deliver my lecture :-) |
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Viviane 18:41 on December 20, 2010
JIM : At the end I didn't followed the boat-option...glad I'm in a comfy place with all that freezing and snow :-) |
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Caz 18:23 on December 20, 2010
JIM: the god of snowploughs is a new one to me! Not sure if I should join in the worship or whether summoning a snowplough would mean I lose my excuse to refuse to dig the car out of its snowdrift!Have been out on long snowy hunting expedition to bring back xmas goosey. Carried goosey back on long pole - possibly in the manner of Neanderthal hunters. |
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Jim Mintcakeland 18:15 on December 20, 2010
ANNELIESE: I saw some Waxwings in Cumbria today :-) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 13:39 on December 20, 2010
Viviane: Are you in your boat by the pub yet?
Anneliese: I got the last flight out of Bratislava before everything shut down. I had previously made an extensive sacrifice of mulled wine in the city Christmas Market to the god of snowploughs. The sacrifice was obviously accepted and now I am a believer :-) |
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Viviane 17:41 on December 19, 2010
Snowing again overhere...fantastic ! |
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Anneliese 14:29 on December 19, 2010
JIM: You were lucky to be able to get out of the country! I have this weekend seen in our garden (apart from the usual suspects) a redwing and - wait for it - a blackcap. I had to go and check that they do year-round here - I always think of them as summer birds!
Ho hum, must hang up the peanuts and fatballs. |
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Jim Bratislava 21:02 on December 17, 2010
Greetings from a snowy Bratislava! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 20:09 on December 05, 2010
CAZ: I heard on the gnus that a bunch of people have been snowbound in a pub high in Yorkshire for nine days. I expect they saw a bit of stoic British spirit ;-) |
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Caz 00:56 on December 04, 2010
JIM: beats me why in Britain everyone thinks they should desperately try to carry on as normal when it snows. Guess it's some sort of wartime mentality to struggle on regardless or something still. Should make the most of it... snuggle up somewhere warm and conserve energy or go out and play in it. Why attempt to behave as if it's not happening? Weird.Viviane: did you get your boat? A friend of mine used to live on a narrow boat on the Thames - very pretty and snug but a bit cramped! |
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Jim Mintakeland 07:30 on December 02, 2010
Viviane: yes I have heard about that place but have never been there.
Britain is out of action after a little snow! |
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viviane 00:11 on November 28, 2010
Jim : do you know "Lac du Der" in Champagne-Ardennes, France ? Saw fantastic film about the cranes setting off at sunset. |
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Jim Hen Gwlad y Gân 22:15 on November 22, 2010
Greetings from the Land of Song! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 10:38 on November 17, 2010
Wonderful news, to get home and hear about the forthcoming Royal Wedding! Hooray! |
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Jim Slovakia 17:55 on November 16, 2010
Greetings from the land of the Slovaks!
Viviane, that's interesting, I hope the city won't lose its charm or the pub get too crowded when I come next ;-) |
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Viviane 18:28 on November 12, 2010
JIM : Do you know 'Lonely Planet' has put Ghent on nr.7 in the cities-list one has to visit in 2011 ? They call it "Europe's best kept secret" ! :-) Fantastic isn't it ? I hope tourists won't come in whole troups now... |
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Jim Straussland 12:03 on November 12, 2010
Viviane: A boat! On the Ghent canals? Oooh, how exciting! You can moor alongside THE pub and just roll straight into bed ;-) Caz, I'm afraid Askam Co-op didn't have any suitable turnips so I got a pumpkin that was due to go poisonous at midnight. |
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Viviane 09:41 on November 12, 2010
CAZ : I'm on the list for a boat now... ;-) |
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Caz 02:33 on November 09, 2010
JIM: ahh.. see if you'd've had a proper turnip lantern it would probably have worked on the kids as well. Can't expect much from a mere pumpkin!Viviene: this can't be good weather to be living under a bridge! =:o) |
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Viviane 20:12 on November 07, 2010
JIM : eh, more or less...plenty of bridges in Ghent though ;-) |
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Jim Straussland 16:19 on November 07, 2010
Greetings from Straussland!
Viviane, are you houseless now? |
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Viviane 19:09 on November 01, 2010
Jim : :-) sadly I have no place for pumpkin lanterns anymore ! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 18:17 on October 31, 2010
And a happy Samhain to you Caz, and everyone. There is a pumpkin lantern in the front window of Maalie Court to ward off evil spirits, but it seems also to attract nauseating kids. I just scared the proverbial out of a bunch of kids by slowly opening the front door then rushing out roaring like a demon. I think their screams would have roused the whole street, but they got a goody out of it :-) |
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Caz 11:14 on October 31, 2010
Happy Halloween Everyone!
Don't forget to light your turnip lanterns tonight so the spunkies don't come and get you! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 09:11 on October 15, 2010
CAZ: You might try kayak-fishing! Even a decent mackerel will pull you through the water and a pike will drag you for miles. In fact I'm thinking of training them like sledge dogs. |
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Caz 16:54 on October 14, 2010
JIM: hah! Bet they didn't think to put that in the ads for your gnu phone. "Also good for catching mackerel!"Have never caught a fish from my kayak, but have caught a large jellyfish on the paddle in Cardigan Bay. Not sure that counts. Didn't catch it with a phone either! |
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Jim Argyll 20:44 on October 11, 2010
LOL! Sounds as if I am using the phone for fishing! |
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Jim Burns'Land 20:41 on October 11, 2010
CAZ: Well, since you ask, I am right now squashled down in my tent on the shore of Loch Long, having just munched the 2 large mackerel I caught from my kayak earlierwards (using a gnu flouring phone). Recently caught a 12lb pike kayak fishing on Coniston, got 10 servings off it. How are you? |
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Caz 00:39 on October 11, 2010
JIM: and where now? Don't say you're staying on one place for more than a week!:o) |
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Jim Straussland 20:34 on September 20, 2010
Happy Mabon (Autumn Eqinox) from Straussland! |
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Jim Zweigeltland 19:14 on September 14, 2010
Greetings from Zweigeltland! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 22:35 on August 29, 2010
Nice to be back in my own bed for a few days! |
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Jim Wales 07:55 on August 26, 2010
Geetings from Wales everbody! |
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Jim Itinerant 12:52 on August 22, 2010
CAZ: Well, I didn't want to sound too greedy ;-) |
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Caz 01:08 on August 21, 2010
JIM: a mere eight festivals a year!? Come on man, you're not really trying are you?;) |
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Jim East Angleland 09:39 on August 17, 2010
Greetings from the Land of the East Angles! |
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Viviane 18:53 on August 09, 2010
JIM ! please ! I still need a summer holiday ! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 11:23 on August 09, 2010
First Christmas cards out in the shops now. The Season of Bad Temper will soon be upon us. |
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Viviane 08:49 on August 07, 2010
Jim : thanks ! will never learn about all those things ;-) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 15:22 on August 03, 2010
Viviane, Lamas is one of the eight main Pagan festivals and is on 1st August, half way between the Summer Solstice and Autumn Equinox. It reoresents the celebration of the first corn harvest.
Become a Pagan and you will have eight great festivals to celebrate. It beats Christianity any day ;-) |
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Viviane 17:30 on August 02, 2010
JIM : eh ? please enlighten me ! :-) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 21:32 on July 31, 2010
Happy Lamas everyone! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 16:31 on July 29, 2010
Now the nights really are drawing in, noticeably so! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 15:39 on July 18, 2010
Viviane, Oh, that website was hosted on my university's server. When I retired I lost it. |
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Viviane 14:18 on July 17, 2010
JIM : hmmm...you don't worry about your ecological footprint, do you ? ;-) (joking !) I know Jim, Sylvie is/was your big ballet-love...what happened to your website ? |
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Jim Mintcakeland 10:35 on July 17, 2010
Anneliese, sounds like you had a good day! I was too tied up with family to get to Alton I'm afraid.
Viviane: I have seen more ballet in Straussland than London in recent years - it is so expensive to get there (I have got to Strausland for two cents return with Ryanair!). |
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Anneliese 13:36 on July 13, 2010
JIM: Had a fab day yesterday at the Hawk Conservancy - flew harris hawks and had owls (malaysian wood, milky eagle, barn), hooded vulture and bateleur eagle flown to my fist. |
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Anneliese 12:34 on July 09, 2010
JIM: If you're going to be in Hants any length of time (well till tomorrow anyway) then come to the Last Night of the Proms in Alton's public gardens tomorrow! Gates open 1800, music starts 1930; bring a picnic and a union flag and chill out! |
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Viviane 11:54 on July 09, 2010
JIM : just in case you are only logging-in for the Chat page : don't forget to support Ballet.co ! :-) |
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Jim Hampshire 09:47 on July 09, 2010
Greetings from Hampshire! Anneliese, must be quite near you! |
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Jim Slovakland 19:42 on July 06, 2010
Greetings all from the Land of the Slovaks (even if it is only Bratislava airport!). |
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Anneliese 10:19 on July 05, 2010
JIM: Oh goody, I shall start making my birthday list then! |
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Jim Straussland 13:39 on July 03, 2010
Anneliese, I was thinking, we are already into July; a few weeks and August and September will be done with and we'll be rushing headlong towards Halloween. |
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Jim Straussland 18:25 on July 02, 2010
Viviane, Zweigeltland is on the Hungarian border; the alternative name is Burgenland ;-) |
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Viviane 01:55 on July 02, 2010
Jim : what's the difference between Str
aussland and Sweigeltland ? |
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Jim Straussland 18:08 on July 01, 2010
Anneliese: Great birds you have seen! I think the ravens must have been brought there!
Viviane: Yes, swealtering hot here, not quite so hot as it was in Zweigeltland though. I think it should be cold beer here! |
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Viviane 18:00 on July 01, 2010
JIM : Oh la la ! too much of all good things .If the temperature there, is as high as overhere, I think you have a good excuse :-D |
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Jim Zweigeltland 18:00 on June 30, 2010
Hloe evvrubodi, if thre are tooo mny spllihg mystaces I hve drink to mwch Zwiegld. |
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Anneliese 00:01 on June 29, 2010
JIM: Forgot to mention, also so great crested grebes (and young!), tufted ducks and scaup on the lake at Longleat. |
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Anneliese 23:02 on June 28, 2010
JIM: I have just googled and found another person stating that they have seen ravens in the lion enclosure (they were with the deer when I saw them, quite close by) together with crows. Phew! thought I was going mad, didn't realise just how widespread they are in the UK! |
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Anneliese 22:54 on June 28, 2010
JIM: Another bird question I'm afraid! I was at Longleat on Saturday (along with approximately 3000 cub and beaver scouts) and noticed some larger than usual black corvids in a tree in the safari park. Also a couple on the ground. COULD they have been ravens? They just looked wrong for crows! Bigger, different stance and gait. |
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Viviane 22:33 on June 24, 2010
Jim : don't worry Kim is doing ok ! Maybe not for winning Wimbledon, but I'm enjoying tennis again with all the Belgian girls :-) Have a great time in Straussland ! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 18:52 on June 24, 2010
Anneliese: Well, it will be a little while before we start to notice the difference :-)Viviane: I heard Kim being mentioned recently at Wimbledon. Is she doing OK? I'm afraid I have been too busy with the football to study the tennis ;-)
Off to Straussland at the weekend! |
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Anneliese 11:18 on June 21, 2010
JIM: I know I say this every year but... you sound just like my Mum!
However, look at the glorious weather for the solstice and start of Wimbledon. Takes your mind off the world cup, at least!
Am shattered today after an afternoon of "west gallery" musicmaking for a Regency period evensong. I don't think I have played the bassoon for such a long time with so little break ever before - particularly trying as I was playing the tenor line, so (a) mostly quite high so hard on the embouchure and (b) having to read it in the treble clef. Now that isn't per se a problem, BUT my shorthand for tenor clef is "treble clef and down one" so I had to concentrate very hard to remember that it was just treble clef. So for once I was working just as hard as my poor husband (very new chorister!) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 09:17 on June 21, 2010
Happy Litha everyone! I greeted the dawn playing drums in an ancient stone circle with fellow Pagans in Mintcakeland.Now the nights sre drawing in and it's downhill all the way to Christmas :-( |
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Jim Mintcakeland 15:19 on June 17, 2010
Anneliese, I have expanded your picture to the limit of resolution and agree the tail is not long enough for Egyptian and so I agree it's a Griffon. I was deceived by not hasving a size comparison in the picture :-)Nice one! |
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Anneliese 10:31 on June 17, 2010
JIM: Are you sure? Griffon is allegedly much more common and we were in an area where they are known to nest. OK have had a good ferret through some online photos and reckon that it was more likely to be a griffon (not just from colour but also neck and head shape) and also concluded that it was a peregrine that whizzed past the car in the mountains. One solitary egret, a couple of kestrels and countless buzzards, house sparrows and hooded crows for the rest of the trip. Must see some ballet some time! This weekend's excitement is a visit from "The Madding Crowd" who do 18th and 19th century church music - so we are staging an authentic jane austen evensong at church. Thomas Hardy wrote a lot about bassoonists in church bands so I will feel right at home :-) |
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Viviane 20:05 on June 16, 2010
Anneliese : I feel as old as I think I am...it helps (sometimes :-) ) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 19:39 on June 16, 2010
Ooops! I screwed up the link HTML. I think it still works but if not here it is again! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 19:37 on June 16, 2010
Ah, but Anneliese, you will always be much more good-looking :-)
Your bird is an Egyptian Vulture (not confined to Egypt), see here <\a>. Look at the unmistakeable black and white wunder-wing pattern. Nice one :-)I was watching kites and seabirds in Wales last weekend!  |
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Jim Mintcakeland 19:37 on June 16, 2010
Ah, but Anneliese, you will always be much more good-looking :-)
Your bird is an Egyptian Vulture (not confined to Egypt), see here <\a>. Look at the unmistakeable black and white wunder-wing pattern. Nice one :-)I was watching kites and seabirds in Wales last weekend! |
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Anneliese 23:25 on June 15, 2010
JIM: Thanks, have emailed you! I realised today I am older than the Prime Minister. I suppose this is inevitable at some stage for us all, but still, I feel kind of sad... |
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Jim Mintcakeland 20:49 on June 15, 2010
Anneliese: Of course, feel free.maalie[at]talktalk[dot]net |
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Anneliese 17:48 on June 11, 2010
JIM: Just back from Crete - if I email you a v small photo could you confirm or deny vultureness of the subject? Loads of buzzards, one falcon with a peregrine like face but seemed browner (could be female I suppose) and this one potential vulture candidate. Skylarks, house sparrows, coots, gulls and a couple of blackbirds apart from that (a bit thin on the bird front) but we were quite excited at this possible griffon. Didn't visit Lake Kournas but a quick peek at Agia lake only showed terrapins, coots, gulls and two geese. Did see Balkan green lizards though. |
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Jim Mintcakeland 21:20 on June 10, 2010
Viviane: No No! Wales - Le Pays de Galles! |
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Viviane 20:35 on June 10, 2010
JIM : eh...south of France ? Lucky you ! Enjoy ! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 19:41 on June 10, 2010
Viviane: Wow! Fantastic - thanks for the link.I'm off to the Land of the Gauls this weekend :-) |
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Viviane 18:24 on June 10, 2010
JIM : a record of 22 young Storks in het Zwin :-)
http://www.standaard.be/video/videoplayer.aspx?cat=0&subcat=0&videoid=4300300 |
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viviane 18:01 on June 03, 2010
JIM : a bit dusty, I suppose but that's good for the business :-) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 22:35 on June 02, 2010
Oh dear, Viviane, I hope my pub is safe and intact... |
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Viviane 18:24 on June 02, 2010
JIM : Unbelieveable that there was a time, you were afraid of flying !? The heart of Ghent is a buildingsite atm... :-( dust, dust and no trams in the centre. |
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Jim Mintcakeland 19:48 on June 01, 2010
Paul, just checked out that link! I'm surprised not to see Ghent listed, that is also very beautiful. |
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Jim Mintcakeland 19:03 on June 01, 2010
Viviane: You bet ;-)This evening I am pot-roasting a chicken in Leffe beer as a change from wine. Yummee!
Paul, yes it is a lovely city. And the birdwatching in the surrounding areas is superb! Just booked a flight out today for 26 June; I can get there and back with Ryanair (via Bratislava) for less than it costs to fill my car with petrol! |
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Paul 09:39 on May 26, 2010
JIM: I've just read a news item which says that Vienna is the no. 1 city for quality of living. What this means apparently is that if your employer sends you on an assignment there, they won't pay you much in the way of a hardship allowance!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8704630.stm
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viviane 07:31 on May 22, 2010
Jim : Hooray ! Zweigelt ! |
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Jim Straussland 14:55 on May 20, 2010
Greetings from Straussland! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 18:46 on May 15, 2010
Oooh! Sylvie used to dance Forsythe! In the Middle Somewhat Elevated was my favourite! |
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Viviane 17:24 on May 15, 2010
Jim, yes...Forsythe and so recently.... |
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Jim Mintcakeland 12:20 on May 15, 2010
Well, Viviane, I see that De Vlaamse Opera is listed there ;-) |
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Viviane 21:02 on May 14, 2010
JIM ! :-D I was talking ballet ;-) I bet you've visited all those pubs and café's ? |
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Jim Mintcakeland 11:13 on May 14, 2010
Viviane, you might start your search
here ;-) |
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Viviane 19:01 on May 13, 2010
Jim, I even have no clue what's on atm ! Should read the serious pages :-) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 18:13 on May 13, 2010
I just looked at Cinderella, but there was only ONE ticket left! I'm afraid I couldn't afford it :-) Oh well, there is always the DVD, or maybe something on in Straussland next week :-) |
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Viviane 09:36 on May 13, 2010
Jim, thanks for info :-) Overhere weather is indecent cold too...brrrr... |
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Jim Mintcakeland 06:59 on May 13, 2010
Viviane, weather is fine but unseasonably cold. We had our coldest May night for 15 years yesterday with cold north wind. Great Britain suffers while the Baltic countries and Russia are swealtering with record highs! |
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viviane 23:12 on May 12, 2010
JIM:it seems ages ago ! btw, one of my collaborators is travelling to your region atm.how's the weather ? |
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Jim Mintcakeland 21:57 on May 12, 2010
Viviane, I think that possibly you did :-) |
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Viviane 22:40 on May 11, 2010
Hey, hey ! Do I hear 'ballet in London' ? :-) |
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Bruce 19:13 on May 11, 2010
Fine Jim - would not have relaised without your post. I was wondering why you were talking in riddles these days!Hope we can say hello when you are in London - been a while!! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 18:33 on May 11, 2010
Bruce, sorry, I honestly didn't mean to gnit-pick, I really assumed it was some sort of incomprehensible "iPhone speak" or somesuch :-)
Hope you are well, I hope to get down to London for a bit ballet before long. I have seen more ballet in Vienna than London over the last couple of years.
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Bruce 18:05 on May 11, 2010
Duh 2 - long time since I posted...Duh - not sure what happened - thought I had corrected... here we go: "Will refrain from any further description of his physical or mental attributes so's not to annoy the webmaster ;)" This is very wise Caz! I'd ask that points made here are with some courtesy and an eye to the legal nicities just as I ask on the forum - please and thanks. |
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Bruce 18:01 on May 11, 2010
Duh - nto sure what Happened - thought I had corrected... here we go:
"Will refrain from any further description of his physical or mental attributes so's not to annoy the webmaster ;)"
This is very wise Caz! I'd ask that points made here are with some courtesy and an eye to the legal nicities just as I ask on the forum - please and thanks.
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Jim Mintcakeland 15:46 on May 11, 2010
Bruce: sok? abd? |
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Bruce 07:00 on May 11, 2010
"Will refrain from any further description of his physical or mental attributes so's not to annoy the webmaster ;)"This is very wise Caz! I'd sok that points made here are with some courtesy and an eye to the legal nicities just as I ask on the forum - please abd thanks. |
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Jim Mintcakeland 22:04 on May 10, 2010
CAZ: ROTFL! Wouldn't it be ironic if the Plaid Cymru MPs were the ones to keep Labour afloat"! |
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Caz 21:56 on May 10, 2010
JIM: completely disagree with your evaluation of the fat bloke. The sooner someone applies a crowbar the better. His complete lack of anything resembling looks, charm or any other positive physical feature are unimportant. Whoever heard of a good-looking politician in the last 300 years anywhoo?!Will refrain from any further description of his physical or mental attributes so's not to annoy the webmaster ;) I blame the *%(^#*%$! Tudors anyway - they're the ones who gave us away to Scotland! :b |
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Jim Mintcakeland 21:00 on May 10, 2010
I have an awful feeling that things will go from bad to worse without his evident knowledge and experience. Just because he doesn't have a charming smile and can't sing and dance in a tv debate...However, I'm ready to be convinced. |
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Caz 18:57 on May 10, 2010
I always said the only way to get that fat bloke out of no. 10 would be to prise him out with a crowbar... |
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Jim Mintcakeland 09:30 on May 10, 2010
Four days on and Great Britain is still hung! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 16:34 on May 05, 2010
I've just bought all my snacks, savouries and gnibbles for Thursday night's election results party. It could last until 4.00am!Oh, did I mention the wine? Wine too! |
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Viviane 21:18 on May 03, 2010
JIM : first pictures didn't show up...now I've seen why :-) |
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Viviane 17:55 on May 03, 2010
CAZ : br... 7° overhere...blame on me...forgot to call up the sun... |
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Caz 01:07 on May 03, 2010
VIVIANE: you have to call up the sun for start of the spring or he won't shine for you. We called him with trumpets and furious dancing - not even the sun's going to sleep through that! :DMind you... it was obviously all too much for him as he's taken the day off today! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 15:12 on May 02, 2010
VIVIANE: There are some pictures of my last year's Beltane Party here ! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 14:56 on May 02, 2010
VIVIANE: It's the Pagan festival, around the 1st May, about half way between Ostara (Spring Equinox) and Litha (Summer Solstice). Surely you were up at dawn washing your hair on the morning dew?I simply have a large joint of beef to roast and a couple of bottles of Zweigelt ;-) |
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Viviane 13:31 on May 02, 2010
JIM : learning a lot overhere recently ! Beltane...had never heard about it :-) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 08:12 on May 02, 2010
Happy Beltane Weekend everyone :-)I have a celebratory joint of beef brisket for half price as it is due to go poisonous at midnight! |
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Caz 18:04 on May 01, 2010
Happy May Day everyone! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 20:10 on April 30, 2010
VIVIANE: Oh, it's the Burgenland speciality! Austrian beer is rubbish (but don't tell anyone I said so ;-) ). |
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Viviane 17:09 on April 30, 2010
JIM : I had to google "Zweigelt"... thought it was a beer ;-) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 11:00 on April 30, 2010
VIVIANE: Oh yes, the Neusiedler See (Burgenland) area is one of thre best birding places in Europe, one could easily see over 200 species around the year!And the Zweigelt is very nice too ;-) |
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Viviane 19:21 on April 29, 2010
JIM : how wonderfull ! Never thought you had that much different species in Austria ;-) |
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Jim Straussland 08:08 on April 29, 2010
Well, it was all over as suddenly as it started. My cancelled flight last week was "uncancelled" and it all went as smoothly as ever :-)I won't type out my bird list here, I have seen 116 species! |
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Viviane 12:05 on April 25, 2010
CAZ : Indeed ! Jim will need to change his habit again...reaching Vienna by boat will take very long though ! |
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Caz 20:21 on April 24, 2010
See, this is why it's so much better to go everywhere by boat! :-) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 22:07 on April 19, 2010
My sister and her husband have been stuck in Nepal for a few days! I can think of worse places but I think they are starting to feel desperate! |
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Anneliese 21:31 on April 18, 2010
JIM, VIVIANE: I think the consequences could be long lasting and very significant... all very worrying. I hope that 6 weeks is long enough to get things back to normal as I have no idea if our holiday insurance covers this type of issue! (taking a very selfish and parochial view for a moment...) |
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Viviane 23:04 on April 17, 2010
JIM : oh dear ! I'm afraid problems will not be over in a couple of days... |
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Jim Mintcakeland 15:14 on April 17, 2010
My Australian frind is stuck here with me - he was supposed to have gone yesterday. he expects to suffer considerable costs fron lost work. |
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Viviane 12:14 on April 17, 2010
JIM : still no planes...friends are stuck everywhere in Europe ! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 22:46 on April 15, 2010
VIVIANE: Well at least the storks can fly at the moment - no planes in Britain (and I think Belgium too) are allowed into the sky. I am supposed to be giving a presentation about Bird Ringing in Straussland next Friday so I hope it has blown away by then :-) |
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Viviane 20:20 on April 14, 2010
JIM : weird isn't it ? Video taken somwhere in Germany. They think the stork had an accident with paint :-)
Spring is late everywhere...I need sun ! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 22:31 on April 12, 2010
Viviane, wondeful video, thank you :-)
Spring is late here, the first swallows have just arrived. Drinking lots of Leffe with my friend from Australia who is staying with me for a couple of weeks :-) |
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Viviane 14:51 on April 11, 2010
here it is : http://www.deredactie.be/permalink/1.755572
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Viviane 14:49 on April 11, 2010
oops ! something went wrong ! sorry ! |
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Viviane 14:47 on April 11, 2010
JIM : stork !
http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws/mediatheek/redactietips/redactietips_2eNiveau/1.756741 |
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Viviane 14:46 on April 11, 2010
JIM : stork !
http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws/mediatheek/redactietips/redactietips_2eNiveau/1.756741 |
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Jim Mintcakeland 23:01 on March 31, 2010
VIVIANE: It was certainly shock to the metabolism to arrive back in Mintcakeland to screaming winds, driving rain and sleet and only 2.5 C after a lovely springtime in the Wienerwald :-) |
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Viviane 18:24 on March 31, 2010
JIM : You must be able to dance a fabulous Waltz after all those Vienna-visits, I presume ? :-D |
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Viviane 18:24 on March 31, 2010
JIM : You must be able to dance a fabulous Waltz after all those Vienna-visits, I presume ? :-D |
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Jim Straussland 18:27 on March 30, 2010
Grettings from sunny (but a little windy) Vienna, everybody! |
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Anneliese 22:53 on March 23, 2010
JIM: Saw it again today! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 21:56 on March 22, 2010
ANNELIESE: Yes, it is astonishing how common Red Kites are getting in some places these days, due to successful reintroduction schemes. But none in Mintcakeland yet, though I hear plans are afoot. |
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Anneliese 16:55 on March 18, 2010
JIM: I saw a red kite over the A3M yesterday! I was, to put it mildly, flabbergasted - but then chatting to a neighbour apparently they have been introduced between here and Basingstoke. A pair of ragdoll cats have moved into our road. I think they're too stupid to catch birds; they're certainly too stupid to run away from a man with a water pistol, according to a neighbour! My younger son wants to cuddle them... |
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Jim Mintcakeland 12:37 on March 13, 2010
I got home from Aragón at 2.00am this morning.VIVIANE: What a marvellous sight to see in the town centre!
PAUL: Well the final list had both Sandgrouse, Wallcreeper, Alpine Accentor, Snow Finch, Lammergeier and pretty-well everything you could wish for! But I was in good company with a splendid tour guide. |
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Viviane 11:35 on March 13, 2010
JIM : There are two herons who made the centre of Ghent their own ! Last year a male had found his favorite place on a wooden construction, in the middle of the water between two of the bridges. Last night there were two ! It was fantastic to see the couple flirting and flying over the water :-) |
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Paul 22:18 on March 10, 2010
JIM: You're showing off again :) I remember how difficult Sandgrouse were for us in Spain. We had a male blackbird in the garden doing a terrific display to a rather ill looking female the other day. Fanning his tail and cocking it up and generally parading about. |
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Jim Aragón 18:08 on March 10, 2010
ANNELIESE: Nice!I have had Storks, eagles and Sandgrouse in Aragón today :-) |
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Anneliese 11:01 on March 10, 2010
JIM: Skylarks sighted and heard this morning! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 17:18 on March 03, 2010
Loads of snowdrops out in Cumbria at last :-) |
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Caz 00:10 on March 02, 2010
Happy St David's Day! (only a little bit late posting!) |
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Jim Straussland 20:35 on February 25, 2010
Anneliese, many birds have a "honeymoon" period after they establish the territory and before nest buidling (possibly to build up protein and energy reserves before egg-laying). I would be interested to hear of developments.
I saw two species of butterfly and six species of woodpecker near Vienna today. I trust there will be such a springlike welcome for me on the tarmac of Liverpool airport on Saturday night ;-) |
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Anneliese 13:49 on February 25, 2010
JIM: I haven't seen any interest since... problem with blue tits is there are usually a few of them around at any time. I do wish it had been big garden birdwatch weekend the day that we had 4 robins in 2 trees in our garden at the same time! I think we might have a wren nesting close by too. Have to say it is hard to believe the stats about decline in LBJs from our garden :-) there are even more thrushes around this year, and longtails are more prevalent as well. No sign of moorhen decline, either. And skylarks are to be heard (not now, obviously) when I leave work of a summer evening. Is Hampshire just a little English timewarp? |
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Jim Straussland 16:37 on February 24, 2010
Anneliese, they should be taking nesting material in soon! |
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Jim Straussland 16:35 on February 24, 2010
Hi Everyone! Lovely spring weather here! Getting up at 5.00am tomorrow for a day's hike in the Donau Auen National Park, along the banks of the Danube. |
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Viviane 22:28 on February 23, 2010
JIM : lucky you ! :-) |
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Jim Straussland 20:11 on February 23, 2010
Greetings from Vienna where it is 24 deg. C warmer than it was last time I was here! |
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Anneliese 10:28 on February 21, 2010
NESTBOX NEWS: One blue tit spent a considerable time staring through the doorway, with his wife hopping about below saying "I really wanted a double garage" and "Can't you do anything about those earwigs?" They did both go in eventually and spent quite a while on the internal viewing, so we are not without hope of a sale... |
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Jim Mintcakeland 17:30 on February 19, 2010
Viviane: They won't be long, I'm sure :-)Anneliese: There is already some nest-building going on, and there is significant 'dawn chorus' activity, despite the weather. As soon as this cold snap finally ends it will be full steam ahead!
Next message will be from Straussland, Ryanair permitting :-) |
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Anneliese 11:21 on February 19, 2010
VIVIANE: the internet is a wonderful place :-)
JIM: TWO pairs of robins being conspicuous in our garden... and blue tits sniffing round last year's box which is probably full of earwigs but I can't unscrew it to clear it out. I now know I should have done that last autumn... |
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Viviane 18:26 on February 17, 2010
JIM : no storks yet ... it's still freezing overhere... ! |
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Viviane 08:16 on February 17, 2010
Anneliese : yes...strange isn't it ? we never met and you're regulary in my thoughts :-) |
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Viviane 08:16 on February 17, 2010
Anneliese : yes...strange isn't it ? we never met and you're regulary in my thoughts :-) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 15:36 on February 16, 2010
Glad to hear your news Viviane.Any sign of the storks arriving? I guess it is still a bit cold for them. I will be looking myself in Burgenland next week :-)
Hi Anneliese! Much going on your way? We saw about 5000 Fieldfares feeding on sea buckthorn berries last Saturday! |
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Anneliese 12:43 on February 16, 2010
VIVIANE: Oh I am glad - this is one thing about the internet, it lets you worry about people all over the world. |
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Viviane 19:32 on February 15, 2010
Anneliese, thank you for your thoughts :-) Lucky enough no one of my family or friends were on these trains today...thanks to the holidays ! x |
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Anneliese 10:45 on February 15, 2010
VIVIANE: Hope that you are not affected by this morning's accident. It sounds terrible. Thinking of you anyway. |
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Jim Straussland 19:46 on January 28, 2010
Hi Viviane! Hi Everyone! Greetings from snowy Vienna. Minus 14C out in Burgenland yesterday! |
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Viviane 21:56 on January 21, 2010
JIM : Hi ! Back on a plane ? Where is the time you even wouldn't think about it ;-) Have a good trip ! |
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Jim Liverpool John Lennon Airport 15:30 on January 21, 2010
Hi Eevryone! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 23:03 on January 16, 2010
Anneliese, yes Fieldfares are aggressive devils! I saw a Black-throated Diver and two Scaup today! |
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Anneliese 10:19 on January 16, 2010
JIM: No dog but woodlands fairly easily accessible! HOWEVER the thaw will leave the ground rather unpleasant and I have to say that ankle deep mud is not my favourite terrain (should have read your reply earlier, really!) Aggressive fieldfare behaviour to blackbird over decaying apples last week. |
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Jim Mintcakeland 16:22 on January 11, 2010
Anneliese: There has been a huge influx from the continent during this cold weather. Go for a walk in the woods and let your dog snuffle around in the undergrowth (if you have a dog!). |
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Anneliese 20:40 on January 10, 2010
JIM: Goodness, I don't think I've seen a woodcock for 30 years! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 16:51 on January 10, 2010
I caught and ringed a Woodcock this morning! |
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Anneliese 09:39 on January 08, 2010
JIM: Definitely fieldfares yesterday; sun not so bright so could see them properly! We usually only get redwings actually in the garden. On the flood meadows (well, above them, of course) yesterday was a buzzard being mobbed by half a dozen crows. Very noisy! A couple of moorhens and mallards swimming. MUST get some birdseed, don't want lawns littered with dead chaffinches. VIVIANE - I envy Elisabeth too! This snow is set for another week and my boys are already fed up with each other! |
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Vivaine 19:53 on January 07, 2010
Anneliese : please read : 'no butter nor fish' ! |
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Viviane 19:51 on January 07, 2010
Anneliese : Here we call it "no butter of fish" :-) Lovely to hear about Tim and James, time is going sooo quick !
We had a lot of snow before Christmas, now it's not that abundant and it's freezing too hard to have more. Everyone is waiting the green light for skating on ponds...
Ofcourse Elisabeth is still dancing ! She left Portugal because too calm...:-( Atm.she's cruising the Carabean as dance-captain for Costa and she adores it ! (well, with that weather I would love to be overthere too !).Last winter she was in Mexico and Argentina, this summer in the Nordic Fjords and Baltic towns.
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Jim Mintcakeland 16:16 on January 06, 2010
ANNELIESE: Oooh! Barn Owl - nice :-) In this weather and at this time of year they will often hunt in daylight to make ends meet. I saw one myself the other day.You mentioned Fieldfares, there are lots around now, even coming into gardens, especially if you have a few windfalls lying around! |
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Anneliese 13:18 on January 06, 2010
VIVIANE: I could send you our Christmas letter... my boys are now 7 and 10 and still chalk and cheese (do you have a saying like this in Belgium?) Tim is thin and highly strung and temperamental and James is stocky and calm and thoughtful. Tim is now quite a musician, singing and playing the piano and trumpet; James will start the violin next year (to keep him going until he is big enough for a double bass) and wants to start singing as well. We still haven't been abroad to the Christmas markets but there was one in Winchester this year which we went to in the first December snowfall (which was proper, powdery snow accompanied by bright blue sky - lovely) and we skated there too. Tim is getting easier to deal with - growing up takes time, I suppose - and has benefitted from superb teachers in the last 12 months. James is generally lovely (you would smile to hear him playing with all his soft toys) except when hungry or wanting his own space. Tim has an armful of cub scout badges and has also taken up Judo (I don't know how the instructor manages it, it terrified me watching them all!) James plays football which he absolutely loves, and he is gradually getting the hang of it... I am doing more singing at the moment - four of us singing along with ABBA in the car one day foolishly decided we could form a close harmony group to rival the men at church. We chose far too difficult a piece first time round, but we are still giving the men a run for their money because we actually rehearse ;-) And my husband is also singing now - I gave him as a birthday present some lessons with a local soprano, and he's really taken to it. It is hard work keeping up with his questions on music theory though! Anyway, is Elisabeth (? that is right isn't it?) still dancing? Is Europe as snowy as the UK right now? I was, it seems from today's news, lucky to get home last night! Mind you it was a piece of cake compared with two weeks ago
JIM: I think I saw two hunting barn owls on the top of Portsdown Hill on Monday evening! That would only be my second or third ever wild barn owl sighting! OOOOH yes big big excitement my Dad got me a day's falconry at the Hawk Conservancy near Andover as a birthday/Christmas present - I will be booking that in the spring. |
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Jim Mintcakeland 21:16 on January 05, 2010
VIVIANE: How is Ghent? Are the waterways frozen? Britain is siezed in an icy grip! |
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Viviane 20:15 on January 05, 2010
Anneliese : Hello ! Lovely to hear from you :-) Eh.... 1 major question : please do tell about your boys !? How are they doing ? When I was in Bruges a couple of weeks ago for a concert, you we're in my thoughts...you had spoken once about the Christmas-market overthere ! :-) |
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Caz 12:26 on January 05, 2010
BRUCE: I have a technical question about toilets! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 20:24 on January 04, 2010
ANNELIESE: So good to see you here again! How are you?My last ballet was Mayerling in Vienna! Going back there later this month (airports permiting!). |
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Anneliese 16:35 on January 04, 2010
HELLO!!!!! How come I missed 2 months of chat?!? Jim: I nearly posted a couple of weeks ago about ?Fieldfares? and now I wish I had! I thought they MUST be fieldfares but my books didn't show what I was seeing - as though biggish turdidae had dark hoods on, so you could see dark head, shoulders and wings with what looked like a white triangle on the chest. Really jealous of your Austrian sojourns, the cake alone would keep me happy for months ;-) but this year I have successfully made stollen. Viviane: been thinking of you, my sister was in Brugge recently. We had a German china baby doll that belonged to my mum - she gave it to a toy museum in the end. It was slightly broken unfortunately in the neck so the head joint didn't work properly but she was lovely. Becca: I was only wondering the other day what had happened to you, while watching So You Think You Can Dance on Saturday. How's it going?
I have had TWO WHOLE BALLETS in the last couple of months - Mayerling (Tamara and Carlos, rendered hilarious by my sister's total inability to follow the plot) and Nut (Yuhui Choe, lovely) - Oh we also watched the RB Swan Lake DVD and Yuhui was the one that impressed Him Indoors. She still impressed him at point blank range last Friday!
Hope the snow hasn't given you all too many problems - I had one bad evening (and considering we live in Alton it could have been far, far worse - have to say that my sluggish auto box is fab in the snow!) Keep dropping in, I have missed the chat! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 17:20 on January 03, 2010
Gelukkig Nieuwjaar Viviane! |
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Viviane 16:02 on January 03, 2010
HAPPY NEW YEAR :-)brrr....freezing... |
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Jim Mintcakeland 07:29 on January 02, 2010
Happy New Year from Mintcakeland! |
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Caz 02:31 on January 01, 2010
HAPPY NEW YEAR! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 20:39 on December 28, 2009
Had a lovely walk up in the snowy Cumbrian fells today. |
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Caz 00:06 on December 25, 2009
MERRY CHRIMBLES ALL!JIM: some snowiness indeed! Wheee! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 17:30 on December 24, 2009
Happy Chrimbles everyone! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 11:29 on December 23, 2009
CAZ: There are actually three dancer's names I recognise (e.g. Pipps Moore). Wouyld love to see their R & J again!<
Getting any snow your way? |
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Jim Mintcakeland 22:03 on December 21, 2009
Happy Yule (Winter Solstice) Everybody!
CAZ: Yes, I will check it out!
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Caz 16:00 on December 20, 2009
JIM: yes have a look at NBT's site. I'm interested to know what you think. No mention of Giselle there either and I think that may have been my fave.It's snowy! Am considering going for a soak in the snow-covered hot tub, but there is an evil cold wind... |
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Viviane 18:35 on December 18, 2009
JIM : fantastic ! and I'll try the chocolate-cake too :-) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 15:34 on December 16, 2009
VIVIANE: I have put a couple of pictures of my study-area here , if you would like to see them :-) |
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Jim Land of the Slovaks 17:30 on December 15, 2009
Greetings from Slovakia! Spent the afternoon round the Christmas markets in Old Bratislava, sampled the hot glog. Hic!
CAZ: I feel a little out of touch with NBT since I left the Midlands (even though I now inhabit the North, they seem more inaccessible). You have got me curious, I will look it up :-) |
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Caz 00:42 on December 14, 2009
JIM: hah - I'm not jealous of all these chrimble goodies.... hardly at all! (at the risk of breaking the page again by mentioning the B subject) I was looking at NBT's site t'other day and reading their scenario of Swan Lake... didn't seem to be the same one we saw. Have they done a different version since then? |
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Viviane 00:16 on December 13, 2009
JIM : lucky you ! :-) |
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Jim Straussland 17:07 on December 12, 2009
VIVIANE: Yes, in the Donau Auen and Seewinkel National Parks in Burgenland (Neusiedlersee area). A lot of winter species arriving from the Arctic.
Burgenland wine is very good too! |
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Viviane 21:01 on December 11, 2009
JIM : birdwatching in Vienna ? |
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Jim Straussland 19:22 on December 11, 2009
And apfel strudel and sachertorte. |
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Jim Still in Straussland 09:04 on December 11, 2009
CAZ: Oh yes, and lots of other goodies (Mozart balls etc.)! |
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Viviane 21:07 on December 10, 2009
ALISON : Thanks ! I learn Oyster is a no for such a short visit :-) |
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Caz 00:57 on December 10, 2009
JIM: oooooh! Lots of stollen? |
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Jim Straussland 18:30 on December 09, 2009
Greetings everyone from Vienna! Spending lots in the Christmas markets! |
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alison still@home 22:48 on December 08, 2009
I'm sure I posted something in reply to someone the other day, but it didn't go through, and I can't remember what it was now!
VIVIANE: My sympathies - I'm trying to work out Oystercards too and not having much luck, and I shall need them from the end of this month. There is a 3-day Travelcard available, but I think it only makes sense if you're going into zones 5 or 6, so it depends on where they're staying. There may well be a family T'card too, but that will presuppose that you all stick together at all times, which may not be a good option. I thought children went free, but perhaps that's only on buses and trams, and not on the Tube? And from what I can see there's now a £3 deposit on all Oystercards. |
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Caz 01:45 on December 05, 2009
ALL: oooh! It's that Xmas carolly time again! I must get a-practising!We wish you a Merry Xmas..... |
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Viviane 20:26 on December 02, 2009
Thanks Shirley and Jim ! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 10:19 on December 02, 2009
Ooops! That was meant to be a ! not a ? |
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Jim Mintcakeland 10:18 on December 02, 2009
Hi Shirley?Any gnus of Darcey? I think there are at least three Darceys in my grandughter's play school! |
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Shirley @home 22:29 on December 01, 2009
Sorry so long since I have typed on here forgotten how to format text. |
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Shirley @home 22:26 on December 01, 2009
Hi
If it is 3 continuous days then the travel card would probably be better - there is a charge for the oyster card.
I found this when having a look for details.
http://www.milesfaster.co.uk/information/travelcard-oyster-card.htm
Hope it helps |
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Jim Mintcakeland 18:45 on December 01, 2009
VIVIANE: I have the impression that Oyster cards are used by commuters and those who use the U-bahn regularly. I suggest the first time they buy a ticket they simply queue at the ticket window and ask for advice. I think that travel cards may be the answer. Someone else reading this may have a more precise solution. |
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Viviane 18:00 on December 01, 2009
ALL : please can someone advise on what kind of card to buy for London Underground ? I know a family who is visiting london for 3 days with children. Travelcard or Oyster Card ?
How is travelcard for kids ? Little children don't need a travelcard but need to pay 1£ ? Is this ok ? Do you need a photo ? Website is not completely clear on this... :-(
Thanks for any help ! x |
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Jim Mintcakeland 06:31 on November 30, 2009
VIVIANE: Oh yes, I sleep in it often, like a camper van, it has saved me a fortune in hotel bills!
CAZ: Yes they sound like Herring Gulls to me! Unless they happen to be in the Mediterranean in which case they are likely to be Yellow-legged Gulls! |
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Caz 23:41 on November 29, 2009
JIM: if it looks like an HG... and smells like an HG... and pesters after my sammidges like an HG - then it's an HG! |
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Viviane 17:14 on November 29, 2009
JIM : Jim in a 4x4...difficult to believe :-) |
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jIM Mintcakeland 13:38 on November 29, 2009
VIVIANE: Mintcakeland is more like Ghent these days,with rivers where there are supposed to be roads! I'm very grateful I have a 4 x 4!
CAZ: The "Herring Gull" has been divided by the splitter taxonomists into about 4 species now, life isn't so simple since they started DNA fingerprinting everything! |
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Viviane 13:22 on November 29, 2009
JIM : Ghent is even more beautiful nowadays...(apart from the centre that's converted into a buildingsite atm...) Ofcourse your pub is still on the same place !
Rainy and grey now... |
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Caz 00:56 on November 29, 2009
JIM: re: Margot - I remember seeing something advertised, but can't remember any details. Maybe someone else will know? |
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Caz 00:55 on November 29, 2009
JIM: oooh - that's longer than I realised! I was curious as to whether it was still the same lot of young HGs pestering after my sandwiches that seem to've been around for ages, or whether it was a new batch. Looks like it's the same lot then. |
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Jim Mintcakeland 17:57 on November 28, 2009
CAZ: Did I say two? Then I can't count, I mean three! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 17:41 on November 28, 2009
Can anyone verify a rumour wot I heard that there is going to be a drama about Margot Fonteyn on BBC's Channel Four on Monday night? |
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Jim Mintcakeland 15:38 on November 28, 2009
CAZ: I guess the short answer is typically two years! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 15:37 on November 28, 2009
VIVIANE: How is Ghent these days? I trust the best pub in continental Europe is still there :-)
CAZ: Gulls have complex and variable moult strategies. But typically, a Herring Gull fledging in juvenile plumage will have a partial moult the following summer, retaining some juvenile feather (i.e. quite a lot of brown still, but also some new grey showing). After the next moult a year later, it looks almost like an adult, but with less white on the wing tips and even traces of brown retained in the mantle. The summer after that it has another moult and should end up looking fully adult. |
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Viviane 11:05 on November 28, 2009
CAZ : hi ! :-) dolls who lived their live do have a lot of charm and a special value ;-) |
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Caz 00:57 on November 28, 2009
JIM: well if you will live up in Mintcakeland you have to expect a bit of damp now and again! Hope the Mintcake isn't all melting! Ah - I have a birding question.... how long does it take for HG chicks to get their adult plumage? |
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Jim Mintcakeland 13:16 on November 27, 2009
May I join in with the "Hi's"? Hi!
Caz, yes I saw it, I did, I really did! But not often enough up here in Mintcakeland these days. I'm getting a bit fed up with all this rain, I can't get out bopping often enough! |
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Caz 01:33 on November 25, 2009
ALISON: er.. well... if you really feel we must!Hi! ;) |
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alison bored@home 16:54 on November 24, 2009
Yes, I'm sort of here.
CAZ: Hi! (We can go on doing this all day, can't we?) |
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Will william.doherty@ntlworld.com 12:59 on November 24, 2009
anyone on line today |
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Caz 00:53 on November 24, 2009
ALISON: and hi back! |
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Caz 00:52 on November 24, 2009
Viviane: all of our old family dolls were "well used" in the past. Much loved, but with no value remaining.JIM: must be Winter... I spy a Winter Triangle! |
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alison still@home 00:17 on November 18, 2009
Ooh, I even remembered how to create a new para after all this time! |
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alison @home 00:16 on November 18, 2009
Hi, Jim! Hi, Becca! Hi anyone else who's there! I'm okay, but bin better. As for Darcey, I don't know, except that she's supposed to be guest judging on Strictly Come Dancing in a few weeks, so doubtless she's over here, unless she's going to be green and do the whole thing via videoconference from Australia!
Anneliese pops up on the serious page every now and then, so she's still around. |
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Becca 14:56 on November 17, 2009
JIM: Actually I'm working in marketing (digital marketing in fact) for one of the national dance agencies, as well as ushering in a few theatres - so I get to see dance all the time! Not often a nice big ballet though. |
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Jim Mintcakeland 07:41 on November 14, 2009
Hi Becca, No I took early retirment from De Montfort three years ago (how time flies) and am now a Biologist of Independent Means. Still doing my birdresearch in Cumbria and do a lot of travelling and have a flat in Vienna.
Do you still get to see a ballet sometimes? |
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Becca 08:23 on November 13, 2009
Hello Jim! Course is going well, I'm in fourth year, graduating this year with MA Eng Lit (hopefully a first...)How are you? Are you still at de Montfort? |
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grey rabbit 01:13 on November 13, 2009
hi to all! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 22:58 on November 12, 2009
Hi Becca! How is the course going? I suppose you have graduated by now? |
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Jim Mintcakeland 22:57 on November 12, 2009
Hi Alison, nice to see you again! How are you? And how is Darcey? We don't hear much about her these days.
Now we just need to get Anneliese back here! |
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miran annabela2594@hotmail.fr 19:29 on November 12, 2009
please help me tell me just what i doing if i can go for danse ballet or no or yes please |
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miran annabela2594@hotmail.fr 19:25 on November 12, 2009
im 20age and i don't know if i can danse ballet no or yes i don't know if i can in this age |
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Becca 13:06 on November 12, 2009
Oh wow, chat's working! |
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Viviane 18:39 on November 11, 2009
Hello Alison :-) So now and then I come here to have a look. Everyone on the chat seems to have bisque dolls :-) Sadly the value of a damaged doll is low...unless it's an uncommun one. |
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Alison @ home 16:17 on November 11, 2009
Oh, you are still all here, then! Hello from a long-absent chatter!
I have 2 of those china dolls, too - full-size baby ones, both Armand Marseille, I think. Unfortunately, when I was young, one of them was sitting near the fire and my sister tripped over her, and she cracked her head on the hearth (the doll, I mean). And of course, as I discovered years later, it had to be the more expensive one of the two! |
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Viviane 18:54 on November 07, 2009
CAZ : it was simply a whole other era ofcourse...most children didn't have those expensive china and bisque dolls...and IF they had, most of them were only allowed to 'play'= look to them on Sunday-afternoons... I will always cherish the memories an old lady shared with me when I was buying a terrific childrens stove from her : she was only allowed to 'play' with it during winter, on Sundays after church... So she told me we never got tired about it ! :-) |
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Caz 00:04 on November 07, 2009
Viviane: it's weird the difference with the very old toys. They are made of china and kids had to be careful with them. Now everything has to be unbreakable and made so that kids can't hurt themselves so they never learn to take care of anything! (Not that there weren't a lot of broken china dolls obviously!) |
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Jim Worzel's 08:59 on November 05, 2009
Hey mate, what are you doing here? |
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Simon simoncotter@hotmail.com 05:48 on November 05, 2009
G'day Jim- yes I am looking in.. hope you are enjoying Europe.. |
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viviane 00:00 on October 31, 2009
jim : well you lucky guy ! :-) |
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Jim Vienna 19:09 on October 29, 2009
Greetings from Wien to anybody who might be looking in! |
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Viviane 14:14 on October 24, 2009
CAZ : wow ! great you have dolls with a family history ! There is so much in dolls...Once you start studying them, a whole world is opening ;-)
Some bears are ugly, frightening, but some are really fine ! Pitty I can't post a picture here :-) |
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Caz 00:24 on October 24, 2009
VIVIANE: not really so weird. I think they're interesting. We have a couple of very old large china dolls that I think weren't new when my great grandmother had them as a child. One was German and they hid it away during WW2 in case it was taken away for being German!I'm not so keen on old teddy bears - I think their faces are a little bit scary! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 18:31 on October 23, 2009
VIVIANE: Happy 50th Birthday to Asterix :-) |
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Viviane 18:11 on October 23, 2009
Caz : antique ones...a weird hobby, I know ! once they were everywhere in the house...now most of them live in boxes for a while ;-)when I'll be grey and lonely, I want to have my little shop back :-) |
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Caz 23:55 on October 22, 2009
JIM: that's a lot of grebes!VIVIANE: what kinds of dolls and bears? |
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Viviane 21:18 on October 22, 2009
Hi Jim ! No,sadly. closed it because I had not enough time...:-( Busy, busy with architecture again...dolls and bears have to wait till I'll be really old...;-) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 21:02 on October 22, 2009
Hi Viviane! I'm fine thank you! What are you up to these days? Do you still have your market shop? |
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Viviane 19:13 on October 22, 2009
Hey ! Nice Chat is again up and running :-)
How is everyone ? |
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Jim Mintcakeland 22:10 on October 18, 2009
Seen any birds? You bet! I'm just back from a bopping expedition to Spain. We bopped 242 Black-necked Grebes in one afternoon in the salt pans. It was rather salty! |
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Caz 00:35 on October 17, 2009
JIM: shhhhhhhhhh!I think I broke the chat page last time by talking about ballet.... So anyways - seen any interesting birdlife lately? |
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Jim Mintcakeland 20:08 on October 16, 2009
Ooooh! So it does!
I saw Mayerling in the Wiener Staatsoper a couple of weeks ago! |
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Caz 01:06 on October 16, 2009
Hey look! The chat works again! |
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Caz 22:30 on April 29, 2009
ANNELIESE, JIM: true - you can't beat Viviana or Sylvie as Manon. But Agnes Oaks was really very good - a very innocent Manon. I had no idea when I was watching last week that that was Oaks and Edur's last but one performance!Actually I thought Edur was pretty bland. Not a patch on Irek's Des Grieux! ;) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 07:54 on April 25, 2009
Oh, and Darcey and Sylvie :-) |
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Anneliese 17:14 on April 23, 2009
CAZ: Oh, don't remind me that those glory days of Irek & Viviana are long gone... snif... |
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Caz 00:18 on April 23, 2009
Saw Manon yestereve. Oaks and Edur in the ENB production. Liked that a lot!Though not so much as I liked Irek and Viviana! Actually I had no idea Agnes Oaks was still dancing... oops. :o) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 23:05 on April 17, 2009
Anneliese: Interesting sightings of yours in Morocco. I went to the Middle Atlas when I was a student but I never really got to grips with the birds there, I'm afraid. I'm in Vienna right now, the migration is pouring through! |
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Jim Mintcakeland maalie[at] talktalk[dot]net 23:01 on April 17, 2009
Caz: There are several theories as to why the Neanderthal's died out, but I have not heard of the "too big to be born" one, though it does sound interesting. The two popular theories are that they were out-competed by the emerging Homo sapiens (as you suggested) or maybe were simply absorbed by interbreeding; but since there were a range of Neanderthal types, it is possible that both coulkd have played a part. There is a pretty good summary of what we know located here . The problem is of course is not visible in fossil or cultural remains so it may always remain a mystery.
May I ask what you are up to these days? |
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Caz 01:46 on April 17, 2009
JIM: second part of Neanderthal thingy......is about how hunter gatherers are intrinsically more intelligent than farmers. It takes intelligence, skill, cunning (and being able to run really fast!) to track, hunt, trap, spear and kill your dinner. While toodling along behind a plow ox doesn't require much in the way of brain power. Therefore related to size of brain/evolution of Neanderthals and others. Please keep in mind these ideas are probably seriously mangled from their original form... but I wondered if you had any opinions (or looney theories?) on this? |
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Caz 01:42 on April 17, 2009
JIM: the gist of the first part of the Neanderthal thingy... ... it was to do with a theory that Neanderthals weren't out-evolved, they were out-bred. Due to a much lower birth rate and possibly a higher incidence of deaths in childbirth due to morphology - not sure that's the word I want, but basically offspring with large skull and chest cavity making production more tricky. |
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Caz 01:37 on April 17, 2009
JIM: Ok... Neandethal question. Hadn't got around to asking it yet.... ;)The thing is... this is from what someone told me from something they read in a couple of different papers, so please keep in mind this is second-third hand and a bit mangled coz I can't remember it exactly... |
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Caz 01:35 on April 17, 2009
JIM: 'tis weird. The day before I heard the cuckoo I looked in here and saw your post about cuckoos. Next day I suddenly realised I was hearing a cuckoo so I hastened here to report. Haven't heard it since! |
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Anneliese 00:09 on April 14, 2009
JIM: You get around the world so much I was sure you must have been to Morocco birding - it's not a million miles from the Cota Donana, after all ;-) As I said, the interesting thing was that there was such a lot of very melodious birdsong. Oh we did see a couple of small falcons and a couple of big buzzardy type things (of course the bins were in the minibus at that point - I was v pleased I had them while examining the owl!). And a chipmunk (of all things!) crossing the road. And a tortoise. Oddly, though, for this climate, very few lizard sightings - I only saw one, but apparently there was a gecko in the loo in one of the hotels. I don't think we should count the snakes and monkeys in Djemma el Fnaa in Marrakech!
Did I tell you that I saw my first Altonian Cole Tit a couple of weeks ago? No ballet recently, however. |
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Jim Mintcakeland 19:44 on April 13, 2009
CAZ: Did you get an answer to your Neanderthal question? |
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Jim Mintcakeland 19:42 on April 13, 2009
Anneliese, I'm not very experienced with Moroccan birds, but your egret does sound like Great White and your choughs were ALPINE CHOUGHS! Well done!
I'm off to Vienna later this week. |
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Anneliese 15:20 on April 13, 2009
JIM: Moroccan bird ID help needed! Medium-large, long-lived owl of rotund shape with broadly silver coloured feathers with black dashes down its front, found in the Western Atlas. Could it be a grey form of Tawny Owl? I didn't notice any ear tufts. Lots of thrush-type calls at lower altitudes - one bird that I actually spotted was blackbird shaped but a rusty brown upper body and paler underparts. Dunnock-like birds but with finch bills feeding in the souks. A great white egret (I think - much bigger than the ones we see on the Meon, with a more upright neck and more noticeable crest) on the coast. Not sure what the small waders were - they weren't right for ringed plovers I didn't think, and they had that distinctive pattern in flight that looks like black ovals with breaks top and bottom on a white background. Other interesting birds were clearly the local equivalent of starlings, nibbling breakfast leftovers, but long tails and slight crests - grey ish colour with black hats. Beautiful voices.
Oh and do choughs ever have YELLOW bills? We were high enough for them! Woo Hoo have just googled - gosh I'm excited about that! Great holiday, btw! |
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Caz 14:16 on April 12, 2009
JIM: yup - first cuckoo this morning! Is it spring now?
ELLYK: yup - I stick my nose in here from time to time but I'm not really into the cookery discussions! ;-b |
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Jim Mintcakeland 08:30 on April 07, 2009
Plenty of swallows around now. Anyone heard a cuckoo? |
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Jim Mintcakeland 11:17 on March 10, 2009
ELLY K: So, you mean you are cutting up live bodies?Are you still going to the ballet? I see that in Vienna now as much as I do in London. |
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EllyK na 23:48 on March 09, 2009
AMP GIRL COMEBACK!!!! I notice CAZ is still making an occasional appearance. Where is Jenny these days ? anyone know? No more dead bodies. I make holes in people now with interventional radiology!
ME?! Married? Come on Jammy Jimbo! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 07:38 on March 09, 2009
EllyK: Yes yes yes! I'm here! Of Old! Where are the other AMP Girls? Are you still cutting up dead bodies? Are you married yet? |
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Ellyk na 18:57 on March 08, 2009
Anyone here from days of old? |
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Jim Mintcakeland 19:05 on March 07, 2009
ANNELIESE: Yes, loads of frogs spawn oop here in Mintcakeland too! And found a wild primrose in bloom! |
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Anneliese 17:49 on March 07, 2009
Tim's great tit nest box (cubs DIY badge project) is now on our silver birch tree. However HWMBO decided in his wisdom to cut back the surrounding shrubbery... |
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Anneliese 13:07 on March 06, 2009
SPRINGWATCHERS: about 20 goldfinches in the flood meadows the other day - and loads of frogspawn! Got chatting to another local who said that house sparrows weren't common in her garden - not at all far from mine - but when I mentioned the sparrowhawk she said she finds her sitting on her doorstep from time to time. Possibly some connection?!? My dad, OTOH, thought he wouldn't mind a resident sparrowhawk if it would keep the cats away. This one looked mean enough to have a go at a cat... |
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Jim Mintcakeland 12:41 on March 02, 2009
CAZ: I'm here! Ask away, either here or tomaalie[at]talktalk[dot]net |
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Caz 22:56 on March 01, 2009
'kin bananas! Chat page is still working....! |
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Caz 22:55 on March 01, 2009
JIM: (when you're around) I have a Neanderthal question! |
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Anneliese 17:17 on February 28, 2009
PAUL: Ah, I don't know any of the words in Tosca apart from e lucevan and vissi d'arte and "DAh de dah de dadada dadada DAH de tanto buono" or something not dissimilar. Tunes yes, words no!
Today we had a sizeable hen sparrowhawk munching on her prey in the back garden; then a good haul in the flood meadows including a pair of swans, a pair of longtails and a goldcrest. |
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Paul 13:15 on February 27, 2009
ANNELIESE: It's from Tosca (Cavaradossi's first aria).
We had a garden first last week - a flyover red kite!! Over the winter, have had 2 male blackcaps, about 6 bullfinches, 40 goldfinches and 17 redpolls (all in the garden). |
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Anneliese 12:46 on February 27, 2009
PAUL: I'm sorry, I don't recognise the reference... you'll have to give me a clue. That flipping buzzard nearly got me again this week - he took off a goodish way ahead of me then did a circuit and crossed my path at point blank range again. Saw a dead hare at the side of the road on Monday. That was one of my rare forays into Wiltshire; don't seem to get so many in Hants. |
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Paul 21:58 on February 26, 2009
ANNELIESE: If your thrush sounded like 'Recondita armonia', then it would be 'a mistle thrush in exceptionally good form' (according to my irreverent opera guide). Probably singing for one fine day too. |
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Viviane 22:19 on February 23, 2009
ANNELIESE : Yes, indeed ! You don't see a hand for the eyes...too late,Jim is already there I suppose ;-) |
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Anneliese 16:48 on February 23, 2009
VIVIANE: oooh - fog in Venice - very hazardous! |
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Viviane 20:18 on February 22, 2009
JIM : Italian food is delicious ! Maybe you choose the wrong things ? :-)
Enjoy Venice ! Don't get lost in the fog, sometimes a nightmare in this time of year. |
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Jim Mintcakeland 19:03 on February 22, 2009
VIVIANE: Oh, good luck! I'm off to Venice tomorrow for Mardi Gras, I will have to somehow manage to survive that yukky greasy Italian food ;-) |
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Viviane 11:24 on February 22, 2009
JIM : hardworking ! Lucky I'm involved in a part of the building-market that's not affected by the crisis... |
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Jim Mintcakeland 21:08 on February 21, 2009
VIVIANE: And you? |
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Viviane 17:49 on February 21, 2009
JIM : Daughters are fine ! Liz, dancing in Brazil atm. and Charlotte should be studying... :-)
ANNELIESE : Snow can be fantastic, because it takes the noise away...but a pain afterwards. |
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Anneliese 12:14 on February 20, 2009
JIM: I have often thought that one could pretty much lean out of the car window and pick up pheasants at certain times of year, they're so dopey! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 20:12 on February 19, 2009
oh, I meant to add that I will actually deviate if I think I can gnobble a peasant on the road. And I will stop, if it's safe, to pick up one that looks quite fresh. Road kills are part of my staple diet, and it's one way of munching game when it's out of season. |
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Jim Mintcakeland 20:09 on February 19, 2009
ANNELIESE: Yes, Mistle Thrushes are resident, and are one of the first birds to start nesting each year. |
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Anneliese 15:56 on February 18, 2009
VIVIANE: About 12cm of snow - lots of snowmen and sledging (we have a good grassy slope close to our house - but Robin hadn't brought his sledge back from his parents' house so we used (a) a paddling pool and (b) the big plastic bag his new exhaust pipe came in). The snow stayed for about a week - then VERY heavy rain. |
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Anneliese 15:54 on February 18, 2009
JIM: I thought it was an unusual song I was hearing. Do mistle thrushes stay all year round? (a bit hazy on my birdlore at the moment!) Somewhat envious of your trips - but Morocco should be interesting (although vaccinations will be a trial for us all AND we have to pay for them. Good job it's not also a passport renewal year!) Also planning trip to the Emerald Isle later in the year; not in prime wildfowl season, as I would rather try and see the island in the "warm rain" season. CAZ: A colleague of mine hit a pheasant with a hire car once; she said the smell as bits of it got closer to the radiator wasn't that appealing!
I think it's time I tried to see some ballet - it's been a thin year or so. I don't think "CInderella on Ice" really counts... |
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Caz 00:13 on February 18, 2009
ANNELIESE: I had a pigeon explode on the windscreen of my car once. Made a right mess and very difficult to clean up with just a couple of paper hankies!Crikey... Chat working twice in one year? What's up? ;) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 21:23 on February 17, 2009
Hi Viviane! Nice to see the "old faithfuls" are still here!
Yes there was heavy snow last week, it brought the south of England and the London area to a standstill! In fact the airport I used to fly to Bratislava was the only one that was operating - lucky me! Now it feels like springtime, the snowdrops are almost concluded and the daffodils are peeping out :-)
How are you and your daughters? |
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Viviane 19:39 on February 17, 2009
JIM & ANNELIESE : How was snow in huge amounts ? |
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Jim Mintcakeland 19:06 on February 17, 2009
ANNELIESE: A spotty thrush singing at the top of a tree at this time of the year could only be a Mistle Thrush. They are in full swing now. |
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Jim Mintcakeland 19:04 on February 17, 2009
ANNELIESE: LOL! Yes, I am here right now, but off to Venice on Monday for the Mardi Gras carnival then trips to Vienna planned for March and April (I rent a flat there), and Spain in April birdwatching.
I actually saw a ballet in the Buxton Opera House recently (Swan lake, St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre). |
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Anneliese 13:55 on February 16, 2009
JIM: Surely you're not actually in the UK? ;-) Nearly had a birdstrike incident with a buzzard the other day - it took off from a roadside hedge just in front of my car and I had to brake to avoid impact with the windscreen. That would have ruined an otherwise excellent week! What sort of noise do these winter thrushes make? I was trying to decide whether it was a redwing singing at the top of a tree - as I was looking up at a bright sky I couldn't distinguish an eyestripe, just a spotty chest. Trip to Morocco coming up in a few weeks - could be interesting birding there? |
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Jim Mintcakeland 17:13 on February 13, 2009
Oooh! Chat is up and running again!
Anneliese, yes, still plenty of winter migrants around but it shouldn't be long before the first chiffchaffs and wheatears turn up on the south coast :-)
I saw two dippers and three goosanders on a river near me today. |
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Anneliese 11:44 on February 13, 2009
BIRDERS: Redwings on the flood meadows on Sunday! Two - were they likely to be a pair or just a random two? |
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Caz 10:19 on January 01, 2009
And A Happy New Year! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 18:16 on December 27, 2008
Solstice Greetings to one and all from Vienna!
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Caz 02:42 on December 25, 2008
Hey - the Chat's working again! :-) |
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Caz 02:42 on December 25, 2008
Merry Xmas All! |
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Viviane 23:14 on December 22, 2008
Anneliese : Hi ! Good to hear you ! Have a fine Christmas ! Don't rush too much :-) |
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Anneliese 00:45 on December 22, 2008
Hi Viviane and Jim! Busy busy busy but I did make the time to try GranJenever in Amsterdam a couple of months ago... |
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Viviane 17:49 on December 17, 2008
JIM : you're amazing ! Do I remember correct that you were afraid for airplanes ??? :-) |
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Jim Wien 14:35 on December 15, 2008
Hi Viviane! Actually I am in Vienna right now, things are fine! Back home Friday then to sons for Christmas in the south of England, |
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Viviane 21:49 on December 11, 2008
JIM: no...suppose I need a tree this weekend. too busy atm :-( How are things up in Mintcakeland ? |
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Jim Mintcakeland 19:01 on December 11, 2008
Viviane: Well at least we two are looking in!
How are things? All ready for Christmas? |
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viviane 20:07 on December 10, 2008
JIM : Hi ! I wonder where everyone is ?! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 19:30 on December 10, 2008
This has been rather quiet for a long time! |
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Bruce 18:54 on September 23, 2008
Now with proper boldMistify: The best place to ask questions like this is in the Doing Dance section of the forum - that's where all the people who know about schools etc hang out. BM |
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Bruce 18:52 on September 23, 2008
[b]Mistify:[/b] The best place to ask questions like this is in the Doing Dance section of the forum - that's where all the people who know about schools etc hang out. BM |
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mistify mistifysmith@hotmail.com 17:12 on September 23, 2008
Is it normal to sign a contract for a 14yr old to attend a ballet school? It isn't a full time vocational school. |
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mistify mistifysmith@hotmail.com 17:10 on September 23, 2008
Is it normal to sign a contract for a 14yr old to attend a ballet school? |
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Jim Mintcakeland 13:51 on September 23, 2008
LIZZIE: Wear what you feel comfortable with. You could find yourself with a person in a dinner jacket on one side of you, and a student with tatty jeans on the other.
If it is a special evening out, you might want to feel special yourself and wear something you like. Why not make an occasion of it - I do! |
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Lizzie lizzypopbottle@googlemail.com 09:08 on September 23, 2008
Hello! I have a problem. Living here in the Styx and not getting out much, I have no idea what to wear to go to the ballet! I'm being taken, as a rare treat, to see Swan Lake at the ROH in a couple of weeks time. Help me please! I have very little time to shop. Shall I dress up? Shall I dess down? Help! Help! |
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taynara be_vt@hotmail.com 02:47 on September 13, 2008
oiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii |
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Anneliese 15:00 on September 02, 2008
Bruce: Nothing wrong with the pages, but I can't access them from work! |
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Bruce 08:11 on September 02, 2008
Anneliese: Easiest if you just add to the relevent thread when you are ready - then the post is made in your nake. The postings pages seem fine and I'm not aware of any problems. Chat is no place to have serious conversations about dance and theatres etc and I would not encourage further contributions on this here. |
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Anneliese 13:04 on September 01, 2008
ALL: Please could someone post this on sensible pages (News etc) - can't access from work.
The new ROH website is a being bit flaky so I phoned the box office, had useful conversation with nice man, sorted tickets and then said ooh, by the way, where have they moved the interactive seating plan to? He said he hadn't found it yet either. Ten minutes later he phoned me back to say it had been removed with no intention to bring it back. So, emails needed to caroline.bailey@roh.org.uk if you agree that it's crazy to remove a really useful function! |
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simon simoncotter@hotmail.com 06:29 on August 28, 2008
I went and saw Sylvie and Khan in Sacred Monsters.
I did not like it at all... in fact I lasted 20 minutes before walking out.
Poor set, poor costume, music I can hear at my local indian takeaway, and dialogue that was drivel.... |
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Viviane 18:54 on August 27, 2008
TERESA : Thank you so much !!! |
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Teresa 13:09 on August 27, 2008
Viviane
Your student can get a train from Manchester Airport directly to Sheffield. The journey time is approx 1 hour 15 mins. |
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Teresa 13:05 on August 27, 2008
Viviane
Your student can get a train direct from Manchester Airport to Sheffield. The journey takes approx 1hour 15 mins. |
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Viviane 11:30 on August 26, 2008
EVERYONE : PLease can you give me any advice on travel-time between Manchester airport and the trainstation ?
I have a student architecture at the office who received a scolarship for studying in Sheffield. I suppose the best way to get to Sheffield is by train ?
Thanks a lot ! xx |
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Balqis aisyahnash@yahoo.com 04:32 on August 10, 2008
Is this the chat room? |
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Anneliese 14:49 on August 05, 2008
JIM: Watch out for the fossa... sounds like a wonderful trip. Butterfly walk was devoid of butterflies but as no 2 son complained recently that he'd never seen a cocoon turn into a butterfly or a tadpole turn into a frog we will be off to the Nat Hist Mus next week and hope to see lots of butterflies. Saw a solitary oystercatcher at Charmouth on Sunday whilst looking for fossils - no 1 son lucky with a tiny fools gold ammonite. Lots of buzzard activity locally but very little else of note (apart from dead deer by the roadside) - the moorhens only seem to have raised one youngster this year.VIVIANE: Yes, the boys are almost 9 and almost 6 now. We had a good holiday in Italy looking at ancient remains - but not enough sitting in cafes. I think we need to go back to Rome and do less walking! 30 degrees is rather hot for all that sightseeing. Next foreign trip is to Amsterdam - a new place for all the family. We are prepared for it to be cold and rainy in the autumn - I did think that Dubrovnik might be better but decided that it really needed a week to get the hang of Croatia rather than a weekend!
Hello BECCA! We do miss you here! Oh by the way I DID get a trip out last week, went to Carmen at Glyndebourne. Really should review it on the sensible pages. Short summary is that it was jolly good. Really want to go and see some ballet though. Dreamt last night I was in a shop that sold pointe shoes and just had to try some on! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 15:03 on August 02, 2008
I'm carrying on with my bird research in Mintcakeland. Going to Madagascar next moth to see the lemurs and other primates. I hope you enjoy the festival; good luck with the dancing.
VIVIANE: That seems a rather short holiday for a busy architect? I actually braved going to Italy in June - 9 days in Venice. Went out to most of the islands in the lagoon. Very nice, wine and cappucinos good; food a bit greasy. |
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Viviane 22:22 on August 01, 2008
JIM : Pictures are amazing !!!!
ANNELIESE : Your boys must be growing-up fast !? Aren't they ?
Holiday is over...errrr : left on Monday for France and back already on Wednesday-night...with Europ Assistance :-( Not the way I had planned it ! |
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Becca 22:33 on July 31, 2008
It's the Festival at the moment... the previews anyway. I'm busy working at those. And attempting (badly) professional ballet classes most days this week! What about you? |
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Jim Mintcakeland 22:23 on July 31, 2008
BECCA: What are you up to these days? |
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Becca 15:53 on July 30, 2008
JIM: Yes but someone was wondering where everyone had gone so I said 'I'm here!' See? YOU say something ;-) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 14:14 on July 30, 2008
BECCA: Why don't you tell us something and then someone might reply. After all, this is a chat page! |
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becca 22:06 on July 28, 2008
I'm here! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 22:02 on July 28, 2008
VIVIANE: Ooooh, that sounds nice! I have found some pictures here, I wonder if you saw any of that?
ANNELIESE: Yes, it is quiet, bring back the good old days, eh? I wonder where everybody has gone! |
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Anneliese 18:27 on July 14, 2008
Hello Viviane and Jim! It's been very quiet here lately... I think it's very end-of-term-ish. No 1 son is on a butterfly walk with the cubs tonight. Hope the cold snap hasn't made this a bad idea - but at least on their last hike they saw some deer. Cue much debate on what sort of deer they could have been; I was pretty certain they'd be roe, as that's what I see in this part of the world, but when I got out my book of the british countryside it said they were only 2' high which Tim said was far too small for what he saw. I tried to explain that it meant 2' at the shoulder; but I still think they're bigger than that!
LONG time with no ballet for me :-( think I need to arrange a treat. Notice that GTO and ROH both have Hansel & Gretel this Autumn; both new productions. Def want to see at least one - but which? SHould put this on Not Dance I suppose! |
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VIviane 22:42 on July 13, 2008
JIM : Lucky you ! .....I was cycling trough the Bourgoyen-meersen in Ghent today ! They've put huge efforts and money into it : an amazing fine place now ! |
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maria antonieta guevara mariantonieta25@yahoo.es 20:14 on July 09, 2008
hola chicas adoro el ballet y me gustaria chatear con chicas k tambien les guste el ballet |
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Jim Mintcakeland 22:24 on July 06, 2008
Hi everyone! I saw Swan Lake danced by the Mariinsky Theatre Kirov Ballet in Vienna last week! Brilliant! |
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Amber 12:35 on June 22, 2008
Hey^^ I've been lucky enough to be assistant teacher to Shona (ballet teach') LOLZ, I'm aiming to be a choreographer though AND I've been chosen to do the choreography for the concert this August! Yay:D
Well, just a shout out to everyone, patience helps. ALOT. Love^^ |
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Anneliese 15:25 on June 17, 2008
Searching through the honours list on the web, I found that someone's citation (sorry, v disrespectful of me not to check properly again!) involved his work in "applied music".
Does anyone here know what Applied Music is??? |
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Mandy 19:06 on June 06, 2008
Anne Thank you I will look into that. |
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Anne Marriott 08:22 on June 06, 2008
Mandy
There are lots of sprays and powders you can get from garden suppliers and hardware stores but the most effective method seems to be to use ant nematodes - Google will give you some companies who supply by post.
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Mandy 20:43 on June 04, 2008
Any of you into gardening? I have an infestation of red ants in one flower bed and I don't know how to get rid of them. And boy can they bite! |
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Anneliese 00:10 on June 03, 2008
PAUL: No cuckoos, no. Baby robin on the walk to school, though. Moorhen nest seems to have been abandoned/raided :-(
Holiday birds not all that special (although I'm pretty sure they were tree sparrows in the garden, and I did see one hoopoe and a skein of flamingos). Lots of noisy softbills that I couldn't see to identify - not blackbirds, robins or song thrushes. |
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Paul 20:50 on May 22, 2008
ANNELIESE: That's a good one for the garden - always nice to see, wherever. We've had a failed blackbird nest in ours - they abandoned (three eggs) due to too much attention from a cat. The nest was in a medium size berberis - really not good enough. Have you heard a cuckoo yet? |
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Anneliese 12:08 on May 21, 2008
Greater Spotted Woodpecker in the silver birch this morning! |
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Bruce 19:30 on May 16, 2008
I've just removed a promotional/advertising chat posting - which we don't allow. |
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Gaz garethleake@hotmail.com 23:41 on May 12, 2008
Hi there
May I join the ballet chat? Its late and couldnt sleep! |
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Anneliese 17:53 on May 07, 2008
I saw my first swallow today - couldn't say how long they've been here and I HAVEN'T noticed, though! |
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Paul 13:24 on May 06, 2008
JIM: Haven't seen those warblers yet, because I haven't been to their places; have seen willows, chiffchaffs, blackcaps and whitethroats. No lesser whitethroats this year yet. Saw a pair of hobbies yesterday :-) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 05:13 on May 06, 2008
Migrants are pouring n now. Yesterday (5 May) caught and ringed Garden, Sedge and Reed Warblers. Haven't seen a swift yet. |
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Paul 22:07 on May 04, 2008
LINDA: Try the following sites which give illustrations, photos and lots of info:http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/index.asp http://www.garden-birds.co.uk/about.htm http://www.birdsofbritain.co.uk/bird-guide/
I did a survey this morning and saw several summer migrants including swallows, swifts and four yellow wagtails. Also, a new hill has appeared! Er, where did THAT come from? It's a spoil heap from a new open cast mine that's just opened. |
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Anneliese 19:54 on May 04, 2008
LINDA: RSPB pages are quite good with usually a few pictures. No sign of the house sparrow decline in my garden - but we also do well for dunnocks. Greenfinches, OTOH, are very few and far between. Dunnocks are thin billed, sparrows are fat billed. Dunnock markings are much finer and fainter, sparrows painted with thicker brushes and brighter colours and the males have black bibs and chestnut caps. Blackbirds, thrushes, robins and wrens will be singing their little heads off at the moment (and one of our church choir told me last week that the noisy thing I could hear but not see was a mistle thrush. It was indeed a very stormy day so I was inclined to believe him!) |
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Linda 09:06 on May 01, 2008
ANNELIESE: travelling by train through Sussex earlier this week the woods were full of bluebells - absolutely lovely. Can you or any other bird-lovers suggest an online bird identification site? Now my garden is maturing I am seeing more birds. I think one regular visitor is simply a house-sparrow but I believe these are now quite rare. Maybe it's a dunnock or hedge-sparrow? I'd like to check. |
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Anneliese 23:32 on April 28, 2008
Occurred to me today it could have been a juvenile herring gull. |
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Anneliese 17:50 on April 18, 2008
Saw a buzzard hovering into the wind this week! |
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Anneliese 18:30 on April 12, 2008
Bluebells now just starting to appear! |
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Anneliese 11:57 on April 05, 2008
Meant to say, cowslips have now been spotted - but I had to tell my friend that her planned bluebell walk on Tuesday may not live up to her expectations ;-) |
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Paul 21:50 on March 23, 2008
ANNELIESE: The birds will be looking their best now as we're entering the breeding season.
Hope you came out with as many monkeys as you went in with - no more, no less :) |
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Becca 10:39 on March 23, 2008
Paul: Me? Make Ian eat his hat? am i right about something?! hmmm must go and have a look. Pffft i don't bother about things like that, I don't like salads anyway. And I live in Edinburgh, it doesn't tend to get that hot that often. |
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Anneliese 18:18 on March 22, 2008
BIRDERS: Today's chilly trip to Monkeyworld much enhanced by eyeballing a treecreeper - how *do* their tummies stay so white - and loads of siskins! And also the bluest bluetits I've ever seen. |
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Paul 12:08 on March 21, 2008
I've now got broadband at home. It's terrible! You just spend all day on it! I'm sure I shall exceed my monthly download limit in a week.I'm still no nearer the soup. It's a shame. I could do with taking a flask with me to the Coli tomorrow to a) keep warm and b) save some money.
BECCA: I meant soup for winter, salads for summer, or something like that. Have you seen the Royal Ballet 08/09 Season in the News forum? Ian P reckons you will make him eat his hat! |
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becca 09:59 on March 01, 2008
paul: I know! it's shocking. but i have two jobs and dancey things and a degree and suchlike to do. we're doing a show all next week! but after that I will make it. maybe sunday/monday next? you see, this is how busy i am at the moment, that i have to make an appointment more than a week in advance! :-)when do they go out of season?
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Fallen-Angel angelis_kj@hotmail.co.uk 16:19 on February 29, 2008
Does anyone else stumble on their pirouettes? or is it just me who can't seem to turn right? :s |
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Paul 13:48 on February 29, 2008
ANNELIESE: We have a real upright piano (my sister's), but it's been defended for some years now by... remnants of an IKEA kitchen - they should be in the kitchen! It's a good piano - weighs a ton - very unportable. My musical friend (church organist) says that a second hand upright should provide better sound than a digital, for the same money. But obviously, size and portability are big issues.
BECCA: Better hurry up - summer will soon by here and you'll be out of season. |
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Anneliese 12:37 on February 28, 2008
Very springlike in our garden - dunnocks flirting all over the place, and this morning some goldfinches too! |
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becca 13:43 on February 22, 2008
haven't made the soup yet but i'm working on it! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 19:41 on February 17, 2008
PAUL, no dipped on Rock Thrush and Snow Finch, but did get Blue Rock Thrush, Black Wheatear, Alpine Chough, Alpine Accentor, Citril Finch, at least 2 Wallcreepers and 3 Lammergeiers. Oh, and about ten million Griffons! We were working north from Huesca to the French border, including part of the Ordessa National Park. |
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Paul 13:16 on February 14, 2008
JIM!!!! You absolute rotter. Lammergeiers no problem... but Wallcreeper AARRRRGGGGGHHHH. Actually, I believe it's easier (as in actually possible) on the Spanish side. But the Cirque du Gavarnie is marvellous isn't it?Snow finch? Rock Thrush?
Excellent Natural World t'other week showing breeding Gyrs and Snowy Owls. |
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Paul 13:10 on February 14, 2008
ANNELIESE: We don't do too badly for tree sparrows up here - I've come across them at various places: farmland, reserves, also in the garden on a couple of occasions. Nevertheless, they are not common and are irregularly distributed, so it's a matter of luck or specific site knowledge. They are guaranteed at Egleton, Rutland Water.Still no soup, just a drab sandwich - oh, that's now gone :(
Anyone get any chocolate today? I went to the jewellers on Saturday to get my watch battery changed and wondered why the lady switched on certain display cabinet lights for me to browse while I waited. I wish! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 09:06 on February 14, 2008
Just back from the Spanish Pyrenees. Logged 114 bird species, including Wallcreeper ans Lammargeier! |
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Anneliese 23:31 on February 12, 2008
Paul: tree sparrow - WOW! Linda's right re pureeing soups, btw. |
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Paul 17:18 on February 12, 2008
Thanks Linda. Hmm... must do it properly - don't really fancy a straw and fork. And I'm not the pushy type, really. Will just have to take your word about being surprised. Not that many applications springing to mind atm! |
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Linda 13:27 on February 12, 2008
PAUL: If you decide to invest look at Amazon's selection of hand held blenders. You can get one for under £20 and you'd be surprised how useful it can be. |
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Linda 13:21 on February 12, 2008
PAUL: The reason for pureeing the parsnips is to thicken the soup which contains no other thickener (unlike tinnned soups which are full of things like flour and 'modified corn starch', whatever that is). You could try mashing the parsnips but you won't get the lovely creamy texture that comes from pureeing. You can push it through a sieve or possibly a potato ricer, but it is much easier to do this if the parsnips are cut up very small to start with. I watched a TV chef the other day and he thickened a casserole with a spoonful of butter mixed with the same amount of flour. You could try this, simmering afterwards for several minutes to cook the flour, but it will be more like a vegetable stew than a soup. Good Luck anyway. |
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Paul 12:47 on February 12, 2008
Just spotted that the parsnips are cubed, not cooked whole! Perhaps I could omit the pureeing stage and just make do with a spoon and fork? I don't have a liquidiser, just an electric mixer/whisky thingy - not much use. Need to decide whether to invest.BECCA - we await your report (and verdict!) with increasing interest!! Unsalted butter sounds good. I was taken to task the other week for not even knowing the brand name of 'the British' butter. I've forgotten it again, but apparently, it's tucked away on the very top shelves in the supermarkets.
Saw a tree sparrow on way to work yesterday. |
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becca 22:35 on February 11, 2008
haven't made it yet but i will! |
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Linda 14:50 on February 09, 2008
PAUL: Forgot to add that my recipe makes about 3/4 of a litre of soup so will serve 3 people as a starter (may stretch to 4 with smaller servings and some nice bread) or 2 as a main course. Soda bread is a good choice to go with. |
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Linda 14:46 on February 09, 2008
PAUL: I use about a tablespoon of butter or 1/8th of a 425 gm pack. It doesn't burn if the heat is low because the vegetables contain water which is released during the cooking (hence the description 'sweating'). But unsalted butter is better than salted and professionals use clarified.
BECCA: Do let me know how you enjoyed the soup. I forgot to add that some people prefer curry powder to paste and use milk instead of stock but I think the parsnips are very creamy on their own and don't need any extra. But feel free to vary it to taste.
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becca 17:36 on February 07, 2008
Linda: Mmmm that sounds good! Completely different from how i made it. Will try and give it a go on sat/sunday night and let you know if it works!
got to go to work now, ugh. |
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Paul 13:03 on February 07, 2008
LINDA: Nice to see the food chat back too. Mmmm! any chance of a food parcel please? Hmmm, OTOH perhaps I'll have a go myself. But exactly how big is a large dollop (of butter)? Twenty minutes heat with just butter? - must be very easy to burn it. Must check if I've got a liquidiser. Is it just one serving?
Chinese menu in the restaurant today - apparently the egg bubble soup is to be avoided. ANNELIESE: Did you identify your mystery bird in the end? I've had male AND female blackcaps - they are very plain - you could say drab - mainly grey with either a black or brown cap! Also note the shape - very sleek, elongated, stretched out, flattened look, fine insect bill - not the thick seed bill of a finch or bunting. Reasonably common in gardens in winter nowadays (birds from the contentinent), but still swamped by our (British) summer visitors. By the way, there are more than two field guides you know :)
You see, my dilemnas are curried parsnip soup, and figuring out what gargouillades look like - but thanks to Laura Morera in The Nutcracker Story, I'm making progress on that one :) |
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Anneliese 12:38 on February 06, 2008
BECCA: Rick Stein's latest book (Mediterranean Escapades, I think) has a wonderful veggie recipe called Imam Bayaldi (I think, my Turkish isn't that great) which is basically aubergine stuffed with onions and spices and sort of stewed in tomatoes with a red pepper paste. I'm sure google will find something not dissimilar. Needs crusty bread to mop up v oily sauce! |
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Linda 11:29 on February 06, 2008
BECCA: Curried Parsnip Soup. Melt a large dollop of butter in a large saucepan and add 1 finely-chopped onion, 2 cloves of garlic ditto and 2 medium parsnips, cubed. (If the centres are excessively woody remove them.) Cover and sweat over low heat for about 10 minutes. Then stir in about a dessertspoonful of mild curry paste (I used Patak's Korma) and continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Don't let it catch or burn. Then turn up the heat and add a pint of chicken/vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes. Allow to cool a little before pureeing/liquidising/pushing through a sieve or mouli. A little lemon/lime juice can be added before serving together with chopped coriander leaves. |
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Linda 19:11 on February 05, 2008
BECCA: Would you like my receipe for the soup (but I used chicken stock - assume you would prefer to use vegetable?) If so I'll post it tomorrow. Not sure which programme you mean about the first bit being more Jonny? Please clarify. He did speak when presenting the award, saying how pleased he was about it and Chris Wheeldon returned the compliment saying that Jonny had generously come to New York to dance with Darcey at the premiere. Let me know what else you want to know and I'll watch all footage again and check it for you. (It's a terrible hardship of course, but just for you!!) |
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becca 14:31 on February 05, 2008
Did he speak? Or just hand over the award? I wanna see! *sulks* |
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Becca 14:29 on February 05, 2008
LINDA: Hello! Mmmm the soup sounds lovely, I've made parsip and ginger before but it never turns out quite right. I didn't see the SBS awards :-( but have taped DB's best moments and saw most of Viva La Diva SBS thanks to a friend ringing me up saying 'swicth on ITV! switch on ITV'! But missed the start which I think had the most Jonathanness in it? |
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Linda 11:55 on February 05, 2008
Haven't looked here for ages, nice to hear the bird chat again. And welcome back BECCA - how are you these days? If you like veggie receipes have you tried curried parsnip soup? Absolutely scrummy and very warming this time of year.Did you see/get a copy of DB(1)'s Best Ballet Moments? Jonny was in that too. He's been on TV a lot recently, what with Viva La Diva on the South Bank Show and presenting the Dance award to Chris Wheeldon on Sunday night.
ANNELIESE: Can't say I've noticed any difference in his pronounciation of 'ballet' but agree that both DBs appear less at ease in front of the camera than he does. It would be nice if he took over from DB2 as presenter but he told me that he only did the R&J as a favour for Ross MacGibbon. I thought he (MacGibbon) had retired from the BBC but possibly not? |
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Anneliese 16:23 on February 04, 2008
JIM: Pink= summer visitor, Blue= winter visitor, Purple = permanent resident! (can't remember the name, it's not fitter and mountfort but the other one, oh heck just googled, still not sure) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 06:37 on February 04, 2008
Purple? |
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Anneliese 17:39 on February 03, 2008
JIM: I'd thought that, but my book marked them as purple. It's been pretty chilly even in Hants! |
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Jim Mintcakeland 14:13 on February 03, 2008
Anneliese, as you will know, Blackcaps are also "summer visitor" but in recent years there have been more and more records of the overwintering, even oop here in Cumbria. |
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Anneliese 09:41 on February 02, 2008
JIM: The reason I spotted the blackcap was that I'd gone for the bins as I wanted a closer look at something else - I wasn't sure if it was a young dunnock or robin. I've now had a couple of good looks at it- and I'm not sure what it is. Similar size and shape to the blackcap - first thought was a goldcrest from its style of movement but too big - but coloured more like a female linnet, with a spotted - but not with great contrast, perhaps mottled - chest. Surely last year's robins have their red breasts by now? and anyway we have two adults frequenting our garden, no youngster would be brave enough? |
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Anneliese 09:03 on February 02, 2008
JIM: That's what I concluded. But oh! why was not the birdwatch this weekend - this morning, two thrushes (one juvenile and a bit dopey), a wren and A BLACKCAP!!! (first ever for me!) |
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Jim Mintcakeland 19:01 on February 01, 2008
Anneliese: Definitely a Grey, probably a female or juvenile. Yellow Wagtails are summer visitors of course - they'd freezle now! |
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Anneliese 09:46 on February 01, 2008
BIRDERS: Big garden birdwatch in our garden a bit uneventful - watched with bated breath as an overflying heron appeared to be banking for descent but it changed its mind. However down on flood meadows later in the afternoon I did see a grey wagtail. It looked like a yellow - very olivey on upper side, no black on head or neck - but surely can't have been? |
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Paul 14:06 on January 21, 2008
Anneliese: well, I can’t say I’ve noticed – I shall have to investigate. But yes, too self-conscious – that’s the key. Apparently, each of us makes very few mistakes when speaking in our own local language and dialect – we communicate effectively and naturally (interesting to note that it's possible to make both pronunciation and grammatical errors when trying to speak in any local dialect).Mind you, I have had communication problems in Glasgow... At a conference there, a German speaker smoothly started his presentation by stating that he had carefully prepared for the conference by watching episodes of Taggart. The non-existent German sense of humour is a myth.
Sparrowhawk pounced into the garden yesterday – a close shave for the bully blackbird.
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Anneliese 16:24 on January 20, 2008
PAUL: both the DBs seem to get all self-conscious (IS that how you spell it?) when uttering the word and it comes out in a most peculiar fashion. Sort of not quite Bally. |
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pmeja 13:42 on January 19, 2008
yes david blair, he's very charming. |
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Jim Mintcakeland 19:35 on January 18, 2008
I've got a ticket to see Sylvia (yes, Sylvia, not Sylvie) in March! |
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becca 21:23 on January 17, 2008
David Blair isn't it? being mercutio i mean |
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Paul 13:40 on January 17, 2008
And now I can't spell! |
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Paul 13:39 on January 17, 2008
Oops - pressed Refesh at the wrong point - silly web page |
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Paul 13:39 on January 17, 2008
I watched both on the day; but I had already consumed (most of) Gone with the Wind, along with far too much dinner (and a little bit too much wine)... and it all got a bit much and went to my head really... Love Tamara in it, but really, it doesn’t get me going anywhere near as much as the 1966(?) version shown recently – Fonteyn, Nureyev and stellar supporting performances – Dowell, Mason, Bergsma, Jenner(?) and who is Mercutio? No dull market place scenes here!Hadn’t spotted that there are two DBs (if you know what I mean) :-) But what’s all this about incorrect pronunciation?!
JC also featured in the Song of the Earth abridged version back in the summer – he is very very good.
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Paul 13:38 on January 17, 2008
I watched both on the day; but I had already consumed (most of) Gone with the Wind, along with far too much dinner (and a little bit too much wine)... and it all got a bit much and went to my head really... Love Tamara in it, but really, it doesn’t get me going anywhere near as much as the 1966(?) version shown recently – Fonteyn, Nureyev and stellar supporting performances – Dowell, Mason, Bergsma, Jenner(?) and who is Mercutio? No dull market place scenes here!Hadn’t spotted that there are two DBs (if you know what I mean) :-) But what’s all this about incorrect pronunciation?!
JC also featured in the Song of the Earth abridged version back in the summer – he is very very good.
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Becca 09:19 on January 17, 2008
I haven't watched it yet! I feel I should save it for a special occasion (sp?). I can't wait though. I didn't know Jonathan was presenting!!! |
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Anneliese 21:14 on January 16, 2008
BECCA: Glad you're not starving :-)
Have just watched the Xmas R&J mini documentary - and Jonny is a fantastic presenter. The Beeb should keep him on a retainer for arts stuff. And *hoorah* unlike both the DBs he can pronounce "Ballet". Really looking forward to seeing the whole of R&J now! (may save that for next month though, am a bit tired right now) |
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becca 15:26 on January 16, 2008
It's quiet around here! I've used those veggie recipes people sent me a few years ago practically every meal this week :-) |
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Becca 11:11 on January 10, 2008
Happy New Year! Belatedly... |
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Anneliese 11:40 on January 09, 2008
PAUL: I have read that post several times and still have a strange picture in my mind. |
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Paul 12:43 on January 07, 2008
What a noisy murmuration that is! Some in our garden yesterday in the bath (carefully placed - to avoid cat attacks and showers for the washing). |
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Anne Marriott 17:52 on January 06, 2008
No wonder there are so few starlings in the garden lately! |
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pmeja 17:36 on January 06, 2008
thought of you all in the chat room when i got this in a spam email:
"congratulations you have won 250,000 british starlings...."
:) |
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Linda 12:11 on January 05, 2008
Safely back in the UK thanks. And the strikes are off so we can all breathe again.
Thanks to everyone who responded to my text - thanks to Claire I now have a copy of the Strictly Come Dancing final and my parents are very happy about it! |
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