Saturday, July 30, 2005
Slight returns
Ok, then, we're back!
I must firstly thank the inestimable
Clair for her stirling work while I was sunning myself.
And while the washing machine's going into overdrive etc., home thoughts from abroad..
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:37 AM
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Thursday, July 21, 2005
Neglect
I've neglected my blogsitting duties here for the last few days. Sorry. I'm unfortunately suffering from having plenty to say, but not the right words to say it with.
Anyway, I'm still trying to iron out the glitches in the next template. Hopefully it will be worth the blood, sweat and tears in the end. But for now:
Can you see the light at the end of the tunnel? ;)
# posted by Clair @ 2:13 PM
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Monday, July 18, 2005
I don't like mondays
And monday rolls around again, the beginning of the working week. It's not that there is anything hugely wrong with mondays, but everything seems just that bit harder, particularly getting out of bed.
Anyway, phones are ringing and there is work to be done, so I'll leave you today in the capable hands of dilbert:
# posted by Clair @ 8:40 AM
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Sunday, July 17, 2005
Glitches
I did have the second template uploaded a minute ago, but there were a few too many glitches with it, so I've gone back to this one for the time being (I'm sure you can all wait an extra day or two to see the next one).
In the mean time, please feel free to talk amongst yourselves.
# posted by Clair @ 11:57 AM
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Saturday, July 16, 2005
Template No.1
So...this is the first template (not much blue here I'm afraid BW, I'm saving that for the next one). Any problems/comments/suggestions gratefully appreciated.
(For reference purposes, this is what is used to look like --> )
# posted by Clair @ 9:39 AM
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Friday, July 15, 2005
Changing Blogs?
*A figure peeks around the door, checking that Mr.D really has left. When she's convinced that the coast is clear, she walks into the room, dragging paint pots and ladders behind her.*
Hello everyone! My name's Clair, and I will be your host for the next fortnight. This feels very reminiscent of one of those terrible home makeover tv shows doesn't it? Well, I promise you that I'm not Laurence Llewelyn Bowen (he of the long flowing locks) in disguise and I certainly won't be transforming this place with the use of leopard print or vast amounts of glitter paint. Although I'm sure those would be great for some people, I can't see them as really being Mr. D's style.
So...the first of the blog revamps will be revealed tomorrow. The second is still a work in progress, but hopefull you'll get to see that in a few days time. Comments and suggestions from both of these will be taken on board and combined to produce template number 3 etc. (I will be publishing screen shots of the different layouts somewhere, so you can look back on them at a later date. Aren't I good?)
P.S. They album that today's lyrics are from is available on itunes, and it's definately worth listening to.
# posted by Clair @ 8:55 AM
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Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Crazy canines
It's forecast to hit 31c today in the Capital. One to savour the aircon, if you're lucky enough to have it in your car or office.
But at midday, I'll go stand outside the building, hopefully with a lot of other londoners and London workers, in the blazing light and reflect for a few moments. Just because we can. Just because fifty+ other people, who were just like us, can't. Not since last Thursday.
While we're away on our holiday (a little Greek island - sun, sea and scuba) a very talented, generous (and, for all I know, jaw-droppingly beautiful?)
lady is going to be calling in occasionally, to air the place and maybe hang a couple of her lovely photos.
Just to keep the magic alive, as it were.
And with what seems to be typical largesse (well, chocolate may change hands), she's agreed to try and give this tired old Blogsite a
well-overdue facelift, so that it doesn't look like a sad Blogger template any more. Which is, after all, what it is.
If she canvasses your views on various versions, please be kindly constructive in your comments?
Ooh, I love alliteration.
Perhaps you could amuse yourselves by suggesting some "Today's Lyric's" for her? After all, running your own blog
and toying with someone else's template (steady, lads) is more than enough for a recently-graduated student to cope with, in this heat.
last post updateMy god, that was eerie.
Not since the first anniversary of 9/11 have I experienced such a profound silence from thousands of people lining the City's streets.
Solidarity.
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:42 AM
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Retreeved
I don't know if it's possible for a cat to be dog-tired, but since The Ginger Whinger was brought back down to earth (see yesterday's post) she's been in a feline coma of Sleeping Beauty-esque proportion.
Ah, blissful peace...
She should get lost more often. But it's just cost me twenty quid to get one name-tag to replace The Rutting Stag's (he's going mutton, so sits outside 'mooing' to be let in) tatty old one and two for the normally house-bound mousers, in case they 'escape' while we're away. More of which, tomorrow.
Labels: cats
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:34 AM
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Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Asthmaferrics
I haven't had Broadband long enough to prove this, but it seems that whenever the temperature is really hot (as it was Sunday/Monday) the wireless signal just seems to drop out? No matter how close to the hub/router I move the laptop?
Anyone got anything to support/refute this theory?
Mrs.D. blames the asthmaferrics, though why an iron lung should interfere with the gubbins is anyone's guess.
Breaking (kitten) news...The Ginger Whinger (or, our cream Burmese, as she's more properly known) has been found. She disappeared around midnight on Sunday through a barely-ajar window and was located up a tree in the gardens of The Big House across the road from us this morning.
The local wildlife are going to be pigsick. The foxes, badgers, hedgehogs and bats, which have been dining off the enticing baitfood left out to lure her back, will no longer get free nourishment to support them during their traversing of our manor.
Tough, guys.
No purr, no beurre.
Labels: Broadband
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:28 AM
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Monday, July 11, 2005
Today
This bright, warm, sunshiny day is what the capital should have woken to last Thursday, buzzing with excitement about the successful bid to host the Olympics.
While there is no longer the sad, surreal atmosphere, the mood is still sombre, and just a little downcast. Obviously, while there are still people missing and unrecovered following the appalling atrocities, there will be no overt celebration, which is a great shame because whenever it happens, it will always be over-shadowed.
There was a visibly increased police presence at London Bridge's mainline station, but with 90 percent of commuters toting bags, rucksacks, holiday suitcases etc., you know that it's an impossible task to thwart determined terrorists - with or without ID cards.
But life, people and London all move on.
And so, on a lighter note, what happens when pets grow to look like their carpets..
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:38 AM
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Friday, July 08, 2005
Respect
Not beaten by the b@st@rd terrorists, but out of respect for yesterday's events, there is no post today.
You'll understand.
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:24 AM
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Thursday, July 07, 2005
Bomb blasts
Today's lyric:
And the public gets what the public wants
But I want nothing this society's got -
I'm going underground, (going underground)
Well the brass bands play and feet start to pound
Going underground, (going underground)
Well let the boys all sing and the boys all shout for tomorrow.
The Jam: "Going underground"From the album:
"Snap"We're two minutes walk from Liverpool Street and are 'locked in' the building for security.
We have internet for news updates on the bombs and traffic situation, but it looks as if getting out of London tonight is going to be tough.
Not as tough as for those who've died, and their families, though..
updateFinally home after 3.5 hours, a change of train leaving London Bridge which caused hundeds of commuters to have to run
back into a main line London station, then a bomb scare en route to East Croydon which left us daisy-chained to other trains outside the station.
Mobile networks understandably being closed down for the emergency causing loved ones to panic when they couldn't raise me.
Just very grateful to be intact. I hope there's seven levels of sh1t waiting for the perpetrators...
# posted by Mr.D. @ 12:08 PM
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It was nice
to see the British presentation team applauding the French team's final presentation to the IOC.
It was also depressingly inevitable that today, there is talk from the other side of La Manche about 'underhanded' solicitations, such as bringing on Mr Beckham etc. to boost support for the bid.
Excuse me, but unlike Trafalgar, 200 years ago, when (again) we pipped the French team (and the Spanish too, let's not forget that incidental) no lives were lost in this campaign (to my knowledge, anyway) so, as one J Edwards - of hop, skip and jump fame - admonished this morning, "Lose gracefully!"
Wither FCUK now? (and I mean that spelling.) And whither Chirac, who seems to be getting possibly more flak than ever for his appallingly-timed remarks about British cuisine. Not least from the Finns, to whom we were patronisingly compared as being marginally better in the kitchen. Or perhaps it was the successful staging of Live8 that tipped the scales in our favour. Who knows? But London deserves better weather today to celebrate its first full day as the appointed hosts for 2012.
I'll be nearly 60 then. Guess the 100 metres is not one event I'll be entering for?
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:28 AM
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Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Too busy
for my usual deep and meaningful blog today.
So go and have a look at my flickrpix. The address is over there, on the left.
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:52 AM
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Monday, July 04, 2005
Chalk up another weekend
The International Festival of the Sea in Portsmouth was excellent (pix later when I get them sorted). One of the highlights - though not strictly maritime in nature - was the gun run.
Back when I were a lad, in the Sea Cadets, I was in the gun run team and we toured all over, doing displays. Much fun. I'll try and set up a little montage tomorrow.
Number One Son is coming home smack in the middle of our holiday, so Number One Daughter will have to do the Heathrow collection. That'll be fun, too.
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:36 AM
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Friday, July 01, 2005
Poets Day
* probably not, 'cos fish don't talk.
Right - off to
IFOS. Enjoy your weekends, y'all.
# posted by Mr.D. @ 8:30 AM
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Drinking and Driving (but clearly not simultaneously)
