Sunday 16 September 2012

A Sunday Stroll

A book, a clock, a friend and a cup of tea ..... What more could you want?



“Dodger”
“Dodger” is Terry Pratchett’s latest novel which came out on Thursday and which I was fortunate to be given a pre-publication copy of last weekend (thanks J!)  Needless to say I sat down and consumed it in two goes despite it running to 356 pages.  It is designed for those aged 11 to 111.

In early Victorian London an enterprising lad can find adventure and opportunity — if he is very smart, and very, very lucky. Dodger has the brains, the luck — and the cheek — to scrape by on his own. Everyone on the streets knows Dodger, and everyone likes Dodger. Which is a good thing, because life for a boy on the streets is anything but easy.  Dodger is a tosher – a sewer scavenger living in the squalor of Dickensian London.

When he rescues a young girl from a beating, suddenly everybody who normally wouldn’t go near the rookeries and squalor of the East End wants to know him as well.  And this tale of skulduggery, dark plans and even darker deeds begins . . .

From Dodger’s encounters with fictional villains to his meetings with famous people of the Nineteenth Century, history and fantasy intertwine in a breath-taking tale of adventure and mystery, unexpected coming-of-age, and one remarkable boy’s rise in a complex and fascinating world.  Pratchett himself admits that it is a historical fantasy not a historical novel and he bends dates and people to his will.  He did, however, try to avoid words inappropriate to the time like snob, settling instead for ‘nobby’.  But in this regard he was not totally successful and the occasional late Victorian or Twentieth Century word or phrase, like ‘entrepreneur, really jarred when I came across it.

Look out for Henry Mayhew, the Victorian author of ‘London Labour and the London Poor’ (which has been sitting on my shelves unread for twelve months – yes, I’m ashamed of myself.)  Meet Dickens and Disraeli and Joseph Bazalgettte, chief engineer of the London sewers.  If you work ad hard as Dodger did you may even meet members of the Royal family!  And the odd goat...

Dodger felt better when he cogitated on the word 'Turkish'. Somebody, probably Ginny-Come-Lately - a nice girl with a laugh that made you very nearly blush; they had been quite close once upon a time - had told him about Turkey. She had filled his mind with exciting images of dancing girls and light-brown ladies in very thin vests. Apparently, they would give you a massage and then oil you with what she called 'ungulates', which sounded very exotic, although to tell you the truth, Ginny-Come-Lately could make anything sound exotic. When he had mentioned this to Solomon - Dodger had been much younger then, and still a bit naive - the old man had said, 'Surely not. I have not travelled widely in the countries of the Levant, but whatever else they do to their goats, I am quite sure they don't rub them all over their own bodies. The goat has never been distinguished by the fragrance of its aroma. I suspect you mean "unguents", which are perfumes distilled from fragrant oils. Why'd you want to know?'
The younger Dodger had said, 'Oh, no reason really, I just heard somebody say the word.' Right now, though, whatever way you put it, the word Turkish conjured up visions of eastern promise, and so he became quite optimistic as he strolled through the streets all the way to the Turkish baths in Commercial Road.
If you are a Pratchett fan you’ll love it. If not, you might nevertheless like to give it a try to experience Dickensian London from a new perspective.

A Cuckoo Clock – with a difference

GB was given an RSPB clock at some stage in the last year and when I first went to stay with him this year I was rather taken by surprise when every hour (between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.) was announced by the singing of a bird of some sort – a different one for each hour. At first I thought it was a bit twee and slightly annoying. And then I found it quite good fun and finally I not only enjoyed hearing  a song thrush tell me it was seven a.m. but also found it useful for gauging the time during the day.  ‘Hello, that sounds like coffee and crossword time!’



So when I got home I ordered one (a cheap equivalent not marketed by the RSPB but of a similar nature).  I love it.  It sits on the landing outside the bedroom and study and not only tells me things like ‘You’ve been sat at the computer for too long, go take a walk’ but also makes me smile in the process. I can thoroughly recommend them.


When is a Friend a Friend?


I am getting lots of postcards – some from random Postcrossers across the globe, a few from people who ask for a direct swap, a few from relatives, some from friends and some from blogging friends.  I especially like maps and have had quite a few lately.  My other likes can be seen on my Postcrossing profile.  (Yes, this is an unceremonious and unsubtle planting of a suggestion in people’s minds!)

But what this piece of my post is really about is "What is the difference between a friend and a blogging friend?"  (Ignoring any distinction between friends and acquaintances and lumping the two together.)  I started my handwritten record of postcards received with a number of columns – person, country, date, and so on.  One of the columns indicated whether the person was a postcrosser, relative, friend, blogging friend, etc.  I then found that people were going back and forth between the last two categories.  With one postcard I’d list them as a ‘friend’ and with another it would be ‘blogging friend’. It didn’t take me long to realise there is no difference.   

One of the people now considered my Friend-über-special is someone who I met through blogging. And many of those people who e-mail me, write to me, postcard me and generally keep in touch on a weekly or more frequent basis are also folk I met through blogging (or postcrossing, so perhaps there should have been another heading ‘Postcrossing friend’).  

I feel closer now to some people who simply comment on my blog (and vice versa) than I do to the vast majority of people I worked with for years.  If the blogging friends were to walk into the room and sit down for tea or coffee there would be no lack of subjects to chat about.  Many of my former colleagues would be able to share the occasional old reminiscence and little more – we have so little else in common. So from now on I am aiming to drop the expression ‘blogging friend’ and simply refer to folk as friends. 

Cup of tea anyone?

(Photo from PhraseFinder.    
You would be hard put to find a cup 
in our house nowadays - it's all mugs!)

26 comments:

  1. I'll have a cup of herb tea please! I too find myself with the "blogging" friend statement. Then people look at you funny like...you mean you don't "really" know them do you look. I feel guilty if I say just friend. I'm afraid they'll want me to invite them to a tupperware party or something. I'm finding that whatever I call them, most of the people I've met in blog land are tons more interesting than the ones I'll meet at the county fair next week. Thanks for the book review..and as for the clock, I gave one to my Mom a few years ago and I'm not sure it works any more. I had one that played Christmas music on the hour...now that was annoying!

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    1. Plenty of herb teas available so you'd be most welcome!

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  2. What's going on with your book, John? Latest news?
    We also have a bird clock. We've had it for years, and although most people are at first wondering where that sound is coming from, they then move on to being annoyed. None of them have been around long enough to recognize the pleasant humor of it!
    We send postcards to Hubby's grandkids all the time. I never thought about sending them to "friends." As you know, there are some really great postcards out there. Want some more???

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    1. Oh, yes please! If you'd like to swap addresses you can e-mail me on scriptorsenex at gmail dot com. You'll have to tell me what sort you would like to receive as well; I've everything from the Queen's Diamond Jubilee to pictures of animals, Liverpool, the Outer Hebrides and tons more.

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  3. I must have mentioned before that I've never read Terry Prachett. I really will have to remedy this. I love Malapropisms and any word play. Priceless is this one....Ungulates/Unguents...brilliant but a little spoilt for me by the authors verbosity. Entrepreneur is unfortunate but just bad editing. As you are well aware self edification is impossible.
    Just something to plunder on.

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  4. The new Pratchett book sounds rather steampunky! Might give it a look-see. And yes, thanks - a cuppa would go down a treat just now. Milk and sugar, please. 8-)

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    1. Look, everyone knows that virtual sugar never put a pound on ANYONE'S arse! Let me have my little dream.

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  5. hi, just dropping by...two sugars please J...
    saz xx

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    1. Lovely to hear from you, Saz. We must make thst cup of tea real some time!

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  6. Another lovely post. My niece in Essex has a similar clock -- my mother had one too, but the bird songs on the British clock and on the one for the North American audience are different.

    Like Adrian, I haven't read any Terry Patchett either. I'll have to give his work a try one of these days.

    Just got home from a grocery shopping run, and am so exhausted by the crowds today (Why? What's going on that I don't know about? No idea.) that I have to sit down and like Winnie the Pooh have a little think. So a cup of tea would be very welcome. PG tips, with a little milk and no sugar please!

    xoxox Carol

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    1. We're using cheap Red Label at the moment (remarkably good for the price) bu I'll happily nip out and get some PG Tips for you, Csrol. Skimmed, semi-skimmed or whole milk?

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    2. Thank you, Scriptor, skim, please, but I'm sure the red label tea will be just fine, no need to make a trip out for PG Tips! I'll bring some biscuits. Maybe even bake some. xoxo

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    3. This is going to be one super tes party. If only...

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  7. Hi John,
    1. Thanks for your msg! I managed eventually to mess around my Easel and Colors and got the 'comments' prompts going. You can try it now. It wasn't on before.
    2. Ok. T'll have tea now if you will, white no sugar!
    3. Postcard exchange huh! I don't do p/cards. But I have first day covers of my country. Went back decades ago when I started my collections. I can make a few postings for you to see on Easel.
    4. Pratchett's book? Not done it before. Might try one later!


    Hank

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    1. Thanks, Hank, I can comment - whoopee!

      I saw a couple of your FDCs on Birdhouse. I must hunt out more of my old things to post on Rambles. Can someone please give me a present of some time to do these things?

      Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all meet up for tea one day? Imagine what a chat we'd have.

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  8. Yes, my friend, I would love a cup of tea!
    And that bird clock? I have one just like it, only with American birds! We got the American bird version for Richard's aunt and uncle in England, and you should see the puzzled expressions from other folks who are visiting when they hear the American birdsong! (And the birds only sing if there is a light shining on the clock, so they are quiet during the night-time.)
    Jenny Woolf is writing a book about the Victorians, I am waiting for it!

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    1. It would definitely be fun to have the American bird version over here, Kay!
      I'm waiting for Jenny's next book as well!

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  9. Once I become engrossed in a novel I cannot put it down, which is why I have not opened one for a long, long time. I love them, but have too many time constraints!

    My friend Jeannie has the same bird clock. It is cool. Take care and God bless!

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  10. Yes, please (no milk in mine)! I too feel that I've made real friends through blogging (and even more acquaintances). And I totally agree that it would be easier to find things to chat about with the blogging friends than with former colleagues with whom one has not really been keeping in touch. After all many of us bloggers pop in and out of each other's houses at any hour of the day, don't we... ;)

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    1. Seeing as I'm answering you at 5 a.m. I guess nothing could be more true! LOL John
      (That's Lot of Laughs and Lots of Love!)

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  11. Heard about the book Dodger -now you've given a scene of it, I might buy it for hubby (since I've given him Tale of Two Cities, he can read anything:) ). The clock may be an interesting conversation piece. And your musings about the different kinds of friends could be mine!
    (Am writing from my artblog, but you also know me as Emille on Artistique!) Green tea, please:)

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  12. In 1999, I spent my first - and so far only - holiday in the US, namely Florida. As a gift for my parents, I bought a bird clock similar to the one you show here, but with the wooden frame painted a dark green and probably some of the birds being different. My parents love it to this day, and it is always fun when there are visitors who don't know (or don't remember) the bird clock and are startled by the sudden sound of some bird or other coming from somewhere near the kitchen!

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  13. It is so good to visit and read here again!! I hope you are doing well. Your book review made me write down the title - that sounds like it is perfect reading for both Daniel and me. I hadn't heard of it before.

    Daniel and I have had a bird clock like that for many, many years (it was a gift from friends) and we love it! Especially that it gets quieter with the waning light and goes totally silent when it's dark.

    And, yes, postcrossing - oh, how I have neglected that! And all my correspondence. I am hoping that with fall comes more time... As to friends. One of my closest friends is someone I met through blogging. I feel so lucky to have met so many wonderful people through my blog - you included! :)

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  14. So what am I going to do with the one I bought for your birthday? Give it to Pat perhaps!?

    I could not agree more about the lack of difference between friends and blogging friends especially as I have met quite a few of my blogland friends in person.

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