Wednesday 18 September 2013

Odds, ends and beginnings

Blogs Worth Visiting
 I should make a regular habit of extolling the virtues of some of the blogs I love visiting. I have decided to start today with Cait’s Photos.  I was particularly attracted by one of her postings the other day – about stone. I also love taking photos of groups of pebbles and stones. I can spend a happy hour wandering the shore beneath GB’s house just looking for suitable groups, of which there are always plenty to be found. These are Gneiss (pronounced ‘nice’).


And these pebbles are at Buddleigh Saltertton near where Daughter-who-takes-photos lives.




Another blog I call at regularly is Messymimi’s Meanderings.  As well as keeping us up to date with the doings of her children and her cats, Messymimi’s blog covers the exciting events that happened this day in history (along with the various celebrations around the world – including Fairyland). The events side of it is the blog I wish I’d written (and indeed set out to do but only managed about four days before giving it up).

A Piece about Hair (There's a pun there if you think about it)




From the Victorian Era Fan Guide:-


“A woman’s hairpiece from the mid 19th century. The extravagant hairstyles which were popular throughout the Victorian period called for large amounts of hair which many women did not naturally pos-sess. To make up for this they frequently turned to wigs and hairpieces made from human hair. The demand for hair was enormous and some-times desperate women sold theirs to earn a little money from the growing market. In 1848 8,766 pounds of hair was imported into Britain from France alone. This hairpiece is a ‘ringlet bunch’ or ‘set of side curls’ sewn onto a braid base which could then be attached with the use of hairpins. By the 1860s such additions had acquired nicknames. Long side curls were known as ‘rats’, smaller ones which were placed above the rats were called ‘mice’, the large roll of hair that sat on top of the head was a ‘cat’ and the chignon at the back of the head, which sometimes had a wave of loose hair flowing from it, was called a ‘cataract’ (named after a type of powerful waterfall).”

My Pump has Died 
Sadly it’s not just a case of this sort of pump dying…


I'm glad I checked my money on Tuesday and booked the hotels. If I had checked it today I would have had to take into account the fact that the central heating pump has gone for a burton. It'll be a few hundred pounds, said the boilerman, so you might as well replace the whole system - it's rubbish and it's about 25 years old, he said. That'll only be a couple of thousand. Perhaps we'll just go away in October and freeze for the rest of the winter.

 And the postcards .....
And the postcards keep coming in. Thanks to everyone who has sent me them. I thoroughly appreciate them but have fallen so far behind with my postcard blog that I can’t see how to get it started again. But I am determined that some of the best postcards will get a public airing at some stage. But how to define ‘best’? I think out of about 800+ that I have received so far I have been disappointed in half a dozen or so. And that, obviously, is simply because my taste is not the same as that of the sender and no reflection on their enthusiasm for Postcrossing.

So, to all of you out there who are kind enough to think of me when you pass a letterbox, many thanks!   I trust you look as smart as this when you post me a card!!!


17 comments:

  1. Those are some pretty photos your daughter took. I especially like the 2nd one.

    800+ postcards, that's a lot!

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  2. I love that postcard at the bottom of your post. Very nice.

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    1. Sorry JarieLyn, it isn't a postcard. I should have made that plain, shouldn't I. It's actually a miniature stamp sheet from Jersey.

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    2. I like miniature stamps sheets, and this is a relly great one!

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  3. Thank you so much for mentioning my blog! Collecting post cards from around the world sounds fun and exciting -- i'll have to be on the lookout for some that represent south Louisiana to send you, if you want.

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    Replies
    1. All contributions gratefully received!! I would especially like a Louisiana state map postcard if you ever come across one. I'm collecting State Map cards and have about twelve so far.

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  4. Always love to discover new blogs. Thanks for the links.

    Mersad
    Mersad Donko Photography

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  5. John, central heating pumps are much less than a £100 at B&Q. Grundfos are twice that but are worth the money.

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  6. Grundfos? They sounds like some sort of bad guys in a Tolkein book!!

    Seriously, thanks Adrian. We're getting a second opinion. And maybe a third and fourth...

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  7. bugger the old cripple is back! i thought you had died.

    :0)

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  8. I like stones too and haven many in my garden of all shapes and sizes plus some polished ones indoors.

    Your postcard collection has certainly grown. I had a very large collection once and from other countries, but gave them away during a decluttering time about 12 years ago.

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  9. That is a wonderful stamp! I am still dreaming we'll have a similar red post box here in the Philippines but I believe we'll never will...

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  10. I love your collection! I can not find the postcard I want to send you...strange, but true. Could you email me your address again. I do want to send you a card with some of the Washi tape on it.

    I love collections-wow this post is fun to read!
    all the best
    ellasedge@gmail.com

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  11. I have pretty much given up on Post Crossing. Many of my cards failed either being registered or didn't arrive to their destination, Russia, Belarus & China being the ones that I remember. :(
    I visited messymimi; that's too much work! I am finding that my energy level sinking to ever lower amounts. boo hoo, woe is me! On the bright side I enjoy the variety of subjects you bring to your posts!

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  12. It must be fun picking up your mail and finding postcards from around the world!

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  13. I look forward to your odds and ends posts....I always learn so much.
    Who knew that each hair piece had a name? I certainly didn't.
    WOW!!! 800+ postcards and counting, and none from me as yet.....shame on me, shame on me.
    Really glad to see you back.

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