Tea? (Part 2)

[Arch]

Arch, when you get round to casting for your version of "Day of the Triffids", can you bear me in mind for the part of Torrance. It would be easy enough to change the part for that of a female. I like the idea of charging around trying to look authoritarian in a long black coat, and making sandwiches in the kitchen at No. 10. Is there anything else I need to practice for the audition?

Offering round coffee creams. I know it's specific, but trust me it's very important for the acting method I follow. You may have to repeat the exercise over and over for me to get a good idea of your suitability.

Your quest for a matching cushion cover is not at all fussy. I arrived home last week to find my Mum concocting a cloth hanging for the mantlepiece, from some Christmassy patchwork fabric with decorative squares, and below each square, a triangular pennant, four cut from each large square. Due to the length of the mantle, 13 of these were needed, so of course, cutting up three squares (all she had spare) didn't give enough. So she went to her bag of bits and found some fabric that toned well, except it didn't have the gold decorative embossing. So she bought a gold pen and drew dots and swirls on it. All for the bit that faces away from the door, and can only be seen if you are sitting on the telly....

In true Arch's Mum fashion, she was still sewing this thing as my sister and family arrived on Christmas Eve, so had to apologise over and over for the unseen parts that held it on the mantlepiece only being tacked and not properly sewn....

Better than last year, when I arrived home to find that she was making some feather cushions by deconstructing a feather bolster she'd been given, and there was down all over the house...

 

[Speicher]

Can I substitute custard creams for the coffee creams? I realise that they are the most dangerous of biscuits, or is that just when they are being dunked? I will try to be careful.

The other thing I found today, was a kit for making pom poms. Did you have the plastic bits that you put two together and wound wool round, and then did another two and tied wool round the middle? Sometimes I think the indoor market here is about ten years behind the times, but in a very good way.

I am sort of watching a Miss Marple, but the actress playing a lady from Denmark, appears to have difficulty deciding if she has a Irish Accent, a Scottish accent or a French accent - it is almost painful to listen to.

 

[HelenD123]

Evening! Anyone want tea, or are you on something harder for New Year's Eve?

 

[tdr1nka]

Gotta cuppa ta!

Just back in from the theatre Darling, off to a friends for dinner and game of RISK to see the new year in!

Even that feels a smidgen too exciting at the moment.

 

[HelenD123]

Be careful with RISK Tdr1nka. My mum and her siblings were playing it in their youth and ganged up on my Aunt's fiance who they didn't like. It all got a bit heated and my grandad ended up throwing it onto the fire.

 

[Arch]

Can I substitute custard creams for the coffee creams? I realise that they are the most dangerous of biscuits, or is that just when they are being dunked? I will try to be careful.

Well, you could, but I'm not so fond of custard creams....

Anyway, <waves glass of cider about> don't forget you're all welcome to drop in to my hootenanny! Bring a bottle! We might run out of milk else..

 

[Landslide]

Happy New Year all! I'm off out, armed with a hip flask of Armagnac, and a party to go to!

 

[Arch]

Happy New Year all! I'm off out, armed with a hip flask of Armagnac, and a party to go to!

Happy New Year!

You'll probably find me tomorrow, asleep in the remains of my party....

 

[wafflycat]

Morning! And a Happy New Year to all on the Tea? thread! Finally nodded off to the sight of snow falling on the grounds of Chateau Wafflycat & woke a little while ago to find about an inch of snow cover with a little more falling from a blue sky.

 

[HelenD123]

We've had a sprinkling here as well. Kettle's on!

 

[longers]

Kettles on here too, been outside fettling bikes and have come in to warm up
It's sprinkling a bit here but only a bit.

 

[Zippy]

Kettles on here too and homemade bread and jam to go with it. Been out walking my nosework dog looking for a local lost labrador - she's probably snuggled up in a new family somewhere eating Xmas leftovers! Can but try and its good work for my boy.

 

[Speicher]

Nose work dog? I often walk on the Malverns. If I see a dog without an owner, I usually try to look out for the owner appearing eventually, which they do. However on one occasion, two dogs were lost, who I had seen a bit earlier. (are you with me so far). Unfortunately there are lots of large holes in the Malverns for dogs to fall into. I have never thought about getting a nosework dog to look for another dog.

I do not have a dog. (someone brought Pavlov's dog to Arch's party last night, I was wondering where that would lead). I do have two cats, and can understand how dog owners would be very uspset loosing a dog.

BTW I am sure that my cats own me, not t'other way round. Who owns who in the dog relationship, or is it "master and servant"?

 

[Arch]

BTW I am sure that my cats own me, not t'other way round. Who owns who in the dog relationship, or is it "master and servant"?

I gather that in a good dog/owner relationship, the human must simply be the leader of the pack, and the dog subservient. I've never had one, but would like one one day, if I ever have the room and time. I'd like a scruffy wire haird terrier type - just like me!

Tea anyone? I was actually awake and alert at 8 am, amazing after my cider, gin and whisky fueled evening. Been out for a walk around town, most shops are shut but the new Paperchase (the old one was in Borders) was open, so I finally got round to getting an address book, and later I'll transfer the addresses from my current 'system' of scraps of paper. I could havbe gone mad in there, so much lovely paper. Fortunately, some was in the sale, so I bought a few sheets, to cover cardboard boxes for decorative storage.

Am liking my skinny (well, as skinny as a size 14 can be) jeans from M and S, I might even go back and get another pair in a different colour now I know they are comfy. Gosh, this wage business is going to my head!

I'll get the kettle going...

 

[Zippy]

ink the dog / human relationng is an interesting one. What makes one dog stick by the owner's ankle when out for a walk and never wander and another go and run wild circles and sniff into everything as soon as the lead is slipped? More than training; this includes individual personality.

I think the domesticated dog has come so far away from the wolf that there is hardly any relationship - any more than chimps and humans.

What I do know is that the further away a dog travels from the human the more independant and predatory a dog becomes, even on one day's walk. Which is why a dog by the heel may not bolt after a sheep but if a dog is wandering around may give chase in the same circumstances. Its more to do with proximity to the humanising influence I think.

Same with lost dogs in that the longer they are out, the harder it is to find and retrieve them.

My dog is trained to use his nose to find things like hankies, dog collars, pullovers etc, or people/animals who the items belong to. He used to be a wild boy but this game keeps him occupied and responsive and I think a happier dog for it as he has a purpose and a focus.

Now - where's that tea an jam?