Me … it hasn’t been cut since June of last year and is out of control! Sadly I cannot rock the Sinéad O’Connor look, so will continue to tie it up and try to keep it out of my eyes, mouth, breakfast …

I have a pair of pink cords from Howies. I love them. I may be deeply uncool.

Oh jings, I’d forgotten about rice pudding. Probably not quite enough to tempt me away from potatoes, but alongside such delights as risotto and biryani, it does make a strong case for rice.

Potatoes – I LOVE them.

I was having a conversation once which went something like this …

Other Person: What sort of food do you eat when you’re unwell?
Me: Oh well, I can normally manage something (can’t remember what I said) on toast.
Other Person: Mashed potatoes on toast?! I’ve never tried that. How charming and unusual.
Me: (thinks) Me neither! … (out loud, while tying laces on running shoes) I do hope you’ll excuse me, I’ve just remembered an important appointment elsewhere … 😉

I recently got a Mons Royale baselayer – 100 % merino for this one and weight 190 gsm. I haven’t tested it out yet but suspect it would be too warm for the bike on anything but the coldest of days, but should be just right for cold weather walking. A lovely piece of kit – really pleased with it.

I like Audible and find it to be good value. The audiobooks themselves can be quite expensive, but much cheaper with a subscription.

+1 for the advice to listen to a sample before buying to make sure you like the voice and style of the narrator – it can really make or break the listening experience.

One of my favourite narrators is Stephen Fry – he brought the Harry Potter books to life for me. He has also narrated all the Sherlock Holmes stories – worth £70, but available for 1 credit!

+1 for Matilda read by Kate Winslet – really enjoyed this.

I’ve just started listening to Life on Air, written and read by David Attenborough, and my next listen will be Pride and Prejudice read by Rosamund Pike. Both have lovely calming voices – I see a pattern emerging here. 🙂

Books also available in other languages if that is of interest. I have Charlie et la chocolaterie, and the first Artemis Fowl book in French. I let them play in the background and just soak up the sound of the language without trying too hard to understand – I find it quite relaxing.

Hope you find something to enjoy.

Gorgeous pics! 😃

Stopped at the war memorial in the village on my walk this morning – actually do this most days. I think about my Grandpa who signed up for WW1 as a teenager, and helped at home with the war effort in WW2 – and all the thousands of others like him, and their families and friends, who lived through, and sometimes died for, something I hope I never have to. Respect and gratitude to all – past and present.

My friend sometimes calls me Maisie – can’t remember why now, but I love it. It’s not my name!

I love my real name too, and the shortened version. 🙂

Thanks – will have a look. 🙂

Lovely thread which has made me smile. 🙂

My Grandpa used to read to me and I still love being read to … although nowadays it’s usually a talking book reading to me!

My Granny used to swim in an unheated outdoor pool in all weathers, and her influence still gets me outdoors when it’s not so nice out.

Just discussing this with a friend and realised I would need to add a sneaky 4th … Audrey Tautou.

+1 for Rosamund Pike – just downloaded an Audible book she narrated – gorgeous voice.

John Laurie – who played Private Frazer in Dad’s Army – loved the episodes where he got to tell a wee ghost story … compelling.

Third would be Alan Rickman.

Hello spekkie – saw you on another thread which reminded me to come by to say thanks for this thread – only joined in a few pages back and have really enjoyed it – will catch up when time allows. 🙂

Love this thread, thanks rollindoughnut.

Sorry to hear about those who have lost loved ones, or who are in difficult circumstances.

but I’m scared to share photos and updates of my trip as I now feel it will be sickening to those stuck in lockdown with horrible weather.

But … maybe it will lift their spirits to see photos of someone they care about enjoying a nice environment. 🙂

Brilliant! 😃

Glad I’m not the only one who gets excited by wee visitors to the garden! And you are right – it is a privilege – I’ve been so grateful of the garden over the last few months.

^ 👍😃

Wow, well done root-n-5th. 😃

No one has specified that we’re supposed to be eating them.

anything that assaults your mouth or teeth

Thanks, both, for the reminder that Billy Connolly made me laugh on the subject of toblerone.

If anyone googles it – it’s NSFW – some / much swearing – according to your sensibilities.

Really not getting the love for Hotel Chocolat

I haven’t tried their chocolate bars, so can’t comment on that, but I’ve tried quite a few of their chocolates – they can be hit or miss nice (I don’t think I’ve actually had a bad one) – but the good ones are some of the best chocolates I’ve had. Current personal favourites are dizzy praline, peppermint, cinnamon bun, chocolate fudge sundae and cashew nut praline.

Peter Gabriel at the Globen in Stockholm, 2003 – immersed from start to finish – a true spectacle.

Jamie Cullum at the Jazz Middelheim festival in Antwerp, 2011 – energy and talent in spades.

Back in the day – Star Bar, Galaxy Counters.

Current everyday (not literally) chocolate – Milka — reminds me of holidays.

Treat chocolate – can’t see past Hotel Chocolat dizzy pralines.

Not keen – Fry’s Chocolate Cream.

Well done loum. 😃

Potatoes for me too. Love them.

+1 Roald Dahl

I’ve just started rereading What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami – a memoir of his preparation for the 2005 NYC Marathon, and the influence of running on his writing. I enjoyed the reflective style IIRC, and gained an insight into writing which I still try to follow years later – in writing, and other activities which require a bit of momentum over the long-term. Very good.

Gore Bike Wear? I have a pretty old pair of thermal bib tights (probably about 15 years old) – not exactly what you’re after, but the length was just right for me – definitely on the short side rather than the long side – I’m maybe a shade under 5’2”. Of course, they may have changed their sizing since then but, from a quick look at a current pair of padded non-bibs, they state the inseam length, so you could check.

https://www.gorewear.com/uk/en-uk/c3-women-thermo-tights-100331.html?dwvar_100331_color=9900#prefn1=gender&prefv1=Women&start=15&cgid=gw_sport_cycling

Currently practicing Take Five on the old guitar

Funnily enough, was recently playing Take Five on the violin – loved it.

Agreed! Frosty this morning – wished I’d had gloves and a hat!

I still have my 1997 Hahanna – first proper mtb, and really loved it. I used it as a commuter once I’d replaced it with something lighter for off-road. Still very fond of it and wouldn’t part with it. Good times. 😃

Hi lunge – it seems to me we are all navigating some pretty rough seas at the moment, and some days we cope better than others. I am optimistic that brighter days will appear above the horizon before too long and, in the meantime, I’ll do the best I can to keep my boat afloat and travelling forwards. Hope you, and others here who’ve been contending with tough times, can find what you need. Wishing you well.

Yes, I’ve been there – feeling that the universe was against me – that every time I tried to move forwards, I was batted back to where I started, or sometimes even further back.

To be honest, I don’t know how I got past those, as you say, ‘illogical’ thoughts. These days I try to accept, as well as I can, the crap of life when it comes, and try to do the best I can under whatever circumstances I find myself in. Of course, easier said than done sometimes.

The other side of this painful time is in front of you – keep moving or looking towards it as best you can.

I think you are a f****** gladiator

+1

yes they are being inventive, but is it as imaginative?

Surely invention comes from imagination.

The writers i admire take the real world and make you look at it anew

+1
… but, writing human characters in non-SF is hard enough – writing non-humans with alien ideas, experiences, environments, &c., seems to me as if it would require exceptional creativity and imagination. Hats off to those who do it well.

tj – excellent post.

Sunrise – early morning is probably my favourite time of day – always feels special to be out of doors at that time. Getting to ride the dawn lap at any 24 hour race was always a treat (dog-tiredness notwithstanding).

As an ex-high school high-jumper, I love the look of bemusement on the faces of my fellow club mates when I elect to vault over fences and gates rather than climbing over them. One day I’ll bugger it up and land on my arse!

Ha ha – nice to have hidden talents!

I don’t think I’ll be trying that any time soon – I think the technical term for my stature is ‘short-arse’ – which may well be derived from the act of coming up short while attempting to vault a gate and landing on one’s arse! 😉

jodafett – well done on the 10k. 😃

My run this morning was eventful … got chased by a wayward dog and ended up leaping onto someone’s garden wall to avoid getting chomped. I can confirm that Hoka shoes are also good for the high jump. 😉

It sounds to me like it is particularly harmony you are interested in learning. I came across this website with a quick look, although I haven’t used it so can’t vouch for it. It certainly seems to cover harmony, intervals, cadences, ear training, scales, modes – to some extent anyway. Might be worth a look to see if it fits what you are looking for, as a start anyway.

https://www.daveconservatoire.org/

Edit – There is also a section on improvisation with a bloke called Harry the Piano!

^ 😃

Just 20 minutes for me this morning – coming back from 2 weeks off after being under the weather. Wore my new Hoka sofa shoes – without doubt the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn (running or otherwise) – and they make me feel quite tall! Initial indications suggest shoe success, but I’ll wait to see after a few runs.

Sorry to hear it – j4mesj4mes. Get well soon.

+1 for Magician by Raymond E Feist … anyone read his more recent books?

Also really enjoyed Stephen Donaldson’s Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.

Everyday word for me too – Scots word for people.

Sorry to hear this gonefishin. I can’t help with your query directly, but just thought to post this in case you’re not aware of Andy McKenna …

https://www.stokedonms.org.uk/