24 April 2011

Royal Wedding Special

SwallowGood morning and Happy Easter to you all. More signs of Spring – we had our first swallow sighting at 23 Banbury Road on Tuesday afternoon and the water companies issued the first drought warning of the season. I am guessing the hosepipe ban won’t be far off.

We are presuming that our first swallow is one of the early scouts checking out the area for suitable nesting locations prior to the arrival of the rest of the crowd. Presumably, he had a quick tour of the garage and the rest of the estate before swooping through the open front door to see what was on offer inside. After inspecting the various luxury suites available, he settled on the main guest room; he whooshed in, flew around, crapped on one of Penny’s best pillow cases and, after some gentle persuasion, finally was encouraged to exit by way of the window. Later that afternoon a second swallow appeared (or perhaps it was the same one) and he too decided that the indoor accommodation was preferable to that available in the garage. This time it was our bedroom which was deemed to be the most luxurious lodging available and again, only after much encouragement, was he finally persuaded to vacate the premises. I’ve now put a notice on the front door explaining that there is no spare indoor accommodation available. Then, on Thursday afternoon we were treated to an exhilarating “dog-fight” as three swallows raced and swooped around the skies, chattering at one another and clearly staking their respective claims to be the dominant swallow in the neighbourhood. It’s great to have them back. Continue reading “24 April 2011”

24 April 2011 – Amusements

Our teacher asked us what our favorite animal was, and I said, “Fried chicken.”

She said I wasn’t funny, but she couldn’t have been right, because everyone else in the class laughed.

My parents told me to always be truthful and honest, and I am. Fried chicken is my favorite animal. I told my dad what happened, and he said my teacher was probably a member of PETA. He said they love animals very much.

I do, too. Especially chicken, pork and beef. Anyway, my teacher sent me to the principal’s office. I told him what happened, and he laughed, too. Then he told me not to do it again.

The next day in class my teacher asked me what my favorite live animal was. I told her it was chicken. She asked me why, just like she’d asked the other children. So I told her it was because you could make them into fried chicken.

She sent me back to the principal’s office again. He laughed, and told me not to do it again. I don’t understand. My parents taught me to be honest, but my teacher doesn’t like it when I am.

Today, my teacher asked us to tell her what famous person we admire most.

I told her, “Colonel Sanders.”

The principal is making me write this, even though he laughed again. Continue reading “24 April 2011 – Amusements”

17 April 2011

Good morning to you all and hopefully your day and week will be gloriously delightful. We’ve had a week which has been just marginally on the right side of tolerable, I suppose. It’s been colder, greyer and breezier than last week with the wind from the northeast rather than from the Saharan sands of last week. Having said that, yesterday was very pleasant and today looks like it could similarly be grand. I feel another Sunday bike ride coming.

Unfortunately from the gardeners’ perspective, the April showers have yet to materialise.  Ms Playchute planted my broad beans and a couple of other things in the raised beds this week and now needs some precipitation to help them all get started. Wouldn’t it be handy if it rained at night and was gloriously sunny during the day? Continue reading “17 April 2011”

17 April 2011 – Amusements

In honour of today’s anniversary couple, the following are all vaguely related to marriage and/or married life.

Not long after their wedding, the newlyweds awoke early one morning. The couple had been up for quite a while before they met up in the kitchen. Marriage was agreeing with the husband, and he greeted his new wife with glee and excitation that morning.

“If you’ll make the toast and pour the juice, sweetheart,” said the newlywed bride, “breakfast will be ready.”

“Great! What are we having for breakfast?” he asked.

“Toast and juice,” replied the bride.
Continue reading “17 April 2011 – Amusements”

10 April 2011

Good morning to you all and I am delighted to relate that we have had splendid weather for most of the week. The temperatures even crept into the 70s (i.e., the 20s in Celsius) and although it’s not quite shorts and t-shirt-type weather, it’s getting close. Apparently, the wind has been from the south which is blowing warmer air over the British Isles along with sand from the Sahara. Haven’t noticed the sand, I have to confess (except that the car windscreens are fairly dusty, now that I think about it) but we’ll gladly take the warmer weather. Continue reading “10 April 2011”

10 April – Amusements

From Sarah:

Paraprosdokian Wit and Wisdom

A paraprosdokian is a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the reader or listener to reframe or reinterpret the first part. It is frequently used for humorous or dramatic effect, sometimes producing an anti-climax.

  1. Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.
  2. Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.
  3. The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it’s still on the list.
  4. If I agreed with you we’d both be wrong.
  5. We never really grow up, we only learn how to act in public.
  6. War does not determine who is right – only who is left.
  7. Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  8. Evening news is where they begin with ‘Good evening’, and then proceed to tell you why it isn’t.
  9. A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station.
  10. How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?
  11. Dolphins are so smart that within a few weeks of captivity, they can train people to stand on the very edge of the pool and throw them fish.
  12. I thought I wanted a career, turns out I just wanted pay checks.
  13. Whenever I fill out an application, in the part that says “In an emergency, notify:” I put “Doctor”.
  14. I didn’t say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.
  15. Behind every successful man is his woman. Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman.
  16. You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.
  17. The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!
  18. Hospitality: Making your guests feel like they’re at home, even if you wish they were.
  19. I discovered I scream the same way whether I’m about to be devoured by a great white shark or if a piece of seaweed touches my foot.
  20. There’s a fine line between cuddling and holding someone down so they can’t get away.
  21. I always take life with a grain of salt, plus a slice of lemon, and a shot of tequila.
  22. When tempted to fight fire with fire, remember that the Fire Department usually uses water.
  23. You’re never too old to learn something stupid.
  24. To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target.
  25. I asked God for a bike, but I know God doesn’t work that way. So I stole a bike and asked for forgiveness.
  26. I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather, not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car.
  27. Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
  28. To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. To steal from many is research.
  29. Some people are like Slinkys … not really good for anything, but you can’t help smiling when you see one tumble down the stairs.
  30. Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars but check when you say the paint is wet?
  31. Why do Americans choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America ?
  32. A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
  33. Always borrow money from a pessimist. He won’t expect it back.
  34. A diplomat is someone who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that you will look forward to the trip.
  35. Money can’t buy happiness, but it sure makes misery easier to live with.
  36. Some cause happiness wherever they go. Others whenever they go.
  37. I used to be indecisive. Now I’m not sure.
  38. Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be.
  39. Some people hear voices. Some see invisible people. Others have no imagination whatsoever.
  40. A bus is a vehicle that runs twice as fast when you are after it as when you are in it.
  41. If you are supposed to learn from your mistakes, why do some people have more than one child?
  42. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.

3 April 2011

Good morning to you all and special thanks to those of you who have made a comment and/or submitted some material for the News. We’re always grateful for any contributions. Regular readers will have long ago deduced that we don’t really have anything to say each week and that quality is certainly no pre-requisite for publication – we’ll take anything! So, “thank you” to those who contributed to this week’s “amusements” and to Susie who contributed an amusing video link which you can catch at the bottom of the posting. And, of course, Dad has been posting his own “amusements” in the comments section. Keep those cards and letters coming folks! Continue reading “3 April 2011”

3 April 2011 – Amusements

Daddy, how was I born? (A contribution from Ms Playchute)

A little boy goes to his father and asks ‘Daddy , how was I born ?’

The father answers, ‘Well, son, I guess one day you will need to find out anyway!  Your Mom and I first got together in a chat room on Yahoo.  Then I set up a date via e-mail with your Mom and we met at a cyber-café.  We sneaked into a secluded room, and Googled each other.  There your mother agreed to a download from my hard drive.  As soon as I was ready to upload, we discovered that neither one of us had used a firewall, and since it was too late to hit the delete button, nine months later a little Pop-Up appeared that said:

“You’ve got Male!” Continue reading “3 April 2011 – Amusements”