Encore de drivel

God, doesn't everything happen at once!
After going on Alex Hall's radio show last wednesday [Top lass!]. I was invited to go back on this Saturday to review the newspapers.
Typical! Stokesley show day/Members tent/Boro v Mackems and to rub it in I had to turn down the opportunity of having a stall in the Craft tent.
My old boss used to say that he was suffering from CRAFT!
[Can't remember an f..........in' thing!] The way I'm going I'll end up with CRAFT!

C'est la vie.

Stokesley Show

Already Stokesley Show week, the rides are moving in as I write this drivel.
I was trying to explain what Stokesley Show means to local people the other day and to be honest it means that many different things to different people.
For me it has always meant one thing, GRAFT!
Yet even though I am still involved, [I'll see you in the Members tent!] It means that I will see so many people that I probably haven't seen since last Stokesley show.
The only thing is nowadays, when people say, 'you're looking well', doesn't that mean, God you've put some weight on and where did your hair go?!!!

State of the art Technology

If you have visited my website you have probably seen the 'State of the Art Technology' video on the home page.

This is created using ustream.tv This is a tool that needs to be explored and I am the man to do it!!

I will be working with our friends in France to create some online lessons and somehow, I will!! create Café Pierre TV.

Things are hotting up for the start of the Academic year and I will be attending a graduation in November, MINE!!!! I somehow scraped through my M/A in Education. God knows how, in between Gurkhas, pickles, dogs, kids etc.

It's spitting!!!!!!

It's spitting!

Go to the end of the clip and follow the Pink Dinner Ladies!

The weather

Thanks to André, I've been thinking about the weather a lot lately!

We take our language so much for granted that we sometimes need to think about the richness of it.

For example, when talking about the wind and the cold, what do we say?

It's gusty/there's a nip in the air/ it's chilly.

But how about;

'It's a cold and lazy wind that cuts through you'.

or

'When the wind's in the east it's no good to man nor beast'.

or perhaps a more Yorkshire saying;

I'm nithered!

We English have dozens of ways of takling about the rain.

'It's spitting!, probably the most famous recently thanks to Peter Kay

You know the kind of rain that goes right through you!

Brilliant!

A near miss?

Last week we went to The Centre for Life, in Newcastle, as we were nominated for E-Learning awards!
Tees Valley, rightly picked up the team award for the Moodle site. The guest of honour was Sir David Puttman, he of Chariots of Fire , fame!
A good night was had by all, maybe next time Helenitza!

Just what I was looking for

A true likeness?

My God! Is this what I look like? Thanks Ronnie, you are a star!

End of term Blues?

When I was working full time in the restaurant, it was a case of,' Oh no it's Friday!' Another weekend!
And December! It meant one thing, GRAFT! Nowadays, it's a case of ,'Thank God it's Friday!'

The end of term, well December now means time off!!
The trouble is, after 30+ years of working what are traditionally holiday times, I tend to be at a loose end. But I am sure that one person will sort that out! Abigail! My diary is now full of Swimming, concerts among other activities. How life changes!

Encore de Waffle [sept]

Apple City!

Last Sunday we raided the Orchard that has bugged me for the last 3 years , living where we do!

Every single year the whole crop has rotted and I haven't had neither the time or inclination to pick up the apples and fruit that are just going to waste.

When I looked at what was available I was flabbergasted to find some fantastic Apples, little pearls laid there among the leaves.

Among the Granny Smith's there is a

Russet Apple tree! These apples are superb as an eater and we will find out how they cook pretty soon!

More waffle part six

You may be wondering what has happened to this Blog? Well Abigail's school pals are designing a poster for Abigail's Pantry http://abigailspantry.blogspot.com/

So I had to moderate the content! So I decided to have yet another Blog to waffle in!

Confused? You will be!

Waffle number 1

I was thinking today about this blog and I have realised that I am not doing it justice. The whole idea of Abigail's Pantry was born with living out in the 'Sticks' and walking my trusted friend 'Deefa'. SO I have decided to do some rants and join the rest of the Blogging community, by waffling on about whatever comes to mind.
http://abigailspantry.blogspot.com/

Waffle numéro quatre

I was chatting online with mon ami Guy this morning. we chatted about the usual, fishing, work, family and then the conversation got around to the Euro Lottery. I was waffling on about buying my dream house in Bourges and how it wouldn't change me! Ha! You must be joking! Or as we say in the Boro.You're jokin aren ya!You are bloody right it would change me, the first thing I would do is pack in work! I explained to Guy that I will eventually become a Picklaire! I had to explain about what a chutney was and remembered the 'faux ami' with preservatif [condom]. So I am not sure whether he now thinks I am going to buy a company that sells Pumpkin flavoured condoms?!That's the fun learning and teaching languages,isn't it?

Waffle numéro deux

The fruits of our 'Oggie raiding'!
Buckets of bloomin Apples, everywhere!
Most of the fruit comes from along the side of the Esk Railway line. There are dozens of wild Apple trees alongside the line, near to where we live. Can you imagine all of those Townies on their way to Whitby in the Summer throwing their Apple Cores out of the train window? Little did they know that they were sowing the seeds of Abigail's Pantry.
Come to think of it, I am a towny and I have been on the train to Whitby dozens of times when I was a kid in the 50s 60s and 70s!
It's FATE!!!!!

Waffle number 3

Language is such fun!
Abigail and her classmates were studying words that end in , ion'.
Of course they came up with a list as long as you can imagine. But then they had to explain what the word means and give a sentence with the word in it.
"Nation! A nation is a country like France or England. Very good.
Abortion, ok, any more examples??
Operation, excellent, now a sentence.
My Grandma had an operation on her Kidney Beans!!!"
It's enough to put you off your Chilli con Carne!!!

Waffle numéro quatre

A joke fromValerie.A couple were about to celebrate their 60th. wedding anniversary.60 years!The husband said to the wife, " 60 years and not a wrong word!"" Yes my darling " said the wife, "is there anything that you want to celebrate our 60 years together?"" Well actually, do you know the trunk at the bottom of the bed?"" Yes" said the wife sheepishly."Well", said the man," do you think that I could have a look in it?""Oh I suppose so said the wife."The wife then opened the trunk and in it , there were two eggs and £1,000." What's this all about ?" Asked the man."Oh", said the wife,"when we got married, I promised that if I was ever unfaithful to you , that I would put an egg in this trunk."" 2 eggs", thought the man, " that's not so bad, I suppose!"" And what about the £1,000?" said the man." Oh " said the wife, " everytime that I got a dozen eggs, I sold them!!!!!!!".