Naoko's news, views and shoes thread

[Handley_Page]

Some of them are already turning up in my charity book shop - bought as presents for people that didn't appreciate the humour.

If you find any, Ogg, please acquire them for me.
I've had a word with my library, but I got the impression that if they turned up at all, it would not be soon.
I want to have a good look before I buy them!

Poor dear Naoko!

Best wishes getting through it all!

I wish to be associated with that motion.

 

[oggbashan]

If you find any, Ogg, please acquire them for me.
I've had a word with my library, but I got the impression that if they turned up at all, it would not be soon.
I want to have a good look before I buy them!

...

I've looked in the charity shop today. They did have a few. Apparently they sold within a couple of hours of being put on the shelves.

But they tell me they are now available in larger branches of Sainsburys at £3.75

 

[NaokoSmith]

Advent Calendar Day 8

(Day 8 and Piglet shows no signs of recovery I had to take her to the doctor's and to the hospital for blood tests today - I'm sure those were just to make the fussy mum shut up . They say it's just a really bad virus, nothing to do except keep her at home resting.)

My favourite Christmas song! Check out those accompanying 'singers'

Come and trim my Christmas tree ... with some decorations bought at Tiffany , love it!

everyone! Virtual ones, not viral ones. Naughty snog-gy ones, too, not virtuous ones

 

[curl4ever]

(Day 8 and Piglet shows no signs of recovery I had to take her to the doctor's and to the hospital for blood tests today - I'm sure those were just to make the fussy mum shut up . They say it's just a really bad virus, nothing to do except keep her at home resting.)

My favourite Christmas song! Check out those accompanying 'singers'

Come and trim my Christmas tree ... with some decorations bought at Tiffany , love it!

everyone! Virtual ones, not viral ones. Naughty snog-gy ones, too, not virtuous ones

Best wishes to both you and Piglet.

And thank you for the virtual naughty snog-gy ones!

 

[NaokoSmith]

Best wishes to both you and Piglet.

And thank you for the virtual naughty snog-gy ones!

dahlink!

 

[NaokoSmith]

HP, all I need for Christmas is actually you! Or rather, that hot rod of yours

Wha-a-at???! I am naturally referring to HP's soldering iron. I know he must have such a thing, as he is the kind of man who probably has three different ones of different sizes

Anyway, going back to the soldering iron. I saw this kit in a bookshop to make an Atarii ping-pong game, and bought it for Piglet for Christmas. I thought it would be hilarious for her to see how video games started out, and good for her to put this thing together, and that it would impress her Science, and Design and Technology, teachers at the Academy for Perfectly Ordinary Piglets. The poor thing is quite bored, so I got it out and gave it to her instead of saving it up for Christmas. She was really good, and set to it by herself with great enthusiasm while I rushed out to do some basic food shopping - in between designing two teaching presentations for a foundation level and a postgraduate level module each, and marking several slightly late assignments.

Sadly I came back to find the instruction booklet crumpled up and flung in a corner and Piglet stuck back on her iPhone playing games of considerably more advanced graphics. I gave her a bit of a helping hand, and had managed to find an important part which she flung off into a far corner of the kitchen and get her back on track ... then I discovered that you need to solder part of this thing together! They don't even tell you how to do it properly in the instruction manual, they say airily: "Oh if you do not have a lot of experience with soldiers ... soldering then go to our website where we have hidden instructions which will then tell you that you need a proper soldering iron for this purpose."

FFS This is not really the sort of thing you expect to buy in a bloody bookshop, is it?

Gah, I will try and figure it out next week when I have finished marking and teaching my tutorials, and have had that meeting with the Pro Vice Chancellor for Teaching (thereby hangs a tale yes yes, I will come back and tell all soon). Probably if I go to the hardware shop - you know, that lovely little shop where I am always having to go and ask for a screw , the nice man there will solder the thing for me for free. He is usually willing to give me a free screw

 

[NaokoSmith]

Advent Calendar Day 9

Let's have another Vargas, because they really are rather lovely.

https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia-cache-ec0.pinimg.com%2F736x%2Fd0%2F70%2Fd8%2Fd070d838096fdb2cf4afb5f86a4ba958.jpg&f=1

 

[Handley_Page]

HP, all I need for Christmas is actually you! Or rather, that hot rod of yours

Wha-a-at???! I am naturally referring to HP's soldering iron. I know he must have such a thing, as he is the kind of man who probably has three different ones of different sizes

Anyway, going back to the soldering iron. I saw this kit in a bookshop to make an Atarii ping-pong game, and bought it for Piglet for Christmas. I thought it would be hilarious for her to see how video games started out, and good for her to put this thing together, and that it would impress her Science, and Design and Technology, teachers at the Academy for Perfectly Ordinary Piglets.

They don't even tell you how to do it properly in the instruction manual, they say airily: "Oh if you do not have a lot of experience with soldiers ... soldering then go to our website where we have hidden instructions which will then tell you that you need a proper soldering iron for this purpose."

FFS This is not really the sort of thing you expect to buy in a bloody bookshop, is it?

Gah, I will try and figure it out next week when I have finished marking and teaching my tutorials, and have had that meeting with the Pro Vice Chancellor for Teaching (thereby hangs a tale yes yes, I will come back and tell all soon). Probably if I go to the hardware shop - you know, that lovely little shop where I am always having to go and ask for a screw , the nice man there will solder the thing for me for free. He is usually willing to give me a free screw

Ah.
Actually, I have about half a dozen soldering irons of one age or another (my oldest was purchased in about 1965, I think). They vary from 15w to 200w.
So if my soldering iron can be of any use, do let me know and I'll do what I can for Piglit.

PS. Your in-box is stuffed; please be a dear and empty the bloody thing, eh ?
PPS. Oh the Vargas girls are something else. . . .
Have you seen the Gibson girls ?

 

[beachbum1958]

Ah.
Actually, I have about half a dozen soldering irons of one age or another (my oldest was purchased in about 1965, I think). They vary from 15w to 200w.
So if my soldering iron can be of any use, do let me know and I'll do what I can for Piglit.

PS. Your in-box is stuffed; please be a dear and empty the bloody thing, eh ?
PPS. Oh the Vargas girls are something else. . . .
Have you seen the Gibson girls ?

Apropos of which, do you remember or have you ever seen the George Petty pin-up girls? The 'Memphis Belle' nose art was one of his designs.

 

[Handley_Page]

Apropos of which, do you remember or have you ever seen the George Petty pin-up girls? The 'Memphis Belle' nose art was one of his designs.

George Petty ?
Nice drawings of some very pretty girls.
I do like July 1955. . . .
~Cannot find the Belle, though

 

[NaokoSmith]

Hullo dahlinks
I have had a long hard ... day teaching. I am back home with Piglet, who still looks a bit washed out - but I have got used to her being around now, so I don't mind so much if she doesn't go back to school next week.

More soon


https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmuscleheaded.files.wordpress.com%2F2013%2F06%2Fpettymemphisbelle.jpg&f=1

 

[NaokoSmith]

Advent Calendar Day 10

I have been desperately seeking something for Ogg, but I don't thnk he needs anything.

Ogg is already a wonderful grandparent, a superstar husband and an expert on red tape. He probably knows all about the zombie apocalypse too.

Ogg is the Compleat Authority on everything (including angling).

 

[curl4ever]

*special surprise hug*



====== Added later...
Alas, you seem to have logged out before you read this.
Well, *hugs* anyway!
- curl

 

[Handley_Page]

I really must look up those Ladybird books.
Thanks for the 'Belle. She's not on the other side of the nose, though.

And please clean out your inbox ?

 

[oggbashan]

...

Ogg is the Compleat Authority on everything (including angling).

Thank you, Naoko, but you are overstating the angling.

When a youngster in Gibraltar I used to free-dive to catch squid with my bare hands. They were a useful addition to my pocket money. Later as a Boy Scout I learned how to catch trout barehanded (and how to cook them over an open fire).

A few years later I spent a fortnight at the edge of the Norfolk Broads trying to angle for fish. I had even bought a fishing licence in the village Post Office. In the whole two weeks I caught one undersized eel which I threw back. Perhaps I shouldn't have been fishing from a bench outside the pub? The beer was good.

I haven't caught a fish since. I don't need to. My builder and one of my neighbours go sea fishing in their boats. I get free fish when they've had a good catch.

PS Empty your in box. I want to send a PM.

 

[Handley_Page]

Hullo dahlinks
I have had a long hard ... day teaching. I am back home with Piglet, who still looks a bit washed out - but I have got used to her being around now, so I don't mind so much if she doesn't go back to school next week.

More soon


https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmuscleheaded.files.wordpress.com%2F2013%2F06%2Fpettymemphisbelle.jpg&f=1

The one in the UK has her name on the other side of her nose "Sally B".
See here

and HERE

 

[NaokoSmith]

Ah.
Actually, I have about half a dozen soldering irons of one age or another (my oldest was purchased in about 1965, I think).

I knew it! I will figure something out, dahlink That soldering iron is almost as old as me

Thank you, Naoko, but you are overstating the angling.

He says ... and proceeds to show that I am not so!

curl, beachbum (and Lori).

Boys, I promise to clean out my box as soon as I can. It might be a couple of days more, I am still on survival mode here.

 

[NaokoSmith]

Advent Calendar Day 11

For HP, on the other hand, I am spoilt for choice! Everywhere I look I seem to see another gift I could get him.

(oh yes, I could get him a new rose too! or a Rose England rugby shirt, or Roses chocolates )

 

[oggbashan]

I've found Naoko's present.

All I have to do is wrap it (that's something I AM useless at) and post it.

I missed out on bidding in our local auction for a present for HP. There were six people interested and bidding. None of them knew WHAT they were actually bidding on. They thought it was several pictures signed by RAF aces. Although each picture of an aircraft had the name of the ace they weren't signatures but the writing of the compiler of the accompanying text.

Even if they had been genuine signatures they were bid far too high. Some people get carried away at auctions and this week some items were stupidly overbid. One box of metal DIY items could have been purchased for a couple of pounds in a charity shop or at a boot fair. It sold for £22 - more than the cost new from a DIY store.

However one of the dealers was very happy. He bought a tin of miscellaneous pre-1971 British coins for £8. It had been one of eighty lots from a deceased person's house clearance. When he got it home and sorted it he found what everyone else had missed - a gold sovereign.

There was a steam punk clock with convoluted candleabra. The clock and the side pieces were brass - modern with a quartz movement. It sold for £50 which was far more than I would have paid for something so ugly.

 

[Bramblethorn]

There was a steam punk clock with convoluted candleabra. The clock and the side pieces were brass - modern with a quartz movement. It sold for £50 which was far more than I would have paid for something so ugly.

Reminds me of this song: Just Glue Some Gears On It And Call It Steampunk.

Edit: the next one in that playlist is very Lit-esque.

 

[Handley_Page]

Reminds me of this song: Just Glue Some Gears On It And Call It Steampunk.

Edit: the next one in that playlist is very Lit-esque.

it was an interesting Harmonium he was playing there.

 

[NaokoSmith]

Advent Calendar Day 12

Oooh! I am very excited about my present from Ogg! although I'm not sure anything can top the gorgeous jardiniere. I am still very grateful to Mrs Ogg for being so kind as to let such a delicious item go out of her ... I believe for some reason she made Ogg keep it in the garage?

Also v. excited about hearing BT's song ... when I can pack Piglet back to her pedagogues (not looking like it will be this side of Christmas now TBH )

Meanwhile, if you are looking for someone to trim your Christmas tree, this burly bear might light your fire too

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/9e/d1/5b/9ed15be65c299f6fc9758f2368a4a678.jpg

 

[MrBennet]

Good evening one and all, most especially to our over-worked and over-stressed hostess. I do hope your little mite manages to shake off her bug, but some virusii have been long-slow-burn variety this winter.
HP sir, I'm impressed by the range of your soldering equipment. I trust you use lashings of flux to ensure a solid and lasting insertion? I'm more a plumbing man myself, though purely in an amateur way. Who doesn't want for the lingering smell of hot metal and seared fingers from a job well done? As it happens, I had occasion to whip out my torch at the weekend to fit a stop-end and new bib tap, with no embarrassing dribbles once pressure was restored.
Next weekend it'll be some proper mans work: carpentry with hand tools. Nothing I like better than a bit of stud-work and chasing a few cracks with some filler.
Mug of tea anyone?

 

[Handley_Page]

Good evening one and all,

Next weekend it'll be some proper mans work: carpentry with hand tools. Nothing I like better than a bit of stud-work and chasing a few cracks with some filler.
Mug of tea anyone?

yes please; half a sugar and generous milk. . .

 

[NaokoSmith]

Oh Mr B! how lovely to see you again.

I might once have come across a story about a plumber's mate and a cup of tea ... (As it were )

I am definitely in need of a restorative cuppa after this last couple of trying weeks, here's some for HP and you and me. (I took Piglet to the doctor's again this morning as she was actually worse rather than better, but they still say not bacterial infection so no antibiotics so no quick cure )

https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse1.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.M08bdeff079d8e863ec37f652674b324co0%26pid%3D15.1&f=1