AS: Tea and biscuits and GIN, the British thread

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  • A quick look online led me to an Oxford website that suggests a connection to Orkney Scots. Surely our Piglet is innocent of those usages, though. ;)
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    edited September 2018
    I don't think "blowing a hoolie" is exclusive to Orkney - I'm fairly sure I've heard people from further south use it. :smiley:
  • I use blowing a hoolie to describe gales. That came from my mother whose family is Scots, but from the Highlands and Islands, farther south than Orkney
  • MMMMMM Shipmate
    I would regard it mainly as a Scottish word. It's very expressive!

    MMM
  • I thought it was derived from ‘hooligan’. I always say my dogs are ‘having a hoolie’ when they play roughly.
  • Even the National Trust, that most English of institutions (in phraseology at least) used 'blowing a hoolie' on FB to explain why some of their sites were closed yesterday. Certainly I always thought of it as a sailing phrase rather than specifically tied to a location - it's particularly expressive in that context!

    Mes. S, staying at home today
  • Wesley JWesley J Shipmate
    edited September 2018
    Climacus wrote: »
    Piglet wrote: »
    by 3 o'clock it was 16° and blowing a bit of a hoolie.
    What a fascinating expression! I guess it means blowing quite strongly?

    Or performing an act of a sexual nature on a children's TV lady character, respectively inflating her rubbery likeness.
  • Wesley JWesley J Shipmate
    edited September 2018
    [...] Mes. S, staying at home today
    ... which interestingly, and to keep with the theme, is also one of Miss Hoolie's songs. See previous link. :)

  • That phrase in my family definitely comes from the most Scots element, not the ex-Navy, ex-sailing, ex-Services element.
  • finelinefineline Kerygmania Host, 8th Day Host
    Heh - I've always imagined 'hoolie' was a Scottish word, because I've heard it in Scottish accents, and I think the fact of a Miss Hoolie on Balamory confirmed the Scottish association in my mind - especially as she appears in the opening song when the weather really is blowing a hoolie!
  • finelinefineline Kerygmania Host, 8th Day Host
    This is what the OED says regarding etymology:
    Etymology: Origin uncertain; perhaps < Orkney Scots hoolan strong gale (see below), with alteration of the ending (see -y suffix6); or perhaps the same word as hooley n.
    Orkney Scots hoolan is < the unattested Norn reflex of the early Scandinavian word represented by Old Icelandic ýlun (Icelandic ýlan ), Faroese ýlan , all in sense ‘howling, wailing’ < the Scandinavian base of Old Icelandic ýla to howl (ultimately of imitative origin; compare howl v.) + the Scandinavian base of Old Icelandic -un, suffix forming nouns.
  • Speaking of Balamory, and in a slight change from the habitual subject of food, might I kindly point our distinguished Shipmates (and all others) to 'Mark Steel's in Town', of whom there is a Balamory (actually: Tobermory) episode.

    I've just listened to all of them again - most are on YouTube -, and if Piglet's interested, there's also one on Kirkwall, but I reckon she already knows!

    Anywho, a fantastic and quirky series on weird and wonderful British towns. And great fun to listen to! :)
  • OK, I just wondered and checked, googled a family name and found a very interesting Wiki family tree with all sorts of information and photographs I didn't know about. The grandmother from whom I acquired the phrase blowing a hoolie, her grandparents came from Orkney, Birsay to be precise.
  • MooMoo Kerygmania Host
    I have come across 'hoolie' in the novels of George Macdonald.
  • It's used down here in connection with windy sailing weather, but I do like the idea of it being from the Faeroese for 'howling' or 'wailing', an apt description (not only of the sound of the wind, but the cries of the beleaguered mariners..... :fearful:)

    IJ
  • finelinefineline Kerygmania Host, 8th Day Host
    I am now wondering where specifically I have heard it. I know I have heard it, and more than once, and I associate it with Scottish accents, but I can't remember specific instances of hearing it.
  • It was certainly blowing a hoolie yesterday, and said hoolie is why when I was travelling to southern Scotland today my route had to take me into England (just) as it travelled by cancelled and delayed services on strange routes! But as the station master said when I queried if my ticket would be valid on the route he proposed: "Hen, today any ticket will take you just about anywhere!" And it did.

    P.S. Predictive text wants to make hoolie either hole or hoodie!
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    It makes sense that it comes from Old Norse for "howling" - that's exactly what a proper Orkney gale does! Thanks for the Mark Steel link, Wesley - I hadn't come across that show before.

    No hoolies here today - it's almost flat calm, 14° and sunny - good Piglet weather.
  • finelinefineline Kerygmania Host, 8th Day Host
    It's been pretty windy where I am, but not quite blowing a hoolie. We have a weather warning for wind for tonight and tomorrow morning though.
  • It’s pretty windy here too - I keep having to look for bits of my garden blown along the way.
  • Yes, quite warm, but breezy, here.

    I hope it's a bit calmer at the w/e, as my sister is visiting from France, and she and our brother intend to scatter some cremated remains at sea on Sunday morning...... :fearful:

    IJ

  • It's been Tipping Down since 6 pm - really, really wet.
  • Anyone else in bed but unable to sleep because of the noise of the wind?
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Am I right in thinking you folk are sort of stuck between two Big Storms? I saw pictures on Facebook varying from an overturned garden chair* (in Grimsby) to uprooted trees blocking a driveway (in Northern Ireland).

    * The bloke who posted it was quick to point out that he'd got off lightly!
  • Nenya wrote: »
    Anyone else in bed but unable to sleep because of the noise of the wind?

    That's usually what happens with me, but in fact I slept exceptionally well! Mind you, we had some stronger/louder winds last winter.
  • Nenya wrote: »
    Anyone else in bed but unable to sleep because of the noise of the wind?

    It was wild here too, Nen, but I slept till 4 am, when I was woken by what sounded like our new water butt being blown down the lane! It turned out not to be, so I await discovery of what other heavy plastic item might have taken flight.

    In other news, the wild boar have started digging up the grass very near to where we park the cars. I wonder if anyone has CCTV of them?

    Mrs. S, not proposing to go out and remonstrate
  • NenyaNenya Shipmate
    edited September 2018
    We had to get up because our large gate had somehow opened and was blowing in the wind - the noise of it woke me. It's always bolted so I can't understand how that happened unless there was Foul Play. I'm thankful it didn't damage my car.

    We are travelling today so I'm hoping there are no disruptions en route.
  • I was awake, and reading, trying not to wake myself up with posting online.
  • It's been windy here the last couple of days, but one of the advantages of being deaf is that without my aids in I can hear sod all, so it would take the roof falling in or similar to actually make me notice.
    Went out for lunch with my brother and sister in law yesterday. I had probably the largest glass of pub wine ever. The bottle was nearly empty so the barmaid just kept on pouring. The food was very good too.
  • I slept well through the storm - as I fell asleep I was glad not to be in my tin tent - it can sometimes feel like I’m in a boat when the wind gets up.
  • Still very windy here, my husband said cycling home yesterday against the wind was a struggle.
    We have a deceased chicken in the hen shed. She’s the last of her flock and we won’t be replacing them as we intend to move house in a couple of years and don’t want the hastle of moving livestock. On the upside, I now have a lovely new weed-free and well fertilised area for a new veg patch in the spring.
  • I went to the parcel office. Waited 10 minutes in the car, no let up in the rain. Got the puppy out, walked 50 metres to the door. Soaked to the skin, both of us!

    I had to change jeans and socks when I got home :open_mouth:

    The parcel? Lots of new brushes and paints for my Wednesday art class - my turn to do the learning now I’m retired :mrgreen:
  • finelinefineline Kerygmania Host, 8th Day Host
    Really weird weather today where I am. I was awake last night, but it wasn't noisy - just weird atmosphere weather. Red sky this morning, which is supposed to be some kind of warning, according to the rhyme, but it's mostly been clear blue skies and sun - but with patches of heavy cloud and occasional bursts of huge drops of rain. I'm doing laundry and hanging it out regardless - hoping the sunny, windy spells will outweigh the bursts of rain!
  • It was beautiful here in Cambridge earlier this morning, lovely sunny weather. A few clouds now but no sign of rain.
  • Amazingly fine morning here at first, did 2 hours litter-picking and got rained on just a little. Finished, drove t5 minutes o Lidl, the heavens opened. Now it's stopped again and the sun's out ... for a bit!
  • Ha! Just come back from a very wet holiday in the Lake District to find the socket circuit had tripped while I was away, and most of my freezer food is very soggy. :(

    And its throwing it down again, just like it was all down the M6/60 etc. etc. My poor daughter was driving and was really very laid back about the whole thing, Bless her!
  • I'm about to venture out to the shops and was going to wander along the scenic route along the little reservoir for a bit of a post-prandial stroll - then recalled that last time I did that when it was this windy, I nearly got blown over the wall! I'm still not fully adjusted to the fact I am significantly smaller than I used to be.

    It's pretty surprising I didn't get blown back to work as I was walking home given it was blowing in my direction all the way home.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    We haven't really been given the chance to adjust to it being cooler; as I mentioned upthread, the temperature suddenly dropped by 8° a couple of days ago and it's been pottering around the mid-high teens ever since. I'm still resisting putting socks on (I try to avoid them until the end of September if I can), but I wonder for how much longer.

    I think the prolonged high heat in the summer must have softened me a bit - it's 14° at the moment and I'm Not Exactly Warm.

    Am I turning into a bit of a wuss? :anguished:
  • la vie en rougela vie en rouge Circus Host, 8th Day Host
    The cost of child care having reduced the rouge family to a state of genteel poverty, economies must be made. Consequently I have banned myself from paying for books to read and this afternoon I went and rediscovered the joys of the public library. I'd forgotten what happy places they are. I want to read ALL THE BOOKS.

    (I managed to restrain myself to borrowing two after reminding myself that the others aren't going anywhere and if I borrow ten in one go I won't have time to read them all before I have to take them back.)
  • The cost of child care having reduced the rouge family to a state of genteel poverty, economies must be made. Consequently I have banned myself from paying for books to read and this afternoon I went and rediscovered the joys of the public library. I'd forgotten what happy places they are. I want to read ALL THE BOOKS.

    (I managed to restrain myself to borrowing two after reminding myself that the others aren't going anywhere and if I borrow ten in one go I won't have time to read them all before I have to take them back.)

    Yes, they are super places. We have a brand new library in town - it’s fabulous.

  • Alas, our former library was closed some years ago, and transferred to a much smaller building. The number of books was greatly reduced, but I picked up a few bargains, as they sold a lot of them off for silly money - 50p or £1 each....

    IJ
  • finelinefineline Kerygmania Host, 8th Day Host
    Same with ours, BF. The new, smaller library seems a lot less focused on books - it's more a social place for people to come and sit on the chairs and chat, sometimes very noisily. I asked the librarian if there was a quiet place to sit and read, and she said no.
  • finelinefineline Kerygmania Host, 8th Day Host
    I get many cheap books from charity shops. Some sell them at four books for £1, and they are often good books in good condition. Others sell them at £2 or £3 each. I can never get my head around the differences in price in different charity shops, for books of the same quality, often the same books.
  • fineline wrote: »
    I get many cheap books from charity shops. Some sell them at four books for £1, and they are often good books in good condition. Others sell them at £2 or £3 each. I can never get my head around the differences in price in different charity shops, for books of the same quality, often the same books.

    Yes, I've noticed that!

    Our local Oxfam shop is (or was - I haven't been in for a while) notably the most expensive, with odd prices like £3.49 for a dog-eared paperback...

    These days, I tend to buy used books via that nice Mr. eBay, as I find standing/walking around bookshops very tiring.
    :cry:

    IJ

  • I want to use the local library, but sadly, the likelihood that books would be contaminated by allergens that would not do the very allergic daughter any good at all is high.
  • fineline wrote: »
    I get many cheap books from charity shops. Some sell them at four books for £1, and they are often good books in good condition. Others sell them at £2 or £3 each. I can never get my head around the differences in price in different charity shops, for books of the same quality, often the same books.

    Yes, I've noticed that!

    Our local Oxfam shop is (or was - I haven't been in for a while) notably the most expensive, with odd prices like £3.49 for a dog-eared paperback...


    Simple Oxfam runs some of its stores as Second handbook places (we have one nearby), this means that they are actually aware of the second handbook values. They can however ever so often sell a gem at less than half price (thing £40 instead of £80; yes some of the books I want go for those prices second hand).

  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Considering that D's mum is a retired librarian, you might expect him to patronise the local library, but he prefers to own his books, so that they can be re-read at leisure.

    There's a Little Roadside Library at the top of our road, of which we occasionally avail ourselves (taking or leaving - it's a great way of getting rid of books that you thought you'd like but you don't), but it doesn't always have anything that appeals, and it'll be taken away for the winter.

    After a very blustrous night, it's a lovely day. I went to the market to get the last corn-cobs of the season :cry: and it was really nice waiting for D. to pick me up.

  • I find the choice of books in libraries, charity shops or vast second hand book shops so daunting - I just don’t know where to begin. Thankfully my book group suggests one a month, usually a book I’d not otherwise consider and usually I can get that online (quite often from a charity) and sometimes as an ebook, a format that I’m slowly getting used to.

    Currently making kale crisps using an entire plant of it that a friend brought around yesterday - her allotment plot is impressive, but far more productive than her family can get through. Well, I say an entire plant - I had a couple of branches for tea and another 3 went into the flower arrangement for tomorrow’s Harvest Festival that I did from goodies (fruit, veg & flowers) foraged from various plots (willing donors) on t’allotment.
  • finelinefineline Kerygmania Host, 8th Day Host
    Kale crisps sound lovely. I am currently making swede chips, from a swede I got reduced to 6p in Asda. I cut it into thin chip shapes and roast in the oven with some fat from a chicken I roasted yesterday. I will later add some strands of chicken, so they will go crispy.
  • Hubby is cooking, he’s just about to serve up a cottage pie with squash and carrot mash as topping. I’m about to attack some wine.
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