AS: Cool Britannia (sort of): the British thread 2019

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  • Bishops FingerBishops Finger Shipmate
    edited April 2019
    @TheOrganist, Jolly Well Done™ to you, your singers, and your Mystery Volunteer/Signposter!

    How we ALL need, in these post-Christian days, to seize such opportunities of mission and outreach. Who knows what seeds may have been sown?
    :wink:
  • PuzzlerPuzzler Shipmate
    Hear, hear! Well done.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Well done indeed - I hope some of them might become regulars!

    It's a thoroughly miserable day here - absolutely p*ssing down. I reckon I'll need an umbrella just between the house and the car.

    Leftover SOUP has been consumed, laundry is laundering and I realised once it was too late that I'd forgotten to colour my hair. I've got the dye - I just didn't think of it before I'd showered and dressed. Oh well - it'll have to wait until Monday - I'm not getting up early tomorrow to do it. It's not nearly as interesting as Mrs. Whibley's or Heavenlyannie's - just rather boring dark brown.
  • I'm trying to let mine go grey (my OH doesn't like the idea!!) at the moment and have very visible grey root areas. I'm booking in with my hairdresser for a 'blend-in'. I wish I'd had the courage to blend in some e.g. moss greens when I was younger!
  • I never dyed my hair green when I was younger, though my profile shows the greeen and yellow woolly dreads I had about 10 years or so ago. My youthful dye was generally a fiery henna.
    I made kimchi the afternoon, a mild version which has lots of garlic and ginger and only a little chilli. I’m going to let it ferment for a couple of days and then store it in the fridge.
  • Mine is pink, and gets quite a bit of admiration especially from 4yo girls who I tell that I’m a fairy. Older commenters get told it’s natural, which it will be when I get brave enough to go with beetroot juice which should be soon now I’ve used up the last plastic bottle of pink.
  • finelinefineline Kerygmania Host, 8th Day Host
    I dye my hair a mix of blue and turquoise sometimes. Semi-permanent, so it just fades over time. It looks a brighter, clearer colour on my white hairs, which are more at the front of my head, and a darker, more muted colour on my dark blonde/mousy hairs, which are the rest of my hair.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    My grey hairs aren't quite numerous enough yet for me to "embrace the grey". An old schoolfriend recently posted a picture on FB of herself with white hair, and she looks fabulous, but I think mine would look a bit of a mess if I let it do its own thing.

    D's mum stopped colouring hers about when she turned 80 (10 years ago), and it really suits her - it's pure white and she looks like the Queen.

    We had a nice, if rather long (1½ hours) Easter Even service tonight; TBH I'm now at the stage where I'll be glad when tomorrow's service is over!
  • Piglet wrote: »
    We had a nice, if rather long (1½ hours) Easter Even service tonight; TBH I'm now at the stage where I'll be glad when tomorrow's service is over!

    1½ hours? Pshaw! Ours was just over 2½ hours!

    But it was glorious.
    :smile:

  • Christ is Risen!
    Have a lovely day celebrating.
  • la vie en rougela vie en rouge Circus Host, 8th Day Host
    Happy Easter everyone :smiley:

    I am very excited to learn that the City Hall is considering pedestrianising my street. Overall I like our apartment, but its biggest inconvience by far is the traffic noise when the windows are open. I am now off to cross all of my opposable appendages.
  • Make sure it is an uneven number according to my sister it works like a minus sign so two of them knock each other out and I would not like to see you crossing them have no effect because you got the number wrong.
  • SarasaSarasa Shipmate
    @la vie en rouge hope that comes to pass. I love our house but it is on a very busy road and I'm sure it isn't doing our health any good.
  • What is this thing called HAIR of which some of you speak?

    I have an environmentally-friendly Solar Panel.....
    :grin:
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Just finished another hour-and-a-half service, although in fairness, some of the length was due to the Benedictus which we used as a motet (Haydn Little Organ Mass for those who are wondering), and we also had to sing "happy birthday" to an elderly lady in the congregation and to the Bishop.

    All went off very nicely though, and I think D. was well pleased.

    Looking forward to a lazy day once he's finished with the informal service - lunch of a (shop-bought*) quiche and sort of Greek-ish salad. I'd really planned on doing the lamb shank that we've got in the freezer, but D's been suffering from a bit of a gyppy tummy (he thinks he might have over-indulged in something or other last week), and we didn't want to risk something too rich. He seems to be on the mend now, so we'll maybe have the lamb later in the week.

    * A friend was waxing lyrical about quiches from a local "artisan" bakery the other day, so we thought we should try one. In the interests of research, you understand.
  • Bishops FingerBishops Finger Shipmate
    edited April 2019
    Is the Little Organ Mass the one where the Gloria takes about 45 seconds to sing? As though Papa Haydn was eager to get to his Tea....
    :confused:
  • Piglet - couldn't you have saved time by putting the words of "Happy Birthday" to the Haydn notes? Or a "happy birthday" version of the Benedictus?
  • Piglet wrote: »
    ...we also had to sing "happy birthday" to an elderly lady in the congregation and to the Bishop.

    But not to Her Majesty?

    (unless she was the elderly lady in your congregation.)

  • Now you mention it, we had a Colick for the Queen, and the first verse of the National Anthem, this morning.

    As a Good Republican™, I stayed seated and dumb in my Wheelchair, not at all keen on this Stuff.
    :frowning:

    But I hope the Old Girl enjoyed her birthday.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Is the Little Organ Mass the one where the Gloria takes about 45 seconds to sing? As though Papa Haydn was eager to get to his Tea....
    :confused:
    It is indeed. My understanding is that it may not have been so much Papa Haydn wanting his Tea, as his boss (the Duke of wherever it was) wanting to go hunting. :mrgreen: I reckon that the "happy birthdays" took longer than the Gloria!
    Pigwidgeon wrote: »
    Piglet wrote: »
    ...we also had to sing "happy birthday" to an elderly lady in the congregation and to the Bishop.

    But not to Her Majesty?

    (unless she was the elderly lady in your congregation.)
    She wasn't (our Elderly Lady is a year older than HM), but she did get a mention.
  • Piglet wrote: »
    Is the Little Organ Mass the one where the Gloria takes about 45 seconds to sing? As though Papa Haydn was eager to get to his Tea....
    :confused:
    It is indeed. My understanding is that it may not have been so much Papa Haydn wanting his Tea, as his boss (the Duke of wherever it was) wanting to go hunting. :mrgreen: I reckon that the "happy birthdays" took longer than the Gloria!

    :lol:

    The first time I heard that Mass was at our Cathedral, and I thought somehow they Must Have Got It Wrong (most unlikely).

    AIUI, each person (or part of the choir) sings one line - but simultaneously, or something.

    I think Haydn's boss at the time was HRH Prince, Duke of, etc. etc., Esterhazy, Niklaus II (1765-1833).



  • DardaDarda Shipmate
    Piglet wrote: »
    and we also had to sing "happy birthday" to an elderly lady in the congregation and to the Bishop.
    It is the practice at our morning family service to sing "happy birthday" to anyone who had a birthday in the past week, or will have one in the coming week. In addition to the traditional verse we add a second:
    "Happy birthday to you,
    May God's love grow in you,
    May the Lord bless and keep you,
    In all that you do"
    It is my birthday today, so I was expecting to be singled out. As our priority this morning was to celebrate the risen Lord, the rector decided to omit the birthday spot. However, he has threatened that I will not be able to escape it next week!
  • JapesJapes Shipmate
    We have several of us with late April birthdays all of whom have the same opinion of "Happy Birthday" being sung to us in church - it's fine for the children, for significant birthdays or those who want it, but personally we don't want it! In my case, there are very few people who even know when it is, but they all respect my wish for it to be kept quiet.

    However, two of the children recently worked out that, whilst I always remember their birthdays, they'd never, ever acknowledged mine (I didn't have the heart to refuse to tell them, as these two are lovely) so I gave them clues to work out. They turned up at the organ stool with a card for me at the end of the service this morning, discreetly gave it to me, and promised they'd not let on to those who'd make a fuss!

    Happy Birthday, Darda!
  • I got three lovely surprises for Easter: first, my sons were both up-and-doing when I reached the kitchen at 7.30am; second, when I looked around during the sermon they were both in church (I nearly fell off my stool with shock); and third, when I got home (via a churchwarden's Easter sherry party) lunch was ready and waiting.

    I then surpassed myself, taking a deckchair into the garden and falling asleep for a good 2 hours - I blame the champagne!
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    ... AIUI, each person (or part of the choir) sings one line - but simultaneously, or something ...
    That's right - you get the Incipit ("Gloria in excelsis Deo"), and then everyone comes in almost at once, with the basses getting "et in terra pax hominibus", the altos getting "Domini Fili unigenite ..." and so on. It all comes together at "cum Sancto Spiritu ..." by which time the clergy are all looking suitably discombobulated ... :mrgreen:
    ...I then surpassed myself, taking a deckchair into the garden and falling asleep for a good 2 hours ...
    After the week you've had, you're just right! I'd say my Holy Week activities would pale into insignificance compared to yours, but I had a jolly good snooze this afternoon too!
  • Bishops FingerBishops Finger Shipmate
    edited April 2019
    A quiet, lazy, hazy (sunshine) day here. Very warm for April (20C).

    I missed our Bank Holiday Mass this morning, needing (alas) to stay close to the loo, but I understand 7 Faithful Souls were present to continue to celebrate the Resurrection (daily Mass this week includes hymns, and a visit to the Easter Garden!).
  • A lovely visit to the Aberglasney Gardens today, then back home via a highly scenic but also somewhat scary road over the Black Mountain.
  • We were close by at Llanarthne, the botanic gardens.
  • I really must get my act together, I live near noth of these places but have visited neither.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    I've had a fairly lazy day apart from a spot of laundry; we were both kind of worn out after all the busyness of last week, so we went down to our local Tim Horton's coffee shop for a late lunch (chilli for me, chicken noodle soup for D).

    The floods don't seem to be abating - there are several roads closed round the town, and a lot of water where it shouldn't be. Whatever's happening with our climate, it looks as though spring floods are set to become an annual worry, rather than the once-in-a-generation event they once were. :cry:
  • Back to school for the boys today, my youngest has some mock exams.
    The university is officially on a break this week but I had two lots of assignments arrive on a Thursday so I will be marking. This week’s first subject is the pros and cons of evidence based practice.
    It’s overcast outside, though the BBC weather guide tells me it is blazing sunshine...
  • BoogieBoogie Shipmate
    Piglet wrote: »
    I've had a fairly lazy day apart from a spot of laundry; we were both kind of worn out after all the busyness of last week, so we went down to our local Tim Horton's coffee shop for a late lunch (chilli for me, chicken noodle soup for D).

    The floods don't seem to be abating - there are several roads closed round the town, and a lot of water where it shouldn't be. Whatever's happening with our climate, it looks as though spring floods are set to become an annual worry, rather than the once-in-a-generation event they once were. :cry:

    Oh goodness, I hope it soon abates.

    We have the opposite - dry as dust and fires on the moors, yesterday the smoke blocked out the sun 😵

  • We had to turn off the main A465 Heads of the Valleys road yesterday due to a grass fire.
  • Oh, and happy 50th birthday to the Open University. The largest university in the UK, with students aged 13-93, the only university to offer degrees in all prisons, and the first to offer free degrees to disabled veterans. The university that enabled this working class girl who never went to college to get a degree whilst working full time and to go on to become an academic.
    Proselytising over for the day!
  • It's grey and dull here too, even though I'm told it's sunny.
  • I think we have set a line on the subject on longest service necessary. Our church put on a drama covering the entire Gospel of Mark on Good Friday. OK, it is the shortest and simplest, but everything was there, from the scene with John the Baptist by the River Jordan, the miracles and parables, confrontations with the authorities, the storm, walking on the water, the betrayal, trial and crucifiction to the Resurrection. Timed at 90 minutes, we kept it moving thanks to a brilliant director (and a Jesus who has done the part three times now) and went through it in about 70 minutes. All that on six two hour rehearsals and one full dress/tech rehearsal. We were told to "trust yourself" so everyone did.

    TBTG.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Wow, SS - that sounds like Quite Something!

    It's pouring here (not a good thing at the moment), it's only 4° (what happened to Spring?) and getting a bit blusterous as well - I feel sorry for the poor soggy birdies!

    Just waiting now for D. to come back from his weekly staff meeting - I've made The Sausage Thing for lunch.

    Now that the snow's nearly all gone, I really must start ambling again, but not in this weather - I'm definitely a fair-weather ambler.
  • That drama sounds quite wonderful!
    The sun didn’t really get out much here today, though it was warm.
    Veg and paneer curry for tea, with yoghurt and chapattis.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    I discovered the joys of veggie curry during last year's enforced frugality, but it was so nice I'm not going to wait until we're broke before I do it again!

    We invested in Proper Spices™ a few weeks ago, and I think a potato curry* might well be in the offing again now that D's got his appetite back

    * The recipe I used called for curry powder, but D. reckoned it would be worth trying our own combination of spices, and he was right.
  • Thanks for the kind remarks (ha!).
    On veggie curries, eggs go very well, if you aren’t going vegan that is and the humble spud is magnificent!
  • HeavenlyannieHeavenlyannie Shipmate
    edited April 2019
    I’ve done eggs masala several times,softly boiled eggs served in an oniony curry sauce. I also regularly make Bombay potatoes, there are lots of recipes for that and it’s very easy.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    For reasons I really can't explain, curried eggs don't appeal to me at all. Maybe something to do with smell - I don't like the smell of boiled eggs, although I don't mind them hard-boiled in salads or sandwiches.
  • Talking of curries, on the spur of the moment I suggested to Herself that we eat out at a local Indian restaurant last night, and we were glad we did. I suspect the restaurant was, too, as they were very quiet! We didn't over-order (for once!) and had very nice Chicken and Lentil dishes. (I always wonder at such places if I'm committing some culinary solecism, the equivalent of eating roast beef with cornflakes or rice pudding on the side!)
  • la vie en rougela vie en rouge Circus Host, 8th Day Host
    Unseasonably warm with few spots of rain here, but nothing significant. This is apparently a Good Thing™ because the first job at Notre Dame is to get a rain cover up to stop the water damage getting any worse. Thunderstorms were forecast, but so far they haven’t materialised.

    This time of year in France is a cornucopia of public holidays: this week was Easter Monday, and then there is Labour Day on May 1st and VE Day on May 8th. This makes for lots of very pleasantly short weeks. Husband en rouge is going to foie gras land with Captain Pyjamas next week, so I shall be alone in Paris. I am going to use my free time to go on a sewing spree. First up: Captain Pyjamas needs a sun hat, not because it’s particularly hot yet, but because he doesn’t like having the sun in his eyes. I am going to make a reversible one using some very cute fat quarters I have found – hot air balloons on one side and clouds on the other.

    I have a bit of a cold and need to recover quick – tomorrow we are going to a Very Nice Restaurant for our wedding anniversary.
  • Recover, and Enjoy!

    I still recall the superb cuisine my sister treated me to, a few years ago, at the Best Restaurant in Montpellier..... :yum: :yum:
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    edited April 2019
    Talking of nice restaurants, we've discovered a new one called the Provincial Gastrolounge. It's been open since November, but D. only noticed it yesterday as he was driving through the town after work.

    He picked me up and we went and shared a bean dip and a meat-and-cheese platter, and we really couldn't fault it. It's not exactly cheap, but it was good value: there was so much of the dip that we took some home with us, and the charcuterie was abundant, interesting and delicious. And that's only a sample of the starters: the main courses look just as tempting, although that'll be for another time.

    It's been a dreich, wet and lazy* day here, although we did have a rather nice fridge-clearing lunch: the remains of Sunday's quiche and salad; half a corn-cob each; some tomato slices, pâté and cheese; and the bean dip from last night with an end of French stick that I turned into garlic bread. It may have been leftovers, but it was a feast.

    I may indulge in some therapeutic SOUP making later.

    * well, not entirely - I've been nursing a bit of a headache off and on, so haven't felt like doing much.
  • I hope you will be feeling a little better in the morning, piglet.
    Yoga this morning and then back to the marking. Lunch will be a mildly spiced coconut and cabbage soup, left over from last night.
  • FirenzeFirenze Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    edited April 2019
    Bottle of champagne.
    Sherry and tapas.
    Rioja and Cordero a la Murciano
    Flan de Naranja
    Cheese with Tempranillo and/or Australian Tawney.

    Back to mince ‘n’ tatties tonight.
  • Wow. Good job L*nt is over!
    :grin:
  • Sounds like a fabulous meal!
This discussion has been closed.