2011 — 17 October: Monday
Overnight, it was again chilly enough for there to be some condensation on one of the living room windows1 for me to contemplate with my cuppa while the little Ubuntu PC upstairs in the reading room is wrapping itself in a fresh cloak of Oneiric Ocelot 'goodness'...
Said cloaking claims to need another 70 minutes, which will take the time to 09:20 or thenabouts. Then I think I'll check if the new release of Office Libre has made it out the door for BlackBeast. Meanwhile, I suppose I could do something about breakfast, or getting dressed. It's a mere 19.6C down here at the moment though the sun has just reared up over the tree line and is contracting my pupils as I type.
Speaking of little rays of sunshine, though I'm not a great planner, I'm predicting a visit to the care-home later today. <Sigh>
Are lizards allowed...
... to become MPs, let alone the PM?
[Graeme Archer of the Daily Telegraph] went on to criticise the article's "quite repellent imagery, deliberately deployed in order to de-humanise a perfectly reasonable Conservative", before complaining that "to
describe a political opponent as a blood-sucking lizard isn't amusing; and even if it were, it is depraved". In conclusion, he wrote: "Neither good people who vote Tory, nor their honourable opponents who vote
Labour, are less than human: they are just people who happen to disagree on political objectives and tactics."
Archer has a point. It isn't fair to imply someone is "less than human". It would be unfair, for instance, to describe Geoff Hoon as "an overfed, self-satisfied cat, oozing smugness" or to describe Labour MPs
en masse as a "legion of dead-eyed Brown spawn", as Archer did in his Conservative Home blog, presumably as part of some strange unconscious typing accident.
I'm staying out of this. But this piece on care for the elderly raises many good points.
Back in business
Apparently glitchlessly, too:
Given the way it's now clouding over, I think I'd better do my next round of supplies shopping earlier rather than later this morning.
Any port...
... in a storm. But yesterday's Cypriot Keo "port" was actually a wine that's fermented directly from the dried, sun-ripened grapes (which resemble sultanas in appearance and flavour), and is a mere 14% ABV. So now I know. It still tasted very nice. Thank you, Michael.
In other news, I can confirm that "Castle" is very moreish. I now have the first two seasons on order — far cheaper than a Sky subscription. Which reminds me: I must take a more serious look at LoveFilm, though my first impressions were not all that positive. I either already had, or had no wish to acquire, everything in their Top 100 "recommendations". I'm such a cultural snob. Wonder who I could possibly get that from? Perhaps I'll ask her this afternoon.
Knock, knock
Just time to note Mr Postie's offerings before I set off to brighten up dear Mama's existence.
- "Moody and Pegg" dates back to 1975.
- "Of Gods and Men" is a title I've been dithering over while watching its price drop. Less than a fiver for the 2011 BAFTA nominated, and Cannes winning, title can't be too shabby.
Right. Off into the gathering gloom to gather some more gloom. It's remarkably grey out there.
Back
I found dear Mama once again down in the 'activity' room, watching (albeit uncomprehendingly) a game of Scrabble being played out on a giant board. Personally, I was very dubious about the word "qis", but what do I know? We retired to an upstairs lounge, and then back to her room for the afternoon cuppa and cake whose daily arrival always surprises and delights her. Then it was back via that well-known Tea Shoppe hosted by Roger & Eileen, and finally home in time to catch a new episode of the Museum of Curiosity.