sunday update

Some people have already started their holidays. We, meanwhile are continuing to the bitter end soldiering on until Wednesday. I need a laugh and there is nothing.

This morning I had to sit through Saving Private Ryan, not my sort of film at all, while it was being taped from my Sky+. I had to sit through it because it had been on Sky 1 which meant I had to take out the adverts. Anyway, I thought Tom Hanks was very good and the beginning was unbelievable, and yet exactly how it must have happened for thousands of allied troops on D-Day. It takes a certain kind of man to be like that and how anyone can be gung-ho for war astounds me. I was preserving it for a friend to use in History lessons. I'm sure the children love it. For all the wrong reasons.

Now England are toiling against South Africa in the 2nd Test at Headingley. No laughs there either.

This could be a joke but Keano has made a bid for 4 Spurs players. Younis Kaboul's agent said he wouldn't come even if there was an earthquake. Bit extreme surely. Anyway they've all been for talks and 2 at least seem quite eager. The team, those that aren't crocked, are in a mini tournament in Portugal and beat some Scottish no hopers 3 - 1 yesterday. Don't know who scored but it wasn't Kenwyne Jones who is out for at least 2 months thanks to David James tackling him in a friendly against England. Kenwyne plays for Trinidad and Tobago. The game was played in June to butter up some West Indian big wig on the Fifa panel to promote England's bid for the next vacant World Cup hosts. In other words it was a PR exercise that has cost us our key forward. It never rains but it pours. Speaking of which:

Today's archaic English is mizzle. Now I take exception to this being archaic. It was mizzling here earlier on today, then it came down whole water and then the sun came out. So, mizzle is that misty drizzle which is also known in this neck of the woods as falling wet. I actually may be a last preserve of old words. The trouble is, some of them are part of my actual vocabulary.

I'm enjoying a good deal of the stuff on fantas_magoria at the moment. I'd like to contribute more than one little bit that I've managed so far but I don't have the episodes any more, so I can't. *pouts* Later though, I might have inspiration. I feel a Xander-centric effort would be appropriate for the early stuff, but I can't remember what would be appropriate before the last episode of Season 1 other than something about always getting in with the wrong crowd: Teacher's Pet, Inca Mummy Girl, (no, that was Season 2) The Pack. Xander was the victim or bait on so many occasions.

Padraig Harrington seems to have overcome his poorly wrist and retained the Open Golf title. Good for him.

That is all.

sunday update

Some people have already started their holidays. We, meanwhile are continuing to the bitter end soldiering on until Wednesday. I need a laugh and there is nothing.

This morning I had to sit through Saving Private Ryan, not my sort of film at all, while it was being taped from my Sky+. I had to sit through it because it had been on Sky 1 which meant I had to take out the adverts. Anyway, I thought Tom Hanks was very good and the beginning was unbelievable, and yet exactly how it must have happened for thousands of allied troops on D-Day. It takes a certain kind of man to be like that and how anyone can be gung-ho for war astounds me. I was preserving it for a friend to use in History lessons. I'm sure the children love it. For all the wrong reasons.

Now England are toiling against South Africa in the 2nd Test at Headingley. No laughs there either.

This could be a joke but Keano has made a bid for 4 Spurs players. Younis Kaboul's agent said he wouldn't come even if there was an earthquake. Bit extreme surely. Anyway they've all been for talks and 2 at least seem quite eager. The team, those that aren't crocked, are in a mini tournament in Portugal and beat some Scottish no hopers 3 - 1 yesterday. Don't know who scored but it wasn't Kenwyne Jones who is out for at least 2 months thanks to David James tackling him in a friendly against England. Kenwyne plays for Trinidad and Tobago. The game was played in June to butter up some West Indian big wig on the Fifa panel to promote England's bid for the next vacant World Cup hosts. In other words it was a PR exercise that has cost us our key forward. It never rains but it pours. Speaking of which:

Today's archaic English is mizzle. Now I take exception to this being archaic. It was mizzling here earlier on today, then it came down whole water and then the sun came out. So, mizzle is that misty drizzle which is also known in this neck of the woods as falling wet. I actually may be a last preserve of old words. The trouble is, some of them are part of my actual vocabulary.

I'm enjoying a good deal of the stuff on fantas_magoria at the moment. I'd like to contribute more than one little bit that I've managed so far but I don't have the episodes any more, so I can't. *pouts* Later though, I might have inspiration. I feel a Xander-centric effort would be appropriate for the early stuff, but I can't remember what would be appropriate before the last episode of Season 1 other than something about always getting in with the wrong crowd: Teacher's Pet, Inca Mummy Girl, (no, that was Season 2) The Pack. Xander was the victim or bait on so many occasions.

Padraig Harrington seems to have overcome his poorly wrist and retained the Open Golf title. Good for him.

That is all.

listen

The embedding is turned off but it's worth a trip to YouTube to see, and not just hear, Pavarotti sing Bella Figlia from Verdi's Rigoletto. What a treat.

listen

The embedding is turned off but it's worth a trip to YouTube to see, and not just hear, Pavarotti sing Bella Figlia from Verdi's Rigoletto. What a treat.

what a find!

OK It's not everybody's cup of tea but this is my obsession and my lj so pin back your ears. Picture the scene. This band marches round the corner to the Royal County Hotel every year and I know it's them before they appear. This is Fishburn Band. They come from Fishburn about 20 miles from Durham and they have the strongest sound, in my opinion, of the 42 bands I heard a week passed Saturday. This performance is at an annual Whit weekend competition held in Yorkshire I think. There is a bit of them marching to get you in the mood and then the sort of thing they would play outside the hotel before marching on to the Racecourse which is actually Durham University cricket Ground where the speeches are made.

More later

what a find!

OK It's not everybody's cup of tea but this is my obsession and my lj so pin back your ears. Picture the scene. This band marches round the corner to the Royal County Hotel every year and I know it's them before they appear. This is Fishburn Band. They come from Fishburn about 20 miles from Durham and they have the strongest sound, in my opinion, of the 42 bands I heard a week passed Saturday. This performance is at an annual Whit weekend competition held in Yorkshire I think. There is a bit of them marching to get you in the mood and then the sort of thing they would play outside the hotel before marching on to the Racecourse which is actually Durham University cricket Ground where the speeches are made.

More later

there's more

This band usually comes in towards the end of the parade. They come down the hill with their banner which is from a Yorkshire pit. They are Marsden and they rival Fishburn for sound. This is a particularly excellent rendition of Honest Toil. It was written by the man who wrote the Fishburn piece too: Rimmer. The cornet solo is spot on and remember they have been playing all day when they get to this point. I think the occasion is very much like what was featured on Brassed Off: a play-off around a number of villages and towns.

Awesome.

there's more

This band usually comes in towards the end of the parade. They come down the hill with their banner which is from a Yorkshire pit. They are Marsden and they rival Fishburn for sound. This is a particularly excellent rendition of Honest Toil. It was written by the man who wrote the Fishburn piece too: Rimmer. The cornet solo is spot on and remember they have been playing all day when they get to this point. I think the occasion is very much like what was featured on Brassed Off: a play-off around a number of villages and towns.

Awesome.

and finally

Here are Fishburn marching off this year. Notice the crowds still waiting to come down the hill to the County Hotel. I think you can tell it's the lower instruments that give the band their oomph. You can hear more at YouTube. Look out for Craghead playing Gresford which is the miners hymn written for the funerals after a disaster at Gresford pit. I meet the conductor on a yearly basis at Consett Music Festival. He's a character, once conducting from a wheelchair after he broke a bone in his foot. Getting him on and off the stage was a hoot. He's made a full recovery now.

and finally

Here are Fishburn marching off this year. Notice the crowds still waiting to come down the hill to the County Hotel. I think you can tell it's the lower instruments that give the band their oomph. You can hear more at YouTube. Look out for Craghead playing Gresford which is the miners hymn written for the funerals after a disaster at Gresford pit. I meet the conductor on a yearly basis at Consett Music Festival. He's a character, once conducting from a wheelchair after he broke a bone in his foot. Getting him on and off the stage was a hoot. He's made a full recovery now.