It's the 4 little legs in the air that gets me

Hedgehogs freak me out, i dont know why, they just do . Always have, plus my sister goes into a cold sweat if she sees one. very odd 

I'm like that with spiders, so I kind of understand, Skylark.

Spiders are another story.....


Off to settle down, been a long day. Goodnight all, sleep well, 

Goodnight Skylark, sleep well

Leaving a hug for Summer, and hope your day was less hectic than yesterday Goodnight all

Sorry I missed you yogi I've been thread & PM hopping tonight but wish I'd have come here earlier now! Yes thank you, it's been a far more relaxed evening and I hope you feel well tonight Sweat dreams all who've turned it already

Just for fun, check out cind's photos in my festive thread, it's fenwicks window display- they are newcastle's premier & famous department store and do a big window display every year

Good morning everyone

 

Cloudy but dry here. Rain expected this evening and overnight.

 

At 10.05 this evening on BBC4 there's a programme of some of Sandy Denny's songs sung by various people in tribute to her. It's followed by a documentary on Fairport Convention.

 

On ITV4 on Sunday at noon the 1936 film Secret Agent is scheduled to be shown. This is a Hitchcock film which I can't recall ever seeing. It doesn't seem to be one of his better films but the casting is unusual as the stars are John Gielgud and Madeleine Carroll (39 Steps). It also has Peter Lorre in. It's based on a play which was based on the novel Ashenden by Somerset Maugham. (So nothing to do with Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent).

 

Morning it's dry but windy here, with rain forecast What kind of film is it El? I got in the car this morning to find rod Stewart singing have yourself a merry little christmas, on the radio What are everyone's plans for the weekend?

Good morning everyone, I think we have rain on the way for later too Summer.  I saw those pictures they are wonderful.

 

We had a big department store fairly near to us (Bearmans in Leytonstone) which was famous for its Christmas time Santa experience.  We used to take our daughter and her friends there every Christmas, the Santa was wonderful, very realistic but it was the journey to see him that was so magical.  I found out very recently from a letter from a former employee how it was done.  You used to queue up and then a group of you would climb into this sleigh with reindeers and the scenery flashed past and before you knew it you arrived at Santa's house.  Evidently the walls of this special room used to move and give the illusion of you journeying to the North Pole.

Summer, I think Secret Agent is a sort of comedy/adventure/spy thriller. It was made after the 39 Steps but before The Lady Vanishes so if you've seen those films it would give you an indication of the type of film it is. Though I suspect it's not as good as either of those as it isn't anywhere near as well known and John Gielgud doesn't strike me as a typical Hitchcock lead actor.

 

Squiggle, that sounds a delightful Santa experience

 

Not a magical experience in a department store, but I remember when I was a child we were a department store somewhere not locally. To get from one floor to another, rather than stairs, escalator, or lifts as we know them, the store had what is called a paternoster lift. It's a set of cubicles continually moving up which you step on then step off when you get to the floor. At the top of the building it moves left or right, then comes down the otherside for people to go down floors.

Most of these are no longer used, but there is one in the Arts Tower at Sheffield University, Paternoster is Latin for Our Father, the first two words of the Lord's Prayer and is so called because the way rosary beads are used as a prayer guide by Roman Catholics.

 

 

Morning x
Weather here dark and dreary.

Dont recall seeing Secret Agent either.
 Rod Stewart has a new album singing Christmas songs Summer, he also doing a show with Michael Buble, to be aired around the festive period. I shall look forward to that, as i love them both . 
Saw the pics of the shop window too, and that sounds nice squiggle x
Going to make a nice pot of soup today, just the weather for it. Chicken veg i think.
Have a good day x 

Good morning everyone. Raining ATM but meant to clear up later. Summer, I saw Cind's pics of Fenwick's windows, they're fab. Reminded me of a store called Goldbergs, which was in Glasgow. Every Christmas they would have Christmas scenes with mechanised puppets, on every floor of the store. They were always very traditional/Victorian in theme and I loved them. Squiggle, the Santa experience sounds great. I bet children found it really magical. Love a bit of Hitchcock but never seen Secret Agent. Will record it, thanks for the tip, El. Skylark, you have put me in the mood for homemade soup - chicken and veg sounds just the job. Hubby is day off today, so may not be around until later. Have a good day, everyone

How funny, I had chicken & vegetable curry for lunch Squiggle your journey to the North Pole sounds magical, I bet the kids loved it El, I like the sound of that film

Skylark, thanks for the rod info, I'm going to look it up on iTunes! and I love buble, I'll definitely be watching that Christmas special

We've been to buy a couple of new front tyres for my car. Thankfully, the guy said my back tyres are fine and have lots of tread left.

On the way home, there were sneaky traffic police with speed guns. They didn't catch me though, because a van driver flashed his lights to warn me I wasn't speeding.

Summer, I haven't had curry for ages but Mr Yogi has suggested we have one for dinner tonight.

Skylark, I love, love, love The Bublé Man.

All this talk of food is making me hungry and I've had a nice lunch

I had one of these:

and some of these:

Those chips are relatively healthy as they are oven baked rather than put in a fryer, but they are seriously nice chips - crisp on the outside and fluffy inside - you won't find many which are better anywhere.

 

Mmmmmmmmmm fish and chips!

I have those chips every week and can confirm they are scrumptious, I have them with these and lots of tartare sauce

 

I love scampi and tartare sauce. There's not a lot I don't like.

Mmmmm food! I hope you enjoy your curry yogi, what kind will you have?! I'm in the mood for a paella

One of the best meals I ever had was years ago when I was working away in Leeds for a few weeks. Near the hotel was an Italian restaurant and I worked through the menu while I was there. The standout was their Chicken Cacciatore which was more than merely delicious.

On the radio just now they had a very short clip from this piece by Eric Coates which years ago was very well known to people while they worked - it's called Calling All Workers.

Audio only:

Lucky El, I love Italian food. I told you there isn't much I don't like.

This is another classic radio theme by Charles Williams. The series Dick Barton was broadcast before I was born but the music has often been used since.

Italian food is my favourite, ages since I had it though.  Chicken Cacciatore sounds lovely, like you Yogi I love my food and that really is a bonus.  My husband lost his appetite completely following radiotherapy to his mouth, eating was a chore after that so treasure your appetite.

 

My hubby also had very fond memories of Dick Barton Special Agent, he used to love it when he was a boy.  I was 4 years younger so it doesn't hold any memories for me.

If you want to know how to pronounce cacciatore, it sounds like catch-a-tor-ay(to rhyme with ray)

Lovely music el I'm glad I can have music on while I work, it would be a long day without it 

 

i went to M&S on my way home, unfortunately the shelves were half bare and there was no paella  

I will, Squiggle.

 

Aww, what a shame, Summer.

What did you have instead of the paella?

 

 

Nice music, El.

A bowl of weetos, some onion rings and 5 ferrero rocher

What a strange dinner.

I love onion rings. I want some now.

Did you have a nice day yogi? 

I usually have some onion rings in the freezer, for emergencies.. 

I did, thanks.

I'm waiting on my curry now. My Yogi and two of our sons are out for a drink (or two) and will bring in the curry from the takeaway. I'm being lazy tonight and haven't cooked it myself. I did cook a low-fat version for gym bunny son, who was working late.

I need to do that from now on.

Ooooh I'm excited for you!!! I love waiting for the Indian to arrive, It's definitely my favourite! Well done for cooking it for your son too Last time I had curry, I spilled it on my freshly washed, favourite pj's! And then, spilled it on the ones I changed in too

*to

What are you like? Did you manage to get the curry stain out of the PJs?