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alan
Administrator
Posts: 7455
Registered: Aug 2007 |
 Posted September 21st, 2010 12:23 AM IP    
I've just got back from a weekend in the North East (my wife ran the Great North Run - a half marathon) and even though she ran I feel just as exhausted after walking all over Newcastle and South Shields getting to the start and finish lines.
Knackered!
Got some time off from work though so can relax for a few days.
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zelilgirlI1ncenu
Administrator
Posts: 2437
Registered: Sep 2007 |
Posted September 21st, 2010 09:58 AM IP
Oh I thought you were going to talk about nasal congestion in higher political circles!
Have a great few days!
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alan
Administrator
Posts: 7455
Registered: Aug 2007 |
Posted September 21st, 2010 03:39 PM IP
No, this is just a little thread to say what you are up to should you feel so inclined. If this catches on I might try to sell the idea....
Just returned from one of my fastest ever trips to the West End of London. We got there, had a coffee, walked about 5 minutes before my wife didn't feel well so we came straight back! Oh well, HMV and FOPP will have to wait another day or two!
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The Grand Fromage
Member
Posts: 2732
Registered: Sep 2007 |
Posted September 22nd, 2010 11:19 AM IP
Went to a Fortified 11th Century manor for a few days last week (reading MR James at night was definitely a mistake!), got to see an amazing Jurassic looking beach/coast line used in Doctor Who and filmed this too;
http://vimeo.com/15057037
Saw four moons of Jupiter the other night too through the telescope, very cool.
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alan
Administrator
Posts: 7455
Registered: Aug 2007 |
Posted September 22nd, 2010 11:47 AM IP
Damn those Daleks still look cool. They shouldn't work aesthetically at all but they do.
Was it a Norman fortified manor or a Welsh one fortified against the Normans?
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The Grand Fromage
Member
Posts: 2732
Registered: Sep 2007 |
Posted September 22nd, 2010 10:01 PM IP
Sorry i should have said Twelfth century;
"recorded as being a 'grange' in 1166 and in the ownership of John Norreys, a Norman knight. The church is first mentioned in 1254 and it is certain that the house existed before then - the church being erected to serve the owners of the manor house and estate workers. The structure of the medieval house still stands but is now partly enclosed by early 16th century additions, when the house was refurbished and 'modernised' by its new owners. Those new owners were a wealthy South Wales family by the surname of Thomas, who had links with one of the great Welsh families - the Herberts (Earls of Pembroke). After the 16th century additions, little was done to alter the exterior of the house and it was only in the 1780s that some work was executed to aggrandise the most important bedroom, and in the 1880s to bring the house up to the standards of the late 19th century.
The interior is laid out as the traditional defensive manor of medieval times with all the main living rooms on the first floor and above. The vaulted undercroft is on the ground floor, being used originally as a work and storage area. Some of the doors on the ground floor still have their massive draw bars to keep the house well protected against unwelcome visitors.
On the first floor, the finest room is now known as the banqueting hall which has a fine Tudor moulded plasterwork ceiling and 17th century oak panelling. The stone fireplace is decorated with six carved heraldic shields, whilst the coat of arms of Elizabeth 1 adorns the doorway leading to a comfortable panelled parlour. High on the opposite wall is a stone grill through which the lord of the manor could keep an eye on what was going on in his absence. This room was used as a court room in the 16th century for the local assizes for the sheriff of Glamorgan. It is believed that prisoners were kept in a room known as 'the prison', downstairs in the undercroft."
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alan
Administrator
Posts: 7455
Registered: Aug 2007 |
Posted September 22nd, 2010 10:05 PM IP
You remembered all that?? Well done! Very interesting!
I love that stuff. The Historian in me is still there!
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The Grand Fromage
Member
Posts: 2732
Registered: Sep 2007 |
Posted September 22nd, 2010 10:11 PM IP
Quote:
alan wrote:
You remembered all that?? Well done! Very interesting!
I love that stuff. The Historian in me is still there!
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Sorry, no, I cut and pasted it hence the quote marks.
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alan
Administrator
Posts: 7455
Registered: Aug 2007 |
Posted September 22nd, 2010 10:13 PM IP
er....it was a joke. Not the ha ha type I admit, but sort of an attempt at humour..... 
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The Grand Fromage
Member
Posts: 2732
Registered: Sep 2007 |
Posted September 22nd, 2010 10:16 PM IP
Quote:
alan wrote:
er....it was a joke. Not the ha ha type I admit, but sort of an attempt at humour.....
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Ah sorry, maybe I could get a job as an AGD impersonator (I have a hat y'know!), besides, you killed my sense of humour by beating me in the Quiz just now 
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alan
Administrator
Posts: 7455
Registered: Aug 2007 |
Posted September 22nd, 2010 10:24 PM IP
If its any consolation (which it won't be) there were a couple of desperate guesses that paid off! Someone will beat that yet though.
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Rob
Member
Posts: 2043
Registered: Sep 2007 |
Posted September 22nd, 2010 10:48 PM IP
Quote:
alan wrote:
If its any consolation (which it won't be) there were a couple of desperate guesses that paid off! Someone will beat that yet though.
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Oh you and your guesses!!!
Have YOU been Con-Demed yet?
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zelilgirlI1ncenu
Administrator
Posts: 2437
Registered: Sep 2007 |
Posted September 22nd, 2010 10:59 PM IP
Just posted my 3rd entry to my blog, al about sinful cake eating, and am wondering when sonny boy PJ is ever coming back. He started university this week, well its freshers week so its really get drunk week, but yeah suddenly we dont have a son anymore at home, meanwhile he is meant to start French amd Film Studies next week.
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Susan
Member
Posts: 1985
Registered: Sep 2007 |
Posted September 27th, 2010 04:53 PM IP
Went to a house party on Saturday on land once owned by Mark Twain. He bought it for his daughter Jean in his last years on earth, when he lived in Redding CT. The house was originally a very small barn that may have been contemporary to Twain [but may not have been; my friend who lives there was not sure], and it's still in the middle of woods and small pastures. Really, really lovely...and quite cool to have walked where he almost certainly did.
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Susan
Member
Posts: 1985
Registered: Sep 2007 |
Posted September 27th, 2010 04:58 PM IP
Twain in Redding; if you're interested, click here.
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alan
Administrator
Posts: 7455
Registered: Aug 2007 |
Posted September 27th, 2010 06:18 PM IP
Very very cool. It's great to walk in places that have a real history (or at least a traceable one - we probably walk in places often that have a fascinating history but we don't know it!
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zelilgirlI1ncenu
Administrator
Posts: 2437
Registered: Sep 2007 |
Posted September 27th, 2010 06:33 PM IP
I agree, and it is certainly why I walk on the Santiago way each year. The feeling of walking a path where thousands (famous or anonymous) walked before is a real thrill.
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zelilgirlI1ncenu
Administrator
Posts: 2437
Registered: Sep 2007 |
Posted September 30th, 2010 09:11 AM IP
Can someone please come an buy Ireland. I am campaigning for annexion to... fill in the blanks!
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The Grand Fromage
Member
Posts: 2732
Registered: Sep 2007 |
Posted September 30th, 2010 11:17 AM IP
I'll buy it if it comes free with the Isle of Man!
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alan
Administrator
Posts: 7455
Registered: Aug 2007 |
Posted September 30th, 2010 06:30 PM IP
We already did that once and it caused all sorts of problems....i don't think they'd want us back!
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zelilgirlI1ncenu
Administrator
Posts: 2437
Registered: Sep 2007 |
Posted September 30th, 2010 06:57 PM IP
The whole situationis ludicrous here, its hair pulling time, a few beheadings woud not go amiss either.
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alan
Administrator
Posts: 7455
Registered: Aug 2007 |
Posted September 30th, 2010 07:56 PM IP
It's not much better here. We are still waiting for the details of the cuts in public services which could potentially put both me and my wife on the dole queue. You don't expect it to happen to you but its going to happen to a lot of people so you never know, and it won't be too pleasant working in a situation where up to a quarter of the staff are going to have to go. Its not as if we aren't stretched as it is.
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alan
Administrator
Posts: 7455
Registered: Aug 2007 |
Posted October 12th, 2010 02:04 PM IP
Can't wait for him to copy Mike's Sunflower look!
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Rob
Member
Posts: 2043
Registered: Sep 2007 |
Posted October 12th, 2010 04:23 PM IP
When I Grow Up (To Be The Dear Leader)
Although, reading the report, I think it's more like:
I'm Bugged at My Ol' Man.
Have YOU been Con-Demed yet?
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The Grand Fromage
Member
Posts: 2732
Registered: Sep 2007 |
Posted October 30th, 2010 05:52 PM IP
Spent all of last week in 'character' doing filming for a video project (no it's not as dubious as it sounds, honest!). Was hilarious -until I came down with manflu suddenly.
Thought I'd brave the manflu and try selling my work at a local art fair today -paid my £10 on advice that the place is usually packed ...and after three hours I gave up - they'd had two fecking punters through the door. Piss up and brewery spring to mind. Shifted ONE business card - and that was to the cafe manager there
Back to carving the pumpkin and finding a silly costume - I'm not going anywhere but who cares
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zelilgirlI1ncenu
Administrator
Posts: 2437
Registered: Sep 2007 |
Posted October 30th, 2010 06:15 PM IP
Manflu as opposed to?? Birdflu?
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The Grand Fromage
Member
Posts: 2732
Registered: Sep 2007 |
Posted October 30th, 2010 08:03 PM IP
Quote:
zelilgirlI1ncenu wrote:
Manflu as opposed to?? Birdflu?
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Nearly was birdflu!!!
Of course you know this ailment affects men, whereupon they do not possess the strength to operate the remote for the telly and go to bed thinking they are going to die at any moment ... you might know it as a summer cold
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alan
Administrator
Posts: 7455
Registered: Aug 2007 |
Posted October 31st, 2010 02:25 AM IP
Funny how Halloween has now become an event in the UK. It meant nothng when i was young and Guy Fawkes night was the big thing. Now even the likes of Tesco's have an aisle full of costumes for all and everyone seems to partake. It still doesn't feel right though, the English seem to apologise for iit, whereas in american films it seems to be natural.
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