Eccentric Amblings and Ramblings From Gnat Bottomed Towers

The old ones are always the good ones. Can't watch this and not titter. Arilx

Last year we spent rather a lot of wonga in a certain chain store on windscreen wipers. Within six months said items squeaked as if they had come with their own attached mouse so we have had to replace them. This time we spent considerably less at this site- the service was very prompt.  http://www.wiperblades.co.uk/  and more importantly it left more money in the bun fund which is of far greater importance to me! Arilx

Arilx

Many moons ago I visited the Black Sheep Brewery in Masham, Yorkshire. As is sometimes the case, its creation had come on the back of an acrimonious fall out within the Theakston family when they were taken over by the Scottish and Newcastle Brewery. Rather than follow in the footsteps of other family members Paul Theakston took a risk and struck out on his own. Twenty years or so on he has a successful business and a corking range of mighty fine beers if I may say so [I have done my research thoroughly believe me!] I am always pleased to see a black sheep- this is another shot of the flock at our local nature reserve. Traditionally their fleeces fetched less than their white counterparts as they were seen to be carrying the mark of the devil. Anything with even the slightest maverick associations is always of immediate interest to me!! Arilx

This came up on the Book of the Face today....a lot of these resonate with me and make a great deal of sense. http://www.lifebuzz.com/just-stop/ Arilx PS Ooh er I've finally found out how to embed links in Blogger- that'll be by using the button that says "link" then.....!!

Forgive me...any excuse to revisit my groovy 1970s childhood even if the link is extremely tenuous!! A handful of freshly pulled rhubarb was kindly donated to me by my newest house sparkling client last week. Mr GBT does not like rhubarb, but I have discovered a couple of  cunning ways of using it to get it past the NO RHUBARB barrier undetected. I made a batch of this earlier this week. It makes a very refreshing non alcoholic drink. On this occasion I substituted 2 oranges for the lemons because I didn't want to see them go to waste but I don't think it was quite as tasty as the original version. I personally prefer not adding as much sugar and adding extra lemon juice because I prefer it to be on the tarter side. Rhubarb and Lemon Cooler Chop 4 sticks of rhubarb and slice 2 lemons. Put in a large bowl. Add 1lb sugar and 8 pints of boiling water. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Cover and leave overnight. Strain and bottle. Will keep a few days in the fridge. R

Arilx

These days, post redundancy from a big girl's full time job, I am now a self employed house sparkling elf. Usually it is stress free and I really, really enjoy it [I am partial to cleaning]. My theory is that manufacturers are by and large conning you into believing that kitchen and bathroom cleaners do something radically different from each other- I would like to point out that this is my opinion only and not scientifically proven.... Yesterday I was at my regular Friday afternoon joblet. It's been a standing joke that it has rained for months every time I've been there but yesterday it was, for once, sunny. This couple had a new bathroom fitted in the Autumn and so I have spruced it up many times. Yesterday there was no bleach so I decided in my wisdom to use the new bottle of Cillit Bang kitchen cleaner in the bathroom [I checked the back and it said don't use on wood- fine I thought] rather than the all purpose one because it had lime remover in it. Having duly f

Old holey tea towels normally resplendent with cutsey animals, the ones you bought because your little darling drew a self portrait and the PTA pricked your conscience [I've got my very own pile of these!], drawings of places you've never heard of...I could go on. Well actually I think they are all rather marvellous and are to be treasured.....mine have made the most fantastic liners in my kitchen drawers and in the shelf where the milk bottles go and vegetables are stored. Beats manky sopping newspaper any day and they can easily be shaken out and washed to reuse. Cleverer people than me make some pretty stunning tablecloths, napkins, cushion covers from their old tea towels but mine are not worthy and I suspect I would be guilty of crimes against fashion if I ever allowed them to be see in public again!! Arilx

Well allow for a wee bit of artistic license....a corner cupboard in my home made for me by Mr GBT which actually sits in the corner of the twist and turn staircase to be precise and jolly pedantic! Originally this was intended as a place for me to display my personal little treasures knowing that they were out of the small person's reach. There's nothing in here of any great monetary value. I am not, by nature, a hoarder and so many things that others might keep have long since left the building. However, many of these hold fond memories for me. The top shelf If you squint carefully there is a small primary coloured clay elephant. This was made by the small person in honour of his favourite elephant Lump-pee-lump who he's had since he was 3 months old and who has seen him through every childhood trauma and accompanied him on every childhood adventure. He still lives with us but is discreetly tucked away these days. Here he is in all his glory grooving alongside

Pharrell's "Happy" sung by an elementary school in Detroit and the original. I know you hear it everywhere but that might just be because it's a darn good track in my book! Enjoy! Arilx

I have the greatest admiration for those individuals who can meditate. The notion of meditating regularly often crops up on my pagan path but, despite several attempts, I can't do it. I have a brain like a grasshopper that jumps from one thing to another and the minute I attempt to quieten it and sit still it goes into overdrive. I spent a long time trying and then getting frustrated so I've abandoned it for good. It's not a problem though because I realise that the chattering monkey on my shoulder rushes off to annoy someone else the minute I become absorbed in what I am doing- it happens when I'm carrying out my paid house sparkling duties, reading a book and all the time when I am walking. I enjoy experiencing different modes of transport but travelling on Shank's pony is by far and away my favourite. It gives me time to clear my mind and just enjoy noticing what's going on around me. Such moments are treasures and this was one of them spotted near where I li

I so hope I'm like this when I reach my full blown crone years even if I am cackling in the corner on my own. Such an uplifting image. [From Dumb Spiro Spero Blog] Arilx

The hedgerows are brimming over with them here in Sussex I am thrilled to say. It's one of the first perennial Spring flowers to bloom and is named after the Latin prima rosa meaning first rose. It's not part of the rose family. It is related to the cowslip. Closer inspection of the flowers reveal that the centres differ- the pin-eyed flowers are the female ones and the thrum eyed the males. They grow on separate plants. It's known by a variety of names but some of my favourites are Jack-in-the-Green, Butter Rose, King-Charles-in-the-Oak and Lady's Frills. The whole plant is edible. Before picking primroses was prohibited by law they were used to make wine, tea and were the primary ingredient in the appropriately named "Primrose Pottage". They were equally useful medicinally. The whole plant is a sedative and in modern usage its root is infused and used as a cure for nervous headaches. There is a strong association between rural living and primroses. I

I met a gentleman who introduced me to this band this week. I like their track Solringen- sometimes I can feel the music resonating through my very being. Some may say spine tingling- this is one of those for me. Arilx

I stumbled across this artist when doing detailed research ie randomly floating about on google when not getting on and doing the painting a few weeks ago. She is called Jane Perkins and she uses all recycled materials to create her masterpieces. I think they are simply smashing. More info can be found out her and her work here www.bluebowerbird.co.uk Arilx

A free daily chance to win £40- I check most days although I lack the application and focus.....ooh there's a bumble bee.....erm to do it religiously but nothing ventured nothing gained and all that. www.freepostcodelottery.com Arilx

Our local nature reserve is set within the site of an old mill and mill pond. Having not been fished for 25 years there are always plenty of different birds to see. We caught a glimpse of a cormorant and several herons who were diligently nest building. There are 3 hides in total- two at the water's edge and one in the middle of the woods which attracts lots of birds that I can identify. This one is probably my favourite- the birds are used to being viewed so are not that shy. Mr and Mrs Chaffinch Greenfinch Long Tailed Tit Hen Pheasant- I hadn't appreciated just how exquisite their plumage is! Ooh and most exciting of all for me- my first ever Red Poll Naturally Captain Quality Management Control dropped in for a surprise visit. He was exceedingly diligent I must say! And finally this lot- they are a small flock of Hebridian sheep that are kept on site during the winter to graze the wildflower meadow. They will soon be moved to anot

Psychocat I think must have a sixth sense for it...the minute I am within a mile radius of the keyboard needing to type something she is there demanding a lap and being, well frankly, a right royal pain. It seems that is a common experience amongst those of us in servitude to felines.... Enjoy! Arilx

To me natural Spring goes through a series of colour phases- it starts out predominantly with the delicate whites of the Snowdrops before moving onto the varied yellows which we're in now before ending up in its subtle pink, white and blue stage with all the blossom, Violets, Bluebells, Ramsons, Cuckoo Flowers and Stitchwort before it heralds in the full on colour explosion that is Summer! I love each stage and tracking how it changes every few weeks as a new phase is ushered in. That's one of the joys of blogging- I have become far more aware of the seasonal changes now that I have a personal space to record it all :-) It quite simply makes me happy. Mr GBT and I took a stroll yesterday over to our local nature reserve [more about that in a follow up post] but these are some of the stunning sights that greeted us en route. Daddodils as my friend's small person used to call them! And the dandy of them all! Crocuses Lesser Celandine. Known by the

"If you obey all the rules you miss all the fun" Katharine Hepburn Arilx

Already a week into March- where does the time go? Aargh! February saw me make my first ever suet pudding and huzzah it worked. I used vegetarian suet and our homemade raspberry jam and am pleased to report that cooking it in the slow cooker was a success. First new pud of 2014 done. This month will see a new veggie main course. A kind morris dancing chum has lent me "The Druids" by Ronald Hutton- am two chapters in and am enjoying it so far. I dug out my CBT course notes tonight as I've observed one or two old destructive habits beginning to creep in again. I shall remind myself of the principles and then reincorporate them into my thinking patterns. As long as I am aware of what is happening and make the necessary changes I should stay on the straight and narrow and manage my illness correctly. Pleased so far. Arilx

Fun for me often comes under the umbrella of having a go at making something new with a chum- if it all goes Pete Tong then at least you can have a laugh about it! This week I had my first stab at making incense with my chum J. It does me good to break out once in a while, so rather than fettering myself to a specific recipe I just took the lids off lots of jars and whiffled a lot until my snout found scents it liked. It's splendid sitting there with all the different aromas mingling as you crush them. J has also provided some frugal tips for me to share this week. Resin forms the basis of this type of incense- she collects hers from the pine trees in the woods. You can incorporate all manner of dried leaves and flowers- she has lavender and rose petals but gorse is another good one. I already have lavender and elderflower and could easily do rosemary, lemon balm, bay etc etc. We're both fans of the Nag Champa incense sticks but she's cleverly kept the loose powder that g

"Do you think you can take over the universe and improve it? I do not believe it can be done. The universe is sacred. You cannot improve it, If you try to change it, you will ruin it. If you try to hold it, you will lose it. So sometimes things are ahead And sometimes they are behind: Sometimes breathing is hard And sometimes it comes easily. Sometimes there is strength And sometimes weakness. Sometimes one is up And sometimes down. Therefore, the sage avoids extremes, Excesses and complacency. Lao Tsu Tao Te Ching Arilx

Oh my gosh and golly it's good to see some colour again. I am fond of January and February but it can all be a little too pale and interesting for me at times [except when the sun shines then it's fab!] so am most pleased to share some more of Mr GBT's photos from the weekend. I admired the stripy crocuses on another blog recently little realising that I have been walking past the same type without noticing...ho hum. Arilx

For anyone wishing to carry out further research in the area of Victorian slang [that will be me then!] I have found a dictionary of Victorian lovelies published in 1909. http://publicdomainreview.org/collections/a-dictionary-of-victorian-slang-1909/ Knowing Blogger it will probably be necessary to copy and paste the link. Arilx

I have no wish to offend ......if you do not take offence please do read on..... There I was sitting in a local hostelry this Saturday just past nursing a small sweet sherry when the phrase "tight as a boiled owl" was mentioned. This I was to discover was a Victorian term meaning intoxicated and of course, knowing my afore mentioned addiction to historical terms and words, has led me to carry out some further extensive research [you know about 10 minutes on google in all]. You may blame my Morris Dancing chums for some of these examples of Victorian sauciness. I shall be returning to my normal Margot Leadbetter type postlets post haste I can assure you! Lady's Chesticles:  Cupid's kettledrums, Manuals of Love's Devotion, bubbies [a lady supporting an ample bow window frontage was called a bushel bubby] Lady's Front Bottom: Crinkum-crankum, old hat [because often felt], cloven inlet Buttocks: Blind Cupid, fleshy orbs Gentleman's Pintle: Plugta

Yelllow submarine by of course The Beatles- I can't hear it and not sing along! Arilx

Mr GBT has been tootling around today in the metal box with a wheel at each corner running some errands- he deliberately took the camera as he knew his route would take him past the deer park that is virtually on our doorstep. I thought it would make a change to see deer at this time of year when they still look magnificent but are rather tattier than in their prime during the rutting season. The first fellow has broken his antler and has his new ones just starting to grow through. And his ladies who he fiercely protects. I think after a while though he tired of posing and started telling a few jokes.... "What do you get when you cross Bambi with a ghost?" "Bamboo!" What do male deer need braces?" "Because they have buck teeth?" By this time he was thoroughly amused by his own wit and humour. The evidence of his chortling is plain for all to see... That is until one of the young hotheaded upstarts decided to steal his thunder