An Edinburgh spring is a very odd thing indeed. It can start as early as late February, when a warm spell fools some bulbs into surfacing, and some trees to blossom. These naïve plants are soon shown the error of their ways, and half-freeze to death under conditions of biting cold winds and lashing rain. […]

I’ve been putting off watching the movie version of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy as it’s had mixed reviews. It started much better than I could have hoped, with only some bad dubbing/sound mixing bugging me (Ford and Zaphod’s voices were not entirely in synch). It was a shame they replaced the Total Perspective […]

Another lovely analogy from the Guardian, this time by Max Hastings while discussing the recent High Court ruling that swimmers may jolly well freeze in the icy waters of Hampstead Heath if they d*mn well want to! …(snip)… Health and Safety Executive (HSE), an organisation that inspires the same dread as once did the Spanish […]

C’some pendant Originally uploaded by framboise. I’ve now soldered the two chromosome arms together, and added a spiral of silver wire to hold the necklace when I get round to ordering thicker wire that won’t bend too much when worn. The gold rings are all cut to size and filed, it only remains to solder […]

We’re cat-sitting for a week while Muran’s parents take a short holiday. I think she secretly likes coming here because we’re such suckers; all she has to do is roll over, and we fight to scratch her belly or brush her fur. Such a princess! She’s a placcid wee cat, but is never really up […]

Imprisoned Originally uploaded by framboise. Having missed out on a beautifully sunny Saturday, we decided to make the most of Sunday visiting our neighbourhood art gallery. I’m pretty lucky to live so close to so many of Scotland’s National Galleries; with my two faves being the closest. The Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh differs […]

Originally uploaded by framboise. I managed to get my obi tied today with a minimum of fuss, and also managed to get dressed in full kimono gear within 20 minutes. Granted, I used a synthetic Nagoya obi, which is much easier to tie than my thicker and heavier silk Fukuro obi. I’m also quite pleased […]

Warning! Do not read this post if you’re prone to getting addicted to puzzles. Reading today’s comment in The Observer, I thought Euan Ferguson was just having us on about a game that’s been recently syndicated by some British papers. Not being much of a Times reader (I only go there when directed to by […]

From this weekend till sometime in November, there’ll be weekend road works on the Forth Road Bridge. Again. With the prerequisite break for the tourist season between June and September. While I’d normally be kinda annoyed, this time I’m relieved. Last year’s discovery of broken cables was really worrying.

Quiptic Crossword No. 282 set by Troll. Clues that stood out as either funny or appropriate: Irritating little beast gains Conservative support (4) Cleg (Tee hee…) We hear Rushdie and Fitzgerald, perhaps, are cause for ill feeling (11) Salmonella Fixes up operation for privates? (4) Snip And last week’s: Quiptic Crossword No. 281 set by […]