Can you identify the character(s)/objects from these Easter eggs?
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It's so busy being on lockdown it's untrue!
One of the things I've been doing with my extended family is a version of "Ready, Steady, Cook" using Viber and a newly created website :D The rules we've set are:
I made roasted vegetables en croute, John did a lentil, courgette and sweet potato daal. Both were very tasty. The dishes made by the others also looked fab. This week we have as our ingredients: Potato, Eggs, Butternut squash, Tuna, Lemon. It's been gread fun and has stimulated lively badinage in the group! We have relatives young and old contributing from England (N.E. and S.E, no one's inbetween), Ireland, Scotland, Portugal and New Zealand. ... It's not just Covid-19 that can be worldwide! Hi all, We are OK staying safe going out for walks keeping our distance, have been on YouTube singing along to some of our pieces (in my head I might note) also finding new ones. Stay safe everyone.
I thought it time to add a little from far flung posts of Argus. If anyone noted my comment to Margaret's post some days ago then I'm sure they must be itching to know how to burn toast and fry an egg which is sort of stuff we do in this distant wilderness! Anyway, regardless, I'm happy to share my not insignificant experience in these matters.
To start , I want to remind you that the 5Ps rule applies here - Poor Preparation Prevents Perfect Performance. So let's look at the preparation (noting that this exercise may be more pertinent to Tenors and Bass). We need to be sure that all the necessary materials, other resources, tools and equipment are available as well as relevant PPE and safety instructions. 1. Locate the kitchen - this may be an exhausting process but you may have stumbled on it by accident during the 'which-room-do-I-visit-today' phase of isolation. You may be able to recognise it as there could be a cooker ( an electrical or gas powered device with maybe a few circular heating elements of some nature on the upper horizontal surface at working height) and/or a fridge (an important device which keeps wine and beer cool). 2.Toasting may be carried out in the grill section of the cooker described above or there could be an independent device standing somewhere on the worktops , usually having two bread slice sized apertures with a cage- like structure inside each and having a flex of about 3 feet with a plug on the end of that for connecting to the power outlets. At this point go to the fridge and take a glass of wine or a beer as you are most likely worn out physically or mentally by these steps. 3. This step may be even more taxing than the last two but it is essential then to locate a pan ( typically a circular steel /aluminium or similar metal device some one and a half inches deep, 10 inches or so in diameter, having a handle of similar length and no lid). Maybe this is lurking behind a door of the cooker (mentioned in step 1) or in some other cupboard in the kitchen. (Good luck with the hunt). If you were lucky, then you know the whereabouts of the main equipment needed - have another beer or wine! 4. Now for the required materials which will involve even more detective work. 4.1 For the toast you will require bread - you know what that is but where it is will be something of a secret - have a beer or some wine as it'll be some time before you locate from the myriad optional places available. 4.2 For the fried egg you will need an egg - could be in the fridge or anywhere else for that matter and some oil or (preferably) some dripping neither of which will be tripped over readily. More beer or wine is necessary. 5. To show willing don the relevant PPE as shown in the picture below, then have more beer and retreat for a well deserved snooze since the exertions up to now far exceed the proscribed amount of exercise for one day. I'll send the next set of details when I'm sober. As I was standing the queue to go into the supermarket, I let my mind wander. I remembered a poem I learned at school, by John Masefield called Sea Fever.
I am sure it has many faults, but here goes: I must go down to the shops again to the lonely streets and the sky And all I ask is a sanitized trolley and a hand to steer her by. And the shelves stacked with toilet rolls, their white sheets shaking And a grey mist descending on my face, As I wait in the queue as the grey dawn is breaking. 1. What’s the difference between a composer and God?
God doesn’t think he’s a conductor. 2. What’s Giuseppe Verdi’s favourite way to get around the airport? La Travelator. 3. Why couldn’t the String Quartet find their composer? He was Haydn. 4. What was Beethoven’s favourite fruit? BA-NA-NA-NAAAAAAA. 5. Arnold Schoenberg walks into a bar. “I’ll have a gin please, but no tonic.” 6. Why was the former conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic always first off the plane? Because he only had Karajan luggage. 7. There are so many jokes about this composer . . . . . I could write you a Liszt. 8. Why didn’t Handel go shopping? Because he was Baroque. 9. Why didn’t the bouncer let the quavers into the bar? Because they were slurring. 10. How do you fix a broken brass instrument? With a tuba glue. 11. How do you put a twinkle in a soprano’s eye? Shine a torch in her ear. 12. What’s the difference between a viola and an onion? No one cries when you cut up a viola. 13. How do you get a trombonist off your doorstep? Pay them for the pizza (sorry John) 14. What’s the difference between a soprano and a Rottweiller? Lipstick. 15. What’s the difference between a bassoon and a trampoline? You take your shoes off to jump on a trampoline. 16. How does a soprano sing a scale? Do, Re, Mi, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me! 17. What’s the difference between a musician and a pizza? A pizza can feed a family of four. 18. What’s the definition of perfect pitch? When you toss a banjo in the bin and it hits an accordion. 19. How many sopranos does it take to change a lightbulb? One. She just holds on and the world revolves around her. 20. A percussionist, (Ian) tired of being ridiculed by other musicians decides to change instruments. He walks into a music shop and says, “I’ll take that red trumpet over there, and that accordion.” After a second, the shop assistant says, “Ok, you can have the fire extinguisher but the radiator stays”. BOOM BOOM! I had been into County Hall many times, often spending time in the waiting area, and at times admiring the Art Work in that area.It never occurred to me that this was the work of Norman Cornish (sometimes I don’t think beyond the obvious). I had appreciated the story shown in the frieze, as it brought back memories from my childhood.
I did not know the back story to the creation of the frieze either. In the early 1960’s the very modern (at the time) County Hall was built and Norman Cornish was still a miner working at Mainsforth Colliery (near Ferryhill). One day, whilst he was at work, a message was brought to him asking him to go to the nearest underground telephone at once. Usually this kind of message meant there was bad news at home. However when he managed to speak to the person on the other end he was offered a commission to paint a mural showing typical life in County Durham. He was offered £1000 to paint the mural for the new County Hall. In order to carry out the work, he took unpaid leave from the Colliery for a year. A big decision to take as he had a wife and family to support. The work was to be carried out in secret and caused bad feeling with fellow miners, who thought he was still being paid as a miner. He painted in an old Church Hall with no heating during a very cold winter. He wore layers of clothing and at times had to chip icicles off the entrance door. He decided the mural would show the Miners Gala, a central event in the life of the community. One of the posters showing the slogan UNITY IS STRENGTH. The art work was hauled into place in time for the grand opening on 14th October 1963 (Opening Ceremony carried out by the Duke of Edinburgh). Of course we know that in present times the current County Hall will be pulled down, and the offices relocated to a more central location. However what about the frieze/mural? Thankfully it has been retained and will be moved to a new location in Bishop Auckland Town Hall. It was hoped that it would be unveiled in April 2020, unfortunately our current problems will have put that on hold. Hopefully it won’t be too long before it is shown in its new position. Norman Cornish website |
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