Thursday 12 January 2012

Nothing topical

Sorry but this little `pot boiler` of a post is something of very little or, one could say, much ado about not very much.

I thought about commenting on the mysterious case of yet another Iranian nuclear scientist getting himself blown up,but that is hardly a mystery. Then there was the survey today about some of the nations children being `unhappy` but, again, nothing new there especially from my own anecdotal evidence of screaming, uncontrolled brats, gathered in the various shops and supermarkets of this here vicinity.

A bigger mystery was `who killed the peacocks?`. There were six wandering at large in the village. By the time we moved here 3 months ago they were down to three, then we saw one half a mile up the road or, to be precise, on the verge, `brown bread` as a dorrnail. Sadly, there was one lonely chap on our roof today, pining for the fjiords - or his late departed friends and as feral as peacocks can be, which is pretty tame and laid back. I think someone told us they were abandoned when a couple divorced - wonder how their children fared? Either way it was heartbreaking to hear him honking for his missing chums.

Finally, an update on Chez Hog. We have a new first floor in the barn, as well as new rafters, felting and that fantastic Celotec insulation board. Its quite snug up there and I reckon mother-in-law would be very comfortable when she comes to stay. This afternoon I started to lime-putty wash the ground floor walls. This is not whitewash although it looks the same, sort of ... white. It's lime putty wash, which is lime putty 50% diluted with water, because the barn is made of clay lump and is also a Grade 2 listed building so one must be sympathetic to this rare construction material. My old police firearms team flame resistant coveralls are now a white flecked pattern, ideally suited to the Royal Marines Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre. At least if it snows before Spring I'll be a bugger to spot.

I'm re-typing my story about how I ended up starring in Fred Zinnerman's classic film, "The Day of the Jackal" and may well type it on Wordpress, although I haven't deserted Blogger yet - apathy may yet rule.

Hope you enjoy reading the interesting links I've added to the text.

Bye for now.

13 comments:

CI-Roller Dude said...

I heard peacocks taste like chicken...

Hogdayafternoon said...

Dude: Eureka! Times is hard.

Dave Pie-n-Mash said...

Nice to see you post again, HD.

How about some pics of the progress you are making on the barn? It would be interesting to see.

Are you serious about being in "The Day of the Jackal"? Now you've got me curious!

Dave Pie-n-Mash said...

....and by the way, at the risk of sounding like a pillock, I sometimes wonder if you are really the author, Charlie Owen. Come on, HD. Spill the beans....

Hogdayafternoon said...

Hi Dave (you don't arf make me chuckle!)
I'll post up some pics of this barn thing in our garden. Its not huge and 60% of it belongs to next door, but its a neat bit of ancillary space and accommodation. An yes, I am very definitely in the Day of the Jackal (The Edward Fox original). If you have it, you'll find me exactly 60 minutes in, for about 3 seconds. My mate actually got to enter in to the acting. I'll type it up as soon as I can get this lime putty off my hands.

As for Charlie Owen, no its not me, but that was very much my era and I can tell from his background that he does seem to have followed a similar career path, although I did make it to just one rank higher. I should've stayed in the Met ;)

TonyF said...

Peacocks are noisy buggers, that's for sure. Dunno what they taste like though.

Now if your Iranian nuclear scientist had been killed in a bizarre peacock related accident, that would be news!

JuliaM said...

"I heard peacocks taste like chicken..."

Sadly, these days chicken no longer tastes like chicken...

"An yes, I am very definitely in the Day of the Jackal (The Edward Fox original)."

Oh no! Please tell me some idiot hasn't remade that as well!?

Hogdayafternoon said...

Hi Tony. You're obviously having flashbacks to the infamous `Dance of the Seven RAF Naafi Surplus Blankets` and the peacock feather finale.

JuliaM: I think it starred Bruce Willis - utter tosh.

JuliaM said...

Ahhh, yes!

Richard Gere as an IRA guy and Bruce as the master-of-disguise assassin. It bore so little relation to the original film plot-wise, I'd clean forgotten it...

Hogdayafternoon said...

JuliaM: You are right. There are far better things to forget. That film was so lame I don't know why I'm mentioning it now, in fact I can't even be botheredto finish thi

Old BE said...

*pokes head around door, waves hello*

SCOTTtheBADGER said...

First floor in the UK is second floor here, I believe.

Hogdayafternoon said...

Hello Blue.

Scott: Righty-ho! Its the one above ground level. On a tactical firearms containment description it would most def be `2`, so I get your drift.Pics will follow.