Monthly Archives: February 2012

More overheard and misheard snatches of conversation…

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s heraldic term is ‘mantling’ – material protecting the back and sides of the helmet and the wearer’s neck. I have some nice mantling, but only wear it when riding my bicycle in wet weather. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> … Continue reading →

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Clip clop, clip clop…

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s weather is sparkling fruit suspended from fragments of ripped silk. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hello, what’s this? An airmail letter with a US stamp on it? Who do I know in…? – a picture postcard of the Manhattan … Continue reading →

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Oddments and bits…

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s financial forecast is for lumps of money the size of potatoes rising unexpectedly and soiling nice clean shirts. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Excuses for being late. No.105. I’m sorry I’m late, but I had to transfer some money … Continue reading →

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Mayonnaise laying it on thick…

Posted on February 26, 2012 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s instruction is to carefully trim off the ragged edges with a craft knife, lay it flat on the floor, and then jump up and down on it in heavy boots for a few minutes. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> … Continue reading →

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Look out! It’s the X-Machine!…

Posted on February 25, 2012 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s adjectives are: nomic, reptilian, and prismatic. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yes, another ‘Badger Book’ cover from my collection – British pulp science fiction from the early 1960s. Isn’t this magnificent? Another masterpiece from the studio of ‘Fox’ of … Continue reading →

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Crash bike fall bus prose….

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s dictionary word is ‘crappit-head’ – a haddock’s head stuffed with a compound of oatmeal, suet, onions, and pepper. I have a couple for breakfast every morning… >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yesterday the bus upon which I was travelling … Continue reading →

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More pithy titchy items….

Posted on February 23, 2012 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s joke is the one about the police dog eating Extra Strong Mints in the cinema. How we all tittered… >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Excuses for being late. No.104. I’m sorry I’m late, but I got the end of … Continue reading →

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Too long… can’t be bothered…

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s fascinating architectural terms are: ‘Keel’, ‘Ogee’, Beakhead’, ‘Billet’, ‘Bowtell’, ‘Chevron’, ‘Dogtooth’, and ‘Nailhead’. Yes, dear reader as you will have guessed, they are all types of architectural moulding. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> In my younger days I remember … Continue reading →

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Two pithy items…

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s weather is rippling with azure down-draughts and drooping eels. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The words we use to  refer to the ‘toilet’, ‘bathroom’, ‘gents’, ‘ladies’ room’, ‘privy’, ‘little boy’s room’, or even ‘lavatory’ are all just euphemisms. Shall … Continue reading →

Posted in green, Grumpiness, Uncategorized, words | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

The TV soap feedback loop…

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s dictionary words is ‘whigmaleerie’ – (Scottish) A trinket, knick-knack: a fantastic ornamentation. Of course I have a shelf full of whigmaleeries… >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> How does that old thing go? Does art imitate life, or does life … Continue reading →

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Bits, bits, bits…

Posted on February 19, 2012 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s adjectives are: sanguine, dangling, and carboniferous. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Excuses for being late. No.102. I’m sorry I’m late, but my lioness was having cubs. Oh look, there’s funnyman, film star, Jack Black walking down Toll Gavel, Beverley … Continue reading →

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Skint Mayonnaise writes…

Posted on February 18, 2012 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s dictionary word is ‘chasuble’ – a sleeveless vestment worn over the alb by the priest while celebrating mass. Me, I don’t know my alb from my chasuble… >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> That was a surprise! I received an … Continue reading →

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‘Cup-a-Soup Veronica’ and green issues…

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s weather is fairly rigid, but with glossy nodules and brassy corners. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ‘I was round at someone’s house yesterday and had a look at your blog on their laptop.’ ‘Did you Veronica?’ ‘Yes David, I … Continue reading →

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Overheard and misheard snatches of conversation…

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s joke is the one about the Bishop in the crypt with the mouth organ. Oh, how our chuckles echoed… >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ‘Sebastian’s contact lens’ ‘Then Topical Dave walked in…’ ‘Not a hundred percent what they were … Continue reading →

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Animal Head Hats – Wow!

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s heraldic term is ‘gonfalone’ – a large flag often hung from a cross-beam. I have several of them hanging in the nave of my private chapel. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Here is a photograph I took a couple … Continue reading →

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Veronica, Burt, and Jackie….

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s instruction is to go in and out of menu three or four times, switch off the power, and then throw it out of the window… >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> A letter from Edinburgh… It seems that Veronica Crush, … Continue reading →

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Cafe Physics…

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s weather is glinting like bruised lead, with patches of cheerfulness and ripe plums… >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> To demonstrate both osmosis and the principle of the syphon. OBSERVATION: A tall cup of tea (‘Grande’ if you are in … Continue reading →

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Guitar problems…

Posted on February 12, 2012 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s adjectives are: perpendicular, clammy, and apologetic. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> A few years ago there was a chap who lived around the corner from me whom one might describe as a ‘posh hippy type’. He was youngish, tall, … Continue reading →

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Philuminy and bullfighting…

Posted on February 11, 2012 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s architectural term is ‘bolection moulding’ – a moulding used to cover the joints between two members with different surface levels. See if you can spot one whilst you are out and about today. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> My … Continue reading →

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More titchy items…

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s dance is the Hully Gully. It has its origins in black juke joints in the USA in the early twentieth century. Ike and Tina Turner did a song called ‘If you can Hully Gully, I … Continue reading →

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