Monthly Archives: July 2016

Excuse me, is this the old folks’ table?…

Posted on July 31, 2016 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s quotation is from Flann O’Brien’s novel, The Third Policeman, written in the late 1930s, but not published until the 1960s: ‘What is your pronoun?’ he inquired. ‘I have no pronoun,’ I answered, hoping I knew … Continue reading →

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Three sculptures and a drawing…

Posted on July 30, 2016 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s weather will feature: sky high slips of blue ribbon plaited through pale grey dough pastry, cheeky sparrows wearing little raincoats, and spherical droplets of crystal purity landing in slow motion on deep lush waving grass. … Continue reading →

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Poked around in corners…

Posted on July 29, 2016 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown,UK: Today’s hippopotamus is the one wearing yellow Lycra cycling pants. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I was just thinking about that funny clip-on shelf thing I made for my drawing table a couple of weeks ago; I think I mentioned, when … Continue reading →

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Some snatches of song lyrics misheard over the cafe hubbub…

Posted on July 28, 2016 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s Sir Arthur Conan Doyle quotation is from The Musgrave Ritual. Watson describing Holmes: I have always held, that pistol practice should be distinctly an open-air pastime; and when Holmes in one of his queer humours, … Continue reading →

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Dave dips into nature…

Posted on July 27, 2016 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s instruction is to go out and buy the biggest and silliest hat that you can find and swank around town for an hour or two in it, waving to strangers and whistling a merry tune … Continue reading →

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Ah, Professor…

Posted on July 26, 2016 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s fruit is the jolly grinning slice of melon glinting and rocking contentedly in the bright morning sun streaming in through the kitchen window. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ‘Ah, welcome Professor, do come in and take a seat.’ ‘Good … Continue reading →

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So, what is it that those TV ads are trying to tell us?…

Posted on July 25, 2016 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s heraldic term is ‘harness’ – the heraldic name for a suit of armour. Gosh, don’t those heralds have funny names for things? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 50 free plays! – spread your wings and fly! – you could … Continue reading →

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Spatter Painting No. 30…

Posted on July 24, 2016 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s carefully selected adjectives are: crispy, scrumptious, twinkling, hieratic, owlish, innumerable, and waspish. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> It seems a while, dear reader, since I forced you to look at one of those ‘spatter paintings’ I made a few … Continue reading →

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Some smallish items…

Posted on July 23, 2016 by Dave Whatt

But First… Dulltown, UK: Today’s Jean-Paul Sartre quotation is from Nausea (1938): Over New York the sky is burning, the blue of the sky has caught fire, huge yellow flames are licking the roofs; the Brooklyn children are going to … Continue reading →

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Look, just don’t mention the trait…

Posted on July 22, 2016 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s Sir Arthur Conan Doyle quotation is from The Sign of Four: At the Lyceum Theatre the crowds were already thick at the side entrances. In front a continuous stream of hansoms and four-wheelers were rattling … Continue reading →

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‘Poem 23’ a Hull barge…

Posted on July 21, 2016 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s ellipse is the one that is so plump we might as well call it a circle. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Does anyone know what slides are?… No, not things from a children’s playground, but 35mm ‘slides’ in the … Continue reading →

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Mail Art Postcard No. 4503…

Posted on July 20, 2016 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown. UK: Today’s disappointing biscuit is the slightly bendy damp digestive. (D) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Whaa! Get back you brute!… Is this a bit too disturbing for you?… No no, it’s alright dear reader, it’s just another of my mail … Continue reading →

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Some overheard and misheard snatches of cafe conversation…

Posted on July 19, 2016 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s pencil sharpener is the one shaped like the distinctive smell of damp wallpaper. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ‘Molly meading and brass roots?’ ‘No, a cup of cheese.’ ‘Look! See, it’s still in my ear!’ ‘Ringer mum-then, on her … Continue reading →

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Crush in the rain and wind…

Posted on July 18, 2016 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s sounds are those of near bees and distant lawnmowers. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I had an email this morning from Veronica Crush, writer from the glory days of the Hull Surrealist League, now living in New York with … Continue reading →

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Surrealism that you want to slide your hand over…

Posted on July 17, 2016 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s dictionary words are: bogle, bobstays, bobbery, bohea, bodach, and cock-a-bondy. Please have these words looked up and placed in suitable sentences ready for Professor Mouldie first thing after breakfast tomorrow morning. The professor may be … Continue reading →

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Some smallish items…

Posted on July 16, 2016 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s architectural term is ‘eye-catcher’ – A decorative building, such as a sham ruin, usually built on an eminence in an English landscape park to terminate a view or otherwise punctuate the layout. ( From: A … Continue reading →

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Posh girls with dog…

Posted on July 15, 2016 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s existential angst is centred around the sound of the word ‘spatulate’. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Charcoal and pencil on paper – about 30″ x 22″. A couple of days ago I mentioned making a handy little shelf to … Continue reading →

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So, how much money have you got?…

Posted on July 14, 2016 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s nice adjectives are: bonkers, khaki, repousse, renunciative, intrant, bumpy, and commensal. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I was, what with all this mad political stuff going on here in the UK, pondering on the idea of rich people, and … Continue reading →

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A handy shelf for pencils etc…

Posted on July 13, 2016 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe… Doh! – My hands still want to type ‘Europe’ in here… Let’s try again… Dulltown UK: Today’s colours are: rabid red, yawning yellow, gorgeous green, pork pink, moribund mauve, blithering beige, and orangutan orange. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> About … Continue reading →

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It’s decalcomania time again…

Posted on July 12, 2016 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s honoured guests are the King Henry VIII lookalike twins, Vera and Maurice Kumpf. Come on in and sit on your thrones, I hope we’ve made them big enough, you are both so marvellously wide and … Continue reading →

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