Such a fine way to start the morning. I always feel as if I have had a visit with you when I read. your letters. It is always the first post I open. ( I love it that in Terry's group portrait he is the only one with a grumpy face. And that...ahem, nobody has a nose.)
Oh, how lovely! Thank you, Sharron! I'm so grateful to have you as a reader - I've been off-grid-ish for a couple of weeks now and have got even more behind with my own reading!
LOL re Terry's grumpy face - I wonder how his self-portraits would look if he smiled? x
A wonderful read until I got to the cryptic puzzles. They defeat me totally and I get so peeved. I walk around saying 'Fish bums, fish bums!' like Sister Boniface, and pushing my glasses up my nose. Well... not UP my nose but... well you know what I mean.
Terry's artwork is spectacular. Might we see it in the Tate one day?
Terry, I'm booking a flight to London as we speak to view the work! So exciting. Perhaps learning to do cryptics might be suitable for long haul flights? Then again, there's always a good book...
Ha! It's fully-booked for several years I'm afraid. Chortle. For future reference, cryptic crosswords are EXCELLENT for long flights! (Better than movies. The last movie I watched on a flight was about a terrorist hijacking: not really the kid of thiing to help you relax!)
'Fish bums, fish bums'! That's a cryptic clue in itself - I wonder what solution would fit? 🤣 That makes me wonder how the crossword setters go about setting their crosswords? I just don't have that sort of brain - gosh, they must be so adept at lateral thinking!
I wondered how a nun would come up with Fish Bums! I love it and it is wonderfully usable in front of my 6 year old grandson whop has just reached the bums and farts stage.
The bookshop outing sounds like so much fun, and double the fun because the four of you partook! I would define 'tsundoku' as wise and thoughtful collecting that holds high value from the collector. I agree that April's Fools Day isn't what it used to be. My mom's favorite back in the 60s when my sibs and I were 10 years and younger, was to tie thread around the stack of bread that was on the breakfast table so a slice wouldn't budge when one tried to take one. She cracked up. Thanks for another great read - it's one of my favorite things to do. P.S. I think Terry's drawing of the four of you belongs on a t-shirt, four t-shirts, one for each of you. 😂
A rollercoaster not suited for vegans and vegetarians! Hahah!
As for your opening line, I got myself into a bit of a pickle thinking you were going to go off in a different direction: "Many thanks for your latest letter, which as usual I read **with relish.**" 🌭 I'm not a fan of relish, so I'm glad you didn't go there.
Typical. I write a brilliant letter, a seminal piece of work that will almost certainly appear in literary anthologies long after I have shuffled off this mortal coil, and all YOU can focus on is the fact that I can't count. Yes, it SHOULD have been (7,7), not (7,6), but what's one letter between friends? Great clue though innit, and well done for solving it depsite my deliberately misleading clue.
Another terrific read. Can’t believe you didn’t get a photo of yourselves. Luckily Terry came to the rescue. Hugs from afar.
I aim to please!
Such a fine way to start the morning. I always feel as if I have had a visit with you when I read. your letters. It is always the first post I open. ( I love it that in Terry's group portrait he is the only one with a grumpy face. And that...ahem, nobody has a nose.)
Yes! I want to know why he’s angry when everyone else seems to be having such a nice time!
It's my special tough face, to ensure that nobody messes with me!
🤣
That's a very good question!
It's my serious face. And I'm no good at drawing noses.
Okay, then. I just thought you were admitting to being curmudgeonly.
He's never going to admit that, Sharron! I feel he relishes his denial of curmudgeonliness just as much as he relishes being a curmudgeon! 😉
Oh, how lovely! Thank you, Sharron! I'm so grateful to have you as a reader - I've been off-grid-ish for a couple of weeks now and have got even more behind with my own reading!
LOL re Terry's grumpy face - I wonder how his self-portraits would look if he smiled? x
I WAS smiling.
Not at the time the artist captured you, you weren't. 🙄 And we know you CAN smile - I have photographic evidence from a previous encounter.
Photographic evidence? Don't make me laugh. It was Photoshopped.
The camera never lies, Terry. Just ask Jim. 😉
😡
We might not recognize him?
Very, very possible!
Regarding being off-grid, you might find a line or two of interest in this pithy poem. https://substack.com/home/post/p-137147351
Oh wow, just wow! Thank you so much for that, Sharron. Loved it!
👍🏻
A wonderful read until I got to the cryptic puzzles. They defeat me totally and I get so peeved. I walk around saying 'Fish bums, fish bums!' like Sister Boniface, and pushing my glasses up my nose. Well... not UP my nose but... well you know what I mean.
Terry's artwork is spectacular. Might we see it in the Tate one day?
Prue, you can learn how to do cryptic crosswords. This one is pretty good: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B011T7YSCI/ The table of contents is in the form of a crossword puzzle!
Thanks for your kind comment on my artwork. As it happens, I am hoping to be featured in Tate Modern.
Terry, I'm booking a flight to London as we speak to view the work! So exciting. Perhaps learning to do cryptics might be suitable for long haul flights? Then again, there's always a good book...
Ha! It's fully-booked for several years I'm afraid. Chortle. For future reference, cryptic crosswords are EXCELLENT for long flights! (Better than movies. The last movie I watched on a flight was about a terrorist hijacking: not really the kid of thiing to help you relax!)
Oooooh, thanks for the book recommendation, Terry! Might check it out!
Defo
'Fish bums, fish bums'! That's a cryptic clue in itself - I wonder what solution would fit? 🤣 That makes me wonder how the crossword setters go about setting their crosswords? I just don't have that sort of brain - gosh, they must be so adept at lateral thinking!
I wondered how a nun would come up with Fish Bums! I love it and it is wonderfully usable in front of my 6 year old grandson whop has just reached the bums and farts stage.
Oh, that’s HILARIOUS! Fun times ahead - I reckon that stage of your grandson’s life will last the best part of the next decade! How wonderful! 🤣
The bookshop outing sounds like so much fun, and double the fun because the four of you partook! I would define 'tsundoku' as wise and thoughtful collecting that holds high value from the collector. I agree that April's Fools Day isn't what it used to be. My mom's favorite back in the 60s when my sibs and I were 10 years and younger, was to tie thread around the stack of bread that was on the breakfast table so a slice wouldn't budge when one tried to take one. She cracked up. Thanks for another great read - it's one of my favorite things to do. P.S. I think Terry's drawing of the four of you belongs on a t-shirt, four t-shirts, one for each of you. 😂
The four of us DIDN'T do the books. Jim opted out, mumbling "Work, deadlines" and that was the last we saaw of him.
T-shirts. Excellent idea, Mary. Chortle!
😂
You’re absolutely right, Terry! Book-dodger. 🙄
Yeah, I know the type. I've met his sort before. 😡
Oh, that bread wheeze is FABULOUS, Mary! Might have to try something like that one day! 🤣
And YES, t-shirts! Brilliant, brilliant idea!
😂
A fun read, as always.
A rollercoaster not suited for vegans and vegetarians! Hahah!
As for your opening line, I got myself into a bit of a pickle thinking you were going to go off in a different direction: "Many thanks for your latest letter, which as usual I read **with relish.**" 🌭 I'm not a fan of relish, so I'm glad you didn't go there.
Happy Easter, Rebecca!
I try not to relish anything, or have relish with anything. Rebecca LOVES my letters. She has such low standards -- thankfully! Chortle.
🤣 I’ll have ketchup, thanks.
🤩
Thank you so much, Elizabeth! Now you've got me thinking about eggs on rollercoasters - sounds like a very messy ride! 🤣
And I love your mention of 'pickle' in the same sentence as 'relish'! Two choices of condiment right there! x
🎢 + 🥚 = 🤢
Ha!
Typical. I write a brilliant letter, a seminal piece of work that will almost certainly appear in literary anthologies long after I have shuffled off this mortal coil, and all YOU can focus on is the fact that I can't count. Yes, it SHOULD have been (7,7), not (7,6), but what's one letter between friends? Great clue though innit, and well done for solving it depsite my deliberately misleading clue.
Er I mean 7,6 not 7,7. Whatever
🤣
🤣