Happy Easter
Happy Easter to all who celebrate.
It would have been my dad's 95th birthday today. He was not over keen on birthdays but today would have been a special one as he was born on Easter Sunday and one of his uncle's worked out that his birthday wouldn't fall on Easter Sunday again until he was in his 70s. He was quite right as Dad's next Easter birthday was when he was 73. We all trooped off to the town where Dad grew up and had a lovely meal in a pub there, which seemed quite appropriate. We had a special meal when his birthday fell on Easter Sunday again when he was 84 and tonight I shall have a glass of wine (or possibly two) in his honour. Happy Birthday, Dad!
It is an absolutely beautiful day here today. It wasn't particularly warm this morning but the sky is absolutely cloudless and the sunshine is very bright. We went for a walk in the quiet roads near us with the beautiful magnolia trees, which were in full bloom, and came across a small (and completely legal) little gathering in the sunshine with some elderly ladies and gents with Easter bonnets (the ladies) and glasses of fizz (both). It was a very cheering sight.
Back to the meme.
1. Do you have any channels you regularly watch on YouTube?
No. I have a number of things I want to watch but I never seem to get round to them.
2. Do you listen to any podcasts?
Yes! I have a long list of podcasts I can't keep up with.
Backlisted "the podcast that gives new life to old books" is an old favourite. Hosts John Mitchison and Andy Miller talks to guests about books as diverse as Miss Pym Disposes by Josephine Tey to The Journal of the Plague Year by Daniel Defoe. It's always interesting whether I've read the book or not.
The Rest is History with historians Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook. Tom Holland (not Spiderman to the great confusion of many people on Twitter) is an ancient and early modern historian and Dominic Sandbrook writes books on much more modern history so they come with different areas of knowledge which makes for an interesting mix. I am way behind with this one but I have just listened to a fascinating episode on Spies featuring an interview with Ben MacIntyre.
Waldy and Bendy's Adventures in Art in which art historian Waldemar Januszczak and Bendor Grosvenor bicker amicably about art. Again they have different areas of interest and don't always agree with each others taste which makes for entertaining listening.
Shedunnit. A very enjoyable podcast presented by Caroline Crampton looking at Golden Age detective fiction. I actually manage to keep up with this one as it is nice and short and always leaves me wanting more. The most recent episode is about the connections between Golden Age fiction and cryptic crosswords and as we've been attempting to do some cryptic crosswords during this last lockdown I was very interested to learn about this.
I listen intermittently to a lot of others, particularly from the BBC History magazine, which has podcasts on virtually every historical topic you can imagine, and BBC podcasts via the BBC Sounds app.
3. Favorite fast food chain?
Does Pizza Express count or is this where I confess I don't mind a Big Mac every now and again.
4. What are your goals for the next year?
To stay alive and manage to travel more than 5 miles from my house! I'm not aiming much higher than that after the past year but I would really like it if our garden revamp could go ahead. It involves a new back fence, a new greenhouse, a new shed, a new patio and possibly the removal of a tree, so will be a lot of work.
The rest of the April questions are behind the cut.
5. What was your first pet?
6. Have you ever been lost in your own neighborhood?
7. Do you like any board games or card games?
8. What is the last thing you watched on TV?
9. How often do you get hiccups?
10. What’s the most beautiful place you’ve ever seen?
11. Are you more sensitive to heat or the cold?
12. What’s the most historic thing that has happened in your lifetime?
13. What brand are you most loyal to?
14. What’s the most awkward thing that happens to you on a regular basis?
15. What do you think could be done to improve the media?
16. What kind of traveling do you not enjoy as much?
17. What’s a common experience for many people that you’ve never experienced?
18. What did you Google last?
19. What’s the dumbest thing someone has argued with you about?
20. What’s the most frustrating product you own?
21. What's the best concert you've ever been to?
22. Do you need money to be happy?
23. What is something you do well?
24. How do you find new music?
25. What physical traits have you inherited from your father?
26. What physical traits have you inherited from your mother?
27. Where were you raised for most of your life?
28. Would you consider yourself to be in shape?
29. Have you ever been in a car accident?
30. Have you ever been on an island?
It would have been my dad's 95th birthday today. He was not over keen on birthdays but today would have been a special one as he was born on Easter Sunday and one of his uncle's worked out that his birthday wouldn't fall on Easter Sunday again until he was in his 70s. He was quite right as Dad's next Easter birthday was when he was 73. We all trooped off to the town where Dad grew up and had a lovely meal in a pub there, which seemed quite appropriate. We had a special meal when his birthday fell on Easter Sunday again when he was 84 and tonight I shall have a glass of wine (or possibly two) in his honour. Happy Birthday, Dad!
It is an absolutely beautiful day here today. It wasn't particularly warm this morning but the sky is absolutely cloudless and the sunshine is very bright. We went for a walk in the quiet roads near us with the beautiful magnolia trees, which were in full bloom, and came across a small (and completely legal) little gathering in the sunshine with some elderly ladies and gents with Easter bonnets (the ladies) and glasses of fizz (both). It was a very cheering sight.
Back to the meme.
1. Do you have any channels you regularly watch on YouTube?
No. I have a number of things I want to watch but I never seem to get round to them.
2. Do you listen to any podcasts?
Yes! I have a long list of podcasts I can't keep up with.
Backlisted "the podcast that gives new life to old books" is an old favourite. Hosts John Mitchison and Andy Miller talks to guests about books as diverse as Miss Pym Disposes by Josephine Tey to The Journal of the Plague Year by Daniel Defoe. It's always interesting whether I've read the book or not.
The Rest is History with historians Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook. Tom Holland (not Spiderman to the great confusion of many people on Twitter) is an ancient and early modern historian and Dominic Sandbrook writes books on much more modern history so they come with different areas of knowledge which makes for an interesting mix. I am way behind with this one but I have just listened to a fascinating episode on Spies featuring an interview with Ben MacIntyre.
Waldy and Bendy's Adventures in Art in which art historian Waldemar Januszczak and Bendor Grosvenor bicker amicably about art. Again they have different areas of interest and don't always agree with each others taste which makes for entertaining listening.
Shedunnit. A very enjoyable podcast presented by Caroline Crampton looking at Golden Age detective fiction. I actually manage to keep up with this one as it is nice and short and always leaves me wanting more. The most recent episode is about the connections between Golden Age fiction and cryptic crosswords and as we've been attempting to do some cryptic crosswords during this last lockdown I was very interested to learn about this.
I listen intermittently to a lot of others, particularly from the BBC History magazine, which has podcasts on virtually every historical topic you can imagine, and BBC podcasts via the BBC Sounds app.
3. Favorite fast food chain?
Does Pizza Express count or is this where I confess I don't mind a Big Mac every now and again.
4. What are your goals for the next year?
To stay alive and manage to travel more than 5 miles from my house! I'm not aiming much higher than that after the past year but I would really like it if our garden revamp could go ahead. It involves a new back fence, a new greenhouse, a new shed, a new patio and possibly the removal of a tree, so will be a lot of work.
The rest of the April questions are behind the cut.
5. What was your first pet?
6. Have you ever been lost in your own neighborhood?
7. Do you like any board games or card games?
8. What is the last thing you watched on TV?
9. How often do you get hiccups?
10. What’s the most beautiful place you’ve ever seen?
11. Are you more sensitive to heat or the cold?
12. What’s the most historic thing that has happened in your lifetime?
13. What brand are you most loyal to?
14. What’s the most awkward thing that happens to you on a regular basis?
15. What do you think could be done to improve the media?
16. What kind of traveling do you not enjoy as much?
17. What’s a common experience for many people that you’ve never experienced?
18. What did you Google last?
19. What’s the dumbest thing someone has argued with you about?
20. What’s the most frustrating product you own?
21. What's the best concert you've ever been to?
22. Do you need money to be happy?
23. What is something you do well?
24. How do you find new music?
25. What physical traits have you inherited from your father?
26. What physical traits have you inherited from your mother?
27. Where were you raised for most of your life?
28. Would you consider yourself to be in shape?
29. Have you ever been in a car accident?
30. Have you ever been on an island?