Friday, April 17, 2009
In mourning
On Wednesday to Crewkerne to see if the Johnson's dictionary had moved in six months. It hadn't - and at £150 for four volumes it was still too steep for me, although it would have been a nice thing to have. Or I could have had a rather smaller two volume one for £200. They also had Holman Hunt's book on the Pre-Rafphaelites, the first time I have come across such a thing. Also too steep for me. I will keep an eye on the place to see if the price moves down.
Then nearly to West Sedge Moor. The area nearby reminded me more than I remembered of the fens north of Cambridge, with an important differance being the large number of rather small and scruffy heffalump nests in apple trees (see Hampton Court postings), something I had not seen before. Then on to Kingsbury Episcopi and Hugh Episcopi to see a couple of Somerset Towers. Both rather splendid affairs with large louvre windows to the bell chamber. Not convinced that louvre window is quite the right word for such a window but that is the best that Mr G. can do with my Bannister Fletcher in hiding. I also sticks in my mind that as well as keeping the weather out while also letting the sound out, that these windows were necessary to stop the building vibrating to peices, but Mr G. silent on that point. Kinsbury impressive but not very holy to my mind. The place seemed rather dead. Hugh rather better; maybe the windows by Burne Jones made all the differance, but I think the slightly smaller interior was more to the point. Didn't feel so cold and empty. Kingsbury also boasts a nifty village lockup and Hugh a rather odd war memorial.
Then to Axminster for restauration, after which I discovered that I had lost my Filofax at some point during the day. Very bad news, this being the seventh filofax I have had (staring at the age of 11 or so), and this one having lasted for more than 15 years, although it was getting a bit knackered. Full of all kinds of ancient history. Bios passwords to PCs long gone to the great skip in the sky. BH had drawn my attention some years ago to the fact that this particular model (made in Portugal) was being taken out of production, but I failed to stock up while I could, so will now have to move onto some inferior contemporary version.
Yesterday to Tavistock for another visit to the church of St E************s. Rather more impressed this time than I was last time (October 14 2008). Continued to be amused by the recumbent fat gent. in chapel to the right of the altar, looking very pleased with himself, and with his wife, very properly, kneeling on the floor by his side. BH discovered that a number of the bosses (including some of those which have not been tricked out in coloured paint) were decorated with a three hare motif, something which it seems had travelled across Europe from Persia to wind up in the further reaches of England. I think it said that they do them in China too.
Then onto the Oxfam shop with lots of vinyl (the best collection I know) where I learn that a music buff in the area had given them his entire collection of vinyl, thousands of records, which they were slowly working through. So they should be good for a few years yet. For about £1 a disc got another copy of the Art of Fugue (this one explaining that the only way to do it was on a harpsicord. It also seemed to be in a non-standard order), a Well Tempered Clavier (interpreted by one S. Richter), some Haydn sting quartets (Op. 20) and a complete Beethoven violin sonatas. Not a bad haul at all. One of the sets was notable in that, the music occupying an odd number of sides, the last side had been left blank. Must have been ancient; I am sure a newer recording would have padded the set out with something or other.
Back, via a quick stroll on Dartmoor, to Trago Mills (http://www.trago.co.uk/) to see what they could do about replacing the defunct Filofax. FIL can remember the place from very modest beginnings, many years ago, but now it is rather like the 'Chessington World of Adventure', but with rather more for the grown ups to do. Must provide youth and holiday employment for miles around, welcome change from a diet of hotel work. Very fine quarter size steam engine to go with the large train set in a shed (£1 a pop). Pot bellied pigs. And in the shop proper, we found that they did indeed sell Filofax, but rather like TK Maxx, only sold rather odd lines from the range. The diary bit ran from mid year to mid year and you had to have lots on inserts which I did not use. Decided to reflect, possibly to visit the Filofax Shop itself, somewhere in London.
And so back to the remains of the turkey stew, served with the local spring cabbage sourced from Tavistock. Tasted very differant to the Portuguese stuff we had been eating from Cheam. Early to bed, and woke up to discover the lost Filofax in a secret pocket of the shiny new vehicle. So small and secret that I had forgotten it was there. All's well that ends well, although BH not impressed with the large amount of nugatory flap and bother.
Then nearly to West Sedge Moor. The area nearby reminded me more than I remembered of the fens north of Cambridge, with an important differance being the large number of rather small and scruffy heffalump nests in apple trees (see Hampton Court postings), something I had not seen before. Then on to Kingsbury Episcopi and Hugh Episcopi to see a couple of Somerset Towers. Both rather splendid affairs with large louvre windows to the bell chamber. Not convinced that louvre window is quite the right word for such a window but that is the best that Mr G. can do with my Bannister Fletcher in hiding. I also sticks in my mind that as well as keeping the weather out while also letting the sound out, that these windows were necessary to stop the building vibrating to peices, but Mr G. silent on that point. Kinsbury impressive but not very holy to my mind. The place seemed rather dead. Hugh rather better; maybe the windows by Burne Jones made all the differance, but I think the slightly smaller interior was more to the point. Didn't feel so cold and empty. Kingsbury also boasts a nifty village lockup and Hugh a rather odd war memorial.
Then to Axminster for restauration, after which I discovered that I had lost my Filofax at some point during the day. Very bad news, this being the seventh filofax I have had (staring at the age of 11 or so), and this one having lasted for more than 15 years, although it was getting a bit knackered. Full of all kinds of ancient history. Bios passwords to PCs long gone to the great skip in the sky. BH had drawn my attention some years ago to the fact that this particular model (made in Portugal) was being taken out of production, but I failed to stock up while I could, so will now have to move onto some inferior contemporary version.
Yesterday to Tavistock for another visit to the church of St E************s. Rather more impressed this time than I was last time (October 14 2008). Continued to be amused by the recumbent fat gent. in chapel to the right of the altar, looking very pleased with himself, and with his wife, very properly, kneeling on the floor by his side. BH discovered that a number of the bosses (including some of those which have not been tricked out in coloured paint) were decorated with a three hare motif, something which it seems had travelled across Europe from Persia to wind up in the further reaches of England. I think it said that they do them in China too.
Then onto the Oxfam shop with lots of vinyl (the best collection I know) where I learn that a music buff in the area had given them his entire collection of vinyl, thousands of records, which they were slowly working through. So they should be good for a few years yet. For about £1 a disc got another copy of the Art of Fugue (this one explaining that the only way to do it was on a harpsicord. It also seemed to be in a non-standard order), a Well Tempered Clavier (interpreted by one S. Richter), some Haydn sting quartets (Op. 20) and a complete Beethoven violin sonatas. Not a bad haul at all. One of the sets was notable in that, the music occupying an odd number of sides, the last side had been left blank. Must have been ancient; I am sure a newer recording would have padded the set out with something or other.
Back, via a quick stroll on Dartmoor, to Trago Mills (http://www.trago.co.uk/) to see what they could do about replacing the defunct Filofax. FIL can remember the place from very modest beginnings, many years ago, but now it is rather like the 'Chessington World of Adventure', but with rather more for the grown ups to do. Must provide youth and holiday employment for miles around, welcome change from a diet of hotel work. Very fine quarter size steam engine to go with the large train set in a shed (£1 a pop). Pot bellied pigs. And in the shop proper, we found that they did indeed sell Filofax, but rather like TK Maxx, only sold rather odd lines from the range. The diary bit ran from mid year to mid year and you had to have lots on inserts which I did not use. Decided to reflect, possibly to visit the Filofax Shop itself, somewhere in London.
And so back to the remains of the turkey stew, served with the local spring cabbage sourced from Tavistock. Tasted very differant to the Portuguese stuff we had been eating from Cheam. Early to bed, and woke up to discover the lost Filofax in a secret pocket of the shiny new vehicle. So small and secret that I had forgotten it was there. All's well that ends well, although BH not impressed with the large amount of nugatory flap and bother.
# posted by Jim @ 8:15 AM 
