Berries

October in the countryside and there be berries abounden.

Blackberry and Elder are what I came across today.

DW

Delayed Cramp

When I go on a long flight it is not unusual for me to suffer cramp within 24 hours of such a trip.

This time the cramp stalked me but delayed its attack a further 24 hours. I just flicked my quilt with my left leg to go and get my morning coffee when SQUEEEEEZZZZZEE.

It hurt!

DW

Gangnam Style

Just to let you know that I am well down with the kids.

Before I went away last week, I heard gangnam style being played on BBC Radio 4 of all radio stations and they said it was taking the UK by storm. I saw the video on the telly a couple of nights ago and I think's it's well sick.

DW

Rubik's Cube: the power

First of all, I have never solved the Rubik's Cube but this morning I came across a young lad solving a 5 x 5 x 5 Rubik's Cube and wondered what the results look like for a 3 x 3 x 3, 4 x 4 x 4 etc cube. This is what I have found:

By size, I mean 2 represents a 2 x 2 x 2 cube, 3 represents a 3 x 3 x 3 cube and so on

By seconds I mean the fastest actual time I can find recorded for anyone having solved that size of cube

By SecPred I mean the predictions made by using the Power Function y = 0.0327x4.6187 determined from the trendline on the following chart:

Without having done any extensive checking, the actual data, albeit very limited, seem to follow a power function, rather like a learning curve; and the question is, can we use the actual data as the basis for predicting potential record solving speeds for existing and larger Rubik's Cubes? I created the following table, which is an extension to the table above:

Interesting ... for me anyway!

DW

From the Moon to the Sun

I was pleased with this one ... the setting sun, complete with sun spots. I cropped this photo so some resolution has been sacrificed, of course.

DW

Disgraceful!

I needn't share this but I made myself ashamed of my own housekeeping over the last couple if weeks. I kept telling myself I would clean my cooker ... I'm doing it, I would say. I didn't.

This evening I got a grip of myself and made the following transformation in less than 10 minutes.

Clot!

DW

Barcelona was Bouncing!

My trip to Barcelona this weekend was excellent and I have uploaded a few photos for you to see. Just look at how many people there are in the streets and squares ... even Catalunyan dancing going on!

As usual, I am using Windows/Microsoft and it has decided to rotate some of the photos ... random and as and when it wants.

DW

Microsoft Madness

I just wanted to search my system for a file and then open it in PowerPoint.

40 minutes ago I joked to myself that I should be ready for this to take an hour.

At the moment MS Office is "repairing" itself after failing to open a file, including having failed to open it in "safe" mode.

Should this process beggar up my system then tomorrow I will have a major job to do to explain to my clients that I cannot do what they are paying me to do.

Like many people, I am sick and tired of all of the time I waste while waiting for MS products to fail to do what they are supposed to do.

Rant over.

DW

Should I get in this lift?

What do you think?

DW

Hard Rock Cafe Barcelona

HRC Barcelona is next door but one to my hotel and since it is the restaurant of all restaurants that I visit wherever I can, I went there for dinner this evening.

Here are just four snaps ... for some reason they have flipped them here. I had previously unflipped them but Gates knows best!

DW

Moving Again!

Montserrat Caballe and Freddie Mercury waxed lyrical over my destination.

Forgive any bad spellings!

DW

Well, Well, Well!

I have reported at various times on the HP Tablet I bought a few years ago and how it was a disaster: five burned out motherboards in a year as well as three or four Bluetooth units having gone kaput ... they replaced it and I am still using that replacement.

The replacement HP is not that good in that I never feel confident enough to use the tablet features that I bought it for. Moreover, the fan whines and whines almost the whole time the computer is switched on. Well, that was until today.

This morning there was yet another power cut here: annoying and frustrating at the same time. Then I noticed after a while that as the HP was running on battery, I couldn't hear the fan whining and whirring away. Zounds! I have been party to all sorts of discussions with all sorts of people all over the web on how to stop the fan making such a racket. I don't think anyone has suggested unplugging the power cord to stop the whining before.

Once the power came back, I recharged the battery and then when the fan started whining again, I pulled out the power cord and, proof of concept, the fan stopped whining.

The thing now is to find out what it is about the power connection that makes the fan a bit shirty!

DW

Plug it in: another top tip!

Before you start ranting and raving at an external hard drive that neither appears in Windows Explorer nor allows you to browse any files in it, do make sure it's been plugged in!

DW

Positive Steps

As I was waiting in the chemist the other day I saw a leaflet entitled Positive Steps for you mental health. I took a copy of it and here are the pain points of their message ... worth working at:

1. be kind to yourself
2. prioritise
3. if possible, look on the bright side
4. maintain a healthy, balanced diet
5. enjoy some physical activity
6. learn a new skill or try a creative hobby
7. set realistic goals
8. try to see the funny side where possible
9. keep your mind busy
10. make a little time for yourself each day
11. learn to relax
12. take one day at a time
13. take time to reflect
14. keep in touch with friends and family
15. talk about things
16. don't be afraid to ask for help
17. remember you are not the only one

I thought that was a good list and worth applying and sticking to.

DW

Taxi Date and Time: top tip

My first top tip for a while.

When ordering a taxi by sms or email, don't forget to tell the taxi driver the date and time you'd like him to come and collect you.

DW

It Pays to Graduate

I will never agree with the British Government's decision to make tertiary education students pay for their degrees and diplomas but it is worth considering the chart in the Daily Chart series in the Economist that shows the effect of potential benefits of graduating at primary, secondary and tertiary levels of education in various OECD countries.

Take a look here:

Many of the comments following the article are also worth a read.

DW

Microsoft Innovations Know no Bounds

You might have seen the new hotmail interface on the web, Outlook. It looks modern and like many innovations, it takes time to appreciate all of its improvements.

I wonder how shrewd this innovation will turn out to be, however? Using Outlook and an iPad, I clicked on New Message and entered a subject and my message. Then I clicked on To: to tell Outlook where I wanted my message to go. I clicked again. And again. In what must be some kind of revolutionary anti spamming invention, no messages can be sent because no address can be entered.

I thought I'd cracked the system by clicking Add CC and BCC ... WRONG! That didn't work either.

Gatesed again!

DW

The Thick of it ... Utter Tripe!

For the first time the other night, I watched an episode of The Thick of it! I had heard that it was brilliant and true to life ... I found it utter tripe.

Then I heard the author, Dr Ianucci (sp?), say on the radio that he believes the programme is very true to life. I don't think so.

Yes, there are smarmy politicians. Yes, there are smart Alek politicians and civil servants. Yes, yes, yes; but these people were beyond caricatures in my opinion.

Lots of F word swearing too: not unrealistic but not needed.

I will not be watching this tripe again.

DW

Last Night of the Proms

It's on now ... they just sang You'll Never Walk Alone and that was great!

Land of Hope and Glory

Rule Britannia

Jerusalem

Back to normal this year. I don't think anywhere else on earth does such a thing do they?

DW

Golden Hannah's Tribute

Here's the gold post box outside Halifax Town Hall in honour of Hannah Cockroft's gold medal at the Paralympics. Look at the arty composition too!!

DW

A DIFFERENT BlackBerry!

Here is my new blackberry time!

DW

Perfect Home Made Bread

By accident I found a bread making tip that made me happy.

Using the same recipe as before and the same ingredients, I added SLIGHTLY too much water to my last batch of bread. I then added a LITTLE bit if extra flour to take the stickiness away. I ended up with the most fantastic dough and the resulting loaf and buns were the best bread I have ever made.

Can I replicate that?

DW

Gibb Lane is TOUGH

As part of my keep fit for life campaign I walk up Gibb Lane for lung busting exercise and it's tough going.

Up until yesterday I used to zig zag my way up it but yesterday I wanted to go straight at it and did it.

I felt happy to have done it. When I finished my walk and hit back home though, my legs were a but jelly like!

Keeping fit is a full time job and although this is my fourth good outing in six days, we have to keep on top of our fitness as we get older.

Young people can slouch around and then go and do something ... not the more mature types!

Take a look at an Ordnance Survey map to see why I think Gibb Lane is so tough!

DW

Another Moon Cake

Here's moon cake two from Malaysia: green tea with kidney bean and green bean paste. It's really good.

DW

Moon Cakes

My good friend in Malaysia sent me two Moon Cakes and I have opened and started eating one of them. It is excellent. Truly excellent.

This is why moon cakes exist: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mooncake

This is a Lotus Paste cake and this is what it looks like:

DW

Livestock ... Dead!

My hallways seems to be a passage way, or is it rite of passage, for certain livestock.

Flies and spiders are always with us and there are a few spiders in residence in my hall.

Two weeks ago I found a dead common black beetle followed a day later by a live one: I guessed they had had a fight as the dead one did seem to be a little bit injured. Little bit for me, massive for it!

Every now and again some worms appear ... and all they do there is die. There are two there at the moment ... see one of them below.

Most surprising of all, however, is the other creature that seems to have died, stuck half way up the wall. It appeared over night. I would have noticed it before. Take a look at it, below, too. Notice the things that are stuck to it! Has it choked to death on the feathers or something? I think, though, that the feathers are stuck to its rear end!

DW

Just Love Home Made Bread

These are BIG but they are fresh and smell delicious! Made by yours truly!

DW

Another Power Cut

Since the power cut on Thursday I received two text messages and a phone call from the power grid company. Reassurances ... we are very sorry ... don't hesitate to let us know if this happens again ...

About an hour after the phone call, on Saturday, we had another cut: 90 minutes this time. When it came back this time, it was on, off, on off on off, then on. It's as if they are trying to blow our fuses!

I wonder if these people would pay if they fried any of my things.

DW

Here Kitty, Kitty!

The big story in Essex yesterday was that there was a Lion roaming the streets. Police caution, animal experts involved ... all due precautions in place. Better to be safe than sorry.

This morning I saw the photo that was at the heart of the search and my only and immediate reaction was, here kitty, kitty! I don't have a link to the photo but if you see it you might be struck by the position and shape of the ears. Ears almost on the top of the head and very pointed.

I took a look at a wide range of photos of Lions: male, female and cubs; and not a pointy ear among them.

One if those interviewed over this story also said they heard a big roar ... more likely to be an ear wax problem, I think!

Meow!

DW

Third World Rides Again

Less than two weeks ago I reported that I had had a power cut. Since I haven't spent more than three weeks at any one time in this house before, it's revealing to see how inferior the services are in some parts of this country.

The power has gone again.

My broadband service is among the worst in the UK. I know that almost every time I return from a trip away there has been a power cut of some duration. Now I am getting to experience them.

The big problem with power cuts is that they just happen. When the power goes, who can predict what might be broken by any on/off surge?

I have recently installed an NAS server drive and of course, when the power goes, that and the router it is connected to goes.

This morning I was in the middle of a Mac Time Machine back up that has now been ruined and no doubt will have to be started again. That back up takes around 24 hours to complete.

Rubbish services.

DW

Death by Fat

I have been sceptical of Heston Blumenthal ever since I heard about his wacky snot porridge and things. Yes, he has won three Michelin stars but testicle pie does not do anything for me.

Then again, I have never seen him cooking before ... until today. I have to say I was right about him.

He was demonstrating roasting chicken and potatoes in the programme I watched. The admirable thing about him is that he is very methodical and at worst pseudo scientific. He tested six chickens to find the best. He tested five varieties to find the best. He cooked the potatoes in salted water and another lot in unsalted water ... we could see the results.

What marks this man out as very dangerous is that he uses and abuses a LOT of oil, butter and other fats. He uses alarming amounts of salt.

I should also say, I can cook a chicken that has the meat very moist and the skin brown and crispy and it doesn't take five hours to cook, or anything like it either.

He cooked carrots and broccoli in this programme: carrots fried in butter. Broccoli blanched for a minute and then cooked in butter.

He finishes the chicken off by injecting butter under the skin of his roasted chicken.

I don't rate this way of cooking and even though his Fat Duck restaurant loses money, he clearly makes a lot of money from his wacky image and pseudo scientific tomfoolery.

DW

Cultural Day

I came across a performance of The Gondoliers on the telly this afternoon and was able to watch the first act of that: very enjoyable too.

At the moment I am watching Dvorak's New World symphony being performed at the Proms in the Royal Albert Hall. Very nice to see and hear.

DW

It Arrived: my Excel Book

Here is the proof copy of my Excel book. 585 pages :)

I will post the link to the eshop within a couple of days.

Duncan Williamson

Welcome Back Bulghur Wheat

For some reason I have spent the last two or three years avoiding Bulghur wheat. No idea why but I have.

Anyway, I gave started buying and preparing it again and will just say how fantastic it is.

I am using basic and coarse types: both tasty and just as easy to prepare as each other.

Well done!

DW

SlugAlong

I put bread out in the garden for the birds. What I got was a few gastropods ... watch out for the pneumostome on two of the slugs ... their breathing holes.

So far I have seen no birds at the bread table!

DW

Very Third World

There I was, working away, listening to the radio and minding my own business and then ffffpp! Power cut off.

I went to my fuse box to see what had blown and found that nothing had blown.

This is a genuine Britain of the 1950s and 1960s power cut.

30 minutes and still off!

After two hours it came back on!


DW

Do you Need to Knead?

If you watch any cookery programmes in which they demonstrate the making of bread, the trend over the last few years has been to find more and more extreme ways of kneading to stretch the gluten in the flour. It's almost got to the stage of showing bakers stretching a kilogramme or more of dough so much that it covers an entire table or bench. You MUST do that to allow the gluten to stretch and to create the perfect crumb they say.

Normally, I comply with the above but yesterday I was in a bit of a hurry to make some bread buns so I put all of the ingredients in the bowl but simply mixed it, thoroughly I have to say, with a knife: slice and fold, slice and fold. It did NOT look like my normal silky smooth dough but I put cling film over the bowl and left it to prove. Then I knocked it down and shaped it into buns and left it to prove again.

Cut to the chase: I was delighted by the result: the buns look rustic AND the crumb is delightful. Really, it's more open and the buns are a little bit crumbly. I will try a loaf using this method next time and see how that copes.

DW

I wish I'd Taken this

I stumbled across this photo on Wikipedia this morning and wish I'd taken it.

It comes from this page.

DW

Today's Challenge

I made a big mistake last week and washed one set of my yellow towels with some blue towels.

I am very proud of my towels so I need to get the off yellow towels back to normal.

Can you see the difference, below?

DW

Fantastic Mo Farah

I just watched another fabulous race at the Olympics. Mo Farah won the 5,000 metres for Team GB in terrific style. Watch it if you can!

DW

Excel Book Submitted

I have finished my Excel book now and I have uploaded it to Kindle.

It is being reviewed now so I will have to wait to post full details here.

Within spitting distance of 600 pages.

DW

No Fans Nearby ... phew!

This photo speaks for itself :=)

DW

Excel Book: final hurdle

585 pages and 136,291 words as at bed time last night.

I should finish the Excel Book today. Then it's introductions, summaries, bits of formatting and it's done.

Ta daa!

DW

Ching and Ken Hom

I stumbled across a cookery programme last might: Ching He and Ken Hom, travelling across China in a culinary quest.

Yes, we have seen celeb chefs going abroad but this was exciting!

Both chefs are Chinese, both speak the language and both know how to cook: they have a fundamental understanding of their ingredients and techniques.

Ken Hom seems to be shy and modest. Ching seems to be more outgoing and more willing to use her language skills.

One of the highlights of the programme was when Ching went to a B&B outside Beijing and shared a kitchen with a fantastic 57 year old local woman. The brought out Ching's personality really well.

They also went to cookery classes: not the sickly, Oh! Wow! That's amazing of a Gary Rhodes either.

Can't wait for episode two!

DE

Is the Cloud a Good Idea?

The Internet cloud is a great idea isn't it?

Software online, storage online, technical staff online. Software updated without the need to know it or even do anything about it.

Shangri La solution isn't it!

Well, everything has an Achilles heel doesn't it? Yes, is the answer. In my case the Achilles heel is my BT broadband connection. It is very slow and it is unstable. I have been complaining and have met engineers, had long conversations on the phone ...

Last week, the latest engineer of engineers left me a brand new router/hub. This evening my connection dropped completely and the techie on the phone said it is probably because the hub is broken.

Smart solution to leave me with a broken hub.

Why mention this, though? My book is almost complete: 570 pages written and just the index to complete. Hear this: I decided to keep it in the cloud using Dropbox so that I could easily access it from anywhere ... crap idea!

Fortunately, I also save backups locally and have TWO up to date copies on my system.

I am not impressed.

DW

Words of the London Olympics

Words of the London Olympics

amazing
unbelievable
phenomenal
right now
marvellous, marvellous
hopefully
stand out
yes, no
a piece of running, a piece of history
big ask, tough ask
goosebumps
sideburns

Is ... ... ... ... the greatest British Olympian ever?

Pronunciation matters:

HeptAthlon has become HeptathLON
TriAthlon has become TriathLON

There's probably more that I should write, I'll add them later.

DW

Fantastic Chris Hoy

I've just watched Sir Chris Hoy winning another gold medal with a fantastic effort in the velodrome. Really fantastic.

DW

Champion Pasty

I was inspired to make a Cornish Pasty. I made rough puff pastry and realised, after about 45 years (quick, ef?!), that this is the pastry my mother used to make and that was so good. I used the lard that I had left over from last Xmas too.

Well, here are some photos! Instead of meat I used veggie sausage mix and that worked well.

Recommended: the one I ate, with mushy peas, was really good :)

DW

Team GB Footballers out!

Sorry to say but it was the penalties wot done it!

Again!!

South Korea have gone through to the semi finals and good luck to them now!

Having seen those two games at Old Trafford I know how much everyone enjoyed the Olympic football so it's a pity we won't be involved any more.

DW

Mo Farah did it too

Well done Mr Farah! He won gold with a fantastic performance: the first 10,000 metres Gold for team GB ever!

Brilliant night for team GB

Oh! Team GB drew 1:1 with S Korea ... Every silver lining has a cloud as they play extra time and maybe a penalty shoot out! Crikey!

DW

A Raft of Medals for the Rowers!

It's been a very good day at the Olympics today. Rowers won, Cyclists won, Jessica Ennis won, the Long Jumper won and Mo Farah is running as I type ... 3,000 metres to go.

Brendan Foster is commentating on Farah's 10,000 race and it's fair to say he's lost none of his talent. On a score of 1 to 10, Foster's talent has always been firmly lodged at 2.

Will report on Farah in a minute or two.


DW