Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 1 October 2023

RUSTY – If we all thought the same, it would be a boring world.

I owe the bulb company an apology, the packet was mixed. Two weeks after the blue and white irises have finished flowering, one lone yellow iris has appeared. I hope next year it synchronizes with the others.

Rusty - Your words about pictures reminded me of an essay I had to write many years ago about some modern religious paintings. Goodness, I struggled! Some of my fellow students could see all sorts of symbolism in what seemed to me to be almost childish squiggles! I just couldn't see it ... but I can often hear symbolism in music. AQ is right - it would be a very boring world if we all saw and heard in the same way! And having to describe what we see or hear in another language ... well, the very thought boggles my mind. Not surprised you were exhausted.

rusty2 said:

I hadn’t heard of that film. Glad you enjoyed it.

Nor had I until I read a review online and saw that it would be in my local cinema imminently.  This month promises to be a good one for films - both The Great Escaper and The Miracle Club are out this month and I want to see them both.  I like seeing films that tell a good story, while Limpy likes action stuff.  Occasionally something will come out that will please us both!

rusty2 said:

I went to French today. I found it very difficult and was mentally exhausted when I got home. It wasn’t so much the French language which was the problem, it was the chosen topic. The lady had sent us all about 12 photos of paintings which we ended up discussing. The trouble is, art is not my “thing” and I wouldn’t have been able to discuss them in English let alone French. They were not to my taste at all. Portraits of Louis 16th and Napoleon which contained (apparently) lots of symbolism. Way over my head!!! Give me the impressionists every time!!! I confessed to the lady I gave a lift home to that they were the sort of paintings I would walk straight past in an art gallery on my way to the impressionists or Constable etc. Am I rather uncouth???????

Oh, dear!  I'll confess that if I'd been there they'd have heard a lot of 'merde' being uttered!  You are not uncouth at all ..... you just have taste.

Hello, I've been rushing about.

Went to nearby town to ask the opticians who sold me my specs to "bend" them a bit as I've pulled them out of shape by yanking them on & off too many times a day. I can't get on with varifocal (double use) lenses so have to remove them to read or eat my dinner! I also went around several shops, and had to queue in each one, plus found no less than three roadworks each way on my journey there & back! Bah!!

AQ - Don't get too excited about the bulbs.  They might exert revenge by not coming out together at all next year.

Rusty - That French sounds difficult alright. Urgh!

OG - The cleaners do sound complicated at present, but good ones are hard to find, so I guess you'll have to hang on and hope they get back to working regularly eventually.  I enjoyed seeing the Strictly programme back and yes, it's better once the poor dancers have left and they get down to a more serious competition. 

Here's EVERYTHING I know about art:
(1) Diego Rivera painted sweeping, powerful murals celebrating workers and the working class.
(2) Frida Kahlo painted bold, fascinating feminist works and was ahead of her time.
(3) Vincent van Gogh had one ear and a tragic life.

That's it for me. I'm sure Rusty's group would have quickly thrown me out. LOL

Well, Diane, you know more than I do about art (although I did know the Van Gogh one!!)

Lindy - shame about the roadworks. You should try going everywhere around town at 20mph which we are doing here in Wales now!  I have to remember to set off earlier when I am going to an appointment. Talking of which, I had my letter with the appointment for my Covid jab this morning. It is on the17th.

After all that mental effort yesterday I decided I needed a nice calm morning so I took myself off to RSPB Burton Mere wetlands. I had a lovely 2 hours. I always feel relaxed there and people are so nice. A couple visiting from Scotland asked me about a rather strange duck which they thought might be a hybrid. I dredged up from seeing it in spring that it was the ruddy shelduck. Talking to locals later it has just reappeared today. I was rewarded with a great sighting of the kingfisher. I am including 2 photos. Just views of the place. In the 2nd the 2 white blobs are cattle egrets and above them in the sky is the Beluga aeroplane having just taken off from Harwarden Airport with wings for the airbus which British Aerospace make there. It was en route for either Bremen in Germany or Toulouse in France where they put the planes together. I didn’t realise it was in the picture until I was showing them to my friend in the assisted living facility when I visited her this afternoon.

You might have to Google Beluga plane to get a better view of it. 

Rusty - I did indeed Google the Beluga plane. From some of the pictures it looks a bit like a cartoon plane with a big smile! Until now the word 'Beluga' meant whale or caviar - now it means something quite different!

Ah. We've seen the pregnant looking plane - they used to fly over often - my OH tells me it was taking parts which had been manufactured in Chester, to build the Airbus planes. edit: Now I've reread your post, I see that's what you've said already! Nice photos. I wish I could see a kingfisher - never seen one.

Diane - My art knowledge is a bit more than yours, but all self taught and gleaned from TV and books. I do know that there is a lot of art which I like, but also a huge amount which I don't like!! It's a personal thing, like preferences in music

Our Youngest, who has been off work with a bad cold told us that the whole family has been very poorly, and when tested, they had covid. Not surprising, and a good job we didn't go to visit them recently. We are now planning to go to Wales soon, instead.