The Philharmonie de Paris
I read about the Philharmonie de Paris in The Times this morning, where they say that Parisians are snubbing the new grand concert hall, as it is on the wrong side of town. But according to this article from the Guardian in 2012, it looks like it’s been in trouble for some time. The Guardian describes it as a grand design that’s turned into a £300million bottomless pit.
It certainly looks to be something that I’ll visit next time I pass through Paris.
Are The Reds Fighting Back?
I’ve never seen a red squirrel in the wild and it has looked for some time, that they will disappear from the mainland in England.
However, the BBC is reporting that some red squirrels on Merseyside, may have developed an immunity to the squirrelpox carried by the dreaded grey squirrels.
I have found a link here to the research on this at Liverpool University.
Let’s hope that the immunity spreads to red squirrels elsewhere in the UK.
Stopping Suicides On The Railway
Some months ago, I posted about how the rail industry and The Samaritans were getting together to cut suicides.
Today, there is a good article about the results of that initiative, on the BBC’s web site.
The training would appear to be working.
So perhaps we ought to look at other suicide points like bridges and car parks and create some appropriate initiatives, drawing on the railway’s experience.
My New Boiler And Control System
For the first time since I’ve lived in this house, the central heating system is properly under control.
Even if it isn’t quite finished yet. But at least the temperature seems to stay at a pleasant enough 21°C.
I’m certainly feeling better now that its killer instinct has been removed.
I’m also moving the washing machine a more easily accessible position, in the garage.
I’m An Attack Shopper
I don’t mess about shopping and especially where groceries are concerned.
Take this morning, which as I’m going to football at Ipswich this afternoon, was very much a small weekly shop for my staples and supper tonight.
My local Waitrose in Islington opens at 08:00 on a Saturday, with the Sainsburys next door opening an hour early. Because too, of the dreadful news from Australia, I decided to go as early as possible and left my house at 07:40. I didn’t buy much as the picture shows.
The Spoils Of My Attack
I did have to go to both stores, as Waitrose don’t sell my favourite Genius bread.
I don’t know when we started doing our shopping early on a Saturday morning, but this behaviour of a direct and early Saturday morning raid on the shops, was very much part of our married life.
The one difference, is that I use a list and C rarely did.
I tend to behave in the same way with IKEA. I needed some small pieces yesterday, so as I had nothing to do yesterday afternoon, except read the Internet or the Standard, I went to their store in Edmonton, reading the paper on the way.
Some might find this very much obsessive behaviour, but I do like to maximise the use of my time.
On the trip to football today, I’ll be reading the paper again and doing some difficult Sudokus.
My Ideal Kitchen
My current kitchen is not the best! But what do you expect as it was put in, by the idiot called Jerry, who built this house.
These three pictures show the kitchen as it is now.
This is the view looking into the kitchen from the living area.
Looking Into The Kitchen
Note.
1. The central heating box at the right.
2. The black IKEA shelving unit and one of my dining chairs.
3. The silly high shelf across the top, which is really just a convenient place to put things with no home.
This shows the other side of the wall looking out of the kitchen.
Looking Back
Note.
1. The small fridge without a freezer.
2. The general clutter.
This is the other side of the kitchen.
The Other Side
Note.
1. The dishwasher I hardly ever use.
2. The sink with the atrocious taps, that won’t fill a kettle with anything in the sink.
3. The cooker which does all I need. I never use timers or anything complicated like that, as before here, I cooked for nearly forty years on an AGA.
4. The Le Creuset shallow casserole, that I use a lot.
As you can see it’s not good. But the basic layout works for me.
There are other things to bear in mind.
1. It may seem daft, but I rarely use the dish washer, if I’m by myself. I tend to wash up by hand once a day in the morning to get my left hand thoroughly warmed so that I can do my blood test.
2. I am a pretty competent cook, but as I’m a coeliac, the sort of things are cook, tend to be fairly simple. I don’t keep many vegetables outside of the fridge for instance.
3. I do use lots of spices though.
Lots Of Spices
4. As the picture shows, I use a lot of glass jars for pasta, salt etc.
5. I also watch television and cook at the same time.
Watching Television From The Kitchen
5. I don’t have too many gadgets, except for a toaster, a kettle and a small food processor. Looking at this picture, you can see one of the problems with this kitchen. There isn’t enough space.
6. I do like to prepare everything on a big chopping board. My last one had a hole with a stopper, so I could chasse peelings into a bin underneath.
7. I do have lots of little utensils though.
8. I also want a home for my wonderful Sheba cutlery.
A Box Full Of Sheba Cutlery
Note the rare pie slice and teaspoons.
9. Colour is defined by the steel beams that run across the house. The black/brown IKEA colour is virtually right and I do like proper brass fittings.
Just writing all this down has given me a few ideas.
1. I think that the kitchen should be continuous and sort of overflow through the wall into the living room. Perhaps the worktop should be continuous between the two rooms! And at the normal ninety centimetre height.
2. In the living room, there would be a unit under the top. This would store the Sheba cutlery and other tablewear and crockery, a few bottles of wine and beer, perhaps include a wine fridge and of course hide the dreadful utilities cupboard. The unit would also be capable of holding most of the odds and ends that sit on the counter now.
3. Judging by past history, no-one would need to sit at the top, but it would be capable of being used as a serving table at a party.
4. The continuous worktop should give me a lot of space, which patently I lack at the moment.
5. The side facing the living area, would have a fridge and a freezer under the worktop, with some properly fitted out cupboards.
6. The cooker would be in the same place with cupboards, a built in microwave and a proper extractor above.
7. I do have several large casseroles that need homes.
8. On the window side, I want a double sink. I think, I’d probably still have a dishwasher, even if it’s only a half -size one.
2.
Hull Is The New City Of Culture
It has been announced that Hull is going to be the new UK City of Culture.
I’ve only been a couple of times and in everything I’ve read about Hull recently, there is nothing about one thing that impressed me.
And that is the display of Roman mosaic floors in the Museum.
They are in better condition, than most I’ve seen in Europe and North Africa.
My Exhibition List
This is a list of exhibitions, that I might want to go to or I have gone and enjoyed. Most are in London.
British Museum – The Mostyn Tompion Clock – Ends 2nd February 2014
British Museum – Vikings – Ends 22nd June 2014
London Museum – Cheapside Hoard – Ends 27th April 2014
National Maritime Museum – Turner & The Sea – Ends 24th April 2014
PayneShurvill – Circulation – Peter Newman – Ends 18th January 2014
Royal Academy – Australia – Ends 8th December 2013
Royal Academy – Daumier – Ends 26th January 2014
Science Museum – Collider – Ends 6th May 2014
How To Get A Free Plastic Carrier
I know they are still free in most of the UK, but sometimes I get a plastic bag from the supermarket, as they fit my waste bin well.
Today, when I got my copy of The Times, it was raining hard and I asked for a plastic carrier to keep it dry.
A Free Bag To Keep My Paper Dry
It worked well and I was able to get an unsoiled dry paper home.
Politicians Must Choose Their Friends Better
P.J. O’Rourke, who is no lover of politicians, once said.
Anyway, no drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we’re looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn’t test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power.
It is a test that should not just be applied to politicians, but to their friends and donors as well.
Today in the Times we have two stories about people wanting to influence politics.
The first is about the troubles of the Labour Party and their relationship with the Co-operative movement. It contains this classic quote from, a Tory MP; Brooks Newmark.
The toxic element of a great ethical institution like the Co-operative is the way the Labour Party has effectively infiltrated it and infected it because of the benefits they have been receiving from it. The only way the Labour Party could get a loan if it didn’t have the Co-operative Bank is from Wonga.
But then Ed Milliband got his own back on the Tories by complaining about some of their donors. But at least these donors, were using their own money, rather than that of members of the Co-operative movement.
Remember too, that the Liberal Democrats had a dalliance with Michael Brown.
And then there’s the story of Hotchpotch the cat who was left £10,000 by Malcolm Richards who was a large financial supporter of Ukip.
I can smell the fruitcakes.
Perhaps we need say a ten percent tax levied on every political donation. The money could be used for philanthropic purposes, like looking after distressed catfolk.
The Anonymous Widower 