R's rue

  "White Teeth" by Zadie Smith was not at all what I expected. It was published in 2000 to much acclaim and soon scored a handful of book awards - including The Whitbread Prize. The author grew up in a multi-racial corner of London and though she was not born with a silver spoon in her mouth, she made it to Cambridge University to study English Literature. She wrote "White Teeth" before she was twenty five years old. I expected the book to be quite preachy and somewhat resentful of the white host community that people of colour had to get along with when they arrived in England and began to carve niches for themselves in our green and pleasant land. However, it was not like that. It was essentially a funtime novel - filled with humour and warmth about the very business of living. Though white characters are often caricatures, Zadie Smith is just as likely to poke fun at Jamaicans or Bangladeshi characters. There is a lot of mockery and silliness within the 540 ...

 Back in the 1980s my mother, thinking she was kind, bought me a copy of Delia Smith’s One is Fun cookbook. I was mortified . She might as well have accused me of being the last spinster in the parish  How sad I felt. Tonight I decided to support the village pub with their takeaway initiative and ordered myself a minted lamb burger with a side of macaroni cheese.  “ Is that the order in full?” I was asked professionally  “ Yes it’s just me “ I replied suddenly feeling like a right sad sack  A singleton of the parish. Do you remember that episode of Sex And The City when single  Miranda felt judged by the Chinese takeaway lady?  I was reminded of that today The meal was expensive for a treat for one, but it was a treat and I’ve got enough macaroni for supper tomorrow . The food was bloody delicious  But I did feel a bit like a sad sack  from Going Gently https://ift.tt/2Mwt6t3

 Having trouble  With control I want it So bad And can’t have It at all from R's rue https://ift.tt/3oIzieu

Looking west from Stanage Edge to Lose Hill and Win Hill - near High Neb Yesterday I promised myself a walk and that is what happened. My trusty South Korean steed - Sir Clint - carried me out of the city to Redmires Reservoirs . Long term readers of this humble blog will have been there with me before. It's only three miles west of our house. Stanage Pole With boots and fingerless gloves on I schlepped* up to Stanage Pole - a lonesome landmark on the moors. Then along an ancient track to Stanage Edge itself. There I turned north because I was heading for the triangulation pillar on High Neb. I could see it white and tiny on the horizon over a mile away.  But there was something else before it  in the moorland vegetation - another flash of whiteness. What could it be? I have been up there many times before and I did not recall another white feature. Whatever it was I resolved to take a picture of it. However, as I drew closer I realised it was a human being. A black ...