Tuesday 6 April 2010

Flown with indolence and wine

Obviously time I read Paradise Lost again.  Milton taught me more about English than anyone but my Latin teacher.  But I did enjoy the conversation of the fallen angels on the burning lake, especially Belial.  When I do reread it, I will, no doubt, remember why.

I spent most of the day outside, because of the gorgeous weather.  Still breezy, but warmly sunny.  I say outside, but I'm including the greenhouse in that.  I've still got a lot of potting on to do, but I thought I'd let the newly-potted tomatoes have another night in the propagator first and I have run out of room.  I do have another potential propagator, but setting it up just for a couple of weeks would be a nuisance - if there's frost forecast for a few nights I can cope, but another prolonged cold spell will mean some faffing about.  Still, it'll keep me out of the mischief for which I'm normally renowned.

Anyway, as a result of all that sunshine and awfully hard work (all the beds in the veggie garden are now dug [actually, I should admit that I didn't do the actual digging (I'm not allowed to dig yet)]), I'm terribly sleepy now.  I'm being entertained by a programme about Louis Armstrong on BBC4, which includes Hoagy Carmichael, Billie Holiday, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald and various other delights, and not planning to do much else this evening.

Tomorrow, I'm looking after Squiffany and Pugsley for the day, so that should be fun.  The playground if it's fine, cooking and/or painting if not.  Dave says it's going to rain, and he's so rarely wrong that I disregard the possibility.

13 comments:

DILLIGAF said...

An evening in the company of Ella, Billie and Hoagy....oh go on then...Bing's ok...is not to be sniffed at! Enjoy!

er...keep it quiet...punk...street cred....

Actually, I completely deny watching the dvd of Robbie Williams at the Albert the other night singing Sinatra and Martin. I wouldn't watch such a thing!

He got slagged actually, and quite wrongly. He wasn't trying to 'be them' he was genuinely trying to pay tribute - and he did a damn good job too!!!

...not that I'd know of course...not having watched it...

Z said...

The amusing thing was the tale of Bing and Satchmo smoking pot together - not the impression he gave in his later years!

A broad and open mind is to be applauded in music, as so many things, darling.

Christopher said...

Milton? We'll meet at l'Allegro.

Anonymous said...

Lovely new photo, Z!

Anonymous said...

Likewise, my latin teacher taught me virtually all I know about english grammar. I must read Paradise Lost sometime; I shall add it to my Amazon wishlist.

My seeds are doing beautifully and I have done lots of potting up in the last few days; I have plenty of room in my shed for the pots, but need to start hardening some of them up to plant outside - which means I have to dig up a bit more of my lawn to provide the space! Sadly I don't have anyone to do the digging for me though.

Dave said...

Dave was only repeating the BBC local forecast, which now says the rain won't arrive until 1900hrs, whenever that may be.

Z said...

Milton is best savoured slowly and preferably read out loud, which is the reason I've not read him lately.

How is it that the picture of me looking extremely windswept and scruffy is the one everyone likes? Gratified, I shan't try too hard in future.

Plants grow quickly in dull weather - or seedlings do, anyway. I think a lot of sunshine inhibits them. Unlike the rest of us, but then most of us have finished growing.

Hedging your bets, Dave? It seems the rain is coming over from the west, so it wouldn't be surprising if it peters out by the time it gets here.

Pat said...

Who's that pretty young girl on the side bar? Your daughter?

Dave said...

It's raining here.

Z said...

Oh, Pat, you schmoozer you!

Um, actually it's Milton, Badge. When night darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons Of Belial, flown with insolence and wine. I'm sure he'd be flattered to be compared with the divine Cliff though.

Actually, you're probably teasing me.

The LS microclimate that gave you icicles yesterday has struck again. No rain yet here, Dave.

Dave said...

Really? It's been pouring down continuously for the last 2 hours. Still, it's watered-in the plants I moved this morning, and has nicely washed away the remains of this morning's bonfire.

badgerdaddy said...

I thought it might be from his Christmas favourite, Indolence and Wine... "Christmas time, indolence and wine, children singing Christian rhyme..."

But if you don't know Cliff's back catalogue, I'll be on my way... *sigh*

Z said...

Just started a light drizzle 5 minutes ago. Still, this is always one of the drier villages in Norfolk.

I'm impressed that you know so much about Cliff, Badge. I'm even more impressed that you admit to it.

I'd rather thought it was "cannabis and wine", but I evidently just have that sort of mind.