Tweets on 2011-06-14

Jun14

Right. Well. The tent is up. The bed is made. The sun is out.:-) #
Things I have heard whilst sitting in sun drinking tea: horses. Blackbird. Peacock. Wind in trees. Steam whistle. #
I'm at The Garlic Farm (Mersley Lane, Newchurch) [pic]: http://4sq.com/lRZtRt #
Grinding teeth and hoping peacock goes to sleep soon. #
Getting ready for Operation Camp Fry-up. (Ooh! A sausage!) #
I'm at Rosemary Vineyard (Rosemary Lane, Ryde) http://4sq.com/lnz7IS #

Tweets on 2011-06-13

Jun13

Missed the boat (thank goodness they sail every 30 mins) (@ Wightlink Ferry Terminal (Car Ferry)) http://4sq.com/lcXxxa #
Might chicken out of camping tonight as it is hammering down but rest of week forecast ok. #
The boat is underwater. Bloody hell, that was quick. #
UnderWAY, Dammit autocorrect! I am not eyewitnessing the sinking of Isle of Wight ferry "St Helen" #
Is Isle usually visible from Portsmouth? Cos it ain't today. #
Flicking through Wight Life mag. On to do list: garlic farm. Ale of Wight, hoho. And Owl and Monkey sanctuary. Together at last! #
@neilfawcett Hehe 🙂 in reply to neilfawcett #
@dr_nick just drove past it. Lots of cagoules. in reply to dr_nick #
Weather's improving http://flic.kr/p/9SP2rb #
Big waves and no rain. (@ Steamer Inn) [pic]: http://4sq.com/jhPM5U #

Tweets on 2011-06-12

Jun12

@willhowells have you had the one where someone is murdered by being handcuffed to patio furniture and thrown in a pool? in reply to willhowells #
@willhowells saw that one in childhood and had nightmares about it for years! #
@Psythor hell is other people, so IKEA only hell at weekends. Try late one evening in the week. in reply to Psythor #
Who's this guy on #bbcr4 who's just said women don't read crime fiction?! #interrobang #
So much camping stuff *I don't need* <<stern voice to self>> (@ Decathlon) http://4sq.com/ksIL1l #
@Orcs umm… maybe? in reply to Orcs #
@binny_uk @helenduffett how ungallant! in reply to binny_uk #
RT @miketd: People do 'rabbit ear' air quotes. Has anyone started doing 'air hashtags' as they make a point or say a punchline … < #IKR #
RT @ianvisits: Kitten wants breakfast cereal – Really wants it. http://bit.ly/kKZjdv #
@stephentall ginormous gin? in reply to stephentall #
@Orcs you can buy a shit one for under £20 and not have to worry about returning it. http://bit.ly/jLFc6f in reply to Orcs #
David Miliband "waiting for brother to fail" << hasn't that already happened in spades? #
@helenduffett is he still living? in reply to helenduffett #
Looking through my collection for a really hideous birthday card for @helenduffett #
@DavidStockdale uhuh, and what do all the people who aren't awful party hacks think? in reply to DavidStockdale #
The Kindle would be more like the #HHGTTG if a few more guide books were actually available on it 😦 #
Time between opening loft hatch and both cats being up here? Less than two mins! #
@binny_uk they're socks for diabetics in reply to binny_uk #
I pity whoever it is at @HouseofTwitsLib who wades through my fuckton of personal tweets and chooses to highlight the rare political ones. in reply to HouseofTwitsLib #
RT @owenblacker: RT @chicagomedic: It is ill-advised to put the pt on the pulse ox & tell em its gaydar & they're registering 100% gay #
@adamrio not the #hookers in reply to adamrio #
Wow, @Dopplr, that was a fantastically wrong interpretation of my email. Do you not do UK style dates? #
Three people I follow went to IKEA today, in Oop North, London and California. @kayray @psythor @charlottegore #
Dagnabbit Dopplr, I am not going to be on the Isle of Wight from now until Christmas! #
RT @thingsgretasays: What IS it IN garlic that is bad for vampires? I know it's not iron, because iron's in blood, so it's good for them. #
RT @thingsgretasays: C: Greta I don't KNOW all the chemical constituents of garlic and how they agree with vampires. G: Well, FIND OUT! #

Tweets on 2011-06-11

Jun11

@just_hotels hey can you find me something within walking distance of #ldconf for £30 a night? in reply to just_hotels #
RT @journodave: Who knew the press team at Volvo were bitchy? Nice of them to get political re recession. http://bit.ly/jgx2nW << awful PR! #
@NewsCrier stop mentions #
Things I am making for dinner: http://bbc.in/lsgurv
http://bbc.in/kOyLBl
http://bbc.in/kF0Y7s #
Dinner. Not wowed by any of the recipes http://flic.kr/p/9S9FMM #
@sarahbrown1984 @10anta what's stopping you? http://www.alexfoster.me.uk/contact/ in reply to sarahbrown1984 #
@just_hotels 1 person, super cheap room, pref with breakfast, Mon-Wed, walking distance from conf centre. in reply to just_hotels #
@10anta what are you getting me into? Is this some sort of mockery? in reply to 10anta #
@Nathage I don't have a clue who you are or what you are talking about. in reply to Nathage #
Bleurgh, feeling a little gastrically unsteady after dinner of KILLER SALAD. #
@LloydieJL light a candle? have a bath? in reply to LloydieJL #
People have been talking about #andrewreeves funeral all day and it still just feels so wrong 😦 #
X Men in All-but-empty huge screen X. (@ Cineworld) http://4sq.com/j13Tc3 #
I just unlocked the "Zoetrope" badge on @foursquare! http://4sq.com/l3VZZs #
Graffiti http://flic.kr/p/9Sgk8J #
Nothing in diary for a week. So… #poll Shall I go camping? To the Isle of Wight? http://twtpoll.com/y0sx1c #

Tweets on 2011-06-10

Jun10

@robinstaple googling arak – can you buy that in Nottm? in reply to robinstaple #
Eek, my car insurance has gone up by at least £200 😦 #
RT @madeupstats: A quarter of French rainfall is eventually bottled and exported to the UK.
(Presumably, the UK's a bit short on water) #
You should always cycle in the cycle line in NY. http://bit.ly/kzl7Tw (how has this guy not knackered his bike?) #
Lib Drinks (@ Fellows, Morton & Clayton) http://4sq.com/iPnIo4 #
@dr_nick I haven't 🙂 in reply to dr_nick #
Cheese & chips (@ Moulin Rouge) http://4sq.com/me52z8 #
RT @lordbonkers: Remembering #andrewreeves at the Lib Dem Bloggers Unconference, Edinburgh, 2009 http://bit.ly/8AJTXM <- when I met him too. #
RT @Lobbydog: Ed Balls papers for people in a rush… http://is.gd/x9qWJG #
RT @ianvisits: YES! RT @shalinee Who needs lorem ipsum when you can have bacon ipsum http://baconipsum.com/ #

Tweets on 2011-06-09

Jun9

Oooh, impressive thunder over #Nottingham right now. #
RT @leftlionlive: So is there any truth in the rumour that Wollaton Hall in #nottingham will be Wayne Manor in the next Batman film? #
Ooh, apparently it's true – filming #Batman in Nottingham http://bit.ly/mnxETe #
@LeMistralBistro yeah, that's not all it means! in reply to LeMistralBistro #
@ChristofHughes we already have spaceship shaped buildings on campus in Nottm: http://bit.ly/mCDJKU in reply to ChristofHughes #
@ChristofHughes that sort of planning meeting wouldn't happen in full committee, for shizzle. in reply to ChristofHughes #
@ChristofHughes and Nottingham also doesn't allow any public contributions at planning, which is unusual these days. in reply to ChristofHughes #
Dear god, HTC, how can you possibly have run out of space AGAIN!? #
@artesea yeah, there's nearly 3,000 in there in reply to artesea #
Thinking about getting a haircut before doing my conference mugshots http://flic.kr/p/9RF9EX #
Freezers with drawers don't work well with icecube trays. #
"Put olive oil and salt on the potatoes" -How do you do this without getting oil on the salt, salt on the oil and both all over the kitchen? #
OK, this may not be news to most peopel. BUt pastis is better than ouzo. #
Why do we even have ouzo? How did ouzo get in ou rhouse? #

Tweets on 2011-06-07

Jun7

Off to see if I can squeeze another cup of coffee out of the pot. #
RT @mpntod: Take That trapped on stage robot during Manchester show http://bbc.in/lgk6et // And there was I thinking Spinal Tap was a spoof #
RT @andershanson: New blog post: Is the logic of a 25% loss of Lib Dem seats right? http://bit.ly/j6603u << good discussion of boundaries #
Looks like 18th century spinster @GertrudeSavile is helping out in an election for the next few weeks. #ff #
@GertrudeSavile how good is his email list? 🙂 in reply to GertrudeSavile #
Nom nom nom – 3 course meal cooked and eaten in less than an hour. #
Now cooking tomorrow's dinner. I've burned my fingers, melted the dials on the hob and totes stunk out the house. #
@rfenwick a compliment or a massive IP infringement? in reply to rfenwick #
@dr_nick I used the Very Big Frying Pan which overlaps the hob a bit. It must have been touching the dials. Dunno why they're meltable. in reply to dr_nick #
Choosing a name to attract the voters http://bit.ly/ikZYy0 << fascinating glimpse into San Fran politics #
Don't use your phone at the cinema (Uncensored) http://bit.ly/j3Md1d <<< I only use mine during the ads! #
Bin watching Law & Order: SVU. It's amazing drama, but it's so depressing! #
"What is wrong with the boy? It clearly can't be our parenting – we're awesome!" #southpark #

Tweets on 2011-06-06

Jun6

@Meryl_F baking hot and rain free here – maybe we had our few spots yesterday in reply to Meryl_F #
RT @libdemvoice: Opinion: Why you should be taking Lembit Opik seriously http://ldv.org.uk/24358 <<< oh, dear god… #
.@corfmeister I bet you managed to talk them into giving you the helicopter you wanted, eh? in reply to corfmeister #
Oh good god, paper.li die DIE DIE!!! (@paulmcgarryuk) #
@journodave what were you expecting them to send? in reply to journodave #
P made elderflower cordial this week so am having first elderflower gin and tonic of the season. #
Trying Elderflower and Ouzo just to appease @alansm 's palate. in reply to alansm #
Poll Position | How much of a Daily Mail or Guardian Reader are you? | Monkeon http://bit.ly/iDTi3h #

Problème technique

Jun5

While we were on holiday in France last week our time was bugged by euphemistic “technical problems”

The first was in the ferry. We’d done an overnight crossing without a cabin, because they were fully booked when I bought my ticket. So we had spent hours on uncomfortable reclining seats that it’s not really possible to get comfy on, and just wanted to get OFF the boat and get on with our lives.

But then there was an announcement saying that a technical problem would delay our departure. In the end we waited around for at least an hour after docking before we could continue.

As we left, all cars leaving the ferry had to go through a police cordon and have boots and luggage examined.

So in the first case we think the technical problem was probably a euphemism for “the boat is being held by the rozzers.”

We later found out that their caution was due to the G8 summit being held a little down the road in the Normandy seaside town of Deauville.

Our second technical problem was eating out in a little Relais in the middle of a forest. We were drinking my favourite sweet Norman cider, which comes in champagne bottles and is only barely more alcoholic than apple juice, and we’d ordered tartes flambées, and were waiting. And waiting. And eventually the waitress came out and said there’d been a technical problem and it would be another few minutes, sorry.

In this case, I think the euphemism was easily explained in the kitchen: the chef had burned our dinners and had to start again. Or maybe forgot to turn the oven on?

In any case we minded a little less than on the boat and just had another bottle.

The other reason the meal was memorable was for the huge Alsatian dog that was around – either resident at the auberge or had come in with some of the patrons who seemed to know the owner. Anyway, this dog pricked its ears up mightily whenever the cheese plate came out and when it was our turn for cheese, it sat there and begged for crusts. Silently at first, and then by actually barking, which made us jump the first few times. For ages we didn’t give her anything, and then her owners did say that it was fine, clearly enough for us to understand, and we relented.

The final technical problem has been one of blogging. I’m now co-hosted with LDV which had some serious non-euphemistic technical problems over the time we were away which involved a third change of host in as many years. This blog was down for a couple of days before returning, and although the automatic stuff here, the tweets in particular, have been churning out regularly, I haven’t been able to log in and post new articles or approve comments.

It’s strange, for days I have been thinking “ooh, gotta blog that. But I can’t!”

And now I’m back looking at the “post new entry” screen the enthusiasm is draining out faster than David Fisher’s embalming fluid.

Tweets on 2011-06-05