NFR NFC >>>>>>2015

[carlosj]

Hope you have a good one in Holland Woffy. We have hired a housboat in Amsterdam for a few days in April when the city will be celebrating Kings Day. I have been before when it was Queens Day (before Queen Beatrtix abdicated) and it was a real scream. We can ill afford it, but I just had to show my wife what the party there is like.

wow, sounds fun! I fancy that on my bucket list :-)

Our plans changed yesterday. We were looking for a short cheapo sun break, but the prices shot up. Instead, MrsCJ had a genius plan. We're off to Edinburgh tomorrow, (can't wait to see the National Museum, the geek in me), then the sleeper train to London, more beer (the beer monster in me), then home for New Year's Eve curry.

[H.M.V]

Glad everyone is shaking their illnesses. I find that people tend to get ill on Christmas day cos they have stopped running around and stressing and the body just says enough.

A kingdom for all your party food. I loves the party food. All those little nibbles of things.

Carol, I fucking love the National Museum in Edinburgh and especially the Goldsworthy bones and stones downstairs.

The sculptures showing off the jewellery is cool as is the space itself. It would be worth going to see if it was empty. So many nooks and crannies for a modern building. I love Edinburgh.

[Funkyfairy!]

Hope everyone's had a restful festive season

Christmas well and truely over (phew) ..... Fed up with nibbles , gammon, turkey etc.. And need some normality

New Year's Eve needs to come and go and then crack on into 2015, countdown can well and truely begin and lots to look forward to.

What's everyone else got planned already for next year (apart from Glastonbury :-)

[H.M.V]

I haven't had any nibbles or turkey or roasties. I am literally gagging for some mini cabbage bastards and goosefat roast potatoes slathered in gravy.

So NYE for me and a big slap up meal and nibbles.

[carlosj]

Glad everyone is shaking their illnesses. I find that people tend to get ill on Christmas day cos they have stopped running around and stressing and the body just says enough.

A kingdom for all your party food. I loves the party food. All those little nibbles of things.

Carol, I fucking love the National Museum in Edinburgh and especially the Goldsworthy bones and stones downstairs.

The sculptures showing off the jewellery is cool as is the space itself. It would be worth going to see if it was empty. So many nooks and crannies for a modern building. I love Edinburgh.

I've not been for years, since before they did it up, after frequent visits to see family. I remember the covers over the butterflies cases, the bones in the main hall entrance, the fantastic balconies. I will check out your mentions too. Edinburgh is a favourite city, I'm also going to be very touristy and have a few drams in the Rebus pubs, ha ha.

Funky, I've booked for Beacons Festival again, this time with Mrs CJ, as I normally go with my cousin. No other festivals, but hopefully a decent family holiday this year with the girls if I can plan my leave better.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

I went to the Edingburgh Fringe once and had a great time. I really liked the city too, but never got around to visiting the museums. I recall going to the designer shop Joey D and almost drooling over his creations. They were mostly for women, but that didn't affect my excitement because I just really liked his design work. I'm not in to fashion for myself though - I'll wear any old crap.

As for next years plans it's looking like - Bearded Theory, Shambala, Something Else in the Dean, Wychwood, a week in Cornwall for a wedding and a few days in Amsterdam.

[stuartbert two hats]

Eventually we will run out of party food. Eventually.....

Heaven knows what the kids will eat then?

Each other?

[carlosj]

Each other?

Labrador kebab?

I'll get my coat.

[A Guy Called Matt]

Labrador kebab?

I'll get my coat.

With a snow drizzle?

[guypjfreak]

ox tail soup blancmange ........yum

[Brunette]

I've not been for years, since before they did it up, after frequent visits to see family. I remember the covers over the butterflies cases, the bones in the main hall entrance, the fantastic balconies. I will check out your mentions too. Edinburgh is a favourite city, I'm also going to be very touristy and have a few drams in the Rebus pubs, ha ha.

Funky, I've booked for Beacons Festival again, this time with Mrs CJ, as I normally go with my cousin. No other festivals, but hopefully a decent family holiday this year with the girls if I can plan my leave better.

[Brunette]

Not quite sure I've got the hang of this quote thing but I'm on the second of my final Rankin novels this school holiday... I need to visit Rebus territory and the museum too.. hope it has been fab!!

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

ox tail soup blancmange ........yum

You are Heston Blumenthal and I claim my £5.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

I've really enjoyed getting lost in the Rebus books over the years. I bought the last one I need to read (Saints of the Shadow Bible) just before Christmas. I had intended reading it already by now, but haven't got around to it. I think deep down that I don't want to read / finish it because I'll get that bereft feeling you get knowing that there's not another one to immediately read.

[Brunette]

I'm on page 87 of it now ... considering buying a Kindle but I just love my 'real' books!!

Joining my local uni book club again for Jan... only 6 books to go until G that way!!!

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

I'm on page 87 of it now ... considering buying a Kindle but I just love my 'real' books!!

Joining my local uni book club again for Jan... only 6 books to go until G that way!!!

I was bought a Kindle Fire as a Christmas present last year but have yet to read a book on it as I prefer a 'real' book. That said, I suppose I really ought to move with the times.

[ICGenie]

I always used to think I'd prefer "real" books and CDs. In the event they were both really easy to give up.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

In the event they were both really easy to give up.

I seem to be afflicted / blessed with two reasons why this wouldn't be the situation in my case. The first is that I harbour a kind of Luddite view of technology and consequently don't give it a chance. The second is that when faced with the prospect of learning something new in the electronics type area a wall of some sort of resistance springs up and I haven't the foggiest clue about what someone is trying to explain to me. They may as well be speaking Russian. In fact, there's a small part of me that believes these people are speaking to me in alien talk.

That last sentance was a joke by the way. Everything's OK this end. Happily wrapped up in Bacofoil - lest the signals get to me.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

No you shouldn't. Books have a sort of soul and history that no kindle or the like will ever have. There's a brilliant little second hand book shop near me. Picked up a brilliant ancient version of grapes of wrath, treasure island, Tom sawyer and of mice and men recently for less than a fiver for all of them. Some hardback and some great illustrations. All from the sixtiesish.

Rather that than some soulless white screen any time. The only advantage I can see that a Kindle brings is not having to carry a few books if going somewhere for a while. But how heavy are four or five books really?

You are absolutely right of course - a book will travel from hand to hand whereas an electronic version will, most probably, not. I used to give all my books away to charity shops when I finished reading them. Then I realised I wanted to keep a physical copy of them, so ended up buying them all over again. I'm still very happy that I did so, rather than download them on Kindle. I now have a fine collection of the life of many ne'er-do-well's.

[ICGenie]

I'm currently reading a "real" book. It's heavy and cumbersome and awkward. I wish it had been released on Kindle...

[deebeedoobee]

I like real books - for their smell

I like the kindle for old classics as I can change the font to extra large - cos I is blind. Old books always seem to have ridiculously small print.

I like real books because they fill my walls and make me feel good, like my vinyl collection, it can be perused at leisure

I like a kindle for a large book as I can hold it whilst reading in bed without getting cramp

[lucyginger]

Morning!!!

I'm at work. Booooo. Hoping to get sent home early!!

I had a lovely Christmas, mainly sponsored by gin. Lots of gin. I managed to drink for 12 hours on my works do, then topped up on xmas eve, then again xmas day! Went to a party at the weekend so topped up again then.

Yog that place looks great! I am going to investigate! I love a quirky building.

I've never been to Edinburgh, I'd like to go. Maybe I should look into that too.

As for food, I seem to have not eaten a proper meal in a couple of days. Last night I did make sure I ate some veg- all the party food is great but you do tend to forget vitamins! I ate a couple of oranges yesterday too, to prevent scurvy

Love that fact that we're on the downhill to Glastonbury, I had a feeling we were. Excellent!!

[lucyginger]

Oh and real books for me too. Can't be doing with all this technology business.

I like picking up books in the charity shops. My current read is a Ruth Rendall I got for 29p. Bargain!

[A Guy Called Matt]

Can't be doing with all this technology business.

Like e-fests - wink wink

I don't own a Kindle, but Ali does.............. she loves it.

I don't read books though.

I thought I would never give up vinyl then I thought I would never give up CD's

mp3 has opened my world more than ever musically speaking

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

If you haven't been before and you have time for a reasonable break , then I would thoroughly recommend visiting some of the west coast islands off Scotland. Get the train from Fort William ( at high velocity because it's a junkie shit hole worse than any inner city estate I've had dealings with) to the coast. If you go to Mallaig then you take in this on your train journey;

Incidently, that's nothing compared to the other scenery en route. I have no experience of the north or east coasts of Scotland but can categorically say the west coast is stunning. Don't go at the height of midge season though, as that would be an insane thing to do.

I stayed with the Laird of one of the islands once along with the sociopath I happened to be going out with at the time. That was an interesting meet up of different forces I can assure you.