Edmund Brumfitt

A pile of lists for the California Book Fair sit on a table

California fair list, fresh from the printers and about to head off to San Francisco.

Oh glorious. If I had a bucket list, Lahore would be very near the top.

It was a pleasant surprise.

I found today, mercifully, that the one trace the author of one book left was... that book, and so the only thing the Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani could do was write about the book. Bliss. But otherwise I feel your pain.

But what can you do? I had four offers on my late mother's flat when I came to sell it. The three highest were from property companies. I sold it for the lowest offer to the only person who actually wanted to live in it. Idly looking it up the other day, I saw it was up as a vacation rental.

Our next talk!

Francesca Galligan on 'Sir Christopher Hatton and his books: reconstructing an Elizabethan library.'

How and why do we reconstruct historic libraries?

Thurs 12th February, 5:15 pm T.S. Eliot Theatre, Merton College, Oxford (+ online via Zoom - register secretary@oxbibsoc.org.uk)

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Have never used it, but this looks as though it might do the job? pixxibook.com

You should file a complaint with management.

A broadside with a German poem at the foot and a coloured woodcut of a bell, within which is shown a scene of the crucifixion.

Picked up a couple of these last week - New Year greetings from the bellringers of, in this case, the church of St Mary Magdalen, in 1805. But where? Any thoughts gratefully received.

I am so sorry. He was such a delight even to a random social media observer, so I can't imagine what a loss he is to you both.

It is the "in detail" that intrigues me.

It was!

Not really a recipe. Boil cauliflower and leeks for a wee bit, make white sauce, add Stilton, add veg. Then layer cooked haggis, saucy veg, haggis, saucy veg, grate parmesan on top bake for 30 mins or so. I haven't tried it yet so I would hold your horses...

Ooh. Have a haggis cauliflower cheese (with stilton) in the oven. This may be a terrible idea, but I can't see how.

Had (or rather my parents had) a print of this on the stairs when I was a child. It has always been my favourite.

Very fond of Chez Marius on the rue de Chabrol, but you might be after something a bit more refined?

Oh it was more in response to the summer crowds of Amalfi. Naples is always busy. That is what makes it (was there yesterday and never want to leave).

Naples is a nightmare at any time. It is also the best place on earth.

A large, dark, malevolent landmass (Vesuvius) hovers over little white ship.

In Naples. It feels full of metaphors.

Have been quite happy with Tidal (which also plays nicely with my speakers). I think they are rather better to artists than Spotify, but I imagine they aren't perfect.

I once left a 15th century book in Gordon's Wine Bar. It was there when I called the next morning. Draw your own conclusions.

Not just you. And it's getting worse.

I keep old FTs for just that purpose. (And they make good firelighters.)

I am not sure I am ready for a speaking roomba, in any language.

Actually hieroglyphs are probably what is needed.

Ok, Finnish might justify that warning...

Oh I dread to think. But I love (!) the certainty that we are all rendered incompetent by encountering foreign words.

From instructions for a Vaillant boiler timer: "Caution! It may not be possible to operate the timer if the wrong language is selected. If you select a language that you do not understand, you can no longer read the text in the timer's display and you can no longer operate it. Only select a language that you understand."

Reading through the instructions for a new boiler timer, I came across this dire warning.

A dachshund's nose reluctantly pokes out from a grey woolen blanket.

I am dogsitting this week. There has been no movement this morning.

Full disclosure - I have only been in winter. I imagine it has very season-dependent characters.