capndarcy

The Soup, and Icecream, of Doom

The Wing Commander is a great cook. He has a tried and trusted collection of favourite recipes among which is a wonderful carrot and coriander soup. It is a special favourite for light lunches and so yesterday he decided, at the last minute, to make a pot of said soup. I had already had myContinue reading “The Soup, and Icecream, of Doom”

Photographs

I promised photos of our rail journey over the Alps from Luzern to Locarno and here they are, finally. It is never easy to get good photos from a moving vehicle and through a reflective window but I hope it gives a feel for the scenery. If it makes you consider taking the Sudostbahn trainContinue reading “Photographs”

An Idea For A Holiday

A couple of months ago we began to mull over some possibilities for our anniversary holiday. Forty years together needed something special to mark the occasion! I had often thought it would be a good idea to revisit he Jan Luyken Hotel where we spent our honeymoon but beyond that we didn’t know what weContinue reading “An Idea For A Holiday”

Crossing Europe by Train

Our usual holiday travel consists of flying through Schiphol airport, Amsterdam and onward to our chosen destination. Our current holiday travel is slightly different. We flew into Amsterdam and for the first time in many, many years we actually left the terminal building rather than transferring to another flight. From there it is an easyContinue reading “Crossing Europe by Train”

A Love of Portraits

When it comes to art I’m one of those awful critics who ‘knows what I like’ but has little understanding of the artistic process, style, technique etc. I do, however, have a wide and eclectic taste in ‘what I like’. The Wing Commander, on the other hand, has a very specific dislike of religious artContinue reading “A Love of Portraits”

Where Have All The Years Gone?

Time creeps up on you surreptitiously. Somehow the number 40 has crept up on us and we are celebrating our Ruby Anniversary. Where did those young people go? We were married in July 1982. I had to live in the parish where we were to be married for 2 weeks before the ceremony so IContinue reading “Where Have All The Years Gone?”

The Viceroy’s House.

What a week! Piratesmas was postponed because of the terrible weather forecast and then covid finally caught me. Thankfully, the former has been rescheduled and the latter, while annoying in the extreme, has not been severe although it has meant a few days recuperating in bed. Today, however, I was able to get up andContinue reading “The Viceroy’s House.”

Learning to Love Audiobooks

I have had an on/off relationship with audiobooks for several years. I have an extensive library of audiobooks and in the past have tended to listen to them while also reading the actual book. This is slower than reading myself but I do find it engaging to hear someone else’s voice read the words. OfContinue reading “Learning to Love Audiobooks”

A Joyless Church

I am currently reading the Minutes of the Kirk Session of Rousay and Egilsay as part of my investigation into my family history. I must admit I was not overly keen to read about the goings on of the church in the 1730s, expecting it to be boring, but I can categorically state it isContinue reading “A Joyless Church”

Alternative Baby Names

Everyone believes they pick the perfect name for their baby. In recent years there is often a desire to be ‘unique’. This might mean an unusual spelling such as KVIIIlyn/K8lyn =Kaitlyn. The names with the most alternative spellings are, apparently, Caden with 52 alternatives including Kayden and Caeyden, and Aaliyah with a whopping 89 alternativesContinue reading “Alternative Baby Names”