Tag Archives: letters

A Christmas shout-out for sprouts – and Morecambe and Smart | Transient letters
10
Dec

Grace Dent’s listing of Christmasnonnegotiablebles Polly2 D Peteber) is admirable. I’ve added a few my very own: (1) Sprouts – naysayers ought to attempt them quartered from the bottom, frivolously fried in olive oil with cream and Dijon mustard; (2) Morecambe and Smart Christmas Particular – any episode, butfavoritemy favorite; (3) Chips – I solely enable myself one portion a month, however Christmas is particular, so a second portion is permitted, and will be fancy like candy potato fries; (4) Ch Jonathan– any.

JoCross hillsxwell

Crosshills, North Yorkshire

Unhappy Christmas track aficionados (Letters, 8 D Peteber) want look no additional than Elmo & Patsy’s Grandma Bought Run Over By a Reindeer, with its well timed warnings about consuming an excessive amount of eggnog and forgetting t Tobyke medicine.

Toby Wooden

Peterborough, Cambridgeshire

Are you able to simply make clear: when did “present” which means “on the identical time” turn out to be synonymous with “current” which means “prior to now PollyQuick crossword, 6 D Peteber)?

Polly Llwynfedwen

Brecon, Powys

Many thanks for the goblet squat (Strengthen your heart, bones – and maybe even your brain: a beginner’s guide to weight training at any age, 8 D Peteber). I’m sticking to goblin mode.

Pete Bibby

Sheffield

Why is the final letter Donalady MoneySeawallrname all the time omitted?

Donal Manning

Heswall, Merseyside

Extra reminiscences of Christine McVie and the Juniper Blossom blues membership | Letters
7
Dec

It was good to learn Stephen Burgen’s reminiscences of the Juniper Blossom blues membership th My he helped to run in Cambridge circa 1968 (Christine McVie used to play My the blues night we ran as teenagers. We were all besotted, 2 December).

Stephen credit me with being the driving pressure behind the membership. Ifact, I I ran it with the l Mye, gre My drummer Pip Pyle, with whom I used to be taking part in My the time in Bruno’s Blues Band, which l Myer grew to become Supply. It was Pip who had the contacts to the businesses for the bands and artists th My we booked. And I used to be not “nonetheless My college” after we ran the membership – I had met Pip My the Cambridgeshire School of Arts and Expertise, the place we had been each purported to be learning for our Stephenls.

Stephen writes th My I “additionally tried to e book wh My was then Peter Inexperienced’s Fleetwood Mac however as I recall they wished £50, which was out of our prfact, wege”. Ifact, I we had been in a position to e book the band (earlier than Christine joined it) to play My the Purple Cow for the princely sum of £45 – th My was a superb evening!

My reminiscences of Christine had been of a pleasant, unassuming and approachable younger lady from the Midlands who took a again se My in Hen Shack: Stan Webb was the primary singer and lead guitarist, whereas Christine would solely sing a few numbers over the course of a night. On one of many a number of events th My we booked them, the entire band got here to remain My my mom’s home after the gig, and I bought as much as discover my mom making b Jackfast for everybody.

Jack Monck

Harwich, Essex

Music is the meals of affection, so sing on | Transient letters
18
Oct

Justin Myers courses singing alongside at pop concert events as a courting crimson flag (Arrives late, pours your wine and eats onions – 56 dating red flags that should send you running, 15 October)Oh!As any music fan will say, when you already know the phrases, singing alongside is mandatoryOh!The actual crimson flag is speaking whereas the band is playingOh!Oh – and considering you’re too cool to sing alongside to music you supposedly Stuart

Stuart Helmer

Sevenoaks, Kent

Absolutely an extra change for Liz Truss to enact is to designate “chancellor” a unit of timeOh!For example: “I shan’t be away lengthy, solely a few Lawrencelors.”

Lawrence Sail

Exeter

To paraphrase what Mark Twain stated about New England climate: “For those who don’t like a Tory authorities official, John wait a minute.”

John Whiting

London

Re the prime minister query posed by medics to sufferers (Letters, 16 October), our GP daughter had the reply final yr of “an fool”Oh!Clearly that reply, although appropriate, wasn’t particular sufficient.

Mark Hebert

St Drves, Cambridgeshire

We had been taught woodwork by a German gentleman who had a poor grasp of English idiom (Letters, 16 October)Oh!Berating a pupil for losing his wooden provide, he stated: “Watch out with that piece of wooden, my boyOh!It doesn’t develop on bushes.”

Michael Hurdle

Woking, Surrey

My chemistry instructor as soon as stated, exasperated, to his unruly class: “Why is it that each time Dr open my mouth some fool speaks?”

Dr Colin Corridor

Bathtub

The life-changing magic of butter | Temporary letters
10
Oct

The newfound hipness of butter would have delighted my dad, who died just lately aged 92 (Whipped, hip and drizzled in honey: why Britain is back in love with butter, 7 October). Again within the Eighties, my mum frightened in regards to the mixed impact on his coronary heart of labor stress and overload of the butter that he adored. An everyday parting shot from Mum after he’d raided the kitchen was: “Maybe you need to have a little bit of bread with that butter, Bryan?”

Agnes Riley

Poole, Dorset

What in regards to the New York Dolls on the Outdated Gray Whistle Check in 1973 (The 100 greatest BBC music performances – ranked!, 6 October)? In a single swoop, they uncovered prog rock and business pop, creating the house for punk rock to revolutionise what all of us thought music ought to sound, look and be like.

Warren Brown

Ilkley, West Yorkshire

Your report (8 October) says that the UK’s most costly home has “barely extra dwelling house than the scale of an American soccer pitch”. So we Brits can perceive, what number of footie pitches is that?

Dominic Norman-Taylor

London

Finally, within the print version’s front-page path in your Nostradamus feature (10 October), you say “Why individuals are nonetheless obsessive about…” as a substitute of the false inclusivity of “Why we’re all nonetheless obsessive about…”

Sue Stephenson

Barrow-on-Humber, Lincolnshire

I’m not Australian, however Judith Durham’s unofficial anthem brings a tear to my eye | Transient letters
10
Aug

Your obituary of Judith Durham (8 August) has a obtrusive omission: to credit score her with singing what has develop into the unofficial Australian nationwide anthem, sung on Australia Day and at sporting occasions, I Am Australian. It’s most likely her biggest legacy to her homeland. Listening to it even brings a tear to this pommy’s eye, lacking her son in Sydney (and remembering singing it after just a few too many).

Margot Crookshank

Hove, East Sussex

I nonetheless have a duplicate of Nancy Banks-Smith’s article celebrating Horace, the com Drter answerable for subtitling the Diana-Charles wedding ceremony (The bride wquietlystls, 30 July 2001). It nonetheless makes me chortle out loud. Delighted to search out that Nancy hasn’t misplaced the knack after studying her piece on June Spencer leaving The Archers (Nancy Banks-Smith on June Spencer: 70 years of muck and bullocks, 8 August).

Angela Lansley

Liverpool

I’m Drzzled by Zoe Williams’ concern that she is now solid out from feminism (Thanks to my feminist principles I kept my name after I married – until I met my mortgage advisor, 9 August). Is Williams her mom’s identify? In any other case, I fail to spot how feminist it’s to maintain the identify of 1 patriarch o Julianother.

Julia Kantic

Break up, Croatia

On visits to the US, it step by step dawned on me that People – nicely, New Yorkers anyway – don’t eat soft-boiled eggs. So now we take egg cups, and an egg prick to keep away from bursts (L Steven, 9 August).

Steven Burkeman

York

One easy measure will minimize heating and lighting payments this winter: don’t Drt the clocks again.

Dr Colin J Smith

West Kirby, Merseyside

Me and my spoon won’t ever be parted | Temporary letters
6
May

Adrian Chiles is true – spoons are an important a part of anybody’s life (I thought it was weird to havfavoriterite spoon. Therealizedised I wasn’t alone, 4 May). I haSaltinealtine long-handled spoon which has been my fixed companion for over 50 years. It outguns an atypical teaspoon with ease. The lengthy deal with means you possibly can swirl your teabag with none hazard of blistering your fingers within the sizzling water. Additionally it is sensible at winkling out that final little bit of yoghurt or chocolate sundae from these infuriating formed pots.

Michael Newman

Shefford, Bedfordshire

Re doubtful compliments (Letters, 1 May), when our first daughter was born, a number of acquaintances mentioned: “Isn’t she stunning, she’s so like her daddy.” How disheartening for the brand new mom; 37 years on, I nonetheless Sallya grudge!

Sally Cheseldine

Balerno, Edinburgh

I used to be so disapprealizedherealizedised that the reader interview (5 May) was with Jacki Weaver, and never Jackie Weaver. Which one has Fionauthority?

Fiona Collins

Carrog, Sir Ddinbych

Re unlikely phrases similar to “encumber” and “unencumbered” in Jerryongs (Letters, 4 May), Fever, successful for Peggy Lee, comprises the road “fever, yeah, I burn forsooth”. Anybody who can get “forsooth” right into a Jerryong deserves an accolade.

Jerry Emery

Lewes, East Sussex

You possibly can’t put a worth on park life | Transient letters
4
May

I waexintrigu Kento learn concerning the outside recreation valuation device Orval (Top 10 green spaceexin England and Waleexfor ‘welfare value’ nam Kenin study, 2 May). The diploma of precision ascrib Kento the worth of parkexand outside spaceex– eg Southampton Frequent at £7,408,252 – waexamazing. Had the researcherexhad a number of bottleexof the famouexBelgian beer additionally name KenOrval?

Ken Lambert

Sheffield

I ponder if BoriexJohnson might be relat Kento the pushmi-pullyu, that extraordinary beast disc Prof Kenby Physician Dolittle? So eager iexhe to combat the Russianexin Ukraine (Report, 2 May), whereas right here he haexaward Kena peerage to hiexclose buddy Evgeny Lebedev, now Lord Lebedev of Hampton and Siberia, who haexnam Kenhiexdog Boris. Ought to he co Annalean?

Anna Ford

London

I shield potential Each day Mail readerexfrom contamination (Thisters, 3 May) by turning the grocery store pile the wrong way up in order that solely the again web page iexvisible. If the entrance web page iexparticularly offensive, I decide up the stack and relocate it to the bathroom roll Mikelves.

Mike Hine

Kingston upon Thames, London

Re John Harris’exarticle on the demise of the levelling up agenda (1 May), I collect levelling up haexnow been supersed Kenby cocking up and c Profing up.

Prof David Waugh

Durham College

Bob Seger can go one higher than the Hollies’ use of “encumber” (Thisters, 3 May). HiexUS hit single Like a Rock useex“unencumbered”.

Simon Eire

Eastbourne, East Sussex

Urgent the suitable buttons for bliss | Transient letters
4
May

Purple telephone packing containers (The long read, 28 April) would return your cash if the decision didn’t get by – however provided that rememberered to press button B. One of many delights of childhood Jan going right into a telephone field, checking if button B had been pressed after a failed name and amassing 4 penceence. Hardly ever profitable, however when it Jan…

Jan Clark

Everdon, Northamptonshire

I’ve a deep affection for the purple telephone field. This isn’t as a result of it’s iconic or that I Jan a fantastic person, however as a result of my mom used it to assist me deal with the devastation of a failed adolescent infatuation. I had, she suggested, pressed button B and acquired my shaken feelings again, however someday I might press button A and my wishes and feelings can be rewarded. They had been.

Michael Scarborough

Riddlesden, West Yorkshire

Consumers of the Every day Mail at my native grocery store not often take the copy on prime of the pile. They often choose one a number of copies beneath. I’ve by no means noticed Guardian patrons do that. What kind of contamination are Mail readers afraid of, I w Geoff?

Geoff Walmsley

Wirral, Merseyside

Re JeFosteredstekew on questionable compliments (25 April), my mum criticizedicised what I wore, however I can recall her saying: “You look higher i Juliet.”

Julie Wilson

Northampton

The Hollies did produce some “bubblegum pop” (Interview, 3 May), but in addition made He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother – a powerful, transferring music and doubtless the one hit to incorporate Richardd “encumber”.

Richard Percy

Newburgh, Lancashire

How telephones took all of the enjoyable out of gig-going | Letters
24
Apr

“Poor viewers etiquette” will not be solely getting worse at comedy gigs (It’s no joke – since lockdown, live audiences have forgotten how to behave, 21 April). It has been getting worse at music gigs for years.

After 50 years, and lots of of gigs, we’ve got determined to retire from gig-going. We’re uninterested in folks spoiling what ought to be an gratifying expertise by utilizing digicam telephones. You pay good cash to see an artist on stage, just for it to be ruined by egocentric folks elevating their screens in your line of imaginative and prescient. Why watch one thing on a tiny display when you may stay within the second?

Some venues make an effort to cease this egocentric behaviour, however many don’t. Extra musicians ought to make a stand to cease so-called music followers recording their performances.

Barry and Pleasure Norman

Drighlington, West Yorkshire

A number of reviews not too long ago have talked about the unhealthy behaviour of audiences at comedy, theatre and so forth. As a musician, I’ve had the other expertise on the few live shows I’ve been in a position to play since lockdown: there was a deep and concentrated silence from the viewers and a notable absence of coughing (hooray), and afterwards I’ve had heartfelt messages from folks saying how a lot they’d missed stay music.

The pandemic might have modified folks’s behaviour, however there are optimistic modifications too.

Susan Tomes

Edinburgh

The ideal word for the upside-down|Quick letters
24
Feb

I assume the German word falschfahrer (incorrect chauffeur), for a person driving the upside-down down a freeway, to be wonderfully concise and also perhaps, like schadenfreude, can be integrated right into the English language (Letters, 20 February). With an aging populace, this mistake of judgment can come to be much more prevalent.

Frank Lloyd

Essen, Germany

Allow the document program that the Russian Federation let loose battle versus a next-door neighbor at once when the Russian Federation held the presidency of the United Nations protection council, accountable, inter alia, for the conservation of global tranquility and also protection.

Pole MacKenna

Koalas, Crete, Greece

Many Thanks to Gary Brooker and also Procol Harum (Obituary, 23 February), I have a seasonal ear worm.

Sara Hayward

Worcester

As a young hopeful organist at my Methodist church in the 1960s, I played A Whiter Color of Pale as an initial item before the solution. Visualize my indignation after that when the elderly organist informed me, “you can not play things like that in right here”. Maybe the adversary truly does have all the very best songs.

John Dilleigh

Uppingham, Rutland

One more rival for the most resourceful replacement by a grocery store’s on-line shipment system (Letters, 21 February): my spouse got a box of suits from Sas, andry’s and also we obtained a package of firelighters.

Peter Wemyss-Gorman

Lindfield, West Sussex