Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Hi, Rusty!
Now, you have lost me here......I have watched the clip of Julia Donaldson on YouTube three times , but am not sure what you are asking me?
She seems a delightful, unassuming lady - nothing like I had imagined her in appearance though.
For some reason, I had visualised her as tall and thin!
What tale ending? on what am I meant to give an opinion?
Sorry if I am being slow on the uptake here?
I wonder if I have been watching the relevant clip?

Hello, Elle,
Never fear, we all have senior moments.
The "tale" of Chesapeake.
It is a book you are reading.
I would like to know what you thought of it when you finish, just!
Yes, Julia seems a nice lady.
I wonder whose specs were they?
Did they have specs in Shakespeare's day?

Hi, Rusty!
Ah......
Well, you see.........
I hadn't realised that you had changed subjects!
I thought you wanted to know what I thought of something Julia had said/done!
I even watched the clip three times to try to solve the "mystery" for you!!!
I still have some thirty pages to read of "Chesapeake".......
I shall report back once I have concluded the "tale",
I Googled "spectacles"...they were invented in 1268 in Italy.
It is not known by whom!
So, yes, spectacles were around some three hundred years before Shakespeare!
There was a question tonight on a repeat of Eggheads about Dolly Parton's song "Jolene"!

Hello, Elle,
Yes, I am guilty of rambling!
But, you took it in good part!
There seems to be old specs involved in Julia's picks.
I wondered if they were Shakespeare's.
He maybe got them from Ye Olde Specsavers?
The British Library appears to contain everything!
I am looking forward to seeing the programme.
Probably tomorrow morning.
I probably would not know the Jolene question.
Dolly has been happily married for about 50 years, you know.
Her husband remains in the background.
I have watched the documentary three times now.
I thought it was smashing!

Hello, Elle,
Just found a clip on YouTube.
It is Linda Ronstadt being presented with a National Arts Medal by President Obama at the White House for having a "one of a kind" voice.
She was able to go up (with a wee bit of help) to receive her medal.
Made my night seeing it!

Good morning, Rusty!
Fell dreich this morning!
It was a padded raincoat and wellies day when out walking the dog!
I hope you are faring better?
Chris, the gas fitter, rang me whilst I was out.
He wants to come this morning to fit the cooker extractor fan, as he has had a sudden job cancellation!
That fits in fine, so I hastened home - and he should be here in about fifteen minutes.
I am grabbing a coffee before he arrives (he is a tea-man!)
I have just watched Linda receive her award - how lovely for her!
She well deserves it!
Oops..........that's the door bell......he's early!

Good morning, Elle!
Fell dreich but no snow here!
I was out earlier and got wet, too.
That is good news about Chris.
I am sure it will go well!
Great to see Linda getting her award from the President.
She managed up and down quite well with the help of the young serviceman, didn't she!
She has also appeared in two operas, that I know of.
As "Mabel" in "The Pirates of Penzance", and "Mimi" in "La Boheme".
Not bad for a rock chick!
I'll see what julia Donaldson is up to, later!

Hi, Rusty!
All done and dusted!
Literally!
There was quite a bit of cleaning up to do, after the old cooker hood, containing the extractor fan, had been removed!
But the new hood is now in situ - and, after some manipulation, it fits very nicely.
And works!
Now....I have finally finished reading "Chesapeake."
It was a less intricately -woven saga than was "Centennial, and somehow, despite being an "easier " read, in that it was less complicated , it took me longer to get into the story.
Did you find that?
But once I was "into" it, it really "grabbed" me, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I followed the lives of the three main families - the Steeds, Passmores and Turlocks - avidly - although I have to say that I was somewhat shocked by Pusey's suicide at the end.
The disappearance of Devon Island was inevitable, wasn't it?

Hello, Elle.
Yes, Devon Island was disappearing from away back.
I am pleased you enjoyed it.
Rosalind was my favourite character in it.
Now, I have just watched "Treasures of the British Library" and must say what a lovely lady is Julia Donaldson!
Her picks were,
1, A book of Persian folk tales.
It was over 400 years old and superbly illustrated.
2, Private letters of E. Nesbitt to her publisher.
3, 50 years ago, Julia, went to British Museum to study Lady Aubignye. She still had her notebooks.
At the Library she was presented with a lot more ancient material on Lady Aubignye, who was one of King Charles' spies. The codes and ciphers that he used, while imprisoned were all there. Very fascinating!
4, Audio of sounds she remembered from childhood.
Steam trains, bird sounds etc.
The curator told of how city birds sing louder than their country cousins because of traffic noise.
5, Jane Austen.
They had original letters and criticisms about "Emma".
Also her writing desk, and....3 pairs of her specs!
6, Drawings of wild flowers from hindreds of years ago.
The item that she donated to the library was a recording of her reading The Gruffalo, which we saw her do at the Library.
An excellent programme!

Could we spool back to January 1st 2016 and do it all again, please.