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Me neither, rusty.

I;ve read a great book about the Sutton Hoo dig - I can't remember what it was called (I could look for it, if you would like), but I do remember that a significant discovery was one of the younger son's rolller skates!

Hi, Rusty!
I was forgetting that it is Thursday today, and your son would be visiting you!
This week has been confusing, because of the holiday at the beginning of the week!
No, I have no video picture, either, of the loch - there is still an error notice in place.
Now........I think we are being spooked by Shakespeare!
Would you believe there was a Shakespeare question on today's "15 to 1"?
From gold, silver and which other metal casket were the three suitors for Portia's hand required to choose?
This is from "The Merchant of Venice" and the third casket was lead.
I think there was a photograph of Portia inside the correct casket?
I know she favoured Bassanio.
I shall need to look all this up in my decrepit volume of Shakespeare!

Hi elle

Even though Shakespeare was considered to be "out-topping knowledge", I doubt he had heard of photography!!
I've always liked the verse that was inside the lead casket
"You who chose not by the view
Chance as fair and chose as true"
I like that idea!

Yes, I know, very geeky. While at school I used to learn 10 lines of Shakespeare every Sunday evening for pleasure and can still remember most of those. However, recently I've tried many times to learn the short speech "The man that hath not music in himself" and cannot. Just now I can't even recall the second line!

Hello, Ros!
I meant of course to say "portrait"!
There were different messages on the outside of the three caskets with yet another appropriate message and a picture inside.
The correct casket (which was the lead one) contained a scroll and a portrait of Portia!

There is a theory that Portia cheated by singing "Tell me where is fancy BRED" etc. each line ending in the "ed! sound!

Hi, Chris!
I hadn't heard that theory - although of course Portia did sing that song whilst Bassanio was choosing.....
But she did give him several verbal hints about " looking below the surface...."
although at the same time she had promised her father not to indicate any preference to her would -be suitors.
I shall read through the play when I have the time!
I do not remember the plot very well........

Good morning, Rusty!
Are you up yet?
It is dullish but milder, today!
I see from all the subsequent discussion that I shall need to read through "The Merchant of Venice" again!
It is many years since I did so, and I can recall little detail about the overall plot.
Now I have just had a lovely surprise!
Our elder daughter is spending a weekend away with her best friend - they are having a "husband-free" and "child-free" break!
The "surprise" part is that she is coming to see us on Sunday afternoon on her way back home.
How nice!

That sounds good, elle. I had a chat with my son and his wife without the children last night and it was good.

The most recent film of The Merchant is excellent.

No web cam yet

Good afternoon, Elle!
Yes, I have risen.
It is a fine day here but we had heavy rain at dinner time!
Well now, I do not know the Merchant of Venice, I'm afraid.
I am sure it is a good story though.
You will be looking forward to seeing your daughter, I'd say!
Quite a good puzzle today.
I am not quite sure how 19a works?
1d is a new word to me!
There is a new blog up from Cherry about the pesky camera!

Good afternoon everyone!

Shame about the ospreys' personnal camera!

the Dorset barn owl web cam, had some problem yesterday but is back on now- there are no less than 7 eggs now!!!
That seems rather a lot of owlets to feed!
I read somewhere recently that some owls can lay as much as
14 eggs! I wonder how they all manage to survive.

Weather cold at night (minus 3C last night!), but absolutely gorgeous and warm now. Just been cutting the Box Hedge after treatment:
it seems to have done some good, but I shall have to spray some
more after cutting. Quite a tiring job since the hedge is no more
than 50cm high - a lot of bending or on all fours!