The May Big Read

rathbone · Post by **rathbone** » 19 Apr 2005, 12:32

I'm flying off to Kenya later this afternoon (work, not fun - though hopefully a bit of both) and will not be on-line before the end of the month -- no cyber cafe's in Kikemaga it seems.

I'd be grateful if someone else could organise next month's read.

My vote is for Buddha Da because I'm taking that to read on the plane.

If I can, I will get a photo of the Porty On-line t-shirt crossing the equator.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 19 Apr 2005, 15:49

Enjoy Mr R!! I think we should go for your book, its automatic. Mind you I am about 3 months behind. I'm reading Man is Wolf to Man at the moment.

rathbone · Post by **rathbone** » 16 May 2005, 10:12

Porty On-line straddling the Equator, as promised.

foxy · Post by **foxy** » 16 May 2005, 19:44

Always wondered what the Equator looked like Rathbone

How was Kenya and was it work or play?

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 16 May 2005, 19:57

Great effort rathbone! I know some people who won't even wear their POL T-shirt on Porty High Street.

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 16 May 2005, 20:18

Bob Jefferson wrote:Great effort rathbone! I know some people who won't even wear their POL T-shirt on Porty High Street.

You'd never believe the two extremes are related??

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 16 May 2005, 20:39

Bob Jefferson wrote:Great effort rathbone! I know some people who won't even wear their POL T-shirt on Porty High Street.

I hope that wasn't a dig at Sis of Rathbone?

bellybabe · Post by **bellybabe** » 16 May 2005, 21:56

I wear mine as pyjamas.

But then since when people call at the house they invariably find me in pyjamas, whatever the time of day, my POL tee is getting a wide audience.

My tea man has seen it, along with gardener, other POL administrators, Sandra and Bearcub, and a strange man offering me a hamster last week (if you post here, hamster man, btw, you have to admit it was a strange house call you made! And it was nice to meet you). The milkman hasn't seen it since he calls by three a.m., nor has the postie since they no longer knock on doors.

But lots of other people have.

Great pic, Rathbone. I'd never heard of Portobello when I stood on the equator. Much less bought the t-shirt.

foxy · Post by **foxy** » 16 May 2005, 22:00

Bellybabe wrote:I wear mine as pyjamas.

But then since when people call at the house they invariably find me in pyjamas, whatever the time of day, my POL tee is getting a wide audience. My tea man has seen it, along with gardener, other POL administrators, Sandra and Bearcub, and a strange man offering me a hamster last week (if you post here, hamster man, btw, you have to admit it was a strange house call you made! And it was nice to meet you). The milkman hasn't seen it since he calls by three a.m., nor has the postie since they no longer knock on doors. But lots of other people have.

Great pic, Rathbone. I'd never heard of Portobello when I stood on the equator. Much less bought the t-shirt.

You do get strange callers BB......do please enlighten me..what's a tea man...and as for hamster man

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 16 May 2005, 22:14

I do so much hope you bought a humungous size as they are not short but certainly not long enough for modesty!!

BTW I was looking at maps in the library today so have a look at your garden wall thread in a few minutes!!

bellybabe · Post by **bellybabe** » 16 May 2005, 22:30

I'm wary of replying - don't want to waste my 1000th on something mundane

- but for you I'll make an exception. You're right - Sandra and Bearcub are pretty strange callers

...

My tea man - I first had one (don't go there) in Sheffield, when a lovely chap knocked on my back door one day (they don't use front doors in sheffield - we weren't even given a key for ours, and the letterboxes are in the back doors too) with a big basket filled with tea, and coffee, and, wait for it, biscuits, and asked me if I'd like him to visit once a fortnight with his wicker basket filled with heaven. I said yes (who wouldn't?). And when I moved here I called up and asked if I could get another nice chappie with a wicker basket to come here; so he does.

As for hamster man, am wary of alienating my neighbours, who might well be posters, but what the hell. Last Wednesday night, there was a knock at the door, and when I answered there was a man I've never seen before (I swear I walk around with my eyes closed - as Porty will confirm). He said "Hello. Erm. You've got kids, haven't you?". Not knowing him, I just stared at him, bewildered. He then backtracked and said "Well, kids live here. So. I was wondering if you have a hamster?". At which point I was bewildered enough to wonder why anyone would want to borrow a hamster

. Then he told me he was our neighbour from further down the street (I said, "Oh, are you the new neighbour?" and he replied, "No, we've lived here for a while..."

), and he'd found a hamster in his garden, and sicne we had young kids he'd wondered if it was ours. I said no. I hate the damned things. He said he wasn't keen, but...now that he'd seen it, it was really cute...

So that's my tea man and my hamster man. The week before another neighbour I'd never seen delivered a huge bouquet of flowers for my partner. Turns out the florist delivered them to him by mistake, he said they were for his neighbour in the block of flats so volunteered to keep them for her, and eventually, some time later, realised they weren't for her at all but for us at the opposite end of the street...

It's all happening in our street.

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 16 May 2005, 23:21

Bob Jefferson wrote:I know some people who won't even wear their POL T-shirt on Porty High Street.

Bearcub does, but with his jacket fastened

foxy · Post by **foxy** » 17 May 2005, 09:52

BB its worth asking you a question, just to get one of your wonderful and wordy replies

I'm still not clear about the tea man though. I presume it's not just a social occasion...is he there to sell you of his wares

bellybabe · Post by **bellybabe** » 17 May 2005, 09:55

I've been trying hard lately to be less wordy.

My tea man- yes, I pay him for services rendered.