Novel writing, spuds and are you on the map?

22 July

Tattie farmers are moaning yet again. Fields have been flooded and seed spuds have rotted in the ground. This has led to a loss of part of the crop, which seems fairly obvious to me anyway. Some of them have barns full of already harvested spuds that they can’t sell. The worry is that we Brits are falling out with the humble spud and turning to rice and pasta for our carbs. We will be buying spuds anyway, simply because Jan doesn’t like rice or pasta.

But have you seen the price of spuds these days. They are very expensive. The alternatives are a lot cheaper in comparison. I can’t see Brits giving up on spuds completely though. Where would Sunday dinner be without roast spuds; what of fish and pasta from the chippy? Nope, spuds are here to stay. If farmers want to sell more they should lower their prices!

There are a number of sayings/clichés that really bug the life out me. ‘I can’t wait for …’ is one of them. BBC News and their, ‘News where you are,’ is another one. But last night on Midlands Today another one came up yet again when an interviewee was speaking about putting Walsall ‘on the map’. Ye gods, how silly is that one? The place is already on the maps! Have look at Google Earth and you’ll find it; look at your satnav and it’s there; look at a hard copy map and it’s there. These people only have one head that I can see, so why are they stupid?

J K Rowling has started something of craze for writers by writing her Parry Hotter books in a café/coffee shop. Simon Whaley mention that a number of writers are now doing the same … (http://simonwhaleytutor.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/many-writers-go-and-write-in-corner-of.html). The other day I tried sitting here at me desk but I didn’t do much at all. Reading Simons blog reminded me that I like writing when I’m in a pub wrapping mesen rand a pint of real ale or three.

I am enjoying Rowling’s writing under the Robert Galbraith name. Her hero is Cormoran Strike spent a good part of his early life in Cornwall. I wonder if that is why Strike likes Doombar, a Cornish ale; or does she like it herself. I tried it once some time ago and wasn’t impressed. My local, The Anker had it on a couple of weeks ago and it was really nice. The Whetherspoons pub that’s part of the old Brum library complex had it on last week and it was a nice pint in there too. I must have been in a pub who was having an off day when I had that poor one. Never mind! I’ll be having a couple later today I’m sure.

Today’s photo then is … 

One of the shoppers in Brum last week.

 
And today’s funny …

This is the true story of George Phillips of Meridian, Mississippi, who was going to bed when his wife told him that he'd left the light on in the shed. George opened the door to go turn off the light but saw there were people in the shed in the process of stealing things.
He immediately phoned the police, who asked "Is someone in your house?" and George said no and explained the situation. Then they explained that all patrols were busy, and that he should simply lock his door and an officer would be there when available.
George said, "Okay," hung up, counted to 30, and phoned the police again.
"Hello, I just called you a few seconds ago because there were people in my shed. Well, you don't have to worry about them now because I've just shot them all."
Then he hung up. Within five minutes three squad cars, an Armed Response unit, and an ambulance showed up. Of course, the police caught the burglars red-handed.
One of the policemen said to George: "I thought you said that you'd shot them!"
George said, "I thought you said there was nobody available!"