Counting

[wellinghall]

Showers repaired by plumber: one (at last!)

Books returned to Amazon on account of them being mis-described: one (Complete Short Stories of Saki, which - unsurprisingly, really - did not also contain the promised novels and plays)
Books ordered from Abebooks with Saki's novels and plays: one (Saki: The Novels and Plays, which at least has a more promising title)
Buster Keaton films watched: one (Our Hospitality)
Opinionated books about the Falklands war read: one (Razor's Edge)

Rooks seen in our garden at one time, clustered around the mealworms: eight
New cages bought to protect mealworms from big birds: one
Effectiveness at keeping out rooks: 100%
Effectiveness at keeping out starlings: 20%
Woodpigeons that have fallen prey to cats: one
Stings received while trying to clear nettles: lots!

Hospital appointments made to see consultant: one (31 May)
Dental appointments in the next week: two

Emails we need to read, reply to, forward or otherwise deal with: forty-two (yes, really)

Number of times I've cursed the ECB for selling test match TV rights to Sky: loads
Number of really impressive slow-motion shots of a bat bending as it strikes the ball, during the opening sequence of the highlights: one

Comments

[emily-shore.livejournal.com]

What sort of opinions did the book on the Falklands War present?

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

Sorry for being so long in coming back to you on this.

The writer is pretty right-wing in political outlook. He has some interesting things to say on the "Dirty War" in Argentina in the 1970s (which I know very little about), and opines that a lot of the leaks in Britain during the war were made with the aim of discrediting Margaret Thatcher, even if this harmed our chances on the battle-field.

He thinks that America's help to Britain was an important factor in our winning. He is doubtful of the value of some of the associated aspects of the landings by Britain, including in particular the Avro Vulcan bombing missions to Port Stanley airport. [I disagree with him on both these; in particular, the bombing missions achieved both their immediate objective of preventing Argentinian fast jets from using the runway, and showed that we could hit the mainland.)

On the ground, he disparages both the sending and the heavy use of the Guards regiments over more Paras and Commandoes, and seems to have some sensible things to say on this score. He is also less than complimentary of Rear Admiral Sandy Woodward's leadership.

The poor air defence of the task force has been deliberated before, and shows a lack of planning by the Navy stretching back over many years. I had not realised (or had forgotten) how badly we did at tracking Argentinian submarines.

This has come out rather scrambled; but I hope it will be of some interest.

[didiusjulianus.livejournal.com]

Sometimes, you are very strange.

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

Thank you :-)

[the-marquis.livejournal.com]

Number of times I've cursed the ECB for selling test match TV rights to Sky: loads

Oh yeah! Especially every time I see one of their sodding billboards