Here at our colourful home of BedZed we’re getting a new kitchen fitted and, as I write, there are things going bump through the wall. This all got me thinking about slightly worrying kitchen discoveries: not that we made any here I’m sure, but those of us who’ve been students or lived in well-cheap accommodation [...]
Category > Science & nature
Magpie Magic
One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy,
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret never to be told
I saw a couple of magpies on the way to work this morning, and saluted them both, which is what I’ve always done. But, (after thinking ‘ooh maybe magpie superstitions could make a good [...]
Teething problems
Ok so it was to be expected, or dreaded. We did have some teensy teething problems, when The Laundry hit super technology and started our e-commerce site.
Should be all whizzy and carefree this week, but it got me thinking about some tooth nasties.
So I’ve wapped teething problems into the search engine and guess what comes [...]
Rachel’s Happiness Study
I’ve been doing some research into how to save the planet and make people happy at the same time. I like to think the Laundry hits both targets, ker-ching.
Here are some eerie facts I learned while studying:
Very superstitious… (or is it a saying, or perhaps an old wives tale?)
Red sky at night shepherds’ delight (makes my think of pink angel’s delight desert). Red sky in the morning, sailors’ warning. What a beauty of a morning it was too- well time will tell us if today’s pink curdled clouds lead to torrential rain and storms or blue, blue skies till the evening draws in.
Superstition [...]
Animal Biscuits
If you could be any animal, which animal would you be? Harriet asked me over lunch today…I couldn’t decide so I googled it (first port of call for any difficult question…right?) but all I found was a rubbish website which told me I was a tiger. No reason, no justification, just pop your name in [...]
A bad day for a dog
This week we’re still thinking about tradition and country ways. My friend and ex-laundry manager Jess showed me this passage from “Discovering the Folklore of Plants by Margaret Baker:
“The mandrake has an ancient reputation as “Devil’s apples”.
An ode to Autumn
Autumn leaves are on the ground like a rainbow upsidedown.
Whoop. This week I have had an autumn-tastic time. Rambles past castles, tea, sheep worrying, tea, leave crunching (competitive), tea, watching the Empire Strikes Back (does this count, I was drinking tea at the time), hot scones, roasts, tea, sparklers, tea*.
The Cures
Feeling a bit snotty this cold and crispy morning so thought I might write to you lot about everyday ailments and the things that you’re supposed to do to cure them. Sources of information vary from ‘Old Wives’ to google and even people that I’m only friends with through by the powers of facebook, which [...]
That’s, like, so deep
On this day…
In 1982 the Mary Rose was recovered from the deep. I don’t remember that but, here is one person’s recollection
“I was 10. Our teacher made us sit through it on TV for the whole day. It was boring beyond belief” – thanks Dominic.
The anarchic hand
While I was away having a low carbon adventure in Europe (I’ve decided never to fly again) my travel buddies told me about…..the anarchic hand. This condition is a brain injury related syndrome where one of your hands performs actions against your will. Here are some of my favourite examples
Genius
My name is Gemma and I am the newest member of the Laundry team, as of about 3 weeks ago in fact. I am settling in just fine and just thought I’d add a bit to the discussion that goes in these ere parts… So I was flicking through the TV channels last night, after [...]
What’s an Octopig?
When my friend’s brother was younger, he had a cat called Scallywag, a tom cat. One holiday, they were driving round a roundabout in Birmingham (not sure if that was the final destination of their holiday – I shall resist all other comments) and Scallywag made a bid for freedom through the slightly open back [...]
Amazing Animals
Hello when Harriet was guest starring last week I was off in Wales watching my friends play which he put on in his barn at midnight. It’s based on Welsh mythology and he is touring with to schools to teach kids about saving the environment. There is a camp dragon in it (yes, really!)– I [...]
Hair raising horticulture
Gardening….
The British are apparently mad for gardening, an offhand observation might say what (traditionally- I know, I know- we’re all budding Gordons and Jamies now) we lack in the kitchen we make up for in the… garden
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