Goodbye, Britannica

[poliphilo]

We didn't get a lot done yesterday. The excuses were (a) that we were knackered from the day before- when furniture got moved around- and (b) that time was limited, what with us having to attend Ma-in-law's birthday party, starting mid-afternoon. Ma-in-law is 79.  We bought her a pair of slippers which turned out to be two sizes too big.

Yesterday's biggest coup was to throw out the set of Encyclopaedias I inherited from my grandfather. They had served their turn.  I used to consult them- but that was before the Web came along. They were dated 1960 and their leathery spines had been scratched by cats and nibbled by rabbits. We didn't junk them. They went into a charity box. If they turn out to have a market value (which I doubt) let Oxfam have the benefit.

We came home from the party and watched Celebrity Come Dancing. We love it how John Sergeant- the political journalist- a sly little teddy bear of a man who can't dance for toffee- keeps getting retained by the votes of the viewers, while more accomplished performers of less character are thrown off. The judges- dance professionals of one kind or another- are getting so cross about it, they splutter. I say, hooray for the bolshiness of the great British public! Of course, none of this matters in the least.

Comments

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

My Dad (in his 80s and a dancer all his life) gets really annoyed that the best dancers don't necessarily win.

ETA: My Dad's only dances for fun and exercise, by the way. He's never even competed as an amateur, but he knows what's good and what isn't.

[idahoswede.livejournal.com]

Like your father, I have never competed, but I love to dance, I do have a sense of rhythm and I know what's good and what isn't. Some very large men can be quite light on their feet and a joy to watch. John Sergeant is not one of them. Amusing, yes, but I didn't tune in to see a vaudeville show, I want to see dancing.