Comments for Frydmania

Comment on If you’re happy and you know it… by dan

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:36:07 +0000

Very impressed that Oscar could count up to 40+ in English. What a joy to spend time with him (and Grit of course). Any excuse to pull the toy boxes out and spread the cars out over the living room carpet.

Comment on Picture our amazement by alison

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:49:30 +0000

Others have advised to do the DIY now rather than before moving, to enjoy the benefits - so it’s nice to manage it where we can. Not finished yet, but a long way on from how things looked 5 years ago…bye bye dark and worn carpets in particular!

Comment on Write back at you by alison

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:47:40 +0000

I hope I haven’t given away too much about the next parcel…but good to hear that the first one was doing well. We’ll keep the Saturday Times book sections coming…

Comment on Write back at you by David

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:51:52 +0000

And the most recent parcel to Italy duly arrived and was much appreciated! Especially enjoyed the “staycation” cutting, which was most amusing. Have just had a long weekend in Engelberg for R’s birthday: beautiful weather, beautiful scenery, must take you sometime. Even bought a copy of the Neue Zurche Zeitung to try and do something about my increasingly rusty German. But it’s somehow not quite the same as the Saturday Times ….

Comment on Picture our amazement by Shona

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:51:33 +0000

Yippee for finished projects - very glad to hear that it’s coming together.
Funny how for us the house always ends up being beautiful just before we move on. We absolutely promised ourselves that the next time, we’d do it all a bit earlier, so that we could enjoy the fruits of our DIY labour.
xx

Comment on Living in the past by alison

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 18:05:50 +0000

Great set of comments - thanks! Katrina, don’t worry - my ‘do I don’t I’ pile is more from people who I haven’t hear from at all for several years, but I know they’re out there somewhere…

So, perhaps Olivia’s comment of stirring the embers is one I need to take up with some. Watch this space.

Comment on Living in the past by Olivia Lavizzari

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:09:48 +0000

Am I allowed 2 bites at the cherry? I just got sent this African proverb - how apt!
“Genuine love and friendship is like hot charcoal that is covered by ashes; when you return to it much later and poke it a little it is rekindled and reactivated anew. (Africa)”

Comment on Living in the past by Olivia Lavizzari

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:32:29 +0000

Lovely.

I have cards from you in my stack with the distinctive Alison writing I remember going through my entire correspondence from birth to 30 before I moved to South Africa. It was like therapy LOL!

I came across a meal plan from my Granny the other day, hidden in a recipe book, from one time we must have all visited. I remember her and my mum always spending hours discussing what everyone would eat for the next week for hours on our stays! I could almost feel her in the room! Though it was horrible remembering that she was not there.

My other Grandma had this habit of leaving postcards and notes in her books, so whenever I read her books (there are a LOT) I get these lovely little surprises.

Having someone’s writing, it’s so much more evocative than email, almost like you can smell them there!

xxx

Comment on Living in the past by Katrina

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:19:54 +0000

My response…..I hope I’m in the list of friends that have drifted somewhat but would love to pick up again at any point….! Don’t want to be in the list of people where you ask yourself is it worth another go?
Sending much love, Katrina n Josh xx

Comment on Shock - lack of snow! by Kristina

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:13:22 +0000

Good post.

Comment on Christmas soundtracks by john k

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 11:24:02 +0000

I think of Christmas in two halves … the ‘God’ half and the ‘party & presents’ half. For the former, several Christmas carols will do it for me (to the correct tunes, please, Cliff!) … for the latter, Slade’s Merry Xmas Everybody. Noddy Holder claimed he wrote it by making a list of everything connected with Christmas but unconnected with church, and then fitting them all into one song.

Comment on Making up for it by dan

Sun, 07 Dec 2008 10:37:34 +0000

I read it too, honest! Good to read on the bus. I’ll get to write some of my own posts soon and show Alison how to add photos again…

Comment on Back fill by Andrew Jones

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 08:34:21 +0000

Oh yes - weekend breakfasts! Our kids are now well trained in this little tradition! Saturday mornings are porridge (or sticky porridge as its now known to differntiate it from ready brek which is a weekday breakfast!) replete with maple syrup, raisins, honey or jam!
Sunday breakfast is a time honoured event since before our child rearing days and can be panckaes (with maple syrup and bacon for me!) or chocolate spread or sugar or……. and on other days it may be brioche, croissants, crumpets, bagels, fry up……. ooooh roll on the weekend!

Comment on Which planet do you like best? by Dan

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 18:16:09 +0000

Erm, correction. Someone did remark on Pluto being the name of a dog, but I think it was the author. My favourite planet is called Earth. I’m rather attached to it. There’s this force that keeps drawing me to it. Funny really.

Comment on Deja vu isn’t what it used to be by Andrew Jones

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:35:58 +0000

Oooh and don’t forget the first Magnum of the year - a tradition in our house! (Not a magnum of champagne, mores the pity……the ice cream - demarcates the beginning of summer and predates the first (scottish and in my opinion only type worth eating ) strawberry!

Comment on It’s a gas gas gas by alison

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 18:50:46 +0000

All the oxygen is going to the driving brain cells, clearly.

Comment on It’s a gas gas gas by Matthew

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 09:34:27 +0000

Jumping Jack Flash.

Too easy…..

Comment on In the wars by Alison W

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 08:18:06 +0000

I also was brought up on the phrase “in the wars.” Not one that I’ve used on my kids yet as I’m hoping (coward that I am) to avoid protracted conversations about what war is. And why.
If we appeared crying and injured or sniffing and bleary-eyed as children we were always asked “what’s worst with you?” The instant and unconditional sympathy implied in the question was always a comfort, as was the permission to complain. It’s not a phrase I’ve heard people using recently. Could we bring it back?

Comment on Fantasy online dinners by mamma_soft

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 21:02:01 +0000

I’ll vote for pizza just now - in all it’s glorious un-obtainableness. But ask me tomorrow and I might just say fresh mango from the tropical backyard garden or how about some home-made ‘vaggis’?

Comment on There’s no such thing as a free… by Dan

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:45:57 +0000

Erm, there’s an IT supplier you know quite well where most of their products start at a couple of grand upwards. The reason is profit and profit is used for re-investment and growth. Apparently…

At least advice is free, until it turns into consultancy and then normal rules don’t apply.

Comment on Food miles? by Dan

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:39:28 +0000

Definitely in favour of a quarter lamb in the freezer, but people need to come to my birthday party and eat ice cream drizzled with Chocolate Tree chocolate hazelnut spread… there’s lateral thinking for you!

Comment on Hitting people and running away by Mamma Soft

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 22:19:41 +0000

Love your writing. Love you. Cheers for the thoughts.

Comment on Food miles? by Andrew Jones

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:03:07 +0000

Alison - I think part of the issue is we are so used to the artificially low prices the supermarkets charge which don’t really refelct the true cost of decent food. We are conned into believeing that their stiff is ‘value’!! Re meat - organic is expensive but we only eat meat at weekends and so can afford to buy it now. I think it is a sacrifice worth making!

Comment on Black gold by Grit

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:21:01 +0000

Crumble with brambles and ice cream - I ought to visit you soon….

Comment on Cars and trucks and things that go by Alison W

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 21:31:29 +0000

By way of an update: Donn’s deep passion for tractors is showing some signs of abating. Fire engines are becoming a firm favourite. Perhaps this is because we pass the fire station on the way home from playgroup and often see one or two fire engines on our journey home. Dunfermline fire men are particularly obliging and now wave when they see us coming along the pavement. As you know, Alison, we are fairly conspicuous, even from a distance.
I’m still not sure who is more thrilled by the sight of a fire engine full of waving fire fighters, Donn or his mother…

Comment on All things bright and beautiful by Andrew Jones

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:30:02 +0000

Hey Alison sound slike you did well! WE too struggled and plan a polytunnel for next year so at least when it is pissing down we can get out and do something!
Re Rupert’s comment - you can get organic slug pellets - made of iron phospphate which only kills slugs and not the animals that may eat the dead slugs. And uneaten pellets break down into iron and phosphate which feeds yer plants!!

Comment on All things bright and beautiful by Rupert Ward

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 07:33:42 +0000

I haven’t found it easy this summer either alison, but have had lettuce, mangetout, beans, courgettes … but i have had to use slug pellets. Not organic, but the only way to get some stuff to produce any food! I have also found that growing the seeds in small pots inside, to get them going, helps!

I just wish i had a bit more space … my few square feed does well, but i would love much more!

Comment on Cars and trucks and things that go by David

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 08:12:09 +0000

Depite the obvious Thomo-centric focus, our boy has a predilection for anything with any form of transport - snow ploughs, fire engines, the lot (with the possible exception of milk floats, as we don’t tend to see many of them here; but do you remember his “tractor friend” round the back of our road?). Indeed, we’re now onto backhoe loaders and things like that - Rachel and I are rapidly having to expand our knowledge and vocabulary in these areas …. Current fave is his remote control 4×4 (”fuori strada”) which we got him for his birthday, which gives rise to further opportunities for linguistic crossover/interference. We also have a much treasured copy of the Richard Scarry book (”Where’s Goldbug?”), which I think Miriam found for him in a second-hand bookshop in Cambridge. Keep blogging, David et al.

Comment on Making up for it by Rupert Ward

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 21:04:50 +0000

revival is breaking out on Dan & Alison’s blog … 4 readers!

Comment on Making up for it by Grit

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 19:33:29 +0000

Hey, the two of you: Al’s got an international audience. Hello from Germany…

Comment on Making up for it by Rupert Ward

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 07:55:58 +0000

clearly you other reader is matthew, who i hadn’t noticed had left a comment!

Comment on Making up for it by Shona

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 23:16:50 +0000

Wow! I didn’t even know you had a blog. Well, your readership has just increased. Count me in. (Thank you FB)

Comment on Making up for it by Rupert Ward

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 21:12:54 +0000

“But in the last flurry of writing, I did discover I had a small readership at least”

Is that me? It might have been quicker to pick up the phone?!?!?!

Thanks for the update Alison … lovely to hear you news.
Ps. just pulling your leg - i am sure there must be someone else who reads…

Comment on Making up for it by Matthew

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 20:06:42 +0000

I refuse to believe you about coffee.

Comment on Back to blog school by Rupert Ward

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:04:07 +0000

yes write … forget ditches … write …

Comment on When is a wynd not a ginnel? by Innovate

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 18:38:09 +0000

I can offer these other terms for a ginnel… Jitty, Jennel, Gypsy Path, Entry, Backs, and Link. I’m sure there’s many more though…

Comment on Heid in ma hauns by David

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 10:11:19 +0000

I believe the correct term is “flipe”, as taught to us by the Walkers, though I am in no way able to vouch for the spelling … Your version made for far more interesting reading, however!

Comment on Eating up leftovers by Neil

Sun, 23 Dec 2007 00:20:05 +0000

Junior Daughter had been nagging Senior Daughter about throwing out food, and Senior Daughter sent me the following link to the BBC website a few days ago …

** The lost art of leftovers **
We waste too much food and should return to the way we lived during the war,says a new campaign. It would save us money and help save the planet.

Comment on The Frydman 2007 round up by katrina

Fri, 21 Dec 2007 23:10:42 +0000

Hey, Alison, I really miss bumping into you and would love to catch up in the new year……lets make a date….

much love,
Katrina

Comment on Over the water yet? by The Other Half

Sun, 16 Dec 2007 09:56:28 +0000

By the way, if you were interested in how much the taxi was at the point we jumped out at the West End - about £28 - from Dunfermline to Edinburgh. Would expect that all the way to Waverley would have added another £4.

Comment on Jog my memory by The Other Half

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 21:51:30 +0000

Ah, photos of life. It’s a record of who we were and who we wanted to be. Something to keep for the future and for others to ponder on. I would love to be able to look through more photos from the time that my mum was 20 something and yet there’s not much to be had that doesn’t include me in some way.

Who was she? What was she like? What did she like?

Going further back, what was my gran like when she was 20 something? What was it really like in London in 1946/47? What was the Festival of Britain like in 1951? I could ask her these questions - in fact I will at Christmas and let you all know.

Comment on Hail fellow, well met by Clare van Loenen

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 19:08:50 +0000

Just reading this, unwisely while at work, and it makes me cry and smile. Thank you Alison.. I hear him saying ‘Hello my girl’ too. What are we going to do without him?

He actually died on Thursday morning when we’d all gone downstairs for coffee. He couldn’t have done a moment longer.

Better go and pour some wine.
Lots of love

Comment on This year’s catch phrases by David

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:51:30 +0000

Have forwarded this to Rachel’s and my family as it made me chuckle so much! Particularly the bits about Thomas …

More power to your blogging elbows
Love from us all
David

Comment on Taking the plunge by Matthew

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 19:10:34 +0000

It was hard on Sunday, still can’t put my finger on it why though. I’ll be blogging about it in due course.

There was definitely a “space” that needed filled. God was definitely up to something, and I’m so glad He chose you to bring His word. Right choice for the moment.

Comment on Unsaved by Joanna

Sun, 21 Oct 2007 15:59:08 +0000

Hello

I know just what you mean about facebook, and about hoarding…

I’m a compulsive hoarder, and completely relate to your attachment to the arrangement of the dressing table. I ‘blame’ (not really the appropriate word!) having had a happy childhood, and life generally, and not wanting to let anything slip away, from reality to memory and into nothingness. It’s also no doubt to do with retaining control, at least over something, in the midst of change. I have got around it over the past couple of years by taking of photos of lots and lots of very random things – hanging onto the memories, without all the associated clutter (although still enough associated clutter to do a fair job of filling a 3 bed house, as it turns out…) This is maybe a slight cop out, avoiding the real leaving behind…? But it has allowed me to do a lot of chucking out, so will do for now.

So to facebook, which seems to me related…

It’s so nice getting back in touch with people – but the act of starting an email with – oops, I didn’t mean to lose touch with you – is such an acknowledgement that things have actually changed… Things and people and relationships move on, no matter how many photos one takes. This was brought home to me the other day when I visited the hostel in Nepal where I lived and worked for 6 months, 2000-2001. I honestly half expected to see the kids I worked with running around outside… But of course they weren’t there, and the lady who opened the door (yes, I did knock) was very nice, and said they did work for the same organisation I had – but she wasn’t anything to do with my life, past or present. People, unlike my precious odds and ends, are not easily captured and kept in a photo.

But now there’s facebook…! I suppose the challenge for me is to not use it to ‘hoard’ friends (awful concept!), or to pretend that one’s relationship with one’s school friends can be the same as it always was – but to maintain a bit of a link with people’s new realities… And the other challenge, especially these 3 months, is not to become so involved in keeping up with people in the virtual world, that I forget to build new relationships with people in the actual world…

(Having said that, it’s great to discover the Frydmania page!)

Comment on Rock around the pools by Rupert Ward

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 08:43:41 +0000

Thanks so much for looking after our boys Alison … it was a lovely day!
Toby does have a few funny ideas sometimes …

Comment on When I grow up I want to be… by katrina

Tue, 12 Jun 2007 12:07:15 +0000

Hi Alison,,,,,,,,,,,have you ever thought of going into writing for a living…..I love reading your stuff! I would buy your books!

Glad to hear your well and about to start your home study, do call if you want to chat about anything. Would be lovely to see you soon but know how busy you are.

Much love,
Katrina x

Comment on Busy in the blogosphere by Rupert Ward

Tue, 15 May 2007 07:20:37 +0000

Hey Alison - thanks for the mention … and i felt i just had to make a comment on this post!!!!

Just one comment: Can you Hyperlink the blogs referenced here? Then people could click on the link to go straight to the blog? I obviously know my blog and Tony’s … but would like to check out the other one!!?!?!?

Comment on Enneagram and The West Wing by Andrew Aveyard

Wed, 02 May 2007 15:54:10 +0000

I think Toby was more of a perfectionist than you suggest.
And have been re-watching season 7 (I miss my friends now they are gone) and think that the writers were wrong. The Toby we knew in season 1- 6 would have done it. I only raise the point because Season 7 changed the way we think about his whole character.
Not sure if you noticed, but managed to convince Flip to walk down the isle to west wing theme tune! Not sure what type that makes me?

Comment on Paris Match(ing) Meets Eric by Rupert Ward

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 08:25:55 +0000

He just gets everywhere that Erik???????

Fine looking chap though for so much travel and excitement!