Thunderthighs' Birthday Teas

My baby boy is thirty today, but birthday teas remain much the same (no guests though)

He was born on the same day as my cousin’s grand-daughter; she arrived first by a few hours.

From Facebook Archives

12 July 2009 at14.33

We are getting ready for Thunderthigh's 13th birthday party (still jelly frogs and chocolate cakes and squash) and the birthday boy is hoovering. I am a lucky mummy

12 July 2010 at 16.16

The birthday boy is home - trifle, jelly frogs and crispy cakes all done - most of the house hoovered (thanks Fester for the stairs) - now just to set the table and await his guests (4 or 6 still don't know)

Ollie Beaverbrook  Pass on our regards, Ben.  Hope the party goes swimmingly well.  Knee deep in trifle and drinks for the whole evening.  Then you'll have a real excuse to clean the carpet

Bentonbag  We replaced the downstairs carpet with laminate flooring a few years ago as there were new lifeforms developing in all the stuff that had sunk in.  Trifle was orange jelly with tinned oranges in, chocolate blancmange, vanilla whip, alpine strawberries from the garden and little coloured sprinkly things I call vermicelli.  Mummy & Daddy have pudding for the week.

Later

Ollie Beaverbrook  Assuming the birthday boy is now totally nackered and will be impossible to get out of the house on time for school tomorrow

Bentonbag  He's in the bath recovering from talking to his auntie on the 'phone.  He was up at 6, but to be fair he's really good at keeping regular hours.  Always was, as a babe in arms he fell asleep at 10.20am, 1.20pm and 10.30 bedtime - you could set your watch by him.  His brother on the other hand ....

12 July 2013 at 16.07

Now for Thunderthighs's birthday tea

FifiD  Chips?? X

Bentonbag  No that's tomorrow.  Pizzas, ham'n'cheese slice sandwiches, jam doughnuts, crisps, trifle (homemade by me with sponge slices, mandarin oranges, lime jelly, vanilla blancmange, chocolate whip and hundredsandthousands),
apple'n'blackcurrant squash and coffee.  

Setting the table and looking for something to serve the trifle Thunderthighs picked up a large spoon. 

"I think I'd better give it a wash first" says I. 

"Why?" 

"Well that's the spoon we used to scatter Uncle Stephen's ashes. It'll be perfectly clean, just needs a wash that's all".

Strangely he put it firmly back in the cutlery canteen.

FifiD  A Birthday Banquet !! His cousin-twin's new boyfriend is taking her to a Chinese restaurant.   

We've got M&S cup cakes one balloon and some bubbly wine. Cheers xxx

12 July 2020

Mrs Leftfoot, thank you and the girls for Thunderthighs's surprise gift and card.   

Please tell the girls my hair doesn't always look that mad.   

I clipped it up when I got out of bed to do the blancmange bit of the birthday trifle and hadn't got around to doing it. "No point" I thought "No one will see". 

Which is why you should always wear clean undies.

Drummerman  On your head???

Bentonbag  Many years ago my job involved researching media that clients might consider for advertising.  This led me to a copy of Vogue where models were pictured with panties on their heads.  As Guardian tv critic Nancy Banks-Smith once wrote "There is a section of Vogue called 'More Dash Than Cash' I always think the rest should be called 'More Money Than Sense'".

Dicky Brown  Years ago when I used to live in Morpeth, I regularly used to see a lady from either St. Georges or Northgate Hospital in the supermarket wearing a pair of knickers on her head. No one ever commented on what her hair looked like!

See Also 

https://bentonbag.blogspot.com/2021/08/thunderthighs-sings.html

https://bentonbag.blogspot.com/2021/08/thunderthighs-speaks.html

  

 

 

As Others See Us, Differently

Long term readers will know that I spent a lot of years on the boys'  School’s Parents Teachers and Friends Association helping to organise the Xmas Pudding Fun Run and various Fairs.

The big fundraiser was the Summer Fair.  We on the PTFA realised that when we took posters advertising the Fair into shops some would make donations and others would say “If only you’d told us sooner we could organise something.”

So I created a begging letter to take into shops, and we got quite a good selection of raffle and tombola prizes when we followed them up the next week.

The pandemic finally put an end to my association with PTFA 

(the boys had left the school years before).

A couple of years ago I became involved with the Springfield Community Association and, naturally, help organise a Summer Family Fun Day where we raise funds with a raffle and tombolas.  I created a new begging letter, which the Secretary reproduces for me.

Last week the Chair delivered this year’s letters and Thursday found me pounding the hot pavements visiting local shops and businesses. 

I wore my coolest summer dress, big cream sunhat and my hair down; as I’d washed it and knew it would dry in the heat.

When I went into the mobile phone accessory store and presented him with the letter the proprietor said 

“At yes… there was a lady who used to come around with these.”

“Yes” I replied “That was me.”

“Oh no.  She was old.  You are young.”

I wasn’t sure whether to be insulted or complimented or both.

 

As AI Sees Us

These days whenever you google something the first thing that appears is an 

AI Overview which I ignore.  This morning I made the mistake of googling 

“Tales Of Chateau Midden” and here’s what appeared…

 

AI Overview

"Tales of Chateau Midden" is a personal, humorous blog written by a British blogger, featuring charming slice-of-life essays about daily rural adventures. The stories highlight family life, folk music, and local heritage, contrasting grand romantic ideas of a "chateau" with the rustic realities of countryside living. 

The blog regularly shares updates on:

• Heritage & Folk Music: Discussions on traditional instruments like the Appalachian dulcimer and participation in local folk gatherings.
• Countryside Gardening & Nature: Amusing anecdotes from the writer's life as an amateur entomologist and mining historian.
• Family & Community: Heartwarming glimpses into life raising children and interacting with the local community in the UK.  

You can read the full collection of stories and essays directly on the Tales of Chateau Midden Blog. 

Close but no cigar.

“Daily rural adventures” – it’s not the bloody Archers (for those of us who remember when the BBC introduced it as “an everyday story of country-folk”)

AI doesn’t appear to understand sarcasm (maybe that just reflects its American ancestry) or Midden.

Also it’s the rustic realities (!) of suburban living not countryside.

Finally - I’m not sure what Fester (a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society) would think of either of us being called an amateur entomologist.

 

 

As Others See Us?

"honest portraits of people with character"

Nothing useful in the Facebook Archives for today, so I’ve gone back a day or two…

I have very kind friends.

5 July 2016 at 23.34

Back in January I volunteered to model for a photographer doing an exhibition of 'ordinary' people.

This arrived in the post on Monday.  

Still not sure what I think of it.

Tylebach  Absolutely love it!!! 

You little stunner xxx

Mr Minor  I think it is a lovely picture.

Ms BW  It's beautiful.  We were the same year in school Ben.

Fay  I think it's a lovely portrait - stunning! X

Paganess  Beautiful! 

When I did the nude photos of over 50s Kim explained that we see ourselves the otherway round in a mirror to the way a camera records us. Therefore we rarely like photos of ourselves x x x

The Late  Lovely.  Especially in your fancy red hat!

Tylebach Mawr  Ordinary - WTF - you went to Cwmifor CP - nothing ordinary there!!   

I think it is a very good picture - I like it X

Mercy Shipskitchen  You look beautiful Ben.  Your eyes in particular look lovely! xx

Mrs Lasagne  It's lovely Ben , xxxx

Mrs Mobilephone  You look lovely Benxx

Mrs Poet  Austere and warm at the same time, tinged with hraenost and humour.  Beautiful.

The Squireen  Definitely you.  It's good

Mrs Heath  Love it xxx

Ms Delune  Adore it, if I had to think of a title it'd be strength, that shines through.

Mrs Melodeon  Ben, it is a fantastic picture of you.

Mr Mull  That is a wonderful photo of a wonderful model!

Mrs Quilt  Considering the morning you had had it's a brilliant photograph.

McChurch  Trades description act.  When did you get to be "Ordinary"?  Gonnae be watchin ra telly tonite then, Taffy, by the way?

Cousin Daisy  Superb picture.  The real you, beautiful

Mrs Quilt   I'd never noticed your eyes before, what a beautiful blue.

Henlady  Wow, tells a story and not ordinary. xxx

Mrs Jeremy  I love this photo of you! It's definitely a photo of a strong woman. X

Twinny P  I like it

Paddington  Very contemplative. Caption could be "wherefore art thou Romeo"

Mrs Allotment  Lovely, but inappropriate because you Ben are not ordinary but extraordinary x

 

 

see also

https://bentonbag.blogspot.com/2021/01/one-cold-frosty-morning.html