Kupar

2 minutes ago, Alfresco said:

My dad used to be in a brass band.  He played Eb bass, Euphonium, Trombone.   He taught me the basics and I tried to learn the cornet, but I found the mouthpiece too small.  He told me that I may find the Euphonium easier, which I did, but never owned one, so I only ever had the odd go at it when I was at his house.  It is actually a baritone euphonium to give it the proper name.

 

Aha. That makes sense now. I had visions of you just finding a euphonium somewhere, getting the hang of how to play it, then losing it 😉

5 minutes ago, Alfresco said:

I'm no ornithologist, but I thought Mandarin ducks had more colourful breasts and tufts on the tops of their heads.  I don't know what type these are, I always thought they were Shelduck but you probably know more about it than I do.  They were having a wash.  They kept bobbing down into the water and then standing up and flapping their wings to dry them.

Ah ... I was thinking mandarin ducks because of their mostly white heads ... shelducks have a dark head and a big red bill (not like the sort I'm going to get from the gas company if I keep working from home through the winter). It's nice to see the water birds, but I have to confess I am not particularlyl good at identifying them!

13 minutes ago, Alfresco said:

I have also dabbled with brass instruments and can just about hold a tune on a euphonium, but I don't have one and I don't practice so I'm not getting any better at it!! 

How did you come to be able to play the euphonium?

20 minutes ago, Alfresco said:

... so I read the music line and put my own accompanying chords with it...

That's a real skill in its own right. Quite a lot of people who've had a more formal piano-lesson-based upbringing struggle to do that.

It always surprises me how different people's musical brains work. Some (like my wife) can play, at sight, complex music they've never seen or heard before; others, like my son, can't do that to the same degree ... but play more by innate musicality. With my son, if he's heard a song, he can play it - melody, accompaniment - the lot. Then play it in a different key. No sheet music required. Mother and son have huge respect for each other's completely different musical brains. I can't do either of those things ... and I can't do what you can do either!

24 minutes ago, Alfresco said:

@Bacardi, Yes, I would definitely say walking counts - especially if it is active walking as it sounds like yours is.   Well done for losing all that weight!   great effort.

Talking of walking.....   My exercise today was about half an hour walk to the lake near me.   It was a misty morning and eerily quiet.  Just a few birds for company and the only other people I saw were two ladies walking a dog who happened to walk along the path behind me whilst I was peeing in the lake - the account and photos of peeing in the lake are here: 

When I was nearly back at the car I did see another lady jogging, but far fewer people than I would expect to see at that time of the morning.

A few photos below:

  

Mandarin ducks I think 🙂 - very colourful

Some excellent photos today, thanks @Alfresco!

I have another awkward question for you @gldenwetgoose.

If you had the choice of one year alone on a desert island with a solar-powered laptop and decent Internet access but no prospect of meeting another person face to face in that time, and no ability to videocall your family ...

... or one year living in a commune of 30 nice, chilled, free-peeing, sexy men and women, with adequate supplies of food and drink (including southern French red wine and single malt whisky) - but no Internet access, or any other comms technology ...

... which would you choose? 

Just a wonderful, loving moment, wonderfully described. Thank you!

3 minutes ago, Bacardi said:

I'm not really sure if this counts as sporty, but I'll share anyway. 

So I just recently dropped a ton of weight. I went from a size 20 in pants to a size 12, and I'm pushing a size ten now. Im confident I'm going to get there soon because I just got a promotion where I work that requires me to do basically nothing but walk the entire store. And not just a walk like you would through the park. Some days we're so behind Im nearly sprinting through the store. I love it so much and can already feel my 12s starting to become looser on me. 

So, my sport would have to be walking lol.

Yes. That definitely counts 🙂

5 minutes ago, Rewdna said:

Ok.That would be great.It is a particular kink of mine.

OK. Noted 😉

26 minutes ago, Rewdna said:

Great video.Shame you didn't have time to pull your trousers and pants right down.You looked and sounded really bursting lhough.

Thanks! I'll try and make another where I do get them down properly 🙂

11 mile run this morning at 8min 09sec / mile. Getting closer to half-marathon distance.

On 12/3/2020 at 4:06 AM, Ms. Tito said:

I wanna go to Pisuaria. 

 

 

 

Or Lavatria or Kaymala. One of those three please.

OK - just read the story. Can I come with you please?

Love your story! I want to go to Pisuaria so much ...

3 minutes ago, oliver2 said:

Not v. practical, but:
Some kinda device that detects when a swimming pool, bath or shower has been pissed in.

An app for directing you to discreet pee spots (sort of like trip advisor but for outdoor peeing)

 

I reckon the first one could be done. @sophie might know the concentrations of detectable, unique compounds that might be quickly measured.

The second one is, to be honest, genius. And quickly compiled surely using Google Maps

3 minutes ago, oliver2 said:

7. There’s a very wide variation in how peeing is regarded in people’s families: how much it’s a taboo, whether to lock the toilet door, whether outdoors and sinks are reasonable alternatives, only for desperate need, or completely beyond the pale, whether the pool is an “okay toilet”, under what circumstances it’s reasonable to pee yourself, ...

@beachmom
may be along in a minute 🙂

3 minutes ago, Sophie said:

I have a huge crush on Nancy Wilson 

 

Me too ... and she could play 🙂

1 hour ago, Sophie said:

Heart - Alone

Ooh. Coincidentally I watched the video of this the other day and got the same tingle from seeing the Wilson sisters gyrating as I did when it was a new song 🙂

13 minutes ago, gldenwetgoose said:

In the world of jogging / cycling (etc) it's said 'it doesn't matter how little you do, you're still beating anyone sat on the sofa'.  I'm sure the same applies here - it doesn't matter whether you play all the time or never... I'm still in awe of anyone with any musical skills and talent.

I firmly don't fall into that camp. I'm sadly well and truly on the sofa. I have lots of musical friends, professional and part time musicians and teachers... and whilst I know some of the theory I'm definitely in awe.

A couple of years ago I was photographing a weekend music event for a friend and it happened to be my birthday - I got dragged on stage in front of about 100 guests, for the band to play Birthday to me (The Beatles track, which certainly beats the kids party Happy Birthday but does last a cringeworthy much longer).  I had a tambourine thrust into my hand and discovered I literally can't follow a beat without intently watching the drummer.  Not my forte at all....

That's very honest and enlightening, as well as quite amusing. I'm sure you had a happy birthday nonetheless!

40 minutes ago, Eliminature said:

Throughout lockdown, the only thing that has been keeping me anything close to sane is my music practice.

Music is an amazing thing. Take care @Eliminature

I am learning to play the hammered dulcimer. I used to play the piano, not particularly well... I went through the grades but only to 5. On the dulcimer I play folk tunes. My main 'instrument' is my voice. I have sung in choirs large and small for 45 years. Very varied repertoire, from big classical works to small group unaccompanied early music/madrigals, and 'popular songs' (but not a fan of that sort of thing really).

Me too

4 hours ago, Ozabot said:

Gorgeous! There could be a subcategory for wedding dresses. Something special about them.

5 hours ago, speedy3471 said:

The sink in my shop looked like the perfect place to have a piss. I made sure and got the handles and wall

Excellent!

6 hours ago, Eliminature said:

I'm glad you didn't have eight pints! 🍺 Slightly jealous about your lockdown restrictions - we're very firmly in the third teir. 

I love the peeing in fenland like that. Very titillating. If I'd seen you, I'd probably want to pee next to you - either at the urinal or on the fenland. 

And it would have been lovely to have your company! Another time maybe 🙂

I hope you survive your tier 3 time OK. And it's good to see you back in the forum.