Yesterdays Brain Teaser - An Apology

Yesterday I set readers a brainteaser. The task was to construct a sentence in which the word and appeared seven times consecutively. Unfortunately, I asked the question wrongly, it should have said five times consecutively. I don't doubt if I had asked the question correctly you would all have got the right answer. I do apologise for the error, but here is the answer had the question been asked correctly.

The landlord at the Pig And Whistle was stood outside looking at his pub sign. It was looking pretty tatty so he called the local sign writer and asked if he would make him a new one and hang it for him. The sign writer made the new sign, took it to the pub and hung it. He then went into the pub and asked the landlord to go outside and tell him what he thought of it. The landlord took one look at the new sign, turned to the sign writer, and said "that looks awful, I can't have that hanging outside my pub" The sign writer looked perplexed and asked the landlord "what is wrong with it". To which the landlord replied "you have left too much space between pig and and and and and whistle"

Straw

Remember the story of the three little pigs? The first little pig built a house made from straw. Then along came the big bad wolf and blew his house down. Excuse me one moment. Sniff,sniff. Sorry about that I always fill up when I hear that story. No, its not nursery rhyme time it simply brings me onto the subject of straw. I see that North Kesteven District Council, who happen to be my local council, have set up a project to build straw homes. The plan is currently at the planning application stages. if approved, four such houses will be built on two seperate sites. Permission has been sought for a pair of semi-detached dwellings to be built at West Grove, Martin and a similar pair at Brumsby Crescent, Waddington. Work could start as early as April this year. A previous possible site at Rowston has been considered unsuitable. Thank goodness there are no big bad wolves residing in Lincolnshire. Still on the subject of straw. A company by the name of ECO2 biomass are expected to commence work in the spring on building a straw burning Energy Plant in Boston Road, Sleaford, Lincolnshire. During construction the development will bring 80 million pounds of investment into North Kesteven. Once operational it is estimated the plant will generate a further 8 million pounds in the local economy, with local farmers providing the straw. The plant is said to be capable of providing enough energy to power 65,000 homes. No wonder North Kesteven are regarded as one of the best district councils in the entire country.

Today's Smile

A man was sitting at his table in the restaurant reading the menu. The waiter came over.

Waiter: "Has sir decided?"
Man: " Yes I think I'll have the octopus"
Waiter: "Very good sir, but I'm afraid there will be a two hour wait"
Man: "That's ridiculous. Why does it take that long?"
Waiter: "Well sir, we cook them alive on top of the stove and they keep turning the gas off"

Are There Vikings In Blankney Park?

I have on my bookshelves a book, entitled The Scarlet Tree, an autobiography by Osbert Sitwell, published in 1947. Osbert Sitwell 1892-1969 devoted his life to art and literature. Osbert was born into a privileged society, his mother was a relative of Lord Londesborough who owned Blankney Hall. He grew up in the family seat at Renishaw Hall, Derbyshire, attended Ludgrove and Eton, before joining the army at the outbreak of the first world war, finally leaving the service in 1918 with the rank of Captain. As a schoolboy Osbert used to spend Christmas with his parents at Blankney Hall. He relates a fascinating insight into life at the Hall at the turn of the century. He describes in great detail the interior of the Hall and makes some wonderful observations of the house guests, gathered for the festive season. At some point in the future I will return to these fascinating insights but for now I will turn to a very different part of Osbert's story. Osbert was told by his father that in Blankney Park there were many enormous pits, containing whole armies of Danish invaders. The great slaughter was said to have taken place between A.D. 700-800. The young boy felt his blood tingle as his father described how these huge excavations had been filled with the bodies of warriors killed by the retreating Saxons. His father went on to describe how the Viking bodies were first covered by branches of trees on which the earth had been shovelled - that accounted for the mounds. His father, an intellectual, quickly got bored by the Londesborough lifestyle and scorned their pursuits. The young Osbert recalls his father declaring to him that if only the members of his mother's family were more intelligent, they would spend their whole time in digging up the bones, instead of in hunting, shooting and going to circuses. This story is given further credence by earlier accounts written about 1813 that during the time of the Britons, prior to the Saxon period, two great earthworks one at Scopwick and one at Blankney Heath were constructed. Both were of similar size and said to be eighty yards in diameter and eight feet deep. It states the Blankney excavation had been preserved by planting by Charles Chaplin. Charles Chaplin was a previous encumbent of Blankney Hall. So, are their Vikings buried in Blankney Park? It is a fact that the Vikings did come to this area and it is likely that bloody battles were fought between the locals and the invaders. In which case there would have been casualties and those killed would have been buried. It may be because I want to believe it but I do buy into this story. Perhaps we should leave it to the Time Team to find out!

Looking Back - Sir Anthony Eden

On this day in 1957 Sir Anthony Eden resigned as prime minster of Britain due to ill health. Sir Anthony had previously had a series of gall bladder operations in 1953. Following recurrence of abdominal pains he was advised by his doctors to take complete rest. Sir Anthony was prime minister for one year and 279 days. His decision to use armed intervention in the Suez crisis the previous year was the beginning of his demise as prime minister. Following his resignation he became Earl of Avon in1961. He died in 1967.