mint

bravissima!

So you're missing Norman already? (that "already", as used by Americans always makes me smile[:)]) Bless..............so sweet[:)]

Oh, Norman, do listen............and I know you have good speakers, thank goodness!  This, IMHO, is compelling, magical, heart-stopping........have run out of adjectives but, luckily for us all, Bartolli has not run out of breath[:)] [url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr_bTMlxd7c[/url]

That was so funny, I had a really good laugh! I don't know about Norman.........?

I have found a more comprehensive obit. [url]http://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2016/10/02/sir-neville-marriner--obituary[/url]

I am putting this on here because I don't think many others would be interested. Neville Marriner has died[:(] [url]https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/oct/02/conductor-sir-neville-marriner-dies-academy-st-martin-in-the-fields-amadeus[/url]

I agree totally with your post, ET. I'd gladly comply with any of these procedures if it would make it harder for any scammer/hacker out there to use my account in an unauthorised way. I saw a tv programme yesterday about the ingenious methods in which crooks are accessing our bank accounts. My UK bank often stops my internet payments if they are made to a company with whom I have no dealings before or made to a country I do not normally buy from.  They ring up and apologise but I always tell them I'd rather they checked. I don't mind a bit of delay and inconvenience but I will be mighty annoyed if they slipped up and are careless with my funds. 

Quite right, Norman.  In any case, it's useful to have bank accounts in 2 currencies.  My accounts enable me to buy goods in whichever currency is more favourable at the time of purchase. Plus, as Norman says, you sometimes receive cheques in sterling and at other times you want to send someone a sum of money in pounds as gifts at Christmas and other celebratory occasions.

Can't get iplayer but I heard a short story on it this morning on the TV. I wouldn't have minded taking part!

After the frustration of being unable to post, here is something to soothe the nerves and lift the spirits: [url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAe00rxhJPU[/url]

A MUST watch, BBC TV4 broadcast this evening:  Belioz's Romeo and Juliette. The bass baritone on his own would have been worth switching on for[:D]

Faure's requiem tonight on the proms..............for people who have iplayer and missed it.

yes, truly beautiful

What is it about the Orpheus story that has so inspired and entranced throughout so many centuries? Radio 3 has performances of many pieces and diverse composers and artists the last few days. Here is Marilyn Horne..........er, in case you need persuading?[:D] [url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bUAM0ER-Dw[/url]

You might like this too: [url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07g9q4w[/url]

On the basis that a bit of melodrama never does anyone any harm, I am pointing you to this [url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07g8nrm[/url] I do realise that it may not be to your exact (and exacting!) taste but it beats watching football and listening to military bands which seem to have featured all day. Personally I love the intermezzo from CR and the prelude from Pag.  Also, they have found a neat way of melding the 2 operas together, neat and appropriate.

Nothing to do with toads, midwife ones or otherwise. But I heard, up close, a real donkey hee-hawing away yesterday afternoon while out for a walk.  The eeeeeeeeeeeee part is like a very shrill and ear-splitting whistle and the aaaaaawwwwwwww part is rather hoarse (ugh, I nearly wrote "horse") in contrast.  If it were a singer, I'd have said it had tremendous range[:)] Now I know why the donkey is called Eeyore, the author knowing too well what sound donkeys make.  I, OTOH, is an urban creature and I had no idea what donkeys sounded like until yesterday!

I don't know about the type of hair, GG.  I was a fanatical hair washer, always had thick hair but the constant washing (and shampooing) seemed to make it greasy and so it was a bit of a vicious circle, wash and shampoo everyday and the need to wash and shampoo everyday increased and so on. Now hair still nice and thick but no, hasn't got darker like yours has, if anything it is just generally greyer........ha, ha!  But I don't mind the grey because I think it looks quite nice[:)] Edit: forgot to say that I didn't stop using shampoo because of problems with my hair but the hard water where we were was making my skin very dry and the constant hair washing with shampoo cascading down my back made my skin itchy and dry and I developed eczema on my back.

GG, I understand that hard water is better for the heart and arteries and not good for the kidneys (stones, etc)  But, it's not something that I have bothered to learn more about. The non-poo thing, you've got it wrong![:P]  It's NOT about not washing your hair, you wash it as often as you like (probably twice a day in the summer for me) you just don't use shampoo.

[quote user="You can call me Betty"]Our water is also very hard. Sort of "One lump, or two?" hard.[/quote] Strangely enough, it would have to be three lumps in our old house but only two lumps here and the two houses are only about 45 minutes apart by car.

Is the link here any good to you? [url]http://www.unitedutilities.com/documents/WaterhardnessFactSheet.pdf[/url]

If you put "carte de calcaire" in google, you'd find lots of info.  I'd do you a live link but there is other information besides just maps of France with pretty colours. Hope you find what you need.

Britten Sinfonia's strings to the fore: [url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b079m238[/url] Strauss's Metamorphosen so much of its time when it was composed and now sending shivers down spines.

Poor Norman, you must be losing your touch in more senses than one? Sorry, didn't mean to make fun......it's just such a lovely day here, after a period of variable and damp weather, that I feel on top of the world and everything looks alive and interesting and my childish side is to the fore[:D]

BBC TV 4 tonight, a whole new programme about Menuhin presented by the very likeable Clemency Burton-Hill. Wonderfully nostalgic!