Further reflections on the funeral

[Anna]

I think it's an Anglicised ''Top Dollar''

I think between us we could write a novel as good as one of Flann O'Brien's.

[amateur51]

I think between us we could write a novel as good as one of Flann O'Brien's.

What a lovely if unlikely thought

[Padraig]

- showing your pre-decimal roots, Padraig! Me, too: weren't tanners and 'alf-crowns brilliant?!

And a half crown was sometines called ''half a dollar''
hence

'alf an Oxford; Oxford-scholar; scholar-dollar; ''alf a crown''

Can you wing that?

Apologies ferneyhoughgeliebte (pheew) a little note of explanation. We old predecimals in Ireland used the same currency North and South. We did not check if we were using Irish or English money. A penny was a wing. Guess why!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penny_(Irish_pre-decimal_coin)

[amateur51]

I think the old half-crown was about the size of the current £2 coin, wasn't it? - when I was a tiddler I used to feel like a millionaire if a kindly visiting rello slipped me one of those upon departure

[amateur51]

And a half crown was sometines called ''half a dollar''
hence

'alf an Oxford; Oxford-scholar; scholar-dollar; ''alf a crown''

Can you wing that?

I think Caliban and other scholars cambriensis might have a word or two say about that, Padraig

[Padraig]

I think Caliban and other scholars cambriensis might have a word or two say about that, Padraig

OK

'alf a Cambridge; Cambridge/Oxford- scholar; scholar -dollar; 'alf a crown.

I'm sure there's a moral there somewhere, but I'm no scholar!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Apologies ferneyhoughgeliebte (pheew)

- "ferney" or even "fhg" saves a lot of time!

a little note of explanation. We old predecimals in Ireland used the same currency North and South. We did not check if we were using Irish or English money. A penny was a wing. Guess why!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penny_(...-decimal_coin)

I didn't know this - but a little bird gave me a hint!

[Anna]

Ratz! Cannot find the Pookah in the pocket with baccy, which is so funny. Only got this: The Pooka MacPhellimey, a member of the devil class, sat in his hut in the middle of a firwood meditating on the nature of the numerals and segregating in his mind the odd ones from the even. He was seated at his diptych or ancient two- leaved hinged writing-table with inner sides waxed. His rough long-nailed fingers toyed with a snuff-box of perfect rotundity and through a gap in his teeth he whistled a civil cavatina.
Honestly, all I can say before I go offline, Flann O'Brien, whether A Swim Two Birds or The Third Policeman, is a riotous laugh. And, it's a crying shame so he is not known better.

[amateur51]

Ratz! Cannot find the Pookah in the pocket with baccy, which is so funny. Only got this: The Pooka MacPhellimey, a member of the devil class, sat in his hut in the middle of a firwood meditating on the nature of the numerals and segregating in his mind the odd ones from the even. He was seated at his diptych or ancient two- leaved hinged writing-table with inner sides waxed. His rough long-nailed fingers toyed with a snuff-box of perfect rotundity and through a gap in his teeth he whistled a civil cavatina.
Honestly, all I can say before I go offline, Flann O'Brien, whether A Swim Two Birds or The Third Policeman, is a riotous laugh. And, it's a crying shame so he is not known better.

Pretty sure it's At Swim Two Birds Anna ... and the spelling is Pooka

[Simon]

I'm relieved to see that the much-stressed 'British composers' being played do not include Britten or Tippett, who I suspect would not only turn in their graves but probably rise up, appear in St Paul's and call "Stop!".

Oh, I'm sure they wouldn't. I'm sure they'd be pleased that people were singing and enjoying their music, even though they were politically poles apart from Lady Thatcher.

How fortunate we are that not everyone thought like the two composers you mentioned, though. Nicht war?

[amateur51]

Oh, I'm sure they wouldn't. I'm sure they'd be pleased that people were singing and enjoying their music, even though they were politically poles apart from Lady Thatcher.

How fortunate we are that not everyone thought like the two composers you mentioned, though. Nicht war?

Wow! Previously unsuspected psychic skills from the member for Amber Valley. Remarkable!

[Simon]

Wow! Previously unsuspected psychic skills from the member for Amber Valley. Remarkable!

Not really. Just obvious common sense. (Google if you need to. )

[amateur51]

Not really. Just obvious common sense. (Google if you need to. )

Yeah, right

[Anna]

Not really. Just obvious common sense. (Google if you need to. )

Oh Dear, but he has a point. It was a wonderful funeral

[Simon]

It was a wonderful funeral

The music was, I thought, really excellent - a real joy.

And, for many of us, of course, a fitting tribute to a great stateswoman.

I was glad that there were able to be present representatives from the Falkland Islands, whose freedoms she helped to save.