What A Day Today Is!

No!  Nothing To Do With Politics
I keep telling you, we here at BOOJUM! (Art, Steve, Oscar and I, Conrad) actively avoid politics.  Although it is National Day in Portugal today.  Art?

Ah, yes

     I can't very well Tazer him into a blubbering heap as "Portugal" is Arabic for "Orange" - the fruit!  The fruit!  Nothing to do with political parties!
     Anyway, that had nothing at all to do with what I wanted to say.  For today is - World Gin Day!  Can't stand the stuff myself, odious liquid as far as Conrad is concerned.  

Pay attention, this pays off shortly

     Because not only is it Portuguese National Day, and Gin-swillers Excuse Day, it also happens to be - Worldwide Knit In Public Day!  Modest hurrah, polite handclaps, subtle nods of acknowledgement*.

Woold you believe it.

     I only just found out, and for what it's worth, Darling Daughter didn't realise either, which is even more of a coincidence as what is she currently doing?
     No!  Not metal-inert gas welding.  Knitting! Art?

     See - knitting.  
     "But the gin?" I hear you quibble.  "What -"
     From the old knitting phrase - 'knit one, purl one".  The best I could manage at short notice.
     Now, the Intro is over, let the motley begin.

Meanwhile, Back In Dangerland -
Conrad is continuing to work through his Wiki list of "Extremely Hazardous Substances", and has come across a really nasty piece of work called "Nickel Tetracarbonyl".  I ought to post a picture of the 3D model for you.  Art?

Like a Dada caltrop

     The formula is Ni(CO4), which is rather bland.  Let us begin by saying that it is extremely toxic and a concentration - hardly the right word - of 30 parts per 1,000,000, if inhaled, will kill your average person stone dead.  On the spot.  It is also lethal if absorbed through the skin.  Not only that, if in vapour form it can spontaneously explode.  It may be carcinogenic, the jury is still out on that one, because it renders people un-alive so quickly that long-term issues are not really a concern.

The Aftermath Of Art
No!  I'm not referring to the sub-human, coal-eating, sump-dwelling troglodyte who puts up the blog's pictures and photos**.  I refer to Art itself, which can be defined as <thinks> stuff you look at.  Yesterday the family travelled to Gomorrah-on-the-Irwell to see a premier of Darling Daughter's presentation art work for her degree course, her and her course contemporaries.
     None of which has anything to do with what follows.
     Afterwards we said goodbye to Tom - Goodbye Mister Tom? - and headed to a nearby branch of Nandos, timing it just right before a whole collection of hungry students and parents arrived also.  Art?

The detritus

     I know, I know, I should have taken a "before".  This is what remains of two whole roast chickens, three plates of chips, a mixed salad, a bowl of "Macho Peas" and about five glasses of pop.
     We did it justice!  Looking at all that Art, you see.

Wicked Neglectful Humans
Sadly, Edna Wunderhund had to stay at The Mansion yesterday evening as there is a strict No Dogs policy within the hallowed walls of Manchester Metropolitan University.  This meant leaving her for as long as four and a half hours, during which time she had gotten her sulk on.  Art?

"FINE!  I'll just lie here then."

     Once she had gotten over the unbelievable excitement of the family arriving home, she pestered endlessly with uni-directional whimpering, leading some to believe she was getting her own back on the - Wicked Neglectful Humans.

Empire Loyalists
No!  Nothing to do with 'Star Wars'.  I refer to the British Empire, which I would like to point out was achieved and managed without a single ruddy mobile phone <Mister Hand intervenes to edit a 20 page rant> nor "Focus Group Consultations".
     Where was I?

Oh, right

     Oh yes, Canada.  It is a little-known fact that a lot of <grits teeth> Americans fled north into what we call "Canada" but which, to Conrad, will always be "British America", and that's not entirely a joke.  This came about both during and after the <grits teeth again> American Revolution, and we're talking many tens of thousands of people.  Some returned south to <my teeth are beginning to get damaged now> America but most stayed, and they definitely skewed the development of Canada towards the British model.  The term isn't widely used nowadays, but it was in the past.  They even have a statue.  Art?

The United Empire Loyalists in bronze

     Right!  Time to post before that splendid dramamentary "Doctor Who" begins.

Chin chin!



*  British understatement, don't you know.
**  He comes cheap, before you ask.