Pies In The Skies

Don't Worry, We'll Get To The Giant Flying Mallets Later
There I was, wondering how to start BOOJUM!  You might call it pondering, although it could have been musing - the distinction between the two is unclear to me, but I think musing involves getting hit on the head?
     Anyway, there I was, when I saw a bizarre headline on the BBC's website.  Art?

"Bakewell pudding sent to the edge of space goes missing"

     You must admit, that's not something you read about every day.  This particular pudding was sent aloft by tethering it to a high-altitude balloon, and went with a camera and sent back pictures and weather date.  
     "Good lord aloft!  N.A.S.A. are really strapped for cash nowadays!" I hear you squeak.
     Er - no.  It was a charity project organised by St. Anselm's Prep School, raising money for Guide Dogs for the Blind.  Art?

Note guide dog on right.  And balloon.

     Now, I know what the really big question on your lips is, and so: it's a pudding made of a flaky pastry base, a layer of jam and a filling made of eggs and almonds.  Why this particular pudding got chosen is never made clear <desperately tries to think of an astronomy pun and fails>.
     Okay, time to put the motley in a suit of armour and send it into a lightning storm!*

     Here an aside.  The BBC has done it once again, added a whole load of interesting articles to their webpage, when your humble scribe has no time to read them <heavy sigh>.  Feel my pain.

More Lies In The Skies
As mentioned in passing yesteryon, the RAF took along a lot of very technical equipment when it ventured into the night skies of occupied Europe during the Second Unpleasantness.  For one thing, each bomber had "Miranda"; not one of the aircrew's girlfriend, but an early-warning radar that told of approaching Teuton night fighters.
     Then there was 'Mandrel'.  One of the banes of the British bomber fleets was the Teuton radar network, which see.  Art?

Wurzburg (L) and Freya (R)

     Thus, the aircraft of 100 Group would fly with the bombers, using Mandrel to jam the radar network below.  This would render interception far more difficult; even if Teuton night-fighters did get behind the electronic fog of Mandrel, they would often find that - there were no bombers.  It was a diversion!** Art?

Mandrel: not remotely glamourous.  But effective.

     I think that's enough electronic warfare for one post.  Besides, we have more posts about food!

Mi & Pho
In honour of long-time friend Jane visiting us from the far-flung reaches of the Allotment (alright, Milton Keynes), the whole clan descended upon that very nice discovery, the Vietnamese cafe Mi & Pho.  It's in Northenden, part of Gomorrah-on-the-Irwell, should you wish to visit.  Ring and book beforehand, though, it's always packed.  Art?

Jane, Darling Daughter and Tom, the Quiet One

     Your humble scribe really went to town and ordered a soft drink that had some sugar in - the horror!  the horror! - which was surpassing nice.  Roast coconut flavour.  Art?

     It was full of little bits of coconut that periodically blocked the straw.  Very nice, all the same.  Probably the only time I shall dare drink it this year.  Once again I neglected to take a 'Before' photo before tackling my Special Noodles, so I shall show you one that Darling Daughter had.  Art?

     A bit blurry, perhaps, yet it shows the small hill of noodles that she'd been eating, seemingly without reducing the height at all.  Of course Conrad finished his - 

Winner!  Also notice the roast coconut chunks in the glass

     Which led to DD describing your modest artisan as "a landfill", a compliment of the very highest order.
     Enough of delicious Vietnamese food, which you can look upon yet neither smell nor taste, which must be a bit frustrating.  And it's always a lot less fun reading about how other people have been enjoying themselves.

"Sodality"
Once again I apologise for stray words popping up in my mind without any concrete reason.  This is today's lexicographical orphan, washed up on the shores of my consciousness like mental flotsam.  I say, that's rather good, isn't it?
     So, exactly what is 'Sodality'?  It would be a better supervillain name than "Roger" in E.E. Smith's novel "Triplanetary".*** "I am his Supreme Eminence of the Sodality of Casterberus" would sound better than "Hi!  I'm Roger - prepare to die!"

Here's something grey that's not boring: a Nova bomb.

     Or - it could be a new and interesting kind of swear word, along the lines of "Sod all" but all modern and shizzle!
     Sadly this is not to be <sad face>.
     In reality it is a religious convocation, formed especially for a specific task, especially in the Roman Catholic church.
     Ah well, a man can dream, can't he?





*  Don't worry, motley's are non-conductive.  They might be non-flammable too - we'll find out, won't we!
**  Tee hee.  Perfidious Albion.  It's in the name.
***  I missed the "Doc" out of his name.  Ain't I a stinker!