Malbork-bork-bork!

Hahar!
There you go, how to annoy both Polish and Swedish people simultaneously, all part of our master plan to annoy every nation that has it's people end in "-ish".
     It's a quote from the Muppets, in case you were unaware, specifically Swedish Chef, who speaks in an unintelligible proto-gibberish before hacking at things with a cleaver.

Of course, he will mercifully stun dinner before hacking at it.

     Anyway, what I wanted to refer to was nothing to do with Sweden and everything to do with Poland, because of late I have gone on about very large brick structures in the Allotment of Eden.  Poland can boast one of the largest brick structures on the planet, and if Art will cease sucking on that fuel rod -

Behold the beauty of brick

     This is Malbork castle, set in the rolling pastures of Malbork - which is logical and orderly and pretty much to be expected - near the mouth of the River Vistula.  It was 'inherited' by the Poles from the Teutonic Knights, having been built in the fourteenth century by that Order.  They expanded it several times, so it comprises three castles in one (bargain!) and it covers a lot of land.  Art?

Castle with puny humans for scale

     In case you were wondering, and even if you weren't, there are a total of 30 million bricks in the castle, so it would make nearly 3 Stockport Viaducts.
     So, if you ever find yourself in North-east Poland, you have a reason to go visit the castle.  If you exclaim "Thirty million bricks!" quite loudly, you'll probably make Tsar Putin both jealous and upset*.

More Of The Kettenkrad
I introduced you to this peculiar motorbike-three-quarters-track yesteryon, and promised to come back to it, and here we jolly well are.  Art?

      Here we see Ian from Forgotten Weapons explicating about the typical Teuton over-engineering; really, one feels that the Teutons of Second Unpleasantness vintage could manage to over-engineer a screwdriver ("Ja, ja, mein Fuhrer - it has three speeds and one in reverse, with a flashing light thingy").  It has two sets of interleaved and overlapping road wheels, meaning you had to take them all off to get at the inside ones, should they need repairing or replacing.  And, as Ian points out, there are something like 120 oil points to be lubricated, daily.  
     The front wheel is optional, because - again with the over-engineering - if the handlebars are turned beyond a certain point they cause the tracks on that side to brake, thus steering by virtue of that effect.  Art!

     Yes yes yes, I used this picture yesteryon, sue me if you want, it's not as if you're paying to read this scrivel, is it?
     Ian obviously relished driving the K. around, though he did qualify his sojourn by saying that the vehicle has a high centre of gravity, and he couldn't help but feel that it was itching to roll over and kill him ...  Given that, his passenger above was risking it somewhat.
     That's enough Krafting for one afternoon.  Next!

What With The Lockdown 
If you read the blog with any regularity then you will recall that Your Humble Scribe works with Shelli, or did do when we occupied an actual physical building, and that she is the violinist in a band that goes by the resplendent name of "Matt Hartless And The Maverick Seven", although I should point out in the interests of nit-picking pedantry that there are only six of them, including Matt A POINT I HAVE RAISED WITH SHELLI.
     Since we are still in lockdown, or were as of Friday, Shelli and Matt (for they are an item) did a live gig on Youtube, and Conrad listened in to most of it.  Art!

I don't need to point out who's who, do I?

     Conrad, ever the annoying whisker in the tea-cup of life, pointed out that Matt appeared to be more Hairless than Hartless, which is quite irrelevant to the music**.  This was explained away by his having most of his errant locks hidden away at the back.  Oh, there was a "Chat" function enabled, and I promise I did not abuse it.  Art!

Matt, rendered hirsute again.  The world stands reassured.

     Conrad managed to miss the final few seconds, thanks to his utter ham-fistedness in clicking the browser bar back to the beginning, O! the woes of having sausage fingers.
     Go look for them over on Youtube.  If you don't I shall find out, and then there will be - trouble.

More Making Dimya Mournful
Conrad happened to be watching a documentary fronted by Jeremy Clarkson about the Victoria Cross, and specifically one that was awarded to one Major Robert Cain, his father in law.  His daughter never knew about the medal because Dad never bothered to tell her.
     Anyway, Jezza went to view the metal that the VCs are all struck from, at Hancocks jewellers in London.  Here it is - Art?

Not very imposing, is it?

     This is the bit that'll annoy Dimya, because it's what's left of a Russian cannon, captured during the Crimean Unpleasantness and brought back to This Sceptred Isle.  At the time of filming, in 2003, there were seven medals that had been struck and which were waiting to be awarded.  Since then 6 have been issued, so there's still one of that batch left.
     The VC itself was strongly promoted by Prince Albert, who wanted a medal available to all ranks, and specifically that it be a medal, not membership of an order.  Jezza (wearing gloves) showed one of Al's letters on the theme.  Art?

     Conrad has to say what fantastic calligraphy that man had, and it is his handwriting, not that of some factotum.  You can compare it with my uncouth scrawl thus -

     But then, I'm not writing so that the Queen can read it.

     Right, that's enough scrivel for the afternoon, I'm hungry and there's a pot of tea calling to be brewed, though I'VE RUN OUT OF LOOSE-LEAF DARJEELING***!!

*  A win-win situation all round.
**  It's a gift I have, being irrelevant.  Or was it irreverent?  Maybe both.
***  Not going to apologise for TWO exclamation marks; this is a serious issue.