NO! That Is NOT A Spelling Mistake
It is, in fact, an hilarious pun, because AS YOU SHOULD SURELY KNOW BY NOW Your Humble Scribe does not make spelling mistakes. It is a portmanteau word composed of 'Epitome' and 'tea' for reasons that will become clear. Incidentally, I just guessed that Epitome had a Greek root and it does - from 'Epitemnein', meaning 'to abridge' because it means to be characteristic of something. Also, 'portmanteau' refers to having several qualities or meanings. I always rememb
ANYWAY on with the meat of the matter. Art!
Once again, you ought to be aware that Conrad is a lot of a snob about tea, and he only drinks loose leaf teas - okay okay I use teabags in the office because they're a lot less messy and time is precious - and Darjeeling by preference. That packet above is 4 ounces* in weight and will set you back the modest sum of £25.00.
"Egad!" I hear you exclaim. "Surely they moved the decimal point by accident?"
Well, no. No they didn't. This, you see, is "Margaret's Hope First Flush" and it costs so much because it is the first harvest of Darjeeling leaves on that particular plantation, widely held to be the best-tasting tea harvest in the world. If your pockets are not sufficiently deep, then there's the Second Flush, which only costs £15.00. Art!
No mere fly-by-night operation here. It is located - you're probably ahead of me here - in the district of Darjeeling, in the state of West Bengal. The name comes from the deceased daughter of an owner, who was much taken with the inspiring scenery but who died before she could return there. Art!
West Bengal
Darjeeling itself lies in the high latitudes, and one has a splendid backdrop when looking out of the kitchen window -
It is said that the height of the tea gardens is partly what gives this nectar it's particular flavour. Art!
God speed you in your endeavours, ladies!
I know I've gone on rather a lot about four ounces of tea leaves. Still, perhaps you can understand why they charge what they do.
 |
| Shilpa Shetty, for reasons that will become clear. |
Motley, you're going to do a little picking yourself. Yes, you see the back yard needs breaking up so we can re-lay the landmines**. So here's a pick.
Meanwhile, Back In 1942
Yes, I've got another item about "The War Illustrated" for your education and entertainment, still set in that year's month of September. Art!
Two tank transporters on the move with tanks upon them. This method was often used to move tanks a long distance, since it avoided wearing out the tracks and saved the engines, too. It was also probably more economical in terms of fuel consumption, because tanks have a fearfully low miles-per-gallon rating - I have seen the figure of a mile per gallon quoted for rough going. What else can I say? Okay, those are the older model Crusaders being carried, armed with the practically obsolete two-pounder. Also, they are nowhere near the rather nebulous front line, because everyone is out of the tank enjoying the sunshine, and they have a pennant raised. You don't do that in action as it gives away your position and gives the opposition an aiming point. TWI have thoughtfully added an example of engine maintenance, which was critical in the Western Desert. Not just because of sand, which is bad enough for things with moving parts, but because the ceaseless movement of traffic ground sand into a powder as fine as flour (especially on or near the coast road) yet with all the abrasive qualities of sand. In fact a regiment's mechanics would routinely condemn tanks that had done over a certain mileage, since they were too labour-intensive to keep in action and there were lots of replacements. Art!
 |
| Vagabonds of the skies |
As the blurb explained, this is a South African Air Force squadron getting ready to move out from it's 'airfield' and fall back further into the interior. It accompanies an article explaining how a squadron of bombers pulled out of their Libyan 'airfield' ahead of the advancing Axis. This isn't exactly news - the Eighth Army had pulled out of Libya months before September - so one suspects it being deliberately delayed to fool the bally Hun. I put quotes around 'airfield' because there was very little fixed about them, as finding a nice flat place to land aircraft was ridiculously simple.
How very sober and serious that was. Quick - bring on the light and fluffy nonsense!
Thermonuclear Warhead Design
Ha! Only kidding***!
I see the sun has taken a leave of absence. Great. No doubt by the time I come to take my constitutional down into Royton the rains will have arrived. Just an observation. Good for the flowers, one supposes.
"The Web Of Fear"
Conrad is enjoying hugely this serial of the BBC's premier dramamentary, "Doctor Who", which he hasn't seen since first time around, where it scared the living wee out of him. Episode Three no longer exists and has never been found, although that's not to say a reel of film isn't hiding in an attic somewhere in Hampstead; in it's absence they commissioned an animated version with the extant soundtrack. Art!
A tense moment
Conrad recalls that the BBC recreated the Underground in a studio, since the real thing refused to let them film there - possibly worried there might still be odd bits of fungus or a Yeti still knocking around I dare say - and did so in such a convincing manner that various suits from London Underground were highly aggrieved at the Beeb having snuck in somehow to film in the real thing. O how we laughed!
Finally -
Another rant about Codewords, I'm afraid SIT BACK DOWN! You see, in the Saturday edition of the MEN there are three codewords. I'd done last Saturday's yesterday and then turned to that day's edition. After solving the first one I realised the second and third were re-prints of the previous Saturday's <sad face>. O well. I still have two books of Codewords. Art!
It will make sense on Facebook.
* None of that metric nonsense here.
** It's a seasonal thing.
*** But if there's any interest in this subject ...
No comments:
Post a Comment