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That is what happens in medical schools today but in the '50s in Aberdeen (Scotland)medical school two students shared a cadaver and took it apart themselves. So they were finding their way around, say, the path of the vagus nerve so the results were not pretty. The prof of anatomy always insisted t...

In the '50s in Scotland you also had to be a "bona fide" traveller to be served a drink. And you had to sign the "bona fide travellers register" which had interesting entries such as "Athens Greece to Athens Missouri"**, and in one that I read "from the cradle to the grave". Oh what fun we had we bl...

How can one reliably tell the male and the female apart? My Observer book of birds is not terribly helpful in this regard. I've been tending to assume that the one that is visible most of the time is the hen as I've only occasionally seen another bird appear with a kill. I'm sure she's aware of the ...

My aren't they growing quickly! Right now the "parent" (sex unknown) is sounding really cross and shouting at the other "get a bloody move on and catch something to eat". It did the same yesterday evening, got no reply, left the nest and came back in about two minutes with what looked a blackbird si...

Kararea - yeah that's it but it won't fit nicely at a gap in text.
bob2 - my wife has white,silvery hair. Getting a passport photo that satisfied the automatic checker system was a PITA - "not enough contrast with the background". Grrrr!

The Ancient Mariner

As a rim shot is audio an emoji would not work, it would have to be followed by a cymbal clash to complete it.

The Ancient Mariner

Revealing his choice of priorities "for the good of the SNP, the government and the people of Scotland". You got them in the wrong order you bastard!

The Ancient Mariner

The feed seems to be frozen. I can hear the wind over the mic but the bird isn't moving. It was the same last night about 2200 when I had a last check before going off to bed.

The Ancient Mariner

I notice that the poor little bugger at the back of the group of 3 isn't being fed and then the fourth one appears from underneath the other three. Talk about a)the loudest complainers get fed and b)survival of the strongest. It's tough being a peregrine chick.

The Ancient Mariner

Yes, Beaufort is one of those whose departure I feel the poorer for. Who knows what motivates folks to leave.
I do miss his accounts of the doings of his Newfies. Did he get any replacements I wonder? Sigh.

The Ancient Mariner

Buggah!! it's gone down again.

The Ancient Mariner

Can anyone one think of an "aerodynamic" reason for the tufts of feathers above and below the beak? Air speed indicators during their high speed dives??

The Ancient Mariner

You practice a lot and fall over a bigger lot but keep on trucking. Chapeau as we say in Morayshire.

The Ancient Mariner

Where's plum when we need the REAL inside story??

The Ancient Mariner

....we returned from a few days down at Masirah to find Sharjah looking like an aircraft carrier, a runway surrounded by water. The Shackletons that had been left there looked a bit like those pewter tankards that were hand beaten. One of the techies was so overcome with his excitement to describe t...

Menorca? Mr Nelson a lady Hamilton. OH if correct
I'm going to be there on hols in 6 weeks time.

The Ancient Mariner

.....Was a Wolsey 1500, staid for a Flying Off, but newly wed that was the choice. It's the only car number plate I remember YZ1120, n'orn irish it was. When it ran a big end I actually repaired outside the farm cottage we were living in by lying underneath (no jack) removed the sump, and pulled the...

.....in my aging grey cells anyway. I did get it ALMOST right,come on, be fair. Just a bit of cross-over.
Thank you Madame K.
The Ancient Mariner

Ah yes! Of course. I associate mainly (from my experience) with the RN. And the "....pour congee" is for taking leave. It usually meant a "cockkers P" before the ship left. I have hazy memories of most of them, most memorably on HMS Rothesay in Sembawang dockyard in Singapore, shortly after Sub Lieu...

...and this Q is. On an invitation card what do the initials RPC stand for? I seem to remember it was "....pour congee" or such like and it was usually for a "leaving do" but what was the "R"? Repondez??
Google did not help.

The Ancient Mariner