“Remember, remember – the fifth of November…

Gunpowder, Erith, and plot”…

 Five Fawkes and Fireworks Facts…
A Wise Guy’s Guide…



Is it me, dear readers, or has Bonfire Night lost a little of its – ahem – sparkle?...




When I was a young Blognipper, it was one of the highlights of the year; sausages, baked spuds, “penny for the guy”, steaming mugs of cocoa, bangers, rockets and scorched eyebrows – but now?...


Are bonfires banned?...


Are we forgetting Fawkes?...

So, in my never-ending quest to bring you sound, reliable and trustworthy nuggets of public interest information, AND to keep this traditional English festival at the forefront of our thoughts, I unveil for you, dear readers, Five Fawkes and Fireworks Facts:

 1. Mr Fawkes was, historians now believe, a ginger northerner…(and we all know what that leads to…)


2. The Gunpowder Plotters actually met in Erith…honest!


3. Fireworks were first used in ancient China…they originally used their vast reserves of saltpetre (a key element of gunpowder) to preserve food – but, surprisingly perhaps, not to barbecue it.


4. Bexley Libraries have a rather fine collection of books with a Gunpowder Plot…but, obviously, not this one…


5. Want the biggest, best and boldest Bonfire Night around? Well, Bexley has it…BANG!






Have fun!


TTFN.

“It’s Literally”…Driving me bananas...

Just a – literally – “quick one” this week, dear readers…But I want your help with this particular blogcast…I`ve become troubled by something…

Have you noticed how often the word `literally` is cropping up in everyday conversation? – it’s literally everywhere! (And, frankly my dear, it’s “doing my crust in”).


Pin your ears back – (not literally, of course, as that would be painful in the extreme, and quite probably contravene various health and safety guidelines) – and take a listen. You’ll be amazed - literally.


It literally makes my blood boil…


So much so, dear readers, that sitting around the radiogram of an evening in front of my hearth, I have taken to sounding off an antique car horn each time I hear this particular word mentioned (much to the surprise and discomfort of the present Mrs Blogbrarian): believe me, dear readers, you’d be literally astonished at the regular cacophony of enraged honking that emanates from our cosy parlour!






Help required:


So, can you start literally listening out for me, please?...


On the radiogram or television, on our local trolley-buses and trains, on the streets and paths of Bexley…keep your ears literally to the ground* and let me know how often/where/when you hear the accursed word. (Just use the comments link; it’s literally underneath this bit).

Oooh! I nearly forgot…Are there any more words or phrases that really, literally, get your goat? Then now’s the time to share. Tell us…Let rip, literally!

Cheerio!

* Disclaimer – The Blogbrary can in no way be held literally responsible if anyone does – literally – keep their ears to the ground, as this might – literally – cause them to get scraped or grazed.

Nasty!

What’s Hot?...

Cool Rules?

Lush Libraries?






“HOLD THE FRONT PAGE!” – Libraries fail to make the ‘Top 20 Cool Icons of the Year’ award…Again.


Well, dear readers, this latest news has left me quite flummoxed, as you can well imagine.


When members of my research team telegraphed me with this latest snippet, I was perplexed in the extreme: I`m a fairly contemporary/cool sort of chap:…my neatly ironed beige polyester safari suit always draws gasps of admiration whenever I saunter around Sidcup in it, and I consider myself to be well-versed in the cutting-edge white-hot world of twentieth century technology.


Furthermore, many of my research staff have acquired reputations for being groovy hep cats…why! - many of them even wear little black dresses with smart corduroy patches on the elbows. (Hence the grooves!)


So, why oh why oh why are Librarians considered (ghastly word insert here) “Uncool”?...


Why oh why oh why is reading a nice musty hardback tome not on the “groovy” list?


And why on earth aren’t libraries considered “temples of the trendy”?...


It defeats me, it really does. Can you help, dear readers?


Answers on a postcard, please…


Or, as a radically cool innovation, I’m now led to believe that you can communicate with us directly and via the medium of the electronic cable network, simply by clicking on the COMMENTS tab below.


Clever, eh? What will they think of next?... how about places where books, information, entertainment, communication, imagination, lifelong learning, heritage, escapism, research, toddling about and singing nursery rhymes, experience, civilization, training, free-thinking, all sorts of people, serendipity, understanding, joining-in, enchantment, events, wisdom, communities, science, activities, contentment, diversity, knowledge, ideas, the arts, companionship, aspiration, short stories and tall tales, enjoyment, media, dreams, conversation, news and views, enlightenment, stories, creativity, re-skilling, partnerships, innovation, sharing, culture, study, being able to think “cor! – that was good”, literacy, guidance, humanity, individualism, the webby web, plus good old unadulterated fun and – even, dare I say it - ‘Romance’ are all gathered together, open to all, free of charge?


No, no…that would never catch on, of course! ‘Cos that would be cool….



Cheerybye.!