So there I was, two delicious Cox’s Orange Pippins on my plate, washed and polished, with their little Union Flag stickers removed, my fruit knife poised, when I was struck by one of those ‘Oh, dammit’ particles.
“To hell with it,” I said. “Time to put my new teeth to the ultimate test.”
”Are you sure?” Graham asked.
“Yup.”
“Well, be careful.”
And that was the moment when, for the first time in umpteen years, I sank my teeth into a good British apple. Perfection!
With no problem at all I bit off a nice little mouthful, the juice spurted, and my taste buds recorded a spasm of delight. Only way to put it.
“You look as though you enjoyed that,” said Graham when I’d finished chewing.
“I most serpently did. And what’s more I’m going to finish both of them the same way.”
He wandered off, leaving me to the delights of my apples and my perfectly functioning teeth. I’ve always heard that the test of a good, properly fitted denture was to be found in the eating of an apple. I don’t know about that but I do know that for five minutes I was served more than adequately by my new gnashers.
I’m a happy man.
The rest of the day was spent in bloggery. I’m going to have to find a way of handling all the old archives other than moving them over one entry at a time; I tried a few, but even without a calculator I know I’ll not be able to summon up the time and patience needed to do the job that way. So, for the moment, I’ll leave them where they are and put up some links here, probably in the sidebar.
Because, yes, you’ve guessed it, I really, truly like writing my journal this way and I’ve decided to cut over here and now. If I were not experiencing a feeling of massive liberation I’d be a little sad. As it is, it’s a case of “So long, and thanks for all the hits.”
And, to my friends and readers, welcome to the journal in its new home. I shall be fiddling with the layout and stuff for a few days more but it’s already functional and, more important for me, fun. I’m looking forward to journalling my way through the New Year now.
Care to follow me? Great. Step this way…
The author, webmaster, and minder of the cat
22 responses so far ↓
ava // January 18, 2007 at 11:18 am |
I always think apples have so much going for them. Not only are they beautiful and tasty out of hand, but they make the most delicious pies and cakes. And that appealing crunch and spurting juice is almost nirvana.
As for the germs floating around us. I figure I have lived this long without dying from whatever is on my fingers, door knobs, etc., so I do the best that I can and trust in the Almighty. I try to have moderately clean habits and then forget about it.
Ava
Bex // January 18, 2007 at 12:00 pm |
Since your new blog domain is free, John, are you sure it will stay free as you add all your archives over there/here? I hope they don’t lure you in and then zap you with a fee. But then I pay a fee to Diaryland, and I don’t mind so much. For the most part, it’s easy to use and I like it. I like your new layout too…better from the computer, though, than from webtv because for some reason, some of the text appears humongous to me on webtv, but not so on the comupter. Happy munching!
maureen // January 18, 2007 at 12:14 pm |
Love the new layout John.You are right about apples they make food fun.I eat two a day myself.
oldgreypoet // January 18, 2007 at 12:45 pm |
Thanks! I’ve just got back from shopping and our desert tonight is to be… stewed apples and custard!
They say there’ll be no fee for entries, Bex, and they give you a free 50mb of extra storage for photos. You can buy more by the gigabyte for a very reasonable sum and there are one or two other ‘extras’ for which they charge a fee. Hopefully that’ll work as a business model for them but… who knows what the future may bring? It’s a happy making service and I wouldn’t mind paying a fair fee, like diaryland.
Bernie Duggan // January 18, 2007 at 1:03 pm |
I like the format a lot, John. I notice the newsfeed is back so I’ve switched from the mailing list to that. WordPress doesn’t seem to put vertical space onto your images to make a buffer between them and wrapped text.
Love the little smiley in the top right corner – cheeky!!
All the best, Bernie
Bonnie // January 18, 2007 at 1:09 pm |
Even when I had a good fitting partial I gave up biting into apples. The dentist is too expensive here to risk breaking off a tooth or cap. So I have sliced apples for years.
So glad for your success.
Jim // January 18, 2007 at 1:25 pm |
Mmmmm, fresh crisp apples — Granny Smith, Macintosh, Empire, so many different kinds… One of the things I miss about where we used to live in upstate New York is the you-pick apple orchards (pay by the pound when you leave). We used to pick huge amounts of apples every fall and eat two or three every day.
Joan // January 18, 2007 at 1:31 pm |
I mainly use ‘Opera’ to surf the web, except for those rare times it won’t work. The page is doing a weird thing on Opera. The bold lines above ‘categories’ , ‘blogroll’ and ‘blogstats’ go entirely across the page, nearly obscuring the text.
It could simply be the weirdness of ‘Opera’…
Enjoy those apples. I have one in my lunchbox for later today…
Brigitte // January 18, 2007 at 1:32 pm |
Oh, don’t worry, we’re following you, gladly and with pleasure, wherever you want us to!
And by the way I do like the little photo on the top of your entry, it makes this place feeling at home.
Edward // January 18, 2007 at 2:34 pm |
One at a time, John. Move those entries one at a time. Sure, it’ll take a while but it’s no bother to do it that way either.
and in other news, my comments still don’t seem to be getting thru to your new blog.
Mary Lee // January 18, 2007 at 2:40 pm |
Amen, to what Brigitte just said! Loyal Baileyites, we, following where you lead. Your journal is so much fun, so informing and entertaining and warm and homey that I can’t think of anything else in my day that I look forward to more! In fact I pop back regularly several times just to read the newer comments. Thanks for sharing all of this, John. It’s now a confirmed addiction! And one that’s good for me, as well. How rare.
OH! Almost forgot! What wonderful news about those new chompers of yours! They have surely met the test. Did you feel any trepidation with that first bite? I’m sure I would have.
Mage // January 18, 2007 at 3:19 pm |
We are right here……delighted too.
Bernie Duggan // January 18, 2007 at 4:17 pm |
Nice format. I echo what Joan says above about lines going right across the page in Opera (which is supposed to be standards-compliant). Works fine in IE, Netscape and Firefox, though.
Surprised that WordPress doesn’t give some space between your pics and wrapped text. Great journal and I’m glad to see the newsfeed is back.
All the best, Bernie.
wayne // January 18, 2007 at 4:54 pm |
You tempted me into trying wordpress with its crisp look. My doodly (http://lyn1937.com/eriter)at tripod through my own stubbornness has grown to be a pain. I do believe I would follow your writing if you reverted to carved stone.
louphoria // January 18, 2007 at 6:18 pm |
It’s really good to hear Mary Lee’s confession up there about flicking back during the day to read the new comments – I’m totally guilty of that too. I love ‘I do believe I would follow your writing if you reverted to carved stone’ too – perfectly put. Hurrah for Baileyholics the world over! And hurrah for the new blog format, love it
Bev // January 18, 2007 at 6:30 pm |
I went 20 yrs without seeing a dentist and was afraid I was going to lose my teeth. I didn’t eat apples or corn on the cob for years. When I finally broke down and got all my teeth fixed (still have ‘em all, miraculously), I remember the first time I bit into an apple and it was amazing. I still give mental thanks to my dentist every time I bite into a nice crunchy apple. Glad you’re able to enjoy that pleasure again.
Rosemary // January 18, 2007 at 9:50 pm |
Well, this is all lovely John. A brand new place for you to tell us of your daily doings and, those new teeth working perfectly. Life is good
Like the new format. Us regulars would follow you wherever you go. Cheers.
Mary Lee // January 18, 2007 at 11:20 pm |
Sorry folks, but I simply cannot resist sharing with you one of my most recent haiku:
leaf smoke–
the crisp crunch
of an apple
For all of us apple lovers, whatever the blessed variety. And thank you Eden as well, where the little darlin’s purportedly originated.
oldgreypoet // January 18, 2007 at 11:31 pm |
I like that, Mary Lee. Has a touch of the butterfly wing about it and that’s what I ask of haiku…:)
Joan // January 19, 2007 at 6:11 am |
I like the new blog, John. It is as crisp as your apples.
Amanda Page // January 20, 2007 at 1:25 am |
John, if WordPress ever does start to charge, or you raun out of space, wordpress software can always be run on a domain name of your own. Give me a shout if you ever need help in that direction.
I like the look of your blog, strong echos of your other journal, clean and clear and elegantly sparse.
oldgreypoet // January 20, 2007 at 11:23 am |
Thanks, Amanda… I’ll keep that in mind…