It’s Official: that snowman in the carpark at the back of my flat is abominable: abominable I tell you … !
Did you see what I did, there … ? Abominable and snowman in the same sentence … ?
Please yourselves … !
Either way, I think there’s a few schools closed today: so I’m betting there’ll be a few more snowmen around.
If you’re a betting person, putting some money into how many snowmen appear around town might be worth a go,
Let me know!
We’ll get moving on, shall we?
~~~~~
Yesterday’s Teaser saw both Mr Strict and Debbi putting in their answers: with both* bagging 10 out of 10º. It ALSO saw Mr S mentioning where Boxer ended up*, and Debbi telling us she’s updated this postª.
Let’s see how they — and you — do with today’s rather regal teaser. shall we?
Q1) 22nd January, 1901, saw the death of Queen Victoria: how many years was she on the throne: 62, 63 or 64 … ?
Q2) More to the point, in which year was she named Empress of India … ?
Q3) Equally to the point, who succeeded her, as the UK’s monarch … ?
Q4) To which dynasty did Victoria belong: Windsor, Sax-Coburg-Gotha or Hanover … ?
Q5) And finally … How many children did Victoria have … ?
And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …
Q1) 21st January, 1950, saw the death of writer, George Orwell: what was his birth name … ?A1) Eric Arthur Blair.
Q2) Orwell did lots of work on 1984, his last published novel, on which Hebridean island … ?A2) Jura.
Q3) 1984 notoriously features a torture chamber called Room 101: where IS the real-world Room 101 … ?A3) In BBC Broadcasting House. (Or, alternatively, it’s the Headmasters office in his old school)
Q4) Which of his novels features Napoleon, Snowball and Boxer … ?A4) Animal Farm.
Q5) How many of Orwell’s poem’s have been published, over the years: 13, 17 or 19 … ?A5) 17.
Q6) Which well known, left wing, magazine did Orwell write for … ?A6) Tribune.
Q7) In which war did Orwell take part … ?A7) The Spanish Civil War. (His bad experiences during the War, with the NKVD, gave him a very unimpressed view of Soviet-style socialism.).
Q8) More to the point, what was the name of the novel he wrote about that war … ?A8) Homage to Catalonia.
Q9) Burmese Days is loosely based on Orwell’s days as a policeman in Burma: Burma is also called what … ?A9) Myanmar.
Q10) And FINALLY … in his essay, A Nice Cup Of Tea, he insisted on the use of what: teabags, teapots or urns … ?A10) Teapots. (What does he mean, no sugar … ? What … ? WHAT … ?!)
I’ll leave you with this quote from Queen Victoria …
“All marriage is such a lottery — the happiness is always an exchange — though it may be a very happy one -- still the poor woman is bodily and morally the husband’s slave. That always sticks in my throat. When I think of a merry, happy, and free young girl — and look at the ailing aching state a young wife is generally doomed to — which you can't deny is the penalty of marriage.”Queen Victoria.
And this rather appropriate tune from Ray and the boys …
Enjoy the snow …
* It’s the spokesman for the shops that sold the burgers I feel sorry for, Mr S: he’s sounding a bit hoarse … AHEM … !
º Weirdly, Debbi! Bush House and Broadcasting house are two different buildings: seemingly, Orwell was based in Broadcasting House: or Bush House. I’m personally more inclined to the latter, as it’s the Beeb’s own (archived) page on the subject.
ª Was a certain Mr Lydon on form, there, Debbi, or was that me … ?
1 comment:
Mr. Lydon positively nailed it! :) I truly wish I could meet him.
1. 64
2. 1876
3. Edward VII
4. Hanover
5. 9
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