Snow on Pantokrator

14 2 2010: πυκνό χιόνι στον Παντοκράτορα για δεύτερη φορά μέσα σε 20 μέρες

14 feb 2010: snow in the Almighty for the second time in 20 days

Thus am I informed by the excellent blog of John's Corfu World complete with video.

I had my suspicions about JCW in the early days but he mentions The Peace Wager so he can't be all bad.

Speaking of whom, Dottore Baddeley gave a talk recently at the Durrell School about relations between the British and the Ionians in the 19th century.

I missed it for reasons I'll only share with my shrink but I totally get what it was like because not two days later I was experimenting with a new brand of cigs in a new caff when the table behind started to discuss the evening.

"Not bad for someone who's been here such a short time"

"He didn't make neahleh enough of the Metternich connection/effect/factor" (I forget which)

And that was that.

I thought, 'Metternich'? but I haven't looked it up.

Do you remember the catch-all answer some wag came up with that would guarantee one mystique and respect?

"But not in the south."

Whatever the question or put-down or discussion, however little you know - nod sagely, maybe a few 'loipons' and then mutter, "What you say is all very well, my friend ... but not in the south."

Well, I'm going one better henceforth and using the Baddeley Defence,

"Very impressive. You've done your homework. You'll fit right in here on the island.

Just a comment - no one else will spot it - but you're a little light on the Metternich connection."

Commentaria

Dr Baddeley likes it.

LHC John Young's 'highly confidential' 1857 recommendation to the CS that Corfu and Paxos become British Colonies while the rest of the Septinsular be ceded to Greece, was leaked while Gladstone was en route to the islands to tell the Ionians that Queen V wouldn't let them have either enosis or independence for the time being.

Enquireth SB:

"Did I really need to go into all that on a nice winter's evening chatting about LHCs and the Ionian radicals?"

Apparently so. I've heard from more than one of SB's audience that night that, Yes, puleez, to have gone into all that ~ and a mighty bore and swizz it was that a delightful and informative soirée was spoiled for a min'orth of tar by some idiot imaginary stopwatch ticking over the affair.

The Youtube link is this one and don't tell me that early shot of our donnish hero didn't strike a momentary chill of recognition:

Housemaster wants to see you, 7:30 sharp.

As you walk down the corridor to his study, every junior leans out of their horse-box to taunt you with descriptions of Dame Cane's knobbed and cutting qualities that night

The prefects have to play their part:

"I say, Holmes, I hope it fucking well hurts."

Your footsteps echo more than usual, or is it the fear?

At last you arrive at the door. Knock knock. Silence. Come on! If I can get here on time, so can you.

"Co-o-me"

Enter gingerly. The creep isn't even looking up at you, he's head-down in some fricking book or someone else's test paper.

I mean honestly! He's set the time; he's heard the commotion as you walked the gauntlet. Heard your knock - albeit a little dozily - and he bade you enter, so there're one or two clues out there that you're in the vicinity.

Nay, lad. 'Chalky' nails it in this clip and the madeleine whooshes to the surface.