Return to the Elm Tree
Oct. 21st, 2021 05:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shewhomustAs explained previously, last night the pub quiz was held at the pub. During the hiatus, the pub has been radically redecorated, and there has been a change of management; the continuation of thirty-something years of quizzing is not entirely self-evident. Which is why, if the Quizmaster is keen to resume in-person sessions, some of us felt obliged to turn up and demonstrate demand.
In other respects, things were completely unchanged: no requirement to procuce evidence of vaccination, or even to scan a QR cide / give a contact address; very few masks; ordering at the bar. The pub wasn't busy - certainly not busy by quiz night standards - we were a team of five, with a table to ourselves, next door to a table of two (our rivals, as it turned out) also with a table to themselves. This is manageable, but more proximity than I am entirely comfortable with.
Even so, and even though we have been meeting by Zoom, it was a delight to be quizzing as a team, in the presence of other teams. We came second - which is to say that we tied for first, but lost the tie-break (as we usually do: they are not our strong point) but I don't think that's the reason I enjoyed it so much.
One mystery: a question we got wrong, and I still don't know why (no, I'm not making a case that we were cheated of a win, for all I know the other team had the same problem). The question concerned the flower eyebright, used in herbal medecine to treat eye problems, and the question was, what colour is it? As it happens, eyebright (euphrasia) is my favourite flower, which is why I persist in taking not very good pictures of it (it's tiny):
"White," I said, without hesitation. "White, with purple streaks and maybe a yellow spot."
The correct answer was blue. At the time I just thought there must be other plants to which the same name is applied - that happens. But back home I was curious, and I can't find any trace of it. If I search fot 'eiebright', the internet is unanimous (and how often does that happen?) in offering me the flower I know. And if I add the word 'blue' it offers me an indigo-dyed William Morris design. Which I am very pleased to meet, obviously, but the mystery remains.
We won't be at the pub next Wednesday, as we will be elsewhere. Will we still be meeting in person in two weeks' time? Who knows?
In other respects, things were completely unchanged: no requirement to procuce evidence of vaccination, or even to scan a QR cide / give a contact address; very few masks; ordering at the bar. The pub wasn't busy - certainly not busy by quiz night standards - we were a team of five, with a table to ourselves, next door to a table of two (our rivals, as it turned out) also with a table to themselves. This is manageable, but more proximity than I am entirely comfortable with.
Even so, and even though we have been meeting by Zoom, it was a delight to be quizzing as a team, in the presence of other teams. We came second - which is to say that we tied for first, but lost the tie-break (as we usually do: they are not our strong point) but I don't think that's the reason I enjoyed it so much.
One mystery: a question we got wrong, and I still don't know why (no, I'm not making a case that we were cheated of a win, for all I know the other team had the same problem). The question concerned the flower eyebright, used in herbal medecine to treat eye problems, and the question was, what colour is it? As it happens, eyebright (euphrasia) is my favourite flower, which is why I persist in taking not very good pictures of it (it's tiny):
"White," I said, without hesitation. "White, with purple streaks and maybe a yellow spot."
The correct answer was blue. At the time I just thought there must be other plants to which the same name is applied - that happens. But back home I was curious, and I can't find any trace of it. If I search fot 'eiebright', the internet is unanimous (and how often does that happen?) in offering me the flower I know. And if I add the word 'blue' it offers me an indigo-dyed William Morris design. Which I am very pleased to meet, obviously, but the mystery remains.
We won't be at the pub next Wednesday, as we will be elsewhere. Will we still be meeting in person in two weeks' time? Who knows?
no subject
Date: 2021-10-21 05:54 pm (UTC)Hah!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-58993387
That nice Mr Rees Mogg says he and his mates don't have to because they're all mates, so does he think anyone else is going to think they take this seriously any longer?
What an overprivileged bag of horseshit that man is!
no subject
Date: 2021-10-21 08:45 pm (UTC)And I think this is an excellent photo.
no subject
Date: 2021-10-22 09:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-10-22 10:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-10-24 09:43 am (UTC)