James Drummond
@poltroon.bsky.social
Interests: Music - Wagner to Wooden Shjips. Novels, essays and novella length non-fiction. History, particularly C17-18 Scottish. Of Perthshire, but in London these days. Social media neophyte: assume I’m terrified.
Me too. War talk led to anti-German comments, not identification with the Nazis. If someone had been a racist and anti-semitic bully he would have been expelled. Nasty jokes which would be utterly unacceptable now were common.
December 10, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Me too. War talk led to anti-German comments, not identification with the Nazis. If someone had been a racist and anti-semitic bully he would have been expelled. Nasty jokes which would be utterly unacceptable now were common.
Haweswater and The Carhullan Army are short, intense, and very Cumbrian. The only one I have reservations about is Wolf Border which is longer and the plot dubious. Electric Michelangelo is amazing, but a bit grim.
December 9, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Haweswater and The Carhullan Army are short, intense, and very Cumbrian. The only one I have reservations about is Wolf Border which is longer and the plot dubious. Electric Michelangelo is amazing, but a bit grim.
My copy is sitting waiting to be read. I love Sarah Hall’s writing. Among many other qualities she is particularly good at evoking nature and landscape.
December 9, 2025 at 11:07 AM
My copy is sitting waiting to be read. I love Sarah Hall’s writing. Among many other qualities she is particularly good at evoking nature and landscape.
Well sleuthed, and I stand corrected!
December 8, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Well sleuthed, and I stand corrected!
It comes from enfeoff so an ‘f’ I’m pretty sure
December 8, 2025 at 9:39 PM
It comes from enfeoff so an ‘f’ I’m pretty sure
It’s good to know that I don’t sound as weird as I feared! The Scots law word that always floored me was ‘infeft’.
December 8, 2025 at 5:49 PM
It’s good to know that I don’t sound as weird as I feared! The Scots law word that always floored me was ‘infeft’.
I only discovered that ‘outwith’ was Scots Law jargon very recently. Having been exposed to an awful lot of missives, it had entered my ordinary written English. I find it a useful word and I’m not going to stop using it!
December 8, 2025 at 5:33 PM
I only discovered that ‘outwith’ was Scots Law jargon very recently. Having been exposed to an awful lot of missives, it had entered my ordinary written English. I find it a useful word and I’m not going to stop using it!
I’m vacillating about getting my CDs out of storage. I ripped them to stream 12 years ago. Playing an hour of music without having a distracting phone as controller is attractive.
December 8, 2025 at 3:30 PM
I’m vacillating about getting my CDs out of storage. I ripped them to stream 12 years ago. Playing an hour of music without having a distracting phone as controller is attractive.
Then graduate to pomelos
December 7, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Then graduate to pomelos
Whisky and soda is out of fashion, but an ordinary blend with ice and soda is very refreshing
November 26, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Whisky and soda is out of fashion, but an ordinary blend with ice and soda is very refreshing
All whisky, bourbon, and cognac was drunk ‘mizuwari’ when I was selling booze in Japan at the start of the 90s. At that time cognac was the thing, and even fine cognacs would get the ice and water treatment
November 26, 2025 at 11:03 PM
All whisky, bourbon, and cognac was drunk ‘mizuwari’ when I was selling booze in Japan at the start of the 90s. At that time cognac was the thing, and even fine cognacs would get the ice and water treatment
I tend to frivolity
November 26, 2025 at 10:30 PM
I tend to frivolity
Among England peerages (and GB and UK) Baron is the lowest rank. In Scotland the equivalent is a Lord of Parliament. In Scotland Barons are not peers.
November 26, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Among England peerages (and GB and UK) Baron is the lowest rank. In Scotland the equivalent is a Lord of Parliament. In Scotland Barons are not peers.
The younger sons of Marquises too
November 26, 2025 at 10:15 PM
The younger sons of Marquises too
I might be wrong, but my impression is that this applied to the heir apparent of hereditary peers only.
November 26, 2025 at 10:10 PM
I might be wrong, but my impression is that this applied to the heir apparent of hereditary peers only.
Certified before a notary with apostile
November 26, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Certified before a notary with apostile
Indeed. I’d go further. From Scilly to Unst
November 25, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Indeed. I’d go further. From Scilly to Unst
I expect to feel like that walrus after Christmas
November 23, 2025 at 3:21 PM
I expect to feel like that walrus after Christmas
Some gorgeous spaces inside. Is there enough elevation about the Tay? Flood risk?
November 20, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Some gorgeous spaces inside. Is there enough elevation about the Tay? Flood risk?
Oh dear. Surely that can’t be a human?
November 20, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Oh dear. Surely that can’t be a human?
They must have had an ‘incident’ in the BBC test kitchen
November 19, 2025 at 10:29 PM
They must have had an ‘incident’ in the BBC test kitchen
It’s good training for kids. Make your own food, but be careful or you’ll end up seriously burned.
November 19, 2025 at 10:27 PM
It’s good training for kids. Make your own food, but be careful or you’ll end up seriously burned.
In the 90s a student lodger was given a fondue set by an eccentric relative. At the time Sainsbury’s were selling ostrich and kangaroo. We wondered whether our ostrich and kangaroo fondue was unique that night in the country… or world?
November 19, 2025 at 10:20 PM
In the 90s a student lodger was given a fondue set by an eccentric relative. At the time Sainsbury’s were selling ostrich and kangaroo. We wondered whether our ostrich and kangaroo fondue was unique that night in the country… or world?
The Swiss describe it as such, but I see your point.
November 19, 2025 at 10:15 PM
The Swiss describe it as such, but I see your point.