Gondor's Grumblings

[Pellson]

Dry, crisp rye bread works well, as it can be stored for months and months without going bad, and a well made "knäckebröd" is a culinary experience quite far beyond what you would expect when you first see it,

Likely then, the origin of Terry Pratchett's Dwarf Bread... 

Yea, but that's covered by the Geneva Convention 

I have for different reasons not been able to indulge into Mr Pratchetts production yet, but the more I see and hear about it, the more I realise I should. Where would you recommend me to start?

[Gondor]

I have for different reasons not been able to indulge into Mr Pratchetts production yet, but the more I see and hear about it, the more I realise I should. Where would you recommend me to start?

I am also in that position. A quick search of the web has found THIS though. So at some point in time, I shall buy the first couple and then one at a time once I have read a previous book.

Anyway, so far today has been good modelling-wise. Not done any actual modelling so far, but otherwise it has been good. I get notifications from eBay about models or companies I am interested in. Today I received notification about an AZ Kikka, which, as it had a 'buy-it-now' option, I duly used. A while later, I noticed that an item I was watching was about to end as part of an auction, the 'buy-it-now' option was for some ridiculous amount. This was a copy of Xtradecal X72059, TSR2 Pt1. 1, always useful and bought for less than £20, postage put it a little over that, but I am happy with what I paid. So so far so good today, pity the lottery is not on today or I would buy a ticket.

[zenrat]

Dry, crisp rye bread works well, as it can be stored for months and months without going bad, and a well made "knäckebröd" is a culinary experience quite far beyond what you would expect when you first see it,

Likely then, the origin of Terry Pratchett's Dwarf Bread... 

Yea, but that's covered by the Geneva Convention 

I have for different reasons not been able to indulge into Mr Pratchetts production yet, but the more I see and hear about it, the more I realise I should. Where would you recommend me to start?

Gondor's link is good, although I don't agree with what it selected for me.
Don't start at the beginning and work your way through them.  While the early books are good they got a lot better as he developed as a writer.
If you just want to try one to see if you like them then I suggest Pyramids.  It's a stand alone and has a prime example of a long form Pratchett joke which runs over chapters and which will make you groan when you get it.
Then, when you decide you love it and want more come back and ask us again.  We'll give you many different answers.
 

[Old Wombat]

I read them from "The Colour of Magic" (book 1) in order when there were about 5 or 6 books in the series.

I stopped in the early 30s because they became a bit bitter & darker, & with the humour not quite hitting the mark.

To me the magic had gone from them.

Can't blame Sir Terry, I can only surmise that some of the hidden darkness he felt inside, about/from his Alzheimer's, was creeping into his books.

[Gondor]

While I was food shopping this afternoon, on my way home from visiting my mum, I was looking for Tippex Mice. I actually found Superglue in the bottle type that I prefer, in the stationery department. As if it was going anywhere, being superglue.  I did find the Tippex mice; they had been moved to a different, more visible area of the store to promote stationery, writing items, etc.

[Rick Lowe]

There is this:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Discworld_Reading_Order_Guide_3.0_%28cropped%29.jpg

and this is good:

https://anonthenullifier.tumblr.com/post/172169482383/goddamnshinyrock-every-time-i-recommend-discworld

I personally like the City Watch, and the Moist von Lipwig serieses.

Not so much the others, though the Death ones are ok.

And there is a completely different stand-alone: Nation, which is well worth a read.
It's set here, but starts from the point where almost the whole British Royal Family has been wiped out by a plague and they have to search for the one Ring  remaining Heir.

HTH

[NARSES2]

I have for different reasons not been able to indulge into Mr Pratchetts production yet, but the more I see and hear about it, the more I realise I should. Where would you recommend me to start?

I picked up Guards, Guards when I was on sick leave and after reading it immediately went out and bought all the others that had been published up until that date, and read them in order.

However as a starter I'd go with one of the stand alone volumes, Pyramids as Fred says is a good start. My favourite series are the Guards books.

I met the man on a couple of occaisions at Discworld Conventions and he was truely a marvellous man   

[Gondor]

Right, that's Pyramids ordered, although I have absolutely no idea when I will be able to get around to reading it.

[Pellson]

Thanks all for the Pratchett tips. I'll be looking for the "Pyramids" and take it from there. 

[NARSES2]

Right, that's Pyramids ordered, although I have absolutely no idea when I will be able to get around to reading it.

To be honest like all the earlier novels it's not that big a read. I found them ideal for when I was travelling on the train between London & Newcastle. It probably just needs a couple of relaxing afternoons/evenings.

[zenrat]

I remember reading them on the train commuting to and from work in London.  And frequently laughing out loud to the consternation of the other passengers.

[NARSES2]

I remember reading them on the train commuting to and from work in London.  And frequently laughing out loud to the consternation of the other passengers.

Had that happen a couple of times 

Only time I've ever known multitude conversations to break out on busy commuter trains was the day (days) of the terrorist bomb blasts on the Tube and Buses. Everyone was discussing how they were going to get home, and people were offering to help them    Following monday it was all back to normal and silent as a ghost 

[Rick Lowe]

Only time I've ever known multitude conversations to break out on busy commuter trains was the day (days) of the terrorist bomb blasts on the Tube and Buses. Everyone was discussing how they were going to get home, and people were offering to help them    Following monday it was all back to normal and silent as a ghost 

But it's good to know folk will go against stereotype and step up when others need help.   
People will not only do the darndest things, but they will pleasantly surprise you more often than not. Youtube Numpties notwithstanding...  

Laughing out loud in public is a Great way to garner the strangest looks!   

[Gondor]

It's been quite quiet on this blog front recently. My Diverticulitis has played up, not great, and I took today off work with the intent of staying up last night to watch Space X launch their Starship for the thirteenth time, at some silly o'clock in the morning as they want to have good light at both the launch site in Texas and where the soft landing will be in the Indian Ocean, near Australia, so that means it's the early hours of the morning in the UK. Unfortunatly the weather conspired against that happening last night, but they intend to try again tonight.
Garage prices are a bit ridiculous, but haveing a work colleague who likes to be a small-time mechanic is a bonus. So one thing I have done today is to buy the rear brake pads and discs that will need changing at some time, in the not-too-distant future. I paid a bit more and bought BOSH for both rather than the cheapest I could find, still under a third of what the garage wanted.
Model-wise, I have ordered some more parts from SMM to allow me to change the Mark number of a Centurian kit I have, from a Mk 5/2 6 to a Mk 7, except they don't have in stock the engine decking or glacis plate. I have both already to convert another Mk 5/2 6 into a Mk 12, so I can borrow from that for now. The turret will be a mantlet-less turret, so definitely something to go on the table if I can get it finished for Telford. I also bought the Valiant conversion set for the Ferret, just to be different and because I don't like that vehicle without some kind of turret on it.

[Gondor]

Well, now that we are all back on the site again, a few more things to catch up with. The Starship launch was only delayed for a day, so I could have gone to work rather than have the day off, but several things made me decide to stay off. Over the weekend, there were to be electrical checks or something to be carried out in the building I work in, so I had made sure that everything in the section I work in was switched off. I had also finished shortly before home time on the Thursday, all relevant work to my job, so I would need to find work for a half day. Far easier just to have a nice long lie in and have a relaxing day.
The actual Starship test flight was almost faultless, with only the booster haveing problem relighting its engines for the braking burn. This meant that the intended soft landing in the Gulf of Mexico was considerably harder than it was supposed to be. Slightly later, when the actual Starship landed in the Indian Ocean, it managed not only to perform a soft landing, but when it fell over, it managed to stay intact as well. This is great as it means that the people who work on the heat shield can inspect the intact item in person, well, once it's been brought ashore.
And with the site being down for most of the weekend, I have been busy working on my Foland Wasp. The etched brass for the cockpit has mostly been fitted and painted, and just awaits me performing a few final touches prior to fitting it together. Other than that, I have been playing Civilisation VII, and I actually won a game  Not sure how that happened. I was Xerxes with Persia, naturally, although the game does allow you to mix and match leaders and countries if you wish. It was an economic win, before 1900, or just after, I didn't care what the year was, as the game had a countdown for the last five turns. Needless to say, I am playing the game again and getting soundly trounced at the moment.
There was also the problem with an item bought from eBay, a double CD pack of Cat Stevens albums. One of them was ignored by my CD player because it was in such a terrible condition. The whole package was listed as "acceptable"    which it's not, as I said, one CD could not be played, I couldn't even clean it! So that has been returned to the supplier.