The Ladykillers (1955) ORIGINAL TRAILER - learn correct English accents from this wonderful old film

Learn correct English from this wonderful film. If you are short of time, just enjoy the trailer.
1955, the good old days when you could hear every word in a film. Before we in Britain knew that the Americans called films movies.

The stars of this film include
Alec Guinness
Peter Sellers
Frankie Howerd
Jack Warner
Herbert Lom

This film has it all. Humour. suspense.

A stellar cast. Humorous. Wonderful performance from the old lady. She didn't do anything else. But she was perfectly cast and immortalised in this film.

See my other post.
You can watch the whole film for free.

About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, teacher of English and other languages.

Why You Should Teach Your Partner to Cook! In Coronavirus Times or Any Time

My mother always did all the cooking in my parents' home and my father's sole contribution was saying thank you.

She died, aged 89, in the year 2000, and the next day my 89-year old-father, who had refused to come and stay overnight with me, phoned me.

His quavering voice said, "I can't find the egg cups."

My Widowed Father's Need To Cook
I thought my father had woken up lonely and this was just a plea for attention, but I treated his problem seriously and asked, "Have you looked in all the cupboards?"

"Yes," he replied. "I can't find any egg cups anywhere. I don't know what to do. Can you help me?"

I sighed. I had to cope with my mother's death, telling friends and family, neighbours, organizing a funeral tea at my house. The last thing I needed was delivering meals on wheels and playing hunt the egg cups.

Fortunately I was only ten minutes' drive away.

I said, "I'll bring you some egg cups. While you are waiting, look again. And get out two small plates and two teaspoons. Tiny ones, if you have them. And a saucepan."

I said that to keep him busy. I thought he had only phoned me for company because he was alone and forlorn.

I was wrong. He really had no idea where to find an egg cup or how to boil and egg.

How Do You Boil An Egg?
"Thank you," he said. "And - can you show me how to boil an egg?"

"You just put it in water and boil until it's done."

"What size saucepan? How much water? Water to cover the egg, or to the top of the saucepan?
If I put it in boiling water I might splash myself. If I boil it then it might boil over and splash me.
How will I know when it is done? How do I get it out of the boiling water? Do I need to leave the water to cool? And the egg to cool. When your mother did it, I thought it was simple. Now it seems so complicated."

"I'll show you," I replied. I must admit I never really thought about how I cook an egg. I just get up and do it.

He asked, "How do I get the shell off? Can I cook six eggs for the week?"

"I'll be right over," I replied.

You could start every day with a sustaining egg, which contains rotein. You might get a bit bored. What about different eggs?

I used to hate cooking eggs any way except scarmbled. First there is the mess of the bits of broken egg shell. Then the risk of the broken yolk, messy. Finally, if you achieved a perfect yook, ideal for fried eggs you had to inspect the eggs. They sometimes had red blood spots. Or little white wiggly bits.

How Do You Scramble Eggs?
After I wrote the above, in 2020, I thought, what will I do if my husband goes into hospital? I went into the kitchen and asked my husband, who does all the cooking, "Where are our eggs? Where are the egg cups? How many do we have? Are they different sizes and does it matter. Do we have any small teaspoons for eggs?"

He answered, "The eggs are in the door of the fridge in the egg tray. The egg cups all fit any size egg. I have a small teaspoon I use for salt but usually just use the normal teaspoons for eggs."

My Husband's Scrambled Egg
Yesterday I asked my husband to show me how he cooks a scrambled egg. I do it differently.
He whisks it the eggs up with a hand whisk. He does not add water (which hotels do) nor milk nor cream. He adds just a pinch of salt and pepper to the mixture. 'Not too much!'

Have a nonstick pan and a wooden spoon or teflon spatula. Put a teaspoon puddle of oil. warm the pan before adding the eggs. If hot and fast cooking the butter turns brown fast.   Keep stirring fast. As soon as it starts to solidify, take the pan off the heat. It will continue cooking.Remove onto a plate.

Add your pre-chopped salad and pre-washed and chopped tomatoes.

If you cook toast at the same time, lots to watch and co-ordinate. You may have to practice learning how long a partiuclar type of bread, particular thickness and particular toaster. Butter on hot toast, then eggs on toast.

Whipped up egg for scrambled egg. Photo by Angela Lansbury. copyright.

Omeletters have to be slow cooked. Because you need the to solidify so you can turn them over.

The moral of the story is, teach your parents and your partner and your children and your household help to cook. You never know when one of you will go into hospital, or be travelling for work, overseas on holiday, stuck on a cruise ship which can't get home, or worse case scenario you or your parent is widowed and have ing to cook for themselves every day, three meals a day, except for the once a week treat for a family meal out or in.

Quick And Easy Baked Potato
When I was at school, a girls' grammar school, we had Domestic Science lessons which included cookery. I learned to cook a baked potato in its jacket in the oven and grate cheese into the cooked potato. Baked potato is another another quick and easy meal.

About the Author
Angela Lansbury is a travel writer and phtographer, author and speaker,
wtih many posts on travel, food and drink, menu languages and languages.
See later post:
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2020/04/plan-for-teaching-your-family-to-cook.html
Please share links to your favourite posts.

How to Hand Sew A Zip, or machine sew - Quick Repair For Travellers or those on lockdown and stay home

What zip problems do travellers have?
1 Your suitcase zip comes apart from the suitcase or the zip pull breaks.
To temporarily use a broken zip, thread a twist tie through the loop which is left.

If a zip on a suitcase goes, you can reattach it with a large darning needle. Or sew toegether the broken parts. Use the half which still works.

If possible, take to a suitcase shop to replace. If they say it is not worthwhile, take the suitcase home and remove zips before disposing of the suitcase, or keep it above your wardrobe to store handbags and tote bags.

You may need to repair smaller zips on jackets and bags, skirt closures, or insert zips into pockets which need a zip.

Why would you want to hand sew a zip?
1 Your old zip has come loose.
2 The old zip is broken and needs replacing by a new one.
3 An open tote bag neds a zip to prevent theft and prevent items falling out.
4 You bought a sleeveless jacket with lots of pockets but they are all flaps or open and you want zips for security.

First, where do you get a zip in a hurry?
1 Save the zipped bags containing socks from flights, for example, on Singapore Airlines.
2 Check your bathroom for zipped toiletry bags you never use. Or ask the family if they have unwanted items containing zips.
3 Buy in the needlework or crafts department of a department store, when open. John Lewis in the UK. Spotlight in Singapore and Australia and New Zealand.
4 Buy online. Check lengths. Choose metal, sturdy, or nylon, or lightweight.
5 Buy in a cheap shop such as Daeso, all over Asia.
6 Buy cheap purse in Pound shop, dollar wise or similar just to get the zip.
7 Save zips from accessories such as broken bags or discarded jackets.
8 Remove a zip from garment you never wear which does not need a zip and put it in the garment you want to wear.
9 Remove a zip from an inner pocket and put press studs on the innder pocket and the matching zip on the outside of the garment.
10 Save zips from the outsides and insides of old suitcases.

Sewing a zip is easy. Two long lines of straight stitching up the sides. One short line of stright stitching across the lower end of the zip. Two tiny rows of straight stiching to secure the two tabs at the top.

I wrote this on Facebook in reply to somebody else's post.

HAND SEW A ZIP If you don't have a sewing machine, it is easier than it looks. Just decide whether you want your zip hidden or exposed. At what height do you want the pull tab. Pin the pull tab in place. Then pin the other end. Pin the middle of both sides of the zip. Sew a stright line, with matching colour cotton. Best to do a tacking stitch (Big running stitch) first, which can be easily pulled out if the zip is in the wrong place. Sew neatly up both sides, making sure you do not attach the zip to the other side of the garment at the back. Make sure the end of the zip is tucked in. Oversew the end so the zip pull doesn't pull out of the end.Any questions or problems?Angela Lansbury, Author of: How to get our of the mess your'e in (lulu.com).

Tips For Tricky Bits
What could go wrong?

Stitching is too near the zip teeth.
You have sewn the zip to the back of the garment which was underneath.
You cannot be bothered to sew the end of the zip and just tuck it in. If the zip is long the zip pull disappears beyond the end of the zip. The zip pull comes off the end and you spend hours trying to line up the two ends to get it back on.

Sewing Machines
For years I had sewing machine attachments for button holes and other items and never used them.
What can a sewing machine do? You need to keep the needle away from the zip teeth. to control a short line of stiching at the end of the zip.

Forewarned is forearmed.

Happy sewing!

When hunting for zips online, they may appear under the words zip or zipper.

Useful websites
https://www.wikihow.com/Sew-in-a-Zipper
https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Arts-Crafts-Sewing-Zippers/zgbs/arts-crafts/2933767011

About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, atuhor and speaker. Pleae bookmark and share your favourite posts.

In Singapore an outdoor swimming pool was cordoned off with tape and a member of staff was telling residents not to use the pool.

It is a huge pool, outdoors.

The directive, according to what I was told, came from the management of the leisure complexes across Singapore. The management of the residential complex apparently sub-contracts the running and maintenance of various parts of the complex, such as the entry gates, the lifts, the waste disposal, and the leisure facilities, to other companies which specialise in those areas.


Singapore flag

On March 31 2020 I read in the Daily Mail online that a superspreader in China had infected several people in a swimming pool and sauna complex. That is alarming.

Does that mean an indoor complex? Or an outdoor pool and indoor sauna? It was not clear to me. Either way, I can see why the management of leisure facilities across a city or country might decide to shut all parts of their operation.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-8168025/Coronavirus-spread-warm-humid-conditions.html

About the author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker, trainer of speakers and teacher of English and other languages. See other posts on the USA, UK, Europe, Singapore, Asia and learning languages. Please share links to your favourite posts.

At Home in Self-Imposed isolation Conquering Writer's Block

I have written twenty books so I ought to be an authority on writing and conquering writers' block.

During Coronavirus you might be stuck at home. Or out and about but not sitting near enough to talk to others. You can write. Send texts, emails, write blogs, or complete a novel. What's stopping you?

When do you get writers' block?
In these situations:

1 Not saying thank you
Do you forget to say thank you? I rememer as a child, my mother would stage whisper, 'Say thank you!' When writing the can be as tongue-tied as you are when speaking.

2 Not replying promptly.
Replying instantly without thinking, being told off, then not writing ever again.

3 Postponement
Not preparing to start a project.

4 Procrastination
Avoidance Activities.
Reading emails. Reading the news. Tidying up.

5 Missing Writing Deadlines

Suggested Solutions:
1 Write the task on a A4 sheet of paper.
2 Write the deadline.
3 Write the reward. (write the penalty?)
4 Write the title
5 Write the end.
6 Write the summary.

DRAFT
Write the draft.

EDIT
Run it ghrough grammarly to check spelling and grammar.

Check the links or transitions before one section and the next.

Give to another person to check and edit. Tell them what to watch, not to merely praise, it's wonderful. Not merely riticsie, it's awful, but make specifid susggestions on spelling, grammar, sentence structure, originality, personal stories, potential libel..

Cut out irrelevant parts.
Cut it to length.

Send it out.
Keep a copy.

I hope this helps you.

The Long Novel
You could join an online organization which sets you a target of a minimum number of words a day and pairs you up with a writing buddy to encourage you.

Useful Websites
https://www.nanowrimo.org/

Angela Lansbury
Author of 20 books. In preparation, ebook on improve your English. Please share links to your favourite posts.

Wuhan Market Closed - But How Do You Ban, Rebuild And ModerniseThe Old Asian & Chinese Markets: Singapore's Success Story

In the UK and Singapore you can see hygiene ratings on the rstaurants and the food kiosks in food courts. What about China?

The Chinese markets in Wuhan were seen on video in March 2020 showing caged live animals, cooked animals, and crowds of keen shoppers marching along narrow outdoor aisles. The wild animals such as bats are caught in the wild. Why is this continuing, or returning, after the Coronavirus scare shut the Wuhan live animal market?

Let's leave aside the question of whether one should eat a dog or meat at all. Let's look at how meat eaters as well as vegetarians are thinking, and how the sellers are appealing to them, and running their businesses.

Why Buy Wild Food?
Why were and are the Chinese still buying wild food. It isn't just that traditional medicine used natural products and they don't know about modern medicine.

Factory and Fish Farms - Good or Bad?
More recently we, the public, have been taught that caged , and crowded poultry in factory farms is bad. Also fishes bred for food are not as good as salmon in the wild. Many people still believe this, in the USA, UK and elsewhere. However, it is time for a re-think.

Virus Spread
We now know, or think we know, that viruses can spread from birds such as poultry and ducks to other animals. Eating monkeys and bats can subject you to risks.

What About Food Inspectors?
What do food inspectors do? The old system which established food inspectors for kosher and later halal food were an early form of hygiene checks. Before classifying food as fit for humans, fit for animals, fit for plant fertiliser, the inspector would check the signs of worms and decay (and bullets or arrows). Then extra checks were made on the soft parts, especially the lungs.
Now we can understand that an inspection of an animal can show that it is diseased inside.

Wild Animals and Fish Problems
the problem with wild food is that nobody checks it before selling it to you. The theory is that in a factory farm, they either have an onsite regular inspector. And/or the local health authority sends out isnpectors.

Inspector Supply
This relies on three factors. Your budget must allow for training and pay for enough inspectors to visit enough premises sufficiently frequently. The inspector must be well paid so that you don't have a shortage of inspectors seeking other jobs. He must not be susceptible to bribes.

Toastmasters Talk On Singapore Modernising Hawker Centres
I went to a Toastmasters International talk about the origins of the Singaporean hawker centres. The speech gave the most useful and intersting information. I think I was theevaluator, and because it gave lots of information that speech got my vote. If I remember rightly, which is unlikely, the speaker had the best slides, but was a studious introvert, and spoke quietly and hesistantly, needing to follow the progress of the slides. I think the winner of the ribbon for best speaker went to another livelier speech. However, the story of the origins of the hawker centres stayed with me.

Causes of Poisoning
The imporant point was that the authorities of the day discovered that the old hawker centres were riddled with rats and cockroaches, hard to keep clean, serving staff were untrained. The result was underpaid staff, cheated customers, language misunderstandings from customers not getting what they thought they had ordered. Mixing dried and cooked meat caused food poisoning. So did frequent cases of food poisoning.caused by contaminated ice. In India and Russia the internet has revealed, and poisonous alcohol..

Singapore's Experience of Modernising Markets
Some of the Singapore listeners to a talk about Hawker Centres might have thought, who cares about the history of hawker centres? But now that talk seems terribly relevant.

What lessons have I learned from reading elsewhere about food hygiene. Every time there is a major outbreak of food poisoning (one or two notable cases in the UK and Singapore of bride and groom and a hundred or more wedding guests being affected).

What Can Governments Do
Build new, clean food courts.
Move the old businesses into the new premises or demand to know how they are earning a living, to ensure they are not setting up unhygienic fly by night stalls elsewhere.
Offer incentives such as free or low rent to get the sellers started in the new premises.
Offer training.
Make display of hygiene ratings mandatory. (Otherwise those with a high rating display it. Those with a low rating don't.)
Insist that kiosks display pictures and prices of food.
Inform the public.

What Can Customers Do?
What can you do to protect yourself?
Check restaurant hygience ratings. If a kiosk or restaurant has a low rating, ask them what was the problem.

Contaminated Ice In Your Drinks
One cause at a wedding was the re-used of ice. Ice used to transport uncooked fish was sold to the barman as fresh ice for use in drinks.

Investigations
A check by the authorities of what people ate and drank often finds the cause. Cases have included contaminated ice, poisonous shellfish, meat left out in heat too long on a buffet, and cheap alcohol containing

Some essentials of food preparation:
Food such as as vegetables and meat should be covered, especially at night when you are not around to shoo away animals and insects nor kill them or frighten them off with your movements and noise.

Why cover? Dustbins should have lides, preferably attached so the lids are self closing and not lost or forgotten in a far coerner.

Why Cover Food Day And Night?

 To keep off flies and pigions and rats and rodents such as mice and even cats. And lizards. Why? Animals, reptiles and insects bring dirty feet and dirty furry bodies and disasease ridden mouths, and nibbble, claw, and urinate or poo after and during eating.

You also get dying and dead animals. Dead animals decay and drop discgusting bits. Dead animals and insects attract others which come to eat them.

Why Heat Meat
Why heat meat? And vegetables? It kills off some of the dangerous items. Why wash? It removes organic and chemical matter.

(You also wash your hands whilst cleaning the vegetables.)

Dangers of Washing Uncooked Meat
You can spread spray from the uncooked chicken over work surfaces and cooked items, if the cooked items are uncovered.

So what did Singapore Do?
They completely razed the old dirty and overcrowded wet markets and hawker centres. they built brand new ones with easy to clean surfaces, clean new equipment, wide aisles for queues, fixed seating.

Modernising
Running water and electricity were provided.Staff wensre trained before the business had a license to open. Inspectors were established with the power to close premises.

I must say that when I see 'pop-up' restaurants and kitchens, for exhibitions, in fields, I wonder whether they have proper saitary arrangements.

What other common dangers are there?

Storage & Buffets
Food kept too long. In the UK some areas the kitchen are required to clear out uneaten food, clean the ktichen last thing at night, and start again next day. I remember arriving at Swanwick Writers Summer School, held every year in August (2020 in doubt).

Wuhan Stories
Videos I saw recently said
1 The old Wuhan markets had been closed.
2 Markets in Wuhan or elsewhere were carrying on as before, serving wild and uninspected food .

What is needed?
1 Rebuilt new markets. (If they can build a hospital in a week, they can do the same with a food market.)
2 Relocated sellers must be trained in hygiene.
3 A certification system must show the inspection of premises and license of the hygiene trained owner and/or manager. Onsite inspection until all the new shops are occupied

Informing and Involving The Public
Publicity for the newer safer markets.

A reporting system for the public to send photos and videos of any infractions, if necessary anonymously - with immediate response to reports.

On the web, whatsapp and facebook daily reporting of praise and blame of food selling places.

Who Should Do This?
Individual governments. Singapore can lead. Wuhan can lead and follow.

It has been done before successfully. It can be done again toimprove safety and hygience worldwide.

Worldwide WHO
What about WHO - world health organization? They should be involved.

British NHS
The idea for the British National Health service was set up when it was discovered that the army could not find enough healthy recruits. Then the idea expanded to free health care for all.

Reasons for that success.
1 Free health service gets votes from the masses.
2 Helping the needy appeals to the idealistic young.
3 Helping the sick and handicapped appeals to the frail old.
4 The rich support it and gain kudos.
5 The poor gain better health and teeth.
6 Everybody who is working is forced to save and insure.
7 The government has a healthy workforce and army recruits.
8 The sick do not infect the healthy.

What can you do? First, spread this message. Secondly, investigate and add helpful, hopeful facts.

Thirdly, as Gandhi said, be the change you wish to see. Take action.

Useful Websites
Poisoning problems
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7591297/Caterers-fined-200-000-newlyweds-FIFTY-wedding-guests-food-poisoning-hog-roast.html
HAWKER CENTRES, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker_centre
SINGAPORE HYGIENE RATINGS
https://www.sfa.gov.sg/food-retail/food-hygiene-recognition-scheme/food-hygiene-recognition-scheme
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS GUIDELINES FROM SINGAPORE
https://www.nea.gov.sg/docs/default-source/our-services/guidelines-for-ordering-catered-meals-for-functions-and-events.pdf
CHINA BANS WILDLIFE SALES
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/china-bans-trade-consumption-of-wild-animals-due-to-coronavirus

About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite post.

What you Can learn From travelling online to online speech contests

What I learned from watching five sets of contests over the past two days:

Visual is very important.

Magic and memorable words are important. Your humorous or serious speech needs a symbol. Watch the international winners. Which ones do you remember?

VISUAL Prop

I recall

1 the speech with the man taking off the ski jacket to show his slimmer inner self,

2 the speech about suicde and kind words which starts with a cigarette,

3 and Singapore winners Darran Tay on bullying by others and your innder self - he was wearing his white pants (Americans say underpants) over dark trousers (Americans say pants) and 4 Wiwiek with her bowl of food about visitng the elederly and not procrastinating until it is too late.

CATCHY TITLE

I have heard dozens of speeches on facing fears. I remember one book, Feel the Fear and do it anyway. Alliterative. Simple.

YOUR NAME
Mention your name and tell people how to remember it and find you on the net.

HUMOUR

A humorous speech needs four things.

A silly situation.

A visual

contrasting chrters in conversation

Surprises

A joke every minute - seven in a seven minutes speech.

If you don't have seven jokes you are not funnier or somebody else will be funnier than you are.

Call to action
End with a call to action.

What is my call to action?

Find an online club and learn. Form an online meeting. Facetime your friends. Learn about Google hangouts, and zoom. Educate the elderly.

Useful Websites
Toastmasters International Find A Club

About the Author

Angela Lansbury, not related to the actress, is a travel writer and photographer (semi-retired and travelling online during Corona crisis); speaker, speech trainer, teacher of English and other languages, Englsih language contest judge.

China From Above: Cherry blossoms in Wuhan University

Like so many cities, it has its beautiful, modern, affluent and culutred, specious and  elegant parts, and its old quarters with dirty, crowded markets.

Wuhan: is this the Chicago of China?

Wikivoyage gives a good description of the areas of Wuhan plus the latest warnings to international travellers.

As a child all I knew of foreign faraway countries was a tiny static picture on a postage stamp. Now I can sit at my desk and see ground level and aerial views of cities around the world, and travel back in time watching videos.

A city of millions of people.



One day, maybe, I shall visit Wuhan. Right now we can watch Wuhan on the internet.

About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.

Wuhan: the city under coronavirus lockdown

Singapore students perform waiata to thank Singapore Airlines crew on th...

No swimming in Singapore - Why? What to do instead

From thw windows and balconies several stories above the Singapore swimming pool my family could not see the tapes.

Swimming pool in Singapore. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Disappointed residents in Singapore remonstrated with staff. On Friday 38 March 2020 barriers were put around the pool.

One resident protested: "But the public pools are open. They are just restricting entry so that the number of swimmers does not exceed the space you must allow around each person. This pool is huge, Olympic size, plenty of room for everyone to be spaced out. I shall organize a petition.'

Swimming Lessons
I was relieved that swimming lessons were stopped. I had seen instructors holding onto your children, helping them to stay afloat.

Protecting Hands On Pool Ladders
As for protecting myself and others, I had been very careful in the pool. On my way to the pool, I sanitised my hands with the sanitising gel in the lift (Americans say elevator).

At the pool, as I climbed in, I washed down the grab part of the metal ladder with swimming pool water, before and after touching it on entry. I did the same on leaving.

Swimming For Exercise
I used to swim every day to keep fit and lose weight and because I enjoyed it.

Walking Around The Pool
My family suggested, go for a walk around the pool. I counted my steps around the pool. A huge number of steps.

Chair Exercises
I am also doing exercising in my chair. As I write this, I am using my feet to walk forwards and backwards under the desk.

Standing Exercises
Any time I stop to think, or take a break, I stand up and reach for the ceiling and touch my shoulders, waist, hips knees and toes. Up again down again. My mother in law told me she did that every day. She lived to 99 years old.

Dreaming of Swimming
I should live long enough to see the swimming pool re-opened again. I can dream fondly of swimming.

If you can still use your pool, enjoy it while you can. One day you can use it, the next day it is taped off.

Prepare For Swimming
Meanwhile, if you can't swim, happy exercising. Keep fit so you can swim when you have the chance again.

See update March 31 2020.

About the author
Angela Lansbury is British but has family in theUK and Singapore. Please bookmark and share links to your favourite posts.

How to meet challenges of meetings on line - during the COVID19

1 TIMING - HOW TO SEE TIMER
I went over time and was not seeing the timer. I think it would be helpful if each speaker is asked if they can see the timer, like in a contest.

to see the timer on zoom you 'pin' the timer. How? click on the three dots in the top right of the timer's obong section. An option will appear to pin timer. in a toastmasters conference the audience are asked to turn off their screen so that their movements do not distract the speakers.

2 AUDIO - MUTE SOUND
The family wanted to sleep. How to turn down the sound?

Pressing on the mute sound key on the laptop did not work. You need to press the Fn key as well as the F1 mute key, both keys together.

3 SPEAKEr's distractions
First, keep family out of the room. Secondly, when standing, don't sway side to side throughout your speech.

4 HOW TO SEND AN EVALUATION DOCUMENT?
Photograph it and email it. If the sender receives it as a PDF (picture which cannot be edited), they can SAVE AS the document in text format which they can edit.

Then they email back to you the filled in document.

Alternatively, they print the picture of the evaluation form, write in their comments, photograph the filled in form and email back the photo of the filled in form.

TO CHANGE YOUR NAME & PHOTO
Again, click on the three dots at the top of your picture. to be anonymous, for example as a judge or visitor, click on rename. The box where you type in a new name appears on your screen - or the laoptop below your screen. If you don't see the box, look at your other device.

About the Author
Angela Lansbury is a member of four Toastmasters clubs including Singapore Online which is only online.
She is also president of Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Club, first online meeting April 1st, Wednesday, 2020.

Please share links to your favourite posts.

The Birthday Cake Wording Went Wrong

Here was my home made cheesecake for my birthday. Because of the coronavirus,
I could not go to The Tanglin Club in Singapore for my birthday.

In previous years I had enjoyed the Churchill Room. Here's a picture of what they did for me on a previous birthday.

Because of the Coronavirus, I understand, they were short staffed. I could have gone to the Tanglin club's Chinese restaurant. But that was not what I had in mind for my birthday meal.

The curved lines like fingerprints come from photographing a picture from the computer screen. Would you believe I cannot find my photos from long ago on my own comptuer, but a search on the internet brings up my own previous blog post.

So here is another of my previous birthday cake pictures from a restaurant. This was the El Vaquero restaurant in Mill Hill, London, England.




But I was now stuck at home.

I consoled myself by thinking of birthdays which had gone wrong in restaurants.

Humorous Birthday Story Memories
Now that big birthday parties are banned, in restaurants, and homes, worldwide, because of Coronavirus, we can console ourselves with memories of great birthday cake memories, or disasters.

At least with online pictures of online cakes you have some control.

I remember a restaurant birthday cake disaster. One year we went out for a birthday dinner at the now closed Alpine restaurant in Stanmore, north west London.

The Alpine
The starter and main course were lovely, but what I was waiting for eagerly was what I expected would end the meal. We waited eagerly for a cake with candle to appear at the end of the meal. Another table received a birthday cake.

We waited. I presumed the chef was busy, but we were next. We waited longer.

 I grew increasingly impatient. I decided to look at the other table's cake and ask if they liked it.

I went over. They had not touched, not eaten more than a morsel. I asked if I could photograph it. I photographed it.

I asked, 'How was the cake?'

The lady answered glumly, 'The cake was fine - except for the happy birthday message. It's our wedding anniversary!'

Then I knew what was wrong. The diners had received our birthday cake.

My son and I sat speculating. The kitchen now had an anniversary cake. Should they give the aggrieved couple a second cake? No. We did not think they would do that.

The pastry chef could change the wording on the anniversary cake to birthday, for us. Or give the anniversary cake to the others and defrost another cake and re-ice it for us.

No wonder the delay. Re-icing. Plus arguing about what to do. Having an inquest on who had made the mistake!

Eventually we got a birthday cake. Just as we were about to leave. Too late to eat it. Then we had to see if they could pack it up.  If not, photograph it. Try to pack it up ourselves. Argue about whether we should do so.

Pastry Chef Left?
Was that the occasion when the restaurant manager apologized because the chef had left? I speculated, "Why has the pastry chef walked out? In a huff? Resigned. Because his work was wasted by the careless wait staff or phone operator?"

My son replied, "I don't think so. He has just gone home early. Gone home because he was employed until 9 pm and his work was done"

"Ah. He had left the cakes behind for the waiters to serve?"

Oh, dear, oh me. It was stressful at the time, for us, the other diners, and the staff. But humorous in the re-telling. We enjoy re-telling this story.

You can see a higher quality picture here of my Tanglin Club birthday, with the picture of cake, with happy birthday wording:
https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4474319509042475984#editor/target=post;postID=4458240656501699522;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=44;src=link

If you need to send an online card overseas because you cannot travel to be together on a birthday,
you can use 123.com website's cards.

Here's what I sent to a relative.








Useful Websites
https://www.123cards.com/birthday-ecards/
https://www.jibjab.com/
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2019/03/tanglin-club-birthday-lunch-in.html

About the Author
Angela Lansbury is the author of twenty books. See Amazon and Lulu.
Please share links to your favourite posts.

Identify that animal - what's in your garden or park?

Now you are stuck at home and looking longingly at the street and garden. Walking in the garden more often with your phone as a camera. Up pop pop animals, or even poo on the lawn.

What I learned in England.


UK flag

Foxes
I remember the first time I saw a bushy tailed animal in the back garden in London. I called out, 'There's a dog - in our garden.'

The animal had disappeared showing only a bushy tail.
'No, it's a cat.'

'It has a dog's face and a cat's tail. It's a fox!'

Now, twenty years later, we know that our neighbours started feeding their cat by leaving out food in the evening, were visited by foxes, and eventually had a fox's lair.

Now foxes are common all over suburban London. (Reputedly the result of the campaign against fox hunting.)

Bird Watch
A garden birdwatch was the first survey which got me involved. That was just in the UK.


Singapore flag

Now the idea is alive in Singapore and elsewhere, as I discovered this week.




But why watch only birds?

Animals
What about animals/ Back in the day, back in London, I had holes. Yes, I had holes in my lawn in London. What was causing holes? Later the culprit caught my eye. Something small was digging, with an oscillating grey bushy tail. A squirrel!

In the early days you could join the World Wildlife organization, and Whale watching and whale preservation. But the animal websites seemed to me to be all about big game. I was not keen on preserving animals which ate the little and lovely creatures I wanted to protect.

Along came the campagn to save the hedgehogs. I was in favour of that.

A couple of years after I started doing the birdwatch in the UK, organized by the RSPB, they introduced an animal watch. I have just discovered another website offering animal watches and information on animals. They have information on animals, a shop and links to all over the world.

My first thought was, this UK based website is no use to people in the USA and they won't all be interested.

However, it might be worthwhile joining such a UK based website, or their Facebook page. One reason is that if you receive linked advertisements, the ads might be for international organizations or for organizations in your area.

Now with the Coroavirus keeping people off work, plants and animals can command more or our time and attention and provide a distraction and a soothing interest. Enjoy!
More photos and websites will be added throughout athe day.

https://ptes.org/get-involved/surveys/garden/living-with-mammals/living-with-mammals-results/

See previous posts. Please share with friends and family and colleages far away useful links to your favourite posts.

About the Author
Angela Lansbury is an English speaking, born in Britain; lived in Spain, the USA and now yoyos between the UK and Singapore with stopovers in Europe and the USA when flights are running, before, and hopefully after Coronavirus COVID19.
You can connect on Facebook or Linked and read about Angela's books on Amazon and Lulu.com

How To Send online birthday cards

My family is scattered around the world. In one month we have two birthdays for people in different coutnries. We have two choices. One is to fly between the two countries. Only one person or one couple needs to fly.

The alternative is for one coupld to join the other. Celebrate two birthdays the nearest weekend to one or both birthdays. Alternative countries. This year in the chldren's oucntry. Next year in the parents' country. Normally we try to get together.

So, sending birthday cards by email becomes a must.

I received a card from 123. I could send a thank you card.

Than I looked at cards to choose, create and email

The first 123 offering suggestion for a birthday card was fireworks. To me this looked more like a New Year card.



Decisions
I should have sent it. But I decided to move on and explore more cards. Why?

 I am classified on the Myers Briggs personality test as ENFP. The P stands for Pereiver but I call it procrastinator. The opposite is judger, my husband's type. He would have found one good enough card and sent it off straight away, job done. He accomplishes much more each day than I do.

Being an ENFP, I have to see all the options before making a decision, a commitment. 123greetings offered about 167 cards. I looked at them all. That took me over an hour.

Bithday Cards I rejected
The 123 birthday card site shows you all kinds of birthday cards. Many of them were instantly and easily rejcted. For my son I did not want greetings to a daughter, a mother, a father, a wife, a baby, a toddler wtih teddy bears, a sixteen year, a seventy year old, a retiree with grey hair.

I liked a capella - a barbershop quartet, and a country and western song. But that might not be his taste.

I started looking for all the alternative sites and comparative sites.

Jib-Jab
Jib-jab are those people who send the cards with the face of the sender on little animated Santa bodies doing dances.

You can insert photos of your family. This takes time. It works well if you are at home over Xmas and start sending out cards early.

Canva
Canva offers the greatest choice for creators. But you need time to design every aspect. The text workding, font, size colour, position on the page, the front, inside, back, insert photos, remove the company logo.

To sum up:
Instant cards on 123. Some free. Or share the cost bewteen two or three members of your family and whoever has paid the subscription can do cards for everybody.

Your family's faces on jib-jab, but you pay.

Canva
Allows you to create completely individual cards, with your own photos, writing, colour schemes, music. Allow time to do this. Not for last minute sending on the day unless you have hours of time and are on a timezone East so you are several hours ahead and can work on the card and still have it arrive your lunch time or evening but the recipient's breakfast or lunch time.

Wiki
Wikipedia has not much of use under birthday cards but redirects you to the more useful Wikicommons site which has a few picture sof birthday cards showing balloons, cakes, kids and flowers.

Facebook
I am not keen on broadcasting exact bihday dates on Facebook and media. It lays you open to identity theft.

You could change the date by a few days.

Email Storage
You could also keep cards from one year to the next in your email box under the word birthday. A year later you can use old photos of last year's birthday cake and the Birthday girl or boy.

Create an animated slide show of past birthday celebrations. you could even project onto a white screen or white wall a big picture of a family birthday.

Cnference Call Party
Another possibility is to do a conference call with the family overseas, using Skype, Google Hangouts or zoo. Set up a camera on a tripod with a remote to take a group photo with those in one country with the others in the other country.

Useful Websites
123
https://www.123cards.com/birthday-ecards/
Jibjab
https://www.jibjab.com/
Canva
https://www.canva.com/templates/search/birthday-cards/
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2019/03/tanglin-club-birthday-lunch-in.html

About the Author
Angela Lansbury is the author of 20 books, several blogs, and a travel writer and photographer. Please share links to your favurite posts.

Where are the world's white Chalk figures carved into hillsides?

My favourites are

Cerne Abbas Giant. From Wiki.

The Cerne Abbas Giant is a bit rude. you have to be driving a distance away to see these figures. And to get a good view, not obstructed by moving or static objcts.



1 Cerne Abbas Giant
Cerne Abbas, Dorset, England

2 The Uffington White Horse

Alphabetically in the UK they are:

• Alton Barnes White Horse, near Devizes, Wiltshire, England
• Broad Town White Horse, near Broad Town, Wiltshire, England
• Cherhill White Horse, near Calne, Wiltshire, England
• Devizes White Horse, Wiltshire, England
• 
  
• Folkestone White Horse, Folkestone, Kent, England
• 
  
• Hackpen White Horse, near Broad Hinton, Wiltshire
• Kilburn White Horse, near Kilburn, North Yorkshire, England
• Marlborough White Horse, near Marlborough, Wiltshire, England
• Osmington White Horse, near Osmington, Dorset, England
• Pewsey White Horse, near Pewsey, Wiltshire, England
• Uffington White Horse, Oxfordshire, England

• Westbury White Horse, Wiltshire, England

The Long man



One more in New Zealand

• Waimate White Horse, Waimate, New Zealand

As you see, most of the UK ones are in Wiltshire, with others in Kent, Dorset, and Oxfordshire. and Yorkshire.

More later

About the Author

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Bird Watching and Identifying in the UK, Singapore, New Zealand and Worldwide

Photo of bird on the balcony by Angela Lansbury. Photo taken by mobile from a distance and enlarged.

UK bird watching. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

UK Bird Watching
In the UK we have the bird watch in early spring. The R.S.P.B. organizes it. go to their website and you will see much more scientific and detailed descriptions than the ones I have given. They send a list of birds for you to identify, with the names and matching pictures.

The first year I received a leaflet by post. I left it by the window. Then I moved it to the dining table to read before and after meals. Then I moved the leaflet back beside the window to identify birds which flew into the garden.

Later, the leaflet was online. I downloaded it and printed it, despite the fact that it used up precious colour. I think it is handy to get a printed guide when one is available. Later the printed version may be discontinued.

I also had several books on identifying birds and birdsong. I had bought them at National Trust bookshops and countryside stately homes and gardens and park. I put them in a pile beside the window. Most of the books were very detailed. They included lots of wading birds, lakeside birds and seaside birds which were not relevant.

By the time I found the page the bird had flown away. it became essential to photograph birds in order to identify birds later.



Photo of the same bird in the first picture above, on the balcony in Singapore. Taken with a proper camera by Trevor Sharot. I used my mobile to grab this picture he posted to Facebook.

Singapore Bird Watching
In Singapore they have another bird watching exercise based on the big Botanical Gardens.

New Zealand Kias
Kias look so cute and friendly. They are keen to be fed. They hang around car parks in ski resorts. At first they are a delight.

You wish they would tell you who were the vandals who destroyed the rubber on the edge of your hired car windows. And the windscreen wipers.

Then you come back. You catch the vandals. The vandals are not humans. The vandals are the car-eating Kias!

You can go off a bird awfully fast.

Kias cause aggro. Kias cost you money.

When we first arrived for ski holidays in New Zealand we were keen to catch sight of kias to take photos. Now we are keen to catch sight and scare them away from our car.

Back to Europe. What else can we look out for?

Stalking Storks
The white stork is the national bird of Lithuania. It may not bring babies. But it is a blessing for photographers.

Useful Websites
UK
R.S.P.B.
rspbshop.co.uk
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Society_for_the_Protection_of_Birds
https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/birdwatching/
https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/birdwatch/
SINGAPORE
https://singaporebirds.com/
https://www.nparks.gov.sg/biodiversity/community-in-nature-initiative/nparks-garden-bird-watch
https://www.nparks.gov.sg/mygreenspace/issue-41-vol-2-2019/lifestyle/recreation-and-activities/identifying-the-sunbirds-of-singapore
USA
https://feederwatch.org/
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/why-birds-hit-windows-and-how-you-can-help-prevent-it/
WORLDWIDE
http://www.birdwideweb.com/

About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.

Five Ways To VideoCall Family on a Mobile Phone

Did you miss a get together on a birthday or mother's day?

Here's what you can do to catch up. The most efficient way is to call the same time each week, or the same time each day, so you don't play yo-yo with missed calls. When we shared a flat with my husband's ex-colleague, he used to phone from Singapore to Australia or New Zealand to speak to his children every week on Sunday.

When I lived in the USA we phoned my parents in the UK from Washington DC in the evening. We only had one hour when it was convenient in both countries.

Five Video Conferencing Systems
(Alphabetically)

Facebook Messenger
Google Duo
Skype
WhatsApp
Zoom

Useful Websites
BBC guide to video calling family
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-51968122

Coronavirus Crisis Update To Start The Week - but end the day with Comedy

Regarding the Coronavirus crisis, first the bad news. then the good news. Some of the news is bad for some but good for others.

USA
You can still see cherry blossoms in Washington DC.
Too many sightseers go, so roads are shut.

Armchair travellers can admire online photos of cherry blossoms. Cherry blosssoms planted years ago are still bringing delight.

Given by the Japanese, to the Americans. A hundred years ago.

The bad news? Increasing lockdowns.

UK
Tree blossoms bloom quietly in London, England. Daffodils are out in March. Weather could be worse. It snowed on March 23rd in 1979. I was in hospital in Watford, North West London, about to give birth.

I try to always end on a high note. End my day by breathing deeply. End with a beautiful picure of nature. End with a cartoon or comedy film (movie).

My favourite comedy film?
The Ladykillers, the first version in 1955 starring Alec Guinness, Peter Sellers, Frankie Howerd, Herbert Lom, Jack Warner and others.

Useful Websites

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8140517/We-no-longer-respirators-aged-SIXTY.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8140449/Hundreds-flock-Washington-DCs-famous-cherry-blossoms-bloom.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ico=taboola_feed

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ladykillers

About the author
Angela Lansbury is a travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.

Coronavirus and its effects worldwide on hospitals and at home

March 22nd Sunday. I am online to a speech marathon. I am watching Singapore through whatsApp messages from the Singapore government which come in with daily updates. The UK online newspapers and family chats. The USA through the newspapers.

Israel has been hit hard. The good news is that my contacts who are allowed to leave home can walk along the beach at Tel Aviv.

So has Italy which is also currently showing high figures.

The bad news?
We can't go from one country to the other because we would be quarantined and could not attend events. For us, everything is going online.

Weddings
A family wedding in the UK planned for June is almost certainly cancelled.

Airlines
In the past month we havve seen airlines cutting routes. Countries quarantining people from certain countries. Other countries banned.

I read:
Battles in supermarkets over toilet paper, in the UK, in the USA, and supermarket shelves stripped bare.



Chinese flag

Hospitals
Hospitals were overwhelmed in China. We were impressed by their building a hospital in a week.



Italian Flag

Italian Experiences
 Italy, is inundated. Hospitals, under triage, cannot help the over 60s.

Any good news?

Venice - water is clear with fish and swans seen. (But no tourists there to see it.)

Skies are blue, free from pollution.

We  have to travel online.

Stay Home
So we all stay home. No time wasted travelling. More time at home.time for what?

Time to work. time for family. Time to study.

Time for leisure. Time to read.

Time to cook. More family home so more clenaing and cooking. More clutter. And more tidying up.

Time to tidy. If you are online you need to tidy the room showing behind you.

Books For Cooks
What if you have no time to read because you are too busy doing cooking and cleaning when the whole family is home for 24 hours? The answer suggested from a lady doctor in China was whilst cooking to listen to audio books.


Online Meetings
Learning to communicate online. Churches have been closed. church meetings have gone online.

Online everything. Especially Toastmasters International meetings training speakers. Members are students, workers, retirees, life coaches, teachers, all sorts. Many in China want to improve their English. I used go to a French speaking club to keep up my French, and bilingual clubs to learn chinese (Mandarin). The USA has Spanish clubs and online club. Europe has other multilingual clubs.

The face to face in person meetings attract people from all over the world, and this is even more the case now meetings are going online. Online only clubs are mushrooming. All over the world. We just held an all day meeting in Singapore with people from China and India.

The Singapore online club, of which I am a founder member, guided by Willie Loh, has a plan. The plan if for a marathon meeting which is to go 24 hours.  When it is midnight in Singapore, the USA will take over for the benefit of their half of the world on a different time zone.

I must go. I am off to another online meeting on how to run more specialised events, speech contests, online.

Useful websties
NEWS
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8140517/We-no-longer-respirators-aged-SIXTY.html
ONLINE MEETINGS
Toastmasters international find a club

About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.

Bird Watching & Counting, UK, Singapore and worldwide

Are you stuck at home during the Coronavirus crisis? Enjoy watching birds. I am going to tell you about birds I have seen regularly in London and Singapore and how to do annual bird watches and find out more about birds worldwide..

UK
Starting with the UK where I grew up. In the UK everybody, inlcuding every child, can identify the red breasted robin because it appears on Christmas cards.

How many birds can you recognize?
I was surprised to find that even with only the most basic knowledge of birds I could identify at least ten.

1 The robin,
2 pigeon,
3 stork,
4 flamingo,

5 vulture,
6 eagle,

7 owl,

Another easily identified owl is the barn owl.

8 ostrich,
9 parrot,
10 budgerigar.

What about the big beaked toucan? We are now into 11.

11 Toucan

How about you? How do you compare with the rest of your family, of all ages?

I soon get to 15, adding
12 peacocks,
13 turkeys,
14 chickens and cocks.
15 magpies

I can identify a few more common birds in the garden, which I think are basic and obvious but which challenge the rest of the family, so I shall describe them here. If you know them all, you can teach them to your ignorant friends and family or gandchildren.

Black Birds
Black birds are small and easy to identify and name because they are black. Bigger black birds are likely to be of the crow or raven family. Hopping  around on the ground, on the lawn, and f lying high to those tree top nests which you can see silhouetted when the leaves drop in winter.



Magpies
Black and white birds, looking like they are wearing smart evening clothes are magpies. My favourites. However, if you are choosy and support the underdog, perhaps I should say the underbird, most big birds steal food from smaller birds. Bigger birds survive and smaller ones disappear.  Pretty obvious really.

I am a back garden bird watcher. I am short sighted and like the bigger birds because I can see them. However, I draw the line at predators. To my mind, eagles belong on banners. I am appalled that huge birds of prey which died out are being brought back into Britain and protected.

Green and Black Redhead Big Beak Birds
Little bright green birds which sit in trees are parrakeets. Fancy birds. Look like budges.



Woodpeckers
Middle size multi coloured green  or black and red birds with big beaks which sit on tree trunks and spiral up and down tapping are, as their name so aptly says, woodpeckers. They are tapping to get at insects.

Grey Pigeons
Under city bridges those grey birds with big bellies sitting on signs asking you not to feed pigeons are - you guessed, pigeons.

In woods and gardens similar birds are the aptly named wood pigeons.

Seagulls
At the seaside bigger birds with yellow beaks hanging around looking longingly as your sandwiches are seagulls. They have long legs and big wings and big appetites.

When I did the garden and park bird watch in the UK I was sent a guide to identifying birds.

USA
I lived in the USA. Birds and trees seemed much the same. Just more of them.




Singapore flag

Singapore Birds
When we went to Singapore we met a totally different set of birds.

Our latest discovered is a tiny bird which squeaks and sings.

Singapore Singing Bird
From a distance a teeny bird on the balcony looks brown. Take a photo and enlarge it and you will see it had a contrast colour breast.

One friend on Facebook told us our bird was an olive-backed sunbird. I do like the name sunbird. So happy.

That curved beak, hollow resembling a drinking straw, is for sucking nectar.



UK Bird Watching
In the UK we have the bird watch in early spring. The R.S.P.B. organizes it. Go to their website and you will see much more scientific and detailed descriptions than the ones I have given. They listed wildlife as well as birds. They had a code for whether you saw the birds and animals daily, weekly, monthly, never. The well-designed questionnaire also included the vital 'don't know'.

Singapore Bird Watching
In Singapore they have another bird watching exercise based on the big Botanical Gardens.

Useful Websites
UK
RSPB
rspbshop.co.uk
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Society_for_the_Protection_of_Birds
https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/birdwatching/
https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/birdwatch/
SINGAPORE
https://singaporebirds.com/
https://www.nparks.gov.sg/biodiversity/community-in-nature-initiative/nparks-garden-bird-watch
https://www.nparks.gov.sg/mygreenspace/issue-41-vol-2-2019/lifestyle/recreation-and-activities/identifying-the-sunbirds-of-singapore
USA
https://feederwatch.org/
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/why-birds-hit-windows-and-how-you-can-help-prevent-it/
FRANCE
https://www.connexionfrance.com/French-news/Annual-LPO-protection-oiseaux-garden-bird-count-in-France-this-weekend?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=facebook
WORLDWIDE
http://www.birdwideweb.com/

About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.