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MM Links November 2009 [Week 2]
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Welcome to the second week of links set by me, King Krophta the Quizzical, otherwise known as crofter. I hope that the healthy harvest of points last week was to everybody’s liking and now I plan more of the same as I expand upon my boyhood spent on Rocky Island off the Northumbrian coast. The village was home to no fewer than seven sets of uncles and aunts with a plethora of cousins in a (reasonably) happy, stable extended family structure.
In a way, my boyhood was idyllic in a “Tom-Sawyer”-esque sort of way, with a wealth of rock pools, sand dunes, sea breezes, forest land (the Dene) and even a small river winding its way to the North Sea (the Burn). The water in the Burn was used upstream by a local pit to wash the dust from the coal and this resulted in a harbour filled with a thick black sludge known locally as “dolly duff”! Several of my uncles were coal miners and bore the black scarring caused by coal dust entering facial wounds. For them, mining was truly “under the skin” and “in the blood”.
In a way, my boyhood was idyllic in a “Tom-Sawyer”-esque sort of way, with a wealth of rock pools, sand dunes, sea breezes, forest land (the Dene) and even a small river winding its way to the North Sea (the Burn). The water in the Burn was used upstream by a local pit to wash the dust from the coal and this resulted in a harbour filled with a thick black sludge known locally as “dolly duff”! Several of my uncles were coal miners and bore the black scarring caused by coal dust entering facial wounds. For them, mining was truly “under the skin” and “in the blood”.
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I grew up as one of the village lads, became leader of Fox Patrol in the local Scout Pack and one of the Altar Boys at the local C. of E. With hindsight, I later realised that all the riches in my physical environment were matched only by the complete lack of intellectual stimulation in the home. There wasn’t a single book in the house ~ ever! Nor was there classical music played or stimulating conversation. Education was deemed to be the sole jurisdiction of the School System and I took to the Grammar School like a duck to water. My brain absorbed facts like a dry sponge absorbs water. I quickly learned that my forte was Mathematics and any concept or formula explained to me would be stored away safely ready for instant recall. I also learned that most people struggle with Mathematics and consequently this would prove to be my route to escape a life centred on digging coal from the bowels of the Earth.
One useful social skill I did acquire from the age of 9 years old was card playing. Being a gentle era before television and videogames, most weekend evenings were spent playing cards for pennies ~ mainly Domino Whist, Newmarket, Brag and Pontoon. I later learned how powerful card playing was even at university to generate lasting friendships between like-minded fellow mathematics students, although now I had progressed to a poor quality of Contract Bridge (and later Poker). At present, I am in my second year of retirement and have hopes to join the local Bridge Club and learn how to play this King of Card Games properly!
I can honestly say that throughout life, Mathematics has proved to be my trump card!
One useful social skill I did acquire from the age of 9 years old was card playing. Being a gentle era before television and videogames, most weekend evenings were spent playing cards for pennies ~ mainly Domino Whist, Newmarket, Brag and Pontoon. I later learned how powerful card playing was even at university to generate lasting friendships between like-minded fellow mathematics students, although now I had progressed to a poor quality of Contract Bridge (and later Poker). At present, I am in my second year of retirement and have hopes to join the local Bridge Club and learn how to play this King of Card Games properly!
I can honestly say that throughout life, Mathematics has proved to be my trump card!
As far as setting Link Words is concerned, I shall adhere to my own rule relating the word length in that each of my chosen link words contains at least four letters and at most eight. Stray outside this range and you will be wasting one or more of your attempts! Each of my selected words may go in front of or after my challenge word. The competition will officially close at 7.00pm on Sunday evening when my selected words will be declared, and points awarded in the usual manner. My second set of words to be linked should appear below at 9.00am.
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