ABC Wednesday, F for Flatlife.

Living in an apartment in a block of flats which is so small that you can hardly move, makes one inventive. See for yourself! These drawings are again made by Heath Robinson.

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created the ABC meme.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar . This week we are looking for words beginning with F.

ABC Wednesday, B for "No Boots on the Ground!"

No boots on the ground... When I heard that for the first time, I was puzzled. What does it mean? Apparently there were many others who were at a loss,among them a couple of cartoonists, whose drawings you can see here.

BOOTS ON THE GROUND.......

We thank Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC, and we must thank Roger too for the weekly job to find  ten bloggers for each of the ABC Team members  to visit and to read their posts. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar . This week we are looking for words  beginning with B.

ABC Wednesday, A for Absurdities

 We are arrived at a new round and starting with A.
These drawings are all made by Heath Robinson

William Heath Robinson (31 May 1872 – 13 September 1944) was an English cartoonist and illustrator best known for drawings of ridiculously complicated machines for achieving simple objectives.^[1]
In the U.K., the term "Heath Robinson" entered the language during the 1914–1918 First World War as a description of any unnecessarily complex and implausible contrivance, much as "Rube Goldberg machines" came to be used in the U.S. from the 1920s onwards as a term for similar efforts. "Heath Robinson contraption" is perhaps more often used in relation to temporary fixes using ingenuity and whatever is to hand, often string and tape, or unlikely cannibalisations. Its continuing popularity was undoubtedly linked to Second World War Britain's shortages and the need to "make do and mend".

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created the ABC mee.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar . This week we are looking for words beginning with A and then we will have begun Round Eighteen

ABC Wednesday, I for Ingenuity

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar . This week we are looking for words beginning with I.

The illustrations, shown below are all from a book I found while doing the spring cleaning!  I decided to google Heath Robinson, and see what I discovered!
 

Wikipedia says:"William Heath Robinson was born at 25 Ennis Road on 31 May 1872 into a family of artists in an area of London known as Stroud Green, Finsbury Park, north London. His father and brothers (Thomas Heath Robinson and Charles Robinson) all worked as illustrators.
His early career involved illustrating books - among others: Hans Christian Andersen's Danish Fairy Tales and Legends (1897); The Arabian Nights, (1899); Tales From Shakespeare (1902), and Twelfth Night (1908), Andersen's Fairy Tales (1913), A Midsummer Night's Dream (1914), Charles Kingsley's The Water-Babies (1915), and Walter de la Mare's Peacock Pie (1916).
In the course of his work Heath Robinson also wrote and illustrated three children's books, The Adventures of Uncle Lubin (1902), Bill the Minder (1912) and Peter Quip in Search of a Friend (1922). Uncle Lubin is regarded as the start of his career in the depiction of unlikely machines. During the First World War he drew large numbers of cartoons, depicting ever-more-unlikely secret weapons being used by the combatants".

Robinson was an English cartoonist and illustrator, best-known for the complicated and ingenious inventions he portrayed, which has resulted in his name entering the language. Something I didn't know, but find now very interesting.

If a machine or system is Heath Robinson, it is very complicated in a way that is funny, but not practical or effective

Usage notes: Heath Robinson was an English artist who drew strange, complicated machines that could do simple jobs.

I once got a  Heath Robinson device for slicing onions. I used it once, but it took me a long time to clean the thing.

 Similar expressions worldwide  see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rube_Goldberg_machine

ABC Wednesday, F for Flat Life

Click to enlarge please to read the captions! Cartoons made by Heath Robinson.

When we started our married life, we first lived in a very small house with three small bedrooms and a bathroom on the first floor, and on the groundfloor a livingroom, a kitchen and a toilet. We were very happy, although the flat roof started to leak on a winter night and the frontdoor was rotting. Two children were born there. When I was expecting the third one, we decided to move house. We chose this house, where I still live. I still like it. There are four bedrooms and I can have plenty of
guests. All rooms are larger and the top floor contains a very large bedroom and a lumber room, where the central heater is. Looking at the cartoons, which are really funny, I do believe that people become very inventive, when they have to live in a very limited space. Though we never lived in such conditions, we also tried to find a place for our furniture, which was never too big.

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with F.

that's My World,ABC Wednesday, A for Absurdities

Please click to enlarge to read the captions! Drawings made by Heath Robinson.

He might have been successful...
A couple of years ago the always so peaceful and quiet village, where I live, was startled by the news that a real crime had occurred here. Everybody talked about it. It was in all the local newspapers, even on TV.
Before I begin telling you the story, I first have to explain how the situation is in our small shopping centre. In one of the shops we have a small sub post office in one of the corners. There is always a lady helping at the desk. She knows everybody in our village, but on the afternoon of a certain day in summer a man, whom she didn't know, stood waiting in the queue. She didn't pay too much attention to him, because she was rather busy, but the shopkeeper noticed that the newcomer was a bit nervous and had shifty eyes. He also held his right hand in the pocket of his jacket. The man waited until the last customer had left, then he went to the desk and asked in a rough voice :"Money...money ... quick..."He took his hand out of his pocket and waved with something which looked like a gun." Money... money... come on... hurry up..." The lady behind the desk responded coolly:"Sorry sir, I am afraid we haven't got any money ". Now the man got really nervous and desperately he cried : "Money in safe!" She answered:"No, I haven't got the key!" At this point John, the shopkeeper jumped over the counter and tried to catch the man by his coat. The so-called bankrobber startled and escaped through the backdoor, dropping his gun. The shopkeeper of the shop opposite the post office heard the noise and ran out of his shop. John signalled to him that he had to ring the police, that's 1-1-2 for emergencies, while he continued pursuing the culprit. The police were very soon at the crime scene and were looking everywhere, there was even a helicopter trying to find him, but all in vain. They never found him! And since that time there haven't been any other "armed" robberies. The silly-billy had probably learnt his lesson. He might have been successful with a real gun, instead of the toy gun he left behind.!!

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With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with A

Reflections on "The British Character". by Pont

 
 
 

Click to enlarge!

These cartoons were taken from the book " The British Character" by the British cartoonist Pont, who was a collector of clichés in Britain.He was one of the most observant humorous artists of our time. He died at the age of thirty-two. The British Character appeared in book form in 1938 and edition after edition was sold. As I had a horror story two days ago for ABC, I thought it appropriate to continue a bit in that direction and show you these cartoons, which gave me the idea that the British love horror stories!!

This meme was started on 27 September 2009, by James. You can join this meme at some time during the weekend. Just post your photo and go to James to tell him that you are on, or click on the logo in the sidebar.This meme is created for any type of reflection.

Camera Critters??? Our Love of Animals.

 

Click on photo to enlarge!

This cartoon is drawn by the British cartoonist Pont.He is considered to be one of the most eminent prewar Punch artists. His work is amusing, alive and according to himself characteristic of the British. But I think the Dutch are not much different!!! This cartoon shows how fond we are of animals, pets like dogs and cats. Sometimes we exaggerate our love in such a way that the animals occupy the house, your couches, easy chairs and even your beds. Pont calls this specific cartoon: "A Tendency to become Doggy"!

In wikipedia it says:"(Gavin) Graham Laidler (1908–1940) was born on 4 July 1908 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England at 6 Osborne Road, Jesmond. His father died when Laidler was 13 and the family moved south, eventually settling in Jordans, Buckinghamshire.

Under the name ‘Pont’, Laidler became one of the most original talents in the history of Punch. He is perhaps most famous for his series on the ‘British Character’ . This was published as a book in 1938. Another book The British Carry On (1940) portrayed the atmosphere of the phoney war. A famous example shows a placid scene in a country pub, where the radio is tuned to the German propaganda station: 'Meanwhile in Britain, the entire population, faced by the threat of an invasion, has been flung into a state of complete panic.’ 'At Home', and 'Popular Misconceptions' were also successful series, but by the end of his brief career he was also developing a striking new approach, moving away from the detailed, large drawings to economical, one or two figure sketches with pithy captions. Pont died of poliomyelitis on 23 November 1940."

Camera Critters is hosted by Misty Dawn. Thank you so much Misty Dawn.We all enjoy seeing and talking about animals. All creatures great and small give us much pleasure.If you want to see more Camera Critters click on the logo in the side bar.

Sky Watch, Cartoons by Pont

My next few entries will be dedicated to cartoons, which are taken from the book " The British Character" by the British cartoonist, who was a collector of clichés.All these pictures could be applied to some Dutch upperclass people too! I hope you like the pictures as much as I do!

1. The importance of waiting patiently in all weather conditions

2. Farmers are always complaining all over Europe.

 
 
 
 

Click to enlarge!
3. The Importance of Tea!
4. Keen Interest in the Weather!

Graham Laidler (1908–1940) was born on 4 July 1908 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England at 6 Osborne Road, Jesmond. His father died when Laidler was 13 and the family moved south, eventually settling in Jordans, Buckinghamshire.


Sky Watch is hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Ivar, Wren, Fishing Guy & Louise
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