There will be an Internet service in the Birmingham hotel - though how busy it will be I don't know. Normally there's a small charge but not enough to be a major concern.

There are also internet cafes in a couple of the nearby shopping centres.

Did someone pay Samuel Johnson for writing, "No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money," or was Samuel a blockhead?

I certainly expect to see lots of pictures!

Well, I'll take my modest Kodak - but I hope that Arnie will be bringing his rather more sophisticated gear!

Today's weather is disappointing - windy and rain - but the forecast for Saturday and Sunday is good.

Well you should certainly get some of the BCLM. Cat and I have the same camera and she's been having problems with hers so we'll be taking a wide selection of identical shots to compare them to find out if theree is a real fault with it.

Does Birmingham have Chinese Internet Cafes where one can send and receive Chop-Su-E-Mail?

Shopping centres are all alike .... see one and you've seen a mall.

Thought you might like a quick update.

After some problems with Richard, shu, Kalleh and Richard's wif Margaret getting stuck in traffic and arriving much later than expected we had another brief problem. There are two Thistle Hotels in Birmingham. My friend John and I were at one and the rest were at the other. The restuarant I'd booked was by the one I was at.

Still we did manage to meet up and get the meal and jolly good it was too.

This mornin we have all been to the Black Country Living Museum and shu and Kalleh were both very taken with it. Everyone else liked it too but as I've been there several times I'l leave it to shu and Kalleh to describe when they get back to the site.

Can't write more now, I have to get ready to go to Mad O'Rourke's Pie Factory for dinner.

Glad to know you all made it!

Just to create a row, I posted a link to a book about American beer, under the title, "Stumpwater," in Q&A. Have a good beer fight!

Can't wait to see the pictures.

Considering the hilarious confusion that arose regarding the logistics of convenng in Birmingham, let's start now to plan next year's convention in Portland -- or would that be Portland? -- or maybe Portland ........ certainly not Birmingham !

Yeah, Portland, Mane - or Mein - or is it Maine? Portland, Oregon's too far away for everyone but me, Zmj, Tinman, Jerry, and Dale. Just be glad we're not convening at my former address in Oregon City. It was at the north end of South End Road, at the corner of Barker and Barker. (I kid you not!!!) Google Map it and see fer yerseff!!!

Oh - sounds like a grand adventure over there! Glad you're all having a great time despite the confusion!

Google reveals a South South End Road in Oregon City, the north end of which runs quite close to the intersection of Barker Road and Barker Avenue. In San Francisco, 3rd Street crosses 16th through 26th Street. Strange.

You found it, Zmj! Barker Road becomes Barker avenue at the corner where I lived, and it intersects to the west with the north end of South End Road. Sounds like an old Abbott and Costello routine!

Darn, we were just in the SF bay area and totally spaced out that you live there! E-mail me your contact info for next time. Sunflower's son lives there, working at Lawrence Livermore or less Labs, and lives in Dublin. Not too far away from S.F.

Another update.

Everything has gone well although actually meeting up has proven tricky at times. I told you already about Friday's difficulties and on Sunday meeting proved just as tricky. The others were going down to Oxford (where we were meeting John Simpson of the OED for lunch) in Richard's car. Richard however had to pick up a trailer he'd bought on the way and found parking in Oxford with a trailer to be tricky.
Fortunately I was on the train and so I was on time and could meet John and chat to him while we waited.
Everyone got there in the end though and it was good to get together.

On Saturday everything went more to plan. We all met up at the BCLM and had a great time looking round although the guides, who all speak with authentic black country accents and stay in period character, baffled both Kalleh and shu at times and need translation.
In the evening we visited a pub (who'd have guessed it?) called Mad O'Rourke's Pie Factory and Richard spent a happy ten minutes correcting the grammar and punctuation on the menu. The pub and food were fine although there was a loud band and our table was right next to them. Shu remarked on the irony of a word group meeting in a place where it was impossible to speak to each other. (Giving the lie to the popular myth that American's don't understand irony.)

Last night after we returned from Oxford Phil (who doesn't post here but who has met Kalleh and shu before) and I picked everyone up and went to my favourite pub, The Old White Rose. Nice selection of beer including an odd cask conditioned lager and an equally odd cask-conditioned dark rye beer.

I left everyone on their way home on the metro.

It's been a great weekend, if very busy. I'm sure the rest of their trip in Paris will be just as good.

Anyway I'm sure they'll post their own thoughts on the trip just as soon as they find a computer.

Bob

This message has been edited. Last edited by: BobHale,

I'm now back home, complete with trailer, after an easy journey. Although we were fewer in number than I would have liked, we surely made up for the lack of quantity with the high quality. I am presently admiring a business card that bears the impressive style: "John Simpson, Chief Editor, Oxford English Dictionary".

Now that we've set the standard for Wordcraft Conventions, I am handing over the organiser's baton to anyone who wants to take it and use it to maintain or exceed the quality of the 2006 event. Roll on 2007.

Did Ken and Nancy get off OK this morning?

And what did you think of my favourite pub last night?

I got back home a few hours ago. Ken and Nancy (Shu and Kalleh) travelled down to London with me and I saw them pass through the EuroStar check-in, so, barring accidents, they should be in Paris by now. We stopped off at The Hole In The Wall, Waterloo, for a couple of pints while they were waiting for the train.

Bob, I can see why it's your favourite pub! I thought it was excellent.

I've posted most of the photographs I took in a new album at http://wordcraft.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/albumcomments/...1045513/m/1071047983

Thanks a lot, Richard and Bob, for your hard work in organising things; it's just a shame there were so few Wordcrafters able to come. I know I enjoyed it immensely.

I agree, it was an excellent pub. I can't think of a pub in my areas that has quite so wide a range of diffrent beers, although The Garland (a Harvey's House) does have the full range of Harvey's beers (usually 6 or 7).

The Hole in the Wall is pretty good - usually has a choice of half a dozen ales.

Nice pictures, Arnie.

Glad you liked it. I'd felt a bit guilty about the previous night not being quite as good as it might because of the loud music and the overcrowding - problems that I should have anticipated.
The best thing about the Old White Rose is that those beers change weekly (and are kept well, which a couple of other so-called real ale pubs in the area don't do). Never thought I'd order a pint of lager in there though - just goes to show. What it goes to show, I'm not sure but it must go to show something.

For those who couldn't join us the cask-conditioned lager on offer went by the name of "I can't believe it's not bitter".

This message has been edited. Last edited by: BobHale,

Here's an account of what happened to me at the convention. Apologies in advance if I miss anything or anybody out. I tried to avoid being ruled by the clock so all timings are approximate.

Friday. 11.30 am Leave Euston Station, London en route to Birmingham.
1.20 pm Arrive at Birmingham (train is 20 minutes late, but who cares?).
Spend a short while looking round the Bullring (a shopping mall next to the station)
Catch taxi to hotel. Asked whether I mean the Thistle Hotel Birmingham or the Thistle Hotel Edgbaston. Answer Birmingham. Wrong choice! No reservation at the hotel for us; they phone the other one and at least they confirm that we are expected. Catch another taxi across the city to correct hotel and check in.
5.30 pm Wander down to hotel bar. Find that no decent beer is sold. This is no surprise; few hotels bother with real beer.
6.30 pm Meet Cat in bar. Bob phones, he's at the hotel; where are we? Discover that Bob is in the Birmingham Thistle and we are in the Edgbaston version.
7.30 pm Richard, Margaret (Richard's wife), Kalleh, and Shufitz arrive. Their car journey of about 150 miles has taken 5 and a half hours. They could see no apparent reason for the jams they came across.
8.00 pm Travel to Birmingham and meet up with Bob and his friend John (who has posted here once). Go to the Queen's Arms pub for a quick pint before our meal. Walk the short distance to the Milan restaurant for an excellent meal (Indian cuisine). The portions are much larger than those I've generally had in similar restaurants and I, for one, can't manage it all.
11.00 pm After the meal we catch taxis back to the hotel. Bob, John, and Cat, who live locally, go home.

Saturday. 10.00 am Leave hotel in Richard's car for the Black Country Living Museum. Meet up with Cat, Bob, and Phil (another of Bob's friends, who has met Shu and Kalleh before). Spend a very interesting few hours looking round the museum. See this site for more info. The museum is one of the best of its kind I've ever seen.
3.30 pm Leave the museum and travel to The Crooked House. The pub was a victim of mining subsidence in the late 19th century that has resulted in one end of the pub now being about four feet lower than the other. Shu in particular was fascinated to see a golf ball apparently running uphill.
5.00 pm Travel back to hotel in Richard's car.
7.00 pm Go to Mad O'Rourke's Pie Factory in Tipton for the evening. The pub is very busy, and serves huge meals, including their famous cow pies and faggots, We are seated at a table right in front of the band, who are very loud. Bob says that usually the entertainment is much quieter. Kalleh does a graceful back somersault off her stool at one stage. Unfortunately no-one is in time to take a picture, and she declines to repeat the move for the benefit of our cameras. Kalleh is also approached by a local. Unfortunately a combination of his Black Country accent and the loud music means she can't understand a word he says. It turns out he is only asking if he can rest his pint glass on our table. Because of the noise we decide to leave fairly early, at around 10.00 pm.

Sunday 10.00 am Leave hotel in Richard's car for Oxford, to meet with John Simpson, the Chief Editor of the Oxford English Dictionary. Richard has bought a trailer on eBay and arranged to meet up with the vendor at a service station on the way to Oxford. When we arrive in Oxford we find that parking is next to impossible, especially towing a trailer. Richard drops off Shu, Kalleh, and me in Oxford city centre and drives off to find somewhere to park. The mobile (cell) phone proves its use again; we are able to contact Bob, who has travelled to Oxford by train, and put him in contact with John Simpson. Eventually we meet up with the two of them near the Bodleian Library. John takes us to a very old pub (c800 years) called The Turf Tavern for lunch. John is a very nice guy, and he and Shufitz, especially, have an interesting and productive conversation. Richard and Margaret, having found somewhere to park the car, join us after about half an hour.
3.00 pm Walk through the back streets of Oxford to the residential suburbs where the car is parked and return to Birmingham and our hotel.
7.00 pm Bob and Phil take us to their 'local' pub, The Old White Rose in Bilston, collecting us from the hotel in their cars. This is an excellent pub, easily the best one that we visited on the trip. It is easy to see why Bob and Phil like it so much.
10.30 Richard, Shu, Kalleh, and I leave the pub with Bob to take the metro back to Birmingham. Bob leaves the tram for his home after two stops and the rest of us travel on to Birmingham Snow Hill. We then take a taxi back to the hotel.

Monday 11.00 am Take a taxi into Birmingham with Kalleh and Shu to catch a train for London. Richard and Margaret left a little earlier to drive home.
1.00 pm Arrive in London and catch Underground to Waterloo station. Visit The Hole In The Wall for a farewell pint with Shu and Kalleh.
3.30 pm Walk to the EuroStar terminal where Kalleh and Shu check in for their train to Paris.
4.00 pm Catch train home.
4.30 pm Arrive home!

Seems pretty comprehensive to me.

A couple of small additions.

John and I were indeed in the wrong Thistle. In our defence the right Thistle wasn't a Thistle at all when I lived over that side of town so it never registered with me that it was the one that was meant. John was blameless, I told him where I thought we were meeting. Still while we were waiting we did get a couple of extra pints in - one poorish pint of Boddingtons at the hotel. One decent pint at a Real ALe pub called the Wellington and one more while we waited the the Queen's Arms. Arnie also forgot to mention that at the Friday night Indian meal the restaurant sold bottles of Masterbrew. When we called for three more (for John, me and Richard) the waiter brought two over and gave them to me and John and appologised that he did not have another cold saying that he had put one in the fridge. We hastily got him to retrieve it and give it to Richard.

On Saturday the incident with the local who wanted to rest his glass on our table was more amusing because Kalleh mistook his intent, thinking he was a friend of mine who was trying to buy me a drink so she picked up his glass and handed it to me. This is the kind of behaviour that can lead to unpleasantness. Fortunately he could see the humour in the mistake.

Arnie also hasn't mentioned that some people (not me, I was driving) also had a couple of pints of Banks's Mild in The Bottle And Glass which is the pub that is on the Black Country Living Museum. This pub stood until the 1970s in Bilston. All the buildings on the museum were demolished from their original locations and rebuilt, brick by brick, at the museum. There are still many pubs in the area that are very similar to this one.

On Sunday shu had thought to travel back to Birmingham with me on the train but was lucky that he decided against it. For some reason the people were packed into the train like sardines (I'd like to think of a less cliched comparison, but I can't think of a more apt one) The train temperature was also nearing that of a sauna nd the journey was exceptionally unpleasant. Everything else about the day was perfect though and I'm glad that everyone liked my local. I believe it to be the best pub in the Midlands.

I'm really glad that everyone had a good time and I'm looking forward already to when we can get to do it again.

Yes, I really should have mentioned The Bottle and Glass. A museum that contains a pub is my kind of museum! The pub was recreated as it would have appeared about 1900. Shame the prices were modern, though. Richard in particular was greatly pleased when a couple of other customers were told that that pub didn't sell lager or Coca-Cola.

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Richard in particular was greatly pleased when a couple of other customers were told that that pub didn't sell lager or Coca-Cola.

Quite. It's always good when a pub sells only high-quality drinks and refuses to sell those that are positively injurious to health.

I've also uploaded my pictures to http://alan-palmer.magix.net/ - click on the link to the Wordcraft album - the other albums are empty. There are a few more pictures in that album than in the one here, taken on the last evening in The Old White Rose in Bilston. If you're in the UK you can also order prints, if you wish.

I'm hoping to upload mine tomorrow

Bob, I look forward to your pictures, too!

Arnie, I loved your pictures... but where are you? Always behind the camera? Are we sure you were there? Let someone take a picture of you and the gang!

KHC, if you see a photo of me you'll understand why I stayed the other side of the lens.

I expect I appear in a few of Bob's photos, anyway.

I enjoyed all the photos and travelogs also. Thanks for taking the time.

Wordmatic

Arnie, the pictures were great... we all wish we were there. There is nothing wrong with your picture... You are Arnie The Magnificent!!

quote:

Kalleh does a graceful back somersault off her stool at one stage.

Arnie is quite gentlemanly. Actually, I looked like a clumsy fool! In my defense, I wasn't inebriated, as I am sure my fellow wordcrafters will attest to. I stood up to readjust my coat, and unbeknownst to me, my stool tipped over. When I sat down...well, you can imagine what happened! I was more than a little embarrassed.

quote:

Kalleh is also approached by a local. Unfortunately a combination of his Black Country accent and the loud music means she can't understand a word he says. It turns out he is only asking if he can rest his pint glass on our table.

Once again...Arnie is being kind. As Bob says, because of the noise in the pub and the guy's thick black country or Birmingham accent, I didn't understand a word he was saying to me. When he eyed Bob (probably to say, "What kind of a fool are you here with?!), I thought he was trying to tell me that he had bought Bob a beer. So I took the poor guy's beer and set it in front of Bob. Once again...how embarrassing!

All in all though, we had a fabulous time. John Simpson was wonderful...so inviting and down to earth. I hadn't expected that. I did ask him (even though I had promised not to) about the e-word. I gave him a scholarly discussion of why it should be included in the OED, and he agreed to put it in. [Not really...the truth is that I whined a bit, and he held to his guns! ] I was surprised that he took us to a pub and had a beer. I had pictured the OED editor as on a throne somewhere in Oxford, refusing to speak to mere mortals. He really seemed to be a genuine sort of guy. I chuckled a bit when Shu mentioned that something was "kitty corner," and John quickly said, "What did you say?" John then said that's not a phrase they'd use in England, and of course we've talked about that here on Wordcraft.

Oh...we also had fun pointing out to Richard when people were carrying Budweiser bottles in pubs where they had to opportunity to drink proper, cask conditioned beer.

quote:

Originally posted by Kalleh:
I chuckled a bit when Shu mentioned that something was "kitty corner," and John quickly said, "What did you say?" John then said that's not a phrase they'd use in England, and of course we've talked about that here on Wordcraft.

I might be misremembering but I thought it was the other way round. I thought shu used the English "diagonally opposite" and John said something like "Oh, don't you say kitty corner".

I could be wrong though.

quote:

I thought shu used the English "diagonally opposite" and John said something like "Oh, don't you say kitty corner".

You're right, Bob. It was John who first mentioned kitty corner.

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Oh...we also had fun pointing out to Richard when people were carrying Budweiser bottles in pubs where they had to opportunity to drink proper, cask conditioned beer.

Oh I saw them - there was no need for anyone to point out the poor benighted ignorami who actually believe that Dudweiser is beer.

And it was very good to see that John Simpson is a Real Ale drinker. I wonder what the MW editor drinks?

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I wonder what the MW editor drinks?

French wine, I suspect.

quote:

French wine, I suspect.

If that is so then the reason for the OED's evident superiority is clear;-)

Shu/Kalleh,

Are you likely to be able to upload your photos taken at the convention? Let me know (by PM if you like) if you have any problems.

If that is so then the reason for the OED's evident superiority is clear

James Murray, the OED's original editor, was a teetotaler. He was also a great believer in porridge for breakfast and cold baths.

quote:

James Murray, the OED's original editor

I had always thought it was the Fowlers.

Fowlers

The Fowlers edited the Concise Oxford English Dictionary, 1911, which was based on the OED.

I am happy to be corrected.

Were they teetotallers too?

Were they teetotallers too?

Sorry to say, "I don't know Richard." I've yet to read a biography on either of the Messers Fowler, although I see there is a biography on Henry by Jenny McMorris, The Warden of English: The Life of H. W. Fowler, Oxford University Press, 2001. I'll order it, read it, and let you know. As for James Murray, I've read and have recommended his granddaughter's biography of him, Caught In the Web of Words.

quote:

Are ]you likely to be able to upload your photos taken at the convention?

Likely? We have dial-up. Need I say more?

zmj, I doubt Richard needs to know that badly.

[I considered "bad" or "badly" above, and finally chose "badly." Am I correct?]

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Likely? We have dial-up. Need I say more?

How quaint - almost nostalgic, in fact.

Do you still have those funny old candlestick telephones as well? ;-)

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Likely? We have dial-up. Need I say more?

Um ... Yes.

I know you're on dial-up, but provided your pics are reduced in file size suitably that shouldn't be a problem. Bob posted his pics, and he uses DUN too.

I doubt Richard needs to know that badly.

Too, late, I found a remaindered hardcover for US$0.50. Of course, shipping and handling was US$3.49, but still a penny shy of four bucks is pretty good for the biography of a man who had such an impact (is that OK?) on English usage.