BettyStovesEyes
@bettystoveseyes.bsky.social
Denizen of the Scottish Borders. Attempting to while away my remaining time with increasingly trivial pursuits. Available to reach things off high shelves in Morrisons for fellow customers on request
#GameOfWool
Woke in the middle of the night suddenly imagining what my mother (WI craft judge), grandma and great aunts (taught me to knit) would have thought if they'd seen this shambles
I don't think they'd have believed any of the sorry mess on display
They'd have felt sorry for the dogs
Woke in the middle of the night suddenly imagining what my mother (WI craft judge), grandma and great aunts (taught me to knit) would have thought if they'd seen this shambles
I don't think they'd have believed any of the sorry mess on display
They'd have felt sorry for the dogs
November 10, 2025 at 1:14 PM
#GameOfWool
Woke in the middle of the night suddenly imagining what my mother (WI craft judge), grandma and great aunts (taught me to knit) would have thought if they'd seen this shambles
I don't think they'd have believed any of the sorry mess on display
They'd have felt sorry for the dogs
Woke in the middle of the night suddenly imagining what my mother (WI craft judge), grandma and great aunts (taught me to knit) would have thought if they'd seen this shambles
I don't think they'd have believed any of the sorry mess on display
They'd have felt sorry for the dogs
#gameofwool report for those who can't bear to watch
Wish I'd had a drink for every "iconic", I'd have been comatose after 20m.
Only ones to emerge with dignity intact: Holger, and the two dogs modelling outfits in round 1. All 3 treating it with the utter disdain it deserves
Shite rating: 💩💩💩
Wish I'd had a drink for every "iconic", I'd have been comatose after 20m.
Only ones to emerge with dignity intact: Holger, and the two dogs modelling outfits in round 1. All 3 treating it with the utter disdain it deserves
Shite rating: 💩💩💩
November 9, 2025 at 10:00 PM
#gameofwool report for those who can't bear to watch
Wish I'd had a drink for every "iconic", I'd have been comatose after 20m.
Only ones to emerge with dignity intact: Holger, and the two dogs modelling outfits in round 1. All 3 treating it with the utter disdain it deserves
Shite rating: 💩💩💩
Wish I'd had a drink for every "iconic", I'd have been comatose after 20m.
Only ones to emerge with dignity intact: Holger, and the two dogs modelling outfits in round 1. All 3 treating it with the utter disdain it deserves
Shite rating: 💩💩💩
November 9, 2025 at 9:29 PM
#gameofwool report for those who can't bear to watch
Wish I'd had a drink for every "iconic", I'd have been comatose after 20m.
Only ones to emerge with dignity intact: Holger, and the two dogs modelling outfits in round 1. All 3 treating it with the utter disdain it deserves
Shite rating: 💩💩💩
Wish I'd had a drink for every "iconic", I'd have been comatose after 20m.
Only ones to emerge with dignity intact: Holger, and the two dogs modelling outfits in round 1. All 3 treating it with the utter disdain it deserves
Shite rating: 💩💩💩
Now that is a production I'd go a long way to see
Especially the bit in the third act where Gurnemanz and Amfortas try to wallpaper the sanctuary with hilarious results
Especially the bit in the third act where Gurnemanz and Amfortas try to wallpaper the sanctuary with hilarious results
My favourite was when writing brochure copy for the Royal Opera and autocorrect helpfully changed Wagner’s Parsifal to Wagner’s Pratfall.
November 9, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Now that is a production I'd go a long way to see
Especially the bit in the third act where Gurnemanz and Amfortas try to wallpaper the sanctuary with hilarious results
Especially the bit in the third act where Gurnemanz and Amfortas try to wallpaper the sanctuary with hilarious results
Got a new tablet and software etc so I don't have to grapple with 1kg of score for the piece we're rehearsing at choir. Can't hold it up properly without aching arms and creaking spine the next day
Can't decide if being tech savvy enough to do this trumps the physical decrepitude or vice versa!
Can't decide if being tech savvy enough to do this trumps the physical decrepitude or vice versa!
November 4, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Got a new tablet and software etc so I don't have to grapple with 1kg of score for the piece we're rehearsing at choir. Can't hold it up properly without aching arms and creaking spine the next day
Can't decide if being tech savvy enough to do this trumps the physical decrepitude or vice versa!
Can't decide if being tech savvy enough to do this trumps the physical decrepitude or vice versa!
Borrowed the neighbours' dog again today
Reginald was a good boy on his first ever trip to B&Q, and he got a proper fuss made of him by the nice lady in the till before his walk back home with Mr S
He seemed to enjoy himself too
Reginald was a good boy on his first ever trip to B&Q, and he got a proper fuss made of him by the nice lady in the till before his walk back home with Mr S
He seemed to enjoy himself too
October 29, 2025 at 11:59 PM
Borrowed the neighbours' dog again today
Reginald was a good boy on his first ever trip to B&Q, and he got a proper fuss made of him by the nice lady in the till before his walk back home with Mr S
He seemed to enjoy himself too
Reginald was a good boy on his first ever trip to B&Q, and he got a proper fuss made of him by the nice lady in the till before his walk back home with Mr S
He seemed to enjoy himself too
Reposted by BettyStovesEyes
I've got (for those in the UK) a few signed paperbacks of this with a lovely free postcard of the map my dad illustrated for it. £9.99 RRP plus p&p. Drop me an email at hello@tom-cox.com and a reply here if you'd like one.
Hills, folklore, psychedelic music, social history, magic, rivers, ghosts.
Hills, folklore, psychedelic music, social history, magic, rivers, ghosts.
October 19, 2025 at 7:54 PM
I've got (for those in the UK) a few signed paperbacks of this with a lovely free postcard of the map my dad illustrated for it. £9.99 RRP plus p&p. Drop me an email at hello@tom-cox.com and a reply here if you'd like one.
Hills, folklore, psychedelic music, social history, magic, rivers, ghosts.
Hills, folklore, psychedelic music, social history, magic, rivers, ghosts.
Whole page of exercises one English class at primary school designed to deter us from ever using "got", "nice", or "said", so I'll go for those as winners in the written category plus "settee" for the spoken word prize
Readers reply: what is the most common word in the world?
Readers reply: what is the most common word in the world?
The long-running series in which readers answer other readers’ questions on subjects ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific and philosophical concepts
www.theguardian.com
October 19, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Whole page of exercises one English class at primary school designed to deter us from ever using "got", "nice", or "said", so I'll go for those as winners in the written category plus "settee" for the spoken word prize
The mighty @dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social posted this yesterday
I've shared it with Mr S and 3 of my closest friends
Despite having, between us, 250+ years singing in various church/ cathedral/ other choirs, none of us has EVER heard it, or of it, before. Unbelievable
Utter masterpiece
Thanks Tom
I've shared it with Mr S and 3 of my closest friends
Despite having, between us, 250+ years singing in various church/ cathedral/ other choirs, none of us has EVER heard it, or of it, before. Unbelievable
Utter masterpiece
Thanks Tom
October 17, 2025 at 1:04 PM
The mighty @dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social posted this yesterday
I've shared it with Mr S and 3 of my closest friends
Despite having, between us, 250+ years singing in various church/ cathedral/ other choirs, none of us has EVER heard it, or of it, before. Unbelievable
Utter masterpiece
Thanks Tom
I've shared it with Mr S and 3 of my closest friends
Despite having, between us, 250+ years singing in various church/ cathedral/ other choirs, none of us has EVER heard it, or of it, before. Unbelievable
Utter masterpiece
Thanks Tom
"oh, I could never get rid of a book/ I've got X books in my house"... Arseholes. It's a lump of inky paper, not your personality. You've only got time to read another Y (<X) before you die. Pass them on. Share the benefit of what's inside
(Exceptions: reference, definite re-reads)
(Exceptions: reference, definite re-reads)
Tell me your most unhinged literary opinion, as a little treat
October 14, 2025 at 1:37 PM
"oh, I could never get rid of a book/ I've got X books in my house"... Arseholes. It's a lump of inky paper, not your personality. You've only got time to read another Y (<X) before you die. Pass them on. Share the benefit of what's inside
(Exceptions: reference, definite re-reads)
(Exceptions: reference, definite re-reads)
List 3 things you can talk about for 3 hours with no prep
1) choral music
2) restaurants
3) whole system health and social care capacity planning
Right, that's a nice quiet day with no social interaction guaranteed #boring
1) choral music
2) restaurants
3) whole system health and social care capacity planning
Right, that's a nice quiet day with no social interaction guaranteed #boring
List 3 things you can talk about for 3 hours with no prep
1) Birds
2) Sharks
3) Bacteria
Hashtag biologist
1) Birds
2) Sharks
3) Bacteria
Hashtag biologist
List 3 things you can talk about for 3 hours with no prep
1) commercialisation of specialised education in the 80s
2) conflict resolution and peer mediation in a residential environment
3) support systems in a residential environment for children from abusive backgrounds
1) commercialisation of specialised education in the 80s
2) conflict resolution and peer mediation in a residential environment
3) support systems in a residential environment for children from abusive backgrounds
September 25, 2025 at 9:50 AM
List 3 things you can talk about for 3 hours with no prep
1) choral music
2) restaurants
3) whole system health and social care capacity planning
Right, that's a nice quiet day with no social interaction guaranteed #boring
1) choral music
2) restaurants
3) whole system health and social care capacity planning
Right, that's a nice quiet day with no social interaction guaranteed #boring
Watched this excellent piece with Mr S, both of us hoping the payoff would be that the entrants include @bbcstever.bsky.social at the piano.
Colour us disappointed
Next year??? Please??
Colour us disappointed
Next year??? Please??
Born behind the Iron Curtain, it's back. The Intervision Song Contest has been brought back to life by the Kremlin. My piece for BBC News about politics and pop. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Intervision 2025 - Russia hosts Putin's answer to Eurovision
Putin resurrects a Soviet-era global song contest, to distract from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
www.bbc.co.uk
September 20, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Watched this excellent piece with Mr S, both of us hoping the payoff would be that the entrants include @bbcstever.bsky.social at the piano.
Colour us disappointed
Next year??? Please??
Colour us disappointed
Next year??? Please??
Just missed a call from the "Immigration Department" offering me a choice of English or Chinese for their important message for me
Bugger. All that family tree research up the Swannee. 300 years of dull English relatives and I've missed the ONE THING that's clearly about to get me deported ☹️
#scam
Bugger. All that family tree research up the Swannee. 300 years of dull English relatives and I've missed the ONE THING that's clearly about to get me deported ☹️
#scam
September 20, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Just missed a call from the "Immigration Department" offering me a choice of English or Chinese for their important message for me
Bugger. All that family tree research up the Swannee. 300 years of dull English relatives and I've missed the ONE THING that's clearly about to get me deported ☹️
#scam
Bugger. All that family tree research up the Swannee. 300 years of dull English relatives and I've missed the ONE THING that's clearly about to get me deported ☹️
#scam
Excitement as the national BBC weather forecast just now featured a picture from just down the road from here
not anticipating a huge rise in tourism on the strength of it
Excellent work by Hadi the artist!
not anticipating a huge rise in tourism on the strength of it
Excellent work by Hadi the artist!
September 19, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Excitement as the national BBC weather forecast just now featured a picture from just down the road from here
not anticipating a huge rise in tourism on the strength of it
Excellent work by Hadi the artist!
not anticipating a huge rise in tourism on the strength of it
Excellent work by Hadi the artist!
Flu jab 2 days ago (work, a bit, for the NHS so qualify that way)
Every year I forget I'm going to feel crap afterwards
Just don't annoy me today OKAY??? Am at the stabby, fuck-around-and-find-out stage ☹️
Every year I forget I'm going to feel crap afterwards
Just don't annoy me today OKAY??? Am at the stabby, fuck-around-and-find-out stage ☹️
September 19, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Flu jab 2 days ago (work, a bit, for the NHS so qualify that way)
Every year I forget I'm going to feel crap afterwards
Just don't annoy me today OKAY??? Am at the stabby, fuck-around-and-find-out stage ☹️
Every year I forget I'm going to feel crap afterwards
Just don't annoy me today OKAY??? Am at the stabby, fuck-around-and-find-out stage ☹️
What a fantastic winning garment!
Yay for Caz #SewingBee... Thoroughly deserved
PLUS thanks to Kit I discovered #SmoggieQueens is coming back for season 2
Win win!!
Yay for Caz #SewingBee... Thoroughly deserved
PLUS thanks to Kit I discovered #SmoggieQueens is coming back for season 2
Win win!!
September 16, 2025 at 9:29 PM
What a fantastic winning garment!
Yay for Caz #SewingBee... Thoroughly deserved
PLUS thanks to Kit I discovered #SmoggieQueens is coming back for season 2
Win win!!
Yay for Caz #SewingBee... Thoroughly deserved
PLUS thanks to Kit I discovered #SmoggieQueens is coming back for season 2
Win win!!
I missed this on the radio but it doesn't matter because it lives permanently in my head
This was my dad's favourite album and on repeat, pretty much, in his final days
I'm now reading #SusanTomes 's *excellent* book, Out Of Silence. Very very much recommended
If you are on here, Susan, ❤️❤️
This was my dad's favourite album and on repeat, pretty much, in his final days
I'm now reading #SusanTomes 's *excellent* book, Out Of Silence. Very very much recommended
If you are on here, Susan, ❤️❤️
🇺🇦 #NowPlayingashtag/NowPlaying" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400 no-card-link">#NowPlaying on BBC #Radio3's #Breakfast
Billy Mayerl & Susan Tomes:
🎵 Marigold
#BBCRadio3 #BillyMayerl #SusanTomes
▶️ 🪄 Automagic 🔊 show 📻 playlist on Spotify
▶️ Track on #Spotify:
Marigold Op. 78
Billy Mayerl, Susan Tomes · Loose Elbows · Song · 2009
open.spotify.com
September 11, 2025 at 11:05 AM
I missed this on the radio but it doesn't matter because it lives permanently in my head
This was my dad's favourite album and on repeat, pretty much, in his final days
I'm now reading #SusanTomes 's *excellent* book, Out Of Silence. Very very much recommended
If you are on here, Susan, ❤️❤️
This was my dad's favourite album and on repeat, pretty much, in his final days
I'm now reading #SusanTomes 's *excellent* book, Out Of Silence. Very very much recommended
If you are on here, Susan, ❤️❤️
Everyone on best behaviour... Only 3 or 4 people had to be shown how to get the thing to stop
Impressive, given the demographic for this stuff
Impressive, given the demographic for this stuff
I'm at a chamber music concert!
(Though it starts at 3, so with luck it'll happen before anything gets played...)
(Though it starts at 3, so with luck it'll happen before anything gets played...)
September 7, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Everyone on best behaviour... Only 3 or 4 people had to be shown how to get the thing to stop
Impressive, given the demographic for this stuff
Impressive, given the demographic for this stuff
Opened another box from the childhood home
a) why does one person need so many rulers, even if that person is a road engineer; b) why does that person's daughter (me) decide to save *all* of them?
One has dad's pre-war school stamp on it. There's another box with at least 20 more somewhere 🙄
a) why does one person need so many rulers, even if that person is a road engineer; b) why does that person's daughter (me) decide to save *all* of them?
One has dad's pre-war school stamp on it. There's another box with at least 20 more somewhere 🙄
September 3, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Opened another box from the childhood home
a) why does one person need so many rulers, even if that person is a road engineer; b) why does that person's daughter (me) decide to save *all* of them?
One has dad's pre-war school stamp on it. There's another box with at least 20 more somewhere 🙄
a) why does one person need so many rulers, even if that person is a road engineer; b) why does that person's daughter (me) decide to save *all* of them?
One has dad's pre-war school stamp on it. There's another box with at least 20 more somewhere 🙄
This book is great
If you don't already have one... Get one
If you don't already have one... Get one
These books are free to anyone who wants them. They come from my late ex-publisher. If you want one, let me know in the replies (there are 200 in total).
If you can afford the postage, brilliant. If not, no problem. I'll still sign & post one to you tomorrow.
P.S. Stephen Fry called it "hilarious"
If you can afford the postage, brilliant. If not, no problem. I'll still sign & post one to you tomorrow.
P.S. Stephen Fry called it "hilarious"
September 2, 2025 at 7:48 PM
This book is great
If you don't already have one... Get one
If you don't already have one... Get one
Best one's the sea anemone in the followup post!
Just in case you need a little joy today: here are some lovely llama costumes from the 4-H costume contest at the State Fair
📸: Aaron Lavinsky/The Minnesota Star Tribune
📸: Aaron Lavinsky/The Minnesota Star Tribune
August 31, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Best one's the sea anemone in the followup post!
Reposted by BettyStovesEyes
At about 4.10pm on this day 54 years ago, something weird started happening on Scottish Television. There was no announcement, and no credit was given to the person who had created them, but strange short films suddenly started popping up in the schedules youtu.be/AA9IdHtHk_0?...
August 26, 2025 at 10:47 AM
At about 4.10pm on this day 54 years ago, something weird started happening on Scottish Television. There was no announcement, and no credit was given to the person who had created them, but strange short films suddenly started popping up in the schedules youtu.be/AA9IdHtHk_0?...
I was in the UoExeter Chapel Choir in the early 80s and our most prestigious gig back then was being invited to sing carols in the home of Exeter's premier drug dealer when we, and he, left the pub after closing time
Breaking: Monastic music that survived Henry VIII’s dissolution brought back to life
The University of Exeter Chapel Choir will perform the music live in Buckland Abbey’s medieval...
Via The Guardian
#Henry #Monastic #Viii
What's your take on this?
The University of Exeter Chapel Choir will perform the music live in Buckland Abbey’s medieval...
Via The Guardian
#Henry #Monastic #Viii
What's your take on this?
August 16, 2025 at 9:04 AM
I was in the UoExeter Chapel Choir in the early 80s and our most prestigious gig back then was being invited to sing carols in the home of Exeter's premier drug dealer when we, and he, left the pub after closing time
Reposted by BettyStovesEyes
This is a masterpiece. Simply excellent
www.instagram.com/reel/DMVGMIC...
www.instagram.com/reel/DMVGMIC...
August 14, 2025 at 3:54 PM
This is a masterpiece. Simply excellent
www.instagram.com/reel/DMVGMIC...
www.instagram.com/reel/DMVGMIC...
Truly bizarre and excellent
Roll up! Roll up!
(I've bought non-bizarre stuff from this place before so can vouch for their actually existing)
Roll up! Roll up!
(I've bought non-bizarre stuff from this place before so can vouch for their actually existing)
Extraordinary auction catalogue: fairground memorabilia, giant papier-mâché masks, Profumo Affair material, outsider art, skulls, witchcraft, sorcery and magic tricks. www.sworder.co.uk/auction/sear...
Auction search | Sworders
www.sworder.co.uk
July 26, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Truly bizarre and excellent
Roll up! Roll up!
(I've bought non-bizarre stuff from this place before so can vouch for their actually existing)
Roll up! Roll up!
(I've bought non-bizarre stuff from this place before so can vouch for their actually existing)