Thursday, 28 February 2013

My Volvo V40

Well, I have owned this car for a little over 2 weeks now and so far?

It's nice.

It's nice to look at, it's nice to drive, it's nice to be in, it's nice and comfortable, it's nice and relaxing, it's nice and fuss free, it's gear change is nice, it's handling is nice, economy is nice, the heated leather seats are nice, and hold you in a nice way, the visibility is nice, the heater is nice.

I can't say anything bad really.

Except one thing.

It's nice.

Don't get me wrong, I like the car. It is hard not to. But I like it in the same way I like not having the clap.

It is a lot of car. It has enough toys to keep anyone happy. It has nice features like the light you home headlamps, and the little plastic clip on the windscreen for holding parking tickets.
I can get in it knowing that it will work. It's a Volvo for christ sake. As long as it has an engine and 4 wheels, it will work. It is not an unpleasant car.

But, it isn't fun.
The Vitara I had was fun. No matter where I drove, I did so with a smile on my face. The Vitara was fun to drive, fun to be in, fun to look at, fun knowing that despite having a foot of snow on the roof, it will still start and go. I got in it with a smile on my face, and I got out with a smile on my face. I put that car through hell and back, and it just laughed back with that look of 'Let's do it again' about it. The exhaust got ripped off in blaenau ffestiniog, and it charged down the M5 sounding like a WW2 fighter bomber. I had ear defenders on my head, and I still had a smile on my face.

I don't get that fun factor in the Volvo, but to be fair, a Volvo isn't meant to be fun. It's meant to be,
Well....


Nice.

Friday, 22 February 2013

Lady goes to market?

"Lady goes to Market, Prim prim prim.
Gentleman goes to market, Trott, trott, trott.
But the farmer goes to market, Jigga jigga jigga jigga jigga jigga jig."

These words were often recited to me while I was growing up. Mostly by my Grandmother on the Smith side of the family. All my infanthood, I heard this. As younger cousins grew up, I heard these words, As the children of my elder cousins grew, they were subjected to these words.
So it is only natural that I recite these words to my children as they grow.

I thought this was a common rhyme. Said when jigging the child upon your knee. But while recently visiting my youngest child, his mother told me off for saying it, because it is 'made up shit'.

So in a lull from my usual internet activities, I decide to google this rhyme.
1 result.
Yep, just one result.
A very brief mention of the rhyme, on emma's diary.
That is it.
So is this rhyme rare, or is the lack of info about it on the net a sign that rhymes are dying?
Maybe, it is a Black Country rhyme. As my grandmother was from there.
Who knows. But because of the lack of mentions of it, I decided to give it one.

Lady goes to Market, Prim prim prim.
Gentleman goes to market, Trott, trott, trott.
But the farmer goes to market, Jigga jigga jigga jigga jigga jigga jig.