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Fishing For Business
Hot Weather Cold Water
Free Shorthand Dictionary
July Thunderstorms
Fishing For Business
(9 July 2013)
The fishes at my local garden centre at Polhill
have kindly donated one of their internal newsletters to provide some
business vocab and phrases.
Dear Colleagues, Further to your recent enquiries, I am delighted to be
able to answer all your queries and questions* regarding our operations
and activities in our new premises here at Fish World. As you may be
aware, some years ago we had to carry on our day-to-day* tasks in a
cramped, cold and uninviting building, which meant that business was
largely confined to our existing customer base, with no new contacts
forthcoming. A replacement building was constructed for us and we are
pleased to report that our comfortable new offices have proved to be an
excellent investment. We are especially pleased with the improved
lighting, specially designed to illuminate each section of our
workspace. Extra windows mean that we can make constant friendly contact
with prospective customers who are now able to talk to us face to face*,
and admire our smooth-flowing operations much more* easily. We can truly
say that we are no longer fishing in vain for new business and that the
scales have been tipped very much in our favour. We do not now have to
battle upstream against the flow and I can confirm that all our staff
are tanked up, full of enthusiasm for the future and ready to dive in to
all the new opportunities that we have for the improvement of our
business.
* "questions" Optional contraction
* Omission phrases "face (to) face"
"much m(ore)"
In reply* to the many requests for further information* on some of our new
products, I have pleasure in enclosing several promotional photos. With
reference to the* Fashion Department, after careful consideration we
decided to import some new variations on our usual stock and here are
our colleagues tastefully demonstrating* some of our latest lines in
swimwear. The stripy pyjama look is very popular at the present time*,
being a simple, elegant and timeless design that flatters all figures. I
can confirm that we are holding a large stock of this item in the
warehouse, in anticipation of great demand over the summer season.
The yellow and purple one-piece suit is our newest arrival, and here is
sales assistant Fynn modelling it in one of our best showcase aquariums.
If you are interested in obtaining this particular outfit, we would
suggest you purchase well in advance of your requirements, as this has
to be specially ordered and imported from our suppliers overseas and it
may at times be out of stock for brief* periods.
* Omission phrases "In (re)ply"
"further (informa)tion" "W(ith re)f(eren)ce (to) the"
* Omission phrase "at (the) present
time". Best not to use this in the adverbial phrase "at the present" as
it could equally be "at present", so not reliable.
* "demonstrating" Omits the R
* "brief" Always insert the vowel,
to differentiate it from "number of"
Our third item is aimed at the dedicated young professional who requires
summer wear* that is informal while retaining a smart and business-like
appearance. These off-white crease-free easy-care shirts with
contrasting collar and cuffs can be ordered in any colour combination,
so that customers can match them to their existing wardrobe, uniforms or
business logo design. We are expecting sales of these to increase as
they become more well-known. Our staff already have invitations to model
them at many of the national fashion exhibitions and will be gliding
coolly to and fro amongst the visitors, wearing this item and handing
out the appropriate* promotional material, as well as freebies and
samples. Hopefully by the end of each day they will be awash with orders
from everyone who sees them, from the small fry to the larger fish in
the sea.
* "summer wear" Keep the S and R Hook
clear, as this could begin to look like "swimwear" if not neatly written
* "appropriate" Insert the diphone, and the
first vowel in "proper", as these are similar in outline and meaning
The sober Mr Greysides - Abounding enthusiasm from our staff
With reference to the* staff changes, we are very pleased to welcome Mr Greysides as our new shop manager. Although our staff are always very
energetic and we have many colourful characters working for us, you may
find Mr Greysides somewhat staid and laconic in his manner. This is a
necessary part of his very worthwhile* contribution to our business, as
his job is to observe how we operate on a daily basis, and to come up
with changes and improvements to our methods and routines, for the
benefit of the customers, the staff and the shareholders.
Following a meeting with senior management, Mr Greysides is drawing up
plans to introduce some new and exciting activities into the Staff
Sports and Leisure Club. Please feel free to contact him in order to*
contribute your own ideas for the ongoing expansion of these facilities.
He has informed me that he is happy to examine any new proposals and to
discuss the advantages and disadvantages with interested parties. We are
grateful for his refreshingly different managerial approach to our
business and the well-being of the employees, and I am sure that we will
all get to know him much better when we have the chance to converse
informally on our Annual Firm’s Outing to Fishbourne later on in the
year.
* Omission phrases "W(ith
re)f(eren)ce (to) the" "in ord(er to)
* "worthwhile" Optional contraction
that omits the Ith stroke
Our job enrichment programme is progressing very well indeed*, and we
have had a wonderful response to our memorandum asking staff to act as
models for our ornamental sculptures artist who has been commissioned to
produce new items for sale* in the garden centre. A few of the more
outgoing members have made extra overtime earnings in this way, and are
to be commended for their initiative and co-operation. Miss Fishley was
delighted with the result of her input, and this statue has been selling
really well from the moment it was introduced onto our shelves.
There were* unfortunately* no takers to model for the fierce dragon garden
ornament, as our staff seemed to think that this might reflect adversely
on their career prospects. However, we have received* comments that the
finished articles do bear a resemblance to some of the more
long-standing members of our Board of Directors*.
* Omission phrases "very (w)ell indeed" "There (w)ere" "we
have (re)ceived" "Board (of) Directors" (board on its own is full
strokes B and Rd)
* "for sale" Downward L to make a
good join
* "unfortunately" Optional contraction
No-one is owning up to being the inspiration for the smiley chickens,
but we do have one or two ideas who provided the faces for the sharks. I
think it was our Managing Director* who said we should strive to be as
wise as sharks and harmless as chickens (a useful quote recorded for us
verbatim by Mrs Wiggley who has learned the unusual skill of shorthand, another* example of the success of our training programme). We think
these decorative goods will result in increased sales to customers who
prefer to make purchases that require no maintenance.
Our range of ornamental goods is real value for money but please note
that exact designs, colours and prices are subject to change at short
notice, although we will endeavour to keep them at their present
economical level in order to* attract new custom and interest from the
buying public. We believe this approach will enable us to maintain our
market share* without harming our profitability in any way.
* "Managing Director" "market share"
Write the intersection first, in the order the words are spoken
* "another" Helpful to insert the
vowel, to help with smooth reading back
* Omission phrase "in ord(er to)"
One at a time, please
At the meeting with the staff last week*, we were delighted to have the
opportunity of conversing with our hardworking and loyal employees, as
well as the trainees and internees, in an informal atmosphere. Everyone
boldly opened their mouths and spoke up with many helpful and practical
suggestions for the future of our venture. Nobody was coy and there was
absolutely no carping. Some of the smaller contributors occasionally got
a little drowned out, but after testing the water they soon got into the
swim of proceedings and put forth their ideas for the streamlining of
our business. The meeting concluded with a rousing message of hearty
appreciation from our Chairman, who spoke at length on the successful
working relationship between colleagues and business associates. At the
conclusion of proceedings, there was not a dry eye in the room.
* Omission phrase "last (w)eek"
We are now in the early planning stages of our next Team Building Day,
and I duly enclose our staff attendance form. I would request that you*
fill this in and return it to the administration* department at your
earliest convenience. Your immediate attention to this matter would be
greatly appreciated. Please let them know if you have any special ideas,
suggestions or requirements. They will be contacting those attending
nearer the date so that the necessary arrangements can be made in regard
to* accommodation and catering. I look forward* to meeting with you all at
that event and if I can be of any further help in any way, please do not
hesitate to get in contact with me, either by phone, text, email or in
writing. Yours most sincerely, Mr Waters, Personnel Manager (1342 words)
* Omission phrases "I would reques(t) that
you" "in (re)gard (to)" "I look fo(r)ward"
* "administration" Omits the R
Top of page
Hot Weather Cold Water
(21 July 2013)
The last few weeks* here in England have been very hot and dry. Our
summer weather has been rather late in arriving, and as the British
weather is so unpredictable, we tend to give it an inordinate amount of
attention when it changes, or fails to change as we want it to. It is
always an acceptable conversation opener to comment on the weather, but
innocent observations on such a harmless subject can sometimes result in
a grumble. This seems to me* to be conversational quicksand and I do not
enjoy participating in being dragged down. Extra efforts are needed to
counter it with a more positive view, in order to* purposely deflect the
grumbler’s intention. Other than destructive* storms, there is always a
good side to whatever weather comes our way. The snow provides a
brilliant light on the normally* grey winter days. Freezing* weather
breaks down the farmer’s lumpy soil, or can be a convenient excuse to
stay indoors by the warm radiator. The downpours water the gardens and
replenish the groundwater levels, and the wind and fresh air keep the
roses from getting mildew. The sun makes everything grow and ripen and a
grey day is the best time to concentrate on catching up with other jobs,
so that one is more free when better weather comes.
* Omission phrase "last few wee(k)s"
"seems (to) me" "in ord(er to)
* "destr(uct)ive" Omits the middle
syllable
* "normally" Insert last vowel, as "normal" would also make sense
* "freezing" and "frozen" Always
insert the vowel
Hot days require cold water and during one seaside holiday I had enough
pocket-money to buy a toy water-carrying bottle. It was an oval shape
made of yellow plastic, with bands and straps made of red plastic, fully
adjustable with an array of buckles and poppers. It was made to look
just like a traditional leather bottle, and I could go round with the
strap over my shoulder and the bottle itself swinging at my side. I used
it all week, duly filling it to the brim every morning and taking warm
plastic-flavoured sips all day while we explored the beaches, cliffs and
shops. I soon realised that my thirst was generally greater than the
amount it held, so I rationed it out, and took the last big swigs at the
end of the day, when I did not have to save any more of it for later. I
could enjoy everything so much more* when I had the answer to a parched
throat. I began to wonder how many of these bottles I would need for
proper* thirst quenching all day, and concluded that I could not*
practicably carry my entire day’s requirements with me. But it did give
me a taste of how life can be improved by having the right equipment and
supplies, especially when out and about away from home.
* Omission phrase "so much m(ore)"
* "proper" Insert the first vowel, and the
diphone in "appropriate" as these are similar in outline and meaning
* "I could not" Generally "could" is not
phrased, as being out of position it can be misread as "can, but here it is
safe, because "cannot" is a different outline.
When I was at primary school, we used to walk home through Hornfair Park
in Charlton, London, and past the lido, that wonderful repository of
enormous quantities of cold fresh water. On a hot summer day I would
long to go in and join in with the raucous shrieks and splashing sounds
that I could hear wafting over the high perimeter wall. Sometimes my Mum
had brought along our swimwear* so that we could spend the remainder of
the afternoon there, after school. On really hot sweltering days, there
was always a long queue but I was very happy to join it, knowing what
pleasures were to come. The cost was a few pennies, and once through the
entrance turnstile we went immediately to the changing cubicles. We then
took our clothes and other belongings to the storage area counter where
they put them in a metal cage-type crate, with a large compartment for
clothes, and a separate pocket for shoes. The crates were stashed on
long shelves and the staff gave out in exchange a round plastic
numbered* token on a loop of string, which people generally wore round
their necks or wound round their wrists.
* "swimwear" It is the W
stroke that goes through the line, hence the unusual placement of the M stroke
*
"numbered" This could also read as "number", therefore use
wavy underline to remind it has the past tense ending
Then we had to go through a lobby, treading through a few inches of
water that washed our feet, finally emerging into the brilliant sunshine
once again*. The red brick wall and concrete surroundings were somewhat
drab, but the water, sky, swimwear and towels were bright and colourful,
and we could see the green waving tops of the surrounding trees outside.
The lido consisted of one very large rectangular pool with slides and
diving boards. At the far end was a small shallow pool with steps at
both ends for children, about waist-high for adults. At the two far
corners were waterfall fountains, where people could sit and soak and
between them was a place where refreshments could be bought. In between
the two foot-washing lobbies was a café and those who had not* come to
swim could remain there and watch the swimmers, as shoes were not
allowed in the main lido area. There was a large clock over the café,
especially important as people would have put their watches in with
their other stuff in the storage baskets.
* Omission phrase "wu(n)s again"
* "had not" This is the official outline,
but it is probably quicker to write the two separate outlines, than to go back
and put in the dots
The ideal place to position our towels was near to the shallow end, but
away from the edge and its dripping wet traffic and splashes from people
jumping in. People were lying about everywhere, apparently enjoying
being cooked from below by the hot paving and from above by the sun. I
was perplexed by people’s desire to lounge about like this, as to my
mind the whole purpose was to play in the water and not sit on the hard
concrete for a single minute of our time there. They were obviously
either warming up again or resting, a concept that eludes a child full
of excitement and enthusiasm to take advantage of limited time in this
watery heaven. Outside people would lounge on the grass and that was
more understandable to me.
Hobby horse wishing he could get into the lido in the background (mid
1960's)
The tokens were an occasion for the young men to show off, throwing them
into the water and then having to dive down to retrieve them, a watery
game of dare. I think they were often competing against each other to be
the first to get the disk, and maybe even boisterously snatching them
off their friends' necks and throwing them about. Meanwhile, I pursued*
the more interesting activity of learning how to float or swim in
different styles, copying as best I could those about me who knew how to
do it properly*. Doggy paddling was easy but wasteful of energy and I was
glad to at last* be able to glide forward faster when I learned to
synchronise the movements of arms and legs. Butterfly stroke was the
least favourite, as it meant a big faceful of water on each stroke.
* "pursued" Note that the outline for
"pursue" has a stroke S
* "properly" Insert the first vowel, and
the diphone in "appropriately" as these are similar in outline and meaning
* "at last" and "at least" Always insert
the vowel
I found it was better to literally take the plunge, to just get in the
water straight away rather than dilly-dallying at the edge in case the
water was cold. Time was of the essence and I did not want to waste
precious swimming minutes in hesitation, although the children’s shallow
pool was warmer and a good way to let oneself in gradually*. On one
afternoon we visited the lido on a quieter day, with not many people
there, and I found to my dismay that the smooth undisturbed water
surface had long streaky shapes of thousands of dead black-fly lining
the edges. Such things would usually be masked by the movement of the
crowds of people. After some hesitation, I finally jumped in but
restricted my playing to the centre of the pool, with extra efforts made
not to swallow any water. At the end of each visit, we did not relish
the prospect of returning to our former hot dry existence. There was an
exit at each side of the lido, where you had to go through a full-height
turnstile. The fast clanging and clicking noise as the vertical row of
bars went round signalled the end of cool and refreshing activities and
the beginning of the long walk home, clean and tired, but wishing the
lido time could have lasted forever.
* "gradually" Not using halving, so as not
to look like "greatly"
In the park there was also a playground area with a large paddling pool,
and we could run about in this without having to bring a change of
clothes or towels. My dress was tucked into underwear for convenience
rather than to keep it dry. The water was about eight inches deep, and
running through it was a delight, but the closest I could get to the
experience of swimming was to lie down in it and thrash about, getting
nowhere but always hoping that some slight forward movement might
result. Once when I did this rather too energetically, I emerged from
the pretend swim to find that I had grazed my arms and legs. I had no
idea at the time, as the cold water prevented any sensation of injury,
and I went home with bits of sticking plaster dotted about my knees,
elbows and wrists. After that I was much more* careful and not so
exuberant with my swimming efforts.
* Omission phrase "much m(ore)"
Hornfair Park paddling pool now with wire fence
(2006)
The paddling pool was most attractive when it was being refilled, as
there was a large noisy gushing outlet at one end in which we could play
and make attempts to resist the surge of water. I was pleased to know
that there was an endless supply of water somewhere, and I hoped that it
would never be turned off, but unfortunately* it was not always flowing
when we visited. I liked to play in the very centre, as all the sides
seemed so far away and I felt I was in a small blue sea under a spacious
blue sky, but safe in the knowledge that Mum and Nan were sitting on the
grass not too far away. The only thing that would have brought us out of
the pool was the prospect of ice-cream.
* "unfortunately" Optional contraction
Greenwich Public Baths in Trafalgar Road, now a swimming and fitness
centre
In later years we visited the indoor swimming pool at Greenwich Public
Baths, a smart red brick building with white stone detail, and two
arched entrances at the top of two wide flights of steps. Inside, the
floor and walls were tiled in a dark Victorian style in white and green,
with heavy wooden doors with brass fitments, all very opulent and
theatrical* looking. Immediately upon entering we could hear the same
excited shouts and splashing sounds coming from what seemed like some
distance but really just muffled behind more doors. There were* two
swimming pool halls but unlike the lido, these had timed sessions.
Having bought a ticket, we had to wait until the current session ended
before being allowed in. The experience was quite different from the
open-air lido. We were enclosed with no sun shining on us, it was not so
crowded and the sounds bounced off the ceiling and reverberated around
the space. The air had a faint bleachy smell from the chlorinated water.
Rows of wooden changing cubicles lined the sides, and a high level
gallery above could be used by those supervising their children.
* "theatrical" Retains the doubling of "theatre" for convenience
* Omission phrase "there (w)ere"
I mainly played in the area from shallow to middle, but occasionally I
would make the courageous effort to swim a width over the deep end,
knowing that there was no reachable floor under my feet. This was my
idea of bravery, in that once I had started, I could not just stop and
change my mind, but had to keep going. Making for the steel hand bars or
the ladder on the other side* was my goal. On one occasion I made an
effort to bob down vertically to the bottom at the deepest corner, and
was surprised to eventually make it to the cold tiles on the "seabed"
but I soon shot back up out of that silent and airless world where I had
no business staying for too long. Having been successful a few times, I
decided that holding my breath was not so much fun as playing in the
shallows. I did learn that a half-hearted effort was a waste of time*,
as I did not have enough breath to make more than one attempt to reach
the floor tiles on the same dip. Another time I realised I could open my
eyes under water, which took some courage to do the first time, but I
soon gave this up as being too uncomfortable and it exacerbated the sore
eye effect next day from the chlorination of the water.
* Omission phrases "on the oth(er) side" "was(te of) time"
Happy squawking and energetic showering from the starlings
Leaving the baths and going home was always a hot, dry, dusty experience
and we invariably came up with the usual question*
"Can we come back
again tomorrow?" to which the answer was "We’ll see." I went once with
the school to Greenwich Baths but as the sessions were structured and
educational, no doubt to ensure everyone knew how to swim and stay safe, I did not really enjoy it as much as when it was a family outing on
the weekend. I knew that my quest for summer water activities would
never be over, and the best we could manage at home would be to fill the
largest container we could find, a large old zinc washing bucket, placed
in the middle of the lawn. It would not be swimming but it would at
least provide the desired relief from the heat. Nowadays, I can get the
same cool effect by watering the pots scattered about the garden,
splashing some water onto the paths, and sitting in the shade surrounded
by damp air. There is no planning necessary, no queue, no charge, no
announcement at the end of the session, and no need to leave it all
behind to start the long tramp home. Other than when the hose springs a
leak that sprays water on me, all the refreshing outdoor bathing is now
done by the birds in my bird baths. (2275 words)
* "question" Optional contraction
http://www.charltonparks.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Hornfair-Lido-by-Andy-Hoines-2004.pdf
History of the Hornfair Park lido
http://www.thegreenwichphantom.co.uk/2009/07/charlton-lido-2/ Article
with recent aerial photo
Top of page
Free Shorthand Dictionary
(27 July 2013)
This article was originally written
before there were any online New Era dictionaries. Now there are several, plus my
own which I created in 2021, given in links at end of article.
Every shorthand learner needs to have their own shorthand dictionary but
this is not always possible*, either through unavailability*
or cost.
There are New Era dictionary downloads available online, and I have also
produced a learner’s shorthand dictionary based on the 3,000 commonest
words, including their derivatives, resulting in over 11,000 entries.
This will*
print on 59 A4*
sheets, double-sided, so that it fits into a
slim ring binder. Instruction books tend to keep to simple vocabulary
and common words, and so this dictionary should cover most of what you
are presented with throughout the lessons. The ten most frequent words
in English account for 25%*
of usage, and a hundred for 50%*, but
hesitating over one word can cause the loss of the next few words which
may all have been easy and well-known ones. You can also mishear the
next few words because the mind is overly occupied with the hesitation.
If you falter over recalling the outline for a very common word, that is
going to happen alarmingly regularly, until it is dealt with by extra
practising.
* Omission phrase "always poss(ible)"
* "unavailability" The downward L
remains, even though a vowel follows, as "available" and "valuable" are
distinguishing outlines
* "A4" Use lower case when
writing longhand
* "25% 50%" After numerals use P
stroke, after outlines for the numbers use the full outline for "per cent"
You
can save a huge amount of study time by also learning the derivatives
while you are on the dictionary page. Getting them all "under your belt"
in one go will, over time, save you the frustration of constantly
spending precious seconds and minutes just flipping paper and finding
the right page over and over again*. Turning the leaves over will
exercise your fingers but not your shorthand. Obviously this is not
always possible* until all the chapters have been completed, as some
derivatives may be formed on principles not yet covered.
* Omission phrase "over (and) over again"
(2nd "over" reversed in order to join) "always poss(ible)"
Speaking with Sir Isaac via my Time Machine, he is delighted with
our modern PDFs = Pitman's Definition Finders, as he puts it ...
No
shorthand learner just memorises thousands of outlines from a
dictionary. The outlines are all based on a limited number of shapes,
combined and varied in different ways, just like longhand is based on a
few letters, and language is based on endless combinations of a
relatively small number of familiar syllables. After the shorthand
theory chapter, or a school lesson on the longhand alphabet, the correct
forms are learned through copious practising, so that they can be
recalled rapidly on demand. This is the opposite of either memorising or
constructing outlines from theory each time they are needed, both of
which produce a constantly increasing mental burden. Language
development* is even less formal, acquired just by imitation and ongoing
adjustment to match the speaking of those around us and shorthand can
imitate that as well, where the reading of printed shorthand passages
introduces new outlines with little effort, and also enables correct
outlines to replace incorrect ones stored in the mental library.
* "development" Optional contraction
It
takes an effort of will to avoid the temptation* to write out in
shorthand some random text from elsewhere*, before all the chapters are
completed, resulting in more dictionary page turning than actual
writing. In fact*, transliterating from longhand into shorthand has no
place in shorthand learning, as shorthand should always be written in
response to the spoken word, and with the eyes seeing only images of
shorthand and not text. Keeping only to the vocabulary presented in the
chapters is going to speed up progress through the course. I can clearly
remember the frustration at not being able to write just anything I
chose to and it was a relief to get to the end of the book. This took up
three months on a full time* college course. After that came not only
speed practice but also work on vocabulary extension and consolidation,
by going through various revision books and reading the weekly shorthand
magazines. Although a shorthand dictionary is indispensable, it is not
the best way* of increasing vocabulary.
* "temptation" Omits the P, therefore M
stroke not Imp
* "elsewhere" Downward L in order to join
the next stroke
* Omission phrases "in (f)act" "bes(t)
way"
* "full time" Halving to represent the T of
"time"
Having looked up an outline, it is necessary to ensure it does not then
escape again. In my early days of learning, I would often check some
outline then forget it a short time*
later, and had the annoyance of
having to look it up again. If you keep a shorthand pad especially for
this purpose, you can write the outline in the margin and leave a line
or two blank, for later practising. You only have to dive into the
dictionary once for each new word, and you can go back over previous pad
pages for revision from time to time*. I would not recommend writing the
longhand alongside it, as that defeats the object and wastes your time.
Alternatively you can write them in the pad as a plain list and do the
practising on a separate pad so that you have the original list as a
reusable resource. You could*
take a few photos of those pages on your
phone, for reviewing whilst you are away from your study materials.
* "short time" The halving is
doing duty for both T sounds
* Omission phrase "from time (to) time"
using halving for the two T sounds
* "you could" Not
phrased, so it does not look like "you can"
The
perennial advice of shorthand teachers everywhere is “Something For
Everything” and in a dictation any outline is better than a gap. Guessed
or doubtful* outlines should be circled in red, so that they can be
checked later on, preferably away from distractions and where you have
time to roam onto other related words or ones with a similar sound or
construction. It can be educational* to make an effort to form the
unknown outline before looking it up, to sharpen your shorthand
knowledge. Regular vocabulary extension will greatly reduce the need for
any guesswork or struggling with outlines. I hope that the* dictionary
and suggestions enable you to speed up the improvement and accuracy of
your shorthand, so that you can use it in real situations with
confidence and enjoyment. (918 words)
* "doubtful" Note that "dutiful"
has full D and T, to distinguish
* "educational" The diphthong
sign would normally go outside a Shun Hook, but there is no place for it here
* Omission phrase "I (h)ope that the"
https://www.long-live-pitmans-shorthand.org.uk/downloads.htm#3000-dictionary
https://www.long-live-pitmans-shorthand.org.uk/links.htm#shorthand-books
Starving for outlines? Dinner is served - eat up and grow strong
Top of page
July Thunderstorms
(31 July 2013)
Our July thunderstorms are with us once again*, after several weeks* of
hot weather. I have always enjoyed the drama of thunder and lightning*
and I can vividly remember a night many years ago when the storm went on
from evening until dawn. Brilliant flashes of forked lightning filled
the sky all around for hour after hour, with the thunderclaps* following
on almost immediately. It was impossible to sleep, but I did enjoy the
spectacle, even though it sounded as if the sky was breaking up and
falling on my house. It seemed as if the storm was stationary over us,
instead of moving along over the country. After the last rumbles in the
hours before dawn, I finally got to sleep and no doubt the same was
happening with deafened but tired heads on pillows throughout all of
South London*. My sense of adventure only extended to opening the window
to get the fresh air but shutting it rather quickly when the downpour
started, with the satisfying click of the catch letting me know that I
had a safe haven.
* Omission phrase "wu(n)s again" "several
wee(k)s"
* "lightning" is the noun referring
to the flash; "lightening" is the verb (present participle) and has a
different outline, based on "lighten" = L + Tn + Stroke Ing
* "thunderclaps" Note both the N and L hooks are included between the
strokes
* "London" Downward L for convenience as it is a common
and well-known place name. The outline for the similar "linden" has
upward L + N + Dn, according to normal theory rules.
This was before the days of the digital camera with its easy and
virtually cost-free* photo snapping and storage. I am sure I would have
ended up with some great pictures and movies of lightning streaks* and
illuminated clouds on that night. Nowadays I would feel really hard done
by if I did not have the camera handy to capture it all. It is an
ingrained habit to start counting when I see lightning, marking the four
seconds for every mile of distance between us and the storm. This is
really no longer of interest now, as we have the convenience of being
able to consult the British Meteorological Office website for the latest
satellite images of our area.
* Omission phrase "cos(t)-free"
* "streaks" Insert vowel, as it could be mistaken for "strikes" and
"strokes" if written hastily, both of which also make sense
No such thing as too wet
I think overall* I prefer to know what is coming, so that I can make
extra efforts to go out in the warm sunny weather, instead of wishing
that I had made the most of it before it clouded over and the rain
started. Instead of looking at the sky to wonder what the weather will
be, it is now more likely to be a quick check towards the west to see
for real what the website weather map has already shown us in diagram
form. Our comments are also less vague than they used to be*. Rather
than saying, "Grey clouds, looks like rain," we now tend to say, "Here
it comes, the low pressure* system off the Atlantic Ocean*, just like
they said, bringing a band of changeable conditions and precipitation
from the west!" (436 words)
* "overall" Use this outline when it is one written word i.e. this sense
and the noun "overalls". When it is two words, the phrase should use the
short form for "all" e.g. "he was king over all"
* Omission phrases "use(d to) be" "low (pre)ssure"
Similarly high pressure/blood pressure"
* "Atlantic Ocean" Shun hook is
used to represnt "ocean" likewise Pacific Ocean
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