Happy New Year!

happy new year, all!

Hey, I finally "got" Google's logo for today.

And a Happy New Year to everyone!

All of the above goes for me too !
May this year be a very blessed one to all.

Jackie, I've got another one for you, though it is a local one Google put on today to celebrate the anticipation of the small possibility there might be another edition of the Elfstedentocht up in Friesland province, an ice skating marathon of 150 miles. This still very small possibilty creates a national craze and frenzy as it has not been really freezing well enough for one since 1995.

I've taken my friends 'picture on our first contact with natural ice since more than a decade.
first contact
This is euphoria galore! More than happy new year to you!

I can see the euphoria, Bran, could you please point out yourself in that crowd??

Well, to be honest, a distance like that I always leave to my betters and LOVE to watch them on TV rejoice and suffer and I mentally support the ones that come crawling over the finish line at midnight.

I wait with baited breath to see who wins, sort of like waiting
for midnight on New Year's Eve.

What'dya bait your breath with? Peanut butter? Worms? Cheese? ;0)

Worm is the traditional bait. One is the normal number. The standard phrase to indicate that you are waiting is "Worm on tongue."

Blue cheese is the best for "baited" breath I believe. It smells like bait.

I've heard of "worm on tongue". Where'd it come from, or are you just
"pulling my leg"????

When you two get into it, I love it !
I love blue cheese, bait my breath any day with that
however we are awaiting the results of the race ! NO?

I got it from the lovely AnnaS. As far as I know she and a small group of friends developed it on their own. I'll let her know it's come up and she can tell you herself.

Interesting: merci beaucoup !

The taking place of this race still dangles in the air. The Google logo only expressed the general anticipation. It all depends on the coming days of low temperatures, the ice has to be trustworthy on the whole 200 kilometer traject. For besides the professional marathon riders thousands of amateur riders will try to get the famous little medal for having completed the tour. The real fanats will sleep bad these coming days.

This might give a reasonable impression. ( click on 'trailer' Luke ) Ice Cold Passion --- link

I like blue too. I prefer the softer, creamier Bavarian style to the Danish style which tastes too much of formic acid. Tasmania produces the best "Blue Brie" in the world IMHO.

Once again I stand (or sit) foot in mouth for not understanding
what is going on. When I first clicked on Bran's picture
of two folks on what appears to be a frozen stream, I thought
that was the race, and the whole thing was some sort of Joke.
Now, after clicking on Link on Bran's post, I see it is a
real-life race. Can I plead ignorance, please, and ask
forgiveness, first of all, of Bran, and then the rest of you
who must see me as just another new kid on the block who
has not a clue to what is going on???

Cruel, Clever Cat
Sally, having swallowed cheese
Directs down holes the scented breeze
Enticing thus with baited breath
Nice mice to an untimely death.

~Geoffrey Taylor

PS Isn't it more properly "bleu" cheese, or is that considered snobbish?

To let you off the hook, it's bated breath .

Yes, so I've been told in three PM's. Totally clueless sometime.

Is this what they call a rethorical question?



JavanLuke, the first one and a half year I contributed my pedantries here
I feared I would be killed over each post I made.
Then as a grandmother of four I find it really more important to be seen as human
than as man or woman. You may even condsider I might take your 'mistake'
as a compliment.

Bated breath might be "correct" but it's not near as much fun as baited breath.

>not near as much fun

oh, I dunno.. this one we do seem to have old WS to thank for:
With bated breath, and whispering humbleness.. - The Merchant of Venice

bated breath: breathing subdued or restrained under the influence of awe, terror, or other emotion (how cool is *that)

-joe (bateless in Gaza) friday

Not near as cool as having a hunk of bl(ue,eu) cheese with a worm in it on your tongue.

I am appreciative. And welcoming newbies in a PM, which I do as I see their names
appear on the column to the right, is a way to get them started, and not be
intimidated by those with so many more posts. Thanks again, Bran, for your
understanding and your kind words in your PM.

bl(ue,eu)

You are all very very seely peeples, y'neh!

bated breath: breathing subdued or restrained under the influence of awe, terror, or other emotion (how cool is *that) *Very cool! As in, (a)bated, right?

And, Branny-Granny, just the other day on the news they showed where some fishermen had fallen through the ice into the frigid water below; so still, thanks but no thanks for me!

Yes, Bran:
How did that race go?
Records broken? Who won?

Hello back again Jackie! I saw that news item too. No, we would not jeopardize rescuers' lifes like that. Tours and marathons are under strict observence of ice masters. When there is risk of bad conditions no trips/contests are organized.
That's why, JavanLuke , the great quadruple marathon did not happen this year.
The ice did not get strong enough to support a few hundred prof marathon riders and 16.000 tour riders.
( tour riders have from 6 AM till 12 midnight to complete the distance) Very sad it did not come round.

Safety must be the first concern. Glad to hear that. Better
luck next year !