Wednesday, 13 May 2009

Jack Vettriano Model in White 1993

Jack Vettriano Model in White 1993Jack Vettriano Model in WestwoodJack Vettriano Model in Black
Susan walked back to the alley where she'd left Binky. There were half a dozen men lying around on the cobbles, clutching parts of themselves and moaning. Susan ignored them. Anyone trying to steal Death's horse soon understood the expression 'a world of hurts'. Binky had a good aim. It would be a very small, very private world.
'The music was 'It's a big wide wonderful universe all right,' said the raven.
SQUEAK.
'But . . . look, if it's a . . . a parasite, or something like that,' said Susan, as Binky trotted skywards, 'what's the good of it killing its host?'
SQUEAK.
‘He says you've got him there,' said the raven. 'Drop me off over Quirm, will you?'playing him, not the other way round,' she said. 'You could see. I'm not sure his fingers even touched the strings.'SQUEAK.Susan rubbed her hand. Satchelmouth had turned out to have quite a hard head.'Can I kill it without killing him?'SQUEAK.'Not a hope,' the raven translated. 'It's all that's keeping him alive.''But Granda . . . but he said it'll end up killing him anyway!'

Monday, 11 May 2009

John Constable Salisbury Cathedral

John Constable Salisbury CathedralJohn Constable Salisbury Cathedral from the MeadowsJohn Constable Hadleigh CastleJohn Constable Flatford Mill
At the foot of the bed, paying no attention whatsoever to the keening around it, was a large, very fat, ginger cat.
SQUEAK.
Susan looked at the hourglass. The last few grains tumbled through the pinch.
The Death of Rats, with exaggerated caution, sneaked up behind the sleeping cat and kicked it hard. The animal awoke, in the air compared to the old man sitting up in bed. He looked solid enough, but a blue glow outlined him.
'One hundred and seven years, eh?' he cackled. 'I expect I had you worried for a while there. Where are you?'
'Er, HERE,' said Susan.
'Female, eh?' said the old man. 'Well, well, well.'turned, flattened its ears in terror, and leapt off the quilt.The Death of Rats sniggered.SNH, SNH, SNH.One of the mourners, a pinch‑faced man, looked up. He peered at the sleeper.'That's it,' he said. 'He's gone.''I thought we were going to be here all day,' said the woman next to him, standing up. 'Did you see that wretched old cat move? Animals can tell, you know. They've got this sixth sense.'SNH, SNH, SNH.'Well, come on there, I know you're here somewhere,' said the corpse. It sat up.Susan was familiar with the idea of ghosts. But she hadn't expected it to be like this. She hadn't expected the ghosts to be the living, but they were merely pale sketches

Thursday, 7 May 2009

William Bouguereau Birth of Venus

William Bouguereau Birth of VenusWilliam Bouguereau Young Gypsies
Carrot.
'I can't imagine why you're bothering me when there's rioting in the streets.'
Ah, well . . . we shall deal with that later
Wassily Kandinsky Red Oval
have to do that,' he said.
'I just wanted to get into the spirit of the thing,' said Carrot. 'I'm Corporal Carrot and this is the citizens' militia, and we all enjoy a good laugh.'
' 'Scuse me—'
'Except for Lance-Constable Cuddy. And Lance-Constable Detritus enjoys a good laugh too, although some minutes after everyone else. And we're
Thomas Kinkade Living Waters
Constable Angua?'
'Who's the enemy?'
'Looking like this, we won't have any problem finding enemies,' said Sergeant Colon.
'We're not looking for enemies, we're looking for information,' said Carrot. 'The best weapon we can use right now is the truth, and to start with, we're going to the Fools' Guild to find out why Brother Beano stole the gonne.'
'Did he steal the gonne?'
'I think he may have, yes.'

Monday, 4 May 2009

Mark Spain Night Light

Mark Spain Night LightMark Spain Forever YouMark Spain Flamenco II
all you're taking, Detritus?'
'No sir! Taking Hint . 'Very famous, very traditional.'
'One of 'em could carry the Klatchian fire engine—' Nobby began hopefully.
'No, Nobby. Well . . . welcome to the Watch, men.'
'Corporal Carrot?'
'Yes, Cuddy?'
'It's not fair. They're trolls.'
'We need every man we can get, Cuddy.'
Carrot stood back. 'Now, we don't and Morraine, sir!'The two trolls who had been working in the armoury had formed up behind Detritus.'Swore 'em in, sir,' said Detritus. 'Used troll oath.'Flint saluted amateurishly.'He said he'd kick our goohuloog heads in if we didn't join up and do what we're told, sir,' he said.'Very old troll oath,' said Detritus

Tuesday, 28 April 2009

Vincent van Gogh Le Moulin de la Galette

Vincent van Gogh Le Moulin de la GaletteVincent van Gogh Farmhouse in ProvenceVincent van Gogh Wheat Field with Cypresses
count!'
'How many fingers am I holding up, then?'
Detritus squinted.
'Two?'
'OK. Now how many fingers am I holding up?'
'Two . . . and one more . . .'
'So two and one more is . . . ?'
Detritus looked panicky. This was calculus territory.
'Two and one more is three.'
'Two and one more is three.'
'Now howdoor behind him. Sergeant Colon looked up from his desk. He had a pleased expression.
'What's been happening, Fred?' many?''Two and two.''That's four.''Four-er.''Now how many?'Cuddy tried eight fingers.'A twofour.'Cuddy looked surprised. He'd expected 'many', or possibly 'lots'.'What's a twofour?'A two and a two and a two and a two.'Cuddy put his head on one side.'Hmm,' he said. 'OK. A twofour is what we call an eight.''Ate.''You know,' said Cuddy, subjecting the troll to a long critical stare, 'you might not be as stupid as you look. This is not hard. Let's think about this. I mean . . . I'll think about this, and you can join in when you know the words.' Vimes slammed the Watch House

Bill Brauer Salsa Dancers

Bill Brauer Salsa DancersUnknown Artist Pink Floyd Back CatalogueVincent van Gogh Wheat Field with Rising SunVincent van Gogh Wheat Field 1889
'You may go.'
'You can't—'
'I said you may go, Captain Vimes!'
'Sir.'Normally.
Vimes seemed in a suitable emotional state. With any luck, the orders would have the desired effect . . .

There's a bar like it in every big city. It's where the coppers Vimes saluted. Then he turned about, and marched out of the room. He closed the door carefully, so that there was barely a click.The Patrician heard him thump the wall outside. Vimes wasn't aware, but there were a number of barely perceptible dents in the wall outside the Oblong Office, their depths corresponding to his emotional state at the time.By the sound of it, this one would need the services of a plasterer.Lord Vetinari permitted himself a smile, although there was no humour in it.The city operated. It was a self-regulating college of Guilds linked by the inexorable laws of mutual self-interest, and it worked. On average. By and large. Overall. Normally.The last thing you needed was some Watchman blundering around upsetting things, like a loose . . . a loose . . . a loose siege catapult.

Sunday, 26 April 2009

George Bellows Dempsey and Firpo

George Bellows Dempsey and FirpoCaravaggio The Sacrifice of IsaacCaravaggio The Musicians
Oh, no!' Carrot laughed. 'That'd be silly, wouldn't it? No, if you see anything like that, you just ring your bell as hard as you like.'the armourer and told him to beat it out really well here and here, and no helmet in the world would cover all that mass of ash-blond hair but, it occurred to Carrot, Constable Angua wouldn't need any of that stuff really. People would be queuing up to get arrested.
'So what do we do now?' she said.
'Proceed back tp the Watch House, I suppose,' said Carrot. 'Sergeant Colon'll be reading out the evening report, I expect'What happens then?''Sergeant Colon and Nobby and the rest of 'em will come running along just as soon as they can.'Lance-Constable Angua scanned the hazy horizon.She smiled.Carrot blushed.Constable Angua had mastered saluting first go. She wouldn't have a full uniform yet, not until someone had taken a, well, let's face it, a breastplate along to old Remitt