I thought I might do a 'round robin' this year just to boost my blog numbers. My efforts to exceed last year have failed, and my target of 50 or so has been woefully missed. Hey ho, will try to do better next year.
So lets start almost a year ago, when I made a New Years resolution, and I am pleased to say I have kept it for 12 months, and shall be extending it into 2014. The resolution was quite simply to buy no new clothes except for socks and underwear. I have masses of NWT polo shirts in my cupboard, trousers and jackets that barely see the light of day, enough jumpers to knit a sheep and coats, scarves, windcheaters and waterproof clothing, that I need for nothing in the wardrobe department.
During the year we have been blessed with two new additions, GC3 and GC4, aka Archie Beet and Nell Harris, and both are progressing well. Nell is three weeks old now and Archie is fast approaching the crawling stage. GC1 will soon be bossing them around, and I now communicate with GC2 in London, by Skype. Technology eh!
It was good to have GC2 and her parents visit us a couple of times this year and she is now beginning to know who we are and where we fit in. She has also visited her Great Grandmother Joan who lives up the road in Hoylake, and GGJ will be joining us for the turkey tomorrow, one of 17 adults and budding adults around the table.
Holidays have been sparse this year. The two week trip to Mexico was a disaster as SWMBO broke the elbow joint and six months down the line is still in considerable pain with no end to it in sight. I had a few days with the rugby chums, London branch, in Norfolk during October which was a blast.
Maxine did her family holiday in Tunisia in August, and we had a long weekend with her sister in Hong Kong where we saw the British Lions play the Barbarians.
We also visited Turkey for a week in February, just as the season was opening up.
Number one son did the London to Monte Carlo bike ride in the Summer, which included mountain stages of the Tour d'France. Number two son has been made head of history at his school, but has still to embrace life outside Hill House, despite me turning the heating off on his floor, Might try putting his rent up next year.
I have been busy with extra curricula activities as much as I am able. Woodwork classes, Photoshop tutorials and Pilates have all been and gone during 2013, and I have stopped my piano lessons as I really was not on the same wave-length as the teacher I was allocated, so I will have to find a new one for 2014. I am also hoping to join a magic class in January.
With all this time on my hands you would expect the garden to be a picture, whereas in fact it has been a period of stability as most of my efforts went into completing my shed. This is now done, and together with my new book shelves and wine rack it shows me I have some DIY skills which I have been able to use productively and not just to fix fences.
My golf has improved although my handicap remains 16, so it would be good to knock a few shots off that next year, and get my name on a trophy if I can.
SWMBO is nearly nine months into her sabbatical now, and she may well start to look for some part time work in 2014, we shall see. She continues to support Bridge to Aid and hopes to go back to Tanzania in October.
We also have a two week holiday in Turkey with 'the mad crew' to look forward to in May, I have a stag weekend in Lisbon in July, and we hope to get to the Dominican Republic in September. Add to that the fact that we are seeing in the New Year at Slaley Hall in Northumberland and 2014 already has a good feel to it.
So a Merry Chriustmas and a happy new Year to all my readers, and may 2014 give you everything you wish of it......Ho! ho! ho!
Tuesday, 24 December 2013
Saturday, 7 December 2013
Hail and farewell
Thursday was a momentous day. At roughly the same time of night GC4, was born into the world as senior statesman, Nelson Mandela, passed away. As a poignant gesture, GC4 has been named Nell, although her sister, GC1 seems to think Isabella is a much better name and calls her that at every opportunity.
Mother Emma will now face a life challenge as she must bring these two girls up without the help of their father, the pub singer. After a season in Spain he has decided he would rather have the life of a tour rep than the responsibilities fatherhood brings. He has now consigned himself to the ranks of 'day care dad'. A book is open as to how long before he can't cope with that and disappears altogether.
Hardship and commitment are two things he could learn a lot about, from the life of Mandela. His transformation from terrorist to diplomat has been well documented in a way which will never be reflected in any obituary of Martin McGuiness or Gerry Adams. It will be interesting to see what South Africa, and the wider African continent will become going forward without him.
Life is cruel though when Mandela is taken from us but a person like Mugabe can continue to rule with an iron fist. His time will come and then there will be some wiggle room in the large expanses of Southern Africa.
Welcome Nell, sleep well Mandela.
Mother Emma will now face a life challenge as she must bring these two girls up without the help of their father, the pub singer. After a season in Spain he has decided he would rather have the life of a tour rep than the responsibilities fatherhood brings. He has now consigned himself to the ranks of 'day care dad'. A book is open as to how long before he can't cope with that and disappears altogether.
Hardship and commitment are two things he could learn a lot about, from the life of Mandela. His transformation from terrorist to diplomat has been well documented in a way which will never be reflected in any obituary of Martin McGuiness or Gerry Adams. It will be interesting to see what South Africa, and the wider African continent will become going forward without him.
Life is cruel though when Mandela is taken from us but a person like Mugabe can continue to rule with an iron fist. His time will come and then there will be some wiggle room in the large expanses of Southern Africa.
Welcome Nell, sleep well Mandela.
Monday, 14 October 2013
Honey Fungus
It's hard to believe that I am approaching the end of my first year in retirement, but as the nights grow darker and the days get cold, I am reminded that the next few months are the most challenging.
The Summer has progressed well, I have played too much golf, but have won a tournament and come second in another so that has served to keep my handicap stable. I have played some great courses and met a lot of new people so no complaints there.
The garden has been my other source of activity, as I see my running days being put on hold for a bit longer. I gave the grass its final Autumn cut this week, and built the latest folly. It's a grass bench modelled on a design spotted at the RHS Tatton Park flower show, and it works well in a troublesome spot behind the rhododendron's . Only time will tell if it gets enough sunlight to be sustainable
.
My other Summer project has, of course, been the new shed, and
here it is finally completed save for the final coat of paint. Given the size of it, I am quite amazed that it is now appears to be full. Three bikes, loads of garden furniture, paint, a marquee, two gazebo's, hordes of car boot sale items, old golf clubs, spare pictures, ladders, wood offcuts and several cases of wine have seen to that.
The down side to the gardening this season appears to be the fact we have honey fungus. Here is the mushroom style evidence which I am basing it on, and it has killed this Silver Birch. A similar fate befell our only apple tree. That was the sole survivor of when the site was all orchards, so it might have been on its last legs anyway, but it is still a great loss to the landscape.
Two Hornbeam's also had to be felled this year, although they have no mushroom infestations in evidence, nor does one of the larger Holly tree's which is also looking distressed, I am just keeping my fingers crossed that we have no other species which are susceptible to honey fungus, although I am nervous that Acer is one such and we have a fair few of those, one of which travelled with us from London and would cost over £1000 to replace size for size. Seems like I must do some more research as the fungus is resilient to treatment and can only be contained by physical barriers. This might be the first Winter project I am looking for.
So onward into the wet season, that of rugby internationals , long lunches and Christmas cheer, with a new Grandchild to look forward to any day, ( herein referred to as GC1, 2 or 3 as appropriate) and 18 round the festive dinner table. Note to self, must win that Turkey Trot at the golf club again, we will need the food. Ho! Ho! Ho!
The Summer has progressed well, I have played too much golf, but have won a tournament and come second in another so that has served to keep my handicap stable. I have played some great courses and met a lot of new people so no complaints there.
The garden has been my other source of activity, as I see my running days being put on hold for a bit longer. I gave the grass its final Autumn cut this week, and built the latest folly. It's a grass bench modelled on a design spotted at the RHS Tatton Park flower show, and it works well in a troublesome spot behind the rhododendron's . Only time will tell if it gets enough sunlight to be sustainable.
My other Summer project has, of course, been the new shed, andhere it is finally completed save for the final coat of paint. Given the size of it, I am quite amazed that it is now appears to be full. Three bikes, loads of garden furniture, paint, a marquee, two gazebo's, hordes of car boot sale items, old golf clubs, spare pictures, ladders, wood offcuts and several cases of wine have seen to that.
The down side to the gardening this season appears to be the fact we have honey fungus. Here is the mushroom style evidence which I am basing it on, and it has killed this Silver Birch. A similar fate befell our only apple tree. That was the sole survivor of when the site was all orchards, so it might have been on its last legs anyway, but it is still a great loss to the landscape.
Two Hornbeam's also had to be felled this year, although they have no mushroom infestations in evidence, nor does one of the larger Holly tree's which is also looking distressed, I am just keeping my fingers crossed that we have no other species which are susceptible to honey fungus, although I am nervous that Acer is one such and we have a fair few of those, one of which travelled with us from London and would cost over £1000 to replace size for size. Seems like I must do some more research as the fungus is resilient to treatment and can only be contained by physical barriers. This might be the first Winter project I am looking for.So onward into the wet season, that of rugby internationals , long lunches and Christmas cheer, with a new Grandchild to look forward to any day, ( herein referred to as GC1, 2 or 3 as appropriate) and 18 round the festive dinner table. Note to self, must win that Turkey Trot at the golf club again, we will need the food. Ho! Ho! Ho!
Wednesday, 18 September 2013
Biffa bear
I have gone to print previously about my fear for rugby once it became a professional sport. I was particularly concerned about the introduction of 'gamesmanship' of a style similar to that endemic in football, and the lowering of the IQ level of players as youngsters see a career in rugby being a replacement to a solid education. This latter trend would very much see the game become one divest of vision, imagination and spontaneity.
At the moment the former has not come to prominence, however, the antics of the England centre Manu Tuilagi have certainly highlighted the real danger facing the game when amoeba-like players take the field.
That said, his offer to send an apology to David Cameron did make me laugh. I suspect he would need to use a ghost writer.
At the moment the former has not come to prominence, however, the antics of the England centre Manu Tuilagi have certainly highlighted the real danger facing the game when amoeba-like players take the field.
That said, his offer to send an apology to David Cameron did make me laugh. I suspect he would need to use a ghost writer.
Friday, 13 September 2013
Magical Mystery Tour
I agreed to see a friend for a few beers yesterday. We decided to meet at The Farmer's Arms in Wallasey Village in the hope that they had Fullers London Pride on draught. My friend, Steve, is a fellow exile from dan South and we play golf at the same club. The Farmer's Arms has a good range of real ale, but on this occasion the Pride was replaced by Timothy Taylor's Landlord, so we drank that....no hardship there.
Now that I have a free travel pass I decided to go there by bus. Big challenge! The Wirral bus network is very difficult to understand and is designed and run by people who , in their infancy, must have been limited to playing with train sets and buses in the confines of a very small bedroom. They must have also been tucked up very early at night.
Wirral buses seem to run in very small circles and start and end at the most obscure and inconvenient times. Take my journey last night. I needed to take two buses, the first of which conveniently stops out side the house. I needed to be at Wallasey for about 7pm, so decided to get the 6:15pm bus to Liscard where I would change.
Unbeknown to me, the 6:15 bus was actually the last bus on this route that night, but it got me to my change stop by about 6:35. I then had ten minutes to wait before my second bus arrived. This turned out to be the first bus of the day which arrived at 6:48pm and dropped me right outside the pub.
All sounds easy, until you work out that I could not get home by the same means, at a very reasonable 9:30pm. So I had to get the train back to Birkenhead and hop in a cab, so defeating the object of avoiding transport costs.
Further research indicated that the first bus was primarily a peak time bus for commuters and school children so it actually does not run after 10:00am or before 3pm. The second bus starts when the Wallasey loop bus finishes. While the loop bus runs all day, it stops at 6pm.
The ,majority of Wirral buses run in and out of the Birkenhead bus depot, either at Laird Street or Conway Park, and also call into Arrowe Park hospital. So if you are going shopping or are ill it's great. If you need to get from A to B particularly at night, its a nightmare.
We have a new bus which runs from our door to Liverpool, but guess what? The last bus back is 6:30pm, so no good if you plan a night out. The other popular bus to West Kirby (Cougarland as it's locally known) only runs every hour, so you have to be spot on to get there and back.
So it is no wonder I am having to drive much more than I used to, and when I study the bus map and find I can get to my destination, I then have to check that I can actually get back as well. Couple that with the fact the drivers are not exactly local, and I begin to realise where The Beatles got their inspiration from.
Now that I have a free travel pass I decided to go there by bus. Big challenge! The Wirral bus network is very difficult to understand and is designed and run by people who , in their infancy, must have been limited to playing with train sets and buses in the confines of a very small bedroom. They must have also been tucked up very early at night.
Wirral buses seem to run in very small circles and start and end at the most obscure and inconvenient times. Take my journey last night. I needed to take two buses, the first of which conveniently stops out side the house. I needed to be at Wallasey for about 7pm, so decided to get the 6:15pm bus to Liscard where I would change.
Unbeknown to me, the 6:15 bus was actually the last bus on this route that night, but it got me to my change stop by about 6:35. I then had ten minutes to wait before my second bus arrived. This turned out to be the first bus of the day which arrived at 6:48pm and dropped me right outside the pub.
All sounds easy, until you work out that I could not get home by the same means, at a very reasonable 9:30pm. So I had to get the train back to Birkenhead and hop in a cab, so defeating the object of avoiding transport costs.
Further research indicated that the first bus was primarily a peak time bus for commuters and school children so it actually does not run after 10:00am or before 3pm. The second bus starts when the Wallasey loop bus finishes. While the loop bus runs all day, it stops at 6pm.
The ,majority of Wirral buses run in and out of the Birkenhead bus depot, either at Laird Street or Conway Park, and also call into Arrowe Park hospital. So if you are going shopping or are ill it's great. If you need to get from A to B particularly at night, its a nightmare.
We have a new bus which runs from our door to Liverpool, but guess what? The last bus back is 6:30pm, so no good if you plan a night out. The other popular bus to West Kirby (Cougarland as it's locally known) only runs every hour, so you have to be spot on to get there and back.
So it is no wonder I am having to drive much more than I used to, and when I study the bus map and find I can get to my destination, I then have to check that I can actually get back as well. Couple that with the fact the drivers are not exactly local, and I begin to realise where The Beatles got their inspiration from.
Tuesday, 10 September 2013
My day in Court
The long running battle I have with the local police and council concerning their overly aggressive use of speed camera's reached a new level on Friday when I had to appear in court to defend my position not to identify the driver of my car when it was flashed in early January.
The car was travelling at 38 miles per hour in a 30 mile per hour zone, the road was an eight lane carriageway, and traffic was minimal. I was seriously annoyed when I found out I had been 'flashed'.
How did I find out? Not by the usual process of summons, but by a policeman visiting the address in late March or early April. He was there to check I lived at the address in question, but when I informed him this was the first I had heard of the offense, he indicate he would resend the summons.
This arrived towards the end of April and I wrote indicating I could not be sure who was driving so could they give me photographic evidence to help? No, they said, the photo is only for car identification. "Oh" I said, "see you in court then".
I was duly summoned and warned that a guilty verdict would result in a 6 point penalty. My in-house legal team attended court three times on my behalf, arguing , that I had not received any notification until April, that I had co-operated to try to identify the driver and that I should be acquitted. The CPS were having none of it, so I was wheeled out in person to face the bench.
Three magistrates sat in judgement, and after my new solicitor put the case for dismissal, the young CPS lawyer asked a few questions and pushed for a guilty verdict. The magistrates then retired to consider their verdict.
After 15 or 20 minutes they returned to find me not guilty and, on application, awarded me and the team costs. So six points avoided, a lot of tax payers money wasted and a vindication of my bloody minded attitude towards the Liverpool road policing policy.
I got flashed again in May this year while taking my mother to hospital for a check up so I still have 3 points on my license, but what I am now exploring is a bolt-on for my sat nav and to see if there is a governor facility on the cruise control. I really must accelerate way from traffic lights at a much slower speed as that seems to be my undoing.
So I am leading 2-0 on contested cases at the moment, and have also used up my driver awareness option. If they had all gone the other way I would be facing a ban with twelve points totted up in less than a year. Compared to London, Liverpool is really not a good place to get around by public transport, but with my old gits bus pass I must try.
The car was travelling at 38 miles per hour in a 30 mile per hour zone, the road was an eight lane carriageway, and traffic was minimal. I was seriously annoyed when I found out I had been 'flashed'.
How did I find out? Not by the usual process of summons, but by a policeman visiting the address in late March or early April. He was there to check I lived at the address in question, but when I informed him this was the first I had heard of the offense, he indicate he would resend the summons.
This arrived towards the end of April and I wrote indicating I could not be sure who was driving so could they give me photographic evidence to help? No, they said, the photo is only for car identification. "Oh" I said, "see you in court then".
I was duly summoned and warned that a guilty verdict would result in a 6 point penalty. My in-house legal team attended court three times on my behalf, arguing , that I had not received any notification until April, that I had co-operated to try to identify the driver and that I should be acquitted. The CPS were having none of it, so I was wheeled out in person to face the bench.
Three magistrates sat in judgement, and after my new solicitor put the case for dismissal, the young CPS lawyer asked a few questions and pushed for a guilty verdict. The magistrates then retired to consider their verdict.
After 15 or 20 minutes they returned to find me not guilty and, on application, awarded me and the team costs. So six points avoided, a lot of tax payers money wasted and a vindication of my bloody minded attitude towards the Liverpool road policing policy.
I got flashed again in May this year while taking my mother to hospital for a check up so I still have 3 points on my license, but what I am now exploring is a bolt-on for my sat nav and to see if there is a governor facility on the cruise control. I really must accelerate way from traffic lights at a much slower speed as that seems to be my undoing.
So I am leading 2-0 on contested cases at the moment, and have also used up my driver awareness option. If they had all gone the other way I would be facing a ban with twelve points totted up in less than a year. Compared to London, Liverpool is really not a good place to get around by public transport, but with my old gits bus pass I must try.
Monday, 2 September 2013
Men at Work
This is Mark, working diligently at his bench in the heart of Liverpool city centre. Mark is a furniture restorer and is married to one of SWMBO's girl friends. He invited me to the workshop to look round, and I must say it was a bit of an Aladdin's Cave.
The workshop is on the ground floor of an old cotton warehouse. Chris, an upholsterer, works on the first floor beside the stripping and varnishing sections. There is work in progress all over the place.
Next door is the showroom where all the restored items, and some originals are displayed for potential buyers. Mark pointed out the restoration work on some items, which to the untrained eye would be impossible to spot. Some areas of the showroom were fitted out as period rooms, such as an Art Nouveau lounge and a country kitchen from the 1950's. I was interested to see one of the artefact's was a vintage Totopoly set, but only had paper horses so was not in the same league as my cast iron version.
While the market in brown goods has hit the floor over the last few years, good pieces like chaise longue, desks and dining chairs still continue to command premium prices. Wardrobes and tables though don't.
We have some dining chairs which need repair so Mark and Chris will be on the case for those soon, and Mark very kindly offered me some bench space and the use of the industrial saws, for when I start to do my own work. I have enrolled at the local technical college to do a basic carpentry and joinery course so will welcome access to some of his tools.
The basement area is suffering from damp, so is not used for the furniture, but they have set up a 20 metre shooting range to pass the time in their lunch breaks!!
My shed is progressing well, to the point where there is lighting and bike storage available so just a few shelves to put up and I can finish the sides. Just need a good downpour to test out the internal drainage system now.
The workshop is on the ground floor of an old cotton warehouse. Chris, an upholsterer, works on the first floor beside the stripping and varnishing sections. There is work in progress all over the place.
Next door is the showroom where all the restored items, and some originals are displayed for potential buyers. Mark pointed out the restoration work on some items, which to the untrained eye would be impossible to spot. Some areas of the showroom were fitted out as period rooms, such as an Art Nouveau lounge and a country kitchen from the 1950's. I was interested to see one of the artefact's was a vintage Totopoly set, but only had paper horses so was not in the same league as my cast iron version.While the market in brown goods has hit the floor over the last few years, good pieces like chaise longue, desks and dining chairs still continue to command premium prices. Wardrobes and tables though don't.
We have some dining chairs which need repair so Mark and Chris will be on the case for those soon, and Mark very kindly offered me some bench space and the use of the industrial saws, for when I start to do my own work. I have enrolled at the local technical college to do a basic carpentry and joinery course so will welcome access to some of his tools.The basement area is suffering from damp, so is not used for the furniture, but they have set up a 20 metre shooting range to pass the time in their lunch breaks!!
My shed is progressing well, to the point where there is lighting and bike storage available so just a few shelves to put up and I can finish the sides. Just need a good downpour to test out the internal drainage system now.
Friday, 16 August 2013
Dominic Foos
The Boys Amateur golf championships are being played on the Wirral this week, with my club Wallasey featuring on the first two days before the top 64 players then go into the knock-out stage at Royal Liverpool ( Hoylake).
I volunteered to be a marshal, so have watched the cream of European U18 golfers strutting their stuff for a couple of days. There were two Americans in the field but otherwise it was dominated by Brits, Italians, Germans, French and Spanish.
The weather on day 1 was wild, but that did not stop a few players beating par with 5 under being the clubhouse leader. The course standard scratch (CSS) at Wallasey was 76 which is 4 over par, so the leader actually was 9 under in real terms. The CSS at The Royal was 77.
Day two saw conditions more favourable with the CSS reduced to 74 at Wallasey, and it gave me the chance to see the new wonderkid on the block, the German Dominic Foos.
Dominic is just 16 and has a handicap of +6. For non-golfers reading this that means he should play courses in six shots less than the par for the course. He is already being courted by American colleges for a 2016 start, he has his own web-site, and a monogram designed on his initials DF, much like Tiger Woods does.
The question is though, is he really that good? Well frankly yes he is, but he is not commanding the European boys arena uncontested.
He played his stroke play rounds with Bradley Moore and Connor Syme and all three of them qualified for the knock-out stage due, in no small part to playing holes 13 & 14 in a combined total of 10 under par. Connor lost in the last 32 but Dominic and Bradley have made it through to the last 16.
Dominic was 3 holes down against Harry Ellis, the English Amateur champion, but won 5 holes on the bounce to triumph 3 & 2. With good French, Italian, Spanish, Belgium and British players still left in the competition, the final couple of days are going to be riveting. You can follow it all here, but remember you heard his name here first!!
I volunteered to be a marshal, so have watched the cream of European U18 golfers strutting their stuff for a couple of days. There were two Americans in the field but otherwise it was dominated by Brits, Italians, Germans, French and Spanish.
The weather on day 1 was wild, but that did not stop a few players beating par with 5 under being the clubhouse leader. The course standard scratch (CSS) at Wallasey was 76 which is 4 over par, so the leader actually was 9 under in real terms. The CSS at The Royal was 77.
Day two saw conditions more favourable with the CSS reduced to 74 at Wallasey, and it gave me the chance to see the new wonderkid on the block, the German Dominic Foos.
Dominic is just 16 and has a handicap of +6. For non-golfers reading this that means he should play courses in six shots less than the par for the course. He is already being courted by American colleges for a 2016 start, he has his own web-site, and a monogram designed on his initials DF, much like Tiger Woods does.
The question is though, is he really that good? Well frankly yes he is, but he is not commanding the European boys arena uncontested.
He played his stroke play rounds with Bradley Moore and Connor Syme and all three of them qualified for the knock-out stage due, in no small part to playing holes 13 & 14 in a combined total of 10 under par. Connor lost in the last 32 but Dominic and Bradley have made it through to the last 16.
Dominic was 3 holes down against Harry Ellis, the English Amateur champion, but won 5 holes on the bounce to triumph 3 & 2. With good French, Italian, Spanish, Belgium and British players still left in the competition, the final couple of days are going to be riveting. You can follow it all here, but remember you heard his name here first!!
Wednesday, 31 July 2013
Doghouse
Just spent the weekend at the Tatton Park RHS garden show. It's the first time I have been to such an event although SWMBO has been to the Chelsea flower show in the past. Two things struck me; it's very old pound oriented with most of the clientele making me look young, and, loads of people walk round with these plastic collapsible shopping trolleys which get in everybody's way
The event was quite interesting though, and I took a couple of shed shots to see whether they inspired me
This one had the Plymouth word on it, but I was taken by the astroturf SHED on the orange one. They do both look a bit like beach huts though, so I will not be using outrageous colour schemes when it comes to painting mine.
That moment is still sometime off as I have been faced with a leaking roof crisis. The recent downpours have certainly indicated that the pitch on the roof is inadequate, so the felt has all come off and its back to square one on Monday, with a different fall angle and slope. Hopefully that will work, then the sides can be completed and the shed used for its main purpose.
I am still being pressured to have a sofa and TV in there, but as the only power source is going to be solar, there is little point in the TV or kettle. If I am sent to the doghouse I may just have to revert to the original shed which is all powered up. Lets hope it doesn't come to that though, and the Tatton Park plans can all be hatched and installed ready for next season.
This one really has been a bit of a wash out.
The event was quite interesting though, and I took a couple of shed shots to see whether they inspired me
This one had the Plymouth word on it, but I was taken by the astroturf SHED on the orange one. They do both look a bit like beach huts though, so I will not be using outrageous colour schemes when it comes to painting mine.
That moment is still sometime off as I have been faced with a leaking roof crisis. The recent downpours have certainly indicated that the pitch on the roof is inadequate, so the felt has all come off and its back to square one on Monday, with a different fall angle and slope. Hopefully that will work, then the sides can be completed and the shed used for its main purpose.I am still being pressured to have a sofa and TV in there, but as the only power source is going to be solar, there is little point in the TV or kettle. If I am sent to the doghouse I may just have to revert to the original shed which is all powered up. Lets hope it doesn't come to that though, and the Tatton Park plans can all be hatched and installed ready for next season.
This one really has been a bit of a wash out.
Monday, 22 July 2013
50 not out
SWMBO and I were at Lord's on Saturday for the second testy match against Australia, we have been going for most of the 23 years we have been together. Saturday was, however, my 50th anniversary.
It all started in June 1963 when my dad took me out of school and we went to the second and third day of the second test against the West Indies. What a test match to debut in! West Indies were stacked with great name cricketers, Conrad Hunte opened, Gary Sobers came in at number 3 followed by Rohan Kanhai and Basil Butcher. Frank Worrell captained the side and could call upon Lance Gibbs as well as Wes Hall and Charlie Griffiths in his bowling attack.
The match is memorable for two things. Ted Dexter took on the might of Hall and Griffiths, scoring 70 runs off 73 balls when others struggled around him, and following Butchers classy 100 in the West Indies second innings, Colin Cowdrey came out to bat the final over with England needing six to win with a plaster cast on the arm he broke earlier in the innings.
Dad took me to many games after that, always saying the Friday and Saturday gave a chance to see the end of the first innings, all of the second and the start of the third, and so I continued after Dad was no longer able to attend. We were at the Massie test in 1972 when the Australian took 8 wickets in each innings, and he did take me to the last test played by the South African's at the Oval, before the D'Oliviera case isolated them, in 1965
My mate Mike McBride and I took up the gauntlet starting at the England v Australia centenary test in 1980 and I was later joined by Figs together with whom I attended all five days of a test against Australia, albeit with lunchtime visits to Crocker's to lubricate the tonsils.
So now its SWMBO, who eased into the seat which Figs had to vacate when the tests started to clash with his role at the Wimbledon tennis. We have seen many changes. The ground has been developed extensively with new grandstands, Mound stand and Compton and Edrich stands. Spectators can no longer sit on the grass around the perimeter, and sadly Crocker's is no more.
I have been lucky enough to see the Ashes won and lost, the West Indies black wash, the great and good from each Country, and some of the bad. Moments of genius from Clive Lloyd, Sir Viv Richards, Sir Richard Hadlee and Sir Ian Botham have been peppered with moments of madness and high jinks the pinnacle of which was a day in a box with Rillo and the Red Stripe girls.
So I am now 50 not out, time to take a fresh guard and push on to the century.
It all started in June 1963 when my dad took me out of school and we went to the second and third day of the second test against the West Indies. What a test match to debut in! West Indies were stacked with great name cricketers, Conrad Hunte opened, Gary Sobers came in at number 3 followed by Rohan Kanhai and Basil Butcher. Frank Worrell captained the side and could call upon Lance Gibbs as well as Wes Hall and Charlie Griffiths in his bowling attack.
The match is memorable for two things. Ted Dexter took on the might of Hall and Griffiths, scoring 70 runs off 73 balls when others struggled around him, and following Butchers classy 100 in the West Indies second innings, Colin Cowdrey came out to bat the final over with England needing six to win with a plaster cast on the arm he broke earlier in the innings.
Dad took me to many games after that, always saying the Friday and Saturday gave a chance to see the end of the first innings, all of the second and the start of the third, and so I continued after Dad was no longer able to attend. We were at the Massie test in 1972 when the Australian took 8 wickets in each innings, and he did take me to the last test played by the South African's at the Oval, before the D'Oliviera case isolated them, in 1965
My mate Mike McBride and I took up the gauntlet starting at the England v Australia centenary test in 1980 and I was later joined by Figs together with whom I attended all five days of a test against Australia, albeit with lunchtime visits to Crocker's to lubricate the tonsils.
So now its SWMBO, who eased into the seat which Figs had to vacate when the tests started to clash with his role at the Wimbledon tennis. We have seen many changes. The ground has been developed extensively with new grandstands, Mound stand and Compton and Edrich stands. Spectators can no longer sit on the grass around the perimeter, and sadly Crocker's is no more.
I have been lucky enough to see the Ashes won and lost, the West Indies black wash, the great and good from each Country, and some of the bad. Moments of genius from Clive Lloyd, Sir Viv Richards, Sir Richard Hadlee and Sir Ian Botham have been peppered with moments of madness and high jinks the pinnacle of which was a day in a box with Rillo and the Red Stripe girls.
So I am now 50 not out, time to take a fresh guard and push on to the century.
Tuesday, 25 June 2013
Tour d'France
Number one son has just completed an amazing journey. For the last week he has been part of a cycle group who have traveled from London to Monte Carlo. They have done it on behalf of the Wooden Spoon Society, a charity founded in the rugby community whose aim is to bring help and support to young children from deprived areas either by sports therapy or by enhancing school facilities.
Do view his Facebook page to follow his story, and if you are inclined please make a donation here.Note the links are not forward loading at the most but hopefully you can work out how to get there.
He was a casual cyclist who started his training around Richmond Park where cyclists in their 50's and 60's pedalled past him, but he got his miles up to about 35 per day by the time he started. It was still a shock though as the stages were an average of 90 miles long.
It got him through the first week but then came three days in the Alps. Just look at the route profiles to see why the pelaton fragmented and it was everyone for themselves. That said, the whole group made it, and the coast downhill into Monaco must have been wonderful.
Allez mon fils, there I got it right that time.
Its day 9....
In the Mexican Big Brother house. Simon and SWMBO are on the beach, Jackie and Mark are snorkeling and Dave and Lesley are going for their lunch.
So far Big Brother has not evicted any of the housemates, although it was a close run thing on day 4 when SWMBO fell during the dressing up task and broke her elbow.
The BB medical team patched her up and she was straight back into the fray.
Simon was called to the diary room and warned that any more high jinks would result in him being asked to be official sun cream application monitor for the group, and be banned from the gym.
The anticipated hurricane passed to the West of the BB house so the excited American residents have returned to the beach from their shelters.
Tomorrow Big Brother has arranged drinking games in Playa Del Carmen for the residents, we can't wait.
Friday, 7 June 2013
Shedding pounds
Back stuck into building work this week, as the shed continues to take shape. All the brickwork is finished and the base is now laid, so I am confident the timberwork will be able to start at the weekend.
The sunny weather is certainly helping the concrete to set, and given the location of the site, it is not in full sun all day which will mean the muck will not go off too quickly.
The woodwork will tax my geometric capabilities and does make me wonder how they get all the parts for something like The Shard to all fit together. It does help to have the right tools, and I may have to solicit some help from the family when the structure needs to be placed in situ. That might be a bit of a struggle although if I suggest to Kieran that his dinner is ready in the garden that may get him outside.
He has started running and swimming big style, so I suspect he has his eye on a local filly in one of the hostilities he frequents. I think its the equivalent of ladies losing weight, having their hair done and starting to go out more regularly.....er, hang on a minute.........
The sunny weather is certainly helping the concrete to set, and given the location of the site, it is not in full sun all day which will mean the muck will not go off too quickly.The woodwork will tax my geometric capabilities and does make me wonder how they get all the parts for something like The Shard to all fit together. It does help to have the right tools, and I may have to solicit some help from the family when the structure needs to be placed in situ. That might be a bit of a struggle although if I suggest to Kieran that his dinner is ready in the garden that may get him outside.
He has started running and swimming big style, so I suspect he has his eye on a local filly in one of the hostilities he frequents. I think its the equivalent of ladies losing weight, having their hair done and starting to go out more regularly.....er, hang on a minute.........
Wednesday, 5 June 2013
Hong Kong Fui
Just back from a long weekend in Hong Kong, to watch the Barbarians v The British and Irish Lions in their curtain raiser to the tour of Australia.
It might seem a long way to go for a rugby match, but I had never seen the Lions, and we went with my sister-in-law and her husband, David and Michelle, who lived there in the late 90's. David was in the Army at that time, and was last one out switch the lights off when the former British territory was handed over to the Chinese.
The temperature for the game was about 32 degrees with humidity at 96% so it was pretty hard going for the two teams. The HK rugby authorities did a good job with the hospitality and match presentation , so all the spectators had a good time. Many were there just for the one off, including a group from the Gurkha regiment in Brunei, this lass from Wales, though was in it for the long hall.
Hong Kong are building a new stadium now on the site of the old airport at Kai Tak which will have air conditioning under its retractable roof, so that could see the Lions doing more one-off games in the future.
The attraction to Westerners of Hong Kong has often been the shopping opportunities in Stanley market and other places, rummaging for end of run and sample products from designer brands which use China for their product production. Sadly this aspect of island life would appear to be diminishing as the work moves to mainland China, so if we go again, we may have to travel to Shenzhen to do our shopping.
Other than that, there were opportunities to dine at a 31st floor Australian steak restaurant, and subsequently drink on their rooftop terrace, Fat Angelo's Italian has turned into a Pizza Hut type chain so that was a bit disappointing, but the usual array for Chinese and Thai outlets more than made up for that one blip.
So all in all a great few days, now its back to shed building.
It might seem a long way to go for a rugby match, but I had never seen the Lions, and we went with my sister-in-law and her husband, David and Michelle, who lived there in the late 90's. David was in the Army at that time, and was last one out switch the lights off when the former British territory was handed over to the Chinese.
The temperature for the game was about 32 degrees with humidity at 96% so it was pretty hard going for the two teams. The HK rugby authorities did a good job with the hospitality and match presentation , so all the spectators had a good time. Many were there just for the one off, including a group from the Gurkha regiment in Brunei, this lass from Wales, though was in it for the long hall.Hong Kong are building a new stadium now on the site of the old airport at Kai Tak which will have air conditioning under its retractable roof, so that could see the Lions doing more one-off games in the future.
The attraction to Westerners of Hong Kong has often been the shopping opportunities in Stanley market and other places, rummaging for end of run and sample products from designer brands which use China for their product production. Sadly this aspect of island life would appear to be diminishing as the work moves to mainland China, so if we go again, we may have to travel to Shenzhen to do our shopping.
Other than that, there were opportunities to dine at a 31st floor Australian steak restaurant, and subsequently drink on their rooftop terrace, Fat Angelo's Italian has turned into a Pizza Hut type chain so that was a bit disappointing, but the usual array for Chinese and Thai outlets more than made up for that one blip.
So all in all a great few days, now its back to shed building.
Tuesday, 21 May 2013
Archibald Beet
...or Archie to his friends popped into the world last Thursday 16th May at 15:15 weighing in at 7lb 7 oz. He was delivered by C section and all seems well with the world.
He is the first grandson for the Weathers, Collins, Smith dynasty and joins his cousins Ava and Sofia in the creche. He has a dash of red hair, so Ron seemed a good choice of name to me, my earlier suggestions of Bronski or Mersey having been rejected. Archie sits well though and he joins a proud collections of Archies.
Archie Leitch was a famous designer of football stands, one of which is still in situ at Home Park, Plymouth. Archie Knox was a famous art nouveau artist and did a large amount of his work for Liberty's. Finally of course we must not forget Archie Andrews, the ventriloquist' dummy of the 50's and 60's. He starred in his own radio show called Educating Archie, and the fact a ventriloquism act was being played out in a non-visual environment did not seem to phase anybody.
Some Internet fun indicates that 0.0000598‰ of the UK population have the name Archie Beet, that's 4 people!!!
Gottle of geer, Gottle of geer.
He is the first grandson for the Weathers, Collins, Smith dynasty and joins his cousins Ava and Sofia in the creche. He has a dash of red hair, so Ron seemed a good choice of name to me, my earlier suggestions of Bronski or Mersey having been rejected. Archie sits well though and he joins a proud collections of Archies.
Archie Leitch was a famous designer of football stands, one of which is still in situ at Home Park, Plymouth. Archie Knox was a famous art nouveau artist and did a large amount of his work for Liberty's. Finally of course we must not forget Archie Andrews, the ventriloquist' dummy of the 50's and 60's. He starred in his own radio show called Educating Archie, and the fact a ventriloquism act was being played out in a non-visual environment did not seem to phase anybody.
Some Internet fun indicates that 0.0000598‰ of the UK population have the name Archie Beet, that's 4 people!!!
Gottle of geer, Gottle of geer.
Wednesday, 8 May 2013
Le Shed
Football supporters often get a bad name, and many deserve it, however, the fans of Plymouth Argyle seem to rise above the stereotype with great regularity. Whether this is because they face crises which only their Naval port rivals Portsmouth can relate closely to, or whether its something to do with the sleepy West Country climate, I am not sure.
Anyway, when Peter Read was released as manager they clubbed together to buy him a pen and made a framed signed shirt as a memento, and Peter Read was not really associated with Argyle success.
So, what to do when French goalkeeper Romain Larrieu announced he was leaving the coaching staff as new manager John Sheridan looked to bring in his own team? Romain is an Argyle legend. He signed during the Sturrock years and was a regular in the side which moved from league 2 to the Championship during the noughties. He stuck around as the side slid back to League 2, and almost out of existence, so it was only right and proper that the fans said their own thankyou to him.
First thing was to start a collection and that quickly reached £500 and continued to climb. Next thing was a bit obvious, why not ask him what he would like. So Romain was consulted and to everybody's amazement he indicated he would like a shed for his garden!! It did not take long for some sharp thinking Janner to spot that Argyle are sponsored by Bond Timber. Maybe they could help?
So one phone call later and the deal is done, they will survey the site and supply the shed, everybody now waits for the unveiling and naming ceremony. Apparently it will be build to accommodate a second tier should the capacity of the shed need to be increased at a later date to reflect the success Romain achieves while playing in it!!
On the subject of sheds, my Summer project is now a work in progress. This is the starting position, more pictures will follow in due course.
Anyway, when Peter Read was released as manager they clubbed together to buy him a pen and made a framed signed shirt as a memento, and Peter Read was not really associated with Argyle success.
So, what to do when French goalkeeper Romain Larrieu announced he was leaving the coaching staff as new manager John Sheridan looked to bring in his own team? Romain is an Argyle legend. He signed during the Sturrock years and was a regular in the side which moved from league 2 to the Championship during the noughties. He stuck around as the side slid back to League 2, and almost out of existence, so it was only right and proper that the fans said their own thankyou to him.
First thing was to start a collection and that quickly reached £500 and continued to climb. Next thing was a bit obvious, why not ask him what he would like. So Romain was consulted and to everybody's amazement he indicated he would like a shed for his garden!! It did not take long for some sharp thinking Janner to spot that Argyle are sponsored by Bond Timber. Maybe they could help?
So one phone call later and the deal is done, they will survey the site and supply the shed, everybody now waits for the unveiling and naming ceremony. Apparently it will be build to accommodate a second tier should the capacity of the shed need to be increased at a later date to reflect the success Romain achieves while playing in it!!
On the subject of sheds, my Summer project is now a work in progress. This is the starting position, more pictures will follow in due course.
Monday, 6 May 2013
Adrian Stanley, actor
Adrian Stanley was a repertory theatre player during the second world war, and early 1950's before moving to South Africa where he produced in the apartheid dominated Country for many years. He died in 2010.
Never heard of him? Well, neither had I until I attended the local auction house last week. There were a couple of pictures I was interested in, however, it was an old leather suitcase which caught my eye. From experience I know these things fetch between £20-£30 at car boot sales, so to acquire it for £25 has probably negated any change of a profit on it.
What made me proceed though was the content of the suitcase. It was full of war time programmes magazines and books all relating to the life of Adrian Stanley. My uncle Philip was a thespian and I suspect that is why I was intrigued by the contents. You can read about Philip a bit more here. Falkland Carey, with whom he collaborated on a number of projects, and Philip King dominated the playwright arena at the time Philip was involved. Their big numbers were 'Sailor Beware' and 'Big Bad Mouse' I was hoping one of the programmes may have mentioned Philip but none did.
So, if I sell them all for 99p each I will be well wedged up, however, I have a feeling some of the items may be little gems. There is a Bolshoi Ballet programme which is a rarity, there is a series of South African theatre programmes which will be collectable, and there is a first issue of the Penguin theatre guide. My e-bay activity will start next week and I will watch developments with interest.
Adrian Stanley was granted an obituary in the Guardian and other theatre and African related publications. His real name was Stanley Roberts and the suitcase contained three of his school reports from Rock Ferry, Birkenhead his WWII discharge papers relating to the asthma which affected him, diaries chronicling his travels in repertory, as well as a photograph from the Spotlight casting directory of the time. Maybe a family member will be interested in that little lot It's amazing what a good rummage will unearth.
Never heard of him? Well, neither had I until I attended the local auction house last week. There were a couple of pictures I was interested in, however, it was an old leather suitcase which caught my eye. From experience I know these things fetch between £20-£30 at car boot sales, so to acquire it for £25 has probably negated any change of a profit on it.
What made me proceed though was the content of the suitcase. It was full of war time programmes magazines and books all relating to the life of Adrian Stanley. My uncle Philip was a thespian and I suspect that is why I was intrigued by the contents. You can read about Philip a bit more here. Falkland Carey, with whom he collaborated on a number of projects, and Philip King dominated the playwright arena at the time Philip was involved. Their big numbers were 'Sailor Beware' and 'Big Bad Mouse' I was hoping one of the programmes may have mentioned Philip but none did.
So, if I sell them all for 99p each I will be well wedged up, however, I have a feeling some of the items may be little gems. There is a Bolshoi Ballet programme which is a rarity, there is a series of South African theatre programmes which will be collectable, and there is a first issue of the Penguin theatre guide. My e-bay activity will start next week and I will watch developments with interest.
Adrian Stanley was granted an obituary in the Guardian and other theatre and African related publications. His real name was Stanley Roberts and the suitcase contained three of his school reports from Rock Ferry, Birkenhead his WWII discharge papers relating to the asthma which affected him, diaries chronicling his travels in repertory, as well as a photograph from the Spotlight casting directory of the time. Maybe a family member will be interested in that little lot It's amazing what a good rummage will unearth.
Tuesday, 9 April 2013
Margaret Thatcher
So, the Iron Lady is dead. At 87 she was the same age as the Queen and my mum, both iron ladies in their own way
.
All the commentators are indicating that there is no grey area surrounding the ex-prime minister, you either loved her or hated her. For my part, I was a fan. While the three day week and other trade union disruptive behaviour was an inconvenience, it highlighted a part of Britain which needed to be reigned in, she obliged. Her alliance with Ronald Regan cemented that special relationship with the USA which Tony Blair did his utmost to tear asunder. That relationship went a long way to ending the Cold War, and the threat which the Soviet Union posed to the West. Gorbachev became a fan too. She was also strong in the face of Argentine aggression towards the Falkland Islands, and stood toe to toe with the IRA. Their bombing of the Grand Hotel in Brighton only re-enforced her resolve and her unwillingness to be turned.
Closer to home, as the first lady prime minister she end out a message to women that there was no glass ceiling, and what you strived for could be achieved, whatever gender you were. I suspect Cheryl Blair benefited in no small way to the Thatcher pioneering process. A wide and varied range of council house tenants are now home owners as a result of her 'right to buy' initiative and while her Keynesian oriented social reforms were not overly popular, they were what the Country needed at the time.
It is sad to see celebrations in the streets of Glasgow, to mark her passing, with many of the participants too young and blinkered to even understand the climate in which she operated. The miners will continue to hold a grievance as they are of the view that she destroyed their industry. Time has shown that coal was a dying commodity and the lack of investment in the Country's energy policies after that became apparent lies very much at the feet of the Labour government which followed her.
We are all suffering the effects of the nationalisation of British Gas, but most of her other decisions have been vindicated over time as successive governments have not repealed her policies.
She will for ever be seen as the villain of the piece up here on Merseyside, and Derek Hatton was rolled out yesterday to continue the assault on her character, God he looked a mess. It was she, however, who continued to support Liverpool after the Toxteth riots, and whose vision helped to the City to become what it is today. There are many who blame her for the cover-up over the Hillsborough disaster, however, she had used the police creatively during the miners strike and was unlikely to let them be crucified by the victim's relatives at that stage. It wasn't her who opened the gates or made questionable decisions on the day, but difficult decisions she did make all her term in office.
She will be afforded the funeral she deserves as one of the great British prime ministers, and the one thing her death has done is get people talking about politics again. Currently Parliament lacks characters, and like her or loathe her, a character she definitely was. Where would Spitting Image have gone without her?
.
All the commentators are indicating that there is no grey area surrounding the ex-prime minister, you either loved her or hated her. For my part, I was a fan. While the three day week and other trade union disruptive behaviour was an inconvenience, it highlighted a part of Britain which needed to be reigned in, she obliged. Her alliance with Ronald Regan cemented that special relationship with the USA which Tony Blair did his utmost to tear asunder. That relationship went a long way to ending the Cold War, and the threat which the Soviet Union posed to the West. Gorbachev became a fan too. She was also strong in the face of Argentine aggression towards the Falkland Islands, and stood toe to toe with the IRA. Their bombing of the Grand Hotel in Brighton only re-enforced her resolve and her unwillingness to be turned.
Closer to home, as the first lady prime minister she end out a message to women that there was no glass ceiling, and what you strived for could be achieved, whatever gender you were. I suspect Cheryl Blair benefited in no small way to the Thatcher pioneering process. A wide and varied range of council house tenants are now home owners as a result of her 'right to buy' initiative and while her Keynesian oriented social reforms were not overly popular, they were what the Country needed at the time.
It is sad to see celebrations in the streets of Glasgow, to mark her passing, with many of the participants too young and blinkered to even understand the climate in which she operated. The miners will continue to hold a grievance as they are of the view that she destroyed their industry. Time has shown that coal was a dying commodity and the lack of investment in the Country's energy policies after that became apparent lies very much at the feet of the Labour government which followed her.
We are all suffering the effects of the nationalisation of British Gas, but most of her other decisions have been vindicated over time as successive governments have not repealed her policies.
She will for ever be seen as the villain of the piece up here on Merseyside, and Derek Hatton was rolled out yesterday to continue the assault on her character, God he looked a mess. It was she, however, who continued to support Liverpool after the Toxteth riots, and whose vision helped to the City to become what it is today. There are many who blame her for the cover-up over the Hillsborough disaster, however, she had used the police creatively during the miners strike and was unlikely to let them be crucified by the victim's relatives at that stage. It wasn't her who opened the gates or made questionable decisions on the day, but difficult decisions she did make all her term in office.
She will be afforded the funeral she deserves as one of the great British prime ministers, and the one thing her death has done is get people talking about politics again. Currently Parliament lacks characters, and like her or loathe her, a character she definitely was. Where would Spitting Image have gone without her?
Tuesday, 2 April 2013
Tin Cup
We have returned from Turkey, and can confirm that any similarity to Torquay is very vague. We stayed in a giant all inclusive resort with in excess of 1000 rooms.
When we arrived there were probably 50 other people in occupancy and much of the hotel was still moth balled. The swim up rooms, for example, remained closed all the time we were there. The outdoor swimming pools were available to use but a tad on the cold side, and the specialist restaurants needed at least eight bookings before they would open.
The occupancy rate was boosted, however, by the arrival of Syrianska FC, a Premiership team from Sweden, who were there for some pre-season training. there were about 40 players, some support staff and management, and what seemed like a coachload of supporters. They were well behaved, and worked hard most days, either training or using the leisure facilities in the hotel. The hotel staff had been advised to refuse any requests from the team for alcohol which made for some amusing moments.
Later in the week there was a medical conference and the participants filled all the remaining rooms, so it was interesting to see the hotel suddenly come to life with more staff, more facilities and certainly more people around.
My golf started well and deteriorated as the trip went on. Much like my experience in Cyprus some years ago, I did not play with any English people. My first game was with a Swedish couple, then a couple from Holland, three men from the Czech Republic and finally two Finn's and a Swiss.
The highlight was hitting the 18th at the PGA Sultan course in two, given there is water all down the right off the tee and the second shot is about 180yds across the river, and then two putting for a par.
So that's my 60th birthday celebrations all completed , and I am now thrust into decorating the study which will go through a re-design process to reflect the needs of the leisurely life rather than a conference call dominated commercial one.
As soon as the weather picks up I can start on y shed!!
When we arrived there were probably 50 other people in occupancy and much of the hotel was still moth balled. The swim up rooms, for example, remained closed all the time we were there. The outdoor swimming pools were available to use but a tad on the cold side, and the specialist restaurants needed at least eight bookings before they would open.
The occupancy rate was boosted, however, by the arrival of Syrianska FC, a Premiership team from Sweden, who were there for some pre-season training. there were about 40 players, some support staff and management, and what seemed like a coachload of supporters. They were well behaved, and worked hard most days, either training or using the leisure facilities in the hotel. The hotel staff had been advised to refuse any requests from the team for alcohol which made for some amusing moments.
Later in the week there was a medical conference and the participants filled all the remaining rooms, so it was interesting to see the hotel suddenly come to life with more staff, more facilities and certainly more people around.
My golf started well and deteriorated as the trip went on. Much like my experience in Cyprus some years ago, I did not play with any English people. My first game was with a Swedish couple, then a couple from Holland, three men from the Czech Republic and finally two Finn's and a Swiss.
The highlight was hitting the 18th at the PGA Sultan course in two, given there is water all down the right off the tee and the second shot is about 180yds across the river, and then two putting for a par.
So that's my 60th birthday celebrations all completed , and I am now thrust into decorating the study which will go through a re-design process to reflect the needs of the leisurely life rather than a conference call dominated commercial one.
As soon as the weather picks up I can start on y shed!!
Monday, 11 March 2013
Mull of Kintyre
My birthday celebrations continued at the weekend when SWMBO treated me to a long weekend at the Turnberry hotel in Ayrshire. Turnberry has two golf courses, the Ailsa and the Kintyre and I was fortunate to play both.
Friday I was scheduled for the Kintyre and Saturday the Ailsa, but on waking on the Friday morning I was greeted by Wallasey like conditions, strong winds and a bit nippy, so I was keen to take on the Open Championship course in close to it's toughest state.
When I arrived on the first tee, I was informed by the starter that there were three clear holes ahead of me and nobody behind for half an hour. Effectively this meant I had one of the top ten courses in the Country all to myself, what a joy....
The anorak in me knows I first played the Ailsa course in May 1989, something I have made reference to in previous blogs. I went round in 26 over par that day. Friday, however, was not about my score, but about the challenge and the conditions. I did manage to par the 6th hole and got a few fives elsewhere, but I came off the course exhilarated and elated by the whole experience.
The next day I took on the Kintyre course and I was keen to play a competition type round to post a reasonable score. I joined a husband and wife to make a three ball, and they made me aware the lady was a novice and the round might be painful. It would not have been my ideal scenario, but off we went none the less.
In May 1989 I played both the Ailsa and the Kintyre on the same day. The Kintrye was, actually called the Arran in those days, and it has changed somewhat during the passing 20 odd years. I was, therefore, keen to see the new design.
Things did not start well, and I was taken aback by the tight nature of the opening holes, however, I kept to my plan to post a score, and after opening 8,5,5,8,7 (33) against a par of 20, I went round the remaining 13 holes in 9 over par, a very satisfying days work.
The hotel improved as our stay went on. The first night we ate in the 1906 restaurant and the food was average at best. We had a bar meal the next night which was excellent, and then had out own private dining room the final night, which did seat ten, but nobody else had booked it. It was the hotel equivalent of a Michelin starred eatery and did not disappoint.
The Friday night and Saturday the hotel was accepting GroupOn voucher guests and it appeared that the staff were somewhat off hand with them, whereas our attention level increased when they realised we were there for longer than the one night deal the other guests had booked.
Its definitely a place we will revisit, with the BMW championships scheduled in late September. So I will have to get to Royal Liverpool and try to qualify for that again.
Friday I was scheduled for the Kintyre and Saturday the Ailsa, but on waking on the Friday morning I was greeted by Wallasey like conditions, strong winds and a bit nippy, so I was keen to take on the Open Championship course in close to it's toughest state.
When I arrived on the first tee, I was informed by the starter that there were three clear holes ahead of me and nobody behind for half an hour. Effectively this meant I had one of the top ten courses in the Country all to myself, what a joy....
The anorak in me knows I first played the Ailsa course in May 1989, something I have made reference to in previous blogs. I went round in 26 over par that day. Friday, however, was not about my score, but about the challenge and the conditions. I did manage to par the 6th hole and got a few fives elsewhere, but I came off the course exhilarated and elated by the whole experience.
The next day I took on the Kintyre course and I was keen to play a competition type round to post a reasonable score. I joined a husband and wife to make a three ball, and they made me aware the lady was a novice and the round might be painful. It would not have been my ideal scenario, but off we went none the less.
In May 1989 I played both the Ailsa and the Kintyre on the same day. The Kintrye was, actually called the Arran in those days, and it has changed somewhat during the passing 20 odd years. I was, therefore, keen to see the new design.
Things did not start well, and I was taken aback by the tight nature of the opening holes, however, I kept to my plan to post a score, and after opening 8,5,5,8,7 (33) against a par of 20, I went round the remaining 13 holes in 9 over par, a very satisfying days work.
The hotel improved as our stay went on. The first night we ate in the 1906 restaurant and the food was average at best. We had a bar meal the next night which was excellent, and then had out own private dining room the final night, which did seat ten, but nobody else had booked it. It was the hotel equivalent of a Michelin starred eatery and did not disappoint.
The Friday night and Saturday the hotel was accepting GroupOn voucher guests and it appeared that the staff were somewhat off hand with them, whereas our attention level increased when they realised we were there for longer than the one night deal the other guests had booked.
Its definitely a place we will revisit, with the BMW championships scheduled in late September. So I will have to get to Royal Liverpool and try to qualify for that again.
Wednesday, 6 March 2013
Life in the fast lane
Wedged in between my two boozy weekends, I was lucky enough to be invited to attend something called a speed awareness course. This was in no way related to alcohol, but in fact to the way in which I drive my car.
I have made reference in the past to my dislike of speed camera's and the fact they contribute millions of pounds to local government coffer's as a type of stealth tax aimed at mostly honest drivers. Well I was in a room with twenty or so like minded drivers, all there to avoid getting three points on our licenses as a result of driving a few miles over the limit.
In years past the course involved a practical session out on the road with an instructor. These days it's four hours of classroom tutorial, most of which is mind blowingly dull.
The only part I found useful related to the positioning of speed limit signs at the junctions to roads, at a point where the limit changes. Other than that it was a waste of an afternoon, and the sun was out to really rub it in.
Apart from avoiding three penalty points another benefit of the course is to get cheaper or maintained price motor insurance, but with at least one insurance company now considering the course to be the same as an endorsement, that benefit may soon be a thing of the past. As soon as that happens the courses will be a thing of the past.
So while I still have a clean license, I just await the next official police communique inviting me to attend the local magistrates court. Deep joy.
I have made reference in the past to my dislike of speed camera's and the fact they contribute millions of pounds to local government coffer's as a type of stealth tax aimed at mostly honest drivers. Well I was in a room with twenty or so like minded drivers, all there to avoid getting three points on our licenses as a result of driving a few miles over the limit.
In years past the course involved a practical session out on the road with an instructor. These days it's four hours of classroom tutorial, most of which is mind blowingly dull.
The only part I found useful related to the positioning of speed limit signs at the junctions to roads, at a point where the limit changes. Other than that it was a waste of an afternoon, and the sun was out to really rub it in.
Apart from avoiding three penalty points another benefit of the course is to get cheaper or maintained price motor insurance, but with at least one insurance company now considering the course to be the same as an endorsement, that benefit may soon be a thing of the past. As soon as that happens the courses will be a thing of the past.
So while I still have a clean license, I just await the next official police communique inviting me to attend the local magistrates court. Deep joy.
Gone in a haze
The problem with having a birthday celebration which lasts three weeks is that some parts of it just become a blur and days disappear or get lost for ever. My actual birth date was one such.
I had a plan as to how my weekend would go....Friday evening in Formby with the outlaws, Saturday playing golf and chilling then a full on family luncheon on Sunday with more golf Monday morning ( my actual birth date) and then a late lunch with SWMBO.
Other people had other ideas, however, so Friday was cancelled, and Sunday became a bit more mega than expected. Alcohol was consumed at a great rate, and when the lads adjourned to the local hostility, I knew there would be trouble.
After several glasses of wine, a bloody Mary and a frozen Margarita in the restaurant, I really did not need a zombie, whatever that is, but that's tradition apparently so after a few more beers, I decided to make my excuses and leave. I remember getting home and watching Match of the Day, but then things went a bit fuzzy.
Needless to say the next day was a complete washout and I complained about my drinks being spiked ( they weren't ), the meal disagreeing with me, and having an anti-social need for sleep!.
The rest of the crew came in from about midnight until 3am!!
The next part of the celebrations is a long weekend in Turnberry chasing a little white ball around in the wind, I must try to moderate my whiskey tasting and enjoy the view. Och aye the noo!
I had a plan as to how my weekend would go....Friday evening in Formby with the outlaws, Saturday playing golf and chilling then a full on family luncheon on Sunday with more golf Monday morning ( my actual birth date) and then a late lunch with SWMBO.
Other people had other ideas, however, so Friday was cancelled, and Sunday became a bit more mega than expected. Alcohol was consumed at a great rate, and when the lads adjourned to the local hostility, I knew there would be trouble.
After several glasses of wine, a bloody Mary and a frozen Margarita in the restaurant, I really did not need a zombie, whatever that is, but that's tradition apparently so after a few more beers, I decided to make my excuses and leave. I remember getting home and watching Match of the Day, but then things went a bit fuzzy.
Needless to say the next day was a complete washout and I complained about my drinks being spiked ( they weren't ), the meal disagreeing with me, and having an anti-social need for sleep!.
The rest of the crew came in from about midnight until 3am!!
The next part of the celebrations is a long weekend in Turnberry chasing a little white ball around in the wind, I must try to moderate my whiskey tasting and enjoy the view. Och aye the noo!
Tuesday, 26 February 2013
Lucy
The weekend just past signalled the beginning of my diamond birthday celebrations. Well if the Queen can have a couple of birthday's why not I?
Twenty of us attended the England v France rugby at Twickenham in a lads and dads day out. A couple of the attendees I had known since we were ten and at school together, and a few were people I had been introduced to, by them, over the years. One chap was an old friend from my working days and several I had met while playing rugby for Twickenham RFC. Indeed one of those used to chase the same girls as me when we were in our early thirties!! All together they were an eclectic group who got on famously.
The match kicked off at 5pm on the Saturday which is not our favourite time to attend, but on this occasion it did give us a chance to visit a local Richmond restaurant, Rock and Rose, for some pre-match tucker , and very good it was too. So with suitable ballast on board, we boarded the bus and sang our way to the ground as we have done for more years than I can remember.
One of my old school friends, Stu, and I have been attending games at Twickenham since early in 1972. We first saw John Dawes Welsh side play. We stood on the old West terrace watching as they beat us comfortably. The only thing that made it bearable was the fact we were in the company of a young Welsh girl from Plymouth, with whom I had plans later. Sadly even that went pear shaped as she had already arranged to meet a lad who was a session musician and singer, elsewhere on the manor.
Some years later when I moved from Croydon to Kingston and started playing for Twickenham RFC, it transpired she married said musician, and he was playing second row at the same Club. We are all still good friends. The subsequent forty years following England around Europe have continued to illustrate just how small the World is, made even smaller by the rugby playing community.
I have played in a few World Golden Oldies rugby festivals over time, and should I do so again, I will be able to wear red shorts. This will mean I can only be caught and held, and not tackled. When I reach 65 I would then be able to wear gold shorts, cannot be touched or tackled and can subsequently run for 15 metres unopposed. That might be worth a go!!!
The celebrations continue in a few days with a family Sunday lunch, after which, like the Queen, I will start to tour some of our colonies. I think I will start with Scotland!!
Twenty of us attended the England v France rugby at Twickenham in a lads and dads day out. A couple of the attendees I had known since we were ten and at school together, and a few were people I had been introduced to, by them, over the years. One chap was an old friend from my working days and several I had met while playing rugby for Twickenham RFC. Indeed one of those used to chase the same girls as me when we were in our early thirties!! All together they were an eclectic group who got on famously.
The match kicked off at 5pm on the Saturday which is not our favourite time to attend, but on this occasion it did give us a chance to visit a local Richmond restaurant, Rock and Rose, for some pre-match tucker , and very good it was too. So with suitable ballast on board, we boarded the bus and sang our way to the ground as we have done for more years than I can remember.
One of my old school friends, Stu, and I have been attending games at Twickenham since early in 1972. We first saw John Dawes Welsh side play. We stood on the old West terrace watching as they beat us comfortably. The only thing that made it bearable was the fact we were in the company of a young Welsh girl from Plymouth, with whom I had plans later. Sadly even that went pear shaped as she had already arranged to meet a lad who was a session musician and singer, elsewhere on the manor.
Some years later when I moved from Croydon to Kingston and started playing for Twickenham RFC, it transpired she married said musician, and he was playing second row at the same Club. We are all still good friends. The subsequent forty years following England around Europe have continued to illustrate just how small the World is, made even smaller by the rugby playing community.
I have played in a few World Golden Oldies rugby festivals over time, and should I do so again, I will be able to wear red shorts. This will mean I can only be caught and held, and not tackled. When I reach 65 I would then be able to wear gold shorts, cannot be touched or tackled and can subsequently run for 15 metres unopposed. That might be worth a go!!!
The celebrations continue in a few days with a family Sunday lunch, after which, like the Queen, I will start to tour some of our colonies. I think I will start with Scotland!!
Tuesday, 19 February 2013
4077 M*A*S*H
I am not a great social networking user. Facebook and Twitter don't really add to my day to day routine. The only one I do register with is LinkedIn. The main reason for this is to keep abreast of any changes people may make to their e-mail contacts, or other aspects of their life I may be interested in.
Today I have just been doing a bit of tweaking to my profile, and have added a link which will hopefully allow people to see the film which inspired the IBM living legend comments.
It's called 'Doggin Around' from 1994, and stars Elliott Gould as a beaten up American jazz pianist who comes back to England to do the Northern club circuit. The support cast is a who's who of British character actors and it is a good view if you get the time.
Elliott Gould utters the immortal words which inspired my by-line, when asked by a young lady whether he was one of those American musical old timers, to which he replied, " Where I come from mam, we like to call them living legend"
I had cause to use it face-to face in IBM when a female colleague similarly enquired of me in a derogatory tone. I was in the company of my business director when the exchange occurred and he too adopted the retort, particularly when summing up individuals careers at retirement parties.
It ranks up there with the wonderful line from the film, 'The Likely Lads' which charted the holiday adventures of Bob and Terry one particularly wet week in Scarborough. "Eh", said Terry, "lets go to Boots, there's always women in Boots"
Today I have just been doing a bit of tweaking to my profile, and have added a link which will hopefully allow people to see the film which inspired the IBM living legend comments.
It's called 'Doggin Around' from 1994, and stars Elliott Gould as a beaten up American jazz pianist who comes back to England to do the Northern club circuit. The support cast is a who's who of British character actors and it is a good view if you get the time.
Elliott Gould utters the immortal words which inspired my by-line, when asked by a young lady whether he was one of those American musical old timers, to which he replied, " Where I come from mam, we like to call them living legend"
I had cause to use it face-to face in IBM when a female colleague similarly enquired of me in a derogatory tone. I was in the company of my business director when the exchange occurred and he too adopted the retort, particularly when summing up individuals careers at retirement parties.
It ranks up there with the wonderful line from the film, 'The Likely Lads' which charted the holiday adventures of Bob and Terry one particularly wet week in Scarborough. "Eh", said Terry, "lets go to Boots, there's always women in Boots"
Tuesday, 12 February 2013
Lord Lucan next?
It is interesting that the race horse, Shergar, who was a Derby winner and up there with the best, was kidnapped in Ireland 30 years ago this month. It was alleged that the IRA performed the deed hoping for a large ransom. It never materialised and Shergar was lost forever, with her ultimate demise often open to conjecture, but never ratified.
That is until this week. Clearly we have not just started to find horse meat in our pies, pasties and lasagne. This practise must have been going on for years, maybe even pre-dating the disappearance of the racehorse. Horses which die, albeit family pets, competing horses or recreational animals, have always been assumed to end up in France, where a bit of cheval has always gone down well.
I have been to Paris many times and ordered steak. I am sure they have seen 'les rosbifs' coming and plonked a couple of prime horse burgers in front of us. It always tastes fine and the only side effect seems to be the need for a nosebag every now and then!
Let's just hope we don't move to the Soylent Green scenario in which case we will never find Lord Lucan!
That is until this week. Clearly we have not just started to find horse meat in our pies, pasties and lasagne. This practise must have been going on for years, maybe even pre-dating the disappearance of the racehorse. Horses which die, albeit family pets, competing horses or recreational animals, have always been assumed to end up in France, where a bit of cheval has always gone down well.
I have been to Paris many times and ordered steak. I am sure they have seen 'les rosbifs' coming and plonked a couple of prime horse burgers in front of us. It always tastes fine and the only side effect seems to be the need for a nosebag every now and then!
Let's just hope we don't move to the Soylent Green scenario in which case we will never find Lord Lucan!
Friday, 8 February 2013
Gardeners World
The frustration alluded to in my last post seems to be slowly easing away. I have just spend a pleasant couple of hours in the garden clearing the debris, and the Helleborus look a picture now with the flowers well in view. Sadly the three new ones I planted did not survive the snow and slugs so I will need to deploy a new strategy next Autumn. The bin, as expected, is nearly full and I still have one more patch to clear. That can wait until tomorrow.
I am deploying the 'stop when it hurts' philosophy towards my knee, having got the all clear from the consultant's registrar last week. I have now had two sessions in the gym on the static bike and the weight machines, so the gardening today went well for as long as I wanted it to. Next week I will start to do some treadmill work and hit a few golf balls. I am looking to restart competitive golf on 2nd March all being well
I have just booked a couple of weeks in Torquay, or is that Turkey?, for some warm weather training, although I think it's only low 70's there when we go.....OK for golf but not so bright for sunning oneself.
I was in London for the rugger last weekend, but will not be travelling to Dublin today, as would normally be the case, as the anti-social kick-off time, 3pm on a Sunday, is just not spectator friendly. With England on a relatively long unbeaten run (two games) I think it could be a cracker.
Other than that activities seem to be gearing up nicely towards the big six o in a couple of weeks. More on that as the time approaches.
I am deploying the 'stop when it hurts' philosophy towards my knee, having got the all clear from the consultant's registrar last week. I have now had two sessions in the gym on the static bike and the weight machines, so the gardening today went well for as long as I wanted it to. Next week I will start to do some treadmill work and hit a few golf balls. I am looking to restart competitive golf on 2nd March all being well
I have just booked a couple of weeks in Torquay, or is that Turkey?, for some warm weather training, although I think it's only low 70's there when we go.....OK for golf but not so bright for sunning oneself.
I was in London for the rugger last weekend, but will not be travelling to Dublin today, as would normally be the case, as the anti-social kick-off time, 3pm on a Sunday, is just not spectator friendly. With England on a relatively long unbeaten run (two games) I think it could be a cracker.
Other than that activities seem to be gearing up nicely towards the big six o in a couple of weeks. More on that as the time approaches.
Wednesday, 30 January 2013
Gr33n Onions
It's a slow news day today, for several reasons. First, my knee is mending well, but I am unable to take advantage of the sunny weather to get stuck into the garden. The Helleborus in particular, need some foliage to be trimmed away so they can get some more light. I also have a garden recycler to fill with debris from the pre-snow period. This will all have to wait another week or so. I am scheduled at the consultant next Monday and will hopefully get some more rehab exercises.
Second, the two major DIY projects need to be put on hold for the same reason, and third, no sport.
As a result I have been doing some random web browsing, and found out that Venezuela pay 1p a litre for diesel for their cars, just how do they do that then? I have started to StumbleUpon stuff again too, but the program seems to have lost a lot of its appeal. There must be a better one out there, will just have to keep looking.
As mentioned a few posts ago, I am exploring green energy and sustainable heat sources solutions again. I notice the government has introduced another initiative for funding, the Green Deal. The upside is that you can get repayable grants for work which will help you out of the fuel poverty trap, and the grants stay with the house, not the individual. The down side though is that the government inspectors will tell you what you can have as part of a new heating or power initiative.
So, if you want a new boiler, after the government inspection, it might be the fifth item on their recommendations list, so you would need to have the first four actions completed before the new boiler would be funded. That may not be a viable approach for everybody.
In the meantime I am looking at air sourced heat pumps to see if technology has moved on enough to make that a cost efficient solution for our hot water needs. A rep just call in so I will now await the resulting quote.
With other building work scheduled for February and March it might fit in quite well.
Second, the two major DIY projects need to be put on hold for the same reason, and third, no sport.
As a result I have been doing some random web browsing, and found out that Venezuela pay 1p a litre for diesel for their cars, just how do they do that then? I have started to StumbleUpon stuff again too, but the program seems to have lost a lot of its appeal. There must be a better one out there, will just have to keep looking.
As mentioned a few posts ago, I am exploring green energy and sustainable heat sources solutions again. I notice the government has introduced another initiative for funding, the Green Deal. The upside is that you can get repayable grants for work which will help you out of the fuel poverty trap, and the grants stay with the house, not the individual. The down side though is that the government inspectors will tell you what you can have as part of a new heating or power initiative.
So, if you want a new boiler, after the government inspection, it might be the fifth item on their recommendations list, so you would need to have the first four actions completed before the new boiler would be funded. That may not be a viable approach for everybody.
In the meantime I am looking at air sourced heat pumps to see if technology has moved on enough to make that a cost efficient solution for our hot water needs. A rep just call in so I will now await the resulting quote.
With other building work scheduled for February and March it might fit in quite well.
Tuesday, 22 January 2013
Under the knife
Well, I had the knee butchered yesterday. It was only an arthroscopy designed to tidy up and clear out the debris and wear and tear of a life of sport, and so far, it seems to have gone well.
The consultation and operation has bridged the gap between private health care and the NHS and it was interesting to see the two parts working together ( or not).
I am not sure when the problems started with my knee, but the problem was serious enough for me to seek out some physiotherapy treatment earlier in the year. I was able to have that treatment privately, and followed the advise given by attending the local council gym and using the static bike and leg press machine. This seemed to help and allowed me to continue playing golf, although a couple of short runs did confirm to me that some surgical procedure would probably be necessary.
The next step then was to have x-rays and a chat with the local knee man, a Mr Parkinson, who operated on SWMBO a few years ago and seems to have stuck his knife into half the population of the Wirral. Anyway, the x-ray showed a fairly healthy knee space, but was inconclusive as far as surgery was concerned. We agreed to follow it up with an MRI scan.
The scan showed up two meniscus tears, one on each side of the knee, and something called a Bakers cyst behind the knee itself. This then made the need for surgery clearer and inevitable. It also concluded my involvement with the private sector, as my time at IBM was cut short by a few months. The plan had been to schedule the op in early January to allow me to travel to Portugal for the last golf event of the year. Mr Parkinson did offer to get me under the knife by 5th November, my last day, but that would have meant a cancellation of the golf trip. I, therefore, decided to put myself in the hands of the NHS.
First challenge was to get on the consultants NHS list. There is no option to transfer from private to public, one is effectively starting all over again. A visit to the GP got me in the queue for the NHS procedure, and I was soon summoned for an outpatient assessment. This was where the disconnect became most apparent as the first thing the nursing staff wanted to do was an x-ray.
I was forceful in pointing out I had had an x-ray and MRI at the local private hospital and would not have another one. Eventually, after calls to the consultants secretary, the results were e-mailed over and I got on the list.
The date for the operation came quite quickly and so I managed to meet my January objective, and yesterday I was trundled in.
The pre-operative care was fine, however, the after sales service was a bit lacking. There was no visit from the consultant, which was disappointing as there were some surgical questions I had. The physio saw me and gave me a sheet of exercises which I could have got off the internet, but there was no mention of one-to-one follow-up sessions with her. I have a session booked in two weeks with Mr Parkinson, so I am hopeful by then I will be able to start gym and golf sessions, and be driving the car again. We shall see.
The consultation and operation has bridged the gap between private health care and the NHS and it was interesting to see the two parts working together ( or not).
I am not sure when the problems started with my knee, but the problem was serious enough for me to seek out some physiotherapy treatment earlier in the year. I was able to have that treatment privately, and followed the advise given by attending the local council gym and using the static bike and leg press machine. This seemed to help and allowed me to continue playing golf, although a couple of short runs did confirm to me that some surgical procedure would probably be necessary.
The next step then was to have x-rays and a chat with the local knee man, a Mr Parkinson, who operated on SWMBO a few years ago and seems to have stuck his knife into half the population of the Wirral. Anyway, the x-ray showed a fairly healthy knee space, but was inconclusive as far as surgery was concerned. We agreed to follow it up with an MRI scan.
The scan showed up two meniscus tears, one on each side of the knee, and something called a Bakers cyst behind the knee itself. This then made the need for surgery clearer and inevitable. It also concluded my involvement with the private sector, as my time at IBM was cut short by a few months. The plan had been to schedule the op in early January to allow me to travel to Portugal for the last golf event of the year. Mr Parkinson did offer to get me under the knife by 5th November, my last day, but that would have meant a cancellation of the golf trip. I, therefore, decided to put myself in the hands of the NHS.
First challenge was to get on the consultants NHS list. There is no option to transfer from private to public, one is effectively starting all over again. A visit to the GP got me in the queue for the NHS procedure, and I was soon summoned for an outpatient assessment. This was where the disconnect became most apparent as the first thing the nursing staff wanted to do was an x-ray.
I was forceful in pointing out I had had an x-ray and MRI at the local private hospital and would not have another one. Eventually, after calls to the consultants secretary, the results were e-mailed over and I got on the list.
The date for the operation came quite quickly and so I managed to meet my January objective, and yesterday I was trundled in.
The pre-operative care was fine, however, the after sales service was a bit lacking. There was no visit from the consultant, which was disappointing as there were some surgical questions I had. The physio saw me and gave me a sheet of exercises which I could have got off the internet, but there was no mention of one-to-one follow-up sessions with her. I have a session booked in two weeks with Mr Parkinson, so I am hopeful by then I will be able to start gym and golf sessions, and be driving the car again. We shall see.
Wednesday, 16 January 2013
On top of the world
As part of the retirement experience, I today visited a property auction. It was not a random action, but one tied in with number two son looking out for a property to buy. One of the lots was a two bed flat in a small block of three. His sister already owns one so we had the thought that eventually we could own all three and be able to sell for a higher margin than individually.
As it happens the reserve price was set above what we thought was reasonable and the flat remained unsold.
It was a particularly interesting auction. Very few lots sold, and one which went for a much higher amount than the estimate gave me the feeling that the owner was in the room bidding up the hammer price. Not a very honourable thing to do but they appear to have pulled out at the right time to let the underbidder be successful.
The one property which did catch my eye though was large house in Birkenhead which backed onto the Park. This property had some provenance as it was the residence in the early part of the twentieth century by Andrew 'Sandy' Irvine, the famous mountaineer.
George Mallory was a more well known English mountaineer who took part in the first three British expeditions to Mount Everest in the early 1920s. During the 1924 British Mount Everest Expedition, Mallory and his climbing partner Irvine both disappeared somewhere high on the North-East ridge during their attempt to make the first ascent of the world's highest mountain. The pair's last known sighting was only about 800 feet from the summit.
Mallory's ultimate fate was unknown for 75 years, until his body was discovered on 1 May 1999 by an expedition that had set out to search for the climbers' remains. Whether or not Mallory and Irvine reached the summit before they died remains a subject of speculation and continuing research.
The house in Park Road was presumably Irvine's family home given he was only 22 when he died, and still at Oxford University. It is a huge pile, which most recently has been some sort of social or working men's club. It has a crown green bowls links in the back garden and has had a tennis court there at some stage.
The architecture on the roof alone is staggeringly impressive and is not done justice by any current photo, I fear though that many original features inside have long been removed. The next auction is at the end of February so it will be interesting to see if it comes up again. The guide price is £350,000 which was clearly too much even for the property developers.
As it happens the reserve price was set above what we thought was reasonable and the flat remained unsold.
It was a particularly interesting auction. Very few lots sold, and one which went for a much higher amount than the estimate gave me the feeling that the owner was in the room bidding up the hammer price. Not a very honourable thing to do but they appear to have pulled out at the right time to let the underbidder be successful.
The one property which did catch my eye though was large house in Birkenhead which backed onto the Park. This property had some provenance as it was the residence in the early part of the twentieth century by Andrew 'Sandy' Irvine, the famous mountaineer.
George Mallory was a more well known English mountaineer who took part in the first three British expeditions to Mount Everest in the early 1920s. During the 1924 British Mount Everest Expedition, Mallory and his climbing partner Irvine both disappeared somewhere high on the North-East ridge during their attempt to make the first ascent of the world's highest mountain. The pair's last known sighting was only about 800 feet from the summit.
Mallory's ultimate fate was unknown for 75 years, until his body was discovered on 1 May 1999 by an expedition that had set out to search for the climbers' remains. Whether or not Mallory and Irvine reached the summit before they died remains a subject of speculation and continuing research.
The house in Park Road was presumably Irvine's family home given he was only 22 when he died, and still at Oxford University. It is a huge pile, which most recently has been some sort of social or working men's club. It has a crown green bowls links in the back garden and has had a tennis court there at some stage.
The architecture on the roof alone is staggeringly impressive and is not done justice by any current photo, I fear though that many original features inside have long been removed. The next auction is at the end of February so it will be interesting to see if it comes up again. The guide price is £350,000 which was clearly too much even for the property developers.
Thursday, 10 January 2013
Into 2013
The festive season is now behind us, and I am frankly pleased about that. I usually enjoy Christmas, but this year was strange. Having retired in early November it became evident to people that I 'had time on my hands' and could do a lot of the preparation. This at a time when I had more pressing early retirement things to do.
Anyway I juggled and survived. It was kids away year for Christmas Day so we had my mother (87) and SWMBO parents ( both in seventies) together with number two son, who, at 26, brought the average age down and saved us from it turning into Cocoon, the Christmas Special. Got some good presi's though
New Year SWMBO and I ran away to Scotland and stayed on the banks of Loch Lomond for a few days. It was too wet under foot to play golf or to do too much walking, but we found enough else to do. New Years Eve was typically Scottish. The haggis was addressed and toasted, a marching pipe band saw in 2013, and the hotel very kindly put gifts in the room, together with a lump of coal. We were on a mixed table which worked well, and we did manage to participate in some of the Calieh dances, like the Gay Gordon's and Strip the Willow.
So now that we are into 2013, I can start to plan the year ahead. I have terminated my signing on ritual with the DWP, as there was no monetary benefit and I have learnt how the process works. I have access to all their web sites through the Government Gateway so can look for and apply for jobs as I wish.
I did put my CV into one Company before Christmas, but got knocked back. It was to work for Chubby Chandler, the sports agent. I think the role was that of Darren Clarke's drinking partner, and in that area I was obviously found lacking.
I have a knee op to get out of the way next week, after which I am hoping to be able to target a few 5k and 10k fun runs later in the Summer as well as the Santa dash in December.
I have a huge box of photo's going back thirty years or more which I am planning to scan onto my laptop and have enrolled on a Photoshop class to learn how to tidy them up a bit. First class was today and it turned out to be registration only. The tutor did not engage very well on first impressions, but we will see how we go. Its the subject matter which will be more important.
As well as the shed project and the office which needs redesigning and decorating, I am once more progressing air source heat pumps, both for the pool and for the house hot water system. Technology seems to have moved on since I last looked so it will be interesting to see if there are savings to be made. Its not so much for us, but as a reselling feature whenever we need to.
I have a significant birthday in early March so have already lined up my B & Q heritage card which gets 10% off everything on a Wednesday. I need to apply for my Mereseytravel free pass and my senior citizens rail card. With the latter I will be able to attend several pre-Christmas knee's-up in London during December as well as any Autumn internationals we choose to go to. Any subsequent medical treatments can be sorted out with the free prescriptions I get, which I can read with the glasses from Specsavers for which I get 25% off.
Ah, yes, I have one New Years resolution, to buy no clothes, shoes or golf attire, except for essential socks and underwear. A recent wardrobe audit indicated I had more that enough NWT to get through the next 12 months at least.
Anyway we shall see, but all in all its going to be a hectic year.
Anyway I juggled and survived. It was kids away year for Christmas Day so we had my mother (87) and SWMBO parents ( both in seventies) together with number two son, who, at 26, brought the average age down and saved us from it turning into Cocoon, the Christmas Special. Got some good presi's though
New Year SWMBO and I ran away to Scotland and stayed on the banks of Loch Lomond for a few days. It was too wet under foot to play golf or to do too much walking, but we found enough else to do. New Years Eve was typically Scottish. The haggis was addressed and toasted, a marching pipe band saw in 2013, and the hotel very kindly put gifts in the room, together with a lump of coal. We were on a mixed table which worked well, and we did manage to participate in some of the Calieh dances, like the Gay Gordon's and Strip the Willow.
So now that we are into 2013, I can start to plan the year ahead. I have terminated my signing on ritual with the DWP, as there was no monetary benefit and I have learnt how the process works. I have access to all their web sites through the Government Gateway so can look for and apply for jobs as I wish.
I did put my CV into one Company before Christmas, but got knocked back. It was to work for Chubby Chandler, the sports agent. I think the role was that of Darren Clarke's drinking partner, and in that area I was obviously found lacking.
I have a knee op to get out of the way next week, after which I am hoping to be able to target a few 5k and 10k fun runs later in the Summer as well as the Santa dash in December.
I have a huge box of photo's going back thirty years or more which I am planning to scan onto my laptop and have enrolled on a Photoshop class to learn how to tidy them up a bit. First class was today and it turned out to be registration only. The tutor did not engage very well on first impressions, but we will see how we go. Its the subject matter which will be more important.
As well as the shed project and the office which needs redesigning and decorating, I am once more progressing air source heat pumps, both for the pool and for the house hot water system. Technology seems to have moved on since I last looked so it will be interesting to see if there are savings to be made. Its not so much for us, but as a reselling feature whenever we need to.
I have a significant birthday in early March so have already lined up my B & Q heritage card which gets 10% off everything on a Wednesday. I need to apply for my Mereseytravel free pass and my senior citizens rail card. With the latter I will be able to attend several pre-Christmas knee's-up in London during December as well as any Autumn internationals we choose to go to. Any subsequent medical treatments can be sorted out with the free prescriptions I get, which I can read with the glasses from Specsavers for which I get 25% off.
Ah, yes, I have one New Years resolution, to buy no clothes, shoes or golf attire, except for essential socks and underwear. A recent wardrobe audit indicated I had more that enough NWT to get through the next 12 months at least.
Anyway we shall see, but all in all its going to be a hectic year.
Tuesday, 8 January 2013
A knock on the door
The sight of a hunched and broken Stuart Hall shuffling into Manchester crown court yestersday was a sad one. The football pundit, and star of 'It's a Knock-out' has been arrested for alleged sex offences against minors and young people which seem to be a knock on affect to the Jimmy Savile sex scandal. Stuart is 83, and the offences date from the 1970's and 80's
Jim Davidson is the latest high profile individual to be accused of similar acts, and he was arrested last week as he flew into England to take part in Celebrity Big Brother.
The facts behind the Saville case seem to be well proven as more and more BBC personnel indicate that his habits were well known and brushed under the carpet, as things were in those days. Saville is not around to defend himself, and one wonders why it has suddenly become big news? Cyril Smith, the ex-MP for Rochadale and another larger than life character has also had allegations thrown at him which he too cannot answer.
Quite why Max Clifford has been accused needs some explaining, as it is unlikely he was anytrhing other than a run of the mill hack at the time of the allegations made against him. Jim Davidson, Stuart Hall and other TV and radio personalities were all high profile figures with easy access to fans and at the height of their fame were unlikely to be lacking in male or female company as was their preference.
It all seems to be gathering momentum as a result of more and more potential victims jumping on the band waggon and hoping for a few quid at the end of it. They give little regard to the affect on the individulas and their families.
There are , of course, two sides to every story, and these victims may well have been subjected to sexual assaults of a style which would be unacceptable today, and these acts could have been tearing them apart ever since.. Why, though, did they not call it out when it happened? Were the victims part of what would be described as the 'groupie' culture, and saw any sort of attention as a playground plus point? Only now do they think they will get a fair hearing for their contributary negligence. We shall see.
In the meantime I just hope no dissapointed girlfriends of mine are looking for retribution.
Jim Davidson is the latest high profile individual to be accused of similar acts, and he was arrested last week as he flew into England to take part in Celebrity Big Brother.
The facts behind the Saville case seem to be well proven as more and more BBC personnel indicate that his habits were well known and brushed under the carpet, as things were in those days. Saville is not around to defend himself, and one wonders why it has suddenly become big news? Cyril Smith, the ex-MP for Rochadale and another larger than life character has also had allegations thrown at him which he too cannot answer.
Quite why Max Clifford has been accused needs some explaining, as it is unlikely he was anytrhing other than a run of the mill hack at the time of the allegations made against him. Jim Davidson, Stuart Hall and other TV and radio personalities were all high profile figures with easy access to fans and at the height of their fame were unlikely to be lacking in male or female company as was their preference.
It all seems to be gathering momentum as a result of more and more potential victims jumping on the band waggon and hoping for a few quid at the end of it. They give little regard to the affect on the individulas and their families.
There are , of course, two sides to every story, and these victims may well have been subjected to sexual assaults of a style which would be unacceptable today, and these acts could have been tearing them apart ever since.. Why, though, did they not call it out when it happened? Were the victims part of what would be described as the 'groupie' culture, and saw any sort of attention as a playground plus point? Only now do they think they will get a fair hearing for their contributary negligence. We shall see.
In the meantime I just hope no dissapointed girlfriends of mine are looking for retribution.
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