An Interesting view of the World?

This guy has an interesting view on why it is all going wrong!

Americanised, but equally applicable here in UK.

July 21st - July 22nd 2010

During our recent Campervan trip to Germany, we became aware of a little known (to us Brits), German tradition of watching a short British comedy sketch every New Years Eve.

The sketch is called "Dinner for One".

According to Wikipedia (so it must be true), the original was written by British author Lauri Wylie, and in the 1960's version starred Freddie Frinton and May Warden, as James (the servant) and Lady Sophie.

Quite why this particular sketch has such a cult following, we could not figure out, but the catch phrase "same procedure as last year, same procedure as every year", seemed to be known to every German we met.

See it below, see if you can figure out why they love it:




See Wikipedia information and there is even a BBC explanation.
         

July 11th - July 20th 2010

Back home again after 13 weeks roaming Europe in the Campervan.

It always take a while to settle back into the swing of things, not least because there are 13 weeks of mail to go through, 13 weeks of jobs in the garden to catch up with, plus things like taking the car to be serviced, taking the campervan to be serviced and MOT'd, and so on and so on...

The net result is, I have not been keeping either the Campervan blog, or this one uptodate. Ten days have slipped by.

Have you noticed, if you use "I have not had time" as an excuse, and then someone asks you "so what have you been doing", you cannot answer?

I will have to skip whole days, since I cannot recall anything to report.

The weather has been poor, or to be more precise the weather forcaste has been poor. Day after day it has been forecast to rain, causing you to hesitate to plan anything outdoors, but the rain has not materialised. Until last night that is when we had a real downpour.

Friday last, Kathleen was back into the routine of looking after Daniel for the day. But a double booking with Emily's hospital appointment caused a problem. I came to the rescue and took him to the Marine Park for most of the day. He was rather timid at first, but by the end of the session he was comming down the banana slide headfirst, so no real problem there.

This used to be a favourite venue when my children were small, it has not changed much, even although some 30 years have passed. It has been refurbished in that time of course, but the council have done a good job and kept it very much as it was. If it is not broken, why fix it?

What was a big disappointment were the chips at Coleman's Fish and Chip shop in Ocean Road. These used to be magnificent as I recall, but on Friday they were the usual anaemic excuse for chips you get everywhere else these days. I blame all of this healthy vegetable oil and so on, bring back beef dripping, or whatever it was we used to fry chips in!

Wednesday, I shake myself into action to go cycling, despite the fact I have a summer cold. 

I do one of my regular routes, first to Whitburn, then along the coast to South Shields, past the ferry, to Tyne Dock, then back to Boldon via the old Sunderland / South Shields railway track, now a footpath/cycle track.

If you know it, you can see the coast changes very little, true Marsden Rock has crashed into the sea due to erosion, but otherwise, things are pretty much as they always were.

As I came through Colliery Wood (Boldon Colliery), on the way back, I actually saw a fox, I was too slow to get a picture I am afraid.

A few times during the ride, the sky darkened, and it looked as if I may get a soaking, but no, managed to do the whole 19 miles without getting wet.  

Tuesday 6th April 2010

I have been quiet of late, not much to say, I suppose.

Had what is probably my last visit to Martin's allotment today, prior to our three month escape to the sunshine and warmth (we hope). About two thirds is now "turned over", and I have taken careful measurements of how much remains to be done, so that I can check he has been digging and not talking in my absence.

It all looks like we know what we are doing, amazingly, although there is still no sign of anything growing except weeds.

A bit late for 1st April, but still funny (if you are not paying for it!)

Make sure you have taken your blood pressure pills before following this link, to where your money goes.

Low Flying Exploits

Sunday 21st March 2010

St Clare's Hospice Sponsored Walk

Kathleen, Maria and Joan have agreed to do a ten mile sponsored walk in aid of St Clare's Hospice.

The walk is to begin at the Robin Hood Pub, (Primrose Hill, Jarrow) where we all meet bright and early at 09:45am, it is dry and the sun is promising to shine.

After collecting their "walking pack" (safety guidance, route directions, water, chocolate bar), Kathleen reorganises the content of her "walking pack" into her back pack. The safety guidance and route directions are discarded, McCaffery's know best. The chocolate bar she keeps in order to stop me from eating it.

The immediate concern is who they might know among the crowd of people gathered outside the pub, ready to begin the walk.

Kathleen immediately spots a work colleague (Sharon) from some 15 years or so ago. A gossip session begins, to catch up on the events of the past 15 years. First introductions are made to Joan and Maria. Joan soon forgets Sharon's name and needs to be reminded, easily done, but I cannot resist acting out the advert which seems to be on the radio every five minutes at the present "Hello, I am Joan and I sometimes forget things and get confused. Be patient with me, I have dementia, but I also have  a life", so we are patient with her.   

The Marshals begin attempting to organise the group and eventually get them started at about 10:20. I am not part of the walk, so I limit myself to driving to various points along the route and taking photographs.

They cross the road, and go through the bridge under the A194, up the hill, into Hedworth Lane, turn left into Kirkstone Avenue and continue to the footbridge over the A19.

Turn right and follow the footpath parallel to the A19, going under the railway bridge and then turn immediately left to follow the path parallel to the railway line and behind the houses, on the edge of Cotswolds Estate, onto Station Road.

Cross the road and go through a metal kissing gate, follow the tarmac path which follows the stream. Pass the first footbridge (which leads to Brockley Whins Metro Station), and cross the stream at the second footbridge, turn immediately right up the slope and go along the grass path. Follow the path round to the left until the trees end, cross over on to the next path, and into Colliery Wood.

Take the path on the left, follow this along until it curves round onto a wooden boardwalk over a ditch Follow the track alongside the school playing fields to New Road. Cross New Road to Boldon Community Centre. It is necessary to stop here and do a name check because there was so much talking and so little attention paid to the Marshals at the start of the walk, the head count is a bit uncertain (sound familiar?). The Community Centre has "facilities" as well of course and this is an opportunity for the pensioners on the walk, and those who have not had a little "nip and tuck" in that department, to make a quick toilet stop.

After the community centre they return to New Road, turn right toward Cleadon, past the traffic lights.

Turn left at the mini roundabout, into Benton Road, and follow the footpath, over the railway crossing. Continue after the railway crossing, and take the first turn on the right at the beginning of the houses. The clouds have cleared and the sun is shining on the righteous, so coats have been unbuttoned.

Continue to the junction with another footpath, and turn left. Everyone is into it by now, and all kinds of little conversations are in full flow. The group is predominantly women, so they are busily swapping full life histories and medical details, with total strangers, as only women can. There are a few men in the group, one of them says he has only been walking for 2 years, since he is middle aged, we conclude he must be a late developer. He may have started late, but he is enthusiastic and is booked on a walking holiday which will take him up Everest, in the Himalayas. Joan is confused with this and we cannot understand why until she explains that she thought Everest and Kilimanjaro were just two different names for thesame place. We correct her Geography and all is clear. It is after all an easy mistake to make, they are only in different continents, Africa, Asia same difference. Remember the advert, be patient with her.

They continue along this straight and level path (the route of the old Sunderland - South Shields railway line), past such high lights as the "Whiteleas Club", under the John Ried Road, until Green Lane is reached. The effort is beginning to show now, still looking like three sprightly young girls, but coats and hats are off.

Here they turn left and walk along Green Lane, up and over a railway bridge, passing "The Bridge" pub, and into Wenlock Road. Along Wenlock Road, past Simonside Metro Station to Newcastle Road. Left into Newcastle Road and head toward Tesco, but no shopping today ladies. More old friendships are rekindled when Kathleen recognises an old neighbour from her time living at Hill Park. At the traffic lights, turn right, crossing the road, into Shaftsbury Avenue. Follow the road and then turn right into Monksway, under the Metro bridge and past the Barbour Factory, now turn left into Bedesway. Follow this to Jarrow Road. At the traffic lights, cross the road and head toward Bede's World.

A bit of artistic licence from me, I take a quick shot of St Paul's Church (of Venerable Bede fame) while I am waiting for them to appear. This is now a C of E church, but as Dana once pointed out to me, it must once have been a Catholic Church, before Henry VIII stole it from them.

Follow the road to Church Bank, now take the tarmac path alongside the bus stop, opposite St Paul's Church.

Even more layers of clothing have been shed, this might get interesting.

Follow the path to the large mosaic incorporated in the tarmac, then follow the river and under the dual carriageway until the A19 is reached.

Turn left, under the Metro bridge, then turn left and first right to follow the path under the A19. Continue along the path, with Jarrow Cemetery on your left, until you reach Cemetery Road.

Cross the road, turn right, and then left to follow a tarmac path which follows the river, to a footbridge, turn left over the footbridge. Continue to the next footbridge, cross the bridge and follow the river past Primrose Nature Reserve.

The end is comfortably in sight now and they are sticking together as a team. 

But in the final analysis, the sisterly bond breaks down and Maria cannot resist making a final sprint, to finish ahead of the pack, and be first into the toilet at the "Robin Hood".

We retire to the pub, where the manager has kindly provided complementary pie and peas for all. We buy some drinks and eat our pie and peas at the outside tables in the sunshine. They have been with this group for over three hours now, but still they are spotting long forgotten acquaintances, including "Mrs Black", one time teacher of Dana.

A good time was had by all.

Later in the day, everyone collects at Albert's house, as is their habit on a Sunday evening. Dana provides superb cakes. Nothing gluten free for Phil however, so he must content himslef with eating the icing only. Joan, Maria and Kathleen break into song with "100 miles, 100 miles". A slight exaggeration, but as they extract their sponsor money from the willing donors, they have raised several hundred pounds for St Clare's Hospice, so, very well done.

  
Election Poster

Tuesday 16th March 2010

A very mild day at 10C, but cloudy.

The milder weather is clearly bringing the allotment holders out, today the place was a hive of activity with bonefires and rotovators going all over the place.

I renewed the fight against the brambles.

Yesterday I was beginning to think I would never get through the tangle of thorny stems, but today, refreshed, I eventually got the better of them! I should have had a before photograph, but as you can see here, the fence is repaired and not a blackberry bush in sight.

I have even cleared all of the rubbish from behind the shed, there was a mini mountain of rubbish and some old window frames in among the undergrowth. The fence is re-erected. We are running a bit short on decent wooden planks now. I have utilised some of the large black plastic "things" which were being used to cover the ground to suppress the weeds. Since we are progressing steadily with the "turning over", there is no longer a need for so many covering sheets.

There is still a bit of clearing up to do, and a bit more clearing of brambles to prevent them from just growing back again. But after yesterdays defeatist thoughts I feel like I am winning.

Monday 15th March 2010

Started to repair the fence and cut down brambles around the remnants of the greenhouse. To call it a greenhouse is somewhat misleading, it is an aluminium frame with a few panes of glass remaining. It is also almost totally overgrown with brambles.

I should really have taken a "before" photograph.

Armed with a pair of secateurs I attacked the brambles with enthusiasm. Despite removing enough to make two heaps at least a meter high, it is still an overgrown jungle. I think I have underestimated the size of this task.

More complements from passing fellow allotment holders, on our progress, so this bouys up the spirits.

The following video (I am told) lasts for three hours! I have not watched it all myself yet, but I am told it provides an idiots guide to Economics. So if there is nothing on TV, it may amuse and even educate.