I am not often given to rants, well not publicly anyway.
I was listening to the news on the radio this morning where they were discussing the state of hospitals and how so many beds are blocked by the elderly; the suggestion to solve the problem is easy, keep them in their own homes or community.
These are amongst the most fragile of our community, people who have served their country for years only to find out the golden promise of a caring NHS is to say you are occupying beds required for more important people than you.
Knowing a lot of the elderly, they will take it on the chin, not complain and die like good citizens relieving the country of the burden of paying pensions/winter fuel allowances for them and releasing a few beds for more deserving causes such as those who use the NHS as a fly-in service.
It might have had the reputation of being a caring service, and certainly when it was set up in the post war it was incredibly different to what had gone before, now we are reducing it to less than it was pre-NHS as relatives are working to pay the bills and won't be available when Mum/Dad/Uncle/Aunt have need of them and that is even if they live in the same location.. with house prices going up, sometimes they have to move miles away to get accommodation.
Stop paying the benefits to those people who have just come in, if they can't support themselves for the first year as they do in Australia then we shouldn't be supporting them either... put the money saved to create a first class NHS service which actively seeks to ensure we give a good quality of life from birth to death and don't take short cuts.
Get rid of some of the fat cats in the NHS, bring back real nurses not academic nurses.. I don't disagree that education is needed, but what is needed most is the care and compassion to actively provide care. I didn't see what the problem was with the old SEN/SRN system and having a degree doesn't make you a caring nurse, just an educated one and trust me Mrs Smith who at 87 just needs help to eat her lunch doesn't care if you have a string of qualifications, just that you have time for her.
Go on - tell me I am wrong.. please
Showing posts with label Randomness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Randomness. Show all posts
03 December 2012
31 October 2012
Skyfall
Skyfall is where we start
A thousand miles and poles apart
When worlds collide, and days are dark
You may have my number, you can take my name
But you'll never have my heart
Let the sky fall, when it crumbles
We will stand tall
Face it all together
(C) lyrics by Adele
I went to the cinema last night to see the new James Bond movie Skyfall. My mum used to be a big fan of the films but I could take or leave them; despite my love for Sean Connery.
But then came Daniel Craig, Casino Royale and then Quantum of Solace and now Skyfall.. no more playing for humour he is hard, dark and muscular and human, most important human. You begin to see behind the character to the real James Bond, what drives him and why he is good at what he does. No stiff upper lip for him, he is brutal and tough yet tender at times and the gratuitous sex scenes (Pierce Brosnan, Roger Moore) are few which makes this more up to date.
I loved this new film, came away looking forward to many more opportunities to spend with my new hero, and hoping that he never tires of the role.
Not giving away any of the outcomes of the film, just in case you wondered. If you want to know what happens then you need to go and see it and I may well treat myself to another viewing at some point in time
A thousand miles and poles apart
When worlds collide, and days are dark
You may have my number, you can take my name
But you'll never have my heart
Let the sky fall, when it crumbles
We will stand tall
Face it all together
(C) lyrics by Adele
I went to the cinema last night to see the new James Bond movie Skyfall. My mum used to be a big fan of the films but I could take or leave them; despite my love for Sean Connery.
But then came Daniel Craig, Casino Royale and then Quantum of Solace and now Skyfall.. no more playing for humour he is hard, dark and muscular and human, most important human. You begin to see behind the character to the real James Bond, what drives him and why he is good at what he does. No stiff upper lip for him, he is brutal and tough yet tender at times and the gratuitous sex scenes (Pierce Brosnan, Roger Moore) are few which makes this more up to date.
I loved this new film, came away looking forward to many more opportunities to spend with my new hero, and hoping that he never tires of the role.
Not giving away any of the outcomes of the film, just in case you wondered. If you want to know what happens then you need to go and see it and I may well treat myself to another viewing at some point in time
16 September 2012
What if?
Now...what if MEN got PREGNANT!
~ Maternity leave would last for two years....with full pay.
~There would be a cure for stretch marks.
~Natural childbirth would become obsolete.
~Morning sickness would rank as the nation's #1 health problem.
~All methods of birth control would be 100% effective.
~Children would be kept in the hospital until potty trained.
~Men would be eager to talk about commitment.
~They wouldn't think twins were so cute.
~Briefcases would be used as diaper bags.
~Paternity suits would be a fashion line of clothes.
~They'd stay in bed during the entire pregnancy.
~Restaurants would include ice cream and pickles as main entrees.
~Women would rule the world.
04 September 2012
Using Buses
With limited parking available at work, I am using the park and ride service and some of the more interesting snippets of conversations have me in stitches during the short journey to work.
One particular day, after the hospital drop off where most people get off, sat down in front of me and discussed how they had heard two women talking about how one had no money but had just booked a holiday, brought a car etc... and they were being scathing about her managing her money and what a low level conversation it had been.
I was then treated to a diatribe about how much work they had to do that day, one having to make a site visit which would involve mud and dealing with as they put it 'workmen' in a sarcastic tone.. while the other one commiserated with him.
Which of the conversations would I rather have listed too, neither to be honest... and whilst it is interesting to see how others see the world around them, I wonder whether society has changed so much that only the negative aspects show in people's conversation.
What do you think?
I am going to have longer on the buses from now on, as I am going to enjoy catching a bus from Redruth to Truro thus avoiding using the car for most of the month. I worked out the costings and also times and I will save money by purchasing an annual ticket through the college. It used to take me 20 mins to the park and ride and a further 20 mins + depending on traffic or I can take a bus from Redruth direct to Truro for 35 mins... no contest really and means more kindle time or even knitting time ...
Did I mention I have taken up knitting and set myself a challenge to learn to knit cable... watch this space ...
One particular day, after the hospital drop off where most people get off, sat down in front of me and discussed how they had heard two women talking about how one had no money but had just booked a holiday, brought a car etc... and they were being scathing about her managing her money and what a low level conversation it had been.
I was then treated to a diatribe about how much work they had to do that day, one having to make a site visit which would involve mud and dealing with as they put it 'workmen' in a sarcastic tone.. while the other one commiserated with him.
Which of the conversations would I rather have listed too, neither to be honest... and whilst it is interesting to see how others see the world around them, I wonder whether society has changed so much that only the negative aspects show in people's conversation.
What do you think?
I am going to have longer on the buses from now on, as I am going to enjoy catching a bus from Redruth to Truro thus avoiding using the car for most of the month. I worked out the costings and also times and I will save money by purchasing an annual ticket through the college. It used to take me 20 mins to the park and ride and a further 20 mins + depending on traffic or I can take a bus from Redruth direct to Truro for 35 mins... no contest really and means more kindle time or even knitting time ...
Did I mention I have taken up knitting and set myself a challenge to learn to knit cable... watch this space ...
06 May 2012
Tolerance
I was not surprised to see Usain Bolt being accused of letting his 'side' down by dating a non-black woman in yesterday's papers. Inter-race relationships are frowned upon in nearly every country whether you are black, white, asian, arab, muslim, hindu, sikh or jew (apologies if I have left anyone out) ... the need to 'keep' the lines true come through clearly in some of the quotes in the Bolt article.
But why, surely it is the personality not the colour that is important to the people involved that's who they fall in love with not a checklist of will my friends approve, frankly if your friends don't approve then perhaps they are not really your friends at all!
Tolerance is needed, not intolerance. To fall in love is good, and to find the man/woman of your dreams sublime no matter what race, religion or colour; if you can accept it then so should others not judge you.
Usain, good luck for the olympics
But why, surely it is the personality not the colour that is important to the people involved that's who they fall in love with not a checklist of will my friends approve, frankly if your friends don't approve then perhaps they are not really your friends at all!
Tolerance is needed, not intolerance. To fall in love is good, and to find the man/woman of your dreams sublime no matter what race, religion or colour; if you can accept it then so should others not judge you.
Usain, good luck for the olympics
10 April 2012
The deluge
Yesterday was a deluge from beginning to end... but not a complete waste of time as it allowed me to finish decluttering the study/craft room and finally I have space to use my sewing machine.. hurrah. All my craft stuff bar a few items is now all in one room and in two plastic containers one for materials the other for projects - easy peasy.
I, now, no longer have any excuses not to finish those outstanding tasks which I have to date not finished due to time and machine constraints.. so expect updates on the refitting of curtain liners forthwith.
I managed to declutter some 8 bags of rubbish, it was so lucky that the bin men were due to visit yesterday as that made a huge difference to me and meant that once it was gone it was gone forever and could not be retrieved.
Some of the stuff was temporarily put into the spare room, however this is not the long term home for this and it will be sorted and rehomed as soon as possible as guests are booked in to stay and therefore it needs to be done before they arrive.
Other stuff needs to be put into the garage awaiting someone to pick it up, and others to the recycling points and charity shops.. I even went through my remaining books with a hard head and these will be recycled to the book swaps and charities as I have read them but won't be reading them again.
After another afternoon swim with the pond boys, I left them to dry off while I prepared a red lentil jalfrezi which I had with some naan bread.. and it was lovely, hot and spicy just what I needed after a dry dusty day on my knees which today are sore and aching.
I am still looking for something, without much success although I know I packed it I have no idea of where it might be.. but I have one more cupboard to look through and it can only now be in there so that will be what I am looking for next week while I am on holiday.
The garden didn't make too much progress, after the lovely sunny day on Friday when I managed to dig over a yard of the border and remove about a sack of stones I decided to enjoy the sunshine and read a book while the boys had fun running around. My lettuce leaves are now seedlings, and my lavenders have also taken root while I am just waiting for the sweet peas to produce. I love spring and the idea of growing things don't you?
I, now, no longer have any excuses not to finish those outstanding tasks which I have to date not finished due to time and machine constraints.. so expect updates on the refitting of curtain liners forthwith.
I managed to declutter some 8 bags of rubbish, it was so lucky that the bin men were due to visit yesterday as that made a huge difference to me and meant that once it was gone it was gone forever and could not be retrieved.
Some of the stuff was temporarily put into the spare room, however this is not the long term home for this and it will be sorted and rehomed as soon as possible as guests are booked in to stay and therefore it needs to be done before they arrive.
Other stuff needs to be put into the garage awaiting someone to pick it up, and others to the recycling points and charity shops.. I even went through my remaining books with a hard head and these will be recycled to the book swaps and charities as I have read them but won't be reading them again.
After another afternoon swim with the pond boys, I left them to dry off while I prepared a red lentil jalfrezi which I had with some naan bread.. and it was lovely, hot and spicy just what I needed after a dry dusty day on my knees which today are sore and aching.
I am still looking for something, without much success although I know I packed it I have no idea of where it might be.. but I have one more cupboard to look through and it can only now be in there so that will be what I am looking for next week while I am on holiday.
The garden didn't make too much progress, after the lovely sunny day on Friday when I managed to dig over a yard of the border and remove about a sack of stones I decided to enjoy the sunshine and read a book while the boys had fun running around. My lettuce leaves are now seedlings, and my lavenders have also taken root while I am just waiting for the sweet peas to produce. I love spring and the idea of growing things don't you?
01 September 2011
Engineers Explained
Engineers Explained
People who work in the fields of science and technology are not like other people. This can be frustrating to the non-technical people who have to deal with them. The secret to coping with technology-oriented people is to understand their motivations. This will help to teach you everything you need to know. I learned their customs and mannerisms by observing them, much the way Jane Goodall learned about the great apes, but without the hassle of grooming.
Engineering is so trendy these days that everybody wants to be one. The word "engineer" is greatly overused. If there's somebody in your life who you think is trying to pass as an engineer, give him this test to discern the truth.
ENGINEER IDENTIFICATION TEST
You walk into a room and notice that a picture is hanging crooked. You...
A. Straighten it.
B. Ignore it.
C. Buy a CAD system and spend the next six months designing a solar-powered, self-adjusting picture frame while often stating aloud your belief that the inventor of the nail was a total moron.
The correct answer is "C" but partial credit can be given to anybody who writes "It depends" in the margin of the test or simply blames the whole stupid thing on "Marketing."
SOCIAL SKILLS
Engineers have different objectives when it comes to social interaction.
"Normal" people expect to accomplish several unrealistic things from social interaction:
* Stimulating and thought-provoking conversation
* Important social contacts
* A feeling of connectedness with other humans
In contrast to "normal" people, engineers have rational objectives for social interactions:
* Get it over with as soon as possible.
* Avoid getting invited to something unpleasant.
* Demonstrate mental superiority and mastery of all subjects.
FASCINATION WITH GADGETS
To the engineer, all matter in the universe can be placed into one of two categories:
1. things that need to be fixed
2. things that will need to be fixed after you've had a few minutes to play with them.
Engineers like to solve problems. If there are no problems handily available, they will create their own problems. Normal people don't understand this concept; they believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Engineers believe that if it ain't broke, it doesn't have enough features yet.
No engineer looks at a television remote control without wondering what it would take to turn it into a stun gun. No engineer can take a shower without wondering if some sort of Teflon coating would make showering unnecessary. To the engineer, the world is a toy box full of sub-optimized and feature-poor toys.
FASHION AND APPEARANCE
Clothes are the lowest priority for an engineer, assuming the basic thresholds for temperature and decency have been satisfied. If no appendages are freezing or sticking together, and if no genitalia or mammary glands are swinging around in plain view, then the objective of clothing has been met. Anything else is a waste.
LOVE OF "STAR TREK"
Engineers love all of the "Star Trek" television shows and movies. It's a small wonder, since the engineers on the starship Enterprise are portrayed as heroes, occasionally even having sex with aliens. This is much more glamorous than the real life of an engineer, which consists of hiding from the universe and having sex without the participation of other life forms.
DATING AND SOCIAL LIFE
Dating is never easy for engineers. A normal person will employ various indirect and duplicitous methods to create a false impression of attractiveness. Engineers are incapable of placing appearance above function.
Fortunately, engineers have an ace in the hole. They are widely recognized as superior marriage material: intelligent, dependable, employed, honest, and handy around the house. While it's true that many normal people would prefer not to date an engineer, most normal people harbor an intense desire to mate with them, thus producing engineer-like children who will have high-paying jobs long before losing their virginity.
Male engineers reach their peak of sexual attractiveness later than normal men, becoming irresistible erotic dynamos in their mid thirties to late forties. Just look at these examples of sexually irresistible men in technical professions:
* Bill Gates.
* MacGyver.
* Etcetera.
Female engineers become irresistible at the age of consent and remain that way until about thirty minutes after their clinical death. Longer if it's a warm day.
HONESTY
Engineers are always honest in matters of technology and human relationships. That's why it's a good idea to keep engineers away from customers, romantic interests, and other people who can't handle the truth.
Engineers sometimes bend the truth to avoid work. They say things that sound like lies but technically are not because nobody could be expected to believe them. The complete list of engineer lies is listed below.
* "I won't change anything without asking you first."
* "I'll return your hard-to-find cable tomorrow."
* "I have to have new equipment to do my job."
* "I'm not jealous of your new computer."
FRUGALITY
Engineers are notoriously frugal. This is not because of cheapness or mean spirit; it is simply because every spending situation is simply a problem in optimization, that is, "How can I escape this situation while retaining the greatest amount of cash?"
POWERS OF CONCENTRATION
If there is one trait that best defines an engineer it is the ability to concentrate on one subject to the complete exclusion of everything else in the environment. This sometimes causes engineers to be pronounced dead prematurely. Some funeral homes in high-tech areas have started checking resumes before processing the bodies. Anybody with a degree in electrical engineering or experience in computer programming is propped up in the lounge for a few days just to see if he or she snaps out of it.
RISK
Engineers hate risk. They try to eliminate it whenever they can. This is understandable, given that when an engineer makes one little mistake, the media will treat it like it's a big deal or something.
EXAMPLES OF BAD PRESS FOR ENGINEERS
* Hindenberg.
* Space Shuttle Challenger.
* SPANet(tm)
* Hubble space telescope.
* Apollo 13.
* Titanic.
* Ford Pinto.
* Corvair.
The risk/reward calculation for engineers looks something like this:
RISK: Public humiliation and the death of thousands of innocent people.
REWARD: A certificate of appreciation in a handsome plastic frame.
Being practical people, engineers evaluate this balance of risks and rewards and decide that risk is not a good thing. The best way to avoid risk is by advising that any activity is technically impossible for reasons that are far too complicated to explain.
If that approach is not sufficient to halt a project, then the engineer will fall back to a second line of defense: "It's technically possible but it will cost too much."
EGO
Ego-wise, two things are important to engineers:
* How smart they are.
* How many cool devices they own.
The fastest way to get an engineer to solve a problem is to declare that the problem is unsolvable. No engineer can walk away from an unsolvable problem until it's solved. No illness or distraction is sufficient to get the engineer off the case. These types of challenges quickly become personal -- a battle between the engineer and the laws of nature.
Engineers will go without food and hygiene for days to solve a problem. (Other times just because they forgot.) And when they succeed in solving the problem they will experience an ego rush that is better than sex--and I'm including the kind of sex where other people are involved.
Nothing is more threatening to the engineer than the suggestion that somebody has more technical skill. Normal people sometimes use that knowledge as a lever to extract more work from the engineer. When an engineer says that something can't be done (a code phrase that means it's not fun to do), some clever normal people have learned to glance at the engineer with a look of compassion and pity and say something along these lines: "I'll ask Bob to figure it out. He knows how to solve difficult technical problems."
At that point it is a good idea for the normal person to not stand between the engineer and the problem. The engineer will set upon the problem like a starved Chihuahua on a pork chop
People who work in the fields of science and technology are not like other people. This can be frustrating to the non-technical people who have to deal with them. The secret to coping with technology-oriented people is to understand their motivations. This will help to teach you everything you need to know. I learned their customs and mannerisms by observing them, much the way Jane Goodall learned about the great apes, but without the hassle of grooming.
Engineering is so trendy these days that everybody wants to be one. The word "engineer" is greatly overused. If there's somebody in your life who you think is trying to pass as an engineer, give him this test to discern the truth.
ENGINEER IDENTIFICATION TEST
You walk into a room and notice that a picture is hanging crooked. You...
A. Straighten it.
B. Ignore it.
C. Buy a CAD system and spend the next six months designing a solar-powered, self-adjusting picture frame while often stating aloud your belief that the inventor of the nail was a total moron.
The correct answer is "C" but partial credit can be given to anybody who writes "It depends" in the margin of the test or simply blames the whole stupid thing on "Marketing."
SOCIAL SKILLS
Engineers have different objectives when it comes to social interaction.
"Normal" people expect to accomplish several unrealistic things from social interaction:
* Stimulating and thought-provoking conversation
* Important social contacts
* A feeling of connectedness with other humans
In contrast to "normal" people, engineers have rational objectives for social interactions:
* Get it over with as soon as possible.
* Avoid getting invited to something unpleasant.
* Demonstrate mental superiority and mastery of all subjects.
FASCINATION WITH GADGETS
To the engineer, all matter in the universe can be placed into one of two categories:
1. things that need to be fixed
2. things that will need to be fixed after you've had a few minutes to play with them.
Engineers like to solve problems. If there are no problems handily available, they will create their own problems. Normal people don't understand this concept; they believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Engineers believe that if it ain't broke, it doesn't have enough features yet.
No engineer looks at a television remote control without wondering what it would take to turn it into a stun gun. No engineer can take a shower without wondering if some sort of Teflon coating would make showering unnecessary. To the engineer, the world is a toy box full of sub-optimized and feature-poor toys.
FASHION AND APPEARANCE
Clothes are the lowest priority for an engineer, assuming the basic thresholds for temperature and decency have been satisfied. If no appendages are freezing or sticking together, and if no genitalia or mammary glands are swinging around in plain view, then the objective of clothing has been met. Anything else is a waste.
LOVE OF "STAR TREK"
Engineers love all of the "Star Trek" television shows and movies. It's a small wonder, since the engineers on the starship Enterprise are portrayed as heroes, occasionally even having sex with aliens. This is much more glamorous than the real life of an engineer, which consists of hiding from the universe and having sex without the participation of other life forms.
DATING AND SOCIAL LIFE
Dating is never easy for engineers. A normal person will employ various indirect and duplicitous methods to create a false impression of attractiveness. Engineers are incapable of placing appearance above function.
Fortunately, engineers have an ace in the hole. They are widely recognized as superior marriage material: intelligent, dependable, employed, honest, and handy around the house. While it's true that many normal people would prefer not to date an engineer, most normal people harbor an intense desire to mate with them, thus producing engineer-like children who will have high-paying jobs long before losing their virginity.
Male engineers reach their peak of sexual attractiveness later than normal men, becoming irresistible erotic dynamos in their mid thirties to late forties. Just look at these examples of sexually irresistible men in technical professions:
* Bill Gates.
* MacGyver.
* Etcetera.
Female engineers become irresistible at the age of consent and remain that way until about thirty minutes after their clinical death. Longer if it's a warm day.
HONESTY
Engineers are always honest in matters of technology and human relationships. That's why it's a good idea to keep engineers away from customers, romantic interests, and other people who can't handle the truth.
Engineers sometimes bend the truth to avoid work. They say things that sound like lies but technically are not because nobody could be expected to believe them. The complete list of engineer lies is listed below.
* "I won't change anything without asking you first."
* "I'll return your hard-to-find cable tomorrow."
* "I have to have new equipment to do my job."
* "I'm not jealous of your new computer."
FRUGALITY
Engineers are notoriously frugal. This is not because of cheapness or mean spirit; it is simply because every spending situation is simply a problem in optimization, that is, "How can I escape this situation while retaining the greatest amount of cash?"
POWERS OF CONCENTRATION
If there is one trait that best defines an engineer it is the ability to concentrate on one subject to the complete exclusion of everything else in the environment. This sometimes causes engineers to be pronounced dead prematurely. Some funeral homes in high-tech areas have started checking resumes before processing the bodies. Anybody with a degree in electrical engineering or experience in computer programming is propped up in the lounge for a few days just to see if he or she snaps out of it.
RISK
Engineers hate risk. They try to eliminate it whenever they can. This is understandable, given that when an engineer makes one little mistake, the media will treat it like it's a big deal or something.
EXAMPLES OF BAD PRESS FOR ENGINEERS
* Hindenberg.
* Space Shuttle Challenger.
* SPANet(tm)
* Hubble space telescope.
* Apollo 13.
* Titanic.
* Ford Pinto.
* Corvair.
The risk/reward calculation for engineers looks something like this:
RISK: Public humiliation and the death of thousands of innocent people.
REWARD: A certificate of appreciation in a handsome plastic frame.
Being practical people, engineers evaluate this balance of risks and rewards and decide that risk is not a good thing. The best way to avoid risk is by advising that any activity is technically impossible for reasons that are far too complicated to explain.
If that approach is not sufficient to halt a project, then the engineer will fall back to a second line of defense: "It's technically possible but it will cost too much."
EGO
Ego-wise, two things are important to engineers:
* How smart they are.
* How many cool devices they own.
The fastest way to get an engineer to solve a problem is to declare that the problem is unsolvable. No engineer can walk away from an unsolvable problem until it's solved. No illness or distraction is sufficient to get the engineer off the case. These types of challenges quickly become personal -- a battle between the engineer and the laws of nature.
Engineers will go without food and hygiene for days to solve a problem. (Other times just because they forgot.) And when they succeed in solving the problem they will experience an ego rush that is better than sex--and I'm including the kind of sex where other people are involved.
Nothing is more threatening to the engineer than the suggestion that somebody has more technical skill. Normal people sometimes use that knowledge as a lever to extract more work from the engineer. When an engineer says that something can't be done (a code phrase that means it's not fun to do), some clever normal people have learned to glance at the engineer with a look of compassion and pity and say something along these lines: "I'll ask Bob to figure it out. He knows how to solve difficult technical problems."
At that point it is a good idea for the normal person to not stand between the engineer and the problem. The engineer will set upon the problem like a starved Chihuahua on a pork chop
26 August 2011
Arghhhh
It's Friday, I have been rained on over the last three days incessantly... while walking the dogs.. needless to say they don't care but when you only have a finite amount of time available in the morning and that when two black labs get very wet they take a bit of drying and therefore some things I do in the morning, like breakfast, has to be sacrificed.
It has been not much better when I have got home, they look expectantly at me in the hope that another walk is in the offing, sometimes I take them just across the road and play ball with them until they start to puff... it is very hard to wear Jasper out he is very athletic, but poor Murphy starts to get tired quite quickly as he is more stocky - please note I don't mean fat - they are just different builds.
Still a long weekend lies ahead of me, and next week is going to be a lovely week with some much needed holiday although not as much as I would have hoped.
It has been not much better when I have got home, they look expectantly at me in the hope that another walk is in the offing, sometimes I take them just across the road and play ball with them until they start to puff... it is very hard to wear Jasper out he is very athletic, but poor Murphy starts to get tired quite quickly as he is more stocky - please note I don't mean fat - they are just different builds.
Still a long weekend lies ahead of me, and next week is going to be a lovely week with some much needed holiday although not as much as I would have hoped.
22 August 2011
Stithians
We went to the Stithians Steam Rally yesterday, blessed with blue skies, sunshine and any amount of steam engines, lorries, cars you could think of. My personal favourites were the minatures, the love and attention these were getting from their owners had to be seen to be believed and one even had a minature organ attached to it. As soon as I download the pictures from the camera I will put them up.
We decided to leave the pond boys at home, but there were plenty of other dogs there and I think they would have enjoyed it so next year they are going to go to.
I don't think we saw half of what was actually there, and some of the displays we missed because we were watching the parade of tractors.. yep you heard correctly tractors such as john deere, massey ferguson and some much older ones than yours truly. We originally went to the ring to watch the vintage motorcycles, but they were running behind schedule.
My back was well and truly aching by the time we left to go home after 6 hours walking around the show ground and that was on top of me having taken the dogs for a run in the morning so I didn't fancy doing much last night.
Next weekend sees the start of SOH and the football refereeing season.. deep joy. Still I checked our fantasy football teams after the first week and he was 11 points ahead of me... this week tells a different story
Sage : 51 points, position 114248
SOH : 50 points, position 115480
I don't think we will be challenging for the top prize, but we have a £5 stake on which team comes top..
We decided to leave the pond boys at home, but there were plenty of other dogs there and I think they would have enjoyed it so next year they are going to go to.
I don't think we saw half of what was actually there, and some of the displays we missed because we were watching the parade of tractors.. yep you heard correctly tractors such as john deere, massey ferguson and some much older ones than yours truly. We originally went to the ring to watch the vintage motorcycles, but they were running behind schedule.
My back was well and truly aching by the time we left to go home after 6 hours walking around the show ground and that was on top of me having taken the dogs for a run in the morning so I didn't fancy doing much last night.
Next weekend sees the start of SOH and the football refereeing season.. deep joy. Still I checked our fantasy football teams after the first week and he was 11 points ahead of me... this week tells a different story
Sage : 51 points, position 114248
SOH : 50 points, position 115480
I don't think we will be challenging for the top prize, but we have a £5 stake on which team comes top..
09 August 2011
Monday Dawns
Sigh.. another weekend done, and little to show for it..
Still I got two lots of washing dry and ironed and that has to count for something.
I have had a chance to walk the dogs without getting drizzled on and we had a walk over the fields which is a pleasure.
The new camera is working well, just need to fathom how to get the pictures onto the PC so I can load them on here.
Busy week at work for me this week, I have five full days of work - yes I might even have some money for a holiday in October this year ;-)
Still I got two lots of washing dry and ironed and that has to count for something.
I have had a chance to walk the dogs without getting drizzled on and we had a walk over the fields which is a pleasure.
The new camera is working well, just need to fathom how to get the pictures onto the PC so I can load them on here.
Busy week at work for me this week, I have five full days of work - yes I might even have some money for a holiday in October this year ;-)
02 August 2011
22 July 2011
One of my days and delights
I have pleasure each day in my work, as my work takes me to different places. Yesterday was one such day.
I spent a couple of hours in Truro, the sun shone as I wrote up a couple of portfolios while sipping a hot chocolate.
Later that morning I had to drive to Mylor Bridge, a road which is bendy and twisty, but also sunny and shady in parts.. but the best part of going there is that there is a roadside stall with an honesty box and since March I have been visiting there and collecting some flowers. First there was daffodils, and later I have had cornflowers and carnations.. there were some sweet peas yesterday but my heart was one by the very dark purple carnations and some white ones for contrast.
I also paid up for some runner beans (mine aren't quite ready yet), some home grown potatoes and I was tempted by a lettuce. Sadly my way won't be wandering down that way again so I will be looking for a new roadside stall.
My last appointment was to Falmouth, it coincides with the end of school so not one of my favourites but on route I took a different path and followed a road (well more of a track really with tall grass up the middle) back to Tre Agan and arrived home some 9 hours after leaving it. A welcome drink and even warmer welcome from the two black boys made my day all the more special especially when my tea was cooked for me which was a rare but much appreciated by me and allowed me to have a refreshing shower before relaxing at the end of my day.
I spent a couple of hours in Truro, the sun shone as I wrote up a couple of portfolios while sipping a hot chocolate.
Later that morning I had to drive to Mylor Bridge, a road which is bendy and twisty, but also sunny and shady in parts.. but the best part of going there is that there is a roadside stall with an honesty box and since March I have been visiting there and collecting some flowers. First there was daffodils, and later I have had cornflowers and carnations.. there were some sweet peas yesterday but my heart was one by the very dark purple carnations and some white ones for contrast.
I also paid up for some runner beans (mine aren't quite ready yet), some home grown potatoes and I was tempted by a lettuce. Sadly my way won't be wandering down that way again so I will be looking for a new roadside stall.
My last appointment was to Falmouth, it coincides with the end of school so not one of my favourites but on route I took a different path and followed a road (well more of a track really with tall grass up the middle) back to Tre Agan and arrived home some 9 hours after leaving it. A welcome drink and even warmer welcome from the two black boys made my day all the more special especially when my tea was cooked for me which was a rare but much appreciated by me and allowed me to have a refreshing shower before relaxing at the end of my day.
08 June 2011
Royal Cornwall Show
Organised and planned teaching bookings in order to go to the Royal Cornwall show at Wadebridge, so an early start, dogs walked before they had breakfast and sandwiches done we headed up the A30 to the showground.
I am guessing we were lucky with the date and weather, by luck not coincidence. Apart from one heavy shower, we were blessed with blue skies and sunshine most of the day. A visit to the food tent saw us with new tote bags courtesy of Rodda's Cornish Cream having just launced their new design. It does grow on you, although it is so different from the old branding.
A wine tasting at another stand saw us have a taste of a wine made from the dornburger grape variety and a taste of Cornish Blue cheese, which I actually I liked (and I don't normally go for blue cheeses). I brought a block of beeswax for rethreading something.
We walked around to drop off some information to Pirate FM/Atlantic FM as well as BBC Radio/TV regarding a trip Darren Heaton is doing from the Shetland Isles to the Isles of Scilly in aid of the Colonel's fund. We hope to do some escorting while he is in Cornwall, which will be about the 28th June all being well.
After that, we saw some dog judging, lots of lovely black labradors out and about yesterday. Then across to the sheep, the pigs, the cows, rare breeds etc before looking at very expensive recreational vehicles including bikes, cars, mobile homes and various parts of machinery.
Finally we stopped for a pint of St Austell's new beer "Trelawney", very nice it was too and accompanied by a set done by the Fisherman's Friends a group from Port Isaac or to those more familiar with Doc Martin, Port Wenn. I even got a CD signed by the lads.
Lastly, we found some steam engines, old and older.. lovely and smelly.. couldn't ask for any better but by now we were getting cold and tired and the boys were waiting at home for us to let them out. We were greeted with great enthusiasm when we arrived home.
I am guessing we were lucky with the date and weather, by luck not coincidence. Apart from one heavy shower, we were blessed with blue skies and sunshine most of the day. A visit to the food tent saw us with new tote bags courtesy of Rodda's Cornish Cream having just launced their new design. It does grow on you, although it is so different from the old branding.
A wine tasting at another stand saw us have a taste of a wine made from the dornburger grape variety and a taste of Cornish Blue cheese, which I actually I liked (and I don't normally go for blue cheeses). I brought a block of beeswax for rethreading something.
We walked around to drop off some information to Pirate FM/Atlantic FM as well as BBC Radio/TV regarding a trip Darren Heaton is doing from the Shetland Isles to the Isles of Scilly in aid of the Colonel's fund. We hope to do some escorting while he is in Cornwall, which will be about the 28th June all being well.
After that, we saw some dog judging, lots of lovely black labradors out and about yesterday. Then across to the sheep, the pigs, the cows, rare breeds etc before looking at very expensive recreational vehicles including bikes, cars, mobile homes and various parts of machinery.
Finally we stopped for a pint of St Austell's new beer "Trelawney", very nice it was too and accompanied by a set done by the Fisherman's Friends a group from Port Isaac or to those more familiar with Doc Martin, Port Wenn. I even got a CD signed by the lads.
Lastly, we found some steam engines, old and older.. lovely and smelly.. couldn't ask for any better but by now we were getting cold and tired and the boys were waiting at home for us to let them out. We were greeted with great enthusiasm when we arrived home.
18 May 2011
Mid Week Musings
Here we are on Wednesday, where does the week go? Well a couple of long days and then my last appointment of the weekday was this morning in not so sunny Penryn. The two other appointments this week are on Saturday morning in Truro so I am hoping that there will be some parking left for me.
I have some admin to do prior to the course I am running on Friday, and a lesson plan to prepare. I have a scheme of work so half the work is already done. This means a lot to me and I really want the session to go well so keep your fingers crossed.
Once home, it was get on with some baking, another madeira sponge cake to be filled with buttercream and jam, a madeira marble tray bake for lunchboxes, and a refridgerator chocolate biscuit cake for those naughty moments when nothing else but something sweet will do.
Just the ironing left to do, but that can wait until tomorrow. The chicken for dinner is gently roasting in the oven and will be served with some jersey royal potatoes and vegetables before we watch the second half of the Pirates v Worcester rugby match which the Pirates need to win by a minimum of 10 points if they are to keep Worcester out of the premier league. A toast to you brave lads in red and black we will be cheering you on tonight.
I have some admin to do prior to the course I am running on Friday, and a lesson plan to prepare. I have a scheme of work so half the work is already done. This means a lot to me and I really want the session to go well so keep your fingers crossed.
Once home, it was get on with some baking, another madeira sponge cake to be filled with buttercream and jam, a madeira marble tray bake for lunchboxes, and a refridgerator chocolate biscuit cake for those naughty moments when nothing else but something sweet will do.
Just the ironing left to do, but that can wait until tomorrow. The chicken for dinner is gently roasting in the oven and will be served with some jersey royal potatoes and vegetables before we watch the second half of the Pirates v Worcester rugby match which the Pirates need to win by a minimum of 10 points if they are to keep Worcester out of the premier league. A toast to you brave lads in red and black we will be cheering you on tonight.
21 March 2011
Happy New (astrological) Year?
March 21st is the common date of the March equinox (although astronomically the equinox is more likely to fall on March 20 in all but the most easterly longitudes). In astrology, the day of the equinox is the first full day of the sign of Aries.
It is also the traditional first day of the astrological year.
March 21 is the 80th day of the year (81st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 285 days remaining until the end of the year. Yippee only another 279 Days until Christmas.. lol
It is also the traditional first day of the astrological year.
March 21 is the 80th day of the year (81st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 285 days remaining until the end of the year. Yippee only another 279 Days until Christmas.. lol
11 March 2011
Ever Wondered about the expression : Brass Monkeys?
It was necessary to keep a good supply of cannon balls near the cannon on old war ships. The problems was how to prevent them from rolling about the deck was the problem. The storage method devised was to tack them as a square based pyramid, with one ball on top, resting on four, resting on nine, which rested on sixteen.
Thus, a supply of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area right next to the cannon. There was only one problem -- how to prevent the bottom layer from sliding or rolling from under the others.The solution was a metal plate with 16 round indentations, called, for reasons unknown, a Monkey.
If this plate were made of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust to it. The solution to the rusting problem was to make them of brass -hence, Brass Monkeys.
Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much faster than iron when chilled. Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannon balls would come right off the monkey.
Thus, it was quite literally, cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey. And all this time, folks thought that was just a vulgar expression?
Thus, a supply of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area right next to the cannon. There was only one problem -- how to prevent the bottom layer from sliding or rolling from under the others.The solution was a metal plate with 16 round indentations, called, for reasons unknown, a Monkey.
If this plate were made of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust to it. The solution to the rusting problem was to make them of brass -hence, Brass Monkeys.
Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much faster than iron when chilled. Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannon balls would come right off the monkey.
Thus, it was quite literally, cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey. And all this time, folks thought that was just a vulgar expression?
01 February 2011
February - Something interesting
February is interesting, not because it has 28 days, or celebrates St Valentine's Day, or Shrove Tuesday but you have to go back to the Romans to find out the beginnings of where February came from.
The Romans borrowed the first calendar long ago from the Greeks who had a year consisting of 10 months, and 304 days. The other 51 days falling in winter were not considered important as the calendar was supposed to support farming activities. Thus the annual calendar ran from March till December (Can I campaign for it to be reactivated as working then would be brilliant).
Approximately 2700 years ago Numa Pompilius, a Roman King added January and February to the calendar. Even then the calendar had only 355 days due to each of the months were taken as a lunar cycle. A new month had to be added to put the back the year on track. So King Numa added a month called Mercedinus or month 11 which lost favour almost as quickly as it had been arrived at.
Then a small problem arose when the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar added a day to the month on his name, called July, totaling 31 days. Later, Augustus Emperor also wanted the month on his name to be increased with 1 day to have 31 days. These two days were removed from the last month of the year, at that time being February, as the calendar was from March to February according to King Numa.
February is the second month in the civil calendar of the Romans, while it is the last month in the religious calendar of Rome.
And there you have the historic beginnings of February.. all I can tell you is the days or rather evenings are getting longer and now hopefully the mornings will start to follow the same pattern.
The Romans borrowed the first calendar long ago from the Greeks who had a year consisting of 10 months, and 304 days. The other 51 days falling in winter were not considered important as the calendar was supposed to support farming activities. Thus the annual calendar ran from March till December (Can I campaign for it to be reactivated as working then would be brilliant).
Approximately 2700 years ago Numa Pompilius, a Roman King added January and February to the calendar. Even then the calendar had only 355 days due to each of the months were taken as a lunar cycle. A new month had to be added to put the back the year on track. So King Numa added a month called Mercedinus or month 11 which lost favour almost as quickly as it had been arrived at.
Then a small problem arose when the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar added a day to the month on his name, called July, totaling 31 days. Later, Augustus Emperor also wanted the month on his name to be increased with 1 day to have 31 days. These two days were removed from the last month of the year, at that time being February, as the calendar was from March to February according to King Numa.
February is the second month in the civil calendar of the Romans, while it is the last month in the religious calendar of Rome.
And there you have the historic beginnings of February.. all I can tell you is the days or rather evenings are getting longer and now hopefully the mornings will start to follow the same pattern.
12 October 2010
Word of the Week : Respect
The word respect comes from the Latin respicere which means look behind. It evokes the idea of judging something regarding what has been done in the past when it is worth being acknowledged.
Not just for other religions, or beliefs, privacy, age, rank, customs and relationships. Respect is important in everyday life, the way we communicate with each other using appropriate language and gestures. It should be done by default without thinking about it, and goes along with manners Ps and Qs.
There are some people who say respect should be earn't; just how can that happen unless we start off with a mutual layer of automatic respect which is then built on?
When respect fails, so does society. I know I am not always right, but I do try to do my best.
Not just for other religions, or beliefs, privacy, age, rank, customs and relationships. Respect is important in everyday life, the way we communicate with each other using appropriate language and gestures. It should be done by default without thinking about it, and goes along with manners Ps and Qs.
There are some people who say respect should be earn't; just how can that happen unless we start off with a mutual layer of automatic respect which is then built on?
When respect fails, so does society. I know I am not always right, but I do try to do my best.
10 June 2010
Lady Godiva & Banbury
Ride a Cock Horse
Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross
To see a fine lady upon a white horse;
With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes,
She shall have music wherever she goes.
During the 11th century, Leofric, the Earl of Mercia, imposed heavy taxes on his countrymen, provoking outrage and near riots. Leofric's wife, Godgifu (changed over time to Godiva), sympathised with the common people and urged her husband to lower the new taxes he had levied. Now, Leofric was obviously a man with a sense of humour because he told his wife he would lower taxes only after she had ridden naked through the streets of Banbury. Leofric hadn't reckoned upon Godiva's spirit and, much to his surprise, she agreed to the challenge. The delighted people as a show of respect and to spare her blushes, all agreed to stay indoors, close their shutters and face the other way as the lady passed by.
She rode through the streets on her beloved white horse, completely naked apart from her wedding ring (rings on her fingers), and with bells attached to her toes to remind the people not to look out of their windows. All the citizens kept their word, except for Tom the tailor, who couldn't help himself and peeped out through the shutters - hence the expression the expression 'Peeping Tom'.
An old friend (now no longer) lived about half way to Banbury and decided to meet there for a coffee and a natter. I asked Dad what he would like to be brought back and he said a Banbury cake for his tea, I agreed but after eventually finding parking and meeting up with M we covered the main shopping areas of Banbury in about 15 mins; actually I think it was more like 10 mins and no Banbury cakes could we find.
Now I don't know whether it was because we didn't know the town well enough, or simply that there were none that day (or any other) but Banbury seemed such a town with history and yet was almost soulless in it's grey existence. Needless to say we never met there again, preferring instead to meet at Stratford on Avon despite it's 70 miles away from my house and only 20 from M's; some things cannot simply be divided into two equal parts and SoN was a satisfying place to visit.
Does anyone want to chip in with what makes Banbury special in case I missed it?
Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross
To see a fine lady upon a white horse;
With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes,
She shall have music wherever she goes.
During the 11th century, Leofric, the Earl of Mercia, imposed heavy taxes on his countrymen, provoking outrage and near riots. Leofric's wife, Godgifu (changed over time to Godiva), sympathised with the common people and urged her husband to lower the new taxes he had levied. Now, Leofric was obviously a man with a sense of humour because he told his wife he would lower taxes only after she had ridden naked through the streets of Banbury. Leofric hadn't reckoned upon Godiva's spirit and, much to his surprise, she agreed to the challenge. The delighted people as a show of respect and to spare her blushes, all agreed to stay indoors, close their shutters and face the other way as the lady passed by.
She rode through the streets on her beloved white horse, completely naked apart from her wedding ring (rings on her fingers), and with bells attached to her toes to remind the people not to look out of their windows. All the citizens kept their word, except for Tom the tailor, who couldn't help himself and peeped out through the shutters - hence the expression the expression 'Peeping Tom'.
An old friend (now no longer) lived about half way to Banbury and decided to meet there for a coffee and a natter. I asked Dad what he would like to be brought back and he said a Banbury cake for his tea, I agreed but after eventually finding parking and meeting up with M we covered the main shopping areas of Banbury in about 15 mins; actually I think it was more like 10 mins and no Banbury cakes could we find.
Now I don't know whether it was because we didn't know the town well enough, or simply that there were none that day (or any other) but Banbury seemed such a town with history and yet was almost soulless in it's grey existence. Needless to say we never met there again, preferring instead to meet at Stratford on Avon despite it's 70 miles away from my house and only 20 from M's; some things cannot simply be divided into two equal parts and SoN was a satisfying place to visit.
Does anyone want to chip in with what makes Banbury special in case I missed it?
02 June 2010
Progress
I think I am making headway with BT, I now have an order number but it looks as though I am not going to be connected to the broadband until at least 16th June.
Does someone want to explain the delay to me?
After all, if BT can write to the previous occupants of the house using the correct postcode, why can't their system find it on their network of exchanges and cables?
Answers on a comment :-)
Did a bit more tidying at the weekend, enjoyed a day sorting and moving things around to make room for the bikes to go into the garage, definitely smaller than the last garage and space is going to be at a premium; thank goodness for a pitched roof that we can utilise for storage.
Found some things I packed sometime last Summer, just in time for this Summer, and joy we have had the Sky installed; free HD box and installation so not a bad deal and neither of us go out to the cinema much so the costs per month would equate to one evening out and we get the sports channel as well as movies so I have managed to watch the Guiness Premiership Rugby final - I was so hoping that Saracens would win but no Leicester Tigers managed to get a last minute try and take the trophy.
SOH watched the Formula 1 Grand Prix, while I pottered around. Don't enjoy motor racing much at all really, but really enjoyed the Renault World Series at Silverstone.. strange perhaps being there makes a difference.
The DVD recorder finally went back to Comet, after 5 months and two repairs it was returned as unfit for purpose and swapped out for a Panasonic of a similar size and nature. Perhaps we were unlucky, I don't know, but it would put me off a Samsung in future.
Today I am back to work, yesterday I was blessed with mist and grey skies up until evening and today we have blue skies and sunshine.. go figure!
Does someone want to explain the delay to me?
After all, if BT can write to the previous occupants of the house using the correct postcode, why can't their system find it on their network of exchanges and cables?
Answers on a comment :-)
Did a bit more tidying at the weekend, enjoyed a day sorting and moving things around to make room for the bikes to go into the garage, definitely smaller than the last garage and space is going to be at a premium; thank goodness for a pitched roof that we can utilise for storage.
Found some things I packed sometime last Summer, just in time for this Summer, and joy we have had the Sky installed; free HD box and installation so not a bad deal and neither of us go out to the cinema much so the costs per month would equate to one evening out and we get the sports channel as well as movies so I have managed to watch the Guiness Premiership Rugby final - I was so hoping that Saracens would win but no Leicester Tigers managed to get a last minute try and take the trophy.
SOH watched the Formula 1 Grand Prix, while I pottered around. Don't enjoy motor racing much at all really, but really enjoyed the Renault World Series at Silverstone.. strange perhaps being there makes a difference.
The DVD recorder finally went back to Comet, after 5 months and two repairs it was returned as unfit for purpose and swapped out for a Panasonic of a similar size and nature. Perhaps we were unlucky, I don't know, but it would put me off a Samsung in future.
Today I am back to work, yesterday I was blessed with mist and grey skies up until evening and today we have blue skies and sunshine.. go figure!
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