Miscellaneous 05/25/2010
This is another one of those blogs which could fit into more than one category; so, as was the case last time, I've opted for 'Miscellaneous'. Evidently, during my absense, the UK has been experiencing a spell of warm weather. Good for them - but, I doubt if it will have been as warm as it has been here, today - nearly 100 degrees (in old money) apparently. Great weather for doing nothing - but, not too comfortable for the likes of golf, for example. Not long after arriving, on Friday, Lloyd kitted me out with a half-set of clubs and took me to the practice ground at his golf club. That seemed to work OK; so, yesterday, we met up with some friends of his and I managed nine holes without too much trouble. Not bad after eighteen months away from the game, I thought. What's more, I completed the game using the same ball with which I had started!! Last night, we went to his local bar - where, amongst several others, I met the owner. Evidently, he's a keen golfer and we arranged to meet up for a game this afternoon. However, as I mentioned earlier, it's very hot; so, I chickened out - electing to walk to the Post Office which is on the other side of town. On the way, I saw this sign - which amused me.....  Having enjoyed the walk to the Post Office, in a rather ill-judged display of bravado, I decided to take the scenic (but, lengthy) way back to the town - and, in so doing, arrived back at Lloyd's place soaked to the skin in sweat and absolutely knackered. Hopefully, the hot bath I've just had will help ease the pain. Add Comment Miscellaneous 05/23/2010
Before starting a blog, I decide which category (see right) it should be put into. Today, however, what I'm about to report could be described as a stroll down 'Memory Lane' as well as being a 'Ramble' during 'Retirement'. So, the obvious solution is to put it in 'Miscellaneous'........ Although getting about isn't normally too much of a problem, negotiating airports is a challenge for my wife; so, when I booked our flight to and from the USA, I requested wheelchair assistance. Not surprisingly, the Virgin Atlantic staff providing that service at Heathrow were commendable. Sadly, however, and not for the first time in my own experience, what we encountered at JFK was awful. As far as I could tell, there were only two men assigned to push at least five wheelchairs from our aircraft into the terminal. As a consequence, the chap looking after my wife was trying to push somebody else's wheelchair at the same time; so, I ended up pushing her (my wife, not the other person). Heaven knows what someone a little more senile than myself would have done. To add to our problems, it seems that JFK is one of very few airports in the world where a fee is required to get a trolley. Putting aside my natural reluctance to pay for a service I expect to be free, I hadn't any cash because it had been my intention to get US money at the airport - and those facilities were a little further along the line from where we were. The upshot of all this is that I had to 'hook' our bags together (a bit like a train) in order to exit the airport.  Whilst planning our trip, we had decided to take a bus ride rather than a taxi into Manhattan. Hindsight is a wonderful thing - but, had we known how bad the weather would be in New York when we arrived, we would have taken a taxi. Apart from the fact that we got soaked whilst transferring our luggage from the bus to a taxi at Grand Central, it had been so overcast during the journey that we didn't even see the Manhattan skyline (which had been the whole point in taking a bus). Fortunately, however, the view from our bedroom was a lot better on the following morning..........  We were in New York for four days and, in that time - amongst other things, we visited two friends, took a cruise around the island, and attended a Suzanne Vega concert where we saw Lloyd's new Small Ensemble for the first time. We and our guest had been allocated some very nice seats quite close to the stage. However, Lloyd thought that the sound might not be too good for us because we were right underneath one of the amplifiers - but, to be perfectly honest, I thought it was OK. Getting a special mention from Lloyd caught his mother and I off guard a bit - but, so long as he only does it every fifty years, we can live with it.   Miscellaneous 05/04/2010
Get up and go. More observant visitors to this neck of the web (especially the Rambling blog) may have noticed I'm not getting out and about quite as much as I used to. There's no need to dwell of the whys and wherefores, but I've taken steps (get it?) to get back into shape. Miscellaneous 04/28/2010
This is one of the better 'circular' e-mails I've received recently....... See if you can figure out what these words have in common. See if you can figure it out - NO peeking! 1 Banana 2 Dresser 3 Grammar 4 Potato 5 Revive 6 Uneven 7 Assess Give it another try Look at each word carefully. No, it is not that they all have at least 2 double letters. Answer: In all of the words listed, if you take the first letter, place it at the end of the word, and then spell the word backwards, it will be the same word. Did you figure it out? No? Then send it to more people and stump them as well. Then, you'll feel better too. Miscellaneous 04/23/2010
A few days ago, I blogged about some T shirts I ordered from a company from whom I had previously taken advantage of a free offer for some business cards. At the time, I had also ordered a couple of mugs with the logo of my web-site. Shortly after they were delivered, the company sent an e-mail asking if I was satisfied with their service - and this gave me the opportunity to explain that, although impressed by the quality of the product, I was disappointed that the photograph and the text were out of kilter (see below).  Almost immediately, I received a reply from the company saying that (at no cost whatsoever) they would send me replacement mugs up to the standard I had hoped for.......  They arrived today and, in addition to pointing out that I'm completely satisfied with the new mugs, I'm very happy to put on record my appreciation for the way they dealt with the matter. I cannot recommend them highly enough - www.vistaprint.co.uk Miscellaneous 04/18/2010
A few years ago, just for a giggle, I took advantage of a free offer for some business cards from these people http://www.vistaprint.co.uk At the time, I was still delivering buses and coaches and the card I designed was appropriate for that work. Since then, from time to time, they have sent various e-mails encouraging me to buy this that and the other and, although I was entirely happy with what they produced, I was never tempted - until now. Next month, my wife and I are going across the pond to visit my elder son and his family in New England; so, I've ordered a handful of T shirts which might (or might not) amuse our grandsons. At worst, they can be used as night-shirts......  Miscellaneous 04/09/2010
Those who followed the blog I used to write about my part-time bus and coach delivery job (it's been converted into this now) might recall I had a minor accident just before I retired in 2008. Driving in the outside lane, I had been exiting a roundabout when a lady driver had become confused and, although in the nearside lane, attempted to continue round the roundabout again and, in so doing, collided with the hire car I was driving. There were no personal injuries; so, having exchanged details, I reported the matter to my employer and we assumed the matter would be resolved by the insurance companies. A couple of months ago, however, the best part of eighteen months since the accident, I was advised that the 'other party' had submitted a statement which alleged that the collision took place beyond the roundabout and (to add insult to injury) that I had 'cut across' the other car. As you can imagine, I wasn't best pleased and, when asked to attend a court hearing, I was more than willing. So, this morning (having driven up to the east midlands and stayed in an hotel last night), I met up with a barrister who had been hired by 'our' insurance company to represent me. ME !! It was only at that point that it was explained to me that, in legal terms, 'they' were the claimants and I was the 'defendant'. So, having been 'not best pleased' when I arrived at the court, I soon became something approaching 'pretty damned cross' - and rising. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I wouldn't be surprised if the lady's husband (or his insurance company) thought they might be able to take advantage of the fact that there were no witnesses. Furthermore, the photographs which had been presented to the court suggested it was possible that the damage could have been caused by my car cutting across theirs. As it happened, however, the judge decided that they were of a rather poor quality and seemed grateful that I had brought copies of my own colour photographs of the hire car. Having examined them, he decided that they left little doubt that the damage was the result of 'impact' from another car rather than the consequence of cutting across one. A further piece of significant evidence was the engineer's report for the lady's car which (although it was presented by the 'other' side) revealed that most of the damage was at the front end of her vehicle - not in the area alleged to have been hit by me. The upshot of all this was that the judge, in his summing up, said that all the evidence supported what I had said and not what the lady alleged and, in dismissing the claim, awarded costs to 'my side'. So, although I had already been assured that my expenses would be met, it now meant that 'they' would have to pay them - instead of 'us'. For the past few weeks, although I suspect her husband may have persuaded her to commit perjury, I had been quite worried about the prospect of having to call a (or any) lady a liar. To add to my unease, the poor woman was said to be in tears immediately prior to the hearing and, although we were only feet apart and facing each other throughout the procedure, not once did her eyes meet mine. However, as my barrister explained to me, it wasn't what I said which influenced the judge's decision, she was condemned by her own testimony. At the end of it all, although, I had been a little miffed at being called 'the defendant', it was actually my former company who were being charged and I, personally, had nothing to gain or lose from the judgement. Nonetheless, I can't deny that I drove home quietly satisfied with the outcome. Miscellaneous 04/05/2010
Hardly noted as a sentimentalist - even less so for being romantic - and with absolutely no regard for the expense involved, I stepped outside this morning to pick some flowers for my long-suffering other-half......  After all, half a century is a hell of a long time to suffer. Miscellaneous 04/04/2010
Since putting rather more than just 'left-overs' outside our kitchen window for our feathered friends , we had become intrigued by evidence of earth work which seemed just a little too deep for birds to have done (even for Percy, our resident pheasant, who is shown below with some of his harem). So, we assumed that members of the local fox population may have been responsible.  Some of the excavation work can be seen in the foreground and, last night, the puzzle was solved when we discovered that we have been visited by a pair of badgers. Now, I know that they're not too popular with the farming community - but, we're not a farm; so, we feel rather fortunate to have been added to their 'places of interest'. In addition to scavenging for food, they spent quite a long time preening and cleaning themselves. Fortunately, we have a night-vision camera focused on the 'feeding area' and my wife, in particular, spent ages watching them. If I can work out how to take a photo of them, I'll try to feature them on this blog - sometime. Miscellaneous 03/02/2010
I suppose it's a comfort to know that at least two people visit my blog from time to time and, in response to their question, "Yes. I have deleted the thread called Rant." At this stage, other than to explain that it was removed as a consequence of a valid complaint that I had revealed someone's details, I don't intend to elaborate. I might, however, return to the subject in due course. |
