easily lead

Christmas Eve

2010-12-24T16:37:00.004Z

Well well well. Ho Ho Ho.How nice of MIG to pop in and say happy Christmas.It's been a pretty rotten year really, so hopefully this Christmas marks an end and a beginning too, as we cross from the bad old into the unknown but hopefully good new yearMostly I am to be found on Twitter - @redantiques. Thursday is there but doesn't follow me back for some reason, and Fran too, but no one else I met

I'm not laughing anymore

2010-02-24T14:54:00.004Z

Because its not funny. £800 per week's worth of not funny. Having to sell everything that you treasured as a kid growing up to fund the £800 a week kind of not funny. Seeing family things go under the hammer, not funny. I feel like I am stealing from my son to sell things of my Mums to fund her £800 a week needs.I've sold her home. I'm selling her furniture, her car. Where do I stop? What do I

I only

2010-02-19T13:22:00.001Z

have to slip away for a minute and everyone goes. All my blog-roll is dead as far as eye can see.If you drop by again, do lead me easily to your new addressta x

There's never a thing on

2010-02-18T16:22:00.004Z

"Come on Mum, let's see what's on Telly""Oh I hate that stupid telly. It's always the same programme. They just stand there waving there arms and not saying anything"I try to look concerned and intelligent. It isn't easy."Oh dear, that sounds a bit odd. What programme is that""Oh I don't know what programme it is, it's called Mute"

Suits her

2010-02-18T16:12:00.004Z

My mum has a new friend. He's called James. they met in the queue. I don't know what they were in a line for: nothing in her life requires a queue, anyway, apparently he tapped her on the shoulder.She turned:"I know you. I experimented on you when you were 6 or 8" He said."Gosh, so you did" She replied. How splendid that she had instantly recognised him, she told me. He is a most educated man and

Nothing here

2009-04-30T21:52:00.002+01:00

Nothing new. Nothing to say. Am twittering away (RedAntiques) and getting the hang of it. Time remains a premium. Life remains something I don't find as easy as others seem to. So, no change there and no change that I have little to say. So I'm not saying it.Rather well I think you'll agree(But I was right about Gordon)

Lets all hate Ebay

2009-02-28T06:45:00.007Z

I am contemplating murder.I loathe Ebay and I want to destroy it completely. Simple murder is too kind. A horrid painful death involving boils and rottingness seems mild, really. Ebay's death should be quick (as in soon) but extremely horrid. really nasty, just so it finds out what it feels like to be an Ebay customer, even if only for a few minutes. That'll learn it.Ebay seems to stand for so

2009-02-21T07:18:00.001Z

Do you Twitter?I'm trying it as "RedAntiquesMan"It's a lot quicker than this, and I rarely have the time for this now.See you there?

Me Miss, please Miss, me Miss

2009-01-14T15:01:00.004Z

I saw it Miss.The first one of the SpringHonest Miss.Here, look Miss, I took a photo. I took it on Jan 12th 2009.The first mower of spring. Honest Miss.He must be Cuckoo, Miss

And can I just say

2008-12-24T10:08:00.004Z

to all the king morons who sell on ebay its is BROOCH ok? Not broach but BROOCH.It isn't hard. And while I'm on it, it is Jewellery rather than Jewlry. And Century rather than Centuary.But broach? Please.I'm sorry I had to bring this up.PS. I knew you wouldn't believe me, so here's today's Ebay stunner:Edwardian air loom treaured old unit (sic &, er sic)

Greetings

2008-12-24T09:50:00.002Z

Happy Christmas everyone (both of you).Have a great time and I hope to be back in the new year with ruminations on .... nothing of any interest, I can promise you that. So more of the same then.x

2008-12-16T18:02:00.003Z

also known as a cable.and that's what I got. A 5m usb cable and so far, everything crossed, my internet speed has risen from dead stop to satisfactory because I can hang my dongle out the window (insert own joke here).yesterday for example, between 10am and 5pm I managed to upload two books to ebay for sale (check out The Name of the Rose, or Magellan to find my shop). Today, since 5:15 and now (

And A Very..

2008-12-15T10:46:00.003Z

... Happy Christmas to you.Struggling with a very fickle internet connection. I have to use a dongle these days and the connection is, to say the least, a little hit and miss. It is also slow.Like me, you may just be old enough to remember dial-up connection. Well hello, that's what I have, in terms of speed anyway. Conducive to blogging it is not.One day I will get sort, but that will take

zzzzzzzzz

2008-05-07T15:37:00.001+01:00

Having a rest.Sleeping on the job. May be some time.Maybe sometime?

Rien a dire

2008-04-04T13:57:00.005+01:00

Not a lot to report here:Currently listening to Elbow, The Seldom Seen Kid, which I can highly recommend. Not least because the elder teenagers in our house give a snort of derision when the name Elbow comes up. Always to be recommended - causing the teenagers to deride one's 'old' taste. We are not teenagers, after all. A certain degree of sophistication must have stuck after all these years.And

Taking a break

2008-03-20T18:37:00.001Z

Taking a few days away. Had a death to deal with, and need a breakSee you in a week or so if you're still here.Arnie.

God is in the ... detail?

2008-03-12T11:47:00.006Z

They say that real men cry at football (I'm real, then).But really real men cry at confirmation services.Amid a lot of grunting and protestation the fruit of my loins agreed to be consecrated or something. His mum wanted it, I didn't. But hey, I'm not really bothered one way or the other as long as Mr Fruit was OK with it. Thus, eventually, after months of moaning about the weekly lessons, it

How do you spell that again?

2008-03-10T15:09:00.004Z

My teenager turned 14 last month and this seems to have propelled him into the age of the 'grunt'. Trouble is he's dragged me along too, kicking and screaming.It's an amazing change in him. He's taken non-communication to new levels. Even when texting,For two days a week, he is with his mum, and thus we text quite a lot. But nothing prepared me for the 'teen grunt-speak' by text.The other day I

Thursday

2008-03-07T11:01:00.004Z

Thought that would get you attention Thursday. I am quite convinced there are a lot of slightly risque and definitely cringe making puns to be had about my Thursday activities, but I'll leave you, oh gentle four readers, to make your own jokes.For, actually, it's Mig who I need to tell something to. I know you're not going anymore Mig, but you have competition. There is a photographer selling

Bronzed, but no six pack

2008-03-06T05:43:00.002Z

The light and the mirror in our little loo at work conspire to make one's reflection look bronzed. I always feel better after a quick look at the healthy looking , if not quite God-like unless god is an overweight middle-aged salt and pepper ol' git, face that stares back at me.I leave the loo and pale into insignificance

2008-03-05T17:16:00.001Z

I am told "you make your own luck"Does anyone, may I enquire, have the recipe? And would you be willing to share?With gratitude in perpetuity, etc., I remain yours, the Beep.

Memories and stories

2008-03-04T10:05:00.007Z

This is in the park near our home. It's rather tucked away, so I only saw it for the first time yesterday.It has a story, doesn't it? I imagine they were lovers, rather disparate ages (22 years between them), but I'll let that little detail pass: it's been known. He (or she) died at the tender age of 71 and she (is Krysia a girl's name? And yes, Alex could also be female) at the even more tender

2008-03-04T09:59:00.002Z

Last Thursday - did quite well.

it's all gone tits up

2008-03-03T16:42:00.003Z

have you ever had a period in your life when EVERYTHING (everydamnfuckingthing) you do, touch or attempt goes horribly, terribly, appallingly wrong?If so, does it last for ever, or is it just a phase?I'd really like to know.It's a very personal interest of mine just now.Thank you for any assistance you may be able to offer.

Stone the bloody crows

2008-03-03T16:32:00.003Z

a FLICKR of life for you...

New

2008-02-24T13:08:00.002Z

Bad pun, I know.Not the first, won't be that last. But it's a post...

England Footy: hopes soar.

2008-02-15T12:25:00.004Z

I see Steve McClaren is saying he would "manage abroad".Perhaps he could take on another country's team.And then we might stand a chance of winning something.

Yesterday

2008-02-15T12:10:00.002Z

Been to the market three times in 08: each one has been really good. Including yesterday, which looked a little like this:

Leopards and spots

2008-02-15T11:01:00.005Z

Once you've been around the block a few times, you begin to tire of it. The view around each corner is the same as it was last time, and going round and round gets tedious, if not dull.So it is with fashion. So it is with politics. And so it is with business. What goes around (you) comes around (the same corner again, and lo! the view is the same again. Yawn)My mild fulmination about the

Planet Rock, you will be missed

2008-02-15T10:42:00.004Z

Sad old man that I am, I do like a bit of rock. So much so that I have a DAB in the office, and a newly acquired one by my bed with the simple objective of finding me rocking stations to listen to. A bit of Led Zep sprinkled among the pearls of other guitar led, loud rawk music does me a power of good.And why not, Barry? We all listen to the music we was dragged up on through our formative later

Empty heart

2008-02-05T12:02:00.001Z

Our little market town is dying. It claims to be the oldest continually* inhabited town in England (as does Glastonbury, but we're older, get over it Glasto). Doesn't look like we'll make the next 800 or so years.A flurry of shops has closed,or is in the process of closing.Some say it's because of the new one-way system.But more likely is the rents. Especially in this deserted arcade: a

I could feel the eyes on me

2008-02-02T12:16:00.000Z

Only I didn't know they were there until I edited the photo for Flickr. Here's the full, unexpurgated shot:

Nuts

2008-02-01T13:29:00.000Z

I can't help feeling a touch of schadenfreude* over Derek Conway.Some millenia ago I was shacked up with the offspring of an MP. Said MP is dead now, so no point in trying to figure out who s/he was.There is a side of their life that the public doesn't see, and the truth is that family of an MP suffers enormously for, in theory, no reward. The MP is rarely at home; children grow up minus a parent

Vandals

2008-01-31T17:43:00.000Z

For the second time this year my dear old Jenny has been violated.There she was minding her own business on Friday night when some little (Dave, if you are here, look away now) fuckers ripped into her. They bent her wipers back and ripped off both her mirrors. They 'keyed' the door, but that's the least of her worries; at her age a few more scratches and dents simply join the other scars of life.

Worrying Signs

2008-01-31T13:37:00.001Z

The rattle of shop doors as they close is becoming deafening round these parts.Seems that not only must it go, but everything is going.And the antiques trade is slow to stopped.Worrying Signs indeed.for more of my pics, click on an image in the slideshow on the right...

Banned

2008-01-16T10:00:00.000Z

I am as usual, instead of working, wasting, nay, frittering time. I am seeking on the interwebhighway the name of a band reviewed in the latest Guitarist magazine. I have the magazine at home. I forgot to bring it to work.I am thus spuriously inventing the need to search the interthingy as I quite liked the sound of the band in the review I read and I want to download some stuff of theirs and see

Hypocritic, Oaths may follow

2008-01-15T15:51:00.000Z

As you know, I have a white van. And for those of you unable to bear the tension, she is going to .... wait for it, wait... pass her MOT.So she'll be around a little while longer. And I will get to keep a few quid that I don't really have anyway.Which is great news for me, but may not be so great for my neighbour. She who has banned me from parking my van within her sight. "I bought this house

Evening, 10th Jan

2008-01-15T15:48:00.000Z

Anglesey last Thursday evening, on the camera phone

Idle thumbs

2008-01-15T12:18:00.000Z

Sitting here twiddling my thumbs in a somewhat nervous way. I'm in the process of changing ISP from big anonymous interplanetary hard-sell company to small local friendly chaps, and email has ceased functioning altogether. When ringing I get comments along the lines of "that's odd", and "I wonder why ...". My confidence is moon-like; on the wane.I never know, is the new moon a left crescent or a

Bag Man

2008-01-15T09:13:00.001Z

Some favour Waitrose. Others go for Scummerfield. Few use Co-op as it is not yet built, but is on its way. The vast majority use Tesco.I also favour Tesco's. Their bags aren't as, er, scrawny as the new Summerfield ones, nor do they have holes in like Waitrose's do. And that, I think you'll agree, is important when you are recycling their plastic bags. Via the dog shit bin.Just as in shopping, it

And its goodbye to her

2008-01-09T09:39:00.000Z

Oh Lor, I think there is about to be a death in the family. White van man is about to become just man again. White van is soon to be no more.She, and, as it's just us I can be frank here, she is most definitely a she and even has a name, Jenny (see number plate), is due for a MOT on Feb 6th. I have just handed over the keys to the garage and told them to check it; if it fails I have three weeks

I won't let it go to my head

2008-01-08T10:48:00.000Z

EL was two the other day: 10 Dec to be exact.Don't worry if you didn't send a card: I only just realised myself.Because many of us are missing the View, I was reminiscing and thought I'd take a look back at the first blog post wot I writ and over which we joshed several times.Anyway, I'm really pleased to report that M&S heeded the advice of that first post. Rest assured though, I won't take all

Roly was 'ere

2008-01-08T10:00:00.000Z

On New Years eve I announced that it would be a good idea to mark it with somerthing memorable. So why, I suggested, didn't we walk into Oxford. Hoorah they all shouted. Well all except the children. Who boo-ed and hissed, in appropriate panto stylee.SWIA rang her friends. Yes, they cried, let's do it. And 'he's behind you' and so on.Luckily for me (them) I came to my senses. It's ten miles plus

Instead of work

2008-01-04T11:46:00.000Z

The choice before me is either empty the van - hard physical work - or paperwork. So instead here are some pictures of Oxford that I took on lovely day out with SheWhoIsAdored, and with every vista that opened up I cursed leaving my proper camera at home. Thus, this is Nokia's vision of my day in the backwaters of Christchurch.Above - the Radclifffe Camera. A Camera in a Camera... etcBelow SWIA

A plea

2008-01-04T10:32:00.000Z

A good friend has done a runner and I miss her. She knows who she is, and if she doesn't please tell her that a little thread of her stitching is tugging at my heart. Please please, just say hello, and if that's it then that's enough.

An Apology

2008-01-04T10:26:00.000Z

Not here very much and this is my apology for that. I realise that in absentia my readership has dwindled to two or three old loyal friends. Not that you are old, it's your ... oh, you know.Since Feb 07 when I moved from home into an office my computer time was cut drastically as the computer moved too. I'm only really in here two or three days a week and there is so much to do that blogging has

In which I go topless

2007-12-14T10:31:00.001Z

Overnight a layer of ice formed on the underside of the 'lid'. It was promising to drip later. So I decided to rip it off. Only the lid, no other kind of rip off occurred all day. Honest.I quite enjoyed spending the day topless.Ohh er.

Adieu

2007-12-14T10:28:00.000Z

End of term today: he flies off to parts foreign with his rich mum at 6 tonight. Leaves a big hole when he goes.Never mind.He'll be home to fill it soon, and then Christmas.....

wet post 2

2007-12-14T10:25:00.001Z

... the weather today was much worse: very cold (I nearly swore then, that's how fing cold it was), very wet and unbelievably windy - my brolly flew inside out. And still they ruggered on. Mine's the muddy one (in stripes):the sun broke through in the end (make your own sun/son puns, ta)

Wet post 1

2007-12-14T10:23:00.001Z

the forecast was dire ... but it wasn't as bad as they thought it was going to be: Saturday was much worse

Still here, and still going there too

2007-11-30T11:14:00.001Z

New tops

2007-11-19T12:33:00.001Z

As for the market: we have new tops to celebrate its decline as it has less craft and antiques and more car boot dross.Last week:And the week before:

Smug? Moi?

2007-11-19T12:20:00.000Z

Re Fimpractical: Yes, I quite like our kitchen too. Here's another shot of it. Very Homes and Gardens.

The RSC is OPEN - it says so so it must be true

2007-11-19T11:48:00.000Z

You remember Ian McKellen's bit in The Office? When he goes "Sir Ian Sir Ian Sir Ian GANDALF Sir Ian", talking about acting. Makes me laugh a lot.I felt a bit like that on Saturday; driving to Stratford, happy, parking happy, wandering around happy, walking towards theatre happy, seeing desolate destruction of old theatre of which I was very fond sad, seeing Henry V at courtyard happy happy

Giving me the eye

2007-11-16T12:48:00.000Z

As some (part of) of my astute reader may know, for I kno yu are no fule, I have a modest range of vehicles from which to choose. Included in these is a white vanI detest the van: it's big, difficult to drive (heavy), and smokes a lot which makes me feel unbelievable guilty. But right now I can afford to do nothing about it as the cost of repair exceeds the value of the vehicle.But there is one

New word for you

2007-11-06T16:29:00.000Z

Fimpractical. Sits very nicely alongside Fugly.

Last Thursday

2007-11-06T16:24:00.001Z

Don't worry Mig, it was a(nother) poor day for trade.But we're working on that. Some of us.Fantastic colours in the trees, shame the phoneycamera doesn't do them anything like justice.I am so behind, I haven't read any of my blogroll for almost a week. I will catch up, but not tomorrow (Leominster) or Thursday (market) - be great to see any of you at the market. Just look out for the nursery

Sickening behaviour

2007-11-06T15:01:00.000Z

So on Sunday the cat takes sick. She was seriously unwell. I called the vet who said sure, they could see her in about 20 minutes. It was about 1:30 by this time. Surgery had ended half an hour before. A slightly embarrassed cough was followed by "you do know there is a minimum charge on a Sunday?" I didn't. Take a moment here to think what you might reckon to be a reasonable charge. I've had

In which we enjoy an outing for Once.

2007-10-24T09:16:00.000+01:00

All too rarely do we go out. But yesterday we did. For Once.The OOGF had rung earlier in the day. She was in the mood for a movie. I checked and decided we wanted to see Closer. But as soon as I mentioned Joy Division and 'that' hit (my mistake may have been that I crooned it more than mentioned it. Love may indeed tear us apart if I sing), and that Closer began at 6 and Once at 6:30, time

2007-10-23T15:19:00.001+01:00

Went to the white horse at Uffington at the weekend.Forgot my blasted camera, again.Lovely walk.Mobile camera pictures

Skule run

2007-10-23T10:52:00.001+01:00

Of a morning, on my drive to the office, I pass three schools. I see many mums driving their young. Not this morning, obviously, as it is half-term (and don't I bloody know it, mine own flesh and blood is in Kuwait with his mum and her fiance. Thank God for Skype). Many of the cars drive past with a straight-faced mum and silent kids looking gloomily out of the window, But some cars go by and mum

many more than reasonable

2007-10-23T10:47:00.000+01:00

I was away from my desk for four days. Friday through Monday. And when I got back to it this morning, my junk inbox had 565 messages within it. I also had more than 100 emails in my ordinary inbox. Three were relevant to me. Less than 1% of my email was 'real'. No wonder the system is groaning under the weight.And that doesn't even include gmail. Which, incidentally, has the best junk filter of

ILTV said I should....

2007-10-23T10:32:00.000+01:00

...so i did. I do everything ILTV says.Maybe.I bet they all read the same with just a change of gender.Most unflattering, but like the Stars in the paper, can be read as accurate. Bugger it.I took the free ColorQuiz.com personality test!"Intense, vital, and animated, taking a delight in ..."Click here to read the rest of the results.

They...

2007-10-16T15:52:00.000+01:00

...cut down a tree in my favourite park yesterday.Actually, they cut down two near identical trees. I have no idea why: the park authority, being private, doesn't believe in liaising with the hoi-polloi. It's a shame they are so stand-offish. It's a nice park, and with some really different trees. They could tell us a bit about them, and what they are up to every now and then.The smell of resin

one more on Hereford

2007-10-09T09:31:00.000+01:00

I had no idea the countryside was so spectacular in the Herefordshire neck of the forests. This is the road from Hereford to Pontrilas.I know, I know: it's only a mobile phoney camera.

What's in a name?

2007-10-08T14:00:00.000+01:00

Friday evening. Dark. Hereford city centre. Hmmmmm.Tired. Legs aching. Long day, preceded by bad night. Dying for a drink. And a good meal. For once money no problem (thanks to Premium Bonds).Let's dive up this alley, there's a light. Ah, it's called The Stewing Pot. Images of Women's Institute food. Walk on.Oh look, here's a pub, they'll be able to tell us where to go? Certainly, try The Left

As good as a thriller

2007-10-08T13:56:00.000+01:00

Shakespeare by Bill BrysonBrief. To the point. Myth de-bunking.Witty. Highly readable.Excellent. 5 stars.

its a sign, stupid

2007-10-08T09:46:00.000+01:00

How much money does it cost to erect a road sign? Is this the most stupid waste of money ever?There are about 50 yds where the road is de-restricted from 30mph before it's restricted back to 50. I sure hope the police monitor the speed and check that no one exceeds the national speed limit on this stretch.It makes me despair.(Apologies for the dreadful picture: snatched on my mobile. It shows the

Phew...

2007-10-05T11:05:00.000+01:00

A much better day: here's that stall that took quite a bit more than ten times what I took last week:helped no doubt by my no longer having a cold, and the weather not having one either.It was a lovely day.

The stall

2007-10-03T13:53:00.000+01:00

Last week's stall: I took £18 all day.It cost me more than double that to take the stall and park. Not a great day, but still my second best month.I've now been doing this for more than a year. I feel that may demand a cake.

indirect learning

2007-10-03T10:18:00.000+01:00

As I said, I went to www.learndirect-advice.co.uk and did their questionnaire. Here's what it said: Your Skills Your high score in THINGS shows you have the skills to operate in a working environment where you will make repair and service things. Your Interests Your high score in ARTISTIC interests indicates a preference for activities with an artistic focus. For people who score high in this

seriously...

2007-10-03T10:16:00.000+01:00

... if any reader (in the UK) is looking to buy or sell antiques or collectable objets, and wants a bit of help, let me know. I have access to information and sources that I am happy to put at your disposal. I also sell on ebay a fair bit and can help with that too.End of commercial announcement.

nil desperandum

2007-10-03T09:58:00.000+01:00

I went to www.learndirect-advice.co.uk and did their questionnaire. It's designed to give you some clues along the way to choosing your ideal career.It is not a good sign. Last time I did this kind of distractive exploration was just before I chucked in a safe and lucrative career in international marketing for a pharmaceutical company. Activity preceding action. Discontent fomenting activity.

Press ups

2007-09-28T12:47:00.001+01:00

The press. Yeuch.Massive, indignant headline today about yesterday's events in Burma.And yes, it is absolutely awful.But so is what happens every day, and has been happening evey day for years, in Zimbabwe.No hysterical headlines there. Is that because we put Mugabe into power?To me the insidious destruction of that proud nation is truly evil. And arguably even more vile than Burma at the

Pavement hogs

2007-09-26T12:37:00.000+01:00

If death and taxes don't get you then the effing bike anarchists will.T'other day I was heading home from market, in the white van. We were in nose to tail traffic, moving along in short yardages on tick over, heading along a very crowded Botley Road at maximum rush hour when I heard this almighty BANG. I looked in the left mirror and could see a tangle of legs and bike on the pavement."OI"

2007-09-25T14:31:00.000+01:00

I used to laughI used to cry.I used to hang my head and ... hang on a moment.I did used to laugh. Haven't done a lot of that in recent memory. Seem to take life too seriously of late. Hang my head and wonder why.I did used to cry. A lot. Unseemly for a chap in middle years. I describe it elsewhere, but essentially it was nearly all for me when my beautiful boy went off to his mum for what seemed

A jolly holiday

2007-09-24T13:57:00.000+01:00

I like a holiday.In fact I love holidays. I try to have them often.But this year I have been parsimonious to say the least. A very successful one in Exmoor over the May half-term was followed by a mere four days in the summer. Normally I would have a good fortnight in the summer.I am knackered.We live, as astute readers, and you, may be beginning to see, under a good deal of unremitting

I may have found the end of my tether

2007-09-18T13:55:00.000+01:00

I don't hold much with PC. I tend to think that if I want my views respected a little respect to the views of others, no matter how alien to mine, is due. But as I type I am feeling physically sick. And, for once I'm not exaggerating. My food is climbing my oesophagus in an expression of disgust.It could easily be the re-heated pasta from last night that I zapped in the office microwave and

Have you had a play yet?

2007-09-18T10:47:00.000+01:00

Knowing me I'm months behind everyone else, but have you tried this yet? It allows you to watch all the photos being uploaded onto Blogger, in 'real time'.Hmm, "real time". Discuss.Update: beware - it's totally addictive and very time-consuming.

I got Jesus.

2007-09-18T10:13:00.000+01:00

But, and here's the thing, he's a bit dirty.Which makes me think of Amway. Do you remember Amway? It was pyramid selling scam. It sold household products. I think it has ceased operating now, but presumably not until after someone somewhere got very rich indeed. And, I guess, had a house that shone like a new pin.When we first moved to our new life in the country from the old smoke, we were

Blank

2007-09-17T09:52:00.000+01:00

My mind is.As Yoda might say.I feel like a duck: there is a lot going on beneath the surface, but I can't think of anything to write. Part of the problem, to which I have alluded before, is that I am an excessively private sort, and not willing to 'let it all hang out' on a my blog. Which I suppose contributes not a little to the extreme dullness of this place. And begs the question - why blog?

The Feeling

2007-09-11T10:06:00.001+01:00

prompted by one of my fave blogs, here's a (lowish res) picture - one of several - I took of The Feeling in concert:If you've got that (loving) feeling for The Feeling, or Osibisa, or, Kate Walsh, The Proclaimers and others, you can see the rest of my photos here

RIP

2007-09-11T10:03:00.001+01:00

Anita

Another jolly dinner party

2007-09-09T14:18:00.000+01:00

"He's not got long left anyway""?""No, he needs kidney dialysis every three or four days, so even if the Americans don't find him, nature will get him soon""And then...?""That's when it gets really serious - someone really mad will take over Al Qaeda, and the war will start in earnest""But won't someone madder else be easier to track, less hard to find?""Maybe, but they'll know that, and the

Random-free

2007-09-04T12:30:00.000+01:00

Land Rover my arse.Who does he think he's kidding.

Random Too

2007-09-04T12:23:00.000+01:00

Years ago there was a time when marketing would describe everything; people, brands, products, consumers, old desks etc, just anything and everything as what kind of car it was like.Me? I am, and always have been, a Land Rover. Built for endurance (I always tell that to the girls), rather smaller than at first appearance (sadly too true), but kind of rugged, and despite a flimsy exterior that

Random 1

2007-09-04T12:11:00.000+01:00

A few random thoughts occupy my mind - what little of it there is.I had not reckoned on family life being so...so... well, bloodthirsty? Not quite right. Erm, unforgiving? No not QUITE there. Ummmm... so nakedly selfish. That's more like it. No quarter is given. Nothing is personal or private. Everything belongs to everyone, from the contents of my wallet to my ipod (type thingy) earphones. And

tune for the day

2007-08-25T14:15:00.000+01:00

If I could save time in a bottleThe first thing that I'd like to doIs to save every day'Till eternity passes awayJust to spend them with youIf I could make days last foreverIf words could make wishes come trueI'd save every day like a treasure and then,Again, I would spend them with youBut there never seems to be enough timeTo do the things you want to doOnce you find themI've looked around

on hols

2007-08-16T17:20:00.000+01:00

no phone, no computer, no broadband, no telly... back all too soon

If only ...

2007-08-13T15:29:00.001+01:00

Finally. I've only had the bike seven years

Composite

2007-08-13T15:25:00.001+01:00

How serene they look. Composed, even.

Only on

2007-08-06T17:29:00.000+01:00

the Oxford Omnibus"I knew about it when I wrote those medieval books. But that was 14th century. I don't know what happened after that"

Yesterday

2007-08-01T11:20:00.000+01:00

All my troubles seemed, well, to be under the floorboards to be precise. When we moved in, in May 06, the removal men plonked the old Joanna on the floor in the corner, and the leg sank, rather ungraceously I thought, through the floorboard. Then, a couple of months ago someone sat on the sofa in the window bay, and the one leg sank through another floorboard. Clearly our floorboards had issues

Flood damage

2007-07-31T11:57:00.000+01:00

I share an office with two other guys. We're all of a certain age, and that age is one that includes vinyl when records were known as albums.He's just told me he's lost the lot in the floods. We're trying to work out the monetary value of some of them: that's OK, but how do you put a sentimental value on an album?When I pick up and look at an album from my modestly extensive collection, not only

is that a train coming towards me?

2007-07-31T11:36:00.000+01:00

In a final push to the end, we finally have NO BARE PLASTER! And I can't begin to tell you what a difference it makes. I had no idea that the dull pinky colour of plaster had the ability to suck the life out of a room. Only when it has finally gone has it become apparent. There is a whole new atmosphere abounding in the home. It may be that we have spent the last two weeks working almost non-stop

what happened to our get up an go?

2007-07-27T15:00:00.000+01:00

Seems it got up and went. The market yesterday was a desert. Not a sweet concoction in any way shape or form, but an arid plain of emptiness. Of the 70ish stalls, just 15 1/2 were taken yesterday. So 55 people were put off by the media hype.Yes, two main arteries into Oxford a remain closed, but my journey in in the morning took about five minutes longer than usual, and on the way home it seemed

Monotony

2007-07-25T15:53:00.000+01:00

A river near me, yesterdaySky set up for a long night...

Looking before leaping

2007-07-23T13:39:00.000+01:00

Nothing if not hypocrictically, we decided to go down and look at the floods last night. We weren't the first:This was the sort of thing they were coming to look at:Oh, and this bridge. under which you can normally pass on a canal boat.And the people on it?Ah yes, well you see, ahem, they were all the people in the first photo who were actually queuing to get home: the police had closed the

All comments to Noah please

2007-07-23T13:24:00.000+01:00

As you may have read Abingdon is the latest victim of the floods. Here's the scene on Sunday on the main road in and out.And this next one is last evening: the line of ambulances is somewhat daunting. They were in fact put into effect during the night. There are evacuees. We volunteered to take some in as we are not far from the homes at risk, but on significantly higher ground. Our services were

The perves are fast

2007-07-18T15:36:00.000+01:00

I've just been posting some photos on Flickr: 23 so far in this afternoon's work. One of these is entitled Thong. Within 30 seconds, I kid you not, it had had five viewings, That's five more than any of my other pictures uploaded today.Sad bunch of perves. Sad, but bloody fast.And I suspect they were a tad disappointed.*Update: Half an hour or so later that's up to 23. Everything else remains

easily lead

Christmas Eve

I'm not laughing anymore

I only

There's never a thing on

Suits her

Nothing here

Lets all hate Ebay

Me Miss, please Miss, me Miss

And can I just say

Greetings

telegram

And A Very..

zzzzzzzzz

Rien a dire

Taking a break

God is in the ... detail?

How do you spell that again?

Thursday

Bronzed, but no six pack

Memories and stories

it's all gone tits up

Stone the bloody crows

New

England Footy: hopes soar.

Yesterday

Leopards and spots

Planet Rock, you will be missed

Empty heart

I could feel the eyes on me

Nuts

Vandals

Worrying Signs

Banned

Hypocritic, Oaths may follow

Evening, 10th Jan

Idle thumbs

Bag Man

And its goodbye to her

I won't let it go to my head

Roly was 'ere

Instead of work

A plea

An Apology

In which I go topless

Adieu

wet post 2

Wet post 1

Still here, and still going there too

New tops

Smug? Moi?

The RSC is OPEN - it says so so it must be true

Giving me the eye

New word for you

Last Thursday

Sickening behaviour

In which we enjoy an outing for Once.

Skule run

many more than reasonable

ILTV said I should....

They...

one more on Hereford

What's in a name?

As good as a thriller

its a sign, stupid

Phew...

The stall

indirect learning

seriously...

nil desperandum

Press ups

Pavement hogs

A jolly holiday

I may have found the end of my tether

Have you had a play yet?

I got Jesus.

Blank

The Feeling

RIP

Another jolly dinner party