Author: siskinbob

Pompey Shoreline


I have been trawling through my old photo’s. This one does not exhibit anything special, photographically. But it does contain some interesting buildings/structures, demonstrating how Portsmouth has changed through the years.Pompey_Shore_DSC02193.JPG_Adjusted

Starting at the lower left, the white building, is Quebec House which was built c1754 by public subscription as a bathing house !!! It apparently contains baths which were replenished by harbour water.

I’m not sure I would have wanted to bathe in waters from the harbour, in times past. It would be dubious even in todays era with our modern sewer systems.

Up, and to the right of Quebec House, the tallest building at 560 feet, is The Spinnaker Tower. Conceived as a Millenium project it was given the go ahead in 1995. One of three designs which the local people could vote for, the Spinnaker won 60% of the votes. Various obstacles delayed the start of construction which commenced in November of 2001. The project was completed and finally opened in 2005. Named The Spinnaker, it represents a sail billowing in the wind. The tower is visible from over 23 miles away and its three viewing platforms give fabulous views overlooking the harbour, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, the Isle of Wight and all the surrounding towns and suburbs.

Back down at sea level and running left to right is the Round Tower and The Hot Walls. Part of the ports old fortifications the Round Tower overlooks the entrance to the Harbour. Although a tower, built of wood, existed in the mid 1400’s, a stone tower was constructed in the 1490’s. A series of ramparts were later added, connecting with the Square Tower (just out of shot). The small section of beach below these ramparts, to the right, is called the “Hot Walls” by locals, as it acts as a sun trap heating up the walls.

Yet another change of architectural style, the tall blue tower, above the Hot Walls. Officially known as East Side Plaza Tower, it is commonly referred to as The Lipstick Tower because of its shape. This residential tower is 331 feet tall and was completed in 2008.

I hope this was of interest to you. I’ll see if I can dig out some more photos.

Hang Your Heads In Shame


I have lifted the following from a post on Facebook. It reflects everything I have been saying for a few days now, but with a bit more substance.

My belief is that the media, both TV and Press, are largely to blame for the chaos we are experiencing on our forecourts.

Petrol tanker drivers have an ADR qualification as well as a HGV licence. They need this for them to drive fuel tanker lorries.


There is a shortage of HGV drivers. That’s a true fact. However, HGV drivers can’t drive a petrol tanker lorry without having an ADR qualification.


The UK had ADR drivers last week. Nothing changed much in a week. Maybe some holiday or some sickness but not, I doubt a dramatic change.

The ADR drivers that were driving last week are probably driving this week delivering fuel so nothing changed much.

The petrol panic we are now experiencing is all down to media hype.

It’s not because of Brexit, because all the EU drivers went back to Europe which is some of the reasons being banded about. These EU HGV drivers left months ago, and yet the country was still getting fuel without problems up until today.

So what’s changed? NOTHING !!

Apart from the disgraceful media hype and scaremongering to make news to sensationalise the fact that a couple of petrol stations were getting a late delivery so they closed temporarily.

The result of the media scaremongering!!

Massive panic and chaos by everyone which is now causing a shortage of fuel until the ADR drivers, that we already had delivering fuel a few days ago, can deliver again.

The media should be fined and penalised, severely for publicising false news and creating the crazy situation that has been going on all today. Disgusting.

They should hold their heads in shame.

(Copied and re-posted for general info.)

Paraprosdokians !


Didn’t know the word until recently but, apparently, Winston Churchill loved paraprosdokians, figures of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected.

So, try these on for size …

  1. Where there’s a will, I want to be in it.
  2. The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but it’s still on my list.
  3. Since light travels faster than sound, some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
  4. If I agreed with you, we’d both be wrong.
  5. War does not determine who is right – only who is left.
  6. Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  7. They begin the evening news with ‘Good Evening,’ then proceed to tell you why it isn’t.
  8. To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. To steal from many is research.
  9. I thought I wanted a career. Turns out, I just wanted pay checks.
  10. In filling out an application, where it says, ‘In case of emergency, notify:’ I put “DOCTOR.”
  11. I didn’t say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.
  12. Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street…with a bald head and a beer gut, and still think they are sexy.
  13. Behind every successful man is his woman. Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman.
  14. A clear conscience is the sign of a fuzzy memory.
  15. You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.
  16. Money can’t buy happiness, but it sure makes misery easier to live with.
  17. There’s a fine line between cuddling and…holding someone down so they can’t get away.
  18. I used to be indecisive. Now I’m not so sure.
  19. You’re never too old to learn something stupid.
  20. To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target.
  21. Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be.
  22. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.
  23. Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.
  24. I’m supposed to respect my elders, but now it’s getting harder and harder for me to find one.

Marine Lake – West Kirby


Spent a glorious afternoon at Dunham Massey, here in the North of England. By the time we arrived back at our base, Moreton, nobody wanted to prepare a meal. So we took off down to West Kirby, where we picked up some Fish n Chips. Then headed down to the promenade to eat them. What could be better on a warm evening than taking in the views, looking towards North Wales over marine lake and the Dee estuary.

There were many sail boats on the lake, which was about as flat as a mill pond.

And with little wind it made for a very tranquil scene.

Sadly the Welsh coastline was obscured by mist with just a few twinkling lights managing to break through the murk.

As for the Fish n Chips, they were superb. We got them from Marigolds in West Kirby

Smokin


Had a meat delivery today, from Donald Russell, the Scottish butchers.

The meats are always packed with dry ice, although the little packs are quite often depleted by the time I get to open the packaging.

Today, there was a fair bit remaining. So I thought I would have a little fun.

Dry ice creates some amazing effects.

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