Author: siskinbob

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.

View From The Conservatory


Today’s view is actually inside the conservatory.

I was first drawn to the frantic buzzing of what I thought may be a hornet. Thankfully it turned out to be the sound of this beautiful creature trying to beat it’s way through the glazing of our conservatory roof. I really didn’t want to rile a hornet that wouldn’t know that I was trying to help it.

So, using a stiff piece of paper, I tried to guide this creature outside.

After much dodging and darting about, he settled on the floor …..

Dragonfly

More dodging and darting and he was, frustratingly, back up by the glass ….

Dragonfly

Clearly, my bit of paper wasn’t up to the job in hand.

A change of tactic and I tried to use a big floppy yellow dust mop. In my mind it would look like a flower and after a couple of false starts I succeeded in carrying the dragonfly outside. At which point he took off and was last seen flying in a southerly direction.

I dread to think what my neighbours might have thought, of my gyrations in the utility area, waving a bright yellow mop in the air !!!

Southsea Castle Lunch


Fine weather, and a luncheon date with our daughter, took us down to Southsea.

A short stroll across Southsea Common and we arrived at Southsea Castle.

This is where Henry VIII watched Mary Rose, the pride of his fleet, founder and sink.

The castle is now home to The Courtyard, a good quality restaurant. Due to ongoing Covid precautions we waited to be seated by a very pleasant member of staff.

We were served our drinks …

Pimms O’clock

….. followed shortly by our chosen meals …

…. mine was this very delicious Bhudda Bowl.

The girls had Scampi and a Southern style burger.

Appetites suitably satisfied we made a short tour of the castle walls …

  • Cannon … Southsea Castle
  • View across to HlcT7074
  • Lighthouse … Southsea Castle
  • Cannon … Southsea Castle
  • Southsea Castle … view from the ramparts
  • Across The Solent to the Isle of Wight
  • Southsea Castle and Lighthouse
  • Southsea Castle … Lighthouse

Down from the ramparts and a short detour, by me, to take a quick look at one of Southsea’s newest attractions.

LCT 7074 is the last surviving landing craft tank in the UK. LCT 7074 is an amphibious assault ship for landing tanks, other vehicles and troops on beachheads. Built in 1944 by Hawthorn Leslie and Company, Hebburn, the Mark 3 LCT 7074 was part of the 17th LCT Flotilla during Operation Neptune in June 1944.

WIKIPEDIA
  • HlcT7074
  • HlcT7074
  • HlcT7074
  • HlcT7074
  • HlcT7074

Not one for the girls, I have pencilled in a return visit, for when I am on my own.

Then it was a gentle stroll back to my daughters flat for a cuppa. Before venturing out to do battle with the evening traffic as we wended our way home.