A photo from a good few years ago. Taken at Manor Farm, Hampshire
This Peregrine Falcon was part of a display focussing on birds of prey.
Just Call Me Peregrine
Category: Local (To Me !!!)
Action Stations
Spitfire and Hurricane pilots demonstrating some close formation flying at the Goodwood Revival.
Sorry if I have posted this before.
3 English Roses
This is just a nostalgic photo from a family gathering at my parents’ home in Hastings, many years ago.
So, Maureen is the eldest of Kathy’s daughters. And, Kathy was my mums eldest sister.
Mum and Kathy were two of six siblings!
I’m not sure of the occasion or why they were sitting with ‘wellies to the fore’ but I do know that getting any of them to sit quietly for a photo would have been a challenge as they all, like me, could talk the hind leg off a donkey.
Goodbye And Good Riddance
https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/story/full_page_image/21st-january-2025-page-5_4f2607de/content.html
Well done to the police and keep up the good work.
E-Scooters – Should be banned
https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/full_page_image/28th-october-2024-page-7_4f8307e4/content.html
This is just one, recent, example of how dangerous these E-scooters are. Of course they in themselves are not dangerous. It is actually the misuse by individuals that is the danger.
Locally, the only E-Scooters that are legal for use on our roads are those from authorised hire companies. Privately owned E-scooters are illegal.
I don’t understand how the government allows the sale of these scooters in this country. Unlike cars and motorbikes owners are not required to have insurance, wear safety gear i.e. helmets and the vehicles are not even registered.
Frequently they are driven in an unsafe manner. Personally, I once saw one of these scooters veer off the pavement. It moved diagonally across the road directly in front of me. So suddenly that I had to perform an emergency stop. Clearly the rider did not look to see that his way was clear.
I have also seen one of these scooters, three up. i.e. three females hurtling up the centre of the road.
In this case the victim was Raquel Delgado-Calo. She is a veterinary surgeon. She suffered deep lacerations to her forehead which will leave permanent scarring. Raquel also received stitches to her nose and a fractured skull. She spent three days in hospital and three weeks off work followed by a three week phased return. In addition, she has suffered from eight weeks of concussion. She has experienced dizziness, which has caused the cancellation of surgeries at work. And then there is the ongoing anxiety when crossing roads.
In my view, the E-scooter rider, Joseph Pedalty has gotten off way too lightly.
He has been disqualified from roads for eighteen months. He also was handed an eighteen month community order. He was fined £120 plus costs taking his penalty to a total of £319. This includes charges for no insurance, failing to stop after an accident, and failing to stop at a red light.
The law is an ass.
Pedalty has 10 past convictions and had been disqualified from the roads for drink driving in 2021.
How do his fines and convictions possibly balance out the impact that he has had on this woman’s life.
I’ll say it again. The law is an ass.
Happy Returns
https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/story/full_page_image/2nd-january-2025-page-17_4f1407dd/content.html
A warm tale for the new year.
Perhaps, only in England …
Unexpected Picnic Guests: A Pheasant Encounter
There we were, minding our own business, enjoying a sunny picnic in the grounds of Blenheim Palace. When this fellow came mooching along, hoping for a tasty morsel.
What, do you suppose, had caught his eye ? Was it the pork pie with its jelly and crispy crust? Or was it the egg mayonnaise and watercress sandwiches. Perhaps, when all’s said and done, it was strong cheddar cheese and tangy chutney.
Either way, he was out of luck with me around. I don’t share my food with party crashers.
Appeal For Information
Let Down Again
https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/full_page_image/11th-october-2024-page-4_4f0207dc/content.html
A few years ago this site was the home of Marconi Underwater Systems. The site was closed, and the Marconi buildings and surrounds became derelict. The site has remained an eyesore for many years.
Around 2012 I, as a member of the Waterlooville Residents Forum, attended a presentation on behalf of a potential developer. At that time, per the presentation, the plans were to build a 60 bed hotel and restaurant. They also planned a car showroom and a drive thru restaurant. The developer went to great pains. He assured us that the drive thru was not going to be another McDonald’s.
Outline Application APP/12/00652 was submitted 4th October 2012. The recommendation was that permission be granted for this application. Since that time, the Marconi (BAE) buildings were demolished but the site remained undeveloped.
Until that is, along came Lidl and, yep, McDonald’s. But the remainder of the site remained untouched.
And now the council appear to have given the go ahead for a new KFC, Aldi, and Costa.
It’s not as if our little town doesn’t lack for coffee shops and cafe’s. As for fast food drive thru’s, we are surrounded. Nor are we short of Aldi stores, we actually have seven within a ten mile radius. Costa Coffee is even more pervasive with ten in a four mile radius.
There is a significant amount of residential construction in and around Waterlooville. With all the new residents I would agree that there is a need for eateries. But I would argue that there is a greater need for entertainment centres. Waterlooville residents frequently call for a cinema complex / bowling alley. Sadly nobody hears the call
And so, the construction of these three businesses leaves me disappointed. I feel that we, the residents of Waterlooville, have been let down again.
Last Knockings
This is pretty much the last knocking of our tomato crops this year. There are just a few green tomatoes yet to ripen.
We have had a good crop this year, but sad to say, it could have been better. We sort of screwed up.
We have two pyramid planters, but we, by mistake, planted bush/trailing varieties in one.
Oh well, lesson learnt. Overall, we are pleased, and the flavour of homegrown fruit and veg is always superior.
These varieties are all very sweet, but the little orange ones are sooper sweet.
WrAnTz 