Chris Pitman is one plucky lady. She attempted one of the most arduous challenges for anyone let alone a 61 year old.
But it wasn’t to be. Weather and tides conspired against her and she had to give up just 5 miles from the French coast.
Chris should be really proud of her acheivement and the money that she has raised for charity.
Rough seas and tide put an end to dream of Channel record – News – Portsmouth News.
Yes, good luck to 61 year old Chris Pitman who is attempting to become the oldest British woman to swim across the English Channel.
Chris, from Bedhampton, started her attempt earlier this morning at around 03:15. Leaving from Dover she expects the crossing to take between 15 and 18 hours.
I wish her the best of luck.
Chris starts her swim across the Channel – News – Portsmouth News.
That was pretty much the response from my wife when the garage called to advise that her car had failed its MOT and, how much the repairs were going to cost.
The car is only eight years old has less than 30K on the clock and does less than 3K a year. This really is the car with a lady owner that only drives it to the hair dressers once a week.
So, how much was this going to be ?
As the mechanic described it, worst case “If we have to replace both rear brake assemblies and the brake shoes too” then £300″. “Obviously if we find that any of the parts don’t need replacing then we won’t and the price will be reduced accordingly”
So all in all it’s not actually a bad price. Given how much garages charge these days we could be considered to have “gotten off lightly”. Still a bit of a shock when the car gets so little usage.
So now we are going through the usual “get rid of it”, “the MOT is more than the car is worth” gut reactions.
All pretty much un-warranted as this car really doesn’t owe us anything. It is a Ford Ka and as you would expect for a low mileage car it hasn’t let us down. In fact most of its woes are now down to age, rather than wear and tear, hence things like brakes (probably rubbers getting tired) and the last MOT we replaced track rod ends (probably the rubbers getting tired allowing dirt into the ball joints).
I don’t get to drive the Ka very often but when I do I always enjoy the experience. Given it’s size it handles much like a go-kart. That is it is very nippy and it goes where you point it. The steering is direct making it fun to take round corners.
So although we have a black cloud hanging over us right now I’m sure the sun will break though very soon.
Good news from the garage. They didn’t have to replace any brake parts. Still charged us for the strip down, clean and adjust but the bill came in at £200.
I haven’t posted from the conservatory for a while. But here are three items to make up for it.
The first is a shot of a Red Admiral, a typical summer visitor who was making the most of our Buddleia or Butterfly Bush. At least in this case it was living up to its name. Most years we have hundreds of flowers but the butterflies don’t come until the flowers have turned brown.
The next is of a Green Woodpecker. Not such a regular visitor to our garden but a welcome one all the same. We do see them in the area and this is the second time in recent months. This was taken through the double glazing so I consider this a lucky shot considering that I had the 300mm lens on as well which makes it a bit more difficult to keep the camera stable.
And finally a bit of humour. I was just mowing the lawn and popped indoors for a cuppa tea. When I cam back out my mower had all but disappeared. I blame it on this mixed up summer weather that we have had this year.
I have been a tad busy with work for the last few weeks and have found it virtually impossible to get my head into blog mode let alone focus on local affairs. So I am sorry but this is old news but I wanted to bring it to your attention.
Finally, The News has discovered the planned development right here in Waterlooville. No not the enormous housing development known as WoW (West of Waterlooville). Even The News knows about that. No I’m referring to the development of the BAE site that I brought to your attention in my previous post
This is another of the Havant Borough Council / Portsmouth City Council/ East Hants Council job creation schemes. At least that’s what they say on paper. All of the proposed developments around Waterlooville are supposed to be creating jobs. But not one of them is being sponsored by any company that has signed up to move into the area and actually create those jobs.
The various councils will argue that you have to create the right conditions, prepare the environment to entice these erstwhile employers into the area. However, my fear is that what will be created will be empty commercial / industrial buildings.
We will have the new housing developments filled with a willing work force but no one to employ them. It is easier to build homes and to fill them than it is to get businesses started.
Just listen to the news regarding the economy and the apparent unwillingness of the banks to lend to businesses. To be quite honest I also wonder about the ability of folks to obtain mortgages to buy the new homes being built.
Employment boost as Waterlooville business park plans are unveiled – News – Portsmouth News.
I lived in Winter Road, 43 years ago, when I moved to Pompey to start my Fitter and Turner apprenticeship. I was sharing digs there, with a number of other dockyard apprentices, for just over a year before moving on to a new place in St. Davids Road.
What is amazing is the lack of motor vehicles in the photo accompanying the article in the News.
How Winter Road has changed in the last 80 years – Remember When – Portsmouth News.
Just come home after picking my wife up from work.
The blue meanies are working Frendstaple Road, at the entrance to Woods Edge, close to home with a hand-held speed trap.
Sorry but I was on the wrong side of the road, sneaking up behind him.
Phew !!!
My lucky day today.
I had just gone to look out the window when I spotted a movement behind the Buddleia. Out strolled an adult fox.
Not your usual reddish brown this one. No, he was more your builders sand in colour with a dark. almost black, stripe saddling his nose.
So he took a quick look around then, deciding the coast was clear, he ambled across the lawn looking from side to side until he disappeared past the apple tree.
I am glad that they are still around. I hadn’t seen the foxes about for sometime. The picture above was taken five years ago.
Do you live in the Waterlooville area ?
Do you care about what is happening to your town and the surrounds ?
Are you concerned about our town centre and the number of empty shops ?
Are you concerned about the amount of traffic on our roads ?
Are you concerned about the amount of development in our district ?
If you do and you want to have your say then you should come along to the next meeting of The Waterlooville Community Forum where you can discuss this and much more.
As an example of subject matter discussed, at a recent meeting of the forum we had a presentation from Vail Williams regarding the BAE Site in Waterlooville. This was an early look at the proposed development of that site.
The next meeting of Waterlooville Community Forum will take place on Thursday, July 26.
The meeting will start at 5.30pm at the Baptist Church in London Road.
Anyone with any queries can email davidscrichton@compuserve.com.
Issues to be debated in Waterlooville – News – Portsmouth News.
WrAnTz 