Category: Local (To Me !!!)

One Of Lifes Mysteries


Tried to start my car today.

No joy. Grrrr.

It transpires that the battery is flat. Now that’s a stupid phrase because the solid black lump that is at least 15″ x 12″ x 9″ (in real money) is anything but flat. To mention that your battery is flat is to invite some wag to ask “What shape should it be then ?”.

actually the more important question is “Where did my electricity go ?”

I recently filled up my battery, charged it for several hours. I haven’t driven my car for maybe 2 weeks and yet somehow all my electricity, so carefully stored, has gone. My car was locked and the alarm set so I know no one could get in. So how has this theft come about ?

In the meantime I am having to refill that black lump with more of my expensive electricity. I have checked to see if there are any holes letting my electricity seep out but there  are none that I can see.

This is a total mystery to me.

The Langstone Ark – Get Snapping


Brainchild of Louise MacCallum, environment officer for Langstone Harbour the Langstone Ark will be an online pictorial catalogue of every species seen in Langstone Harbour, from Eastney, to Farlington Marshes to Hayling Island.

All users of the harbour area are being encouraged to join in, get snapping and become part of what will become an amazing record of our local area.

Those wanting to participate can find out how HERE

Lets get started.

View From The Conservatory


Yet another drismal day here in southern Hampshire but at least someone is having fun.

Leap Frog
Leap Frog

Do ya know …..  I swear I saw them move !!! The frogs that is.  Then I realised it was the reflection of my sports socks under the table.

There are hedgehogs playing chequers down by the fence. They play 24/7 and never seem to move. Those spines must be a bugger to sit on.

I really must keep taking the tablets. Not that they do any good, they’re for my blood pressure. They don’t stop the hallucinations. Then again, maybe they do. A reflection isn’t a hallucination …. is it ?

Argggh…I’m going stir crazy. Time to get out and about.

275 Home Planned For Clanfield (East Hampshire)


275 homes are being planned for Green Lane, Clanfield.

Are you aware ?

Are you ready for the extra traffic ?

Have you had your say ?

Are you a member of the Clanfield Petition Group ?

Read More Here

Surgery Closure Petition


If you live in Locks Heath hopefully you will know about this.

The Locks Heath doctors surgery in Locks Road, which has been in operation for around 100 years, is set to close. Current Locks Road patients will be transferred to the newer joint practice surgery in Whitely,  a seven mile round trip.

Hundreds of people have signed a petition opposing the planned closure of the Locks Road Surgery and a worried resident has placed forms protesting about the closure in local shops. So far just under a thousand people have signed on behalf of themselves and their family.

Anyone who knows the area will know that the distance is not the only issue with the surgery move. To get from Locks Heath to Whitely one has to negotiate one of the busiest roundabout/junction complexes in the region. This route is the main interchange between the M27, A27, local business parks and residential areas.  It is a complete log-jam at peak times and very busy the rest of the time.

Anyone who is sick and having to visit the Whitely surgery will find this quite stressful. It is also not a route to walk, for those who do not have a car.

There has been some suggestion that a shuttle bus could be run to get folks to the new Whitely surgery. Of course that makes perfect sense….NOT.

Will the shuttle be available all day or at least for all of the normal surgery hours ?

And how much will that cost ?

Couldn’t such money be made available to upgrade the current surgery to make it “fit for purpose” ?

When does a surgery that has been in operation for nearly a century suddenly become unfit for purpose ?

Just another example of  what is good for the bean counters taking precedence over what is good for the community.

If you are a user of the Locks Road surgery I suggest you look out the petition and get your name on it.

View From The Conservatory


Not a view so much as the sounds. On such a drismal day the birds are singing their hearts out. It’s such a gorgeous sound and it makes one think that spring has arrived.

Of course opening the eyes dispels that thought in an instant. But hey, that’s what the imagination is for.

The birdsong provides a natural counterpoint to Kecharitomene by Loreena McKennitt which is wafting through the airwaves. I am as usual, working from home with Radio Paradise as my soundtrack. And now the grand masters of  RP, Bill & Rebecca , have followed McKennitt with Led Zeppelins Kashmir.

Sublime !!!

Nuisance Telephone Calls


For the last couple of days we have been receiving nuisance calls to our landline. Always around the same time of day and when you answer the line is dead, sounding  like the pause you get before an automated message starts. But it never does.

So the initial nuisance is that having hauled yourself out of  your chair, away from your work or even worse, away from your meal,  it is all for nothing.

The additional irritation is that when you try to initiate a call back (1471 in the UK) to find out who called you receive the message

” You were called…..blah … blah…. blah. We do not have the callers number”

Why Not ? Isn’t it your telephone network ?Why is this allowed ?

Why is the caller allowed to disturb your peace, allowed to invade your privacy but you are not allowed to respond. The caller obviously wanted to speak to someone at your number so why are they being so secretive.

I think the rules should be changed. If you call someone then they have the right to know who you are.

Hedge Choppers Anonymous


On Sunday morning my neighbour decided to trim back the hedge that separates our properties. That in and of its self is not a problem. However, nary a word did she say to either me or my wife before coming on to our property and starting this hatchet job. The hedge doesn’t belong to us, is not on our property but we have grown used to its presence. I did go out and talked with her about her plans. I asked her not to take it down any lower and agreed that I would cut down the thicker trunks that she couldn’t handle.

Hedge Choppers Anonymous
Hedge Choppers Anonymous

I also warned her that she shouldn’t cut back the sides of the hedge too much as it won’t grow back. Our side has only just about recovered after a severe trim by a “professional”.  We still have a brown section after 2-3 years of regrowth. To be honest this photo is after I have taken down some of the thicker trunks that she couldn’t handle. So it’s looking a lot tidier than she left it and I’ve yet to attack the last few trunks.

She has totally trashed a perfectly good hedge. It is higher on our side than on hers and she has trimmed back the face of the hedge, on her side, way too much. She had started on our side when I advised her not to remove any more due to the reluctance of conifers to grow back.

My view is that she has basically killed the hedge and that it will probably never recover. On that basis I believe that it should be taken out completely.

That will be a shame as, for many years, we have enjoyed the privacy provided by that hedge.  As she is only a tenant, doesn’t own the property, I am considering contacting the agents to express my dissatisfaction with this situation. I don’t want to fall out with her but this is tantamount to vandalism.

View From The Conservatory


Well today the view is not good as its been raining all day. I probably won’t be nipping outside to have a quiet coffee sat at the table.

A Miserable Day
A Miserable Day

Haven’t seen any  squirrels.  Mind you the local squirrel population is decreasing thanks to my neighbours cats. They have had two in the last few weeks. The only positive thing I can say about that is that they don’t just kill for sport. The little black devils actually eat what they kill. It’s not as if they are hungry, I know that they are well fed. Seems like they have gotten a taste for fresh meat.

As well as a lack of squirrels I also haven’t seen many birds today. The ever-present Robin is about, protecting his territory, but no sign of the usual tits and finches.

I guess they are all doing the sensible thing and staying home and watching day time television.

As for me well I’m working from home with Lovers Touch, by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, streaming off the internet from Radio Paradise.

Oh well back to work.

Posted this over 2 hours ago. Suddenly the sun has come out. Do you suppose my post was read by the big fella ?

Barbara (Janet) Mayhew


My Auntie Barbara passed away on December 12th, 2010, after a long battle with cancer.

I attended her funeral just before Christmas on Thursday 23rd.  My thoughts are with Peter and family.

Once again  I  have become aware of what a huge family I belong to and also how little I know about it. Many of the folks I haven’t seen since the Sims family get together held at Henfield, June 2003.

I think it is very sad that we only meet to pay our respects to those that have passed away. It seems a terrible waste that we have not socialised with our relatives and that we are becoming strangers. Our family ties are becoming more tenuous it seems with the passing of my Mums brothers and sisters.

I would like to think that we can undo some of this in the new year.

That’s my new years resolution for 2011.