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Hastings / Bodiam


Saturday Afternoon

A weekend in Hastings to celebrate my sister’s birthday was never going to be quiet but we had a cracking time.

Saturday was not  very nice weather wise, grey and cool. It didn’t matter much since we spent some time wandering down George Street browsing the shop windows  until we met up with my sisters friends. Then we whiled away some time loafing in  Ye Olde Pump House, a pub which looks much older than it really is.

 That’s if the old gent who harangued us outside can be believed. Anyway, it’s old enough and was very popular even when I used to visit back in the late 60’s. Had a couple of pints of Early Bird, a really tasty brew from Shepherd Neame.

A pale golden beer, with floral aroma, Early Bird is full-bodied and takes its name from the Early Bird variety of East Kent Goldings hops, grown in hop gardens near the brewery.

It gets my vote and certainly seemed to live up to the brewers description which I have quoted above.

Due to much gassing with my sisters friends, time passed rapidly by and we ended up spending more time in the pub than we had intended. This is what happens when you are having a good time. We were supposed to be having a meal before going on to a show. In the end we had to by-pass the meal and  sprint to make the show.

We were going to see Chas Hodges, you can read my post on that HERE

Sunday – Wow ! What a day out !!!

For Sunday we had chosen to get together with my other sister and had arranged to meet up at Bodiam Castle. The weather was fabulous, blue cloud free skies and beautiful spring sunshine.

Bodiam Castle is in a wonderful setting, sat as it is on an island reached only by the bridge across the moat.

We meandered around the perimeter of the moat enjoying the warmth of the sun and the attentions of the many ducks. Sis decided that she would become the Birdwoman of Bodiam and broke out the butties. She was immediately surrounded.

Once they knew that she was a buttie free zone they abandoned her. Cupboard love I believe it is called.

We continued to tour the castle surrounds before heading inside. Here are a few facts that I have dredged up. Bodiam is a 14th Century construction. It was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge who apparently was one of Edward IIIs knights. It was intended to defend the area against those nefarious French during the Hundred Years War.

Those pesky ducks get every where, especially when they think there is food to be had. You only have to dangle your arm over the bridge railing and a collective shout of “incoming” goes up.

Of course, what goes up must eventually come down…..

Once we were across the bridge we were met by a most unusual couple. We were accused of using the devils machinery and of stealing their spirits but they were quite friendly really and welcomed us into the castle courtyard

While we were there the locals were telling of the castles history hence the unusual attire. This fellow was the main orator.

Bodiam is a “pretty” castle now and it doesn’t take much imagination to see what it would have been like when it was first built.

It is possible to get many different perspectives of the castle.

After much strolling and climbing we found ourselves to be a bit peckish. So we took ourselves across the road to the nearby pub. Strangely enough it is called the Castle Inn

We were surprised to find that there were outside tables available and sat ourselves down for a spot of lunch. Considering this was 1st April, to be sitting outside to eat was a rare treat. The food was good and we didn’t have to wait too long and it was hot when it arrived. By a happy coincidence this pub was also serving Early Bird which was a suitable lubricant for the meal.

While we were having lunch we were treated to the spectacle of a helicopter coming into land on the pub lawns.

After lunch we walked up to the railway station. All day we had been seeing the smoke and hearing the whistles of the steam trains.

When we arrived at the station we determined that the next train would be arriving within a few minutes and duly positioned ourselves across the road and the level crossing ready for the steamer we knew was coming. Imagine the big disappointment when we were presented with this…..

Yup. A diesel loco. OK it is a piece of vintage rolling stock but it wasn’t what we wanted. Never mind, as they say, there is always next time. After taking a look at some of the old goods wagons at the station we headed back to our cars.

Drove back to my sister’s house for a cup of tea and some superb lemon drizzle cake. All taken while sitting outside in the sunshine. I still have to remind myself that this was the first day of April.

A fitting close to a fantastic day. All that was left was for us to drive the 90 or so miles home. I didn’t need any rocking when I hit my pit.

Media Guidence


It is a shame that these guidelines aren’t being adhered to today. Great to see this. Sentiments such as these should be hammered into every journo’s subconcious. The company that I work for makes all employees read and signup to a basic set of “Business Conduct Guidlines” annually. Keeps us clean.

Jack Dyson's avatarDysonology

In 1966-7 my Dad got a job as a young reporter for the Daily Mail’s Manchester office, just as it was made Newspaper of the Year. All staff received the memo below from editor Mike Randall.

When Dad sent it to me, he added: “Mike Randall left the paper soon afterwards. It became a tabloid and in ethical terms its downhill slide began. However, I think Randall’s statement still stands as the model of propriety to which all journalists working for all media should aspire.”

I couldn’t agree more – and it’s certainly how I’d hope people expect writers to behave. I’d add though that in the 15 years I’ve been writing, I haven’t noticed nearly as much awareness of the dangers of libel, sensationalism and indiscretion in young journos as was drilled into [my generation of] pre-internet trainees. I don’t think Twitter and the pressure of instant comment helps…

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Don’t Travel At Peak Time !!


Now the government want people to avoid travelling on the rail networks at peak times.

They argue that it will enable the rail companies to operate more efficiently. Sounds to me like “Keep passengers off our trains and they will run just fine”

Surely if everyone stops travelling at peak times all that happens is that the peaks move.

Once again the government is intefering in the minutea of peoples lives. People will travel when it is convenient to their own needs, not to the governments. Either that or when it makes economic sense.

Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

“I’m 76 and I’m Tired”


The following was sent to me in an email. It is attributed as having been written by Bill Cosby but this appears to be untrue and that the true author is retired Massachusetts state senator Robert A. Hall .

Truth is I don’t really care. But I do agree with many of the sentiments expressed in the following words even though I’m not 76….yet.

“I’m 76 and I’m Tired”

I’m 76. Except for brief period in the 50’s when I was doing my National Service, I’ve worked hard since I was 17. Except for some some serious health challenges, I put in 50-hour weeks, and didn’t call in sick in nearly 40 years. I made a reasonable salary, but I didn’t inherit my job or my
income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, it looks as though retirement was a bad idea, and I’m tired. Very tired.

I’m tired of being told that I have to “spread the wealth” to people who don’t have my work ethic. I’m tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it.

I’m tired of being told that Islam is a “Religion of Peace,” when every day I can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for their family “honor”; of Muslims rioting over some slight offense; of Muslims murdering Christians and Jews because they aren’t
“believers”; of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death for “adultery”; of Muslims mutilating the genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur’an and Shari’a law tells them to.

I’m tired of being told that out of “tolerance for other cultures” we must let Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries use our oil money to fund mosques and madrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in Australia, New Zealand, UK, America and Canada, while no one from these countries are allowed to
fund a church, synagogue, or religious school in Saudi Arabia or any other Arab country to teach love and tolerance.

I’m tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global warming, which no one is allowed to debate.

I’m tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ  rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses or stick a needle in their arm while they tried to fight it off?

I’m tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of all parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting caught.. I’m tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor.

I’m really tired of people who don’t take responsibility for their lives and actions. I’m tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination or big-whatever for their problems.

I’m also tired and fed up with seeing young men and women in their teens and early 20’s be-deck them selves in tattoos and face studs, thereby making themselves un-employable and claiming money from the Government.

Yes, I’m damn tired. But I’m also glad to be 76. Because, mostly, I’m not going to have to see the world these people are making. I’m just sorry for my granddaughter and her children. Thank God I’m on the way out and not on the way in.

 
“I’m 76 and I’m tired.”

It Makes You Wonder …. ?


The company that I work for has a fancy telephone system. One of those that you have to log into using a password of 8 characters or more. You know the sort. The ones that cannot have any repeated characters, cannot be spurious i.e. cannot be people’s names or obvious like birthdays etc. etc. Oh and they are changed every 60 days or so.  Woe betide you if you forget your password and that is exactly what I did. Came back from holiday and tried what I thought was my password. Tried too many times and was eventually locked out.

Since I work from home fairly frequently I wasn’t too worried but I did note that some messages had been left in the message centre ….. Voicemail. So I thought I’d get my password reset and see if any of these messages were important. So I contacted the help line who were very helpful and provided me with a web link to a site that they assured me would sort everything out. I duly followed the link, completed the various drop downs and sat back and waited for a temporary password to be sent via email.

After an hour or so an email arrived informing me that a problem ticket had been raised and pointing out that if the solution they had provided didn’t work that I could respond via the problem ticket. Another email followed informing me that the link I had followed was only to be used for IP phones. I don’t have an IP phone so I had been directed to a dead end.

Back to the first email and that problem ticket to which I responded and I sat back and waited to be contacted again.

Nothing happened.

So I started the process over again. This time I enforced the point that I did not have an IP phone. Having twice been placed on hold for several minutes the operator informed me that they didn’t support our phone system and that I would have to contact a different help desk and provided me with the number.

I contacted the new help desk and was greeted by a very friendly individual who knew exactly what I needed to do. Within the hour I had a temporary password and also I was provided with a direct dial number that would let me access my voicemail from home. So not just a problem resolution but also a bonus too.

So yesterday I was able to access my voicemail.

Remember the original problem ticket that was raised. The one that they said I could respond to and did. The one that I did not receive a reply to. Well the fourth message in my voicemail was from the lady  from the help desk asking me if my problem had been resolved.

How on earth did they think I was going to hear that message ???

Surely a big clue would have been the introductory message that she would have heard which includes the date when I set it.

Vascular surgery to stay at Portsmouth’s Queen Alexandra Hospital


Its been a long time coming but finally common sense has won through.

Well done to the News for their steady campaigning.

Vascular surgery to stay at Portsmouth’s Queen Alexandra Hospital – News – The News.


I make no apology for re-blogging this. I know these are US posters but the sentiment of them and this blog applies to just about any country. Certainly the patriotism that is missing in America is also missing from the UK.

Also I just plain like the posters.

n7qvc's avatarN7QVC's Christian Blog

WW II Posters Found"

I know some of you are too young to recall these posters and WWII, but they were a part of some of our lives and others who are now "older than dirt". These are great.

Pass them along, especially to your older e-mail friends.

I wonder whatever happened to this kind of thinking.

I got a lump in my throat when I read this. I "grew up" thinking: patriotism, it is the AMERICAN way! I am glad to see that somebody saved them. The statement at the end says it all!

~These were our parents ~

What in God’s name have we let happen?
I guess we are the last generation to see, or even remember anything like these!

Whatever happened?

It’s called…………………………
Political correctness (or "re-education") happened,
Lack of God’s name happened,
Lack of personal responsibility happened,
Lack of personal integrity and honesty happened,
Lack…

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The Compulsory Drugs Test


I received this by e-mail from a friend. It was, apparently, written by a British Soldier- What he says makes a lot of sense!

I work, they pay me. I pay my taxes and the government distributes my taxes as it sees fit. In order to earn that pay , I train for war and eventually deploy. I am required to pass a random urine test… for drugs, with which I have no problem. … What I do have a problem with is the distribution of my taxes to people who don’t have to pass a urine test. Shouldn’t one have to pass a urine test to get a benefits cheque because I have to pass one to EARN IT for them? Please understand that I have no problem with helping people get back on their feet. I do on the other hand have a problem with helping someone sit on their arse drinking beer and smoking dope. Could you imagine how much money the government would save if people had to pass a urine test to get a benefit cheque? Please pass this along if you agree or simply delete it if you don’t. Hope you will pass it along though, because something has to change in the UK !!!

Reblogs


You will see that I have re-blogged from a couple of other posters that I have been following. Thought their content might be of interest to you folks.

Probably of more interest than my burblings.