Category: Uncategorized

Busy Weekend


Yup, Have a busy weekend in the offing.

With a fine forecast for Saturday we are having a B-B-Q so it will probably be wild, wet and windy. But never mind I can cope. After all who was it who had a B-B-Q on Boxing Day not so long ago. I can cremate food in almost any weather conditions

On Sunday we are having a bit of a family gathering in Sussex. A little bit like an American Supper but this will be more of an American Lunch. Descending on my aunt’s house, which is around the halfway point between our various homes, we will all be bearing food and drink. So I, with my wife, will get to have a grand old chinwag with my sisters, their partners and of course my aunt who has been elected to make the teas and coffees.

She in turn has also threatened to make a mystery “Lemon Bake”. Something that my youngest sister has warned me off.

We shall see !!!

It Aint Right


My heart goes out to the Ghana World Cup Team and their exit from the competition. I hate it when a team event is reduced to a one on one event. The Penalty Shoot Out.

This is another situation when FIFA need to look at finding an alternative so that they maintain the team factor.

Vauxhall Astra 1.6i Cabriolet – Insurance Issues


My granddaughter (20) is currently having a hard time trying to renew her car insurance. She has nearly 3 years no claims and all she wants to do is insure a Vauxhall Astra ragtop. We all have come to accept that there is an enormous price hike for those under the age of 25 but she is encountering the following issues

  1. A number of companies seem to have put an arbitrary age limit on anyone driving a cabriolet.
    Just yesterday, one company said that they wouldn’t insure anyone under 25 for an Astra Cabriolet !!!  Yet the very same company had previously insured her to drive an Audi TT 1.8 Turbo when she only had 1 years  previous driving experience in a Ford Fiesta and a Renault Clio.

    Go figure

  2. Probably the most disgusting issue is that  several companies are using a no fault claim as a reason to jack up her premium by, in one case, over £400.

    Last year her car had been parked legally in town. While she was away from her car a coach trying to negotiate narrow streets hit her car and caused damage to the front wing, door and front bumper. The driver of the coach accepted liability and the car was repaired. She was told, yesterday, that statistically it has been shown that young people who have a no-fault claim subsequently go on to make a claim against their own insurance. That is given as the reason why her premium should be jacked up.

Insurance companies are the slipperiest of companies to deal with when you are unfortunate enough to have to make a claim but it seems to me that they are just trying to make it difficult for the young to get on the road.

Perhaps this is an area where the government could step in and legislate for an affordable insurance scheme for new  young drivers. Of course there would be restrictions on types of cars that could be driven, the power ratings etc. But make it a scheme without arbitrary restrictions to do with soft tops or no fault claims. I am sure that there are lots of other youngsters out there who are getting the run around with lots of other trivial reasons being given.

The actions of the insurance companies are probably a contributing factor in the number of uninsured drivers that are presently on our roads.

Workers Playtime


So here I am sitting in my lounge, working from home, when some movement outside the window catches my eye.

  • Is it my next door neighbour moving their car on the drive ?
  • Is it the Blackbird attacking its reflection in my car window while it craps down the paintwork ?
  • Is it the postman on his daily trek to deliver my granddaughters mail that she never comes to collect ?

No its none of the above.

It is, in fact, a bunch of contractors playing hide and seek and climbing up an ancient Yew.

Yes at least two have made the climb up into the tree whilst several others have sprinted off into the distance. Presumably to find themselves a tree to climb. Another bod has arrived and stood talking to the guys in the Yew while he scratches and adjusts his nether regions. Doesn’t he know he will give away their hidey hole. I thought maybe he was the seeker but the two “hiders” didn’t come back down after he wandered off so I assume not.

These folks are all busy “working” hard, replacing the local water main.

Well apparently they did that before Christmas. Then they came back after Christmas but got held up by the snow. Having cleared out they have had to come back and do other “stuff” that involves multiple trucks, trailers, diggers and pneumatic drills spread over several roads.

So here we are, it’s nearly June and the task that was only going to take 3-4 weeks is still ongoing.

In the meantime its good to see that they are enjoying themselves. It doesn’t pay to let work get in the way of a great lark.

Stuff


Sometimes I feel the need to have my say.

Usually I want to have a moan about the stupid stuff that goes on around me. I see or hear stuff on the news or read stuff in the papers but there is no clear way to have my say.

Well, here is where I’m gonna do it.

Don’t expect it to be sharp, smooth or witty although it may be all of the above from time to time.

Political Correctness Gone Mad … Again!!


This makes sense….. NOT !!!

  • 2 teenage delinquents damage a cross and write sexual and rascist comments in prayer books at Blackburn Cathedral.
  • They are sentenced for this criminal act and the JP (chair of the bench) in his summation said ‘normal people would think that you were scum’
  • The clerk of the court chastised the JP for use of inappropriate language and encouraged the parent of one of the delinquents to make a formal complaint.

So does common sense prevail …… Nope.

The mother complains, The JP is now unable to chair the bench until this nonsense is resolved.

In my view, the clerk overreacted and certainly overstepped the mark. The JP certainly was reflecting the views of the wider public.

Already a parent of one of the miscreants has supported the views of the JP and I applaud the fact that he has made this view known. So many parents take the view that the own “little johnny” can do no wrong.

We need a few more like this JP. (Full Story)

When Will Common Sense Prevail


Yet another instance of common sense being thrown out the window.

Teacher Lynda May has been pursued through the courts for a matter which should have been dealt with by a local disciplinary review.

What is truly breathtaking is the fact that the CPS felt that such an incident warranted the full weight of the law, the judge also felt there was a case to answer. Only after due process did common sense raise its head and Mrs May was cleared. (Full Story)

It’s no wonder that our judicial system is so bogged down.

British Airways Cabin Crew Strike


Thank god the courts have seen sense and banned the strike that was supposed to start today. I don’t know about you but I am sick to death of the way in which it is seen as OK to hurt the general populace just so you can get your way.