31-12-2015

Happy New Year everyone. Enjoy the last hours of this year, look forward to all that may come in 2016 and beyond.

By the way, I hear Woolworths in Australia are already selling Hot Cross Buns and their rival supermarket Coles will do the same in January. Must check the shops here...

Mystery Fruit

What exactly is a Pomelo?

Found on offer in the supermarket, so it had to be tried LOL.

Christmas 2015

Festive greetings to everyone.

Only a couple of days to go and I expect we'll be able to buy Easter Eggs in the shops.

The Mead Hall

Lovely old barn: not a bad place for a party, don't you think?

Lottery Win

No, not me.

There has been however good news for supporters of Reading Abbey. The Heritage Lottery Fund has made an award of £1.77m (approx US$2.66m, AU$3.70m) towards stabilising the ruins, so that the site of this once grand abbey may be opened to the public again. Reading Borough Council are also backing the scheme to the tune of about £1.38m and hope the ruins of the abbey, founded by Henry I, can open in about two years time.

Read more from the BBC here.

I had the good fortune last year to be able to enter the grounds and investigate parts of the structure not currently open to the public. Armed with my camera, it was a nice way to spend a Sunday morning.

A rare view of part of the Abbey structure.





I have also been reading that an attempt is to be made to locate the remains of King Henry I, supported by the team who found King Richard in a Leicester car park. Henry I is buried somewhere in his abbey in the town I am proud to call home.

Just Around The Corner...

You can tell what is rapidly approaching when you start baking these...

Homemade Mince Pies, mmm...









How brilliant is the BBC's new adaption, The Last Kingdom?

Please Explain!

Following yesterday's post, same time today and the temperature was +9 degrees Celsius. Got to love the British weather!

-2

For the first time this winter I had to scrape ice from my car windscreen this morning. Temperatures have plummeted these past few nights and as I left for work today my car thermometer proudly told me it was below zero outside. Brrrr.

At least there was something to cheer when I arrived. A colleague had been baking over the weekend and brought in homemade Mince Pies.

Biggles Grounded?

According to the BBC Reading University plan to demolish St Patrick's Hall, where Biggles author WE Johns is thought to have got inspiration for "... Learns To Fly," based on his own time there. The Victorian Society have launched a campaign to save this fine looking building on Northcourt Avenue.

Trekkin'

Quite pleased by last week's news there is to be a brand new Star Trek TV series, scheduled for 2017. Not quite so keen on press reports a certain Mr W Shatner wants to stage a musical version of the five year mission.

Coffee Anyone?

According to this article in the Daily Mail your choice of coffee shop can make a real difference to the amount of the "good stuff" you actually receive in your morning cuppa. The item also goes on to demonstrate the price you pay isn't a barometer of quality/strength either.

Might explain why I prefer Costa...

Remembrance

Sparks!

Gotta love fireworks...

Too PC?

I wonder why Google haven't put out one of their famous doodles today?

Is it a case of it no longer fashionable to mark historical religious intolerance, burning a man at the stake or the saving of "mother of parliaments"..?

Return Of The Giant Roadside Poppies

This one was spotted in Binfield on Friday afternoon. Nice to see the local town council making a distinctive effort to mark our annual Remembrance.

25 Oct 2015 02:00

Don't forget the clocks change in the UK tonight and Winter is just around the corner...

Thought the BTTF theme was apt, but with a LEGO twist...

Great Scott!

Now we're in the future, where can I pick up my hover board?

Problem Solved!

Have been reading today that the Prime Minister is due to announce a new house building scheme for the UK.

Why is it that politicians (of all persuasions) seem to feel the answer to all this county's woes is to build more homes? And most of them in the south east of England. Before long there won't be any green space to speak of for goodness sake!

Crabbin'

From this fine specimen...

...to this impressive haul!

LL and his grandad caught well over 30. All returned home safe and sound to their under-the-sea home I should add.

Hayling

This is what the sunset over Hayling Island looked like this evening as we went out for the evening ...

Lovely isn't it?

Bah Humbug?

Yesterday on my way out from work I saw my first Christmas tree of the year. Yes HSBC Bank, I mean you. What are you thinking, September's not done yet!

Growing Up!

Now we attend Big School and visit Costa Coffee LOL.

Mind Your Language

Have you noticed a new word or phrase has crept into use recently?

Mostly to be found in video games such as Five Nights At Freddy's, we now talk in terms of "Jump Scares." Hello..? Isn't that what we used to refer to as a fright, shock, scare or something similar?

Just goes to prove saying "why use one word when several will do" LOL.

999 Plus One

I do love travel to other countries...

But where LOL..?

Rip-off?

Today I received something in the post from the Land Downunder. It had been held by the UK Border Force pending payment of customs duty.

The parcels division of Royal Mail very thoughtfully paid these fees of £8.68 (US$13.58, AU$18.41) on my behalf, without asking me. They have then charged me a handling charge of over £13 (US$20, AU$27). Really?!? You have got to be kidding, how can this be justified?

Make The Most While You Have It All

Learnt these past few days that Dad has been diagnosed with dementia. Certaintly it explains a lot but at least we now know.

Pier Pressure

"Go on: you know you want to jump in the sea."

Lovely Bournemouth today.

Tweet?

Birdworld: does exactly what it says on the tin LOL. We took a trip out Farnham direction today with ll, great day out.

Says It All!

Closed For Business?

I suspect the UK government has a cunning plan to get this nation back on it's feet by means of major road works alone. Certainly a lot of construction engineers and suppliers are being kept very busy at present. It seems everywhere I drive in this area there are infrastructure redevelopment programs being executed. For example the A329M and M4 Motorway have been under works for months now. Not to mention the redevelopment of the Coppid Beach roundabout and the new Shinfield Bypass (complete with new bridge over the motorway).

This sign appeared close to me recently. 10 months!?!

It's most definitely not fun to drive at the moment, with 50mph (80kph) speed restrictions through the works, contra flows and junctions closed. We might as well tell the rest of world not to visit at the moment: you won't enjoy the experience on our roads and definitely won't see this wonderful country in the best light.

Priority

You know once in a while I wonder if some people have their priorities all wrong.

Sunset

Littlehampton by night.

Not Up Or Down

The UK cost of living is no longer changing, it's official. The annual rate of inflation is now 0%, prices are not moving in either direction. How come then it still feels like I am shelling out more than last year for the same things?

Thought: if rising prices is inflation and falling is deflation, does that mean we now have noflation? There I've just coined a new word for the English language LOL.

Do As I Say...

...Not as I do.

Don't you just love hypocrites?

Dramatic!

We took an overnight stay down at Dad's with LL this weekend. On the whole we all had a lovely time, although sadly I don't think Dad is getting any better. I'm very worried for him. Anyway, overnight we were treated to quite a dramatic storm.

Queue manic and evil laughter...

Extra Second In Bed

Apparently tonight (midnight UK time) an extra second will be added to clocks worldwide. So more time under the sheets. Read about it here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-33313347

Guess that also means those on the opposite side of the globe will have to work just that little bit longer LOL.

Scorchio!

Is summer finally here..? Daytime temperatures are expected to remain in the low to mid 30's all week. Mmm.

The weather as seen by fictional "Channel 9 News."

Shepherd's Delight?

The sky near me tonight.

Soup Dragon

Am I the only one excited by the return tonight of the knitted inhabitants of a distant moon LOL?

Can't wait to see The Clangers back on TV. How sad am I?

Annual Fig Update

Yes it's that time of year again when I bring exciting news on my potted Fig tree. Seems to be doing quite nicely this time, enjoying the sunny and sheltered position. For a bit of a thrill, I also this year publish an image of one of the Peonies which grows in the garden. Life really is lived on the edge here LOL.

Lovely isn't it?

Not. Guilty?

Apologies for being quiet for a time, I've been attending the Crown Court performing my civic duty. Or having to do Jury Service if you prefer LOL.

To be honest while there is a awful lot of sitting around, waiting, without a great deal to occupy your time, I found the trial process itself fascinating. Perhaps I should investigate being a court usher, would make for a change that's for sure. Apparently you don't need a qualification in UK law just an aptitude for process and procedure. And a degree of common sense. Guess that rules me out LOL.

Reading Crown Court, impressive and quite lovely isn't it?

Light Oatmeal

Enjoy!

Multi-coloured

With Copper Red, Marbled Blue and Bright Orange Red Stoneware glazes.

UK General Election

I think we should all vote for Kermit the frog.

Somehow you know we will end up with a right bunch of muppets LOL.

Flea Pit

This is a real blast from the past- how cinema's used to be before plastic Multiplex's took over. This one is the Dome at Worthing, quite beautiful don't you think?

Oh and the film we saw? The new Avengers outing. A whole lot of fun!

Birthday

I miss you Mum.

Poor Show

4 April Reading 1 - 1 Cardiff
7 April Blackpool 1 - 1 Reading
11 April Reading 0 - 0 Blackburn
14 April Reading 0 - 1 Bournemouth
22 April Reading 0 - 1 Birmingham
25 April Reading 0 - 2 Brentford
28 April Rotherham 2 - 1 Reading

The Royals now sit at 19th in the Championship with one game to go.

Twisted Handles

Not my usual style and finished can you believe it in Bright Orange Red...

Sometimes I just want to be held tight and told the pain will go away.

Must Find A New Name...

...However "Boobed" seems to have stuck at least for now.

Completed in the following glazes: Bright Orange Red, Marbled Green, Vellum Off White Dolomite, Fiord Blue and Light Oatmeal. Added to this was Colbalt Oxide along the spines.

So if anyone can suggest a more suitable name, please send it to the usual competition address.