Picture In Picture

When your main tv unexpectedly stops working and the shops are shut for the night LOL.

If I can't hold out until the January sales, I guess there's always Cyber Monday just around the corner..?

Benson

Overnight temperatures just up the road, in Benson in Oxfordshire, fell to -7 degrees Celsius. Wow, that's a bit chilly!

Winter is coming.

Fire

Yesterday a serious fire broke out in Central Reading development- Station Hill. 

This was  covered extensively by the national news outlets, which is quite unusual. Normally, this sleepy, working class town is overlooked by most. This is the second fire at the development in recent months. What perhaps made this story stand out was the rescue of two people, not by the emergency services but by a calm but quick thinking crane operator, who lowered a cage to the two workers through the smoke.

Read the Daily Mail story here.

60 Not Out

The longest running and best sci-fi television show in the (known) universe was first broadcast sixty years ago today. Brilliant!

Lollipop

I happened to be driving past a primary school this afternoon and was pleasantly surprised to see a Lollipop Lady on duty, shepherding the children across the road.

It's so nice to see that some things haven't changed. 

Sydney

New NCIS, streaming now,  strewth! 

Even the theme tune, riffing on the original series, sounds good to these ears. So, since the franchise has now gone international, can we expect NCIS: Portsmouth..?

11-11

 

Simod

Took a trip today to Reading Museum, to see the Simod Cup, now on display. This competition was won by Reading Football Club back in the 80's, when their fortunes were considerably better than they are now.

Back then they were still playing at the out of date Elm Park ground but on their way to promotion to the top tier league, the Premiership. Now they are are stuck at the bottom of the third league, facing sanction from the FA and a second winding up order in the courts from the tax man. At least though they have the Mad Stad, or SCL Stadium as it is now known. Perhaps this is the club's most valuable asset and it is no wonder Reading Borough Council have taken steps to ensure the current Chinese owner cannot sell the ground, without making adequate provision for the Royals. 

There is a campaign to force the owner to sell the club. Whether it will have the desired effect waits to be seen.

Plants And Animals

Today the Royal Mint released the new and historic definative coin set for the UK. As well as featuring His Majesty on the "Head" or Obverse as it is officially known, the "Tail" (Reverse) has a whole new design. Plants and animals from throughout the UK are featured, and the designs approved by the King himself. This reflects his passion for nature and the environment, and his desire to communicate the importance of conservation.