Wednesday, 4 February 2026

Investment

In these tough and unpredictable times, I keep hearing advice telling me to invest in gold. 

Is this what they mean LOL..?



Monday, 2 February 2026

Saturday, 31 January 2026

The Bill

Revisiting the hits of Sting and The Police at a local venue.



Wednesday, 28 January 2026

Decimal 60

What better way to celebrate sixty years of decimal currency than with some lovely Mintmark and Privy Mark coins? 

In 1966 Australia marked "Changeover Day" with the introduction of decimal Dollars and Cents. Previously the country had used British Pounds, Shillings and Pence (LSD) before adopting their own versions of the same. Now, in the mid 60's, the much more logical, easier to understand currency was to be used to signify the modern, forward-looking and confident Australia.

The Royal Australian Mint has issued, in readiness for this milestone (14th February), a beautiful four coin set of $1 coins. The Three Privy Mark items represent the Mints of Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, and are marked B, M and S respectively. The final $1 coin is marked C for Canberra, Australia's federal capital city (referred to as ACT or Australian Capital Territory).

Aren't these awesome?












Monday, 26 January 2026

Yeah Nah Yeah

Aussie visitors to this page might appreciate this on their national day LOL.



Saturday, 24 January 2026

Micro

Definitely not trying to compete with that Bake Off show but I've made a tasty looking batch of ANZAC biscuits. 

Much to my dismay these are no longer readily available to purchase in UK shops and recently had a request from ym if I could dig out my trusty recipe. My intent was to make some mini biscuits- however I over estimated how much they would spread- and have ended up with mico-sized biscuits. Literal bite sized LOL.

Hope they taste as good as they smell.



War Is Over

You know the Cold War is done when near 70 year old former nuclear bunkers fall into the sea LOL.

Read here, from the BBC about this coastal site in Tunstall, Yorkshire.





Friday, 23 January 2026

Nautical Crime Fighters

Some here will be aware I love the US series NCIS, and it's franchaised spin-offs. Perhaps one of the best children of the parent show is the one set DownUnder, NCIS:Sydney. Thankfully they don't restrict themselves just to NSW but do occasionally venture into different states.

After an enforced break (my doing) I've blitzed the second season and can finally move to the third, yea!

One thing I can't quite get my head around is the lead character. Nothing wrong as such. It's just I find it somewhat odd a British actress (Olivia Swann) playing an American character in a show set exclusively in Australia. Could they not find an Aussie who could manage a passable American accent or even, heaven forbid, an actual American actress LOL..?

Still great drama though.



Tuesday, 20 January 2026

Orbit

If anything makes me feel old, it's realising how many trips around the Sun ym has now achieved LOL.




Saturday, 17 January 2026

Concorde 50

Growing up I had posters of this wonderful aeroplane on my bedroom walls, and books containing losts to useful facts and images. Yet I never got to fly. Sure over the years I've been aboard several Concordes but sadly always on the ground. Whilst the first test flights were in the 60's, a Supersonic commercial service didn't start until 1976.

The Royal Mint have issued, to mark this event, a marvellous circulation 50p coin. Naturally I couldn't resist this presentation pack, which includes a larger 1976 50p LOL.

Enjoy.












Friday, 16 January 2026

Tip Or Dump

Whether you refer to it as The Tip, The Dump, The Amenity Site or The Recycling Centre, some of us get a great deal of satisfaction from offloading unwanted and deadwood items. You know, things that no longer have use or meaning and clutter the place. Well done me.



Thursday, 15 January 2026

Cressex

Back here in darkest Wycombe for the arvo. And nearly on time LOL.