Check. Out.

Have you ever tried one of those self service check-outs at your local supermarket, where you scan your own items? I have and I don't know why I bother. They're supposed to be quicker and easier to use than the traditional staffed till, right? Wrong. More often than not the queues seem to be much longer and when you get to the check-out, in my view they are far from straight forward. 

For example my trip tonight to my local ASDA for a handful of the weekly items was just so stressful. No less than four interventions were required by the poor harassed assistant before I was able to scan all my purchases. First off despite telling me the till was ready for me to place my own bags in the bagging area, that wasn't good enough. So I had to wait to be manually authorised grrrr. Then there was the stress of the scanned item not being registered. Another visit, override code grrr. And... well you get the picture.

I certainly wasn't the only one having issues from I could see. On one level you have to feel sorry for the staff who I imagine receive a good deal of grief and it really isn't their fault, is it? Ho hum.

Oh one last (unrelated) thought: I've been hearing lately a lot in the media about the "Innernet." Repeat after me "In-Ter-net." There, that wasn't hard was it?

Hands Off?

There's been mixed reaction to the news BBC Worldwide (the commercial arm of the BBC) are planning a big screen film version of Doctor Who. Apparently Harry Potter director David Yates is one of the prime movers behind this announcement. Now I don't know about you but I thought he did quite a decent job with the later instalments of that franchise. However Andrew M Brown in the Telegraph even went so far in his blog to seemingly list many of the reasons often cited as being behind the series cancellation (in the 1990's) as reasons why "Hollywood" should keep well away. So because it used to be seen as fairly low budget- and I guess against the average episode of say Battlestar Galactica it still is- Hollywood money shouldn't be used to (possibly) improve these things? I dunno.

But this is not the first time Doctor Who has appeared on the big screen. Those two 1960's Peter Cushing films weren't too bad. Surely?

 Yes that was the Bernard Cribbins co-starring.

For me the jury is still out and I'll wait to hear more information before passing judgement. Perhaps a new film will be a welcome addition to the canon and assuming they move quickly maybe even a fitting 50th anniversary celebration in 2013...



1 Nov Nottingham Forest 1 - 0 Reading
6 Nov Reading 1 - 0 Birmingham

Dance

I think I am in danger of becoming addicted to BBC's Strictly Come Dancing (or Dancing With The Stars, as it is known elsewhere). Read more here.

Star Chelsee Healy and professional dance partner Pasha Kovalev. Can't see what the attraction is myself LOL.














So how come with all the great British talent in the series, why is it two former Aussie soap stars seem to be leading the field?

But seriously I'm finding it rather good and quite unmissable. Must be getting old...

Remembrance

To the brave men and women who have given so much so we all might enjoy freedom, thank you. We will never forget you.

11:11 11/11/11

Today marks the anniversary of Armistice Day.

A depiction of the signing of the Armistice.

Right

Gonna be a tad controversial now but I'm not trying to offend...

A few years back the previous UK government created "civil partnerships" as a means of recognising same sex unions and putting them on the same legal footing as a civil or religious marriage between a woman and a man. This was well intentioned I don't doubt, although some campaigners argued that even the term put it on a lesser standing to marriage. And oddly only same sex couples could have a civil partnership; if you are heterosexual you are currently only permitted to have a marriage, civil or religious. So one hardly equals the other.

The current coalition government has sought to equalise matters by announcing recently that by 2015 or thereabouts they intend to make it possible for same sex civil marriages to be held in places of religious worship. Such as a church, mosque or synagogue. The proviso being the people running a particular religious building have to be in agreement. Fair enough I guess. So far so good.

Now at this point I don't want anyone to think I am anti- this or anti- that. I'm not for one moment making any sort of comment on the preferences, lifestyles or choices made by others.

My concern is that a campaign group will find a religious building- say a church where the vicar does not agree with gay marriage- and they will attempt to force the issue via the law courts, claiming it is their right under the Human Rights Act to marry wherever they wish. I know there are likely to be a great many churches of various denominations who will welcome the opportunity to conduct same sex marriages, there will however be some where the leadership will feel that for them it is not in line with teaching and conviction. So while it might be your right to live the life you choose and with whom, is it not also the right of others to express their beliefs? As we approach Remembrance Day I think it is especially important to remind ourselves of the sacrifice made by many others so that we all can enjoy freedom of speech and thought. Enforcing one will or opinion on others is just not right.

And finally one last thought. If say this hypothetical vicar was so against same sex unions, why on God's Green Earth would you wish to be married and blessed in a building where you would clearly not be welcome?

Bwahaha!

LL and I spent some time Saturday carving a pumpkin in time for Halloween. I'm not sure looking at this image which one is more scary...

I think he might go out tonight with some little friends "Trick or Treating." Or "Demanding with Menaces" as perhaps it might more accurately be described. To be honest at his age it's just innocent fun and they don't go further than a few houses in the immediate area, where all the children are well known anyway but you get my point.


Have a ghoulish (and safe) evening everyone...

Big Bang

It's got round to that time of year again when the UK goes mad on fireworks to mark Guy Fawkes' attempt to destroy Parliament on 5 Nov 1605. The anniversary of this event is celebrated with fireworks and a bonfire on which a "Guy" is usually burnt.

As is tradition where LL lives, they celebrate on the nearest Saturday a whole week early, don't ask me why, so usually around Halloween. It seems to work and a great time is had by all. Here's a couple of images from this evening...

Great fun.



29 Oct Crystal Palace 0 - 0 Reading

Ta-Dah!

Here it is, as promised....

Don't worry- I did wash the holly first LOL.

The Smell Of Christmas*

Some readers may recall last year I had a go at baking a Christmas cake based on the Delia Smith kit sold in a well known supermarket. If you need to, you can refresh your memory here and here LOL.

Now if ever there was an example of how imitation is one of the best forms of flattery, may I present exhibit "A" below?

All that's missing from this image is 170g of unsalted butter.















At £10 (the same price Delia's was offered for last year) you can understand that I couldn't refuse the chance to give it go. And in fact it requires fewer additional ingredients; how can I go wrong? It's in the oven now and should be finished after 3 and a half hours at a relatively low heat, so a couple more to go. There's whole almonds in the mix so I'm thinking this year perhaps I might leave it totally plain and adorn it with some holly from the garden...

Either way I might post an image later as it cools. Do check back soon to see how it went.


18 Oct Reading 2 - 2 Derby
22 Oct Reading 1 - 1 Southampton

* Don't you just love the smell of spices and mixed fruit that has been soaked in a generous portion of Brandy? I know I do LOL.

Extra

Extra minutes and extra teeth.

LL has been feeling very much under the weather this weekend, complaining of headaches and a sore throat. It seems the route cause is a number of adult teeth pushing through. As you see, at least some of the new ones appear to be a little off target...

Ouch!












Meanwhile yesterday the Royals travelled to Burnley and ended up playing an unheard of additional 9 minutes, in lieu of injury time. Substitute Jem Karacan managed to score the only goal of the match right before the final whistle (at 99 minutes), winning Reading a vital 3 points. Following their no-score-draw at home to Middlesbrough last Saturday (1 Oct), Reading's unbeaten run now stretches to 4 games but they remain mid-table at 14th out of 24.

P.Y.O*

Who would have thought the first day of October would see us out in the sunshine picking strawberries and raspberries? In fact at 29.9 degrees Celsius (about 86 degrees F), today has been the hottest October day in Britain on record. Wow.

Now where shall we start?

Did we pick enough?
















* Pick Your Own. Just so you know.