Dave Hunt

I well remember buying our first house in 1980 at a rate of 13% that then went up to 18%. However, we did get tax relief on the mortgage repayments. Dave

I don't know when De Havilland morphed into HSD or then became part of BAe but when I used to go there in the late 70s the place at Hatfield was BAe and I was looking at the development of an A-A missile project labelled XJ521 that entered service as the Skyflash. Dave

No, Jamie has said that he has to get back to France as if he came up to Hipposhire he may have to buy a round. Dave

Back in the eighties when I was involved with the production of a simulator to go with the F4Js that we were buying from the USN and for which I was the project pilot, Ferranti's were buying switches from Radio Shack for something like 50p that were identical to those for which McDonnell Douglas wanted about $50. The excuse was that they were quality controlled to be able to withstand 8G and the vibration and temperature changes associated with a fighter cockpit environment. Yeah, right. Dave

Apart from the forecast weather, a good weekend beckons as tomorrow morning I'm off to St Albans for a couple of nights whence I will be taking part in a Midland Railway Society outing to look at the Midland's London extension, or rather what evidence of the Midland's activities there still remain, and not returning to Hunt Towers until Sunday evening. Quite a bit of train travel will be involved going up and down the line and I daresay much gumbashing and ale quaffing will also feature. I am also travelling to and from St Albans by train, which will be an entertainment in itself as outbound there are four changes and on return no fewer than five. It will be interesting to see whether the plot works OK. If not, there may well be material for a rant or three. It's quite a while since I was in St Albans; the last time was when I was visiting Hawker Siddley Dynamics at Hatfield and, as the Bear and Puppers will confirm, an awful lot of water has passed by since then. Dave

WE had a really good day yesterday. The weather was good (if a little chilly out on the water with the boat travelling at about 25 knots or so at times) and the sea calm. After reaching Beaumaris late morning our first call was at a cafe for bacon butties and coffee before taking a stroll round town and eventually heading for the boat. We saw some puffins with quite bright beaks and the guide told us that the more fish the males eat, the brighter their beak colours are, thus attracting females to the most successful fishers. Apparently they are quite long lived birds and only reach breeding status at about five years of age but from then on are monagamous if possible. We also saw some grey seals and loads of other seabirds. On returning to land we then checked out the quality of the local fish'nchips, which met with universal approval, before going to the Newborough Warren part of Anglesey for a walk followed by a trouble and idiot free drive home, arriving at 2100. All in all a very pleasant and relaxing time. Dave

The only difference when the front lockers above the coal hole were fitted was that the old lockers at the rear were first of all locked and then eventually removed. Dave

Tomorrow we are off to Anglesey for the day and have booked a boat trip to Puffin Island. Jill is fascinated by puffins and keeps trying to draw and paint them but is never satisfied with how she portrays the beaks so maybe inspiration will strike after seeing them in the wild. There is also the promise of fish'nchips before returning home so providing it doesn't rain it should be quite a good day. Daves

And is it run by a bloke called Schroedinger? Dave

What exactly is a curiosity centre? Is it somewhere where everything is hidden and you have to poke around to find it? Dave

It now seems likely that I will not have to submit a self-assessment for tax after all. I spoke to our financial adviser this morning and he is of the opinion that the asset managers have arranged things so that we do not break any thresholds for tax. Hence I have cancelled the appointment with the accountant until the adviser comes to see us later this month. That saves me from going through reams of paperwork, which was going to be this afternoon's job, so having got my other chores done this morning I now have some time on my hands and since Jill has gone to spend the kids' inheritance at a hairdressers I'm about to get some shed time in. 😊 Dave

The same happened to me but then a year ago we made some investments that now means that we have to do self assessment. Dave

In fun. Dave

Managed another two mile walk this afternoon but my right knee is complaining bitterly as a result. I have therefore awarded myself a medium sized libation of Scots happy water, which I am sipping while propping the leg up on the coffee table. I apologise to afficionados of the Southern Railway for maligning the ex-Spam Can. My excuse is that it's origins and current domicile are well out of my area of expertise as well as it being about fifty years later than what I build.... .....which is typified by Northmoor's post. The upper one that is. Dave

Investing and getting interest. Dave