Early Risers.

[TheQ]

Both, I expect. The markups on all alcohol - particularly wine - are pretty staggering.

 

Here restaurants ask at least 4x wholesale and retail shops ask at least 2x wholesale on wine.

 

Is there a 'sin tax' on alcohol in Britain?

There isn't a sin tax as such, but since duties were introduced back in the days of sailing ships and smugglers. Successive governments Have found this a wonderful way to raise money. The system is a bit strange though, there are different rates of taxes on beers, wines and spirits. There is not a flat tax on alcohol strength, throughout the range of booze.

 

Apart from value added tax of 20% paid on top of cost and the other taxes, on most products the average excise duty ( alcohol tax) is:

On wine £2.16 to £2.90 per 75cl dependant on strength

On Spirits £7.54 per 70cl

On cider £0.23 per pint

On Beer £0.43 per pint

 

cl = Centilitres, 1 pint = 56.8cl

 

There are lots of variations on the above it's a lot more complicated!!!

Note at today's rates £1 GB is roughly 1.3 USD.

 

Overall the average pint will cost between £3 in a cheap area and £4 in an expensive area although some pubs in tourist areas it can be a lot more.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. A quick hello and goodbye, busy weekend with the show.

[Barry O]

Morning everyone.

Phil, hope that the show goes well.

Dry here so off to Pocklington later to umpire.

 

Managed to build up a gearbox, fit it to a loco and get it to work yesterday in between other jobs. Great!

 

I have to attend junior nurse drac for a "Care Planning Meeting". They have sent me results from my last blood/p£ss tests but some other information in the sheet are the incorrect. Why bother??

 

Enjoy your day. Carpe Diem!

 

Baz

[jamie92208]

Morning all from a slightly damp but overcast Charente. It is forecast to stop raining later today and then gradually start to get warmer. This means that as it may be reasonable weather for going up a ladder I am coming under increasing pressure to get the TV working. We had a good meal out at some friends last night and one of the friends that were there is going to come and give me a hand.

 

This morning a lady who stores some furniture in our shed is due to call. She is now 3 months behind on her rent so it could be an interesting conversation. This afternoon I need to go back to Lidl to get some more stuff so it will be a full day.

 

Phil I hope your show goes well and Chris I hope that the meal went well.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

[DougN]

Now the end of Saturday, Ended up chasing around after my parents repairs to their house. So a ride with a carpenter I know to go and look at the issues that need to be repaired.... looks like 3days worth of work. even worse he gets paid and I, the son, get nicks... Well I am not sure it is a good cause? This then caused the loss of 2 hours with trailer on the new car.... Now I know why some people say it is hard to back a trailer... my old car easy... this one.... direct and hope for the best. Admittedly I have gone from a sedan to a 4x4 wagon with a camera. It will take some practice to get good again. So to the hardware pickup AUD180 worth of gear deliver to parents place. and back home The cup of coffee was nice when I got home but for some reason just not satisfying, Though as I go outside and sit with the Beagle (yes that is my dog "Indiana" in the avatar) drink my coffee with him going slightly nuts. He will sit and lean on me for a while, then a face wash {no thanks I know what you eat and lick with that thing...yuk} Then he goes off to see if the neighbors cats have decided to go close to the fence again. Back to check that I have moved the furniture in his room (the back yard) and re arrange! Crazy dog. 

 

Now I didn't manage to get to the local hobby shop for some brass so may be tomorrow. 

[emt_911]

Morning all. Late on parade but as I didn't set the alarm I'm not surprised.

 

An easy day planned with some washing and ironing to tackle while listening to John Mayall thanks to Pete for reminding me.

 

Some modelling may be attempted but nothing planned.

 

Time for another coffee.

 

Have a good day everyone.

[lightengine]

Both, I expect. The markups on all alcohol - particularly wine - are pretty staggering.

 

Here restaurants ask at least 4x wholesale and retail shops ask at least 2x wholesale on wine.

 

Is there a 'sin tax' on alcohol in Britain?

£22 for a bog standard red in our local Italian eatery. £6.99 tops in Co-op. The thing was, the food was overpriced for what it was. That's off the future list now.

[Horsetan]

.... Now I know why some people say it is hard to back a trailer... my old car easy... this one.... direct and hope for the best. Admittedly I have gone from a sedan to a 4x4 wagon with a camera. It will take some practice to get good again. ....

 

Not looking forward to future lessons backing a horse trailer.

[Danemouth]

So this morning there I am reading the Daily Wail when a glance at the advert on the back of their "Weekend" magazine.

 

"Bill the Flying Scotsman Bear" by Steiff a 10" standing teddy is available with "5 convenient monthly instalments" totalling £229 + P & P

 

Hmmmm - I'm sticking with Jones the Steam on RMWeb thank you very much,

 

Regards to one and all,

 

Dave

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Well regatta time is well and truly here so having parked one car out in the road (to stop some effin visitor saving his parking charge in order to buy funny coffee or a couple of glasses of Pimms) the twit across the road has now parked his Range Rover in a position to interface with my rear bumper when I try to reverse out - instead of parking it in his own effin drive (where it would partially block the pavement but who cares about that - but anyway he has now moved).  The rest of the road seems to be occupied by vehicles belonging to goodness knows who but most of them definitely don't live here although I excuse the two French registered vehicles as they belong to a crew lodging just down the road.

 

As the town is subject to major invasion today we shall no doubt go somewhere else, in fact anywhere else!

 

Enjoy your day.

[DougN]

Not looking forward to future lessons backing a horse trailer.

at least you can see it out the windows! My 6x4 trailer is below the sight lines and it is now a lot narrower than my new car! My old car was only slightly wider so it was just possible to see the trailer in the mirrors when you move your head around!

 

There is a probability that I will end up with a larger trailer 8x5 dual axle etc that I should be able to see!

[NGT6 1315]

A‘noon everyone. Currently riding to work for a shift on Lines 16 and 4. That’s a combo I haven’t had before.

 

Some gardening work likely to be done tomorrow. Assuming the weather holds, which seems to be a bit ambiguous at this time.

 

Enjoy your weekend, folks...

[Gwiwer]

Morning all

 

Would have been here earlier but my services were required elsewhere. SWMBO typically does her banking of a Saturday morning and found when the Australian account was inspected that she had been relived of $7000. All in $1000 ATM withdrawals, daily over the past week and from a location neither of us has ever visited. Cue wailing, gnashing of teeth and a call to the fraud team at Australian bank. It should all come good in a couple of days and replacement cards are already ordered. I have to say I couldn't fault the bank person's empathy and service. Someone has, it seems, been either very clever or very opportunistic as no card has ever been lost, shared or otherwise misused. We think mail to the Australian address might have been interfered with though it should not have been sent there in the first place.

 

Hey ho.

 

Decent sleep though interrupted at times by a bouncy cat. Now a grey but comfortably warm day for a trip to the Twickenham Green Fete up the road. Tomorrow is the annual Strawberry Hill House Fun Day offering food and music in addition to a chance to visit this strange but fascinating place.

 

Best wishes to all. Back soon.

[PeterBB]

Rick - hope all the money comes back soon and that the culprits are caught.

 

GDB - Well in spite of or perhaps because of Williams we have beaten them.  Having said that on balance I think we played the better and deserved to come out on top for the first on their home soil for many many years.  1-1 now - what a match the decider should be.

 

Peter

[Andrew P]

Saturday Morning Cool Music dept.

 

John Mayall Bluesbreakers + Buddy Whittington and Special Guest Gary Moore. “So Many Roads” by the great Otis Rush (one of my favorite artists/writers):

Montreux 2008

 

Best, Pete.

Nice one Pete, I've seen John Mayall and Buddy Whittington a couple of times, and also Gary More at Portsmouth Guildhall, I was leaning over the Barriers at the front and have one of his Plectrums, (god that was a LOUD Gig, Garry's Marshall Stack about 20 ft away from my ear drums, WONDERFUL).

 

I'll also dig out my Otis Rush Album this afternoon and give that and the John Mayall ones another airing, 

 

Great Music.

[Happy Hippo]

at least you can see it out the windows! My 6x4 trailer is below the sight lines and it is now a lot narrower than my new car! My old car was only slightly wider so it was just possible to see the trailer in the mirrors when you move your head around!

 

 

When we had a trailer like that a pair of thin poles with small pennants on the top attached to each rear corner of the trailer was really helpful.

 

The worst trailers I have had the misfortune to try and reverse with were the old military 3/4 ton trailers fitted with the NATO standard hitch and ring arrangement.

 

Compared to them, reversing an Antar complete with a Chieftain tank perched on the top of the trailer was a doddle.

[shortliner]

I was never in the position to try the Antar+ Load. but the 3/4 ton trailer full of airfield emergency lighting lamps was the original pigs orphan bitch! - I'll bet the designer never had to reverse one !!!

[Happy Hippo]

 

Anyone try Outlander last night? Thought it a bit slow and, well, a bit naff, or am I missing something?

 

The Obergrumpenfuhrer, my daughter and mother are all fans, having read the books, and have been watching it on the likes of Amazon TV.

 

I watched a bit and thought it was crap a bit far fetched, especially as they haven't got a Tardis to get around with.

[Rugd1022]

Belated 'morning all' greetings to ERs, with glad tidings and commiserations where they're needed,

 

Well it's been a heck of a week and no mistake, it still hasn't sunk in that my dear old Dad shuffled off this mortal coil last weekend just a few weeks shy of his 77th birthday, but at least as a family we have the comfort of knowing that he was surrounded by so many of his friends, most of them lifelong friends at that, having a meal with them in the village pub he used to live in back in the '50s and '60s (my Grandparents ran it at the time). I'd nipped round to see him that morning and there was no sign of trouble despite his ailments, which typically to him were just annoyances. During the week while my sisters, brother and I have been pootling about getting things organized numerous complete strangers have come up to us offering their condolences, I knew he was well liked amongst his pals of course but it's been rather heart warming talking to everyone else who knew him or grew up with him so many years ago.

 

For the most part I've managed to avoid my usual internet haunts this past week, with all that's been going on here and abroad just lately, be it domestic, political or otherwise Dad's passing has put it all into perspective, and then some. Having dithered about far too much myself recently with what you might call 'middle age inertia', I've decided it's time to get off my bony backside and make the effort to finally bag something Italian and exotic in the four wheeled department, as this is something we both fancied doing sooner or later, despite (or perhaps because of!) my two sisters trying to get him to give up driving altogether. At one point we'd planned to buy or hire something appropriate and 'do' the Monaco GP and visit the Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati factories and museums in Italy. It'll be down to me now but I'm sure he'd approve.

 

Funerals are often strange, slightly surreal affairs but we'll be giving him a proper send off in the same pub he loved and supported pretty much throughout his life. I'd imagine a fair chunk of his wages disappeared behind the bar.... anyway I'll have a half, Barman, if you please...

 

Stay safe all.

Edited July 1, 2017 by Rugd1022

[AndyID]

The Obergrumpenfuhrer, my daughter and mother are all fans, having read the books, and have been watching it on the likes of Amazon TV.

 

I watched a bit and thought it was crap a bit far fetched, especially as they haven't got a Tardis to get around with.

It's the length between the hitch and the trailer axle(s) that makes the difference. Short trailers are much more difficult to reverse than long trailers because they are more sensitive to a small change in the tow vehicle steering.

[BSW01]

Good afternoon everyone

 

As seems to have been the norm of late and as the sun was shining I went straight out into the garden this morning, dead heading roses and cutting the grass. Once I'd finished cutting the grass I got out the strimmer out and did the edges. I then gave both the mower and the strimmer a good clean off afterwards. The repair I made to the mower last time I used it have worked a treat, as the whole process took just over 30 minutes, including putting everything away. I then dug up and split some peonies so that one of Sheila's friends could have some, the rest will be going to our daughter.

 

After lunch I got the pressure washer out and cleaned the decked area in front of the workshop as well as the workshop walls and those of the shed too. I also cleaned some of the paving slabs that the shed sits on, I'm hoping that this will reduce the amount of muck that is thrown from them by the rain.

 

After all that activity, I managed about 30 minutes in the workshop, so I fitted the coupling rods to the chassis I built up last weekend, fitted the motor to the gearbox and gave it a little run, it was a little bit jerky, but it it ran! Considering I'd only quartered the wheels by eye I very pleased with the result.

 

As this is the weekend nearest the end/start of the month that means it's Indian takeaway night. I've not decided what we're having yet, but I'll phone them up in the next few minutes to,place my order.

 

Now this may be controversial, but despite the fact that I'm on holiday all next week, Wimbledon will definitely NOT be being watched here. As far as we are both concerned there will be far too much tennis on shown on the news.

 

Rugd1022. Sorry to read of your loss, you all have my deepest sympathies.

[trisonic]

Nice one Pete, I've seen John Mayall and Buddy Whittington a couple of times, and also Gary More at Portsmouth Guildhall, I was leaning over the Barriers at the front and have one of his Plectrums, (god that was a LOUD Gig, Garry's Marshall Stack about 20 ft away from my ear drums, WONDERFUL).

 

I'll also dig out my Otis Rush Album this afternoon and give that and the John Mayall ones another airing, 

 

Great Music.

 

Otis often put train references into his songs - this one refers to the B&O line.

 

What have I done this morning? Got up picked some fluff out of belly button and slumped in from of the TV. Until Wife screamed about a large White-Tail Buck in amongst the tomatoes! Big bu@@er too... Nearly had to use my pick - axe handle to move him.

 

Need one of these in the backyard - at least he won’t go after the Veggies....

 

 

 

Best, Pete.

Edited July 1, 2017 by trisonic

[trisonic]

Sorry to hear of the loss of your Dad, Rugd. Strange the things that go through your head, I refused to buy mine a packet of fags before he flew back to London (for the last time) - he shouldn’t have been smoking.

I still feel bad about that. It’s absurd but it wouldn’t have made any difference and I never saw him again.

 

Pete.

[pH]

Kinda surreal post at 08.35, Andy!

[AndyID]

Kinda surreal post at 08.35, Andy!

Doh!

 

Posting in bed before coffee.