Ian Hargrave

Agree it’s entertaining and different from the usual    garbage that insults the intelligence.

  Is it primarily a Beeb production though ? I see in the credits much French and USA input. Also appears that much of it was filmed on location in South Africa..Whatever..doesn’t really matter does it. Far fetched but then so was Jules Verne . Good to enjoy watching a fine cast and great cinematography.

Just invested in a small but state of the art digital radio . Generally quality and variety of programming outshines most tv.  Though there have been the odd nuggets on the screen…..well maybe to suit me but then again maybe not everyone. We have to remember that the pandemic has ripped up schedules for new productions too. My vote however for both visual and aural production goes to Austrian TV for the annual New Year’s Day concert from Vienna which was enhanced this year by a from the sky drone tour of the country accompanied by ensemble music played  by members of the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra. There…that’s revealed my agenda..or part of it.

I spent the evening away from the hysteria. The absence of vehicle horns and fireworks told its own story. I have imposed on myself a 48 hour embargo on all forms of news media. Thank goodness that’s out of the way.

Kasparov?

Many thanks for reminding me of this programme which is a continuation of a previous series and a reminder of a Golden Wedding Anniversary celebration in Florence in 2015. All the best bits we visited are there...the view from Piazzale Michelangelo over the city,Bendor Grosvenor sitting under the arches of the Ponte Vecchio and the Uffizi Galleria itself where he had his epiphany of artistic revelation which houses many of this world’s greatest artistic treasures.That is to say if you can avoid oriental tourists hell bent on imaging the same on their mobiles. If you ain’t been to Florence do yourself s favour after,COVID-19...GO.

Same here. Why in a back garden ?

If this weather continues,that’ll be sufficient to deter them

Observations re: London make me smile.Apparently London during the Blitz made those who  lived there go slightly crazy and enact the similarly daft escapades that occurred on the M25. Crime levels were high and the Black Market thrived.

   
     As a nation it appears from our lofty,mainly senior heights,that this generation’s fiddling hysterically before doomsday....as scripted by Messrs,Vallance & Whitty this morning......in a last gigantic knees up before lockdown. 
But I have the uncomfortable knowledge that it’s “our” generation that parented/grandparented this lot and maybe gave them their values? 
 

I’ve just had a FaceTime call from my son who’s this morning returned to face his first group of students....all first years fresh to University in Newcastle....since March. He’s scared.

18 students in a hall seemingly well prepared by staff for the current situation. For now in chairs.One difficulty with that though.....he lectures practically in Performing Arts.

    Like walking on eggshells.

Arrogance.

Hell is truly other people.But when you watch tonight’s BBC News you begin to wonder about the mixed messages we’re getting.OK to show footage of people sunning themselves on Brighton and Bournemouth beaches “respectably” 2m apart but not ok in North Devon. Neither is ok.
 Such social gatherings appear to be “acceptable “....yet my son is forbidden to visit us and to stay the night in the home in which he was born and raised.

Someone needs a lesson in joined up thinking.Now who might that someone be ? 

She is challenging your skills portfolio. Put another way you make weasel .Maybe another running in before a run in over the teapot?

Robert Browning    Quote : “A man’s reach is to exceed his grasp.....or what’s a Heaven for ? “

Good news

Total support is with you.Keep the dialogue going if you can

Funny that....but good for you and the public spirited citizens around you. Because here,we put all our house and path outside lights on,stood outside on our front patio which overlooks the main road below and the two of us clapped enthusiastically for the full five minutes.The only other sounds heard were of the occasional car and the echoes of our own handclaps bounced  back to us from houses away down the lane opposite .Talk about crying in the wilderness.

Some of us are on message.Others are not

Intriguing,speaking as one who has been known to have his head turned by “something to hang on a wall “.So do tell what is/was it that almost seduced you ?

Use an led torch and go slowly over the tiles.Enjoy !

Good for you.A good idea is ...if you are able....not to answer calls from them or in fact any number that you do not immediately recognise.It works for me.

Change your energy provider.I was bombarded with calls from Scottish Power but since changing to Octopus,calls have ceased.Agree....they are a pernicious nuisance.

Thanks,Dan. It appears that more of the same is surfacing...Widnes Models have flagged it too.

Regards, Speak soon,Ian.

Not yet.But on all exit points eastward,drovers are commencing their sheepish retreat towards the dismal fleshpots of Swindon,Reading and Paddington.,their shearing complete....well,Until next year anyway.

Not yet.But on all exit points eastward,drovers are commencing their sheepish retreat towards the dismal fleshpots of Swindon,Reading and Paddington.,their shearing complete....well,Until next year anyway.

You can come out now.Quite safe until next year.

Every Welshman will sleep happy in his bed tonight,drunk or sober.Funny though that almost feral tribalism surrounding this fixture every year.Last night BBC showed film of the 1953  Wales victory ( the last ) over the All Blacks to rev up the atmosphere for today’s match. With much pride I turned to my wife to say...”I was there”... as an eleven year old luck enough to get tickets.

The winning try was by winger Ken Jones ,following a cross kick by R.C.C ( Clem ) Thomas.

Happy days!

Cue Max Boyce....”Wales defeated England...”