Gruffalo

I'll third that Ian A!

Your second half last week stifled us, and Tigers aren't as formidable this season so you can do it! I do hope it is enjoyable for you. Glarster weren't bad and we weren't good for a large part but we do play for 85 minutes this season. I fancy that house, enough space for an aging Gruff and boss. The trouble we would face is throwing out the clutter we have accumulated over so many years in the same house. Hope HM's paw continues to improve and Olddudders' bouche is more bon. Walking and gardening are probably on the cards today. Last night's excellent repast needs to be worked off!

You could do us a favour by beating Tigers and denying them a point!

With all the tales of postal trauma, I am minded that our retired postman (a real gent and supporter of our community in so many ways) was telling me how difficult the proposed targets would be to actually meet. Simply making posties start at 8.30 would result in them trying to travel when the local rush to work / school was on. He was happy to be retiring but foresaw the demise of Royal Mail due to increased management and unachievable targets The announcement this past week of another round of price hikes for 1st and 2nd class mail will do them no favours. It cannot be too long before the safety net of "the final quarter mile" is removed due to Royal Mail's failures. I am equally disturbed by the tales of poisoning of pets. Sadly, there are two sides to this as some dog owners still feel that their pooch'e fecaes are not to be touched by them and therefore get left on paths and in parks even though there are several bins for such delights. Someone goes round our village with a white spray can and highlights the little piles but sadly this doesn't make a ha'porth of difference to the inconsiderate few. Yesterday's funeral was a moving affair. The deceased was a teacher and it was staggering how many people attended who clearly had been influenced by her. I doubt a quarter of that number would bother in my case - kind of puts things into perspective. And now something positive - The Gruffmobile passed its annual roadworthiness test this morn with only a warning that the plastic covering on the rear number plate was detaching. Busy day still, rugby match to attend this afternoon - or aaaaaaaaaarfernoooooon as today's opposition would say - followed by what should be a convivial noshing session between some saints and sinners Gloucester supporters this evening. Whiskey will be consumed but not of the Welsh variety.

Could that be a case of: Dear Mr New Haven, Chief (supply tribal name of choice) has been checking bank accounts and finds that you are the last surviving relative of (insert second name of choice). Said person has a deposit of numerous million Nigerian Pounds and US dollars which we will have to pay out to you. Please confirm you bank account details and your DNA by sending two live steam locomotives to: TravelinTrev, third pylon from the generator, Upagumtree, Scam province, Nigeria.

Peter's "Slapding Today" may have arrived on his doorstep today; our local one - very similar in content - arrived last Friday which was the last day of the local schools' half term break. And what was the back page devoted to? Advertising a recreational event for all schoolchildren over the age of 7 starting at the beginning of Half Term and ending on that Friday. On the lighter subject of orbits, every day on the third rock involves you travelling at least 40,600 Km so you should multiply your years as Sapiens x 40,600 x 940,000,000 kilometers to see how far you have come, in my case more than 247,721,913,000,000Km. No wonder my shoes are wearing out. Then again, some will say I haven't travelled that far as they believe I still belong in the dark ages.

And why am I not surprised Tony?

Re our fight against dumping houses on us: There are a number of planning policies that should prevent this wanton destruction of wood, leisure and farmland but the proposers seem to think their case trumps them. They are keen to get their application in before the latest area planning document concludes its adoption as it also states their proposal is unsuitable. Their Master-plan indicates no facilities are included and we only have a shop and an independent primary school here. You would think all that would make us feel safe - it would but for the past history of our Local Planning Authority who initially decided a previous application for 1,000 houses on one site around 2 miles away was wrong and another for 2,500 on a further site 3 miles away was wrong but then, just as the developers launched an appeal, backtracked and said everything was OK. Little wonder I have no faith in our local government!

Happy birthday to those members and their extended progeny! As one or two commentators know, my haircut lasts quite a while due to the requirements of the search. Huge meeting this evening to discuss a greedy farmer and slimy property developing company's plan to dump 450 houses in our little parish, we only have 256 houses in total now! It has been very time consuming preparing for today and I don't think it will end here but why allow their greed to destroy communities just so they can make a financial killing? I live in hope that I will one day have a model railway.

Thank you for that Ian. We moved to Gruff Towers 27 years ago and found it has a Septic Tank. Although we routinely have it pumped out to de-sludge, we never thought about registration but on checking now I find the inexorable march of state intrusion also applies here so I will need to fill in an on-line form, await that being rejected and then cough up a bribe, sorry I meant fee, to yet another Quango. I must be careful as "they" may determine that Gruffalo brown and smelly stuff is more environmentally harmful than human waste or artificial fertilisers and pesticides. Happy days, as the old joke goes "tea break over, heads down you sinners!"

I believe that the good Captain was suggesting that the whole section will be made active before a final solution to the wall was applied. This addresses the economic requirement whilst it allows the careful and proper later restitution of the wall to something akin to original colours etc - whilst I do hope the final solution is in such a form as the redirect the force of nature back upon itself - dissipating wave energy rather than trying to absorb it in the structure. Edit: Whilst typing this LBM and CM have almost made surplus my comment.

I, for one, would trust the informed views of RMWebbers a lot more than the diatribe of your average estate agent. In a recent survey (I know, I shouldn't read them) I see that politicians have now supplanted estate agents as the least trustworthy profession. I had dipped into the thread as I do like the West Country and sympathise with the OP in trying to move school-age children due to past experience. We rented initially and bought Gruff Towers 27 years ago so it must have been good for us to do that. Our next move will be downsizing into a single floor property with railway room and no cellar.

I didn't know there were that many Peel's in captivity! Was Clarkson in one?

Agree with the first and really like the second - thanks Ian!

The area of East River just around 56th street and about a mile each way was known to us sailors as Hell's Gate - the tide was very fast through there. The trip down there at night was very pretty, I did it a number of times but only once managed to escape the engine room to actually see it. The other Hell's Gate bridge is one I think you see when you go from Vancouver to Banff on the Rocky Mountaineer.

I have to say that this dinosaur is tired of hearing about equality and diversity so Tony's post (even though it was probably meant with tongue wedged firmly in cheek) was a huge scarlet banner to this person of a May birth-month. At the most local of levels, I should be able to make up my own mind if I like someone or not and if they deserve my respect for what they contribute or not. It should not be the function of the establishment to control every one of my thought processes and or emotions under the guise of equality and diversity! As for researching whether photosynthesis involves equality and diversity, I fail to understand on what grounds was the funding of such research would be provided. Bah, humbug....

I prefer my croquets covered in breadcrumbs and briefly fried. Well, someone had to say it. I'll put on my coat and hat...

Could be contagious, but then again maybe not.

I can see what you mean re curling Gordon but have to admit that a couple of our ladies team draw my attention more! Still weather here at the moment so will get to repair the damaged greenhouse.

The grandchild family is now re-united at their home. Eldest managed to break his humurous but not while skiing so is a not too happy chappy. Gruff is somewhat surplus to requirements but will take his rightful place in the kitchen to prepare roast pork, potatoes, parsnips, carrots and broccoli. I shall then be trying to explain tunnelling to the one-armed one. Success again for the rugby team yesterday, regardless of a certain Mr Barnes' strange decisions. I do hope those afflicted manage some recovery from their trials and tribulations.

Sadly, the attitude of many decision makers in respect of traffic management provides plenty of evidence that they do not fully consider the wider picture. We used to have rural bus services, now we don't so people in villages use private transport to get to the town where the same traffic planners decreed that there should be fewer parking spaces to "dissuade the use of the private car" and those same traffic planners wonder why many small retail businesses close down due to lack of trade with their former properties left empty or taken over by charity shops. Back on topic, reliable public transport is vital for successful economies. Look at European countries' investment in rail and bus systems. Our relentless desire to move potential liabilities into the private sector has invariably made profit for the new owner (showing the doom-mongers' view was wrong) whilst not addressing wider aims of improving the infrastructure, services and mobility of the population. On teh ground, the likes of the NR staff have even more to do and FGW has to field the complaints of the ill-informed. I am very glad I am in neither position.

Is this a case of RMWeb master modellers "going global"? (or just European in your case iD)!

Ian's comment is very wise, even though one never wishes for a relationship to end in such a sad way.

Neil, I had a choice at a couple of years older than you - my employers wanted me to start spending a few years in China to support some of their mega contracts. That didn't appeal to me and when the UK arm (by whom I was paid) said they wanted tpo move me into the German arm, I thought the time had come to stop being an acquiescent pawn and to start looking after No1. OK, the sums were a little harder but ultimately, the very company who wanted me to work in China came back and offered me occasional (and profitable) short term contracts that have seen me through quite well and that has meant I haven't needed to draw my pensions early so no reductions. In my case, it worked well. I know of others for whom the same can be said and only one person for whom it didn't work so well but that was more for domestic circumstances. Good luck, whichever way you choose to jump - just let them make all the running rather than you feeling that you have to prompt things unless you are really comfortable that you have the best offer you will be made.

So that's where I've been going wrong all these years Don! I have been describing people of good manners as Gentlemen, regardless of their financial circumstances (of which I am rarely aware).