Tiffy

Possibly Paignton - although I can find photos of HSTs at Paignton, and pictures of the gates before the barriers were installed- but not both together. YMMV. Good luck . . .

A plane is flying form Japan to the US of A, carrying parts for Japanese cars, particularly gearbox components, when it explodes in mid-air, showering the countryside with its cargo. A while later, a farmer walks into his farm-house looking the worse for wear - covered in cuts and bruises, and his wife says to him, "Whatever caused that? He responds - "It's the damn weather - it seems to be raining Datsun Cogs!" Altogether - GGGRROOOAAANNN!

It took a while for the first response - to the extent that I was beginning to think - Yes - it is me! Arthur - Radio 4 is where I hear it most - so much for the BBC being a source of good English. The temptation is to take out a needle and thread whenever anyone uses this conjunction - as if taking it as an instruction. In the same way as back in my Army days, if anyone used the phrase "I turned round and said to him . . .. ", we would all get up and turn around - remarkable how soon the user stopped using the phrase.

Have I missed something up to now - or is this a relatively new phenomenon? Every question asked by an interviewer on the radio seems to elicit a response which begins - "So...." in absolute disregard of what is to follow. Surely it is poor grammatical practice to commence a sentence with a conjunction? I know we all have our pet foible (I keep mine under the sink in the kitchen and only take it out in the night when no-one is about!), but now that I have spotted it, it is driving me mad. I will apologise in advance if this brings to anyone's attention an annoying practice, which they might well have been unaware of - but now I have raised it - I bet you will spot it all the time. I really must find more to occupy my time . . . . . Maybe I could take up railway modelling! Any other new foibles about?

How well I remember those peaceful periods of instruction and information on the drill square - especially pace stick drills "If you don't sort yourself out, I shall stick my pace stick up your nose and twirl you round my head like a bloody football rattle!" Hyperbole with a capital H for humour - but God help you if you were caught sniggering after hearing it!

This is my current ride - bought last year after a 15 year lay-off. I thought I 'd better have a final go before my body prevents me. I retire this year at 65, and am intending to spend a lot more time on it. My wife refers to it as the Flying Armchair, as it is so comfortable, but God help me if I drop it - takes a crane to stand it up again! Still gives a thrill despite my (reasonably) sedate riding style - i.e. never over 100mph when anyone is looking!

It was quite spooky in the early nineties to go to Open University summer school - and actually meet some of those weird beards from the seventies and eighties TV programmes - professional scholars who had never really worked outside of academia. Very clever - but somewhat cloistered. Or back in the early eighties (1982?) - whilst doing an HTEC in Vehicle Engineering - we wanted to watch the Mary Rose being brought to the surface live. Our instructor, a dedicated scholarly ex-matelot officer, would only let us - if - we calculated all of the forces in the cradle being use to raise it. He had made some disparaging remarks about the design, and nearly wet himself with glee when part way through the lift, there was a lurch, and everything dropped slightly, Scholars eh! Tiffy out.

Maybe they expect you to wring it out, instead of wiping it off!!

As he got ready to drive away, a golf tee fell from the car - Mick picked it up and shouted out "Oi, what's this for?" The driver replied, "It's what you rest your balls on when you drive off" Mick responded, " 'Kin'ell, Rolls Royce think of everything don't they?"

Hitler - Oh - it just slipped out!!

Two old Indian Army officers relaxing in the mess one night over a chota peg or two. "I say, did you hear about Tubby Jenkins?" "You mean old Tubby Jenkins, late of the Kings Third?" "Yes that's him. Apparently he was caught having sex with a goat" "Male of female" "Oh female of course - nothing strange about old Tubby!"

I am writing this form hospital - I was a bit daft yesterday, and accidentally ate a daffodil bulb, mistaking it for an onion. I have to stay in hospital for a while, but the doctor said I should be out in the spring!

Long time Packers fan For OT, I would like to see the coin toss abolished, as too much rests on it, and the team with the least fouls get automatic first try. Whilst no team would play to be the least foul!, it would at least reward cleaner and fairer play. YMMV Regards, Tiffy