Tony_S

I bought a new Technics record deck a couple of years ago. It was to replace a Pioneer deck I bought in 1975, that finally failed. The Technics is better, even I with my dodgy hearing can tell. It isn’t the hideously expensive Technics deck or the DJ model. It came supplied with an Ortofon cartridge and I am very happy.

No idea. Apart from the news and weather I think we have only watched stuff on Disney+ for the last month.

When I worked at an Educational Computer Centre one of my colleagues decided to have a party for staff and families at her house. I have no idea how but our boss who was senior adviser for IT, head of centre etc, somehow had the impression it was fancy dress and turned up as a giant fluffy yellow chick. She was very good about it.

Aditi’s parents lived within walking distance of both that pub and the sewage works. The sewage works had cattle grazing on it and the cow manure was much prized by local gardeners if they could cope with a lorry load. Aditi’s Dad had a substantial field and had a a small mountain delivered. There seemed to be a lot of tomato seedlings sprouting from where it was spread the following year. I did wonder if it truly was only cow dung!

A couple of years ago I reinsulated the loft and put walkways on loft stilts and installed shelves. Everything we were not quite ready to part with was put in proper boxes. The plan is if we haven’t used it or had requests for it in a few years it will be disposed of to charities or recycling. It is neat so if even we can’t do it we can pay for it to be cleared. Tony

I was in a pub in a forest in Kent in I think in early 1973. A friend had taken a group of of us there as he said it had Youngs seasonal ales. While we were there, someone came in and ordered a pint of Red Barrel.The landlord said they didn’t serve it. The customer asked for the nearest equivalent and was given a glass of water. The landlord was a bit of a “character” but didn’t automatically ban students or motorcyclists like some places not that far away.

No it is to make him easier to spot when the ladies are identifying him to their unattached friends “that nice man we mentioned to you, he is the one in the nice new jacket”.

No idea. I do understand why medics like placebo trials but possibly withholding treatment from someone who needed it and perfectly good treatments existed seemed wrong especially as it required her to taken the clinic day for a month or so. Poor Mum, who had always allowed extra samples for research or allowed doctors to try and see if something worked, felt guilty fro not helping. I looked up the research and told her she wasn’t exactly holding up scientific progress. There were hundreds of similar projects in the English speaking world, some of whom had already published. There was none of that sort of thing when she moved to Worcestershire. Her treatment for all her conditions there was really good.

Aditi was offered that too. She declined as her diabetes is well controlled with two medications and she didn’t want to replace it with a placebo. The information provided was not clear about whether or not existing medication was altered. If there had been a bit more information she might have made more enquiries. My mother had leukaemia. On one occasion a consultant told her she definitely needed to,start a course of chemotherapy. He was pressuring her to join a trial that would benefit other patients. However the trial paperwork showed it was a double blind trial and a significant number of patients would be getting a placebo. Also the trial would have required her to travel to the hospital five days a week which would have been difficult. Only offering necessary treatment which might include no treatment seemed unethical to me.

Well once the ladies at the charity depot have got you looking fed on the cakes they will turn to the next matter which is introducing you to a suitable friend. After his wife died a few years ago, (although she had pleaded,with him to look for,someone else) he was determined to stay single. He occupied his time doing jobs and caring for various elderly neighbours. One of his neighbours said she knew a nice lady who she thought would make a lovely companion for my brother. He eventually agreed to a meeting. Planning a wedding now! I must admit we never felt close to his previous wives but this one sounds lovely, although we have only spoken on the phone. I suspect the elderly lady who introduced them will expect to be flower girl at the wedding.

Now that you have got the house tidy and the shed clear of motor bike , you could sell up,and move to Essex. I am sure you would be happy here. Lots of properties with garages and sheds. When we moved in the chap who planted the leylandii hedging looked over and his first words were “you haven’t got a shed”. A few years later I helped him set up his dial up modem, and suggested he searched for something online. He actually entered “sheds”. He and his wife divorced, she let the hedge grow into huge trees, he went to France and had many sheds. I did think my access to our sheds was so,I could apply the preservative stain but Aditi has done that herself the last few times. I nearly forgot, I have to,deal with naughty rodents.

I don’t think,I have a bucket list. There are I suppose a few places I wouldn’t mind visiting but I can’t say I am eager enough to create a list. I suppose being well enough to go to the places Aditi would like to visit . As for activities ,I don’t want to fly in a balloon , go diving or learn to dance. What my heart attack did do was make me realise that if you do want to do something it is probably better doing it while you can.

I had standardised on Bosch 18volt so was never short of a charged battery as I had one more battery than tools. However Bosch make some tools (professional range) with a different 18volt system and I have a couple of those. If ever we get a cordless lawn mower it will be one to take the Bosch batteries. All the professionals visiting this house seem to have De Walt tools.

Whatever it is, it is my new favourite toy. No more being held back by a trailing cable…

We only have Guinness Zero left now. The last of the full fat Guinness went into the casserole we will be eating tonight.

The new tracks,to connect to,connect to storage tracks on my garage layout have to cross non scenic parts of the layout. This was the first thing anyone one notice looking at the layout. So,I thought I would disguise it and also experiment with a few scenic techniques. The scenery has various removable panels so I can retrieve derailments from the main lines. The removable bits are very thin plywood covered in scenic grass mat. I think,it might be a Games Workshop product that has been rolled up,in the garage for about 10 years. I had a play with different ballasting techniques. I have decided two things. I don’t like the Copydex ballasting technique. PVA glue would seem to need a best before date. Mine was a bit gloopy. I will buy some more before any proper ballasting gets done. The bendy mdf behind the glue gun is the rear of the layout backscene.

My grandfather used to eat brains on toast for his tea on Mondays. I am sure drinking Brains is safer…

That must have been why Mum could get his records.

Perhaps it depends on the cake! The one we took over to MiL’s on Sunday contained no flour.

During the 1960s my Mum bought quite a few Val Doonican records.

I thought they were Spanish…

The waiting lists can move quite quickly. My Mum rang me and told me there was “one of those black private ambulances” in her sheltered accommodation carpark. Her next comment was “they are dropping like flies round here “. That was my Mum’s last phone call to me. The image of her looking out of her window remained on Google for quite a few years.

My brother had to have the remains of a big toe nail removed. The nurse told him to look away and yanked it out. My brother said he assumed she told him to look away so she could apply some local anaesthetic . She said there wasn’t usually any need!

I do have a red LT pannier but I bought that years ago. The new acquisition is a model of a crimson lake steam powered GWR vehicle.

The signage there isn’t that great. Fortunately (or perhaps not!) when I have to go to Basildon the departments I need have their own buildings so easy to find.