WHAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION TODAY?

[Sunray10]

Aha, yes what a great idea Stanley - once Buckingham Palace has been restored let the members of Parliament move into that, and then the Houses of Parliament could be fully restored, or maybe not. Her majesty can live at Balmoral - I don't think she would mind so much in the long run as she likes being in Scotland I think this is a good compromise for all involved.

[Stanley]

Nice pic of the lighthouse Wendy. Something very special about Ardnamurchan.....



In 1991 I parked the camper in the lee of the cottages in the lighthouse grounds as it was November and I wanted the shelter of the buildings if the wind got up during the night.
Last two part episodes of Top Gear rolled into one programme last night, presented by May and Hammond. At one point during the last one in Yorkshire where they had a particularly stupid muddy scenario in the dark Clarkson says that he hates Top Gear.... So that's all right then. In a way I can sympathise if they found there was no food when they got back to where they were staying that night......

[Wendyf]

I watched it because of the Broughton Hall bit. I was trying to work out whereabouts they were at Broughton, but didn't recognize anything except the old railway line until they got closer to the Hall. At one point we got a glimpse of a stone circle....is there one on the estate? I caught a glimpse of the name Rushbank on the map they were using, so I suppose they were up near Yellison to start with. What a mess they were making, I could hardly bear to watch as they deliberately smashed into ancient gateposts.

[PanBiker]

Loutishness of the greatest degree Wendy. I was also thinking of the damage they were doing in the name of popular TV. When Clarkson ploughed into the gatepost I could see in my minds eye two wallers from a couple of hundred years ago standing by the gate looking on in dismay, in the destruction in seconds of what hey had toiled to create. There is no need for that kind of behavior, if it was normal folk they would be locked up. I would hope the BBC paid adequate compensation for the vandalism. I thought Clarksons comments about hating the program were pretty prophetic too, good riddance.

[Big Kev]

An electrical surge in Nelson and Colne area. Apparetly 10,000 homes affected and an exploding manhole cover in Barrowford local police have reported on Facebook. The report was posted around 12:40, I think I'll use the A59 to go home today.

[Pluggy]

In defence of Top Gear, The Broughton Hall Estate would have agreed a price for the access and damages before Clarkson and mob ever set foot there. I doubt they would be stupid enough to grant access unless their palms had been greased with serious silver beforehand. I quite enjoyed TG, but it was getting a bit tired before Clarkson got himself fired.

[Bodger]

Totally agre, it went from a a car based program to three imbecile adults playing silly buggers at the viewers expense. once you would have watched to maybe value a potential new car. now all it does is provide a playground for people who can afford to buy a £50, k + car, these are out of the pocket of most of the audience. Bring back Raymond Baxter

[Pluggy]

For such a desperately bad programme, its amazing how many know exactly what happened in the last episode.....

[PanBiker]

I only caught the last 15 minutes waiting for a decent program to start.

[Tizer]

I like your concise and pithy assessment of Top Gear, Bodger! Isn't the suave Quentin Willson still presenting a motor car programme? I always thought he was fun; a posh car dealer. He graduated in English Literature then went out and set up a Ferrari and Maserati dealership! Incidentally his father was a code breaker at Bletchley Park.

While writing this post I heard a strange noise approaching and opened my window to look out. We get frequent military helicopters here and I thought it must be one of the twin rotor jobbies flying low...but this one must be very low! Then a vintage black tractor shot by trailing a cloud of blue smoke and chugged its way loudly down the lane. I suspect it's this beast which I photographed in the drive of one of the village houses last week. Dunno what type it is but it was going at a belting pace!

[Stanley]

It looks very similar to the old Fowler Field Marshall. One large cylinder, diesel and you started them by firing a ballastite cartridge in a breech built into the block. The alternative if you ran out of cartridges was the biggest starting handle in the world!
I agree with all of you about TG but it was still compulsive TV. I thought it was our Broughton Hall but couldn't see clearly of course. I did see the demolition of the gatepost and wall and the damage to the ground and agree that it was gratuitous vandalism. If off-roaders had done this the police would be involved..... I am not looking forward with bated breath to the dreaded Chris.....
Wonderful how far climate control has advanced, summer in time for Wimbledon.....

[Nolic]

Comrade, it was "our" Broughton Hall that they used. I must say I enjoy TG and I'm looking forward to its return. Nolic

[Wendyf]

Workmen & machinery here early to resurface our track. Whoopee! I'll be able to have visitors again!

[PanBiker]

My plasterer is just mixing his first batch for our new kitchen ceiling.

[Stanley]

THIS got my attention after a report I saw on Euronews on TV last night. The death toll is still rising and what struck me was that the C31 involved was 50 years old..... It's always surprising when you see the age of some planes still in use....
Wendy, I hope they do a good job for you. Stone and regrading or tarmac?

[Wendyf]

We decided on tarmac Stanley, which is being laid today. they prepared the surface yesterday and appear to have done a good job. Chippings just wash away in heavy rain....it's an endless task filling holes. We are keeping the stone section up to the house, as that doesn't get too bad and we don't want people arriving in the yard at 40mph!

[Wendyf]

Saw this view of my garden this morning because I had to leave the car up at farm above. I decided it was worth a picture.
The tarmacking gang are hard at work!

[Wendyf]

This view of the south facing,"working" side of our roof caught my attention this morning...pv solar panels on the barn and two for water on the house (bathrooms at each end). Nobody sees it but the farm above and the sheep.

[Tizer]

...what struck me was that the C31 involved was 50 years old..... It's always surprising when you see the age of some planes still in use...

Curiously that news about the crashed C-130 appeared while I was reading about the Lockheed C-130 Hercules. It came into use in 1956 and is celebrated as one of about five aircraft types that have made it to 50 years but of course will be 60 years in 2016. I found this great photo of a Hercules having it's wash down in `The Bird Bath'...LINK Imagine one of those in your garden bird bath!

Heathrow is in the news. Have a look at this BBC web page which shows Heathrow's history in pictures. Some lovely old B&W photos! LINK

[Stanley]

Breaking that saw!
Wendy, the farm does you credit, such a change from 60 years ago.....
Nice pic Tiz. I've always liked those planes....
The 'Lionesses' knocked out of the cup by a freak own goal.....

[PanBiker]

Ordered up all our new kitchen units today.

New shirt for the 50's dance we are going to on Saturday for our friends Silver Wedding.

Dustin Brown's victory over Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon, brilliant tennis.

[Stanley]

I saw a bit of that match at the beginning. For one, tennis was quite interesting....
Mick the Shed is tracking down a power hacksaw for me....
Bad news for bubble wrap poppers! See THIS for the news that a new type of wrap can't be popped!
A bit later after reading the BET. I am not happy, the BET has changed and now appears to be the Pendle News. My Stanley's View column has been buried in the property pages. The editor has not acknowledged my latest article. All a bit disturbing. So I have written to them this morning voicing my concerns and asking whether I am being sent a message that I am superfluous to requirements. Nobody likes to be ignored especially when they are doing something for nowt!
So, there is every possibility that I shall stop paying a pound a week to be ignored and stop sending them articles. For my faithful fans on the site, I shall keep doing them just for us and post them as usual.

[Cathy]

Love your farm Wendy, I can almost see Peter Rabbit trying his luck amongst the vegetable beds.
Do you supply greengrocers or farmers markets with your produce ?

[Wendyf]

I don't grow that much Cathy, just enough for us and some excess to give away to friends.

[Cathy]

You two certainly look to be self-sufficient as far as veggies go.