WHAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION TODAY?

[Tardis]

High street giant John Lewis is looking to bring textile manufacturing back to the UK from foreign factories as part of its biggest ever campaign to sell more “British-made” goods

Target will still only be 15% of total goods sold

[Tripps]

I'm surprised that no-one has mentioned that Kate has gone into labour... honestly I worry about you lot sometimes.

She must have read the recent statistics about poorer treatment at weekends, and wisely decided to wait till Monday morning.

[Big Kev]

The water companies are regional monopolies and unfortunately we can't simply move to a competitor. But if your company refuses to fit a meter you can appeal to Ofwat.

Unfortunately so and I can't afford any more delays, they've eaten into my schedule and budet too much already. I'll just have to pay it and have a good old moan

[PanBiker]

I'm surprised that no-one has mentioned that Kate has gone into labour... honestly I worry about you lot sometimes.

She must have read the recent statistics about poorer treatment at weekends, and wisely decided to wait till Monday morning.

Regarding Kate, first of all I wish her and the baby well whenever it decides to come as I would any other expectant mother. I would note a couple of things though, she is not the first woman to go through the process although you might think so with the feeding frenzy from the press. The second is that the baby probably isn't late, if the unborn is not distressed it is simply not ready. It is after all a natural process, all the media attention cannot alter that fact. Good that they want to try and keep it low key (no hope of that of course) and announce it the traditional way though.

Good look Kate, I hope Will is rubbing her back!

[Big Kev]

I'm surprised that no-one has mentioned that Kate has gone into labour... honestly I worry about you lot sometimes.

She must have read the recent statistics about poorer treatment at weekends, and wisely decided to wait till Monday morning.

Regarding Kate, first of all I wish her and the baby well whenever it decides to come as I would any other expectant mother. I would note a couple of things though, she is not the first woman to go through the process although you might think so with the feeding frenzy from the press. The second is that the baby probably isn't late, if the unborn is not distressed it is simply not ready. It is after all a natural process, all the media attention cannot alter that fact. Good that they want to try and keep it low key (no hope of that of course) and announce it the traditional way though.

Good look Kate, I hope Will is rubbing her back!

I posted the following on Facebook at 8 o'clock this morning,

"If that bloody reporter, on the BBC, says "she's in the early stages of labour" again I'm going to drive down there and slap him..."

it proved to be a popular comment. Best wishes to the expectant parents but come on BBC, stop waffling on about it!

[Nolic]

It's a boy. Nolic

[Stanley]

I agree with Kev! They went live to the hospital on BBC1 and as is usually the case it was a cock-up when they are trying to cover breaking news before anyone else. reporters waffling to fill time, split screen with the reporter at Bucks House doing her hair and looking flustered (they never used her). Finally they were broadcasting clips from foreign TV stations. Evidently 'everyone is overjoyed' and the 'whole country is rejoicing'. The Royalists go into overdrive boosting the monarchy, the Republicans keep stum. Nolic is right, it's a boy, now can we please leave them alone and let him grow up as near normal as possible in such a dysfunctional situation.....

[Bruff]

Some wag yesterday was quick off the mark. They noted the cricket authorities were getting in on the act. Should the child be a girl, the 1st over at the next Test in Manchester would be bowled with a pink ball. If it were a boy, the Australians would ask if he could open the batting for them. Bum bum!

Some other comment I saw was from a chap who once met the Queen's gynaecologist Sir George Pinker and asked him whether in fact women did not exaggerate just a little the pain of childbirth. Sir George: 'Hmmm. Imagine putting your hand up and over the back of your head and hooking your fingers under your top lip. Then ripping and peeling your face up and over your head.' This reminded me of an interview with some personality, I forget who but no mean cricketer, who had a cricketing friend who was present at the birth of his first. After a 7+ hour labour, he exclaimed in all seriousness to his wife: 'Now you understand why I'm so tired after a full day in the field'. Oooops.

Only the terminally churlish would not wish the very best to any couple on the birth of a child. But all logic goes out the window at times like this and so we Republicans just shrug, sigh and keep schtum.

Richard Broughton

[hartley353]

The excitement in Barnoldswick must be palpable, the tabloid press have given it Village status, and the well heeled village people have been indulging in water sports, Some of the action has gotten out of hand and the police and courts have become involved.

[EileenDavid]

I am well pleased its a boy so that the change in law on heirs is not needed and offer sincere congratulations to Kate & William. I am off the opinion that the media could make a circus out of anything. I am a Royalist and think this birth is of national importance but do we really need this type of coverage. Today my attention was attracted to the change in weather. Eileen

[Tizer]

It's a boy. Nolic

Wow, what a good choice of name. It means we have another Nolic to talk about and one day we might have a King Nolic. Back to the Viking era!

[Bruff]

The law is still being changed to allow for a female heir should she be the first born. It will happen next year. But we'll have to wait 30 years or so to see this provision have a chance of being enacted through this chap's first born. This chap will be able to marry a Catholic too. But he still won't be able to convert to Catholicism unless he renounces his status. So that's his role and his religion defined now. So much for that most defining of human characteristics, free will. One could argue that's rather cruel.

Richard Broughton

[Stanley]

As usual Bruff speaks for me. I agree with everything he says. As an historian, I wonder how far we have progressed since the days of dynastic marriage. I can't help wondering if we lead such artificial and constricted lives these days that manipulation of the masses by media overkill is easier than it used to be. I heard someone (could it have been our leader?) say that 'the whole world was rejoicing'. Really? I can't help thinking of the whole Chuck/Camshaft saga and reflecting how much whitewash has been thrown at that one. The Saxe Coburg Gotha family are experts at protecting their position and will use any ploy to massage the myth of royalty. I look at the Dutch and Belgian royal families and reflect that there are better ways to run a railway..... There are too many institutions in this country fighting to protect their corner. Are we afraid of change?

[Wendyf]

Our old black hen failed to leave the coop this morning She has been enjoying life for 10 or 11 years and was last seen running happily back to the run last night for her tea-time handful of grain......a decent burial will take place before the day gets too hot.

[PanBiker]

Sorry to hear that Wendy, 10 or 11 years is a good age for a hen though isn't it? Wiki say 5 - 7 years so she has had a good go at it, another advantage of the benefits of country living as opposed to cage no doubt.

[Wendyf]

She did exceptionally well Ian, many hens have come and gone whilst she has been around! The ex-battery hens we have had only live another year or two after they have been rescued (normally at 18 months), their systems fail very quickly after so much egg laying.

[Marilyn]

Ah...poor black hen. (Sad)
Maybe she missed the male that you curried...?

[hartley353]

You must have loved that hen Wendy, when ever any of mine showed signs of slacking on the egg front they quickly became broth. I loved having them around but lived in an area with many rats, the constant battle wore me down, and they had to go in the end.

[Stanley]

When I was learning farming with Lionel Gleed in Warwickshire we had an old milker called Jessie. I forget how old she was but you could have hung your hat on here anywhere. She never came in with the others in summer but dawdled into the shippon later. When she died Lionel buried her in the field. Nice..... Remember Lucy? Doc's old sow. She was a fair age.
The front cover of Private Eye yesterday. Plain white with the statement 'WOMAN HAS BABY'.
Has anyone else noticed that Sue Barker is morphing into Ann Widdecombe?

[Stanley]

Just had an email from a bookseller. I had asked where a delivery was because I hadn't received it. They didn't quibble, said it was lost in transit and refunded me. I searched my recycling box yesterday and found the book under the old magazines etc waiting to be recycled. We must have had a different postman and he hadn't left a card. I informed Hemingways (the bookseller) and apologised. They have mailed me back to thank me and as a goodwill gesture have not taken any payment for the book. Not a bad result!

[Tardis]

How quiet the town was this morning as I walked Merlin

[Stanley]

I'm going to get another visit from my grand-daughter before she goes back home to Oz! Yippee!
End of Ford vehicle production in Britain as the Transit Van line shuts down this morning. (LINK)
Later, after our walk down to the butcher's. The lady in the BMW who approached the crossing from the Co-op on Skipton Road to the Green at a lot more than 30mph, braked at the last minute with me stood on the crossing peering into the sun. When she stopped she waved me across the crossing as though she was doing me a personal favour and I was holding her up. Who knows, one of these days she might realise that when you're getting close to 80 years old and have limited eyesight which is at its worst when looking into bright sun, a bit of caution on road crossings is a good thing.

[Tardis]

Gisburn Road's poor Ofsted report

Very disappointing for the town at a time of such change

[Thomo]

The speed, volume and weight of traffic, exiting, arriving in or transiting Barlick, is now becoming a serious problem. It is now thanks to Satnav, the quickest route from the Ribble Valley, the North and the Skipton area, into East Lancashire and beyond, and vise versa. Only about 10% of drivers observe the speed limit from the A59 onto Bracewell Lane and into town. The average speed being in excess of 45 MPH, with the occasional idiot at 3 times the legal limit. It is just over 3 years ago that we had a car in our front garden at 5.45 in the morning, the following day there was speed camera set up, many tickets were issued to drivers travelling in both directions, there has not been a repeat camera since then. The Police rarely enter this area and we now have cracks appearing in our home. The noise is horrific from 4.30 AM until about 11 PM, all windows facing the road have to remain closed, even in hot weather. Its isn't much fun living here any more.

[Stanley]

Stuart Hall getting 30 months. Still doesn't sound enough. Never could understand why consecutive crimes get concurrent sentences.