WHAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION TODAY?

[Stanley]

The little lad who came straight over to me when I sat opposite the bookies and started a conversation with me about dinosaurs. He was two and a half.

[plaques]

Perhaps he wanted the information straight from the horses mouth.

[Big Kev]

Perhaps he wanted the information straight from the horses mouth.

[Stanley]

Perhaps he had influence and was testing me. I got this in the post today.

[Cathy]

Oh la la . Congratulations Stanley.
They are going to make a statue of you one day...
probably sat on a bench in the square.
So you can still keep your eye on things.

[PanBiker]

Ey up Stanley, well done. Any reason why it has taken over a year to deliver it?

[Stanley]

Covid Ian, should have been a ceremony in April 2020.

[Wendyf]

Congratulations Stanley!

[Stanley]

Thanks all. Trouble is that I don't know what I have done to deserve it. Is it my articles or the research or for making steam engines....?

[PanBiker]

No citation with it then Stanley?

I have a Pride of Barnoldswick award from the Town Council and that is a bit scant as well. It just says "For Outstanding Service to our Town". I got that for my research into the missing names from our War Memorial for WWII service personnel and the efforts to get it sorted and updated. Difference being that the reason for the award was given at the presentation event.

[PanBiker]

Whilst dealing with admin matters in the membership applications. I have just realised it is Chinatykes birthday today Happy Birthday Graham

I would append a Good Luck Waving Kitty but I bet you see enough of those.

[Wendyf]

Happy Birthday China!

[Whyperion]

Why is there a 42m sculpture of Big Ben in the centre of Manchester ?

Levelling, up The North ?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-m ... r-57683476

[Big Kev]

Whilst dealing with admin matters in the membership applications. I have just realised it is Chinatykes birthday today Happy Birthday Graham

I would append a Good Luck Waving Kitty but I bet you see enough of those.

Ditto

[Big Kev]

After walking past the 'Road Closed' signs, at the bottom of Noyna Road for the past week we decided to be nosey and see what's to do. They're running new drainage channels and, I suspect, will resurface the road.

[Cathy]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHINA
Many Happy Returns xx

[Stanley]

Happy Birthday Graham, many of them....
What has grabbed my attention even more of late is the unreliability of the BBC 'outside lines' which are managed as internet calls. 'You and Yours' yesterday had almost every call fail and had to apologise to listeners. Why is this so bad?

[PanBiker]

An open letter through the door from Northern Power Grid. Advising us of a planned power outage to allow permanent repairs to damaged supply infrastructure. Apparently this has caused power cuts for some folk in the past. Can't say that we have ever been affected. I seem to remember on Facebook someone posting about damage to the cables supplying the transformer at the bottom of the Town Green at the side of Creasey's garage. Not sure if that supplies us up on the Croft.

Outage will be on the 14th July, 10am - 2.00pm.

[chinatyke]

Thanks all.
Well, The People's Republic of China has really risen to the occasion to mark and celebrate my 75th birthday, flags are flying everywhere, the streets are decorated, there is music, shows, TV programs, fly-overs by helicopters and fighter jets in Beijing, even a military parade, and president Xi Jinping addressed the nation. Good that they think so highly of me. I don't think it is related, but it is also the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China today (1st July).

[Cathy]

Haha.. nothing wrong with dreaming China

[Tripps]

and president Xi Jinping addressed the nation

He addressed the whole world I'd say. I was impressed with all the marching and the unbridled enthusiasm of all the participants. Don't be first to stop clapping came to mind.

We're ahead of the game down here. GCSE Mandarin

[Stanley]

The celebrations were big in the news here Graham. Never doubted what they were for....
How close and muggy it is..... Almost 100% humidity.

[Tizer]

We arrived back yesterday from a week spent at a holiday cottage in Cornwall. We've been there several times before (first in 2003) and know the owner so we knew everything would be cleaned, aired, disinfected etc. It's situated on his farm which lies at the head of a small creek off the River Fal, well away from holiday crowds. It's 10 minutes walk to the river, past the remains of a tide mill which ground bone to spread on the fields. The farm originally had three orchards and still has an open stone roundhouse where a horse would have `walked' grinding stones to crush the apples. The farm had been known to produce 30 hogsheads of cider a year!

The owner knows a lot about the local history because Bob and Viv Acton, who wrote many books on the history of that area and of Truro and Falmouth, were his neighbours. The old quay at the river was once the busy terminus of a tramroad from the mines further north and had smelters and there was also a mine out in the estuary which gave access to all the `stream tin', cassiterite pebbles washed down the river over the centuries.

We spent the holiday outdoors walking and visiting some of the famous Cornish gardens. Most of the time we could stay away from other people but now and then we had to wait or dodge large groups who had obviously decided social distancing was a thing of the past. We only visited one beach where we often go because it has never been crowded - usually only a few holidaymakers and some dog walkers and surfers etc. We got a shock when we arrived because fields had been opened up to accommodate the vast increase in visitors. We parked and went straight to a mound overlooking the beach to eat our picnic then walked via a back route to the far end of the beach - it's no surprise that most stay at the end near the car park and cafe!

The roads there and back were busier than we've known them before, with long queues. When we stopped at one of the motorway services the car parks were full and they wouldn't let us stop. We pointed out that we needed to switch over driving to prevent tiredness and at least they allowed us to do that in the lorry park (which had vast amounts of empty space!). We've always avoided the main season and go in spring and autumn, so this holiday was a month later than normal (due to less cottage availability). That might partly explain the busier roads but when we spoke to local people they said it was much busier than usual. They're pleased to have the extra income, especially because EU subsidies have ended, but of course they still have concerns about the covid aspect.

We arrived back home to a thunderstorm which flooded some of the local roads but at least I don't have to water the plants or top up the pond!

[Stanley]

Sounds like a good trip Peter, I'm glad. Re the M way services, perhaps time to go back to 'Just off the Motorway'. Do you remember the book?

[plaques]

Came across this the other day. Waited patiently until 5 July, Hope I'm right in wishing Wendy a HAPPY ANNIVERSARY.

5 july 2012.jpg