OneGuyFromBarlick

The last time I was in Durham I took wine with Lord Montagu in the crypt of the cathedral. (Name dropping alert!)

Tomorrow I will on an Earby History Society stall at the Skipton Heritage Fair being held in Skipton Library 10 till 3pm.

Today, I have been mainly tasting wine at work - in the region of 24 or so I think, I lost count. I was good and didn't swallow any - at all. My secret - I really don't like wine at all. As yet (approaching 60) I have not found a drinkable wine and today - if it were going to happen - I should have found a drinkable wine. All white tastes very similar to my pallet - acid and slightly like I have been ill. Rose has a similar taste but moderated down but is still not a pleasant taste at all and RED! Ughhhh!

I think I am in the wrong training session this time - go on, let's have a go at statistics, at least that doesn't leave a foul taste in your mouth.

I feel sorry for you, Julie.
Life is too short to drink bad wine, but there are several good Reds that I like. ( Australian of course...Jacobs Creek Shiraz Cabernet and Rawsons Retreat Shiraz)

Not sure at the moment. My main duty these days is watching the letter box. Roll on the second operation! I am getting fed up with waiting....

My sister is coming yo stay for a couple of days with her dog Millie. I see a couple of long walks coming on, Healey Dell and the local moors above Syke.

Sue, while you are in Healey Dell have a look at the viaduct. Peter Tatham re-pointed it in 1984.

Looking after Finlay, he's currently curled up on the settee for his morning nap. Braising steak is in the slow cooker for the meat and tatie pie that we are having for tea. Then it's an early pickup for Finlay. Our lad Jack will arrive for an early tea and then we are all off to Burnley Mechanics to see "The Witches of Eastwick", Jacks girlfriend Victoria is in the show, she will be singing one or two of the numbers. Should round off a good family day nicely.

Marilyn wrote:I feel sorry for you, Julie.
Life is too short to drink bad wine, but there are several good Reds that I like. ( Australian of course...Jacobs Creek Shiraz Cabernet and Rawsons Retreat Shiraz)

I second Marilyn, First discovered Jacobs Creek about fourteen years ago and have never been disappointed. There sparkling Chardonay is as good as any cheap Champagne. With a history going back to 1847 they have put Aussie wine at the fore.

I remember that Stanley

Going for a walk with friends this morning, it's quite windy up here so we are going for a low level walk around Salterforth. I need to be back for lunchtime as I have a delivery of hay arriving.

Sitting down with a notepad and pen and working out how to fund a new Nikon df Camera, then having arrived at a solution, how to persuade Mary I really need it. The solution will probably be Tanzanite Jewellry nearly as expensive as the camera. Maybe I should cancel, and wait a year for second hand prices.

"I have a load of hay arriving" That brought back memories Wendy! My mind goes back to half a load dumped in the barn bottom because nobody was there and when I let my terrier out he ran straight up it onto the baulks and killed three of the cats that had been plaguing him for years. My father swore blind I had done it on purpose.... (In the end he took to killing ducks and hens and had to be killed.)
Today is shopping and reading, anything to pass the time on 'til a week on Tuesday when I get the best Xmas present ever!

Small parcel of non toxic heavy shot arrived from the states, this is to be used for loading thirty Brass 8-bore cartridges. In three weeks time I shall take the old Tolley to north east scotland in the hope of a goose or two for xmas. Accompanying me on the trip will be an old friend, 35 years ago I gave him first refusal on the gun, by the time we return she will be his.

Hartley, has Mrs Hartley seen the Kilimanjaro collection of Tanzanite. The blurb says 'Fire and passion burns in the woman who dares to wear Tanzanite'. I didn't realise that the gem is 1000 times rarer than diamonds. Look out Hartley... hehe

Thanks Cathy, Mary has now built up a good selection of Tanzanite, several rings, a bracelet, necklace, and a pendant, most of this is triple or quadruple A standard. In the 12 years we have been together she has filled 4 Jewelry boxes, her friends say she is spoiled. There is a ring in a local jewellers she has her eye on, up to now I have staid her arm with telling her that the price it is on offer for is four times its worth, but they keep beckoning her in every time she presses her nose to the window. They say it is only to be found in one unique location and is rare, but they have dug out an awful lot of it. These days with scientists making gems in the laboratory that cannot be distinguished from natural ones, and the adulteration of poor stones by heat treatment to turn them into better ones, it is getting very risky to spend large sums on jewels. Even the Queen had to be told that what appeared to be a large ruby in the crown jewels is in fact a rubelite, a much inferior stone. My favourites amongst her collection are the Australian opals, and the Russian diopside which to me is better than Emerald.

My pal in the States worked for a firm making spectrum analysis instruments. They were shipping them over to Israel where they were zapping flawed diamonds with lasers and making gem quality stones. Liz Taylor may not be spinning in her grave but as far as investments go I would keep away.

hartley353 wrote:Sitting down with a notepad and pen and working out how to fund a new Nikon df Camera, then having arrived at a solution, how to persuade Mary I really need it. The solution will probably be Tanzanite Jewellry nearly as expensive as the camera. Maybe I should cancel, and wait a year for second hand prices.

You only live once! If you want it, buy it. You have worked hard enough to occasionally spend some money on yourself haven't you?

To put it another way, I once heard the following: why are we travelling economy class when our children will be travelling first class using our money when we have gone?

You share my ethos chinatyke, I have a multi thousand investment in cameras, I don't need this camera I just want it because it appeals to me, the waiting option is the obvious course after sleeping on it.

Maybe an investment in one of those jewellers eye-glasses would be good. But would you know what you were looking for?

plaques wrote:My pal in the States worked for a firm making spectrum analysis instruments. They were shipping them over to Israel where they were zapping flawed diamonds with lasers and making gem quality stones. Liz Taylor may not be spinning in her grave but as far as investments go I would keep away.

My late wife was a Liz Taylor clone, To satisfy her desires I made arrangements with a local pawn brokers to give me a call when they took in diamonds over two carats in weight for resale. We would then take the rings to a young lady who had set up in Manchesters northern quarter, she would make a new ring in yellow gold and remount the stone. For payment she would take the old metal and an arranged fee. Through my dealings with this pawnbrokers I made a good friend and learnt a great deal about precious metals and stones. When my wife died the pawnbroker gave me a good price for her rings, and the proceeds went to the hospice in accordance with her wishes.

Cathy wrote:Maybe an investment in one of those jewellers eye-glasses would be good. But would you know what you were looking for?

I have several of these glasses in my possession,and most of what I know comes from an acquaintance in the trade, its not just ladies that like sparkly things.

Email communication says I will receive a parcel by courier today, unfortunately it doesn't say when. Looks like a day in the home tinkering with this and that. Shortly after posting there was a second email saying delivery between 10.06-11.06 am, at 10.12 the doorbell sounded and the delivery was here. Courier service DPD (UK).

Hope it isn't Yodel who are delivering Hartley or you may have a more than one day tinkering at home! At least the lads who do the local delivery know where we are now, but they tell me they splashed out over £20,000 on their flashy, sporty white car to do the job and so they would much rather not deliver to outlying properties down rutted tracks.

Wendy, my blood pressure goes up at the very sight of the word 'Yodel'. Some bad experiences with them....
I shall be keeping busy and reading, passing the time on as quickly as I can.....