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So there's no lock down then? Hasn't made the slightest difference here. I haven't been into the town centre so I hope that's a bit quieter.
What's made you not grumpy but not smile either today?
- Thread starter dave
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What's made you not grumpy but not smile either today?
OP
OP
Watching They Shall Not Grow Old on bbc2. makes you think
Just back from another cycle run ten miles, not that far but some hard hills to climb so a work out for me 
You soon get to know the roads in a very familiar way. So much so after the weekend on the back roads round here tells a well known story, litter Discarded takeaway wrappings, empty beer/lager cans and empty red bull cans. All chucked out of a car windows.
I know I bang on about our scenery up here, but it’s a disgrace what’s lying at the sides of these roads. Apart from drink, we Scots are known for our litter as well. Well that’s my rant for the day......
You soon get to know the roads in a very familiar way. So much so after the weekend on the back roads round here tells a well known story, litter Discarded takeaway wrappings, empty beer/lager cans and empty red bull cans. All chucked out of a car windows.I know I bang on about our scenery up here, but it’s a disgrace what’s lying at the sides of these roads. Apart from drink, we Scots are known for our litter as well. Well that’s my rant for the day......
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Down in Devon, the back lanes have been less littered and wildlife less scared of humans. In August I was watching perhaps 2 sea trout spawning in the River Teign but less than 1/2 mile from a new housing estate. The local kingfisher was flitting about and a crow came down to be hand fed. There was really not much litter about. Certainly less than we usually see.
Pot holes in roads are only just getting caught up with now. Litter bins around town and in country parks have been allowed to overflow though that also seems to have improved.
Pot holes in roads are only just getting caught up with now. Litter bins around town and in country parks have been allowed to overflow though that also seems to have improved.
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I've noticed the roads - even in Oxfordshire(!) seem to be getting repaired. Oxfordshire must have some of the worst road surfaces in the UK.
A colleague lives on Daubigny Mead, a Cul-De-Sac in Brize Norton village. It's taken years of campaigning and snotograms to local council to get the road resurfaced - the road has never been resurfaced since the houses were built in the 1960s ...until just a couple of weeks ago.
...And even then its only a half-measured job - it's as if they'd forgotton to put the top layer of asphalt on.
Oxfordshire = crapp Pot holes continually reappear a few months after the idiots have been around filling them up with whatever it is they use - cornflakes or something similar
A colleague lives on Daubigny Mead, a Cul-De-Sac in Brize Norton village. It's taken years of campaigning and snotograms to local council to get the road resurfaced - the road has never been resurfaced since the houses were built in the 1960s ...until just a couple of weeks ago.
...And even then its only a half-measured job - it's as if they'd forgotton to put the top layer of asphalt on.
Oxfordshire = crapp
Pot holes continually reappear a few months after the idiots have been around filling them up with whatever it is they use - cornflakes or something similar
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That should have read 20 sea trout the water was thrashing about from time to time. Amazing stuff.
Leaving the supermarket earlier, there was a young couple on a bench. Boy was talking on his phone, on speaker, girl was wrapped around him.
As I passed, there was some voice from the phone, but no idea what was said. Boy replies, "I'm with my best friend Rachael."
(There's so much wrong with that statement and picture.)
At that point, as well as my moment of surprise, the girl recoiled, with a stunned look on her face. Not surprising really. No reaction from the boy. I don't think he understands, poor lad.
As well as him not understanding the relationship, what was going on?
If they are living in the same household, its fine to be wrapped around each other. But if not living in the same household, they should be 2m apart. Unless, I suppose they've both been quarantining for a fortnight, ready for this day.
They, and others like them, are part of the reason we need another lockdown.
As I passed, there was some voice from the phone, but no idea what was said. Boy replies, "I'm with my best friend Rachael."
(There's so much wrong with that statement and picture.)
At that point, as well as my moment of surprise, the girl recoiled, with a stunned look on her face. Not surprising really. No reaction from the boy. I don't think he understands, poor lad.
As well as him not understanding the relationship, what was going on?
If they are living in the same household, its fine to be wrapped around each other. But if not living in the same household, they should be 2m apart. Unless, I suppose they've both been quarantining for a fortnight, ready for this day.
They, and others like them, are part of the reason we need another lockdown.
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Just checked out my town. There's a vacant block in the middle of an area of terraced houses that I was told were flattened during WW2. It was clearly there in 1928 so it wasn't Germany that knocked the houses down. If they ever existed.
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On the subject of change. I always find visiting my brother, who still lives in the house my mother spent her later life in, which is out in the country in the Scottish Border country, to be a "bitter sweet" experience.
There is so much which has not changed since I was a boy. Leafy winding country roads, often bounded by either drystane dykes or monolithic sandstone walls. Then, suddenly, it will open out into a modern "improved" section with wide verges and good overtaking - a fine driving experience. I like the "old" sections though as it reminds me of my youth. The Border town where I grew up - when not incarcerated in those boarding schools - is structurally (that is to say the buildings) very similar with many of the buildings unchanged. There are a number of "carbuncles", like the supermarkets etc, but the biggest change is the roads which have become one way in many instances so I have to be very careful not to find myself driving the wrong way up one of these!
As you leave the town heading towards "our" house there have been extensive changes and the road sweeps round in a gentle curve with wide grassed verges, rather than the old road which took 3 quite sharp turns, until it smoothly transitions into the "old" road which is so familiar from my youth. I find the experience quite surreal - a bit like being in a time machine - as I drive from the new to the old and approach the house, which is unchanged, and can vividly relive the experience of bombing, noisily, (large bore exhaust centrally mounted - which you "had to have" on any mini for credibility) along that very bit of road in my wee 850 mini in the early 1960's with, maybe The Stones, Dylan, The Mamas and the Papas - "Monday Monday" or how about "California Dreamin' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-aK6JnyFmk
(we all bought into the "California Dream" in our crowd) or "Dream a Little dream" which always brings a wee lump to my throat for some reason - dreams unrealized perhaps? (A younger me lusted after that blond!) - or The Byrds - "I wasn't born to follow" with it's psychedelic rif in the middle still send shivers down my spine (you have to play it loud on a decent amp to really "get" it though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hEfcawx6Fc
Of course we had no choice other than what station to tune in to and the crackling tinny sound of my cheap "Echo" brand radio with speaker screwed to the underside of the parcel shelf did the music no favours at all!
There is so much which has not changed since I was a boy. Leafy winding country roads, often bounded by either drystane dykes or monolithic sandstone walls. Then, suddenly, it will open out into a modern "improved" section with wide verges and good overtaking - a fine driving experience. I like the "old" sections though as it reminds me of my youth. The Border town where I grew up - when not incarcerated in those boarding schools - is structurally (that is to say the buildings) very similar with many of the buildings unchanged. There are a number of "carbuncles", like the supermarkets etc, but the biggest change is the roads which have become one way in many instances so I have to be very careful not to find myself driving the wrong way up one of these!
As you leave the town heading towards "our" house there have been extensive changes and the road sweeps round in a gentle curve with wide grassed verges, rather than the old road which took 3 quite sharp turns, until it smoothly transitions into the "old" road which is so familiar from my youth. I find the experience quite surreal - a bit like being in a time machine - as I drive from the new to the old and approach the house, which is unchanged, and can vividly relive the experience of bombing, noisily, (large bore exhaust centrally mounted - which you "had to have" on any mini for credibility) along that very bit of road in my wee 850 mini in the early 1960's with, maybe The Stones, Dylan, The Mamas and the Papas - "Monday Monday" or how about "California Dreamin' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-aK6JnyFmk
(we all bought into the "California Dream" in our crowd) or "Dream a Little dream" which always brings a wee lump to my throat for some reason - dreams unrealized perhaps? (A younger me lusted after that blond!) - or The Byrds - "I wasn't born to follow" with it's psychedelic rif in the middle still send shivers down my spine (you have to play it loud on a decent amp to really "get" it though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hEfcawx6Fc
Of course we had no choice other than what station to tune in to and the crackling tinny sound of my cheap "Echo" brand radio with speaker screwed to the underside of the parcel shelf did the music no favours at all!
Does the carpet stay as a roll as it falls, or does it open out to cover a larger area?
The Panda Nut
Nutty about Pandas Infected by Panda virus and OPD
Just looking at new car prices. The little Jeep looks surprisingly good value but what when they are at home are
Aspheric mirrors
Incandescent tail lights - are they angry?
Quickspace seat inserts
Tonal stitching steering wheels
Vynil wrapped door and amrest - some new type of plastic??
PTC (Positive Temp Co-efficent) heater
MIC Roof rack - does the microphone ride on the roof rack?
Honestly what a load of old cobblers these morons do speak!
I want a car with a sliding turkey scatcher. Do they offer that .... NO
And £19750 for a Dacia Duster... Seems to row against its reason to be somewhat.
I have turned into a grumpy old man completely.
Aspheric mirrors
Incandescent tail lights - are they angry?
Quickspace seat inserts
Tonal stitching steering wheels
Vynil wrapped door and amrest - some new type of plastic??
PTC (Positive Temp Co-efficent) heater
MIC Roof rack - does the microphone ride on the roof rack?
Honestly what a load of old cobblers these morons do speak!
I want a car with a sliding turkey scatcher. Do they offer that .... NO
And £19750 for a Dacia Duster... Seems to row against its reason to be somewhat.
I have turned into a grumpy old man completely.
The Panda Nut
Nutty about Pandas Infected by Panda virus and OPD
Its magic. It flies to the target all by itself and makes a noise like a ghost frightening the opposition away, well I think thats what happened in Aladin.
PTC heater is interesting ish, guess you're speccing a diesel?
Used to generate warm air when the coolant isn't.
Otherwise all fancy ways of saying...it comes with all the basic stuff you'd expect from any car in the last 30 years. Amusing they've listed incandescent (assuming they are referring to bulbs) rear lights, in the same vein does it have glass windows?
All car prices have gone mental though, joys of the PCP explosion. C3 we bought 3 years ago listed at 16k (no we didn't pay that) the equivalent is now 19k..which sounds mental. However if you look at an equivalent Fiesta..21k Polo...22k. Prices of Polo and Fiesta haven't gone up anywhere near as much though they were around 20k mark 3 years ago as well.
A friend of mine has a 2011 Fiesta was 16k at the time...equivalent is now 23k without leather seats. Same with my Mazda was 16500 in 2011...now an equivalent is well over 21k.
I suppose the upside is they last pretty well these days but prices have definitely ticked upwards especially last 5 years.
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Aspheric mirrors
First we had flat glass, then for the outside mirrors, convex. I think aspheric means they are changing convex, so the outer edges are more curved, giving a wider view. In other words, they have built-in blind spot mirrors.
Incandescent tail lights - are they angry?
Normal bulbs. Presumably a way of making 'not having LEDs' a selling point.
Quickspace seat inserts
No idea. Unless the rear seats lift out easily to turn it inot a van.
Tonal stitching steering wheels
My guess is that the wheel stitching is not quite the same colour as the wheel, but definitely not a deliberate contrast. A subtle way of saying, "the thread supplier couldn't match the wheel colour".
Vynil wrapped door and amrest - some new type of plastic??
It's the cheap model, no cloth on the doors for you.
PTC (Positive Temp Co-efficent) heater
There's a heating element in the air intake, usually in the manifold close to the engine, to warm the air until engine temp rises enough to do it itself. First seen in eighties petrol engines to improve economy and drivability on cold starts.
MIC Roof rack - does the microphone ride on the roof rack?
No idea.
Took a short walk to local Waitrose earlier.
Leaving, as I turned away from the entrance, behind me was the roar of an engine being tortured. A MINI turning right into the supermarket, clutch slipping, engine roaring. Car covered in livery of a local bodyshop, courtesy car. Oops!
I always treat courtesy cars with caution, especially bodyshop ones. "I've crashed my car, which I know well, and now I'm driving one I don't know." Likely to end badly, I feel.
Then 200 yds later, from behind me was the noise of another engine being tortured. It was approaching gently, and at a consistent speed. A Citroen C3, young woman driving, sitting absolutely rigid, staring directly ahead, a steady speed just under 30. I guess 2nd gear.
Leaving, as I turned away from the entrance, behind me was the roar of an engine being tortured. A MINI turning right into the supermarket, clutch slipping, engine roaring. Car covered in livery of a local bodyshop, courtesy car. Oops!
I always treat courtesy cars with caution, especially bodyshop ones. "I've crashed my car, which I know well, and now I'm driving one I don't know." Likely to end badly, I feel.
Then 200 yds later, from behind me was the noise of another engine being tortured. It was approaching gently, and at a consistent speed. A Citroen C3, young woman driving, sitting absolutely rigid, staring directly ahead, a steady speed just under 30. I guess 2nd gear.
Yep - sounds about right - you see a lot of them doing that! There's a kind of 'rabbit caught in the headlights' look about them
Aye Jock, times have changed, especially so during this epidemic. I know where you’re coming from. Looking back it all seemed so happy and uncomplicated, even allowing for the rose coloured specs.
I used to head back to Aberdeenshire years ago and visit the village where I grew up. I was viewed as local boy made good but a traitor for leaving the village, a strange situation. Working as a welder in the oil sector I was not short of a bob or two. If I stood a round of drinks, I was a flash git, if I didn’t, I was a tight git.... Still, I liked catching up with what’s been happening the years I’ve been away. The usual faces, some had never really been out of the village full stop. I have changed a lot myself, I’ve become very cynical, and hanging on to the past at times has mixed emotions. It is an age thing. Billy Connolly summed it up, I’ve turned into the man I used to avoid. I still have a daft sense of humour and possess the ability at laughing at myself at times, which is lacking these days in some. Like others I guess, we have time to think at the moment, and perhaps that could be good or bad. Just to add, the music of the time stirs up the memory and helps to paint the picture of yesteryear. Like yourself Jock, dependant of mood/refreshment when you hear that favourite record of times past can make you feel all emotional. Ah, if only you could go back for a day.
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A few years ago I was walking back to my car in a multi-story and could hear the same thing. It was a young girl in a Lexus tying to park and getting quite tearful about it. She told us she had just passed her test and Daddy had bought the car for her as a present!
She asked us if we could park it for her. We politely declined but guided her in to the space with soothing words of encouragement! St.Albans is always good for that sort of thing. Terrified looking women in Range Rovers etc.
The Panda Nut
Nutty about Pandas Infected by Panda virus and OPD
Well that's some of the mysteries explained. Its good to know that some out there are true modern men fully up to date! Unlike me. The heater is the only thing that sounds interesting, and I have never heard of such a thing. SO I am now not grumpy or sad, but better informed. Still think most of the rest is cobblers but love the twist you put upon them!
