Oaksey Village Scarecrow Competition

There were 28 entries and here are some of them.

What a Laugh!

Last week we found a case of wine on our doorstep delivered via Virgin.  Husband said it that must be a birthday present from Tim, our son, arrived early.  Last year Tim kindly gave Husband wine delivered via Virgin.  Usually Tim is late regarding birthday presents.  We unpacked it and noticed what nice wine Tim had given us.

We wrote an email thanking Tim for his present.  An email came flying back.  It was not husband's birthday present, Virgin had delivered it to us because last year the delivery was to us!  Tim lives in London so there was no way  the wine was going to be transported there  in the new future!!  All is not lost - Tim and family are spending the day with us on husband's birthday in August which happens to be the same day as my brother's wife who lives in Australia.  But this year my brother and wife are in England visiting us and we are having a joint birthday party.

We all had a good laugh!

Plane Art or Plain Art?

These are some of the promised photos of the plane about to be scrapped at Kemble Airfield.  A group of wannabe Banksys have had the opportunity of expressing their art - because they can (from the can!) - the plane will be broken up very shortly.

Should Have Taken My Camera . . . . . . . .

This morning we visited AV8, the cafe next to the control tower, at Kemble Airfield.  There is a company on site that salvages planes and at the moment there are 14 jumbos waiting to be taken apart - it is a very lucrative business.  About a week ago we noticed that one plane had been towed off the usual waiting area and placed on the grass next to the driveway to AV8.  Today we understood why.  A group of Banksy type spray artists had been given the plane to practice their art before the plane is scrapped.  The result is brilliant.  The design is really the inside of the plane painted on the outside including all the mechanisms - landing gear, hydraulics etc. The design colours are just grey, silver and black.  One really has to study the plane to appreciate the intricate art.

We will try and visit AV8 before the plane is scrapped to take some photos.

Star Clipper Holiday

We have just arrived home from a stormy Med.  At Tangier we experienced Storm Force 10.  Both husband and I are good sailors - and we needed to be.  Our cabin was situated on deck level at the stern - we must have risen and dropped 40 feet at each wave!  At Ibetha several holidaymakers from The States actually jumped ship - they could not stand any more seasickness!  Below are a collection of our photos.

 "the Bridge"

 Sea Cloud - another rival yacht.

 This photo does not do justice to the rough seas.

 At Tangiers there was big trouble mooring up to the dock and this little tug was called in to push the ship up to the quay.

 Mast Climbing was a popular sport on calm days.

Why Must Men Barge!

This is a swimming rant!

I chucked my membership from the above gym and pool because of expense.  I now swim at our local leisure centre most mornings during the lane swimming session.  I do not swim in either the fast, medium or slow lanes because they are rather narrow and if some participants are swimming breast stroke one can get a  stray foot in the ribs.  Never mind the ribs - I mind terribly if I am hit on my knees - they might collapse in metal pieces!  So - I swim in the free area but have to keep weaving in and out so as not to get hit - I look up fairly often just to see that the way is clear.

Today was different!   The pool was unusually empty in the free zone today and I was making good progress to complete my thirty lengths.  I set off and about half way down the pool a man jumped in front of me swimming furiously - he kept his line and I had to swiftly veer out of his way.  The man kept up aggressive swimming complete with tumble turns - everyone else had to keep their distance.

I saw red!  The free zone often contains some very vulnerable people, some bad swimmers and truly disabled swimmers.   At the end of my stint I got out, complained to the young lifeguard who could not have been nicer but felt (I think because of his age) unable to speak to this guy, so I asked if I could - and I did.  I tapped the man smartly on the arm and suggested he swum in the fast lane as he was a very good swimmer.  I got excuses and more excuses.  I ended up shouting at him and wagging my finger like an old schoolmarm!! After I had changed and was leaving I met the lifeguard in the entrance hall and he informed me that the manager had been called - apparently this man is "known" to them.  I suddenly felt better!  I very rarely complain to anyone about anything.  I hope this guy never appears again in the free zone and if he does I will stop swimming but stand my ground!

The Bucking Bronco

Husband has urged me to post this topic because he and several others found it very funny.  I have a mobility scooter which is slightly unusual - photo top right of page.  In repose this fearsome beast lives tucked tightly into the side wall of our garage so as not to get scratched by husband parking his car badly!  Often when parking the scooter I have to chug back and forth, reverse in and out to achieve the required position.  On this particular day, about two weeks ago, I came to park the scooter and did the usual back and forth movements.  But I made a mistake and shot into the side of the electric garage mechanism near the spring system.  There was an almighty clang (husband heard it in the house) and somehow the back mudguard of the scooter got lodged into the spring.  The scooter reared up in anger and I was shot off.  I landed hard on my backside with my hands scraping along the tarmac.  I was getting up off the ground when husband appeared - I was bruised and cut - but fine.  We had a good laugh and it took some time to disentangle the scooter.  Just then our neighbour and three year old son wandered past our drive.  Husband turned to little Harry (who is a bundle of fun and a little toughie) and explained that Lindsay had had a crash!   "A crash" shouted Harry, his eyes opening wide - he then said "I wish I had seen it" !!   We have laughed about it often since - my cut fingers have been a nuisance but all is well.

A Strange Coincidence

Once upon a time I had a much loved cookery book called "The Hamlyn All Colour Cookbook" printed in 1970, it's authors included Mary Berry.   This cookbook was so popular that it was upgraded and reprinted many times in various guises.  When we moved house nearly seven years ago this cookbook somehow got lost, I have no idea how!

Meanwhile Mary Berry has been on TV quite a lot lately including the popular "The Great British Bake-Off." which jogged my memory about the much missed cookery book.   I searched the well known internet book site and found there was one left selling for £99.00 !!!   I thought no thanks.  I then searched the internet and found a second-hand copy at a very reasonable price and proceeded to order it.  I was crowing about this find to one of my friends whom I am in regular contact via Skype.

I am eagerly awaiting my cookbook which is now in the post.

Yesterday my friend and I met up on our usual daily Skype and guess what - my friend held up The Hamlyn All Colour Cookbook for me to see!   She had had a copy all the time festering away in the back of a bookcase which was hidden by a large potted fern!  It is too late to cancel the internet order.  We had a good laugh about it!

Hello Folks!

This is the view from our kitchen window!

It's Chucking It Down!

These photos are especially for my brother and all other Australians who are at this time enduring sweltering conditions.