I don't often get to travel very far with work. Most of my customers are within an hours drive, which in London means about 10 miles! But I've had two enquiries in the last 48 hours, one in Cardiff and the other in Edinburgh.
I'll probably drive to Cardiff but it's up in the air for the Edinburgh trip.
Gosh, International stardom!
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Pub Review
Yesterday I had a day in Brighton and decided to come back via some back roads. Needing refreshment we stopped at The Fox, in Small Dole near Henfield. It looks like it's been updated recently and has "kerbside appeal" as estate agents like to put it.
As I was driving it was soft drinks only, but they have a good supply. But it is the food which is to recommend it.
There is nothing out of the ordinary on the menu other perhaps than Gammon with Cheese and Mango so expect only standard pub fare. The delight comes in the size of the portions. I had gammon with egg and pineapple and it was about twice the size you normally get served. Marj had two pork loin steaks with new potatoes and 43 vegetables and was tender and another hearty portion. For dessert I couldn't miss my old favourite, Chocolate Fudge Cake with ice cream. Again, it was a double size to miost places with a thick layer of melting chocolate. Could have done with more ice cream but that was more to do with the size of the cake than a shortage of ice cream. Marj had the days special which was summer fruit pudding with cream.
Prices? The main courses cost us £6.95 each! A bargain. Puddings were £3.95 so pretty standard pricing but good value against portion size.
Will definitely be eating there again when I'm in the area.
As I was driving it was soft drinks only, but they have a good supply. But it is the food which is to recommend it.
There is nothing out of the ordinary on the menu other perhaps than Gammon with Cheese and Mango so expect only standard pub fare. The delight comes in the size of the portions. I had gammon with egg and pineapple and it was about twice the size you normally get served. Marj had two pork loin steaks with new potatoes and 43 vegetables and was tender and another hearty portion. For dessert I couldn't miss my old favourite, Chocolate Fudge Cake with ice cream. Again, it was a double size to miost places with a thick layer of melting chocolate. Could have done with more ice cream but that was more to do with the size of the cake than a shortage of ice cream. Marj had the days special which was summer fruit pudding with cream.
Prices? The main courses cost us £6.95 each! A bargain. Puddings were £3.95 so pretty standard pricing but good value against portion size.
Will definitely be eating there again when I'm in the area.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Guily M'Lud
The Proceedings of The Old Bailey 1674-1834 are available online.
Rather a lot of people with my family surname manage to make an appearance!
Rather a lot of people with my family surname manage to make an appearance!
Hypocrisy Lives
It is impossible to avoid stroies of Big Brother even if you don't watch it. Therefore I know that Emily? was kicked out by the powers that be for using the "N" word. On monday evening as part of the Three Minute Wonder series there was a film shown of a coloured person which was littered throughout with the "N" word. Channel 4 neither chose to blank our the word and obviously decided that this should be an included film of the series.
So as far as channel 4 are concerned white people cannot use the word nigger but black people can. Emily was using it, I gather, in a context that young people would and not in a nasty agressive way. The coloured gut in the film was talking about how he taunted other black guys.
If I was Emily I would consider taking Channel 4 to court as they have effectively discriminated against her and stopped the chance of her winning whatever financial prize there is.
My answer as always is to be a litigious Kennamatic.
So as far as channel 4 are concerned white people cannot use the word nigger but black people can. Emily was using it, I gather, in a context that young people would and not in a nasty agressive way. The coloured gut in the film was talking about how he taunted other black guys.
If I was Emily I would consider taking Channel 4 to court as they have effectively discriminated against her and stopped the chance of her winning whatever financial prize there is.
My answer as always is to be a litigious Kennamatic.
Blackpool 25
My trip to Blackpool later this year is booked. I haven't been for a couple of years but couldn't miss this one as my mate JC, whom I go with, is celebrating his 25th annual visit.
Tremendous staying power. And quite a lot of beer money too.
Tremendous staying power. And quite a lot of beer money too.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Snobbishness
How do you decide whether you are a snob or not? Certainly nobody wishes to be thought one but can you ever tell whether you are.
Last weekend we went to a birthday party on Saturday for the mother of someone we know but we had not previously met the rest of them. They are workling class, would probably be described these days as chavs, swore every other word and we had few points of reference to hold conversations. I got on well with the lads that were there because we played pool and it gave us some commonality. I realised after the event, what I didn't like was the amount of swearing from the women. Now this was the first time we'd met, there was no shortage of alcohol. they did make us welcome.
On sunday we had lunch at a vicarage with a group of people who I don't know well, or in some cases not at all, but we talked throughout lunch as we had shared interests and were, I suppose of the same social grouping as ourselves.
Was I looking down on the Saturday group as they were "common, vulgar people" or just not in a situation that I could relate to.
If I was snobbish I surely wouldn't have gone into business with Kev who is "council house" through and through. I have also been in a similar situation the other way where I have been with people I felt uncomfortable with, not I suspect because they were richer than me, but because their lifestyle was dramatically different and again we had few points of commonality between us.
It seems only to come out in social situations as I have had customers from both ends of the social scale and I have never treated nor thought of my customers as anything differently to each other.
So, were my reactions snobbishness or was there just too much of a social divide and shared experience for me to feel emotionally part of their group?
Last weekend we went to a birthday party on Saturday for the mother of someone we know but we had not previously met the rest of them. They are workling class, would probably be described these days as chavs, swore every other word and we had few points of reference to hold conversations. I got on well with the lads that were there because we played pool and it gave us some commonality. I realised after the event, what I didn't like was the amount of swearing from the women. Now this was the first time we'd met, there was no shortage of alcohol. they did make us welcome.
On sunday we had lunch at a vicarage with a group of people who I don't know well, or in some cases not at all, but we talked throughout lunch as we had shared interests and were, I suppose of the same social grouping as ourselves.
Was I looking down on the Saturday group as they were "common, vulgar people" or just not in a situation that I could relate to.
If I was snobbish I surely wouldn't have gone into business with Kev who is "council house" through and through. I have also been in a similar situation the other way where I have been with people I felt uncomfortable with, not I suspect because they were richer than me, but because their lifestyle was dramatically different and again we had few points of commonality between us.
It seems only to come out in social situations as I have had customers from both ends of the social scale and I have never treated nor thought of my customers as anything differently to each other.
So, were my reactions snobbishness or was there just too much of a social divide and shared experience for me to feel emotionally part of their group?
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Things move on.
I am driving again, as of 00.01a.m. this morning my insurance was in place. As of yet I haven't been caught by a speed camera or stopped by the police.
Also, I sold my flat yesterday. This will mark me leaving Linda, though still in daily contact, and living with Marj, albeit temporarily until I get my own flat and then we'll flit between the two.
Next on the list will probably be "getting a proper job"!
Also, I sold my flat yesterday. This will mark me leaving Linda, though still in daily contact, and living with Marj, albeit temporarily until I get my own flat and then we'll flit between the two.
Next on the list will probably be "getting a proper job"!
Monday, June 04, 2007
The root of the problem.
Reading an interview given by Frank Lampard about the upcoming match in Estonia he says,
"Do we need to win? Who knows. Should we try to win, well, we've got to start putting a run of wins together at some point so we might as well start now."
Well that's very gracious of him and the rest of the team. But that shows exactly the way they think. They obviously decide they should try to win when it becomes necessary. Surely if you are going to play for your country you need to have an attitude that you are going to win or at least try your damned hardest to make sure you do, every match you play, regardless of the opposition.
England play with the three lions on their chest. Lions would not be Kings of the Jungle if they went around with the attitude that they needed to be frightening every now and then but they'd save themselvers until necessary. That wasn't the attitude that won the cup in 1966 and that attitude will make certain we will never win it again.
Crouch is expected to be recalled and one of his advantages is that just because he is playing against a less talented team and might be winning, you still have to keep going and put more goals past them.
According to our local bookies Englamnd are listed at 1/9 to win. If I could get 9/1 on Estonia to win it might be worth a little punt.
"Do we need to win? Who knows. Should we try to win, well, we've got to start putting a run of wins together at some point so we might as well start now."
Well that's very gracious of him and the rest of the team. But that shows exactly the way they think. They obviously decide they should try to win when it becomes necessary. Surely if you are going to play for your country you need to have an attitude that you are going to win or at least try your damned hardest to make sure you do, every match you play, regardless of the opposition.
England play with the three lions on their chest. Lions would not be Kings of the Jungle if they went around with the attitude that they needed to be frightening every now and then but they'd save themselvers until necessary. That wasn't the attitude that won the cup in 1966 and that attitude will make certain we will never win it again.
Crouch is expected to be recalled and one of his advantages is that just because he is playing against a less talented team and might be winning, you still have to keep going and put more goals past them.
According to our local bookies Englamnd are listed at 1/9 to win. If I could get 9/1 on Estonia to win it might be worth a little punt.
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