Idle chat

[Grandad]

I know that myself and Horus often comment how lucky we are to live in our 'Green and Pleasant Land'. Most people in these islands needs only to go short distances from their homes to find our lovely green countryside. When Mrs G gets the weekly shop at the local supermarket I often wander along the river that flows along the edge of the car park.

Here are a few pictures from yesterday with shades of green in abundance....

[LovelyLadyLux]

Lovely photos Grandad. We have a bit of that here in that you can be on a mountain top in the morning, inner city at noon and beaches by 3pm however we're not carrying near the history or development of your area.

Last night the gov't here moved us to Level 4 drought conditions No water use 'cept for personal hygiene. We're tinder dry and fires breaking out all over the place. Over 100 blazing away now. Port Hardy, a fair sized town on the north end of the island has a huge intense blaze hovering. Strong winds are not helping. Lots of evacuations happening and nowhere to move livestock. Water bombers are trying to put out the fires but ?

All fishing in rivers has been stopped too as of today because of the dangers posed to the fish too.

[Grandad]

All fishing in rivers has been stopped too as of today because of the dangers posed to the fish too.

What, like being caught Couldn't resist it LLL

[Horus]

Lovely pictures Grandad, who could not find beauty in a few tree stumps, wildflowers and flowing water

[Kiya]

Nice pictures Grandad

[Grandad]

Thank you folks, and yes Horus, I find scenes like that so tranquil.

My stroll had a purpose. A couple of days earlier I had noticed something of interest so I wandered along to find it. It was a Blue Plaque, on what is now, a shabby building, to Count Louis Zborowski who built the original Chitty Chitty Bang Bang racing cars. At 16 when his mother died he became the fourth richest under 21 in the world.

He had a wonderfully exciting life building fast racers with engines up to 23 litres meeting his end at the age of 29 in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.


On checking the local council website I learnt that there are 15 blue plaques in the area so, another little challenge for me to go and find them all.

[Horus]

Interesting little snippet Grandad

[LovelyLadyLux]

That would be quite a neat and interesting task to do - find all 15 plaques

[Jayway]

Lovely river Grandad, makes me want to paddle in the sandy bit, doesnt look deep? How long before we get the 15 plaque montage ??

[Grandad]

Hello, anyone awake out there?

Lovely river Grandad, makes me want to paddle in the sandy bit, doesnt look deep? How long before we get the 15 plaque montage ??

Jay, for a river that flows from mid Kent out to the sea at Richborough, it is very small and clean. Just a mile upstream is where as kids we used to swim in the war years......happy times

As for the plaques, that is a little challenge for me to find them all and I will eventually post a 5 x 3 collage to show that I found them all, but don't hold your breath I have found two more and although the plaques are mostly for explorers and scientists and people accredited with some discovery, my favourite already is for a soldier who lived half a mile from me in the smallest of two up/two down terraced cottages in the shabby part of town: he won a VC on the Boer War and very worthy of the commemoration.

As you have mentioned them that is another commitment I have taken on

The other is to follow in Horus's footsteps to Dorset.........watch this space

[Horus]

The other is to follow in Horus's footsteps to Dorset.........watch this space

I had lots more to post about Dorset Grandad, but I don't want to hog all the action so waiting to see where you get to visit.

[Jayway]

Grandad, I do like the idea of plaque hunting. I was a big fan of I-Spy books when I was little, they were always with me. Made my day if I found a few items to fill in . . the school trips to London . . . ummmm happy memories -

[LovelyLadyLux]

We do seem to have gone a bit quiet............'tis Friday so I'm off up north (werk werk werk).

Since this is idle chatting - as I'm getting ready to leave - I'm seeing a preview of a new movie "Minions." I think it is a children's movie of little yellow (look like bananas) with one or two eyes who speak gibberish. The commentator is saying they're 'cute' but the entire movie is them speaking gibberish........??? (Really and it is CUTE?) Maybe it IS cute but on first glance I'm wondering why I'd want to take my grandkids to see this?

[Grandad]

As we are just idle chatting here, we DID actually return yesterday from Dorset. It was just a short break between Croatia in May and when we go to The Canaries in September. I prefer not to publish actual dates that we will be away from the house. Not that there is anything of great value but in this area you may return to find 30 immigrant squatters have taken up residence. Will sort some pictures out over the weekend.

[Grandad]

Grandad, I do like the idea of plaque hunting. I was a big fan of I-Spy books when I was little, they were always with me. Made my day if I found a few items to fill in . . the school trips to London . . . ummmm happy memories -

I have my "I-Spy Blue Plaques List" in the car Jay so that when we are out and about I can find a few more. A bit of a pointless pursuit really but I find it interesting to check out the reasons why some people are noted in this way.

They scrape the barrel for some. For instance, Professor Cyril Northcote Parkinson is credited as the creator of 'Parkinsons Law' which states that work expands to fill the time available for its completion. I thought we all knew that.

Another little challenge that I set myself was to photograph all the pub signs within my local councils licensing area. I have a lot but not quite finished that. Problem with pubs these days is that when they change hands they often have a name change and a re-vamp to change the image, not for the better in my opinion.

One such pub near the barracks was appropriately called 'The Grenadier' with a splendid coloured sign. It is now 'The Run of the Mill' with a plain brown sign and white lettering. You could drive past and miss it.