8th November 2016 - Of New Steps to Freedom

Thought for the day :"I used to dread walking under Horse Chestnut trees in the autumn .
But with some therapy I've managed to Conker it."

Had a good day yesterday. After probably a year, I managed to get my mother into a car with her wheelchair and zimmer, something we have been afraid to try, but she managed with great ease, which takes us to a new regime for her - not longer tied to her room

and Burry Port Lighthouse in the distance - a glorious day ...

Sadly - the reason was to get her to the dentist and that required a tooth extraction - but the overall result is a lot more freedom ..
I'll drink to that..
Cheers...

7th November 2016 - Of Vikings and Taverns

Thought for the day:"I may be schizophrenic but at least I have each other"

Queen of Hoxton's winter rooftop bar has taken on a Viking theme for the winter, with decor, food and drink to match.

Designed as a "Nordic Viking feasting and drinking hall in the clouds", Skye Halla takes its Viking credentials seriously.

Visitors enter the venue into a large yurt-style tent, decked out with out with fairy lights (Vikings had those, right?), candles — and Viking shields.

Outside the rooftop yurt, in the shadow of the City skyscrapers, are more of the same — and, most importantly, the Viking longship shaped bar.

Liquid concoctions available include Skye's Hot Buttered Rum and Thor's Courage (a hot mead punch). Food-wise, pick from Hodhr's Pork Belly Hotpot, Týr’s Sloe Gin Turkey Leg and more. There are different specials every day of the week.

As well as the food and drink offerings, a programme of events and workshops will take place on the rooftop throughout the Skye Halla residency. Pick from Viking life drawing, a chain mail jewellery workshop, a braiding masterclass and more.

Skye Halla Winter Rooftop is open at Queen of Hoxton in Shoreditch until March 2017 (Monday-Saturday 4pm-10pm). Entry is usually free, although entry may be charged or the rooftop may occasionally closed for events.


Seems like a good idea ....
Which takes me to Winne the Pooh ..
Cheers!

6th November 2016 - Being Inventive

Thought for the day:" Always carry a knife - in case there is cheesecake, or someone needs to be stabbed "

Found a small article today about some strange and useful inventions and though many were less than appealing - I found a couple worthy of note....

The first is a set of contact lenses that automatically test for sugar and insulin levels in the tears and change colour so that the wearer can see theat they are out of balance. This is an alternative to blood tests all the time to check levels... I was impressedwith this..
 

 This little invention is an hour glass showing how much longer the Green light will stay on. Not sure whether that will really stop people jumping the light at the last minute - but seems a sensible idea in the long run if drivers get used to the idea. I remember in America that there woudl oiften be a count down clock next to lights showing the same sort of thing - but this is more visually effective.

 What can I say??  Pizza Cutters. What a great idea !

And I know a couple of mums who would appreciate this form of transport..

So - the inventions of human imagination continue...

and a final thought - "you had one job!"

5th November 2016 - Fireworks

Thought for the day:"One day you're the best thing since sliced bread. The next, you're toast."

Excellent meeting in Pontyclun for the Allied Masonic Degrees District Meeting...   Good time had by all and new District Team in place ...  Long day but fun...

Meanwhile the dog is fretting over the fireworks and they seem to be all over the place... I suppose it is Saturday Night and 5th November together..

    Remember, remember!
    The fifth of November,
    The Gunpowder treason and plot;
    I know of no reason
    Why the Gunpowder treason
    Should ever be forgot!
    Guy Fawkes and his companions
    Did the scheme contrive,
    To blow the King and Parliament
    All up alive.
    Threescore barrels, laid below,
    To prove old England's overthrow.
    But, by God's providence, him they catch,
    With a dark lantern, lighting a match!
    A stick and a stake
    For King James's sake!
    If you won't give me one,
    I'll take two,
    The better for me,
    And the worse for you.
    A rope, a rope, to hang the Pope,
    A penn'orth of cheese to choke him,
    A pint of beer to wash it down,
    And a jolly good fire to burn him.
    Holloa, boys! holloa, boys! make the bells ring!
    Holloa, boys! holloa boys! God save the King!
    Hip, hip, hooor-r-r-ray! 

Oh well
Best have a glass of Chateau 41

4th November 2016 - Moons and Supermoons

Thought for the day:" I've been repeating the same mistakes in life for so long now, I think I'll start calling them traditions."

Seems we have a super moon coming up soon ...

The night sky is set to put on an amazing display this month giving stargazers the chance to see meteors, planets and a supermoon.
In fact, the supermoon will be the biggest one since 1948 - it'll be roughly 14% bigger and 30% brighter than an average full moon. It hasn’t come this close to Earth since 1948 and won’t come this close again until November 25, 2034, according to NASA.
The striking phenomenon means that 2016 will end with a total of three supermoons in October, November and December.
The reason for the supermoon is that the elliptical orbit of our lunar neighbour occasionally brings it in line with the Sun and the Earth. When this happens, and the moon is on the opposite side of Earth from the Sun, it appears bigger and brighter.

Cheers!

3rd November 2016 - Are you sitting Comfortably?

Thought for the day:" You don't get a body like mine overnight - it takes years of neglect and bacon.."

How is your latin ???
He who drinks sleeps
He who sleeps does not sin
He who does not sin is saintly
therefore - to drink is to be saintly

Seems a good reason to me .... 

In other news we bought a nice sofa from Tesco - or rather form a Tesco Partner called Warely furnishing...  It was a nice leather three seater recliner - hand made in the UK and reduced by £200 to what seemed a fairly reasonable price and delivery within 5 days.... In fact here it is ..

Looks nice and we really needed it as the old one had been used as a dog urinal for too many years and was impossible to febreeze back to life....

Of course, just after 7am this morning was not the time I was expecting to have it delivered, but two friendly Geordies with thick accent were there at the door and struggled in with what was a substantially heavy item in a cardboard box and left it in the living room as I staggered back to bed to catch the last hour of the night...

After breakfast we duly started to assemble said sofa, and it was as per the picture but didn't really look as though it was "real" leather..  but looked a little better than plastic so did not think too much about it until we started packing the cardboard... and read the label...

The "made in China" seemed a bit of a giveaway...  So I dutifully called the Tesco Help line who were very helpful and put me through to a lass called Jody English (she didn't want to give me her surname so that may or may not be true) who asked what the problem was and assured me that the settee was built in their factory - which seemed a little odd - but she asked for photographs which i have duly sent - copied into Tesco of course .. we shall see what happens... Nothing so far !! But I have low expectations but determination ...

I will admit it still looks good and fits the room nicely - but it does seem like a Trading Standard issue - I am working on the principle that it is a cheap Chinese copy of the "Jordan" British seat which would be a trading standard question as opposed to advertising it as British and then just importing form China which would be fraud and more difficult to prove...

We shall see ...   Nice to have a project... 

Cheers

2nd November 2016 - Studio Stuff

Thought for the day:"In wine there is wisdom - in beer there is freedom - in water there is bacteria"



So - the egg boxes are on the wall as sound baffles and the carpet is down and the microphoens are in place,  Another step in the right direction ..

One day...

Cheers!