MooN

The twins 16th birthday today ( so where da fuk did THAT time go?) so ive been out with them to burger king and then the theater. ( burger thing was their idea not mine! )

aaaaand, what makes you think you have?

I certainly have days when I just can't be bothered togging up for an hours ride. I miss the time when a pair of army surplus army boots, jeans and a leather perfecto "bike" jacket were all that was needed to ride.to quote probably every generation since the dawn of time "Life seemed simpler then" I also now work only 10 km's from home so it'es not worth moving the car to get the bike out, putting the car back, getting togged up, organising a chenge of shoes and trousers for work etc for 6 minutes of riding. With the job change came the luxury of not working weekends... which means I no longer have a "me" day midweek when I can ride. I imagine that I will probably ride less this year than ever before, but losing the bike or stopping altogether has never been an option so far.

except for the renault 1.9 dci. which is renown for being an absolute peice of shit with top end lubrication problems and HUUUUUUGE oil consumption. Renault consider 1 litre of oil per 1000km to be " within tolerance" and " Normal for modern engines. F. T. S.!

in the family we've had 7 renaults, but the last one saw me crossing the counter and pinning the workshop manager up against the wall whilst threatening to trash the place and then burn the car on the forcourt. so, yeah.... never again a Renault.

well you wouldn't want either of them actually touching stuff....

my Toyota anus Auris has no ignition key or door key except the electronic thingummy. I just keep it in my pocket. Most keyless ignition cars have a slot or spot or specific place to put the key but it's in my pocket so dont lose it any more than I did a "proper" key.

I will admit that your name did not instantly spring to mind as a referee...

well the work in itself is easy enough and I'm still learning a lot about the machines, the computer systems and programs, electric motors and control systems. If I get bored I step into the workshop and annoy the mechanics till they let me take something apart . The atmosphere is good and it's pretty relaxed. What I miss ( and this was going to be the case whatever "other" job I got into) is being one of the best at what I do. I'm not blowing my own trumpet vainly but with over 40 years playing with boats, 30 of those professionally, having driven everything from dingy's to RORC Racing yachts and from canoes and kayaks to 60ton barges I know I wll never attain that level of competence in any other domain, and that competence brings a confidence that I have never experienced elsewhere and never will. that feeling, I will miss. apart from that, yeah I'menjoying it.

post apoplectic?... post epileptic? NOT A FUcKING CLUE!

I had a bit of good news today, At work I was on a 6 month contract (allegedly everybody does that here now because it's so bloody difficult and expensive to actually get rid of someone who's on an indefinate contract) but the boss, true to his word, confirmed today that he's signing me an idefinate contract from the end of this month, then I'll be able to breath again.

I strongly belive that this form should nit be giving apace, time or band width ( whatever the feck that is) to this sort of utter bollocks.

had great fun in Narfuk with furriners. they would never pronounce STIFFQUAY or WYMONDHAM or even NORWICH correctly, let alone HAPPISBURGH, GRUNDISBURY or NEATISHEAD @Catteeclan you're disqualified

I can confim that you DO NOT want to hit a boar... or get within about 300 yards of the bloody things, ( unless they're already on the barbecue) they are pure evil, mat black and heve eyes that don't reflect light like most other beasts so yo dont see them till it's too late...lat time a friend of mine bought me a hind leg he said it came of a 160kilo male...

it was but an old mill race ran along behind the factory and there were about 150 pipes into it running the marine engine test beds

well tell 'em to fuck of back to blighty where everything's wonmderful. , I would ( and do)

they're still not managing to impose mot's on bikes here yet, but they're working on it.

the engine builder I used to work with were in stroud, Beta Marine, dunno if they're still there though.

weather's due to turn to shit here again this week, we need the bloody water though so i's all good i suppose.

I actually managed to get out for a couple of hours on the bike this afternoon. about 6 deg c out and cloudy but dry. There's a new southern bypass coming through here this year ( they've only been planning it fro the last 25 years...) so this view is abouut to dissapear, as is, I expect, the road i'm on. That wee yellow narker, just below the front wheel, is one of the boundary markers of the planned route. a little bit furter towards Auxerre on another very minr roadm paralell to the other. No yellow markers here yet, but this is pretty much where it's planned to pass.

Isn't that what freedom of choice is about though? people have the same freedom to consider it offensive as Pete has to consider it unoffensive. or do some people have more freedom than others? you are free to come and go as you please, If I find myself in a place i'm not comfortabe with, I leave. I also strongly believe in the phrase attributed to Voltaire ( but I think t was actually written by somebody else) " I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" . nobody should have the power to shut down somebody else's views simply because they don't agreethem, be they green , blue, red, black, left, right, straight, L,B, G,T Q, you, me, the Pope or Mullah Omar. if you don't like it, you are free to voice your dislike, or just go somewhere else but don't try to impose your view. One man's freedom ends where another's starts, imposing your views, whover you may be is encroaching on someone elses freedom which is what boils my piss when people rave on about their "freedom" or "Right" to be this or do that which involves riding roughshod or the freedom or rights of others to think, live and be who THEY want.

welcome in

good job I don't do that then

Looks like a wooden currach but they weren't often double ended or as beamy as that. Trad boats have so many very local variants.

I think you'll find that all traditional boatbuilders are clever, massively talented, inately well bred and hugely good looking...