Afternoon Tea ... first rate service

I am just finishing afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason in Piccadilly. High quality everything and first rate service. Excellent setting too!

DW

Lego ... extraordinary

As I walked past Hamley's in Regent's Street the other evening, I saw this image and just had to stop and snap it.

Her Majesty done in Lego bricks.

Takes me a year to finish a jigsaw!!

DW

Paralympics too!

And don't forget the Paralympics ... countdown clock from yesterday ...

DW

Landan innit!

I have taken a lot of video footage today and not many photos. Here's one of the Tower of Big Ben from an unusual angle!!

Here's the Olympics countdown clock in Trafalfar Square too.

DW

Biodegradable ... what?

Strange but true! It's interesting what one learns when just chatting.

Last night I heard about the Eco friendly biodegradable potty. Yes. Potty.

It's a cracking idea and you can see it here: http://www.becothings.com/newbornpotty.html

There are other such products too that might be worthy of your attention!

You (probably) heard it first here!!

DW

My garden this morning

Goodness ... the weather is warm and sunny in Halifax today. So I took a look in the garden and this is what I have found:

a daddy long legs ... zoom in to see its eyes!
four nascent cherries ... looks like this is will be this year's crop
the apple tree ... not sure whether this plant is sick or not ... what do you think?
the raspberry tree seems healthy
the blackberry tree is very slow to get going but I THINK I can see a new bud now.

Duncan Makes More Bread!

We need a new Prime Minister: I nominate Susan Boyle

I have never watched Britain's got Talent and never will. However, I stumbled across Susan Boyle's audition for BgT from 2009 and I am hooked on it.

I nominate Susan Boyle for PM!

DW

Grimwade goes to Turkey!

He stayed in the room but he's a curious chap ... he wondered why the leaflet in Turkey is in Arabic!!!

He also spent time in the training room.

DW

These Dratted Keys!

So, I've amassed THREE room keys so far this week!

Went for dinner last night and remembered to take a key.

Got back to the room ... key wouldn't work! Doh!!

Trailed all the way back to reception ...

DW

Afternoon Tea: Hilton Hotel Style

This was SUBSTANTIAL! Hilton Istanbul Hotel

DW

Room Key

I left my room key card in my room the other night ... it happens every now and again.

Last night I put my key card in my shoe so that I couldn't forget it.

I'll just take that shoe off again, then; and retrieve the card!!

DW

The Bosphorus

I took a long walk down hill from the hotel last night (and then back uphill of course!) and here are a few snaps from that peregrination!!

Photos 3 - 6 were taken with my zoom lens and you will see the air is a bit thick in parts and that caused the lens one or two problems when I tried to zoom in on some subjects.

The cannon is the subject!

A lady fishing ... many men, just this one lady!

A lightouse?

The buildings opposite with boats to add interest! How wide is the Bosphorus at this point?

A Mosque from across the bay ... again the boat to add another dimension!

Simon Speedboat: he was going at a good speed and this is an excellent zoom shot under those conditions! The light was good and he was about 200 - 300 metres away from me at this point.

DW

Book Reviews: new blog

Dear All,

I read a book and review it ... well, I did but I have lost my way a little by missing out on reviewing some of the books I have read. So, I am going to start my book reading blog but I need help.

My blogger blogs' titles are alliterative:

duncan's diurnal diatribe and
duncan's diactricial discussion

What can I call my book review blog ...

duncan's d_______ d________ ??

All help gratefully received!

DW

Blue Mosque Istanbul

This is the first Mosque I have been inside. I like the architecture this Mosque: cascading domes!

I love the detail on the doors and ceiling and so on ... the same as in the Alhambra in Granada in Spain to some extent.

The first photo is of a row of houses just round the corner from the Mosque: colourful!

DW

Plug Plotter!

This is just brilliant in my estimation. A one size fits all bath plug.

I think it's genius personified!

DW

IST is Astonishingly Busy

It is a long time since I have been in such a relatively large airport that is so busy. Istanbul Ataturk Airport was astonishingly busy this evening as I arrived.

The visa queue was also astonishingly long but it didn't take too long to get my 180 multiple entry visa for 15 Euros

Just went down to look at this week's training rooms with a colleague. In the lift on the way back to the room a young lady got in the lift with us. She asked us if we were together! Hidden meaning? Then she asked us where we were from ... Malaysia ... England ... I asked her where she is from and she said the Ukraine. I then said, in Russian, dobra pazhalavats ... which she ignored completely and then bold as brass she asked if we wanted her number!!! No thanks!

DW

Paperless my @rse!

I got to the gate ... see previous post ... and presented my paperless boarding pass. They asked me to make it show my name ... well, it's just not there. So I had to find the attachment to the email on my phone that shows all if my details.

Now, just who hasn't fully thought this out then??

DW

Paperless Travel

I have had electronic bar codes for a flight sent to me before, by AirAsia. In that case, one prints out a hard copy of one's boarding pass before checking in and flying.

I am now at Manchester Airport, about to board a flight to Frankfurt, onwards to Istanbul, with Lufthansa ... completely paperless!

Ta daa!

DW

Well Done Chelsea

Well done Chelsea, winning a major European trophy is good for the English game. An English team winning a penalty shoot out ... almost unheard of too. Don't be a larry literal and tell me about the 357 English team penalty shoot out wins please!

DW

Pot Plants

After years of not having pot plants because I am not entirely able to take care of them, I have taken the plunge again:

DW

Garden Coming On!

It's early days but I am trying to get my garden, front and back, in shape.

Phase three arrived yesterday and now there are dozens and dozens of plants in the border at the front of the house now. Here are some photos:

DW

Grimwade Fights Back

Just been doing a bit of online research following a revival of thoughts on my Grimwade and other pie funnels.

I have found that all of a sudden, there are many pie funnels for sale on ebay and elsewhere. I also learned that there are other Grimwade brand pie funnels AND that my pie funnel is likely to have a value of between £30 and £40. I am not going to sell it, it the sentimental value that is important to me. If I were to sell it, I wouldn't let it change my life.

DW

Radio Star ... as near as!

If you were listening to BBC Radio 4 this afternoon at about 17:50 you would have heard my name being read out on the PM programme. No, not the "most wanted list" but to read out a message I had written to them a couple of days ago.

What has been happening is that a lot of very negative people have been given a lot of air time recently and what they are doing is trying to ruin the London Olympics before they have started. They have complained about the cost, about the legacy, about the ... well, even the grass and flowers no doubt.

In desperation I wrote this:

Positive Only


For crying out loud please put positive people on PM when talking about the Olympics. The woman speaking now is good: she understands what these games mean to competitors and the rest of us.


There you are, my twp penn'orth


DW

STOP PRESS

Just heard that the Queen and Philip had lunch at Burnley Football Club today ... their son Charles is reputed to be a fan!

DW

OLD Photos ... no longer with us!

Some photos of family members who had passed away, gone before us, gone to a better place ...

Looks like a good night out at the New Inn on Halifax Road, Todmorden. Left to right mum died 1982, George died 1989, dad died 1972: all others still with us!

Just look at this: a baby had been taken to hospital but had died. In the days of very few telephones etc, my auntie Emma, mother, was informed of the death by letter!

Another auntie of mine but one whom i could not have met since she died aged just five months old in 1895.Poor little Lily Williamson. Notice the memorial poem that is part of this in memoriam card that my granny and granddad had printed.

George, Judd, at the Queen Hotel, Todmorden. Christmas or New Year Party: he died 5 months after this photo was taken.

DW

Family Weddings OLD Photos

Here are a few photos to do with family weddings.

Left to right:auntie Emma Scriven, Richard Leah, Horace Scriven, dad, Peter Leah, mum. Step sister Judith's wedding to Brian Varley in 1957 at Cross Stone Church in Todmorden.

Susan's crafty fag at her wedding to Paul Seddon, George, Carol and Chris (Mrs Angus!) from left to right. Tod cricket club, 1984??

Mum and dad's wedding in 1947, Todmorden. Suave suit dad ... set off ONLY by the pullover!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DW

More Photos of OLD

From a trip to London with school in 1965

Ian Whitworth ... the brains of the class. Lincolnshire lad from Theddlethorpe. On the right is Stephen Kerr and in profile is Nicholas Kaberry ... another clever lad.

Left to right: John Lavery, John Sutcliffe, Allan Whittaker. John Lavery ... no idea what happened to him. John Sutcliffe was killed in a motor bike accident a few years ago. Every few years ago Allan and I exchange news ... every four or five years or so!

DW

OLD Photos ... never been revealed before

I came across a small photo album this afternoon and decided to scan all of them and post one or two of them here.

Photos with brief notes

I am leaning away from the horses because one had just bitten me ... dig the Hawaiian shirt ... not sure of my age there

With Tiddles the cat and Dusty the dog ... aged about 14 years

Wow! So COOL. Sixteen years old, walking down the promenade at Weston Super Mare.

Mum and dad I think the family agrees that this was in the Blackpool Tower building, or Blackpool somewhere. Not sure of the date either but late 1960s.

The family group. I am the coolest there because of my badge ... look at the pullover, left breast. SUPERCAR CLUB MEMBER. I've still got the supercar club membership card to this very day!

DW

The Gits!

So, depart from Terminal 3. OK!

Arrived and went about my business. However, when I started to go to the gate, it turns out that that is in Terminal 1. Just a short walk BUT, I would have been able to use a lounge in T1 but I couldn't in T3.

Grrr!

DW

Those Pesky Aussies!

Some people have absolutely no sense of decorum.

I am waiting at Abu Dhabi airport for my flight home. Had a coffee and a cake to maintain my girth and was happily minding my own business when a tall, slender, aristocratic looking gent came and sat at my table. He was soon to be joined by a lady whom I have assumed is his wife. Fine, no worries, as they say down under, Australians as they appear to be! 

Then he swanned off somewhere leaving the lady behind. Blow me but she stood up and without so much as a by your leave stood in front of me doing the kinds of exercises they recommend for staving off deep vein thrombosis. Very untoward.

When the gent returned, the table behind them had become free so they went to sit there and there they are now!

DW

Final Countdown!

Here I am with my latest crew!

DW

Well Done Manchester City

I am in the home of Manchester City, Abu Dhabi, as I type this and I have just watched the enthralling conclusion to the premier league for 2011 - 2012 as City sealed their grip on the League title.

It's a shame that Manchester United beat Sunderland in their final game of the season, giving them hope that they would be crowned champions. Ahahahahahaaaaaaa!

Well done City!

DW

A Tart Calls!

Every now and again I get an email out of the blue from a young lady who says she wants to get to know me. She attaches a photo with the message and she is always a beauty. I mean stunningly beautiful.

The scam is that I am meant to be flattered and excited so that within a week or so she will tell me that she wants to come and visit me. Then comes the bombshell, she needs 100 dollars or 400 euro or something for her ticket or passport or visa.

I know stories of men who have paid. Then paid again. And again ... but of course the girl never arrives.

Well, normally I let these message run for a day or two and have seen three or four variations of approach: money request within two days; money request within a week; and so on.

Today I decided to see who else had "met" Mariya from Eastern Siberia. It took me just 30 minutes to find her on a scam reporting site. It's very easy to do.

The point is, boys, if a woman you have never met tells you within days of writing that she can't live without you. And she is very pretty. And she is as much as 40 years younger than you. It is not genuine! You will not be the one to turn her from the dark side.

Here's a thing too: she might not even be a she! Who knows who is behind this scam?

Take care

DW

Arrived!

I have arrived at my destination after a 90 minute drive. Hot today!

My diet is going well but half way through the afternoon I felt wizened and in need of sustenance so I went in search of it. The best I could find was Burger King. Bean Royale was fine and quick ... fast food, don't you know!

31 degrees outside and Englebert Humperdink is belting out Winter World of Love in the background of this French style Cafe called Beaujolais!!

DW