Author: ricksrant

A major road where we live was closed on Monday to replace a bridge over the railway, the closure has been advertised for the last 2 months and residents have known about it for over a year, the closure will last about a year and is causing tremendous problems as traffic tries to find alternative ways round the few crossing over the railway.

As you approach the closed road from a roundabout there is a large (15 by 10ft) illuminated and flashing sign saying ROAD CLOSED, as you enter the road there are large red signs that you have to steer round saying ROAD CLOSED, all approaches to the roundabout are signed in blue and yellow stating ROAD CLOSED FOLLOW DIVERSION.

Yet today I drove towards the closure as I had to visit the osteopath to sort my back out (again) I sat in the car for a no more than 3 minutes and 4 cars and one lorry drove towards the closed road and had to reverse out, I knocked on the osteopaths door laughing and he said “watch” in the space of 5 minutes a further 6 vehicles approached the closed road with one car trying to cross the bridge on the pavement, the pavement being left for pedestrians and cyclists as removal of the crossing sends cars round a 3 mile diversion.

Looking at the cars all seemed to be blindly following their stanavs or on their mobile phones. Obviously Satnav knows better than great big flashing signs saying ROAD CLOSED.

And they let these people breed, there is no hope for the future generation.

We went to a fire work party last night at a friends house, the house had been done up semi Halloween and part Guy Fawkes so all very well. He also had some items from Alice in Wonderland/Looking glass on display. Which brought about a discussion on the Caterpillar in Wonderland.

Everyone there insisted the Caterpillar was called Absolem (or similar) while my wife, my friends mother in law and me insisted the caterpillar was never named in the book.

As we were outvoted we agreed to disagree.

On looking it up this morning on the web we were right the caterpillar was never named, it was the Tim Burton film of a couple of years ago that gave the caterpillar a name.

Then thinking about it I wonder if any of them have ever read the original book?

Films have a lot to answer for in misleading and misinforming our youth by their blatant alterations and falsehoods. Another film came to ming The Enigma files, in the film the Americans found the enigma machine, in real life it was the British and not a yank in sight.

I am sure this is Ferret showing off his new bike

Over the weekend we visited Great Dixter house and gardens near Northiam, Rye Sussex. The house was built in 1457 and was recently owned by Christopher Lloyd (gardener)

The gardens were magnificent, though now at the end of the year but still worth a visit. (photos) Continue reading “Imagine… The truth”

I would like the opinion of others on this site about a sad event from last week that is just starting to unfold.

Last Thursday morning we received a call from ma in law, my wife’s sister had been found sprawled out in her conservatory dead, she had been there at least 48 hours, looking like suicide. Toxicology reports have confirmed that she had taken an overdose of her tablets and there was a note, citing some married bloke she was going out with, who by all accounts is not a nice guy, married 3 very young kids and known for violence (don’t ask I don’t know).

Now my serious question is if you were taking an overdose to kill yourself would you be lying on a cold stone concrete floor in the conservatory, especially as she is disabled and has trouble getting up, or would you be in bed or an arm chair?

I can’t help but feel there is more to this than meets the eye, also she adores her cats and just left them, which is unlike her.

“Aspire to Inspire – Before you Expire”

WOMEN –

Two female friends are catching up:

– So, how was your evening last night? Continue reading “The difference between the sexes”

It was a hot night in Budapest

We have just returned from a few days in Budapest, our feet are all but done in from walking everywhere, but it is the best way to see a City.
The City is cleaner than London on the whole, the people very friendly and the food is delicious. Lots of Turkish influence so paprika, light stews scrummy cakes and good beer. We ate cat fish, pike, veal, beef and chicken so a wide variety of food for all tastes.
I cannot fault the place, but the language is indecipherable, not European nor Turkish but a mixture of everything out there. Prices are low with a good meal and beers and coffees around £30 for 2, entrance to sites about £5 each.
We stayed at the New York Palace, Boscollo, bloody hell what a place, more like a stately home than a hotel, it was built in the 1850’s as an American Insurance company’s office in Hungary, talk about splendour as for breakfast enough to feed an army. Continue reading “It was a hot night in Budapest”

Our neighbour has applied for a TPO (tree preservation order) on 2 trees in their garden and a tree in their neighbours, without informing either the neighbour or us. This is allowed you can ask for a TPO on any tree regardless of ownership.

Now the 2 in their garden are at the end of the garden but put our garden in the shade, we can’t cut them because they are too tall and to cut them means climbing them which we are not allowed to do.

I will object to the TPO but has any one else ever objected to TPO’s and have any advice, It seems daft to ask for a TPO on your own trees as no one but you can cut them any way, also it may well put people off buying their property with a TPO in force,.

The trees are not particularly good looking and are too close together so the facing sides are completely barren of branches, if one were to fall the other would have to be cut as it would be one sided and unstable.

HEADLINES FROM THE YEAR:
2029
Ozone created by electric cars now killing millions in the seventh largest country in the world, Mexifornia, form er ly known as California. White minorities still trying to have English recognized as Mexifornia’s third language.

Spotted Owl plague threatens northwestern United States crops and livestock. Continue reading “Headlines From The Year: 2029”