Let's start a Friday thread

[goodlookingone]

Yes ... I holidayed in Ireland... I could never work out how they ever got anything "done" (Glegarriff) I think I'm the only surviving member of that Hol ... No, wrong, Cousins widow of course.. I do recall one bod - bit of "A Character". Didn't like this idea of getting into water, but on his last Evening, stripped to his nether-garb to walk through the Hotel pool. We watched the red light of his Cigarrette as he walked from "Shallow end" to "Deep end" at which point there was a hhiissssssss and his cigarette went out... and we lost sight of him...He did get out though.

[Brians Cravat]

Good morning all.

Lovely weekend here at Castle Cravat. A thoroughly enjoyable Saturday with our granddaughters. The farm park was a good idea, not just for the ice cream. The pigs went down well, "Grandad, it's just like 'Peppa Pig' they're all lying in muddy puddles."

The Fathers' Day barbecue at our daughter's went down well too.

Art Group this morning and collecting our granddaughters from school this afternoon.

Had a few trips to Ireland. Dublin is a big city and, like most big cities people are busy but, unlike most, they had time for us. However, our experience of really friendly Ireland came with a holiday in Killarney. If we sat on a bench long enough, someone would sit and talk to us.

Enjoy your day people. I hope that you find a suitable temperature.

[An Tarbh Dubh]

Best of both here: outside in the sun for 3Wells, and inside in the cool of a traditional stone-built cottage for me (being something of a troglodyte!).

[An Tarbh Dubh]

Observing the minute's silence. Quiet contemplation.

[goodlookingone]

Yes.. One mind drifts to personal events in those same sites. Cannot just contain ones mind into the that Estate fire. Afraid the overnight events in Seven Sisters Road, manouvered my thoughts to an Uncle who had an accident in that road. I found myself trying to imagine whereabouts (Looking at aerial news photo's) it took place.

[An Tarbh Dubh]

Hey ho off to Cork for my periodic trip into the office! I drive about half way then take the train so I've a chance to catch up on lost sleep [emoji42]


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[goodlookingone]

I remember when I had work... Liked work, but I really dont fancy driving half way across the country..

[Rwth of Cornovii]

I remember when I went to my Auntie's funeral in Durrus. It was suggested I took the Sheep's Head path over the hill. The road climbing what looked a sheer cliff was pointed out to me, but the car handled it quite well. The views were spectacular, and the road drifted away to the N71 into Bantry. As I joined the main road, the sign for the road I was leaving said it was the Goat's Head* way. A lovely trip in April. Not at all like your drive to the station though I shouldn't think.
*I may have remembered them in the wrong order. I expect they look different whichever viewpoint you are using.http://mustardland.intricatewebs.com/po ... &f=4&p=730#

Very hot here today28C, and hotter still tomorrow 29C. I'm glad I'm not driving to Gloucestershire tomorrow after all, but I'm having the coolant sorted out this afternoon anyway. The trip has been postponed for a couple of weeks, when I hope it will be cooler. It will be by the end of the week, with a cooling drench of heavy rain at 1am Wednesday it says on the Met Office site.

[goodlookingone]

Ah.. But Driving after Fitting in a weekends "catch up" then an early start after a short sleep to be at client by 09:00. Particularly Awful was hat Motorway strip North from Birmingham. The standard of driving was appalling. I'd guess that the Birminghams have forgotten that their wherabouts was the develop and making of vehicles, but now seem keen to self-destruct vehicles and themselves. (OK, Bailing out of the Motorway for Damson Lane before Birmingham conurbation was relatively pleasant. But hey don't make LandRovers any more). I used to like Driving in N Wales ... but then it became knee-deep in mad Tourists...

[Rwth of Cornovii]

Having done the M54/A5 from Birmingham to Caernarfon a few times, the drive from Cork to Skibbereen was quite startlingly similar. A dramatic turn left for Llangollen, followed by twisty roads in woodland afterwards was so like the turn down to Bandon and West from there, that in places I forgot which country I was in. I went to Skibbereen a couple of times to visit my auntie in hospital.
I'm not sure if you are describing the M42 North or the Toll Road GLO. After that, the A45 is quite tranquil. I tend to stick with the M40 and if I want to stay east, I take the A435 to Hollywood and then double back from there if necessary. I would take the back road to Northfield and then to the West of Brum from there. On the motorways I have discovered it is wiser to choose the inside lane a good mile before leaving so that sudden overtakings on the right, followed by dives to the left are less likely to cut off the front of the car. I really don't know why people leaving the Motorway feel obliged to overtake cars in the middle lane before making for the exit at the last possible moment.

[goodlookingone]

Anywhere on the M1, beyond the Coventry turn-off.


Just got waylaid looking for an Ancestry Search - awaiting response.

[Brians Cravat]

Having spent several years driving several tens of thousands of miles per annum up and down the UK, both for business and pleasure, I now no longer enjoy driving. The standards of driving these days are simply appalling. I've driven today from Castle Cravat to the relatively local shopping mall, Merry Hill (Or Hell. Take your pick.) For three quarters of the journey, I was followed by a a young, chain-smoking and, tattooed man in an Audi R8. He insisted in driving so close to our rear bumper that I thought that he wanted to steel our supply of carrier bags that we take on shopping trips.

OK, I was always told when learning to drive that I should keep a close eye on what the idiot in front of me was doing but, aI find if really off-putting when my rear-view mirror mirror is filled with the vehicle behind me. He may have highly efficient brakes that allow him to stop on the proverbial tanner but, I still find it very distracting.

[Rwth of Cornovii]

A lady who taught me A level French told me that if you wash your rear windscreen it makes them see the back of your car and they stop following the back of your head. I've tried it and it works. Unfortunately, my rear windscreen washer has packed up.

I took it in and the radiator was leaking and the cam needs doing too, so that will be done tomorrow. The price is acceptable, and although I asked him about the timing chain, he didn't pass comment. The taxi home was very much a "How much?" moment.

[Brians Cravat]

Rwth, I tend to believe that some drivers follow to close simply to intimidate. That said,I once worked for a Managing Director who drove like a maniac and, can recall many instance when I've been on of his passengers. On one memorable occasion, we had been to a meeting in London. We were late getting away and, he had an appointment that evening. It was already dark at 'rush hour' and an added complication was that it was raining heavily.

He had not departed from the 'fast lane' since joining the motorway and, despite the conditions he insisted on driving much to close to the car in front. On a number of occasions, I watched as the brake lights of the cars ahead came on, quick succession. My MD could see it just as well as I could but, even so insisted on leaving his braking until the last possible moment. As such, I was propelled towards the dashboard. After several such events, I began to sigh and tut. Finally, he felt that he had to respond to my reactions and said, "It's not my fault. The driver in front is driving much to close to the vehicle in front of him!" I simply stated that he wasn't the only one.

On another occasion, we had stopped off in West London to pick up his daughter who was training to be a doctor in a London hospital and, was going home for the weekend. She refused my offer of the front passenger seat and sat immediately behind her father. Almost straight away she began criticising her father's driving. At one point, I recall she said that,she spent far too much time treating the victims of "this sort of driving". She then tapped me on the shoulder and said, "You feel uncomfortable with it too. Don't you?"

[Brians Cravat]

Some posters will be aware that I sit on Education Admissions Appeals Panel locally, as does my OH. Basically, (I'm not sure of the arrangements in the rest of the UK.) parents in England are able to choose (In theory, anyway.) which primary or secondary school their child goes. In fact, the better schools are quite often massively oversubscribed and, the majority of children are offered alternative schools. In this event the parents have a right of appeal. This is where the appeals panels come in. We sit as independent arbiters on, three person panels. Our job is to hear all the evidence; from the parents, from the local authority, and from the school that the parents originally chose. We then look at whether there had been any maladministration on the part of the school and/or local authority in not allocating the child to the parents first choice.

We received a letter on Friday, asking if we would like to join panels in Birmingham. At present we're 'in consultations' with Birmingham Education Department to see swhere their system differs to the local one and, to decide whether we can fit in a few hearings over the summer.

[Rwth of Cornovii]

I can understand Birmingham needing appeals panels. The schools seem to vary between really good and really disappointing. Even so, DD's old school was much better than mine ever was.

I've encountered some drivers who are aggressive, but also we, the other cars, vans and lorry drivers in that bit of the convoy have had fun with blocking them off from undertaking, and forcing them to drive properly. Eventually when it's safe to do so we let them out and they gallop on ahead only to be held up at the next junction and we catch them up sedately, grinning the while. I suppose I could unleash the sporty aspect of my car, but the economy mode seems fine for this.

[goodlookingone]

Is the Birmingham Appeals be like ... say... London Police Driving Instructors (for Cl 1 or High Speed) Only do Driving Examining in Hertfordshire or Essex, and Vise-Versa? Never from their own Student Drivers.

... and talking of drivers... One of the Drivers in a Local (London) Authority was always a good driver, Selected gears to approach a Gap just as it appears, Knows exactly how big/small a gap He can get his Gully-emptying Lorry through, Makes everbody see him if He needs to block aroad to access a manhole, and His lorries usually outlasted Mechanical Lives of other Vehicles (I saw the 7 yr maintenance invoices). It seems He was an Army "Redcap" driving instructors for Tank Transporters and UXB jobs.. ..... But in this area, I have noticed that one bus driver has the same driving style - and Gets wheelchair users aboard before He'll allow Mothers with Prams ... Wonder if they learned at the same place...

and to conclude... I once went to do a pre-interview job with a Driving examiner, with The Chief Examiner... We stood in an Examiner office in N London .... Right opposite the Police College.. "Look at that pratt, Totally wrong Line"..." Look at him turned so far into his Left Turn, that He now has to look over his Right Shoulder to see the Incoming Traffic" .... "Now watch this bloke: HE is a grade two instructor and should know better". ... "Now He has just started and is already passing that 30 MPH sign - 2 ft Diameter, so He must have seen it, and he just accelerated past it".. and so on.. The Police Gollege is known as "The School of Bad Driving"

[Threewellsofmyown]

I adored my police driving course

It was great fun with six exams to pass to get my full driving card

A day on the skid pan was also great learning expetrience

[goodlookingone]

Dunno what the Fuzz do now: The Bishops Palace (Honest, Oak door about 15 tt high and 3" thick with fireplaces as big as rooms - I did exams there) is now used for Fire Engine and Ambulance Lessons - then Practice from the Stables, .. and out into the world...

[Threewellsofmyown]

Brian that sounds like a really interesting position on the appeals board

I used to specialise in child abuse ending up as the liason between social services education boards medical services and police for all of East Belfast

I used to get quite cross with "experts" who had never visited the parents in their home

I made a point of calling with parents in their home and chatting gently while doing a quick check on what was in place or not for the child before any case conference

It was amazing to see the experts' faces when I piped up about basic things like clothing and food that I had seen

As I called unannounced with the parents I knew they were not putting on an act for me

Not every child shoved into care needs to be there

And vice versa

A little bit of practical help and guidance can work miracles