On Old Grawky Hill

In response to:Jobs - we all knew what people used to do

Sun, 02 Jul 2006 23:03:07 +0200

You'll have to ask the Chancellor - or else an economic expert.

But I agree totally with the sentiment John. Perhaps it's all fuelled by debt, banking on eternal house price rises. If that is so, we'll see what's what when interest rates creep up over the next year.

In response to:Jobs - we all knew what people used to do

Thu, 01 Jun 2006 22:18:40 +0200

Poor old Fred - he's dead now you know?

The rest is just smoke and mirrors my friend.

In response to:21st Century Employment - its not all its cracked up to be

Sat, 21 Jan 2006 05:00:47 +0100

Get a job.

In response to:The value of Cousins

Thu, 05 Jan 2006 16:57:04 +0100

I only have 4 cousins, a 5th is on the way!! 3 of them are babies and I absolutely adore them!!! The 4th one is 18 and he's great too!!! I hope we don't all grow apart, I'm excited about watching them grow up!! XxX

In response to:The value of Cousins

Thu, 05 Jan 2006 16:55:11 +0100

And naturally that would mean a ridiculously large amount of 2nd and 3rd cousins. Are you infact a small nation? Do you have your own national anthem and flag?

In response to:The value of Cousins

Thu, 05 Jan 2006 16:28:32 +0100

Having over 20 aunts and uncles made it easier to have 100 cousins.

In response to:The value of Cousins

Thu, 05 Jan 2006 16:14:56 +0100

100!?! Your aunts and uncles must have been busy! I have about 20 first cousins. Don't ask me to count second and third cousins, because there are so many of them! Especially on Dad's side of the family!

In response to:Getting the most out of life

Fri, 04 Nov 2005 19:30:32 +0100

Unless lee954 is in prison, I fail to see why one can't begin to change one's life gradually. Even then it is possible, as most prisoners are released. Rehabilitaion begins in the mind. Prisoners re-offend because they are unwilling to leave the shackles of their previous existence behind, probably because they are afraid of peer pressure or too lazy to try something else.
I do not think the post is suggesting a radical life change ala Reggie Perrin rather to assess you life and look at what areas you can improve and if you are lucky, at some stage you will find fulfilment.
Look at David Blunkett, [fair enough disgraced at present,] but he managed to overcome circumstance which would scupper most of us and become a senior member of government. I believe most people struggle under constrains created by monsters and demons of their own creation. Nothing is impossible and is it not better to at least try, rather than sit back dwelling on the negatives. Even if it doesn't work, you will have had the satisfaction of having tried.

In response to:Getting the most out of life

Fri, 04 Nov 2005 14:03:50 +0100

It's not always possible to take charge of your own life. Sometimes we are trapped by circumstances, either personal or imposed.

In response to:Expectations

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 23:17:07 +0100

Why do anything ?
The basic law of nature says "Shit happens"and it surely does.

In response to:Expectations

Mon, 31 Oct 2005 16:07:10 +0100

It's never that easy just to do as you want; even if you know what you actually want. Of course you can be happy or miserable doing what life has served up for you.

In response to:Expectations

Mon, 31 Oct 2005 15:42:36 +0100

My ambition was actually World Domination....

I have a great 'can do' attitude.

In response to:Age and Conversations

Tue, 04 Oct 2005 13:12:32 +0200

Aging is not a criterion for such behaviour. Some start young and there are others who never become afflicted.

You as a confessed sufferer, must face the situation as a personal problem and 'take the bull by the horns'. I hope you succeed.

In response to:What is a job?

Thu, 22 Sep 2005 20:28:35 +0200

Outdoor type John? So did you enjoy a foray out to yon Leadhills? Or maybe you already know the area.

Great place to live -total quiet but also wetter and colder. Life; its all swings and roundabouts I guess.

Your boxing blog too is a fascinating read.

In response to:Full Circle

Fri, 16 Sep 2005 05:44:21 +0200

Silk is another of natures wonder fabrics - I've heard that trampers wear silk socks under their wool ones?

In response to:Full Circle

Fri, 16 Sep 2005 05:42:06 +0200

Here in New Zealand our iconic 'Swandri' wool shirts have now become a high-fashion statement (!!!!!)- overseas that is. Showing up on the catwalks of Europe?!!

In NZ they're still the fave of trampers, mountaineers and other outdoorsy people.

Of course the black woollen singlet never went out of fashion for our farmers and shearers.

I am too young to have worn woolie undies but I remember my father used to wear them under his plus-fours on a cold golfing day.

Tell me - didn't they itch?

In response to:Full Circle

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 17:25:59 +0200

Well John, wool has had something of a head start you might say. A couple million years of evoloution, pitted against all the elements could throw at them these goats-and-now-sheep have the overwhelming advantage of natural selection.

In other words wool is pretty well shaken down, design wise.

Compare that to the ten years or so of artificial evoloution of the very much so-called breathable and wicking fabrics, which, on a damp day of hard walking in the hills are as much use in keeping you dry as a plastic bag. People don't half get sucked in by fashion, brands and silly claims from garment manufacturers.
I've spent hundreds of pounds on these over-rated hillwalking jacket/fleece layer systems over the years.
I heard about the 2new" wool thing too and I'm definitely giving it a whirl this winter in the Lake District fells.

regards
Mike

In response to:Fuel Crisis

Tue, 13 Sep 2005 21:50:58 +0200

Yes John, you and the English hordes, many of which have already emigrated.I lived in the highest village in Scotland in 1998, near Leadhills in the Lowthers and you could pick up a very reasonable modernized 2-bed cottage there then for £30K. A mere 5 years on and the mad rush north of the easy-money brigade looking for peace and quiet outside car-clogged England meant you could not pick any decent habitable cottage up for less than £70K.
You can bet they will latch on to the wood and peat burning too. Self-sufficiency will place, as you point out, great strain on an already depleted landscape.

Can I correct you on the myth, widely accepted unfortunately, that wind genned power will replace or assist conventional fossil-fuelled power stations.

The reason is because of the large power output variations from wind. The steam pressure in the coal & oil powered stations must be kept at full to even out the variations from wind, even though the turbines are not supplying much power. So they are burning the same amount virtually as before. Holland made the mistake of dashing for wind. Even though they can supply all their power from wind ( when its blowing) they still burn the same volume of fossil fuels in their conventional stations, as before.

Blair's gang know this yet they play dumb. The director of the co. that make the turbines for the windfarms is a large donator of funds to New Labour.
Surprised?

MSM

In response to:Does Civilisation disappear when the tap water stops flowing?

Thu, 08 Sep 2005 12:54:46 +0200

In my grandparents house in rural Ireland (Co. Laois), they only have a Rayburn to cook and heat the water, and the water comes from a well. (They do have electricity and telephones; unfortunately, no broadband!). Us city folk couldn't cope there for too long!

In response to:Childhood Games

Mon, 29 Aug 2005 15:12:38 +0200

Recently, at a trip to the Botanic Gardens, my children wanted me to teach them to climb a tree. I duly climbed the tree, showing them where to place there various arms, legs, hands...they climbed and were delighted. My little boy fell out of the tree and landed with a thud on the ground. I picked him up and hugged him while various 'responsible' parents gathered to check if I needed an ambulance/ first aid kit/ lecture; they explained to me the dangers of children climbing trees and the duty of a responsible parent. They 'suggested' I take him to hospital incase of concussion/brain damage/ wandering blood clots. He fell on his bum, I explained, not his head. He fell from a distance of three feet. He is now swinging from the tree while you chatter on. He is absolutely fine, healthy and happy.

Tsk, Tsk, they murmured, feeling sorry for the three wee mites which were mine.

I try to give my kids the freedom to fall and get back up again. I'm thwarted at every turn. I try to teach them that it is ok to be adventurous, to seek out hidden treasure and to climb; I try to teach them the dangers and how to do such things safely, of course...but even the very parents who allowed us to wander freely and fall have fallen into the danger trap. The kids jump from sofa to sofa....their hearts are in their mouths. I continue to allow responsible irresponsible behaviour.

In response to:Tourism

Fri, 12 Aug 2005 13:03:07 +0200

that was a really evocative post for me- thank you.
la vikinga x

In response to:Graveyard Dreams

Tue, 26 Jul 2005 02:25:10 +0200

Where have you been then? You look like Errol Flynn by the way......I think.

In response to:On old Grawky Hill

Fri, 22 Jul 2005 17:12:27 +0200

thank you for the hint
i guess your way of finding the truth is to ask open questions (not sure what that means 'open question' - a question is a question after all, no matter how you put it.

i have my way of finding the truth.

In response to:On old Grawky Hill

Fri, 22 Jul 2005 17:08:06 +0200

you have got to get rid of that disgusting picture!!!! it robs you, takes away from you - you think it might add something to your character, but it doesn't!

get rid of it! get rid of it!

i mean this sincerely