AS: Cool Britannia (sort of): the British thread 2019

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  • DormouseDormouse Shipmate
    I'm already looking forward to seeing Big Big Train in Newport at the end of October. It's our joint 60th birthday present.
  • Wet KipperWet Kipper Shipmate
    I was at a services school as a child too, sionisais : King's in Gütersloh, Germany
    The Army are finally leaving the town and the barracks where the school is based, so it is shutting down this year

    there is a big closing ceremony next month - the Facebook page for "former Kingies" is awash with people's memories and plans to attend, like a giant reunion - but i won't make it.
  • Dormouse wrote: »
    I'm already looking forward to seeing Big Big Train in Newport at the end of October. It's our joint 60th birthday present.

    Presumably nothing to do with this: https://www.thebigbigtrain.com/
  • Possibly the band's name was inspired by the models?

    Mid-60s, IIRC....
  • I went to school for my sixth form at Blandford Upper School, Blandford Forum. There's a signals camp in town so the school served the kids based there too. There were two fellow students in the sixth form that had met in a previous school out of the goodness knows how many they'd attended. And one was the caretaker's son, who was now retired from the RAF.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    There was a vogue for class reunions at my old school (not Forces, just bog-standard Scottish comprehensive) around the time we all turned 40 (17 years ago!), and we thoroughly enjoyed it. It was interesting to see how everyone had changed, and gratifying that nobody actually had to look at my name-badge before saying "hello Piglet! ".

    It's another dreich, miserable day here - and we haven't even got yesterday's excuse of it being a bank holiday. However, the birdie bistro had a very brief visit this morning from Woodstock* the goldfinch - the first time this year. I was very lucky - I just happened to look up and there was this lovely bright flash of yellow.

    The weather made a good excuse for comfort food, so I made macaroni cheese with bacon and tomatoes for lunch, and have taken fiddleheads and stock out of the freezer for the manufacture of SOUP.

    * Obviously, it might not have been the same one we christened Woodstock last year, but we've decided any goldfinches who live round our way are called Woodstock.
  • Wesley JWesley J Shipmate
    Boogie wrote: »
    [...] the first is the worst!
    Or as they say in Germany (quite possibly) - the first is the wurst*! :)

    *sausage

  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    You've been taking your Bad Pun tablets again, haven't you, Wesley? :mrgreen:
    ION, I've got an interview on Monday for that job in the church office I mentioned a few pages ago!!!

    As it's well over six months since I was last interviewed (and that one didn't turn out well), I'm already a bag of nerves, as I think this one would really suit me.

    Must go and look out my sensible, intelligent face ... :grin:
  • NenyaNenya Shipmate
    Oh, that's exciting, Piglet, I do hope it goes really well.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Thanks, Nen! :)
  • MMMMMM Shipmate
    There’s a German cafe near where I work that has the slogan, ‘Our wurst is ze best’.

    MMM
  • Good luck with the interview next week, Piglet.
    A day of admin today, with an online tutorial this evening. Might go for a long walk first.
  • Piglet wrote: »

    It's another dreich, miserable day here - and we haven't even got yesterday's excuse of it being a bank holiday. However, the birdie bistro had a very brief visit this morning from Woodstock* the goldfinch - the first time this year. I was very lucky - I just happened to look up and there was this lovely bright flash of yellow.
    * Obviously, it might not have been the same one we christened Woodstock last year, but we've decided any goldfinches who live round our way are called Woodstock.

    Something over 30 years ago, our next-door neighbour (the one who was born and brought up in the village where we now live!) found a cockatiel in the road outside our house. She - being a great Peanuts fan - christened him Woodstock, and he is still alive and thriving :grin:

    Mrs. S, likewise (both the Peanuts fan, and alive and thriving)
  • FredegundFredegund Shipmate
    In our family, all spiders who are found in the bath are called Charlie. Unless they're totally ginormous, in which case they're Horace. Don't know why.
  • sionisaissionisais Shipmate
    I went to school for my sixth form at Blandford Upper School, Blandford Forum. There's a signals camp in town so the school served the kids based there too. There were two fellow students in the sixth form that had met in a previous school out of the goodness knows how many they'd attended. And one was the caretaker's son, who was now retired from the RAF.

    I "only" attended eight schools (five primary, three secondary), but I know of people who attended more than one for each school year, some of whom left school at 16. At least I got my O level years at one school, although my A level years were split which was a major buggeration.

  • BoogieBoogie Shipmate
    *counts*

    I went to eight different schools. Dad was a minister so we moved around a lot. My O Levels were fine - A levels not so fine.

    :smile:
  • SarasaSarasa Shipmate
    Ooh well done on landing an interview @Piglet. Let's hope the people at the church are a more sensible bunch than those at the university when it comes to appointing staff. It's flamingly obvious to me (and everyone else on this thread) that you'd be ideal for the job.
    @Boogie , congratulations on your grandmother to be news. I've given up all hope of being a grandma and am looking forward to being a great aunt instead!
    I'm having a lazy day today, but might go to the gym later, on the other hand I might not...
  • You need to be decisive! Alternatively, you could go half-way to the gym, hang around a bit, then come home.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    I really ought to go for an amble - the weather's been a bit rubbish for the last few days, and I don't see the point of ambling if I'm not going to enjoy it - but at 13° with not much wind, it could be quite nice today. It could be a lot worse - there were pictures of Newfoundland on Facebook today with sn*w. :flushed:

    On the other hand, there are fiddleheads waiting to be turned into SOUP, and raisins macerating in brandy for making CAKE ...
  • Wesley JWesley J Shipmate
    Piglet wrote: »
    You've been taking your Bad Pun tablets again, haven't you, Wesley? :mrgreen: [...]
    Yes, but I'm afraid they're not really efficient! :mrgreen:

  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Oh, I don’t know about that ... :smiley:
  • Wesley JWesley J Shipmate
    MMM wrote: »
    There’s a German cafe near where I work that has the slogan, ‘Our wurst is ze best’.

    MMM
    Mmmmh... and what a tasty slogan it is, too! :D Who knew there was a German sense of humour! (Well, I knew.)
    Piglet wrote: »
    [...] ION, I've got an interview on Monday for that job in the church office I mentioned a few pages ago!!!

    As it's well over six months since I was last interviewed (and that one didn't turn out well), I'm already a bag of nerves, as I think this one would really suit me.

    Must go and look out my sensible, intelligent face ... :grin:
    Best of luck and fingers (and trotters) crossed, and prayers arising! May this work out very nicely, and aforementioned face be friendly and quite naturally convincing!
    Piglet wrote: »
    [...] there were pictures of Newfoundland on Facebook today with sn*w. :flushed: [...]
    Heaps of snow in the Continental WesShire Uplands still, too. Plus we've had a, which I found, rather pleasant cold spell in the last few days and weeks, although even a grumpy Springian like me must admit I'm now enjoying the around 20C warmth, the increased sunshine and light and the power of that big yellow thing in the sky.

    Some of the water levels above and below ground appear to have been further replenished in the very recent past, thanks to extensive rainfall, and so Continental WesShire is hoping for a better start into summer and into potential heat, than the outlook was earlier in the year. Yay for sufficientish wettitude!`

    And finally:
    You need to be decisive! Alternatively, you could go half-way to the gym, hang around a bit, then come home.
    Hear hear! Very sensible advice, at last! :)

  • MrsBeakyMrsBeaky Shipmate
    I'm off to help look after Little Beaky today and to learn about how to feed him via his new NG tube.
    I'm a bit nervous but excited to be seeing him and his lovely mum.
  • Good luck Mrs Beaky - hope all goes well with Little Beaky.

    And we are all going to do our civic duty today and vote in the European elections? When I was staying awake to check my daughter's reaction to the steroid she's now reacting badly to (after she had it doubled up recently) I read various manifestos and the tactical voting advice for this area. It didn't help much.
  • As these elections are PR rather than FPTP (let British readers understand), tactical voting is less of an option. We'll vote a little later.

    Good day yesterday (with lots of sun). Swimming and shopping first thing, then washing. Took wife to mentoring session at a local High School where she had a great time with the lad she's spending time with, then a far-too-expensive trip to the Garden Centre up the road. Of course that meant I had to help her put the plants in later. In the evening a trip to the Ballet (marvellous) preceded by a nice Italian meal at the restaurant across the road. And no long wait for a bus on the way home: one was waiting at the stop.

    Somehow I managed to get quite a lot of "real" work (preparation for Sunday + correspondence) fitted around that!
  • They are not fully PR though, due to the party list system. The D’Hondt system is one of the least proportional of the PR systems and favours larger parties. But some of the tactical voting websites are also contradictory (tactical voting is an easy guess here in Cambridge though).
    I’ve been and voted and am off to yoga shortly.
    I hope it goes well, Mrs Beaky - enjoy the Little Beaky.
  • sionisaissionisais Shipmate
    Mrs Sioni and I will be voting this evening. We have told the Sionettes who we are voting for, noting loss of kitchen and bathroom privileges* for voting against us. We are their parents. We know these things.

    *less space in the fridge & freezer and wash your own towels.
  • Ooooh - don't let the Electoral Commission know!
  • ThomasinaThomasina Shipmate
    I've voted - taxi driver seemed surprised I was going to vote. I told him that women had died fighting for my right to vote, and he gave what I can only describe as an old fashioned 'haruumph!' But he waited while I voted and brought me back (at exorbitant costs, seeing as how the polling station is three minutes down the road!) He was even more amazed when I told him they had been busy this morning!

    Who knows, maybe I've inspired him to go and vote! (doubt it, though!)
  • My impression is that there has been, so far, a somewhat better turn-out than for the local Council elections earlier in the month.

    I only hope that those who are voting are NOT (please God? Pretty please? :sweat_smile: ) voting for Niggle The Garbage and the Unspeakables...
    :worried:
  • MMMMMM Shipmate
    Our polling station always used to be in a local school but I noticed this time it was in an educational facility.

    MMM
  • My polling station was much busier than I expected and busier than the local council elections. We met the conservatives in town, as we walked through, asking if we'd voted. I politely yes, thank you and kept walking to be asked had we voted for them?, at which point my daughter said not before hell freezes over.

    I suspect the high vote means a big turn out for the Brexit party. I would love to be proved wrong. But we only had UKIP materials delivered. I do also hope that the three far right parties will split the vote locally.
  • Yes, I'm afraid the only junk mail delivered here was from Brexshit, and The Ukippers.

    Hopefully, results will prove that they have more money than sense, but, sadly (and I hope I'm wrong), I suspect it was the neo-Fascists who turned out today.

    Everyone else is just Sick To Death of Polly Ticks and Polly Titians.
  • Well, sadly, mostly the other people I saw going in and out of the polling station looked like EDL supporters, so I am really not hopeful. (Yes, I do know what they look like, I have worked with enough young men who were EDL supporters and met their fathers.)
  • la vie en rougela vie en rouge Circus Host, 8th Day Host
    On a different (and hopefully cheerfuller) topic: exciting news today - we might be able to get social housing :mrgreen:

    Husband en rouge has been contacted about an apartment slightly bigger than ours, in a very nice part of town, and 50% cheaper than where we live now. We need to visit. It might be horrible. But it sounds like it might be awesome. <crosses things>
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Things being crossed here on your behalf, La Vie (and Mrs. Beaky for things to go well with Little Beaky).

    Your polling stations will probably be just about to close as I type this, but I wish you well in the outcome.
  • Wesley JWesley J Shipmate
    MMM wrote: »
    Our polling station always used to be in a local school but I noticed this time it was in an educational facility.

    MMM
    Which, I hazard a guess, is a rather similar thing. Or am I missing something...?

  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    I wondered about that too, Wesley, but decided that I probably was missing something, and didn't want to show it ... :blush:
  • Our local polling station reported brisk business. No tellers from any party present and the only stuff through the door has been from Brexit and UKIP. Nothing from any other party.
  • Wesley JWesley J Shipmate
    Piglet wrote: »
    I wondered about that too, Wesley, but decided that I probably was missing something, and didn't want to show it ... :blush:
    Hey, perhaps the area has gone up in standing, and is now gentrified and veeery posh? :)


  • There are other educational establishments, or at least used to be - sixth form colleges, adult education venues, the halls the WEA use, further education colleges ....
  • daisydaisydaisydaisy Shipmate
    Just back from rather a long day, starting work at 06:15 and finishing at around 23:15 - I was presiding officer at my usual lovely polling station, set in a Victorian school building which closed in the 60s (possibly 70s?) and is now the village hall. Even today it was Jolly Chilly. So I voted last week, by post. My final voter today arrived in his giant tractor and removed his shoes before coming in - he’d had a day spreading slurry.
  • Mr RoS and I voted at lunch time. No one there when we arrived, and only one other turned up before we departed, but the tellers said there had been a constant stream during the morning.
    We only received leaflets from two parties, so assuming that no-one else wanted my vote I voted for one of them. (Probably the one I would have voted for anyway).
  • Back from my second lot of poll clerking. Much the same turnout (though with a slight increase in postal votes and a decrease in dogs) at my station as last time but I don't know if that's reflective of the rest of the area. Thankfully a lot fewer whinges than I was expecting and I managed to get through writing a report, reading my professional journal and starting a book in between voters.

    We only had Brexit Party and Conservatives through the door and a Brexit Bus in town, but other nearby areas have had a wider range. We also have the (mostly kosher) Yorkshire Party in these parts which may affect the percentages.
  • daisydaisydaisydaisy Shipmate
    ... I managed to get through writing a report, reading my professional journal and starting a book in between voters..
    Sounds like you were as busy as I was - I wrote 2 newsletters (allotments, Orchestra) and (quite aptly) one voting policy (Orchestra), familiarised myself with my 2 new exam pieces of music and did a couple of digital jigsaw puzzles.

  • MMMMMM Shipmate
    Sorry, all, my last post obviously wasn’t clear. The point was that it’s exactly the same place but instead of ‘school’, the polling cards now call it ‘educational facility’. I thought it was mildly amusing (like dustmen becoming environmental cleansing operators etc).

    MMM
  • daisydaisy wrote: »
    Just back from rather a long day, starting work at 06:15 and finishing at around 23:15 - I was presiding officer at my usual lovely polling station, set in a Victorian school building which closed in the 60s (possibly 70s?) and is now the village hall.
    I also voted in our village hall. Built in 1908, it was originally the working men’s club and reading room. Our old village school was in what was the Church Hall (now leased to a private nursery).
    My in-laws live in a converted Victorian school in a nearby village, complete with original pig/pot belly stove.
    We had leaflets from every party, from the Greens to the English Democrats, and multiples from the popular local rivals.
  • FirenzeFirenze Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Having voted I thought I would continue in pro European mode by making moussaka for dinner. Dug out bottle of retsina (from some long since Lidl Greek Week) to go with it. OK, but totally lacking the disinfectant tang of yesteryear (when you could bring a bottle to a party secure in the knowledge no one else would drink it). A Greek friend tells me the original retsina vineyards are all grubbed up now for building land round Athens.
  • Moussaka has been calling my name as weather cools down. I love it but one son will not eat aubergine at all. I could substitute something but want aubergine myself. It would not be right without it.
  • DardaDarda Shipmate
    Being a beautiful day yesterday, I decided to walk the half mile across the valley to vote at my polling station. The general despondency caused by our current UK political situation was lifted by two events. Firstly, I spotted a badger cub (guess about a year old) out and about in daylight near its sett. Secondly, the footpath went by our local C of E primary school which was holding its sports day. The laughter and joy in the children's voices was a real tonic.
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