Good Morning All

[goodlookingone]

' afternoon each..
If I set out on foot into the Very Near Nature reserve.. Afraid there are just Too many ill behaved Dogs, Kids and Feral Adults. Afraid Walks usually rely on A But to the top of Crown Hill, or Two buses to The swamps by the River.
I used to be "Link-man" for a Social Club which included THREE Am Dram Groups.. Usually Very Good. (My Socialty was arranging Country Rambling and Weeks/weekends in The Peak District). I think at Least one of the Amatuer Dramatic Groups gained a grat deal by having use of a Fine Town Centre Theatre, diagrammed in to the various Professional Plays..

[Brians Cravat]

I average about eighteen miles a week, approximately fourteen of those solo. I'm fortunate that I live on the Western edge of the Black Country and, I have access to a lot of open countryside. This includes a country park ten minutes walk away. My main gripes are: car drivers who don't consider walkers to be 'road-users', dogs that are not under control, dog owners who don't pick up their dog's faeces, those dog owners who do bag their dog's faeces and then hang the bag on the branch of a tree! Other than that, I love my walks. Since I started this walking thing, I've done over 1000 miles.

As far as 'culture' is concerned, we're lucky to live in reasonable travelling distance of four decent theates (One in Wolverhampton and, three in Birmingham.), a handful of concert venues, a symphony hall, Birmingham Royal Ballet, and even, Stratford and the RSC is less than two hours drive away.

Love to be involved with Am-dram but, simply don't have the time at present.

[Brians Cravat]

Yesterday's walk was very good. I should explain that the Action Heart walks tend to use about ten different starting points but, any number of walks are available from a single starting point. We started from Highgate Common in South Staffordshire and headed out west. Passing to the South of Wolverhampton Business Airport (Used to be called Halfpenny Green Airfield, we headed north passing a farm which had the normal range of farm animal with the addition of a couple of more 'exotic' species: llamas an emus. Wouldn't like to get an emu in the oven on Christmas Day.

Today has its normal level of activity. We have completed the weekly shop, courtesy of J Sainsbury and, a local green grocer. Light lunch will be followed by an hour or so of returning the recently decorated lounge to normal, bringing back books and CDs.

Later however, we are heading for our daughter's home where she is taking advantage of the forecast good weather to hold a barbecue. No rest for the wicked.

Should announce that I've donned shorts for the first time this year.

[goodlookingone]

Hello.. or as a former bos used to say: "Hi Guys" ... Until one of the Ladies told him otherwise - don't Mess with East End Ladies.

Not got much done today (as usual). Really must catch up on mail...
I had a strange idea that this weekend was Easter. Obviously wrong! I am adjusting my plans. I had hoped to get medic appoints sorted, but I'm beginning to think that The Local council changing the house numbers needs a bit of fettling.

[Brians Cravat]

Good morning all. The use of "Hi Guys" as a greetinghas resonance with me. It was used by the waiter in a restaurant recently when, he was speaking to OH and myself. Sorry but, I don't like it. Last time I looked my OH was not a guy. Secondly, I'm comfortable with friendliness in restaurants but not familiarity!

My wife worked for that hotbed of political correctness, a local authority. Not just that but, she worked in Social Services where staff frequently had to walk a tightrope, avoiding giving perceived offence. On one occasion her manager, a man had the habit of referring to his female admin staff as "My girls." and, one Social Worker went for him. She was apparently quite nasty towards him, incensed that he was referring to these mature, grown women as 'girls'. My OH. less than 5'2" tall stepped in, berating this young woman and adding, "I'm 53 years old and, quite happy that he refers to me as a girl."

I guess that political correctness is all in the mind.

Enjoy your day.

[Brians Cravat]

Good morning all. Feels a little cooler this morning in Castle Cravat. Warm spell at an end then, just in time for the Bank Holiday Weekend!

Two priorities today. First of all, we have our two granddaughters with us from just after 8:00 am. Plenty of activities in hand, to keep them busy.

The other job is to get a walk in. Had a quiet couple of weeks on the walking front.

Take care and enjoy your day.

[Will the Pedlar]

I think you have your priorities mixed up, Brian. You don' t keep Granddaughters (or g-sons) busy. They're designed to keep us busy.
I'm sure you'll be enjoying their company.

Have a good day - or what's left of it.

[Brians Cravat]

I think you have your priorities mixed up, Brian. You don' t keep Granddaughters (or g-sons) busy. They're designed to keep us busy.
I'm sure you'll be enjoying their company.

Have a good day - or what's left of it.

Will we just have the two granddaughters at present. The elder is seven years old in around four weeks. Her sister is just over three and simply refuses to do what her sister tells her to do. Left to their own devices, internecine strife is likely to break out. As such, we have to develop a list of activities for them to undertake during the two days that we're caring for them this week. These need to take into account the weather, of course.

[Will the Pedlar]

You just wait until they're both teenagers and start ganging up on you, Brian.

A nice difference in ages between those two.

Will.

[Brians Cravat]

Good morning all. Hope that everyone is as well as can be expected.

A quiet sort of day. Normally, Tuesday morning sees me at my Active Retirement group but, it only runs in line with the school term. Therefore no meeting until 25th April.

Returning more stuff to the Lounge following the decorating. Also a chance to get rid of some of the stuff that "I don't need now but, it will come in useful" but, simply hasn't. We moved to the bungalow nearly four years ago and because, we were moving from a four bedroom house to a two bedroom bungalow, we had a good clear out. Tough decisions were taken in the light of the fact that we were moving somewhere with half the number of rooms. Even so, we seem to have acquired other stuff in the meantime that need further ruthless action.

Our daughter tells us that if we haven't used it, looked at it, worn it, read it in the past year, it is an unnecessary obstruction and must be disposed of.

Early afternoon will see me walking down to the local library for a meeting of the Book Club. Last month's book was 'Missing Presumed' by Susie Steiner. It's the first in a series of crime novels concerning DS Manon Bradshaw. It was OK but, I do worry that there are so many of these novels featuring a senior detective, all of whom have some personal problem. It's a tough genre to be successful in.

The walk will be my two and a half/three miles of exercise for today. Inclines going and coming back.

[Rwth of Cornovii]

It's quite likely that everyone has a personal problem at some stage, and perhaps it depends on how they handle it or how the author handles the problem yet lets the detective get on with their job and solve the crime while not neglecting their aged father, missing teenager, depressed wife/husband etc. The book club I have joined has abandoned the concept of 'homework' for the group and will be discussing genres and specific authors. I shall have to go to the Library and try to find something by Margaret Forster to discuss at our next meeting, though it is apparently still at the stage of recommending books for other members to try. Last time, I recommended "Silent Spring", but this time I think it will be "Shadow of the Wind". I loved the way the narrator says that he took the book to his room just to read a couple of sentences then fell deeply into it. The plan is to allow fellow members to add books to their reading lists.

[Brians Cravat]

I enjoy my book club. Over the last seven years, I have read books that, I can honestly say that I enjoyed most of the 60 or so books that I've been introduced to. I can also say that in many cases, I've read books that I wouldn't have picked off a shelf.

Certainly, I have read contributions by authors that were totally new to me.

The part I really enjoy is sitting down and discussing the monthly book with the other members. It's utterly fascinating to hear the diverse views of people who have read the book that we have all read simultaneously.

[Brians Cravat]

My concern about the genre of crime fiction I discussed about is that, the field is already crammed with excellent examples. Ian Rankin's 'John Rebus' has his drink problem, the late Colin Dexter's 'Inspector Morse' has difficulties with relationships with the opposite sex. I can name several more. Of course, all are 'mavericks' particularly when it comes to toeing the line.

[goodlookingone]

Ah, Yes I'm afraid many Authors seem to think that a "rebel" is A Good Example or Entertaining. I can't help but think how I could Co-operate with such person in "real life" (nasty cold shiver).

[Brians Cravat]

Not sure that the 'rebel' type of detective is welcome in 'real life'. Too many rules. I think that the job calls for lateral thinking any way.

[Will the Pedlar]

| quite enjoy Frost and Vera. Particularly the Frost books.
Of course you have to make allowances for the needs of TV in solving any murder, in two hours or so. But neither of them are 'flawed.' Just working coppers.

[Brians Cravat]

I too like Frost and Vera. Agree that neither is 'flawed', unless you think of Frost's passionate dislike of authority and, following unconventional methods counts. Vera is an obsessive, of course.

It's interesting to see how the late Colin Dexter changed the character of Morse to conform to the John Thaw model on TV. Even went as far as changing the car that Morse drove from a Volvo (IIRC) in the early books to the Jaguar that TV's Morse drove. Of course, Dexter wrote some stories afterthey had appeared on TV.

[Rwth of Cornovii]

I liked Charlie Resnick. Not particularly flawed, but a lone detective with his Jazz records, It's a lonely job with very unsocial hours and it's not that surprising that detectives tend to resist any attempt to get them to work 'according to the book' Senior people with the Home office on their back to be financially productive more or less have to descend and nag for an arrest, when the obvious suspect doesn't have much of an alibi, but as we see with Inspector Banks, he wants enough evidence to convict, so resists too early an arrest.

[Brians Cravat]

Charlie Resni k was OK. I also enjoyed Prime Suspect with Helen Mirren.

Out of the 'new' crop, DCI Banks is good and, I particularly like 'Grantchester'. Find the character of the Rev Chambers really interesting. Rather keen on Rowan Atkinson as 'Maigret' too. He's closer to the enigmatic character from the Georges Simenon books.

Can't take to some of the American crime series. Never liked Columbo, or Cagney and Lacey.

[Brians Cravat]

Good morning all.

Just been on a 4.6 mile walk halfway through which, I had a haircut. I also called at the local decent coffee shop prior to the return journey. Cool breeze this morning.

In about an hour I'm off into Wolverhampton for my Presiding Officer training, ahead of the election of the (Not wanted/Of no interest) West Midlands Mayor on 4th May. It's compulsory and, part of my fee as a Presiding Officer depends on me undertaking training. That said, Proportional Representation is part of this election and, there are always slight changes in the guidance issued for every election. They have given me two Poll Clerks for this election and, I fail to understand why. I doubt whether the turnout for this election will be much more than 25%!

Enjoy your days, my friends.