Latest Moan From You and Me 2024

My Mum sometimes saw things that made her shake her head and say, "Well, well, well. Some go to heaven and some go to hell.".

 

I grew up with "There's nowt so queer as folk"

 

I learned this morning that a dear friend had died in November.
Michael used to be the landlord of our favourite pub in Aldbourne. He got the terrible news in 2022 that he had Motor neuron disease and he and his wife returned to Ireland in September 2022 for the last years that he had left.
When we moved to Wiltshire, we went the first time to Aldbourne in February 2016 out of curiosity and found this wonderful pub with Michael. There was always a place for me, especially on Fridays after work, when I started the weekend with a pint and a bacon brie baguette. In the following years, I learned that he was the heart of the community and organised so much in the village.
And then came Covid and of course, we went to Aldbourne the first day he reopened to support them and have a bit normality back.
Over the years, I gave him my Gardeners World magazines and made even a plan for his garden in Ireland, knowing that he will not do much but we tried to keep going.

Michael in his pub. He was a very special one. One of those who changed the world to the better.

 

Looks like a nice old country pub.

 

The use of 'like' at every pause in a conversation is one of my bugbears. That, and supposedly professional broadcasters stuttering and 'umming' and 'ahing' when they are speaking. Marginally forgiveable in a live link, but not in a pre-recorded programme.

 

I was going to push the like button, but thought better of it.

 

Elon Musk. The greedy so and so with his pricing policies has polluted the rest of the auto industry. If you want anything other than a white Tesla, it is extra money. Now the commercials for Chrysler, GM, etc state that the cars featured in their advertisement, which are sometimes red or blue, are "premium" colours. Obviously copy catting a money grab! Shame on them!!

 

Way back in my youth when I could afford to buy new cars as opposed to used cars, they always charged extra for metallic paint, but normal colours were all the same price.

I did notice that a lot of Tesla's are white and think they look pretty awful to be honest, very basic to look at not something that appeals to me at all.
I only ever owned one white car and never again it always looked dirty.

I've spotted a few EV that appear to have a bit more style about their appearance and I think they are mostly from the far east, European car manufactures are in for a hiding if they don't up there game I think.

 

@CanadianLori, is your postal strike over yet? Just wondering if my Xmas cards might be trickling through to their destinations.

 

Amusing but not strictly true based purely on emissions if both ferries were fully loaded. On that basis emissions from the new vessel could be about 6% lower per car than the old one at 80 tonnes as opposed to 86 tonnes. However once transporting the fuel 450 miles by road, that difference will be somewhat eroded to say the least. There is also the cost of upgrading Ardrossan to enable the ferry to use the port. The Scottish Government had many years to upgrade the port given the multiple delays in commissioning the ferry, but they did nothing!

 

As a non-driver, I've been wondering why all cars looked so boring these days. Predominantly silver, white and black. Not good colours for visibility in the murk either. Mind you I do see someone driving a hideously Barbie-pink sports car around town, I bet that cost a few quid extra.