A few days ago I was greeted by Mr Plod making enquiries about a burglary that had occurred a few houses away. Some unlucky householder had some power tools stolen from their garage. It was mid morning and my brain could not remember that I had seen anything unusual to help with their investigations so I sent them away with nothing. Later, I did remember a lot of things - a car sat across the road from me and a man dressed oddly who was looking at or talking to his mobile phone. I contacted the police with the details and, today, they are coming to take a statetement from me. It would be good to think that this might catch the thief but I doubt I will ever know.
What surprises me in such situations is just how unobservant we can be. We think we take in a lot but, in reality, we miss such a lot of the detail. Racking my brain I could only trawl up so much information. Even more annoying and puzzling in this case was that Rod and I were driving away from our house and I even commented on it being odd that a car was sat where it was and that it was not a car I had seen before. So, why oh why did I not note the car's registration number or make? Perhaps I will do better if this ever happens again.
Monday 17 December 2012
Monday 10 December 2012
Practising for full retirement
We are having a beautiful, if cold spell of weather and Rod has 2 days off work to give us a long weekend together. As I am so organised for Christmas (don't you just hate me?) we have tried to make the best of the time and get out and about. On Saturday we went for a walk at Calshot which sits at the end of Southampton Water and looks out over the Solent. We walked up through a soggy field past Fawley Power Station that is soon to close.
and watched a huge container ship pass into Southampton Water and dwarf all the buildings at the end of Calshot Spit.
The walk back was along the water's edge so we could look across the very tranquil water to the Isle of Wight. Lucy loved eyeing up the birds but most were just out of her reach.
Back at the car we sat like two old dears (practising for full retirement) and had a picnic in the sun.
Today we ventured further afield and went to Highcliffe in Dorset. I have not been there since I was a child as, normally, we go to Mudeford when we go down that way. We parked at Highcliffe Castle - a magnificent building built mainly between 1831 and 1836 as a realisation of one man's fantasy. He was Lord Stuart de Rothesay, a distinguished diplomat who had known and loved the cliff-top site overlooking Christchurch Bay since he was a boy.
We walked down through woods and a small nature reserve to the beach - spotting a jay, robins and grey wagtails on the way. The beach was busy with other dog walkers enjoying the fresh air and sun and we even met a Lucy look-a-like. The cliff is made of sandstone that is clearly eroding away and nothing like as spectacular as the backdrop to the beaches we have visited in Devon and Wales.
The day was rounded off with a visit to the Castle tea rooms for a light snack- very nice it was too.
and watched a huge container ship pass into Southampton Water and dwarf all the buildings at the end of Calshot Spit.
The walk back was along the water's edge so we could look across the very tranquil water to the Isle of Wight. Lucy loved eyeing up the birds but most were just out of her reach.
Back at the car we sat like two old dears (practising for full retirement) and had a picnic in the sun.
Today we ventured further afield and went to Highcliffe in Dorset. I have not been there since I was a child as, normally, we go to Mudeford when we go down that way. We parked at Highcliffe Castle - a magnificent building built mainly between 1831 and 1836 as a realisation of one man's fantasy. He was Lord Stuart de Rothesay, a distinguished diplomat who had known and loved the cliff-top site overlooking Christchurch Bay since he was a boy.
We walked down through woods and a small nature reserve to the beach - spotting a jay, robins and grey wagtails on the way. The beach was busy with other dog walkers enjoying the fresh air and sun and we even met a Lucy look-a-like. The cliff is made of sandstone that is clearly eroding away and nothing like as spectacular as the backdrop to the beaches we have visited in Devon and Wales.
The day was rounded off with a visit to the Castle tea rooms for a light snack- very nice it was too.
Tuesday 4 December 2012
How to get rich
..... become a dentist. Yesterday I had to visit my private dentist for a filling and came away with an estimate for some other work he thought I needed that will cost £488! I would love to know how much all the products actually cost the dentist and how much of that £488 will be profit. Now that I am semi-retired, this is not welcome news but, in order to keep my teeth, I guess I will have the work done....eventually. I've been to the dentist several times so I know the drill!
This reminds me of a few jokes....
Q. What is a dentist's office called?
A. A filling station
Q. What did the dentist say to the golfer?
A. You have a hole in one.
December has arrived and Christmas lights are now adorning many of the houses around us. We put ours up at the weekend but have not yet switched them on as it seems too early just yet. A nearby neighbour has a 'blow up Santa' outside their house which looks great. The trouble is, he deflates quite easily so poor old Santa is usually a heap on the ground!
My step brother and his wife, Terry and Marian, popped in for a cuppa on Friday evening on their way to stay the night with Christine. This seems to be their annual trip to exchange Christmas presents so doubt we will see them again until well into next year.
This afternoon my neighbour, Chris, is going to join me for a short dog walk and coffee - something I expect will happen fairly often as she too is retired. Tomorrow my brother, David, is coming to stay overnight as he is working in Fareham for a few days. It will be good to see him and catch up on the family news.
This reminds me of a few jokes....
Q. What is a dentist's office called?
A. A filling station
Q. What did the dentist say to the golfer?
A. You have a hole in one.
December has arrived and Christmas lights are now adorning many of the houses around us. We put ours up at the weekend but have not yet switched them on as it seems too early just yet. A nearby neighbour has a 'blow up Santa' outside their house which looks great. The trouble is, he deflates quite easily so poor old Santa is usually a heap on the ground!
We also have red lights along the hedge but I failed to get a good photo with those too.
My step brother and his wife, Terry and Marian, popped in for a cuppa on Friday evening on their way to stay the night with Christine. This seems to be their annual trip to exchange Christmas presents so doubt we will see them again until well into next year.
This afternoon my neighbour, Chris, is going to join me for a short dog walk and coffee - something I expect will happen fairly often as she too is retired. Tomorrow my brother, David, is coming to stay overnight as he is working in Fareham for a few days. It will be good to see him and catch up on the family news.
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