75ZT Community

[Arctic]

Wet and very windy here in the bleak midlands, gave the cars a wash yesterday so what can you expect

[WillyHeckaslike]

Yet to look outside so not sure of the weather here today on Wearside. Washing a car at this time of the year is not something I miss Steve, I've been without a daily driver for over a year now and get along fine using the buses. I often get asked if I would get another car and I always say that I would not rule it out. But I came to realise some time ago that it was superfluous to my needs, it was rarely getting used with only ~ 100 miles put on the clock in my last year of ownership of my trusty old Rover 25. And many of those miles were undertaken just to give the car a run out to prevent it seizing up through total lack of use. I still have my Rover 75 SORN on the drive though and I also have a couple of motorbikes but as time rolls on my appetite to hit the road with anything is diminishing.

[Duncan]

So, do you play a musical instrument then Duncan? Our town council has come in for some flack over the years, its demolition of the old town hall being just one reason, and that still rankles with many of the older residents. I myself still remember and miss the sound of its old tower-clock bell ringing out over the town aka Big Ben in London. I give our council credit for retaining Derwent Hill though despite all of the financial pressures it might have faced over the years.

I used to. Piano accordian when much younger (its still in the loft) then Trombone for a while (stolen) and I did get graded on that. Also played a trumpet in a scout band for a while.

[WillyHeckaslike]

I have my late father's accordion but I can't play it. Now then, regards brass instruments I do have a little collection all of which I once played bar one: Two fairly high-end cornets one of which is a Bach Stradivarius. One Bach trumpet which is more low-end for a beginner which is what I started on in my school days. Passed grade 5 on it and was pressed to jump from there to grade 8 which I was ready to take before time and events got in the way. One tenor horn the make of which I would have to check. And get this, one Yamaha trombone which I bought to learn to play but never got round to doing so. Lol.

I played the piano as a second instrument and got a few grades on it but my late parents dispensed with that instrument in my absence many moons ago. I was a bit disappointed when they did that because I still enjoyed playing it when I wasn't absent.

[WillyHeckaslike]

Anyone put up ye olde Christmas decorations yet? I usually wait until ~ 10 December but I'm feeling a bit behind the times in my area as some have been displaying on properties since ~ mid-November. Not just the odd property either, a trip out to Morrisons supermarket on the seafront early evening yesterday the route was literally lined with some very impressive outside displays on private properties. A lot of effort is visible and I do wonder if professionals have been engaged to do some of the displays.

[Arctic]

bah humbug I/we don't do Christmas in our home, never have, it's all to commercial, we don't buy family or friends presents and do not expect them back either, each to their own, but no tree and tinsel in our house.

What's with all those people who drop you a message saying happy Christmas, you never hear from them the rest of the year, it's all false if you ask me.

But hey-ho enjoy it if it pleases you.

Off to do the dinner steak pie and veg with gravy.

[WillyHeckaslike]

Just had fish and oven chips for lunch, washing it down with a mug of coffee beside me as I type.

BTW, Happy Christmas Steve. Lol.

[Bermudan 75]

My grandfather who served in WW1 was a musician. He was in a Scottish regiment and played his clarinet, as a soloist, at a parade in Edinburgh after the war.
He later worked as a dance band musician and he was able to play not just the clarinet but also the flute and saxophone. My mother remembers him practicing with the saxophone when she was a child before WW2.

If there was one instrument I would have loved to have been able to play, it was the saxophone.

[WillyHeckaslike]

One instrument I would have liked to be able to play is a Wurlitzer Organ, power and versatility at the tips of your fingers and toes. As for parades I did take part in a Lord Mayor's Show back in the day, an annual parade in London dating back to the 13th century. Played with a marching band while trying to avoid stepping on the anti-personnel mines kindly laid by the horsies that had gone before - oh to have been on a bandwagon. Remember having to be up at 04:00 on the day to get ready and having to stand for an eternity at one of the many parade joining points before the signal was given to move.

[Arctic]

Just finished watching the new Frankenstein film, what a load of bunkum, not a patch on the one which Robert De-Niro starred in, i also hear Netflix is now trying to take over Warner bros, Comcast as thrown their cap into the ring, along with Paramount, wonder who will win the big deal, whom ever you can bet the subscription is going up, so the public will have to pay more to watch.

[WillyHeckaslike]

Clear sunny day here on Wearside, not a cloud in sight and without any cloud cover I expect it to be a little cold outside at this time of the year. I'm not much of a movie buff Steve though I do buy the occasional DVD when browsing in a charity shop to pass the time. My taste is for the old TV and movie classics such as Dad's Army and In The Heat Of The Night etc.. It never crossed my mind to enter a charity shop until a few short years ago when I sought refuge in one from a sudden downpour, I was surprised to discover that some of the stuff was brand new and had come from high-street retailers by way of donations or sometimes bulk purchase of old stock by the charity. I keep an eye on the book areas for something like Sled Driver but in reality I do not think that I could walk away with anything that I thought had been undervalued by the charity.

[takestock]

We are on a cheeky last min break up in the lake district. Had a cracking couple of days last weekend and then after that lots and lots of rain. Great to just get away from every thing for a week.

[Duncan]

We are on a cheeky las min break up in the lake district. Had a cracking couple of days last weekend and then after that lots and lots of rain. Great to just get away from every thing for a week.

Enjoying the earthquake? And the weather. We've just got back from a couple of nights in Southport and were due to visit Blackpool for the illuminations tonight. Weather put paid to that!

[WillyHeckaslike]

Never been to the Lake District at this time of the year, imaging it might be a bit wet and cold for me. Have been up Snowdon at this time of the year though during a stay at JSMT in Towyn. I remember some madman took us across the Crib Goch knife edge when it was shrouded in mist and the wind was blowing. Never again.

Link to a pic of the Crib Goch knife edge on a good day: Click

[takestock]

Slept through the earthquake
When it's sunny in Nov / Dec it is quite impressive


Even walking out in the rain brings surprises

[WillyHeckaslike]

Great pics Dave which captures a lot of the character of the area. The water got me thinking about Donald Cambell's Bluebird (K7), it is normally displayed in The Ruskin Museum in Coniston but it's away for maintenance atm. On it's return the museum hopes to run it on Coniston Water in 2026. Link to the Ruskin Museum: Click

[takestock]

Didn't know about the original. Interestingly they have a copy here which we have seen a few times
https://www.lakelandmotormuseum.co.uk/c ... l-bluebird

[Duncan]

Didn't know about the original. Interestingly they have a copy here which we have seen a few times
https://www.lakelandmotormuseum.co.uk/c ... l-bluebird

Yes a good place to visit. A few other places nearby. Highlight of the visit though, had to be a low pass by some RAF jets over Windermere.

[WillyHeckaslike]

Sunny day here in Wearside today, yesterday was a bit wet and miserable and one of the few occasions when I miss having a car to run around in. Waited ages for a bus to no avail so it was either running late, early or not at all. Gave up in the end and just went local for what I wanted. Might have better luck today and may even use the local metro to go in to town, thinking of possibly replacing the batteries in my Christmas wreath for the front door. I took the plunge yesterday and hung it out but the batteries are old rechargeable nicads and not so good as they once were. Batteries don't last forever but amazingly I have a couple of items that defy the norm, one being an old Pifco rechargeable torch that was bought in the 80s. I dig it out once in a blue moon to use as I now have better LED torches but it never fails to recharge. Retention of charge is exceptional too, it is not unknown for it to lie unused for many months and longer and to spring into life from a previous charge when needed.

[Arctic]

Well i wasted 14 hours of yesterday preparing an old laptop so i can load up Linux Mint, Ubuntu not decided yet so tomorrow may well be wasted also, it at least keeps me out of trouble in these dark miserable winter days.

Anyone else got Linux is any shape or form if so how do you find it.