At last they have got it.

Good evening. 

The Coffee Morning was well attended this morning. The last Wednesday in the month is when we have a bingo session and a raffle. An announcement was made from the people who run the club. Prices are going to have to go up starting in January. The money they charge does not cover the outgoing costs. It's very cheap, £1.50 for a coffee, plus 50p if you want a cake. Over the last few weeks I have started paying more. I take my own coffee in my own mug, so I only need hot water. 

I stood up and said my piece. Most people were in agreement when I said it's too cheap we need to pay more. This is a facility that we need to keep going. Two hours on a Wednesday morning. Come in from the cold, chat with your friends. I hand over £5 for the warmth and company. 

The raffle ticket seller came with her tickets. An announcement was made, that they didn't have many tickets left. Usually they sell them for £1 for a strip of five. But that only gives you one chance to win a prize. This morning they said it is £1 for each single ticket . For that you get one chance to win. This crazy way of selling raffle tickets has been going on for a long time. No wonder they are going through far too many tickets. 

I have said this many times before, what a waste of money. They should be sold singly for £1 each. At last they have taken notice. Hooooobloodyray. 

Another waste of money I have spoken about is the use of paper plates for one cake. I often give mine back and say use it again. It's still clean. They could save a lot of money if they just used a paper serviette for one small cake. Let's hope they take that money saving tip on board. 

Where is the common sense. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Trucking memories.

UKcheckpoints.info

Yesterday at 04:41 ·Rocked into Dover last November..

A joint operation with Border Force and Port of Dover Police uncovered a fully loaded HGV missing a wheel, hub and brakes during an inspection 
The driver admitted he’d lost the wheel two days earlier but had no idea where or when it happened. The vehicle was taken off the road and fully repaired before being released, making sure it was safe again.

This brings back memories. I had a big heavy lump on my stepframe trailer, to deliver to Ireland. Two of us travelling together, Mark was behind me. Suddenly he came on the cb radio and shouted for me to pull over and stop. There's something not right on your trailer. Luckily there was a layby just there that I could get into. He pulled in behind me. 

We both got out to have a look. A double set of wheels were missing on the nearside centre axle of the three axle trailer. No sign of them. If this happens while in transit they usually run away on their own. Could be anywhere. 

I dropped my trailer there and carried on to Pembroke Docks with Mark and his load following. We were due to load onto a boat that evening. At the docks Mark couldn't get on the boat because his load was too high. That meant staying there all night and getting the morning boat which could accommodate him.

I rang my boss, it was before we had mobile phones. Boss said go back to the trailer and they will send a tyre fitter out to me. Find the wheels and he will put them back on the now hanging on the ground axle. 

Mark came back with me and we looked for the wheels. We could only find one, they had run off into a wood somewhere. 

The tyre fitted came and said he could not attach one wheel, there needs to be two. He had a plan. Chains, hooks, and tensioners were deployed. Luckily in heavy haulage we always carried the equipment that we might need. 

Attach the chain to the opposite side of the trailer bed with a hook. Run it across to the other side, jack up the hanging axle and run the chain underneath it and take it back across the bed to to the other side. Another hook would hold it there after a tensioner was used to pull it tight. It lifted it enough so it wouldn't drag on the road.

I drove to the docks like that, about an hour away. Parked up next to Mark, and we both got on the boat in the morning. Then drove to the delivery point, and with both trailers unloaded we got the crane to lift mine up onto Marks. He piggybacked that back to the depot in Leicester, and I drove back solo. 

I doubt that an emergency like that would be easily solved now. 

Catch ya later.   ilona

Watching

 Good morning.

It's budget day today. I must say that I am a whizz at organising my own personal finances, but would be no good at herding the crooks and criminals of this world into some kind of collective agreement to the best way forward. The mad scramble to be top dog world wide is never going to be pretty. Pushing and shoving each other out of the way smacks of me me me. 

A lot of people cannot work together, therefore they should part company and stick to their own territory. Borders should be re instated, as in physical and mentally. 

Now let's wait for the fall out. Wait and see what happens. Let the insults fly, feel the frustrations building up. Yes, it's good to talk, but I will let others join in with the verbal punch ups. 

Now I am off to Coffee Morning for a couple of hours for my dose of human interactions. 

Have a good day, and be sure to dodge the punches. Toodle pip. ilona

PS. YP is a lost cause. Very sad.  😹

The bigger picture

Good afternoon.

I find turning bits and pieces into art fascinating. It's all about seeing something that other people are missing. Looking closely at something can reveal some interesting answers. Taking something at face value is a lazy way of processing information. Imagination is a strong motive to get to the bottom of life's mysteries. 

Look closely and you will see, lots of miniature pan scrubbers. 

A large piece of plain fabric with an arrangement of safety pins can be mistaken for a group of houses. Spot the odd one out. 

Portraiture need not be a painted picture.

Look closely. Painting with a sewing machine. 

Scrap fabric and threads twisted into a pleasing forest floor collage. 

Similar again. I see mushrooms and twigs. 

A gravel path with larger stones, maybe. 

You've got to wonder how an artist comes up with these ideas, and how do they then start constructing their masterpiece. I am in awe. 

The sun has come out and I will get Billy out for a walk.

Catch ya later. Toodle pip.   ilona

Don't get screwed.

Good Morning

I am going to slip this one in here because it is vitally important that we take notice of what this doctor is saying. When I wasn't feeling too good recently my yoootooob channel was bombarded by comments telling me to go and get checked out, go to the doctor, there could be something wrong. Typical fear mongering which has been escalating for the past few years. Fear itself can lead to depression, which can have some disastrous consequences. I have no wish to go down that route. 

Dr Suneel talks from a US perspective, many of his concerns are replicated here in the UK. He takes a more holistic approach to health care. Self awareness is the way to go when the medical industrial complex is pushing us in another direction.  

I will also add that I am on no position to tell you dear reader what to do. I am passing on information which makes sense to me. 

Tuesday morning and I have a lot to do. More knit and stitch pics to share later. 

Toodle pip.   ilona

The art of stitching.

Good afternoon. 

It was a lively bunch at Crafty Club this morning. There was talk of what are we going to be eating when we have our Christmas party. I said I would take some Brussels Sprouts. 😱😲😵

Are you ready for a splash of colour? There was a lot to see at the Knit and Stitch Show. I was amazed at the ingenuity of the artists who turned ordinary pieces of fabric and threads into works of art. The Embroiders Guild had an impressive display from some of their members. This is a collection of a few of their creations on small canvases. 

Let's zoom in for a closer look. I like to see how these beautiful pictures are constructed. 

Very clever use of colour to reproduce a shimmering reflection in the water. 

This is clever. Two layers of fabric, one green and one pink, cut through into a half circle and folded over, exposing the underside. 

You can't get any more perfect stitching than that. Every bit of space used. 

Plenty of inspirational ideas for me here. I didn't go to buy, I went to spy. 

4.15pm and it's dark. Roll on the 21st of December. There are several events on this coming weekend. I will work out a timetable of how I can get to visit them. 

More Harrogate pics to come. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

A day out at Harrogate

Good Morning. 

Yesterday was a day out at Harrogate, at the Knit and Stitch Show. It was the last day of a four day event. I was dithering whether to go or not, and made my mind up on Saturday night to go for it. I'm glad I did. 

I parked on the outskirts of Harrogate, almost opposite Sainsbury's on Wetherby Road. There is a quiet residential street with no parking restrictions. I was kitted out for walking, boots, waterproof jacket, and  umbrella. It started raining just as I set off. I had a street map in my pocket of the town centre, saved from the last time I was there. It was a long trek, but I was in the mood for walking, happy that I was passing a lot of cars stuck in the queue's to get into the city. 

It's a bit pricey to get in, I don't book in advance. £22.50 cash on the door. The event is huge,, the Exhibition Centre is huge. So many halls to wander around, easy to get lost. There is a map of the layout but I just go up and down all the aisles looking at everything. It is so much easier if you go by yourself. I was constantly having to skirt around groups of friends who stopped to chat. There was plenty of seating for those who had taken their own food. 

I spent the eyewatering sum of £4 on two large pieces of black felt. This will be used to finish off the woolly artwork. Also £5 spent on some red ribbon, to make some more Christmas bunting. Now I need to get on with the making, and stop talking about it. I have the photo's to sort out and will post them soon. 

In the meantime, some people might be interested to read more discussions of the covid inquiry. Oh no! Not more!!! It isn't going to go away. It is now embedded in history. 

 UnHerd’s Freddie Sayers speaks with Oxford epidemiologist Professor Sunetra Gupta – one of the three primary authors of the Great Barrington Declaration – to uncover why the UK’s massive £200 million COVID inquiry has produced a conclusion she calls an “insult” to the public intelligence. With the report claiming that locking down just one week earlier would have saved 23,000 lives, Gupta dismantles the modelling behind the headline.

My thanks to Will who has drawn my attention to this article in The Daily Sceptic.  

An extract.  

Those who use fear as a mechanism of control have enhanced their power and profiles in ways that could hardly have been imagined a few weeks ago. The use of fear was central to promoting the idea that the lockdown superseded any other consideration, including not only the economy but also even using the NHS. The threat from the virus was magnified,

Now I must get on. Breakfast then Crafty Club.

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

A bumpy bus ride.

The bus ride to town yesterday was a tad bumpy so hold tight. 

I found a place for the little table. Right next to the gas fire on my right hand side, as I sit at the computer. Very handy.

 

A visit to the Farm Shop was needed today I was almost out of honey. I have it in my coffee instead of sugar. It's from a local bee keeper who supplies independent local shops. They have Passionfruit Curd back in stock again. I have been using Lime Curd which is also nice. 

Look at this gorgeous giant cauliflower. Couldn't resist that. A head of broccoli, and a huge onion. Brilliant for making soup. 

I bought naughty naughty cake, double cream, and eggs. Total £42. I don't bother to ask the prices at the Farm Shop. If I see it and want it, I buy it. 

I can put off going to Aldi for a few more days. 

I am now going to watch a couple of videos. I see Ben and Emily have a new one out, also Richard and Julia are busy on their new plot of land. 

Thanks for popping in. Enjoy your Sunday. Toodle pip.   ilona

I went for a walk and found a table

Good evening. 

The postie brought me a letter today. From the Medical Centre. Do I want the covid and flu jabs. Also a letter from the TV Licensing people. My 'no licence needed' declaration has run out. For goodness sake, don't they ever stop. 

After my morning chores, and a hearty soup and potato lunch, I packed my bag and caught the 1pm bus to town. The plan was to walk back. First stop was the 20 21 Arts Centre to say hello to Nikki. There is a new exhibition in there, which I photographed and will write about on another post. 

There was a chill in the air but with the sun beaming down, and me striding along at a fast pace, I soon warmed up. 

I got to the big pond, it's known locally as the Blue Lagoon, I noticed this small table dumped in the car park . Nothing else. It's solidly made and not damaged. Such a shame to leave it there. I didn't have a bag to put it in. Oh well, I'll just carry it home as it is.

I carried on walking and turned left along the road towards the next village. A small white car came up behind me and stopped a few yards up the road. It then reversed back to me. The gentleman asked if I wanted a lift. I gratefully accepted because it was starting to get dark, and the last part of the walk was across fields. His daughter moved from the front seat to the back so I could get in. He very kindly went out of his way to drop me in my village. Before anyone says isn't that dangerous, no it wasn't. People know me round here because it's a regular route I take. Village folk are friendly and I speak to everyone I meet. I thanked him for the lift. 

I've just come across this video. Dr Suneel Dhand talks about the covid inquiry which has just been published. He is dead right in what he says.  He calls it an Inquiry Bombshell. 

Thanks for popping in. Have a good weekend. Toodle pip.   ilona

Not appropriate

 Good morning. 

I think I am on a wanted list. A phone call came through on the landline at 8.40am. Female voice ringing from our local medical centre. She asks if I will be taking up the offer of the covid and flu jabs. I hesitated and carefully constructed my replies. 

She has a list of people to ring. This is the first time they have rung me. Correspondence has always been via text message, which I have always ignored. It could be that they are asking in case they need to order more stocks. Or maybe the uptake has been a lot lower than previous roll-outs and they want to know why. 

I am suspicious of any contact from the medical centre. It is not their job to look for potential customers for their products and treatments. My understanding is that people who are concerned about some aspect of their health and well being should contact them and ask for help. 

My reply was, have you got my records in front of you? If so you will see my past history. She said it was her job to ring people on the list she has been given. I said I have not had any of the covid or flu jabs. I followed this up by saying, I don't want you to record that I am refusing any of the treatments offered. I am not refusing, I just feel that they are not appropriate for me. 

That was the end of the conversation.   

Now that the covid inquiry has been published it is obvious to all that there was never anything constructive to come out of it. It's just a catalogue of what the main stream media were pushing out at the time. 

Here's a little nugget from Keith just out. . . . .  Everyone's health was put at risk when they bullied people into going along with their plan.

Keir Starmer

@Keir_Starmer

·

1h

We are freezing prescription charges. No one's health should be put at risk because they can’t afford their medication.

Thanks for popping in. Have a good weekend. Toodle pip. ilona

Almost finished

The snow has kept me indoors today. I have sewn all the gold beads onto the woolly wall hanging, while watching yootooob videos. It finishes it off perfectly. I did think I would hang it just as it is without a backing, but to make it easy for myself I will mount it on a board covered in black fabric. 

I have a board which is just right for the job but it needs trimming down to the right size. I went to my friends house to ask him to do the job with his electric rotary saw in his workshop. He was not there. I suspect he might be away visiting his in laws. I will have to cut it down myself tomorrow on the bench  in the back garden. 

I made a pan of soup for dinner tonight. Broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot. Very nice it was. There is some left for tomorrow. 

I would like to have a day out this weekend, but I'm not sure if there is going to be some more snow. I will check the forecast. 

All cats have been indoors today. Even Oscar doesn't want to go out. 

I see that the covid enquiry has come to an end. So, £200million has been spent on it. 

Carl Heneghan gives his verdict.

The report demonstrates a complete failure to consider existing knowledge of respiratory viruses, both past and present, in its study of transmission. Additionally, it lacks an analysis of the devastating consequences of the 200 measures that were implemented. It does not address the issue of healthcare-associated infections or explore what caused the high number of deaths. Furthermore, the amateurish approach to attributing deaths—using 14 different definitions—was completely overlooked. Much of the report’s analysis, especially its analysis of lockdown timing, depends on mathematical models. Models are not evidence; they are predictions based on assumptions, often with enormous uncertainty.

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona 

Video number 700

Good evening. I knocked up this video this morning and left it to upload onto yoootooob while I went to the Coffee Morning. 

I never bother to check the stats, how many subscribers I have, and how many viewing hours my videos have clocked up. If you are interested it's 10.8k subscribers, this one has had over 900 views. Perhaps these figures might spur others to start their own channel. It's quick and easy if you don't bother to edit them. I can't remember when I first started. I just decided to have a go. I suppose if I had monetised my channel I might have made a few quid, but that was never my intention. It's just a bit of fun. 

It's been very cold today. Extra layers needed for dog walking. This will bump the heating bill up a notch or two. Never mind. It has to be done. 

Thanks for popping in. Stay warm. Toodle pip.   ilona

Reminder

 

Winter Reminder: Keep Feeding Your Garden Hedgehogs!

Not all hedgehogs hibernate - some stay active throughout the colder months, especially the younger or underweight ones. These little visitors rely on us more than ever when natural food and water are scarce.

If you’ve seen a hedgehog in your garden recently, please continue to put out food and shallow bowls of clean water. A dish of poultry cat/kitten biscuits or specialist hedgehog biscuits, can make all the difference - and fresh water is just as vital.

Every meal and sip helps them survive the season. They forage after dark, so evening feeds are ideal. Your garden could be their lifeline.

Thank you for caring — your kindness keeps them going

Visit their web site. 

Thanks for the reminder. I've put some food out. Just in case they come back. 

Toodle pip.   ilona

Just popping in

Good evening. 

Not much to report today. Raining again. 

Post Office this morning. 

Builder man came round to look at the job I have asked him to do. Unblock the drain pipe. He will do it this week.

A friend came round for a natter. 

I went to visit June. She is now at home. It will take a long time for her leg to heal. She has family to look after her. 

I've put two posts on the Talking To Myself blog. 

I am feeling much better. Whatever it was has gone. 

Catch ya tomorrow. Toodle pip. ilona

Searching for gold beads

I've been thinking about how I could fill the gaps between the woolly swirls. Gold beads would be nice. They would have to be fairly big so they don't get lost and sink too far down into the wool. 

So this afternoon I went to the Retail Park to search the shops. I checked The Range, two charity shops, Home Bargains, Dunelm,  and finally found what I wanted in Matalan. 

Two necklaces gave me enough gold beads. There was 25% off so they cost me £15 for the two. As soon as I have stitched all these in place then I can put the backing onto it. I have decided it will be mounted on a board covered with black fabric. Something like this. 

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona