PhilJ W

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Not been out to get that wheelbarrow yet, still done a bit of tidying up in the garden but forced in by the rain which then stopped as soon as everything was put away. According to the forecast its going to persist down in the early hours locally.

Pocher? Their model kits are 1/8 scale and put together with screws and nuts and bolts. https://www.pocher.com/uk-en/ They were owned by Hornby for a time but are now out of production. Prices are from £500-£1,000 or more. They used to make kits of 1930's cars as well.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. A couple of parcels arrived this morning. One contained a couple of reusable/washable face masks and the other the Matchbox shop. I tried one of the face masks on, nice and comfortable and more importantly my glasses didn't steam up as much as when wearing the one use disposable ones. The Matchbox shop is as described but its the first time I've looked at one close up and there's quite a few surprises. The 'brick' sides for example are stick on labels and how is it constructed with no apparent rivets or clips? I wanted to dismantle it for repainting and I might still yet, when I find out how.

Goodnight all.

Evening all from Estuary-Land. A bit warm and sticky this evening, the forecasters predict thundery showers and Arthur Itis agrees with them. Muggatee time so its be back later.

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Very short queue at Tesco's this afternoon but I didn't bother to go to Homebase, I'm leaving that until tomorrow. I was hoping to do a bit in the garden this afternoon but it started raining so I contented myself with watching this years fledgling sparrows pecking at the patio though I don't think they have reduced the ant population very much. Now to get tonights dinner on the go, cottage pie.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Will have to venture down to Tess Coes later, there's quite a few things I forgot last time, I might even defy nature and write out a list. I will also try to get a new wheelbarrow while I'm out. Homebase have a convenient graph which shows their busiest times and the least busy time is today and tomorrow. The garden centre only stocks plants, not even things like forks and spades, just plants. Thats it for now, be back later.

Goodnight all.

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Sadly the F-15 pilot did not survive, details are a bit sketchy but apparently it was foggy in the area when the accident occurred. I found another forgotten plant hidden by the other shrubs in the garden this afternoon, a hebe. I tied back and pruned some of the other plants to give it a bit of room, hopefully it will be OK. If it isn't I'll have to move it.

I can get it on my lap top.

A few days ago I was cleaning my patio and there was a small pile of dead moss, leaves and grass waiting to go into the compost when a family of starlings descended on the heap and started pecking away. Two adult birds and four youngsters.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Not much of the G word today, the pollen count is almost off the scale. The only thing that has to be done soon is to make sure that the access for the shed erectors is clear, some shrubs may require pruning but as I haven't got a delivery date yet I'm not too concerned. Mention was made about accents sounding different over the phone. This got a former colleague of mine sacked. He wasn't a very pleasant person, politically somewhat to the right of Genghis Khan and somewhat racist. Apparently he was talking to a West Indian gentleman, who had no discernible accent on the phone when he made a racist remark. This was reported and he was out. For your perspex why not try the laser cut specialists such as Tim Horn?

Goodnight all.

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Done a bit of tidying up in the garden this afternoon but the heat and humidity started getting to me so I came indoors for some eyelid inspection. Still haven't got a wheelbarrow, the queue at Homebase was to long so I didn't bother, I'll try again tomorrow. Time for tea, kettles on, be back later.

My mums friend Phyllis was Irish. She had married a Nigerian chap who sadly died quite young leaving her with two young children. The oldest, a girl was of Mediterranean appearance but her baby brother was very African in appearance. As she couldn't cope with two young children she sent the boy to live with his grandmother in a very rural part of Ireland. After a few years, when he started secondary school he came back to live with his mother, this was about 1967-68. The lad spoke with a very thick Irish brogue, people used to be surprised by a very African looking lad speaking in such an accent.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. As I mentioned my accent could be either Estuary or Essex and I easily go to one or the other. I went to live in Burnham-on-Crouch in the early 80's and it was within a few days that I was speaking like a native though at the time I didn't notice it as I was not aware that I had an accent until a colleague pointed it out. I was still living in Burnham when my mother died. I went to the local pub to drown my sorrows and while I was sat there I thought I'd heard my mothers voice. It turned out to be one of the local ladies and it was only then that I realised that my mum had an Essex accent. I obviously picked up my Essex accent from my mother who in turn picked it up from her mother. The Essex accent can sometimes sound like a West Country accent, think Phil Harding from Time Team.

Goodnight all.

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Accents, most of the time I speak with an 'Estuary' accent, largely because those around me speak in that accent. My 'natural' accent however is rural Essex which I picked up from my mother who in turn picked up the accent from her mother who was born in Brentwood back in the 1890's. For some reason I've always been able to identify a Canadian accent, possibly because I had met more Canadians than I had Americans before I visited the US in 1978. The Canadian accent to me is softer than the American one. Will this do?

Common redstart.

Likewise.

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. My usual tea supplier has shut down because of Covid-19, not even mail order. So I then searched for, and found another supplier. Once I had placed my order I checked out the teapots that they had for sale. I'm now getting ads here for teapots. I have just 'won' an item on E-bay, a Lesney Matchbox shop. Quite pleased as I've only paid half the price asked for similar models. Its a bit battered/playworn but that doesn't matter as I intend to repaint it anyway.

A lot of the technology from the period is still in use today. Smaller Edwardian cars often had friction drive transmission which has been 'rediscovered' and used in modern auto boxes.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Happy anniversary GDB, and happy birthday to Jemma. Not much planned for today, a trip down to the farm shop which is not far from Homebase so I might pop into there as well for a few bits, I need a new wheelbarrow, the old one which was a freebie is on its last legs. Hay fever this morning so little if anything will get done in the garden though if either of the two establishments mentioned above have their garden centres open I'm going to have a look at some plants for the garden.

Goodnight all.

The British Army was probably the most mechanised army in the world at the out break of WW2. In fact the only horses were used for ceremonial duties. Most of the British army horses were obtained from Ireland and many were sold back to Irish dealers when they were no longer required. And many of those were sold on to the Wehrmacht.