Had our first go at Geo Caching today. Not a great success despite the use of a 3G Iphone and sat nav ;-)
I do like the idea though so will persevere.
Wednesday 22 April 2009
Saturday 28 March 2009
Visit to Bath
Last weekend we had a wonderful visit to Bath, to celebrate my mother-in-laws 80 birthday. We stayed in a Travellodge the Waterside which I can strongly recommend.
Bath is a lovely city, dating back to originally Roman and earlier, it grew up around a hot spring. Bath houses were built as the spring had "healing" powers. You can still see the original bath house, although it has been closed for bathing for a while. Recently a new bath has opened, where you can go to swim in the waters, sit in the sauna and have various treatments, facials, massages etc. We have tried it and thouroughly enjoyed it.
We ate in the McDonalds Bath Spa restaurant, a super meal with excellent service. The next day being mothers day we had lunch in the pump room adjoining the old Roman Baths. Here you can taste the water (it was not to my liking!)
Bath has many secrets, some of which can be discovered on a free walking tour which leaves the pump rooms every day (see the tourist office for details.) In addition as a National trust member you can take the bus tours for a greatly reduced price. I love the bus tours and always do one in any city I visit.
We had fun in the crazy golf course, it is one of the best ones I know. It is in the park below the Royal Crescent.
All in all very enjoyable weekend.
Bath is a lovely city, dating back to originally Roman and earlier, it grew up around a hot spring. Bath houses were built as the spring had "healing" powers. You can still see the original bath house, although it has been closed for bathing for a while. Recently a new bath has opened, where you can go to swim in the waters, sit in the sauna and have various treatments, facials, massages etc. We have tried it and thouroughly enjoyed it.
We ate in the McDonalds Bath Spa restaurant, a super meal with excellent service. The next day being mothers day we had lunch in the pump room adjoining the old Roman Baths. Here you can taste the water (it was not to my liking!)
Bath has many secrets, some of which can be discovered on a free walking tour which leaves the pump rooms every day (see the tourist office for details.) In addition as a National trust member you can take the bus tours for a greatly reduced price. I love the bus tours and always do one in any city I visit.
We had fun in the crazy golf course, it is one of the best ones I know. It is in the park below the Royal Crescent.
All in all very enjoyable weekend.
Monday 9 March 2009
American declarations of a different sort
Claire, My sister-in-law is off to America this week. She is going on holiday. Before you leave for America you have to complete a declaration (on line). Here are the questions you must answer.
A) Do you have a communicable disease; physical or mental disorder; or are you a drug abuser or addict?
- Now this one I can understand, you wouldn't want to let in any nutters to the country, I mean they have guns and stuff for sale in Walmart for goodness sake.
B) Have you ever been arrested or convicted for an offense or crime involving moral turpitude or a violation related to a controlled substance; or have been arrested or convicted for two or more offenses for which the aggregate sentence to confinement was five years or more; or have been a controlled substance trafficker; or are you seeking entry to engage in criminal or immoral activities?
- Isn't this just a little too much to expect someone to answer truthfully. "Oh go on then you got me bang to rights, I once committed a crime of moral turpitude (I didn't pay for parking!) oh and yes I do intend to rob a bank.
C) Have you ever been or are you now involved in espionage or sabotage; or in terrorist activities; or genocide; or between 1933 and 1945 were you involved , in any way, in persecutions associated with Nazi Germany or its allies?
- You can just imagine it can't you.
"Name"
"Adolf Hilter"
"Can you answer question C please!"
" Ya I have definitely not been involved, nein not me!"
D) Are you seeking to work in the U.S.; or have you ever been excluded and deported; or been previously removed from the United States or procured or attempted to procure a visa or entry into the U.S. by fraud or misrepresentation?
- Bugger caught me out again. Yup I want to work in McDonald's.
E) Have you ever detained, retained or withheld custody of a child from a U.S. citizen granted custody of the child?
- Who do you think I am? Madonna?
F) Have you ever been denied a U.S. visa or entry into the U.S. or had a U.S. visa canceled?
- Yup but please give me a second chance ;-)
G) Have you ever asserted immunity from prosecution?
- Wait a moment isn't that part of the constitution? What was that fifth amendment again?
Now I understand that they want to make sure that only upright and virtuous citizens go there but I have to wonder, has anyone ever said yes? When they do what happens? Also in reality, is anyone who should be answering yes ever going to do so to these question?
Wouldn't it be better for the US immigration service to just ask "Are you a goody or a baddy?"
On a different vein, I should be OK as I am a member of the Mafia I can safely answer yes to all these questions
;-)
A) Do you have a communicable disease; physical or mental disorder; or are you a drug abuser or addict?
- Now this one I can understand, you wouldn't want to let in any nutters to the country, I mean they have guns and stuff for sale in Walmart for goodness sake.
B) Have you ever been arrested or convicted for an offense or crime involving moral turpitude or a violation related to a controlled substance; or have been arrested or convicted for two or more offenses for which the aggregate sentence to confinement was five years or more; or have been a controlled substance trafficker; or are you seeking entry to engage in criminal or immoral activities?
- Isn't this just a little too much to expect someone to answer truthfully. "Oh go on then you got me bang to rights, I once committed a crime of moral turpitude (I didn't pay for parking!) oh and yes I do intend to rob a bank.
C) Have you ever been or are you now involved in espionage or sabotage; or in terrorist activities; or genocide; or between 1933 and 1945 were you involved , in any way, in persecutions associated with Nazi Germany or its allies?
- You can just imagine it can't you.
"Name"
"Adolf Hilter"
"Can you answer question C please!"
" Ya I have definitely not been involved, nein not me!"
D) Are you seeking to work in the U.S.; or have you ever been excluded and deported; or been previously removed from the United States or procured or attempted to procure a visa or entry into the U.S. by fraud or misrepresentation?
- Bugger caught me out again. Yup I want to work in McDonald's.
E) Have you ever detained, retained or withheld custody of a child from a U.S. citizen granted custody of the child?
- Who do you think I am? Madonna?
F) Have you ever been denied a U.S. visa or entry into the U.S. or had a U.S. visa canceled?
- Yup but please give me a second chance ;-)
G) Have you ever asserted immunity from prosecution?
- Wait a moment isn't that part of the constitution? What was that fifth amendment again?
Now I understand that they want to make sure that only upright and virtuous citizens go there but I have to wonder, has anyone ever said yes? When they do what happens? Also in reality, is anyone who should be answering yes ever going to do so to these question?
Wouldn't it be better for the US immigration service to just ask "Are you a goody or a baddy?"
On a different vein, I should be OK as I am a member of the Mafia I can safely answer yes to all these questions
;-)
Sunday 8 March 2009
There's a book in all of us
Isn't the internet great? Today I discovered blurb.com. This site allows you to create a book and get it printed for less than a £10 with a minimum order of one. You download and install some very simple to use software (for free). It allows you to decide on the type of book you want ranging from small square 7" by 7" soft back to large 13" by 11" size coffee table hardback. You can select a range of pre-made templates; pictures, pictures and text or mainly text. Adding content is really easy, load pictures and drag and drop them into the template, cut and paste text or type directly. There are tons of themes to make your book look good. The web site has a demo that explains how the software works, plus advice on your book.
I downloaded the software yesterday and within 15 minutes had got a reasonably good looking picture book of my great God Daughter (see Becky I do listen). It didn't seem to like low quality pictures, probably to granular when printed. I thought it would be nice to make her a book she can keep of pictures from her first year.
Perhaps, eventually I will write a book, on the vagaries of writing a blog!
On a slightly more mundane matter, I forgot to mention the reason for the arrival of all the family. My mother in law is 80 this month so we are having a posh family meal in Bath in a few weeks. My sister-in-law arrived today, from Singapore, my nephew and his dad are coming from Hongkong, so we will have a full complement. I'm getting excited. Will keep you posted on the arrangements, meanwhile if anyone has any suggestions for activities to do in Bath please point me at them?
I downloaded the software yesterday and within 15 minutes had got a reasonably good looking picture book of my great God Daughter (see Becky I do listen). It didn't seem to like low quality pictures, probably to granular when printed. I thought it would be nice to make her a book she can keep of pictures from her first year.
Perhaps, eventually I will write a book, on the vagaries of writing a blog!
On a slightly more mundane matter, I forgot to mention the reason for the arrival of all the family. My mother in law is 80 this month so we are having a posh family meal in Bath in a few weeks. My sister-in-law arrived today, from Singapore, my nephew and his dad are coming from Hongkong, so we will have a full complement. I'm getting excited. Will keep you posted on the arrangements, meanwhile if anyone has any suggestions for activities to do in Bath please point me at them?
Thursday 5 March 2009
Beth is back from Asia - hurrah! Chester too!!!
Beth my niece, (think a young Audrey Hepburn) and Chester her boyfriend (think Freddy Mercury) have been travelling in the far east. Have a look at Chester's blog for some of the fantastic pictures he has taken, more to come.
We had a family get together in their honour, during which we heard about some of the joys and pitfalls of back packing in the far east. It made me realise how lucky we are in the West. Worst experience, sleeping in a hotel that was infested with bed bugs, so much so that they had to have their cloths and luggage fumigated, and even throw away some stuff. As Chester put it "we saved a few pounds on the room but spent £100 on the aftermath." Second worst experience an en-suite that was effectively a hole in the ground with a shower over it. Still as Chester said "at least I could Sh*t, shave and shower all at the same time."
We take so much for granted in the UK, clean sheets in hotels, running water, trains that run on time, with padded seats, the ability to drink the water without getting sick. We should remember how lucky we are and stop moaning about credit crunches and the like. Think of the positive things we have, our health, our family, heat and light.
Best experience for Beth and Chester? Coming home to see me of course!!
We had a family get together in their honour, during which we heard about some of the joys and pitfalls of back packing in the far east. It made me realise how lucky we are in the West. Worst experience, sleeping in a hotel that was infested with bed bugs, so much so that they had to have their cloths and luggage fumigated, and even throw away some stuff. As Chester put it "we saved a few pounds on the room but spent £100 on the aftermath." Second worst experience an en-suite that was effectively a hole in the ground with a shower over it. Still as Chester said "at least I could Sh*t, shave and shower all at the same time."
We take so much for granted in the UK, clean sheets in hotels, running water, trains that run on time, with padded seats, the ability to drink the water without getting sick. We should remember how lucky we are and stop moaning about credit crunches and the like. Think of the positive things we have, our health, our family, heat and light.
Best experience for Beth and Chester? Coming home to see me of course!!
Wednesday 4 March 2009
Making money on line
Anyone who has read my other blog will know that it is based around making an easy buck. I was so fed up with seeing all these get rich quick schemes on the Internet that I set up http://simonsaysmakemoneynow.blogspot.com/ as the antithesis of that genre. It talks about ways that you can make money in your spare time, but through good honest graft. I have to be honest, I have adverts on my blog, using a product called AdSense from Google (and on this one to) and I do receive a (small) kick back from Google whenever someone clicks on an advert on my blog. Or so I thought.
Now far be it from me to disbelieve Google, but I know (have seen people) clicking on adverts yet it doesn't show up on my statement. It must therefore be something to do with the type of advert. I'll let you know what I find out.
Curiously one of the sets of adverts that popped up on this blog recently was to do with all things papal. Did you know you can stay in the Vatican city (that's kind of like the Pope's private country in Rome) bed and breakfast. I wonder if you get breakfast in bed served by a nun ;-) Another one that caught my eye was http://www.catholicmatch.com/. How much fun can you have I wonder?
Feel free to check out some of the other fun stuff that comes up (you will feel richer for it and so will I ;-)
Now far be it from me to disbelieve Google, but I know (have seen people) clicking on adverts yet it doesn't show up on my statement. It must therefore be something to do with the type of advert. I'll let you know what I find out.
Curiously one of the sets of adverts that popped up on this blog recently was to do with all things papal. Did you know you can stay in the Vatican city (that's kind of like the Pope's private country in Rome) bed and breakfast. I wonder if you get breakfast in bed served by a nun ;-) Another one that caught my eye was http://www.catholicmatch.com/. How much fun can you have I wonder?
Feel free to check out some of the other fun stuff that comes up (you will feel richer for it and so will I ;-)
Tuesday 3 March 2009
Doing a Wendy
Today, I wish to propose a new verb to the English language. It's to Wendy (someone or something). Wendy is a good friend, with a huge heart, but she has a terrible ability to turn a success into a disaster. Some examples might help you to understand how to (do a) Wendy.
1) Wendy was on holiday, sitting in the bar with friends drinking. She decided to go to the toilet, picked up her handbag (why do women do that, what's in the handbag they need?) Sadly the handbag handle caught on the table dragging all the drinks off the table onto the floor. My daughter has done this Wendy!
2) Wendy decided to buy a coffee table on Ebay, she was so excited, her opening bid was winning and indeed did win. She was pleased as punch, her bid was £1.00, plus the delivery £1.50 means she got her table for a bargain price. Only trouble was when it arrived, it was a dolls house coffee table.
3) Wendy had the decorators in, (no that is not a euphemism) to do the toilet, hall stairs and landing, but spotted they had missed odd bits. She decided to touch up the bits they had missed. The toilet was china, the hall stairs and landing cream, she touched up with ......magnolia. (I must admit I have done this.)
So the question is what do I need to do to get this wonderful lady into the dictionary? I assume that if the word becomes part of common parlance it will become adopted into the language, take bungalow (an Indian word) as an example. My wish is therefore in your hands. When someone does something beyond normal actions, please say out loud, "You just did a Wendy". Before long it will be in the dictionary, thanks for your help ;-).
1) Wendy was on holiday, sitting in the bar with friends drinking. She decided to go to the toilet, picked up her handbag (why do women do that, what's in the handbag they need?) Sadly the handbag handle caught on the table dragging all the drinks off the table onto the floor. My daughter has done this Wendy!
2) Wendy decided to buy a coffee table on Ebay, she was so excited, her opening bid was winning and indeed did win. She was pleased as punch, her bid was £1.00, plus the delivery £1.50 means she got her table for a bargain price. Only trouble was when it arrived, it was a dolls house coffee table.
3) Wendy had the decorators in, (no that is not a euphemism) to do the toilet, hall stairs and landing, but spotted they had missed odd bits. She decided to touch up the bits they had missed. The toilet was china, the hall stairs and landing cream, she touched up with ......magnolia. (I must admit I have done this.)
So the question is what do I need to do to get this wonderful lady into the dictionary? I assume that if the word becomes part of common parlance it will become adopted into the language, take bungalow (an Indian word) as an example. My wish is therefore in your hands. When someone does something beyond normal actions, please say out loud, "You just did a Wendy". Before long it will be in the dictionary, thanks for your help ;-).
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