Hello. A small lamp came home with me a few months back, found at a car boot sale for 20p. There was a box of oddments on the floor so I had a rummage through it. It now has a new look, it was cream coloured pottery, and now has a multicoloured woolly jacket. I started at the bottom with a crotchet circle, then kept going round and round, increasing the chains around the widest part, and decreasing as it got narrower towards the top. The electric flex has an on/off switch half way along it so I had to put the jacket on and work round the flex. Without a switch, I could have just taken the plug off and pushed it through before it got too narrow.
Now it has a pretty base. I have a shade but it is very old and doesn't go with it. I can either strip the fabric off and recover it, or look for another one in a charity shop.
A letter arrived today, confirming that I don't need a TV licence. They contact me every two years and each time I say, still the same, with the addition that I do not watch BBC iplayer. Anyone who is giving up watching TV and tells the licensing people for the first time, will get more letters asking if they are watching. They don't give in easily and will pester for several months. I don't get any bother now.
Hey, it's the weekend and the sun is out. Time to get off the computer and go out. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon. Toodle pip
PS. Note to the Walking Group. Don't forget to come back tomorrow with your mileage. Thank you.
Hello. Not a lot happening here today. The usual Monday morning Crafty Club, numbers down a bit, people must be busy with other things. This afternoon a friend came round and we had a coffee and natter. She comes to the village every week day during term time, to walk two dogs belonging to a teacher couple. They pay her to do this, as the dogs would be on their own too long otherwise. After that I did a Jade dog walk, that is the last one now, as her regular walker is back from his hols, and will take over tomorrow. Jade will be pleased, as Ken lets her off the lead to run in the fields. I have kept her on the lead as I don't want to be chasing after her if she decides not to come back.
I've got a bit hooked on watching the old Heartbeat shows on yoootooob. I love the Yorkshire setting, the characters, and the storylines. It's easy viewing, a little bit of drama with a splash of humour. The village of Goathland is used for the filming, I've been a couple of times, it's a lovely place, and great for walking. To all the blog readers outside the UK, Heartbeat is a glimpse into village life in the 1960's. Mind you, there seems to be quite a bit of crime going on, I'm sure it's not like that for real, ha ha. It's got the pub, a shop, a garage, a police station, farms and cottages.
I've found a short clip, it's one of five that goes behind the scenes. Have a look, and if you think you might like it, give one of the episodes a try. Each one lasts about 45 minutes. Let me know if you like it.
I'm going to get myself a mug of hot choccy and watch another one.
Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon. Toodle pip
Hello. Just watched myself on the tele. It was pretty good actually even if I say so myself. Only one gripe.....I didn't smile enough !!! GRRRR. And I looked pretty dowdy, that's because it was winter when it was filmed, and I was wrapped up to keep out the cold.
Here is a link to the programme on iplayer. I am on near the beginning, they gave me a big build up, and again near the end. I fast forwarded the middle bit. Probably UK only at this point, it may come on yooootoooob later.
Hello. This is going to be interesting, an article in the Guardian about charging people to watch BBC iplayer on a computer. The Government is to rush through legislation to close the iplayer loophole which allows people to watch BBC shows on catchup services without having a TV licence. As you know this is what me and millions of others are doing, perfectly legally.
Apparently the BBC are losing out on £150 million a year. I think they maybe should have thought of that when they joined in the rush to build their internet site. Surely the present situation was predictable, they broadcast programmes which can be seen live, and an our later on catchup, and people can access either from their computer. You do need a TV licence if you watch live TV. A detector van will pick up the signal if you are watching on a conventional TV set, but I'm not sure how they can police it if you are not receiving a signal from an aerial on the roof of your house into your computer.
It will be interesting to see how they are going to get people to buy a licence. I don't think anyone will be flocking to buy one. You don't need a licence to watch the other channels because they raise their revenue through advertising, so what's to stop people saying they only watch the other channels? How are they going to prove that you are watching BBC?
It's going to be one hell of an administration and technical nightmare to sort this out. There are so many different devices to watch TV on, and not all are static and connected to a socket on the wall. How will they be able to keep a check on every one of those, especially when millions of people are on the move. Is everyone going to need to get a licence irrespective of whether they actually watch BBC TV or not? I can't see that happening. We already pay for broadband, or maybe an extra charge will be added to that, but then there is a lot of free access to wifi now. Maybe will we be able to opt out of the BBC television web site? Perhaps they will block it and you have to buy a code to unlock it. I will watch with interest on how this story unravels. You can read the full article here.
In the meantime, I am not worried about what might or might not happen. I see television as a want, not a need. When I first had a computer I didn't watch television on it. Then I found out I could watch programmes on catchup and I thought it was a nice little bonus. I don't watch much at all, only the odd one or two that interest me. So they can do what they like, I am not bovvered.
I can still get my entertainment from Yooootooob. Watch as much as I want from all over the world.
From ITV.
From Channel 4.
And Channel 5.
I have also been snooping around the net, and there are lots of other sites where you can get free television from all over the world. Sorry, but I won't be buying a licence.
Look at the time, I've been waiting for the rain to stop, must get up off my bum and do three miles.
Hello. I've done a bit inside and a bit outside today. This morning I added some more strips to the curtains, both of them are at this stage, the patchwork creeping closer to the edge. I have used up most of the scraps now, and will probably have to cut a few more pieces to complete the job.
It's been sunny today so I've made a start on the outside job of reducing the sizes of the raised beds, replacing the rotten pallet wood with bricks. Oooops, something's not quite right here, there shouldn't be a gap on that corner, ha ha. A slight adjustment is needed. A big black cloud came over so I abandoned ship and went inside. Just as well, it started snowing. I want to get these sorted out so I can start planting for spring. I'm having a change and growing flowers instead of vegetables. I need to find out which plants the slugs don't like.
I have a big bill to pay this month, the credit card statement is a whopper. Car insurance is on it, £100 for animal treatments, blood test, injection, and flea treatment for all of them. Then there's Tesco for food and petrol. Just when you think you are doing well, a big hand appears and grabs a big chunk of it. And that's not all, the car needs taxing by the end of the month, and it's time for a service. Early next month the utility bills will come, it's a busy time for money going out. No worries, I have the funds to cover it all.
I've been watching a smashing short series on BBC iplayer, there are three programmes, it's called The Real Marigold Hotel, has anyone else seen it, if not I recommend it. It's about a group of eight senior citizens who go to India to see if it is a good place to retire to. It's like a travel programme/reality show, but interesting and good fun. The first episode is on yoootoooob, it's 58 minutes long. Beware there is a short scene 15 minutes into it of a market where they choose a live chicken for their dinner. You can guess what happens to it.
If you don't want to watch the whole thing, here is a short trailer.
Thanks very much for your Valentine wishes, and thanks for popping in. Catch up soon. Toodle pip.
