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Spanish Inquisition
Picture of Steve Coffin
Steve Coffin
Good morning all
 
Sorry I haven't been in touch lately - sold my anorak!!!
 
Only joking, the real reason is I have been busy dealing with Spanish beaurocracy and officials. I have been Vice President of our Community and it's a long story but this week we have finally been declared legal and now have all the documents to prove it. No fault of ours I hasten to add, just caught up in a tangled web of corrupt builders, council officials and solicitors (allegedly!!). It has been 5 years since we signed for our house and paid in full so you can imagine the relief and deep joy here at the moment. We are only a small Community of 45 houses and all the owners have been co-operative and patient.
 
Threw away my anorak when the last steam train was scrapped and diesels became the norm!! Must admit like you all I have a soft spot for the steam engine, maybe because my father worked for BR for 48 years as fireman and driver. Oops, perhaps I should have kept that quiet.
 
The sun is shining and we have had a fantastic November with only one afternoon of rain all month. Looks like December is going the same way. That's why I am in Spain!!!!
 
Thank the Lord that Christmas here is very low key although every year a little more commercialism is creeping in. Easter is the big festival in Spain.
 
I'm sorry that I will not be able to make reunion, will be in UK for a few days but return to Spain on 24th. March after trip to India. I shall look forward to the photos, have the local press been notified?
 
When I had that anorak I used to go regualrly to Fry's club on a Saturday night for Country and Western concerts. Sorry Stu, it did take some courage to own up to that but I dabbled in most genres before realising it was blues and rock n' roll that did it for me!!!
 
Have a lovely day.
 
Steve
 
 
Dec. 2, 2009  (Edited Dec. 15, 2009)
 
Hello Steve,
Glad your brush with the local authorities is over (for now at least !). I too have had my own "tale of woe" when it comes to communicating with the "faceless ones". It took me three years of "paper shuffling" to eventually have a meeting with a Inland Revenue Valuation Officer (whose name funnilty enough was also Williams).
 
The "face to face" meeting cured the problem we had with the redevelopment of where we previously lived in the village. ( A very long story ). I always now got straight for the "head honcho" in any dealings with authority. So, the blue anorak eventually bit the dust then?
 
Glad to see that (unlike a few ex-pats from our shores), you are now a fully paid up member, and a Vice President  .. (ken`s gonna love this ...), and you are now the one in charge of the "Whores asses"? .. (see Kemble discussion for details.)
 
Gotta go and check for visitor arrival .. catch you soon.    
Dec. 2, 2009  (Edited Dec. 2, 2009)
 
Picture of Stuart Stickler
Stuart Stickler
It's OK Steve most of us have a skeleton or three in the cupboard, expressing a juvenile liking for C & W is perfectly acceptable, after all we all remember Dolly P's memorable attributes. To be honest I've found that as I've grown older my tastes have veered more towards C & W, but not the mainstream stuff, people like Townes van Zandt, Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, Tom Russell, Dave Alvin and Jeff Finlin spring to mind, along with Americana, i.e. Josh Ritter, The Gourds, Fleet Foxes, Sun Kil Moon, and Wilco, who have a country influence perhaps but are more rock orientated. Although a good Blues / Rock band still does the business as well.
 
Regards transport, like you I became disinterested in railways with the end of steam, I suppose it was also the connections, my brother fired on the GWR and my dad was a guard also on the GWR, and a cousin was a draughtsman in the Swindon factory.
 
As for the Spanish business do we have to call you Don Coffin as of now.
 
When do you leave for India, and what's your itinerary, I'd be interested to know about it when you return, It's a country I'd like to visit but Shirls not over keen, perhaps a suitable endorsement might convince her.
 
Speaking of endorsements I've got my final City and Guilds tomorrow, then with a bit of luck I'll be out on Monday morning packing heat, (hand held, printer and BAD attitude), although I've got to achieve 82.5% in one of the units, better get revising I suppose.
 
Stu
Dec. 2, 2009 
 
Picture of Steve Coffin
Steve Coffin
Hi Stu
 
Just a quick one to say best of luck with exam. Don't let the CBTS down!!!! Be in touch about India after you have sobered up following celebration!!!
 
Cheers
 
The Don
Dec. 2, 2009 
 
Picture of Ken Eynon
Ken Eynon

That was very good Bill, but I will keep my mind above the navel.  Is that the orange or belly button spelling? Nothing exciting happening on this side of the world.  Talking of navels (Oranges) and Dolly Parton, I reckon we should be talking more of watermelons.  Changing the climate, climate change is certainly a big topic and been at the forefront of our politics. We have just had the hottest November on record in most places.  Noting that the records are about the same age as Weymouth House.    Christmas is big over here and it is funny but a lot still have the traditional hot roast dinner even when the temps are in the mid to late 30's C at this time of year.   On to something technical cause I know you guys love this.  I have been thinking of getting a solar hot water system, but cannot get the wife to agree.  My last big expense some years back was a reverse cycle air-conditioning unit. It is great in summer, but in winter where it can get to -7C (warms up quickly from that) the unit freezes up and is pretty useless for heating. The other big go here are solar systems where you get 3.5 times the current rate of electricity costs reimbursed for all power one can generate and return to the Grid.    And while on all things technical Bill, do you still have the water pumps in Timsbury?  I always remember visiting my uncle who lived in Timsbury and that the water pump was out in the back yard.  Ken  

Dec. 2, 2009 
 
Picture of John Stickland
John Stickland
Hi Stu and all.
First of all, I'm sorry that I've not been on of late, but been having trouble with the old internet connection, thankfully all is OK now!
Good luck with your exam tomorrow Stu, although I'm sure you'll breeze through it. Don't forget to have one for me at the celebrations after. Can't wait to hear of your exploits when 'packin' heat' respec' man!
Although I've been a life long railway enthusiast, like you all the shine went out of it with the demise of steam. I was never fortunate enough to have relatives working for the railways, like you guys. Nearly all my relations worked at the Westinghouse at Chippenham.
When I was very young my best mates dad worked for the railway, but he was a lorry driver!
The better half's family were the railway people. Her grandfather was a station master, just after the war her father worked for Wymans the newsagents and spent most of his time on stations, and his brother was a driver based at Yeovil Town shed. His regular rosta was Westbury, Weymouth, but in latter years of steam he had to learn the Southern road, Exeter, Salisbury. His most favoured locos were the GW 2800s, he had a lot of respect for them, said one in good condition could handle most things. Slow and steady, but you knew you were going to get there no matter what you had on the back.
Delighted to know that the ingenuity of a BTS training was more than a match for Spanish officialdom in the end, more strength to your arm, Steve. Seems to have worked for Bill as well with their British counter parts. Have to keep up the battle with officialdom at all costs, that's what being past retiring is all about, being a pain in the ass to the establishment. I'm gonna have a go at Severn Trent Water as soon as I have a few minutes to spare!
Have to go now.
Good luck guys.
Sticky.   
Dec. 2, 2009 
 
Picture of david hough
david hough
If you want to read about life on the GWR, John, the best accounts I've read were in books titled "Firing Days" and "Footplate Days" by Harold Gasson. They're probably out of print now but if ever you come across a copy of the first one in particular it brings back all the old nostalgia of steam on the GWR.
Dec. 3, 2009 
 
Hello all,
Ken, the water pumps are still there, but purely ornamental now. There is one in Bakers Parade outside one of the old houses there (built 1704). My old house (the one I developed) had its` own stone tanks, (brick lined and tiles 2" thick tiles about a foot square, It holds about 600+ gallons). It`s under one of the staircases now, in the smaller cottage. I guess my wierd humour stems from the fact that 3 of my teenage years involved being in leg irons or plaster on crutches, so "leg overs" were few and far between for a while. I did however make up for lost time, hence the pre-occupation with humour of the dubious kind .. Ha Ha 
 
Stu, just add my wishes for the city & guilds exam. Shall I give you my registration numbers now to avaid any conflicts if I should vivit your areas of work. Would a "Stickler free zone" sticker on the windows hold any sway with your colleagues?
 
John, David and all into steam. I had a friend called Leslie Price, he used to live in the pre-fabs in Hillside Road, Bath .. (right alongside the S & D line as it left the Claverton Tunnel). His dad Tony was a driver and we were always invited to the sheds in Green Park to nose around and collect souveniers from the locos ready for scrapping. I never got on the footplate for a ride on any, but Leslie used to go all over the place with his Dad on them.
 
I gave up train spotting, so did Johnny Reed from my class, when the books had more numbers than names. If you know what I mean.
 
Well, the Sun ..yes, Sun beckons me .. time to get the bike out .. see you guys later.
 
Dec. 3, 2009 
 
Picture of Stuart Stickler
Stuart Stickler
Many thanks for all the positive words guys, just to let you know that a pass was achieved, although I'm afraid I let the side down a little, managed to score 100% in five of the units, but only 93.5% & 87% in the other two.
 
As for the passing on of vehicle registrations for potential favourable treatment, I can only say that I will treat everyone the same, i.e. a bit like Genghis Khan and the Golden Horde's progress across Central Asia.
 
Got to go now, I've got a hangover to work on.
 
Stu
 
Dec. 3, 2009 
 
Picture of John Stickland
John Stickland
Hi guys.
First of all, congratulations on your exam results, Stu, and hope the hang over is better now!
Thanks for the tip on railway reading, David, I will keep my eye open for them. Worth a read also are 'Tales of the old railwaymen' and its sequal 'More tales of the old railwaymen' by Tom Quinn, also 'Signalman's morning' by Adrian Vaughan. Smilarly they are probably out of print, but worth looking for.
Your account of the sense of humour and your theories about it are very interesting Bill, not sure what Freud would make of it though! People accuse me of having a strange sense of humour also, occasionally I will engage a conversation with a double entendre, everyone laughs, but then I react as though I don't understand why they are all laughing and observe their reactions which I then find amusing. Difficult to describe the scenario, really, but that's the best I can do! Our middle aged secretary at work has led a rather sheltered life and is a regular 'Victim', much to the amusement of others present. Engineers are awful!!!!!!
Gettng late now.
Have fun, all.
Sticky.
Dec. 4, 2009 
 
Picture of Stuart Stickler
Stuart Stickler
Just a quickie, head's thumping a bit too much for any deep thought, but for those out of print books, try e-books, if available you can usually download for free.
 
Stu
Dec. 4, 2009 
 
Picture of John Stickland
John Stickland
Hi all.
Thanks for the tip Stu, will try it out later. Guess the head is a bit better now judging by your activity on the Pub Pals subject!
Have to go now, more catching up to do.
Sticky.
Dec. 4, 2009 
 
Picture of Ken Eynon
Ken Eynon
Glad you still have the water pumps at Timsbury Bill, even if they are just ornamental.  My trips to my uncle in Timsbury were few and far between but always good fun.  It usually meant a lift home in a motorbike sidecar.  My cousin had some sort of motorbike with a sidecar and he would take my dad and me back to Weston, Bath in same.
On a new subject and one most of us should be authorities on.  Just reading a report in our local newspaper which was taken from your Independent Newspaper has the sub editor title 'Single-Sex schooling lingers in men's lives'   The story starts off with ' Boys brought up in single-sex schooling environment would find relations ships with girls difficult to handle. Now research proves it and on it goes.   Some survey by Prof Diana Leonard from London Uni.  One quote is ' All research shows single sex schools are good for girls but bad for boys - both in terms of academic performance and socialisation.  Any comments or are we CBTS boys all freaks. Ken
 
Dec. 5, 2009 
 
Picture of david hough
david hough
I've been reading those reports, Ken. I suppose the people who did the research looked at a wide range of modern schools whereas I can comment only on personal experience. Also, my experience does go back many years and may be irrelevant to today. I left Bath Tech at age 15 and went to a mixed sex High School in Dunfermline. Academically, the high school was way behind Bath Tech which greatly surprised me and my parents as 'Old Nick' told them it would be a big step up for me. Discipline in the high school was almost non existent at times, despite all the teachers carrying leather straps and using them almost non stop. Compare that with the Tech's policy of the cane being adminsitered only be Bill Hayman or Old Nick. Makes you wonder. Did the boys play up  in class just to get attention from the girls? Debatable. Did we suffer in our sexual relationships from going to an all-boys school? Well, I reckon that's something we each have to decide for ourselves but I can't really say it did me any harm. Purely social interactions with girls were always there outside of school and, to be honest, that's were I kept them, even when at the mixed school. Academically, in the high school classroom one's attention did tend to wander at times from the blackboard to the shapely bits of the girl sitting at the desk in front. Having a girl you fancied sitting beside you in class was an even worse distraction. Maybe that's why I got a low score in Biology exams.
Dec. 5, 2009 
 
Hello all,
Well reading these comments only confirms what I had discovered. The lack of exposure to females during my education process was the foundation for the pre-occupation in later life.
 
I am still recovering from this lack of exposure .. the mind is willing, very willling ... but ...
Dec. 5, 2009 
 
Picture of david hough
david hough
Writing that comment brought back memories of that lovely Welsh girl who used to sit next to me in biology classes. Beautiful voice and ... oh dear, I must go and lie down before I come over all faint ... You younger guys had the pleasure of being taught by Mrs Williams, of course, but it's not the same as having a young female sitting next to you. 
Dec. 5, 2009 
 
Picture of Mike Hallett
Mike Hallett
During the summer these pages were awash with memories of buses and trains bursting with pulcritude wrapped in numerous uniforms providing more than an unequal diversion from the homework calcs set by Dicky Harbour on springs, pulleys and inclined planes,  the revision given by Mr Alder on the Midland Triangle (remember those neatly drawn chalk maps with motorcycle/car manufacturing taking place across the whole WM?) and the mind-numbing clause analysis in Ridout 4 set by Spider Webb. 

No, guys I think we had it just about right.  Plenty of testosterone fueled interest and God (as well as bus drivers and train guards) willing the opportunity to pursue them as time and fellow travellers would allow.  

I am now ashamed to admit that one of the determining factors in our choice of education for our two daughters was the thought of exposing them to the unpeakably vile behaviour of pubescent boys - hence the but-clenching cost of independent education and our extreme poverty.  However they still discovered boys and seem none the worse for that.  Perhaps we should have left nature to take its course and I certainly wouldn't now be moaning about a £409 vet bill for one our moggies who got himself jaundiced last week....hey ho its only money.

Mike
Dec. 5, 2009 
 
Hello,
After all that .. wow ! . I thoght I had it hard !!! .. occasionally it was ..

 

The pets .. they`re just like children  .. worth every penny..

Dec. 5, 2009  (Edited Dec. 5, 2009)
 
Picture of CHRIS WILTSHIRE
CHRIS WILTSHIRE
I think the main problem with unisex edn. ( despite having been at coed primary and 2 years at a rough secmod...where some of the girls were very scary... and having a sister....umm...that sounds BAD....) was the tendency to idealise the female species. The result was that the discovery that they had NATURAL FUNCTIONS too was a bit of a SHOCK. And still is! Bit like poor old Ruskin seeing pubic hair on his wedding night and preventing consumation.
 
The worst thing a woman I really fancied once said to me was " I like you, Chris.  I feel really safe alone with you". AAAAAAAGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!
 
Still, as Bill implies age helps. Do you find yourself staring at women and then wondering why? All helps to stick to more fulfilling matters. although I suppose we shall all be like old Betjeman sitting in his wheelchair and answering the question " any regrets?".........."not enough sex " he replied.  Oh hum!
 
Still I've got Parrotty who is very keen on me AND NOT for my mind
Dec. 5, 2009 
 
Picture of Stuart Stickler
Stuart Stickler
I'm seriously worried about you Wiltshire.
 
Stu
Dec. 5, 2009  (Edited Dec. 5, 2009)
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