Save Our Sidmouth

Save Our Sidmouth campaign - read about it here: http://saveoursidmouth.com/ and the link here for the Sid Vale Assoc. http://www.sidvaleassociation.org.uk/

Also I seem to remember the Sidmouth Herald reported a few weeks ago that the local aurthority East Devon District Council were conveniently unable to find any papers that showed the Knowle had been given to the local townspeople as a public space. However the Knowle has been used on many occasions for numerous years for walking, public events, picnics and by dog walkers since the early 70's.

Maybe the Council haven't made a robust enough search of their archives? I see from this document that a Mr Brian Golding refers to minutes in the Devon Record office that the Knowle was acquired in 'order to preserve the gardens and land as a public amenity'  see this link: http://www.eastdevon.gov.uk/lp-repsf.pdf

I do not see how the local authority can as Owner of the site put forward to it's own Development Plans to it's own Planning Aurthority. It is an unfair procedure. I will be writing to the Mr Eric Pickles MP to request that this be examined to ensure the townspeople of Sidmouth do not lose a valuable much loved open space. mailto:eric.pickles@communities.gsi.gov.uk

Finally I cannot understand WHY  there is a need for more housing locally. There is a completely new town Cranbrook being built in the Honiton Exeter area.  And the population of Sidmouth town has been practically static for decade after decade, Most of the recently built 'affordable' homes are bought by local business men, which they rent out. The more expensive homes are bought by 2nd homers, or again by local business men for residential/holiday lets.

I question the close links of local businessmen and their influence on the local Council.

The Wish to be Eight Again

Oh - To be eight again!
A man was sitting on the edge of the bed, watching his wife who was looking at herself in the mirror. Since her birthday was not far off he asked what she'd like to have for her birthday. 'I'd like to be eight again', she replied, still looking in the mirror.

On the morning of her Birthday, he arose early, made her a nice big bowl of Coco Pops, and then took her to the Adventure World theme park. What a day! He put her on every ride in the park; the Death Slide, the Wall of Fear, the Screaming Roller Coaster, everything . . .

Five hours later they staggered out of the theme park. Her head was reeling and her stomach felt upside down. He then took her to a McDonald's where he ordered her a Happy Meal with extra fries and a chocolate shake.

Then it was off to a movie, popcorn, a soda pop, and her favorite candy, M&M's. What a fabulous adventure! Finally she staggered home with her husband and collapsed into bed exhausted.

He leaned over his wife with a big smile and lovingly asked, 'Well Dear, what was it like being eight again? Her eyes slowly opened and her expression suddenly changed.

'I meant my dress size, you retard!!!!'

The moral of the story: Even when a man is listening, he is gonna get it wrong

How Not to Respond to Criticism

It all started with a Tweet from @MandyPandy. I went to look at the suggested link and found myself on Big Als Books & Pals Blog . I found the comments so funny I couldn't resist moving on over to Jacqueline Howett's Blog.  


I'm not going to make any comments. I'll leave you to judge for yourself.

If you don't want to visit her Blog but are interested in her book, here is a

"DESCRIPTION TO THE GREEK SEAMAN NOVEL

What is an eighteen year old doing traveling on a massive merchant ship anyways, hadn't she gone to Greece on tour in a ballet as a dancer? These are questions Katy asks herself while traveling the high seas with Don, her chief officer who she marries. However, little do they know, a smuggling ring is also on board for this ride, on a blue diamond exchange, and when explosions and threats to sink the ship also happen, they must try to save themselves. True story."

I found her art work of interest and particularly liked this: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGtlyHi3NQogJRJUI7GjVIlCi2M0ufQ-wHv4b32fFPFjKwZ-eCROX8sktq1xfqHJpNCKv5WDJNA_fqiVFr3fAk2O-qLNX0OlGUFj4FZ3NXzYH9aSvlLcKH-L01HktY9V-8CnQ4UuaEt_c/s1600/jacqsoilart.jpg

You'll have to go over to her Blog to view as unlike some other artist's that I've admired I wouldn't dare to copy my favourite of her art work here.

Strange Bird Feeding?!

Yes Yes Yes

Sorry this wasn't a trick question. I'd tried to send a post from my iPhone but it arrived as unreadable rubbish so I pulled it immediately. But now having just visited Retired & Crazy I see a trace of  it's still there on her blogroll. How embarrassing.

Winter Wonderland

It's Magic

Four Pleasant Pheasants Feeding

Save British Greenwich Mean Time

Save our British Greenwich Mean Time sign the petition now:
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/article-1329444/Join-campaign-Greenwich-Mean-Time.html

Sent from my iPhone

Brushes Painting

Anything David Hockney can do; I can do too. Using iPhone app Brushes.

And just as I sit awhile to take in the view these folk stroll by and stand to gossip right in front of me. Why not lean on the fence somewhere else!

Jacob's Ladder beach Sidmouth, late October.

TechnoLady

I've acquired a new desktop PC.  A smart looking  'AllinOne'  that takes up less space. With  the bonus of  less cabling. No tangle of wires  to acquire and trap dust in inaccessible places. Bliss.

I'm in the middle of setting it up. Transferring files; documents; Family history research; various address books; login details and passwords; Favorite web pages and Bookmarks; not to mention zillions of photos. All moved from the old machine to the new.

It will be interesting to see, once it's all complete, just how much of the 1TB hard drive has swallowed up all my computing history from 1994 to date. Not to mention whether some of the old documents will still open with the new operating system. Fingers crossed.

BT WiFi Hotspots - Are You Providing One of BT's Free Links??

Is everybody aware that 'BT Fon' the exciting community of WiFi hotspots means sharing your home router with anyone who wants to sit or park outside your house to surf the web on their laptop?

I can see that in a large town or city this may be perfectly acceptable. However, in a small rural community where the only cars that park outside your house are visiting you then I feel this is an invasion of privacy. I am annoyed that I and many of my local friends were unaware of our location being entered on to the BT WiFi Hotspots map.

Rather than entering our Routers on this map as WiFi access points I feel it would have been more POLITE to ask us if we wanted to opt in. Rather than automatically setting it up, not making it clear and leaving it up to us to have to find out how to opt out.

Having opted out then to  be advised to leave our router on for 48 hours for them to remove the Hotspot Facility. Surely it is 'my router' and I should have been invited to have this download only after I had agreed to it.

If this is idea new to you as well then you may like to click on this link to check whether you are providing a community HotSpot WiFi access point. You may not mind. But I think you should at least know about it. If you decide to opt out check carefully by clicking on the 'Check Status' link. I think the 'opt out choice' is inclined to make it look as if you already are - so do doubly check.

I may well decide to opt in at a later date.  But will do so only once I have had chance to read all about it. I'll weigh up all the pros and cons and then make a decision. For myself.

Don't Miss This . . .

Don't miss out on this new blog about Mutley - thanks to Kate.

I've been tagged . . .

I've been tagged by monalisa

1. Which holiday destination have you revisited again and again? Devon - which is why I'm so pleased to be living in East Devon, near Sidmouth.

2. Why did you start a blog? I was depressed with 'no fun' in my life. I could no longer share my thoughts with MyMan as he was ill, in pain and severely depressed.

http://sidmouth-town.blogspot.com/2007/03/depression-widow.html

http://sidmouth-town.blogspot.com/2007/03/coping-strategies.html and I realised that I was more of a carer than a wife.

There's not much change nowadays apart from the fact that I have made more of an independent life for myself, found new interests and am better able to cope with the ups and downs of life - alone, more often than not.

3. What is your favourite TV programme? Damages

4. Red wine or white wine? Definitely Red, preferably Hardy's Stamp

5. What is the biggest lie you have ever told? "How lovely, what a surprise " meaning: 'I would never have have wasted money on this . . . '

6. Have you ever won money? £50 premium Bond prize - 3 times - over last 10 years on Bonds held for 30 odd years - not a very good return.

7. Your first childhood memory? Probably age between 3-4yrs Leaning over the end of my bed watching my mother bath my baby sister in the next room. In an enamel bathtub in front of a roaring coal fire in a room lit by gaslight: - also around the same time; pinching baby sister as she lay sleeping in the front garden in her pram.

8. Do you enjoy cooking or being cooked for? I love cooking. I only enjoy someone cooking for me if they use quality fresh, British reared/grown wholefood ingredients .

9. Have you every had need to call the fire brigade? Never. I've had a couple of kitchen pan/toaster fires in my time but I don't panic and just drape a soaking wet tea towel on top of the flames.

10. How many houses have you lived in? Am now on my 7th home

Now my own questions will require some thought so will I return to this part later.

Mutley the Dog . . .

Mutley the Dog - such shocking sad news recently from Merryweather.

And how I wish I had the words to express what I feel. But then I believe that Wife in the North has already done this for me . .

Tattoed Lady

If you want to read about my Tattoo then head on over to here - it's not for the squeamish of you . . .

Let's Have Ed Milliband for Leader

I've just left the following comment on this website: if you agree then go on over and let your views be known.

"I recently left a comment on “Wife in the North” Blog that I felt Ed Milliband would be the best Labour leader by far. I feel he ‘connects’, speaks normally, naturally and lucidly.

However, having just seen his opening speech of the campaign I’m VERY disappointed to see him using lots of strange arm movements and stabbing hand gestures. Maybe he was anxious or over keen to impress." (It looks even more bizarre with no sound on)

"Please Ed, just act naturally. Only use your hands if it’s natural to you but don’t study it – it reminds me far too much of Actor Tony B Liar and Gordon Brown’s spookily strange grinning. This didn’t look at all natural or relaxed to me. It’s your words, belief system, values and integrity we want to know all about. Don’t disappoint me at the first hurdle.
Good luck. From a floating voter."

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Well at last Gordon Brown and Labour/New Labour have left the stage.

As Cameron arrived at Buckingham Palace to form a new Government there was a rainbow in the sky. The Sky cameraman filmed it but no one remarked on it. I felt it was a sign. I just hope it was a good one.

I haven't been impressed by the way the Lib Dems have handled these coalition negotiations. I feel rather let down by Nick Clegg. I'm certainly against voting for them in the near future.

So I'll keep my fingers crossed that Cameron's Govt can do what is needed. I think they know what needs to be done but do they have the strength and the will to do it? My fingers are crossed.