Quote from: David L on July 23, 2023, 10:59:38 PMBack home now after our wonderful break in Kent. We did far more cycling than we thought we would (and no more 'mechanicals') culminating in a nice ride yesterday.
Headed down the Crab & Winkle Way to the outskirts of Canterbury, then through the University of Kent campus to Broad Oak. From there we took the road towards Maypole before diverting eastwards through East Blean woods.
Around 2:00pm, it started p***ing down (a bit earlier than it was forecasted at 4:00pm). Luckily, by then we were settled in the tap room at Goody's brewery! Located just outside Herne, Goody's is a fairly rustic set up but the beer was OK and the bonus was the fact that they did great pizzas! An enjoyable couple of hours and we set off with the rain slightly easing towards Herne Bay for a couple in the Bouncing Barrel with our new found friends, 'Kev The Screw', 'Dangerous Dave', 'Double Denim', Malc, and 'CSI' (Mark). A couple of pints of the lovely Citra from Oakham.
A great last day.
We've really taken to the north Kent coast/Canterbury area. It has so much more to offer than I ever thought it would. I even got a live music fix on Friday night at The Harbour Garden. A lovely meal and superb Italian Pinot Grigio Rosé, cheap enough at £24 a bottle. The band, The Dial, were excellent playing covers from Fleetwood Mac, ELO, Lionel Ritchie to more modern stuff like Bruno Mars and Walk The Moon. Had a great natter with the guitarist afterwards. Being  (I guess) in his sixties, we could talk easily about our musical tastes. He'd had a whole life in music, working in London studios, first as a tape op and then carrying out production work etc. Actually, he thanked me and the missus for 'getting the party started' (we love a boogie, we do!). They had all been professional musicians.....and it showed.
We will probably head back down towards the end of October (we must see Broadstairs) but not before a return to Hope for August Bank Holiday and then Menorca in September for our first holiday abroad since Covid.

I live in Ramsgate. Goody's is a great brewery and their brewery tap is indeed lovely. Did you miss The Butchers' Arms in Herne? If you come down this way again, let me know and I can guide you to some other great spots.

Quote from: Thenop on July 16, 2023, 06:46:14 PMHave a trapped nerve in my neck vertebra, C8, which is I am told the lowest in my neck. So, coming Wednesday I am in hospital where they will see what it looks like from the inside with X-ray and then either from under my collarbone (if possible) or otherwise from the back of my neck stick a long needle in me and warm it up or with a bit of bad luck (depending on the position) shoot me up with steroids. Not looking forward to it but hey, I hardly sleep due to the shooting pains in my left arm so I'll give it a go.

Not sure why I am grumpy about it now, it is 3 days away and normally I do not get worked up over things I cannot control.

Have you tried an Osteopath or Chiropractor?

Bloody Garage... dropped the car in to get two front springs done at 8:30am. 3:30pm they have just started on it and may not be able to finish it before closing time. Bloody stay late then you tits!!!!

The USA are using Ukraine (and have been for years) as the 'next excuse' for rinsing western taxpayers to support the Military Industrial Complex. The MINSK accord set out guidelines for Peace. The US/CIA destabilized Ukraine and Zolensky is their glove-puppet. The Donbas is the Eurasian version of Palestine. The USA pushed and pushed against previous anti-expansionist agreements so Putin pushed back, first with Crimea and then with the invasion. Putin is obviously a nut job but I don't think he is ultimately responsible for where we are now, it's been a long-game to keep the shareholders of Haliburton / Raytheon / Lockheed-Martin / Carlisle etc. rich. They also need to smash it up some more so they can secure contracts to rebuild it all! Where's Julian Assange when you need him?

Excellent Roger Waters gig last night at The O2....

Have a snooze at 6:30....

The continued fallout from the Truss / Kwarteng episode..... each 0.25% interest rate rise costs me £2k per annum.... 

Quote from: Fishy on February 23, 2023, 10:46:58 PMBuilding a vcsa 7.03 on VMware workstation

Wish I had a clue what that meant.... Congratulations anyway!!   

Quote from: pxr5 on February 16, 2023, 01:22:25 PMWe've been trying to get our tenant out of our rented house since last June. It's all quite complicated, and too much to try and explain here, but we're at the stage where we need to go to court now and ultimately get the bailiffs in. All at our expense of course.

I feel your pain. The headlines are all about evil landlords but some tenants really take the piss!!

A friend of mine has restaurants in London and he has a really talented Sommelier on his team.

Chatting to him was a revelation. Whilst they do go for serious estate bottled wines at stupid prices he told me that supermarket wine can be really good.

His main advice was to check that the label said 'Imported by' only. Most wine is imported in tankers and then bottled here and they only list a postcode "Imported by such and such and bottled at WS7 8RD etc.

Portuguese and Spanish Wines are more often bottled at source. Aldi have a Douro wine called Animus. There is now a cheap version and a reserve one. The cheaper one is only £5 and the reserve is £7. It's really good. I had an utter wine snob praising it and he couldn't believe it when he found out it was £5 from Aldi!!!

Tesco has a £5.50 range called 'Campaneo' with a Garnacha and a Tempranillo.

I just love getting a decent bottle of plonk for under £6.00. Favourite wine at the moment is also from Tesco and is again a Spanish one, it's called 'Mucho Mas'

Quote from: Fishy on February 14, 2023, 09:11:57 AMHad the misfortune to see some of The One Show  last night with Alex Jones going all wet about the return of S Club 7.. 'kin hell..

..... Yes!!! God she is such a SAP!!! Everyone is her 'Favourite' and how you can use the word 'Classic Hits' when describing S-Club 7 is beyond me? The only saving grace is that I always thought Tina and Rachel would age well and they have.... 

I am really lucky to live in Micropub Central here in East Kent. If I go out of my door I have a micropub 250 yards away in both directions, The Pub Ramsgate and The Hovelling Boat. Slightly further are The Artillery Arms and The Ravensgate, then we have The Montefiore. For a cheaper pint we also have the largest Spoons in the universe although thanks to Tim Martin being an utter twat I try not to go there. We also have a huge number of local breweries including GADDS which is owned by Eddie Gadd who helped develop the beers for the 'Firkin' chain in the 1990's. If you liked some of the Firkin Beers you can get them from Gadds. Here are some links for any beer enthusiasts.
http://www.ramsgatebrewery.co.uk/                       
http://www.northdownbrewery.com/
https://shivering-sands-brewery.business.site/?utm_source=gmb&utm_medium=referral
http://www.wantsumbrewery.co.uk/
https://www.timeandtidebrewing.co.uk/
http://www.goodyales.co.uk
http://www.hopfuzz.co.uk/
https://www.madcatbrewery.co.uk
http://www.flocbrewing.com/
https://canterburybrewers-distillers.co.uk/product-category/our-beers/

Quote from: Slim on February 09, 2023, 11:06:10 PM

Quote from: Nick on February 09, 2023, 08:53:59 PMBoris wants Ukrainian Eu membership!

Ukraine's exactly the sort of country that it might benefit, at least in the short term. Good call. But NATO membership would do them a lot more good.

I can think of another that could benefit......... It's politicians would need to get their heads out of their arses first though....

Filling the bird-feeders in the garden in the company of my ridiculously cute Granddaughter...

I consider myself pretty 'woke' but not in the casually pejorative way. I am however utterly flummoxed by how all of this 'diversity' which ALWAYS existed, has become a semi-industry, especially with HR departments. I'm sorry but it reeks of positive discrimination. I am all for EVERYONE being treated equally, fairly and with respect but it's making people scared of their own shadows. Being aware of religious festivals and sensitivities, fine, but things get so conflated sometimes... I am glad I don't work in any kind of hierarchy or corporate environment. I would be tearing my hair out. I don't care whether you are a he/she or a they/them but I do feel for women who have to share staff toilets with Dave from Accounts in a dress!!! it's all so tiring.....