Ryobi Pole Pruner

I needed something to help cut the higher branches in our garden that were hanging over the fence from our neighbour’s garden. A ladder wouldn’t cut it as I’d need to constantly make sure that I was in position as well as having to saw from a height. This new toy made very light work of it, and I got carried away afterwards and used the saw to cut the branch into smaller manageable pieces for disposal. I was a bit nervous about using a power tool like this at first, but once I’d put it together I was itching to have a go. I had to wait for a dry day before I could get round to cutting something as I wanted to make sure that everything was present and correct before the returns window ended. It’s quite heavy to use but in short and sharp bursts you can make cuts quickly, easily and professionally.

Not Your Best #wootton 8

You don’t expect to be on camera all the time, and you can’t go round everywhere all done up. You’d just never get anything done. Still, I suppose that’s what a model’s for. But it’d be nice if you could see and approve the photos that others take of you before they’re published. Sometimes there just isn’t enough time to pose for another or to show you the results as you need to keep living. You’ll be portraying something that you don’t necessarily want everyone to see. Your hair and posture might not be in the right place, and your clothing may need a brush and tidy. Others who are ready may even glamourise themselves at your expense. Who knows what your wandering hands are up to? Are you hiding something or have you been caught scratching an embarrassing area? It’s a completely unflattering image. But at least technology is having a good go at changing all this.

 

Fast Food

‘Where are we going now?’

‘Don't worry about that. Look at the mess you're making with your food.’

‘Are we going to the park now?’

‘We've got to buy some of the things that we've looked at. And then we're going to see Nanny and Grandad if they’re well. Then we'll all go to the park together.’

‘Yay.’

‘But only if you’re good. If not, you'll have to go straight home’.

‘Can we have pizza for dinner?’

‘ No, sweetie. We're eating out right now, so I'll be cooking pasta tonight. We're going to watch that film that Auntie Carol bought you for Christmas.’

‘Oh, that's boring.’

‘How do you know, you haven't seen it.’

‘It's for babies.’

‘Well, she thinks you'd like it. She's going to ask you what you thought of it the next time you see her.’

‘But it's for babies.’

‘Well, I'll just have to put these chocolates that she brought with it away for another time.’

‘OK’

‘And after the film we’ll play some games and you can stay up as late as you want.’

‘Yes.’

‘As long as you're both good and there's no fighting or arguments.’

Duck Run #wootton 7

Grab enough footage and you could use this as a video game for ducks. Your mission is to swim down the canal towards the river where you can easily obtain food and frolic. Along the way, you can collect bread that people chuck into the canal. Occasionally, they’ll also chuck litter in that you have to avoid. There’ll be locks to fly over, and there’ll be boats to swim under unless you jump high enough or grab a power-up and fly over them. Then they’ll be parts that have been drained for maintenance that you’ll also have to time it right to glide over. Add a few fishermen with lines in the water to avoid so that you don’t get caught up in them, and a narrow stretch of path that forces you onto land to  jump over or dodge pedestrians and cyclists and you’ve got a good game. Add ramps and buoys for good measure.

The Shading #vampress 19

The villagers decided that the best course of action would be to block out the sun. They hadn’t seen much of it anyway, but if they could keep building a giant tower to create shade across the land, then their new goddess wouldn’t come to any harm whatever the weather. It would also restrict her movements at night unless she’d manage to find an alternative source of shelter, but their second objective was to tend to her every need so that she wouldn’t be tempted to so do. They’d also need food and sacrifices to keep her satisfied, though her growing size demanded an increase in these resources. It just depended on how big she would get. At least the attraction of the tower would bring more people into the town. Perhaps they could even install a secret trapdoor on a dark night to capture visitors who would not go amiss…

Starter's Orders #wootton 6

We’re gathered here just outside Stratford where the boats are starting to line up for this year’s race to the Avon! The captains are just waiting for their starting orders and the marshal is coming down the towpath to get everyone into position then the race can get underway. Conditions here at Wootton are good, although it’s not a sunny day it’s definitely not a wet one and there’s going to be little wind resistance for our boaters. I’m here at the first aqueduct where the race starts, and our boaters will have to navigate two bends before approaching the Edstone aqueduct, which is the longest cast-iron aqueduct in England. Once the boaters are on this 82-metre stretch, there won’t be many opportunities for them to overtake. After that they face a good five meandering turns before the final approach to the town centre. They’ll have to be quick on the locks if they want to get ahead.

Getting Stuck #dreamdiary 174

I’m on holiday in a sunny European country. I’ve rented a bike for the day. I’ve found a route that lets me cycle through coastal towns across the hills. I go further and further to see as many places as possible. My plan is to catch the train back but it’s getting a bit late. I’ve got no idea what time they run and my phone battery is getting low. But I don’t want to waste any more time waiting for a train when I could be on the road. I park my bike next to a Ferris wheel while I come up with a plan. I spy a small glass tunnel with a lid labelled train times and I decide to open the hatch and crawl through it. Next thing I know, I’m on a car inside the Ferris wheel! It’s quite a small car and there’s not enough room to stand up. Nevertheless, I get a good view of the trains.

Hop to It

Will it be similar to the Santa app? Will I be able to get a countdown of how long it is until the bunny comes out? Will there be songs from Easter land? Maybe there’s a celebrity voicing this character instead of its usual monotone voice. At least it’s got a British cartoonish voice, but that’s just for the introduction. Then there’s a little story with some musical backing, and sound effects, but the voice talks a little fast for people to keep up. You’d need a few more sound effects to keep little ones interested. It goes on for a fair while, but there’s more than one of them. There’s also jokes to listen to. But once you’ve gone through the options, it automatically exits without giving you the chance to explore any more options. I didn’t get the option to play the memory game as advertised. Perhaps that’ll be enabled closer to the season, though I don’t think I’ll bother coming back.

Where there's a Mike or Mole in the Ground... #wootton 5

You never know when there’s going to be a mine in the ground. You might have an inkling if you come across an entrance or a sign, but if it’s the explosive kind then you’ve got very little chance. Holes are a bit easier to find so long as you keep your eyes open and don’t trip into them, unless of course, they’re covered over as a booby trap. They’re more likely to be found near the coast, but we do have high hills in the midlands with a lot of caves. Holes don’t just occur naturally; they happen because something nearby has been disturbing the ground. Unless there’s a non-human force undergoing a mining expedition, but it’s more likely that Jack has been looking for natural spring water to make moonshine with… Maybe he’s come up here to look for new sources or make deliveries! At least the boat stands out with its artwork.

Mister Sunshine

He’s not someone that I’d recognise by name or face. He might have only had a glimpse of screen time when he was performing. Nevertheless, he’s still a friendly and approachable person. He’s got a bit of that ragged greasy hair look like he’s been on hard times. A blonde fringe crosses an oval face with a short nose and attentive eyes. Then there’s a green waxed jacket which rightly portrays that he’s from the shire. He has brown boots to match. He has a kind of Frank Gallagher look, only happier and chirpier and he’s not trying to scam you, initially anyway. He’s quite intellectual if you chat to him, and he’s always pleased to meet new people no matter what their background. He’s happy to go with the crowd if there’s some kind of plan, but if not he’ll go and do his own thing and meet up with everyone later. A true Worcestershire wanderer.

Cousin Jack #wootton 4

It sounds like a bandit who’s a relative of a pirate. He cruises the canal in his trusty narrowboat looking for other boats to raid and plunder. He has to do this in the dead of night when there’s no-one else around as his getaway vehicle isn’t exactly a speedy one, unless he’s somehow souped it up and he’s found a quicker way to operate canal locks. He’s also got the option of jumping off his boat to tackle pedestrians and cyclists on the towpath, and often has the opportunity to rob them then jump back on the boat and pull away from the shore unless they choose to jump in and chase him, in which case he’s armed with his cutlass. He could still have a parrot, though it’s more likely to be a cat since they haven’t got to jump far to return to land, though it would make better defence opportunities to train a swan.

"Truly great people in History never wanted to be great for themselves. All they wanted was the chance to do good for others and to be close to God."

 -Mohammad Ali.

People want to leave a legacy behind. It feels like they’ve done something good in the world. And I suppose when you’re high up in the ranks you do have to reach high for your inspiration. But it must be for the right reasons. We’ve seen statues of town founders pulled down recently because they earned their fortune in the slave trade. What they thought was right then isn’t right now, but it’s still a part of history. What’s good for one person may not be good for another. Someone might condemn what others perceive to be acts of greatness. And of course, people do misunderstand each other, but sometimes the act comes too late to forgive. There’s also a sense of greed. Everyone wants some fame and recognition, but people often utilise the wrong method to achieve this. There are people who do selfless acts to share happiness, but they’re hard to find these days.

Hanging Around #wootton 3

I wonder if this crane is still in use? There's plenty of pallets nearby to suggest the affirmative, but it would mean that the aqueduct would be blocked during the loading process. And with the height of some of the tunnels, you'd only be able to sail so far. The only use I can think of is to deliver coal to the nearby farmhouse, though they’re probably all fitted out with generators or wired up to the National Grid by now. It could be used to hoist gas canisters on and off the boats it there's nowhere for them to moor up. It's there for more of a historical memento now, though if an ill-timed misdemeanour occurred then I'm sure that the local council wouldn't hesitate to take it down. The bridge itself looks well-built and doesn't show any sign of rust. I wonder if it's ever leaked. I like the fact you can walk alongside the bridge while still being on the footbridge.

Pixels

It’s billed as an opportunity to reminisce about classic video game characters, but the plot is just too serious. The first twenty minutes of this film isn’t anything to write home about with characters that are too serious and predictable. There’s some teenage douches that takes competition too seriously which leads to unrealistic adulthoods and teased fantasies with few comic moments. There’s rivalry which has to be addressed later in the film for an exchange of co-operation. The action sequences are unnecessarily stretched out and are accompanied by musical montages alongside stereotypical American views. The only moment that made my chuckle was when one of the antagonists mimicked an old granny taking exercises. It was quite novel that they turned Manhattan into a battleground, though you’d think that it being a military operation they’d place some restrictions on civilian movements with the notice given. And you’d think that absolutely anyone could have manned the fourth car. At least that scene finished with a cool stunt, though anyone would think that that was the end of the movie. At least there was an interesting twist towards the end.

Power Up!

It’s an old castle in the middle of a field surrounded by woodland, but it still has to be connected to the national grid. I wonder what happens if the power just went down? There’d be no service. You could probably cook something over an open fire but that’s not the plan nor is it per health and safety conditions. But in the meantime, all your chilled food is getting defrosted so it’s best to cook it anyway rather than getting on the phone to order loads of takeaway food.. At least your guests won’t starve. You’ll have to improvise, especially if you can’t cook outside because there’s no light or it’s raining. You’ll have to break one rule to please another by starting a fire somewhere. Then you’ve got to keep everyone warm, dry, sheltered, and entertained. All of which can be done, but not necessarily using the methods that you’d expect.

 

Can dead family members see us from Heaven?

It’s an interesting concept. It’s probably well documented, and you can quote the bible and philosophical views but no-one knows for sure unless there’s a way to make contact, unless you’re dead and are reading this (in which case, hello!) . It’d be nice to think that someone’s watching over you and is doing their utmost to influence things to make opportunities come your way. It also makes you wonder if you should be on your best behaviour as they may have to report any misdemeanours to a higher power, or are simply shaming them which you may have to answer for later on. It could be a very long list! But from a scientific point of view, there is no afterlife. It’s just something that we hold dear in our hearts as we think of our departed ones, though we might send up prayers and ask them questions occasionally.

The Thin Forest #wootton 3

It was a bit of a climb bearing north-east through the forest, but once we got to the top it was the highest part of our walk. At the next junction we turned left and headed west where the forest began to thin out into a thin line of trees. The path then bordered out onto some fields where we continued west to re-join the canal. Heading south, we passed a small marina outside the Navigation Inn then walked to a small aqueduct over the main road. We continued south along the canal to where we first entered it, then on the lane we turned right which took us back to the main road. Here we crossed, where just opposite was a local farm shop. Continuing west, we got a lovely view of the weir as we crossed the bridge and returned to the car park. The whole walk was about four and a half miles.

 

Backgrounds & Beginnings

Everyone has to start somewhere. It's always interesting to hear how people get into things and what influences their decision. It might have been passed down to them or they could have jumped in at the deep end and conducted their own research, learning through trial and error. Or they may have been lucky enough to start at the bottom and learn through someone else’s experience while encountering come hard along the way. But if people are willing to help you out and keep you on track, then nothing’s stopping you. You've got to get a reputation by getting others to back you. And to do that you've got to showcase some skills. You'll have to think about the positives and negatives of everything you do. But the important thing is that you are seen to be doing something, even if it's a tricky decision that you have to stand by.

Elm Embers #wootton 2

We headed south on the canal towpath. On the opposite were some large trees that looked like silver birches but the colour of them suggested that that they could have been elms, perhaps the trees that the One Elm pub in Stratford is referring to. The canal bended round to the left so that we were now travelling south-east. After passing the marina, a footbridge allowed us to cross the canal and entered the field via a kissing gate. We then climbed north directly up the hill to the farm which hosts a café and restaurant. We followed the tarmacked path to the main road then turned left for a few paces. On the opposite side of the road was a wooden gate next to a stile. Here, we followed the grass track through the wood to an open field. We headed east along the trail through the middle of the field until it linked up with the adjacent wood on the left.

A Packet of Punch

I needed some sort of temporary system to help me keep my receipts in order. Since I was going to have a lot of them while I caught up with everything else, it made sense to sort them until I was ready to deal with them as the mug that I was using to store them in was getting pretty full and it would just make things a bit longer when balance day finally arrives. They are a bit on the flimsy side and it’s easy for receipts to topple out of them when they’re not stored upright. I would have liked to have some labels to write on them, but that’s just using more resources. Perhaps some paperclips would be better once I’ve found a binder to store them all in. It’s all a bit strange that I’ve gone to all this effort to sort something that’s just going to end up in the bin anyway. 

Junkyard Jeeps #wootton 1

We started our walk at the village hall just opposite the village pub. It wasn’t gated and we couldn’t see any signs stating that we weren’t allowed to park there so we gave it a go. From here, we headed back to the main road and turned right. We continued past a local shop which often displays interesting political headline views on their blackboard. Just before the pillar box, we turned right onto a cul-de-sac where a footpath begins beyond a wooded gate. This footpath took us into a field and through on overgrown cornfield with some abandoned antique vehicles piled up in the corner. We continued south to reach the River Alne, where allowed us to cross it and continue across another field to reach the back of a new housing development. Turning left, we followed a single-track road for a few yards then turned right onto a signposted footpath along a private drive to reach the canal. 

 

Bumper Cars #dreamdiary 173

I’ve just driven into the back of someone at a traffic light stop. They were waiting patiently at the lights and I didn’t manage to apply my brakes in time. I hit the little blue fiat fairly hard and it rolls forward a little way. The lights turn green and the hazard lights come on. Then I get out of the car to make sure everyone’s OK. We agree to drive around the corner to exchange details. Usually, you just record the damage and jot down each other’s details, but this guy has a pre-printed form that he wants me to complete. I agree to only supply a written statement alongside my contact and insurance details. I am not entitled to inform him of the reason for my journey. He tells me to go away and write one. I find a nice suburb but I haven’t got anything to lean on with my pen and paper.

Library Chat

 ‘Look what I've got on my screen.’

‘Cool, how did you find that? Send me the link. Quick before they see us.’

‘Did you bring the gear?

‘Yeah, but there's a guard walking around watching us, just go on a news site or something till he walks away.

‘OK, how do you log in?’

‘Shit, you need to join man. You'll have to go and speak to them.’

Where's Deano? Shall I ring him?

‘No, you'll have to go outside or they'll be on to you. Look, just go and walk round, man. Find a book or something and bring it back here so it looks like you're legit. Make it  a big one so you've got something to hide behind when we do the switch. Actually, get two. Try the history section so that we can say it's a school project. Let the guard follow you, he'll get bored when he sees you reading books. He might go downstairs then.

‘But what if Dino comes?’

‘You won't miss him. I'll just tell him where you are and he'll wait. I'll text you.’

‘But what do I do if the guard stops me?’

‘He ain't got no rights till he sees that you’ve done something wrong. So you say I ain’t done nothing and walk away.’

Shipston in Bloom

This isn’t what you’d expect to see on someone’s driveway in a residential street. Perhaps the occupant is an artist and they’re showcasing their work since there’s currently no options to take it to a gallery. The work could be in progress and they simply needed somewhere for it to dry or become weatherproofed. There are all sorts of private businesses here operating out of regular houses. Maybe they’ve organised a trail in the town to encourage people to get out and about in the fresh air. But since I’ve found out that it’s on a private road these theories don’t make sense as it would discourage others from visiting, although perhaps they wouldn’t have minded at the time to create a community spirit. So perhaps the occupants have purchased the work from someone else. Or, or course, they could have simply plucked it themselves from somewhere else since security is so lax at the moment.

Through the Curtain #titannabell 19

Back in the hallway, Polonius had arrived to rotate the guards for the next shift. They had orders to rotate every quarter as the clock chimed in the great hall which would be delayed as each guard travelled to their new position. He had noticed some mild trembling but took comfort that other guards would be closer to the source of the commotion and that no-one had raised the alarm, so he regarded them to be unnoteworthy and continued to follow the set protocol. However, when he arrived in the corridor, there was a good deal of masonry on the floor and no sign of any guard for him to relieve. The door was also on the floor and in its place was a curtain. Dare he peek round? Was one of his officers already investigating? It certainly felt a lot warmer on the other side of the wall. ‘Hello?’ he called.

Party Mix

It’s hard picking out songs for younger children. I had to go with modern pop songs and stuff that I’ve played at home which she knows and likes. I copied stuff from some of my CDs but I might have downloaded and paid for a few things for her too. There were a few Disney songs and some party songs. I’m sure that this was to put onto her iPhone to choose as a ring tone, or listen to while she’s out and about. She’s probably more likely to watch them on YouTube instead of listening to a random mix, though of course you can download a random mix. I sent the suggested playlist to my sister-in-law for approval. I wonder if she can do these things on her own now, or if she’s ever bothered to listen to these tunes? Has she deleted them or transferred them to her new phone and made her own mixes? Only time will tell.

Hiccups

I’m wondering if the speaker can produce a high-pitched noise in its usual monochrome voice. Will there be a series of chomps followed by some burps? Will I be able to shock it into caring them away? Or will it just have common sense and claim to have a clean bill of health? It could even be a computer error or a virus which makes it repeat itself. Or to make things more fun, it could be random as to when it has them. As expected, it’s stuttered speech which even asks me to scare it into a state of shock. Novelly, the second time I ask it, it pretends not to understand me. But it just seems to be the two outcomes. I just hope that I don’t have to unplug it to cure it or go out to buy it medicine. Or worse yet, create a piece of computer code that destroys the world…

Blind London

I was a bit annoyed with how this turned out. From the  sample book, there’s no indication of a reflection. It was just one big bold image that would be inspirational and encourages me to get out more and explore. It probably wouldn't have the full landscape effect in the book as it would look a lot smaller. I suppose that I should’ve taken it out of the binder and have held it up to the window, but the thought never crossed my mind. I was probably worried that I’d lose the image’s place in the catalogue. The lines of the reflected image are a paler font, which lets more light through. My nieces like it as they’ve visited a lot of the depicted landmarks so they recognise them. I mostly use it at night when it's too dark to see it anyway, or when the sun shines through on a warm day and I'm trapped inside an its pale scroll light background does nothing to block out the light.

Biggles Goes Forth

He likes to be larger than life. He’s a big chap with a round midriff who easily gets out of breath. He likes large meals and has a very round face with a chin and a button nose to match. Above those round cheeks is some short brown hair which has a fringe and a parting which is sometimes spiked at the end. he dresses causally but conservatively. Jeans and shoes are the order of the day. This is followed by a buttoned shirt, often in a flannel or lumberjack style, and a thick overcoat to match whatever the weather. He can be quite loud and bubbly and charming to strangers, but he also has a sense of entitlement and arrogance if he doesn’t get his way. He’s got his own small place and a horse to mind but he can’t seem to hold a relationship down, maybe because he throws his toys out of the pram a bit too often.