DJ360

Everything can be turned into a business opportunity. I'll say no more here but there's a certain thread where I can rant on about it all day..

It's a hard one, but although I was pretty much forced into uni in my 30s as the only realistic way to repair my own past mistakes, I've never regretted going. It led me to almost 30 years in a job I loved and where I think I may have done some good. It also gave our kids a practical demonstration of the value of education when they were small. Both followed in our footsteps and are now doing well. There's a definite 'pragmatic' side to getting the highest qualifications you can if it helps in your working life, but there's also something satisfying in seeing if you can do it.

On leaving education, there were still 'Easter Leavers' when I started in Careers. It was an option as I recall, depending on date of birth. Utterly stupid to go through 11 years of education and to do as everybody did then, GCSE courses, only to leave a few weeks before the exams. Obviously if there as a job available it made it a more difficult decision, but I'd have thought a decent employer would wait a few weeks. Then I'd get parents calling me up saying little Johnny had been offered a job but was officially in school till whenever. Could he leave and take the job? I had

Congrats to both couples from me. It's 47 years here. Nonna, keeping pupils down for a year does happen here but it's not general policy as far as I know. It's sometimes called 'back classing' I think it's usually done when some factor such as illness, late admission etc., has hampered progress.

In an invigilating situation I suppose you need to maintain that level of formality and 'Miss' saves messing about with surnames etc... Unless you're a bloke, when Sir is probably better.. (mostly.. ) When I worked in schools I wanted the students to understand my role as being a bit different to teachers, so I told them I'd respond to Colin or Mr B*********, but not to 'Oi you!'. Seemed to work well. And in the Special School where I worked almost until I retired it wasn't unusual for some of the more extrovert kids to 'high five' me or even offer a quick handshake if we me

Here you go!!

I'm hoping this turns into a result. Battery on my 3 year old Smartphone is dying. Takes all day to charge and goes flat quickly. So. Looked online for vids how to fix it. It's a Samsung A3 2016, which has a glass back which is glued on. Anyway, seems straightforward enough. Battery £7, double sided tape to stick glass back on (Special narrow stuff for phones) £1.70. and a set of assorted plastic and metal tools for prising and generally poking about without causing damage.. 3 quid. All from Amazon. If it all works out I make that a revitalised phone for under 12 quid. Ha

Just an update on my 'itch'. Still itchy but much less intense than it was and for the first time in weeks I didn't actually wake up itching. Last night I had a 15 minute soak in a 'colloidal Oatmeal bath' and it worked wonders. Definitely not a cure, but a huge help in calming my skin. There's quite a lot about it online and people like Aveeno charge loads for it and do various lotions with oatmeal. I just wanted to try the oatmeal alone. Aveeno charge about £12 for 8 small sachets and I couldn't find a local supplier anyway. So I made my own. Basically it's just oat

Them's the ones Brew! Now.. what were they called? ;)

Think this is probably the right thread for this. We can test Ben's memory and mine at the same time. Was thinking about the old Marsden's store on Andover Rd and the sort of things they used to stock. Those cylindrical loaves of bread with moulded lines all around. 'Milk Loaf'? Big round flat bread things which in my memory were about the size of a dartboard. Again, moulded in lines so they could be broken up into small 'cobs'. No idea what they were called. Ben mentioned a 'Roy Lander' above. That name rang a bell. not the Roy. just the Lander, or Lande

I had a small itchy patch below my right eye, level with my nostril but well away. Doc tried several things and then said 'Aahh!!' and prescribed Bactroban Cream. This contains an antibiotic called Mupiricin. Did the trick in a couple of days. Not sure what the 'Aahh!' was about though...

The only part of me that doesn't itch is my face and.... Everywhere else just touching the skin can set it off. Just went in shower to wash off the prescribed c**p that I'd given another chance earlier. In places, just the water hitting the skin was enough to sting, or itch. The other night I went to bed and tried to relax. Something like a wasp sting started on the front of my right shoulder. Quick scratch.. went away then came back again.. and again.. for hours. This keeps happening all over and little 'hive' type lumps that aren't red, just appearing anywhere and everywhere,

On here. A few minutes ago. Took longer than I thought

You may well be right Margie. You have a message.

I've been using some out of date Fucibet, which contains Betamethasone Valerate, but also an antibiotic called Fusidic Acid. but a bit cautiously and only on worst areas. The stuff the Doc gave me is basically just grease with a bit of menthol, so it's not what you'd call 'pharmacologically active', like Betawotsit etc. I'll be dicussing this with the Doc on Monday.

Itchiness no better. Woke up especially uncomfortable this morning. So, decided to give the prescribed cream another go. 'Dermocool' or summat. Stinks of Menthol and is very greasy, but I was desperate. And anyway I don't think my skin is dry anymore as I've used enough 'Lard' of different types to keep a Chippy going for months. 90 minutes in and I don't think it made any more difference than just taking a cool shower. Also I'm sick of grease transferring to the few clothes I'm really comfortable in. Been washing and drying the same few things by the minute. So,

Hope you feel better soon Nonna. And Ben.. I think a pair of Jesus Sandals and Cargo Shorts down to your calves, (no socks.. obvs...) would look fab with that nice black blazer, check shirt and tie you like so much.

P.S. I usually add a Bay Leaf or two while cooking the mince and take 'em out before 'building' the pie.

My method. Use best mince available. Brown the mince really really well, as in... until it starts to 'catch' on the pan. When it does, add a little water and repeat. Do this several times to get rid of any 'offall type' smell and encourage beefiness by caramelising the mince. Cook mince with carrots, onion and stock (or a stock cube) for as long as you can.... You could add celery or whatever if you want. Finally adjust colour with a bit of 'gravy browning' if desired and thicken with a bit of wheat or cornflour. Be careful with seasoning as stock cubes and gravy browning con

I don't recall much of what I read, but I do believe that Aubrey Beardsley was an influence.

If yer've ever done a three hand 13 skin spliff on the back of a couple of album covers...... you should 'dig the Ganja And yet.. 'How long shall the wicked reign over my people'.

Early Marley Late Marley Dig!!

Spent a couple of interesting hours today with friends at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool looking at the exhibition covering Charles Rennie Mackintosh and those who were his influences and contemporaries. Fab stuff.

Diggin' on the new patois! The itch is heading for seven years at this rate and the Virgin's still out of sync. Another look when the Lyle's is patching.

No simple answers to this.