philmayfield

They've even taken our free TV licences away!

I don’t give to charities whilst the Government tax my pension. Also I don’t approve of the enormous salaries that charity heads are paid.

I think I’d rather catch Covid than drive through Milton Keynes!

We do similarly by having a meadow of around 4 acres. No spraying, no artificial fertilisers. A haven for insects and wild flowers. It is mown yearly to prevent the grass matting and the hay goes to feed cattle. As most land round here is farmed or used for horses, traditional meadows are a rarity.

For goodness sake give people at least two days off!

It'll have to be in the car park. Pubs take a dim view of bringing your own booze.

Probably still drinkable if the bottle has been on its side with the contents touching the cork to stop it contracting. Otherwise pour it down the sink and celebrate with a fresh bottle.

Is it the extreme luxury or an overrated fizzy drink?

‘The Repair Shop’ is the identical book as the one I bought my wife last year and she can’t abide the Hairy Bikers so their recipe book didn’t go down too well either. Not the most popular pig in the sty then! Much like my socks and a boring book on the history of Southwell. How I love Christmas!

Cats are Pagans.

I think he had a sales pitch in Kirklington before he moved to Southwell. I call in quite often and know his son Alex who now runs the business. I bought a Lotus Elise from them a few years ago

I didn’t reach terminal velocity fortunately!

I was alone. Just bruises on my palms. My lightning fast reactions prevented disaster. I just felt my nose and the bridge of my specs touch the tarmac. I was chuckling with relief when I walked through the front door.

I can’t remember the last time I had too much to drink. It must have been many years ago. Last Monday night I came back from the pub and tripped over the post at the end of the drive that holds the gate hook. I fell flat on my face but my outstretched hands avoided a catastrophe. I just felt the tip of my nose touch the tarmac. I’d only drunk one pint of Doom Bar in over an hour and a half.

Paul Haywood became Paul Haywood Halfpenny, presumably on marriage. He was the owner of Sherwood Restorations, classic and sports car specialists in Southwell. He died about five years ago. I knew him through my interest in sports cars. He was born in 1946. Could this be the person?

Might it have been Paul Haywood?

Have you ever met an honest car dealer - new or used? That trade seems to attract the dodgy types. Apologies to all the honest car dealers on this forum!

Countesbury Hill and the nearby Porlock Hill used to be motoring challenges years ago. Porlock is still a bit scary in a modern car especially on the descent.

I had a 3 litre Capri Ghia, white with black vinyl roof, in around 1974. It ran out of fuel on its first long journey at a dangerous bend on the very steep hill out of Lynton in Devon due to a faulty gauge. I got a lift in a passing car back to the nearest garage to get a can a petrol whilst my girlfriend was left to direct the heavy holiday traffic! She wasn’t best pleased.

Join the club.

The Pedant’s Revolt.

Maybe the temptations would be less. Who knows?

No Christmas tree goes up in this house until Christmas Eve and comes down as soon as possible after that. Christmas is a pain in the backside!

Intellect can be tested by examination. How do you measure altruism though? From my own experience of the parish and county councillors I’ve known they haven’t been the sharpest tools in the box. My local MP is Robert Jenrick. Need I say more?

They have to have a sense of altruism and public duty but there’s nothing like cash to attract the best brains.