philmayfield

The police divers have, this morning around 10.30, recovered bodies of a man and a woman from the car in the Trent. The car is yet to be recovered. No names have been released. The bodies were taken to the far side of the river, presumably away from potential onlookers, and driven away.

I had a boat called ‘Enterprise’ around time of the ‘Herald’ disaster. I’d just sold it and was sailing it downstream from Fardon Harbour to the purchaser at Newark Marina. It was the first trip of the season and I’d previously turned off the fuel tap when I’d winterised it. We got a few hundred yards downstream when the diesel engine cut out and we were drifting towards Kelham weir. Fortunately, on board, as well as my young son, was my friend Derrick, who at that time was chief engineer at Nottingham City Transport. He quickly grabbed a spanner and bled the diesel whilst I cranked the engine

There are horrific tales told of ‘The Sisters of Mercy’ in Eire and their treatment of children in their care. No doubt the psychologists would look towards assuaging their sexual frustration as the cause. There has been, and still are, a lot of dreadful deeds done in the guise of religion.

The Health and Safety at Work Act was derived from a report by Lord Robens on the Flixborough disaster in 1974. This was an explosion at a chemical works in north Lincs. I remember flying over there to view the wreckage which was unbelievable. I think the Act came out in around 1977 by the then Labour government. I remember being the one to implement the new rules at my company. We still complain about it but it is acted on with relish by petty officialdom!

It was quite common some years ago for schools run by religious people to inflict corporal punishment on the pupils. I think the Roman Catholics were the most vicious. A friend of mine boarded at Ratcliffe College near Leicester and he said the punishment administered there by the monks was virtually sadism. Even at Mellish, a non religiously affiliated school, the headmaster, who professed to be a god-fearing man, seemed to take delight in caning. His method of delivery was to run across his study each time he delivered a blow. Not to me though, I hasten to add!

This could be the final day of the winter weather. It gradually warms up tomorrow with temperatures rising to 13C by the end of next week.

The river level and the speed of flow have reduced substantially. It was well below the wall at Fiskerton at lunchtime. There's no further news in the village about it but I keep checking for updates.

There was a Hearty Good Fellow on the corner of Mount St. and Maid Marion Way. I think it’s an Indian Restaurant now.

Many chaps on here would envy you for having hair. Just attack it with the scissors. It soon grows back. I doubt you'll be making any formal public appearances until Easter at least.

It’s not a spectator sport BK!

When my hair gets a bit long I just grab it between my fingers, twist it round and chop it off. I’m not too worried about looking smart, just being comfortable. As I wear a cap when I go out in this cold weather I used the pudding basin method yesterday by putting my cap on and trimming of the bits that hung down.

It seems to be the first question asked now when you meet an acquaintance. “Have you had your jab yet?” The common side effects are a feeling of self satisfaction and smugness!

There is. I remember your remarks about white port when I said I had only seen it in Sweden. I would imagine the Yates's stuff was some gut rot concoction straight out of the barrel!

I went in Yates in Liverpool years ago. It made the one in Nottingham seem very tame!

I only ever went to Yates once. There was a fight on. It was like something out of a Wild West film. Someone was being beaten over the head with a violin pinched from the ‘orchestra’. Never went again!

I’ve accepted the offer now. I will bear her in mind for any future work though.

Have you tried lifting a seven foot 7” by 7” gatepost BK? I’ve done it before but I was a few years younger. Then there’s the two rotten posts to pull out. I do have a big farm jack but you’ve got to find something solid to attach it to. This is one for a couple of burly lads from Renn-uth. I’ve got to chainsaw back the hedge to give them room to work. It’ll be nice to have a free swinging gate again.

Rainworth Fencing came round to quote me for two field gate posts 7’x7”x7” plus remove and rehang the 12’ gate. Both posts are rotten and have to be extracted. They rang back with the price the same day and I received the written quote the next. They are talking 3/4 weeks but that’s OK. I guessed £500. The quote was for £240. I could do it myself but why should I bother!

Dunns. That's it. I remember parking there years ago when going as a guest of Mitsubishi for a day out at Chatsworth. Clay shooting and off road driving in Shoguns. I felt a bit guilty as I'd just bought a new Jeep Cherokee!

Same here. I've just ordered a large planter for the bottom of the drive. We're having a 'Bleasby in Bloom' this year as we've had to cancel 'Open Gardens'. We're all going to be making an effort to make the village look cheerful in these extraordinary times.

What was the ‘bus company on Nuthall Rd., somewhere near Embassy Tyres?

I don't think it matters BK. I did mine sitting up in bed but if you stand up it might go down quicker!

As far as I can ascertain, ‘different to’ and ‘different from’ are equally acceptable.

And there’s always fewer and less.

Another one: I'm of an age where, when I used to go to supermarkets, pre lockdown, I was addressed as 'darling' at the checkout. That really annoys me!