ken dodd's death

I've always liked Ken Dodd when growing up. Not keen on a lot of the songs, and can't stand the diddymen, but l loved the non stop jokes, and his single 'Happiness' was one of the first songs l remember. I still like it and it's a fine motto to live by. Loved the fact he stayed in Liverpool, rather than moving south as soon as he became famous, unlike The Beatles (although l also love them).
I was tickled by him years ago (with his tickling stick) when he opened a shop in The New Strand in Bootle, and myself and some friends were planning on seeing him live later this year, ironically, to catch him before he died. That's now out of the window, but at least l've got this little beauty below, signed by him later in life.
We won't see his like again.

toodle pip

mr parrot unscrewing his climbing frame

To say that Mr Parrot is a clever little sod would be an understatement. He watched me putting his climbing frame together, and here he is is taking it apart again. Since then, the screws have been tightened up so he can't manage to do it again, but he is now pissed off.

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the new chip shop in catterick and jethro tull

Well, l finally managed to drag myself in and try out the new fish and chip shop in Catterick (149 at 36 Richmond road). It was nice enough (fish, chips and curry sauce), and l got another menu for the collection, but l am bought to my (what little there are of them) senses every time l buy stuff nowadays, as l still expect fish and chips to be about £2.50.
That's what you get for being an old git and living in the past (as Jethro Tull would say).
Also, l know they probably think the foods cooked better if they do it to order, but if l go into a fast food place for a takeaway, l want it ready immediately, which wasn't the case here. Fast food should be the giveaway clue.
I'm not just an old git - I'm an impatient one.

And here's Jethro Tull - Living in the past



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pot growers given away

This made me chuckle.

From JB Barrington's twitter feed (obviously).

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'spider' on the settee

This certainly freaked me out the other night. Mr Parrot had been pulling at the throw on the back of the settee while l was watching football on the TV, and it made it look like there was a big spider on it when l turned around.

To say l nearly crapped my pants would be an understatement. 

toodle pip

diversion in the snow

Snow has arrived again around these parts, but let's hope it's not as bad as it was last time for the people who live in Penrith or Threlkeld. This is the diversion they had to take about a month ago when the road between them was unpassable.

Bit of an inconvenience if you had to travel between them to work.

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mmmmm........onions

When l make a cheese and onion sandwich, l don't go easy on the onions!

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

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bob taylor 1981 testimonial programme

I know l've collected a lot of crap over the years, but sometimes l amaze myself.

Found this while sorting some old boxes out. A programme for Bob Taylor's 1981 testimonial year, signed by him on the front.

Two things about this. l don't like cricket at all, and l have no idea where l picked this up from.

I've also found  a signed snooker programme which l might put up later, and l also have no clue where that's from.

Methinks l may need some help.

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family guy's great job

Family Guy still has the ability to make me laugh out loud at some of their madder moments, and this is an fine example from the other day.
Probably the best job in the world.



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dulwich football club, blake morgan and greendales - plus pressdram v arkell

I've got no affiliation with Dulwich Hamlet Football Club, but they have been going for 125 years and are in dispute with their landlords, who would probably like them to bugger off so they can sell the land (all praise capitalism!!).

So, in comes a solicitors letter from Blake Morgan, saying that Greendales IP LLC (The Company) have gone and trademarked Dulwich's name and website names, and they should stop using them when promoting themselves online or in print.

What a bunch of fucking bastards to do such a thing, even if it will be hopefully thrown out when contested, and Blake Morgan should be ashamed of themselves for taking the case on.

As a football fan and supporter of 'The little people', l say "Rise up!!!!  Direct action!!!!".  Make the bastards regret doing this. But obviously in a non violent way, as l would never condone such tactics.

They should use Private Eye's Pressdram v Arkell defence (below)

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sex dolls

I've nicked this from one of my niece's (Hi Hayley) Facebook posts, as l found it pretty funny.

Remember - the sex dolls are coming!

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old school football

I was flicking through some old football magazines and annuals the other day, and thought about this front cover of Charles Buchan's Soccer Gift Book, featuring Bobby Charlton of Manchester United. Look at the determination to get the (old leather) ball, despite being blocked off. Nowadays someone in his shoes / boots would be writhing around on the floor, clutching their face and pretending they had been elbowed, trying to get the other player sent off.
Pah! Modern bleeding footballers with their fancy coloured boots, beats headphones, tight shirts etc.
Don't get me started.

Also, despite me not liking Liverpool football club, here's the annuals back picture, featuring Billy Liddell. who used to play for them. He was my father's favourite player, and despite my advancing years, it was well before my time so I am unable to bear witness to how good he might have been, but l have heard others praising him over the years.

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don letts confirms l was ahead of my time - plus skinhead reggae music

Many moons ago when l was out and about in New York, l often used to wear a green hat that looked a bit like a tea cosy. l was mocked by some of the people l was with for wearing it, but what can l say - l had style.
This has recently been confirmed when watching a Don Letts programme on the BBC about Skinhead culture. It was interesting and well presented by Don, but the main thing that stood out for me was that he was wearing exactly the same kind of green hat l was wearing back in the day.
A man of good taste obviously.

Also, l've often argued about the original skinheads love of reggae and their openness towards blacks at the time. This obviously changed for later skinheads, but here's some top reggae tunes that the skinheads used to like that l used to play constantly when driving my sister and her daughters about (and no - l'm not a skinhead or racist).

John Holt - Ali Baba



Dave and Ansell Collins - Double Barrell



Toots and the Maytals - Pressure Drop



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the washing machine is fixed!

Hurrah!
After my post on Feb 15th about breaking the door of the new washing machine, l purchased a replacement part from ebay (below), and managed to dismantle the door and fit the new catch myself - with no instructions. Looks as though it would be easy, but it took a while, and was trickier than expected, trying to get my small rod into the hole (fnaaaar!!).
Works like a dream now, but l have had to throw away the chopstick l was using to open the broken door, as it snapped in half while trying to do so.
It was a decent one with patterns that l have had for years so it is a bit of a shame, but being a sad bastard, l will keep the remaining one as a souvenir.
Just what l need, more bleeding junk / interesting items around the house.

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keith richards funeral

I will never get to go to Keith Richards' funeral (if he ever dies), but at least l've got close.
Hence the evidence from Monday.

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the addams family home in colour

This just does not look right. A colour photograph from inside the home of  The Addams Family.
Because l've always seen it in black and white on the old TV series, it seems weirder than usual. However, l did notice they have the same Hookah pipe as me (the green and red thing at the bottom of the picture). My one's from Turkey).

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singles as artwork

More interesting stuff that l've had for a while. 

Fancy getting one of your favourite songs re-imagined as a cool piece of art?

In that case, head to Tolhurst Vinyl Art, where plenty more examples like these can be found.

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wildlife photographer of the year 2017

I've had these photographs for quite a while now. They are my favourite ones from The Natural History Museum's 2017 Wildlife Photographer Of The Year, but I never got around to posting them.
Until now!

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charity shops heaven

Oh boy Oh boy - l struck lucky last week with my charity shops visit. Some of these books l have already read or have in different translations, and a lot of the cds l have copies of, but l nearly wet myself with excitement at finding this load of goodies.

As usual, all l need now is more time off work, and a bigger house to store all of my crap.

If only l could find this kind of stuff every time l went a searchin'.

                                             

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the kiddie alarm clock

The Boro kids love me, but it's not so good first thing in the morning when you wake to this sight at an ungodly hour, followed by non stop attention from them.

Sometimes it's a curse being funny.

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mr parrot's new stand

Hmm...Mr Parrot's new stand is a bit bigger than l thought it would be.

Still, he loves it now, so it will be staying

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the broken washer drier

Damn!!

My old washing machine finally packed in  a couple of weeks ago. This, despite the fact that when l noticed the drum wasn't spinning, it received a kick from me to make it work. This method was fine for a while, but it then started tripping the electrics, which even l thought may not be a good thing.

So, it was left outside, taken the next morning at 8am by the scrap men, and a new washer drier purchased.

All well and good, but l thought l'd switch the new machine on for a quick first wash with no clothes in it, and then noticed there were pipes left inside the drum. I stopped the machine, tried to open the door too fast, and promptly broke the door handle off. All before it had even washed any of my clothes.

Luckily l can still open the door using a broken chopstick (don't ask), and the machine is working fine.

Now l've got to decide whether to fix it or continue as l am.

Let's face it - the door will be like this for some time.

toodle pip

iphone x advert

The recent advert for the iphone x is doing my head in.

Sure, the woman in the advert is very attractive, the song is very catchy (All Night by Big Boi), and the singing animojis are cute, but there's something that's been really bugging me.

What the hell is the animoji on the right?

It just looks like a lump of poo - and don't try to convince me it's meant to be chocolate ice cream.

Bloody youth of today / what's the world coming to / wouldn't have got away with this when l was a lad ... blah blah blah blah etc

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ladies who lunch

One of the downsides of working with a load of women - getting dragged out for lunch!

Ah well, at least it's an addition to my ongoing collection of pilfered menus

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teeside training instructions

I had to go to Stockton a week or so ago for some training, to a place l hadn't been before.

These are my rather untidy instructions that l put together the night before (at about 2am!).

It may look like gibberish to the ordinary layman, but they make perfect sense to me.

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