Aardvarks & Maffi's Boat

PAY-PAL

2009-11-11T17:49:00.001Z

There are times when I want to do someone real damage. I do not, nor have I ever had a Pay-Pal account. I have managed to get by without one.

Yet every once in a while I get an email telling me I must verify my account. I write back and tell them I do not have an account. Some smarmy bastard then writes and says, “Hello It it my job to help you with your query and it will give me the greatest pleasure to do that here today”. Then they go on to explain how I should go about verifying my account.

It is at this stage I throw my teddy out of the pram and explain in no uncertain terms, with more expletives than most people know, why I hate them. We bat back and forth for a weeks or so and then they piss off for a couple of months.

They are back now with a new weapon. Obviously they dont want my usual tirade so they sent this latest email from a noreply@paypal.com address. How dumb is that?! I am still going to throw my teddy out of the pram using the last email addy I have.

If they dont want to hear my tirade all they have to do is leave me alone. It aint rocket science!

Lunch with the man

2009-11-11T16:55:00.001Z

Today I had a spot of lunch with the creator of MUDDY WATERS Dan Clacher. We had never met before even though I have been pushing his books on this blog. I am the good looking one on the right. Very interesting to hear how it all came about. The future for Muddy seems assured. Dan has entered into a dog eat dog world since retiring. But having been an Assistant Chief Constable in a former life I think he’ll cope. Reviews are good and the books are selling well. More books are in the planning stage so we can expect new stories soon.

Dan ‘twas good to meet at last. Thanks for the lunch and the ‘Package’. Best of luck with the project.

MOORING METER

2009-11-11T12:00:00.000Z

You may or may not believe it but this is dual function meter. It is a parking meter yes but press the yellow button and you can pay for your mooring too. You can if you wish find this meter upstream of Henley Bridge down stream of Marsh Lock on the west side of the river opposite Rod Eyot. From what I understand mooring is free between 10 am and 3 pm and over night mooring is 6 quid.

Taking you taking me, Ah ha

2009-11-11T10:00:00.002Z

This is, I think, somewhere near Marlow. I took this pic of him taking a pic of me, well the boat..

SELF SERVICE

2009-11-11T08:00:00.002Z

I do rather like the new signs at Thames Locks to tell you when the look keeper is not in attendance. When these originally came into being they were just yellow discs that showed white when folded up. ‘Yellow boards’ on the river meant something completely different so the yellow discs were confusing. Of course I could never remember if it was yellow that meant DIY or White.

What is needed now is a commonality of where they are placed. On the gates is no good because if the gates are open you cant see the discs so you dont know if it is DIY or not and it is not always safe to say if the gates are open the keeper is in attendance.

They could be placed on either side but it would be better on the control consul side so that where there are moorings both sides of the lock entrance one can chose to moor on the side nearest to the controls rather than having to open the gates then cross over the gate at the other end to fetch the boats (it’s not always easy to see the consul location, them being green). I think this one is right, that's the consul in the left background.

A Castle?

2009-11-10T18:29:00.001Z

No not a castle but holiday flats would you believe.

It’s not hard

2009-11-10T18:06:00.001Z

This was at Shiplake pump out station.

Such a shame the customers cant read.

Want one!

2009-11-10T17:14:00.001Z

Resign Brown NOW!

2009-11-10T16:55:00.001Z

Gordon Brown may well be a much maligned man but he is doing nothing to help the situation. His recent response to the mother of a fallen soldier shows him to have as much heart as bulls have udders.

I don’t think we would blame UK’s No1 blunderer if he said,’I am sorry, I mean no disrespect, but I have terrible hand writing so I am writing this on my laptop to ensure my sincerity is not mis-read.’

But no he blunderers on and even tries to hoodwink the soldiers mother on the phone. What ever credibility Gordy had is now well down the plughole.

Resign Brown NOW.!

A nice project

2009-11-10T13:04:00.001Z

I love boats like this. Shame it’s derelict. Could make a nice restoration project.

About my leg.

2009-11-10T12:54:00.001Z

If you have ever snapped an Achilles tendon you will know what I mean when I say I would rather have broken my leg.

It has been 4 months since my accident. Repair has been a painful process. The op wasn’t too stressful but the not being able to put a foot on the floor or 5 weeks was really difficult. Physio though tiring was effective and continues to be so. I can actually balance on that leg only which is a vast improvement from my last visit. I can do most things that I used to do, this morning I even ran a short distance.

I am now completely signed off from the JR. For the first time in 2 years I dont have an appointment to go to at one JR department or other.

Gi’s a job!

Dumb, dumber, dumbest.

2009-11-09T10:16:00.001Z

I just love these guys. My ‘secret banker’ doesn’t want me to know his name yet signs his email. This must be a contender for the top 10 stupid crooks in the world.

Good Day,
This is a personal email directed to you for your consideration alone, I request that it remain and be treated as such only. Please bear with me for now and do not ask my name. I am a banker with HSBC here in Malaysia.

I have an interesting business proposal for you that will be of
immense benefit to both of us. Although this may be hard for you to believe, we stand to gain 7.2 million USD between us in a matter of days. Please grant me the benefit of doubt and hear me out. I need you to signify your interest by replying to this email.

Most importantly, I will need you to promise to keep whatever you learn from me between us even if you decide not to go along with me. I will make more details available to you on receipt of a positive response from you.

Noor R.B.Hamid

Watch this space!

Molly having a moment.

2009-11-08T19:26:00.001Z

All Saints Church MARLOW

2009-11-08T18:24:00.001Z

What/where/why?

2009-11-08T18:03:00.001Z

I can’t remember exactly where it was I saw this building. somewhere between Temple Island and Temple Footbridge. Is this a civil war building rebuilt or is it an old Abbey or is it a modern building made to look old

Not a good idea

2009-11-08T17:26:00.001Z

I saw this chap spinning for Pike somewhere near Temple Island. I asked him what he intended to do when he hooked into the big one? Waterskiing is what I thought he said.

Kidlington Green

2009-11-08T11:52:00.001Z

I was very happy to see this stretch of the canal has been cleaned up. Last year the weeds and nettles made it impossible to moor.

Old river route

2009-11-08T09:53:00.001Z

Just as you come upon Old Windsor Lock the river route branches off to the right around what is now Ham Island. These original river sections are very interesting. There are some some very ‘posh’ houses along the waters edge, wildlife is relatively undisturbed and of course the weir at the end. We usually only ever see the weirs from the top side, but it is nice to see the working side so to speak.

Word of warning:

The closer to the weir you get the more chance of getting stuck on a gravel bar.

Private Property

2009-11-07T22:17:00.001Z

It is surprising how possessive people can get about the smallest of spaces.

MUDDY WATERS

2009-11-07T17:58:00.001Z

This is the third in the series of books from the stable of Dan Clacher released this week. You can order yours here

Clifford T Ward

2009-11-07T14:14:00.001Z

Clifford T Ward was one of those rare songwriters that has never written a song. He only seemed to write the most amazing poetic stories that were easily set to music.

I bought this album Home Thoughts many, many years ago and it has been a favourite ever since though I have not got a record deck on the boat. Yesterday I finally found it on CD in the ‘Rock and Pop’ section whereas I had always looked for it in the ‘Easy Listening’ department before.

So today I sit here listening to it and reminiscing times past.

I am a bit disappointed that Virgin Records, who now own the copyright, couldn't be bothered to get it right. Though the title is Home Thoughts (as in the Browning poem Home thoughts from abroad) the disc itself is annotated Home Thought no 's'. However the recording is good and worth the eight quid price tag. .

This is the title track, enjoy.

Spill your blood but not our beer!

2009-11-07T11:51:00.001Z

In the UK we have laws. Laws which we have to obey. This is all part of the democratic process. There are two things that happen when you get to be 18.

1. You are legally allowed to buy alcohol in any establishment that sells it and consume it in those that are properly licensed.

2. You can die for your country!

We have boys as young as 18 fighting in Afghanistan and losing their lives. How dare the BOAT HOUSE in Wallingford refuse to serve these boys until they are 21! Yes I can see that underage drinking is a problem but this is not the way to deal with, it’s grossly unfair.

It is sad that a five year old and a young fighting soldier can go in this pub and both have to be accompanied by their mum. What a travesty! Does it count as family if Dad proudly takes his 18/19 year old son to the pub when he returns home from Helmand Province? Can Dad buy that son a beer?

I find it difficult to understand why the licensing department would put this restriction on a premises, I would have thought this would have come from a Magistrate’s Court. Surely the Licensing department would have had proper signs printed?

Addendum:- Having looked around at various sites listing pubs the comments/feedback for this pub are abysmal.

Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!

2009-11-07T08:30:00.001Z

I read in the paper today that those who are elected to look after our safety, morals, and integrity are proposing that children as young as five are to be taught about sex and drugs in our schools, irrespective of the parents wishes. What do these people think they are doing? This is so Wrong!

One could be forgiven for thinking that certain of our Lords and Masters are after producing in our schools a generation of sexually aware youngsters for their own nefarious purposes!

Our children are children for such a short time. Their innocence is a valuable part of growing up.

Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!

I was mugged

2009-11-06T19:47:00.001Z

Last year I fell and broke my watch. Earlier this year I did it again, one of the strap bar thingies broke when I tripped over a bollard at the Thrupp water point. A short while after I fell again and broke both the little strap thingies. The watch was consigned to the draw until I could get round to having it fixed. That was some six months ago.

Well while it was in the drawer the battery went flat. Today I took it with me to get the strap fixed and a new battery. A CR2016. I went to a nationally known High Street Jewellers in Corn Market Oxford.

“No problem Sir,” said the man, “£1 each for the pins and that’s a high power battery 850.”

Well I don’t know about you but I thought it was a 2016 not an 850 and so it was a 2016, 850 was the price, £8.50. I was stunned because we used to buy these batteries in Saudi markets for 50p a strip of ten. However we are not in Saudi any more and one has to accept a price the ~~robbers~~ err sorry, Jewellers think you will pay.

This evening I was surfing, as you do, and thought to enter the battery number into Google. Now I didn’t know there was a batteries4youdirect but therein I found cards of 12 Panasonic CR2016 batteries for £5.25 per card/45p each. Sold on for £8.50 each that’s £102, a mark up of 1950%.

Were I a big nationally known High Street Jewellers I could afford to buy lots and the price would reduce to £4.25 per card. That’s 35p each. Then I could make £8.15 profit for everyone sold, that’s a 2400% mark up.

There are words we use for this sort of ~~skulduggery~~ business ‘highway robbery’, ‘profiteering’, Corporate mugging immediately come to mind, even Sharkery (OK so I made that one up). This should be against the law. That’s the last time I go to a nationally known High Street Jewellers.

They are nothing better than crooks.

Addendum . . . the two pins and the battery came to £10.50 I told him I would give him a tenner which he accepted.

SHIPLAKE LOCK

2009-11-06T17:40:00.001Z

Aardvarks & Maffi's Boat

PAY-PAL **** **** **** ****

Lunch with the man

MOORING METER

Taking you taking me, Ah ha

SELF SERVICE

A Castle?

It’s not hard

Want one!

Resign Brown NOW!

A nice project

About my leg.

Dumb, dumber, dumbest.

Molly having a moment.

All Saints Church MARLOW

What/where/why?

Not a good idea

Kidlington Green

Old river route

Private Property

MUDDY WATERS

Clifford T Ward

Spill your blood but not our beer!

Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!

I was mugged

SHIPLAKE LOCK

PAY-PAL