Sunday 22 March 2015

Overheard at the New Inn, Clapham



Hotel Owner (an affable Australian): "Ah, Mr Dash."

Chairman: "I'm not Mr Dash, I'm Mr van Bergen, she is Dr Dash."

Hotel Owner: "I'm sorry, the booking for you both was in the name of  Dash."

Chairman: "Oh no. Hay, you haven't gone and booked the reservation in the name of your husband again, have you?"

Hotel Owner: "................er,......, er."

While in Clapham (Yorkshire) we were invited to a "Bring and Take", where village people (and I don't mean the 70's pop group) bring stuff they no longer want to the village hall and anyone can take it as a form of recycling. We got a small while teapot (which happened to have been donated by the New Inn, where we stayed), a genuine Yorkshire pudding baking tray and a full 5 litre tin of Autoglym.

Now I somehow suspect that an irate Clapham husband who wanted to polish his car will be asking his wife what has happened to the £30 tin of Autoglym that had been sitting in his garage for the last ten years....

The Bring and Take had a strange feel to it. The natural reaction is to browse and not take anything, as it goes against the grain to not have to pay for something. Managed to overcome the reaction, but it would have been easier had the owners not been stood behind the tables of (in their view) junk. Hay wants to replicate the event at Old Sodbury Village Hall, but would insist the owners of the items come from behind their tables and mingle with the crowd.

On the way up to Clapham we were listening to Woman's Hour on Radio 4. Nicola Sturgeon was bemoaning the fact that sanitary towels had VAT charged on them when they were necessities and not luxuries. I think she's unaware that since 2011 the VAT is only 5%, unlike men's razors (an item of necessity for men, and some women), which are VATted at the full 20%. Silly woman!

On the way back the M5 was closed between junctions 8 and 11, adding two and a half hours to the return journey. Got back in time for the England - France rugby match.

It's my 60th today - looking forward to lunch with the family.


8 comments:

Alan Burnett said...

Happy birthday Phil, perhaps we can eventually meet up for a pint during your next 60 years.

Chairman Bill said...

Most surely, Alan. Bloggers live forever!

Roger said...

Happy birthday sir, may you have many more.

Chairman Bill said...

Cheers Roger

Chairman Bill said...

Cheers Roger

Chairman Bill said...

Cheers Roger

Steve Borthwick said...

Many happy returns CB and keep up the good work!

Chairman Bill said...

Thanks Steve.