When considering a colour theme for a blog post, I was reminded of Groovin' with Mr Bloe, a 1970 hit that featured a harmonica played by Harry Pitch.
Now, as it happens, Harry Pitch also played the harmonica on the theme to Last of the Summer Wine.
Following on from yesterday's Art Deco theme, I was in Burton-on-Trent the other day and walked past this:
It's the Molson Coors brewery and dominates the skyline in the town centre.
Burton-on-Trent at one time bewed over a quarter of all beer sold in the UK. Currently there are 7 breweries operating there.
At its peak in the late 19th century, Burton-on-Trent was home to over 30 breweries, making it the brewing capital of Britain. The town’s natural water composition, rich in minerals ideal for brewing, attracted many brewing operations and led to the development of the famous "Burtonisation" water treatment process, which is adding gypsum to it.
Last week I had occasion to go to Enfield and, on walking through a business park, I spotted the building below:
A 1930s building in the Odeon Art Deco style. I was surprised, on walking round the rear, to find out it's now a Travis Perkins depot.
It is Grade II listed and was constructed for the Ripaults firm, which manufactured automotive electrical cables and components. Designed by A.H. Durnford around 1930-1936, it was an industrial building rather than a cinema, reflecting Art Deco’s influence on industrial architecture at the time. Ripaults occupied the site until at least 1973, after which it was used by MAN truck manufacturers before being taken over by Travis Perkins in 2015.
OK, it's not Odeon Art Deco, but purely Art Deco. It's just that so many Odeon cinemas in the 30s were designed in the Art Deco style and they were the most eye-catching examples. The classic Art Deco style of many Odeon cinemas across the UK was largely the work of architect Harry Weedon and his team. Weedon, an architect from Birmingham, took on the role of designing cinemas for Odeon founder Oscar Deutsch in the 1930s.
Weedon's team, particularly through the contributions of Cecil Clavering and other assistants, developed the Odeon's distinct look, combining Art Deco elements with a streamlined, modernist approach that created buildings both functional and visually striking. Characteristic features included sleek horizontal lines, geometric shapes, and use of materials like glass and chrome.
While Weedon led the design direction, it's worth noting that several architects contributed to the iconic Odeon style, making it a collaborative effort that resulted in some of the UK's most memorable cinema architecture.
There are many such buildings (not Odeon conemas) which are absolutely gorgeous. Below is the Hoover building in Slough.
The local council bin lorry has made a bit of a mess of our drive at the entrance. The bin men must have reported it to the department that repairs roads, as I found them filling the holes with tarmac.
I wouldn't exactly call it a good job. Perhaps they were hoping the bin lorry would tamp it down and smooth off the edges.....
Actually, a few days of cars trundling over it has tamped it down rather well.
On the strength of that, I may get a few bags of that cold lay tarmac to fill the other craters in our drive. I keep putting scalps in the holes, but they don't last very long and get pinged out.
Concrete would be best, but the constant traffic from 3 houses wouldn't give it time to cure.
At the Old Sodbury Village Hall we had an old tree that had died and become dangerous. The decision was taken to cut it down, but leave a stump suitable for a local artisan to carve.
And a damned good job he did too - even capturing the local Cotswold stone in wood.
While at Reading station on the way to Bournemouth to pick up a car I spotted a couple of books in the WH Smiths book stall.
Says it all really.....
I was delivering a car to Liskeard last week and, when in the customer's house, I spotted a photo on the wall with what looked like a Ford GT40. Below is a blown up section of the photo.
I enquired about the photo and the customer, a farmer, confirmed it was indeed a GT40 he'd owned many years ago when living in France.
The value of a Ford GT40 can vary greatly depending on its history, condition, and originality. As of 2024, original Ford GT40s are fetching between £2.5 million and over £7.5 million at auction. One of the most notable recent sales was a 1969 GT40, which sold for approximately £5.6 million. Models with significant racing history, or those that retain original components, can push higher into this range, while even the least expensive GT40s are still valued in the multi-million-pound range.
The GT40 market hit its lowest point in the mid-1970s. During this period, many collectors and enthusiasts were not as focused on vintage racing cars as they are today and the GT40 was considered more of an obsolete racing car than a valuable classic. Prices at that time were shockingly low compared to today's market - in some cases GT40s could be found for as little as £3,000 to £6,000 (£22,000 - £44,000 at today's prices).
Bet he wished he still owned it.
On the way there I saw this car in a service station.
The number plate is probably worth as much as the car.
Talking of number plates - saw these over the last few weeks.
I'm going to continue yesterday's thread but, before I do, Trump is in the news because his campaign team is up in arms about Labour Party activists campaigning for the Harris team. Someone pointed out that Farage has done exactly the same for Trump on numerous occasions in the last few months, even to the extent of speaking at Trump rallies, suggesting it was of value to his constituents in Clacton, who he has yet to see.
Back to the issue:
Some argue that colonialism provided long-term benefits to indigenous populations, which outweigh the need for compensation and reparations. They highlight economic and infrastructure developments, such as railways, roads, and administrative institutions that modernised many regions. Additionally, Western-style education, legal systems, and modern medicine introduced during colonial rule are seen as positive legacies that continue to benefit post-colonial nations today.
Proponents also claim that colonialism integrated indigenous populations into the global economy, opening access to international trade, capital, and ideas that fostered economic growth. Furthermore, the spread of global languages and cultural exchange is seen as having enhanced diplomacy, education, and commerce for formerly colonised countries. Ironically, colonial rule also sparked nationalist movements, fostering stronger national identities that led to independence.
The 'What did the Romans ever do for us' argument.
However, critics argue that these benefits do not outweigh the exploitation, cultural destruction, and human suffering caused by colonialism. They highlight the extraction of resources, suppression of indigenous cultures, and the devastating impact of forced labour and military repression. While infrastructure and development may have occurred, the primary aim of colonialism was often wealth extraction, making the demand for reparations still relevant, but perhaps not as large as the claimants demand.
Some argue that wealth extraction by colonial powers was not entirely new to colonised populations, as similar practices often existed under their previous rulers. In many regions, pre-colonial empires, kingdoms, or local elites also engaged in taxing their populations, seizing resources, and maintaining hierarchical systems of control. For example, powerful local rulers often exploited their own people or weaker neighbouring tribes through warfare, slavery, and tribute.
Proponents of this view claim that colonial powers, while extractive, sometimes replaced or co-opted these existing systems of wealth transfer and governance. They argue that colonial rule brought more structured administration, legal frameworks, and infrastructure that may have improved efficiency in governance, even if it still involved resource exploitation. In this sense, colonialism could be seen as a continuation of pre-existing systems of extraction, but with added long-term benefits, such as modernisation.
However, critics maintain that colonial wealth extraction was often on a far larger scale and primarily benefited distant imperial powers rather than local elites or communities. The concentration of wealth and resources flowing out of colonised regions to enrich European nations left lasting damage, while the scale of forced labour, land dispossession, and suppression of local economies intensified under colonial rule, making the comparison to pre-colonial systems insufficient to dismiss demands for reparations.
A bit more serious today.
It is deeply ironic that right-wing opponents of immigration would criticise an Aboriginal woman. Lidia Thorpe, for protesting King Charles III's visit, especially when her protest is rooted in opposition to colonialism rather than immigration itself. The very people who claim to defend national sovereignty and cultural heritage seem blind to the fact that her ancestors’ lands were taken by force, and her people subjugated under the very system of colonisation that the monarchy represents.
While they may argue that their patriotism is directed toward the modern monarchy, they fail to acknowledge the monarchy’s historic role in the oppression of indigenous peoples. This glaring hypocrisy reveals that their stance isn’t truly about defending heritage, but about preserving a version of national identity that conveniently ignores the colonial violence that shaped it.
The mental gymnastics involved in criticising Thorpe's protest are nothing short of astounding. These critics, who often rally against immigration under the guise of protecting "native" culture, fail to grasp the clear contradiction in their stance. On one hand, they argue for preserving "native" identity against perceived threats like immigration, but on the other, they dismiss the legitimate protest of an actual native—the descendant of people who were brutally displaced by colonial settlers. Their criticisms expose a selective understanding of history, where "native" identity is only defended when it aligns with their narrow, self-serving narrative. They overlook that colonialism, the very system that benefitted their own ancestors, is the root cause of this protest.
This assumed position of moral and intellectual superiority, which they so proudly flaunt, is completely undermined by their muddled thinking. They may argue that colonialism is a historical issue, no longer relevant to today's monarchy or society, but they ignore the ongoing legacies of that history—the dispossession and marginalisation that indigenous peoples continue to face. The protest isn't simply about the past; it’s about the enduring impact of colonial structures that are still symbolised by the monarchy today.
The critics’ dismissal of this argument reveals not only a lack of empathy but also an ignorance of the deeply ingrained colonial legacies that shape their own national identity. Their sense of superiority crumbles under scrutiny, revealing a deeply flawed and contradictory worldview that cannot withstand reason or fairness.
What’s even more striking is that many of those criticising the Aboriginal protester in Australia are themselves descendants of white immigrants from Britain - families who benefitted directly from the colonisation that displaced indigenous peoples. While they claim to uphold national pride and tradition, they ignore their own immigrant origins and the privileges their families gained from the very colonial system the protester is opposing.
This irony exposes their critiques as not just hypocritical but historically ignorant, as they overlook the deep connections between colonialism, the monarchy, and their own inherited social advantages.
I gave the Pullman loaf tins a whirl and they produced a couple of decently, if slightly irregular, shaped loaves. Two tins just fit in the air fryer and, as you don't need a temperature above 200 degrees C (fan), I thought it perfect for baking loaves.
With the lids on the tins there's an element of steaming that takes place, as well as baking, although the trick of putting a tray of water in a conventional oven achieves the same result and a good crust. You're meant to bake for 25 to 30 minutes with the lids on and another 25 to 30 with the lid off to brown the crust. I required a bit more than that and it took another 15 minutes before the regulation internal temperature of 95 degrees was reached.
I could have done with a little more proving such that the oven rise fills the tin completely. As it was, it filled the tin for most of its length, but there was a bit of a gap at the ends. One learns by trial and error as to how much dough to put in and the level to prove it to in the tin. When the dough rises and hits the tin lid, it spreads out, filling the entire void - but that depends on a number of factors outside of your immediate control.
I don't think the air fryer provided enough air circulation either, as it took much longer to bake - an oven would make a better loaf as there's more circulation. However, a good crumb, a good taste, an excellent crust and a good shape - just.
Hay's taking the assortment of metal and silicone loaf moulds to the charity shop, as the 3 Pullman tins are sufficient for my needs.
Something I forgot to mention yesterday about our jaunt into the countryside while staying in Caister - we came across a farm shop with accommodation.
These little lodges (or hostels, as they were called) are made from silos. How cool is that?
A few more photos of our venture:
Above is the newest addition to the Caister Lifeboat Station's stable - the Bernard Matthews - being the fastest lifeboat in the UK.
When I told Hay its name, she thought I'd said the Bernard Manning and said she could see those being rescued saying to the lifeboat crew; "It's OK, you can go on your way - we're perfectly alright and don't need rescuing."
And here is a photo if a bloke engaged in the age-old East Anglian art of arranging reeds on a roof in a speculative attempts at making said roof waterproof. Not sure why they don't use slates - much more waterproof and longer lasting too.
And a modern one. A lot of people don't like them, but I love them. Might be my Dutch roots.
Oh, and here's Hay having an early morning swim with her beacon light hat, which she wears in case she gets swept out to sea. A helicopter might have a tough time spotting it, especially if she gets a ducking and the light phutts.
Last Thursday Hay and I took the motorhome to Great Yarmouth in order to attend a Prog Rock festival. I was attracted by The Crazy World of Arthur Brown (he's 82 now and has a reputation for either setting himself on fire and people having to douse the flames with beer, or stripping naked and being deported from foreign climes), Iron Butterfly (the original band members are all dead, but they had a cast of hundreds over the years, so perm any 4 from 100) and Soft Machine.
Some were relatively new bands that were following the Prog Rock genre - complex music, weird signature changes, the admixture of classical or jazz and a theme. Very serious and worthy.
Click the above to enlarge the schedule.
The organisers take over the holiday camp, but the acts allegedly don't see much profit from the event. For new bands it's a chance to be seen; for older bands it's more a chance of selling some merchandise.
We'd paid £150 each for the tickets, although I could tell Hay wasn't as keen as me to attend (she's a tad too young to appreciate Prog Rock, although Pink Floyd were considered Prog and she likes them). Hay's sister and husband went too in their motorhome, but they camped out at the venue; however, they had to move 3 times - once because of a muddy pitch, again because of no electricity and a third time because they'd take someone else's pitch and they were a bit precious about it, despite only 40% of the motorhome pitches having been sold. Hay, in her wisdom, tried to find somewhere cheaper to stay, and we ended up an hour walk or 18 minute bike ride distant in Caister, which is a bit of a dump (however, the campsite was quiet, the showers were superb and we were 5 minutes from a good swimming beach).
After a walk on the beach in Caister we decided to bike it to the venue, but it was like trying to cross the M25 at rush hour and we abandoned the attempt with a few hundred yards to go - it was simply too dangerous, it was getting dark and we had no bike lights (bad planning). We came across 4 elderly, long haired, beer-bellied, American Prog Rock fans on foot who told us to ignore them, as they were merely trying to kill themselves in the traffic.
Well, that was the Arthur Brown gig scratched on the first night. According to my brother-in-law it was a good act; however, because of the H&S regs, Arthur couldn't don his colander doused in methanol and made use of coloured paper streamers to represent fire. Because he's a drummer, my brother-in-law blagged his way into an after gig party and didn't get back to his motorhome till 2.30 Saturday morning.
The next day (Friday), we thought we'd give the festival a miss and cycle out 10 miles into the countryside on our bikes - and we loved every minute of it. What a contrast at Horsey; a large boating lake connected to the Broads, a turbine wind pump (windmill to you and me) and basking seals at Horsey Gap. I managed to get some decent video footage. I've learned not to make the videos too long and to cut between interesting bits.
Hay went for a swim at Horsey Gap and, for a minute, I thought I'd be famous for being the first person to obtain drone footage of a 59 year old woman being savaged and eaten alive by seals, but no such luck - I was let down by the seals merely being inquisitive and not aggressive. I did tell Hay to poke them a bit, but she couldn't have heard me.
Additionally, Hay had to do an unexpected Zoom training course from 5:30 to 7:30 (she'd been missed off the email list), so Friday evening attendance had to be scrapped too.
We enjoyed ourselves so much that we're going to buy the festival tickets again next year, but give the acts a miss and head into the Norfolk Broads, or possibly somewhere at the other end of the country. I can see it becoming an annual pilgrimage. I must say though, I would safely state that I would never, ever consider a holiday in Great Yarmouth or Caister.
I dug my sourdough starter out of the deepest recesses of the fridge the other day and tried to revive it. It has been there for at least 4 months, which is a tad on the long side. Hay has been buying bread from our local Hobbs House shop of late, so I haven't needed to flash up the starter. Hobbs House is a local, Chipping Sodbury firm and does some nice artisan breads.
It was still alive, but only just, so I thought I'd add to the cultures in there - I picked a couple of apples from one of our apple trees, which will be seething with wild yeasts, and left them in the starter. It kicked into action within a few hours.
I'm going to freeze it next time - apparently you can, a bit like kefir granules, but there is a time limit.
I've ordered a couple of Pullman leaf tins, which make perfectly square-ended loaves eminently suited to sandwiches.
Having a lid, the dough fills the entire void and comes out with a nice shape. Ordinary loaf tins are too narrow and the rising dough forms a sheaf shape at the top. Just turning the dough out from a banneton leaves the risk of a collapsed loaf if the mix is too moist of the dough over-prooved.
I'm a keen student of military history, focusing especially on Wellington at Waterloo and Marlborough in general.
Marlborough was renowned as an attacking general, focusing his initial attack on a flank, waiting for the centre to move to support whichever flank was being threatened, and then sending his main thrust against the weakened centre. He never lost a battle.
Wellington, on the other hand, was known as more of a defensive general, using terrain to take a strong defensive position and then wear down the opponent. He was facing defeat at Waterloo and was saved only by the timely arrival of his Prussian allies, who turned the tide.
I imagined a game of noughts and crosses between the two. Marlborough, being an attacker, would have to go first and, because it's the best strategy, would take a corner, thereby opening up 3 lines of attack.
Apparently, if the first to go, opening by taking a corner is the optimum strategy to win. The optimum defensive strategy for the 2nd player is to take the centre. Taking the centre will result in either a loss or a draw, but not a win, unless the opponent makes a mistake.
Saw my first Chinese electric car a few days ago.
It's an ORA. At first I thought it was a variant of a KIA. Get it Kia-Ora? Oh, nevermind.
We've had a problem with our underfloor heating installation - it has been turning itself off with alarming regularity.
Hay contacted a company and the boss came round to give an assessment of the problem - he turned up in a top of the range Porsche Cayenne.
Anyway, I let him into our Engine Room to have a butchers and wanted to latch the door back so it wouldn't blow in the wind - but couldn't.
Some bright spark (aka Hay) had pinned the hinged end upside down so it wouldn't latch...
Anyway, the problem with the ASHP was a blocked filter in the water circuit, which was causing a pressure trip and consequent shutdown. He also pointed out some enhancements that would prevent future problems.
The guy certainly knew what he was talking about and, as an aside, reckoned he could do us a battery system, panels and all the switching gear to divert anything over the 4kW capacity we're limited to on the feed in, for the handsome price of £4k, which isn't bad and would come in handy for charging an electric car.
Just a quick note about yesterday's visit by OutReach to fix my father-in-law's phone line yesterday. We ended up with a phone line in his house, as well as his internet working. Our internet kept working. However, my father-in-law ended up with our phone number. I despair!
I nipped into Tesco yesterday to see whether they had the monthly 25% off deal on wines - and they did. It was the last day, so I took advantage of it.
25% off 6 bottles or more, limited to 36 bottles so, naturally, I maxed out and staggered to the car under the weight. However, I didn't save as much as I'd anticipated, as Tesco, in their wisdom, had pushed the price of my favourite tipple up to £8 a bottle. Cunning. Nevertheless, I saved £72.
Tesco have this promotion roughly once a month from a Thursday to the following Monday, but you don't know which week it will be, so you have to be on your toes.
For a couple of months we've been suffering from a very slow internet speed - around 5mbps download as against the 27mbps we should be getting. The week before last it decided to die completely.
Until an engineer could get out to us, Vodafone gave me unlimited data for a month on my phone, which was all well and good while I was in the house and everyone was using my hotspot, but useless when I was out.
Anyway, the engineer duly attended and discovered that Outreach, while doing some work on the cabinet in the street a while ago, had connected us to the internet for the wrong house - one 300m further toward the epicentre of Old Sodbury.
We're now seeing 40mbps and are forecast to get fibre in 2026, which will be simple to implement, as our service comes through overhead lines and not underground cables.
However, we've since discovered that Hay's dad, next door, has lost his internet and phone connection. Vodafone maintain his router is up and running, even when I unplug it. Someone has made a right mess of the local connections, and I think the responsibility lies with OutReach. The engineer is due today - I just hope that once it's fixed we're not back to zero.
As my regular reader will know, I'm a dedicated devotee of Facebook Market.
I was perusing whatever is available in my area and came across the following:
It's a wooden microwave made from pallets - and it has a working timer. Brilliant! It's actually made for kids, as you may guess, but what a fantastic talking point for your kitchen. Only £40 too.
I also found an E-Type body shell for £4k in a rather dilapidated condition, but not beyond restoration.
Unfortunately I don't have £4k to spend on a project that will take a very, very long time - not when I'm rebuilding a poor man's E-Type, namely the GT6.
I want to paint the rear bumper of Hay's red Hyundai i10 with Hyundai Electric Red.
I visited a local car parts and tool emporium on our High Street, knowing in advance that they stock Holts spray paints, but I know from previous experience that it's almost impossible to match up their colours with known paint codes. Holts, for some reason, use their own nomenclature for paint colours, unlike Hycote, who use manufacturers' paint names and codes.
The shop owner does have a folder that lists manufacturer codes and suggests Holts paints that match, but when you go into a shop for a can of paint you don't want to be searching through a database, not that there's any colour amongst the myriad Holts reds that matches Electric Red anyway.
You'd think this would affect sales and they'd react accordingly, but no, and I can't understand why. Anyway, I went to another emporium in Yate that stocks Hycote paints and got what I wanted within 6 seconds - however, I wanted 2 cans and they only had 1.....
According to Chat GPT:
"Holts does not use manufacturers' paint codes directly on their spray cans because their system, known as Paint Match Pro, is designed to simplify the colour matching process for consumers. Instead of relying on specific manufacturer codes, which can vary widely, Holts uses a proprietary matching system. This allows them to offer a broader selection of colours without needing to replicate each car manufacturer's exact coding system.
"The primary reason for this approach is to make the process user-friendly. Manufacturer codes can sometimes be confusing or difficult to locate on vehicles, so Holts simplifies this by focusing on colour match accuracy rather than the use of manufacturer-specific codes. Holts ensures that their system provides a high level of accuracy in matching colours through a large database of over 6,000 paints. This system is aimed at both professionals and DIY users, making it easier to find the right colour without needing specialised knowledge about codes."
Well, it doesn't. If you have a piece of car with you, I dare say the MkI eyeball could come up with a match, but I'd rather have the exact colour, rather than an approximation.
Nationality stems from the basic human need to protect and secure resources. When groups of people - whether by tribe, region, or later by country - compete for land, food, or wealth, they tend to form a collective identity.
It’s a natural thing, really. People rally around something bigger than themselves for survival and progress. But the game changes when the focus shifts from securing those resources to simply holding onto power for its own sake.
Which brings us to the debacle which is the Tory leadership election and the lurch to the right to chase Reform Ltd. Rather than going for just the lettuce, they seem ti be going for the full salad and it will bite them in the bum. Whichever of the two remaining candidates is chosen, Labour MPs are going to have to register that person as a gift in the Register of Members' Financial Interests.
Last week I decided to have one more tattoo - a badger, it being Hay's nickname for me, and so very personal and meaningful. I'm stopping it from scabbing over by using coconut oil during the day, which has a mild antiseptic quality, and Savlon in the evenings. It has scabbed slightly, which was only to be expected, but they will disappear within a few days.
I was originally going to have the white tattooed as white, rather than just heaving it as skin colour, but the edges would have been rather stark and white tends to yellow with time. The eye, however, was picked out in white for added emphasis.
The options I compiled to choose from were as follows:
I quite liked the final one, but Hay persuaded me to go for the one I ended up with. The Bad Badger with the guns is the emblem we have on the side of the motorhome and would have been more apt, but Hay thinks it's too Gangsta.
Hay's under instruction to make a nice lampshade from my tattoos when I kick the bucket. Well, perhaps not a nice one, but perhaps an interesting one.
