doddery drivers

We live in a very hilly area of Derbyshire which makes it difficult for elderly people to go out for their shopping.This has resulted in a large number of very elderly drivers causing havoc on our roads.When I say elderly I mean ancient!!!We watched an ancient,doddery man trying to find his way out of Sainsburys carpark today and it took him forever,going this way and that,leaving other drivers in fear and trembling lest their cars got seriously damaged.He must have been 90 and could hardly reach the steering wheel.This area is full of drivers like him and it's very daunting!!There should be a sight and reactions test every year from the age of 70 onwards in the interests of road sfety.

a matter of balance...

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radio presenters on talkSPORT

I have never been inclined to partake in sport.However,I follow it avidly,particularly footie and cricket.I listen a lot to the talkSPORT channel in the hope of some gritty discussions and interviews.This usually results in my switching off as the presenters seem unable to conduct an interview without interrupting.Alan Brazil is the worst offender.Do presenters not have any training before they are let loose on the listening public? Most of the discussions are inaudible as there are usually several people speaking at the same time.Emails to the station are ignored so I'm having my moan on here.Perhaps I should stick with radio 5Live...

we are all children really!

There's nothing like a journey behind a preserved steam locomotive to bring out the child in me!The nostalgia!the smell!the excitement when the whistle blows!mums and dads with their children having a great time together.As we passed the photographers on the banks of the railway line they waved to us frantically and we waved frantically back!!(look at me - I'm travelling behind this steam train!!)We all became little children - after all, we don't wave at the 13.45 out of Chesterfield,do we? People would think we were senile! No, it takes a steam train to transform us into the children we once were and for those brief moments we rekindle the memories we made all those years ago in the days of steam!Can't wait for the next time..

a strange thing happened at cricket today...

A strange thing happened at cricket today.A group of 'cricket fans' sat in front of us and prior to the beginning of the the game they chatted among themselves about the selfish spectators who talk all the time,spoiling the game for everyone else.When the umpires walked on the pitch and the players were clapped on I was surprised to find that these 'fans' were so busy talking that they didn't seem aware that the cricket was about to begin.I'm sure I don't need to tell you that they talked all through the match.They talked about cricket venues including Trent Bridge,Old Trafford,Grace Rd etc and all the time they were missing a most enthralling game of cricket which they'd paid to see.They boasted about their trips to Australia to 'watch' the Ashes -I doubt if they saw any of it!As we were about to leave I asked if they'd enjoyed the day's cricket.'Loved it,wouldn't have missed it for anything'one of them said.You could have fooled me!!!

favourite day of the year

My favourite day of the year always falls in April.Last year it was 28th,this year it's today,17th;the day the birds begin to move into their nesting boxes.I wait for this day all year and I'm never disappointed as it fills me with hope.At the moment I have a painful back but what does it matter?This morning I watched a male bluetit 'chatting up' the lucky female he's chosen as his mate.He went to such a lot of trouble to impress- even,apparently, 'kissing' her and ruffling up his feathers proudly to show that he's the most desirable out of the bunch!!I think she fancies him as I watched them later gathering moss together and taking it into the nesting box.Love is definitely in the air!!

dialects

I've been recording the audio for a puppet sketch and was amazed to find,when it was played back,that I didn't recognise my voice at all.I've developed a Derbyshire accent after living here for 14 yrs.I had no idea and no-one has ever pointed it out to me.This got me thinking about the way our English language is altering and how many words are now being included in the dictionary.On a visit to Essex I was intrigued by the word 'sammink' and someone had to explain that it means 'something' There was a noticeable absence of 'th';it being replaced by 'v'and I wonder if this will be the accepted spelling in a hundred years.I hasten to say that this not a criticism but an observation.If I'm still around in a hundred years I'll let you know.