Tango

Yeah, he looks like he's got a bag of boiled sweets in his pocket!

Our town square looking festive now.....

We were looking into heading back to the UK to my mum's place, but with all the current travel rules and potential new ones we decided that we'll stay here this year. It'll be quiet, but we'll try to make the most of it. Probably do a Zoom call with the family over the two days.

Takes me back......

Looks like the chain adjusters are at the end of their travel too! I was half tempted to ask for a test ride and then offer a derisory amount because the gear change is shit because "the gearbox is knackered!"

Not mine, but a bike for sale locally. All maintenance up to date apparently! Hmmmmm?

He was a character, that's for sure, Pete. Little wiry fella, but as strong as an Ox. After he left the RN he started his own business putting fences and gates up. Proper stuff, with big oak and chestnut posts. He did a few big country estates, but he was such an old bugger that no one could work with him, so he'd do it all by himself. He always used to drive the old Bedford vans. I still smile when I see one. I reckon that some of that fencing is still standing. It would be too scared to fall down!

My grandad ran away from his home in Lambeth when he was 13 and went to Northfleet in Kent and signed up as a cabin boy on one of the Thames Barges. He did this throughout WWI, shipping coal to support the war effort in France/Belgium. He said that he used to shin up the main mast to put the boats pennent up and also did it for a couple of the other barges, which earned him 6d from each of them. He never drank alcohol in his life, but he used to use the money to buy tobacco. He joined the Royal Navy a few years later (and falsified his age to join earlier) and he used to trade his tot of rum for tobacco. He smoked until he was in his mid 70's and then just gave it up. He died at 99.

It's a bit of a thing here. Lights have gone up through the village and the tree and decorations are being put up in the village square. I saw someone putting up their outside lights today too. We were thinking of heading back to the UK for Christmas, but with the new variant and increasing cases I think that we'll just stay put this year. At least this year we've got a decent oven, so we can have a crack at a full Christmas Dinner.