Swearing and the meaning of words

In one of the ongoing news items about Andrew Mitchell and his behaviour towards the police when they wouldn't let him through that main gate, it was reported he admitted he did swear, but not at the police, rather he swore in frustration.  So that's alright, then.

Now when a pupil swears in class, he's not swearing at the teacher, but in frustration that he can't do his work, and, clearly, that must be OK also.

While we're on education, Mr. Gove seems to be changing the meaning of words.  He says that it's not good enough for teachers to be 'satisfactory', they must improve.

So, here's the lesson, "Satisfactory" means "Unsatisfactory".  All clear now?  If you're frustrated about this, it's OK to swear, as we've seen!

Songs aint wot they used to be!

Last week was my wife's birthday and I gave her a card which included "20 hit songs from the year of her birth".  To my surprise I knew nine of the 18 artists (two had two tracks each) and 6 of the songs.  Names like Dizzy Gillespie, Tommy Dorsey, Frank Sinatra and Doris Day.  Although I have to admit I'd not heard of The Metronome All Stars or even Molly O'Day!

Then I thought I'd see how many of the current Top 20 songs and artists I knew.  Three people I'd heard of, but none of the songs.  OK, so I've drifted away from popular culture over the years!

But then I noticed, further down the list, at 27, Gerry and the Pacemakers with You'll Never Walk Alone!  In the current charts for obvious reasons given the Hillsborough report recently published.

So I'm not completely divorced from popular culture!  In fact I can remember having the sheet music of the song, which I could actually play on the piano - then.  Maybe I could, still.  Now where might that sheet music be after all these years?...

Cholesterol - result!

As I blogged last week, I went to have a cholesterol test at Sainsbury's pharmacy.  I've been asked to report the result and it's good!  The reading was 3.82, and that was without fasting beforehand.  Under five is what they want.  The ratio of good to bad cholesterol was 4.0 and again that should be under five.

So, a good result.  The only  slight problem was you were informed that the pharmacist may well give you advice on your diet.  He asked me if I exercised regularly; I said I did, in fact I'd cycled down to Sainsbury's for the test!  I felt he thought he ought to say something, so he asked how much red meat I ate and said I could cut down a little on that.  I also admitted to having a cheddar cheese sandwich most lunchtimes and of course hard cheese isn't good for your cholesterol count.  But he did admit that given my reading, my body must be processing it well.

So I felt a little sorry for the man, bless him!  He wanted to say something but couldn't find much to say!

In the meantime I've just received a letter from our doctors inviting me to have a free 'flu vaccination.  Now I've reached the ripe old age of 65, I'm considered "at risk".

You can either drop in to one of their clinics to receive the vaccination, or send back a form to the surgery which has the line.  "I have been offered a free 'flu vaccination this autumn.  I refuse this offer."

It seems rather abrupt to say I refuse the jab, so I'm going to write a short letter to them thanking them for their concern, but I'm only just 65, I seem to be in good health (I had a recent check-up by the nurse), I exercise regularly, and (of course!) have a low cholesterol reading.  So as my bit to save the NHS money, I will let them give my 'flu jab to someone who needs it more than me.

Now that's so much nicer than saying I refuse the offer, don't you agree?  And it feels good to be doing my bit to help the NHS debt burden!

OCD ing

I was in a certain sports shop in Brentwood yesterday.  Someone in front had bought a load of sports gear and paid in cash with £20 notes.  (I was buying a swimming costume for my wife for £4 - I'm not in the same league!)

Anyway, when I went up to the assistant she was sorting out the £20 notes.  I made a comment about counting all her money and she said that wasn't what she was doing, she was sorting them out so that they were all the same way round.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who does that ...

Gently goes it, or not

Did you see Inspector George Gently last night?  All about police corruption.  I was shocked.  All the more to find that nice Inspector Lewis was in fact the worst of them all!

(You have to have watched it to understand that - and if you haven't watched it yet but intend to, I've spoilt it for you - sorry!)

Cholesterol test

Our local Sainsbury's is doing free cholesterol tests.  As I've never had one before, I thought it would be a good idea.  The first time I asked, the machine wasn't working.  The second time I went in, I found I had to make an appointment.  But that was OK, she filled in a card to give me, as you can see.  She wrote the date and time and the store name in first, then looked back at the appointment in order to write my name.

As she wrote my name she said, "This is just a reminder."  I had to bite back my tongue to stop me saying, "That's OK, I think I'll remember my name!"

But come to think of it, that way things 'disappear' after I put them down and it's a full scale search to find them, maybe I might need that reminder...

The Great Parade

We went to see the Olympic & Paralympic parade in London yesterday.  Plenty of cheering and clapping and photos taken!  It was a great ending to a summer of awesome sport.  Below are a couple of pictures; Aled Davis whose picture further down I took when he received his bronze for the shotput and Rebecca Adlington.

More than one person has said to me that although they weren't that bothered about the Olympics before they started, once they began they were glued to the tele like most of the rest of the nation!  And I think we've all been inspired by the Paralympics.

The one problem, who will get Sports Personality of the Year?  Mo Farah? David Wier?  Jessica Ennis?  Sarah Cockcroft?  Jonnie Peacock? What about Bradley Wiggins who won the Tour de France?  And what about Andy Murray who's just won his first Grand Slam!?  I've just remembered Ellie Simmonds...  The list goes on! 

I think we need multiple Sports Personalities of the Year!

A Meal Out

We went out for a meal to Prezzo this evening.  Why Prezzo?  Tesco vouchers, of course.  I happened to notice we were probably the oldest people there by some margin, save, perhaps for one other lady, probably out with her daughter.  There were plenty of young couples and a number of "girls' night out" groups (it was Friday evening).

We loved it!  Although, of course, it gets a bit noisy.  The conversation goes something like this:
"It's getting rather noisy in here!"
"I can't hear what your saying, it's so noisy in here!"

Apart from that, it was a very enjoyable meal, after all, who wants to be surrounded by oldies?  Furthermore, we were able to do what the rest couldn't; on leaving the restaurant we caught the bus home for free with our bus passes!

Musing on the Summer of Sport

It's been an incredible summer of sport and a great celebration of being British!  As the people sitting next to us at the Olympics water polo said, "We got it right!"  The park, the ambiance and of course the sport itself!  It also needs to be said that we hardly ever a found a queue for the loo and we never had to queue very long (if at all) to buy a drink.Well done, Seb and your team.

Earlier this week Oscar Pistorius made headlines for his comments about Olivera's blades but later on he apologised.  Yesterday, in the 100 metres, although he only managed 4th place, he was the first to congratulate the winner, our own Jonnie Peacock, and in his post-race interview he was clearly pleased for Jonnie and said it was a blessing he himself had been able to come 4th.

Sadly those actions and remarks didn't hit the headlines, but that's the way of the news media.

For those of us fortunate to have been able to attend the Olympics and/or Paralympics, we must be grateful to G4S.  Because of their inability to provide the manpower they had been contracted to do, troops were moved in.  We met them as we went through security and they were polite, friendly and efficient.

What would it have been like if G4S had done it?  I leave you to imagine.

Lively yoghurt

I see from my organic bio-live yogurt (that's the way they spell it), it is suitable for vegetarians and contains live cultures. 

Which begs the question, should vegetarians be eating live cultures?

Our day in Stratford

Had a great day at the paralympics on Friday! We were in the athletics stadium and have the photos to prove it! On the right is the BP photo opportunity they give you if you allow them to offset your carbon footprint to the games.

We were sitting near where they present the medals and we saw Aled Davies win bronze in the shotput.

It was a great day out, a fantastic experience in the stadium and the tickets were only £5 each!  AND that included a Travelcard, valid from Brentwood, so travel cost us nothing!

You suddenly realise that "disabled" is completely the wrong word to describe the competitors as they are able to do many things I can't!     Still, I need to keep in shape now I've retired.  Maybe I'll just go for a cycle ride.  But I need a cup of tea first!