Welcome to the UK - but the magic continues !

I'm back in the old UK and can best describe my experiences in Washington and Oregon in this way .
It was as if someone had told the people that Jon. Hinchliffe , a slightly eccentric Englishman was coming and they were to make a fuss of him and make him especially welcome and that whoever treated him best would receive a huge reward with lesser prizes to all . It really was that good .

The first toilets at Gatwick after landing were good but the next had taps that you had to turn off manually . The knobs were dripping with something and the exit door handle was whet so I had to re-wash and get some paper to turn the taps and open the door .

Got to Portsmouth and found the trolleys needed a pound coin . Went into the small railway station shop to ask for change - explaining that I only had notes and American money .
"I can't give you change you will have to buy something ! " she said .
" Welcome to the U.K. " I thought .
Turned on my U.K. mobile - first time for a month . Got a three week old message from the Inheritance Tax Office mentioning " Proceedings "
" Welcome to the U.K. " I thought . Oh-no ! will put it out of my mind till I can call on Monday .

On entering the waiting area got into a deep and friendly conversation at the instigation of a couple heading off to the Isle of Wight as a romantic anniversary to where they first met .

Drove to Cardiff next day ( Southampton , Sailsbury , Bath ( main pic)) to see the British Speedway Grand Prix at the Millennium Stadium in Wales and it seems whilst I have been away the word had spread and everyone behaved as if there was a prize here too for the friendliest person .

On the way back went into Newbury Services at midnight . I asked a man walking by where the petrol was - he replied with an American accent . I thanked him for the great welcome the people of Oregon and Washington had given me . He said . Thanks for that I am from Seattle !

Maybe I have changed in some way but from this and many other events the word seems to have spread and everyone seems to be more friendly than they used to be and I am determined to spread the good vibes .

Comments

The S.T.EN. Gun

“ We will never surrender !” France fell to the German Blitzkrieg in May 1940 . The retreating British Army ended up being rescued from the beaches of Dunkirk by a flotilla of little ships leaving behind much of their equipment . A German invasion was expected ! Winston Churchill the British prime minister made his famous “ we will fight them on the beaches – we will never surrender ! “ speech and the Battle of Britain was on ! The UK desperately needed submachineguns . The Government ordered well made expensive Thompsons from the still neutral United States but there was never enough available . In order to rapidly equip a sufficient fighting force to counter the threat of invasion , the Royal Small Arms Factory , Enfield ( North London ) was commissioned to produce an alternative quickly and in large numbers . Whats in a name S.T.En. There Major R. V. Shepherd OBE and Mr. Harold John Turpin came up with the Design which became...

Bonny and Clyde and the Browning Automatic Rifle

Bonnie and Clyde and the BAR ! Clyde Barrow, holding a Browning automatic rifle. BAR's could fire a twenty-shot magazine loaded with armor-piercing ammunition in under three seconds. During the depression of the 1930's in the USA criminals were looked at in a different way by many of the people who had been victimized and impoverished by the rich bankers and the emerging powerful corporations. Many people saw them as people driven to the edge that were only taking back what was stolen from them and striking back at a society and Government that let the Depression cause so much harm to so many . Two of the most famous criminals of that time were Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow . They were known to be quite skilled with their weapons, and unlike most criminals, they practiced with them and maintained them . Sadly they are considered to be responsible for the deaths of at least Nine law enforcement officers and five civilians during...

501 NE 4th street - Plumbing

Drainage The first thing I have found strange is the constant requirement for testing at every stage but here with the building being largely wooden it does make sort of sense . A minor fault in the plumbing could lie undetected otherwise within the walls and only surface once damp damage had become extensive and be very costly to repair . Thus it is required that once the drains have been run throughout the building frame they are filled completely with water to ensure their soundness . I took the wise precaution of making up a screw in fitting with a pressure gauge and an inflation valve to test the pipes with air first as once the system was full of water it would be time consuming and difficult to get the water out and to dry where necessary to effect repairs . First things first - all the drainage flows within the house in a trunk and branch layout . The main 4 inch drain had already been tested and laid under the b...

The man from the Clapham Omnibus

Search This Blog