The man from the Clapham Omnibus

I think I am a pretty fair landlord . I want my tenants to be happy and to feel at home when they rent from me . It has always been my belief that if you treat people right they will treat you well also . The golden rule - do as you would be done by even ! In the main this generally works out but not always . Some people take generosity as a sign of weakness and push for more . Others take it as their due and give nothing back to the world . I for one would rather be generous and therefore feel good about the world and myself . I would rather be taken for a mug occasionally than be cynical and treat everyone with disrespect ! I try to do any repairs swiftly and fully or pay for someone else to do them . If a tenant repairs something down to me I generally take that into account and reduce the rent accordingly . If someone wants to spend money on one of my properties to make it better I generally come to some sort of agreement where either we share the cost or one pays and the other doe...

Every so often I visit a chiropractor to keep my bones - especially my back - on the straight and narrow . This stems back quite a few years ago when I was having problems with it . I was fine working but if i stayed in the same position for more than a few minutes my back started to hurt . I could not sit down , I could not stand up , I could not ignore the pain ! I asked around and went to my Doctor . A few people told me Vav Simon got lame horses to gallop , The doctor said it was quack useless and unnecessary treatment . I rejected his advice and booked an appointment . She asked questions and examined me . told me my pelvis was tipped to one side and trapping nerves ! This was not a supprise but sounded bad ! She told me she could fix it in two or three visits - this did suprise me and sounded good ! She tapped me about and stretched things very gently , told me to get dressed and walk about . Really weird - I walked like a drunk swaying to one side ! Then I understood - my legs w...

About a month ago I knelt down and felt a sharp pain in my knee as if I had nelt down on a bolt as I have done in the past - I'm an untidy worker ! My knee went and after I got off the floor I looked for the " bolt " and found nothing . Nursing my now painful knee I thought little of it . About a week later and after my knee had , I thought , recovered from the bolt caused bruising I gingerly knelt on the tiled floor of Morrison's supermarket to get some Pepsi-Max from the back of the bottom shelf . A loud animal scream was heard all along the Isle and I was seen rolling around the floor in agony ( how embarrassing ! ) I had found another " invisible bolt " Another ten days and the tenderness in my knee had departed so I decided to examine it carefully . I found there was something small and hard under the skin which moved around quite a bit when i pressed on it . The " invisible bolt " was inside my knee ! An appointment was made with Dr Moore on...

It snowed heavily and without warning on Tuesday evening . I was in the cinema with Adam and did not realise what was happening . We got out of the car park and , sliding all the way , through the ungritted town centre . We had to abandon my van at my old home on the main road and complete our journey on foot . My Daughter Emma was in Portsmouth at university and she could not get back to Newport as the ungritted roads became blocked with abandoned vehicles . After 3 hours and less than one mile she , along with many others took refuge in the Flemming Arms in Binstead . They gave her some dry clothes and let everyone who was stuck stay until at after 3 am word got through that the council had finally cleared the main road to Newport . Everyone you meet seems to have a smile on their face and appears friendly and eager to help out anyone they can . It seems that human nature makes people happiest when overcoming adversity not when" having it easy " . The temperature has hardl...

My daughter Emma was twenty on Halloween 31 October 2009 . She is a master of multitasking . She is balancing all of these . University work doing a History degree at the University of Portsmouth A part time job at Argos on the Isle of Wight A - live in long term boyfriend Matt Bailey The pressures of living under the same roof as me , my wife Julie , son Adam and the said Matt keeping up good relations with her many good friends - no mean task on its own . keeping her green card options open . On Saturday 7th November she held a birthday and fireworks party for about 30 . It was a resounding success building on a fine history of excellent Halloween Birthday party's going back 15 years and a high point of the social calender

Returned from the Peninsular with my mind made up . It was a close call between Anacortes , Langley and Port Townsend ! And the Winner is......................... Coupeville ! It made me think of the three legs of the Isle of Man . One foot in England , one in Ireland and one in Scotland ! Coupeville is charming in its own right and for my daily needs has everything . For my rarer needs I can reach almost everything in 40 minutes ( even by free bus ) and for everything else I might want ( inc Seatac Airport ) within 2 hours . Its weather is great , its people friendly , its natural environment magical and it is very affordable and well positioned to appreciate . I had decided to buy the 2000 square foot four bed rambler @ 239,000 on Otis street that I had viewed last week . Went to see the excellent Janet Burchfield of Front Street Realty for a more detailed view before putting in an offer . On passing saw a Sale pending sign , newly hung outside - was that for me ? A bit quick...

Took a day trip from Port Angeles to Victoria on Vancouver Island in Canada . At about $25 round trip ( passenger ) from the hotel door it was a really good deal . On both 55 min crossings we saw both humpbacked Whales and Orcas . It really is impressive to see such beautiful and huge creatures with your own eyes in their natural environment . If you ever get the chance visit Victoria - Both the city and its people look so darn good . There is beauty and interest at every turn . Historic buildings , Seaplanes , Whale Watching , City tours, Bars , Restaurants , Museums , Parks , Carriage and rickshaw rides , Quality shopping , Stunningly beautiful mini-skirted hostesses Harbour tours floating aquarium street entertainers and so much more PICTURES HERE