Delta's Tea-Break Natter (The Lighter Side) 2011

[The SpeCTator]

Happy New Year everyone!
Suffering from lack of motorsport, went to Brooklands today, stood as far up the banking as I could, and imagined the sheer speed of yesteryear, those guys and girls were BRAVE!
Shame a national monument is so badly savaged, cant imagine developers would be allowed to build a business park on Stonehenge

[Colin McKay]

Originally Posted by delta

I don't have an hangover

an hangover? Are those new mugs of yours bone china Iain? You'll be lifting your pinkie next

[Lancsbreaker]

Originally Posted by delta

BTW ive given up chocolate.There is a box in the kitchen and i have survived so far.

Now that Xmas is over I've had my first Cadbury's Creme Egg of 2011

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Lancsbreaker

Now that Xmas is over I've had my first Cadbury's Creme Egg of 2011

I must be getting old as can't cope with creme eggs anymore! Fortunately proper chocolate is now freely obtainable

Had first success of 2011 last night when I managed to reconcile a friends business accounts ready for his accountant! It was all spot on last year until I skived off to go racing in October- on return Sage was a muddle and had to go through last few months paper printouts yesterday to find the lost pounds. And I found them. Yippee!!!! Now just got to keep track of the Tuesday VAT change and make sure that doesn't cause more headaches.....

[gary396]

Spent NYE watching the fireworks in Sydney Harbour and trying to keep cool

Back to the UK on Wednesday after a month in Oz having escaped all of the bad weather to date - can't wait (not). Managed to fit in a visit to the National Car Museum (near Adelaide) so will post a few pics upon my return. Motoring wise its the first time I've had to stop a car to remove locusts from a radiator and air filter etc - swarms of them in some areas en route. Petrol approx 90 pence a litre and that's with a very weak pound!

Gary

P.s. The locals seem a bit 'miffed' about the cricket.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by gary396

P.s. The locals seem a bit 'miffed' about the cricket.

NYE in Sydney sounds good choice! Welcome home and Happy New Year

[midgetman]

>>>>>>>>>>>>chocolate is now freely obtainable

You may want to change "freely" to "easily".

As a cycling nutrition guru I once read said:

"Chocolate can be good for you, but remember good chocolate is rarely cheap and cheap chocolate is rarely good."

Gary, does it get better than your holiday? Miss the snow, cheap fuel AND the chance to rub antipodean noses in it.....

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by midgetman

>>>>>>>>>>>>chocolate is now freely obtainable

You may want to change "freely" to "easily".

As a cycling nutrition guru I once read said:

"Chocolate can be good for you, but remember good chocolate is rarely cheap and cheap chocolate is rarely good."

.....

And remember your home is at risk if you set fire to it.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by midgetman

You may want to change "freely" to "easily".
"Chocolate can be good for you, but remember good chocolate is rarely cheap and cheap chocolate is rarely good."

It's all about quality, not quantity

Before you could easily buy the likes of Lindt 70% in UK, and if you could at daft price, I used to bring back loads from France on way home from trips. Now it is same price in UK supermarkets as French ones, and 'own brand' (in JS at least) just as good and less expensive still......

[zefarelly]

over rated stuff

prefer cheese myself

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

prefer cheese myself

More cheese, Grommit?

Do the two constitute a balanced diet?

[midgetman]

Next tenths event - cheese and chocolate party anyone?

[Moosehead]

Originally Posted by midgetman

Next tenths event - cheese and chocolate party anyone?

Count me in

[grantp]

Happy New Year everyone!

Had an early morning run to Heathrow this AM to take elder daughter and her boyfriend and see them off to Sydney where they will be working for 2 years.

Trouble was that, after much to do over the last few weeks and days, she finally got around to synching her iTunes account between her old notebook (slow) and her iPhone in preparation of transferring stuff to a new notebook in Oz, the old one being knackered (thus left here). She also wanted to update her iPhone software. All of this took ages last night after we got in from a farewell dinner. Got to bed just before 2am, up at 4:40am when management's alarm went off.

Last minute panics included discovering that Cathay Pacific charge $60 per kg for excess baggage according to the web site. But this being rip-off Britain that translated to £60 per kilo at Heathrow. Being as they are going for 2 years they had quite a lot of stuff to take and had sent a container ahead but had been advised it would be overweight if they put too much in it. It wasn't nearly up to weight in fact - badly advised. So they figured the rest could go as excess anyway expecting about £50 a bag rather the £60 a kg.

So, what to do with 32Kg of excess weight?

Found a shipping co. that will do it for £220 but they re-packed to leave some stuff behind anyway. Then when we got there, having checked in and sent their hold cases off to the plane, they were told that the freight shipping did not allow any liquids. Re-pack again. Got it all paperworked and paid for in the Departure hall to then be told that they had to take the cases to the other desk in the Arrivals Hall to drop it off. So we trotted off there. At that point the bags went through a scanner and the operator spotted a couple of batteries. Empty bag again and search through finally realising that the batteries were in a clock in a plastic bag ...

The joys of modern travel.

Quite why the information one needs to know to make a successful transaction seems to trickle out instead of being presented up front I'm not sure.

The worst of it is that their original travel plans would have meant the baggage allowance would more or less have covered the weight of the bags - but daughter's company (major PLC) insisted she book a slightly cheaper flight with a different carrier that halved the allowances, introduced then to extortionate excess baggage fees and generally screwed the travel plans.

Smart people. All in all false 'economies' all round. Oh well ... you live and learn. I think some 'quality' reports will be submitted about the process.

They are heading for the Cricket on Tuesday. Wise move before contemplating work on Wednesday.

So one way and another the Xmas/New Year family time finished rather abruptly Sort of Cold Turkey really (though thankfully I have already ensured that the turkey leftowvers have been consumed.)

[esper]

grant P happy new year, met you at the Delta truck drinking the Comtes wine, you were relaxed , talking racecars, talking your camera work, talking sense. but now????? what Nottingham forrest oak tree did you ran into recently??????

[Alan Morgan]

But, apart from that - how was your day, Grant?

It's guilty pleasure night for me. The wife's at a concert, my son's working, my daughter's at a party, so it's a Delta-style evening enjoying Le Mans (which I haven't seen for about 10 years), accompanied by a curry, and maybe a beer or two. To complete the "blokey" feel, I've opted for a Vindaloo...

[zefarelly]

Originally Posted by midgetman

Next tenths event - cheese and chocolate party anyone?

Its called Fondue I believe

[delta]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

Its called Fondue I believe

I bought one of those for Mrs Delta birthday back some way when. Didnt go down that well

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by delta

I bought one of those for Mrs Delta birthday back some way when. Didnt go down that well

after all this time I still don't really understand why the distaff side doesn't appreciate tools and equipment for presents

[delta]

Originally Posted by MGDavid

after all this time I still don't really understand why the distaff side doesn't appreciate tools and equipment for presents

I even told one of her mates what i was buying and she said that she would not be very impressed.I still went ahead. Anyway Mrs Delta bought me a new Crash Hat for Christmas. Thats the same thing.Init./

[SAMD]

Originally Posted by Alan Morgan

But, apart from that - how was your day, Grant?

It's guilty pleasure night for me. The wife's at a concert, my son's working, my daughter's at a party, so it's a Delta-style evening enjoying Le Mans (which I haven't seen for about 10 years), accompanied by a curry, and maybe a beer or two. To complete the "blokey" feel, I've opted for a Vindaloo...

[delta]

FYI still got blooming flu.Woodcote 10 K run Sunday and i need to beat an old racing mate who is also running.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by delta

FYI still got blooming flu.Woodcote 10 K run Sunday and i need to beat an old racing mate who is also running.

Hmm. You may wish to reconsider that Iain.

[zefarelly]

shaken mine off now, not been for a run for a few weeks though!

[esper]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

shaken mine off now, not been for a run for a few weeks though!

but steeplechase to the loo?