BURNT TO A CRISP

NORTH LIGHT HOUSE FAIR ISLE
with as you can see solar panels for power although when these fail they have to come by helicopter to start a generator

The old post office, FAIR ISLE

THE SOUTH LIGHT FAIR ISLE, now a B&B place although light still works of course

view from NORTH LIGHT at FAIR ISLE

near to our residence with Tommy , Liz and Henry at the Auld Haa. Very good too , an enjoyable stay with an amiable American family, Tommy artist, hat maker and quietly spoken laconic wit ably bounces of energetic and local care worker Liz, Henry keeps everyone amused and helps keep the local school operating.

FAIR ISLE ADVENTURES

the old post office on Fair Isle, the bird observatory is being rebuilt so visitor numvbers are down this year but birders and nature lovers obviously predominate over more general visitors like ourselves.

The island was sold to a private buyer after WWII and kindly presented to the National Trust for Scotland who now administer the island and rent out the properties.

coming into Fair Isle by air, Briton Norman Islander 7 seaters by Directflight who seve the outer islands, here we see the harbour and ferry hauled up

check in at Tingwall airstrip, our luggage including camera about to be loaded, it was almost a full plane, not quite!

a last reminder of Mainland Shetland, compare with Fair Isle over the next posts, both are stunning in the sunshine.

WORKING MY WAY BACK TO THE SHETLANDS

a week ago today on Shetland Northmavine, N West Mainland, a lovely sunny day, lighthouse to the more modern non round design

lots of tiny lambs about everywhere in Shetland

also amazing coastal scenery everywhere, blow holes, arches, stacks galore

the coast near our bed and breakfast

today sunny and warm, 10 degrees warmer than Shetland, tidy garden, mow lawn, catch up on editing but first round shop for paper then a nice cuppa.

SAFELY HOME FROM SHETLANDS

Northmavine in N West of Mainland Shetland, the Sunday morning came out sunny , down by the shore near our bed and breakfast ( a week ago)

when we landed last Saturday we stopped briefly at the various Lerwick depots late afternoon, a bit damp still

a wonderful inspiring trip, if a little cold and windy but as you will see very sunny at times, everything went quite well and we have many marvelous memories top share about some of the UK's smallest island communities.

At home the garden lloks a bit dry, everything in wash, beans on toast for dinner, bit tired but feel we have had a good break.

Lower Peover our village

St Oswalds Church

The old school now a nursery

the cobbled road to the present school

Peter's emporium, post office, shop etc, all taken this afternoon

I sent some pohotois taken today with my reply to Li in China, I thought some of you in far away places may slso be interesd, the local scholl celebrates its 300th anniversary this year.

ANOTHER NICE MESSAGE FROM CHINA

first some pictures from Widnes yesterday lunchtime,

including the anniversary liveried centenary bus in Widnes Corporation colours, a rare moment of sunshine between showers on n unseasonably cold day. We have got plenty of warm clothes packed for our trip to the Shetlands tomorrow. Probably no blog until a week Sunday but I'll do something if the opportunity arises.

Independents have always been a rarity in Widnes but there is usually something which turns up

from China our friend Li writes and enclosed his picture with his pupil who sparked off the correspondence,

Dear Dave and Mandy ,

Good evening! Am i right in thinking that whilst it is evening here it is at noon in your hometown. I'm very excited that you wrote back to me. I really have no words to express my feelings. It's wonderful that my students and I have the opportunity to practise English. I have passed your greetings to the little girl, Wang Xiaojie and her friends . Also to others in the same class who had been told this story and are amazed at it all. They couldn't have expected to meet you and your friends at Niu Er Zhuang Coal Mine, a poor little place which has had virtually no foreigners visitors before. My hometown is poor and seriously polluted by the open coke factories, more of which are being built. It is really different from your hometown which it is so beautiful with such a good environment. In Chinese it is "人间天堂", in English " terrestrial heaven".
My English is poor and it takes me a long time to write it to you and to read your e-mail. I couldn't understand it entirely though I tried my best. I think if your country were close you could get cheap coal from China and it would be the best quality in the world.
From your words " our transport interests are actually just a hobby rather than a business", this shows me your optimistic spirit. I think you have created a happy life.
I want to write more but it is too late today. I want to make friends with you though my English is very poor. I'm sorry I forgot to tell you my name, it's Li Shuangjin. I don't know if you know any Chinese.

We really do hope that one of the schools we have contacted makes an effort to write to Li's students, meanwhile I shall of course be writing back to my own pen pal Li!

WHY CAN@T ANYTHING BE SIMPLE

Yesterday the Insignia car was in Mobility Conversions at Salford for adaption, it took all day and we went to collect it around 3.30, driving down the road all was well until I tried braking, the rod which connects to the brake stopped my leg from reaching the pedal, highly illegal and no fit for propose, tried ringing them back but they must have shut up shop after we left. Mandy has driven the car back there this morning whilst I have brought Mandy's into work. No doubt the story will rattle on for days but we need the car for the trip to Glasgow on Saturday., Mandy has just rung, they are going to move the adaption or put an offset on the rod, I suspect that this is one of the first adaption on the new Insignia.

Talking of things which don't deliver I'll take up the subject of Onion Ring, this is a supposed review of restaurants and pubs in the North West of England, however it is a paid for advertising stunt and accepts no independent reviews unless they are complimentary. Even our local the Three Greyhounds subscribes and advertises in this travesty, shame on them. Our recent visit to the Dog Inn Peover Heath illustrates the point, the reviews on Onion Ring are actually several years old, I've not had such bad pub food since the Swettenham Arms fiasco , another over rated Cheshire pub cum restaurant. Cheshire standards can be abysmal and are constantly over priced. At least peoples blogs give a genuine view on the world biased at times but usually honest from thier own perspective.

Talking of perspective when we went to Salford yesterday the BNP we electioneering, that's something unusual for any political party before a European election as boredom usually prevails. The current political climate recalls the Hamilton family we had at Tatton when Martin Bell got in, Mandy says she'd have Martin Bell back tomorrow, he was a very good local MP for Tatton for sure. Well we followed an old tipper van, it had lots of noise and model pigs on the back, this was the BNP bandwagon, in front a late 4x4, no doubt with their bouncers. Whatever anyone's frustrations and right leaning inclinations the BNP is a bunch of skin head thugs and bullies and not worthy of a single vote.

NEW ATLANTEAN MODEL

the new Leyland Atlantean model from Trax in Australia, Sydney livery, due out in a few weeks time, they have an easy to navigate website and this adds to their range of unique models of Australia buses with that distinctive design look.

Its still wet, windy etc, no sign of fine weather in North West, packing for Shetlands tonight. Rained off in garden last night but got a lot more bedding in, just the 'rockery' to go, also managed to mow lawns. Got a bit of family history info added to databases for Sean, Hil and Sue.

DVDs, now up to part 2 of Truckfest 2009, tonight I'll run off the POPs rally at Barlaston. Really catching up although it's meant get one a day completed. Then as ever the wretched covers to do. When will the blessed football ever finish on TV, I thought there were special channels for sport stuff.

Took the car up to Mobility Conversions at Salford this morning, will you be waiting they asked, when will it be ready we replied, 4 this afternoon. Hmm silly question wasn't it, 7 hours waiting, unlikely you would want to hang around. Hope to pick it up later this afternoon, at least Mandy can then drive the Insignia if required, we may use it for the run to Glasgow on Sat morning to catch the Sumburgh flight.

CENSORSHIP OF PMP NO WAY

above, Runcorn last week, a sunny lunchtime

The navy on the ship canal outside the office last week

comment from EBay buyer, censorship suggested! No way, I will always speak out as I find, 20 years of fearless impartial observations , I will not bow to the fear of a bad EBay review! Anyone ever been to Carlisle on a Saturday, you'd know what I mean. Sounds like a nice fella this Tommy. someone had to come from the place I presume. Irony lost on them though. Sense of humour transplant required perhaps


Hi
I eventually received the right dvd from you. I have not yet left feedback with regards to the dvd I received. As I am from Carlisle and was effected by the floods that you seem to like joking about, I might not bother. As for making silly comments about other peoples children on the dvd , might I suggest if you wish to keep selling dvd’s that you think about who might watch them


Regards
Tommy

yes Tommy you can't win em all

GUARDIAN REMEMBERING BERNIE ASHMORE

a non transport view for a change, Bradford Town Hall last Saturday between showers

a reminder that there is a lot of family history and the complete low down on my past in my autobiography published last year, links via the website

http://www.pmpvideo.com/

plenty of copies still available

You may be interested to know that Bernie Ashmore's obituary appears in the Guardian today, a very nice write up based on his educational achievements promoting new and lively teaching methods both at home and worldwide together with his more recent ventures into the resolution of conflicts. Bernie was Mandy's cousin who died earlier this year.

Last night I managed to get most of the front garden bedding in as it was so damp the plants almost fell into place, the sciatic pain still continues although I'm sure all the bending has helped a bit. I'm still marching through the back log of DVDs to edit, last night got first part of Truck Fest done and also up todate with all DVD covers. The copies of all photo CDs and Guangzhou DVD is on its way to our friend John who guided us around on our China trip.

I've been downloading lots of family history info which has formed a backlog of it's own awaiting typing into the various tree databases and uploading onto the net. There is also a huge pile of master video tapes which need logging on my databases and filing.

Talking of conflicts resolved, Mandy and I visited Sri Lanka back in 1980, the Sinhalese already displayed their disdain for the Tamils, they declared they were an Aryan Race, superior to Tamils, talk like that was an obvious prelude to war. The arrogance continues and although the Sinhalese have beaten the Tigers nowe backed by the Chinese government they are a bit like the Burmese junta denying access to outside agencies for reportage and relief, all very sad. China picks some sad cases as bedfellows, a trend which has persisted as it tries to spread it's diaspora.

BEAN ME UP PLEASE

some scenes from Bristol Harbourside rally yesterday before continuous rain ruined the day, we left very early, no doubt the sun came out at 4pm and shone until evening, usually the way. We barely covered costs for the day but there was a good showing on EBay and Amazon over the weekend particularly with the EBay sale on in the PMP shop, links as ever via our website
www.pmpvideo.com

The poor weather continues today, wet, windy and cold, lets hope it sorts itself out before our trip to the Shetlands next Saturday. We have booked our trip to Devon, Cornwall, Jersey and Guernsey at the end of August. We also hope to have trips to Scotland for buses, South Wales, Hampshire , Essex, Suffolk plus latest tram openings i8n France. On the table for future European travel are Portugal and Italy.

I've quite a lot of family history results to type into the various trees I maintain but time has been very short in supply.

BRISTOL WASH OUT

all was not lost from the weekend as I got film of Leeds yesterday despite the blustery conditions.

today we rose at 5am and headed off on a quiet trip down to Bristol, after getting to the harbour rally site the heavens opened, we waited about 90 minutes and finally got the stand up, by now most of the buses had arrived. Then the sun came out briefly however it wasn't long before a 'shower' started which wiped out the proceedings and saw most traders give up, we left around 3 pm and were home before 6, I managed to get some more bedding plants in the borders before tea. Not the best of days, wish we'd stayed in bed, you win some and lose some, this was the latter. Shame as since it moved outdoors the show has had really mixed weather.

BRADFORD AND LEEDS BLUSTERY WET

Bradford today, did this plus Leeds, as you know the lousy weather put pay to our South Wales weekend but at least i salvaged something and still got home to nearly finish the cenral borders in the garden, all full of thousands of bedding plants, and of course my back aches, still what would you expect. Sunshine and showers and lots of wind all over, tomorrow looks like being horrid in Bristol. Got the car loaded up, first time, more space than I expected really, bitch of a colour to keep cxlean, its already filthy, still haven't got a decent picture. Well its nearly time to relax, read the paper, finished editing for the night, its rained so no need to water the plants, early to bed, 4.30 start in the morning.