Big Al's Spot (& Annie too)

Since we moved into our house it has always been a haven in the autumn for flies looking for somewhere to hole up through the winter, I think they come through our air-vents. Well today our house is a haven no longer, its yum yum time, for Turbo dog is a flycatcher who stalks them and gobbles them up. Its pretty comical and gives him hours of pleasure and exercise.

Turbo, learnt flycatching from a friend... a doggie friend called Jessie (who is a moth, fly and brightlight catcher). When we last went to visit Jessie back in the summer she taught her skills to Turbo and this week has seen the culmination of his skills, I make it a least 20 kills so-far.

I've been writing a few articles for a new plus size fashion blogger today (currently at plus size fashion blog), its not exactly ready to integrate into the Berkswell Direct site yet, but hopefully with a bit of tweaking it will take on "our corporate identity" while still offering details of available plus size fashions which are not necessarily available from us.

Okay, what do I know about fashion, not a great deal, but I know what I like and besides I thinking more along the lines of articles, like visiting the Opera, Royal Ballet, a wedding, a medieval banquet, a cruise holiday and other dressing up occasions. I'm not sure they will bring in as much traffic as I would like, nor as quickly, but if you are not in you don't win.

As for bargains to buy, Annie is definitely the person for this, I don't know how she finds all the links and sales that she does, many years of practice is my guess.

One of my uk.local.yorkshire friends has been on the television lately trying to do something to get out of a benfits trap, there is absolutely no excuse in having an effective tax rate of 100%:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/politics_show/3742662.stm

There should always be an incentive to work, regardless of what help people need to take care of them. I think its crazy not to be able to afford to work and its probably against the Human Rights Act, with any luck. Its a pity some lawyer can't get into this and start making a few changes.

I've called it a day on the farming lark, it was good exercise while it lasted, but it wasn't exactly fulfilling or good for the ego, nor was it very lucrative. I'd say I was paid about the same for a week as I was getting for a day contracting for the Post Office not that long ago.

Not that I was ever in it for the money, I was in it to get a bit fitter, drive tractors and JCB Forklifts of which there was not nearly enough. Looking after animals is not exactly my forte, I'm much too thorough in any tasks that are needed and spend too much time doing it right.

It was a bit of shock, no that's not the word, a surprise to have an animal die right in front of you as you were trying to haul it on to its feet (to stop it dieing). That's farming of course and in a dairy herd of 120 milking cows its really a regular occurrence, 3 calves and 1 heifer in six weeks.

I guess it was a case of biding the old adage of not falling out with your neighbours, especially a farming neighbour and to tell you the truth I found myself biting my tongue on more than one occasion, but better that than laying someone out and ending up in court. Needless to say I didn't get near to that (I'm far to sensible), but I would have liked to.

Back in the dim distant past I wrote this: http://www.berkswell.org.uk/home/archive/2004_08_01_archive.html , basically about getting phone call from some Guardian Journalist, for a while I was pretty happy, but then doubts set in, "I've told all these people about an article we might appear in and what if it doesn't happen, I'll look a right berk".

Well I can rest easy in my bed, the article did come out and is available here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,,1327334,00.html - Okay they managed to spell the business name wrong, calling us Berkswell rather than Berkswell Direct, but they did get the website and the telephone number right so who is complaining.