Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[RED-DOG]

So here we are, 50 years ago, on a roadside campsite in South Yorkshire, trying to decide if it's going to be cold enough to warrant draining the water from the cooling system of our lorries.

Uncle Jimmy decided against it, saying he didn't think it would be that cold and that he was sick of fetching water just to waste it. Uncle Charlie hummed and arred for a while and decided not to drain his water either. That just left my dad and my grandad to make a decision.

My dad turned to me and asked solemnly, "What do you think we should do?"

Who, me? I said looking around to see if there was someone standing behind me that I hadn't noticed.

"Yes you. What do you think? Whatever you decide is what we'll do.

I was thrilled, flabbergasted and filled to the brim with equal measure of fear and pride.

It seems like a huge risk to leave that decision to a 10 year old boy but thinking about it now, I realise that he had probably already decided not to drain the water so whichever option I chose, I couldn't do any serious harm.

I considered the options carefully and soon realised that I had to go with draining the system. If I didn't, and I was wrong, we could end up with a broken engine, if I drained it and I was wrong, all we lost was some time and some water.

I announced my decision and my dad nodded gravely.

"Off you go then, you know what to do".

I did know what to do, I'd seen it often enough. I opened old ammunition box where we kept our tools and selected a 3/16AF spanner. (no metric sizes back then)

I crawled under the front of the truck and found the jubilee clip that held the bottom hose to the radiator. The little nut was well used and easy to slacken off. I pulled the hose free and scrambled out quickly before the cold water that cascaded down my arm could reach my chest.

The next morning all three lorries were fine. The frost hadn't been that hard and draining the water had been unnecessary.

Refilling filling the radiator was a nuisance, there was always the possibility of getting an air lock in the system and anyway, water was a precious commodity.

On the plus side, the whole episode drove my confidence, sense of responsibility and feeling of self-worth up several notches. Now I knew I could make important decisions and I knew it wouldn't be the end of the world if I got it wrong. It was a great lesson.

Of course I didn't realise it was a lesson at the time, in fact it didn't dawn on me until many years later and well into adulthood.

When we were kids, we got our education on the fly. We were too busy with our hectic nomadic lives to have a formal education but nevertheless, we learned important stuff.

Recently, I saw a quote that really struck a chord with me.

It's the teacher that makes the difference, not the classroom.

[RED-DOG]

Diet going well then Tom, right?

The diet Tone, sigh.....

I've got to accept that dieting doesn't work for me.

I can go on a diet, and I can lose weight, I've done it loads of times over the years but sooner or later, I just put it back on again.

For my most recent effort to I started at almost 15 stone, quickly got down to below 14 stone and then, as per, the wheels came off.

So, I'm giving up calorie count type dieting. I'm sick of the yoyo effect and it can't be good for me. I need to come at this from a totally different angle.

The exercise thing is no problem I can keep that up indefinitely, I've been taking regular exercise in one form or another for years. It's just the eating I have to get a handle on.

I need to change my attitude to bad food like I did with cigarettes and stop thinking I'm depriving myself of something good.

All suggestions welcome BTW.

[RED-DOG]

While I'm on about food, let me tell you what gets on my tits.

When you buy what is supposed to be a filled cob and instead of cutting it in half and putting the filling in between they leave it whole and just make a slash in the top and poke a bit of ham or whatever in the gap.

Kindly fuck off with that idea.

[RED-DOG]

Father calls for safety railings after Manchester canal death - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-43299803


I'm sorry, but I don't agree with putting barriers up to prevent drunken people from falling into the canal.

[Ledders]

I read something a few years ago where some boffins ran the numbers on people falling into the canal in Manchester and the incidences were far more frequent than anywhere else and that there was likely a serial killer on the loose.

It could also be that Brits just get more pissed and fall in than everyone else but it absolutely terrified me at the time.

[RED-DOG]

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

Mancunians init?

[RED-DOG]

While I'm on about food, let me tell you what gets on my tits.

When you buy what is supposed to be a filled cob and instead of cutting it in half and putting the filling in between they leave it whole and just make a slash in the top and poke a bit of ham or whatever in the gap.

Kindly fuck off with that idea.

I'm trying to find a pic of one of these.

My searches for cobs and buns are getting everything from hairstyles to horses.

[StuartHopkin]

While I'm on about food, let me tell you what gets on my tits.

When you buy what is supposed to be a filled cob and instead of cutting it in half and putting the filling in between they leave it whole and just make a slash in the top and poke a bit of ham or whatever in the gap.

Kindly fuck off with that idea.

I've not come across one of these yet! I hope i never do, sounds terrible.


I'm trying to find a pic of one of these.

My searches for cobs and buns are getting everything from hairstyles to horses.

[RED-DOG]

A cob should be cut all the way through so that the filling can be seen from all angles.

Click to see full-size image.

[tikay]

So here we are, 50 years ago, on a roadside campsite in South Yorkshire, trying to decide if it's going to be cold enough to warrant draining the water from the cooling system of our lorries.

Uncle Jimmy decided against it, saying he didn't think it would be that cold and that he was sick of fetching water just to waste it. Uncle Charlie hummed and arred for a while and decided not to drain his water either. That just left my dad and my grandad to make a decision.

My dad turned to me and asked solemnly, "What do you think we should do?"

Who, me? I said looking around to see if there was someone standing behind me that I hadn't noticed.

"Yes you. What do you think? Whatever you decide is what we'll do.

I was thrilled, flabbergasted and filled to the brim with equal measure of fear and pride.

It seems like a huge risk to leave that decision to a 10 year old boy but thinking about it now, I realise that he had probably already decided not to drain the water so whichever option I chose, I couldn't do any serious harm.

I considered the options carefully and soon realised that I had to go with draining the system. If I didn't, and I was wrong, we could end up with a broken engine, if I drained it and I was wrong, all we lost was some time and some water.

I announced my decision and my dad nodded gravely.

"Off you go then, you know what to do".

I did know what to do, I'd seen it often enough. I opened old ammunition box where we kept our tools and selected a 3/16AF spanner. (no metric sizes back then)

I crawled under the front of the truck and found the jubilee clip that held the bottom hose to the radiator. The little nut was well used and easy to slacken off. I pulled the hose free and scrambled out quickly before the cold water that cascaded down my arm could reach my chest.

The next morning all three lorries were fine. The frost hadn't been that hard and draining the water had been unnecessary.

Refilling filling the radiator was a nuisance, there was always the possibility of getting an air lock in the system and anyway, water was a precious commodity.

On the plus side, the whole episode drove my confidence, sense of responsibility and feeling of self-worth up several notches. Now I knew I could make important decisions and I knew it wouldn't be the end of the world if I got it wrong. It was a great lesson.

Of course I didn't realise it was a lesson at the time, in fact it didn't dawn on me until many years later and well into adulthood.

When we were kids, we got our education on the fly. We were too busy with our hectic nomadic lives to have a formal education but nevertheless, we learned important stuff.

Recently, I saw a quote that really struck a chord with me.

It's the teacher that makes the difference, not the classroom.

Cracking post, Tom, you really do write so well. I read posts like that twice or more, the better to absorb & enjoy.

[Tal]

A cob should be cut all the way through so that the filling can be seen from all angles.

Click to see full-size image.

Bacon overdone. No sausage. No ketchup. Seems to be a hole in the top of the cob.

4/10

[tikay]

Diet going well then Tom, right?

The diet Tone, sigh.....

I've got to accept that dieting doesn't work for me.

I can go on a diet, and I can lose weight, I've done it loads of times over the years but sooner or later, I just put it back on again.

For my most recent effort to I started at almost 15 stone, quickly got down to below 14 stone and then, as per, the wheels came off.

So, I'm giving up calorie count type dieting. I'm sick of the yoyo effect and it can't be good for me. I need to come at this from a totally different angle.

The exercise thing is no problem I can keep that up indefinitely, I've been taking regular exercise in one form or another for years. It's just the eating I have to get a handle on.

I need to change my attitude to bad food like I did with cigarettes and stop thinking I'm depriving myself of something good.

All suggestions welcome BTW.

That would be the blind leading the blind, Tom.

By a piece of spooky timing, I had an appointment with my dietician yesterday, as part of my rehab programme. WTF is the world coming to when I need a "dietician"?

Anyway, when time permits, I'll pass on the advice she gave me as to this non-stop yoyo weight gain & loss.

Or, we could ignore her, & just be sensible. Because, really, that's what she advocated. Stop eating to excess, practice moderation in all things & you'll be fitter & healthier. 

Get away. Who'd have thought?

It reminded me of, as far as I can recall, my only visit to a GP in 50 years of adulthood, until of course last year.

I was around 30 & suffering from repeated & debilitating migraines. Really, they were THE most terrible experiences. Sickness, severe pain, having to lay in a darkened room as the glare of daylight was so painful.  Never had a day's sick leave or been to a quack, so I poll up to the Doctor & explain the symptoms, thinking he would examine the problem with some care, as I was ultra low-maintenance in the illness & visiting GP surgeries department.

He says "do you worry a lot?"

"Yes" I reply.

"Well there's the problem. Stop worrying & you'll be fine"

I was so disgusted with his stupid advice I snap stood up & walked out.

I mean yes, it's common sense, just as avoiding a yoyo weight profile is common sense.

It's not that easy though, is it? If we worry, we worry, we can't ever stop ourselves can we? It's how we, as individuals, are made.

[RED-DOG]

Diet going well then Tom, right?

The diet Tone, sigh.....

I've got to accept that dieting doesn't work for me.

I can go on a diet, and I can lose weight, I've done it loads of times over the years but sooner or later, I just put it back on again.

For my most recent effort to I started at almost 15 stone, quickly got down to below 14 stone and then, as per, the wheels came off.

So, I'm giving up calorie count type dieting. I'm sick of the yoyo effect and it can't be good for me. I need to come at this from a totally different angle.

The exercise thing is no problem I can keep that up indefinitely, I've been taking regular exercise in one form or another for years. It's just the eating I have to get a handle on.

I need to change my attitude to bad food like I did with cigarettes and stop thinking I'm depriving myself of something good.

All suggestions welcome BTW.

That would be the blind leading the blind, Tom.

By a piece of spooky timing, I had an appointment with my dietician yesterday, as part of my rehab programme. WTF is the world coming to when I need a "dietician"?

Anyway, when time permits, I'll pass on the advice she gave me as to this non-stop yoyo weight gain & loss.

Or, we could ignore her, & just be sensible. Because, really, that's what she advocated. Stop eating to excess, practice moderation in all things & you'll be fitter & healthier. 

Get away. Who'd have thought?

It reminded me of, as far as I can recall, my only visit to a GP in 50 years of adulthood, until of course last year.

I was around 30 & suffering from repeated & debilitating migraines. Really, they were THE most terrible experiences. Sickness, severe pain, having to lay in a darkened room as the glare of daylight was so painful.  Never had a day's sick leave or been to a quack, so I poll up to the Doctor & explain the symptoms, thinking he would examine the problem with some care, as I was ultra low-maintenance in the illness & visiting GP surgeries department.

He says "do you worry a lot?"

"Yes" I reply.

"Well there's the problem. Stop worrying & you'll be fine"

I was so disgusted with his stupid advice I snap stood up & walked out.

I mean yes, it's common sense, just as avoiding a yoyo weight profile is common sense.

It's not that easy though, is it? If we worry, we worry, we can't ever stop ourselves can we? It's how we, as individuals, are made.

I worry, I'm a worrier, but these days I try to worry in a constructive way because apparently you don't have to worry about constructive worrying.

I'm also trying to become more self-deprecating but I'm crap at it.

[booder]

So here we are, 50 years ago, on a roadside campsite in South Yorkshire, trying to decide if it's going to be cold enough to warrant draining the water from the cooling system of our lorries.

Uncle Jimmy decided against it, saying he didn't think it would be that cold and that he was sick of fetching water just to waste it. Uncle Charlie hummed and arred for a while and decided not to drain his water either. That just left my dad and my grandad to make a decision.

My dad turned to me and asked solemnly, "What do you think we should do?"

Who, me? I said looking around to see if there was someone standing behind me that I hadn't noticed.

"Yes you. What do you think? Whatever you decide is what we'll do.

I was thrilled, flabbergasted and filled to the brim with equal measure of fear and pride.

It seems like a huge risk to leave that decision to a 10 year old boy but thinking about it now, I realise that he had probably already decided not to drain the water so whichever option I chose, I couldn't do any serious harm.

I considered the options carefully and soon realised that I had to go with draining the system. If I didn't, and I was wrong, we could end up with a broken engine, if I drained it and I was wrong, all we lost was some time and some water.

I announced my decision and my dad nodded gravely.

"Off you go then, you know what to do".

I did know what to do, I'd seen it often enough. I opened old ammunition box where we kept our tools and selected a 3/16AF spanner. (no metric sizes back then)

I crawled under the front of the truck and found the jubilee clip that held the bottom hose to the radiator. The little nut was well used and easy to slacken off. I pulled the hose free and scrambled out quickly before the cold water that cascaded down my arm could reach my chest.

The next morning all three lorries were fine. The frost hadn't been that hard and draining the water had been unnecessary.

Refilling filling the radiator was a nuisance, there was always the possibility of getting an air lock in the system and anyway, water was a precious commodity.

On the plus side, the whole episode drove my confidence, sense of responsibility and feeling of self-worth up several notches. Now I knew I could make important decisions and I knew it wouldn't be the end of the world if I got it wrong. It was a great lesson.

Of course I didn't realise it was a lesson at the time, in fact it didn't dawn on me until many years later and well into adulthood.

When we were kids, we got our education on the fly. We were too busy with our hectic nomadic lives to have a formal education but nevertheless, we learned important stuff.

Recently, I saw a quote that really struck a chord with me.

It's the teacher that makes the difference, not the classroom.

Cracking post, Tom, you really do write so well. I read posts like that twice or more, the better to absorb & enjoy.

[tonytats]

Core plugs !
We had core plugs in the block to allow water to expand as ice
They were buggers to refit n keep in if I remember ?
Do they still exist ?