Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[Laxie]

Red legged partridge are notoriously shy, so I was really lucky to get a quick snap of this one.

Click to see full-size image.

That bird is gorgeous!!!

[RED-DOG]

I do tend to attract gorgeous birds don't I?

[sovietsong]

Last Friday, I played the GUKPT £1500 + £75 main event at the Victoria casino.

I was so “up” for this one. I had been looking forward to it for ages. I felt relaxed, but not too relaxed, confident, but not too confident. Yada yada, etc etc. In short, I had, to quote Newman’s character in Cool Hand Luke, “Got my mind right boss”.

Because of the 2pm start and the difficulty sometimes encountered when trying to negotiate the M1 and the Edgware Rd on a Friday, I toyed briefly with the idea of travelling down on the Thursday, but eventually decided against it, opting instead to spend the day doing my odd jobs and generally getting everything organised so that the girls could survive for 3 days without me. (I’m the only one who ever does anything around here, honest).

So on Thursday morning, I got up fairly early and took the dog a walk, (When I said this once to Tony' he said it should be “Took the dog for a walk”. He’s right of course, but We’ve always said, “Took the dog a walk” in our in our family and it’s too late to change).

Anyway…

I took the dog a walk and then came home and cut the grass. I have a lot of grass, and I cut most of it with an ancient ride on lawnmower. Every time I use this mower, I have to do some kind of repair or modification to it, today was no exception. The choke cable had seized up inside it’s housing. So I had to break off the choke knob, remove the housing, and use the now free but very floppy cable freestyle, tucking loose end into a conveniently missing bolt hole to prevent it getting tangled in the mower blades after the engine had started. (Pics available on request).

Next, I checked all the gas bottles to make sure none of them would conk while I was away. I don’t actually use a lot of bottled gas, but I do use a lot of gas bottles, if you know what I mean. (If you don’t, admit it now and I’ll explain it better) There is one bottle on each of the two caravans, one on the portacabin, and two on the mobile home.

I changed one bottle using a specially shaped “Gas” spanner that I found in the scrap one day over 30 years ago. (Pics available on request) I don’t know how I’ve managed to keep it so long, because gas spanners are very prone to being borrowed and, once borrowed, not returned. I like this little gas spanner though, and I’m a total pain in the arse when I lend it to someone. “Don’t forget where it came from” I say, wagging my finger. “I’ve had that gas spanner for 30 years, and if it goes missing, I’m holding you personally responsible. You will have to replace it, but you can’t replace it because they don’t make them like that anymore, it’s irreplaceable.

After that, I filled the bird feeder, cut Kizzy’s fringe, and replaced a blown light bulb with an energy saving one. (Pics available etc)

We started using energy saving light bulbs ages ago, and I’m a big fan. When you turn them on, they don’t operate at full brightness until they get warmed up, (a bit like me really) but we’re used to candles and Tilley lamps etc, so we don’t mind that. On the plus side, they last forever and they really do reduce your electricity bill and reduce your carbon footprint. Mind you, I don’t worry too much about that (You know what they say about men with big carbon footprints). Pics available on request.

More to follow. (I’ve found it quite refreshing to write about poker for a change)

Hi Red, nice poker entry! 

Your lawnmower reminds me of the cars Michelles Grandad drives, he always buys cars down the auction with 'one years ticket' generally spends £300 quid and then spends lots of time trying to get from A to B, I asked him last time we met why he doesnt just buy a nice car that works every time and he said 'wheres the fun in that', what I see as a chore he enjoys.  He came into money about 5 years ago but still lives life like he always has, wont waste money on lifes little luxuries, although he is happy to spend money on family etc he refuses to pay over £2 for a cup of coffee.  He did once invest 6k in a Merc but had a problem with the key so had to get a new one made which cost him about £100 (one of those stupid fancy keys) so he sold it and moans about it anytime people question the fact he always has a tow rope in his old Peugeot!


I found this interesting and without being rude or assuming wanted ask now that you do ok from poker (assumption) dont you think about buying a new lawnmower so you dont have to fix it every time you use it?   

[RED-DOG]

Last Friday, I played the GUKPT £1500 + £75 main event at the Victoria casino.

I was so “up” for this one. I had been looking forward to it for ages. I felt relaxed, but not too relaxed, confident, but not too confident. Yada yada, etc etc. In short, I had, to quote Newman’s character in Cool Hand Luke, “Got my mind right boss”.

Because of the 2pm start and the difficulty sometimes encountered when trying to negotiate the M1 and the Edgware Rd on a Friday, I toyed briefly with the idea of travelling down on the Thursday, but eventually decided against it, opting instead to spend the day doing my odd jobs and generally getting everything organised so that the girls could survive for 3 days without me. (I’m the only one who ever does anything around here, honest).

So on Thursday morning, I got up fairly early and took the dog a walk, (When I said this once to Tony' he said it should be “Took the dog for a walk”. He’s right of course, but We’ve always said, “Took the dog a walk” in our in our family and it’s too late to change).

Anyway…

I took the dog a walk and then came home and cut the grass. I have a lot of grass, and I cut most of it with an ancient ride on lawnmower. Every time I use this mower, I have to do some kind of repair or modification to it, today was no exception. The choke cable had seized up inside it’s housing. So I had to break off the choke knob, remove the housing, and use the now free but very floppy cable freestyle, tucking loose end into a conveniently missing bolt hole to prevent it getting tangled in the mower blades after the engine had started. (Pics available on request).

Next, I checked all the gas bottles to make sure none of them would conk while I was away. I don’t actually use a lot of bottled gas, but I do use a lot of gas bottles, if you know what I mean. (If you don’t, admit it now and I’ll explain it better) There is one bottle on each of the two caravans, one on the portacabin, and two on the mobile home.

I changed one bottle using a specially shaped “Gas” spanner that I found in the scrap one day over 30 years ago. (Pics available on request) I don’t know how I’ve managed to keep it so long, because gas spanners are very prone to being borrowed and, once borrowed, not returned. I like this little gas spanner though, and I’m a total pain in the arse when I lend it to someone. “Don’t forget where it came from” I say, wagging my finger. “I’ve had that gas spanner for 30 years, and if it goes missing, I’m holding you personally responsible. You will have to replace it, but you can’t replace it because they don’t make them like that anymore, it’s irreplaceable.

After that, I filled the bird feeder, cut Kizzy’s fringe, and replaced a blown light bulb with an energy saving one. (Pics available etc)

We started using energy saving light bulbs ages ago, and I’m a big fan. When you turn them on, they don’t operate at full brightness until they get warmed up, (a bit like me really) but we’re used to candles and Tilley lamps etc, so we don’t mind that. On the plus side, they last forever and they really do reduce your electricity bill and reduce your carbon footprint. Mind you, I don’t worry too much about that (You know what they say about men with big carbon footprints). Pics available on request.

More to follow. (I’ve found it quite refreshing to write about poker for a change)

Hi Red, nice poker entry! 

Your lawnmower reminds me of the cars Michelles Grandad drives, he always buys cars down the auction with 'one years ticket' generally spends £300 quid and then spends lots of time trying to get from A to B, I asked him last time we met why he doesnt just buy a nice car that works every time and he said 'wheres the fun in that', what I see as a chore he enjoys.  He came into money about 5 years ago but still lives life like he always has, wont waste money on lifes little luxuries, although he is happy to spend money on family etc he refuses to pay over £2 for a cup of coffee.  He did once invest 6k in a Merc but had a problem with the key so had to get a new one made which cost him about £100 (one of those stupid fancy keys) so he sold it and moans about it anytime people question the fact he always has a tow rope in his old Peugeot!


I found this interesting and without being rude or assuming wanted ask now that you do ok from poker (assumption) dont you think about buying a new lawnmower so you dont have to fix it every time you use it?   

Michelle's Grandad sounds like a great bloke to me. Tony got me into the habit of stopping in motorway service stations for a latte from the "Coffee Nation" machine. Two pounds ten bloody pence it costs. I begrudge every penny.

I have never been a big earner, so I suppose I do "Do OK" from poker, but it's all relative. I do OK because as a family we're very frugal. I try to keep my expenses down, and you couldn't make Mrs Red spend anything unnecessary if you beat her with a stick.

I really can't believe it when I read about Dubai throwing £100 chips over the side of the ship on the Laddies cruise, Moomin paying a £2100 bar tab, or Dave Jones buying a bottle of cristal for£402.50. I'm not knocking it, good luck to them, I just can't get my head around it.

A new mower would cost something in the region of 3k, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. And anyway, as Michelle's Grandad says "Where's the fun in that?"

[sovietsong]

Your right, her grandad is great. He always has a tale to tell about when this old car or that broke down and he had to swap his pocket watch for some parts and pay the garage back later. It does create more interesting tales that 'we set off at 7 and got there at 8.25!'

I'm not knocking it at all, I guess I'm lucky enough to have been provided with most things in life and therefore don't really know how to fix stuff. All I know is if its broken I need a new one... Kinda sad really. Might go and buy something from a carboot sale just so I can experience making something work and have a story to tell over sunday dinner!

[boldie]

Your right, her grandad is great. He always has a tale to tell about when this old car or that broke down and he had to swap his pocket watch for some parts and pay the garage back later. It does create more interesting tales that 'we set off at 7 and got there at 8.25!'

I'm not knocking it at all, I guess I'm lucky enough to have been provided with most things in life and therefore don't really know how to fix stuff. All I know is if its broken I need a new one... Kinda sad really. Might go and buy something from a carboot sale just so I can experience making something work and have a story to tell over sunday dinner!

buy my car...plentystories to tell with that lol

[sovietsong]

I will swap my casio for it...

[boldie]

I will swap my casio for it...

[ ] that'd be a bad deal for me

[Karabiner]

That's it I'm out of everything tonight already 

Now where's the rest of this shaggy sob-story ?

[Taxmonkey]

Hello Red-dog

My first post on this forum had to be on this thread. I love the stories, wish there were more of them and more often but I guess that's the talent of a good writer (and you definitely are a good writer) you always keep us wanting more!

Thank you and more please!

[RED-DOG]

Hello Red-dog

My first post on this forum had to be on this thread. I love the stories, wish there were more of them and more often but I guess that's the talent of a good writer (and you definitely are a good writer) you always keep us wanting more!

Thank you and more please!

Hello Chris, thank you for the kind words.

First I have to finish writing up my tourney report from the ME at the Vic, then I have to talk a bit about people's preconceived ideas about Gypsies. Then I will try to get a story ready for when david3103 gets here.

In the meanwhile, tell us why your nickname is "Taxmonkey"

[Taxmonkey]

Quite boring I'm afraid. The tax part comes from my job, I'm a paye/SA tax advisor for HMRC. The monkey part was just something I stuck on the end because it some how sounded right.

What about your username? I'm sure there's a story there.

[RED-DOG]

What about your username? I'm sure there's a story there.


Yes. It's a story I've told too often though. I'll try and find you a link.

[77dave]

Tom after your posts about perceptions of Gypsies, I was wondering how life for a Gypsy has changed between your childhood and the lifestlye your grandchildren will have

[Colchester Kev]

Have your ears recovered from the non stop bollocks that woman was spouting on your GUKPT table yet ?