Took the car to the garage this morning. There is a Gregg’s restaurant (first one I have seen) nearby so had an indulgent breakfast of sausage roll and a bacon roll and coffee. I drink coffee black with no sugar. It was vile. Long ago I had a Costa coffee, that was also vile. I can happily drink the coffee in lots of foreign countries – why is it so difficult to get a good cup here?
In anticipation of a long wait for the car I took a volume of Dylan Thomas and one of Kipling along.
It may have been noted that I have a great regard for the ladeez though I don’t think I understand them. Brown Suede Gaiters put it very well – ‘To understand a woman you need to be able to understand why pizzas are round, set up in square boxes and eaten in triangular pieces.’
Kipling also had his word to say on the subject in his poem ‘The Ladies’ one verse of which is:
‘I was a young ‘un at Oogli,
Shy as a girl to begin:
Aggie de Castre she made me,
An’ Aggie was clever as sin;
Older than me. but my first one-
More like a mother she were-
Showed me the way to promotion an’ pay,
And I learned about women from ‘er.’
If anyone needs a little swash added to their buckle his poem ‘The English Flag’ which contains the immortal lines – Winds of the World, give answer! They are whimpering to and fro-
And what should they know of England who only England know?-
Welcome back Reggie, we have missed you. Mark Billingham is one of my favourite authors and I have read all his early work but the last – ‘The Dancing Detective’ puzzled me. I thought it had been published before under another title, or maybe it was my imagination? (Looks in mirror….who is that old befuddled bugger
looking back at me?).
Where are the statesmen and orators of the past? A law ought to be passed banning any PPE graduates from office. An absolute shower!
One man I could listen to all day is Gorgeous George Galloway. Don’t know if he speaks ex tempore or it is finely rehearsed but by gum he can express himself!
Talking of under the radar – one of my great mates left the army before me. He was a big burly west country man and a bit of a rogue. He popped in to see me sometime after demob. ‘Hey Gilly’ he said, I don’t exist.’ ‘What do you mean I replied, you don’t exist?’ ‘Well, he said, I haven’t signed on, I am not on the electoral roll, haven’t registered with a doctor don’t tell anyone where I live and I don’t pay no taxes!’ I thought ‘Good on you Danny.’
I have been caught by a spam outfit – ‘Reverse Look-Up’ I was hoping for help in tracing an old friend from The Regiment. Not sure whether I got confused with a ‘phone number look-up? Anyway, I thought I was paying 99p – my bank showed £49 – I had not read all the conditions. Pain in the arse and I hope my bank can recover it. Beware! Inattention can cost munny!!
© Gillygangle 2025
