Darker evenings, town plans and young snappers

1 September

Last evening we were surprised by just how dark it was here in Dorktown at 8.20. The nights are certainly drawing in well now. But you know what; it will soon be December 22 when they will start to draw out again ;-)))

Bloomin kids! Jan is sat going through the photos that Kile’s step-brother Billy took on Jan’s old Nikon P5100 camera; and some of them are really, really good. Yes, I know we can all do that at times, but Billy is just three years old and this lot are his second go at using it. Kile is having great fun with my Sony A350 too.

It feels good to see how well they are both doing and we feel privileged to be part of getting them started. They are both getting a positive model to follow with Danny, Kile’s step dad and Jan and me encouraging them with the cameras. Later we will start Billy off with bird watching too. Hopefully that will help guide them along a straight path in later life.

The question of good or bad cameras producing good or bad photos was raised again today on BBC’s Breakfast show when Bill Turnbull asked the winner of a photo competition about how good the photos were. Thankfully the winner replied that it’s not just the camera that makes the shot. I’m wondering what Turnbull would say if he saw them and was told the snapper was just 3 years old?

Dorktown council is producing a ‘town plan’ which is supposed to show where future housing building land is identified. The idea is to prevent development in areas not in accordance with that plan. Well, that’s my reading of the thoughts behind it anyway. But the plan has been delayed far too often for comfort. A number parcels of land have been sold off for housing and the council has allowed them all to go ahead, solely because there is no plan in place. So the News today has the story that the public consultation of The Plan will start in February next year. I’m puzzled as to why it’s taken so long to draw up and now I’m wondering just what it is they are trying to keep under wraps.

We shall go back the Stratford again for today’s photo … 

This grave stone is bent a wee bit; can you see it?

And yet again The Sage has come up trumps …

A Royal Navy Captain was about to start the morning briefing to his staff. While waiting for the coffee machine to finish its brewing, the Captain decided to pose a question to all assembled. He explained that his wife had been a bit frisky the night before and he failed to get his usual amount of sound sleep. He posed the question of just how much of sex was "work" and how much of it was pleasure?

A Commander chimed in with 75-25% in favour of work. A Lieutenant Commander said it was 50-50%.
A Lieutenant responded with 25-75% in favour of pleasure, depending upon his state of inebriation at the time.
There being no consensus, the Captain turned to the Leading Seaman who was in charge of making the coffee and asked what was his opinion. Without any hesitation, the young Leading Seaman responded, "Sir, it has to be 100% pleasure." The Captain was surprised and, as you might guess, asked why?
"Well Sir, if there was any work involved, the officers would have me doing it for them."
The room fell silent. God Bless the ratings.