malumbu

I've never seen anyone time trailing around here. Chap I knew did it in the 00s and they would use main roads out of London early in the morning. Urban environments are not suitable as far as I am aware.

Gosh, that is a blast from the past. Friends in York were into this, he was an accountant and had things like decorating done in exchange. Not sure if it was equivalent in terms of hours, and I recall HMRC being interested as it was a way of tax avoidance. A link for a London wide scheme but have no idea of its popularity: https://www.londonwide.letslink.org/members/index.php

Post much better this Xmas. Sue posted about whether they send Xmas cards; how good the post is, is relevant. Think I will continue to stay off Instagram!

Two subjects here. Xmas cards, We receive and send less of them. One reason is that the cost of postage - although interestingly not as much as I thought say compared to 10 years ago (a little more than inflation). Fun fact when inflation was double digits in the 70s cost of postage almost doubled in one year. Postage is not a good indication of general inflation fluctuating a fair bit. The huge rise in international postage that for a 20g Christmas card to Europe (no longer a 20g price, now have to do up to 100g), or a cheapskate 10g card to the 'States (again have to go up to the 100g price) , both around a quid in 2015, and now has more than doubled in real terms. Cards exchanged with the US last year were arriving in the New Year. Funnily enough they came much quicker this year. So all my cards abroad were by email this year. The other reason we send less cards is that it was once a good opportunity to keep in touch with news. I still personalise many cards with a news and for some a letter, and am a bit grumpy when I get a single line back, Or worse a round robin about their perfect lives and families. But most of us now communicate I expect primarily by WhatApp, email, FB etc. No need for lightweight airmail envelope and paper in one. The other subject is the mail as a whole. Privitisation appears to have done it no favours and the opening up of competition with restrictions on competing for parcel post with the new entrants. Clearly unless you do special delivery there is a good chance that first class will not be delivered in a day as was expected in the past. Should we have kept a public owned service subsidised by the tax payer? You could also question how much lead on innovation was lost following the hiving off of the national telecommunications and mail network.

Just a bit of humour in the continued posting by some that cyclists are public enemy number 1. Tiresome. If you go back to my short post I've already acknowledged kids on bikes (and as you say other two wheels) all over the place. And that it doesn't bother me. Rather them doing that than running around the Horniman museum whilst mum or dad is looking at their socials. And go back to my post and you've put this thread to bed as far as I am concerned.

Long or short leads for children? Your second paragraph summarises how we should behave. Not really sure why this turned into a longish thread. Funnily enough young cyclists are most likely to get in my way in Dulwich Park. Not that this bothers me in the least.

I wonder where he could be deported to, Hungary the obvious candidate in Europe, perhaps he would get on well with Modi? Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage both said Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood should look at whether Abd El Fattah's citizenship could be revoked to enable his swift removal from the UK. Farage said in a letter to Mahmood: "It should go without saying that anyone who possesses racist and anti-British views such as those of [Mr Abd El Fattah] should not be allowed into the UK." So just racists views are ok Nige?

Always preferred Grace and Favour to the BMC, commented in the past on this and sadly long since gone

Good thing that the roads are so quiet over the school holiday, particularly at this time of the year. And enjoyed the panto references!

Adapted not forced. As have numerous species around the world. Sort of thing that Attenborough features. Domestic dogs another good example - hung around communities for food and then we become the leader of the pack. Not sure how long it will take foxes to domesticate, but some will be well on their way. Raccoons also on the way https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1j8j48e5z2o

a (clean) nappy/pamper, it was like it had snowed in the garden. The absorbent stuff inside spread everywhere. Can I have my gardening gloves back please.

From memory foxes only became a regular sight in the 90s, the attached article says they first appeared in the 30s becoming far more common in the 80s. Apparently, whilst we think that urban foxes live longer than rural due to their 'easy' life few will make it over the age of two. In towns they are far more crowded than their natural habitat where they are more territorial. I've never seen foxes and cats fighting but once saw two cats squaring up to each other and a watching fox went up and butted its head against one of the cats. There's a video on youtube of a cat and fox facing off when the cat is eating outside, but it wont let me embed on this post. Get too close and I'll scratch you. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/oct/15/urban-foxes-are-they-fantastic-or-a-growing-menace My main issue is leaving things out like gardening gloves and they go or are shredded. One stole a bag of bird food in front of me, took it next door, shredded the bag and then left it.

Did Xmas in Southern India years ago, odd having piped carols when there was no actual celebration. Cuba was nice and chilled. Viet Nam before mass tourism on a very quiet beach. Mexico/ Oaxaca was lovely and sunny with a radish festival too. Iceland was exactly that - cold and very icy and we got snowed in. My favourite in Spain was Granada and going down to the beach (and swimming) on Xmas day. Did the same in Morocco. Central Nigeria was a different one with lots of singing and dancing at a three hour church service and all the bright colours. Two times in small resorts in France skiing, once with an absolute bucket full of snow on Xmas evening. Mountain restaurants open. London dull in comparison. Not that I am competing of course.

As Spartacus is paying you can share with me and I can tell you in great depth everything that you need to know. About everything. There's a Christmas offer.

There's probably a bigger discussion on why we celebrate Christmas (pagan/religious festival) and why everything has to shut down. I've enjoyed Xmas days in Spain, Mexico and France where some businesses and restaurants are open, and in a number of non-Christrian countries. In both sets of occasions it has been festive, but not over the top and the Spanish seem to have a more relaxed attitude in a country where the church is probably more important than the UK. A Lounge conversation. I'll no doubt be popping into the Forest Hill Road supermarket on Xmas day for things we have forgotten, with many others in a similar situation who grew up in the Christian faith (I've long since been an atheist).