PP – the wobbly bridge i take it being the millennium bridge from TM to St P’s?

Yes it is and I’ll be there at 11.00, with a big lock.

We could DIY! Do i recall a suggested start at 11.00 by the wobbly bridge? Lets invade otherwise I’ll be stuck with outlaws in Bethnal Green!

Didn’t they have the Condor pro riders doing delivery last year?
I do like some of their stuff and will pay for the right stuff but it reminds me of the crappy wool jerseys I had to race in as a junior!

^^^^^^^^ A worthy independant shop with staff who do it.

Shibboleth – “Try LETMEBENDOVERANDTAKEARIGHTROYALROGERINGUPTHEWRONGUN11 for a fantastic 800% markup.”
Now my sister in law, who has her own fashion business reckons its 833%!!!!!!!

If you are really wanting an emptying experience wouldn’t you be considering Picolax?

Wasn’t able to get up there as was still tired and emotional from Friday evenings gym do. Everyone says it was great. Well done Red Bull and MK.

And Web is really into his riding to. In Corleys often. There are loads of riders who work at Red Bull. They get out training at lunchtimes so are unsurprisingly quick.!

Think I’ll be the character sitting at the back in black holding his wig!

Just come across this Sue and like everyone think you’re brill for standing up and being counted.

I’ve had to adjudicate on processes like this in the past and its not easy. So where ever you can, reference substantiated things. Emails, meetings with witnesses etc. Don’t know the circumstances obviously but try to show his behaviour and actions (or lack of them) rather than your feelings.

As a reasonable person you will naturally write in a gentle tone. In normal situations that might ok, but this is not a reasonable situation so make sure you put your points over strongly. It makes life easier for others to digest timelines and bullet points rather than huge amounts of prose.

Remember one of the things you are fighting for is the success of the company and the team they have invested in. Show how his behaviour is preventing quality, productivity etc. This also removes the issue of being a victim. This might sound rather impersonal but it is an empowering approach rather than an emploring one. I’ve found it encourages those judging it to become empathetic rather than sympathetic, and its a crucial difference.

Its worth getting a dispassionate person to read it before handing it over. TJ has offered (I think) and I’ll be on Elf’s pootle if you want a chat (You are going aren’t you!) even though it might be abit late for the letter. You can email as well if you want.

Keep busy and balanced.

Anyway let the jokes continue….

So its a morally uplifting tour before a descent into ale filled revelry?

Got clearance so am in attendance. With the potential range of machinery in attendance and hostelries to be visited will there be a dress code?

Mrs W has decided to put all the jokes posted into the crackers for her gym mates Christmas meal! Go to town people!

I’m hoping to keep that spirit. Already I’m peed off when I have to work on a wednesday and can’t go out with the 3R group. Thats rich, retired and redundant. I’m 1 1/2 of those and its not rich!

Doing it in the “weather” often makes the experience that much more intense and ultimately rewarding! Don’t we talk about rides when it was in heavy conditions? Ploughing through the back at those Mountain Mayhem events.

And mines going in today! Going to change the look of the house as we are completely flat roofed. One long line of shiny things.

Woburn is just off the M1 Junction 13. Conditions vary but good choice of riding.

Trying to persuade Mrs W to visit relos in that Bethnel Green. Something I don’t normally do. Nothing against Bethnel Green but the relos…… Anyway should be there but will need pointing in the right direction at the end please, and I’ll need to have consumed plenty of anaesthetic to cope with the evening.

Great stuff. But why do the co drivers always say “left 100” etc then followed by “maybe!!!” can’t they read their own writing?

Decathlon used to do a no name copy of the SLR for £20 if IRC. Good value and good ride.

Either way, the answer is do you like it?

Isn’t it a biology lesson?

Took it off for me! Thanks for the heads up.

I know that it’s not got the brand image, but…. the best cabin case I’ve ever had came from IKEA. Got the dividers etc and has a really robust construction. I used to live out of mine for four years. People actually came up to me and asked where they could get one. Think they still do them and it was dirt cheap. Worth a punt IMO.

Not much to add on the riding front other than get on and do it. However……. If you get a good set of lights there are endless possibilities for fun. My new trout light “dominator” arrived yesterday. As soon as it got dark I kept going around the house switching of lights so I could use it. It’s so powerful we were picking out enemy planes in the sky, blistering paint on an unknown car up the street, cooking steaks etc. my 28 year old daughter drew the limit when I said I could give her a manicure by burning her nails off! She left with a headache! Awesome kit.

When the kids were younger (8/10ish) I’d get them to direct us home in the car. I’d go exactly the opposite to what they said. Used to wind them up a treat. Daughter soon sorted it out though and has fabulous sense of direction. Son hit me and after he was 12 it hurt too much. He also prefers to drive me now. Never bothered with directionally challenged missus.

Mrs Wingnuts just walked past and very quietly said “not if you want to live”. Thing is she doesn’t even know which white door its behind in the kitchen.

School Governor as well. Really important work now that local authorities collapsing and academies are taking the world.

Robin Hood, in black and white!

Thunderbirds, oh how I miss you, Scott, Virgil, Alan, Gordon and poor John what did you do to deserve to be up there all on your for so long?

When I was at college we had a phantom logger. On a daily basis leviathans (why do we only use that word in relationship to gigantic turds) were left creating a sense of wonder. Nobody, on our landing was owning up to the production of these monsters. We initiated turd watch. Eventually we identified the culprit. It was the American girlfriend of one of us. She was very attractive and petite, and we couldn’t believe her bowels could contain the amount of matter required. We started discreetly (probably not) monitoring what she ate but found nothing out of the ordinary. I think the relationship came to an end because we gave her boyfriend no end of hassle about what he must be forcing into her!

M5 near Taunton some years ago everything came to sudden stop as the middle lane was occupied by a lane hog doing about 15mph. When I say hog I mean a bloody great pig about the size of a fiat 500. Didn’t deviate from middle lane for about a mile. Didn’t seem bothered by anything.

Abit late I was referring to Kevj

^^^
I bet that kind of conversation was really satisfying compared to most of the ones I have at work.

Picolax!

Let’s be absolutely clear, this isn’t immaturity. It’s the very essence of life. Whether it’s surfing trollers or whatever, don’t ever stop doing it. I bet that for every scowling Victor Meldrew there will be 10 grannies secretly smiling as we drift past them into the tower of beans.

Surfing trollies is great. Its in my families genes. I do it (57), my son does it (25) and my dad flipped one in Tescos at the age of 67! Wife and daughter tut like submarine sonar.

Also son and I leapfrog post boxes or high bollards. Again started by my old man (who died before son was born). As he his now bigger and stronger than me I have taken to practising on my own. Not quite got to doing reccie trips yet, but it won’t be long.

There’s a lot of sound advice being given here. Desperate/depressed people will always seek people who tell them what they want to hear. This means they will drift away from friends who often give the most appropriate responses.

Having been through something like this I’d emphasise the need for everybody, and those not so closely involved, to be educated properly about how to respond to someone like Ox’s friend. Tough love is not easy to give.

The other really important thing is that those who are on the frontline of caring need to have support mechanisms. When we had to take care of some of the section several times, we maintained our equilibrium because of people taking care of us. Making sure that we were riding, seen all the good things in our lives, having proper meals etc.

Having done some reading around issues like this it’s amazing about how close we all are to the edge. Someone with a clinically diagnosed condition may be exhibiting 7 symptoms (that might seem totally unrelated). I know I and most of my mates have 6!

Good luck Ox, take care of yourself as as well as your friend.

I remember having to cut out and fold the printed shape on the cornflakes packet. I ended up with a collection of animal heads which I hung in my bedroom. I felt like a big game hunter… with scissors

Hasn’t Harry (not the spider) got one?

Brilliant, but as one who has an occasional ant problem: I like the magnifying glass method to insect cleansing and would be willing to consider other ways to “the final solution”. However the debate has convinced me that shovelling ants into a bucket and clambering up on the roof to hurl them off is not a realistic alternative to BOILING THEM WITH WATER. I would be interested in getting a large boiler to supplement the kettle. Off to flea bay now!

She’s been claiming £293 a day! Every day for every year for 5 years!! WTF!!!