Try to get to Arnhem for the memorial ceremony every three years or so. It’s unbelievably moving and the local population are incredible in their unwavering support for the actions and remembrance for the fallen. A weekend I can recommend, most definitely
Whilst I think about it - a HUGE THANK YOU to all who contributed to my Sunflower Walk in memory of my sister, Roz, and for the Mountbatten Hospice in Southampton. I managed to raise an amazing £550, way over my target and that means I shall also be donating £550 to the Willen Hospice in Milton Keynes where my girlfriend’s cousin, Mark, was so ably cared for in the last weeks of his life (and it was skin cancer which got him, my friends, so PLEASE do NOT stint on the sun protection if you must go out in this weather!!
Just down the road from me Dave. My mate recently did a sponsored event for them and I donated to him too. Great cause.
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/twelve-children-football-coach-found-155942409.html Brilliant news...the young football team and coach missing in a Thai cave for 9 days have been found alive. Still the logistical problem of getting them out past flood water, especially as they are very weak, but a miracle they have been found alive.
Living in Thailand, this has been constantly on the news for 10 days and rightly so. The whole country has been on tenter hooks. Still got to get them out which will be extremely difficult in itself. They were found by two British cave diving experts.On the news the Thai's are saying that the whole country will support England in the World Cup now. Really great news to wake up to!
The flood waters may not recede for months and it could take a considerable time to get them out....they either wait for months or swim out (which would require training). A long way to go yet....I cannot imagine what they are going through psychologically. My two greatest fears are caves and underground water* so I'd be having the screaming hab dabs by now. *No idea where that fear comes from, but I've had it for as long as I can remember.
Near Me is a cave dive in the sea that starts at 18 meters, with a tunnel about 30 meters long and approx 6 meters wide narrowing down to 3 meters. You can surface inside the cave take off the scuba gear and walk around looking at the the stalagmites and stalactites etc. I have dived it many times and used to take groups of qualified divers into it. It is pretty straight forward mostly clear water and considerable light from the wide cave entrance but even some of the most experienced fun divers freak out in there and need to turn back after a few meters. trying to take kids that cannot swim through small caverns and with murky fast flowing water will probably not be the best option. They are looking at keeping the kids safe in the cave and supplied with months of food and navy seals and a doctor to keep them company until the water level is low enough or they can drill a way in. Hopefully it doesn't take that long. They do appear to be in good spirits considering what they have been through. These Thai kids are tough over here.
A fire has broken out in Parkhurst Forest. Cynicism tells me that this will be a deliberate fire started by some moron excited about the serious fire that has been making the news recently.
Fires making the news. The first one last week was in Sadleworth Moor near Oldham. Very bad and I was near there last week. You could smell the smoke for miles. Then recently there is the firs near Bolton on Winter Hill. This was two fires, one of which is believed to be arson and that one has joined up with the first fire on winter hill to make one big one. Not good. Some people need putting down.
Just a reminder to all you good people to be careful with your banking. I wasn't vigilant enough and someone has stolen several thousands from my account (in lots of small amounts) over the last week. I don't (didn't) check my account often enough to have caught them sooner. I was on the phone to the fraud people at the bank earlier and thankfully I'm getting the money back. I just have to deal with things the old fashioned way for the next week or so until I get my new card. Bad timing (not that there is a good time to be a victim of fraud) because I'm going up north on a stag do this weekend!
I hadn't known they were British when I first watched the video but when I first heard the very English accent i had flashes in my head of the great English pioneers of old and all the stereotypes that go with it and just thought, OF COURSE they'd be English! Apparently the two of them are considered the best divers in Europe and are usually asked for by name. And they volunteer to do this type of thing. If England can just win tonight then it will have been a very proud day to be English! (Not to take anything away from everyone else who were vital to the operation)
I don't actually know which is a bit of a worry. Either gotten my bank details online somehow when I've bought things online, or I guess cloned my card at a cash point or something like that. They were even getting takeaways and taxis and never spent more than about £90 in one go, so easier to go under the radar, especially if you don't check your bank account regularly. Some people have no conscience!
Yep total scum IMO, taking honest people's hard earned cash, this is one of the worst aspects of the new computer age. Do you know where they were spending the money in the country? It's encouraging that you will be able to recover your money...
There have always been thieves about....they now use technology in a technological age. It's just harder to prevent....can't just buy bigger locks and tougher doors. I check my bank account every day. I like the convenience of banking on line, but I have to admit I understand why a few of my friends do everything the old-fashioned way.
All over the place! In London, in Spain and others that I'm not sure about. Yeah I'm glad I can get it back, had a bit of a panic this morning when I found out and wasnt sure at that stage whether I was going to get my money back or not.
