When I was younger I remember seeing a TV programme about supernatural and unexplained stuff. One of the things I remember most was the story of Maria Roux from South Africa who was killed in a car crash near Uniondale as she was going to tell her family that she had just got engaged. the car was being driven by her boyfriend, who survived. But several people in the years that followed encountered Maria Roux and gave her a lift, only to find that she disappeared after a while...
Below you will see the TV footage of the story of the Uniondale Ghost.
Sunday, 19 June 2011
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
Food ratings - they should be compulsory
The Food Standards Agency has started to publish hygiene ratings for restaurants on its website. The ratings range from 0 (urgent improvement necessary) to 5 (very good). This is a step in the right direction.
However, for the scheme to be fully effective, premises should be required by law to display the ratings in their windows. It is no good making the display of ratings optional, this defeats the object. These places rely on customers to keep them in business, therefore customers have the right to know that the place they are patronising is actually fit to eat in. There is no excuse for any food establishment to score less than 5, and those who are too idle to ensure that their premises come up to scratch should be named and shamed.
The ratings website is here.
However, for the scheme to be fully effective, premises should be required by law to display the ratings in their windows. It is no good making the display of ratings optional, this defeats the object. These places rely on customers to keep them in business, therefore customers have the right to know that the place they are patronising is actually fit to eat in. There is no excuse for any food establishment to score less than 5, and those who are too idle to ensure that their premises come up to scratch should be named and shamed.
The ratings website is here.
Sunday, 3 April 2011
Goldfinches
A few weeks ago we put some bird feeders out - two containing mealworms which have been enjoyed by the local starlings (and nothing else!) and one containing niger.
For ages the niger went untouched, but in the past couple of days we have seen increasing numbers of goldfinches coming to feed. Today I had the opportunity to capture them on video and also take a couple of photos. See them below.
For ages the niger went untouched, but in the past couple of days we have seen increasing numbers of goldfinches coming to feed. Today I had the opportunity to capture them on video and also take a couple of photos. See them below.
Sunday, 27 March 2011
Dream job...
When I was at school I wanted nothing more than to be a vet, I was totally committed to the idea, spending time helping at a vets and then going and studying the correct A levels to try and get into vet school. It was hugely disappointing not to make it.
Today I read a superb article about the equine hospital at Newmarket. That is the kind of place I would have loved to work in!
Today I read a superb article about the equine hospital at Newmarket. That is the kind of place I would have loved to work in!
Saturday, 19 March 2011
Trip to York
We had a trip to York yesterday, after cancelling an earlier trip there because of bad weather. It was a nice, sunny day, perfect for visiting Clifford's Tower and getting photos and video of the view from the top (a panoramic view of York, with nice views of the Minster). Clifford's Tower is all that remains of York Castle and is now part of English Heritage.
Clifford's Tower
York is one of my favourite cities in England, as well as being one of the most historic, with Roman (Eboracum) and Viking (Jorvik) history, there is the old area round The Shambles. There are also some excellent museums - York Castle Museum, Jorvik, National Railway Museum are some of the best known ones.
We had an excellent meal in 31 Castlegate. We both had rump steak with hand cut chips and mushrooms, the price was good, the service very efficient, pleasant and professional and the food superb. When in York give this place a try!
York is one of my favourite cities in England, as well as being one of the most historic, with Roman (Eboracum) and Viking (Jorvik) history, there is the old area round The Shambles. There are also some excellent museums - York Castle Museum, Jorvik, National Railway Museum are some of the best known ones.
We had an excellent meal in 31 Castlegate. We both had rump steak with hand cut chips and mushrooms, the price was good, the service very efficient, pleasant and professional and the food superb. When in York give this place a try!
Tuesday, 8 March 2011
An old favourite
When I was a kid I always enjoyed watching "Flambards" on TV. It was the story of orphan Christina, who is a heiress sent to live with her crippled Uncle and two cousins on a country estate in Essex (although filmed in Yorkshire). Elder cousin Mark was mad on hunting and didn't want things to move on, and younger cousin William was keen on the new flying machines (the story is set at the turn of the 20th century). Christina was destined to marry Mark so her money could be used to save and restore the crumbling Flambards house and estate. However, Christina had other ideas and runs away to London with Will, eventually marries him, is widowed a short time after and then returns to Flambards. I won't recite the whole story here, suffice to say that the series was based on the "Flambards Trilogy" by K.M. Peyton and never featured the fourth book, written sometime later, called "Flambards Divided".
As a kid mad on the story, I had all the books (I have read them lots of times over the years!) and went to the Flambards Village in Cornwall while on holiday there. The only thing I never wanted was the soundtrack album, as the only thing I disliked about the series was the awful, irritating music it featured. Mark was my favourite character, both in the books and the TV series.
After buying the complete series on VHS years ago, it was nice to get the complete series on DVD last week and it is good to wallow in nostalgia again and remember one of my favourite ever stories in its TV adaptation.
For those who want a shot of nostalgia, here is a clip from episode 2 of the TV series.
As a kid mad on the story, I had all the books (I have read them lots of times over the years!) and went to the Flambards Village in Cornwall while on holiday there. The only thing I never wanted was the soundtrack album, as the only thing I disliked about the series was the awful, irritating music it featured. Mark was my favourite character, both in the books and the TV series.
After buying the complete series on VHS years ago, it was nice to get the complete series on DVD last week and it is good to wallow in nostalgia again and remember one of my favourite ever stories in its TV adaptation.
For those who want a shot of nostalgia, here is a clip from episode 2 of the TV series.
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