please empty your brain below
If relevant, please start your comment with a number from 1 to 31.

(questions will not be answered)

diamond geezer | Homepage | 30.01.21 - 11:30 p.m. | #

1) No longer dreamy, or no longer a topping? I've heard of upside down cakes but an upside down trifle does sound messy.

Klepsie | 31.01.21 - 2:17 a.m. | #

11) I received a Christmas card on 6th January postmarked on 15/12 at the Northern Ireland mail centre. It had been posted in Glasgow. I think Royal Mail have been struggling a bit lately.

19) it's a shame the funding wasn't there to turn it into a proper crossroads, but hopefully it'll be safer for people on bikes than the roundabout was, without being too much of a bottleneck for buses.

25) I did comment on an older post, but this bird is (these birds are?) not shy. I saw one swooping dead centre down the river within seconds of my arrival on the bank on Friday.

31) I think I had more mince pies in January than December.

martin | 31.01.21 - 2:18 a.m. | #

4) best thing about Winter Walks was the lack of an added orchestral sound in the background. New series please.

popartist | 31.01.21 - 7:39 a.m. | #

2: This actually inspires me to decide that my phone, which only requires 2 charges every day, *doesn't* need replacement yet. Meanwhile, perhaps DG's phone battery is replaceable. 10 years ago I could easily prolong my phone's life by buying a new battery.

Patrickov | 31.01.21 - 7:51 a.m. | #

20. Two great bits of news in one paragraph. I briefly mused on how your dad had Joe's phone number...

DavidC | 31.01.21 - 7:51 a.m. | #

4 - Winter Walks is absolutely terrific, a feast for the eyes and so welcome in these restricted times. I've watched several of the episodes multiple times.

Frank F | 31.01.21 - 7:53 a.m. | #

19) It’s amazing to think that these grand projects to remake central London streets continue. Gower Street was due to be converted to two-way running today, but this has now been postponed (again!). Should be soon, though.

Dan | 31.01.21 - 8:09 a.m. | #

12) In Settings - Display you can disable Raise to wake to avoid this problem.

Greg S | 31.01.21 - 8:16 a.m. | #

6 & 20 - no sign of those $2k cheques yet, but may get $1.4k cheques in March.

11 - Royal Mail have published a list of areas where there are reduced/no services due to C-19, but their site wants me to accept cookies and I'm not that bothered about late mail.

Still Anon | 31.01.21 - 8:22 a.m. | #

9) That is a great photograph! 👍🏻
8) Oh dear,DG,sorry about your earphones.
12) And this is where I choked on my mug of builders'.😂
31) The last mince pie? You could make some more, nobody will snitch to the christmas police.😉

Jo W | 31.01.21 - 8:27 a.m. | #

23. As a matter of interest i've just uncovered two 'old' twenty pound notes here in Perth, Western Australia. (Just got locked down for the first time in 10 months. Bah) Any idea if i can still squeeze some value out of them? Ta.

Milo | 31.01.21 - 9:06 a.m. | #

(23)...a £20 note! I’m sure you can remember breaking into a 10/- note.

dg writes: be less sure.

Winsleigh | 31.01.21 - 9:07 a.m. | #

24 - Had a friend round between lockdowns last year and we cooked an all day breakfast for lunch. He introduced me to the art of microwaving bacon. It is brilliant as you can regulate how crispy the rashers become and reduces the number of frying pans needed. Double win!

Incidentally, he came by his bike which he had converted to an electric one by means of a kit. I had a go, it was great, and also to be recommended.

Ken | 31.01.21 - 9:24 a.m. | #

31. Perfect time to switch to hot cross buns and creme eggs, then!

Jamesthegill | 31.01.21 - 9:41 a.m. | #

31. Standard mince pies can be bought in shops year round. However the really delicious ones with icing topping do indeed become unavailable between mid January and mid November.

Malcolm of Kent | 31.01.21 - 9:50 a.m. | #

13) At Portsmouth, HMS Warrior has a webcam on the mizzenmast that, in one of its very slowly changing views, usually shows the dockyard semaphore tower.
Haven't spotted it yet today, as luck would have it.

Joho | Homepage | 31.01.21 - 10:13 a.m. | #

21. Crossrail recently put out a cab view video of Abbey Wood non-stop to Westbourne Park in real time - just under 19 mins.

22. I've never seen brown decor quite so hyper-real. Having just left school at the time depicted, it brings back a memory or two. Pursuing reliable information on HIV transmission then made me feel I'd just missed the boat on happy go lucky times. Fortunately, we can be adaptable.

23. I last paid for something in cash in June.

NickW | 31.01.21 - 10:23 a.m. | #

31. You can have my last box of mince pies still sitting on my shelf if you want (they're sitting next to 2 tins of shortbread but they're not up for grabs)

Caroline | 31.01.21 - 11:15 a.m. | #

4. Thanks for the heads up - I shall look for it on catch up.

11. Sent a 2nd class letter on the 23rd November. Recipient is still waiting for it to arrive.

15. They need to be on your head to be called 'wisdom highlights'

30. And this is why I could never live in the middle of nowhere!

31. Enjoy!

Cornish Cockney | 31.01.21 - 11:15 a.m. | #

31. I was needing a mince pie last night. How much do you want for it?

Wolf | 31.01.21 - 11:28 a.m. | #

17 - More importantly, the lockdowns have robbed me of at least 5% of my remaining active life (and counting). Holidays I will never take, places I will never visit, friends I will see less often, and meals out I will never enjoy. I rest my case.

Ken | 31.01.21 - 11:39 a.m. | #

1. Very nice post, DG, but I too couldn't help wondering which part of its name the "Dream Topping" did not live up to!

cau1khead | 31.01.21 - 11:59 a.m. | #

23) Old £20 note? Three options:

1. You can present to Bank of England to get a swap. Not sure if this can be done by post, and what fees will be charged
2. Sell on eBay, as an old no longer circulating note. Offer international shipping (for appropriate costs of registered post) A collector will buy it, or will present for exchange
3. Donate to an major international charity locally or post to a major UK charity. They will squeeze some value from it.

Milest | 31.01.21 - 3:18 p.m. | #

28. I walked down Grove Passage for the first time last weekend on the way to look at Keeling House, which stands in stark contrast to the houses in Canrobert Street.

Tim B | 31.01.21 - 4:04 p.m. | #

3) The whole Tier 4 business didn't start until just before Christmas so it's possible some people were already at their legitimate Christmas destination when the rules changed. Staying would then have been more sensible than coming back, but they may not have been able to stay long term. Visiting an elderly relative as a bubble would have been permitted for instance.

On the other hand I guess the circumstances indicate otherwise...

Andrew S | 31.01.21 - 8:44 p.m. | #

22) Since when in the 1980s was Heaven nightclub mixed?

Kim | 31.01.21 - 8:47 p.m. | #

29 c) I am intrigued.

H SE18 | 31.01.21 - 10:06 p.m. | #

1 Bird’s Cream Droppings in our family. Still enjoyed them though, caramel one anyway.

Herbof | 31.01.21 - 10:09 p.m. | #

I always look forward to the unblogged blog post each month.

R2 | 31.01.21 - 10:55 p.m. | #

Days which have not inspired comment:
5 7 10 14 16 18 26 27

(but the vast majority have, cheers!)

diamond geezer | Homepage | 31.01.21 - 11:30 p.m. | #

30. Glad to learn you’re still buying the print edition of a newspaper.

Great Aunt Annie | 01.02.21 - 1:48 a.m. | #

18: I thought she lived in Putney.

Jonathan Wadman | 01.02.21 - 9:57 a.m. | #

22. I liked the way they used a flashback to end on a not quite so sad note.

ADS | Homepage | 06.02.21 - 10:27 p.m. | #











TridentScan v2.10.0 | Privacy Policy