Bobba

Try asking your wife................if you're feeling brave enough!

A problem when dealing with bureaucrats, be they local council, police etc., is that everything they do has to be evidence based. So, should you decide to go down that route could I suggest before doing so you keep a diary of her behaviour / incidents. It would be a lot more persuasive than a string of anecdotes. Regarding the car, as has been said, after 6 months in the UK the owner is obliged to register with DVLA and fit UK plates. Otherwise the car owner is untraceable and flies under the radar thus avoiding speeding / parking fines and road tax. Moreover without UK plates it is questionable whether she has UK based insurance or, even worse, any insurance at all. Being close to a school this is particularly worrying. This is without doubt a police matter and should be reported.

And yet another MP defects. It seems to me that the Electoral Laws should be changed to require an immediate bye-election in the constituency of any defecting MP. Firstly, a constituency which was represented by a particular party is no longer represented by that party. Voters should therefore be given the opportunity to re-establish their position or change if they wish to do so. Secondly, if the defecting MP is of the opinion that their original party no longer represents their views then he/she should be required to stand down, put their money where their mouth is and stand for re-election on the basis of their change in views. (And be prepared to lose their job).

Is the brown one in the middle a horse?. (Although, I am awaiting a cataract op.........)

Lloyd, I've a hardly used Silvere Pigeon Sporter 1 30" barrel adjustable stock I'm thinking of getting rid of. Get touch if interested. It seems we're both Bristol based. Bob

Nope, it was Boris Johnson's Dad and Sister following a river close to the family farm.

Confused here.... The walk I'm watching is on Exmoor. Long way from Suffolk

If you migrate to fly tying (fly dressing to the purists) you could find it quite satisfying to catch fish on flies you created. But be warned, even more bits and bobs to spend money on and requiring somewhere to store it........!!

I was asked some years back not to confront these type of chaps for fear of retaliation. On two areas of land farmed away from his home farm my farming friend has fitted into the access lanes two large locked drop bars (the sort that drop in to the ground) to prevent access and on one occasion they even tried to blow out the locks to gain access.

This is not intended as a granny sucks eggs comment but the only comment I have is based on 20 yrs of owning a dive RIB and diving. If you haven't got one already then a tidal stream atlas combined with tide times for Donegal is very helpful. It will help you avoid being in the wrong place at the wrong time, paddling like hell but going backwards! Good fishing.

Try Kite shop spares - another useful source for carbon fibre rods

I have had the experience of a "meeting" with four armed police officers and a helicopter. A member of the public had made a false report but they wouldn't say who. A well conducted exchange after which they said the way I transported my shotgun was A1 and my approach to the police was exemplary. A cool head and politeness goes a long way.

As regards landing in other parts of the fields you could spend a useful 30 mins flagging off those areas. i.e about 6ft bamboo sticks stuck in the ground with white sacks / bin liners attached which flap in the breeze and, hopefully, spook the pigeons from pitching. Also try raising your shell decoys with garden canes so they look like they are parked on the cauliflowers.

What would be the average price per acre for farm land like yours? In February 2019 Farmers Weekly (A newspaper) reported that bare agricultural land fell to a low to just below £7,000 acre. Possibly about $8,500 at current low exchange rate. I appreciate matters are not directly comparable but just interested.

Your point is well made. However, it is not the raising of being the question which has been observed upon but the way in which some choose to respond to it.

+1

Some interesting replies and observations thank you. Today, a contribution to my diminishing performance was revealed. For some time I have been experiencing an ache in my right eye. Also, when opening and closing left / right eye when watching tv my right eye vision is a tad blurred. My eye checkup was due so I went to the optician. I am diagnosed with a cataract in my right eye and a v slight formation in my left. I have been referred for a necessary operation. In discussion, the optician said that we do not realise it but with deficiencies in one eye the brain will compensate by increasing reliance on the better eye. This I translate as what with my being right handed and right eye dominant, unknowingly to me my left eye is starting to influence matters. Now the wait (for the op) You learn something every day........

Many thanks for this. Possibly the council seeing how far they can spread their low emission zones. The Mayor is a waste of space so will no doubt claim this as one of his initiatives.

This recently appeared on a lamp post near a mates house. Can someone identify it please? Is it something to do with mobile phones? Many thanks

I wonder if there is anything like an average hit rate? I know we are all different in our skills and can have good or bad days but, overall, is there an "average" / good day ratio? I ask because the guy I shoot with will be 78 this year. He has been shooting since aged 14 and did a lot of shooting (non-combat) when in the army. His hand eye co-ordination is superb and on a good day he probably hits a good 8 out of ten wood pigeons. By comparison I will be 76 this year have shot for about 10 years and am a little uncoordinated. Some days it just doesn't click. On a good day when it all comes together I'm in the 60% area. On a bad day 50%.. Before anyone mentions gun fit etc I would mention that it was choked and fitted by the nice Mr T (now retired). I've had a few lessons on a clay ground and finished hitting about 75% Perhaps I'm wrongly comparing myself with something of a crack shot and be happy with where I am. But I do not know how where I am compares with any averages out there. Any views on how well you guys shoot would be welcomed. Thanks

If still in doubt scan some more sections of the writing to give us a better fix on similar lettering

I am reminded of a visit we made to a Cloisonné factory in China. After the bowls and jugs had been baked the enamel had a sort of orange peel finish which needed to be smoothed. The bowls were placed in a sort of chuck which spun at an enormous rpm. Each worker had what seemed like an abrasive stone in each hand which they dipped in water and smoothed the enamel. After the demonstration the proud manager asked if we had any questions. Noting the complete absence of safety guards etc I asked what would be the consequences of a worker injuring their hand(s). The manager thought for a moment then said "No Problem. There are plenty people outside willing to take his place" !!!

More flattened barley?

On a similar theme we were by a river outside Luang Prabang, Laos and I was fascinated by the work of a bunch of lads about 10-12 yrs of age. With a machete they fashioned bamboo and with strips of inner tube held it all together to form a speargun and the projectiles were pieces of umbrella wire rods. Very successful. I wonder how these ideas travel? Or do they? Is that necessity is the mother of invention wherever you live in the world?

I picked up on the suggestion of CaptC and emailed a photo to Holts Auctioneers. One of their experts very kindly replied. He confirmed the identification of Hector Vector that it is a Lantaka and they hail from along the Malayan peninsular and right across China. From its styling it probably fairly late, probably around 150 years old. The mount is much later, probably purposely carved for displaying it. It would probably achieve up to £300 at auction subject to first hand examination. My daughter in law was delighted with this advice and the canon stays in store until their return to the UK.