It's a stick up!

I can't help wondering what possesses people to have one of those hangers or stickers attached to the rear screen of their car. They say something like "Tiny Person on Board" or "Baby in the Back".

If it's a safety issue warning drivers to back off, then I think it's hugely misguided.

I doubt that I am alone in driving closer to the car in question so that I can read what the sticker says.

That's got to be more dangerous hasn't it?

Surprise Surprise!

Genuine surprises are few and far between these days.

So it was an absolute pleasure to be out walking on The South Downs at the weekend to chance across an alternative to the planned pub lunch ahead.

In the village of Southease, (no pub, delightful chuch and a population of just 37) there was a small village green. On it for this Saturday only was a real ale tent, music and a chili festival.

There were bales of hay to sit on, food ranging from the wimpishly mild to the bonkers hot and a cracking relaxing atmosphere.

Naturally we stayed far too long and ended the walk much later than expected.

But it was one of those surprising marvellous moments you wouldn't miss for anything.

The Train Now Standing...

I'm old enough to remember steam train travel quite clearly. I unashamedly admit to collecting the numbers back in the fifties.

Then the engines had marvellous evocative names. Abbeys, Cathedrals, famous people, royalty, wars and battles, mountains, hills and glens.

Captions in magazines and books would always name the engine in a photograph. "The Earl of Mount Edgecumbe hauls a 10 coach passenger service up the incline from Sprodsbury Bottom." "Pendennis Castle eases out of Paddington with the 12.45 Bristolian Express."

And today? Give me strength. Trains no longer generate the same kind of excitement. Very sad. But from a names of engines point of view, it's just as well.

These days, locomotives have names like "Sir Peter Parker 1924 - 2002 Cotswold line 150", "Spalding Town", "Dartington International Summer School", "Oxfordshire 2007" and wait for it, I'm not making it up, "Helston Furry Dance".

Unbloodybelievable!

Thank you so very much...

And another thing...

I'm fed up with stopping for people at pedestrian crossings who walk across but don't have the courtesy to nod a thank you.

I'm equally hacked off with giving way to drivers who don't have the decency to acknowledge my politeness.

It seems to be happening more and more. And it makes me very cross indeed.