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Hello, Pigale!
Last time I looked (five minutes ago) my rain is still here...pelting down!
And looking at the very black sky, there is much more to come.....thunder is rumbling afar......
My children loved "Playschool" when they were very tiny ...and didn't think much of its subsequent replacements......
Humpty, Hamble, Big Ted and Little Ted, and Jemima were all favourites!
And looking through the differently shaped windows.....


Hello, Jigjag!
Yes, that is indeed a good clue!
Well beyond my limited capabilities though.
Thank you for (patiently ) explaining it to me!


Hi, Ros!
Yes, Zebedee is a sort of jack-in-a-box without a box!
Brian a snail; Ermintrude a pink cow and I forget who else there is?
Dylan?
The scripts were written by Eric Thompson ( Emma's father)

Hello Rusty,
Bit late noticing your Christmas book list, I'm sure you will enjoy
Diary of a Bookseller, I bought a signed copy of the book from Shaun
himself when visiting Wigtown in September. Nice wee town as well.
Ninian

Hi elle

Eric Thompson wrote the Magic Roundabout scripts from just watching the French animations - he had no idea what the original scripts were!

The characters had different names in the French version. Dougal was called Pollux, and spoke French with a very English accent...

Good afternoon, Rusty!
The rain is still pelting down here!
I was considering wrapping up accordingly and venturing forth with dog.....but the thunder we are now experiencing has put paid to that idea!
Dog is under the sofa...and will remain there for the afternoon if this storm continues!
That is a very interesting article about John Muir.......he was quite an inspiration.
Now.....honestly, I don't know how you do it!
You are forever getting reductions on your dealings with the phone people, the electrics lot, British Gas....etcetera.......now Sky!
You must soft-talk them so very nicely.....!
Yes, give yourself a pat on the back!



Hello, Chris!
I didn't know that about Eric Thompson.
I have been sitting here indulging in nostalgia......
Is it me, or were the children's programmes of earlier years better then the offerings of today?

That's right Chris! I had forgotten about Pollux and his posh British accent!

Good afternoon, Ninian!
"Diary" is on my "definite buy" list!
I like the sound of it.
I'm afraid the nearest I've got to Wigtown is when catching the ferry at Stranraer.
It sounds like my kind of place, though!

Hello, Elle!
It has been a fine day here.
Pity about your rain.
John Muir is a bit of a legend, I suppose.
It's choosing the best book about him that will be the challenge!
What happened with Sky was, my previous discount had run out (I had not realised) and after a wee chat the lad said he would reinstate the discount and if I got rid of the Kids Channels, that would reduce the cost further.
So, that is fine with me.
I speak in a friendly manner to them, Elle, and it seems to be effective.
They always seem to be keen to help.
Why not try it?

Hi elle. Eric Thompson the father of Emma?? Emma??

Martin of Martin's money says you get some cheaper quotes and then ring your insurer, supplier etc. As rusty says, be polite, and you frequently get a discount. I hate the phone so much it wouldn't work for me.

I now have a badger proof fence I hope, 71 steel rods 8.5 cm apart, 2 feet down into the soil, wired together, right across my back garden. If that doesn't keep them out I will get a gun. (OK I know I can't). Now to fill in the deep gouges in the lawn and plant some more bulbs (they dug up the others). I painted the rods from 8 am yesterday to 7.30 pm (Omnicote, which I recommend) as they were rusty and orange is my least favourite colour.

Hi, Rusty!
You have certainly done well as result of your friendly chat with the service provider!
I do not get to "talk" to such people, Rusty, as it is my husband's name on the household utility bills.
For some reason, one is not allowed to have two names on a bill.
So on a practical level, the companies won't deal with me on a day-to day level, as I'm 'not the named person on the bill'.
When we also had the flat, then my name was on those bills, so I could organise those payments to my satisfaction.
These storms seem to be hitting right across parts of South -east London and Kent.......
Daughter phoned and told me her train wasn't running.....
There are no rail services at all on that line....
She was looking into alternatives for getting home, when she lost reception!
Oh dear!

Hello, Elle!
The first thing Sky etc ask me is, "Are you the account holder?".
So, I can see your problem.
Why not suggest discounts to your husband?
Talking about "two names", I remember reading in one of Bill Bryson's books that an American airline would not let him fly, because the flight was booked in the name of "William Bryson" and his ID said "Bill Bryson" (or, the other way round!).
A blooming nuisance for your daughter!
Will the rail company put on buses, or am I talking out of my hat?
You are not doing so well with the weather!