ranworthbreeze

Being self employed can be rewarding, but forget having time off, no sick pay, long hours, being an unpaid tax collector. The job only finishes when its completed. I have spent 35 years being self employed in the service industry, long hours sometimes little money with the VAT and Taxman always holding out their hands for their cut. Regards Alan

Hi Monica, That's what I like to see, a little bit of cake with my chocolate. Janet would proud I did the usual crispy buns with white chocolate, Dairy Milk and few for Tan with Cointreau and stem ginger. Cheese scones and tarts done. Turkey crown and Beef thawing ready for tomorrows restart. Maybe its time for a drink Regards Alan

I used to go down to the local before we were married, far to crowded but everyone jolly, of course in those days only a couple of hours in the pub but enough to fall asleep into the peas whilst having Christmas dinner. Some of my mates still go down and it is usually to see friends they have not seen all year. Kitchen duties now are the norm, well we like to eat, just six of us this year, one friend usually has between 16 to 20 of their family for Christmas. Regards Alan

Hi John, Already booked including the work party for 2016. Merry Christmas everyone and Happy boating in the New Year. Regards Alan

Hello Les, Welcome to the NBN forum. You may find that hiring a boat out of season could be a problem to even for a small group let alone a single handed crew. Hopefully other forum members may know of a boatyard that may be able to help you. When are you coming down to the Broads? Regards Alan

Hi Monica, I hope Carol does mind, but here is a link to a feature of the big freeze of 1963 at Oulton Broad. http://www.broadlandmemories.co.uk/blog/2010/12/the-big-freeze-of-winter-1963/ Regards Alan

I do not have any details but a man was rescued from the river this morning at Wroxham, does anyone have any other information? Regards Alan

Here is an update on the story http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/relaxing_christmas_trip_on_breydon_water_turns_into_rescue_drama_1_4357600 Regards Alan

Hi Monica, Six seconds more daylight today was the prediction, it could be far more tomorrow. I saw a flowering cherry tree in blossom today, not seen any daffodils yet maybe in a month or two in our normally colder climate. I saw the report on the floods again in Cumbria last night and sadly more bad weather is due with the hurricane this evening/tomorrow. I really feel for all of these people effected yet again with the flooding. Regards Alan

Hi Colin, You forgot to mention fish balanced on half a dozen chips or worse still in a very small imitation frying basket Regards Alan

Tan was rather partial to the smoked salmon & cream cheese sandwiches that on the dinnertime menu at The Staithe & Willow a few years ago, the only issue was finding a mooring. Personally I would go for the bagette filled with just cheese and that basket of chips with lashings of vinegar. Regards Alan

I visit places up & down the country where two pubs are next to each other, they have almost identical menu's, but one is overcrowded and the other has a few people in. In most cases it is down to the service offered and the quality of the food or beer. Regards Alan

Hi Carol, Wishing you and all forum members a Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year. Regards Alan

How true Grace, your Dad was right of course. Lathams, I have always loved wandering around there especially when they have all the Christmas tat, Tan bought some baubles there last year that she had been looking for some time. Going back to meat however, I hate all the adverts showing beef that is still rare, what a waste of a good cut of meat. It shows how we are all influenced by the whims of these celebrity chefs. Under-cooked, garlic in everything, oil dressings over salads, what wrong with the natural taste of the food? Regards Alan

Hi Carol, Since the Wherry reopened we have called in a few times whenever mooring at the Oulton Broad Yacht Station. We have found the food an drink to be very good valve and somewhat better than a number of the pubs on the Northern Broads. Regards Alan

Speaking from a personal point of view of always being a none smoker and going into pubs from an early age and subsequently working within pubs from my time as a service engineer. I always tried to be out of the smoke filled rooms as soon as possible. This was not always possibly with my involvement as a roadie and operating a mobile disco in the 70's. A group of us would often go and watch bands not only in our immediate location but often further afield. By the early 80's & 90's I found that I would prefer not to spend too much time in smoke filled rooms which effected my eyes and chest. The smoking ban has now made going back into pubs and venues more pleasant, now if only we could afford more than an odd round. When visiting hospitals, a practice which seems to be more prevalent with age, no smoking at all and a pain to run the gauntlet of the patients/smokers in their hospital gowns complete with oxygen masks or drips in tow. One of our syndicate owners told me that giving up smoking has saved him about £11000.00 a year All I have got to work out now is where all the money I should have saved from being a none smoker went? Regards Alan

Hi Monica, We never use Hermes for the reason as per above, a lot of their deliveries are done by people in cars who work sub contract, if customers of ours use them for deliveries to us the lady driver knocks at the door but will not put a foot inside our premises. We tend to use Interlink or Interparcel (we use their UPS collection service). Regards Alan

Hi Iain, If your guy up there gives him an hand I am sure they would make a good double act Regards Alan

Nanny State or what. Regards Alan

This topic has been split into two so the debate regarding smoking in pubs can have a topic on its own. Please see the following link to that topic:- Regards Alan

As requested a new topic to debate smoking in pubs. Regards Alan

Hello Stuart, Thank you for your reply, it is appreciated. Regards Alan

I just saw this. http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/politics/mps_give_green_light_to_fracking_under_the_broads_1_4351004 Regards Alan

Well said Grace, our children when they were young could be taken anywhere and I only had to look at them if I thought they were out of line. These days however they are times when my palm itches, usually when in supermarkets or the odd pub. Regards Alan

Hi Iain, It should apply to Apple products, flawed, overpriced but ideal for the Gadget-man. Regards Alan