Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Books and TV
Day's plans altered along the way.
Last summer we had talked about the possibility of maybe updating our TV reception further and ordering Sky Plus. This has the advantage over a freeview box of allowing great ease of recording things - including recording a programme whilst watching something else.
Nothing was done about it at the time and we have muttered about it off and on since then.
Today Bill actually made some inquiries - though by this time we had abandoned the plans for Sky Plus and wondered about Free Sat instead.
Call me a bigoted left of centre fool (like Vince Cable) but I was loathe to add any support to the world of Rupert Murdoch.
This afternoon a man came round and within the hour we had Free Sat set up. We have not needed to record anything today of course - but it will be so easy and reliable. No more need we have the stress of wondering if Bill had mastered the complicated system we had before; no more a glimpse of a recorded episode of Emmerdale and then nothing.
I like an easy stress free life.
So - I deferred my trip to the hospital for a blood test. The form had been laying around for two months - so one more day won't make any difference.
The post today brought news of a second cousin (removed or not?).
We got the monthly newsletter from the postcard club.
There was review of a book - and it is pretty certain that it was written by Brian Stevens (my Dad's second cousin).
He grew up in Albourne - just a few miles south of here in Crawley.
This book, his second, is a history of Albourne and neighbouring villages and includes personal reminiscences too.
It will be good to make contact with him again - we did meet at Dad's funeral.
Both my brother and I would like to meet up with him and would like a copy of the book. Roger is going to make the first contact - he being the main chronicler of the family history.
I have been busy with books today - there are now 23 items described and listed on EBay.
Many of them concern aspects of Brighton history, published by QueenSpark - a small local community group.
I hope they will attract some interest.
This evening we have been watching BBC4 - lovely nostalgic programmes. First there was one about the Great British Outdoors and peoples' desire to be in it - for camping, rugged experiences, less strenuous pursuits etc. Then there was a programme about the history of coach travel - love the shape of early coaches and their colours and names.
Now there is a programme about the history of the caravan.
But I am missing some of that right now.
Time to make a cuppa and get back to nostalgia!
Last summer we had talked about the possibility of maybe updating our TV reception further and ordering Sky Plus. This has the advantage over a freeview box of allowing great ease of recording things - including recording a programme whilst watching something else.
Nothing was done about it at the time and we have muttered about it off and on since then.
Today Bill actually made some inquiries - though by this time we had abandoned the plans for Sky Plus and wondered about Free Sat instead.
Call me a bigoted left of centre fool (like Vince Cable) but I was loathe to add any support to the world of Rupert Murdoch.
This afternoon a man came round and within the hour we had Free Sat set up. We have not needed to record anything today of course - but it will be so easy and reliable. No more need we have the stress of wondering if Bill had mastered the complicated system we had before; no more a glimpse of a recorded episode of Emmerdale and then nothing.
I like an easy stress free life.
So - I deferred my trip to the hospital for a blood test. The form had been laying around for two months - so one more day won't make any difference.
The post today brought news of a second cousin (removed or not?).
We got the monthly newsletter from the postcard club.
There was review of a book - and it is pretty certain that it was written by Brian Stevens (my Dad's second cousin).
He grew up in Albourne - just a few miles south of here in Crawley.
This book, his second, is a history of Albourne and neighbouring villages and includes personal reminiscences too.
It will be good to make contact with him again - we did meet at Dad's funeral.
Both my brother and I would like to meet up with him and would like a copy of the book. Roger is going to make the first contact - he being the main chronicler of the family history.
I have been busy with books today - there are now 23 items described and listed on EBay.
Many of them concern aspects of Brighton history, published by QueenSpark - a small local community group.
I hope they will attract some interest.
This evening we have been watching BBC4 - lovely nostalgic programmes. First there was one about the Great British Outdoors and peoples' desire to be in it - for camping, rugged experiences, less strenuous pursuits etc. Then there was a programme about the history of coach travel - love the shape of early coaches and their colours and names.
Now there is a programme about the history of the caravan.
But I am missing some of that right now.
Time to make a cuppa and get back to nostalgia!
