House sale collapse and expectations, and some random photographic chuff
Just invented that word, I think.
Lately there’s not been a great deal to write about. Our continuing saga regarding the house sale that has been going on since August this year, has had the chain collapse yet again for the third time. Not our end but lower down the chain. It’s a pain in the ass, the whole system of selling in this country is crap, it’s poor and only allows the legal people a way to squeeze more money out of you. Meanwhile we have a load of stuff in storage, and guess what? Every thing you need is now in that storage about 15 miles away. Damn it.
Hey ho, the house went back up on sale for the fourth time last Tuesday, we had five viewings on Wednesday and four offers on Thursday, it was sold on Friday. Wow that’s quick, but you watch it slow down from here on in, it will believe me.
Meanwhile here are a few pictures taken recently on multiple media types, just to fill some space.
Here are four photos taken whilst I was visiting the signal box at Melton Mowbray. This train line is between Leicester and Peterborough and has a number of Victorian era signal boxes still in use today. All pictures taken with my IPhone 14 Pro Max.
No, I’m not talking about secret Russian radio stations, that seems to be all the information you can find, regarding ghost stations on the internet. This Ghost service station has popped up on DAB radio in the Uk, in Leicester, and there is no info that I can find about it online, and all that it seems to be broadcasting is someone making spooky ghost sounds. Have a look at this little video I made of it, only about 30 seconds long.
Spooky
I’m wondering if someone is having a laugh on this channel, maybe it’s on hold, just awaiting a new residency, who knows? I believe this is based somewhere in Leicester city as I’m unable to tune it, anywhere outside of the city limits. I’m surprised that our radio regulators at OFCOM are allowing it, however radio standards aren’t what they used to be nowadays.
We’ve got a few trips planned this year, and are already planning ahead for where we are venturing off to in 2026. This last year 2024/25 we took things slow and stayed at home as our dog Alf was unwell and we knew he wouldn’t be with us a great deal longer, so we decided to forfeit time away to spend quality time with him, and I’m glad we did. Sadly he left us in August of last year and since then the only trip away overseas we have had since, was when we went to Iceland in February of this year.
Alfs last holiday in Devon with us, he could hardly walk
We have had two or three further breaks away, in the UK and thoroughly enjoyed them, and I think the following year will contain a few more trips away such as those, we have a beautiful country here with so much to see that at present is unseen to our eyes, so I do think a number of our future breaks will be closer to home.
Devon
However, that said we are off to somewhere completely different and alien to us this year, that we are kind of looking forward to but not really sure what to expect. We are off to the island of Madeira. Now fortunately we are visiting with a cousin who just so happens to be married to a Portuguese national, so there will be no barriers as such and we do at least have someone with us who knows the island, and that can only be a bonus.
Then come February next year we are returning to Iceland to venture further around the island, we love this place and we are now getting to see things off the beaten track as they say.
Iceland
Later next year we will be returning to our favourite place on the planet after a hiatus of two years. Cyprus. Southern Cyprus to be precise. It’s a home from home, and the locals in the remote part that we go to, are more like friends to us. I just can’t wait.
Our little home away from home in Cyprus
There will no doubt be days and weekends away interspersed with all of the above, and they will be most welcome breaks to get us both, (especially me) away from the drudgery of shift work.
My dream of retirement sits just over the horizon and hopefully the next few years will bring that dream to fruition.
No words or trying to speak “Proper” here. 13 of us have just arrived back from four most beautiful days on the east coast at Norfolk. Temperatures up into the high twenties, a phenomenon not often experienced on this coast in the UK. It made for a wonderful break away, and this family bond remains as strong as ever as a result. Here are some photos to chew on, all taken with my trusty iPhone 14.
All taken in and around Gorleston and Hopton on sea- Norfolk
Have a super day, stay safe and enjoy this wonderful weather.
Uk. It’s early April and spring is in evidence all around. My favourite time of the year as I have previously discussed. The garden is starting to awaken and is gradually starting to show all its beauty that it has been hiding throughout the winter months.
The birds are vocal and we are very fortunate to have a large community of them around our small garden on the outskirts of the dirty old city. Blackbirds with their beautiful song, the small but lovely sound of the blue tits and robins, and then the raucous 40 cigarette a day sound of the “Chav” of the avian world the Magpie. Not to mention pigeons who’s soul purpose in this world is to sit upon any structure and have a good shit. 💩
It’s nice in a structurally unsound way.
Weather has been behaving itself during the day, it’s been lovely sunshine up to about 16 degrees Celsius only to fall to freezing overnight. The swing in temperatures has been immense for us, as the central heating is not yet dormant.
I’m saying this is spring but as usual it could just as well be summer here in the UK, we could well have had our quota of sun for the year for all I know.
Even the postman is confused. Normally the shorts he wears only come out for summer, and that used to be a good indication of the weather about to turn for us. Now he wears shorts all year round in all weathers so we can no longer use him as an indication of better weather approaching, it’s confused us equally.
It’s that time of year when your brain kicks into “Things you forgot about, but now need to attend to” mode. And for some unknown and unexpected reason I’m now very aware of a maelstrom of things that need my attention. It doesn’t help that the wife’s brain has done the same thing and she has now doubled my workload with the things she now wants me to do.
Did I say this is my favourite time of the year?
Yeah, it is and I love all this activity, it’s as if we humans are doing the same as the humble hedgehog and about to wake up from our hibernation, shake ourselves down and crack on with the summer. (Oh and I am awaiting the arrival of our first hedgehog 🦔 friends, who should be arriving anytime now)
Good condition – with instructions and original box
EBay
No beating about the bush, straight to the point. No messing. Cost me the grand total including postage of £9.94Gbp
What? You’ve never heard of it? Have a google and I think you will agree there is very little information anywhere regarding this unit. There may be a few items on eBay, where you will see a couple on sale (normally faulty) for a very reasonable price, however all are missing two very important items, a box and instructions, the latter being as rare as hens teeth.
Exec Helper 8200 electronic organiser
I’m fortunate to have an excellent example now, with both with only one polystyrene insert and not two, a box and instructions. They call it an organiser, that really is an overstatement, because if you read below you will see it is a really difficult unit to get to grips with. However it can be done, it just takes patience. The unit has three functions that are: Dictionary, Address book and Calculator.
This isn’t a repair video. As there is not a thing wrong with it, it’s absolutely cosmetically perfect. It just requires you to read thoroughly through the instructions, if you are fortunate enough to have some that is, and in this instance I can be very smug. I do have those original instructions, and there are probably more copies of the Magna Carta out there than there are instructions for this unit, or so it seems.
This video was from a chap, who posted it on YouTube a couple of years back. In the video the presenter had no instructions to follow. He also knew nothing at all about this unit. Its origin, age and use was a mystery. Using the Exec Helper 8200 can be both perplexing and frustrating.
Exec Helper 8200
What it does
Dictionary
One of the main features of this unit is its dictionary function. Users can Type in a word and press enter to retrieve its confirmation as a valid word. However, the device does not provide definitions or additional information beyond confirming the existence of the entered word. While it does allow scrolling through words, the lack of comprehensive definitions limits its utility as a traditional dictionary. Additionally, any misspelled words will not be recognized, resulting in a “not in memory” message.
Address book
The address book feature of the unit offers the potential to store and search for contact information. However, the functionality of this feature is somewhat confusing and not user-friendly. Users are prompted to enter a name, but pressing enter does not submit the entry. Instead, a separate search button needs to be pressed. The device’s scrolling and next line buttons suggest the ability to store multiple addresses, but the precise method of doing so remains unclear. Overall, the address book feature of the unit lacks intuitive design and may frustrate users attempting to utilise it effectively.
Calculator
In addition to its dictionary and address book capabilities, the unit functions as a calculator. When numbers are entered, the device immediately switches to calculator mode, allowing for basic mathematical operations. The calculator feature includes memory recall, addition, subtraction, percentages, and other commonly used functions. Unlike the address book and dictionary functions, the calculator feature of the unit appear to be straightforward and functional.
Date of manufacture?
The exact release date and availability of this unit remains uncertain. Judging from its design and styling, it is likely that the device originated from the late 80s or early 90s. However, due to its scarcity, finding a working unit or acquiring one in boxed condition can be challenging. I struck lucky with this one.
That said it probably was once a mass produced piece of tat that failed so miserably, that everyone who owned one threw them away, before they could ever be associated with owning one. They were that bad….or were they? I don’t know, there is so little out there about them that you can’t really make a reasonable judgement or gain constructive feedback regarding them.
It was probably a unit that was killed off in its infancy by one of the bigger names that were starting out around the mid 80’s that had a better, product and presence at this particular time. (Psion for example) A simple case of being in the right place at the right time.
Or is that the right place at the wrong time?
Edit: I have done some digging around and it seems to be that these units were sold via the UK newspaper “The Daily Mail” as a reader offer. I even have the original return form for it however there is no sign of a date. The only thing that ties it to the 90s is that refunds can go either to “Access or Visa. The Access “ Your flexible friend” card ceased in 1991 when the banks involved started doing their own card transactions. So it was definitely very early 90s maybe even late 80s. I’ll update this post if I uncover anything further.
My optimistic side would say i’d love to live somewhere warm, who wouldn’t? I’d probably live in my favourite destination and that is the Western side of Cyprus. The people are friendly, the weather is warm and even the winter months can allow you the freedom of still being able to wear shorts. Yes, my old aching bones say that, that is the place for me.
However my realistic side thinks different.
I live in an old 1930’s house that did not have an ounce of insulation in its core fabric. Was it warmer back then? I think not. I am in a most fortunate position that our little old creaking, cold and demanding abode is ours. We are very fortunate.
I sit here writing about dream homes, when some people are dreaming for just a home, thats the problem, realising a dream. Sometimes its just out of reach. And here i am now thinking just what an idiot i am when in theory i have it all. Well, I don’t actually have it all, but in the eyes of many I’m well off. But i would have to disagree with that, comfortable yes, wealthy definitely not. What we have has taken a lot of self sacrifice, a lot of effort and more downs than there has been ups. We are nothing if not survivors, as are many others out there. We are bordering on retirement. It’s been a struggle to say the least.
So let’s approach this subject again probably from the angle i should have done in the first place.
I have an old house, it’s comfortable but cold in winter, and i love it. I wouldn’t ever want to be anywhere else and i am thankful for what i have and for those i have around me. I’m thankful to those who come into our little home and share the good and not so good times with us. Why would i ever wish to live abroad when i already live in my dream home. A new location does not fulfil the dream, those around you, the familiar landmarks and all those memories that we are creating on a daily basis are what make that thing of beauty. The bad times we learn from, we move on and become wiser.
This is my dream home. even though it’s bloody chilly.
Being a fully paid up member of the whinging Uk, I have the god given right to complain about absolutely everything that i can, constantly.
(This is Written in Sarcasm font and is just an observation…. Apparently)
No to be honest I don’t think we, (me included) complain enough. We tend to accept our lot and just get on with it. Maybe we should all put our hands up more often and let our voices be heard.
Now though, when it comes to weather, that is a totally different kettle of fish. We all have an opinion, and surprisingly in this island nation it’s the one thing we all seem to agree on. Bloody awful weather. It’s a constant topic of derision.
Foxes Den 
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