Happy Chinese New Year.

THE HORSE

I am the kaleidoscope of the mind.

I impart light, colour and perpetual motion.

I think, I see, I am moved by electric fluidity.

Constant only in my inconstancy

I am unshackled by mundane holds,

Unchecked by sturdy, binding goals.

I run unimpeded through virgin paths.

My spirit unconquered - 

My soul forever free.

I AM THE HORSE.

~ Theodora Lau.

Tuesday's latest DOODLE

I bet you never do this….. Look at the little green lights next to all your friends that are ‘allegedly’ online and imagine a select few of them are talking to each other!

So apparently I have to do some online training on writing reports, ok fine I don’t have a problem with that, always learning. The problem is that the mystery shopping site that is offering the training is based in Luxembourg, the person that e mailed me has an unspellable and no doubt unpronounceable Eastern European type name. The last time I spoke to anyone on the phone from the company she was very nice, I have no idea what she said her name was and she was definitely ‘very’ Asian. I have never had an indication that they even know of the existence of a spell checker that is anything other than English (US). Wish me luck!! Though I fear the end result will only be frustrating intolerance – oh yes from me not them!!

In 1941 315 fighter squadron (City of Deblin) Polish Air Force was formed, it was based in a number of places including RAF Speke which was the airfield before John Lennon Airport in Liverpool. It was in existence until 1947 and the Poles kept a presence in this country until 1951. Ten years of friendly collaboration and integration during which the Poles fought valiantly and bravely alongside our guys and the Canadians through some of the heaviest of the fighting and the air war of World War 2. In those years no Polish shop or supermarket ever existed in any of the places they were based. No road signs in Polish, no Polish shopping vouchers were usable in British betting shops. This year 2014 sees the tenth Anniversary of Poland joining the EU – I rest my case!!

Now don’t get me wrong I’m all for integration and there is no harm in making foreign nationals feel welcome. I have been to Poland twice but never found an English/British supermarket, let alone a British shop on every block. Just sayin’!!  

So as I was saying.......

Oh how my crew know me!!

So thank you - 

if you saw this and thought of me!!

The Weekly Doodle.

 Welcome to the weekly ‘doodle’ again!! Thank you for reading it! Or statistically if not reading it being on the page for 30 seconds so your visit registers!! Clever stuff hey? I am however genuinely pleased with the amount of visits it is bringing to my blog and I am eternally grateful. 

I never cease to be amazed at Google! Yeah I know it’s sad but it is after all the brain I never had! Having a Google search page open while watching quiz shows is becoming top entertainment for the sad and lonely!! How to lose friends and influence no body at all, ever!! It’s no wonder I’m single!!

However there are other times that maybe it’s just as well or at least I don’t have joint use of my lap top with any significant other because you no longer need the history tab to ‘check up’ on your internet movements. The way that cookies and tracking cookies in particular work there are absolutely no secrets. The questions I would be asked because of recent searches would include such things as, “Who lives at 31 Toad Lane, Rochdale?” “Why do you want to know the currency of Croatia?” “So planning a trip to Gibraltar are you? When were you going to tell me?” “Who the hell is Balto?” And yes sadly many, many more!

Have you ever wondered about some of the descriptions that are used for the size of things? In almost every programme these days there is a comparison of ‘something’ that is immediately supposed to let you imagine the size of ‘something’ else! You are however still pretty much in the dark if you have no idea how big a football pitch or Olympic sized swimming pool or running track is. To say nothing of double decker buses, the weight of an elephant or the length of a marathon!!

One of the biggest differences between Hollywood and Bollywood is language. Hollywood has its American, though strictly speaking American isn’t a language but it is easier to describe it as such as opposed to English as the Americans speak it. Bollywood has seven recognized languages that films are made and sung in out of a possible 22 or 198 if you take all the regions of India and Pakistan in to consideration!! The reason, strangely enough is very similar, Pakistani is not a language and neither is Indian!!

The Long Walk To Freedom is the Nelson Mandela story and is a film not to be missed. You couldn’t write a more powerful work of fiction. Oh it’s a true story! That makes it so much better doesn’t it? It has got a cracking soundtrack as well by the way.

Because my readership is so intelligent I have to change saying, “I bet you didn’t know…..” to “I bet you knew that I didn’t know…….”

>>Samuel Cunard the founder of the Cunard shipping line was Canadian or more specific a Nova Scotian.

>>Potatoes contain nicotine.

>>Scooby Doo was named after a bit of a Frank Sinartra song, yes it was! Strangers in the Night! 

Don't forget My Photo Blog for the Take Five Friday and Sunday Supplement features.

Ten, Elleven Twelve

Ok so some of you may know I do Mystery Shopping. Some of you may also know that one of the people I do this task for is the “Colonel” – you know who I mean?!

 If you have ever been in to one of his establishments – you may have picked up on the fact that there are 11 spices that go to make the exclusive spicy chicken. In some establishments there are big signs advertising these facts. Not really part of my job to even notice them to be fair – unless of course they are visibly dirty or broken. I would imagine like most advertising boards you’ve never noticed them and it is of course not important in the slightest.

Eleven is always made to stand out in the “Colonel’s” colours and sometimes it is 11, othertimes Eleven and although I have seen XI and two, maybe, spice jars. I have never, ever before seen ELLEVEN!

I noticed it, rubbed my eyes, looked again and ELLEVEN appears three times on the one brand new advertising board right by where the queue to get served snakes past, so potentially every single customer could see it.

I Googled it because I didn’t believe it, a firm that make ruck sacks and lots of other entries, there always is in Google isn’t there? Nothing however that related to the number betwixt 10 and 12. I even checked what eleven/11 was in Welsh, well you never know do you? 

Unarddeg not ELLEVEN by the way!

So I put it in my report!

I would tell you where it was but then I’d have to kill you, then the “Colonel” would kill me!!

All I would say is that the place name also has LL together in its name, maybe that was why I checked the Welsh!!

I applied to do this particular restaurant again and my Mystery Shopping firm told me, “For technical reasons you have been disallowed from shopping this assignment.”

So I chose a very close one and got accepted to do that one and popped in to the original one…. Guess what? The sign has been changed!! I wouldn’t mind betting it was very soon after my report landed on the area manager’s desk!! I would also imagine that a local sign writer may have lost a contract too!! 

Of course I have a regret that I didn't take a picture but that would have probably led to the 'technical reason' spreading to all my "Colonel's" assignments!!    

Mind you don't cry too much!!

I stood by your bed last night, I came to have a peep.
I could see that you were crying, You found it hard to sleep.
I whined to you softly as you brushed away a tear,
"It's me, I haven't left you, I'm well, I'm fine, I'm here."

I was close to you at breakfast, I watched you pour the tea,
You were thinking of the many times, your hands reached down to me.
I was with you at the shops today, Your arms were getting sore.
I longed to take your parcels, I wish I could do more.

I was with you at my grave today, You tend it with such care.
I want to re-assure you, that I'm not lying there.
I walked with you towards the house, as you fumbled for your key.
I gently put my paw on you, I smiled and said " it's me."

You looked so very tired, and sank into a chair.
I tried so hard to let you know, that I was standing there.
It's possible for me, to be so near you everyday.
To say to you with certainty, "I never went away."
You sat there very quietly, then smiled, I think you knew...
In the stillness of that evening, I was very close to you.

The day is over... I smile and watch you yawning
and say "good-night, God bless, I'll see you in the morning."
And when the time is right for you to cross the brief divide,
I'll rush across to greet you and we'll stand, side by side.
I have so many things to show you, there is so much for you to see.

Be patient, live your journey out...then come home to be with me.

Many thanks to a social network, Wilko News team member and author unknown for providing my eyes with their needed daily lubrication!!

Doodle's of the mind.

 Never thought of Japanese cities having Chinatown’s, go on admit it neither have you? Ha ha!!

Did you know that C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien were at Oxford University together? They were both in a literary group together called Inklings, think about it, quite a clever name really! My point is however, the fun the literary world would have had if transcripts had got mixed up. We could have ended up with the The Hobbit, The Witch and The Wardrobe as stories in The Chronicles of the Rings or Lord of the Narnia!

The Wilko News team is really chuffed with this next advancement in technology it having been featured in many conversations, such as, “What is a white Bluebell called?” My stock answer is usually just, “I only take the pictures.” Which as a photographer is a standard very classy answer. Next bit of the conversation goes something like, “Well the military can do it, so why can’t we, just upload a picture and they tell you what it is!” 

Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls I present for you brand new from Google……… 

GOOGLE REVERSE IMAGE SEARCH!!!! 

Yes it’s true just go to Google Images and click on the camera icon and take it from there or click

                               >>> HERE <<<

for a walkthrough!!

I did try it out, well I had to, didn’t I? I tried it out on this site

                             >>> HERE <<<

Places to go in 2014, good article by the way and yes it’s good with the pics! However so far not so brilliant with some more obscure of my pics!! Can’t wait until I find my white bluebells again this year! Then we’ll know for sure.

20 years ago this week saw the world’s first ever travel blog, want to read it and the back story well just click

                            >>> HERE <<<

So 2014 the year of the strange, bizarre, unusual and interesting!! Yeah bring it on!! 

New Facebook group, Hidden Wirral Myths and Legends. First event invitation, a cemetery visit!! I kid you not!!  

Finally isn’t it ironic that the city that saw the birth of free trade and capitalism also played a huge part in the birth of communism?

Yes Manchester is the guilty city!

Alegria by Cirque du Soleil - Au Revoir

On the 29th December 2013 in Antwerp the very last live performance of Alegria by Cirque du Soleil took place.
Regular readers will know how significant this is to the Wilko News team.
"A joyous magical feeling!"

For the definitive collage video click
                              >>>>>> HERE <<<<<