Modern Vespa

I can't wait to see a Versace handbag hanging on the curry hook!

We celebrate the 4th of July by trying to remember why that date means something to someone somewhere.

David, have you out the money down on the Alfa yet ?

Bill x

Sticky... for them, it's like that moment at the dinner party when the uncultured, overly talkative guest finally departs, and everyone remaining breathes a sigh of relief. I think they were secretly pleased to be rid of us.

A bill in Parliament to call it "Good Riddance Day" was dropped due to the concern about the cost to thousands of small restaurants in The Colonies having to reprint their breakfast menus to offer "Freedom Muffins".

I use an American barrister to present some of my cases. It's incredibly rare to get Yank barristers, but she's very good and I like her style.

I phoned her last week to congratulate her on a win and offer some more work.

Me: Good result on the case. I've got another one here if you fancy it. What are you doing on the 4th of July?

Barrister: That's Independence Day.

Me: Ah. Well would you mind being temporarily oppressed by the English again?

She took the case.

Funny you should mention the rarity of American barristers just now. I just finished reading an excellent biography of Judah P. Benjamin. During the American Civil War, Benjamin was at various stages, the secretary of war, secretary of state and attorney general for the south (conderacy).

After the war he fled to England and ultimately rose to become a Queens Councel. His book 'Benjamin on Sales' was considered the last word on legal matters related to international trade through most of the last 25 years of the 19th century.

Wow, looking back over this post I now seem like the over talkative dinner guest.

In scooter related news, I just replaced my OEM shocks (they were my second set) with three shiny new Malossi shocks.

The difference is like night and day! Like banging one's head against a brick wall... it feels so good when you finally stop.

How did I not do this sooner?!

Everything rhymes with Blue.

But an impressively knowledgeable one, none the less!

BTW what dates are you in London in August?

PS Liked your previous photo posts of your GTS in Jerusalem, Wailing Wall etc - reminded me of a trip the future Mrs BB and I took there in the late 90s from Cyprus. Tensions were high with a heavy military presence, and fighting broke out in the few days after we left.

Back in our apartment in Cyprus, watching the TV news:
Mrs BB-to-be: 'Isn't that the street we walked down? The one with the snipers and the tank in it?'
Me: 'Yes dear'

I should be in London from the afternoon of the 6th through the early evening of the 8th of August. No specific plans at this point except for the general idea that I will need to eat and drink at fairly regular intervals... and perhaps go point at works of art at one or two of the places where such things are kept on display.

As to your memories of your last visit, I'd suggest that the best way to correct that impression would be to make some new ones. The guest room is always made up at chez treppenwitz.

That's a shame. I'm in London the week after that or I'd have been around to say Hi.

No correction needed, it was amazing and I wish I could have stayed longer to see more. I mention the fighting only because it added another unique memory to the trip. I'd love to go back one day

Any Skoks fancy doing the 'Beat The Bikers' meet in Derbyshire on 10/11 August?

Beat the Bikers - Matlock, Derbyshire Sun 11 Aug

I'll be in Normandy that weekend

in other news .... i have just scraped my elbow along the tarmac whilst flying round a corner into the parking area at Bluewater at 50mph ...

.... on the back of Birreh's new BV350 it seems to handle rather well

Why am I strangely not surprised...

I knew he'd ride it like that

It's going to be pretty hard not to.

I'll be gentle with it for at least 1000 Kilometers.

Bill X

as my scooter is still in the shop, i rode cupcake to the Midlands Italian day today, on the back of Birreh's new BV.

I have to say I am pretty impressed with the pillion provision the pillion seat is so roomy and comfy i almost nodded off on the way back. not kidding

It's just a shame the rider's seat isn't quite that comfortable. I need to get the seat recovered and get rid of that bolster thing.

I quite like that little bolster. It makes sure you keep your back straight.

What a brilliant day at The Bedfordshire Italian Car and Bike Show with too many familiar faces to mention plus some new ones too.

Paul, that was a wonderful suggestion mainly because I saw my favourite car of all time there - The Alfa Romeo Zagato SZ.
This made me very happeh.

A great show with a great showing from us Vespa types with maybe a Gilera and a Piaggio thrown in for good luck.

Bill X

Wait 'til you've ridden it 400 miles in one day then you'll change your tune... Anyway, it doesn't have quite enough legroom for someone of 5'10" or over, I'm sure bolster removal would help there too.

Sounds like a challenge.

Bill X

You're not invited.... 8)

The bolster is what keeps it from cutting out randomly at high speeds.

Well I go up North for the weekend and look what I missed
So glad to see you're happy with the BV that you didn't own and now do Birreh
I had a wonderful weekend seeing my niece get married
She looked stunning. Absolutely stunning, as did the groom and bridesmaids.
I caught up with the Irish side of my family who came over - what an hilarious bunch they are. Truly crackers.
I unfortunately mixed my drinks and ended up with the most savage hangover ever. Savage.My own fault. Silleh Kitteh.
So today I have the day off. Time to tidy the garden, trim me front bushes and wash Watson
And then a little ride out with cop-e-cat later
Kitty
X

I was working at a place called Thimbleby Hall way ooooop Norf!

I guess I'll have to say it before someone else does...

'I do like a nicely trimmed front bush and a soapy horn'

fnarr fnarr...trimmed bush....

Oh Patrick, you do remind me of a drunken monkey with a gun.

You never quite hit the mark.

Maybe it's time to move on eh ?

Bill X

The Alfa was towed forlornly to the dealers this morning after the AA guy tried but was stumped

They need to do a super fix AND reassure me it won't happen again

Service desk asked me 'how would you pay for any non-warranty work - cash or card?'. I stayed in Mr Nice, but I won't if there is any...

Non warranty ? How old is it again ?

Bill X

I unlocked my Vectra at lunchtime to get my sunnies (was going to walk to the shop). When I locked her the bloody alarm went off. So I stroll back to her and blip the key to stop it but it doesn't, cue a lot of pressing the key and swearing.
I get in the car as it stops, meanwhile half the office are laughing at me through the window! Finally I've stopped it, get out and slam the door in disgust and guess what? the alarm goes off even louder! Arrrrggghh, more fiddling and fumbling follows.......she stops again, I walk away pissed off but relieved! Walk to the shop and get some bits, bugger its hot outside, then stroll back to work. I thought I'd put the bag I'd been carrying into the cart but thought better of it as I get along side her........f**k I've not even touched the key and the bloody alarm goes off, only, wait for it, it's not my alarm....it's the bloody VW next to mine! Turns out the first alarm was mine but from the moment I'd slammed the door it was the VW going off........twat!

Years ago I had an assigned parking place next to a biggish lady who used to brush against my shiny Mercedes when she got out. I asked her nicely not to do that but to no result. I let the word get around that I had increased the sensitivity of my car alarm, and the next time she got out of her car I hit the alarm button of my key. Of course the alarm went off, and I went running out waving my arms, etc. I did this about three times and cured the problem.

in its infinite wisdom, upper management has decided that all staff must be properly trained in recruitment and admissions procedures, and that we must give up an afternoon in the near future to sit in a stuffy room with a load of other bored staff and listen to some management bod drone on about 'recommended procedure', to the accompaniment of a poorly-designed powerpoint. there may be one interesting factoid delivered at some point but the rest of it is guaranteed to be either a) stuff we already know as we've been recruiting very successfully for years, or b) pointless/useless/inapplicable.

Now that sounds rather painful genie
No
VERY painful
When is girlfriend ready?

I feel your pain. When I get back from vacation I have to spend 3 afternoons in non violent situation deescalation training. It would be better if they just let us beat on each other.

i'm sure you'll want to beat on each other after 3 afternoons of that.

kitty - maybe later this week, but I'm away tomorrow and thursday, and the roofers still aren't finished, so i'm not that bothered if he keeps it till next week.

i'm actually pretty amazed at how little mess the roofers have created. there's a load of moss and dust falling to the ground from where they've taken the old roof tiles and fascia board off, but not the lumps of rubble that i was expecting. and they sweep up after themselves every day that's just weird.

Gentleman Builders ?

B x

genie

The training is required because they cannot legally make you suffer a root canal, so they prescribe then next most painful treatment allowed under the law. At least that's how one of my faculty colleagues at the U of TX explained it way back when.

Did all the skoks fall off the edge of the earth?