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2010-03-24T16:06:00.001Z

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LITTLE BADGES - FOX JACKSON-KEEN ...THIS BOY WILL GO FAR

2010-03-18T00:27:00.003Z

www.thebiglittlebadgeco.com

Hi

The virtual kettle's on..... So while I let it boil I just have this to say

When you think of Billy Elliot, you think of the brilliant Jamie Bell in the wonderful film by Stephen Daldry. The music was fantastic, the story fantastic, the acting and dancing all fantastic, and it is a film with real hope under a tremendous backdrop of pain and heartache...

So I hear you ask...What can be better than Billy Elliot the film.

Well that is a simple question to answer....BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL.

I have to say when I saw it, I was blown away by it. The stage direction the acting (yes ACTING in a musical) the music....and above all else the incredible dancing.

Each scene has such passion. Passion from the performers that you can feel...It's in the air, it envelopes the audience, the audience get entranced.

And throughout the Musical, the young boys who play Billy the main character not only sing their hearts out, dance their shoes off, and touch you emotionally with their acting... they are able to do the whole show, without collapsing to the ground.

Because let's make no bones about it....This is a demanding role for anyone, let alone somebody holding the show on their own at ages 12 - 14 yrs of age.

So I come onto FOX JACKSON - KEEN. This young man....has it. Forget your reality shows looking for somebody who can just about hold a tune, manage to stand up on ice, and learn a foxtrot. This young man has the X - factor. The whole package. Maturity passed his years, an old head on young shoulders, a passion to perform, a determination to be the best.....and a performer that has the potential to leave the audience wanting more.

and yes, the audience always want more as they rise to their feets to applaud this young star. And they will go back and see him again and again and again....and he will always deliver....just that something more....just that something a little bit different.

This guys going to be big!

But what am I saying. He is already big at such a young age, he has been on television, in film roles and has entertained thousands of people for the last 2 years as Billy.

But alas... all good things must come to an end, and so on March 27th young Fox Jackson-Keen will leave his role in Billy Elliot to rapturous applause and continue on his journey into the world.

It is of course with heavy heart we will see him go

We were asked to produce a commemorative badge to signify his last performance in his role as Billy, and it is our honour and privelage to have done so. Something special for his fans.
Sadly his last performance as Billy will be March 27th (the day before my birthday...no...no...don't send any gifts....no really...oh okay then)

http://www.thebiglittlebadgeco.com/fox.htm

and his fans will continue on that journey with him....always there to offer that support.

We look forward to Fox Jackson-Keens next role with anticipation.

If you are not already doing so please join his fan club on Facebook run by Jonas called of course.....

"The Amazing Fox Jackson-Keen"

With less than 10 days to see a true star... I urge you to beg borrow and steal (well maybe not steal) to get tickets to see him. It's going to be emotional!!!

Well, I can hear the kettle has just finished boiling so

Milk and sugar?

Join us in our little shop for a virtual cuppa www.thebiglittlebadgeco.com

LITTLE BADGES....LIES, DAMN LIES AND GENERAL ELECTIONS

2010-03-01T17:32:00.002Z

www.thebiglittlebadgeco.com

Hi

The virtual kettle's on..... So while I let it boil I just have this to say

Well, the jockeys (or Jokies) are readying the horses, the biggest race of their political careers is about to start, the printers are on standby to print out the latest half truths and down right lies, and the political leaders are being given a quick polish.

So what's on offer. Why all this excitement about an election. Well the winner gets to run the country. Bit of a poison chalice, but hey, think of the perks. And let's face it there are loads of them. All the money, all the attention, all the travel, and afterwards, even if like most of them, they end up failing.... they get a nice slot in the house of lords, even more money, even more consultancy...even more money, after dinner speaking, security for the rest of their lives...more money, have I mentioned the money!

But if someone said to me...Hey, you can run the country...I would probably say yes please.

So how do you get into power, Well you need to get people to vote for you. The "General" public, like you and me. And what's the best way to gain this support from people.....LIE!

Yep, I know, I have said it. But this is how any prime minister, president, dictator, warlord etc have always got into power. Tell you what you want to hear, tell you it over and over again, and how you are the one that can change things.. a vote for me means change!

The truth is...No, nada, not on your Nelly me old beauty, no chance...It's not gonna happen.

You have just bought into the 'Snake Oil' syndrome. Which is something that has so much promise, but cannot actually or ever will live up to your expectations.

It all comes down to numbers in the end, and blow what happens to them after wards.

The only certainty about politics this year is....There will have to be an election!

But we are furious this year so there will have to be some smart thinking on the doorstep. I mean you cannot just add the word New to your parties name ( New Labour, New Conservatives, New Liberal democrats) We already fell for that one. You cannot claim that your party is transparent as we know that every party is as transparent as mud. So what do they do.....

....Smile a sickly smile and tell people exactly what they want to hear on the doors. "Oh no, under our government there will not be cuts", "don't worry, no no, public services will not suffer", "as soon as we are in local government we will resurface every road so there are no potholes - it's due to the last council that your roads are falling to bits", "LITTER...it will be abolished under our government...we have a zero tolerance on fly tippers (but it is very hard to catch them)"

All I ask is, when the foot soldiers come knocking and ringing at your door, asking who you will be voting for...take a long hard look at what they have actually done. Take a long hard look at how much money you pay your local government each month, then look at your surroundings and think..have they spent that money wisely. Is the money you pay in your ward...spent in your ward! Then times that amount each month by the amount of houses in your ward and ask which offshore account the surplus is being invested in..and then ask, if there is surplus, why do they keep increasing the Council tax each year!, then take a look at projects that have been undertaken, they are always rounded up to £1million. A seesaw put in your rundown park...Oh that will cost £1million to install, a new curb....Oh yes that will cost £1million, a light bulb replaced in your street lighting, yep, yep you guessed it...that will be £1million pounds please.

A local example for me is, as a commuter I am trying to get a closed entrance/exit opened at my local train station, which is closed with a shutter and a padlock. They don't know why it was closed....they don't know where the key is, they have been promising to look into it, and open it since 2007. The latest is, the train station wants £100k to open it up!! Well, we have youths around here that could open it with a jemmy in under 20mins.

And...is it just me, or do you only see these Councilors when they need your vote. Very very quiet the rest of the year, sometimes very hard to pin down if you ever want to get in touch with them, but come an election, well you can't move for them. Jumping out at you at the station, suddenly on first name terms with shopkeepers in your local launderette, kissing babies and dogs (not cats, that's just wrong).

So i ask, nay plead....take a hard long look at the fake smile at your door, and only vote if you really feel that something will be done for YOU.....and to try and get local issues solved why not try this website http://www.fixmystreet.com and take the time to mark on it every problem in your local area or even the area around your work.

Together we can make a difference....Vote me!

Well, I can hear the kettle has just finished boiling so

Milk and sugar?

Join us in our little shop for a virtual cuppa www.thebiglittlebadgeco.com

LITTLE BADGES....LOVE IS IN THE AIR - BADGES 'O' MONTHS

2010-02-11T08:36:00.004Z

www.thebiglittlebadgeco.com

Hi

The virtual kettle's on..... So while I let it boil I just have this to say

Woahh there Nelly! What happened there then. Eh. Where did January disappear to. One minute it's there falling into place after December, the next it get's hidden under 'The Big Freeze" (as all the news channels have trademarked it, along with the pointless phrase 'Since records began')

We awoke from our slumber...to discover we'd missed it...gone, and it's already February. (this is the latest February on record to follow a January....'Since records began')

So....We've got some catching up to do.

January's Badge of the month was a corker. With Valentines day, creeping up like an Elephant in a china shop...wearing hobnail boots....and some of those strange yet musical Morris dancer bells we went for something which had a toe in two waters.

Being a huge Alan Partridge fan, this badge ticked both boxes. "Kiss my face".

So.... What badge would be lofted to the heady heights of Badge 'O' the month for February..... Yes.... yes, you've got it... A Valentines day badge. I know predictable, but it's one of our faves.

This lil badge which is titled 'British lips' started it's life while listening to the quite brilliant Rolling Stones....who have to be fair, been knocking around a bit. While listening to the stunning 'Mono' (who needs surround sound when music is raw) version of 'Paint it black'.

It conjured up images, of Portobello road, Mini's, mini skirts, and a sense of being proud to be different. The thought of Twiggy, popped in, and before you new it, we had a design of lips with the British flag on it. Simple.

So, Valentines day is a mere 3 days away, and running headlong at us. We have been kept busy sending out lovely little Valentines badges. Some people buy one, some two, and some 12! They are either very loved up, or have a string of people they are sending them onto.

We would like to think that somewhere our lil badges are putting smiles, on certain someone's faces, or being used as a sign for new love..... In the way of, "Meet me under the clock at Waterloo station, I'll be the one wearing a British lips badge on my Beannie hat!

With our love xx

Well, I can hear the kettle has just finished boiling so

Milk and sugar?

Join us in our little shop for a virtual cuppa www.thebiglittlebadgeco.com

LITTLE BADGES - BADGE 'o' THE MONTH DECEMBER. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND THANK YOU

2009-12-22T11:02:00.003Z

www.thebiglittlebadgeco.com

Hi

The virtual kettle's on..... So while I let it boil I just have this to say

Well....The month has pretty much passed us by. We have been frantically shipping stocking filler badges out this month and last, and well, I did not realise it was almost Christmas day and we had not hero worshipped our December badge.

I for one apologise. (welling up)

So yep, At the BEGINNING of December we put up one of our favourite Christmas badge.
"Who ate all the mince pies". We love it because it's true. I for one cannot get enough of the little fellows.

Since I was a young boy, My neighbour a lady called Mrs Wilkinson, and her daughter would always make us the most incredible home made mincemeat and mince pies! Delicious. Every year without fail, they would bring around a tin (a big tin) of layers of Mince pies.... and our little faces would light up.

Sadly I had to grow up and move away from home, which meant, no more of these delicious Mince pies......

And then as if by magic that first Christmas away from home, I realised that.... I could make the mince pies myself. I knew a recipe or two, I have very good pastry making hands. Why not. How hard can it be.

Well, trying to garner years and years of mince pie making prowess into my first year, I can admit that I did not manage to make mince pies as well as Mrs Wilkinson.....but, they were not bad. And now with many more years experience under my belt and a few thousand mince pies under that same belt, I can make a pretty decent mince pie.

Mr Oliver recipe for the shortcrust pastry, and Mrs Delia for the homemade mincemeat. and of course a dusting of snow and a little magic brings them all together.

And that is why "Who ate all the mince pies" deserves the accolade of Badge 'o' The Month.

So to all of our fantastic and amazing customers, pile into the shop for a virtual Mince pie, and a virtual mulled wine or traditional cuppa splosh!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank every single customer we have had the pleasure of serving this year. To all those that got in touch, emailed, commented, purchased, browsed etc etc... A very big heartfelt HAPPY CHRISTMAS to you all. Without you we are nothing, together we are invincible...

Rock on Badge buddies, feel free to keep our idle fingers working over Christmas, as you know, you are always welcome, and we will meet up again soon in the new year.

Merry Christmas.
Paul xx

Well, I can hear the kettle has just finished boiling so

Milk and sugar?

Join us in our little shop for a virtual cuppa www.thebiglittlebadgeco.com

LITTLE BADGES - BADGE 'O' THE MONTH NOVEMBER EQUALS MOVEMBER

2009-11-04T10:39:00.004Z

www.thebiglittlebadgeco.com

Hi

The virtual kettle's on..... So while I let it boil I just have this to say

It's that time again. Badge 'o' the month time. Wow how the months are whizzing past.Before we know it, Halloween will be over, bonfire night will have burnt itself out and Christmas will be knocking on the door shouting...."let me in...let me in...It's blooming freezing out here".

Strewth (don't know where that Australianism came from) Halloween has passed, Bonfire night is literally hours away....and it is definitely getting colder.

So, November is already here. It's upon us, we had a fab night for Halloween, some ghouls and boys popped by to relieve us of sweets, and I have dusted off the sparklers to use for Bonfire night.

But I no longer think of November as the exciting Bonfire Night month, with Jacket potatoes laden with hot baked beans and grated cheese atop...The feeling of throbbing cold fingers as you come in out of the back garden where you have stood getting a free view of other peoples fireworks displays....the smell of burnt sparklers heavy in your nose and the pangs of excitement at finding a damp spent firework cardboard shell the next day in your garden.

The magic for me of Fireworks left many years ago. It must be an age thing, but I do not relish standing out in the cold for hours going..."ooooh"...."ahhhhh"

And the whole Guy Fawkes thing! Guido Fawkes was a Fall guy for the rest. And they never actually blew up parliament....mores the pity.

For me now, November has been successfully renamed Movember. It is the month when men (and women I suppose!) grow a moustache for men's health. The idea is to get people to sponsor your moustache growing abilities, and have competitions to grow the biggest or longest moustache in Movember. Proceeds of this heroic action go to Prostate Cancer, and at the end of it....you have a fine moustache like Tom selleck! the god of Moustache wearers.

And lets face it....As far as November morphing into Movember.... well who else apart from Guido Fawkes sported such a fine tash!

http://uk.movember.com

And that is why this month we have lofted 'Gringo Moustache' to the lofty heights of Badge 'o' the month.

Well, I can hear the kettle has just finished boiling so

Milk and sugar?

Join us in our little shop for a virtual cuppa www.thebiglittlebadgeco.com

LITTLE BADGES - FIGHTING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE POSTAL STRIKES

2009-10-28T10:46:00.004Z

www.thebiglittlebadgeco.com

Hi

The virtual kettle's on..... So while I let it boil I just have this to say

We have introduced a new stamp onto each and every bubble wrap envelope we send out, to try and give our badges that extra, added protection in these dark days of Postal strikes.

The Stamp (in Bright red) reads FRAGILE - Little badges travelling to their new home!

We hope this gives them that added piece of protection as they are man handled through the postal system, slung into mail bags, hurled into delivery wagons, and eventually plummet onto your doormat from the height of your letterbox.

Inside the badges should be happily nestled in a bubble wrap duvet, hopefully travelling with other badges for company (nothing more despairing than sending a lone badge), free from the worries of World domination, terror attacks, global recessions, swine flu and personal hygiene.

As you can clearly see, the journey of a badge or badges can be a traumatic affair, so we highly recommend , bringing them up to room temperature in clear sight of a cup of tea and in smelling distance of a Custard cream biscuit. This helps them to re acclimatise to there new surroundings.

Whatever you do....do not feed them after midnight!! Oh no sorry, that's Gremlins isn't it!!

Well, I can hear the kettle has just finished boiling so

Milk and sugar?

Join us in our little shop for a virtual cuppa www.thebiglittlebadgeco.com

LITTLE BADGES - GOING TO THE DOGS

2009-10-19T08:56:00.013+01:00

Photo: (left to right) Greyhound (no.3) Hope Susannah, Lene Somer and Henrietta Koch

www.thebiglittlebadgeco.com

Hi

The virtual kettle's on..... So while I let it boil I just have this to say

The thing I love about our business....is our customers. I cannot stress highly enough, without them, we would be nothing. Literally.

It is for that reason we take an interest in every customer we serve....and also, well... I'm a little bit nosey! There I've said it.

It is due to my Noseyness that I can tell you about a lovely customer we recently had the pleasure of helping. We sell a set of Greyhound badges, 1 through 8, based on the designs of the coats worn by the racing greyhounds. Nothing odd about that...I hear you cry (•coughs). Well no, there is not. We sometimes sell individual ones as birthday badges...we sell complete sets of them, we have had requests to personalise them for certain racetracks...., but this order was different.

The lovely Lady buying them bought all the same number, and what seemed an odd amount. So I had to follow up contact once the badges were let out the traps and posted to her, just to find out a bit more.

Well it turns out, that she wanted the badges for an excursion that she was making to Portsmouth Greyhound stadium. Nothing odd or interesting there you may think...but no. Dig a little deeper and a lovely little story emerges.

Jayne Bought the Number 3 Greyhound button badges for herself her Husband and two current World Cup holders for the 470 sailing class called Henrietta Koch, and Lene Somer, oh and she owns two of her own Greyhounds.

Jaynes Husband is a sailing coach for the Danish Olympic Sailing team!! I know....that's what I thought. Fantastic. He is currently training the girls for the 2012 London Olympics, so I expect a lot of you to be shouting for them when the Olympics come around. Remember those names, Henrietta Koch, and Lene Somer because we could well be seeing them picking up medals.

The girls had never heard of Greyhound racing before they met Jaynes husband, and Minnie their retired greyhound, and Demonforts Lady (also affectionately known as 'Mavis', their racing greyhound. The girls wanted to go to a greyhound race and see Demontforts Lady race.

And which trap does Demontforts Lady race in.....Yep, you got it, Trap number 3! We are very proud to say that the team of them all wore trap number 3 button badges to support Demontforts Lady.

Unfortunately....Demontforts lady did not win her race that night (ahhh) but she did win the previous Saturday though. (hurrah) Here is how Jayne her owner describes her.

"She's a fantastic little dog. She'll never amount to much but she's the most gutsy little dog you could imagine. Her whole attitude is 'GET OUT OF MY BLOODY WAY' when she's on the track. Absolutely nothing daunts her. Her trainer thinks that when she retires she'll probably qualify for a bravery award! "

Photo: (left to right) Lene Somer ,Henrietta Koch and Greyhound (no.3) Demontforts lady

The Winning dog in the photo at the top of this page with the two girls, is Hope Susannah, so as you can see Lucky trap 3 worked, and hopefully the power of the support that the girls showed, doubled with the lucky trap 3 badges... helped to secure a win for 'Hope Susannah'.

Jayne says:

"The winning dog on the podium is Hope Susannah who's a fantastic dog and wins most of the time. Both Susie and Mavis are trained in the same kennel. My other dog Flying Arkwright (pet name - Stanley) would have been racing that night but there was a hold up with his paperwork and everything has to be right before they can race. He races in trap 6 though. "

which brings me onto the third bit of this interesting story, We have the Danish sailing girls, Jayne's husband the danish sailing team coach, the racing greyhounds.... and of course Jayne who bought the badges in the meantime.

Not only does she love her dogs, and the greyhound racers but she also volunteers her time to her local branch of the 'Retired greyhound trust' and running their website. This is where retired greyhounds who have given their time to the track get a chance to retire, and re-home with a loving family for the rest of their retired lives. This is their time of life, to bring joy to a family and receive the love back that they deserve, and Jayne and her team make this a possibility and a reality.

Liz is a Kennel owner, who also trains Jayne's greyhounds and the owner of the winner in the picture 'Hope Susannah.

Liz's mother Molly was one of the founders of 'GREYHOUND RESCUE' and Liz has taken up the challenge after her mothers death, to continue the great work her mother started.

Jayne says:

"Thanks to her kicking it all off, the future for retired greyhounds is much brighter now and most of them live out their lives happy and loved. Liz sponsored the dog race for the Danish girls as a thank you for me running the website and going up twice a week to do voluntary work for her. The girls thought it was fantastic. "

"last month completely bucked the current trend and more dogs were adopted from Portsmouth than in any other month."

So I urge you all to take the time and visit this website and support Jayne and Liz in their efforts,

http://www.portsmouthretiredgreyhounds.org

where I am quite sure you will fall in love with these adorable animals and do what ever you can to support this very worth while cause.

and here for the central website for Retired Greyhound trust:

http://www.retiredgreyhounds.co.uk

Thank you to Jayne for purchasing the badges in the first place and letting me into the story of why she bought them.

Well, I can hear the kettle has just finished boiling so

Milk and sugar?

Join us in our little shop for a virtual cuppa www.thebiglittlebadgeco.com

LITTLE BADGES - BADGES OF THE MONTHS, SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES

2009-10-13T08:54:00.003+01:00

Hi

The virtual kettle's on..... So while I let it boil I just have this to say

Well I have to admit. I've been a bit lax. A whole month went by last month, and I forgot to tell you about our Badge ' o ' the month for September. I have many excuses, not least being away, sorting out a remortgage, cleaning my teeth etc etc. But I know you guys have come to depend on these blogs!

Every month, we get the opportunity to go through our collection and choose a Badge ' o ' the month. A badge that we feel, should rise to the surface and take it's podium in the spotlight of life. And what with it getting that little bit chillier, and the smell of burning tyres in the air as the nights draw in and the ferral youths decide, the best action in life is to set light to things...Sitting with the curtains closed at 6:30pm wondering if it is time to start making Toad in the whole and stews...we decided to go for one of our lovely Halloween badges to get you in the mood for the coming October. Yes yes...we now we were a bit early but quite frankly if Tescos can have Halloween stuff out in July then I feel we are justified.

So......Our first Badge ' o ' the month for September was a sinister pumpkin face.

Funnily enough this is the same style face I carve into pumpkins each year. We have one in the fireplace, one on the doorstep to encourage the Trick or Treaters to venture down our path (if they dare!!) And one which we balance on the bannisters so that it looks like a floating head in the Hallway. And quite frankly....what says Halloween more than a Pumpkin...apart from a witch. But apart from a pumpkin and a witch, and of course a black cat.....what says Halloween more! And of course a vampire. I mean that goes without saying a Vampire.

Which Happily brings us onto Octobers Badge ' o ' the month.

How on earth do you follow a Pumpkin....Without introducing you to Christmas badges in October. Well we had to ponder long and hard about this. We are putting together special Badge ' o ' the month sets so we needed to be similar...but not too similar. Halloween is traditionally all over October like a bad moss, so we could not turn our backs on it totally. We needed something that could say Halloween one week, stylish iconic and trendy badge...the next.

So after downing half a bottle of Ardbeg Whisky, a bowl of salted cashews....much arguing and bickering.... we decided on a 'Poison' Badge.

We love this little badge as it falls into two camps. Halloween for the kiddies and statement for your teenagers. No need for a teenager to speak with this badge on...It conveys all their emotions in one foul swoop.

So there you go folks....long time coming, but still the dedicated deliberation over each Badge ' o ' the month.

Have a very Happy and Haunted Halloween. We will be in, ready to pounce on any unsuspecting Trick or Treaters while eating the treats and watching Most Haunted live. Be good.....and if you can't be good... be very very bad.

Well, I can hear the kettle has just finished boiling so

Milk and sugar?

Join us in our little shop for a virtual cuppa www.thebiglittlebadgeco.com

LITTLE BADGES - FLY ME TO THE MOON OR NOT....

2009-08-17T11:19:00.005+01:00

Hi

The virtual kettle's on..... So while I let it boil I just have this to say

I'm not a suspicious bloke (I just don't believe anything anyone tells me), but did the 1969 moon landing actually happen?

When you look back at the footage and the timing and everything, it just seems a bit convenient that America who wanted to be the main superpower over Russia.... Just happened to develop a working spacecraft before the Russians. And they landed on the moon!

Added to that we have not been back since 1972 - Which again was American.

So it does beg the question did America Land on the Moon or dupe an entire Generation and generations to come into believing that they landed on the moon. I cannot pop up there and verify a flag on the moons surface, and I am sure that when someone else eventually gets to the moon and discovers no flag.....We will be told that after 40+ years it would have naturally disappeared.

I'll be honest with you.... I just don't see it. More was to be gained by pretending than actually doing it. And let's face it, it is not the first conspiracy to come out of America. They just keep popping them in and hoping people will not notice.

But if you are on the same page as me and think they did not land on the moon in 1969.... Then it begs the question how did they do it.

I would imagine NASA had control of Visual feed, so that could be pre recorded and beamed at the appropriate time, I imagine 3 men in spacesuits is not hard to convince the general public watching at Cape Canaveral that they were watching Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and the other one entering a space rocket, with Apollo 11 written on it.

What does impress me is that Neil Armstrong And Buzz Aldrin after all these years have not broken down and said..... Yep you got me, it was a con. Unless of course if like all great illusions they were also conned. I suppose it would be easy for NASA to hold them in a chamber before take-off, and release them along a tunnel, etc into a spacecraft which they truly believe to be the spacecraft that is to take them to the moon. This becomes a sealed room scenario whereby, anything they see and hear can be controlled by NASA. Projections or television screens on the windows, feeding images that would have previously been filmed on unmanned missions.

How hard would it be for these people to simulate a rocket firing up, and the feeling and shaking and rattling to occur inside a cockpit, all controlled in an out of site hanger. Just hold them there for the mission time, and release them out into a special Hollywood studio environment to make them believe they have stood on the moon. Collect some stuff etc, get back in and pretend it has taken off again.

Samples were never analysed by Neil or Buzz, so to them they believe they have picked up stuff from the moon.

I know these are the ramblings of a mad man.... but it is just so obvious as to be invisible. The saying goes if you want to hide something big, hide it in the most obvious place, and that would be in front of the general public that you intend to deceive.

I am reminded of a Johnny Vaughn Show called Space Cadets. Much lower budget..... but did decieve the people into believing that they were in space. http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/S/spacecadets/

Just from a 1969 budget point of view..... How much cheaper would it be to pretend to send someone to the moon instead of actually sending someone to the moon.

Would love to hear all theories on this subject. Let your imaginations run wild.

Well, I can hear the kettle has just finished boiling so

Milk and sugar?

Join us in our little shop for a virtual cuppa www.thebiglittlebadgeco.com

LITTLE BADGES - TWEET TWEET TWITTER TWITTER

2009-08-11T10:24:00.002+01:00

Hi

The virtual kettle's on..... So while I let it boil I just have this to say

We are now twittering on twitter.....

Tweet

tweet

tweet.

follow us at http://twitter.com/biglittlebadge

or simply access it by the twitter button we have added down the left hand side.

Off to do some more tweeting!

Well, I can hear the kettle has just finished boiling so

Milk and sugar?

Join us in our little shop for a virtual cuppa www.thebiglittlebadgeco.com

LITTLE BADGES - BADGE 'O' THE MONTH AUGUST

2009-08-05T08:03:00.002+01:00

Hi

The virtual kettle's on..... So while I let it boil I just have this to say

Wow! What happened to July. One day it stood there looking me square in the eyes and then, pzzaz..... It's gone.

Which gave us the added headache of working out over a couple of bottles of wine and an Ardbeg whiskey, what should be the Badge 'o' the month this month.

In the end due to watching the news, while deciding, we had to go for the 'little dark raincloud'.

Last months, Ice cream badge was a mere pipe dream as it became clear that we had been lied to again by the weather forecasters.

But I should have realised that this was just a conspiracy. We all know that hot weather makes us reach for our wallets and purses and buy stuff that we don't want and will use once in a blue moon..... for example, barbecues! In England, I ask you. Where on earth do we think we all live, Australia.

When I was growing up, we had a Ball B Que Bar B Que, and many a Sunday would see my dad huddled in the garage cooking burgers, in a plume of smoke, while it hissed it down outside!
Then we would be forced to stand outside in the great outdoors to enjoy the delights of outdoor eating. Where do all those insects suddenly come from, when there is a whiff of Tomato relish in the air.

So the Government obviously had a hand in the met offices decision to promise yet again such a lovely summer. I know we did have some hot days, as I was insulating the roof on the hottest day of the year. Who needs saunas when you have a loft.

So here is a big cheer for the Little dark raincloud badge, may it have the reverse effect just like the ice cream badge!

Well, I can hear the kettle has just finished boiling so

Milk and sugar?

Join us in our little shop for a virtual cuppa www.thebiglittlebadgeco.com

LITTLE BADGES - IT"S MY BIRTHDAY AND I WILL CRY IF I WANT TO

2009-07-31T07:53:00.002+01:00

Hi

The virtual kettle's on..... So while I let it boil I just have this to say

Well it was me 'ole' mums birthday the other day. Happy Birthday Mum for Wednesday.

If it does not make her feel old, then it definitely makes me feel old. As we have all moved away from home it is very difficult now to meet up on birthdays, but thankfully technology has moved on now from a couple of cans and a piece of string, so we had a chat, and I sang her a screeching version of 'Happy Birthday' which has become a tradition.

It's hard to imagine how, technology has zoomed ahead in her lifetime. Televisions, to the first colour television, mobiles, MP3 players. Mind you when, i think of record players as old technology, when I am older, I will be reminiscing about MP3 players. The scary thing is my parents and my wife's parents are more up to date with technology than we are. They both have computers, they both have bigger televisions than us etc etc.

When We were last back home, unfortunately for a family funeral, we sat and looked through some old family photo's. As we were looking through the photo's and listening to the stories, and how my parents met, and all there friends, you start to realise that, your parents were young once as well. They had teenage angst, they had crushes, they had the cheeky underage drink in a pub and got caught by their parents, they had their first holidays together pre children. Funnily enough, my dad was a rocker, and my wife's dad was more a MOD, yet they get on like a house on fire when they meet up.

So here is to all those Birthday people out there, another year older, but with another years worth of memories and the knowledge that they have had a great life even with children.

Happy birthday

Well, I can hear the kettle has just finished boiling so

Milk and sugar?

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LITTLE BADGES - BADGE 'O' THE MONTH JULY

2009-07-01T18:44:00.003+01:00

Hi

The virtual kettle's on..... So while I let it boil I just have this to say

Well it has rolled around oh so quickly.....but yes folks, it is Badge 'o' the month time again.
We've had Wot no credit in March, George:0 Dragon:1 in April, strawberries and cream in May, Corruptus maximus MP's in June and of course what with the weather at the moment, it can only mean one thing.......

.......ICE CREAM.

So there you have it, after much careful thought, a couple of glasses of Ardbeg whisky, a shortlist of ten whittled down to one, the winner for this month is, the Ice cream.

Not just any ice cream either, we chose the one on the green background. Discussions went on late into the night, both parties almost walked out without coming to an agreement, but here we are.

Well as the SUN would put it, 'It's been a scorcher' and for once instead of being annoyed by the constant chime of the ice cream wagons, cruising up and down the roads, mainly on dark and damp days, I have kept some change in my pockets, my shoes near the door, and a keen ear open for those incredibly haunting tones of 'Popeye the sailor man' calling to me from two streets down.

And what is the best ice cream to have on a scorcher. Well I have to go traditional and go for a 99er with flake. It would be rude not to. Mind you for many years I always asked for a Screwball as they had a bubble gum in the bottom.

But I've grown up now...... well a little anyway

Well, I can hear the kettle has just finished boiling so

Milk and sugar?

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LITTLE BADGES - A CAMPING WE SHALL GO

2009-06-28T15:09:00.002+01:00

Hi

The virtual kettle's on..... So while I let it boil I just have this to say

A friend of ours mentioned to us the other day they were off camping for the weekend. Heading off to Epping forest, to camp beneath the stars and listen to all the other happy campers snoring.

We first started camping when we left college. A bunch of college friends would all go camping each year for quite some time before we all drifted apart and settled down more.

I can honestly say these were some of the funniest camping holidays I have been on, and we all still mention them when we meet up. Of course what with people getting married, buying flats and houses, having kids, and holidays being so much more precious now, we do not camp together anymore......or in fact camp.

As the years go by, the fun of sleeping on a tiny lilo inflatable bed, feeling a twig digging in your back, rolling off the lilo in the dead of night, being cocooned in a sleeping bag, and waking to hear something or someone right outside your tent are long gone.

People with cars tend to bring more and more home comforts. A full size inflatable bed that can be blown up by connecting it to the battery of the car, gas barbecues, washing machines..... well maybe not washing machines, but you know what I mean.

Instead we now jet off to some overpriced, overpopulated (by tourists) holiday resort, just so you can say you've been abroad this year.

But I must say, when our friend mentioned they were going, I suddenly had a pang for camping again. I know exactly where the tents are in the loft, and the rucksacks are already packed ready to go.

Apart from the amazing laughs we had, we also had some amazing moments from nature. We all got caught out in a torrential downpour, in the sun, where the rain was hot, and a series of rainbows appeared all around us. We opened our tent one morning to see loads of deer just on the border of the forest, eating and looking back at us. And of course if you have been camping in the New Forest you will have had the odd New Forest pony tripping over your tent lines, and almost bringing the whole thing down.

But above all else, the best thing I love about the camping, provided you wake to a lovely clear crisp morning, and not torrential rain, is the fried breakfast.

I am not allowed fried breakfasts at home, so this makes them all the more special. Sausages, eggs, bacon, mushrooms, beans, and fried tomatoes. Some toast or if you are lucky fried bread and a mug of tea. Absolute heaven!

Well, I can hear the kettle has just finished boiling so

Milk and sugar?

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LITTLE BADGES - BADGE 'O' THE MONTH JUNE 2009

2009-06-12T10:55:00.002+01:00

Hi

The virtual kettle's on..... So while I let it boil I just have this to say

Well after much deliberation (a full bottle of wine, and watching the goings on on the news) we felt that really there should be only one badge from our collection that takes the top mantle of Badge 'o' the month this month and of course that is Corruptus Maximus MP.

Nuff said really.

When, oh when will they learn, and at the same time.... When, oh when will we learn.

What with all the goings on and the intense media pressure to oust Gordon Brown, there was little sign of my local MP's of any Persuasion turning up on my doorstep. I kept hearing on the news, how sorry they were about everything, and how they had listened to their voters on the doorstep....... Not one. Not one single one of them turned up to explain themselves and their parties actions. I had about 5 leaflets hastily stashed through my letter box, but that was it.

So in the end I showed them the respect they had shown me...... and did not turn out for them.

I am afraid, people claiming for their moats to be cleared is a disgrace, when we have a local moat here in our borough due to the local council (conservative by the way) not getting off their arses and clearing the blocked drains for the past 3yrs and saying it is the previous councils fault!!!

I would urge everyone to at some point go to their local councils meetings and sit in the public (paupers) gallery and watch the school like behavior of your elected councilors. Every question goes unanswered, and each blames the other, without achieving anything. And at the end of it we are paying them and seeing no improvements, and increased litter. The councilors fiddle while our community burns!

So to all MP's and you are all tarred with the same brush for years and years of lies and deceit to us commoners. This badge is for you, and you should all wear it with pride. I wear mine, so you can see how much we distrust you.

Well, I can hear the kettle has just finished boiling so

Milk and sugar?

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LITTLE BADGES - THOSE FOXY LITTLE FOXES....WHY I OUGHTA!

2009-05-22T16:05:00.002+01:00

Hi

The virtual kettle's on..... So while I let it boil I just have this to say

Originally we were very excited to discover we had fox cubs in the garden. Small little bundles of joy and fun. First, one fox cub ventured into our garden, following a butterfly. It was like something out of the Jungle book. Then before we new it, two little fox cubs..... then a third, and now a fourth foxy cub.

Now there will be those of you out there that are thinking, they are so lucky...... and yes we are, it is fantastic to watch them playing, and fighting, and mock hunting, but then....

....you also get the other end of the stick. Little thank you messages all over the decking (I think they like to poop on the decking as it is a nice warm surface for their behinds), the tunelling, then there is the fun of biting through the netting of the vegetable patch, the uprooting of small plants, and their most enjoyable pass time, the daily attack on our most prized new garden plants Aliums!

We planted ten of them. We watched all ten start to grow. First the spidery bottom leaves and then finally, the central stalk which holds the beautiful top section of the Alium flower, with it's amazing star like flowers on little stalks. We nurtured and watered them daily, to the point where they were just about to flower, and then the foxy cubs found them. Systematically over a series of a week, they jumped on them, bit the heads off them, rolled over them again and again, and then started digging at the roots.

From our original ten Aliums we now have just four left. These are now heavily protected, but with the foxes bounding around and getting bigger and more boisterous by the day, we fear the Aliums days are numbered.

Oh well, I suppose it is our fault for not protecting them earlier.

The other thing the foxy cubs have done, is to chew through the cable wire to the little garden video camera we have set up to watch the little foxes. They obviously felt that their privacy was being invaded and just chewed through the cables! Mind you they are plugged into the mains so they must have got a little jolt.

But to be honest, even though they are causing a nuisance and really starting to annoy my wife, I still love to see them playing in the garden. Those cute little foxes can really cheer up your day.

Maybe I should get around to fixing the fence where they are getting through (wink)

Well, I can hear the kettle has just finished boiling so

Milk and sugar?

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LITTLE BADGES - NAUGHTY NAUGHTY MPS, SHAME ON YOU

2009-05-21T16:48:00.003+01:00

Hi

The virtual kettle's on..... So while I let it boil I just have this to say

Well..... It's been an interesting few weeks, with the Telegraph, releasing lot's of juicy details about the government, the pretending government, and the have runs of the political world.

And who said politics was not interesting. My ears are on stalks at the moment, loving the squirming, the self delusion, and back stabbing chit chat. It's like a stuffier version of 'Heat' magazine.

They know they have been caught with their hands in the cookie jar, and they all knew about what they were doing, and were often briefed on how they could milk the system for all it's worth, and yet they try and make a political point and stand there with mock regret as they happily say....' Well yes, our MP was caught out and claimed for this but, look at so and so on the other political team, he was caught claiming for more, so that makes it all right.

Honorable men and women my backside. The moment they get any power, does not matter at what level, local or national, they get corrupted. One bad apple in the apple barrel and it infects them all.

Let's not forget the timing of the release either. The Telegraph are as corrupt as the rest of them, as they are after a certain result in the European elections which will benefit them. Everyone does something for their own means, so the people at the telegraph cannot start trying on their pure white coats yet.

Mind you, it has been done with such dignity coming from a broadsheet. Imagine the fun we would have had if it was the SUN or MIRROR releasing the information, and the way that they got the lurid information.

It's a difficult one, as you need someone in power. Who else would we have to moan about when conversation ebbs away, if not for our corrupt government. My teachers (politics teachers mainly) always instilled in me that we have the right to vote, and should use that vote wisely. All the time they were grooming us with this information they were taking potshots at the tories, hoping that their political views would help their political favorites get in. But If I have the right to vote I also have the right not to vote.

We are always told if you waste your vote on one of the lesser parties, then someone terrible will get into power. The thing is, someone terrible has been getting into power for all these years and we never learn. 'New' this and 'fresh' that, and 'eco' here and 'right on' there, and yet nothing really changes apart from how much money we each make out of each pound earned. I claimed on expenses once for 14 taxi journeys..... I felt really guilty, and have this feeling that one day someone will say.. ' Hey you...those taxis you claimed for!'

I found it very funny that one side was, bath plugs, porn, mortgages etc and the other was moats, chandeliers, horses, gardeners etc. I'm afraid as long as we let it happen, they will just keep rebadging themselves and telling us what they are going to do to please us until they are in power and then forget all about those promises. "Taxes....yes we will lower them the minute we are in power, if you vote for us" (crocodile smiles all around).

It's time to question all in power, be local government or national.

To all MPs and those who will one day become MPs.... Shame on you

Well, I can hear the kettle has just finished boiling so

Milk and sugar?

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LITTLE BADGES - WEDDINGS.....I DO

2009-05-12T09:31:00.004+01:00

Hi

The virtual kettle's on..... So while I let it boil I just have this to say

Well I awoke to the news (is it really news) that Peter and Jordan are supposed to be splitting up. 3 Yrs after getting married, 2 kids together later and little Harvey , and the end is nigh apparently. I am a little surprised given that Peter Andre is about to release his brand new album after years away. What a terrible time to be going through a break up..... Surely he could do without this kind of media attention at a time like this. Maybe as a form of therapy, they could film their divorce.

It reminded me of the day I got married to my beautiful wife. I had managed to escape the pressures of getting married for quite some time, always in my mind to get married to my beautiful now wife. In the words of Take that..... ' Today this could be....the greatest day of my life '. And as sickening as it sounds, It was so far the greatest day of my life, apart from my own birth I suppose. Everything else pails into insignificance. And as I stood there in front of my wife and declared my vows to her, I heartfelt, meant every word of it.

Sometimes I think people can get so immersed in the show of the whole day and forget what is actually important. Your commitment to each other. That moment when you exchange rings, clears your mind of the wine bill, venue hire, stress of what the parents want from the day.

We planned everything to the last detail and enjoyed every single moment except from a few hairy moments at the start of the process when we had to forcefully remind outside parties whose, actual day it was.

We thrived on the organisation, the wall chart plans, the details, the wishes and desires of each other, the feel we wanted for our day, and all the little little details that leave the day memorable for yourself and of course your very important guests that have given up their time to help you celebrate. We loved the fact that our parents helped making our own confetti, we loved filling the little favours boxes with fun little sweets, we were over the moon that some of our guests were hyper on a mixture of sugar and alcohol from the retro flying saucers provided at the bar, but above all we loved making the whole day very personal to ourselves and to our guests.

Recently we had an order from someone wanting to add that personal touch to their wedding, and we provided each guest with their own badge to commemorate the day. Another wedding, a civil partnership between two lovely ladies resulted in us providing badges for the guests to give to the couple which was simply a badge with MRS & MRS on it.

We have so many lovely stories from customers who have used us to help celebrate their wedding days and we feel very priveledged to be asked to supply for them.

Thank you to all our married customers and to our future married customers. Enjoy your big day.

Well, I can hear the kettle has just finished boiling so

Milk and sugar?

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LITTLE BADGES - Anyone for tennis?

2009-05-11T10:44:00.002+01:00

Hi

The virtual kettle's on..... So while I let it boil I just have this to say

Another great weekend of sunshine, has reminded me that Wimbledon is just around the corner.

For me, and I imagine everyone, we grow up with a specific player at the top of their game, and try and emulate them. With me, It was Boris Becker and Ivan Llendl.

To me that is the era that defines tennis, as it is when I was playing regularly and in the school team.

Before these two titans of tennis had come along, It was always McEnroe and Connor's.
And if you ever get the chance to see a challenge match now with McEnroe, don't dismiss him as being out of the game, he still plays some incredible tennis with sparks of genius, not unlike Henman and Murray.

When Boris Becker came onto the scene, he was a real breathe of fresh air to the game, In the same way that Andre Agassi was, when he turned up in full whites at the Wimbledon tournament.

Just 17 and 7 months when he Won his Wimbledon title, He was not that much older than us, that we could all imagine ourselves playing at Wimbledon. The Girls adored him, with his longish hair, and the boys admired him for his gung ho spirit of chasing down every ball. And when we all saw him dive and roll for shots that others would have left, well the school tennis courts where a scene of carnage, with blood stains everywhere on the tarmac surface, And grazes that would make your mothers nearly faint. Plus Tennis became sexy.....which meant we became more sexy, and would get crowds watching us play and practice before, during and after school.

Then I changed from a Becker fan to a Llendl fan. I had such empathy for him, winning every tournament, but not being able to win his most coveted goal which was a Wimbledon Title. Plus he had cool long sweat bands!!!! Tennis just seems to improve and improve, with one hero being replaced by another, Edberg, Aggassi, Pat Cash.

I never really got on with Pete Sampras. I know he was and is a great tennis player, but his attitude and demeanour rubbed the wrong way with me. I always cheered his opponents.

Having sporting heroes, does really really improve your game, and I encourage everyone who loves tennis to go out and play the game for yourself. One day you may be the next Tim Henman or Andrew Murray. Take up thy Tennis rackets and play, I only wish I still played!

Roll on Wimbledon Fortnight.

Why not buy a badge set 'SETW0001 £4.50 + £0.70p&p' in our Badge sets section. Or check out all our Tennis badges in the occasions section.

Well, I can hear the kettle has just finished boiling so

Milk and sugar?

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Little Badges - BADGE 'O' THE MONTH MAY 2009

2009-05-06T08:13:00.004+01:00

Hi

The virtual kettle's on..... So while I let it boil I just have this to say

Well it's that time of the month again. A new little badge get's lofted to the heady heights of....'Badge 'o' the Month'.

Last months 'Badge 'o' the Month' was a worthy contender,
George: 1 Dragon: 0, celebrating St George's day, which garnered accolades from Adelaide to Arbroath.

So this months 'Badge 'o' the Month has a lot to live up to. But the little fella is keen and with it's bright red plumage does not fail to dazzle.

We have chosen a Strawberries and cream graphic this month in the recognition of the great Wimbledon Tennis tournament. (Lived in London for 10 years and never been yet). Nothing really sums up an English summer than punnets and punnets of Strawberries and cream.

During the Wimbledon fortnight over 2,000 kilos (8,000 punnets) of strawberries are consumed daily during the Fortnight and that's topped off by 7,000 litres of fresh cream!!!
Unfortunately for me, Strawberries tighten up my throat, but I still love the taste of Strawberries and cream. Mind you it is a shame that Fish & Chips are not the main dish at Wimbledon, I would be more than happy with that.

The other thing that Wimbledon Tennis can guarantee is 2 weeks of dodgy weather! Bring 'all season weather' clothing if attending. Like the lyrics of a Crowded House song, we do get 4 seasons in one day. But this year for the first time, we have a automatic roof for Centre court, so there should be less disruption to the championship this year.

Mind you, I am more old school when it comes to Wimbledon. I remember the rallies and battles of the great Jimmy Connor's and John McEnroe. The amazing matches of Boris Becker, a breath of fresh air into the game, and the uphill struggle of Ivan Llendl to claim a grass court win at Wimbledon.

So this year, Enjoy your strawberries and cream and show your support to our brave little badge by wearing this little badge to the Wimbledon Tennis tournament. Maybe just maybe it will be spotted on television.

Well, I can hear the kettle has just finished boiling so

Milk and sugar?

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LITTLE BADGES - RUN.....NEVER STOP RUNNING..RUN MORE

2009-04-23T14:31:00.007+01:00

Hi

The virtual kettle's on..... So while I let it boil I just have this to say

Good luck to all those running the London Marathon this weekend. You mad fools.
Hopefully the weather will work out fine for you all. Not too hot, not too cold and hopefully no rain.

We have been to support the London Marathon a few times. We have a friend who has nothing better to do with his life, so he runs marathons, and has run the London Marathon a few times. The last time we went to support him, we stood near the tower of London heading towards Canary Wharf as he told us we would see him running both ways. It was raining all day, but we stood there with umbrellas waving and cheering everyone on. 5 hrs we stood in the rain and did not see him once. We did see an old College friend run passed but not our mate. He told us that he was running in a bright pink top, which his charity had supplied. It was not until we caught up with him for a meal afterward that we found out he was running in a fluorescent yellow top!!

Still it was a day out. He is running it again this year but I'm afraid apathy has crept in, and although it was exciting the first year we will think about him running from our nice warm bed this weekend.

However I am quite excited about it, as my hairdresser is running for the first time in the London Marathon. She was lucky enough to get a place and she has been telling me about her training. On my last visit to the hairdressers I think the realization of what she would be doing was sinking in. But she has put so much training into it, I am sure she will do well. Looking forward to seeing her medal next time I go in.

I myself do not do jogging. To be honest, I don't see the point in it. People that jog are obviously running away from something. It does freak me out when you are walking along a pavement in the morning, alone, and you can hear heavy footfalls coming from behind and a rhythmic snorting sound.

I am sure there will be the usual nutters out wearing full suits of armour, or very bad fancy dress decision outfits running this year, good luck to them, but please don't do yourself any injuries.

And of course, those so called 'Celebrities' will be out in force using another event to hog the limelight and shout look at me...look at me...oh I'm so caring... (who are we running for)..I'm not at all over exposed, it's just Heat magazine did not want to do a feature on my bathroom habits this week. Run as much as you like celebrities but the Tax man will catch you and take your un-hard earned cash in the form of 50p per pound! Well done Darling.

Well, I can hear the kettle has just finished boiling so

Milk and sugar?

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LITTLE BADGES - We never knowingly put a healthy badge down

2009-04-21T09:37:00.005+01:00

Hi

The virtual kettle's on..... So while I let it boil I just have this to say

we never like to put an otherwise healthy badge down, and so save them from the big little waste paper basket in the sky. It has got to the point where we have hundreds of little badges recuperating in a drawer, their only crime in life.......Not being perfect!

As an imperfect human being myself, I cannot bring myself to just dump them, make them someone else's problem, when all they want to do in life is cheer up someone's old coat or bag.

Let's just get this straight, they have done nothing wrong, and in these Credit Crunch™ times (oh how I hate that trademark slogan) the most important thing is....they eat absolutely nothing. Nada, zilch. No need to set an extra place at the dining table as they are good to go. They survive on your love alone, and the cheeky chance they will catch the eye of another, or even meet another little badge out there with similar interests and a passion for fashion.

All that is wrong with these little badges is the following, and as we are very picky, it is normally very minor things that stop them going to their new homes:

A surface scratch on the mylar (plastic coating)
A tiny bit of fluff (or other dust particle) under the surface of the mylar
a raised bump
or...... and this is the most tragic..... being slightly off-centre! (well who isn't these days).

So I call on you good people to dig deep, deep deep within yourselves, and give these little badges the chance they deserve in life, a chance to shine on an otherwise un-sunny day. Free them from their lives inside a warm drawer unit and unleash them onto the capital, no... the world.

For today you could make a little badge stand that little bit taller.

Well, I can hear the kettle has just finished boiling so

Milk and sugar?

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Little badges - Spring has sprung and somethings been spotted

2009-04-07T07:54:00.007+01:00

Hi

The virtual kettle's on..... So while I let it boil I just have this to say

Spring has well and truly sprung in our garden, and all those dead looking plants in our garden have decided to give it one more go this year and have burst into life.

They have been moved around so much, I'm surprised they know what time of year it is, or which way up they are meant to be growing, but they have done us proud.

So far the only fatality is our Bottle brush, which decided one day to commit suicide, for no apparent reason apart from maybe the world economic thingy. One day healthy as anything, the next shriveled up and brown, with no vital signs showing. To my wife's annoyance, I have left it in the ground this year with a haircut and a hope that it will just buck it's darn ideas up.

The other fab thing, and I know that some think this is sad, but we have some new birds nesting in our garden. Not over the border, or next door, not in that nice thick tree over my neighbors back garden, not even in the alleyway. We have some very welcome guests who have decided that our eucalyptus tree is the perfect place to bring up young. Maybe it's due to the location, panoramic views across South London, maybe due to the jet stream (blimey it's a windy spot they have picked), which will help with fledging , as they can just hop from the nest and be blown to Crystal palace. Maybe it's due to the vast amount of birdfood that I put out, in the selfish hope of attracting birds into our little garden (buy in bulk.....repent at leisure)

Whatever reason it is we are over the moon at our new visitors. We have had Blackbirds nesting before, Sparrows nesting, and Blue tits and Great tits, but never before have we had our new additions.

Yes we have a beautiful pair of Gold finches taking up residence and yet paying no rent or food bills. They are fantastic little birds which, look like they should for no reason belong in this country as they are so showy and friendly. They have a lovely bubbly call, with a chatty kind of nature to them, and they flit and bob about the garden, but luckily keep coming back to their new nest, which they have handily built within perfect view of our top back bedroom.

Mind you, I think the woman over the back of us is becoming alarmed at the amount of times we are at the back window with a pair of binoculars. Maybe we can use this blog as evidence if we get accused of peeping.

We are hopeful they will have a full nest of youngsters and will do our best to keep them all well fed and watered. Which reminds me....... when does Spring watch start!

Well, I can hear the kettle has just finished boiling so

Milk and sugar?

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Little badges - One sheep, two sheep, three sheep, wow that's a hell of a flock

2009-04-03T16:56:00.004+01:00

Hi

The virtual kettle's on..... So while I let it boil I just have this to say

I've just been reminiscing about a lovely little short break we took earlier in the year. The reason for this is I've just discovered the questionnaire that I was meant to fill in and send back.

We have a penchant for castles and decided we needed a break. We have stayed in Castles in, Scotland, and England, and got married in a castle, so our next adventure had to be in Wales.

We booked at the beginning of the season, and arrived in torrential rain. Even the taxi driver, from Wales said he had not seen rain like this for years! We pulled into this fantastic Gothic inspired castle in south wales near the Brecon Beacons and soon found out on our arrival, that one, major work was being carried out, as they had gone to remove some of the ceiling in one of the three bars and discovered that the entire ceiling joists were rotten! and two we were the only guests staying that week in the whole place.

Well because of this we got upgraded to a lovely room, overlooking the courtyard, and away from the building work. We settled ourselves in and then went to explore the place. Spooky and eerie and cold, it was a fabulous building. We soon found the bar that was open, being heated by the only fire going as we were the only guests and hey whats the point in warming rooms unnecessarily. We settled into the old chesterfield sofas in front of the fire gazing out the windows over the valley and watched the fire and the weather pass by. We stayed there till dinner.

Anyway to cut a long story short although we were the only guests the hotel staff could not have been better and looked after us well, even though we felt a little guilty.

The break did us the world of good, and the scenery and the walks around the castle were breath taking.....

But we could not help coming away with a stereotype view of wales that it is wet...... and full of sheep! You could not look at a view without a sheep popping up. Even as we watched clouds pass down the valley, a sheep would suddenly pop out from behind a bush at the top of the mountain..... followed by another.... then another.... oh yes and another.

Because of this constant sheep counting, we slept very well..... even in a haunted castle!

Well, I can hear the kettle has just finished boiling so

Milk and sugar?

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