Anyone heard from Dexie ?   It's been a while since he logged on.

Just to cheer us up a bit......BREAKING: Spain is fast tracking a decree to pass the legalization of OVER 500,000 illegals aliens and asylum seekers today, which will provide them with full legal status in Europe and allow them to cross into any EU country for work or residency and give them welfare benefits.  I know we're no longer in the EU but that won't stop a 'few' heading to UK

https://www.reuters.com/world/spain-grant-around-half-million-undocumented-migrants-legal-status-2026-01-27/

Lovely

Susa n, my first wife, and I bought a three bed semi in 1958 for £5999. It. Was in Surbiton although not the most expensive area, a house we really liked was £10k.
A couple of years ago, perhaps a bit less, an identical house a couple of doors away was on the market 'offers over £750,000!'

Yes Klondie, I remember those days too.
Our first brand new-build home at Irchester, was around  £2,400, too.   Hardly seems possible now, does it.
We had the option of having an attached garage built too,  for an extra £220.   
You could barely buy a decent tent for that now!

Mind you,   wages and cost of living  were also far less than they are now, too.

I brought up three orphan lambs when I lived on an estancia .
They were like my children .

Yes, alas its true what you say about strange men and small children, Scrumpy.

Furthermore,  if I had small children or grandchildren, I reckon I would observe closely if a man I didn't know started taking notice of them.     
Perhaps its just something to do with our guarding or maternal instinct? 

Made me wonder whether a young woman alone on a train journey,  would also rather start a conversation with another woman than a lone man?

Were you a Plumber in a past life, Klondike?   

Seen in the local NextDoor feed..

Good afternoon
Looking for a plumber to fix a lead pipe in the kitchen tomorrow in NN3. Pipe is in cavity but has been exposed by leak detection already so just needs repairing. 7/8 inch fitting needed.
Anyone with availability?

I could be wrong but I sort of think they will be disappointed. I doubt many modern plumbers have the skills to work with lead pipe and install fittings for it. It's all push fit plastic with the occasional bit of copper pipe soldering if it can't be avoided.

Paedo men outnumber paedo women by an awful lot. Women aren't necessarily risk free but they are a lot less risk than some random man. Especially a man who is showing an interest in a child. I'll pull funny faces at basically babies when they are with their parents but wouldn't normally speak. I may say something or other to a parent if their child is obviously happy or maybe doing something I remember my own doing like splashing in puddles. That's about it. I think women are wired to find children more interesting than most men are too.