Jersey Musings

Driving to France

2008-04-30T17:31:00.002Z

Much as I would like be able to hop into the car and drive to France whenever the fancy takes me, I do not expect it to be a possibility in my lifetime. Purely because I have read Peter Walsh's ideas about the uses for the bridge, in the JEP on 23 April 2008.

Oddly Walsh states that 'more Islanders could live in Normandy and commute to France'. Presumably there has been some typo there, and he means they could live in Normandy and commute to Jersey, but that is not the odd thing, the odd thing is that if people are living in Normandy they are not Islanders! In other worlds, what he is suggesting is that a bridge would make it easier for non-islanders to work in Jersey. Remember, the Regulation of Undertakings rules require 5 years residence for most jobs, so that will effectively mean that if Islanders move to France they will lose their jobs.

Apparently the bridge would allow French businessmen access to Jersey and UK companies based on the island, and onwards to London. Why French businessmen would have to go through Jersey to get access to London is not explained. It seems inconceivable to me that Walsh is unaware that our finance industry already deals with people from all over the globe, and that if there was an advantage to French businessmen in owning a Jersey or UK company (or Liberian, BVI etc) they would already be doing it.

Then there is the money. £25 million per year to be raised by a £25 toll on Jersey resident cars - that is 500,000 cars taking a return trip annually! I don't know how many vehicles there are in Jersey, but it tends to be families that travel to France, or groups of friends, so not all the island cars are likely to get to drive onto the bridge. Walsh says local families travel to France two to four times a year. I know no-one, in my wide circle of local families, who travel there that often.

Walsh supposes 1,000,000 commuter cars will use the bridge annually raising £10 a car - that's 4,000 French cars coming into Jersey every working day. Oh yippee, more traffic! I am presuming the cars will be French as there would be no economic benefit to someone to live in expensive Jersey and work in cheaper France. It only works one way. That also supposes 4,000 jobs exist in Jersey without the need for the applicant to have 5 years residency in the island.

Walsh suggests that it would benefit Islanders to take 'a ten minute drive across the water to stock up on goods'. The Telegraph mentions a 15-20 minute trip, but frankly, at a cost of £50 for the return journey, either that trip would have to be tied into a special day out, or there would have to be substantial savings on the cost of goods in France to make the trip worth while. Especially with customs prowling the Island side of the bridge ready with their smiles and calculators to hold cars up for the 30 minutes it takes them to work out the GST.

30 MPH

2008-03-05T14:38:00.002Z

Since January there have been new rules on our roads, meaning a lot of vehicles are now displaying 30 mph stickers. I find this had added an extra element to my journeys around the island. Not just playing spot the sticker, though that is part of it, but musing over why some vehicles have them, and other vehicles do not keeps me entertained.

The funniest part of it though is when I am driving on the Avenue at 40 and find myself overtaken by a vehicle with that startlingly white sticker on the back.

Terrible News

2008-02-24T12:59:00.002Z

The news that part of a child's body has been found at Haut de la Garenne is shocking. It raises so many questions. The children's home closed over 20 years ago, and it is thought that the remains have been at their present location at least 5 years, which would mean since the building was converted into a Youth Hostel. It is also said that the remains date from the early 1980s, when the home may still have been open.

I cannot recall any publicised search for a missing child in Jersey in the last 30 years, let alone the last 20, so I wonder who this child is, and how their absence was not noticed. The police apparently hope to have identified whose body parts these are in a fortnight. That might seem optimistic, but given that the Police were tipped off about where to look for a body, someone willing to talk must have some idea of who the child might be.

Reasons to recycle

2008-02-23T13:18:00.004Z

The 2008 telephone book has arrived in our home, with an insert called "Reasons to recycle". It states:

Every year the average bin contains enough unrealised energy for 500 baths.
1 recycled glass bottle would save enough energy to power a computer for 25 minutes.
1 recycled tin can would save enough energy to power a tv for 3 hours.

All very interesting in a theoretical way - but we don't recycle glass in Jersey, we crush it and use it in building works. I have no idea if we recycle tins (we can put them in a recycling bin at the dump, but what happens to them then?), and I am sure that out of the average bin there is a lot of items not recycled anywhere, let alone in Jersey where there is no plastic recycling whatsoever.

Nevertheless, in an exercise of hope over expectation, I shall be recycling my old telephone directory.

New Links

2008-02-22T09:39:00.002Z

Had an enjoyable day looking for new Jersey blogs to read, found a couple too, and caught up reading those I have already linked to. I have changed the way I display the links to forums too.

Circus of Distraction

2008-02-02T17:53:00.000Z

Sheryl Crow was interviewed by the Independent on Saturday. She talks about her experience of political spin; when the media circulated that Crow wanted people not to use so much toilet paper, taken out of it's context from a comic routine as part of a global warming tour.

Crow said, "It was on every news channel as if it was news. It was in Jay Leno's monologue, it was everywhere."

I love the term used in the interview to describe this media disinformation - a circus of distraction. Not sure if the term originated with Sheryl Crow, or the interviewer Sheryl Garratt, but whatever, thanks Sheryl!

Questions

2008-02-01T22:35:00.000Z

I've had a comment from a Ryan Morrisson, a new media journalist for bbc.co.uk/jersey who is working on an article "that looks at the increasing number of community sites, blogs and personal media in the island - this will cover message boards, facebook groups and of course - blogs." He asks me the following questions:

"Can you give me an idea of 1) why you felt the need to blog, 2) what you hope to achieve, 3) the sort of things you discuss on your blog, 4) why you think so many community sites and blogs are launching in the island, 5) what you enjoy about blogging."

Well, it seems appropriate to blog about this. After all, the main thing about a blog is that it is open, visible, public. And I like that - I like knowing people's thoughts. I'm so glad I did not live in previous generations, I like living in an era when it's all hanging out. I'm pretty online - I facebook, I post on message boards and forums, and yes, I have a number of blogs. But I was asked about this blog.

So, answers:

1) why do I feel the need to blog?

Well I don't - feel any need that is. I just enjoy it.

2) what do I hope to achieve?

I was a reader of local blogs long before I was a blog writer, and partly I just wanted to join in. I still read blogs for much longer than I post.

I also find that the process of writing and editing my thoughts helps me crystalise my thinking. And that is always a good idea!

The original intent for this blog was that I wanted to spend a year focusing on the States members, as I was very confused about how they acted. However, a year later, just as confused, I gave that up a bad idea. Then I thought I would go back to the original meaning of blog, which comes, as you no doubt know, from web log. I thought I would find it enjoyable to create a log of Jersey websites. And it did, but I was quickly swamped. I had not realised the number of websites that exist - and new ones are being created all the time! So I dumped that idea too. Now this blog is for me to muse on any local matters that interest me, as and when I feel I have something to say.

Why online? Well, if I wrote it all down on bits of paper, I would no doubt lose it. This blog is free storage for my ideas, if you like. If my hard drive crashes, no matter - everything will still be here. And I like to link up with others - see if anyone has something to say about what I think.

Should I want to broadcast my thoughts, then compared to writing to the JEP there is much more freedom blogging. If I write to the JEP my letter is at the mercy of the editor - even if he prints it, he controls what responses are printed and when the discussion is closed. None of that here. If I decide the day after writing a post that I have changed my mind - I can say so, or edit or delete my post. Of course I would get more readers from a letter printed in the JEP - but I am not really writing to be read. I don't have a site meter counting the number of visitors my blog gets, though I am always delighted when I get a comment and know that someone has been reading.

The other purpose of my blog is as a handy place too keep links to the local websites that I use.

3) what do I discuss on my blog?

The obvious answer to that is why don't you just read it and see!

4) why are so many community sites and blogs launching in the island?

Well, I am not an expert on how many sites and blogs there are - some community sites seem to be set up by people have left. Beans around the world - as it were. And of course Internet use is spreading, broadband is getting more widespread, blogging has been publicised so is more known about, and setting up a blog is much, much easier than it used to be. If you go with a blogging site like blogger.com you can be up and blogging with a pretty site in half an hour, and all for free - so the numbers of people blogging are bound to be rising. If you have a group of friends online, a blog or facebook makes sense - you only have to write one message, and everyone gets it. it makes even more sense if that group is geographically diverse.

5) what do you enjoy about blogging?

All the above.

I would like to point out that Ryan has his own blogs at upyourego and 5tracks.

Bag for life anyone?

2008-01-27T22:09:00.000Z

So, I was in the co-op, with a loaded trolley, and I realised that I had left my stack of "bags for life" in the car. I felt like a dork, I am always doing that. The habit of getting out of the car and wandering into the supermarket with nothing but the money to pay is too strong.

By the way, if you don't know, a bag for life is a strong plastic bag that generally costs about 10p, and which is is designed to be reused. If the bag wears out, you can return it to the store where you got it, and it will be replaced.

Anyway, when the dorky feeling passed, I realised that I was relieved. The bags for life are not as easy to pack as the free bags, being taller than they are wide. When I use my bags for life it always takes me longer to pack my bags, and means I am holding up the check out, slowing other shoppers down. And they don't sit so well in the car - I have to be very careful how I place them or they tend to topple over, spilling my shopping everywhere.

And anyway, I had very few of the free bags at home, and I reuse them to line my waste paper bins, so I needed more. I could buy bin liners I suppose, but not only would that cost me, when the free bags are, well, free, but the free bags from the co-op are supposed to degrade within months. I am not sure that any bin liners I could buy would be as "green".

Talking of green, I am not sure how green the bags for life are. The plastic is quite thick. I have had to take one back to the shop for a replacement when some plastic packaging sliced through the bottom, and I do not know what happened to the bag after that. Does the shop recycle it, or is it binned?

And although it is very satisfying to pull out a stack of bags for life, and have my green credentials out on display as it were, it is just as satisfying to shove a pile of plastic carriers into the recycle bins that almost every supermarket has now. Though can a degradable plastic bag be recycled? Perhaps I shouldn't be trying to recycle them, perhaps I should be allowing them to degrade - but how do I do that? If I throw the bag into my domestic waste, surely the bag is incinerated before it has a chance to degrade. I could chuck the bag in in the road and leave it to rot down, except that would be littering. Or would the degradable plastic bags rot better if I they were mixed in with the compost made locally? I don't know, and it's unlikely to happen even if that did turn out the be the best way of dealing with the things.

Maybe I should buy one of the hessian re-usable bags, as they are natural fibres, which would eventually degrade (if left to), and even if burnt would not cause the chemical smoke that plastic does. But we do not grow hessian in Jersey, so the bag would have to be shipped in. And I guess that bags like that are probably made in China or Taiwan and so are shipped quite far - I have heard that boats produce more carbon that airplanes - so using a hessian bag might not be as green as it seems. And I suspect that the hessian handles are quite uncomfortable when the bag is full.

Of course the plastic bags might be transported just as far.

And then there is the fundraising question. If I reuse a bag I get a penny back from the co-op to donate to the Hospice. So using the bags for life gives me a double whammy; some satisfied-with-myself-for-being-green feeling with an added soupcon of giving-to-charity glow. And don't underestimate how important those minute stirrings of pleasure are - shopping is a pretty depressing experience, likely to get worse as GST and 20-means-20 start to bite.

I saw a woman clearly as confused as me, who had decided to cut through the issue by walking her shopping home in the trolley. She was having a mighty struggle trying to get onto a pavement - it did not look like fun. Besides, I think the co-op might not support people walking out with their trolleys.

So, have I come to a conclusion? Not really. I shall probably walk the middle ground - reuse my bags for life one week, and use the degradable bags the next.

Stuart Syvret keeps his promise

2008-01-27T21:59:00.000Z

He has started a blog. Click here.

Been fishing

2008-01-27T20:47:00.000Z

Well maybe not fishing. Lots of things keeping me too busy to come on here. And what was I doing with this blog anyway? I had the idea of creating a kind of dictionary of Jersey websites - but I did NOT know what I was taking on. I wanted to see how big Jersey's virtual presence was, and I now know that there are huge numbers of websites in existence locally, and have lists and lists of them. But I will not be putting them online because I think it would be a full time job keeping the list accurate and up to date. I just don't have the time.

The odd thing is how many websites are advertised, either in the phone book, on business cards and headed paper, on the sides of vans, or, most bizarrely, in the JEP's feature on new businesses, but are either "in construction" or no longer exist - the host even advertising the space for some of them. Websites seem to have a fleeting life, too fleeting for me to keep a hold of. So now I have to think about whether to remove some of the ones I have on here.

I shall keep the links to local blogs, and local forums, and I shall create a list (a short list at the moment) of websites that I discover that remove VAT from goods they ship to the island, but as for the others - well. I don't know. I don't want to keep a page of broken links - and I do not seem to have the time to check them often.

Tennerfest

2007-09-27T22:31:00.000Z

Yipee it's tennerfest time soon!

Battle

2007-08-13T12:43:00.000Z

We went to the Moonlight parade of the Battle of Flowers this year, as we normally do. The fireworks were amazing, though fiercely loud. Even standing there marvelling I couldn't help worry about the pets, elderly, children, ill and shift-workers in the vicinity who were probably disturbed. Lets face it, the hospital is not that far away - although I am not sure if there are still "quiet please" signs around the hospital as there used to be.

As for the parade itself, I missed last years stilt walkers. Somehow men in drag on segways chucking sweets didn't quite have the magic of the odd birds and other animals, picking their strange two or four legged way down the arena last year and bending to peer into the faces of spectators.

The parade always takes a while to get going, but this year it never did seem to get into full swing - the floats that were there were fabulous, but between them it seemed very flat. Maybe it was just the crowds - were were packed like sardines, and that created its own set of expectations, but maybe it was the music - very few floats had music that was actually properly audible - even if the dancers were singing along. My daughter kept reminding me of "puppet on a string" that was blaring from a float a few years ago, and which she was singing for months afterwards.

I know - I complain the fireworks are too loud, then that the floats are too quiet!

Blog Redesign

2007-07-29T10:20:00.007Z

Hopefully the redesign of this blog makes it a lot easier to find a particular website, and also tidies the blog up a little. I have also heavily edited the site, getting rid of most of the entries that were about the government of Jersey. This is because I have come to accept the fact that I am not going to come to an understanding of how the States works.

Still, I am enjoying collecting the websites.

Training Providers

2007-07-29T10:19:00.005Z

Cambridge International Training
Channel Islands Training and Development
Comtrain
Forward Training
Impact Training
Jersey Business School
Jersey's Quick Books Specialists
Mind Resource Management
Richmond Training
Rouge Training Solutions
Training (Park Personnel)

Finance

2007-07-29T10:19:00.003Z

Advisa Financial
Anglo Irish Bank
Baccata Trustees
Baker Tilly Channel Islands
Capita Fiduciary
Citi Quilter
Hapoalim Fiduciary Services
Horizon Group
Ing Bank
Investment Solutions
Minerva Trust Company
Phoenix
Preferred Asset Management
Savills Private Finance
Sequia Finance
The Guardian Trust Company
Walbrook

Photography and Video

2007-07-29T10:19:00.001Z

Arthur Lamy
Channel Island Pictures
Digital Jersey (photographer)
Expressions Jersey (Photography)
Jersey Camera Corner
Jersey Photos
Laurie Stewart Video
Peter Tranchard Photography
Seddings Photography
Snapper
Steve Wellum Photography

Recruitment

2007-07-29T10:12:00.000Z

Approved Personnel
Bromley Sanders Recruitment
Independant Recruitment Consultants
Jobs (Park Personnel)
M Consulting & Recruitment
Optimus Jersey
Park Personnel
Premier Recruitment
Rowlands Recruitment
Select Recruitment

Attractions

2007-07-29T09:29:00.000Z

Amaizin' Maize
Battle of Flowers
Channel Islands Festival of Arts and Crafts
Durrell (Jersey Zoo)
Holidays Jersey
Jersey Air Display
Jersey Events
Jersey Goldsmiths
Jersey Holiday Guide
Jersey Lavender
Jersey Pearl
Jersey Pottery
Jersey Rally
Jersey Self Catering
Jersey Walk Adventures
Jersey War Tunnels
La Mare Wine Estate
Living Legend
New Forum
Samares Manor
The Harbour Gallery
The Itex Walk
The Royal Yacht
Virtual Tourist - Jersey

Telephones and Mobiles

2007-07-29T09:25:00.000Z

Airtel/Vodafone
Jersey Telecoms
Localdial
Sure Mobile

Odd

2007-07-29T09:14:00.000Z

About Jersey
Clameur De Haro
Crash
Eco-Active
George Smith's Home Page
Income Tax "Business to business"
International Choir Festival of Jersey
Island Life
Jayne's Jersey
Jersey Beaches
Jersey in Figures 2006
Jersey Insight Classified
Kodak Express Jersey
OurIsland
Reg's Garden
Senator Freddie Cohen
That was Jersey
Wikipedia Jersey entry

Clubs Societies and Services

2007-07-29T09:10:00.000Z

British Computer Society Jersey
Chartered Institute of Marketing
Data Protection in Jersey
International Choir Festival of Jersey
Jersey Advisory and Conciliation Service
Jersey Business Venture
Jersey Citizens' Advice Bureau
Jersey Competition Regulation Authority
Jersey Consumer Council
Jersey Employment Trust
Jersey Enterprise Awards
Jersey Gas
Jersey Gov - Jobs in Jersey
Jersey Harbours
Jersey Hedgehog Preservation Group
Jersey Law Society
Jersey Legal Information Board
Jersey Mail
Jersey Met Office
Jersey Militia
Jersey National Trust
Jersey Parishes gov info
Jersey Ports Information
Jersey Post
Jersey Roadworks in progress
Jersey Tides
Jersey Virtual Villages
Jersey Water
Jersey.com - a Jersey Tourism site
Members of the States
Royal Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society
St. Helier Waterfront
St. Ouen's Surf Forecast
The Scrutiny Website
This is Jersey - JEP website

Businesses

2007-07-29T08:50:00.001Z

24 Se7en
ABC Electrics
Advanced Heating
Bauformat Kitchens and Bathrooms
BBC Jersey
BDP
Camerons
Catherine Best
Channel 103
Channel Islands Networking Specialists
Channel Rentals
Channel TV
CheckersPlus.com
Cineworld
Co-op stores information
Cooper & Co
Creative Stone Castings
Currys Office Supplies
Databond
Datatech
Dating
David Lister Toastmaster
Day2dayshop.com
Delta Conference Systems
Designer Sports Supplements
Dunells
Fitness First Jersey
Flying Flowers
Funky Bears
Gallery Magazine
Garland Flowers
Genuine Jersey Products
Grafters
Hassell Blampied
Havana Club
HR Solutions
i-Q Jersey
Innovate
Island Technology
Jersey Aero Club
Jersey Arts Centre
Jersey Business School
Jersey Dairy
Jersey Events
Jersey Mutual
Jersey Opera House
Jersey Produce
Jersey Royal Potato Post
Jersey Royals
Jersey Trader
Jersey Wedding Services
Jet
JF Germain Tobacconists
Kirsten Sand
Landscape Lighting
Life Clinic
Mappin and Webb
Marks & Spencer, Le Squez
Mercury At Home
My Teddy
National Trust for Jersey
Oakwoods Consultants
Office Choice
On Tapp
OTL Marketing
PBS
Pentagon
PFS
Precision Plastics
Pubs in Jersey
Pure
Rabeys
Ransoms Garden Centre
Rebecca Loos
Replaced Castle Quay images
Rouge Training Solutions
Simply Water
Skin Scene
Space Again
St Peter's Garden Centre
Star Child
Studio 18
Take This (Band)
TAMBA web design
The Beach
The Marketing Bureau
The Pet Cabin
The Powerhouse
The Printed Word
Thomas Dessain
Total Channel Islands
Tower Carpets
Training (Park Personnel)
TSL
Venus Introductions
Vibert Marquees
Victoria Art Gallery
Weddings

Charities and Associations

2007-07-29T08:49:00.002Z

Channel Islands Group of Professional Engineers
Christians Together in Jersey
Fresh
Gamblers Anonymous
Gerard Le Claire Trust
Girlguiding Jersey
Jeevan Jyothi Children's Trust
Jersey Aid for Europe
Jersey Amateur Radio Society
Jersey Animals Shelter
Jersey Association of Retired Persons
Jersey Astronomy Club
Jersey Chess Club
Jersey Child Care Trust
Jersey Christian Calendar
Jersey College Old Girls Association
Jersey Eisteddfod
Jersey Homes Trust
Jersey Mencap
Jersey Organic Association
Jersey Overseas Aid Commission
Jersey Personal Injury Medicolegal Society
Jersey Premier Bass
Jersey Quakers
Jersey Sociaty for Deaf Children and Young Adults
Junior Dog Handlers Association
Kennel Club of Jersey
Les Amis
Mensa Jersey
National Trust for Jersey
Normandy Rescue and Marshalls Association
Project Bertie
Rotary Club
Royal Jersey Horticultural Society
Shopmobility
Sounds
St. John's Church
St. Peter's Church
The United Reform Church in Jersey
Ther Band of the Island of Jersey
Yaluma - Friends of Sri Lanka

Educational Links

2007-07-29T08:49:00.001Z

Approved Courses
Beaulieu Convent School
Beaulieu Primary School
Cambridge International College
De La Salle College
FCJ School
Grade Busters
Grainville School
Hautlieu School
Highlands College
JCG Preparatory School
Jersey College for Girls
Jersey Environment Week
Jersey Online Learning
Le Rocquier School
Les Quennevais School
Making Maths Make Sense
St. Brelade's College
St. George's Preparatory School
St. Michael's Preparatory School
Victoria College
Victoria College Preparatory School
What about ...?

Restaurant and food Links

2007-07-29T08:48:00.000Z

Bistro Central
Bistro Central Restaurant
Bohemia Restaurant
Casa Mia Restaurant
Catex Catering Equipment
Farm Fresh Organics
Faulkner Fisheries
Gios Restaurant
Holme Grown Country Store
Jersey Royals
La Cala
Le Chef
New Dynasty
New Raj
Niche Events
Noble House
Old Court House Inn
Order your takeaway
Pedros Restaurant
Salty Dog Bistro
Sumas Restaurant
Taste Today Zine
The Boat House

Legal Links

2007-07-29T08:45:00.001Z

Andrew Begg & Co Advocates
Backhurst, Dorey & Crane Advocates
Bedell Cristin Law Firm
Bedell Group
Benest & Syvret Advocates & Solicitors
Bois Bois Lawyers
Broadlands Jersey
Carey Olsen Law Firm
Edge
Hamptonhouse Estates
Homelink Jersey (home buying resource)
Jenners Law Firm
Jersey Properties Limited
Jersey.com
Just Claim
K R Manning Solicitors
Landmark Homes
Le Gallais & Luce Solicitors
Merlion Jersey
More Properties
Mourant
Ogier Legal Services
Ogier Offshore Law
Ozannes Advocates
Robin E Troy solicitor
Sinels Law Firm
Viberts Jersey Lawyers
Voisin Law
Walkers Legal Services

Estate Agents Links

2007-07-29T08:44:00.002Z

Aspen Estates
Back & Dean Estate Agents
Bedell Cristin Law Firm
Bedell Group
Bois Bois Lawyers
Broadlands Jersey
Choice Properties Estate Agencies
Columbia Estate Agents
Cox Peel & Partners Estate Agent
Crespel Estate Agency
Dandara
Edge
Gaudin & Company Estate Agency
Gillborn Associates Estate Agents
Hamptonhouse Estates
Homelink Jersey (home buying resource)
Jersey Properties Limited
Jersey.com
Landmark Homes
Le Gaillais Estate Agents
Le Gallais Property Lettings
Maillards Estate Agents
Mango Property
Merlion Jersey
More Properties
Mulberry Estate Agency
Oakland Estate Agents
Rock Property Estate Agents
Ruellan Estates
Slomans Estate Agents
Thompson Estates
Troys Estate Agents
Vibert & Bridle Estate Agents

Health Links

2007-07-29T08:43:00.001Z

Aids Care Education & Training Jersey
At Smile
Brite Smile
Caesarea Dental
Cancer Back-up Jersey
Child Accident Prevention Jersey
Christies Care
Dentist Jane Bracken
Eat Right Food 4 Life
Gentle Smiles
Hypnotherapy
Independent Living
Jersey Council for Health & Safety at Work
Jersey Hospice Care
Jersey Mast Concern
Jersey Smiles
Le Quesne Pharmacies
Lister House Surgery
Multiple Sclerosis Jersey
The Jersey Dentist

Jersey History Links

2007-07-29T08:42:00.002Z

Channel Island Family History Society
Channel Islands Occupation Society
Cyndi's List of Channel Island FH links
Jersey Family History Resources
Jersey Heritage Trust
Prehistoric Jersey
Society Jersiaise

Webcams in Jersey

2007-07-29T08:42:00.001Z

Charing Cross
Harbour
Maison St. Louis Observatory
Met Office
Panorama Hotel St. Aubin
Pier Head
South Pier
St. Helier
Surf Cam

Transport Links

2007-07-29T08:41:00.002Z

35Hz
Aurigny
Aerton Motor Repairs
Airport Car Centre
Avis Jersey
Bel Royal Motors
Bike Week
Bikers
Bill Hibbs Marine
Blue Islands
Car Hire Jersey
Channel Charter
Channel Island Powerboat Charter
CI Automart
Classic & Vintage Motor Racing Club
Compass Marine
Condor Ferries
Connex Bus
Doubleday Garage
e-travelguide - channel islands
Europecar
Extreme Imports
Fairline Channel Islands
Falles Hire Cars
Flybe
G & A Car Sales
Go France
HD Ferries
Hertz Hire Cars
Holidays Jersey
Island Rib Voyages
Jackson Garage
Jersey Airport
Jersey Classic Car Hire
Jersey Coaches
Jersey Cruises
Jersey Honda
Jersey Land Rovers Owners Club
Jersey Minibus
Jersey Motor Sport
Jersey Old Motor Club
Manche Iles Express
Mark Pickford Cycles
Motor Mall
Motorama
Right Car Jersey
Ship & Fly
Shopmobility
Simon Place Garage
The Cycle Centre
Travel
Twin Jet
Zebra Hire

Sporting Links

2007-07-29T08:41:00.001Z

Active Island Sports
Anna II Fishing Trips
Apnea Diving
Aqua Splash
BLU Longboard competition held in Jersey
Bowls Jersey
Caesarean Cycling Club
CI Surf
Dive Jersey
Dive Under Pressure
Gorey Water Sports
Island Games 2007
Itex Walk
Jersey Adventures
Jersey Body Boarding
Jersey Canoe Club
Jersey Horse Racing
Jersey Kayak Adventures
Jersey Kenpo Karate
Jersey Long Boarders
Jersey Petanque Association
Jersey Sailing
Jersey Sailing Trust
Jersey Sea Sport
Jersey Stay and Sail
Jersey Table Tennis Association
Jersey Tennis
Jersey Volleyball
KB Cycle Challenge
Kite School Jersey
La Moye Golf Club
Les Mielles Golf Course
Les Ormes
Ocean Discoveries
Pure Adventure Jersey
Raleigh Sailing
Regent Gymnastics Club
Rip Tide Dive
Scuba Diving Jersey
Sensation Charters
Skydive Jersey
SoccerBug
St. Catherine's Sailing Club
St. Helier Yacht Club
Surfing Jersey
Tarka Sea Trips
TT Divers
Wheatlands Golf Course

Camp Sites Links

2007-07-29T08:35:00.001Z

Beuveland Camp Site
Bleu Soleil Camping
Camping in Jersey (Rose Farm)
Rozel Camping

Hotel Links

2007-07-29T08:33:00.001Z

Biarritz Hotel
Chateau Le Chaire
Greehhills Hotel
Harbour View
Huggler Hotels
Jersey Hotels
Lavender Villa
Les Charrieres Hotel
Longueville Manor
Morvan Hotels
Norfolk Hotel
Prince of Wales Hotel
Royal Hotel Jersey
Seabird Hotels
The Moorings Hotel
The Royal Yacht
Water's Edge Hotel

Re-design

2007-07-20T17:22:00.000Z

I have had a back injury which has resulted in me avoiding using the computer, instead I have been thinking about what to do with this site. I like having the Jersey links, but I need to redesign the layout so it is easier to find a particular link.

So, I will be quiet for a while, but I haven't disappeared entirely.

Second Life?

2007-06-25T20:37:00.000Z

I have read that the average avatar in Second Life has a carbon footprint the same size as that of an average Brazilian (link). So what would be the carbon footprint of this blog I wonder?

Mass-Observation

2007-06-25T20:11:00.000Z

If anyone watched Housewife 49 (based on the wartime diaries of Nella Last) they will have seen a little about the Mass-Observation project. What they may not know is that the project continues.

Splashing

2007-06-25T19:30:00.000Z

Wow, wasn't it spectacularly wet today? Wet and windy. Not very sunny Jersey. Of course the worst weather was around 3, when the kids poured out of school, and parents in sandals waded through puddles to collect their kids.

So, nearly 6 months into the year, hows that forecast about 2007 being on of the hottest and driest years on record looking? I'm yet to be convinced.

Website Frenzy

2007-06-20T20:02:00.000Z

Is there some sort of formula that calculates the prosperity of a place on the number of websites against population or something? I just keep finding more and more websites for Jersey. I recently went away, and on return noticed a number of websites in the airport, and in the free guides for visitors, then on the back of a few vans, in magazines, in the JEP, tattooed on people's foreheads ... no, that last was a joke. But website addresses are everywhere. How can I have thought there were not many in this little island?

I am sure that there must be a way to discover all the websites ending in .je, which of course are all local, but I don't know that way. I even found a local e-zine, http://www.taste2day.com/ which is due to go live this Summer. Virtual Jersey is bigger than I anticipated.

Peter Rhodes

2007-06-02T20:16:00.000Z

I have been wondering for some time where Peter Rhodes, who writes a column called "comment on the national scene" printed in the JEP actually writes from, as he clearly is UK based. He often refers to readers sending him e-mails, but no e-mail address is given against his column, so I presumed that the column is a copy of one printed in a UK newspaper. I have been searching online, and I think I have located him.

There is a Peter Rhodes who writes for the Express & Star, and there is a picture of him here which looks like the one next to the column. So should you want to make your opinion known to Peter Rhodes, I wouldn't write to the JEP, as it is unlikely that he reads it, instead contact him through the Express and Star.

Waterfront Pool

2007-06-01T20:03:00.000Z

The pool at the waterfront is down to £200,000 of the £600,000 given them to start the pool off, and apparently we should be ready to give them more, as the pool hasn't earned as much money as was forecast, and costs more to run.

We were there yesterday, arriving about 3pm, and the pool was heaving. I was actually a bit concerned about my kids as the pool was so full. I used to take my two to lessons there as well, along with what seemed like half the island, and I have shot down to the pool at lunchtime to do laps, and the pool seemed to be running at fair capacity then, so I do wonder why the pool takes in less money than expected - it seems to be used.

Links

2007-06-01T18:54:00.001Z

Well, I've got a bit carried away adding links to the site. I had the idea that I could try to include all the island websites, encompass the whole of virtual Jersey on my blog, make a sort of one stop website shop - but that was before I realised how many Jersey websites there are. I had the idea that Jersey wasn't really into the website age, but I appear to be wrong.

I am still interested in adding links, so let me know if you see any I don't have.

Lovely Day

2007-05-27T14:06:00.000Z

Wasn't Saturday lovely? A bit windy maybe, but by the amount of sunburnt noses on view in the evening, not windy enough to stop people enjoying the great outdoors.

We had a child free night and went to St. Aubin where we ended up having a late dinner at La Barca. The food could not be faulted, and the place was buzzing. I sat watching the staff, who must walk the equivalent of a marathon every night as they are in non stop motion and their movements are balletic as they wind round each other and customers to bring food and drink, clear tables and distribute menus. La Barca must have three sittings a night at some of it's tables, and this is made possible by their highly professional table changes. Tables are cleared, new table cloths flourished on and the table set as if by magic.

But. We were the last sitting, sliding into our seats at 9pm. The restaurant began to empty, and the staff began to relax. We were sat by a trio of people obviously well known to the restaurant, and when staff looked our way it was to check on them - over our heads. We waited for a pudding menu until we no longer wanted pudding, then waited for the bill. We had to remind staff that we had requested the bill twice before it appeared, making the night end on a sour note.

I'd go back, but I'd go earlier.

An odd way to sell a potato

2007-05-20T17:51:00.000Z

I cannot recall Jersey Royals in the news for their baby making abilities, and can only assume that this was a slightly early April Fool?

Complicity

2007-05-12T16:29:00.000Z

I have just read Iain Bank's novel Complicity. Bizarrely, the Scottish protagonist suddenly makes an unexpected (and very short) trip to Jersey. Whilst there he muses on a high powereed sportscar he sees, and the "crime" of keeping such a car in an island with a speed limit of 60 miles an hour.

I suppose it could be a mistype, but you do have to wonder if Iain actually visited the island himself to do any research. His protagonist hires a car at the airport and drives to Gorey - he mentions the castle, saying he had always thought it was in St. Helier. It seems that Iain is not aware that we have two prominent castles, one in either place, which of course means that he did not drive the route his protagonist takes, or else he could not have failed to see both Elizabeth Castle and Gorey Castle.

Liberation Station

2007-05-12T15:42:00.000Z

I am not terribly impressed with the choice of name for the transport hub inside the old abattoir. I cannot see what the word "liberation" relates to - animals being liberated from their lives perhaps? Or flesh being liberated from bone? It cannot relate to the liberation of the island from German occupation at the end of WW2, as I have never heard that the abattoir had any part to play in that.

It seemed to me to be pretty obvious that a name should be chosen that was shorter than "bus station", a name strong enough to stand even though the place will get referred to the bus station. I thought that the obvious name "The Hub" would be a strong contender, as it has a modern edge (it fits in well with "The Club and "The Bar") and being short and snappy would be used in preference to bus station - for texting at least. But no.

The rhythm of the name is not particularly pleasing either - why chose two words both ending in "ation"? Not that I think I am going to be distressed by hearing "Liberation Station" much, because I really don't think many people will refer to the place by it's official name. It will be bus station, Lib Station, bus depot, under the mall, or "where the bus finishes up".

Lots of New Links

2007-05-05T21:57:00.000Z

I've been searching for more Jersey links, and have found some unexpected treasure. So depending on how interesting those links are, don't expect to hear from me in a while!

Jersey Food is the best!

2007-04-29T18:10:00.000Z

We have been to Classic herd again. This weekend we have tried their butter, clotted cream, and pork chops. The chops were delicious, with a wonderful flavour. The cream was very soft for clotted cream, but went very well with some fresh made scones and jam. The butter was very nice, the most striking thing about it being that it was yellow. Very yellow. So yellow that when I first emptied my bags after bringing home the shopping, I kept mistaking the clear pot of butter for my glass of orange juice.

It reminded me of my grandmother, who came over to the island every year, stayed in the Hotel de la Plage, and took great joy in being the fountain of all knowledge about Jersey butter. "Oh no" she would tell new visitors sat on the next table who were poking the butter with concern "it's not off at all. Jersey butter is very yellow. Try it, it's delicious."

But the Jersey butter that we normally buy, the one from Jersey Dairy, that isn't yellow, it's cream. When did Jersey butter stop being yellow? How is it that the Jersey butter from Jersey Dairy is not yellow? Is it coloured?

Beautiful in the mist

2007-04-16T20:15:00.000Z

I have been admiring the view of St. Aubin's bay in the mist, with the castle dark against a silver sea so still it looks frozen in time.

Everywhere I look spring is evident, trees bursting out in fresh green leaves, magnolias already shedding purple blossom, bright blue ceanothus poking out of bushes.

We even have flower spikes growing early out of an agapanthus.

Jersey is so eye-wateringly beautiful in the Spring.

New local site

2007-03-21T21:19:00.000Z

Courtesy of the JEP I found a new Jersey forum called the Channel Islands Online Community. I have done so many searches for sites from Jersey, or the Channel Islands (did you know there are some Channel Islands in California (see image above)? Oh you did huh?) how did I miss one. Makes me wonder what else I have missed.

Squished

2007-03-02T00:00:00.000Z

We went to the Opera House tonight to see Dial M for Murder. Very impressive - much better than the review in the JEP sounds. I overheard lots of praise as we made our way out. But the seats are so squished together. We were first row dress circle tonight, able to look down at everyone sitting with coats and bags bundled on their laps, struggling if someone needed to pass them. We had sweets with us, and there was nowhere to park them. I couldn't help but think affectionately of the seats at Cineworld, where there is ample room, and well as little cubbies for drinks/sweets on each seat. In my seat, which was verging sideways on the stage, I had to twist slightly sideways to get a good view, but doing that made the arm of the chair dig into me.

Term time holidays

2007-02-27T09:16:00.000Z

Front page of the JEP last night was the information that 11,000 school days have been missed by children taken on holiday, taken out of school by 2,500 parents - 1/5 of parents.

So, on average, each Jersey school child was away from school on holiday for less than one day last year. Wow, aren't we doing well! Not that anyone would know if form the tone of the article.

Looking at it that 2,500 parents had 2 children each, that's only slightly over 2 days off in a year for their children. Even if they only had one child each that is just over 4 days each, a lot less than the 10 days suggested as a maximum allowance without Education department approval.

I do not see why this is considered a problem.

It would be useful to know how many of the children taken away were in reception class and how many studying for exams this year. The impact of the time off is not going to be the same for both age groups.

Schools do value the benefits of travel, which is why there are such things as school trips. Travel is educational, particularly for Jersey children who may never have seen a train or a city except on TV. I have found that my children's teachers are enthusiastic about them travelling and ask the children to share their opinions on where they have been with the class. We all know that compared to the UK Jersey people have to travel for longer and more expensively to take the same holidays, so doesn't it make sense that we have slightly more flexibility in order to give our children the same advantages that they can give theirs?

Another consideration is that some people cannot take holidays in the school holidays as that is their most demanding work time - hoteliers must be included in this group, so we need to think about whether as a tourist island we make allowances for that.

All in all, I think it is amazing that the amount of holiday time off taken in term time is so little, and it shows that parents do take the education of their children seriously, as they should do - parents are legally responsible for ensuring that their children are educated, not the Education department.

Zoo

2007-02-22T20:03:00.000Z

We had a lovely trip to the zoo in the beautiful weather yesterday. I have yet to hear anyone saying "went up to Durrell yesterday", that place will always be the zoo to my generation.

It was a good trip. We sat mesmerised through the snake talk, the kids got to stroke a Colombian rainbow boa, and we had a very pleasant snack in the cafe which was bulging with boisterous kids. The maned wolves circuited their enclosure as a special treat for us, and we caught the lemurs being given their dinner.

The trip will probably be the highlight of our half-term.

Yummy

2007-02-22T19:53:00.000Z

We have tried some more Lincolnshire sausages from Classic Herd, which were less herby, and absolutely melt in the mouth delicious.

They also sell beefburgers, and the whole family prefer them - they are beefy and juicy and, well, just the best.

We hope Classic Herd do well and continue to expand their range.

Internet shopping.

2007-02-16T09:11:00.000Z

There was a fairplay article in Wednesday's JEP about Patrick O'Lynn buying a tile cutter online, and saving himself £500 and a wait of two weeks for the item. And it was delivered to his door.

Patrick put a lot of work into buying this product, he knew exactly what he wanted, even down to the model number, he checked out all of the local stores, and spent an hour online before he found what he wanted at a price he was prepared to pay.

If he had been in the UK, he would probably have had to order the goods online then too, the only difference being that delivery might well be cheaper, or free, and he would have to pay VAT.

Internet shopping is touted as meaning the death of local stores, but even before the Internet people used catalogues to shop for goods unavailable in the island, or organised shopping trips to France, England, or yes, even America.

I hear a lot about how the Internet is going to change the face of traditional shopping, but what is so traditional about shopping? Not all that long ago it used to be the custom for some sellers to hawk their goods on doorsteps.

A tile cutter may be a good proposition for buying online, but some goods just are not suited to the Internet. Clothes are sold online, but most people still want to feel the material and try the goods on when they clothes shop. People want to look under the hood at a second hand car. People want to squeeze their loaf and sniff their melons.

Food and drink

2007-02-11T14:06:00.000Z

I had a first visit to "Waves" yesterday. Due to various commitments we found ourselves child free between the hours of 5 and 6 and needing to eat. Waves, which seems to be open all day seemed a good place to go, but when we got there we found that 5pm is not the best time to require food - lunch is over, afternoon tea has just ended, and dinner has an hour before it begins.

We decided on a coffee and cake, and a very late dinner at home. Except there was no cake. There were several very rich looking deserts, which we passed on. I had a latte, but it was dreadful, very small and bitter. I mostly drink latte as a take away, but the few occasions that I have had it in a cafe or restaurant it has been served in a tall glass. Here is was served in a mug. I could not drink it, so we were out so quickly that we had time to go into the café at the Power House and enjoy a lovely latte, in a glass, with a massive choice of cake and biscuits. Had we only headed there first we would have been able to enjoy what looked like some delicious meals as well.

We will probably return to Waves as the specials board looked enticing, but the prices seem rather high for a place sadly in need of a good sweeping.

Opera House woes

2007-02-04T18:16:00.000Z

Last night I was shivering in the audience watching Tunes of Glory. The opera house was a wee bit on the cold side, and as the play is set in winter, it wasn't long before I was cold through and through. The actors smoke on stage at time. I wonder if there is an exemption for the new non-smoking law that allows that, or if we were watching the law being broken?

I did feel for the actors in their kilts on such a cold night.

Standing on buses

2007-02-02T08:07:00.000Z

Does it matter that some kids have to stand on the buses? After all, as Deputy de Faye says, we all did it when we were young - he makes the point that he came to no harm.

It matters if the aim is to encourage more children on the buses.

I would hazard a guess that some parents do not have much choice about sending their kids to school on the bus because they work and cannot take the children to school themselves. But that is not true of everyone. I collect my kids from school, so if encouraging more kids on the buses is an aim - and how can it not be when the transport policy is to reduce emissions and congestion - then I represent the group of people to be converted to the idea of putting my kids on the bus.

But I have a problem with buses. My kids travel to school at the moment in a car that is fitted with seat belts. By law my kids must be seated and strapped in whilst I am driving them, and I drive particularly carefully when carrying my kids in the car. In a bus there are no seat belts, and they may not have a seat - and I have vivid memories of the behaviour of bus drivers that makes me hesitant about putting the safety of my children into the hands of a bus driver. I recall one driver slamming on the brakes to teach a child a lesson when she kept standing up and dancing in the aisle when the bus was in motion. She flew down the bus, and down the steps. After a few seconds, she dragged herself panting back up the steps, and crawled to her seat, and he continued driving. Another shocking experience on a bus when I was older has made me additionally wary of bus drivers.

For me to put my kids on the buses, I have to see that they would be safer than I and my contemporaries were. And they wouldn't be. So I will continue to drive them.

Winter

2007-01-28T18:30:00.000Z

We seem to have had our winter last week. Prior to that I had been wondering if it was worth while keeping the heating on as the temperatures were keeping so high, and looking at the lovely pair of gloves I was given for Christmas and wondering if I would wear them this year. Then the temperatures suddenly dropped to 1 to 3 degrees. On one memorable walk on the beach I was hailed on viciously for the last fifteen minutes whilst returning to the car, and even with gloves, hat and scarf I was sooooo cold and numb. And then, just when I had got into the habit of adding the necessary layers, the temperatures went back up.

Was that it?

The green, green grass of home

2007-01-18T08:43:00.000Z

I know it's been a mild winter. I know it's been a wet winter. But the lush emerald green of fields, not just now, but through the winter, has really surprised me.

Recycling

2007-01-17T08:11:00.000Z

I have had a think about recycling. Recycling basically means finding another use for an item instead of disposing of it. Recycling is so linked to waste disposal that I need to understand more about waste disposal before I can progress on my understanding of all the issues with recycling.

Meanwhile, here are a few links:

Jersey government sites:

"Wacky Waste Facts"

Full detail of waste disposal and recycling services

Energy from waste

May 2005 Solid Waste strategy

Energy from waste project FAQ

Waste Management

Waste Management Part 2

Waste Management Part 3

Waste Management Part 4

Waste Management Part 5

Waste Management Part 6

Waste Management Part 7

I thought 14.6 of the Waste Management (Island Plan 2002) covered most of my concerns, which are broadly that the whole thing needs to be looked at form an island perspective:

"The decision whether to recycle materials or not depends upon a number of factors, including the availability of raw materials, energy consumption in collection and processing and any environmental implications. It is counter-productive to recycle if doing so has a greater impact upon the environment than disposing of the waste. Furthermore, a recycling scheme that might be cost-effective in the UK might not be viable in Jersey if the material has to be shipped out for recycling, even if there is considerable capacity to export materials in the ships going to the UK. The local market for recycled goods is another important consideration – for certain materials the economics of recycling become marginal and other waste management options further down the ‘waste hierarchy’ may be more appropriate."

I shall read further.

Smoking Laws

2007-01-13T19:53:00.000Z

There is a letter in the paper today from a very disgruntled truck driver, who cannot now smoke in his truck, as it is his workplace.

Hurrah!

I bet his driving has improved now he is no longer: carrying a burning stick, and passing it from hand to hand to tap out the ash; bending over his lighter to light a fresh "ciggie"; opening his window (one hand) to toss out the filter (held in his other hand); shaking his next fag out of the packet; trying not to burn his leg on the end of his "ciggie" when turning a sharp corner. I was the only non smoker in my family, and three out of the four of them smoked whilst driving. Only one continues to smoke, and now does not smoke whilst driving, having come to appreciate the risks. Trust me, being their passenger is a lot less stressful now.

Remember the "Hands Off" campaign? It appears to have had it's 15 minutes, but it was always unbalanced, as evidenced by the name. Surely the idea is that people should have hands on the wheel? At the height of the "Hands Off" campaign I saw a truck bombing round Beaumont filter in turn from Beaumont Hill, heading into town, steering left handed - the driver's right hand wrapped round a baguette, and I saw a woman driving through town to drop her child off from school, and as she crawled forward (with pedestrians hovering on the edges of the pavement watching for a tiny break in the traffic to squeeze through) she was leaning up close to the rear view mirror applying mascara.

Free Jersey linked to an article about how it is more dangerous to drive for a living than it is to smoke. Maybe the ban on smoking in the workplace will actually improve the risk for some employees who drive all day (or night) in Jersey, improving the mortality rates for both smokers and drivers.

Where to buy

2007-01-04T08:39:00.000Z

I have been looking for a washing up bowl. The only place I could find one was in Woolies. None of the supermarkets seemed to carry them, and "The First Place" is closed, hopefully temporarily. I kept thinking that there are 80,000 to 90,000 people in this island, making lots of households with at least one washing up bowl per household. Is Woolies the only place to sell them?

I can buy a washing up bowl online, if I want to spend £40 plus on a designer article. There are some places that sell your basic washing up bowl, but the postage would double the cost of the bowl.

Maybe this is why there is such a lack of the bowls for sale in the island, they take up a lot of shelf space, and make little profit.

Incidentally, whilst researching online I found a 2000 BBC report on bacteria in the kitchen in which an "infection expert" spoke of the bacteria breeding capabilities of washing up bowls. He also said that washing up should be done with bleach. What a yucky thought. Bleach may get rid of germs, but when it comes to lumps of dirt, it just makes them invisible. I bet he makes his wife do it though.

05/01/2007 Update. Walking through the co-op in town heading to the furniture department I noticed they carry cream washing up bowls. The Woolies ones are silver. So, now I have found a choice of colours at least! I hadn't thought to look in the co-op homeware store.

Sausages

2007-01-04T00:25:00.000Z

We tried the sausages from the Classic herd farm shop. Yep, they were very meaty, and no gristle. I think they were Lancashire sausages, and they were very herby. Personally, I prefer a plain sausage, herby meat always makes me think that the herbs are disguising bad meat, but my partner is a fan, so that is what we had. We have not been able to try any other sausages as the abattoir has not been open. I guess it proves how fresh the meat it!

The milk is cheaper than the supermarket as well. The milk is sold in one or two litre plastic jug/bottles, which I like. Far less messy.

I saw the calves my partner mentioned.

Happy New Year

2007-01-03T10:14:00.000Z

Hoping that 2007 is good for Jersey.

Classic Herd

2006-12-23T16:10:00.000Z

On the positive side, my partner managed to snaffle the last pack of bacon from the farm shop, and also brought home some milk and sausages for us to try.

On the negative side my partner spotted three bull calves in crates on the farm, and wondered if this means that there is veal being produced on the farm. The crates were big enough for the animals to turn round.

We don't support veal production though - if an animal is to be kept, keep it healthy. Restricting movement so that muscles do not develop properly hardly seems healthy.

I know that there are extremes of veal production - calves head tied so they cannot turn or lay (who end up standing in their own urine, damaging their legs and feet) and calves fed an iron deficient diet to keep them anemic and their flesh pale. I know the UK has laws preventing the worst cases of this treatment to calves, which is why UK veal is not as white or tender as veal produced in some other countries, but I have no idea what the laws are in Jersey.

Beautiful bacon

2006-12-20T21:25:00.000Z

I rarely eat bacon. My partner enjoys it, on occasion. I think we will both be eating it more regularly now, as tonight we tried the bacon I bought from Darren Quenault's farm shop. It seems wrong to call it the same name as the flimsy, watery tasteless stuff I normally buy in supermarkets even though I make an effort to buy flavourful bacon (buying Duchy Originals where I can, or something from the Waitrose "Taste the Difference" range).

The Quenaults' bacon doesn't look that brilliant on the fridge shelf - the colour is good but the bacon is vacuum packed, so the slices are shapelessly mushed together. The rashers are quite streaky as well, something we normally avoid, but that bacon tasted indescribably good. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. I find myself longing for an excuse to try the bacon in a bacon sandwich - the flavour is intense enough to cope with the bread. The bacon had a good shelf life, but it definitely wont need it in our house.

Shopping Locally

2006-12-18T13:16:00.000Z

My Mother visited the Island this weekend, and after having lunch at Big Vern's last week, I had noticed that their plates and mugs are produced at a local pottery located at 7 Belvedere Terrace. I used to live at 7 Belvedere Terrace, so whilst my Mum was over we visited the pottery and I bought a beautiful dish for grating garlic or ginger upon. Theresa was there and as well as talking about the house and how it has changed over the years she introduced us to her creations. I wanted to buy lots, but being stoneware the pottery is not cheap and at this expensive time of year I could not treat myself to anything more than the dish I bought.

I notice that the pottery is a member of Genuine Jersey. The Genuine Jersey website has a large list of members upon which I notice Classic Herd Ltd, the Quenaults' business. I used the rare opportunity of having some free time last week to pop into the Quennaults' farm shop where I was surprised to find a large number of luxury biscuits and relishes. A farm shop seems an odd place to buy Christmas presents, but there you go! I did buy some bacon, soup, spare ribs and the Jersey Brie and those we have so far eaten were good. The Brie has a much more solid texture than Brie from France or Somerset, but was very creamy. The farm shop is quite large and when I visited I was the only person buying, although they were re-stocking the sausages which indicated plenty of customers earlier. I do wish the Quenaults every success, and will be shopping there when I can, although I can not see myself buying many of the luxury biscuits, sauces etc. I am hoping that next year they may sell new potatoes that have not been through the grader.

Grading new potatoes bruises and dries them, and should be made illegal. Potatoes that have not been through the grader are more tender and seem to stay fresh longer than those that have, but I have a dreadful job finding any. The only way to be sure to get some is to befriend someone growing them! Eating potatoes that have not been graded is like eating the potatoes we enjoyed as children.

Another service award

2006-12-18T13:11:00.000Z

This time to Boots where a member of staff noticed how much I was spending and suggested I take my Boots card to a card machine they have in the store whereupon I printed out a voucher entitling me to £4 worth of Boots points if I spend more than a certain sum that day. The lady, who was not English/Jersey, was very helpful in other ways as well, but they are too boring to detail. Thank you Boots for the £4 extra sitting on my card. It will come in useful in January.

A beautiful day

2006-12-13T22:52:00.000Z

Walking the dogs down Val de la Mare valley today I was pleased to see that the water level in the reservoir is rising though there is still plenty of room to store more water - perhaps we should hope for more rain? I really enjoyed my walk in the sunshine, with late leaves swishing overhead and the stream tinkling to the side of me, and I was not the only one - everyone I met was smiling and happy to stop and chat.

Service to be proud of

2006-12-07T13:49:00.000Z

Jersey recently came 10th from bottom in a customer service shopping survey of the Channel Islands. But I had a lovely experience today, and would like to give a gold star to the lovely lady who served me at Hallmark cards in King Street.

Not only was she helpful and pleasant whilst I paid for my cards, but when I was cheeky enough to ask for a second free 2007 datebook she happily popped another in without hesitation. Then I remarked upon a 2 Euro chocolate coin on the desk amongst some sterling ones and she handed it straight to me, insisting I kept it whan I protested. My smile lasted all the way back to my car.