Chelski

If you had a better experience than me in Lancs, brilliant!   I'm not dissing England as I love to travel back to England.   It just seems a bit hit and miss at the moment as to what I'll experience depending on location.   Having said that, from personal experience, northern folks (I have lots of friends in Leeds) tend to deal with these situations and just get on with how to fix it; whereas southern shandy drinkers, umm... moan and drink shandy. And do nothing.

  Eastbourne.   Everything was great on the seafront. Even the little corner shop just around behind the hotel where I bought my Thatcher's cider on a regular basis. Nice smiley Asian guy who'd save me a four-pack.   But as we moved into the hinterland/city centre the whole atmosphere seemed to change despite the tourists.   Maybe seeing the remnants of Philip Green's empire (huge stretch of retail property all shuttered and boared) in a prime high street location on the main square added to my sense of 'huh'?   M&S Foodhall fully stocked (Yummy take-away lunch). Tesco Metro ok (but as it was about as big as our hotel bedroom it would be hard to not have any empty shelves.)   But it was when we drove out of town to the superstores of Sainsburys and Morrisons in Willingdon Drove. Dreadful. Empty shelves ago-go.   As Mrs C is a huge yorkie fan, we also popped into the local Toby Carvery for dinner. We'd been there 2.5 years before and it was brilliant! Never again. Possibly the worst service and food in my life. I even went shouty-boy at one stage. I left a £0.12 tip. It was that bad. Even Mrs C (who never complains) was complaining.   But, this is just my personal opinion. I'm sure other expats travelling back are having great experiences in Brexit UK.  

  The article above kinda hit home. I have thought long and hard about responding.   I've posted elsewhere about our ferry trip over to the UK for the first time in 2.5 years, there and back, but not what happened inbetween.   God, I was so excited to be back. The hotel was full of shiny happy people and the hotel service was impeccable.   Then we ventured outside the hotel into the town centre.   I don't really have the words to describe how I felt. It was drab. Everyone was drab. Almost a sense of resignation that this is what it is.   The only animated conversation I had outside the hotel in 6 days was with a Dutch couple who'd sailed their boat over. And that was when I noticed them collapsing and locking their Bromley bikes. I never had a meaningful conversation with an English person.   Supermarket shelves empty (Tesco, Sainsburys, Morrisons, Asda) check. People wandering around like zombies in the supermarket, check. We visited all four.   Again, I'm not dissing anything. It is what it is.   But if I'm honest I found it quite distressing. Even Mrs Chelski noticed my mood change.   In 2.5 years my England has ceased to exist. Its a tough one for me to deal with.

Last call for anyone still interested.   Season kicks off Friday night (Crystal Palace v Arsenal @ 21:00 CET) so your FPL deadline is:   Fri 5 Aug 19:30 CET   Good luck all!    

Didn't quite know which random thread to post this in, so mods feel free to move.   So, after 2.5 years we finally made our first ferry trip back to the UK. We didn't quite know what to expect... but it was interesting.   Dunkirk - Dover:   Driving into Dunkirk port with Mrs Chelski at the wheel, we approach the DFDS checkin.   DFDS checkin: Very nice lady, checked our passports and travel confirmation. All done in 30secs.   Next up is UK Border Control. Mrs Chelski is on her brand new German passport. I'm on my brand new Irish passport. This is where it starts to get surreal.   UK Border Control: "Passports please." (We hand them over) UKBC: "Do you live in the UK Mrs Chelski?" Mrs C: "No. I live in Germany." UKBC: "Are you planning to stay in the UK and not come back?" Mrs C: "No. I live in Germany" UKBC: "And do you live in Germany?" Mrs C: "Yes." UKBC: "Ah ha!" (Focuses on me) UKBC: "And are you planning to stay in the UK Chelski?" Me: "It's an irrelevant question. I'm travelling on an Irish passport so can stay as long as I like" UKBC: "Ah ha!" (Pause) UKBC: "Do you live in Germany Chelski?" Me: "Yes" UKBC: "And where is that?" Me: "The same place as her." UKBC: "Ah ha!" (Type, click, click, and our passports are handed back) UKBC: "Have a good trip!"   (Mrs C drives on and gives me her WTF face. I just shug.)   Next up... French Border Security!   No green lights. No red lights. We just roll to a stop in one of the lanes blocked by a bollard. Six French guys (pretending they're SWAT without the guns) are standing around in a circle smoking furiously. We wait. We wait one minute. We wait two minutes... and eventually one breaks free from the circle, kicks away the bollard and gives us a dismissive wave through. Whilst still smoking.   We drive on...   But look! It's French Border Security #2 next!   Cars are being emptied. Suitcases are being opened.   Me (to Mrs C): "Just speak random noises loudly and pretend its German. Do not speak English!"   FBS: "Hello" Me: "Arrghich! Strelurtpilsenion oder vasstiale bitte?" Mrs C: "Nahmich! Utlakomichion es purght chemeke bitte!" FBS: (Young French guy who now looks petrified waves us through. When out of sight from him, me and Mrs C high five.)   Dover - Dunkirk:   First up is the dreaded French Border Control. The scene of many a delay in recent news. (Possibly because they're all standing around in Dunkirk pretending to be SWAT without guns.)   FBC: "Passports." (Note the no 'please'.) (15sec later passports are back and a half page of A4 with a big star to place on the windscreen to say we are Covid compliant. Huh? He never checked anything re Covid)   We get pulled over for a car security check.   Security lady: "Can I see your star please?" (I reach for it of the windscreen and hand it to her) SL: "You're supposed to display this on your windscreen sir." Me: "It was on the windscreen! You asked me to hand it to you! Hello?" (pause) SL (trying not to laugh): "Ok, you got me there!" (We all start laughing) (Eventually) Me: "We know the rules. We have no meat or diary produce." (Pause) SL (resorting to her script): "Are you carrying any illegal weapons sir?" Me (to Mrs C): "Are we carrying any illegal weapons?" Mrs C (playing dumb): "What does illegal mean?" Me: "Against the law." (Pause) Mrs C: "What does weapons mean?" Me: "I guess guns, RPGs... Mrs C: "What's a RPG?" (SL interupting) SL: "Thank you sir, you're free to go. Have a nice trip." Me: "Thank you."   Interestingly enough, my mate down the pub claims there was not one, but two, cool boxes filled with bacon, sausages, pies and pasties hiding in plain sight behind the front two seats in the car (allegedly) that nobody with a badge/security pass ever questioned.   TL;DR. Don't blame you.   It was a bitch to edit but might be of use for anyone else planning a ferry trip back to the UK.

I'm seeing a few new team names joining the league, which is great!   My motto is the the more the merrier to increase competition. Nice.   So can the managers of:   saa_hero Team B.   TUANMUDA RANGER   Carpin Capers   ...confirm they are members of TT by posting on this thread, and not just bot floating around the Internet picking up league codes from chat forums?   Thanks in advance!  

  Ha! Didn't you win the Toytown Germany Cup (not that anyone cares about FPL cups ) beating our all conquering Toytown League Championess @sluzup?   Great to have you back on board!

I lost my Dad in 2003 and my Mum in 2006. I was fortunate enough to be there with both of them at the end.   They made me who I am today. I will never forget that.   @LukeSkywalker my condolences.   You will hurt. You will grieve. It's a tough road to go down. There's no magic answer.   But in time you will heal.   And then you'll start to remember.   Take care my friend.

FPL is open! It's back!   I've renewed the Toytown Germany FPL league so anyone who took part last season just needs to sign up again and you'll automatically be included.   For any newbies wishing to join and compete against our champion @sluzup from last season...   League Code: h3vsdd   Looking forward to playing against you this season!

  Your comment amused me greatly @Elljay.   Your name is now in my white book, as opposed to my black book.   Thank you.

Sorting through my iTunes. Clearing out the dross (unlistenable punk (now) from the late 70s/early 80s) and I was not suprised to find my #5 song of all time is this. Totally outside my usual musical sphere of reference before, but a friend suggested I listen 10 years ago. I've obviously never looked back.   A uniquely talented musician who pushed the envelope once too far.    Some songs stand the test of time. This (recorded in 1967) still sounds like it was recorded today.     We all wish for a Pleasant Street.

  No, no, no.   As much as I respect the musicians on stage, how many rhythm guitarists and backing vocals do they really need? It just becomes a dirge.   Much better to think outside the box and pick a song, totally opposite to the band's sound, and do something different.     I love juxtaposition in music.

  I initially read your comment as a chicken and egg question @bramble.   After reflection with the SE7EN voices in my head, we agreed that I look nothing like Sir Anthony Hopkins (he has 25 years on me), yet in his Oscar™ winning best actor performance as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, we do share a striking resemblance.    How my work colleague Anja picked up on my own sociopathic, cannabalistic personality traits is beyond me. But she was incredibly polite (I only eat the rude) when posing her questions. Therefore she still enjoys a happy life as a loving wife and mother, and a trusted colleague at work. Never once have I thought about adding her to my dinner table.   Hope that helps.

  But don't you think it's kinda sad?   I've visited many times over the years and loved every minute. Fantastic experiences, wonderful welcomes and great friends even to this day.   But sadly its fractured, and that fracture will only grow wider.   The United States of America will become a thing of history.    

In the Kita on the first floor. Standing on the top stair down to the ground floor as I lock the child safety gates. Work colleague Anja walks past and stops and stares. And stares. Eventually...   Chelski: "What?" Anja: "Nothing. I don't want to offend you..." Chelski: "You wont offend me..." (Pause) Chelski: "What!?" Anja: "Umm... has anyone ever told you, the way you look, your facial expressions, even the way you act and speak... you really look like Hannibal Lecter?" (Mother walking by after dropping off her child and hearing the last sentence bursts into laughter and shouts "I agree!") Anja: "Have I offended you?" Chelski: "Absolutely not. I take it as a compliment. Thank you."