David Cropper

10 minutes ago, openspaceman said:

 

I just tell my mate he's still spritely just to annoy him, it's become a euphemism for someone old and nearly decrepit  trying to soldier on. I take it spritely and sprightly have the same root? As of a sprite.

I wish until I look into the mirror.

 

I never did climb daily after about 1980 but did the occasional bit when no one else was available on the firm up till 60. By then I only did take down and never progressed beyond double rope and shunt, now a rare outing.

 

Andrew, I have a job climbing in the van, never mind a tree!

6 minutes ago, Mick Dempsey said:

A bit later (when I was up the tree) the client asked Dave if he could chip up some branches he’d prepared.
Dave said ‘you’ll have to ask the fat bloke’

So let me get this straight. You're the Fat Bloke and I'm the Old Bloke?

I told you the other day Mick of when I went into Ruffec to quote for some grinding. Firstly, the client gave me the wrong address, turned up to a tiny town house with no garden. Asked one of her neighbours did she know the owner to be told the house had been sold and the owner had moved next to the local chateau but she didnt know the house number. Off I trotted and eventually saw this old bird in the road looking for me. As I jumped  down from the van, in what I assumed was a sprightly fashion, she said " Why are you still working?" I asked what she meant to which she replied "You're well into your seventies and should be retired." Im actually just 70 but look 35. When questioned as to how she came to that conclusion, she told me that her tree surgeon had mentioned it. She was 80, so If it came down to a barney I reckoned I could have taken her. The tree surgeon in question was a member on here , 5th element, the ageist swine. 

7 minutes ago, Mick Dempsey said:

Turned up to a job on Friday with a couple of others in a good mood, I had priced it and visited the evening before so he was familiar with me. Couple of Douglas to shin up, strip, fell and chip.

 

Client came out and as seems to happen more and more looked at me all grey haired and decrepit then the others, turns to Dave and asks ‘are you going to climb the trees?’

I protest ‘look, I may be old but I still climb’

 

Client gets flustered and says ‘oh no, I meant Dave is much thinner than you, I thought that would make him the climber!’

 

’So now I’m old AND fat am I?’

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, now you mention it.

1 hour ago, difflock said:

I do appreciate that aspect, but like the Parsons egg, it is good in parts only.

I also "appreciate" the apre-game boozing culture associated with many footballers/Rugby players/Hockey  players and their mostly shite diets. So only good in parts.

Cheers

Sorry Marcus, its "the Curate's egg". 

This isn't a joke,just spotted it on a Google group I'm in. Unbleedingbelievable. I have a vision of a stream of refugees heading off to a black tie soiree. What an absolute balloon.

1 hour ago, Mick Dempsey said:

What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander is the correct saying. 

Angela Rayner is crumpet btw

She is so angry the whole time, I find it arousing…
 

About time Mrs Dempsey came home judging by your comment! You beast!

37 minutes ago, Mick Dempsey said:

I hadn’t heard the term Walt for the Walter Mittee sorts, but it’s a real thing isn’t it?

Yes Mick, sadly it is true. They turn up at the Cenotaph with more medals than Idi Amin but the order in which they are displayed is totally wrong or medals not issued for the conflict in which the Walts say they have been involved in. Pathetic sods really. You've only got to ask for their service number, no ex Forces bloke would ever forget it, to catch them out. On Facebook there is a group called The Walter Mitty Hunters Group, they make it their life work to publically  expose these pillocks. 

5 hours ago, Re-gen said:

Paulownia timber has multiple use, it has the highest strength to weight ratio of any timber. The Chinese have been using it for over 2,000 years, the uses are endless once dried it actually repels water, so an ideal use for surf boards, but also tables, chairs, boats, the Dutch are even making bicycles with the timber with a price tag of 3,500 euros !!
I would be interested tin the stump if for sale ? I would like to make some furniture with it, we currently import young paulownia, cotevisa 2, sterile, cloned, hybrid trees as they grow really quickly for timber production to the size of a 40 year old in 10 years, cut it down and it regrows! but also it sequesters a huge amount of carbon from the day it is planted, the tree below is just 18 months old!

Unfortunately the trunk is in France so not viable for you to buy.

1 minute ago, Youngstu said:

It's the recommended wood for building some solid wooden surfboards, there's a finless type of board called and alaia (I think that's the right spelling!) and that seems to be the chosen wood. I planned on making one once but sourcing the wood wasn't particularly easy and little ones scuppered the plans too!

 

It was an easy wood to grind, like fresh oak, similar colour as well. 

46 minutes ago, Doug Tait said:

What do you mean by that?

I think Stubby is referring to the old adage that any bird/ deer with unusual colouration would indicate if poachers were about. Most would see something different and take a shot. We had a white sika stag for years, all of a sudden he had gone, poached. I assume that it what Mr Stubbs is saying.

I recently ground out a Paulownia stump for a client. He has the trunk of around 3 metres long by 45/50 centimetres in diameter and has asked me if I knew of any usages for the wood. I must confess I had to Google as I hadn't even heard of this species. Apparently it is similar to balsa, used in China for furniture etc . The problem over here is that many expats think they are going to earn big money from any hardwoods they have had cut down, it's quite sad watching their faces when the truth is explained. Nobody I've asked here has a clue what to use it for and possible value, they are quite rare here. Any ideas lads?

37 minutes ago, Stubby said:

Now your just fishing ...

Stop right now  young man!

11 hours ago, Doug Tait said:

Had a little companion at the wood yard today, sunbathing on the wall beside me at lunch.

 

 

 

 

Sunbathing? You live in Scotland for goodness sake , Douglas!

2 hours ago, Stubby said:

Whats hip ? 

Hip is the thing you don't want to break at your time of life, it'll finish you off.

Planted three rows of red onions, Red Baron, this morning. Three rows of whites going in later this week, plus a few rows of red spuds, Dolmen de Bretagne,  Brittany red potatoes. Week or so later 3 rows of whites, Alouettes.

Good thread this Mick.