the end of the bill

it's with great sadness that i read today that ITV have decided to axe 'the bill' which is one of my fave programmes. i've watched it for many years except for the period when it was going through it's worst soapie-style stage. it provided me with most of my knowledge of london life although i don't know if that was a good or bad thing. it was certainly a surprise when i moved there and found that people don't generally use words and phrases like 'guvna' or 'nasty little toerag' and that there wasn't actually a place called sun hill. i've thought the show's really improved recently with some good story lines but i guess when they cut down from two episodes per week to one i knew it wasn't going to last much longer. so thanks for entertaining me over the years. you'll be missed!

len fallon RIP

my grandpa died yesterday morning. it's been a long time coming but when it finally happens it's hard to comprehend. i guess my brain just isn't processing the information properly. i know the fact that he's gone but it doesn't seem real. i guess the funeral will help change that.

grandpa was a good bloke who lived a long and godly life. making it to 94 is a pretty good effort! he was very proud of his australian heritage and was well known for being able to recite poetry to suit any occasion. the advice he gave at my 21st on the type of women to seek out was certainly very interesting. his speech at my brother's wedding was also quite a classic. he worked as a mechanic and used his skills to keep our mini going for a lot longer than it should have. he was also quite the genius at using scraps of metal to manufacture parts for lawnmowers to keep them going.

but no one's perfect and grandpa was no exception. he was known for his explosive temper and there was many a time i saw him blow up at people without any real provocation. he was also one of the worst drivers i've ever been in a car with and quite scary at times.

so the last of my grandparents has now passed away. i'm sad.