I'm currently sitting here in a state of shock having just found that some things that are clearly too good to be true might actually be true.

Some BCG members may be familiar with a company, Screwfix, that sells all manner of tools, supplies and accessories for tradespeople and handymen of all kinds - and motorists.

This morning, a promotional leaflet came through my letterbox attached to which was a £10 voucher redeemable at Screwfix - with no minimum spend.

I have just been to Screwfix where I bought £9.98's worth of goods, handed over my voucher and walked out with the goods. No money changed hands either way.

Okay, the guy on the till didn't give me my 2p change but I suppose you can't have everything.

What an absolutely brilliant deal!

Quote: Billy Bunter @ 10th October 2019, 4:58 PM

Came across a Subbuteo Angling in an antiques centre in the Cotswolds today. Who knew? I was aware of cricket & rugby but angling??!!

Don't know if it involved magnets on the end of little rods...

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I hope you bought it. I actually quite liked playing the cricket game even though I find the sport itself really boring.

Quote: Chappers @ 15th October 2019, 10:46 PM

I hope you bought it. I actually quite liked playing the cricket game even though I find the sport itself really boring.

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I didn't at the time, no. They wanted £35 for it and I thought it needed a little more research before spending that much (including whether it was available on-line at a cheaper price - which I subsequently established it wasn't). However,
thanks to Google, I also discovered that it involved collecting the fishing gear from the tackle shop, then buying some bait and going fishing. You then play your bait to buy "strike cards" some of which have fish on them. On catching a fish, you win points. Sounds more like a fishing Monopoly than Subbuteo as we know and love it.

As it happens, in my continuing travels, I found, for exactly the same price, a framed page from the 1978 Grand National racecard (Red Rum's third win), signed by the trainer Ginger McCain (who is no longer with us) and the jockey Tommy Stack. Far better value than a Subbuteo angling I feel:

Quote: Billy Bunter @ 16th October 2019, 11:13 AM

a framed page from the 1978 Grand National racecard (Red Rum's third win), signed by the trainer Ginger McCain (who is no longer with us) and the jockey Tommy Stack.

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The first thing that springs to my mind is the originality of the item - i.e. is it the original racecard page bearing the original signatures or is it a photograph/copy of the signed page?

If the item is entirely original, it was certainly a bargain at £35.

However, original or not, it's an unusual item because Mr McCain has signed himself "Don" rather than "Ginger".

There is no shortage of "Ginger" McCain autographs on the market but you won't find many signed "Don".

In terms of genuineness, Tommy Stack's signature is so appallingly careless and scruffy that it simply has to be genuine!

Add to that the fact that the signatures are on that historic racecard rather than on a dime-a-dozen stock photo of Red Rum and/or of Messrs McCain and Stack and you have a very nice item indeed.

If it's all original, the right customer would be very happy to give you a handsome profit on your purchase.

Quote: Rood Eye @ 16th October 2019, 11:51 AM

The first thing that springs to my mind is the originality of the item - i.e. is it the original racecard page bearing the original signatures or is it a photograph/copy of the signed page?

If the item is entirely original, it was certainly a bargain at £35.

However, original or not, it's an unusual item because Mr McCain has signed himself "Don" rather than "Ginger".

There is no shortage of "Ginger" McCain autographs on the market but you won't find many signed "Don".

In terms of genuineness, Tommy Stack's signature is so appallingly careless and scruffy that it simply has to be genuine!

Add to that the fact that the signatures are on that historic racecard rather than simply on a photo of Red Rum and/or of Messrs McCain and Stack and you have a very nice item indeed.

If it's all original, the right customer would be very happy to give you a handsome profit on your purchase.

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Naturally, those points did occur to me, as did the authenticity of the autographs themselves (I don't place great trust in "certificates of authenticity" or verbal provenance anyway since they are only as good as the person that gives them) but, at the end of the day, you can only go on the look of what's placed in front of you and on gut feeling. It looks genuine (and grubby enough to be so) and I have no intention of selling it on but it will look good on my wall with other similar items that I have. So, for the price I paid, and as long as I'm happy, no-one will be any the wiser anyway. There is a print on ebay which has been signed "Don".

I think the somewhat sloppy signature by Tommy Stack and the "Don" signature by Ginger McCain attest to the genuineness of the item.

The unusual "Don" signature adds considerably to its rarity: such a signed racecard might even be unique.

It's a desirable item, to be sure.

I've just been out in my car.

I turned the radio on, and there's some woman telling me where I can pick up homosexuals.

"Bloody hell!" I thought. "Smooth Radio's gone very diverse!"

A few moments later, I realised she was talking about home essentials.

PS. This isn't an early morning comedy routine, by the way - this is a true story.

Quote: Rood Eye @ 19th October 2019, 9:16 AM

I've just been out in my car.

I turned the radio on, and there's some woman telling me where I can pick up homosexuals.

"Bloody hell!" I thought. "Smooth Radio's gone very diverse!"

A few moments later, I realised she was talking about home essentials.

PS. This isn't an early morning comedy routine, by the way - this is a true story.

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That's just given me a laugh to start the day.

Getting ready to head to the airport for a trip to visit my kids and grandson in Denver. I worked a night shift and had no sleep. My kids will want to head straight to a brewpub, so I'll probably fall asleep by my third pint.

Quote: Rood Eye @ 19th October 2019, 9:16 AM

I've just been out in my car.

I turned the radio on, and there's some woman telling me where I can pick up homosexuals.

"Bloody hell!" I thought. "Smooth Radio's gone very diverse!"

A few moments later, I realised she was talking about home essentials.

PS. This isn't an early morning comedy routine, by the way - this is a true story.

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What is a comedy routine without an element of truth?

Today's great delight was the discovery that Tesco is again stocking ostrich.

Quote: Briosaid @ 23rd October 2019, 10:10 PM

Today's great delight was the discovery that Tesco is again stocking ostrich.

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Aldi and Lidl too!

Many other supermarkets appear to be ignoring the popularity of ostrich meat.

I suppose you could say they've got their heads in the sand.

They'd all stopped stocking it ages ago because it was frowned on in some way. Must look in Aldi which is my favourite shop. Maybe I should add it to my Brexit hoard.

I have just returned from a South Indian meal cooked for me by my next door neighbours because I am such a lovely person. They gave me a doggy bag so that I don't have to buy ready meals for the rest of the week and a gigantic box of chocolates. While we have lived next door to each other for over five years, I had never been in their place. Not only was it a convivial evening with very good food. It was a great opportunity to finally see the famous TV screen above the bath.

This resulted from a decision on my part to accompany one in her car as she tried to follow the other who had become unwell as she was taken by ambulance to hospital. That was Sunday night and we were out for eight hours until well past three in the morning. Luckily the hospitalised one was sent home the following day and sufficiently fit enough tonight to hear my hour long monologue on the history of Asian television in the UK since 1968 and my modest display of .gujarati.

You are obviously a lovely person.