WE were having a muse, in the pub, aided by some muse juice. And a nice drop it was, too.

Given we are all over a certain age, except Dave the Sand who is catching up fast, we were reflecting on the changes we have all seen over the course of – ahem – several decades. And in Micky’s case, a good few years more.

Whilst not quite in the Monty Python category of “getting up half-an-hour before going to bed and licking t’road clean wi’ tongue”, things have moved on for all of us.

Not just things like mobile phones, computers, satellite TV and heaven knows what, life’s very different since I first saw a telex machine, let alone a fax machine, allowing you to send drawings across the world. Wow – at university we were using computer cards when I was there and the machine took up a whole floor.

Meanwhile, looking further back still, I recall when I was in South Africa I had to sort out some old files for a project that was being restarted. I found some old telegrams, very state-of-the-art technology, from a geologist working in an area that is now in the Kruger National Park, I think about 1910 or so.

The first was to head office, complaining of having a problem with lions harassing the camp. Not a problem I ever had.

Head office replied, probably after a meeting, that they had a solution and it was to send a rifle, on a steam train, the next day.

The geologist replied he had received it and the problem had been dealt with. What did that mean? Sadly, we will never know, and I hope it’s not the obvious outcome. But it’s not a problem or a solution I expect you’ll see much of today!