The White Heather Club (10/10/60)

Toothless

 

What a good feeling, not having pain in the tooth!

The very good dentist quickly explained all, drilled and cut and removed almost painlessly the offender.  How glad was I!

Having eaten little for a week I am now attempting to make up for what I missed.  Sadly, this means rising early tomorrow and visiting Sainsburys before the crowds get in.  I could do without this.  However, that is where the food is stored, just behind very large price tags that provide huge benefits for shareholders and CEOs.  

How nice not to have that pain.

How do people survive on real pain I wonder?   Over the counter drugs do not always alleviate pain, and if they do it does not last.  How lucky and grateful I am today!

Of course, the wood pigeons gathered up in the trees preening themselves after eating have cared little.  All day they have sat there soaking up what sunshine there is, all puffed up to keep in the heat.

I cannot understand how they survive when it snows.

 Keir has stated that he is fully behind the Chancellor Rachel Reeves.  This has resulted in the 'Daily Star,' the paper that contested a Lettuce against Liz Truss, to offer up another lettuce to see if she can outdo Liz and beat the vegetable.   By vegetable I mean lettuce, not Keir.  Rachels new idea is to cut benefits for the disabled!  What an idea, something that has been going on for 14 years is to be tried again.  I also have an idea, keep the benefits and TAX THE RICH!

Nicola separating from her husband has all the wags talking.  Is this to avoid going to jail along with him, or is she going to jail?  Is this because she is a lesbian as many have thought and she is moving in with that story writer in Kirkcaldy?  Will she be letting go of her place in Holyrood (NO!) and should she be put on trial for her offences (YES!).  

We wait and see.

Frost and RMT News

The frost covered field was beginning to slowly thaw as I returned from the shop this morning.  The low temperature had not bothered me during the night, snug as a bug with my bedbugs as I was, but it would have been a problem for those working the night shift.

It always amazes me how bright the sun can be when the whole world is covered in whiteness.  The roofs, the fields, the cars, one of which was being driven by a chap who had not bothered to remove the inch thick frost from his windscreen.  Mr Plod was not impressed.  Quite how anyone could consider driving when he could not see though the windscreen is a question that cannot be easily answered.  Not that he is driving now of course.

The gritter vehicles will have been out and about, almost all of these giant yellow vehicles, lights flashing as they go, have been given names in Scotland and elsewhere.   The Scots vehicles names include-

'Blizzard of Oz'

'Yes Sir, Ice Can Boogie'

'Snow Connery' and 

'You Only Grit Ice.'

This is good and keeps people freezing to death happy as they see these vehicles pass during the night splaying the road with grit, ensuring some degree of safety to the roads and enabling the kids to get thrown out to school, well out off Mums way so she can get some peace.

Vast amounts are spent on grit each year, and it is not unusual to hear, in Summer, Tory like people complain about the cost.  In Winter they are the first to complain about the roads!  Bah!

This is sad news for the RMT.  Mick Lynch has always appeared as a clear headed, well spoken negotiator, always ready to oppose the rich stealing from the poor and to protect what we used to call 'working class' people.  He became famous as the Conservative government deliberately refused to negotiate during the rails strikes.  Questioned by hostile reporters employed by government state TV and radio he quickly disposed of their slanted questions, stated the case for his people, and made clear the rail companies, under government orders, refusal to negotiate.  

His appearances on hostile TV programmes made him famous as he indicated the lies from government ministers and others, stated his own case clearly, and refuted all and sundry when opposed. The union movement, and the working people of this nation will miss him when he goes.

His million pound salary, less than most CEOs of the companies he opposed, was criticised, as was his remaining in a council house.  He did nothing wrong in this, the only problem was the well paid Tory questioners seeking hypocrisy to match their own.  

I fear there is none available to take his place.  The UK is now owned by corporates, usually based in the USA.  Freeports and SEZs are taking away the rights of the workers, few there are who can speak for them as clearly as this man has done.  

The future is bleak in industrial relations in the UK.  Thinking Conservatives have been replaced by an intellectual level that in days past would not have allowed them to be elected.  Many in both sides of the House would fail to become MPs is Churchill, Attlee or Thatcher were around today.  Making the rich richer, and getting a slice for yourself is the key for most today, the future is bleak.

Thursday Twaddle

Another day of joy and happiness passes by, the usual suspects playing silly games for us.  

I note Liz Truss, she of the £40 or 70 Billion disaster as PM has sent a lawyers letter telling the present inept PM to stop saying she was at fault for her fault.  'Cease and desist claiming I crippled the economy,' she writes. 

If I were PM I would reply,

'Thank you for your letter, I acknowledge receipt.

Your letter has been filed in the bin alongside a 44 day old lettuce.'

I remain etc... 

I suspect he will not desist or cease, and if she does sue, which she will not, it will be interesting to see what else comes out of this.  Her future will be assured as a failure sadly.  What a waste of a life.

President Musk, soon to be officially sworn in, is apparently desperate to replace Farage as leader of 'Reform.'  Now Reform is not a political Party, it is a business.  Those who sign up have no voice, no vote, and merely pay in money which ends up in Farage and Tice's pockets, Farage taking around 2/3rds of the cash.  He has already made £600,000 they claim from his other jobs since become MP.  Quite how Musk can replace Farage at the top with another billionaire who he does not know is worth considering.

Every so often a tyrant of some sort arises, Hitler and Stalin, and who thinks of them today?  Others in their locale have been dictators, now forgotten, others will rise like Putin, threaten the world, but can be seen off.  No worries here.  

Choosing a New Bishop | Yes, Prime Minister | BBC Comedy Greats

Teeth Get on my Nerves.

Much prayer and paracetamol has passed in the last few days.  One of my rotten teeth became rotten and has given me increasing pain.  It was touching on unbearable at times, sleep was difficult as was eating, and today I went round the dentists trying to get in. 

The first two I tried possessed friendly, even caring receptionists, who threw me out as there was no NHS openings with their men.  Both were helpful and looked willing to aid me if possible however, that was not possible so back home to pray for guidance or healing.  

Healing was not given, not while there are dentists around to do the job it appeared.  Instead I was led to a dentists who had an open door for trauma teeth.  This was not NHS but by now I had stopped caring, I also had some idea of the prices and considered this was worth it.  

So, of I ran at high speed, crashed in the door and fell at the receptionists feet demanding mercy.

This was given.

Highly efficient and polite she enabled me to see a man in an hours time, less actually as they called me to come early, again I ran.  As I entered the door a second receptionist was on duty, she recognised me by my desperate face.  

Soon I was ensconced in a  fancy chair, a man prodding my teeth here and 'ouch' yes there, while a lovely young lass floated around silently providing his requirements.  Proddings abundant, X-Rays, note how they both run away to the far side when X-rays are taken thus providing assurance, and other bits were on offer, along with relevant questions and photographs of my teeth. 

So, he decided the nerves in a broken tooth had died, thus leading to swelling, this pain, thus he froze it somewhat and made a date to remove the beast next Monday afternoon.  So, armed with antibiotics and hope I gleefully went home, at the moment able to eat again.  How soon the pain will return I know not but paracetamol is abundant today in here.

The lack of NHS dentists is clear, no money for the dentist in this.  Today my examination cost £60 and the tooth extraction will be £165.  I can afford this, though some other work will cost vast amounts, in the 500s or so.  Therefore I was not recommended this.  The emergency fund has a use, and is being used as it ought to be.  

One small tooth ruined my week.  It is years since I have had toothache and I do not want it again.  I may however, take more care of my teeth now.  

All else is at a standstill, nothing else mattered, nothing else interested or kept me occupied.  Even the plan to clean the oven has been put back, and this is a shame.  Maybe later.

US Rail

These early mornings, while the sun decides whether or not to appear, I often drink my coffee to the background of US railways.  This is merely to show some sign of life in the world, while I attempt to find my head.  The coffee ought to do this, especially now I am slurping to a Sainsburys 'Winter Edition,' ground coffee. 

 

 'A medium dark roast coffee,

with hints of cinnamon, dried fruits,

and bittersweet dark chocolate.' 

Hmmm, thought I, this sounds like the scrapings of the leftovers from the other coffee's.  And lo and behold, on the back we read this coffee comes from Ethiopia, Guatemala and Indonesia!  As I thought, the leftovers mixed together to create a 'Winter Edition,' dark, strong and rough.  Still, Sainsburys only made £30 billion profit last year, I understand when they have to scrape things together.

What the coffee on Amtrak railways is like I cannot say, though it must be better than this.  As the greyness seen behind closed curtains lightens slowly I watch Amtrak, interrupted by an occasional CSX freight hauling over a hundred wagons, heading from Richmond, just a short ten minutes south of Ashland, all the way to Boston Massachusetts.  This is a long trip and I wonder why people board the train here at 6:19 in the morning.  Leaving Richmond at 5:35 am it arrives in the far north at 15:47 pm, all things going well.  Notoriously, Amtrak trains do not get priority on US lines.  These lines are owned by the bog US rail companies,  CSX, BNSF and Union Pacific amongst them.  This means they own the lines and their freight gets priority.  As a result many trains run hours late, though on this line such delays are less common than on other lines.  

So, when they board in Ashland, Virginia early on, where are they going?  Washington DC is the first major city on the run and arrival just before 9 am would suit commuters I suppose.  If you do commute this way at what time would you return?  Allowing for delays you might not get back that day, or that week if the snow falls and lies deep.  Most either remain in town for a week or have other business up that way.  

I would love to travel these long lines in the USA.  This one goes through Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York, before the engine become electric and continues to Providence and Boston.  More than a thousand miles covered here, so few must do the entire trip in one go.  Surely for Americans aircraft would be better on such a distance?  

There are of course other stops along the way, and other trains cover a similar route, some beginning in Miami where Donald Trump plots to remove President Musk, and goes all the way to New York or Chicago.  Such long rail trips, and I can hardly get a train to Liverpool Street these days.  That is something I must do soon.

There is something about rail travel, apart from commuting, which is enjoyable.  If you commute daily it becomes a slog, especially if using one of London's stations, however, a reasonably long trip by rail can be enjoyable, much better than by bus, as long as the train is not crowded and the passengers, sorry we must call them customers these days, behave.  I must get among them this year to commemorate 200 years of rail travel since the opening of the Stockton to Darlington line in 1825.  200 years of innovation and indeed disaster, fun and joy, economic growth and the opening of new vistas to people of all levels.  Rail changed the way the world lives more than computers I say, I say while using a  computer...

Railway Museum

New Year Continues...

 

Christmas is over, England, well some of it, has returned to work, normal life restarts and individuals begin to understand what day it is once again.  Traffic shows signs of life, the supermarkets raise their prices and energy bills have gone up again.  Normal UK life.

Already 'spam' messages call my mobile.  Where is Pontypridd anyway?  Thankfully these are marked as 'spam' as clearly this crook is well known.  The electric crooks call to inform me I need a smart meter on both gas and electric, ignoring the fact that they know I cannot install one, and anyway they do not provide gas.  

Interestingly, the family have not called.  Tsk!  This means I have to pay to call them, meanies.

So, as the sky is blue, the yellow thing hangs around in the air, and the temperature drops once again, we march into a new year, not concerned re the dating system but looking to the arrive soon of Spring.  That has been going on in this place for thousands of years, long before the ice ages came and went, long before those standing stones or cursors were created.  Man has looked to the warmer weather with hope and cheered by brighter days.  We have not changed much since those days of long ago.  Basically we remain the same.  I suspect however, we live longer and have warmer homes.  Plus overpriced supermarkets which save us the requirement of hunting deer or fishing for lunch.  

Of course the USA has trouble.  Not only has a man blown himself up outside a Trump Tower in a Musk car, but another ISIS impersonator has killed 14 in New Orleans.  I believe there has been two shootings, involving several people, also.  God bless the freedom of the USA.  

Scottish Football continues to shock, not only did a lousy Rangers side romp home against a feeble Celtic for the first time in 10 years but the Heart of Midlothian won a victory and did not throw this away!  

Onwards and upwards...

Happy New Year 2025

May you walk in light and happiness throughout 2025.  

May all obstacles and difficulties be overcome and may joy be with you always.

Hogmany 2024

 

Post-Christmas Ramble...

BBC

An Azerbaijan aircraft flying over Southern Russia crashes while landing in Kazakhstan.  It appears to have been shot down by eager Russians fearing Ukrainian drones, possibly.  A South Korean airliner crashes while landing, the landing gear failing leaving at least 179 dead.  Add to this a Norwegian aircraft also had problems near Russian territory, and others in the Baltic region have found interference in communications also.  Those who suffer have all been NATO partners, now questions are arising re Moscow's involvement.

Could the man who sent his people to poison opponents in Salisbury, killing anyone who got in the way as you do, and who has found opponents and  critics falling out of high buildings across Europe be involved.

Nothing new in Russia killing people far from home, the Tsar did this in Germany to critics, Stalin removed Trotsky in Mexico via an ice pick, and Neo- Stalin Putin is eager to do similar.  Would he be involved in these plane interferences and crashes?  Of course he would!  

Enjoy your flight...

Christmas comes but once a year, and with it comes Amazon vouchers!  This is great!  However, as most of the vouchers will go towards second hand books obtained from er, Amazon, I am going to need more bookcases.  O woe is me!  Especially as I have no more room for a bookcase.  

On top of this I still have not finished the books in the waiting queue, yet here am I beginning to plan for more.  Some on view have to be read, some in the loo, some in the west wing, and some lying in front of me.  Just where am I going to get the time for this?  

I might end up with piles of books lying on the floor leaning half-heartedly against things.  This will make the monthly hoovering difficult, and I may spend much time falling over them.  All this because of Christmas generosity.

Tsk!  Life is so difficult these days.  

One Christmas benefit was the roast dinner offered to me yesterday.  How lovely to be in a clean house, well run, with a wonderful roast dinner given by good people.  The trouble was trying to remember how to eat properly, not dropping bits on the floor, or messing up the clean table cover.  Today of course I am unable to eat, nothing whatsoever in this house tastes so good after that!   

Pie and chips tomorrow...

Dreich!

Boxing Day 2024

Boxing Day, a day to recover from yesterday's excess, or indeed to contribute much more to that weight problem.  The day begins slowly, dreich weather greets the dog walkers, dull clouds span the horizon dampening enthusiasm for the Boxing Day walk.  However, already one or two well wrapped joggers pass by full of an enthusiasm I do not copy.  

They say Boxing Day was the day boxing fights occurred but while such events may have taken place, often illegal prize fights, it appears the idea may have developed over a great many centuries.  This being the Feast Day of St Stephen in some types of church, boxes were placed at the door where money collected was used for gifts to those in need.  Later, a gift box on that day was given to servants, tradesmen and employees, or others in need, and servants were given the day off, usually.   Today, for many it is merely a shopping trip, though with all the goods collected over the previous 24 hours you might wonder why?  Shops will be open, staff forced to work, money collected abundantly, yet folks will still grumble.  Those with no money will of course not participate in such dealings.

The day continues with Twitter revealing masses of pictures showing families dressing matching pyjamas.  Now where on earth did such a trend begin?  And indeed why?  A family with young kids may do such a thing, but placing photographs across social media does indicate an outlook I do not share.  Twitter also offers many people telling us cheerfully if their sick relatives, or indeed how grannie died during the night!  Now this is relevant to those who know you, it is not relevant to the entire world.  I suspect with many users who have fled Twitter and joined BlueSky the algorithm offers anything to fill the empty spaces.  This is why I receive info on Pakistan politics, Brazilian murders, and things in Chinese or Malayan that make no sense to me.  The tarts are much more obvious also.

Christmas tv, which I avoided, was full of Black and White films from before the war, action films from 30 years ago and kids stuff, which all the grannies watched.  

Today, in between the spam from online shops made use off in the last month, we see Twitter filled with pictures of royalty walking to church.  People, often in wheelchairs, line their path offering gifts to the multi millionaires who care not a jot about them, certainly not about the cost of heating and the lack of a winter fuel payment.  What is it about England that they need a monarch to bow down to? 

The Princess fills the pages of the media while propaganda informs us of their popularity, but in Scotland that has waned much in recent years and dim Willie will not become a welcome addition to Scotland.

All in I find Christmas is lost in sentimental slush, present buying, supermarket visiting and money laundering to pay for it all.  It's a relief to be in a church and find a stable environment (stable, geddit?). 

Christmas Day 2024

 

Christmas Eve 2024

It was Christmas Eve in Sainsburys, 

All was riot and struggle....

Bruisers fought their way through the mob,

Me, I was too puggle..d.

Last desperate shop to fill every cupboard and the freezer.  After all the shops are closed tomorrow and will not be open again until, er, Thursday...  We might starve in the meantime.  

However, the number of fathers trailing around the supermarket with one child, the dad just as lost as the kid, was entertaining.  Not unusual to see dad's leading the child but less so in such shops.  Mum will have forced them out to get things done at home, this giving her free time and less hindrance for advice from both!

 Talking of starving at Christmas, judging by the number of people now wearing items 'Size Fat,' I am not convinced many will suffer malnutrition here.  Those that might have been to the Food Banks, ours works on Wednesdays so they either went elsewhere or got double rations, I wonder which?  I suspect the Salvation Army or someone else will be offering food tomorrow, I think they did last year.  I must ask about that, usually something is mentioned.

 

A quick glance at the tv schedules for the tv that I never watch shows that apart from a religious service most BBC one and two offer kids type movies, game shows with added celebrities I have never heard off, the News and weather, and little else.  I would watch some of this to see what I am missing but expect within a short time I would be moving away from that.  Possibly the wireless will offer better, I will look that up later tonight while supping from the Bottle of Jura that was accidentally opened before Christmas, I know not how.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas, 

and an understanding of what Jesus coming means for us all.

Carol Service

The service of nine lessons and carols was if I remember correctly begun in 1919 just after the Great War, this to bring some joy to a hurting nation.  Quite how the nation responded I am not sure, however, the idea became popular and persists till this day.  

Tonight, our Canon, John, designed a variation of this theme, with carols, readings, some varied from the usual, and a few words after each to enlightened the congregation.  I thought he designed it very well indeed.

Quite a few strangers attended, apparently the vicar had been pushing leaflets through doors and speaking to people all around.  I suggest putting out 1000 leaflets may bring in one solitary person, but that would be a good result, I think he brought in quite a few more tonight.

The Mulled Wine afterwards disappeared quickly, not by me I must say, I had to wait for the later outpouring as this lot grabbed the first quickly!  Tsk!  However, the evening went well, Jesu entry into the world was celebrated, and the story told once again.

I went into a cogitation during this, just wondering why Jesu really had to come to earth in this way.  However, there was no other way to redeem sin filled people but a Holy sacrifice.  Sacrifice to take away sin is in many societies, here it was a sacrifice of the Holy God for sinful people.  Instead of us making the sacrifice God himself does it!  What a thought!

  

Solstice

@EnglishHeritage

I considered jumping upon my new helicopter and hovering about Wiltshire for a while, to see in the Winter Solstice this morning.  There were of course problems with this, for a start I was not awake early enough, the weather was dreich, and I do not possess a new, or indeed an old, helicopter.  All those are owned by one Rishi Sunak whoever he was.  

Another objection to travelling all that way was the people that I would meet there.  Those who pretend they are druids, though nobody has any idea what druids really were like.  It was Julius Caesar and Tacitus who have left us the best descriptions, and there are problems with both.  The Romans thus tended to see them as human sacrificing weirdo's while the Greeks limited information preferred to see the druids as some sort of wise man.  Today many think of the druid in Asterix the Gaul as a real individual, or someone out of a Harry Potter story.  This morning will have seen many dressed in white pretending they are druids, some belonging to druid societies, and others jumping on the bandwagon.

@EnglishHeritage

Thousands turned up for the chilly start to the day, wrapped up warm and far from the car park.  English Heritage car parks will have enjoyed today I think.  The sight of half naked men doing yoga on the grass in the middle of the stones may appeal to some of course, while many enjoy the fact that from now on the nights get shorter and the days longer, others are actually worshipping the sun.  Most are not doing this, just being face painted in modern woad, enjoying the gathering and the freaks, and the event.  Some clearly have found a new faith, though what is it and will it take them through the day?  Well no, only Jesus can do this, but the majority of the tinkering classes there will return to a nice warm house and not a wooden round house that used to be home to real druids, the cold removed by warm cooked breakfast and gin and tonic.  Possibly the best part of the morning.

The Landlord, a decent sort, sent a Christmas greeting, "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,"  By the way the latest rental act means contracts require amending and rents may go up.  Or you are out on your ear in March.

Nice greetings I thought.

I will look into it later but the fact is I willingly pay higher rent to stay here, I like it.  Also, my rent has not gone up for years, so I am not in a position to grumble, they have always been good to me.

Parcels...

I was quite confused this morning.  A parcel ought to have been delivered last night, this I was informed off at 10 mins to 5 pm!  So, I sat up here watching the Heart of Midlothian commit suicide and got a notice at 15 mins to 9 pm that Royal Mail would not be delivering after all.

This morning, just about 7:30, I got a message saying my parcels had been delivered.  The attached picture showed two such at someone else's door, an unrecognised door.  I went down to look, nothing to see, though two letters had been delivered, possibly late last night.  This troubled me, missing parcels, which door, and still not had my coffee.  

Then the doorbell rang.  A postman apologised for the early hour and offered me a box!  It was mine so I grabbed it in both hands.  I mentioned the missing parcels and he, as a good postman ought, ran away.  I returned to my coffee, once again checked the Royal Mail email and discovered the parcel just delivered had been delivered.  Good!  I looked again and noticed the other picture, with mysterious parcels, had disappeared.  So, the postie had hit the wrong button and left me worrying for nothing, I think...

Anyway, I hobbled around to Tesco for last orders, bumped into a couple of cold church people, stupidly came home the long way via the park, wandered slowly while chatting to a lonely old woman being walked by her dog.  This morning I had spoken to several people, possibly the Christmas spirit, possibly this is how this town works.  

I spent some times ending an email to several people, four of whom refused it via the Spam Folder, and one who had a mass of words to look at.  This sorted itself later.  Worn out I slid into a stupor where little happened.  Not much change from normal really.  

Later, as I ate my frugal tea, my sister called to inform me of my cousins death.  She was 90, had suffered dementia for some time and this was somewhat expected.  However, that is four deaths I have had in about three months.  None were young, and this is what life brings, but it is something I would like to avoid.  

Books...or Lack off

It's been a bad year for books in that I have hardly read any.   Too much time girning on Twitter about the state of the world does not help, and having two somewhat interesting but slow reads does not help.  These are the type of books that require reading but have too many words.  I gave up on at least one, for the second time, and have been slowly ploughing through the others so have discovered one that moves a wee bit faster.  That will be finished sometime after the New Year.  

I seem to read much less than before, I have stopped a couple of magazines as they were not being read,  and having taken to Podcasts I find I have a long list of these urgent pods that I have not got round to.  Is life getting faster or am I slowing down?

I am expecting a parcel to arrive tomorrow, unless it comes late tonight, from one of my favourite nieces.  This will be a hardback book, chosen by her son, and will be exactly what I am looking for, it always is!  They make a great combination when it comes to choosing books for me.

Maybe I ought to have sent them something back...?

See how busy I have been, I have nothing more to write...

Right Wing Fantasists?

 

I came across this programme today and watched for short while.  Folks my age will have known all about this since they were in primary school and I began to wonder why such videos are popular now. 

Men will always be interested in war films, some because they wish to go to war, some because it is interesting to see real footage of men in action and appreciate the suffering that occurs.  There again as Rabbie Burns said "All me wish they had been a sodger."  Actually he was wrong there, but I understand where he comes from.  It is always the minority who serve in wars who wish to continue in war, the majority just want to go back home.  

When I read the 'Daily Mail' online I found many who spoke highly of the German army in WW2.  It was clear there were, and remain, many who consider such a right-wing approach to life worth having.  It is possible they had grandfathers amongst Moseley's Blackshirts of course, and it could be these are the people who actually believe in Farage and his lies.  They see truth in the middle of his speeches but not the real reason behind them, and truth is not the real reason at any time with Nigel.

The German army marching away bearing a 'mark of the beast' did not return.  Many had marched through Paris after their quick victory in 1940 and considered this would occur again when confronting what they had been told were semi-human people.  The majority did not return to a glorious march past.  

So what daydreams call many to watch this film?  I turned it off as I have seen it all before and while interesting it is old news to people like me.  However, does a younger generation seek to understand this as we do the Great War?  Or do they have a fantasy of fascist superiority I wonder?