Wednesday Opinion

My opinion is that it is very cold.

It has been very cold for a few days but last night, though the temp offered was no worse than before, it was the coldest so far.  Quite why this is I canny say.  However, the heat has been on, it is still cold when it is off, and it will be like this for a few more days I think.  This may be caused by clear skies above (can you get clear skies below?) and what cloud there is happens t be freezing.  Possibly freezing fog tonight, oh goody.

Rail strikes abound, post strikes continue, and the nurses are about to join in yet the papers are full of Harry and Meghan.  Yesterday it was 'Sickly Come Dancing,' and tomorrow more slagging off the workers.  It is interesting that no-one makes sensible comments about the reasons for the strikes, the media emphasise greedy workers want money, they ignore the cuts to their pensions, amendments to work hours and conditions, and support one side only, with closed ears to argument.  Cleary the failing government is enjoying this.  They consider this will win them votes, but those have already been lost.

Nothing else matters today.  

The 'coming of the season of goodwill' has caused ructions in shops everywhere, crowded shops, hassled people, few trains and buses crowded also, weather cold, wet, damp and dreary as winter always is, and money we don't have flowing out from every pore.  Just think how much credit has been spent on a wide variety of greedy credit cards?  How will that ever be repaid?  Greedy banks will take the money but care nothing about you!

Happy Christmas...

Joy Filled Freezing Wednesday

Joy at last yesterday late afternoon, Parcelforce collected my box a week late and took it in the right direction.  I expect it to arrive at the destination, a mere 400 miles away, sometime around March!  Joy also when the postman arrived today with a weeks supply of post.  One for someone who does not live here, one a charity, one money coming to me, one a Christmas card, the first so far, and a week late copy of 'Private Eye.'  Of course the parcel from Southampton, sent ages ago, has not arrived, nor has anyone else sent things to me.  I sit here, wearing those fingerless gloves to keep warm while surrounded by candles for the same purpose, looking for the parcel van to stop.  I await in vain.  

The temperature has indeed dropped this afternoon.  The cold from the north was not here last night, it will be here tonight however, and it has already begun to lower the temperature.  Up north snow may fall, here the freeze will be a pain, however, we will cope, as long as pipes do not burst, heaters fall over, and whisky coffee does not run out.  The simplest way to cut costs is to drink hot coffee/tea, place hot water bottle behind back, wrap something around rusting knees, and be happy.  This cuts running costs considerably, as long as you do not have to move about.  Also, as all women know, this is the time to do the ironing!    

Yes ironing, the woman's job not done by women here.  I keep asking for help but get rude answers.  Women I find are very susceptible to taking chocolate, receiving gifts and compliments but hesitate to actually do anything in return.  Tsk!

Last year British Gas sent me a form insuring my gas boiler for a year at no charge.  I found this unusual as I did not request this, nor do I require their insurance.  I ignored the letter, dumped it and moved on.  Today, I received an update asking for £92.76 for another years cover.  Now, I will dump this easily, but how many will be caught out thinking they always covered their boiler this way?  This is a British Gas scam and I wonder why this is allowed?  A free years cover you did not request, followed a year later with a chance to pay through the nose for another years cover?  With the vast profits these crooks are making I suggest they offer another free year to all those who already pay for such cover!

I certainly will not.

Cold Christmas

 

 

It is a pleasure to wake at five O'clock in the morning and find the sun has begun to show its face.  It is not so good when you wake simply because you canny breathe!  The heating on all night, ice cold outside, and inside also, and the air died in the room.  When I eventually ventured through to the real world the bright sun shone wonderfully but the white frost remained on the rooftops and on the edges of the field.  It is still hanging about in the shadows, our first really cold night.  Up north they have snow, falling trees and a warning.  The warning states the weather is bad so people in the South should remain indoors while those up North ought to put on a coat!   About right!

 

It is also a pleasure to find the postman ringing the bell and knocking desparate to give me my first Christmas box!  It is a pleasure to open this box, unwrap the mountain of needful bubblewrap (well wrapped indeed as any postie was tell you) and find several bottles of liqueurs made from a variety of fruits.  I accidentally opened the Blackcurrant one now and am forced to enjoy it. 

I am not sure these will last until Christmas... 

Facebook:-  MalloryMade

However, I have packed several items for transmission onwards tomorrow.  The cards are almost ready also, and one box for my sister, full of trinkets, chox and rubbish rather than anything wonderful, and that will soon be off also.  I like to post my cards on the 1st if December, well ahead of the rush, ensuring they get there without any trouble, usually.  This also reminds folk to send me something! 

A thought that never crosses my mind usually.  

It is still November!

 

Thursday Twittering

Freezing February and I am almost feeling normal at last.  No need at the moment to spend vast amounts of expensive Honey (sure to cure), nor is there another Brandy bottle sitting calling on me (the Viking single malt will do), nor indeed am I going through paracetamol like chocolate.  The toilet rolls have gone down a bit mind, no 'Man Size' tissues here.  All a con and only women use them.  So I await the arrival of a new virus, probably from China, and look to the future...

However the idea of going outside into the bright sunshine and freezing to death does not entice me.  Wandering round the corner to Tesco I note several men wearing little, the sun shining fools them into thinking it is warm, and I await the sight of them next week, if they are allowed out!  
The media is making a big thing of the next storm to arrive, these days they all have a name don't they, the idea that it will bring 80 mph winds, snow and bad weather is something of a surprise to the media.  I suppose few of the unpaid trainees writing this guff have noticed we suffer this way most December, January and February's, it used to be called 'Winter.'  I myself enjoy the sun rising earlier each morning, shining brightly in the back window, even if still somewhat low in the sky, and notice the Blue Tits in the trees opposite and the Daffodils about to bud in the area beneath.

  
Yesterday, having trudged down to the Post Office to post a packet, I  came home via Park that once was given to the town for sporting activities.  The large dressing rooms have been recently demolished, no-one could be found willing to pay a million to renovate them, and the tennis courts were dead and gone long before I graced the ground.  Football is still played, mostly young kids in organised games these days, few kick a ball around like we used to, and there is a feeling that more could be done if someone clever enough could work out what to do with the land.  
These Crows were happily wheeling around.  I wondered at first if they were a couple fighting of a stranger but I think they are just 'friends' bothering one another.  The third hung back letting them get on with it until they settled in the trees, always 'Cawing' as loud as they could.
I am told that Rooks and Jackdaws often share a roost together, Crows prefer to be at a distance from others.   A 'Rookery' in the Netherlands was seen to hold 40,000 birds at one time!  Imagine the noise!  Also some of these nesting spots have been used for generations.  One at least in England is mentioned in the 'Domesday Book' and is still in use.  I cannot remember which one.  These birds like to return to their 'home' and will continue to remain in one place until some joker cuts the trees down.  

Boris said...  No, let's not spoil the evening...

Dreich or just Freezing?

The man in the 'run-of-the-mill' suit offered a forced smile while cheerfully telling us the high temperature of 6%, that's 43% in English, would lessen to around 3 during the night, that, he said with a smile, was "Just above freezing."  I am so glad he pointed that out.  
I wished to inform him the "Just above freezing" last night left the field opposite 'just about white' with frost, but I suspect as he is in warm studio in front of TV lights in Norwich he really does not care to know.  
However, I was forced out after 8 this morning to get through Tesco before it got busy.  This was because I forgot yesterday to go upstairs, which had been the whole reason to go there yesterday, and so trekked off in the frost this morning.  
When I returned shivering I wandered through the gardens, stupidity is my middle name, to see what effects had occurred during the cold night.  The frozen pond was beginning to thaw, white surfaces on plants, and Blackbirds with scarves around their necks foraging in the hedges.  I suspect what fish remain are now frozen and awaiting Mr Birdseye to collect them.  

 
Apparently. last night there was a debate on TV in which Boris and Corbyn made absolutely no difference to the publics view of them and their views.  It appears the questioner was inept, the answers brought laughter not admiration, Boris claiming something about 'Truth' brought giggles, and nothing happened to make anyone take notice.  
I watched Scotland playing Kazakhstan instead, more important and worth a great deal more.  That also makes me ask why the Welsh game was on at the same time, I wanted to watch both? If only one had been held back 24 hours!
Anyway I suspect Boris and Corbyn did not realise football was on, if England had played the debate would have found another night of course, but I doubt we missed anything much.  We know where they stand, or pretend to stand, the sheep will vote without thinking all over the UK, thinking folks will strive to choose he right place for their cross, and others will wonder where the 'Anti-smoking, pro Cycling' candidate is this time.  Possibly he has run out of money from losing so often.  
I have discovered one of our 'Independent' candidates has referred to himself on one sheet as 'Bell-end' or possibly that was an outsider making an observation.  As he is based in Haverhill, right on the border just inside Suffolk I fail to see why he stands here, possibly he has been rejected too often there.  

    
To make the town appear worse a TV company has been filming in the town.  The programme on offer is from BBC 3, 'TOWIE,' 'The Only Way is Essex.'  This has brought much disgust from the locals who suggest that Basildon or Billericay would be more appropriate.  It appears they did not stay long, as folks d not do in the programme I suspect, and the slappers young women involved have run off back home to mum while not forgetting to have several 'touching' photographs taken for publication accidentally in the 'Daily Mail.' 'Touching' can be taken in various ways here...

'Dreich' you will be pleased to learn, has become top of a Poll to discover the favourite Scots word.
Beating 'Glaikit,' 'Braw' and 'Scunner' to become number one, and no surprise.  No surprise as this is the word most Scots utter first thing in the morning upon waking.  Whether they refer to the view outside or inside is not always clear.  
The words meaning are in themselves quite obvious, what?... Oh!
All right then, here is a run down for you...  

• Dreich - tedious; damp and wet
• glaikit - stupid or foolish
• scunnered - disgust or strong dislike
• shoogle - shake or move from side to side
• wheesht - call for quiet or silence
• fankle - to tangle or mix-up
• outwith - outside or beyond
• braw - fine or pleasant
• beastie - an insect or animal
• bumfle - an untidy bundle 

They appear straightforward to me...

Cold

Too cold to write. In bed, heat on, wrapped up, hot drink, football on. 

Hands and feet freezing!

Cold, Cheerless, November

Deep joy and happiness were not in abundance as I ambled across the park.  Slight joy was to be found in obtaining, at £2 a time, some Christmas cards to complete, I hope, this years lot.  There can be no doubt when I fix them up someone will be forgotten, a sister or cousin or someone you never meet.  That sort of person.
There was a kind of thrill watching Portugal play football last night, not a thrill from the football, their 6- 0 win was understandable, but watching the Portuguese crowd wrapped in heavy overcoats, hiding from the chilly rain that is sweeping across Iberia.  No open necked shirts, dark glasses and t-shirts on show.  Anoraks and expensive rain wear the order of the night.   Somehow this surprised me.
The thrill today continued when I hoovered the floor with the broken Tesco hoover, thus annoying the man downstairs who was sleeping after a heavy night shift.  I would apologise but that would mean waking him up again and he might not like that.   
The Polling card arrived today.  This tells me where to vote, when to vote but not who to vote for.  This may be difficult this year.  Our man always wins, the Tory sheep will vote for a monkey in a suit if it wore a blue rosette, but the 18,422 majority might be in some danger.  However I note there are three independents one a one time councillor, and two nobody's with only the deposit to lose.  This means the Labour and Lib-Dem will be fighting to come second.  If only one withdrew and supported the other, we might lose this man! 
The man had a 3000 increase on his majority as the UKIP folks ran off and joined the Tories, what will they do this time, the Brexit man has had to stand down!  Thanks Farage.  Looks like the Labour man has the best chance, the others too far behind, and the ex-councillor might take votes from the Tory boy but I doubt that will mean much.  It all depends in this 'Daily Express' 'Leave' area what the people wish for.  I hope the 'remainers' turn out...

Only One Topic Sadly.

There is only one topic, others are less important when roads are blocked with snow.  I was wrong about the depth of the snow mind, I expected three or four inches and that is what we got here however the back roads to the south of the town have been filled by snow drifting off the fields and heaping up on the roads.  Council snowploughs and gritter lorries keep the main roads working.  But the back roads in many places impassable.  
Of course some on the M80 in Scotland, who should know better, ignored all warnings and got trapped overnight on the motorway.  Now they are complaining about the Scots government not doing enough to keep roads open but not blaming themselves for not carrying emergency supplies or indeed for setting out in spite of all warnings not to!  We are such selfish people we want everything we want and we want it now, if we don't get it it is someone else's fault!
You note I have little sympathy for them.
Here the museum like many other organisations has closed, schoolteachers as well as kids hide at home for the most part, mums are afraid it is too cold for wee johnny yet others drag the kids round the shops, people are desperate to fill the shelves today, and yet others fling snow at one another or sledge down hills.  I am not one of them!  I went to Tesco for bread yesterday, I naturally run out of everything yesterday and journeyed in a blizzard for stuff.  The blizzard ceased as I got hope and only now a day later has returned.  I think we are nearing the end of this 'Beast.'  
This does mean the football is up the spout of course.  Only one league game might go ahead tomorrow in Scotland though the cup games appear to be on.  It is not just the state of the pitches it is the roads round about, buses and trains cannot get through and teams cannot get to their destinations.  This after a mid term shut down in January which we all knew was a daft time to stop as snow always comes in February!  This time at least all suffer together rather than in dribs and drabs.
There is a bit of a fuss about the temperature.  These days we record this in Celsius which means the weather at the moment is recorded as minus two, however if we record in Fahrenheit the temperature is a mere 29 degrees which is much better to my way of thinking.  To reach Zero F we would see a recording of Minus 17 C and that would look good on the charts.  It is when the minus is Fahrenheit we need to worry I say, mind you with the wind chill it was probably  close to that as I walked down the slippery roads this morning.  In Siberia, you may wish to know, the kids do not get off school until it is Minus 37. Fahrenheit I believe.  Do you still consider it cold...?

Siberian Saturday

Another Christmas Saturday, another event in the town.
Shivering while playing Christmas music concerning snow and reindeer will not warm up the band.  I hope they have hot toddies at their sides as their fingers must be frozen. The fellow at the back has been somewhat excited by the songs however! 

The audience could not restrain their enthusiasm as you can see, the big man in red emerging from his grotto to listen to the band.  Possibly he wishes to avoid being inside alone with kids in these days of lawyers adverts and tabloid journalists!  Sadly dealing with kids on one level has not changed but on another PC attitudes and neurotic mums make it impossible to be alone with a child.
Like me many men will not talk to kids who talk to us innocently, however if one required help I, like most, would step in, whether others thought this right would have to wait for later.

The market swarmed as it did last week, grumbling people, cold stallholders, far too few stalls.  A very good opportunity to sell the town has fallen flat with poor planning and lack of experience.  Mind you I went to two of the usual stalls and obtained what I required.  I avoided the newer trendy ones as it was home made stuff, jewellery and the like, nice in itself but not for me.  
One Saturday to come, Christmas almost Eve, must do better. 

Note the cheery smiles...

My shopping ended at the sweet stall I usually ignore.  These cheap delightful chocolates in a presentation plastic jar will do the job.  It would have been better to find other items more appropriate but they don't exist in this little town, and I was tired and cold!

Cold

To cold to write....


 

Cold Sun

See!  I told you it was cold!  I found this man posing for Christmas cards and Calendars in the gardens this afternoon!  He missed the snow as it had melted by then but he was ready for the next lot, his scarf and mittens were lying in the background.  

There was sunshine today trying to pretend the east wind was not happening.  It failed!  However as it is now half term around here the place is chock full of kids running around.  I dread going to Tesco tomorrow as a million kids will be there.  That reminds me some will be in the museum doing arty things tomorrow.  What with that and the popular art exhibition I may not find time to read my book!  Bah!

You can tell it has been another quiet time.  
Some excitement will arrive soon, and the weather might warm up...

Light Snow

Light snow this morning, freezing cold night.  Snow has returned as we speak so I am wrapped up indoors watching poor English football on the laptop.  It is zero degrees at the moment but they claim that buy Wednesday it will be 10% here!   What has trump done to the weather????  I'm taking the laptop to bed...

 

Musing

An item caught my eye the other day that lingers in my mind.  It was one of those celeb things that irk me so much. This one featured Brooklyn Beckham the son of the failed footballer and his stick insect wife.  These two have made a living by posing, him with a dumb expression that comes from his head and she by pouting in the same posture she has used for these past twenty years.  Neither have actually done anything, he was an overrated player who Fergie dealt with correctly while she sang feebly in a band based on 'Girl Power,' a power invented by a male by the way.  Later she was making an album when the recording studio stopped her as it 'would not sell.'  How lucky are we?
Anything is used to gain cheap publicity, cheap publicity which brings them in millions!  
There children similarly are being used for publicity and Brooklyn, named after the place where he was conceived and isn't it lucky he was not conceived in the Balls Pond Road!  Anyway he apparently has an Instagram account, whatever that is, and is followed by some 5.8 million people according to the ever reliable 'Daily Mail.'  Five point eight million?  The lad is only sixteen!  
What has he done to earn, or been given this following?  Indeed why does anybody follow the Beckham's in the first place?  The pair of them are as false as a six pound note for crying out loud, and there is nothing there!  
Millions follow these people for what reason, what do they get out of following two grossly over rich people who do nothing?  He played football she has her own fashion designs (does she actually design them?) and they have children, what is there here?  How can a sixteen year old who has merely posed with dad have such a following?  
I have done nothing, been nothing, failed at everything I have touched just like them so where is my following making me millions?  Where are the companies desirous of my presence where adverts for their products are being made?  If you wish a nobody then here I am!
Bah!

BBC

Some years ago this man, Mark McGhee, attempted to become the manager of the Heart of Midlothian.  He changed his mind at the last minute and avoided meeting the then chairman, one Mad Vlad Romanov, he who himself has disappeared from the face of the earth to avoid his debtors. 
Instead he awaited the call to become the manager of Celtic football club, a club he once played for but was rather upset when the job went elsewhere.  However he was appointed manager at Aberdeen and got the fans behind him at the start by claiming "I really wanted the Celtic job but this was all that was on offer."
Such ability to endear himself to the fans was enlivened some time later when his players, many of whom did not like him or his attitude, got stuffed by 9 goals to nil from the Celtic team.  Marks response was to say "Well it's really only three points," while giving the clear impression that he cared not a jot.  His team floundered and he hung on until sacked, the integrity of walking away from a failed job as not in his character and so he left football for a while.
His friend Gordon Strachan, the man who left Celtic and opened the avenue for Mark to think the job was his, took our man as his assistant when he got the Scotland job, a job he, Strachan has been  doing reasonably well in the circumstances.  Circumstances that have failed us by the way.  Recently Mark undertook a new job as manager of Motherwell football club, a major part of Scotland's football world.  The team were struggling somewhat in spite of containing many decent players and Mark McGhee has turned them around and seen them rise up the table and it will be no surprise to find them finishing the season in the top six come May.
However I suspect McGhee has a purpose in all this and Motherwell football club play only a bit part.  I suspect our man will be hoping the present Celtic manager gets his jotters come May and our man reckons that by doing a good job at Motherwell will allow his name to be put forward (by him and his agent) in the hope that he will at last get the Celtic job he so desperately desires.  
One slight objection to all this was the visit of his Motherwell side to Tynecastle Park which as you know is the home of the Heart of Midlothian.  This the team he rejected, this the team he claimed during the week would not be allowed to 'bully' his team and this the club that did not bully but did defeat his Motherwell side by SIX goals to NIL! 
Tsk!

You will have noticed that Mark McGhee was pictured standing in a snowfall.  That is because it is freezing around here and up there the snow was falling so hard many games were off and some abandoned half way through.  Here we merely had a smattering during the night that had gone before I woke and the sun shone through the freezing air all day.   
I hope those of you in climes where 40% of heat are causing to you complain realise how difficult it is to type when frostbite gnaws at the hands!  Drinking tea is hard when you have to chip the ice off beforehand.  I sit hear with my feet on the heater and an icicle on my nose. 
Bah!

Everything Works, Well Almost...

So the BT equipment arrived this morning.  It was well explained, simple to adapt and after my siesta I discovered the switchover had occurred and soon all was working as normal.  The only slight problem was signing in to My BT as it were.  I had to re-input my details, get confirmation and carry on.  Now I try to sign in to BTSport and it tells me I am not signed in.  Typical.  Small gremlins which will soon be worked out....hopefully.  However all works otherwise and comments still come through, even if the transatlantic cable is dodgy!  

That apart it has been difficult typing while sitting with feet on the radiator and fingers numb with cold. The heating goes off and several minutes later the feet join the fingers.  I look forward to tomorrow when I can sit in the museum and enjoy the free heat there.  A few days cold weather and the gas man is laughing his head off as we all tun up the heating to avoid hypothermia.  The millions salted away by those (mostly foreign) shareholders will not make them happy I tell thee.  By cutting the price they can however make me happy!  Oh to suffer in Australia, Uganda, Mumbai or some other warm place.  

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Cold Thursday

It is of course part of life that when noticing big black clouds stumbling across the sky I check the direction of movement and today noticed the end in sight.  I made off for the shops as the clouds drifted north east.  By the time I crossed the park the wind changed and small hailstones began to cut through those of us caught out in it.  It had become a blizzard by the time I reached home 'Nanook of the North' like.   I knew my cheap shoes leaked, I know by how much now!

Bah!  I only went out to get away from the laptop.  My weight will not decrease unless I exercise, this however is limited by the need to discover POW camps and those who were held therein or actions involving the Home Guard, that's Dad's Army to most of us.  This exercises the ends of my fingers as I type, and both are showing signs of blisters, the position taken leads to blood not running to my hands properly so the arms ache, the feet do also with the cold weather as I stretch out to reach the heater when it is on thus doing my weary muscles no good whatsoever.
But not being one to complain I just get on with it, unless my fingers go numb of course.

Reading through Bede's 'Ecclesiastical history of the English People' some time ago, not the greatest book I have read but interesting, I was interested to read how the weather affected the monks there. Based on the north east coast of England, just below what is now the Scottish border, they had the delight of the North sea on their doorstep.  This is a marvellous place to live but with an east wind arriving from the Arctic, coming via Siberia, Poland and anywhere freezing cold in between, it can be a bit nippy.
Consider that one of the main jobs the lads had was the writing of those illuminated manuscripts. Great huge hand written bibles featuring large artistic letters, delightful drawings, flowery letters and all on hand made parchment. Imagine scribbling away on these, once you had made both the writing implements and the ink to be used, when your fingers were numb and the stone building in which you worked did not possess electric or gas heating systems. On one occasion an Abbot far away in France wondered why the books ordered did not arrive and was informed the weather was so bad they could no longer write!  
Aestheticism can be a way of life some choose however it is not biblical and living poor does not mean freezing yourself or your mates to death!  Quite why they did not invest in better heating when they had the technology is a wonder. The peasants in those little 'Black houses,' the ones where the animals have one half and you the other, would be warmer by far than the monks.  Tsk!

However I have no parchment, no inks, and no talent, so I type from an awkward position, more awkward when sitting here in my bed in an effort to keep warm on the cheap!  The snow has stopped, the wind has not, the cold is cold and my fingers are not as warm as they ought.  But it must be said I will not complain about the situation, it could be worse, I could be English!   

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Frozen

Too cold to think or write, I'm going back to bed! 

Thursday

Throwing aside the grubby ex-army blankets I got up from my laptop and ironed the last three shirts from that pile.  This was cheaper than turning on the heating.  I ensured the frost would not remain on the carpet by also making some luxurious lentil soup.  I say 'luxurious' because this potful actually tasted good when I finally tried some.  This I must confess is not always the case.  You will be gratified to know the rest of my cooking today was awful as normal.

Too much of today has been taken up with searching for folks relatives.  Printing them off if found and waddling all the way to the post office and the smiling Asian lass to send them off.  All good fun in one way but it takes a lot of time. Even updating the website memorial takes at least 30 minutes a go, and with the cold air just now it is not so enjoyable.  This means I take less time to read the drivel found in the papers.  By ignoring most of them I feel so much more relaxed.  I fear less the murderers, bad dentists, danger from eating apples and psycopaths who live round the corner for me, according to what the papers say anyway.  Funnily enough when the paper does not cause great fear and terror such fear and terror happens less around our way.  Ignoring the news also means I hear less from politicians preparing for the election.  The desperate promises from each, the slanted views of their opponents, and acres of newsprint slanted to suit their owners touch me not and I am glad. 

However this five nights a week football is wearing me out.  The sooner these sections are over the better for my sleep patterns.  What makes it worse is some of the games are rubbish, usually featuring English sides I must say.  By Saturday I might be worn out and unable to watch any more, but I will...  


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Wednesday Wonderings

One thing I wondered about is the way the sun the other day gave off a very bright light, enhanced a blue sky, yet failed to emit more heat than a candle!  If you are built of ten thousand billion nuclear explosions I feel it right to demand a temperature higher than 'just above freezing' when I am out.  That nice BBC weather man cheerfully informed his waiting public that next week there "might even be snow."  I am glad he did not hear my remark at that moment, anyway it would have been drowned out by the cheering at British Gas headquarters! Being regarded as a pensioner I'mentitledto £200 heating allowance.  I can tell you that I am happy for this, especially as this flat faces north so little heat arrives at any time, and writing, reading, or doing anything outwith the 15 tog duvet is an arduous business.  With this in mind I am early in bed, laptop on top, noting that the blood has begun to return to my fingers once more.  And people say I have it easy?  Well yes I do these days.

The financial worry has eased considerably, I am trained in cheap living, and it is possible to do so happily, also my running costs are now low.  Not counting heat of course.  However I wonder about those who really do struggle.  Some fail to buy properly, expect cheap energy while using far too much, leaving lights on all day and the like, and appear not to comprehend the value of money.  These are not lazy or selfish folks, just those that cannot shop well. Others have less than me, debts still hanging over them, family and friends that demand constantly, and do without to help others.  My mother was a bit like this, although in Scotland she was not allowed to suffer.  Food banks will do a roaring business at Christmas.

I wonder also about architects!  The fashion today is for an architect with a 'big name' to be employed erecting the tallest structure in the world.  To my mind these monstrosities, such as the 'Gherkin' or the 'Shard' are not only ugly but reflect the Genesis verse, "Come let us build a tower that reaches up to heaven, and make a name for ourselves."  That is what such creations reflect.  These is no requirement for them, little purpose (the Shard is still half empty) and probably far to expensive to run.  To build a tall building might be required in places, Edinburgh had ten stories or more in a confined area hundreds of years ago, but those developments worldwide in recent years are merely for show. An 'Empire State Building,' a 'Post Office Tower' (BT to you),  or an occasional showpiece is one thing, cities full of them just a mess!   The picture I took many years ago to compare the craftsmen who built Leadenhall market and the architect who built the Lloyds Building next to it.  One reflect craft, the other plastic!  Both may well function properly inside however the outside, which is what most of us see is ugly! I am sure you agree.

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So,what was it....?

It lies here, just of the old railway, turning green and falling apart.  It reminds me a lot of myself.  I suppose it once formed part of Farmer Brown's life and was parked here and forgotten.  It may even be a stolen vehicle dumped by thoughtless youths.  Whatever it was it no longer is.  

I came across it after having a touch of the sun this morning!  The sky was blue, the sun shining, and I was fooled into getting in the bike and trundling out.  I became further fooled by the thought that I could meander up the old railway and see the country, even though the fields all around were covered in white frost as I left.  I forgot that the sun shines in Antarctica also!   I donned my cap and thick gloves and sallied forth.  How nice to be up early and on the bike again.  I have not been up there for months.  The place looks a bit weather beaten, much has been cut back by the Rangers, and their keep fit volunteers, although selfish folks with dogs think standing in the middle of the track is funny.  Words could easily be exchanged with some of these dog lovers.  

Just imagine, cold sunshine, snowdrops appearing, even some blossom appearing on one or two scraggy bushes.  The finches sang,  dogs wagged tails, and I now ache all over.  Anyone got time to do massage.....? 

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