Nothing Happened Again so I Took a Walk!

Nothing happened in between dark passing clouds and moments of sunshine.  

The Bees did not notice and carried on with their work. Poor souls only last one year and that is spent in flitting from flower to flower to keep the nest going and pollinating plants.  We would be lost without them.

The pond is awash with Lillies floating on the top.  The gray sky made pictures hard to obtain but I was unwilling to paddle in the deep to get a better one.

This bush was awash also with colourful yellow flowers.  Dozens of them brightening up the area.  The benefit of wandering through the park in dismal afternoons is the lack of kids and mouthy mums getting in the way.  Few people wander about blocking the view or getting in the way of the camera. The downside is the gray clouds that pass over hinder the light.   

The 'Daisies' they grow in the gardens are well fed are they not?  These were almost four feet high.  In my day they were never above an inch or two.  Could it be they are on drugs?

A bright addition to the gardens - whatever it is!

 
The public gardens were once part of the estate of the Courtauld family who built a very large house on the other side of the road.  They had a very big estate which now forms the park opposite and in the 1880's donated this portion of their gardens to the town.  Much rejoicing ensued on opening day as a parade through the town with bonfires and much eating and drinking in the evening as the town celebrated the new acquisition.  Another offering from the Courtauld family who also donated the school in which the museum now resides and many houses throughout the area.  Doctors, hospitals, churches and many other buildings were given by the Unitarian Courtaulds who followed the 'social gospel' of the Victorian era.  If only the wealthy today had such a conscience!  The picture shows the 'Arts & Crafts' style house which was a common theme of Courtauld houses and served until recently as the gardeners home, now it holds a coffee house.

The Wedensday Birds

To avoid the incessant noise re Manchester I kept my head in my laptop finally finishing the rebuild of the WW2 memorial.  A rebuild that almost went wrong as another glitch threatened to kill it once again.  The air was almost blue.  To ease my ageing eyes I wandered in the sunshine looking at half naked women admiring the glow of a sunny day.  Sitting on a bench, broken peanuts strewn before me, I eventually attracted a couple of Blackbirds to pose for me.  It was noticeable that when she approached he moved away, either a married couple or he was in her patch.  A Robin looked in but refused to be anything but blurred, he moved away. 

When I returned to the news I found the usual 24 hour concentration on the 'Big Story' unappealing.  Now I appreciate the importance of the Manchester event, I feel for the victims, I realise the seriousness of the situation, however I would rather journalism was once again introduced instead of the squalid reporting shoved down our noses today.  
Maybe I am just used to such outrages, maybe I note that when it happens elsewhere, Beirut or Kabul for instance, few bother to comment let alone 'stand with' those people.  Maybe I am just sick of pap masquerading as journalism for a lazy audience.
Interestingly the 'Sun,' Rupert Murdoch's main tabloid offering, gave the whole front page over to an attack on Jeremy Corbyn and his supposed support for the IRA Provos.  The Manchester deaths were hidden inside.  This speaks volume for Murdoch.   
I have just read that someone claims a UKIP individual is demanding the return of the death penalty...for suicide bombers!

The weatherman indicates tomorrow might reach 23 degrees, that's 73 in English!  A heatwave has hit us, the sun has been switched on and I have nowhere to go.  I need to go somewhere as the cooker requires cleaning as does the fridge, the cupboards, the windows, the bedroom, the East Wing, the everything else, and I wish to avoid such chores.  Now that I appear to have the old laptop under control I feel I can go outside again.  The fact that I just cannot be bothered, the effort appears to great for my fat, unfit, squalid body, and we have seen all that this area (without an automobile to use) can offer.    
I may just go back to bed...

Monday Mump

Some time ago the small hut next door to us, used by many local organisations, was condemned because it contained asbestos.  Eventually this was sold at auction and nothing happened.  Nothing continued to happen for some time until a neighbour informed me the building had been sold once again, at a small £50,000 profit to the original buyer.  Nice for some.
Eventually plans appeared to create a three story dwelling rising high enough to block the sun and allow residents to peer into one anothers windows.  
This would not do!
I, alongside others, put in loud and well written objections. 
Our landlord had a fight on his hands as they would be on his land and he was not happy about this.  He as a retired lawyer knew what to do.
Eventually, at local council speed, the plans were blocked.
All went quiet and quite suddenly new plans appeared and were approved and I cannot recall if we had time to object. The new plaans allowed an ugly two story building, garage on ground floor with four 'Studio flats' above.
Nothing happened.
Nothing happened for some time until one day men arrived and knocked down the hut with what I thought was little care for asbestos removal.  Maybe this was a ruse?
Later men began to clear the ground.
Eventually men began to dig holes and progrees was made.
However they did not know, and were not happy, about the sewage pipe from other neighbours house.  This ran right across their site.  Tee hee, he was not happy but thought it funny.  Therefore plans had to be altered.  
Much later concrete was poured into the holes previously dug and the alterations to sewage attended to.
Lorries carrying those gray 'Breeze Blocks' so called because they allow the breeze into your house arrived and dumped them.  One man was seen to be busy mixing cement and mortar and laying a line of said bricks in appropriate places.
Then it appears they knocked down other neighbours fence in the belief it belonged to this property, the trees beside it also were theirs they thought.  Other neighbour helpfully awakened them to the situation as it happened to be, his trees, his fence, your money ta much.
Nothing has happened since.  
Other neighbour has contacted the builder and received promises but no action.  He wrote, he called, he gets nowhere.  He believes the builders company has gone bust or just got fed up with the whole thing and dumped it on the developer, whichever greedy little Tory he happens to be.
We are left wondering what will happen.  
Will a builder appear, will the site lie like some half developed for years?  Will it be sold off to another chancer?  We cannot tell but stand back in amazement at the efficient manner in which housing is developed in the nation.

I love blue flowers.
I know not why but I love blue flowers more than most other colours, bright and cheery though many be.  These small beauties, and blue flowers it appears to me are mostly but not all small, are found in a box outside another neighbours door.  She has spent all her money on alcohol and flower boxes and very pretty they look.  The number of letters that lazy postmen shove through my door for her making me walk round there to pass them on indicate how many people are chasing her for cash.  Her use of a maiden name fooled some but not all I note.  Maybe if she took all the empties back and got twopence for each she could clear her debts, but maybe not...

 

Another Boring Day

I noticed these weeds (when does a flower become a weed?) when looking for dropped coins as I walked the streets this afternoon escaping the laptop.  Spring has an abundance of such at the moment, or is it just lazy men refusing to cut the grass I wonder?   Possibly the Monday holiday will see many happy men toiling in the garden.

 

It is a wonder this planet, the sky changes colour minute by minute, just looking in a different direction and the hue changes, the sea is a vast moving region that delights at all times, unless it is swamping us!  The greenery that flourishes in our wet climate, the verdant hues all around, the world is a marvellous lace yet we make it a litter bin by carelessness or lack of concern.   

This cartoon sums it up.  Vast quantities are floating about the seas killing wildlife and hindering shipping.  Some the result of storms sinking ships and damaging coastal towns, other vast amounts of individual rubbish thrown aside thoughtlessly that now bobs along heading your way.  

The UK is a filthy nation, litter lies around everywhere, occasional attempts at clean ups exist but councils don't help by charging enormous amounts for businesses to dump stuff, locals can do this free but as business has to pay uncaring types dump things in back roads!

Ah well, charging 5p for a plastic bag has lessened the amount floating around nowadays.

Boring Again!

Nothing happened twice today.  What with the Easter break the news is quite boring,  folks are either away on holiday or finding things to occupy the kids, and I have been stuck in here ironing a pile of shirts.  This was important as there were no more in the cupboard.  While in Tesco this morning I was tempted to buy another one t save me ironing the rest, the need to spend cash put me off. 

 

While I was ironing I played a video on the laptop from youtube.  This featured a 'cab ride' in a diesel engine running at high speed from Colchester to London Liverpool Street some years ago.  As I watched I found it very relaxing and pondered on the many videos of seaside, birds, country areas, rail and I presume aircraft and boats also, a wide and varied array that are available on youtube and elsewhere that normal people would ignore.  I however find such things not only interesting but relaxing.  Maybe it's just my inherited crass stupidity or maybe there is another reason but I enjoy such videos.  Rail cab rides allow you to see the drivers view, really interesting on lines often used personally, and give an understanding of how lines operate.  It is fair to say that since privatisation they operate mostly in similar ways to the past but the profits go to a few and while the service deteriorates the prices go up!  At least those clever folks who make such videos keep their own profit while sharing their videos online today.

    

A railway compartment from the 30's.  While we travelled on them often most people would avoid us as no-one wishes to be trapped with kids on a train so often we were in quiet compartments.  I remember not only the wire like luggage rack above, the strange leather belt contraption that opened the windows but also above the seats three rather boring aged pictures  of Scottish landscapes, aways rather dull I thought.  However when travelling from London in the 80's I used to have a compartment to myself on the Aberdeen train as few realised it stopped at Waverley at three in the morning.  Always an enjoyable trip by myself I remember.   A museum visitor noticed the picture and commented that no-one ever spoke in those compartments. 

Horses, Homes, and Hopeless Election

I was surprised to hear how many various animals were being saved by the animal sanctuary that parades in the town centre twice a year.  Beginning with donkeys they now have a variety of equine type creatures plus goats and cats and almost anything that gets dumped on them or saved by them. This was one wee pony happily stuffing himself and making friends with wee girls who found the special feed they ought not to have found, the pony liked them a lot.

    
Usually there are other animals, chickens, sheep etc, but the only other one that should have appeared, a donkey, was not in the mood and would not come to visit.  Anyone who deals with animals knows that they rule the roost, not you!  The man accompanying the animals and the table spread with things no use to me but helping to aid their funds was very helpful and chatty.  I have the link somewhere and one day will visit them on their home site if possible.  Remus

 
My landlord, now 86 years of age, has begun to forget things.  This is worrying for a man who has a sharp mind.  He has been diagnosed with early dementia of a mild type but that means little if you forget things constantly.  I begin to worry as to what this means for the home as we have no idea who would run the company if he gave up.  However today I have been tired and spent much time forgetting things also.  It is worrying the things that get forgotten, like switching of lights, oven, shutting doors and forgetting what I am doing while staring into a cupboard.  I am not sure whether this is age, dementia or just stupidity, it is hard to tell.  My typing is awful also, red lines appear constantly as the words do not spell themselves very well, I blame the laptop.  However if the landlord goes what happens to me then?  Ah well life is full of interesting developments.

So far two election leaflets for the County Council have dropped through the door, one Tory (who will win) one Labour.  I glanced at both wondering whether it was worth bothering to read them as they always say the same things and do what they wish anyway.   This area always vote for the Conservative in spite of the facts as the rich middle classes (of whom there are many) outnumber the divided poorer lot.  UKIP, the fascist/protest/numbskulllittleenglanderpeople  have taken some votes from the Tories and run them close last time, however Brexit has killed them and the Labour Party with its non-leader offer little in response.  What a state politics has got itself into.  The national UK government is abysmal with no opposition bar the SNP and local governments are abysmal with not enough people willing to come out and vote to remove the chancers while we can. I could read the leaflets but think recycling them will do the world more good.

 

Garden Wander

To escape from the laptop I strode manfully through the public gardens today to see what life was like outside in the sunshine.  Being Half Term the place was choked with adolescents shouting at each other with half the gardens given over to toddlers and their neurotic mum's.  This was not going to be the time to catch a Robin sitting on a bench nor really the ideal opportunity to picture Blossom. 

As I wandered around I wondered about the Dear Leader and her entourage.  Theresa May was in Saudi Arabia, a nation we built up under Abdullah, saw it taken during a nasty civil war in the twenties by the Saudi's, and now the home of billions of money Theresa wishes to get her hands on. She kept up the PR stunts of her predecessor, remember taking lots of women to visit Trump in the US?  Well she was at it here refusing to wear a headscarf though she avoided driving just to ensure she made some money.  While not mentioning the cutting off criminals hands, nor the heads lopped off every so often, nor the place of women under the Wahabee  strict rule she did manage to get out a message mentioning the dropping of the word 'Easter' from 'Easter Eggs.'    
Now she is of course right in this, the food manufacturers do not wish to put anything regarding Jesus on their packaging and she ought to embarrass them by asking why?  However her Christian concern would be better appreciated if  the Tories had not chosen this week in which to cut benefits from children who have lost parents, nor to begin cutting money for the disabled and a great many other cruel and vindictive policies which hit the poorest and show no concern for 'Loving thy neighbour!'

 
A mixture of little Spring plants adorn the front of a house round the corner.  I regard this as the best garden at this time of year.  Little plants of blue and yellow with purple heather and green bits enhancing a very natural Spring garden.  I like it.

I was musing the other day about those poor Arsenal fans who wish their long serving manager to go!  He took over the club about 20 years ago and has given them the Championship, several cups and finished in the Champions League places almost every year, and they want him to go because he has not won the Championship for a long time, nor have they succeeded in Europe.  
Poor things!
I reckon half of those who grumble were not born when he arrived and almost as many were too young to know what was going on, yet they grumble!  Real football fans, that is almost every team in every division of every league at every level have to face the fact that sometimes they have good times and sometimes they do not.  The fans who become used to success, such as those at the Heart of Midlothian, quickly become despairing when success that dangles tantalisingly close is suddenly taken away from them are just as bad as Arsenal fans who are used to success but not regarding the two trophies that now mean so much to them, indeed they believe they now have a right to! 
Silly Arsenal fans.  You only get what you deserve.
No matter how much money you spend you cannot guarantee success.  Clearly Celtic, spending about £700,000 on each player a year will have more chance of success than Inverness Caledonian Thistle who spend £42,000 a year, yet success is not guaranteed even then.  A poor manager, disputes within the dressing room and a variety of bad results can lead to despair and failure no matter how much is spent.  The leading English clubs, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal have all spent at least a billion and they too go through hard times.  The fans, especially those who were not there during the hard times, are often the first to utter complaints when success is not seen, fans of lesser clubs with little money may never see much success but an occasional cup win but these fans are often more loyal, better behaved, always there even if in small numbers and will still be there when failure comes once again. 
Poor Arsenal fans, come into the real world, there is a place for you.

Monday Prattle

How nice to get out in the sunshine again.  Much of the time I have been holed up in this aroma filled dwelling so walking in the park has been a delight.  I realise we have had enough Daffodils but in truth there are billions of them lying around at the moment, one of the councils better ideas, and each park and green space has a variety of them livening up the day.  These ones poking through the park bench are good I thought. 

The introduction of the new Pound coin that begins tomorrow caused me to examine the fancy designs on the coins in my possession.  It was then that I noticed this on the back of the Fifty Pence piece.  Here we have a coin of the realm, on one side as always the head of the monarch and on the reverse either a tribute to 'Beatrix Potter' or Jemima Puddle-Duck one of her characters!  These are the coins of the realm with fictional characters on them!
A quick squint online shows some folks might wish to purchase these in time to come so they will rest on my shelf for a while to see if price rises.  As nobody is clear as to how many are out there I may be in for a fat profit, possibly a new pound perhaps?  But really, children's characters on the coins, what next, Jane Austen's people?  

Jemima and her mate did not appear too fussy about being on the back of a coin.  Happily settled into the pond in the gardens these two would prefer people not to throw 50p coins to them as they find them hard to digest.  

I note Theresa May attended Scotland today to ensure Nicola Sturgeon does as she is told.  The few comments noted afterwards indicate intransigent Theresa did not realise that Nicola comes from Ayrshire, I think she knows now.  Clearly a second referendum, IndyRef2, is on the way, Theresa by her continual high handed attitudes will ensure a YES vote far more sure than anything the snooty David Cameron could have produced.  People fell for the lies last time, they surely can tell the lies this time around.  BBC & SKY I note have placed this story reluctantly on their agenda trying to put the Westminster madman as more important even now.  Hmmm that tells you much.

Today I had to march against the biting east wind in an almost hot sun to St Paul's for the last of our Monday meets for a while.  The knees do not like exercise these days, how come it has come to this?  Tomorrow I have a full day at the museum, which means missing my siesta, something that means much to me these days, and assisting with the many 'art lovers' drawn in to hear the talk in the afternoon.  Too many folks on holiday at once in my view.  I suppose we ought to be glad so many showed up for the 'Oscar Ceremony.'

Oh look, more Council Daffs!

More 'Roses'

Yesterday I wandered about in the bright sun and chilly wind.  This was just as well as today the weather has been 'fair drookit' and instead I sat here fiddling with the laptop to no avail and making a bad chicken stew.
Maybe I ought to have gone out?

Spring is indeed Springing all around.  Wee flowers are blooming everywhere, Robins, Chaffinch's, Goldfinch's and others are singing all around and the Wood pigeons, the males at least, are up for it already.  The Council planted Daffodils are shining brightly in some places, these are outside the Council offices hmmm, the ones opposite me are only now beginning to open.  Soon we shall see helping themselves to them on the basis that they are planted by the Council!  Help yourself to a Council dustcart also if you feel that way.  

While I admire the bright cheerful colours of small flowers that abound in Spring I do wish they were planted higher up!  Falling over while taking pictures is not my favourite habit but any observer in the Gardens yesterday might have taken a different viewpoint.  They could at least plant them closer to the benches placed all around.

    
While a great deal of effort has gone in to placing information regarding the many trees found in this delightful Garden no effort has been made to enlighten daft folks like me as to the names of these flowers.  This I suspect is because the rich who flourish all around have their own gardens and have made use of such creations for themselves.  Only the ignorant with no more than a dying flowerbox require education.

 
Interestingly few wee beasties are seen around the plants.  No bees or wee flies buzzing around.  No doubt these will arrive soon, once the damp weather moves away somewhere else.  The park had the usual local dwellers, squirrels abound, birds and the scattered white feathers told of the cat which has decided to play in the park, a cat I saw in the distance worrying a squirrel up a tree.

The fact that I have to lower myself to get near the plants, in spite of the telefoto on the camera, does ensure that I shake noticeably when clicking the shutter.  This is seen on many pics that fail to appear here, believe me!  I might by a wee stool to carry with me...

At last, as I left the park I found wee plants placed at a suitable height for people who's fitness is not what it ought to be.  The Robin chattering away was unwilling to show himself for the picture, would you like to see pics of branches and leaves...?

It was a delight to freeze my fingers while in the park as the thought of Spring was encouraging.  The days are getting longer, behind the clouds a sun often pops out, one day it will be there for hours.  When it arrives I will sit in the park reading my books and contemplating those as yet to retire who are slaving away paying for my wee pension.
How delightful!

Flowers, Football and Fullish Moon

The wee 'I sell anything' shop next door ought to have been doing a roaring trade with his flowers today.  Blazing sun, record temperatures, and near naked sweltering peoples passing by all day.  he may have been better selling cold drinks mind you.
Nothing I like better than blue sky and hot sun.  However as a few weeks ago the thing appeared and I spent a mere 30 minutes burning myself I find my skin has not yet recovered properly.  The sun is far hotter than I thought!  These few days it has been even hotter and most of the time I have avoided it.  Those lying about the park will have problems in days to come.
The main problem is we are not used to it.  Therefore when the sun comes we jump into it and we burn.  In hot societies they avoid the heat of the day and work in the cool times.  This nation is not bright enough for that.  
It is however becoming nearer the norm tomorrow and rain and hail have fallen not far north of here and of course Scotland lies under a cloud again.

What is it about clouds that fascinates me?  Later this afternoon these chaps arrived bubbling up high overhead.  I think it is the sheer size of them, nothing but accumulated moisture I suppose but stretching for thousands of feet up into the air and on occasion reaching for hundreds or thousands of miles into the distance.  I am not one who sees a cloud shaped like the Bank of England then rushes to send a picture to the 'Daily Mail,' in fact I would rather just enjoy watching them pass by.  On my last flight from Edinburgh many years ago the cloud covered quite a large chunk of the voyage and at times there were strange shapes cutting through the cloud for no obvious reason.  This in my little head was fascinating to watch.
I think I may need help....

 

I did sit for ten minutes when some cloud was above us earlier and wondered about those who choose to kick a ball while the majority slumber.  I understood them of course but what went through my mind was the thought in their heads 'I could have made it!'  All the while they of course know they could not but the dream does not die, not even at my age (27).

 

The best effort of this camera cannot improve on this picture of the moon.  The moon needs to come closer but refuses.  I took this the other night when it was somewhat cooler and I was desperate to take a picture of anything different.  This being a small town not much changes and photo opportunities are rare.  The bright weather offers sum but when you have seen everything before the desire is to be further afield.  In fact it would have been good to be in London where Mo manages to get shots like this!  Not possible for me at the moment as I have been clearing out rubbish.  It is incredible what lies in drawers untouched for decades.  Some things date back to the days when I moved here and others are so old they are almost worth sending to the museum.
The recycled folks will be pleased with me on Friday when they collect the stuff however!