Nothing to Say with all this Football

 

Nothing to say.

Too much European football to watch.

Too much housework to do.

Too much food to stuff down and regret.

 

Housework Thursday

Busy day today, housework, some of which has actually been done.  I then set about posting some of    my late brothers pictures on a new blog.  I tried WordPress but found it so slow at posting pictures that I scrapped it and turned back to Blogger, where I ought to have started to begin with.  The pictures come from his time in the RAF in the Middle East way back when.  What was then a dusty airbase is now adjacent to Dubai!  The runway now forms part of a road way, nothing else remaining.  It has to be said life at the time was very different there to what it is now.  Whether the people at the bottom have benefited remains to be seen.

Having done enough of that to begin with I have prepared a simple tea, ignored the rest of the jobs awaiting, and scribbled this while trying not to do anything more, though I have ensured the rubbish has gone out, most important and the place smells sweeter now. 

I went nowhere, unlike like yesterday when filled with sausage roll I ventured out on a 38 bus, the correct one, to the Braintree Village.  The entire place is being modernised to fit the plastic 'village' concept.  It looks tacky.  The usual shops for the most part remain, the overpriced Levi's, (£115 a pair!), the usual girls shops, M&S & Mountain Warehouse.  M&S a disappointment as the men's section has shrunk, allowing more room for females clearance stuff.  Nothing of any kind there appealed.  The Mountain Warehouse, shiny new bright appearance, but same nothingness for me.  The only shop where I found myself wishing I had money was 'Barbour!'   Several of their items appeal to me, but a waistcoat costing £60, a reduction, puts me off somewhat.  Another failing trip in the sun, but at least I know the 'Village' has not changed, it is still, for me, a waste of time.  Maybe next week I will visit Camulodunum?   

Moaning Monday

The world outside is unusually quiet for a Monday.  Is this because Boris is hiding from all the sex crimes of his people?  Can this be because we all know Brexit has failed?  Little mention is made of Starmer and his Party refusing to reject Brexit.  Instead he promises to 'make it work.'  All this for votes from the 'Red Wall.'  How sad.  The Lib-Dems will be loving this.

Being 4th of July not a soul in the UK noticed the date.  However, the 'Online Mail,' with thousands of clickbait awaiting in the Republican lunatic party, did insert one or two old stories re the difference between the UK and the US.  Language is different, habits are different, ending phone calls is different.  

The only thing that comes out of the stories is that in the USA money is all that matters.  Get rich, grab cash, let the individual die!  No wonder Jeff Bezos is so rich.  The idea of service appears unheard off.  Have an accident, call an ambulance, but pay $200 or more dollars first.  Eat in a café, give a tip as the waitress is not paid and lives off tips, how ridiculous!  Get sick, take up to three weeks off, but it comes out of your holidays!  The USA is a slave state still.   

This is the type of nation Boris and his liars want to create here.  Stupid people vote for him, even if they knew this would happen, just so they could get out of the EU they did not understand.  Xenophobic racism mixed with blind obedience leads to the loss of all the voters actually held dear, but they will not admit it.

As I reached home on Sunday I noticed the Muslims were having a day off.  I was very tempted to wander across and visit the many food tables out there but hesitated, once I taste proper food I canny eat my own afterwards!   I ate, slept and tried to put the aroma out of my mind...

Today the aroma was that of cooker cleaning, kitchen washing, and loo cleansing.  Had I not stopped when I did I would have wash day hands by now.  Any volunteers?  

Hard Work and Tory Sleaze

 

The sun shone this morning, I did not see it, my was head down on the floor fixing the loo into something of a serviceable workplace.  Now it gleams, sort off, smells of disinfectant, and can be used buy non choosy members of the public.  I also dumped the rubbish, then the recycling, exercised and by the time I sat down to watch the cricket I was knackered.  The cricket of course had started early, not at 3 pm as I expected, and I only saw Scotland's vain but glorious effort to catch the enemies total.  They can come home with heads held high and with much hope for the next tournament. 

The work took a while today, what took ten minutes in the past took ages today, however, I needed to work, the execise was good for me, the job is done, nothing else went wrong, and a sense of achievement warmed me.  Nothing else bar the blanket around me was warm today.  In fact I even put the heating on at one point the temperature had fallen so low.  Rain clouds warmed the air later to a pitch of 'just freezing.'

 

Owen Paterson

 

Owen Paterson MP was caught by the Parliamentary Standards Commission fiddling things.  He took money, twice his salary it appears, to lobby on behalf of certain companies.  This breaks the rules!  The Commission banned him from the House for 30 days, very lenient in the circumstances, and today Boris led a rebellion against this finding.  A vote for an amendment opposing the ban was annpunced, the Tories put a 3 line whip on this, meaning all Tory MPs must support the vote as told, and in the end the vote was won by 250 votes to 232.  The 'Ayes' had it.  

There is more to this than meets the eye.  For a start 6 Tory MPs who supported the motion have been disciplined in the past, many others may be earning cash for similar law breaking, and if Paterson was banned he could suffer what is called a 'Recall.'  This may lead to a By-election in his seat that he could lose.  Indeed, under the Recall he might have to walk away.   So many actions of this government are corrupt Boris fears such Commissions will render his will unlawful.  Therefore he has a bright idea, he will amend the Commission and insert his pown peoiple into it.  The problem there is both the Labour Party and the SNP, meaning most of the opposition, will not join this Commission, and a Tory only Commission has no meaning.  Maybe Boris wanted this?  Certainly he has much to hide so he will not allow questioning of his illegal tactics and dubious behaviour.

The country is run by corruption and so many do not perceive this or do not care.

 

I Need a Cook.

It was when packing the card to my great niece I realised something was wrong. 
The expensive gifts (I say) were placed in the envelope, an address was written (and checked) and as I lifted the envelope I realised it was possible to see the contents if the card was held up to the light.  
A larger brown envelope was procured from the dust covered pile.  The old white envelope was inserted, the address added, a stamp (first class) placed in the top corner and satisfaction was guaranteed.  
Then I noticed the card was still sitting on the desk!
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Ripping open the brown envelope, ripping open the white envelope, ripping to bits and dumping both the ex-envelopes in the pile of refuse at the side of the desk.  Card inserted, with expensive (I say) gifts into new envelope.  Address added, stamp affixed, sudden realisation first class stamp on other envelope wasted and lost!  Card checked, passed and placed for posting.

I contemplated the situation.  Several days running such situations had arisen.  Something was wrong my mind was not working.  I often found myself wondering what I was doing and questioning where I was.  Either dementia was here or it was the more usual cause stupidity.  
Poison was considered but the price of cyanide these days was beyond me.
Then I realised what was wrong.  A combination of the wee bug that folks have found difficult to shift was hanging around (no news there) and my inability to eat was the main cause of the trouble.
I had eaten but was forgetting some things like meat, fish, etc.  Last night I felt rough and there was I enjoying a delightful Saturday night stuffing Corned Beef down my throat as I lay in bed watching the wee team playing Dundee United in an effort to rescue some comprehension in my head.  It worked!
There is a obvious need for Matron to ensure I eat properly, it might help me lose some weight also.

 

With Monday being the day the boiler gets serviced I have been busy 'Spring cleaning' early.  Until recently I got on well with the Landlords manager but after 13 years she left to make money.  The new staff I know not and I am tidying the place in an effort to ensure they think it is well looked after.  The problem is I am off out around midday and it is likely he will not arrive until then.  This allows her, and it will be a 'her' to snoop around and no doubt make her own conclusions.   Hmmm I suppose I had better hide the whisky also in that case...
If the weather is good she may not notice the windows have not been cleaned since the scaffolding was placed outside when the building was repainted two years ago.  Maybe I ought to suggest repainting the place...?   
This afternoon I ought to be cleaning the kitchen but I have been accidentally trapped in my bed listening to the football on the wireless.  I will attend to the other things later - if I have time...

Laptop Tribulations

 

In an attempt to remove needless items on the laptop I searched through everything and removed those I thought no longer required.  This pleased me and helped the laptop breathe again.  

Yesterday I opened up a strange item on the desktop, it was a dead 'Word' item!  

Fool that I was I had deleted all the 'Office' items (an aged office at that) and now nothing worked.

All my museum stuff is on Word and now all was dead!

After a search I found the old disc and after a struggle (why are these things so difficult?) I reinstalled all I needed and now it works.  Relief ran through me and next time I will be a wee but more careful.

An item in the ever trustworthy and reliable (sarcasm eh?) 'Daily Mail' tells us that women are getting fat because they are not doing enough housework.  Clearly this university study has been money well spent as a look around the streets shows this to be the case.  To many devices making a women's life easy, once the work is done there is not enough work that requires exercise for a woman, all this sitting around gossiping and coffee drinking has got to stop.
I have found a way to enable any volunteer among you to quickly lose two stone, come clean my place and do the ironing!  That should make you lose weight.

 

 

Busy Friday

It’s not long after nine on Friday morning.  This is the day I do the women’s work, hoovering, dusting, rubbish removal and the like.  So far I have failed to get off my seat and this is an excuse to remain here. Through the condensation steeped window I can just make out the light gray sky above, something that reminds me of an Edinburgh summers day, and in the leaf strewn park occasional passers by pass by, some late for work others keen on enriching Mr Tesco or Mr Sainsbury.  This does not incite me into following them.

The dullness of the sky is reflected in the dullness of the living quarters.  I switch on the light and watch the room get darker.  Books and papers lie askew around the desk, the sofa, and the floor.  Cables and plugs lie dust grained in corners, and green oranges are noted at the bottom of the fruit bowl.  I puzzle as to quite what that lump in between the fridge and the cupboard is, I am not too sure but it has been there for some time....

Later.

The women's work has been done, the air is filled with flying debris as choking and spluttering I wonder if it is time to empty that vacuum?  This dusting business is a laugh.  As I write the dust removed from the bookcases replaces the dust removed from the desk.  I suggest the dust from the desk now deposits itself happily on the books.  Thus the world turns.  The so called years of evolution that shaped the earth are nothing more than dust particles moving from one place to another, like sand dunes shifting the Sahara south.  No wonder the world has never run out of cleaners.  

I have looked at the 'to do' list once again, hopefully tomorrow I will look at it again.  If it were not for the football at midday I might even do one of the items on the list.  For today, as the weather is not attempting to change its ways, I will merely go back to updating that never ending website.  This is slowly taking shape but each name requires at least half an hour and sometimes it takes longer.  On two occasions I have discovered I was listing the wrong man and that has had to be changed. Hopefully nobody has copied the details.  The thing about the First World War information is the need to check everything.  So many details are incorrect, understandable in the circumstances, but the backroom staff at the time have actually done a marvellous job considering the difficulties of detailing so much as accurately as possible.  I hope I am reasonably accurate.

Much later.

I stumbled out this afternoon to get some deep breaths of vehicle pollution and made my way across the dim gray park towards the shops.  As I shuffled by I watched a boy, aged about 8 years, throwing his dogs lead for the beast to catch.  He and the golden retriever were having a ball, without a ball.  His mum enjoyed the sight of them pulling at either end of the lead, especially when the lad stood on the lead and the dog happily pulled him over the damp grass as he stood on the thing.  An enjoyable encounter in which passing strangers had to laugh, especially as they all knew what strange happiness a young lad playing with a dog can obtain.
There were no signs of happiness in the store however, just suspicious glances and surly looks.  There I obtained the bottle of beer I see as being ideal for yuletide, 'Bah Humbug!'  What it tastes like I as yet know not but if acceptable more will be purchased and used as gifts.  It seems right, but maybe I am being too satirical for some.  I will no doubt find out.  Too much of Christmas requires satire in my mind.

    
It has become the norm for these 'Continental Markets' to spring up in the town centre every so often. While they are popular enough for the stallholders to return it was pretty slack as I passed.  The varieties of foodstuffs appeals, the prices do not.  Neither does the ability of women to stand in the middle of the passageway blocking everybody while contemplating with dull eyes the good on show they then do not buy!  Paella, vegetable curry and the banned cheeses looked good but would cost around a fiver a time.  Even the bread I did fancy was far too dear, Tesco sell similar at half the cost, but maybe tomorrow if they have some of the fancy bread I occasionally buy I may splash out and ruin what is left of my diet, maybe.  

Now all I have to do is write the blog...hold on.  I must have missed something out today, I should be filling this page last thing at night when half asleep.  Oh well, early bed....   

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Clean up.

The washing has been done, hung up over every suitable space and dried by evening for the most part. The hoover has run about the floor chasing the dust and forcing it to hang about in the air for hours after it was supposed to be sucked up into the depths of the machine.  Good grief even the sinks got themselves cleaned.  How is it something so close to water can be so filthy?  I fail to understand how the water manages to leave behind so much stour!  Well at least that is those jobs done for a few months.  

As the dust returned from whence it had arisen I decided to clean up the laptop and download all those files taking up space and too important to loose.  Such a simple idea but then it goes wrong.  Not that anything went wrong it was just that the discs I use to download stuff onto take forever to format.  I was convinced I had prepared all these beforehand and discovered I had failed to prepare any!  So I began, first I had to check all the previous discs badly field with things in a mixed order.  At least I discovered some pictures hidden for ages past if nothing else, then I discovered that nothing could be deleted from those old discs, which was a pity!    

Hours passed as I removed files of pictures to one disc after another.  Museum files here, picture museum files there, Great War here, other Great War there, on and on and I have hardly started yet.  I also began to clear out the links. Line after line of links I never use even allowing for some being important to hold on to so many might never be used again.  Just why some were kept is now a mystery and so many no longer work, the page long gone as the owner probably has too.  

Added to this I was searching through the Memorial website in an effort to update the info there and this also takes so much time.  However there is a reward in that new details arise and some interesting info comes out.  This however could go on for ever.  

     

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Very Sad....

Having spent much of the day doing this little jobs that mean so much, putting the hanging edge of the curtains back on the hook, dusting "cough," cleaning the loo ugh, and making soup, reading Jeremy Bowen's 'Arab Uprising,' and 'With the 1/5th Essex in the East,' books,  however I did not do these all at the same time, I failed to get enough time to rant about something.  This is sad.

I could have got annoyed when I noted some were desiring the removal of Gary Locke from the role as manager of the Heart of Midlothian but I controlled myself.  With no cash, no players, indeed three senior players now injured, no possibility of replacements as there is no cash these numpties cry for the manager to be removed and a 'big name' to take over!  The stupidity of the Hearts fan knows no bounds!  It's like those folk that are told there are no cakes left and say "I'll have two!" What do they do for brains?

Instead of decapitating them I went back to my work, my books, but mostly my books!  

If you want me I am either in Egypt as the revolution is stalling or half way up the ridge next to Hill 60 in Suvla, keep your head down when you call!

Char

I need a char, I really do.  Once again in site of my heavy workload I had to spend much of the day cleaning this place, and I only cleaned it a few weeks ago.  The rubbish bins were full, the sink greasy and I cannot mention the windows which were cleaned only last September!  Hmmm that reminds me about the fridge.... Let's not go there, I'm sure that green stuff was there when I bought it.  Also when I went out today I had no shirt to put upon my scrawny fifteen something stone body, the ironing needs done and I know no ironic woman.  The noise from the hoover (which isn't a hoover as I bought it from Tesco but you know what I mean) does my head in and the smell of bleach is not good for me I'm sure.  On top of this the bike needs cleaned again, all that dusty old railway stuff, and the hours just fly by when I'm watching telly working on projects.  I can tell you I was fair worn out by lunchtime and have been quite puggled ever since.  

On top of this I had to chat up that nice lady at the Sainsbury checkout at seven thirty after I had put the bike away, shopping early (not for Christmas) is the way to avoid crowds.  Then I had to carry the large bag home all by my weak self, and the shop is at least 200 yards away.  (Which brings to mind a robber in a small town.  He robbed a shop he used regularly, then hopped off home at high speed, home lay 100 yards from the shop.  The police found him quite quickly. That was one of last years fun stories.) So much to do and so little time to do it.  I do not know how I survive.  Actually all this dust I raised makes it hard to see the screen....

It would be unfair of me to mention Hibernian's unfortunate seven nil defeat at the hands of Swedish side Malmo last night, (9-0 on aggregate over two games) so I will say nothing about that.  I like to be kind!  Hibs in truth were doing OK for the first 20 minutes, and the fans for once (the prices were lowered) came out to support them.  However once the Swedes took the lead their nerves disappeared and when relaxed they cut Hibs to pieces. A funny game football, had Hibs scored first it may well have been Malmo who collapsed and today we might be shocked by a Hibernian success.  Sadly that did not happen and the knives are out.  Football is like that.  Is Pat up to the job as manager?  Could it be the players are just rubbish?  St Johnstone, with a smaller budget beat Norway's Rosenburg who have a much larger amount of cash to spend, so Scottish football is not all bad.

Ah well, the real work starts soon, and we will see if the Hibs players have what it takes in the real world, I canny wait, I'm laughing already!

  

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Sabbath Day

Some of you may be aware of the existence of Jerry the Rebel down there in Missouri or Arkansas or one of them cowboy areas of the US of A.  His well read blog 'As the Crackerhead Crumbles' may well be known to you.  It may also be coming to an end.  Poor chap has been somewhat unwell (as well as being clearly sick in the mind, which is why I like him), he has been somewhat unwell for a long time.  This has now left him with a lack of feeling down his side and it is possible he has had a bit of a bummer here.  He may not be posting for a while, and if you never glanced at his quixotic (what?) blog make sure you do now, before it either ends or his wife takes over!  

Before seven this morning I had managed to trundle up the old railway for the first time this week. I was so early there was not one dog walker to be seen before  I made my way back.  The sky blue, the vegetation very well fed by the rains, and a lovely wind blowing me all the way home.  Just a small touch of green is something we need each day.  Quite how I survived London I sometimes wonder.  The sights, sounds and smells off the country are required to keep us mentally and physically alive I say!

On the way back I was once again intrigued by the sun shining through the water at the nancy boy fountain.  The green spot is sun interference, not a lamp on the fountain in case you wondered.  A strange fountain, erected in the thirties, but the sun playing on the water is magnificent I reckon.  

I had intended to photograph the chimneys on this 'Arts & Crafts' type house a while back and managed this morning when all was quiet.  I had not realised that all three chimneys were so very different.  Whether these were used by the builder to show his talents, a permanent advert or 'spam' if you prefer, I know not, but they do make me stop and think when looking at them now.  Three totally different approaches to the same simple job and each a masterpiece in itself.  Well done to the builder, whoever he was!  Sadly I have no note of his name and this building does not appear to have been listed!  

A 'friend' of this blog has sped this on to me as he claims the female readers of the blog would benefit from studying this carefully.  This 'friend' added his thought that 'Ironing,' 'cooking,' 'cleaning,' and other 'female jobs,' could be added to 'sewing,' and the ladies could benefit themselves by practicing the advice found here and benefiting their man by a wise use of sewing when the football is on so as not to disturb what he referred to as 'their Lord and Master.'  When I enquired as to why this was not posted on his blog he muttered somewhat and came up with, "Too much on there at the moment."  Not sure if I believe him.  

His address can be made available for the correct amount....... 

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Worn Out Monday

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The problem with leaving the 'To-do' list is that it grows as each day goes by. There is always something else 'to-do' to add to the list. I solved that problem at the end of last week by binning the list and starting again.  Today I realised what women were made for!  Everything is done, mostly. The shirts are ironed, sort off, the cooking cooked, the place dusted and polished, and things in the wrong place have been returned to home, well mostly anyway. 

OK I admit there was a bit of cheating occurred, and the main repairs to the bits either broken or falling down are still on the list, that the tea breaks did endure longer than a woman's gossip over the fence and that rain above all kept me from venturing out, but at least an impression has been made. 

That will not need done for at least another two months anyway.

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