Banal Monday

It's been a slow day.

Having been out at Kirk yesterday, where I had to do the intercessions, and stand around chatting while the young folks stacked the chairs.  I was afraid if I sat there I may have been found piled on top and stacked in the corner somewhere!  Enthusiasm is their thing.

Anyway, the service followed the usual routine, no-one objected, jeered or slow handclapped, like last time, and I made it through.  Whether that prayer was Spirit filled is a question I could not answer, however, some praised the way I said it, clear and slow so they could understand.  At least they were awake.  

Sloth today.  

Much time on Twitter watching the USA prove it is not of any worth anymore.  People telling us how Trump understands the working class because he staged a fake McDonalds work experience, though how many times it had to be reshot is unclear.  A closed shop, supporters rehearsing their bit, and thousands now love him!  Really, the US requires a proper dictator, or with a heart and an efficient military machine, otherwise they are lost.  

I suspect however, most people in the UK were to busy being entranced by 'Sickly Come Dancing,' a programme designed for the 'Bread & Circuses' brigade.  Most TV is these days.  Anything that speaks of thinking is pushed to the side, especially if it may 'offend.'

So I have just returned to playing Solitaire or reading my book. 

I might have a life tomorrow...

Monday

All across what we call the 'West,' people rise at various, too early, times and greet Monday morning.  By far the majority of working people look forward to a five day week and a very quick weekend to follow.  Lucky people!

Those who do shit work, a week from 7 am to 3 pm, followed by a week of 3 pm to 11 pm, or even a rolling week when the beginning moves forward a day meaning the weekend is never a proper weekend.  Some of course today work 4 day weeks, 12 hour days and 3 days off, great, according to the work that is.  Shift working people often have the lowest jobs, the smallest wage, and the lowest place in society even though many are well educated and often have had 'better' employment.  

The vats majority however, keep to a five day week, Monday to Friday, a rota that never changes and while bring helps you to remember what day it is.  Most are office and shop workers, though many office workers can remain at home thanks to the internet and a good landline, shop workers often have to include a Saturday rather than a Friday finish.  

I well remember the joy of a Monday morning.  The struggle to get out of bed, searching for breakfast, searching for a shirt, searching for a brain.  The 9-5 meant a bus to some workplace in an office full of two faced people.  Not always, but all offices have them.  Even the best include the type of person who would sell their grannie, if they had not already done so.  These places were run by smiling, cheery people who offered good cheer and a knife in the back when no-one was looking, a great thing to look forward to on a Monday morning.  

The commuter, travelling across town in a rain soaked bus, or the early riser meeting the train t 06:35 hours and travelling for 90 minutes into town knowing that in spite of the money earned they will not see home again until 13 hours or more have passed.  Is it worth it I wonder?  During Thatcher's 80s people working in London took to moving to places as far away as Doncaster, here a train at 07.00 hours would drop them at Kings Cross close to their 9 am start time.  In the evening, the 17:23 north would get them home 2 hours later and they would still arrive home before many in London had reached their destination!  The Doncaster house may have cost £28,000 while the London flat £190,000!  It is understandable while people commuted.  The stress is less than that found by living in large cities.  Some of course drive for hours instead of public transport, blocking the roads, having accidents, but being 'free!'    

The only time joy can be found on a Monday at work is when you begin a new, and hopefully, a positive job.  Here you see higher wages, better conditions, superior people, and a hope for the future.  This will of course die, but at the moment you are positive, a wee bit nervous and happy to rise that wee bit earlier.

By Friday all this may have changed...

Those of us missing out on the joy of a Monday, by selecting the cheaper versions of goods in the nearest supermarket, can stand at the window watching people hurrying to work from early on a Monday morning.  Sometimes we wave from the widow while holding our coffee cup but the return waves, often hidden somewhat in the mirk, are not always positive ones.  Ah well, we need some enjoyment while Keir steals out heating support and laughs are always in short supply around him.  With Keir and Rachel every day is a Monday.

Monday Moan

 

I took this poor picture on Sunday morning as I limped down the road.  The sun was shining, the sky blue, and so were the faces of all who passed by as the wind blew cold from the north.  This morning, as is weather round here, the rain has not stopped.  

Typical innit?

Typical also is the web!

My best looking and most highly intelligent niece sent me a link to obtain a toy lorry for her sons Christmas.  This I obediently followed, only to be told to 'sign in,' 'register,' 'select a name,' 'Not that one, nor that one, nor that one... until I eventually got it in.

Then came the paying.  This involved a phone number, 'Not accepted,' other number, 'Not accepted,' several versions of both later, through gritted teeth, I ignored it, paid, and it went through!

A day or two later an acknowledgement that the goods have been sent tells me 'Evri' have the goods at their Hub.  This may take some time!

Add to this the way my machine blanks when I have more than one browser up.  That is I begin to write this on 'Edge,' because it has a much needed spellchecker, but when I search for something on Firefox the screen goes blank.  I was going to change to one of those high speed Fibre brands but the paperwork confused me so I did not bother.  maybe I ought to look again, but the problems will return.

Another Monday Morning

 That is how I reacted this morning as I woke to face another hard days work.  I have rattled through another long list of things that required doing badly, and as such I went on to do them all badly.  The last time the place was this clean I had just moved in.

Funnily enough, if you find this funny, the reading for yesterday, Zephaniah 1, was all about the day of judgement coming unexpectedly.  It would fall on Jerusalem and this could be read as the actual last day of earth also.  This fitted well with the looming Landlord approaching.  

My day was not encouraged by seeking out some old items on the 1/5th Essex regiment.  One of the lassies grandfather served with them and I sought out a piece that may be of interest.  There were several things, so I edited them, posted them on a 'Word' page, and added a longish piece discussing their deeds in the middle east.  

I then clicked the 'X' button, and it all disappeared!

I use a different writing system usually, and that would ask if I wished to save or not, 'Word' did not ask and it went!  I thought it may have gone to their store in the sky, but no.  So, having edited this for around an hour and a half I then had to do it all again.  I was pleased.  

The longish item was new to me, I could not remember this from before.  It was as I read it, the bad English showing up well, that I realised I wrote it.  The mistakes were eradicated, the spelling also amended, and in the end I was pleased somewhat with the material I had plagiarised. 

So, off it went and soon I may get a reply offering threats.  Women can be so touchy...

What else happened?

Nothing...

Monday Morn Sun

The day began brightly, the clouds were red tinged and the sky was blue.  This meant the temperature must be about freezing, and it was.  Having wiped the condensation from the windows, stuffed aged 'hot cross buns' down my throat for breakfast, I switched on the heater and wrapped up.

This was a day where the light tempted me out and the cold tempted me back in.

I remained in.

I worked through another chapter of the book of Amos and wondered how nicely this book fits in with the government of the day.  Both Westminster and Holyrood, and indeed Wales, have corruption at the centre these days.  Being in power is on one hand an opportunity to do good, it is also something people do not like to let go off.  The Westminster power does not appear to have the intellect or political savvy to hold their position, not heled by Boris and Liz obviously.  Nicola has some talent, she ought to be PM not FM, but her weird obsessions may bring her down.  Her gender failure may be too far from Indy for many.  

Next I spent a few minutes pretending to exercise, I will feel the aches in the morning.  And followed this up by dusting!  The stour flew all around, thick clouds filled the house, lost items were recovered, much more exercise was involved, and after this was over I considered hoovering to finish off.  However, instead I made lunch and spent the rest of the day seeking out live pictures from various parts of the world.  I had to, the effort had worn me out.  I realised the bug that hindered my earlier this year was still hanging around.  An underlying weight hindering life.  This has hit the UK hard this year, and while I am quite used to suffering this was for months on end it has come as a shock to all those who used to call me lazy.

I give them no sympathy.

So, I sit smugly here, happy with what has been done, planning tomorrows day, and seeking a decent football game to finish of the day.  As I wait I watch the Blue Tits flitting through the trees, I note the happy attitude that comes with the shorter nights and brighter mornings, and an expectation of Spring soon calling us from afar.  This keeps the news of the Chancellor, multi-millionaire he, who is going to increase our energy prices come April once again.  The Conservatives, the party that cares...

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?  

Mope Monday

 

 

Nothing to do today but recover from weeks of hobbling around too much.

The knees were so painful yesterday I almost went flat on my face when coming down from the heights after taking fotos.  It was easy going up but the camber of the wee hill nearly killed me.  A young lass caught me and the many serving and ex-servingmen looking on kept their contempt to a mere glare.

So tired today, I have done nothing.  No effort was made, no exercise of any sort bar getting up and eating, and that badly, and what requires doing was ignored.  A blissful day, unlike any I have had recently.  

The news appears to revolve around Boris lying about Cop 26, his men lining their pockets or fiddling with the secretaries, and corruption abounding but few care as either they are 'at it' or nothing can be done.  

The bomb blast in Liverpool has heightened expectations of more such atta
cks.  The innocent taxi driver was extremely lucky to escape, the bomb going off while he was inside.  I suspect it was a poor home made device which possibly went off by accident.  Only the Bomber was killed, even the driver was sent home after first treatment.  Four others arrested.  The man in the Hi-Vis jacket who rushed to aid or capture the driver needs commendations also.   

Oh, Shell are moving HQ from the Netherlands to London in a 'show of faith in the UK,' say's the government.  Actually the Netherlands were going to limit their operation due to climate change and increase their taxes, so they ran to where the government cares not about the climate but does care about backhanders.  

Must be bed time...

 

 

 

Monday Spiel

 

Monday Spiel is unavailable as I have been at the Spam meeting at the liberal Club drinking Guiness from tin cans... 

Nothing Monday

 

Monday Maudling

Another day of joy and gladness passes by.  This time the joy comes from visiting the happy smiling lass in Tesco, getting home before the sky turned a dark gray and rain hammered down for a while. Joy yesterday came from trundling down to the church and getting a lift home rather than walking into the stiff chilly breeze.  
How nice to get out again and get back into the old routine.  Speak to friends, get up to date news, place IOU in offering bag, the usual things on a Sunday morning.  Unfortunately I then had to watch far too many poor football games.  I managed however....
Tomorrow is museum day and while I would rather lie in bed still I suppose I must go.  It means I do not have to watch John Bercow put Mrs May in her place.

 

Good old John has dug out a law dating from 1604 that will not allow May to run the same question through parliament for the third time.  Poor May, maybe she will be glad about this, maybe she will seethe.  Either way it is good for the nation.  

But what will happen?  What is going on behind the scenes?  Again the DUP in Northern Ireland are holding out for money, again bribes are on offer, again lesser parties are helpless and again the elite line their pockets while the people suffer.

By the way I notice Mr Farage has launched his 'Walk from Sunderland to London' in support of 'Leave.' I was somewhat surprised, but not much, to learn that he is walking via his helicopter (who pays for that?) while the 'people' follow on the ground.  There is something of the Moseley about Farage, rich, pompous but unlike Moseley he fails to get elected anywhere so why does he get so much publicity I wonder?

   

Off Out...

No blog tonight.
Instead I am of to the Liberal Club to join the church men's meeting where we will discuss things of great importance without any wimmen being there to contradict their men.  This allows for group growth, interdependence, sharing and caring and humour women never understand for some reason.  Being a bar in which several of the men are renown it stop things getting out of hand.  We don't want the curate helped home on his bike again do we...?
Spiritual thoughts any abound but most of the spirit will be in wee glasses (it's cheaper in the club).  
I would actually join this club but then I would be there everyday for dinner and that costs money so I stay at home and eat badly cheaply.  
Today is also 'International Men's Day.'  That as you would expect is ignored by most as men are always ignored.  Apparently women suffer more than men regarding wages, childcare and harassment. Hmmm, so men do not suffer bad wages, deal with children or get harassed by women? This indicates how twisted and feminine dominated the media has become.
We might discuss this meaningfully tonight even if the men fail to mention that when they return home to their dear one indoors... 

Quiet Monday

Some semblance of normality returns to the world today.  Already the remembrance events have fallen down the newspaper page, royalty, celebs, politics and nobody's return to the forefront.  
I suspect many who ventured out to a remembrance ceremony yesterday will fail to make it next year, but maybe I am cynical...?
At least I was able to aid two or three people with info on their family, some family rumours dispelled and others connected to men they never knew but will never now forget.  These people will remember next year.

 
Global warming continues to keep this area full of sunshine, ending only as evening came on, and promising more tomorrow.  My one time dream of living in the joy of happy sunshine filled California besides al the rich folks will never happen now, not just because I am poor but because global warming has destroyed the place.  The cynic rises again and thinks it would be better destroying Las Vegas or such like rather than all these rich folks houses in the woods but maybe that's just me.  Such fires appear to be all too common in a state with poor water management and too many trees.  The land will recover but whether the people will is another thing.

A vain attempt to clean the house ended when I had hoovered the floor and poured bleach into the sinks.  It was all too much to do anything else, such work gets done and then needs done almost immediately again, something ought to be done about it, but I just put it aside and will do it tomorrow...

Daily Trials...

 

The problem about having a busy week is the Monday afterwards there is so much to put right around the house.  For a start I had to run up the road for bread at half seven this morning (the term 'run' is not to be taken seriously) then I had to eat, find my head, decide on the plan of action and begin the day slowly.

  

First there was study to get the day going.  This I now decide is not a good idea when half asleep and crumbs from breakfast litter the laptop!  Someone said the morning is the best tim to think, they I assure you were not getting into bed at eleven at night and waking up at five in the morning to listen to the Shipping Forecast!

As I attempted to cogitate i also did the washing.  Note how I call it 'washing!'  This is unusual as these days I have picked up the English way of calling this 'laundry.'  Scots always refer to the 'washing.'  What is the difference, none at all as these days Mr Zanussi does it very well, especially when I remember to put that liquid stuff in.  

 

After this I also hoovered the floor and cleaned the Loo!  Those wire scrubbers come in usefull at a time like this, I suppose I should do that more often...  There again i would not like to get washday hands would I?

 

As I did so I took advantage to read some of the books piled up in there and it was then that I realised it was her birthday.  My great niece is 18 tomorrow, eighteen, my great niece!  18!

It was bad enough her Mum becoming fifty but she is now 18!

At this point I sat on the floor and wet silently as my life passed me by.

Then to make matters worse, if it could be worse, there was no card suitable.  I had to trail out into the great outdoors and search for a cheap card suitable, naturally there was none available so I had to choose something and paid the vast amount of gold coins required.  I also went into the women's clothes shop where a man worked the desk.  Normally I get the girls vouchers for Xmas in here as this pleases the older ones who then feel young and displeases the younger who see mum in their fashion!  The man was not such a man as I thought, his purplish long nails I thought made working the computerised till difficult, he was however efficient, pleasant and helpful which is of course not what I had been finding in the big towns last week.  So armed with my card, my gift card and my debt I returned home and posted off the black envelope.

   

Much of the rest of the day has been researching people.  The boss is trying to find a relative of someone who donated stuff years back so it can be returned or whatever and we have a contact address but from the eighties!  We have been doing our detective work very badly and going round in circles.  I must Google 'How to find people' and see what I can learn.  The family appear to be still alive, there are as yet no death notices around, I just hope they have not emigrated.

 

Then all that remained was to prepare for the morrow.  Gathering everything bar intellect in one place helps me remember what to take with me.  I often forget to pick it up mind, but age does that. 

 

Ah then there was lunchtime! 

 

Now most of the day is like me, done!  It is time to watch football, any football, from anywhere, featuring anybody, good bad or indifferent, just let's relax and do nothing for a while. 

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Monday Miscellany

Watching the German 4-0 win over Portugal reveals the stupidity of footballers getting themselves sent off and the waste of money that is Ronaldo!  Real Madrid paid around £80 million for this man yet when the chips are down he disappears.  He is no Eusabio that's for sure.
In Iraq we are told the Sunni militants are killing everyone, and they claim to be doing so themselves. Being a cynic I wonder about propaganda but I cannot avoid the fact that this lot are more violent than others we have seen.  The Iraqis claim they have used 'targeted strikes,' which might mean little.  The US move an aircraft carrier into the Gulf.  Joining in is not wise chaps.  Meanwhile an al-Shabbab group attack a tourist area in Kenya killing almost 50 people but get little coverage.  Such groups fatalist attitudes reveal an emptiness at the heart of their beliefs.
Meanwhile Michael Schumacher has been brought out of a coma and moved to a Swiss hospital. This however does not mean his brain has recovered, that will take years if indeed he recovers at all.  I also note Russia has tactfully allowed tanks into East Ukraine and now has turned off the Gas pipes claiming Ukraine owe them millions.  Our gas comes this way also, I hope he doesn't affect us or the privatised pirates here will up the price!  Hackers have stolen thousands of details from Domino's Pizza website and demand vast sums of money to release them. This happened in Belgium not here and shows how easy it is to be robbed online.  Those people claiming to have a thousand or two friends can spread virii very easily.  I have no friends trouble, not having any..... 
The bug has returned today, I am falling asleep constantly being kept awake only by the fragrance of the Rodoh Rhoder the big bush opposite.  It is a fantastic aroma coming in the window.  
Maybe of course I'm just lazy...

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Maudlin Monday

The weather forecast threatened snow but as always it lied!  The snow stayed where it belonged, up north!  Let the Yorkists and the Scots keep what belongs to them - bad weather!  Instead we here in the soft south endured cold, cold rain.  As I crossed the almost deserted park it was indeed dreich.  The rain was coming straight down as I crossed, heavy shopping in hand.  In spite of the lass on the TV claimed it had, "Passed into the North Sea."  Liar!  It passed down my neck girl!  At least there has been no need to keep the heating on today although I did retire to bed for a while to keep warm - just in case.

This bint is filling the news again.  For the next few months we will be fed a daily diet of babies, her health, photographs, speculation, nancy boy 'Royal Correspondents,' boring women informing the world of their opinions on the child, and ceaseless comparisons to Diana from the media.  The sad women who lived their lives through Diana, and now do so through this girl, will be on every radio phone in, every page of the 'Daily Mail,' and the other tabloids.  All the tabloids will be printing those well prepared 'specials' that have been sitting on their PCs waiting to go since the day she married wealth and fame.  I am tempted to point out that the Tories attack the unemployed who have too many children they cannot afford so how about this pair?  They live on benefits (his RAF wage will not pay his way), claiming handouts from the taxes we pay, and doing nothing for society but sell dumbed down papers.  Should we insist she gets a job?  The child will probably be given a Chav name anyway.....

   

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Monday Night

I wore out my typing fingers on the brief 'Lancaster' story on The Past.

So here is a picture of the back end of a traditional English Olde Worlde Curry House.

Monday Morning Lies!

Start the week the way you intend to go on! that is what this government is doing. Today the attention grabbing headline is 'Getting People Off Disability Allowance.'
Goody! But why? Peter Hain appears on TV this morning blethering, in that disreputable manner of his, about the benefits to those receiving such benefits getting back into work. 650,000 vacancies he says, ignoring that most of them are unavailable for the disabled and not in their district anyway, 'Help is available,' true, but not everywhere, and he wax's lyrical about the benefits for those who get back into the workforce.
Jolly good, but all lies!

David Cameron has taken the lead in the publicity stakes so Labour need to get the attention of the 'middle England' voter. How to do this? Attack those on the dole, after all are they not all scroungers? Indeed 60,000 claim disability allowance in Glasgow, vast numbers do so in Liverpool, and many more in the north east of England, non of which are considered 'Daily Mail' territory. Ah the 'Daily Mail,' yes indeed, it is the readers of this paper who matter here. They consider themselves the backbone of the nation, they work for their money, they are concerned to keep it in their grasping paws rather than share it with those in need, and all of them are scroungers who should get a job and 'stop hiding behind their disability anyway!' After all, if they have to work, what is stopping someone who has had an injury, and 'anyway it is not as bad as they make out is it?'

You see the truth is the disabled, or dole scroungers of any type, appeal to the 'middle England' reader, therefore attacking them in this way helps prop up the Labour party and its desperate desire to stay in power. If however Hain decided come on telly claiming tax dodgers were to be dealt with it would lead to a disaster at the polls for the 'Socialist' party. Stop folk cheating on the dole by all means but do not deal with those who evade paying tax! The fact that vast billions is removed from this country to off shore tax havens (yes Mr Lampard we mean you!) and those grossly overpaid rich folks who do this are encouraged by the 'Socialist' leaders because it 'aids the economy' says much for our understanding of 'decency' and the 'fair play' for which this country is 'justly famous!' Those who have are well able to keep what they have, those who are not 'middle class' or part of 'middle England,' and many small business folk are here, fearing the immigrant, terrified they will steal from their shop, not give the taxi driver his tip, and worse, open a business undercutting him. But they feel better when the powers that be stand on those who do nothing for their keep, even if it is not their fault.

A good business idea is to go to Glasgow or Liverpool and sell walking sticks. Thousands use them in and around Glasgow, just in case the camera van is watching them and they lose their dole money. Selling walking sticks at a few pounds a go will make someone's fortune, I wish I could do it but I can't afford the bus fare..............