Thrush and Sunak

It is the time of the year to look up and listen.  Last night, as I was bemoaning the lack of football on TV, I heard this boy sing.  (It may be female, I don't know)  How wonderful is the sound of a Thrush in the evening, or perhaps a Blackbird, lots of them around here as always.  So far tonight he has not shown up, too early, and the sun is still shining high in the sky.  I suspect he, and his mates, will be seeking the late worms and other beasties that manifest themselves at this time of year.  Walking around today I noticed again the Swifts overhead.  Maybe they were House Martins, but I am sure they are swifts.  They all move to fast to check!

 

 

I saw them when I was returning from 'Poundland' & 'B&M.'  I had gone to stock up on the £1 imitation Daz, and cheap bleach.  However, there were huge gaps in the shelves.  While filled as well as could be expected it was clear stocks were low.  So I left 'Poundland' and went next door to 'B&M' where a similar situation was to be found.  It is clear Brexit and the huge costs, let alone the amount of paperwork, has taken its toll on shops importing all their goods from China.  Another Brexit Dividend I assume?

 

In spite of all the denials, all it took was a report from Sue concerning lots of parties at No 10 to enable the Chancellor to hand out the cash to the needy.  While this is beneficial, I ask, is this the best method?  Certainly this will help many, but for those on benefits how far will £650 go between a family of four, especially if they are not the wisest?  I suppose Boris can now claim to be doing something, however, nobody believes him.

I wonder, if he stood down who would replace him?  The leading lights are lights that are very dim, and no proper leader will wish to take control, especially as the next election will be a disaster for the Tories.  So, step forward Liz Truss!  This is your moment, take control, spend two years being worse than Boris, lose the election and allow a real Conservative to return, if there are any left...

 

Mr Putin and Hot Water Bottles

 

With that nice Mr Putin sabre rattling along the Ukraine border, well I suppose as he has the Crimea he is actually sabre rattling inside Ukraine, I have come up with a winning idea to end his power, this is based on his gas pipeline.

Hot Water Bottles!

This excellent article in the 'Low Tech Magazine,' leads me to believe by artful use of these devices we can save the world. All we need to do is give every citizen two Rubber Hot Water Bottles and immediately see the gas and electric bills come hurtling down.  A hot bottle at the back, one at the feet, a cup of tea and a wee blanket over the knees and the majority of the citizens (or 'subjects of Her Majesty' if you are a royalist) will find the cold weather no longer a problem.  Their heating bills will end, their various body ailments will resolve themselves quicker, and the only cost will be heating the kettle to fill the bottles.  That will not cost much, though the water companies might become confused if they find more money coming in, this may lead to them investing in infrastructure rather than pouring sewage into the local rivers and beaches.  

By using an old kettle alongside the one for making tea it would be possible to keep reusing the water also, this too would save money.  Kerchiiing!

Of course the bottles will have to come from China, this may upset the balance of payments but I doubt anyone would notice as under this government Brexit has already destroyed the economy, apart from the bit where Tory donors have made a killing.  

A slight problem may also be the ship loads of containers required being held up at Felixstowe.  

For a start the ship will have to wait outside for many days before unloading, then there is the paperwork, much of which being in Chinese will be easier to understand than the paperwork written hastily by a tired civil servant somewhere in Whitehall, more probably at home while fighting the children, the dog, the cat, the wife).  Several long days, not counting weekends, Covid staff shortages, shortage of lorries, trains delayed by staff shortages, and computer failure later the bottles may well be on their way.

Councils, the NHS, and friends of Boris will be willing to help ensure the right people get the bottles.  The Councils and the NHS will be diligent in their operation, quite what will happen to the  containers sent to Tory donors in Norfolk and Suffolk where the rich live might not make the BBC news.  

This is such a good idea that already I am looking forward to my knighthood, or even better, seat in the House of Lords.  A Peerage would be the least of my rewards, especially as I have given the Boris Party £50 as a bribe donation to ensure this project goes through.  

All around the nation will be warm, and as I sit dozing at £350 a day on the red benches, I will be comforted by the many letters, e-mails, newspaper columns and TV and Radio personalities congratulating me on my winning idea!  Warm tinglng toes around the nation everywhere, except gas and electric energy companies of course, they might be shivering a wee bit.

Tsk!

 

FreeImages

 

Instructed to 'get some fresh air' to remove sluggishness I opened the windows.  This, I expected, to bring a fresh cleansing breeze through the house.  However, with a west wind all that was brought was the colossul amount of pollution that London, further to the west, emits.  Clearly congestion is not easing in the big city.  

Instead, I forced myself for a walk, masked but not from Covid, just to keep warm, and wandered across the park, into town and spent money in 'Poundland.'  Such a useful shop, I am so glad they do gift cards, it saves money at Christmas, but it was sad to see the shelves half empty.  I am not sure if this is caused by a lack of goods coming from China, though as most of their stock begins there that is likely, or whether they are considering closing down.  Imagine 'Poundland' going bust?