End of World Cup 2018

Well praise the Lord that's over!
I was beginning to think it would never end.  For weeks I have been trapped indoors while watching people kick lumps out of one another in an endeavour to win this trophy.  Now at last I can save electricity and switch the TV off until something else important comes along, like another football match.  The TV will be used sparingly once again as the fifty or so channels offered by Freeview are mostly junk and a sad reflection on human kind.
Good things came out of the WC this time however, the enthusiastic flag waving of the English as their team headed for another anti-climax was worth watching, as indeed was the come down when they got stuffed.  The overall performances were reasonably entertaining and the use of VAR to determine decisions enabled lots of argument.  In the end Croatia were robbed by such a system and lost out to a decent but far from great French side.
Now, when does the real football begin...?

 

He has left the country and it has not been a moment too soon. Interesting that reportedly Prince Charles and his son William were supposed to consort the queen during his visit but both refused!  A game of golf with Andrew was cancelled and few wished to be associated with him unlike Obama who had them queuing up to meet him.  This is why the queen met the ignorant oaf alone, a very unusual happening, just as well Philip was unable to be there as he would have made his opinion known. 

On his way out Trump failed to reveal where he obtained the £200 million he spent on a failing golf course in Ayrshire.  There again we know little about how he gets his money and if indeed he actually has any money.  Trips to small tyrannical rich men may well have obtained cash for him but the question must be is it his and what has he done for it.  Maybe we will see his tax returns soon also. His meeting with Putin will not equal the dim Regans meeting with Gorbachev, once again a foreign leader has Trump hanging on a piece of string.  Watching Trump reminds me of Robert Maxwell and I wonder if he too will one day disappear off his or someone else's yacht any time soon.

Another Book Finished

Blunden's war memoirs are not like other peoples.  They discuss his two years as a young officer spending time at all the best places, Bethune, Ypres, Somme etc, his regiment the 11th Royal Sussex being moved from one jolly spot to another.  With each move less and less of the original members remain and the 'feel' of the regiment alters as time passes.  
It is that 'feel' rather than a day by day account of war that we find in the book.  Some go into great detail of battles and the regiment and the people involved yet while those are clear enough Blunden wishes to write for those that were there as they alone will understand what life was like at war.  The book offers many asides in passing, the dead lying around a battlefield from six months or more before, the description of Ypres or the Somme, the broken villages in comparison to those well behind the line and of course the comradeship of a battalion facing daily danger.  'The 'feel' of being there is real and it is understandable that many regard this as the greatest war book of its kind.

 

Blunden later claimed he had survived two years at the front because of his small stature which is unlikely.  He did avoid serious injury although on several occasions he walked away from a portion of trench which then received a direct hit causing losses.  In writing this book he does mention his venture forward on patrol one cold dark night at Thiepval where he and his batman accidentally came upon the enemy front line.  In the dark they two face the fire of an enemy believing they were under attack and therefore unleashed a torrent of rifle, machine gun and a variety of artillery shells upon the foe.  The foe, both of them, ran helter skelter in the dark desperate for their nearest dug-out and eventually falling into one at some distance.  Working their way slowly back to base they were greeted, much later, with surprise as the sheer scale of the response convinced their Colonel that they were dead.  The enemy action meant a planned attack, one the battalion did not wish to make, was cancelled and Blunden mentions this in his book also later revealing his batman obtained a Military Medal for his part.  Blunden forgets to mention the Military Cross he was awarded also.    
His poetry is attached at the end of this book.  Sassoon believed the war had affected Blunden more than any other poet, which is saying something, and his poetry is amongst the best of the war.
I liked this book and recommend it to any who know something about the war.

     
Here we see the England side sneaking home after the anti-climax of their world cup venture.  While the media grasped at the famous victory that was never to be the hopes rose and flags abounded everywhere.  
None are seen today.
The excuses abound instead, some media attack the manager, players and anyone but themselves but as yet quite gently, after all it is not truth these people offer but what they consider the public wish to hear.  As soon as possible they will stick the knives in, none can escape.
Still, it's been a giggle innit...?

Nice Day...

As I teetered my way up to Sainsburys this morning I glanced around the slowly filling car park and failed to notice any English flags today.  Possibly they were all over in the corner, beside the recycling bins...?  The social media was far from sociable today, only Scots, Welsh and Irish appeared keen to comment on last nights game, sullen resentment appearing to be the approach from English quarters.  I like that!   One chap gave the sad "Scotland didn't get there" reply and I saw him off with "UKIP are raging!"  Now he will not speak to me, him being black and that I mean...
However the suggestion that Nicola Sturgeon ought to make July 11th a national holiday in Scotland has as far as I know not yet been debated in the Scots Parliament.

A man masquerading as a US president has been found wandering the streets of the English capital surrounded by high security.  Police for many areas have been drafted in to protect the public and Humphrey the Downing Street cat has hidden itself away after hearing comments about Trump and his love of 'pussy.'  
There have been some daft US presidents, in the 19th century one or two were not exactly civilised, but in recent days we have become used to a more sophisticated politician than the market trader now in that office.  Others have brought opposition, Reagan and Dubya among them but none have been regarded in such a low manner than this lout.  What a shame for decent Americans.

Apart from ensuring Englishmen suffer I have done little but waste away today.
I think it was worth it!

Weekend

The heat is terrible!
This does not suit me, I am so glad the football forces me to stay inside.  Indeed when there is no football I must stay inside and do the things undone by watching the football.  Actually few got done but the place smells better once the windows are opened.
Not much in the news, not counting the £319,000 given to the Scots Tories from an 'unknown' source, that is someone not recognised, with no apparent offices and therefore who are they and why such a donation?  It appears the Scots media ignore this as they do so many other things.
Michael Gove by the way has made it clear the many millions given by the EU for Scots farmers is not available to Scots farmers, it appears to no longer appear.
Then they complain Scots don't support England at the World Cup!
So many around here cannot understand why Scots, Welsh and Irish should grumble, this reveals an amazing lack of understanding on their part and this is also a reflection on the papers they read.
 
Interesting that after the hype that flowed merrily when England defeated the worst team in the World Cup this all dissipated overnight after the England and Belgian squad teams met and England lost.  Those many cars and vans flying England flags appear to have disappeared since then.  Heads down and even Germany going home has not lifted the spirits.  How strange this is, England see Germany as their rivals!  Germany does not see England is this way, I suspect they regard Italy, France, Brazil, Spain and the like as their rivals but the English imperialist never dies. 
However I have enjoyed many games and several great goals today alone.  Those goals remind me of how I used to play...

Monday Mutterings...

Suddenly life is a healthier place.  
The football has shifted from one O'clock to three thus allowing more time for sleep and getting things done.  The ironing for one has been finished completely, well apart from one forgotten item, and the pile has been there for some time.  Even the rubbish has been put out, the only time I stepped out into the hot sunshine today, and to celebrate the new spare time I have left everything else for later.
That is how a good housewife works.

Boris has done a runner!  Our Foreign Secretary ought to be in the House tonight voting for the governments plan to create another runway at Heathrow airport.  However what does a politician do when he has told his constituents in wealthy Uxbridge & South Ruislip that he would 'Lie down in front of the bulldozers to stop the expansion' but tonight when he ought to be voting against this government for his constituents he has fled to Afghanistan!  No doubt this was arranged long ago, about 24 hours after the vote was announced, and this will be important in terms of world affairs but his constituents who do not want more aircraft over their heads may think differently.  These are of course the very people who fly from Heathrow on holidays to far flung places and conduct their business overseas whenever it suits them, they are the last folks to wish flights over their heads.
It appears Theresa May, whom you may have heard off, has a constituency in Maidenhead, this lies directly under the flight path!  Until recently she was totally opposed to the enlargement of Heathrow and is scrambling to delete her evidence but it remains available to geeks and now she is totally in favour.  Never trust a politician on the make!

Tough Day!

The cruel, cold-bloodied women who boss me around forced me to stay on at work today.
The afternoon lass has gone on holiday again and none were available to cover except myself.  I did indicate to the harridans that Columbia were playing Japan (an exciting match it turned out to be) and if I stayed I would miss this.
She replied by kicking my ankle and saying "Stay if you know what is good for you!"  I am not sure this is in keeping with good management practice. 

The day had started badly.  The central heating upgrade was still in progress and yesterday (the museum is closed on Monday's) the men had moved half the shop to get the cables for the new radiators in place.  My first job was to replace everything, and I mean everything!  First of course this meant finding where it had all been put before putting it into some sort of order.  
This however was held up by the arrival of a small excellent school. 
This in the middle of a muddle, electricians wandering about, things everywhere bar where they ought to be and a school to teach.  It could not get any worse, but it did!  Visitors arrived!  A group came to see the exhibition in amongst the clutter and children yapping away.  This however they coped with and even bought things, so well done to them.
I merely continued restructuring the shop knowing that tomorrow when Boss 3 gets back she will change everything round again as she always does.  Humph!  Still I managed this hard work, breathing heavily to the delight of two female visitors, I know not why, and realised I must up the fitness striving.  

The work done, note no new photos, I returned to my tepid cup of tea and attempted to interest two women in buying the stuff I had re-installed.  They bought one card instead.
Having done all I then finished a small job, cutting wool for Boss 2 intended for a kids project she in engaged in.  This done I sat, and how I sat.
By now it was lunchtime and as I ought to be heading off the Boss 1 came by and kicked my ankle again and suggested I eat as I was going to miss the football and I ought to stop crying over this.  So I sat and ate my egg bap and prepared for a quiet afternoon with no football.  Then I realised I may be in luck.  By getting my egg roll from the cafe the boss had covered me at the desk, she left the computer on so I raced onto the BBC and found the game there!  Of course when it starts it asks 'Have you a TV Licence?' and as I have one I click 'Yes!' and continued.  The manager (Big Boss) glared at me when I informed him of this and he began to mutter about check ups etc.  I merely smiled as I knew he would sort it.  
It was then I realised sneaky boss 2 had been back in and filled the wool bag with a huge ball of wool for me to cut up for the kids.  This when watching football!!!  Have these wimmen no heart?  I say no as another volunteer entered to collect something and stood there yapping for ten minutes as I strained to watch Japan stuffing Columbia.  She knew what  she was doing!  Bah!
At four, with lots of cut red wool all over the place I left hoping to catch the beginning of the second game of the day.  Naturally I would not as a couple came in at ten to four holding us up by asking questions and meaning I did not get out until after four.  Home by quarter past dead beat, bruised and satisfied with another happy day at the museum.
Isn't life grand...?

Thoughts...

Sometimes you can see a divorce coming.  
Melania Trump has spoken out against separating children from parents when caught crossing the border from Mexico into the USA illegally.  I suspect none crossed while Mexico were putting Germany in their place yesterday.  Her husband, who is the President of the United States incredibly, has decided each who cross must be imprisoned and as children cannot go to adult prisons this means they are separated fro their parents.  This is similar to the Victorian Workhouse idea Jeremy Bentham and his mates gave us.  Christian care and general human kindness do not appear in either situation.
However it is her speaking out like this, added to her not appearing alongside him at all times that raises the gutter press question as to whether she is working towards a million pound divorce.  Here I find that I must be reading the 'Daily Mail' to much as it leads me to such speculation.  I await a tweet from the White house (burned down by the British forces in 1812) to deny any rift as 'fake news' while at the same time setting the lawyers, CIA and FBI to follow his wife.

  
Another attempt to keep Brexit out of the news.  This time Theresa has promised to spend £20 billion on the NHS over a period of time, a period of time in which she will not be there.  This has much coverage in her press with the right wing swivel eyed loons chortling over it all and Labour muttering something in the corner but lets face it who cares what they say these days.  
It is of course a lie!   
This money will come from the Brexit profit, while in fact Brexit will bring economic disaster and she knows it.  Just another lie to feed the troops desperate to believe in spite of facts.  There is more truth coming out of Ibrox park media these days than coming from 10 Downing Street and that is saying something!

With the football taking up a little bit of time I have not been able to do much except rush to the shops for food (and bird seed) and glance at the outside world which mad me glad I am inside again!
So much to do, so little time before kick off!   They want me to work tomorrow and miss Columbia playing Japan, are these women mad???

Three Down...

Three games finished, one almost worth watching but not quite and another about to disappoint.
No time to do anything else...
I might have a bath in a months time..

At Last!

At last something to watch on TV!
The World Cup 2018 has begun and for the next wee while we have three games a day to fill the screens.  How lovely!  Well that said I must state that this first game is living up to the usual forst game in a world cup, it's rubbish!  
We have had the prelude, with Robbie Williams of all people, drawling while some dafties performed around him.  That nice Mr Putin spoke about being careful of the doorhandles in the hotels while staring down at the Ukrainian representative.  For some reason the image I saw was of that nice Mr Hitler opening the 1936 Olympics, maybe that's just me?
The first game has gone as feared.  The Saudi's are full of zeal and the Russians, no great deal here, are well on top having scored two easy goals (as we speak).  The early games are often full of fear as no-one wishes to lose a goal so as yet I see little excitement approaching.  I will however check it out just in case.

This morning, long before you lot were up, with the dawn chorus in my ears I ate breakfast.  Having burned eggs in the microwave I made coffee and sat there wondering who was burning plastic.
I soon realised it was me.
Somehow the hob rear had turned on!  I didn't do it, but it was on. 
This was unfortunate for the plastic container of biscuits was sitting on that hob ring hiding from the sun coming through the window.  I grabbed the metal ladle more used to scraping eggs from the pan and scraped the melting morass from among the by now thick pungent smoke that was filling the place.  This I threw into a bowl of water and removed the rest slowly dumping it also in the water to cool.  All the while choking on the fumes which I must say were very strong!  Quite how firemen cope with that in real time amazes me.
It took a long time to remove most of the smoke, the smell is still clearly noticeable, and the ring might be almost clear for the moment but I suspect requires more work.  Good job I never use that one.  
How stupid!  How on earth did I manage to turn the hob on?  
At least had the Robin entered at the time he would have had several open windows to leave by!