Bills, Bills, Bills...

To please the greedy EON Electric people I've had to stumble downstairs, then stumble further down the dead leave covered, slippy, narrow steps into the dim, dank basement to check the meter.  Brushing aside the cobwebs I managed to work out the numbers (I always forget what to do), scribbled them down, and looked around at the dingy surroundings.

 

 

I always find myself asking what that space is for?  These houses all begin with one room, added to over the years.  When did they dig the basement?  What went in that alcove?  This extension at the rear was rebuilt when the landlord took possession, possibly in the 1990's, I am not sure of the date.  

Old maps show the previous building extension but do not explain what it was used for.  It may have been used far back in the past but the building was bought from a doctors, they used the house as a surgery, I doubt they kept a pharmacist down here.  

 

The original steps down are seen covered in slime and dust and filled with rubbish donated by ex-tenants.  It never ceases to amaze how people feel free to dump stuff when they leave.  The old maps show the extension but at no time do they mention what it was for.  A wash house perhaps, with no water?  Until 1861 water had to be brought from the pump of course.  Nothing in the old census indicates the occupants employment.  There again it is not always easy to identify the correct name at this address, the census writers were not helpful to folks like me.  The latest 1921 census is only available on 'Find my Past,' a bunch of money grabbing crooks they are too.  To check the census itself, giving many but not all details, is £2:50, a copy costs £3:50.  It was free on Ancestry once you paid you dues!
 

Anyway, the numbers taken, back up the slimy stairs I slipped, ensuring the door is shut from rats and other vermin.  Before I creaked back upstairs I took a poor shot of our Bluebells.  Three of these come out annually, they have possibly been doing this for centuries!  Delicate things, possibly the original British Bluebell's which are illegal to pick these days.  The only Blubell's I knew as a kid were the 'Bluebell Matches' my dad bought to light the cigarettes that killed him.  Those bulbs bought now in garden centres I believe are Spanish.  Not that I would know, but Brexiteers may get annoyed.   

I inserted the numbers, once I found my way through the many pages, sent off the details.  Today I find the new bill, this tells me how much I pay and how I am £7 in credit.  I am never sure how these chancers work these things out, but they always come out on top.  Once, and if, the weather warms up of course much less use to be made of the electric or gas.  Hooray!  More climate warming around here say I.

Thursday Blah!

 

Been affected by a bit of a bug this week.  This meant little was done, so today was spent catching up.  Tesco for foodstuffs, including eggs which I forgot.  Sainsburys for eggs and other things only they have.

I forgot eggs!

Still, washing done, house tidy again, new oven still clean, emails sent, new second hand books delivered, and exhaustion has set in once again.  Though I did forget to eat properly I have just realised.  Tsk!

I just could not stomach watching Boris lying at the House on Wednesday, it infuriates me how he continues to blatantly lie and his party support him.  On Twitter, several who ought to know better give him support.  These use spurious biblical readings to do so, they also do not like the replies offered.  This is because these men, while educated, knowledgeable, and scripture educated, are xenophobic English who do not wish asylum seekers to come to their England.  The Archbishop of Canterbury makes clear the biblical message to 'welcome the alien,' and 'welcome the stranger,' but they use 'Daily Mail' reasoning to oppose this.  There are many 'far-right' Christians it appears in the UK.  Politics has ruined their faith.  I am, by the way, not popular...

With Twitter now becoming Trumps home once again I am looking for a free twitter world to join.  There must be one out there somewhere open to debate without numpties allowed to spue forth Trump nonsense.

 

Straw Hats

 

From a Museum Friends Magazine.

Funny?

 

ANZAC DAY 2022

During the Great War Australia and New Zealand 

provided a great many men for the war.  

 

Some 60,284 Australian men died.

Around 18,000 New Zealand men died. 

Add to this Australian wounded: 155,133.

New Zealand wounded: 41,000.

 

Several thousand others became POWs. 

 

 

Maldon Again

It is not possible to admire blossom unless you have sunshine, this was lacking somewhat as I crossed the park to post another offical document through the council's closed door.   I ventured through the town market early, few around before nine in the morning, bought sherry milk from the store and have remained comatose since.  I am beginning to like it this way.  

Very annoying that the other week I took seevral shots of the 'Yellow' moon and none of them worked.  I used to be able to manipulate the image to give a fair impression of the surface, recently this talent has evaded me and my camera.  I must blame the camera for this, surely it canny be my fault...?

 

 

Several commentated on the Maldon post, (well, two!) and in particular this man Byrhtnoth who led the defence of the nation.  This nation is the one beginning to be called the 'English' nation, though they were 'Saxons,' not 'Angles,' from whom the name derives.  The 'Angles' were found from the Forth to the HUmber, so why did 'Saxons' on the south east coast become 'English?'  Typical England, steal from others and call it your own.

The Scots at this time were busy building hospitals, schools, and benefiting others by spreading Good News and care worldwide...

Here, for those interested, is my previous post from way back, regarding the 'Battle of Maldon.' 

 

A Memory Post

Today is another boring day.  The highlight was taking the rubbish down for collection tomorrow and eating a bad lunch.  This comprised a (reduced price) veggie lunch which claimed to be a 'Turkey Wheat Protein' thing.  Having cooked it, been scared by the noise of the alarm that I forgot was on the oven, and chewed my way through this 'wheaten' mass, I came to the conclusion that it was in fact bread!  This I reckoned because of the word 'Wheat.'  Take wheat, mix with various things, add nuts, cook forever, and wonder why you did not just make a thick sandwich?  'Thick' was a word going through my mind.  Maybe I ought to read the labels better rather than just look at the price?

Anyway, here is an old picture of what was once a thriving port called Maldon.  A few years since I was there last, and I kind of miss being by the sea, even if it is just this little estuary.  Ships did sail far from here in times past, a great many of the Barges sailing up the Thames to London carrying various goods, often agricultural to London, other goods in return.  Huge loads often on the barges but only two men usually operating the vessel.  

Like Maldon the two railway museums will have been missing visitors.  This very evocative view of the water tower at the Colne Valley Railway reminds me off a good day there before Covid.  Quite quiet that day so it was possible to get around with little trouble.  A trip on the DMU was included, though we did not go far, and plenty to see for a museum with so little space.  I like that sort of museum.

 

When in Colchester one time I came upon this school.  It had a very attractive 1920's type building (possibly earlier) and above the doors there were signs indicating for whom the doors belonged.  We had nothing like this on our 1932 primary, though we were segregated into boys and girls, and today sadly the kids are mixed together at all times.  I disagree with this as male and female are made differently, boys and girls need to play with their own kind and this forced mixing is not good.  Even if they were separated on say, Tuesday and Thursday only, this would enable them to develop much better.  

The results of present day cohesion are all around us, boys who think they are girls, girls who think they are boys.  Confusion reigns in many young minds rather than being allowed to be what you are made.  Good grief that gives enough problems anyway, why did women teachers insist on this as it does no-one any good.

 

How many of you still have one of these lying around the house?  That is, hidden in a cupboard, unsused and with nothing to add it on to.  I have one in a cupboard, I have records, mostly scratched, and possibly ruined by the cold weather.  No way of playing them now.  However, many people are buying such records, money can be made, but I am not parting with mine...

Another Boring Day

 

How unusual to have no need to rush today.  Instead I sit here, fed and watered, while others rush past to work at pace, an occasional bus ferries its anxious load to the bus station, overhead Ryanair takes a mixture of businessmen and frolic seekers to Nuremberg or Turkey, the aircraft glinting in the bright sunshine.  A well breakfasted wood pigeon settles down in the tree branch opposite to warm up in the sun, in the distance a faint chainsaw like sound indicates work is continuing on the latest council white elephant, while dog walkers find hard work in leading their small dog in the direction they wish to go, but are failing miserably.  Another day has started, the workers employed, the 'elder citizens' less so, as it ought to be.  I spend a few minutes wiping the new oven, something it is unlikely to get used to, and contemplate the day ahead.  Rising at dawn is fun but leaves me asleep by lunchtime.

I decided to return the empty bottles to the recycling bins.  These stand helpfully in Sainsburys car park, helpful to Sainsburys more than to people I imagine.  Being lazy I lifted the lid and dumped my collection in noisily.  The clattering of glass reminds me of a normal Saturday night in Glasgow.

Foolishly I wandered into town, rather than the other way to cross the park.  This meant I found myself in tesco buying milk, and one or two other bits.  All this because I wish to try out the new oven!  

However, the best bit of the day was sleeping after lunch.

Why is it the sleep at midday is always more satisfying than the one we have during the night?   Especially when during the night I awoke at 4:55 and could not sleep until 6:30 when I gave up and rose.  This meant all morning while the sun shone I wearily went through the routine, awaiting lunchtime snooze.  No doubt I will not sleep tonight because of this!

So, another boring day to report.  Tomorrow will be similar as I need to rest my aches again.  Such joy to look forward to.

Oh, and I notice that the great revolt of Tory backbenchers has meant the Tories withdrew from opposing the Labour motion forcing Boris to appear before the House Committee.  Boris has lost far too many backbenchers, including one or two of the ERG, and this looks bad for him.  It may all fall apart soon.

Oven Warm, Boris Hiding

Today at 4 pm the boys were to arrive and deal with the oven problem.  

As expected, they arrived at 12 noon!  

I am well aware of their timekeeping!  

However, a quick look at the oven, a few screws undone, a quick unplug from the electric, and soon the old was out and shortly after the process reversed and the new installed.  

Not only new, but clean!  

Take a good look, it will not be like this forever!  

Not only clean but 'fan assisted,' whatever that means.  Now my chicken is slowly either cooking or burning, as yet I know not which.  Soon I will be able to test the fire alarms once again by rudimentary cooking principles.  

A good landlord is better than a mortgage any day.  

 

 

Boris was lying to the House again today, as expected.  

The 'Whips' are demanding all Conservative MP's turn up for the vote on Thursday to prevent Boris being forced to answer to the Conservative led Committee regarding his lying to the house, among other things.  

Will any refuse?  Will we never be rid of this man?  Even Tories want him out, only UKIP and National Front wish him to remain.  Whatever happens here on May 5th the local elections will see massive losses for the Tory Party, and Boris may have to face the music then.

Today he flew of to India, warmer than hiding in a fridge.  He climbed the stairs carrying a 'red box,' just for a photo op.  PMs do not carry their own boxes!

 

 

A Hard Day's Work

Dog tired today.  Ache everywhere, so much to do and so little desire to do it.  My only wish is to return to bed.  However, work must be done so, twice I set the washing machine in motion, twice!  Things are damp and half dried everywhere.   I hope the neighbours were out!  It appeared quiet, and at least the washing will not be done again this week.

I also contacted the landlord re the oven, they are usually good and will fix this tmorrow  afternoon if they can.  A new one, or maybe second hand one, will be installed.  Fine by me.  This one must have been here 15 - 20 years, and has worked quite well, though I noticed the thermostat was not always top notch a wee while back.  Still, for me it was OK, a proper cook may have fussed sooner.  There again a proper cook would have cleaned it more often!

After a trip to Tesco for the things only they stock, the rest off the day has been spent feeding my face on the things only they stocked, followed by large helpings of chocolate in a desperate drive to find sugar to give energy.  Occasionally energy appeared, occasionally a tooth crumbled.  

It was worth it.  

Tomorrow will be sleep day, no need to go out and merely await the man in the afternoon.

Life is so exciting round here....

 

I read the MP's are to debate Boris's partygate on Thursday.  I wonder if any will have the guts to vote against him?  I wonder what demands are being made behind the scenes for him and for individual MP's benefit?  Certainly lying and deceit remain in the air.  No sign of any leading figure rising to state honesty and integrity at this point.  If he did this would be fatal for the PM and possibly change the party back into a Conservative one and not the new National Front.  This however, we know will not happen.