Euro, Cycling, Gunmen etc

All this Euro football is wearing me out.  Not that the games are that exciting, indeed I have been disappointed with the show so far and this afternoon I spent more time ironing shirts for what I call work than watching Spain struggle against the Czech Republic.  Three games a day at the moment and few really exciting incidents.
However the fitness of such young men was in my mind as I struggled up the old railway this morning.  The slope was steeper today than yesterday, do you think they were working on it to spite me?  Monday brings a different crowd from the weekend as a few have to walk the dog before work and others are met cycling past in haste, especially downhill, to get in before seven o'clock. I joined the retired set and the 'so late it's not worth rushing set' as I dawdled downhill on my way home.   
How would fit footballers find this slope?  Considering that forty years ago most footballers idea of healthy eating was fish and chips, which indeed are good for you, and two or three or more pints of beer, which are less kind, I suspect older footballers would struggle and today's athletes would find cycling up here very easy indeed.  The transformation in footballers fitness is quite something, all based on proper exercise and eating habits.  Must stop, the chips are burning...

    
Ignoring the news for the most part these days gives me a much better understanding of the world around us.  It avoids the news being forced down the throat and allows us to stand back and consider the news we do see.  Take the fuss over the latest mass killing in the US for instance, lots of reactions in the media and much condemnation for those who do not react, also in the media.  This of course is because this time the gunman (I refuse to say 'shooter') chose a gay bar as his target therefore as we know this makes this killing worse in the medias eyes than if it was a run of the mill school shooting.
The With little news other than a killing and the continuing but boring referendum lies the hack journalists must be delighted with a an outrage they can get their teeth into, much lamenting, a great many stories (some true) and an opportunity to ask the eternal 'Why?' question that they know will not be answered.  Others have jumped on the bandwagon, Nicola Sturgeon the Scots First Minister has flown the gayboys flag outside the Scots Parliament in a show of support.  She of course has a deluded view that she can introduce a 'third gender,' and this also gets her support from the younger chattering classes around her, even the English queen sent a message though to be honest she usually does this in any disaster but it is not often quoted.
The arguments rage concerning the motives, hatred of gays, Islamic terrorism or just another unbalanced crank?  Well of course the answer is all three.  This guy was it appears, and I have not tried to delve deeply into the half truths and lies published concerning him, this guy appears to have been influenced by some 'radical' preachers offering an ISIS type approach to Islam, he also was possibly a bit slow in understanding but as he was born in Afghanistan I believe his culture has not developed into a normal US culture.  A culture that carries guns and often shoots people.
Guns, the carrying of anything outside a small pistol in a town or city where there are no dangerous animals walking the streets would be banned in any sensible nation, in the US however almost anyone can walk into a gunshop and leave with a Kalashnikov or even a Second World War anti aircraft gun if they so choose, this must be seen as absurd but for reasons of their own it isn't seen that way by the National Rifle Association!  Carrying a nail file onto an aircraft is seen as dangerous, carrying a sub machine gun is however OK to them!  These are the people who will vote for Trump!
Was this gunman anti gay?  Probably.  Was he an ISIS terrorist?  Probably not but certainly impressed by them.  Was he under orders?  I doubt it, he was just doing what he understood to be his duty before his god.  Such a shame he did not discuss this with others, as is often the case such people act individually with no contact with any varying opinion.
Forty people are dead, possibly more depending on which paper you read, much pain and sorrow is left behind.  While many grieve the gay lobby is making the most of the opportunity to gather support and suppress opposition as they always do.  I wonder if they condemned the killing of just as many in Turkey a short while ago, or the treatment of migrants in several European countries?  It is  a sad fact but this nation and the west in general lives under a fear of Islamic terrorism yet forgets and under reports the plain truth that more Muslims are killed by Muslims than anyone else!
Shia kill Sunni, Pakistan has seen hundreds of thousands killed yet we offer no sympathy, wars in Iraq and Syria are encouraged and paid for by Islamic states (and we give the bombs to Saudi to drop of Yemen's children) and horrendous treatment is offered in many Islamic countries to their own people yet we tend to fear killings here
I fifty people have died here it is a tragedy however thousands have been killed by everyday Americans this year alone and it is taken for granted!  The US Police have killed more than any terrorist this year that's for sure!
I'm irked because the gay lobby are taking advantage of this tragedy while elsewhere suppressing people who disagree with them, I'm irked because people use tragedy for political or personal advantage, I'm irked because until we give ourselves in repentance to Jesus this will continue, lie after lie and tragedy after tragedy.   

On a lighter note I did not get knocked off my bike by a horse on the bridleway this morning.  Finding horses that early is hard in these parts.  Finding ducks at the pond was also difficult, I could hear them making gruff noises but could not see them for the undergrowth.  How lovely that growth is at this time of year.  The overnight rain brought out the deep atmospheric aroma vegetation offers, birds of many kinds singing in the trees enlightens the mood and knowing the trip is downhill now and I will not be impersonating the wee J5 engines that used to puff up and down the slope cheers me greatly.  Getting fit is a good idea but it is killing me!

More Carnival and Euros!

The fashion of today often passes me by.  This one is something I have heard of but do not understand.  I did not ask him to explain as I did not wish to be seen talking to a green box!

The theme was 1960's and some of the kids appeared a little bewildered by what was on offer.  The suggestion they should 'ask grandad' was not appreciated by the granddad's in the crowd!
 

All beamed happiness throughout the day!
 

This flash piece of American tin was the only fancy car to arrive this year.  Essex is full of such vehicles but I think there was a car show about ten miles away which will have drawn them to stand there and show themselves off to the crowd. 
 

In between trucks featuring majorettes and their appalling dance music there arrived these excellent musicians who's name I missed sadly, who offered the best beat off the day!  Super stuff, proper music and I wish their vehicle had been held up rather than those playing the guff stuff.
 

Some found it a bit loud however.  I suspect had mum suggested she ought to come down this lass would have rejected the idea just the same.
 

All attempted to collect money for a local charity, one is selected each year, and all did their best to gather the cash from the happy to pay populace.  Sadly we were too far away...
 

Some of course could not take the pace...
 

The weather was there but it behaved itself until today.

Dank indeed it was this morning but I surprised myself as well before you were up I managed to climb the slope to the village.  Three days ago I hardly made it round the corner yet today it was all go, slowly that is.  

Few dog walkers and a couple of individuals only, how I love the early morn when I can wake up and see it!  These posts tell the walkers where they are on this route and a jolly good idea they are too.  Not that I understand much about the symbols.  Agriculture and spinning makes sense but why is the man hoovering I wonder?

The abundant rain has at least given abundant vegetation.  Grasses and wild flowers are everywhere and this beauty stood out from the greenery around it.  More dank damp grasses tomorrow up that way I fear.  I need the exercise to be fit for the Euros!

Weather, Euro 16, Carnival!

The weather being better and my knees being in agreement I toddled around slowly on the bike early yesterday morn.  The aches from this were noticeable this morning as I tried the same trick once again.  However even though the bright and hot sunshine has dissipated somewhat it was decent enough to trundle around for half an hour on the dilapidated bike.  It is always good circling around early in the morning, better when the weather is sunny, the world is different then.  People are often friendlier, quiet streets make movement easy, the near silence allows birds to be heard and today one cat desperately looking for a mate.  Now I am beginning to feel the benefits of slight exercise the weatherman, nasty piece of work that he is, has informed us rain is on the way.  Don't it make you sick!

The football started last night and many things disappointed.  From what little I saw of the opening ceremony I was once again aghast at the irrelevance to what was to follow.  Banal empty music loudly ringing out while absurd and needless dancers bounced about an even more absurd layout.  Why not have some football connection to this?  How about young kids kicking the ball or playing 'keepie up?'  This stuff is rubbish.
The game itself was not worth paying for.  France ought to be winning this tournament and Romania were well on top of them at times.  Disappointing starter game though the winning goal was superb! Today Wales play Slovenia and I will watch this while later England get beat by Russia, that I will enjoy...

The carnival usually has a band of some sort at the front and this year these imitation guardsmen did an excellent job of leading the parade.  The usual assortment of floats, majorettes and other carnival queens passed by.  Thousands lined the streets, well half the population, there is little else going on and kids love it, the sun came out and we all had a laugh.  Money is collected towards a good deed but unfortunately we were out of reach of the buckets catching donations.
  

You are asking "What...?"  I am answering with a shrug.
  

This float carried those deemed 'learning difficulties'  however these two lassies were far from that and just enjoying their time on the float.  how much wine had they before the show I ask?

  
A large group of scooter fans gather weekly in town and they are always present.  This year they were at the back where the smoke filled the air!
I am so busy watching football, Russia are disappointing me badly here, that I am unable to show more of these - until tomorrow!

Euro 16

So the European Championships are upon us at last!  We have waited eons since the end off the last season for some football action - that's about ten days as far as I can see!  Now tonight football returns.  Of course Scotland did not bother going this time as the hotel bills were considered too
 expensive by the SFA suits.  Instead we Scots simply check who England is playing and give them our support. This time it is Russia, a team that can be either great or feeble, Slovenia, who fail to make it but play well and Wales our Celtic cousins who at least have one or two decent players and I look forward to encouraging them to stuff the English imperialists right and proper!
Of course neither will win the thing, France, Germany, Spain and Italy must always be the front runners and one or two others will be able to challenge them this time.  The two Irish sides will put up a good show, scared of no-one and with nothing to lose they will have a hard time as they meet decent sides but hopefully they will put on a good show.
English folks around me are dubious about their chances so I am helpfully indicating to them just how rotten they are in the hope that their depression will stop the needless press hype that follows England everywhere.  The English press work on the principle that they call them 'heroes' and 'greats' and when they lose the knife is then stuck in and they crucify them, objective fact is ignored to sell grubby papers.
At least there will be something to watch in the evening as the sun goes down.

At this point I was going to scribble a new topic of enduring importance however I notice it is getting near time for the first game tonight so I must go and prepare..... 

Newsworthy, No!

I watched the headlines on the 6 o'clock TV news and lost interest in the full stories.  

This nation is obsessed with the EU Referendum, or at least the media is, the media is of course almost entirely controlled by Conservative types or self made billionaires on the make.  The slanted half truths and lies never end and real facts are hard to find however these two sites may help 'Reality Check' or 'Kings College.'

The rest of the news was typical of the times, worthless space filling.  How limited and controlled the media are, sometimes by governments, often by rich media bosses on the make and all influenced by the need to sell and all the while listening to each and every lobby group that appears.   "Facts, Facts, facts," said Mr Grandgrind!  No chance today unless you search the web.

Mostly these days I hear the news on the wireless via Radio 3 as this is short, well read and tells us we need to avoid listening to the drivel that longer news programmes offer. 

 

I dreampt about buying a new house again today.  It's not that I have bought a house, it's just that I dreampt about it once again.  There are two problems with bringing this dream into reality, one is the need to find £500,000 (that's half a million!) against my bank balance of £47: 23p.  The other problem is the man who lives there at the moment.  For entirely selfish reasons he refuses to move out and let me move in.  Indeed he was keen to strongly make the point he would move out only 'over my dead body.'  This I offered to help him with but he demurred.  Pity as it is a nice place with a nice garden.

Quite how anyone can buy under this grasping government beats me.  The lowest price here is £62,000 and that is for a pokey wee flat in an 'Over 50's only' block.  I would not want that!  The cheapest one bed flat is £84,000 and that is appalling!  Fine for one, not for two.  The first 'house' turns out to be a narrow one bed place costing £170,000 and for £185,000  you get a modern mid terrace proper house (in which I suspect you hear the neighbours easily).  How can a workingman afford this?  A mortgage may give four times your salary, around £15-25,000 for most, that gives a total of £60,000 to £100,000 as long as you don't become sick, over 50 or unemployed.  

The answer they say (or at least developers who bribe MP's say) is to build more houses on green belt land.  These people already have plans for Brown field sites use them first I say.     

Hot Sunshine!

Standing outside the museum door yesterday attempting to drag people in off the street I was surprised to discover the sunshine and even more surprised to discover just how hot it was!  The temperature reached 23% and that is 73% in English!  As we were so quiet, well I was the other one was talking a great deal, I escaped several times to feel heat upon me that did not come from some sort of radiator.
Today, having only important things to do, I cast them aside and at almost half past ten wandered over to the public gardens and sat there exposing my nipples to the hot sunshine for half an hour.  As you can expect several young ladies came my way, what...?  Oh!  Well have it your own way then.
This is the first time I have done that for a short eternity, indeed I almost took my shirt off completely but as it happens in my life clouds began to cover the sun.  The temperature rises and soon afterwards in this country thunderstorms appear, yesterday masses elsewhere but none so far over me.  Such a change for us to enjoy this and hopefully it will last a while.

  
I did have an interesting query yesterday about the Savills and after leaving the museum trekked all the way over the road into the Congregational church graveyard to look for a dead woman.  She was not there.  This little tomb collected many of the family together but appeared full by 1885.  My woman died in 1915 and far from here so I knew it would be a wasted trip but one has to look hasn't one?  Somewhat crumbling now and overgrown as at this time of year graveyards are untended to allow the beasties to live off the grasses and flowers that abound the structure also looks as if it will fall apart one day.  This was once a well to do family, farmers, soldiers and even one who became captain of the HMS 'Hampshire' during WW1.  He it was we were researching, or at least his wife who died before him.  He himself went down in the ship in 1916 when it struck a mine during a storm.  I was left wondering what the various bodies here would think about their tomb?  Would they not expect someone from the family to care?  Indeed if any remain in this area are they concerned with their forefathers?  So many graves over a hundred years old and I wonder if anyone knows or cares who these people are?  Would you visit graves of the long lost relatives?

    
The museum has a little garden.  Four square brick blocks inhabited by a variety of flowers all tended by a volunteer from the Organic Garden world.  She is very careful about what goes into her plants and each year produces some fantastic results.  So successful she raised funds by selling young plants a few weeks ago to eager gardeners instructing them on the organic manner of tending them.

One day I will train these guys to stand still while I take their picture.  One day....
I now sit here, skin somewhat burning, as my delicate white flab is not used to sunshine.  If I remember correctly the last time I was sunning myself it was 1984 but I could be wrong, I often am.  I wonder if this big yellow thing will hang around for a while?

Laugh....

On Being an Idiot Still...

Drowsiness filled my head this morning.  Struggling out of the grimy ex-army blankets I made my way through to the trough for breakfast.  Considering it too difficult to negotiate cooking anything when my mind was absent I fed myself some form of cereal that was lying about the kitchen, some of it remaining in the bag. 
Bleary eyed I switched on my life the laptop and sought the football pages of the online papers.  There was none to be found as the season is over - eventually!  I checked my friends blogs to entice the intellect to warm up then checked the hundreds of replies to my latest blog. 
Both were erudite and interesting as always and were placed onto the site.
I then spilled cereal over the desk checked my blog where something was not right.  It was apparent to me there was a problem and this problem was solved accidentally - I accidentally deleted the last post!
Stupid boy!
All those letters look the same when the mind is not there. 
Alas two sensible replies are lost (actually I still have them but the post has gone), thank you young ladies for the comment.

The brute was also running slowly today and after trying a quick scan, Malawares and hitting it knowingly with a hammer I ran a lengthy 'Boot scan' once again and as last time the nasty downloader was found hidden in the 'Recovered items' section of Windows Live Mail.  Quite what this section is for I know not but the four relevant dates have been deleted.  The downloader comes through a junk email and hides there for a while and opens out whenever it chooses.  
That's the second time he has done this.  His judgement will come.
Thankfully I fixed that I hope and luckily I had nothing else to do bar fall asleep.  This is just as well as after clearing up yesterday I was knackered, and fitness is not my strong point just now.  However the sun will shine tomorrow for a change and I will possibly but probably not get the bike out.

A Tiring Week

It has been a strange week.  Whereas last week I was running around everywhere this week I can hardly climb the stairs!  Mental and physical energy have disappeared this week yet I was up for almost anything last week. 
Tuesday saw the kids arriving at Half Term for the activities the girls have laid on for them.  This is always good as it is the only time I see kids these days and many come back time and again.  Always good ton see them and they clearly enjoy whatever is laid before them and it shows.  Kids are so different from adults.  The emotions are the same but not yet fully formed and these show more and are easier to read and this makes them more fun than ever.  Free from home and school limitations they are here merely for fun and so we hope to see them smile a lot, they get enough put downs at school and home I suspect just like the rest of us.  
Having said that I watch mums coming in with two or three kids and wonder where they get the energy for them from?  One child is bad enough and only for an hour or so, imagine every day like this!  The grandad's and grandmas who come agree with me and enjoy the kids yet are happy to dump them back!   Just watching them tires me out now.
Thursday was very busy as many mums brought kids in unexpectedly, the weather hindering taking them anywhere.  This suits us, the kids enjoyed it and the mums & dad's learned some history also.
An enjoyable day as two 14 year old lassies enquired about local history, another Yank appeared searching for distant relatives and we had a good but unsuccessful discussion on him as no records can be found and also many more talks and much fun with the kids coming and going.  A very good day this!
I was exhausted however getting home.  I am stuffing my face to give me energy for the next week!

Only I have to write things for the museum and canny think straight or be bothered to look things up.  This is, as I'm sure you understand, a bit of a problem.  I must write something we can offer to schools regarding various museum exhibits, WW1, WW2, the 'Lyon,' Crittall's, Lake & Elliott and other businesses and so on.  So far I have got 'WW2...' and no further.  This is not good enough to please their majesties in the museum. 
Aaaaaand tomorrow I have a full day for the US thing, the kids will come in, unless the sun shines, and something else may be occurring rumour tells me.  I may just go back to bed....

Ne'er Cast a Clout till May is Out or Something

Today, as you can tell by my window, is the last day of May.  In less than a months time we reach the middle of the year, the longest day!  Fooled by two or three days when the sun shone and the temperature rose we thought Summer was 'a cummin in,' it hasn't!
Worse still is the photo that arrived this morning from my nieces husband playing around on Lock Fynne up near Fort William in the highlands.  The sun was shining at eight in the morning, the sky blue, the Loch calm.  It makes you sick, it's no fair!
Naturally as the wind, heading towards 40 miles an hour as it threw the heavy downpour at my window, paid no heed to the fact that I had to saunter down the road to the museum in the middle of it.  I was fair drookit when I got there!  Good job I am not the complaining type.

 
Yet another bunch of Yanks coming on Saturday.  These guys are studying the war and the effect of the airfields on the people living in the area.  We have some stuff lined up for them but as always I have not been given much info on what is actually happening.  Still I expect it will be a good day.
Thousands of these men came here and many left their children behind.  Just as many flew away to the east and were never heard off again!  Ridgewell Museum is based on what is left of the airfield there.  B 17's flew from there for two years constantly. Wethersfield on the other hand was in use until recently. 

 

Doggone Fun!!!!