I’ve written a book

Well three to be precise, but not on purpose. The first one was a serious attempt and although I say it myself I am pleased with the result and so are the family members and others who have read it and passed critical comment. It will not however find its way onto the publishing list any day soon. Author reluctance and lack of confidence I suppose. It was written during a difficult period in my working life as an escape mechanism I suppose, during the last recession when people were being made redundant all around me.
The other two have been by accident. What amounts now to a book of poetry has grown since I retired and with over three hundred posts the blog also has given me enough material for a book. Needs a lot of editing but who knows might be worth looking at on another of those wet afternoons

Euro elections.

I got my postal vote ballot papers last week. Glancing through I see we have 12 parties in which to choose. Of these each has a list of candidates which the final representatives will be chosen from depending on the proportion of votes they get. On further investigation I see that only three of the possible representatives are actually known to me. Two Labour candidates and a Lib Dem.
Liz Lynne for the Liberal Democrats and that is because they sometimes add a piece about her when they have nothing else to say in their Focus newsletters usually she’s got a hand into something recyclable. This time she’s pictured with Vince Cable who I think has talked more sense about the economy than all of Brown and Cameron’s lot put together. Michael Cashman & Neena Gill for the Labour party have made an effort to make themselves known to the electorate but I can’t say I’m impressed with either. The last local labour newsletter back page was an insult to the people of Newton. The other candidates could be a bunch of Disney characters as far as I’m concerned. Some interesting quotes on what the parties stand for: - Greens- Say No to Racism, what’s that all about? BNP – Protecting British Jobs, does anyone believe that?
I feel awfully sad in a way that I have to choose to vote tactically this time it’s not natural territory for me and I can’t help but think just how undemocratic the European parliament is. It’s never going to represent me only add to my tax bill. I’m not voting out of spite but because I firmly believe that Gordon is never going to face up to his responsibilities over pensions and pensioners and we are going to continue to see the now boring rhetoric of how many they have taken out of poverty. When they recognise that there is no difference between a failed bank and a failed pension scheme we might start to have a proper dialogue. I do hope that my peers do not decide to vote BNP in the way they did in some parts of Sandwell a couple of years back to make a protest vote. That did not help anyone just clouded the issues. So who’s it going to be Bob? I’m warming to Liberals but there’s plenty of time. Who knows Gordon might wake up one morning and think “why haven’t I treated our pensioners fairly? I must do something about that very urgently” He might even sack his sec of state for being just as complaisant to his scam. Oh dear I’m really into fantasy land again. I better go look to see if I can see those flying pigs again or the men in white coats. Aaaaaaaaaaah

I’ve been doing some reminiscing on the blog.

It must have been my post on the big birthday of youngest daughter and the fact I seem to be writing to myself mostly these days. I write when the mood takes but often these days in the early hours of the morning because one of the side effects of drugs I’m taking to keep me alive is sleep disruption. It’s not easy living life in six weeks blocks as I have to these days. Visits to the consultant can often mean a dramatic change to what you had planned but I’m pleased to say the last couple of times things have been progressing well and BBCB has much better prognosis these days than at the start of the year. Eventually though I suppose I will have to come to using a wheel chair or other devise to help me get around. It’s very common to see these scooter type chairs in shopping malls etc. I personally hate em and having had to use the wheel chair on a couple of occasions I’m not to plussed with that option either. They are very hard work on the arms and shoulders. I’ve been a cyclist since I was a kid and although I can’t ride the bike anymore I wonder if an electric version which I could probably still ride would be as acceptable as a disabled scooter. I very much doubt it. I’m seriously looking at the possibility of doing just that.

The pee problem

This raised its ugly head again at the week end when I was caught short in Currys in Sutton Coldfield. Another of my stores to name and shame. There’s a lot of them and the list is growing. I can’t understand why these days we could not legislate so that stores of that size have to provide facilities of that type.
Anyway because of the circumstance I was forced to use a corner behind my car door. A lady who was looking for a parking space saw me and although I was very properly covered she could ascertain what I was doing. The look generated on her face said it all; I was filth of the week. Well by the time I was finished she and her car had disappeared and perhaps this was just as well because I was in no mood to take prisoners.
The missus though has come up with one of her brilliant ideas which we are running by NHS on a scheme which could help to solve some of this problem because it does not just affect older people. It is very wide spread, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and about fifty medical conditions and drug side effects which can all give suffers problems at some time.
So to the snotty cow in Sutton “up yours” and I won’t be using Currys in fact I bought the item I was looking for at Currys in Wednesbury which does have a loo.
This might be one of those items David Cameron is suggesting the public could take up with parliament. Mind you by the time it will take to get it on the statute book I’ll be completely incontinent. Once the expenses issue as died down I might get a local MP offering to sponsor a private members bill. Now that would be good news.

Like waiting for a bus

Regular readers will have noticed that comments on the blog are very rare these days. It’s a bit like waiting for a bus. You wait for ages and then three come along together. Thank you Margaret for contributing, you made my day. I would like a better idea of the number of hits but this blog software does not allow it. Anyone have any ideas on what does? I think perhaps a little update on layout or a change of server might be in order. But I like the old American saying “If it ain’t bust don’t mend it. Layout needs a rethink though don’t you think? Perhaps one of these wet afternoons I’ll get around to it. Or maybe not I’m warming to the idea of winning procrastinator of the year award. Yesterday though the old health problem took over and wrote me off for the day. I’m really pi***d when that happens. Wife insists it’s a side effect of some treatment I had last week.
I must get around to finalising the details of our little protest against our Primary Care Trusts treatment of our area in respect to our clinic or more to the point lack of one. I’ll publish details later. No procrastinating on that one.

Re Naughty naughty

Post 9th May I can now report that the fast food container as now been removed from the safety camera pictured. Took a couple of weeks though so perhaps this camera is not that well used in the case of its victims. I always avoid that stretch of road if I can as do a lot of other drivers by using my road as a rat run.

The garden

At this time of year our garden seems to metamorphose across the colour spectrum. The blues and purples are predominant for the next couple of weeks. Thought I’d share this picture with you. The sad thing is though that we will have to do a major pruning of this rhododendron but not until well after the flowers have finished. Well done to Mrs. BBCB who manages our little plot so cleverly.
Although it takes us a lot longer to maintain our little plot we don’t begrudge the time. I can report that my health always seems to improve after an hour in the garden. An hour is about as much as I can manage.