So I have just found out that during the height of the pandemic the government gave treasury mandarins a £15000 a year pay rise based on the pathetic excuse that this is the only way to attract the right candidates! I have no words (well swear words of course) to describe how disgusted we should feel over this blatant privileged rise. Whilst the NHS and support staff, Police and many others were struggling with the overwhelming crisis our government saw fit to give even more money to the elite! I do not know how much more we have to read or hear about this corrupt regime, it is an outrage that we seemingly are unable or perhaps unwilling to stop. The Tory party have had £18 million of donation from the property sector as Johnson pushes ahead with plans to ease planning rules which he has been criticised as something that will only benefit guess who, property developers! We are living in a country that no longer pretends to protect those who need it the most. The rush are cared for and those worse off are given a very large Tory finger. Can you tell me one thing that this government has done to help the worse off? They have changed many things that take away all of our freedoms and you can bet there is worse to come, as more of our rights are removed. If you work for the NHS or the Police would you feel valued and a “hero” as they had been lauded for so long? The blonde idiot standing outside No 10 applauding with that smarmy expression on his face does nothing to make those “heroes” fell loved. 

It is odd because almost everyone I talk to about this government have nothing but disgust at their collective behaviour and handling of just about everything. So I ask who the hell is supporting them? The circles I move in are to be sure liberal minded people who you might think are typical Tory voters and yet I cannot find one? I have not had a single conversation with even a stranger where they have not condemned Boris and his behaviour! Now admittedly I don’t roam around the country and go to places where the Tory support is strongest and canvas their current views. Kettering is a Conservative seat, Philip Hollobone is our MP, so presumably there is a majority of voters who chose him. I do not like to stereotype but one has to conclude that the Tory vote is largely made up of those who have and not those who do not. What gets me is that many of those who vote conservative never benefit from their election. I suspect other issues influence them fuelled by the misguided belief that these larger issues that are always touted have some bearing on their lives, when we know that they will remain untouched and unaffected by any of it. We are such a country of hypocrisy believing that these so called big issues are so important, when it is the small everyday problems are that ones that affect us all. Does immigration really concern most of us? Are we really afraid of asylum seekers?  There are so many things that really have no bearing on our lives and yet so many think are important. We have bigger issues to address which are smaller problems that our government has no intention of doing anything about!

Stay well

There are those who are beginning to get a little carried away and are reporting that the worst of the virus is now behind us? Delusion is a sad state and these people including a government minister are definitely deluded. The virus will mutate and slither and slide around our lives and we will need to be vaccinated on a regular basis. There will be further spikes. Pessimistic to some but realistic, life is not black and white.

Why is Keir Starmer not ramping up his criticism of the PM. As leader of the opposition this is a golden opportunity to put pressure on a beleaguered Boris. Why is he not condemning him as a liar.Yes he is the leader of Labour but come on  if not now, when? I am not a Labour supporter but as the official opposition he needs to be at the forefront of the fight against Boris and his cronies.

Ona different tack the Republicans are trying desperately to spin the story regarding the invasion of the Capital Building by Trump supporters, either saying it was not that bad or it was the Democrats fault. We should pile the Republicans and conservatives into a big stadium and look the doors to se what sort of hateful hybrid animal could be created. There is reality and there is what these people want you to believe!

Now a word on Mental Health an insidious and debilitating disease that can strike anyone at any time. I have experience of this horror as it has affected Wendy for some years. The way we live and work in the West, with our fast paced lives and all the crap we are bombarded with combined with many peoples poor diet must surely be a large contributory factor. As with all these things we try to treat the problem and often ignore the causes. So much of our modern lives are blighted because we can’t or won’t address the real issues. We bluster and bumble around the problems often thinking money will solve them never stepping back to really understand the root. Of course we should do everything we can to help those in pain and funds are needed to provide the resources but consistently governments talk the talk but never really walk the walk. It is not solely their responsibility we must help ourselves and take care of ourselves, it isn’t easy in these fast times and fast food days but it can be done. 

I have just seen a great notice on a fridge door “Your not hungry, your bored, shut the door!” Says it all!

Stay well

Well it seems rain has stopped play today and on top of that my iPad has packed up. I have been meaning to replace it but it my hand has been forced. 

Men’s gymnastics, team competition at the Olympics, fantastic. What brilliant strength and skill and well done to the GB team for finishing fourth. Annoyed the Russian men won because as I have said they should not be there under the different name but there you go.

Now onto to the daily rant about our wonderful government. Every time I see or read something with or about the Conservatives it sadly reinforces their uncaring, irresponsible, deceitful nature. Each time the are challenged they respond with condescending shaking of the head and a dismissive tone that if I were anyone in the opposition I would be unable to keep my temper in check! Never has an elected government been so self-righteous and duplicitous, it is beyond outrageous! As each day the criticism builds and builds it seems that nothing disturbs their smug holy than thou stance. Today’s word from Susie Dent sums them up (and probably me as well) PHILODOX one who is in love with there own opinion and constantly believes that everyone should share it!

Stay well

Well done Tom Pidcock, I never watched a mountain bike race before but the skill, endurance and sheer athleticism was breathtaking. Isn’t funny that no matter how uninvolved you try to be when a GB competitor wins it gives you great pleasure. So congratulations to Tom Daley and his partner Lee at last a gold medal.

Floods in London, I lived there for 27 years and can’t remember having a flood, though it was over 40 years ago. I do remember snow so thick and heavy that it was as high as our front door and when i opened (I was 7 or 8) it completely covered me and made my mum laugh so much she coughed tea over the wallpaper. 

I shan’t mention he who must not be named today there is only so much one can repeat each day about Mr Liar!

We are fascinated by the gymnastics and I rather enjoy handball. It brings into stark relief how much of our sports broadcasting is given over to the major sports when the only time you see these other disciplines is every four years at the Olympics? The women gymnasts are charming and unbelievably skilful but it is time they stopped wearing these ridiculous leotards. Well done to the Germans for their unitards which we thought looked rather elegant. Of course we should not be focusing on the apparel but the sexism in women’s sport is hard to avoid, probably it just our attitude that needs adjusting?

Stay well

I understand that Russia Olympic Team is banned from competition and yet the Russian Olympic Committee is allowed to compete and as I watch the women’s gymnastics, they lead the team competition. I don’t claim to understand the distinction but in simple terms your athletes are either banned or they aren’t? what is the point of banning Russian athletes for persistent use of enhancing drugs and then letting them compete under another name?

Boris’s name has now become synonymous with the word LIAR. There is no getting away from it, every day he is called a liar and this week openly in Parliament by a Labour member who then had to leave the chamber as you are not allowed to use that word about another MP in the House. There is no escaping his reputation, he is linked with that description forever and will never escape. He is not just a liar but a pathological one, seemingly unable to help lying and continuing to do so, no matter how many times he is accused! This folks is our PM, not some other countries that we read about and feel sorry for their predicament, he is ours! I would suggest like most compulsive liars he cannot keep track of his. Consequently he keeps getting caught out and the accusations are piling up at an alarming rate. There are those who, as a friend told me yesterday, still have a “soft spot” for him in spite of his enormous proven lies and mismanagement’s. Any shred of sympathy you might have for him is sadly misguided! This is a man who should never have risen to this position, is totally unsuitable to lead any party and utterly the worse PM we have had ever and we have had some absolute horrors! There are rumblings that even his own party are losing their patience with him and I would be very surprised if last the full term. Unfortunately there’s s not a single other candidate to replace him that you would want either. 

Brexit, Covid and Boris Johnson what a triumvirate of calamity to beset our country at a time when clarity of purpose and decent humans empathy was required.

Stay well

The Olympic road cycling race is well under way and surprise surprise Geraint Thomas has crashed again. He crashes far to often and the only common denominator is him. 

I am now officially fed up with talking about the virus, number of cases and what rules may or may not be in place. Wendy has a habit of quoting the figures and I really am not interested. She self admittedly wants to stop reading the numbers but seems unable to do so.  

I am officially pissed off in talking about BoJo and his band of corruption and web of lies. It is too depressing and seemingly a waste of time and effort. 

So what is left to discuss, yes it is a stupid question, there is more to discuss than we would ever have time to do so. I will see what the coming days will bring and write about other things.

Stay well

If you have Netflix, might I recommend Halston with a central performance by Ewan McGregor that is simply stunning. If you ever had any doubt about this mans ability to act then this role will put an end to that. For those of you of a more delicate sensibility there are some scenes of a sexual nature that some might feel uncomfortable with, I did but its depiction is a reflection of the times in which it is set.

So the Olympics have started and today sees the opening ceremony. I have been ambivalent about the games for some years. I did enjoy the London games and there are sports within the games that one would otherwise not see. Last time I got into synchronised swimming and love the gymnastics and the rhythm gymnastics. I even started to watch water polo, which looks a tough sport. The athletics are usually good but much of the other more well known activities that have now been accepted are often dull, not the cycling of course!

In these strange times we live in, it is difficult to have a true perspective on the state of the world (It’s bloody hard at the best of times!) I think we are going to see a lot of changes and many regular events disrupted and postponed for many years to come. Naturally like everyone I want this pandemic to be brought under control and for our lives to return to those pre- Covid days when we had our complete freedom. I’d also like Brexit reversed but I’ll take what I can. Unfortunately, as we all know you can’t turn back time and so live with this we must. 

There I have avoided my usual daily rant about……………………..oops nearly wrote he who should not be named!

Stay well

My dearest friend Peter an went for a 31 mile bike ride around the Cambridge fens yesterday. Flat roads flat landscape and throughly enjoyable. During the ride and on the journey, there and back, we as discussed many things (as always) We try to avoid discussing the inevitable subject of politics and other world issues. We usually fail and yesterday was no exception. Naturally we are of a like mind when it comes to the government and if anything Peter has a stronger dislike of them than I do if indeed that is possible! We agreed that we have two choices, either live our lives and ignore all the issues that beset our country or continue to care and comment. We are leaning towards the former but feel that would be giving up on our responsibilities as citizens. It’s a dilemma, we both care but feel powerless to stop the tragic march of injustice, deceit, lies and corruption that is the common currency of our government. I have written about this on previous blogs and it is almost impossible to switch off? I keep telling myself that as there seems little that I can do why bother? I admire those who continue to speak out against the Tory machine and it’s relentless shift towards it’s right wing agenda. 

I have written to my MP Philip Hollowbone (Conservative) several times asking politely but honestly about aspects of the governments policies and injustices, apart from my first email, have never had the curtesy of a an actual reply. I know he gets many emails and cannot answer them all but I suspect he would view answering mine as not worth the bother as I make it very clear I am no supporter. As his constituent I am perfectly entitled to express my displeasure. 

I would be interested to know the proportion of voters who believe this government is behaving in a decent and well intentioned manner and those who still support leaving the EU? Unfortunately, I suspect the percentage would be far higher than I would like? I’m sure the surveys exist, I will have to look them up. 

Stay well

 Two quick things today.

I am disgusted that the legislation to make those who help asylum seekers criminals has passed through Parliament.

The “new” objective to help protect women against attacks by men is of course welcome. Why is it always a band-aid and never surgery. Until the fundamental problem of why men feel they can attack and rape women in the first place is addressed, no amount of protection will stop this.

Stay well

It is unnecessary to say a word really. for once the headline in The Star got it absolutely right “Flip flopping fop’s a flipping flop” This highlights once again the one rule for them and another for us attitude of this right wing government!

So we are let off the leash and freedom has arrived. Well whoop dee do, huge mistake or justified logic, who knows? One thing is certain there will inevitably be a rise in infections and so many commentators will say I told you so! What is right or wrong no longer has meaning in this situation, there are so many grey areas it really cannot be defined or quantified, it is a virus, it cannot be confined only defended against, that is all we can do. So take the precautions you need to and go about your life. Personally I will not go anywhere in any large crowd (not that I did) or big gatherings. I will continue to behave as sensibly as we already have and take little risk. I will definitely go abroad and that is a risk I’m prepared for. One thing is for certain this government cannot be trusted to guide or advise us in any way, they have proved beyond any doubt the are incapable of doing so!

Stay well

So the Health Minster has “mild” Covid. So far apparently no other government minister including the blond wanker have been pinged by Track & Trace, surprise, surprise! The avalanche of mis-information coming out of our so called leaders is astonishing. Sunak claiming the Tories have taken thousands out of poverty when in fact the reverse is true! I know you must be tired of reading my daily complaints regarding out right wing government, well I’m feed up writing about them. However I cannot in good conscience remain quiet while we have this lot in power and while they consolidate their power based on lies and more and more legislation to hold onto that power, not be questioned or held to account. 

Have the loosening of restrictions, sporting crowds etc been the cause of the increase in cases, has the spread been caused by more mingling? We know that Boris’s hesitation and jibber jab a over our borders has caused much of this spike. In reality, do what we might, spikes will continue for a very long time. I think if another lockdown is imposed the country will rebel and take matters into there own hands. The current restrictions, due to eased, tomorrow have been teetering on being ignored for some time and the truth is most of us are prepared to take the consequences and get our lives back. There are too many of us and nature is fighting hard to get rid of us and who can blame her?

Well this week my few missives have once more demonstrated my hatred of this Tory govt. and I don’t use that word lightly. I make no secret of the fact that I am not and never have been a Conservative supporter in my opinion they have done nothing in all their governments to look after anyone but the rich and have nothing but contempt for everyone else. The only caveat being their policy to allow people to by their council housing, which from a personnel point of view with our family was a benefit.

I am not a Socialist, I am not a Communist, I am a liberal minded man who cares about our country and believe me I’ve tried to stop. It is easy to pontificate from a position of comfort but my points are still apt.

Stay well

You need more than Confused.com to work out what is going on with Covid? To say the situation is muddled would be a monumental understatement! It appears vaccinated or not, the spread of whichever variant, seems to be on our shores. We supposedly had one of the best rollouts of the vaccination programme, which continues but our daily rate of infection is the third worse in the world? What is going on? Rules, no rules, it seems there is no right or wrong when dealing with this unseen enemy. Science says it is too soon, Government says we must lift restrictions! Both are right but who the hell knows. As a man who believes in science I would go with their recommendations but I would need to do more research to understand and these days more than ever, whatever you read confuses you even more! It is no wonder that there are still so many that believe the vaccine is bad and particularly with the 18-25 age group many of whom seem to go with which ever info was the last posted or what their mates have told them. 

The virus is here to stay whatever we believe or do, it is not going away, ever. So we either live with it or the restrictions that are in place to supposedly to protect us. Humans being human will regardless of any rules or guidelines eventually revert to “normality” and no amount of legislation or restrictions will prevent it. Generally we all have a threshold after which no amount of rules will prevent us from continuing to live our lives. Most of us are responsible and would never wish to endanger others or ourselves but we also understand the risks and there comes a time when we have to accept that living with that risk is the only way forward. I understand that we need to protect an already overburdened NHS and we cannot have a situation as happened at the start of this crisis. While we are on the NHS, have you noticed how already all that heroic rhetoric has disappeared as the “pressure” has dropped so much for dedication and exhaustive hours! No real pay increase and yet we know that the strain has not lessoned and the staff are still working under huge pressure as indeed they were even before the pandemic! This government, promise everything, deliver nothing and blame any one else! There is no room in the Johnsons right wing nationalist party for any Tories with a more moderate view. Boris is a amoral bullshitter ho can’t keep track of his lies and he is attacking the justice system to weaken an ability to hold them to account. He has crossed the line and we the public no longer have access to any route of holding them to account! I have been shouting this since even before Boris became leader of the Conservatives and sometimes (all the time) I feel like I am shouting into the wind but hey its your vote and you do what you want but don’t say I never warned you!

Stay well

Can anyone deny that Brexit has been a disaster for our country? Have you read a single article or anything that has told how Brexit has improved our lives? There will be those who will argue, that the short term pain is worth it because of the long term gains but the damage done will have repercussions for many years to come. Businesses are struggling and even those with the foresight to set up ready for the transition have found unknown obstacles that have only produced more paperwork and cost. We will have all realised that prices of most goods are rising faster than they have for some time and certainly more so than when we were members of the EU. 

Of course this government will bury their collective heads in the sand and tell us everything is rosy and to be optimistic for our great British future. In many ways the pandemic could not have come at a better time for them disguising as it has all the harm Brexit has caused. While it remains the top priority and at the forefront of everyone’s thoughts, much else has been ignored and slipped through without notice. It does not help that our collective reporting media are now so neutered and afraid of hard hitting journalism, that the really important stuff hardly gets a mention or gets no mention at all. The BBC runs a column that is supposed to fact check the truth of a particular minister track record, it is nothing but a soft pedalling justification of that ministers performance. They are so frightened of confrontation that they are no longer capable of asking the hard questions or actually holding this government to account and they are not alone. When have we had such sustained corruption and lies that are seemingly never challenged in any meaningful way and the government goes on it’s merry way, safe in the knowledge that they seem to be untouchable! The newspapers are a little more corrosive in their reporting but unfortunately they do not have either the circulation or influence that they once did.

It is exacerbated by the apathy and uncaring attitude of much of our population and who can blame them when they are trying to get on with their own lives and no longer believe or trust that there is a damn thing they can do about it? I am really stunned and amazed that there are still so many who think that Boris is the right man for the job, when every scrap of evidence screams how appalling he is. The political vacuum caused by the mess Labour and other parties have got themselves in has been a huge contributory factor to the Tories success, of that there can be no doubt but it is not an excuse for not holding them to account and pointing out how they are seriously fucking up our country!

Remember in 2020 you voted them in for a further 5 years, the horror they are going to cause in that time will be incalculable and I will say I told you so!

Stay well

Let us be clear racial prejudice is systemic in our country and has been for years. Naturally we should fight this in every way possible. I have written many times about my hatred of any from of prejudice, what ever form it takes, it is abhorrent and has no place in our society. Having said that it is not going away. No matter how much we highlight the problem there will always be those who perpetrate racial slurs and hate. I hope for most people it is, like me , difficult to understand the racial slurs levelled at anybody. One has to try and understand the deep seated fear and insecurity that someone, who reacts with racial slurs and hatred, has in their psyche. Unfortunately most of us can’t.  

I could bleat on all day, how until we eradicate and stop highlighting the differences (there are none) then this issue will continue forever. I do not know what the answer is, well actually I do, I think we all do but we are seemingly unable to achieve it? It clouds our ability to have open and honest debate and criticise because there is always an politically correct caution nagging away in our brains. There are words that can never see the light of day again and rightly so but we live in fear of saying the wrong thing or being misinterpreted either accidentally or often deliberately so as another can pursue their own agenda. Opinions are like assholes, we all have one but expressing it these days can be a dangerous experience and I don’t use that word lightly! It must be a nightmare for commentator or public person to craft what they wish to say knowing that one word out of place will cause someone somewhere to lambast them for saying it. It is a great shame that so many of our public figures (you know who I mean) are unable to stop themselves from utterance that most find abhorrent and then jump on any bandwagon of support when it suits them. We have no chance when those who lead us are the worst examples of how we should behave!

We should embrace other cultures, it enriches our lives and gives greater understanding to us all. Differences should be embraced. I have learnt more about myself from those in other countries than I ever have from my own. Not only good things sometimes that which is not so good gives you a greater meaning to how to get it right! 

My hope is that one day this hateful behaviour will largely be a thing of the past and we will no longer talk in the terms that “label” us all. Sadly it won’t happen in my lifetime but it has to happen!

Need I say, how yet again, our esteemed leader and his bunch of appalling cohorts have jumped on the bandwagon of euphoria that the England team generated even though they often criticised footballers for speaking out publicly. Just another example of their spiteful hypocrisy. 

Stay well

 Am I the only one (apart from Danny Baker) who is willing to say that Southgate safety first football failed miserably and as he says, he should rightly take the blame. A timid England particularly in the second half, reverted to type and tried to defend. Take nothing away from Italy they are a good side. One shot in 90 minutes of the final of the Euros is pathetic even if it was a goal. It is no good having all that attacking talent if you don’t attack. Why does England always shy away from putting their most creative players on the pitch from the word go? The idea of football is to win the match by scoring more goals than the opposition? Tell me one fan who would not have been happy if we had won 5-4 in 90 minutes? A good defence is always preferable but its a waste if you are not attacking at the other end. Our safety first tactics will only take you so far. Still for a few days we were an excited nation waiting in anticipation and hoping for an end to our tournament failures. We must keep things in proportion it is only football, no one died, no one was hurt! Good to see that the final brought out the best in the English, fights, drunken hooliganism, racial abuse on social media, piles of refuse littering the streets, what a wonderful nation we are! Only one year and we can go through it all again in Qatar!

Meanwhile back at the ranch Tonto disguised as a door had his knob shot off! Covid it seems has at last woken up the Cuban population to rebel against there regime. The shortage of vaccine and increasing death rate in proportion to the size of the population has roused the people and as comes as no surprise the government is blaming the USA!

I ask this question? Why do people and particularly the young get so offended if you even speak to them firmly never mind raise your voice. I hasten to add it is only when it is justified. Indeed why are people generally so easily hurt? Have we become so sensitive that any slight is mortally offensive?

I hope everyone has a great week and if you are trying to get over the England result your not to upset after all it’s only a game!

Stay well

 My two current heroes are Hugh Grant and Tanmanjeet Singh. 

Hugh grumpily harangues the newspapers in no uncertain terms for intruding on his and his wife’s private lives. He was caught up in the phone hacking scandal and has been a vociferous critic of the tabloids and indeed the current govt.

Tanmanjeet is a Labour MP who rips into the government like no other without fear or favour his latest criticism and I quote

“It’s not one rule for him and his elite chums and another for the rest of us plebs!”

He rages that” sycophantic spineless, hypocritical ministers” who have breached Covid rules. I love him he calls it like it is and says what he means, brilliant!

Boris must be delighted that England have been so successful at the Euro’s as it has taken the focus away from him and his governments antics, you can bet his ministers are slipping through all sorts of legislation eroding more of our freedoms and an uncaring population, will care even less, basking in the euphoria of their football teams glory especially if they win!

So today one of the big sporting events the Tour goes into the Alps and let the climbing begin. It has been a frenetic and exciting race thus far and although it looks as though the winner is a forgone conclusion these mountain stages might just alter the make up of the General Classification. I have never watched a Tour de France that has had so many crashes and so many withdrawals.

Oh yes and there is a football match of some kind on tonight!

Stay well 

 Well a belated good morning, went for breakfast this morning, eggs benedict, delicious. 

So tomorrow is the big match. I think England will have to play at their absolute best to beat Italy but I’m going to be optimistic and predict a tight match which they will win 2-1?

Huge congratulations to Mark Cavendish for yet another stage win and equalling Eddie Merx’s record of 34 wins. Done at different times and different disciplines but surely Cavendish is the greatest sprinter the tour has ever seen. It is hard enough to win 1 stage never mind 34 and at the age of 36 it shows class is permanent.

The next few weeks will be filled with sport and you can expect my comment on much of it.

Stay well

Rishi Sunak casting doubt over the 8% increase to our pension. He has made a huge error, most pensioners are not , contrary to popular misconception, well off and need the increase to help them survive. His biggest mistake is that he will loose the Conservative party vote from the “grey” army, money talks and they will shout very loudly. I don’t need the rise although I will happily take it if it comes my way. Caring Conservatism at it’s finest, the excuse, we need to save money, apparently we can’t fund this ongoing increase but we can spray money right left and centre to our friends for all sorts failed projects. The hypocrisy of this government builds daily as they find more and more ways to restrict and make us poorer whilst they feather their own nests! 

I wish to repeat that they are passing laws that prevent us from protesting and can jail us for life if we are found to help asylum seekers! Asylum seekers are not swamping the country but small boats are being swamped at sea as they try to make a better life for themselves fleeing from oppressive regimes and war torn countries that don’t have the freedom we do. None of us can imagine what it is like to have leave the country of your birth because it is to dangerous to live there. Mind you at the rate this government is going at the same might soon be true of the UK! What happened to compassion , simple human kindness, help for those in need? Of course there are those who come under false pretences but the criteria must not, treat all asylum seekers that way! 

Protesting is a fundamental human right (done peacefully). This is a precious freedom, that is as old as time itself and is a powerful way to raise issues and show discontent. Think of the changes that would not have happened without protests. Gay rights, votes for women and much much more. Yes protests can be violent but if we stop all protests then one way our legitimate voice can be heard will be gone forever. 

Stay well

Well can they do it? I think they can! England in a major football final, I have been waiting a long time, having watched the 1966 final. You cannot dismiss Denmark, you don’t get this far without playing well but I think England will just have too much for them. If they get through can they beat a great Italian side, yes I think they can but it will be tough.

Mark Cavendish just one tour stage away from equalling Eddie Merx’s record of 34 stage wins with four opportunities left he might even beat it. He is a humble athlete who always gives his team all the credit and never forgets how fortunate he is to have them protect him and guide him to the finish. Now they must get him through the next climbing stage so as he does not finish out of the time limit.

Having a “Smart” meter fitted today. Apparently when I changed suppliers it was part of the agreement. I am not convinced they are of any benefit. Maybe to the supplier but they will make no difference to what they want to charge. They are already advising that my payments should increase and we’ve only been with them since April? When I say increase I don’t mean just a few pounds a month but £50 which is 115% increase, where does that suddenly come from? I have not done it, sod em!

To end today are you aware of all the legislation that is sneaking through just this week? This government is pushing through laws that curb all sorts of stuff, none of it good. 

Right to protest to be ended    Restrictions lifted despite soaring infection rate    Voter ID to disenfranchise millions    Priti Patel to jail asylum seekers    NHS contracts to be eased for selection (Privatisation)

This is the country you live in and it is becoming more restrictive by the day while this Conservative government does whatever it wants. Corrupt, morally bankrupt, liars, deceivers, monumental hypocrisy, a PM who self admittedly knows he should not be in the job, ministers who cheat and that is just a small list of the misdemeanours they are guilty of! You may not think the opposition is up to much and you’d be right but surely they have to be better than this shambles leading our country into disaster and ruin!

Stay well

How do you fancy riding 124 kilometres in the rain up several mountains the last being 21 kilometres long? That’s what the riders in yesterdays Tour stage did, phenomenal athleticism and determination. i would not even get on my bike in that weather let alone ride 124k up mountains (not that I could even in the dry). These riders train for it and are at the top of their profession but you can have nothing but admiration for their ability.

You will have noticed that I have refrained from my usual rants about our PM and his ragged bunch of scumbags, sorry Ministers, The clamour against him and them in almost every medium makes anything I might wrote superfluous. 

We have never been ones who get obsessed with TV dramas and binge watch them but we have recently caught up with Line of Duty, after wondering what all the fuss was about? We have watched 4 series in quick order. We have only watched 2 episodes at a time. What a gripping, twisting, edge of your seat ride it is. Okay you can’t take it to seriously and it has time lines that in reality would never work but many TV series make you suspend disbelief. 

Stay well

Boris says he does not believe in gestures when asked about England taking the knee before games, I can think of several gestures I would aim at him given the chance!

I watche the whole game last night and enjoyed England’s performance they were in control almost the entire match and you can’t do much better than winning 4-0 so well done. 

I just read the great news that Dido Harding is no longer being considered for the head of the NHS, all I can say is thank fuck for that.

Wendy informs me that before we go abroad in September, as it stands now, we would have to have a negative Covid test. She then told me that it would cost £144 for each of us! Someone is making a lot of money and you can bet that somewhere there is a government connection to the companies who have won the contracts to supply these kits. We looked up one of them and the profits they have made over that last few years is astronomical and naturally they are donors to who, the Tory party of course! Not withstanding that most European countries will let you in without a test if you can prove you’ve been vaccinated, what is the point? The confusion over Covid rules and the blatant disregard for social distancing as made the whole thing a nonsense. We need to be released fully and allowed to get on with our lives, the must be caution but it is time! The news each day is confusing and contradictory as always and for the unwary it  could mean you get caught out if your not careful.

Stay well

I have said many times that I never understood the fuss about Diana but with all the great sculptures we have this country that is the best you can do to represent her! That statue is horrendous. Revealed it, if I’d have been William or Harry I’d have taken a sledgehammer to it!

So England play Ukraine in the quarterfinals, I can see them winning that and the semi but if they meet Italy in the final I think they will be tough to beat. Apparently we are now favourites which seems a little insulting to Spain and Italy or the other teams left. Does it matter who we play in the semi’s not a jot. Of course we should not get ahead of ourselves we’ve tripped up before.

Have you noticed the longevity of some sports men and women, who now seem to be able to go on well after what used to be retirement from their chosen discipline. Federer, Williams sisters, Ronaldo and Messi who at 34 is expected to get offered a two contract to stay at Barcelona. There are many others who play on, it’s not a new thing but modern training and diet has prolonged careers that in the past might have finished. Credit must be given to these athletes for their dedication and ability to keep themselves in top condition. Creaks are beginning to show and they are not the players they once were but their level is still at the highest. I fear Andy Murray may not be able to continue or maybe he just needs more matches but if he cannot compete at the highest level for a champion like him is there any point in playing?  You have to accept the inevitable and bow out as gracefully as you can. We seen many examples of sports people who have tried to go on too long and not been able to reach the standard they were once at. I speak as one who has never excelled at any sport, the best I ever have been at anything is average or just below. In my head I know I have the skill to be better but was never dedicated or that bothered to try! I used to kick a ball or hit it with a bat or racket for hours outside my parents house against a wall. I had my own version of cricket throwing the a tennis ball against the wall and then quickly get in position with the bat. The fence was a boundary, no sixes of course because you’d lose the ball, I used to score loads of runs! I was not a bad footballer played at a reasonable level but miles and miles away from even a decent amateur level. That was 40 plus years ago and things were very different. 

I hope England win the Euros it would be nice to win a tournament once more it’s been a very long time.

Stay well 

Maybe you’ve seen the drawings I sometimes post at the bottom of my blog? After long deliberation and with encouragement from a very dear friend I am creating a website to see if there is any interest in people wishing to own any? It will be called PrimhakArt, it is in the process of being designed, so not running yet. I have no idea if anyone would be willing to pay money for them or even how much to ask. Art is very subjective, which I guess is the point. I am reliably informed in the uppper reaches of the commercial art world it is often priced by size unless of course you are a famous painter with an established reputation or Picasso etc.

I have hundreds of drawings, most created within the last 10 years as I had more time to spend and found a style of my own. I am obsessed with shapes and graphics. I have no artistic training and cannot draw anything remotely realistic, I suppose I could learn but am to lazy to try! 

I have no great ambition to become a well known artist (highly unlikely and way too ambitious) I am just curious to see if my art gets any interest? A few people have expressed they like it and whilst admittedly they are all people who know me, I don’t think they would bullshit me. 

I suppose when we create it is nice to know if others like what we produce, basic human nature!

Stay well