Monday 1 May: Low operating volumes are dangerous for NHS surgeons and patients

Posted on by Geoff Graham

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597 thoughts on “Monday 1 May: Low operating volumes are dangerous for NHS surgeons and patients”

  1. Good morrow, Gentlefolks, today’s story

    Keep ‘em Looking

    An elderly Jewish woman decided to have her portrait painted.

    She told the artist, “Paint me with diamond earrings, a diamond necklace, emerald bracelets, a ruby brooch, and a Rolex watch.”

    “But you are not wearing any of those things.”

    “I know,” she said. “It’s in case I should die before my husband. I’m sure he will remarry right away, and I want his new wife to go crazy looking for the jewellery!”

  2. Good morning and a Happy Mayday to one and all!
    6°C, dry after overnight rain and cloudy with scattered blue bits.

  5. Low operating volumes are dangerous for NHS surgeons and patients

    Maybe the NHS is slowing down to help the country meet our net zero carbon target

  6. Dear God. The world has gone mad.

    From transgendered to ‘transabled’: People are ‘choosing’ to identify as handicapped

    A troubling societal issue called “transableism” is attracting attention these days.

    Transableism is a newer term for BIID, or “Body Integrity Identity Disorder,” in which a person actually “identifies” as handicapped.

    BIID has been relabeled to transableism to align with today’s trans community, according to some.

    The point of “changing the identifier” from a psychiatric condition (BIID) to an advocacy term (transableism) is to “harness the stunning cultural power of gender ideology” to the cause of allowing doctors to “treat” BIID patients by “amputating healthy limbs, snipping spinal cords or destroying eyesight,” according to Evolution News and Science Today (EN), which reports on and analyzes evolution, neuroscience, bioethics, intelligent design and other science-related issues.

    Culturally, transableism is “the next abyss,” that site also notes.

    Why?

    Because “some of these persons mutilate themselves; others ask surgeons for an amputation or for the transection of their spinal cord,” that site adds of the shocking steps some are taking.

    The National Institutes of Health (NIH) notes on its website, “Those with BIID desire the amputation of one or more healthy limbs or desire a paralysis.”

    A North Carolina college student called transableism a “cry for attention.”

    The 24-year-old told Fox News Digital, “It’s offensive to people who actually suffer from the condition that you say you need, in order to be your true self.”

    He went on, “It’s embarrassing, and I don’t know if you can be considered a serious human being if you alter your body like this, instead of getting the appropriate mental help you need.”

    Read more at
    https://nypost.com/2023/04/29/transabled-people-choosing-to-identify-as-handicapped/

    1. What an excellent idea, BoB. I declare myself (without any limb amputations) to be disabled. Where do I apply for my “Park Anywhere” pass? Lol.

        1. I don’t know if Colchester is better, but you need to be barely able to walk a step here in Shropshire before you get one (if you’ve paid taxes and don’t live on benefits, that is).

          1. When I tried on line I hadn’t filled in the questionnaire before Hertfordshire Council cut me off telling me that I didn’t qualify for application.
            I am unable to walk 50 yards with before serious breathing and rapid heart beating problems happened, with a bone on bone arthritic knee and two badly worn hip joints I thought might have been enough.
            But obviously not convincing enough for the divot who designed the application.

          2. Apply again. I got turned down the first time, despite attaching copies of the letter that said I had severe degeneration in my L5 and S1 and had difficulty “initiating gait”, but then they sent me for assessment. The physio took one look at the way I hobbled down the corridor and I got the badge within the hour!

    2. Pretty insulting to disabled people, especially in a country that is pushing for euthanasia, and where abortions of disabled babies are routinely carried out.

      And they should certainly never get any healthcare on the NHS that is related to their self-inflicted disability. They should find another way to feel special.

    3. The same argument applies to men who delude themselves that they are women.

    5. ….. transableism a “cry for attention.”
      Or fookin’ madness as it was known in the days when we still had mental asylums.

  10. ‘Morning all! What I thought was 6.22am turned out to be 5.22, so I nipped out and washed my face in the May Day dew! Had to have a coffee to warm up!

      1. Unfortunately I was already downstairs by the time I realised! And it was sunny!

    2. That must have been what Oscar fancied doing; he got me up at about 05.25.

        1. Me? No! I sat down to wait for him to come back in. I expect he did, though.

  11. Just as we appear to have fake false flag pressure groups and activists supporting things like Just Stop Oil and BLM with funding seemingly coming from powerful globalists.

    Then why would they not be funding the trade unions as well, their recent resurgence since the pandemic appears to be bringing about the great reset far quicker than even the pandemic and net zero can, clever people the globalists, get the people to destroy the old way of doing things themselves, self harm has always been the way to go, especially if people think that they have a right on their side.

  12. Good morning, all. Happy month – pinch and a punch. Raining. Typical bank holiday weather!

  13. Good morning, chums. Happy May Day, and “White Rabbits” to you all.

      1. Not really, vvof. I meant the one in Alice in Wonderful. When I was taken as a child by my two older sisters to see the Disney cartoon in the 1950s I was told that the White Rabbit’s song “I’m late, I’m late for a very important date” was actually sung by no other than Danny Kaye (true) and that Danny was hiding behind some bushes whilst he sang (a little porky which as a child I truly believed was the case).

      2. Brilliant isn’t she!! The first present I bought for my husband was her album Dreams!

      3. Brilliant isn’t she!! The first present I bought for my husband was her album Dreams!

  14. A man walks into a bar with a newt on his shoulder…
    Bartender: “What an interesting pet. What’s his name?”
    Man: “Tiny”
    Bartender: “What an odd name. Why do you call him Tiny?”
    Man: “Because…. he’s my newt.”

    Apologies all, I think I found Obs joke book!

  16. A quote from a blog I feel many will agree with:-

    Intra-Christian, inter-denominational, hostility – and the cure in Core, Romantic, Christianity
    “Liberal Christianity leads – not to a new and more comprehensive Christianity – but to a subordination of Christianity to politics: specifically to leftist politics.

    And leftist politics leads to destruction of churches, assimilation to evil, and the enlistment of self-identified Christians to the strategies and policies of Satan.”
    https://charltonteaching.blogspot.com/2022/11/intra-christian-inter-denominational.html

  17. 374084+ up ticks,

    Morning Each,

    Cancer nurses begin ‘disrespectful’ walkout amid threat of strike action lasting years
    Union leader warns of ongoing industrial dispute as Steve Barclay criticises ‘premature’ May bank holiday protest

    Both sides are well out of order, both sides putting and adding to the pressure and anxiety already upon the patients.

    Both sides seemingly willing to use their grannies / family members /children who are already fighting a health battle as bargaining chip, both sides currently are of no use or benefit to the welfare of the peoples of this nation, in point of fact both sides are acting in a highly dangerous, anti United Kingdom manner.

    1. I think this is a couple of smart Victorians attending a funeral. Goths are much uglier, surely?

      1. Tend to have white make-up on the face, too. Never seen one in a ruff, either.

    2. Are these not the steps that Dracula climbed on his visit to the UK?

        1. Not been to Whitby since the Wuhan Fiasco, but did go for the Folk Week for several years and I made a point of walking up the steps at least once every day.

        1. Eduard Habsburg is reading Bram Stoker and writing about it on his Twitter page. I’ve been told before that Dracula is well worth a read but my reading list is already too long and I’m currently making a concerted effort to get through the Inferno and reach Paradiso with Dante.

  19. https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/11f26c5f119fff62071bdba104494f7dd891faf7/0_0_4599_3066/master/4599.jpg?width=700&quality=45&auto=format&fit=max&dpr=2&s=b2c0c7ede590030af5bdd5f8f63f50e3
    Fife, UK
    People watch players from the Ship Inn Cricket Club and the Old Seagullians, a team made up of current and former students from St Andrews University, playing a game of cricket on the beach at Elie in eastern Scotland. Ship Inn have been playing on the beach at Elie for over 30 years. In 2023 the club will play 14 games on the beach

    https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/740b92b3c5235a431f22134a6d21f7e81d182bdd/0_0_5472_3648/master/5472.jpg?width=700&quality=45&auto=format&fit=max&dpr=2&s=0650fd1ed42214656fea8f96f02c19b5
    Sopore, India
    Kashmiri boys play cricket as cows roam on a pitch on the outskirts of Sopore district in Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    1. I’ve played two golf courses with animals roaming. Royal North Devon. With its sheep.
      And one near Perth WA, kangaroos grazing. It was a bit of a worry when they stood up alongside you as you played a shot.

      1. There’s a golf course on our common here. The cattle are out from next week till the end of October.

      2. At one of the New Forest golf clubs the ponies are wandering freely over the course, and of course one would regularly encounter piles of ‘droppings’.

        Should you be unfortunate and your ball land is such a hazard, the local rule was; “you may lift and lick your ball before dropping it clear of the hazard without penalty’.

        1. Shame I’ve never played there.
          You’re not allowed to play a ball in motion.
          I’ve had to pack it up. Back hip’s now cardio. I was a member at Mid Herts for 25 years.

        1. I’ll tell what you don’t do cobber, is spend too long looking for yer ball in the rough……..snakes are lurking.

  20. Pledging allegiance to the King from your sofa is voluntary, says Lambeth Palace after backlash. 1 may 2023.

    “For those who do want to take part, some will want to say all the words of the homage; some might just want to say “God Save the King” at the end; others might just want to say it to be a moment of private reflection,” said the source.

    “We live in a wonderfully diverse society with many different perspectives and beliefs, and it’s quite right that people decide for themselves how they relate to this moment.

    TOP COMMENT BELOW THE LINE.

    Old Sweat.

    Tragic.

    By playing to the woke brigade, Charles Windsor has exposed the fragility of the concept of monarchy

    His mother understood her core support was the English working class, with their enduring affection for social conservatism.

    In pursuit of temporary popularity, our current monarch has abandoned his base – so they in turn have abandoned him.

    Goodbye…..

    Charles has become Monarch to the Woke. I’m not one of them.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2023/04/30/public-homage-charles-coronation-voluntary-lambeth-palace/

    1. Brilliant comment that sums up Charles’s foolishness – and his complete lack of understanding of the British people!

      1. How will William react?
        A lot of monarchists could put up with Charles if we saw some hope coming over the horizon.
        But William is also up to his neck in foreign billionaires’ schemes.
        My guess is that William and Kate will say and do some socially conservative things, which will be widely reported in the press, but meanwhile they will carry on with their Earthshot nonsense, thinking that the tactic that worked for so many years for the Conservative party – say one thing, do another – will work for them.

        It won’t, because we’re all fed up of our hypocritical, lying, treacherous elites that want us to be cold, malnourished, fewer in number and packed into 20 minute cities.

    2. The idea has a distinct whiff of totalitarian regimes.
      We have seen ‘voluntary’ become compulsory all too often.
      Particularly in the past three years.
      All trust has gone.

    3. I was too young to have Pledged allegiance to his mother. But I certainly had a lot of respect for her.
      Especially when she reverted to speaking English. 🤗

    4. The treatment of his mother’s dresser, Angela Kelly, kicking her out of her home and his treatment of Lady Susan Hussey show that he is not just a dolt, a buffoon, an insensitive nincompoop lacking in all common sense and all judgement – he is something completely unforgiveable in my eyes: he is a cad.

  22. Good morning, all. Beautiful start to the day.

    Why are our politicians et al. who are pushing the ‘climate change’ narrative unable to grasp the simple facts as explained in this 66 seconds video clip?
    IMO, simply put, the misanthropic clique they choose to be a member of/follow is determined to destroy civilised society and our culture in the names of control and depopulation. Their wickedness knows no bounds.

    https://twitter.com/nbreavington/status/1652784639247806465

    1. I did Geology at University some 58 years ago – never used it since – that’s another story.
      However, I do remember much of what was talked about warming & cooling of the earth. The explanation then was looking at a section of time you could see a trend of warming or cooling – widen the time and the whole story would change – same as above.
      Climate change is, and always has been changing BUT the difficult question is
      Are we looking at warming blip when the trend is actually cooling in the longer term and vice versa?

      The problem is we live for 70+ years and can look back to sketchy evidence over say 2,000 years but that is no guide to what will happen in the future – earth processes and sun activity vary over time and the climate timescales are in many 000s of years – what we are seeing now is weather.
      Milder winters today than when I was a youngster in the 50s, wetter summers in my part of the world but that could flip to in the next 70 years to harder winters like 1947, 1963 or in 2010/11 when the snow fell in the beginning of November onwards and was still in my garden in March – only 120 feet above sea level!

      1. The experts bang on about sea ice and rising levels.
        There would be many a wef bar table if ice really did increase in volume when it melts.

        1. Melting of the ice on land would raise water levels. Melting sea ice – no effect.
          Apparently, the Antarctic ice is 30 million cubic km. Plenty for G&Ts all round!

          2. Quick calculation, assuming (very coarsely) that no more land surface would be covered by sea, suggests if all the Antarctic ice were to melt, the sea levels would rise aout 83 metres.
            Hmm… where’s me water wings?

    3. Ian Plimer is an Australian geologist who realises that man-made climate change is a myth and that most of the things done in the name of the environment arwe criminally fraudulent and designed to impoverish the many in order to enrich the few.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK4LNIvlcCY

  23. Did Putin learn from Bush’s Iraq horrors? 1 May 2021.

    Twenty years ago, on May 1, 2003, then-United States President George W Bush announced the end of major combat operations in Iraq, a giant banner behind him triumphantly screaming, “Mission Accomplished”. Six weeks earlier, the US had invaded the Middle Eastern country illegally.

    As US armour was rolling into Iraqi cities, international news networks replayed over and over again a scene from April 9 that year that in hindsight seems loaded with dramatic irony.

    The toppling of the statue of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad’s Firdos square — an event that turned out to be stage-managed — was meant to symbolise the liberation of Iraqis and the end of the Ba’ath Party’s 35-year-long rule in Iraq. Yet it was not the grand finale of the US invasion but rather the prelude to a long and bloody revolt and armed uprising.

    The US occupation that lasted eight years created aftershocks of regional instability and left hundreds of thousands of Iraqis dead — so many that no one has an exact count.

    By coincidence I watched Apocalypse Now on my TV last night. Though it’s not my favourite movie I haven’t seen it for nigh on forty years and I thought I should review it and my opinion. Quite frankly it is much better than I remembered though I can of course also remember the reality. The direct news coverage was much more intense and visceral than the present. The film brought back all the horrors of the Vietnam War and the lies that were foisted onto the public that allowed it. It makes the present struggle in Ukraine look almost innocuous in comparison.

    This article contrasts it with Iraq and is interesting if only because you are not going to see its like in the Western MSM. Well worth a read.

    https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/5/1/ukraine-war-did-putin-learn-from-bushs-iraq-horrors

  24. Bonjour tootle monde,

    Partly cloudy at the McPhee demesne, wind Westerly, showers around midday, 10℃ rising to 15℃.

    Happy May Day all.

    I haven’t perused the letters yet but I thought instead I thought it might be a good idea to put out this little truth bomb for all those who follow Dr John Campbell and think he’s on the side of truth. He ‘s part of the controlled opposition/limited hang-out brigade.

    The latest Delingpod on ‘Thinking Slow’ explains (1hr 15 min).
    https://odysee.com/@JamesDelingpoleChannel:0/2023-4-12-Thinking-Slow:4

    Here’s the link to the Thinking Coalition
    https://thinkingcoalition.org

      2. So strange because they demanded independence, and took down General Gordon’s statue , and dissed the church , All Saints Cathedral and school which I attended when I was a little girl .

        Africa is lost .

        South Africa is suffering from violence and power outages , every African country is in a mess .. corruption and tribalism will never ever be healed .

        Now look what is happening here with Scotland ..and Wales .. and large areas of England are now no go hot spots .

        You are a historian so you know how things work .

        We are being deprived of free speech , we are not allowed to feel outraged , and our culture is going down the lavatory pan .

        Even the May morning hymn I learnt in Latin as a child has faded . Te Deum Partrum.

        1. Yet the church is thriving in Africa. Is it because, as Leonard Cohen put it, “Only drowning men can see Him”?

        2. Good morning, Maggiebelle

          Change and decay in all around I see
          Oh thou who changest not abide with me.

          Too many people have bought the lie that all change is for the better.

          The Conservative Party is at the forefront of believing the mendacity – it has completely forgotten the meaning of the word that has given it its name.

  26. Morning all 🙂😉 a pinch and a punch.
    Typical bank holiday grey and will rain later.
    I can remember as a youngster watching part of our garden flood on a bankholiday.
    If they got their fingers out the NHS operating volumes wouldn’t be low. But a lot of the surgeons and nurses have moved into the private sector. Probably because it’s been part of the government plan to put the NHS on the back burner.
    I wouldn’t be surprised if the government were found to be involved in the strikes.

  27. Sudan rivals trade blame as fighting continues despite ceasefire extension. 1 May 2023.

    Sudan’s rival military forces have accused each other of violating a fresh ceasefire as the deadly conflict rumbles on for a third week despite warnings of a slide towards civil war.

    Both sides said a formal ceasefire agreement that was due to expire at midnight would be extended for a further 72 hours. The army said it hoped what it called the “rebels” would abide by the deal but it believed they had intended to keep up attacks. The parties have kept fighting through a series of ceasefires over the past week.

    At least 528 people have been killed and 4,599 wounded since a long-simmering power struggle between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted into conflict on 15 April. The UN believes the actual number of casualties to be far higher.

    If you think back a mere three weeks peace largely prevailed in Sudan, its two leaders preserving a sort of armed neutrality. If you read the MSM accounts and particularly watched the BBC coverage last night, its present state is all down to the internal forces of ambition and greed.

    In reality of course the whole situation has been destabilised by the US in much the same way as in Syria and Ukraine. Their Governments were making decisions they didn’t like so they’ve set out to overthrow them. In this particular case it was the establishment of a Russian Naval Base on the Red Sea. This story is as old as time. It is geopolitics. There’s nothing we can do about it except not fall for the lies.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/01/sudan-rivals-trade-blame-as-fighting-continues-despite-ceasefire-extension

    1. Has the guardian raised this issue or has it instead promoted it’s own line of ‘we should give them money/it’s colonialism’?

  28. Good moaning.
    Anyone thinking of leaving a legacy to the SNP?
    The Krankies need a replacement passion wagon since nasty MacPlod nicked the one from mummy’s driveway.

    ” …… Police are examining what happened to monies left to the Scottish National Party (SNP) in deceased supporters’ wills, it has been reported.

    Specialist officers are understood to be looking at £400,000 of bequests in recent years, including some declared to the Electoral Commission (EC) recently.

    More than £1 million has been left to the SNP in wills since 2021, the Sunday Mail disclosed, including £246,000 from the estate of South African-born Estelle Brownrigg that was declared in January this year.

    A source told the newspaper: “Large sums left to the party in wills are being looked at as part of the investigation. Huge amounts have been left over the years, including donations declared to the EC in recent months.

    “In terms of the independence fund money which has been reported as missing, there is around £400,000 for which officers are trying to account. They are looking at company accounts and bank accounts and at specific items which have been purchased and where funds and items have ultimately ended up.” ……… “

    1. How sad that people reach the end of a long life, and with all that life experience…they think the SNP is the most deserving recipient of their money!
      I suppose the IRA showed that celtic sentiment is a nice little earner in the 1970s in the USA.

      1. Good morning BB2 and everybody.
        My internet connection is poor this morning, but the SNP inheritance is more complex than it seems. IIRC political parties count as charities, so the testator’s money goes further because the Inheritance Tax liability is reduced by charitable bequests.

        1. Tim, one of the most interesting points is why the BBC, having been so enamoured of the SNP for

          so many years, have suddenly forgotten to report this.

          1. Two words -Sarah Smith, late of BBC Scotland and daughter of the late John Smith!

          2. Much like bBC SF/IRA across the North Channel, they only report what they must on their favoured groups. Just over 30 years ago, I had tasking to get aerial reconnaissance over three murder victims. Two were in fairly open areas, the third somewhere along a twisting road with overhanging trees and hedges. As per usual, at 07.55 I nipped to the crew bar to view the local bBC ‘news’ – the fact it was presented by the gorgeous Lynda Bryans was PURELY COINCIDENTAL – and bBC SF/IRA had a camera car driving along the twisting road and showing the body. This told me two things; the accurate location of the body, and that the body probably wasn’t booby-trapped as SF/IRA wouldn’t send their useful idiots into danger.

        2. Tim, one of the most interesting points is why the BBC, having been so enamoured of the SNP for

          so many years, have suddenly forgotten to report this.

    2. ‘Moaning, Annie. It just gets better and better! The icing on this very dodgy cake would be the arrest of Sturgeon for investigation…

          1. Oh, I don’t know. Let her suffer the mental torture of a long drawn out investigation.

    3. Politics eh the biggest scam on the planet and right under everyone’s noses.
      It’s so true that Money is the root of all evil.
      Didn’t those disgusting toads at Westminster take home more than 132million pounds in expenses around a year ago.

  29. From the Gatesograph letters:

    SIR – While the teachers are striking, their students have life-changing exams coming up.

    My son, who is doing his final exams at university, has been inundated with requests for online tutoring in mathematics and economics from GCSE and A-level students. He has no formal teaching qualifications, but he is using his hard-earned knowledge to help replace the education these students are missing out on.

    My son is earning good money from this, but what does it say about our education system?

    Sue King
    Radstock, Somerset

    Well, Sue, what it says to me is that your son has an entrpreneurial spirit which is to be encouraged and that he is in the vanguard of a movement which will surely grow so that people who want a proper education can side-step the Marxism-washed products of the university PGCE programmes. Let us not forget that GCSE and ‘A’ Level exam certificates and degrees are merely bits of paper of increasingly dubious value if they come from Marxism-steeped institutes.

    1. I’ve got a PGCE but when it came to teaching it was of no use at all! It was just a bit of paper.

  30. ‘Morning, Peeps. A sunny and peaceful start to the Bank Holiday. Naturally, rain is forecast but not until this afternoon.

    Headline in today’s DT:

    “Pledging allegiance to the King from your sofa is voluntary, says Lambeth Palace after backlash

    Monarch’s bid to make the ceremony ‘less elitist’ criticised as ‘offensive’ and ‘tone deaf’ ”

    Much to my surprise it is still possible to comment and the negativity is almost palpable. Here are just a few:

    Dylan Bremal
    10 HRS AGO
    Our village used to have bunting out, street parties, and other events for royal occasions (as recently as the Platinum Jubilee), but save for a small smattering of flags in private gardens, you wouldn’t know anything was happening next weekend. No one is interested. Charles seems more interested in diversity and global warming than actually engaging with the people, and boy does it show in their response.

    Orson Wedgwood
    23 MIN AGO
    Won’t be watching, it is time we as a nation grew up and rejected this patronising elite. If Charles really valued participation of the people he should be encouraging a referendum on the monarchy. He might win, which would make the monarchy legitimate, but at the moment it is something imposed on us and reviled by many since the departure of his mother.

    Tracy James
    24 MIN AGO
    I’ve always enjoyed and watched all royal events in the past, but I have to say I’m not excited by the coronation. Charles has disappointed me in his constant talk about diversity and green issues, I get this all the while from our elected Government and I don’t wish to hear it from our Head of State. From what I have read the Coronation is going to be the same, Westminster Abbey is going to be full of minority groups, and the NHS (what are they doing there shouldn’t they be on the picket line!!), it’s putting me right off.

    Andrew Cowell
    38 MIN AGO
    A constitutional monarch should never become embroiled in political debate. Charles has regularly ignored this imperative. He has, for example, swallowed the nonsensical net zero narrative whilst living a life immune from the effects of soaring energy costs, rising food prices and the increasing assault on our personal freedoms.

    * * *

    And so it goes on. I think the mods must be asleep on the job this morning. Personally I am not enthused by a coronation that is so OTT bearing in mind our somewhat diminished position in the world order. It might have been more sensible to suggest that people might like to pledge themselves to country and flag if they want to mark the occasion. Besides, it is surely the case that a new monarch should pledge allegiance to country and its people, rather than the other way around? As for Charles, I fear that he hasn’t quite got the hang of this, despite having been trained for the job for very nearly 75 years…

    1. Charles is a fanatic though, he won’t listen. This will just be more proof to him that the peasants need to be forced to go to their fate in 20 minute cities

    3. My only interest in the events next Saturday is the concern the buses run to the normal Saturday timetable.
      I’m going in to see the last Rugby match of the season and I don’t need Charles the Turd and his coronation messing things up!

      1. That’s very interesting VVOF. They are holding a rugby match on the same day as the Coronation? It doesn’t show much interest there!

        1. Yes, there was talk about rearranging it but Charlie was reluctant to change his plans. 🤣🤣

          2. Why he didn’t hold it in June, like his mother I can’t think. Another month wouldn’t have made much difference. There were already two Bank Holidays in May.

      2. That’s very interesting VVOF. They are holding a rugby match on the same day as the Coronation? It doesn’t show much interest there!

      3. I shall be attending an RAF buddy’s 60th bbq down in Walsall on Saturday; if my local backstreet garage can swap my wheel bearing after this past weekend’s 800 mile round trip to Thrapston for another RAF buddy’s wedding (the day before his 60th). The things I do for a social life.

        1. Lubrication, that’s the answer for both you and your wheel bearing.

    4. As for Charles, I fear that he hasn’t quite got the hang of this, despite having been trained for the job for very nearly 75 years…

      Is he so wrapped up in elitism (WEF sycophant) that he can’t help being brass-necked or is he just dim? Maybe both?

    5. Morning everyone.

      It is very gracious of Lambeth Palace to say that “ “Pledging allegiance to the King from your sofa is voluntary”. Something neither Alf nor I will be doing. KC is a sad disappointment and his heir is not much better. I like PW and family but they all need to stay out of politics. They should be utterly neutral. KC should be swearing an oath to us not the other way round.

      And it’s a bit late for the AoC to be suggesting anything considering his complete absence when his flock could have done with some spiritual inspiration and comfort over the last 3 years.

      1. Well vw, he doesn’t appear to have much allegiance to his indigenous subjects, or their way of life so I won’t be holding my breath.

    6. I pledged allegiance to my monarch in the ’80s when I wore uniform. I certainly don’t want to do it to Charles, who is more interested in politics, greenery, wokery and the non-indigenous. Loyalty cuts both ways.

  31. Mrs VVOF likes to put the curse on my Bank Holiday plans so she threatened to do the laundry.
    True to form it has started to rain, I’m going to have to hide her broomstick otherwise the grass will never get cut!

    1. Wotch it vvof! She’ll clatter you with her cauldron in a minute!

    2. Laundry!
      There’s a wash in the machine from yesterday evening that I had completely forgotten about!
      Thank you for the reminder 🙂

  33. First task of the day done. 5 x plastic garden bags filled with 8 shovelfuls of soil from the verge each and humped up the garden!
    Also dug out a lot of nettle & bramble roots too.

    Whilst busy with the task I found a somewhat rusted up Universal Joint off the end of a propshaft! At a guess I would imagine either someone didn’t tighten the bolts up connecting it to the read diff, or it literally fell off the back of a wagon!

    1. God! I’m exhausted already! Morning Bob. I ‘d like to go to the Supermarket but there are no buses and I’m not sure that I could make it back home!

    3. If you ever get bored, Bob, you’re more than welcome here. Plenty to do for someone who isn’t me.

    4. Found that the lad who re-chassis’ed Firstborn’s landy some years ago used a) brass manifold bolts, and b) didn’t tighten them properly (you can’t) to reattach the UJ at the front of the rear driveshaft to the transfer box. Found, because there was a load of vibration, popped under the waggon for a look, and Oh! Shit!!
      Replaced with the correct bolts. Properly torqued.
      Had they come adrift, the driveshaft would have dug into the road, lifted the back of the Landy like a pole-vault, and caused a nasty accident, wrecking the Landy at the same time. Close call!

    1. The version I heard was one of the lads giving a bit of OTT banter to one of the NAAFI lasses in Hameln getting a response, “Whoever put teeth in your mouth spoilt a perfectly good fanny!”

  36. Much outside activity planned for today. But, since it’s raining/sleeting/snowing, not much getting done. At least we got most done yesterday, clearing up from the winter, but it would have been nice to finish off.
    Other plans involved getting the terrace furniture out, a barbie, and some garden planning, but instead Nottling and coffee. Could be worse, I suppose.

    1. Besides the chillis, tomatoes, beans and trombetti i have just thrown seed bombs everywhere. Just waiting for the forecast rain and job done.

  37. OT – not a word in The Grimes today (apart from the score in mouse-type) about the England ladies’ triumph in their 6 Nations.

    Were I a lady – I’d be a tad cheesed off.

    By the way – in the men’s game – the ref is called SIR. What do women call the refette (apart from you blind bastard)??

    1. I remember my father berating the ref at Twickenham – a numpty called (appropriately) Mike Titcombe, who missed seeing a penalty, seen by thousands in the ground and on TV! Having called him several names (see above) a lady behind him tapped him on the shoulder and said ‘Excuse me, but that’s my husband you’re shouting at!’ Cue a very red face for Dad!

  38. Watch: Residents hold mock funeral over building plans that will double size of Dorset village
    The Action4Alderholt group films the grim reaper as it opposes proposal to add 1,700 homes to the area and turn it into a town
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/04/30/mock-funeral-residents-planning-row-alderholt-double-size/

    Most of the residents of this village blame immigration on the fact that their community will be destroyed once the existing residents are in a minority.

    Most of the BTL comments blame mass immigration on the proposed ruin of many communities without any consideration of what the existing residents want.

    Of course our capital city is now already inhabited by a majority of people who are not descended from the original indigenous British population.

    BTL Percival Wrattstrangler

    “We must be mad, literally mad, as a nation to be permitting the annual inflow of some 50,000 dependents, who are for the most part the material of the future growth of the immigrant-descended population. It is like watching a nation busily engaged in heaping up its own funeral pyre.”

    The chap who said this is guilty of gross understatement. How many come to Britain each year now and how long before the funeral pyre is set alight?

    1. I genuinely and seriously fear for the future of our grandchildren.
      Another 4 thousand scroungers have been allowed to come into the UK from Africa because our stupid Whitehall issued them with British passports.
      Africa and other countries where the people who live there are too lazy to improve their own situations.
      They should be sent back to where they come from dispite any claims for human rights abuse. It’s Our collective human rights are being abused.

  39. SIR – As the Royal College of Nursing has given up any pretence of being a caring professional body, is it time it was stripped of its royal title?

    Charles Penfold
    Ulverston, Cumbria

    By a strange coincidence I sent a similar letter yesterday. Perhaps the phrase “From heroes to zeros” didn’t impress the Editor!

  40. I’ve been watching debates around the nurses strikes. The problem seems to be not only pay but working hours and conditions. Now including lack of staff. It’s pretty obvious but never mentioned that much of the problem has been caused by people leaving the NHS to the private sector. And some of the people who have been interviewed are suggesting the UK imports more nurses from abroad. Which is not the solution. It robbs other countries of their trained people.
    IMHO it’s becoming more and more obvious that our government dispite all the problems this is causing for patients, are hell bent on slowly but surely going through the process to shut down the NHS.
    But the problem is for many years our various government have brought this situation upon the country by their own ignorance, in allowing hundreds of thousands of people to use the NHS without ever making a single contribution. At the moment there are elderly people who have paid in to use the service all their working lives. But are not receiving the service they deserve.

    1. Maybe they are just tailoring the NHS to suit the projected population under the net zero great reset

      1. ‘They’ are not clever enough to be able to do this.
        Let’s remember that they eff up everything they come into contact with.

        2. They are pushing net zero inside of the NHS. That simple attitude is moronic.

          The political class are simply stupid, vicious, spiteful fools.

          1. They don’t care they all claim anything medical on an insurance policy claimed back as expenses.

    2. I think the NHS is a monster that is out of control of politicians. It exists to further its own existence, and as a voter block, it’s too big for any politician to tackle it.

      1. I don’t think they want it to work. Resolving the problems the NHS has is not especially difficult but the state keeps pushing the same failed, tired nonsense.

        The Right try to make it work and the Left scream privatisation.

        The Left use it as a whipping post to scare people with the cost of private healthcare – ignoring that every other nation has an insurance policy. Tt loves the taxes NI hauls in as it can waste those. The Left also love that the NHS is a massive unionised organisation that can be weaponised.

    3. Government cannot run or control anything properly. They have put up with poor management for years and years and done nothing about it. You would have to start by breaking up the NHS in to managable pieces. Privatise as much as possible.

    4. I hope so Eddy, but there’s a simple stop gap of moving to pay the NHS only once it does the work. The money can come form taxation, the same structures can remain in place but gradually dismantled as time goes on and they’re proved unnecessary.

      The problem the NHS has is government treats it as a department and the NHS knows it’s ultimate customer is the state so it works for the government, obeying dictat rather than focussing on patient care. Why else is it bothering with the idiocy of ‘diversity’ and ‘green’?

      Labour increased the population by over 10 million. Massive welfare expansion saw those immigrants immediately start breeding. This forced huge demand on yet more welfare. Now the breeders are breeding and even more gimmigrants are flooding in, all wanting money, schools, housing and so on. The state loves this as it continually complains for more money AND creates law ensuring the people paying cannot complain about this obvious problem.

      As for nurses and docs leaving for private practice: this is inevitable as it will pay more. I don’t blame them however the demand for those services is what has caused the move. If the NHS were not desperately needing more nurses thanks to massive population expansion there wouldn’t have been a demand for the agency staff.

      As always government, intent on spite and adopting truly stupid policies of mass welfare and open borders has created this mess.

      1. I hate anything about our political classes and Westminster, the only thing they actually achieved with extended satisfaction is a state of misery for the working UK taxpayers and those like many British pensioners who can’t possibly live on the pathetic insult of the state pension. And even have to sell their homes to survive.
        It’s a terrible situation.
        Manipulated by the disgusting scumbags (polite) in Westminster and Whitehall.

  41. That’s all the outside work done for this dismal day – took in the extension cable that supplies the car engine heaters. Now it can dry off before being stored until next winter.

  42. I wonder whether all the strikes and lack of interest, at least as far as Alf and I are concerned, in the coronation are all symptoms of general dissatisfaction with HMG? All those striking must know the U.K. finances are in dire straits, it seems many government departments don’t work properly and yet taxes have gone up and more and more people are caught in the bands even having had an increase in pay/pension. There is absolutely no incentive to work harder and no action by HMG seems to ease our lives in any way. Rather the opposite.

    1. Three out of four of our younger line of family plus one who has only yesterday worked his last Sunday for four years. They work 12 hour days. And have received no increase in income since they use to work 6 -8 hour days.
      And they all work in the private sector.

      1. 12 hour shifts is hard work for a living, Eddy. Particularly if there’s no decent break. Done that myself, when I was younger.

        1. Our eldest works from home most days, but after a day at his main uk office he often has to video take calls from the US. Extending his working hours even further.
          He has two young children.

    2. The NHS should have been privatised years ago as it moved away from govenment control, that can neither run anyting or control anything properly. What a mess.

    3. Morning vw. I’m waiting to have a look at the crowds on Saturday!

      2. I suppose there will be some in the streets, have they published a route for any procession that may be taking place? (TBH I so am not interested, details have probably passed me by). I was always a Royalist but Charles leaves me cold, he’s too woke and political. I’m glad he’s happier with Camilla but other than that …

        It’s very sad really coz I think the monarchy will fade right away. I don’t really want a President.

        1. I know that there’s a grandstand on the Mall because I was offered a ticket and declined.

  43. Why you shouldn’t plant anything in your garden until the end of May. 1 May 2023.

    Gardeners have been warned against planting too early amid the coldest spring in six years.

    Experts have said unsettled conditions continue to threaten flora growth.

    Horticulture enthusiasts have been told to wait until the end of May before sowing their seeds.

    “Don’t be too eager to get planting,” said Phil Gomersal, president of The National Allotment Society.

    “Most people see the sunshine and think ‘oh, let’s get gardening’, but it’s still too early.

    “As the old saying goes, ‘ne’er cast a clart till May is art’ – I’d wait until the end of May so that the frost doesn’t catch and kill your plants.”

    UK temperatures have been 1.4C (34.52F) below average, with maximum temperatures 1.8C (35.24F) below normal, according to the Met Office.

    “It has also been the latest since 2016 that we have hit 20C for the first time in the UK,” said a Met Office spokesman.

    “This year we saw 21.2C at Kinlochewe, Scotland, on April 17.”

    Sunshine has also been below average across all four nations and rainfall is also above what has been expected, said the Met Office.

    What happened to Global Warming?

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/04/30/gardening-tips-2023-cold-spring/?li_source=LI&li_medium=liftigniter-rhr

    1. We know what happened to it, don’t we. The Grand Solar Minimum is what happened.

    3. They had to change it to climate change as people saw through the lie.

    4. I’ve just harvested and eaten some lettuce I sowed in early March. They, and the radishes and onions put in at the same time, seem to have survived okay.

  44. Completely OT. Weird coincidences in last three days. Saturday, the MR accidentally let the plug on her sewing machine fall to the ground. It split. Yesterday, I did the same with the plug on my electric drill. Same thing. This morning, I took my favourite long screwdriver (with a perspex handle) from its place. The handle crumbled to dust…….

    Spooky or what? The common factor is that each plug and the screwdriver is at least 40 years old.. Suddenly the critical point has arrived and the substances become unstable.

    Weird, though…..

    4. I have just donned a freshly-laundered ‘Fred Perry’ sweatshirt. It is still in very good condition (for leisure and work activities) despite me having owned it for nearly 40 years!

      This morning I looked online to see if Fred Perry shirts still exist. They do. The similar current edition of my sweatshirt starts at £105·00! I can get 3–4 of them from H&M for that price.

    5. Perspex? Crumbling? Bally heck! Was it sat in a bath of acid? 40 years is nothing for plastic. I (admits to secret shame) bought some He Man toys off ebay made in the early 80’s and they’re as robust as ever. They’ll outlive Junior.

    3. Apparently Trudeau has decided to go so the whole tone of the event has been lowered.

      Perfect timing, it is overlaps the annual liberal party convention and the party prince has chosen to party rather than attend his party gathering.

      1. If all the foreigners left London they’d get an extra hour of daylight

  46. Where’s Stig?

    Yesterday, in one of his posts, he asked why “Grizz” has not chosen to become a parent. Here is my answer.

    I am the eldest of five siblings. There was not a single time, growing up, when I was not surrounded by noisy children and all the smells, chaos and cacophony that came with them. There was nowhere in the house to escape them whenever I needed a bit of peace and quite. This was not because I was per se a solitary individual; I had many friends at school and in the street and I played sports and games with them. I simply had nothing in common with my parents or siblings.

    My father was a selfish individual whose cigarettes and beer consumption were always his priority. Pocket-money was scant and he never took any of us out, to sports matches, swimming, walking, concerts, theatre, cinema or any other leisure activity. When other school classmates recanted, each Monday morning, all the adventures they had enjoyed over the weekend with their parents, I was unable to contribute, much to my eternal embarrassment.

    As a direct result of this I decided, very early in my life, that I had no ambition to be a father. Part of this was because I preferred peace and the opportunity to do things without encumbrances; part was because I was aware that I possessed my father’s genes and did not wish to find out (too late) that I was not suitable father material.

    I have never regretted my decision; especially since the world’s human population has obscenely tripled within my own lifetime.

    1. Your upbringing reflects my own. My father and mother smoked, Pub darts team and bingo.

      Not only did they not support any extra-curricula activities, they never bothered to pick me up after attending plays essential to my exams.

      They would never sign release forms for school trips if money was involved.

      I was also asked to leave the Cubs and Sunday school because they never gave me any money to support those activities.

      I was the youngest of six children and our house was always in chaos. It wasn’t until i was 10 years old that i realised that my eldest sister wasn’t my mother.

      Like you i needed peace and children are the opposite of that.

      1. I had a cousin who lived with my grandmother, whom she called ‘Mum’. Whenever I asked my own mother why that cousin wasn’t my aunt, I never got a reply that made sense. It transpired that the cousin had been born out of wedlock by a promiscuous aunt and had been brought up by the grandmother as ‘her’ child.

        On my father’s side, his elder brother and wife had a son whose surname wasn’t the same as the family’s. This cousin was, similarly, the son of his “mother’s” promiscuous sister, who didn’t want him. She permitted my uncle to adopt him but insisted that he keep her surname.

        That generation was beyond weird!

        1. Just a few years before he’d death my mother told me that her real mother was actually one of me aunts. In those days of unmarried shame, her real mother had been banished to Harrogate and she was brought up by her grandparents.

        2. You’re telling me !
          The woman who i believed was my grandmother was actually my grandmother’s sister. While he was married to one sister my grandfather moved her in as well. Then when she died he moved in another woman with my grandmother’s sister and had a child by her.
          That child was my age and we went to the same schools !
          People thought she was my cousin but she was actually my aunt.

          When a cousin researched the family tree all hell broke loose. Turns out my eldest sister was fathered by my dad’s brother. My dad went on to marry my mother.

          2. I bet that little piece of ‘cultural misappropriation’ would go down really well, these days, with the Brothers.

          3. Carry on Cornwall. I’ve discovered a few things in the family that I’ve found hard to credit but are true. A boy sent to Australia 4 years old, and a girl of 3 sent to Wales, possibly a worse fate. These were unwanted offspring of my mother’s sister, although she kept 3 more. My mother abandoned her baby daughter to her parents and the the next boy and girl to the father’s parents after both hubbies were killed during the war.

      2. I had a cousin who lived with my grandmother, whom she called ‘Mum’. Whenever I asked my own mother why that cousin wasn’t my aunt, I never got a reply that made sense. It transpired that the cousin had been born out of wedlock by a promiscuous aunt and had been brought up by the grandmother as ‘her’ child.

        On my father’s side, his elder brother and wife had a son whose surname wasn’t the same as the family’s. This cousin was, similarly, the son of his “mother’s” promiscuous sister, who didn’t want him. She permitted my uncle to adopt him but insisted that he keep her surname.

        That generation was beyond weird!

    2. Perfectly understandable Grizz. I was a mistake (as I was constantly reminded). Never saw much of my Dad who was in the Merchant navy and never received the love and affection which would normally come from ones mother. She couldn’t wait to get rid of me and were obviously grateful when I joined the RAF straight from school, they even moved house while I was in Germany – I came home on leave to find someone else in the house who gave me their new address. My 2 elder sisters, quite a bit older than me didn’t want to know when my mother couldn’t look after herself and it was muggins who took her in until forced to put her in a home. I’ve got 2 kids who don’t really bother with me although they live far away. My 2 stepkids from my late wife are more like family to me.

      1. There’s no 2 families the same and I think we all, maybe not all, have stories of childhood that were unpleasant.

        1. I must admit in order to get any attention I used to ‘misbehave’, in fact I was probly a little swine. Unfortunately ‘attention’ usually meant a smack on the legs or a clout behind the ear

          2. Didn’t really apply as Dad was away at sea most of the time and I got away with a lot when he was home

    3. Perfectly understandable Grizz. I was a mistake (as I was constantly reminded). Never saw much of my Dad who was in the Merchant navy and never received the love and affection which would normally come from ones mother. She couldn’t wait to get rid of me and were obviously grateful when I joined the RAF straight from school, they even moved house while I was in Germany – I came home on leave to find someone else in the house who gave me their new address. My 2 elder sisters, quite a bit older than me didn’t want to know when my mother couldn’t look after herself and it was muggins who took her in until forced to put her in a home. I’ve got 2 kids who don’t really bother with me although they live far away. My 2 stepkids from my late wife are more like family to me.

    4. Do you mean that being taken to sports matches was part of childhood?

      To defend my father, we did live on farms for much of my childhood so going to a football match would have required a very lengthy bus/train journey.

      1. When you are the only child, in a class of 35, whose parents didn’t spend time with at weekends, doing whatever, then you soon feel that something is not right.

        My father never tired of telling me of all the adventures he had as a child and of all the football and cricket matches he attended.

        1. We (well at least I) didn’t have that feeling ov being left out although we certainly were the poor family on the block.

          It was more obvious in grammar school where I was the one that could not go on any school trips and was the only one left out. The eleven plus got me to grammar school but my family was not able to pay for the incidentals that would have let me participate fully.

          1. My mother was a widow so I missed out on exchange visits and the like. Not because she said I couldn’t go, but because I was very reluctant to ask her for extra money.

          2. We were very opposite. My sister was always the outgoing class star and went on all the trips. My parents didn’t understand why I didn’t want to go on them, and sent me anyway.

            There was a drive that I be ‘like my sister’ rather than who I was which was a slightly autistic introvert. To counter this I was the class clown and then it became ‘if he applied himself he’d do much better’.

          3. I think teenagerhood generally is hard on techie introvert kids. At least you didn’t peak as a teen, and spend the rest of your life washing cars dwelling on your glory days, like a Bruce Springsteen song.

            I’ve never come across a school that really suits techie boys. I thought the alternative school where my children went would be good for my sons, but one of them hated it and left with no qualifications – is now highly successful on his own terms though. It gave them loads of freedom, but unfortunately the head believes in stickers on your phone to neutralise harmful rays, so there wasn’t much computer or mechanical education.

          4. My boys went to the local grammar school (we still have them here) and did well enough. Both eventually went into IT jobs. One self-employed, the other works for the same company he joined in ’99.

      2. My father never took me to a football match, but he did take me hunting. I got on well with him, but my mother and I were always at loggerheads, largely because she had no interest in anything I liked and dismissed it.

    5. It’s a pity you didn’t use all that learning to raise a/several child/ren, Grizz. Although your choice, of course. I tried to be a better father than my Father, not sure that I succeeded, but at least had the two lads at home whilst they grew up rather than subcontracting to a public school. I was skeptical at the beginning, but SWMBO has proved to be an outstanding Mother and partner in this, and the honours must go to her.

      1. Amongst many other attributes, to become a successful father, Paul, you must first have a desire to become one. Without that desire the concept was always going to be a non-starter.

        I do not, nor ever have, missed fatherhood.

        1. I felt the same as the warqueen and I never intended to have Junioor but, considering he’s vastly more rational, intelligent and polite than I ever was and I *STILL* want to strangle him sometimes – I can’t imagine life without him.

        2. When my brother had his first child he was euphoric and couldn’t understand why i was not going to have any. He said the childs upbringing was paramount and would be brought up very differently to our own distant and uncaring parents.

          In fact what happened was he spoiled him rotten and he turned into a sulking, whining little shit if he didn’t get his own way in all things.

          My brother had bought a timeshare in a barge for holidays which they ended up never using because the children were bored.

          I would have given them a big slap.

          That’s another reason why i am not a parent. I would kill them.

          1. My middle brother (his name is Philip) is a father to two sons who are decent chaps and have caused him no harm. Philip was also very much aware of the shortcomings of our own parents but, unlike me, he decided to show that he could be a much better father.

            Philip and I have always remained close.

        3. It is far worse to have children if you don’t want them than to have them when you don’t want them.

          Most of us here believe in free speech and freedom of choice. I don’t think I would have been unhappy if we had not had children but I am very happy that we did

          2. “It is far worse to have children if you don’t want them than to have them when you don’t want them.”

            Would you care to proof-read that sentence of yours, Rastus?

          3. It is a mistake to have children if you are not sure that you want them.

            i.e. You must be sure that you want children before having them.

            If you are not sure that you want children then don’t have them. You didn’t want children and you are happy you did not have them. That’s fine.

            By contrast my sister-in-law wanted a career and did not want children.

            But she became aware of the biological clock and changed her mind in her late 30s and it didn’t happen. After IVF and several miscarriages she finally got pregnant in her 40s naturally and all is well.

        4. True, Grizz. It’s complex. I didn’t know I wanted to be a father until I was one, and I don’t regret a minute. Ballsed a few things up along the way, but the end result makes me proud fit to burst, of the two independent,intelligent, thoughtful, capable, well-mannered lads that have resulted.

          1. … even if most of it was the doings of SWMBO.
            Clever lass, her. Definitely a keeper!

          2. That could probably have been the case if I’d had children. You roll up your sleeves and get on with it.

      2. I went away to boarding prep school at the age of 8 and to a boarding public school from 13 to 18. Caroline’s parents did not want her to go to a boarding school and her father, who worked for a large multinational Dutch company, insisted that he would only be posted in places where there were good international schools. So Caroline went to schools in Holland, India, Iran and Spain. She then went on to universities in England and France. She met me when she was 24 and we moved to France the year after marrying and we ran our first residential French courses when she was 27.

    6. Morning Grizz. I think that dysfunctional families were the norm from our own generation and though things are slightly better now they are still not the majority.

      1. Morning, Araminta. I think you are right. I can think of many dysfunctional families, and they are still around today.

    7. When I was young I was tubby. Then I started training. However, when I got my first job and couldn’t I got fat. really fat.

      At that point I didn’t expect to ever meet anyone or have children. I watched my nieces grow up and I tried dating but it felt like being a toy taken off the shelf and played with before being put back.

      If I had not met the Warqueen – who sees something more than just my tummy – I doubt I would have had Junior.

      As a kid, my mother was very difficult (she still is) and would regularly invade my room to ‘tidy it’. She threw away my pyjama doll. She would buy me clothes that didn’t fit telling me I would slim in to them. I didn’t. She’d cut the cables to my Spectrum because she ‘hated wires’.

      Being an introvert I thought I’d be a hopeless parent. I probably am. My Dad was miserly – not because he was tight but because my mother was profligate. I’d ask for something for Christmas or a birthday and get something else that ‘I really wanted’ – even though I didn’t.

      The Warqueen rejected Junior when he was born and fell into a dreadful depression. She couldn’t hold Junior as a baby. When he was crawling he’d belt toward her and she’d back away, not knowing what to do. His birth was difficult and she can’t have any more children. I think at some level this is difficult for her as ‘a mother’ but it’s a small facet of her life.

      I try to not do all the things my folks did to me. Junior’s room is *his* room, not mine. He has a clothes bucket – and e puts that out. He isn’t spoiled, so much as if he asks for something, that is what he will get. Last time it was the Lego Bugatti model. I said are you sure, as that’s a month’s car washing and hoovering?’

      As to the noise – My childhood was quiet, as you’d never know which way mother’s rage would go. If you said the wrong thing, she’d slam doors, smash crockery and usually hit me so my siblings would hide. My brother had it worst as he had no idea what was going on because he can’t process the emotions nor, when she’s screaming ‘look at me when I’m talking to you’ and he can’t. My sister left home early and never returned. My brother went into care and one day when Mother went for me with a saucepan I broke her wrist and booted her one.

      Sorry – all too much about me – just to say you have made a decision that suits you and shouldn’t feel you have to justify that. Sometimes families are difficult.

      On the massive expansion of people – that wouldn’t be an issue if we had kept them out of this country with it’s logistical and economic success and made them stay where they were born, forcing the changes we went through but no, Blair wanted a voting block.

      1. Not at all, thanks for your contribution.

        As for “…you have made a decision that suits you and shouldn’t feel you have to justify that.” I agree fully, but that doesn’t stop people perpetually, and tiresomely, demanding to know why you are ‘different’ to them.

        1. That says more about the other than it does about you, in my opinion Grizz.

      2. One of the reasons i enjoy Nottle is people talking of personal experiences. They tell me i’m not alone in how i feel about things.

      3. Oh, blimey, man.
        Reading that was hard. I’m glad that you seem to have found some kind of equilibrium.

    8. Fatherhood and motherhood can bring intense joy and meaning into one’s life – they can also bring despair and frustration. We have, thank God, had more of the former

      We have been blessed with happy and fulfilling lives – I think the time when our boys were growing up and we were sailing around the Med just coming home to run our courses were amongst our happiest years. But we still are running our courses even though I am in my late 70s and the boys have left home and found a wife or a fiancée but we still love having young people around us. Indeed, this year’s crop of students has been excellent.

      https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ac345a8a7244f061460a0a001004bf5bb9c809003d4313093a8bed6b45dd3b81.jpg

      Christo aged 10, Henry aged 8

    9. Your family life experience is very similar to my own except that I was the fourth of five. Both my elder sisters had mental issues and have died and I have an estranged younger brother and an older brother with whom I remain in contact.

      I could not wait to leave home and was fortunate to find places at two universities, gain qualifications and employment and effectively retire at age 70.

      My father smoked Woodbines and drank beer. He had episodes of mental disorder and I was placed in children’s homes in Uphill near Weston super Mare and later on in Threeways in Bath. I have to say I preferred the experience of the children’s homes to living at home.

    10. I wish more people would speaktheir mind. We have 2 adult children and fully understand where you are coming from Griz.

      Its interesting that we have no grandchildren and we are glad about it. We do not think that life as we know it will go on very much longer.

      1. Thanks, John. The (unheeded) warnings that George Orwell gave us in Nineteen Eighty-Four are now coming true.

    11. Re the thread below. I was very lucky. On our first date, my husband (then 26) said he wanted to get married and have children. I was 33 and living a glamorous jet-setting life but not having met anyone who wanted to settle down with me. We were engaged within 9 months and married within 18 months. Mutual sporting friends said he was a brave man! But we celebrate 21 years shortly. Plans for my retirement in 4 years now (pushed out post-Rhyming Slang’s budget). Lots of things to do on my list!!!

    12. I didn’t want children as my two nephews (my brother’s boys) are both registered blind due to a genetic condition they inherited from him. It would have been irresponsible in the extreme, in my view, to risk the same result. In addition, MOH’s family had a history of heart disease and being a bit mentally unstable. Could have been a recipe for disaster!

    13. I never made a conscious decision not to become a parent. I just never had any urges to become one. I have been asked the question you mention many times. Frankly, i find it intrusive with thinly disguised negative undertones. I often replied with: “Now ask me the questions you really want to ask me.”

      1. I agree wholeheartedly. I also detest being labelled, idiotically, as “childless” by those who are too dim to understand that my status is, correctly, child-free.

        1. I’ve never understood the almost accusatory way people ask that question; it is downright rude.
          By and large, our two sons have been fine, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit there were times when I wondered if MB and I had made a sensible decision.

  47. Biffed off to a convention with Small Boy over the weekend. Bally exhausting, with queues for everything. Despite the size of the place it was packed and most of the time was spent waiting in line. To the prganisers credit they tried setting up more to double the throughput but it was still really squeezy. On the upside, you got to meet people and say hullo to old and new chums.

    Just felt a bit bad for Junior as he couldn’t hop about as small children expect to be able to which was frustrating for him and me.

          1. Our grandchildren love all that stuff.
            Why are pirates so angry 😡…….cos they arrr.

          2. A book your grands might like- Edward and the Pirates by David McPhail. Aimed for the primary school age and has wonderful illustrations.

  49. Greetings all and thanks for the birthday wishes last week. I’ve been away to warmer climes but am now back and slowly acclimatising. And just in time for the 3 bank holidays this month. Is something special happening?

    2. A belated happy birthday, Haricot. There are always two Bank Holidays in May. The middle one is because some woke prat is getting a lump of metal plonked on his head.

  50. I said the other day that I think the CBDCs and all the rest of it are just diversions to distract us during the collapse of fiat currencies and the financial reset, so that (a) we won’t blame the elites and (b) we won’t transfer any of our wealth across to the other side.

    Browsing around on Twit today, I stumbled across this document published in 2010 by the Rockefeller foundation, which appears to have remarkable powers of prediction.
    https://www.nommeraadio.ee/meedia/pdf/RRS/Rockefeller%20Foundation.pdf

    Bear in mind that 2008 was when the dollar died – and has been going on life support (printing money) ever since.
    It actually came to another crunch point in August 2019 which received barely any publicity, and the pandemic was launched shortly afterwards. This enabled emergency help by putting the economy into a coma and pumping money directly to businesses, exactly as recommended by Blackrock.
    So I think that this plan, which has been in the pipeline since the fiat currencies were set up in 1970 precisely for this moment, was set into train in 2009.

    If you go to the section on “Lockstep” it sketches a possible future timeline of pandemic, authoritarian government, – they thought the end would come sooner than it did.

    But the interesting part is the end of the scenario in “Lockstep” where they foresee the people getting increasingly restless under the authoritarian rule.
    This supports my theory that this tyranny is only intended to be temporary, to get us over the financial reset. We will then “win” a great victory over authoritarian governments, and things will totter on, with the Rockerfeller/Rothschild etc still firmly in the driving seat.

  53. ‘Afternoon All

    Tosser we don’t have billions and hordes of minions to grow our organic veg

    https://twitter.com/PearceAlan1962/status/1652794176558317569?s=20

    Bank Holiday Medley

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/03342b5bda90ccc5c3eb9c0b147a775f6c46e5406ea527a232cdff7649979d76.jpg

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e6cf61df9435369677e586d842070b6ab7cb7f2787100ae682bf10fbdd737393.png

    https://i.imgflip.com/532ewo.jpg

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c4e2ec7bccda55b020f82d51649b26214d74650e2099b01be4a9d40fa9da9681.jpg

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b312a4f015968052eb15d49bfc2e97ff53721a3139a8183defec760cc18fd02c.jpg

    http://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/23f9051cb4adfe7a62efa5a61161a83222b73bc71e6418960421fdd09deb20c5.png

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f346cb42084c2375488035043edb4cc0555039521a5ca5dc00ba017c648ea924.jpg

  55. 374084+ up ticks,

    I was just thinking of them two 100 plus year old american Normandy beach veterans, that lived to tell the tale many would NOT want to listen to today, and many would condemn finding submission would have been a better option.

    Their ilk gave us sixty good years of being proud of our Country and history

    With net zero being the WEF / NWO United Kingdoms governing bodies ( political reptiles) target in reality means the two old Americans endeavours were for nout, plus continuing to support / vote for the toxic coalition we are saying they ( the veterans)
    are deserving of a good hiding for even trying to protect democracy.

  56. Virgin Meeja has gawn south again. An engineer visited last Tues, declared it fixed but its been 9ff and on ever since. That’s not enough for compo says Virgin – you need to experience total failur for 48hrs before they pay out.

    Another engineer is coming this arvo. Once its ‘fixed’ again, I’m going to leave. Anyone got any views on BT, Sky, Now TV etc?

    1. Anyone got any views on BT, Sky, Now TV etc.

      Yes Stormy. Stick with Virgin. Better the devil you know!

      1. I don’t know Minty. Its broken rown loads of times over the years. Other people don’t seem to have these problems.

    2. My VM costs (broadband only) were creeping up to over £40 pm. I switched to the 3 network, with a home hub router and a SIM card (no engineer required) for £15 pm. And it’s faster. If you have good 4G coverage, it might be an option. It works by WiFi and a normal RJ45 network cable

      1. T’internet is saying that Prince William owns a chunk of it, but proof seems hard to come by…
        Some Soames was the CEO until recently?
        They do seem to get a lot of that freshly minted money…

    2. Pay them when they return the scum to France. Bill them when htey bring them here.

  59. Top of my list of annoyances ATM is when Dara O’Briain and Sandy Tokavig both go ‘Errr’ after a making a joke.

    1. Must confess, I’d not noticed, but then, if it’s a new thing, the DO’B and ST we see here are years old.

    2. They have to do that, otherwise you wouldn’t know that they’ve made a joke.

  60. There’s some questioning on t’internet about what the dancing nurses from 2020 were all about
    https://twitter.com/robinmonotti/status/1652935932687835136

    I suppose it was just one of those stupid crazes, and the lesson we should draw from it was that they all had too much time on their hands as we were being told that the hospitals were overrun with deadly plague victims.

    But what was going through their minds? How can they not have realised how crass it was to release these videos while patients had to die alone?
    Does anyone know anyone who participated in one of these videos or chose not to?

    1. A lot of people don’t see the connection between things, such as you describe.
      Me- I’d love the opportunity to dance on Company time. The level of work there is, and has been for a long time now, I haven’t eaten lunch in the canteen since August, there isn’t time. So, I’ve not a lot of sympathy or time for them.

    2. At first, I thought they were hard-pressed overworked staff letting off a bit of steam, a bit like the soldiers making such videos in Iraq and Afghanistan. Then my niece, an A and E nurse who has never been busier, told me they were the staff from empty wards. She hates these videos and those who make them. I soon changed my mind.

  61. The discussion on the subject of parenthood elsewhere in today’s column…

    How much of a right do those without children have to complain about the state of the world? After all, it could be argued that they have no stake in the future.

    Over to you…

    2. Personal stake – maybe not, but do we not have a stake in the continuation and betterment of society generally – and therefore should be concerned for everybody’s children.

    3. Perhaps we had such concern about the state of the world we didn’t want to add to over-population.

      1. It’s not Western Whitey that’s breeding above replacement levels.

        1. That’s because we a) have a conscience about what’s happening to the planet and b) can’t afford to have children because we’re paying for the freeloaders and theirs.

      1. You want to be careful. The MR is a quarter the size of the lady – but packs a hefty punch.

        1. I expect i could win her over with my winsome ways….and gossiping about you of course. :@)

  63. India is sliding into Putin’s hands. 1 May 2023.

    A lot of Westerners think of India as a benign, neutral democracy which should naturally align with liberal values against the bloody-handed tyranny of modern Russia. But the Indians don’t see it that way: and the blunt truth is, they are keeping Vladimir Putin in business for no better reason than slightly cheaper oil.

    TOP COMMENT BELOW THE LINE.

    Martin Hainsworth.

    Meanwhile, the U.K. will be very smug and proud of reaching net zero and bankruptcy.

    It’s not sliding into Putin’s hands. India of course looks after itself. If only we could do the same.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/05/01/india-putin-influence-growing/

    1. Like any smart country, India looks after India, as best they can. Current bet seems to be Russia, although this isn’t a new thing. The UK could perhaps benefit from a clear-eyed review of linking everything to the non-existent “special Relationship”.

  64. India is sliding into Putin’s hands. 1 May 2023.

    A lot of Westerners think of India as a benign, neutral democracy which should naturally align with liberal values against the bloody-handed tyranny of modern Russia. But the Indians don’t see it that way: and the blunt truth is, they are keeping Vladimir Putin in business for no better reason than slightly cheaper oil.

    TOP COMMENT BELOW THE LINE.

    Martin Hainsworth.

    Meanwhile, the U.K. will be very smug and proud of reaching net zero and bankruptcy.

    It’s not sliding into Putin’s hands. India of course looks after itself. If only we could do the same.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/05/01/india-putin-influence-growing/

          2. Stormy commented earlier about her dislike of comedians saying ‘er’ after a joke. Do keep up !

        2. Just be grateful he wasn’t born African, or he’d have named him Mbu.

      1. Yes, some poor elderly woman on the ground in Oz being squirted as if she were an insect. She died a couple of days later.

        The French seem determined and prepared with makeshift screens now.

      1. Sorry, refresh the page, I have deleted it; I realised as soon as I had sent it. My finger caught the q on the key board, I’ve no idea why.

      2. He was simply taking the piss out of all the Left-wing, woke cretins who infest the council.

        Webb said he “felt good” to finally start living as his “true self” and shared that he is excited about bringing “some diversity to the county council.”

        “Whew, that felt good to finally get that out there and start living life as my true self. I’m excited to bring some diversity to the county council. Until today we didn’t have any females of color or LGBTQIAPC+++ on the council. I’m glad that now we do!” Webb wrote.

      1. I wouldn’t read anything into that. Foreign languages sometimes take whole words or acronyms without translating them. I’ve written words like “gehasht” in German simply because I don’t know the native word and everyone says gehasht anyway. I’ve even heard them say “downgeloadet”

      2. I went to an international symposium on display technology.
        For half the Japanese guy’s presentation I couldn’t understand why he was talking about disk brakes.🤔
        I then it dawned on me! 🙄

    2. Containing the gene sequence of carcinogenic tissue might be more accurate. It remains true that no one has ever extracted a viral pathogen and developed it independently of the infected tissue.

      1. It is too technical for me to understand, but the prof seems pretty clear that what he has discovered is a Bad Thing.

  70. Just in from a couple of hours heavy garden work. It is also the time of year when you discover your “thorn proof” gloves….aren’t..!

    Must put the kettle on. Looks as though we have had the best of the day.

  71. SIR – Like Richard Statham (Letters, April 29), I have owned hybrid vehicles for more than 15 years and found them very economical. The first two were self-charging and achieved about 80 miles per gallon. My current one is a plug-in, which allows me to select electric or hybrid mode. As 90 per cent of my journeys are less than 40 miles, I can be truly green and use electric, charged from solar panels at home. For longer journeys I have the benefit of dual fuel, but still manage to achieve more than 80 miles per gallon.

    Over the past three years my petrol costs have been less than £200 a year. I think plug-in models should be the future, once petrol and diesel cars have been phased out, because it is unlikely that we will have adequate power generation and distribution, or charging points, to support mass electric-vehicle usage.
    Keith Taylor, Peterchurch, Herefordshire

    What does the bold section mean? Is he an arse, or… ?

    1. My mother’s 1992 Peugeot 205 died on me with the STOP light that immobilises everything.

      Sometimes my 1987 2CV spits out a plug, making one he11 of a racket but keeps going under protest. Better to let it cool down and then carefully screw it back in.

      This year I spent £1000 on it at MoT time, but I got a new set of wheels, a new exhaust crossbox, a bit of welding near the rear seat belt mount and the rear brakes rebuilt with new shoes and cylinders. They had been groaning at me for years. The rear wheel cylinders seize up if the brakes are not pumped hard enough from time to time, but 35 years on one set of shoes is not bad going. Shims to extend the life of the handbrake pads cost 8p.

      Of course the 2CV, being advanced engineering, has a comprehensive warning and diagnosis system. Mostly audible, and I can usually identify what’s wrong by the squeak, groan, rattle, judder, or whatever tune it thinks up this time.

      1. I had a Mini Traveller like that. The tension would rise until you identified the new noise (always audible over the cacophony of engine, gearbox and body rattles) as a spanner rattling in the comprehensive toolbox, or the back sliding windows tapping together.

    2. One reason is the exorbitant hourly rates charged for working on your car – £200 an hour for main dealers – of course they need the money to finance their glitzy showrooms, the mechanics only get a small percentage of that, then there’s the computers and sophisticated software and hardware to diagnose your problem and the high mark-up on spares. If you bought all the spares to build the cheapest small car you’d probably pay about £200k for it. You can get your car repaired at any garage but using non-approved parts may void the warranty.
      Thankfully our local garage charges £40 an hour but even then the crippler is the VAT on the hourly rate and any parts used

  73. Another letter about rats like cats with sabre-teeth: If poison doesn’t work, shoot the bleeders. a .410 or a 22 with moderator works a treat.

  75. BBC, just now, stated that “the coronation is a religious event for a tiny minority of people and is not necessary nowadays”. Besides, there are dozens of ‘Queens’ already in BBC employment and they don’t get the same recognition as Charlie and Co.

    (R4: Aleem Maqbool speaks to The Most Reverend Justin Welby about the religious significance of the coronation and what this ancient ceremony says about modern Britain.)

    1. If Welby has any idea of the significance of the Coronation, I’ll go to the foot of our stairs. The man is not a real Christian, neither am I but I am not A of C.

      2. Aleem Maqbool is the BBC Religion Editor, a republican and I suspect he isn’t Christian either. What balance, what neutrality, what impartiality the BBC demonstrates!

    2. Why do you listen to it, Ped? I’ve just switched off Patrick Christys on GBN ‘cause he’s bitching about people being unreasonable by not wanting to pledge allegiance to Charles the Turd.

      1. It is background noise to counter my tinnitus. I have to listen to something, even if it a load of bowlocks, besides, ‘know your enemy’.

    3. Reminds me of the time when HM the Queen visited San Francisco – the route was lined with many homosexuals who had turned out to see what a ‘real’ queen looked like.

  76. BBC, just now, stated that “the coronation is a religious event for a tiny minority of people and is not necessary nowadays”. Besides, there are dozens of ‘Queens’ already in BBC employment and they don’t get the same recognition as Charlie and Co.

      1. Offa may have liked dykes … but I doubt any of those dykes reciprocated his feelings.

  79. Bogey Five today

    Wordle 681 5/6
    🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜
    ⬜⬜🟨⬜🟩
    ⬜🟩⬜⬜🟩
    ⬜🟩⬜⬜🟩
    🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

      1. Oh sorry a par four

        Wordle 681 4/6

        ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟩
        ⬜🟨🟨🟨⬜
        🟨🟨⬜⬜🟨
        🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

    2. Me too. Not short of clues. Just being dense.

      Wordle 681 5/6

      🟨⬜⬜🟨⬜
      ⬜🟨🟨🟨⬜
      ⬜⬜🟨🟨🟩
      ⬜🟩🟨🟩🟩
      🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

    3. I got there in four but spent some tome spinning my wheels with four letters

    4. Birdie today.
      Wordle 681 3/6

      🟨🟨⬜⬜🟩
      ⬜🟩🟨⬜🟩
      🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

  80. Prevening, folks. It’s been a funny sort of day here; cold, damp, miserable (I finally gave in and relit the Rayburn) and now the sun is out. I did manage to get some weeding and cutting back done, but I couldn’t stay out for long.

    1. The sun came out here this afternoon , and in a couple of hours my rotary line of washing dried .. bedding etc . It was very warm .. bit of a shock really.

    2. Good evening, Conwy. It was sort of reasonably not cold today – until mid-afternoon, when it became chilly – as the wind went round to the north. Sun out again, now – but not warm enough to sit out with the glass I am about to fill!

      1. Freshly mown lawn here and warm enough to sit outside, just. Delightful. The glass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

        1. My lawns resemble meadows. It’s been so wet here, on and off, that it hasn’t been dry enough to cut them.

    3. The sun came out here, eventually, after 4pm. I didn’t feel like doing much by then.

      1. Yes, made me smile. She was going about it the wrong way – she should watch a jockey jumping on without assistance. Mind you, Health & Safety would have a fit; no shoes, no hard hat, no gloves and virtually no clothes!

  81. Coronation Quiche

    Donald Trump and Mike Pence were having breakfast at the White House

    The waitress asks Pence what he would like, and he replies, “I’d like a bowl of oatmeal and some fruit.”

    “And what can I get for you, Mr. President?” Trump replies with his trademark lecherous leer, “How about a quickie this morning?”

    “Mr. President!” the waitress exclaims. “How rude! You’re starting to act like Mr. Clinton, and you’ve only been in office for a year! ”

    As the waitress storms away, Pence leans over to Trump and whispers… “Mr President, It’s pronounced ‘quiche’.”

    I have gone off many types of food since I had Covid last year, my taste buds have altered.

    Pastry things like quiche and pies , sausage rolls etc ,dry textures and some meat .. like pork and even lamb , but especially pork .

    I bought some beautiful meaty lamb chops from a local butcher , we had them grilled last night with greens/ asparagus and new potatoes .. but all I was left with was a strange taste in my mouth..

    I am eating more fish , cod and haddock etc , grilled , seems to be more palatable .. but all the old favourites I used to prepare are not attractive anymore , not even steak .

    Have any of you had strange post covid food / taste dislikes ?

      1. The stakes are high! Hope you have a bottle of something nourishing to go with them…

        2. The lamb steaks are just tehre to accompany the main source of nourishment

    2. I’m sorry about that, Belle. I feel for you, and hope it’s only temporary. Have you tried nasal decongestants?
      I lost my sense of taste before Covid, and it takes away a surprising amount of pleasure when food has texture but only the flavour of wet cardboard. It does mean that you can eat napalm-like curry without flinching… if that’s your thing.

        1. I still have tongue flavours – salt, sweet etc, and as I was born before Umami was invented, I wasn’t fitted with that.

          1. Me too. ‘Umami’ is an affectation. Savoury flavours are detected by the centre of the tongue that is responsible for salt flavours (of which ‘umami’ is part of).

            Tip of tongue, sweet flavours; middle of tongue, salt; sides of tongue, sour; rear of tongue, bitter. All flavours are one, or a combination of any number of those four basics.

        2. It helps reduce calorific intake, as it’s all so dull to be appetite-destroying, but there’s a tendency to gravitate towards flavours that still work. So, when I cook, I make the food too salty, and (when nobody is looking) I like to pig sweet stuf, bad for my diabetes. Otherwise, my doubtful cooking talents are reduced, as tasting to check if the herbs/salt/chilli levels are OK doesn’t work, ‘cos if I can taste them, the rest of the family get their heads blown off. It’s a real pisser, and quite depressing.
          Just another thing to try you.

        3. It helps reduce calorific intake, as it’s all so dull to be appetite-destroying, but there’s a tendency to gravitate towards flavours that still work. So, when I cook, I make the food too salty, and (when nobody is looking) I like to pig sweet stuf, bad for my diabetes. Otherwise, my doubtful cooking talents are reduced, as tasting to check if the herbs/salt/chilli levels are OK doesn’t work, ‘cos if I can taste them, the rest of the family get their heads blown off. It’s a real pisser, and quite depressing.
          Just another thing to try you.

    3. I am chastised about their lack of taste when I say I prefer cod and haddock.

      The boss had covid three weeks ago and has suffered no taste effects yet but she really went off coffee for about a week.

      1. MB and I have noticed that going off coffee is always a precursor to developing a cold.

    4. Nothing like that, no. I think we both had covid early on, in January 2020, it left us with a cough, but no other ill effects.

      1. I think MB had it around that time; which might explain his MI after his first jab.

        1. An overload of his immune system? We were fortunate in that we had no apparent reactions. No knowing what caused his heart disease

          later on.

    5. I have never had ‘Covid’, nor have I been jabbed with any experimental gene therapy masquerading as a ‘vaccine’.

      My taste buds are, consequently, unaffected and food still tastes delicious.

      Strange how those who contract ‘Covid’ are generally those who have been jabbed. There may be a lesson therein, methinks.

      1. Those I know who have been jabbed the most also spend most time off sick due to Covid.
        I might have had it right at the start – I had “unflu” that had me in the sofa for a few days, but never jabbed, and not ill with anything since. Vit D pills have also helped prevent sniffles.

    6. There seems to be some evidence that both Covid, the disease, and the Covid vaccine cause inflammation that damages the nerves that allow people to taste and smell. You’ve had both; so this could be a double whammy which might explain both the severity of your symptoms and their duration.

      Here in Dinan there is a neurologist who, through all the problems she has encountered amongst her patients, has become a bit of a specialist in Covid (and its vaccine) related nerve damage.

      If your symptoms persist for more than six months, maybe you should ask to be referred to a neurologist.

      1. That is a great idea Caroline ,

        The doctors here work part time .. it is so difficult addressing issues .. and multiple probs are dismissed , cannot talk about more than one thing at a time .

        1. Rock up at the surgery in orange flairs and a purple tank top and announce “I’ve lost my sense of taste”. If they argue, sit down on the reception floor and sing “Puff the Magic Dragon” ….. badly.

    7. MoH can’t eat garlic, onions, shallots etc. Started about 4 months ago. She had covid, but no jabs. Makes cooking very difficult for me.
      Just off to open mic, hope your taste returns to normal soon, Maggie.

      1. MOH couldn’t eat garlic, onions, leeks etc, but due to allergy. It made life very difficult (and meals tasteless).

        1. I’m using garlic in the cooking and slowly increasing the ‘dose’. Extractor on above the hob. It’s a hard life. It’s the smell more than anything, as far as I can make out. I also lost my sense of smell and taste when I had covid.

  83. Well what do you know.

    Our un-civil servants went on strike looking for a 3 deal with 3% raise each year. Trudeaus mob played really hard ball and ended up with a deal that gives 12.6% over 4 years PLUS a one off $2,500 payment to each and every one of the lazy good for nothings. Backdated to 2021 so they get about 7% more immediately.

    About the only thing that they didn’t get is their demand for overtime pay if they worked after 4PM.

    These same negotiating skills resulted in us paying VW $13 billion to build a $7 billion battery plant.

      1. Trudeau did chicken out and flew down to New York when the business case was questioned.

  84. I see that JPM has taken over First Rep Bank even though it already has 10% of nation wide deposits making it ineligible to take on another deposit taker. Needs must eh..

  85. Good God…(if you exist)..this headline pretty much sums it up…time to emigrate to Bongo-Bongo land

    Ant and Dec among congregation at Westminster Abbey for King Charles’s Coronation

    More than 2,200 people will attend the service with the pair representing the Prince’s Trust

    By India McTaggart, ROYAL CORRESPONDENT
    1 May 2023 • 4:34pm
    *
    *
    I haven’t read the BTL yet…I bet there are a few gems.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2023/05/01/king-charles-iii-coronation-invited-westminster-abbey/

      1. I don’t know and don’t want to know. You and Our Susan are our resident Meeeja experts who have the savvy when it comes to the talentless accruing countless £millions from the goofy public by foisting pablum on them. All those people are beneath scum and ghastly.

    2. I am complete at a loss as to why Ant and Dec are so popular. They have no wit, they have no talent, they can’t sing or play musical instruments, they are not good looking, the cannot dance, they seem to be devoid of all charm and attractiveness and yet people seem to think they’re great. It’s a complete mystery.

      1. I too am mystified, Rastus. My speculation is that they emerged from Newcastle at a particular time when it had a well earned and deserved reputation for drunken ghastliness and violence. In that era a nephew of mine went to university there and made a major contribution to it earning the accolade of ‘Party Capital of the British Isles’. My mother’s family is from some miles north and have been blood thirsty reprobates for many generations, rivalling even your distinguished family. Quo vadis.

      2. I guess they came across as clean decent lads and filled a requirement at the time. Pair of twats – will not watch them

      4. I’ve seen their silly bank adverts and can find nothing that would make me want to watch an hour or so of them.

  86. That’s me for today. Quite nice – useful garden work – and, for once, no thick jacket needed. Chilly now, though – so will drink indoors.

    Bonfire tomorrow – we have (the MR has) pruned some 50 hydrangeas and the heap of prunings needs to be disposed of thoughtfully. North wind = good to go.

    Have a jolly evening planning what to do on Saturday….

    A demain.

    1. TBF to Chuck, I think it was ArchPrick Well-meaning who made the suggestion.

      1. 374084+ up ticks,

        Evening Anne,

        An agreement has already been made and chucks speech agreed to via the WEF/NWO they, not we, are all in it together.

        Hope Ann is on standby.

  88. This afternoon whilst out and about on a narrow road with a few passing places , a car driving towards me should have stopped in a passing place to let me by. The passing place was about 20 yards behind him .. on a straight bit of road ..

    I stopped my car , I couldn’t go back because because the road behind me was bendy, and there was a deep ditch . His car was larger than mine , and more modern , and looked as if it had reversing gadgets etc .

    I flipped my hand to ask him to reverse , and he got out of his car and walked to my car window and shouted at me .. “WHAT COUNTRY are you from “.. arrogant sod .

    He was a John Cleese character .. he paced up and down and told me to back up. and I said look behind you .. please .. he wouldn’t concede .

    Moh told me to back up .. so that the row wouldn’t get any worse , I was so cross, there was traffic behind me and cyclists, it was a horrible rude moment .

    1. What an arrogant prick. Good on you for reversing without incident.

    3. Is there an etiquette regarding driving on single track roads like there is up here?

      1. It’s just common sense and good manners to wait in the passing place if you can see something coming – especially if there were more cars and cyclists behind.

        1. The unwritten rule up here is that if 2 cars are approaching then the one on whose side the passing place is gives way, as you say common sense plays a part as do manners, anticipation and forward thinking. Also the size of vehicle, if a lorry is approaching you pull in regardless and give him a straight run rather than force him into a passing place. Passing places up here usually have a ditch by them and I’ve pulled a few lorries out in my time.

          1. We had similar in Mid-Suffolk. Many of the ‘passing places’ had been made by local residents as the council and the highways agency were a joke. all they did was to make one of the three single-track exits a ‘quiet road’ which stopped before the village of just 113 residents (now probably 130).

    4. I had that with a woman motorist in Wales, who saw me coming but drove past a passing place. I was driving a motorhome. I got off the road as much as I could then told her there was no way I was reversing a 15ft vehicle round a bend and through a narrow bridge. She drove her car up on the steep verge to get past! Why do people have cars they can’t reverse?

    5. Yes, he sometimes drives around here.

      It’s strange that he always stops just after a passing place, and expects oneself to do all the reversing.

  89. There’s a surprise.

    They were supposed to start work on our kitchen at 9AM this morning and at 9.00 two cheerful workers arrived to beat the hell out of the old cabinets. Three hours later, all cleaned up and ready for the new.

    Going to be a bad week for eating at home.

  90. I’ve been thinking about it and rather than swear allegiance to the new King I thought I would just make it a commitment.

    After all half an oath is better than none

    1. A crusty observation which has earned you your dough for this weekend.

    3. I made the commitment to his mother in 1960 When I joined the RAF as a Boy Entrant, aged 15½. I now rescind it, I just don’t trust this Jokey, wokey King we have inherited, nor his heir.

      1. He was schooled by the GOON SHOW….Spike,Harry and Peter taught him
        all he knows.There you have it.

          1. Dear effing God, the only line I know from the Goon Show. In-Laws piss themselves laughing, ‘cos it’s said in a silly voice, whilst I sit there stony-faced. No GS is funny, in the tiniest bit.

          4. It’s 8.30 Bluebottle- I wrote it down so I’d remember. (Or words similar.)

    1. Wonder if that was an action taken by a council employee to sabotage the Tory election chances?

  92. LAST POST – I know I have singed (sic) out but I meant to to post this several days ago.

    For those NoTTLers who like hearing French spoken – Talking Pictures TV is running a series (indeed, two series) of “Maigret” programmes. One is the old Rupert Davies one. They last about 60 minutes. The other – a Franco-Polish production – is in yer actual French – and lasts about 100 minutes (so you can tell the difference when setting your recorder).

    Without being disloyal to the late Mr Davies – the French series is rather better – at least the scenery doesn’t move. And is in colour. BUT there is NO character called LUCAS. With that silly hat!

    Just hearing French AND French argot on screen takes one back….

    That’s all folks. TTFN

    2. Are you trying to tell me that Rupert Davies and Ewan Solon weren’t properly French?? Is nothing sacred?? I thought that they were the coolest guys on television after Tonto (We didn’t have a television). My best school friend Peter’s Dad was the spitting image of Rupert Davies and smoked a pipe. You rotter for destroying everything I believed in.

  93. Went to the lunchtime concert at the Wigmore today. I loath Bank Holiday Mondays so there has to be something besides a full bladder to get me out of bed.
    It was a very fine piano recital by Tom Borrow, who despite being a young white male, is being sponsored as a BBC New Generation Artist. (I noted that the Radio 3 presenter was in a wheelchair – carbon offsets and all that…) The programme was JS Bach’s Italian Concerto inspired by Vivaldi, then a prelude and fugue by Cesar Franck inspired by JSB and Variations on a Theme of Corelli by Rachmaninov.
    Noticed some once very regular audience members who don’t seem to attend evening concerts any longer. There’s a good programme of daytime events at the Wigmore and discounted tickets for oldies. If I retire…

    1. I find that slightly ironic that the speech is made in a place which gives those that go there for a sleep £300 a day just to sign in, however she makes the point admirably

        1. Can’t abide her. Tedious, tedious self-righteous axe grinder and always has been

          1. Quite. A mad-bat pseudo-socialist fully signed up to the worst of green nonsense.

          2. Yup! Mad as a box of frogs that one! She could rant for Britain!

          3. She’s only on target with Sunak, who might very well pi$$ off to the U$A with his millions if the going gets tough.

  95. Re the Royal Quiche

    I loved this comment in the Times .

    “A pathetically wet, drippy, politically (in)correct culinary cave in.

    We have one of the world’s most diverse and exciting culinary scenes in UK today and at a coronation we have the shame to serve bloody bean pie of all revolting, wishy-washy nothing dishes! We’ve made ourselves a global laughing-stock.

    Imagine France ot Italy doing this? Or prttty much anywhere else for that matter. Whatever happened to National Pride?

    Just because 5-10% of attendees are plant eaters (makes them sound like Dugongs or caterpillars, doesn’t it?) why do we have to pander to their food fads and dictate this freakery to the remaining 90% normal guests?

    It is a national disgrace that the menu doesn’t strongly reflect British tastes and traditions.

    Chicken Tikka Masala would be more appropriate and acceptable than this ghastly, meritless and utterly un-British slop.

    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/coronation-quiche-dish-recipe-french-tart-7mz3jn5hz
    Ultimately if the “chefs” can’t come up with anything else just cave in and seal a tradition with Coronation Chicken again which everyone loves. It was a roaring success last time…”

      1. Cripes …. please don’t start that one.
        Why can’t the Hawaiians settle for plain cheese on toast?

    2. The complainant has more than a good point! What’s wrong with serving either traditional or New British food, or both?

    3. Eating chicken makes most people feel prosperous – eating quiche reminds them that it’s a long time until pay day. Charles is too rich to realise that.

      2. Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche is a best-selling tongue-in-cheek book satirizing stereotypes of masculinity by the American screenwriter and humorist Bruce Feirstein, published in 1982

        1. Blind baking, Belle! With baking beans! Oops! Should be further down!

    4. I can’t stand chicken tikka masala – but fortunately, I’m not invited.

        1. It’s delicious and I make a yummy one. Goes well with Sag Aloo.

          1. I simply don’t like it all that much, and much of it not at all. Coronation chicken is about my limit!! – which I do actually enjoy. I like to be able to taste my food, and not the spices.

    5. Epic rant.
      Million upticks.
      Quiche is what I make when I have left-overs that need a spot of disguising.
      How horribly symbolic.

    6. I’ve been telling this to all my friends, but not sure if I’ve shared it on this site of not. Forgive me if I have. Here goes:
      In honour of the Late Queen’s Coronation Chicken I plan to make my own Coronation Meal for May the 6th to be a Coronation Turkey. Not the full turkey you understand; just the crown. (The Crown, geddit?) Lol.

      1. We will be having homemade Coronation Quiche with a few cheeses, some onion, spinach and asparagus. Lots of seasonings. It will be good.
        I am weary with all the comments here denigrating everything about the King and the Coronation.
        Leave it be and let people celebrate however they wish.
        Not directed at you in particular, Elsie.

        1. For once, Ann, I think you’re wrong. With our wokey jokey king, we are lost as a nation.

          Anne would have made a better inheritor to the crown than her weak brother.

          1. Personally, I think the government and politicians are more of a threat to this country than the King.

          3. Charles is by birth a senior member of the globalist clique of paedophiles and their demonic Masonic cult. This clique comprises many bankers and the heads of European royalty along with the influential American politians, graduates of Yale and Harvard, where Secret Societies abound, including such as the Bush family and the rest.

            Charles is a greater threat to the UK even than the globalist puppet governments we endure. I would suggest that Charles, under instruction, is actually telling Sunak and his corrupt government what they are required to do, not vice versa as suggested.

          4. A constitutional monarch is not supposed to express political opinions. The total garbage that Charles continues to spout on the fraud of ‘man-made climate change’ and similar utter tosh disqualifies him from the position to which he aspires.

            Not my king. I never rated this stupid man.

          6. It is so obvious that Charles has ignored every advice you may be assured he was given since Trinity Cambridge. There he was gifted a place on dismal examination results, tutored under the auspices of Lord Butler of Saffron Walden and guided by Professor Glyn Daniel.

            The fact that Charles has shown no discipline in his thought processes, has evidently deferred to an assortment of charlatans when seeking advice on every topic under the Sun and has spouted such ill-informed nonsense on climate change renders him unsuitable as a constitutional monarch.

            His attachment to the madmen running the WEF is the clincher for me. I do not want Charles as my king.

        2. It was more of a joke, Ann, because attempting to make a Coronation Turkey is too much of a faff for me. All this talk of Coronation Quiche has tempted me to visit my local Sainsbury’s soon and buy a portion or two from their delicatessen counter. I’m normally a Chilean Merlot person, but I reckon a decent white wine as an accompaniment seems quite appealing.

    7. I’ve been telling this to all my friends, but not sure if I’ve shared it on this site of not. Forgive me if I have. Here goes:
      In honour of the Late Queen’s Coronation Chicken I plan to make my own Coronation Meal for May the 6th to be a Coronation Turkey. Not the full turkey you understand; just the crown. (The Crown, geddit?) Lol.

    8. I’ve been telling this to all my friends, but not sure if I’ve shared it on this site of not. Forgive me if I have. Here goes:
      In honour of the Late Queen’s Coronation Chicken I plan to make my own Coronation Meal for May the 6th to be a Coronation Turkey. Not the full turkey you understand; just the crown. (The Crown, geddit?) Lol.

  96. Britain’s ‘first women’s-only tower block’, which will offer affordable housing to disadvantaged women, has been approved by planners, while the landlord has also revealed it will also be open to biological males who identify as women.

    The 102 flats are to be rented to single women and built in west London by Women’s Pioneer Housing (WPH), an association founded in 1920 as part of the suffragette movement.

    Every affordable home will be designed specifically for women – from deep balconies, to potentially slightly lower kitchen work surfaces and careful attention to ventilation to help menopausal women, said the landlord.

    The 15-storey tower in Ealing aims to home women who face inequality, abuse and disadvantages in the housing market, according to The Guardian, with men only able to rent the properties if they are the adult child of a female tenant and inherit the tenancy, or if they are the partner of a current tenant.

    Additionally transgender women, including people intending to undergo gender reassignment, will be allowed to rent in the tower block, explained the publication.

    On the other hand transgender men, men who cross-dress and anyone with a known history of male violence against women or children will not be eligible to rent a property.

    As the development was approved, some Twitter users expressed their anger at what they believed were ‘sexist’ plans.

    One person wrote on Twitter: ‘Isn’t that sexist? If it was an “all men’s club” it would be hammered by the woke brigade, so why is it different the other way around?’

    Another said: ‘This is pure and simple discrimination.’

    Some Twitter users took issue with the announcement that transgender women would be eligible to apply to become tenants.

    One said: ‘So transgender men who are female are not allowed but transgender women who are male are….kind of defeats the object.’

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-12033575/Britains-womens-tower-block-approved-planners.html

    1. What is the significance of deep balconies? More room to hang washing? I can’t see the logic of men who think they’re women being allowed to rent, while women who think they’re men (but lack the tackle) can’t rent. Or have I got this trans thing the wrong way round?

      1. What idiot thought that one out?

        Sounds as if single flats could turn into red light areas , and the sex change eunuchs are there as doorkeepers ..

        Utter folly.

        1. Everywhere seems to be run by idiots at the moment. It comes of being steeped in wokery.

      2. So that you can go outside on the balcony without showing yourself to anyone prowling round the building.

        1. Ah! I’ve led a sheltered life. The only time I’ve ever been on a balcony was in my friend’s flat in Aix en Provence.

    2. And the dedication to favour current stupidity seems to be enhanced to suit the invented needs of the even more stupid.
      The occupants will probably end up on the green leather benches.

    3. Men overruling women even when they wear frocks.
      It’s the new Patransiarchy

    2. Blimey how bad is that ? I hope they aren’t listening in to my phone conversations with my good old mate Brucie.

    5. It would certainly include disqus. A private group would probably be OK, with an own text editing software. But these restrictions will realistically only be the start.

  99. Well, what a lovely spring day!
    Other than getting 7 bags of soil carried up to Bob’s Folly, I’ve been pulling bramble roots.
    Now off for an early night.

    1. It’s good to know that you have a name for your reinforcements Bob 😉

      1. Great Wall of Bonsall also is good. If he keeps going it’ll be visible from space;-)

  100. I know it’s early and I haven’t contributed much today. But……yawning now.
    So it’s good night from me folks.

    2. The police don’t deserve that treatment. But then, they shouldn’t have allowed the foreign scum into the country.

      When they’re all together like this, solve the damned problem. Shoot them. Yes, it’s a waste of a bullet, but it’s all they understand.

    3. Once you let them get the upper hand there’s no going back. We’re doomed I say DOOMED (© Private Fraser)

  103. Anyway, I am going to sign out for some days.
    Enjoy your rants about the Coronation and everything to do with it. I want to enjoy it and plan to do so.
    Have fun- if you can.

  104. Twitter has just forced me to download its app, by pretending I wasn’t logged in and not letting me log in on Safari. App works of course. Peed off and unimpressed, Elon.

  106. Having just read the comments on the recent Formula I Grand Prix in Azerbaijan I was struck by one comment in particular. The comment suggested that the sheer boredom of watching the fastest car lapping ahead of the rest with no opportunities for actual racing was the result of over- regulation.

    I think the reason our economy is in the perpetual shit is not dissimilar to the Formula I debacle. We have far too many regulations and impediments to innovation and development. Everything, every effort at thinking outside the box, every innovation is stifled by an over weaning bureaucracy.

    Politicians know nothing and most have never worked a day in industry in their lives. They have no idea about our work ethic, our desire to better ourselves through application and hard work. These politicians were likely gifted opportunities by their wealthy parents and via establishment family connections. They probably despise the working thinking folk of this country. The proof is in their legislation and every stupid rule they connive to repress the individual.

    We need a proper shake out of Westminster and it’s replacement with patriots of virtue, those with proven track records in the workplace of effort and ideas.

    1. Bit rich that it was Toto Wolf that commented on its being boring. Ha. Sour grapes. He didn’t say it was boring when Mercedes had the best car and won all the time, did he.

  113. IF there is someone else out there, please make a comment, so that some sanity may be restored to this discourse,

  116. As I’ve seen with others on this forum, Disqus is neither a stable nor a normal platform for us to hold out our views.

    1. Looks like you have had a quiet night, I’m off to golf now.

      I’ve not had any problems with Disqus recently

      1. As you might conclude from my recent attempts at posting here, I too, have had great problems with this disqus forum, Bob. Enjoy you golf.

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