Use your VOTE today

Whatever your political allegiance today is your chance to use your democratic right to help elect the MEP that you chose.

My wife and I chose to vote for the GREEN PARTY.   As this election is by proportional representation even votes for minor parties are not wasted.  I very much hope the GREEN PARTY does well and wins more seats. They would act as a moderating influence in Europe.  Their policies seem very sensible, unlike some others. Their catch phrase is "for the common good". These days they have moved on a lot and some forecasts expect them to out-do the Lib Dems.

In a democracy, of course, you are free to vote for whoever you choose. USE your vote.

Stroke and phone calls

Not sure quite why this is, but when friends phone why is it that several of them decide they have to speak "down" to me as if I was stupid? This happens time and time again and is very annoying. As far as I can tell my intellect is fully intact and I am very far from stupid! Maybe it is because my voice still sounds odd (a bit) and I have to speak more slowly to be understood? It must be even more of an issue for others with physical impairments much worse than mine.

If you are a friend phoning me please treat me absolutely normally. I am NOT an idiot and do NOT want to be treated as if I am.

Tides Reach Hotel (Salcombe) - good news!

The plans have now been made public and they please me! I was expecting a large hotel complex quite out of step with  the environment, but I am very pleased to say the developers have good plans that manage to blend a larger, modern hotel well with the existing surroundings.

See www.tidesreachdevelopment.com and look for the display boards from the Cliff House public exhibition held yesterday. I am well pleased this is not going to be an ugly concrete mess.

Designers - thank you, and well done!

A greener future?

In the Eastern Counties, Rupert Read has a real chance of becoming a Green Euro-MP this Thursday, not least because of proportional representation and voting, so every vote counts and minor parties have a great chance. Last time he polled 9% and he needs 10% to get a seat. Your vote could be the decider!

See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm-KaOzqJw4.

Use your vote on Thursday May 22nd. A vote for the Greens is very much NOT a wasted vote!

Swifts

For the last week or more, swifts have been a common sight on the wing in the skies overhead. Swifts return from Africa around the end of April and the start of May. Usually, most have gone again by late summer, although I suspect many linger in Spain where in September they are still plentiful as are insects.

At this time of year swifts are very common, perhaps more common than many other species. There are a good number of swallows around, but, so far, I have not seen a single house martin. I may just have been unlucky but fear numbers are down yet again. The returning swifts are a real sign of summer. As the poem goes, "all's well with the world...".

Who should you vote for on Thursday?

Try this simple quiz and read, at the end, which party best matches you views.

See http://uk.votematch.eu/ .

Cambridge United promoted (back) into Football League

After several seasons in the Conference League, Cambridge United beat Gateshead at Wembley this evening to gain promotion back into the Football League Division 2. So next season they will be pitted against the like of Plymouth Argyle.

It was a tense end to their season  as they lost against Gateshead at Wembley last Sunday. The promotion is well deserved and, although (mainly) a "fireside supporter" it pleases me enormously.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27360422 .

It is a pity the BBC or ITV don't broadcast League 2 games live. MUCH less expensive than Premier League and the clubs would benefit enormously from the broadcasting rights.