More about storm damage in South Devon

Where I come from in South Devon has been badly hit by recent severe weather and high tides. The road from Dartmouth to Torcross is badly damaged. It is quite likely the road along Slapton Ley will never be rebuilt.

See https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/gallery/damage-a379-torcross-1295121

Apparently the government will contribute £2.5M to get the A379 rebuilt.

Head for heights?

Good job I've not got a big tower in my garden!  I get ill just watching this. Imagine working this high!

Caution: if you have a poor head for heights this video is not for you!

Snow

Most winters these days are mild. This has been the exception with quite a few frosts. Today we have about 3 inches of snow (6-8cms). It has been snowing on and off much of the day. At the moment it looks nice.

EU and Brexit

So the EU has published its draft bill on the UK leaving the EU. Since it was published, the UK pound has lost value against all major currencies. No doubt it will recover, but at the moment the UK seems to be fumbling around over what it really wants once we leave.

Why did we not say the referendum would not be binding unless the majority was x %? As it is the margin of "leave" over "remain" was a small 4%, with almost a half not wishing to leave the EU. I suspect fewer would vote leave now. Many want controls over immigration but still want the tariff-free trade with the EU.

The USA and guns

So the ever modest President has met pupils from Florida who managed to escape the latest mass school shooting. That is good of him.  We seem to hear about these shootings every week in the USA.

His answer? Allegedly, arm the teachers. Why not ask the basic questions about USA gun crimes instead? The USA seems to have more school mass killings by far than anywhere else. Does no-one want to understand why this is? Could it be something to do with the ease of obtaining deadly weapons perhaps? Better checks, yes. Why sell automatic weapons in the first place? Why sell guns?

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-43149694

Church blog - another update

Like buses, they come along together! 

It was months since the churches blog was updated and now it has been updated twice. This time I have added Chippenham (no, not the one in Wiltshire).

See https://eachurches.blogspot.co.uk/ .

OXFAM

The charity OXFAM looks like it is in deep trouble. They seem to have mishandled their operation in Haiti in 2011. It would not surprise me if they lose lots in donations.

If OXFAM people want to use prostitutes this is a private matter and OXFAM should not be involved. The negative publicity is nothing short of a disaster for them.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43107985 .

Painted Pebbles

This is a real craze in our village, especially with the children.

People hide coloured painted stones and others search for them and post a photo on social media (we have a village Facebook page for this) before re-hiding in another place.

The photo show our granddaughter finding one a few days ago.

Churches blog updated

My church blog was updated today with Snailwell Church.

See https://eachurches.blogspot.co.uk/

Spring on the way

For weeks now, we have had snowdrops. In the last week, the daffodils have started to come out everywhere. It was later than a few years ago, but they herald the coming of better weather and longer days. We still have winter to get through, but already nights are shorter and the birds are thinking of nests.

Frasier

Very few USA TV shows appeal to me. Exceptions were "Breaking Bad" and "Mad Men" which both my wife and I got addicted to, goodness knows why as they are a million miles from our life styles.

Another show we much enjoyed was "Frasier" and I see today that the British born actor who played dad has died. This was US TV at its very best. RIP John - you made many of us laugh.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-42953979 .

EU sour grapes?

Although I voted to remain a member, I detect a note of "sour grapes" on the part of the EU. Do I detect a note of bitterness that the UK will no longer pay some of the budget?

It seems perfectly reasonable to me that the UK wants the same policy to apply to all people who wish to live and work in the UK irrespective of the nation they come from.

It also seems quite reasonable that we would want to start work on trade deals whilst we are in the transition period.

No, I am beginning to detect an air of "sour grapes" on the part of the EU. In the end I think the EU will regret this.

All we really wanted was more control over who lives and works here on this small island. We will still trade with EU nations and others as we choose.

Random Kindness

In the news we tend to hear about bad things, but rarely good things.

Well, in my experience there are far more kind people than bad ones. Since my stroke over 4 years ago I cannot remember all the kind things people have done for me.

Only today I received something in the post totally free that a kind person had sent me. It was heartening to hear of other acts of kindness by total strangers on the BBC Breakfast TV programme.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-42872907

Grumpy old man

OK, I have definitely qualified for grumpy old man status!

Over lunch I glanced through one of the many gifts on sale in the brochures we get sent in the post. I noticed a "New England Chair" that was £450!! It was probably made in a sweatshop in China for £5. Now, some may pay this (perhaps a footballer on £400k a week?), but count me out!

Now, I have nothing against small businesses (or large) making fair profits, but this is ridiculous in my view. Some suckers may be persuaded to part with their money, but not me.

Garden Birdwatch

Every January, I take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch organised by the RSPB. You watch the birds in your garden for any 1 hour and note the maximum number of each sort seen in the hour.

This year there were no blackbirds, no tits, no collared doves. In fact there was a real shortage of small birds. I may just have been unlucky or maybe it was the fact that we have had more frosts which have killed off smaller birds? Anyway this year I saw 2 robins, 2 starlings, 3 jackdaws and 4 black headed gulls and nothing else.

Cheese rolling

This saddens me. A cheese rolling contest has been cancelled this year. They hope to do it in 2019. We English like doing odd things and it would be sad if this tradition died out. It has been held in the Cambridgeshire village of Stilton for 50 years.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-42788965 .

Building Site

Our local pub (The Crown) has been empty for years. Last week the builders started work. I think the site is destined for several new houses.

Amaryllis

Currently, we have 3 of these glorious plants. They are truly amazing going from just a bulb to a tall plant with beautiful flowers in 4-6 weeks. They give us lots of pleasure is January which can be a long, dark month.

One plant is well out with lots of flowers, one is clearly growing and this one. It is hard to tell if this one will grow.

UPDATE Jan 21st 2018:  Definitely growing!

I recently had a comment on this post in what looked like Arabic. As I was unable to translate it, it has been deleted. Comments please only in languages I can understand please!

A second BREXIT vote?

OK, I may be wrong (I often am!) but I think the people of the UK want to be able to trade freely within the EU, but at the same time want to say who lives and works here. The UK people are precious about the UK parliament having the last word on laws. We also hate waste and profligatism (is that a word?) in the EU.

If a second referendum vote was ever to take place and the questions carefully worded, it would not surprise me if we voted to stay in.

As I have said many times before, there is a lot wrong with the EU and a lot right. Personally, I think the UK people would like a reformed EU. Arguably, the EU has kept peace in Europe (mainly) for half a century, but it needs to evolve or it will fall apart.

Snowdrops

A few days ago we went to Anglesey Abbey near Cambridge, UK.  The snowdrops are beginning to appear, although it will be several weeks before they are very common. Daffodils are starting to appear although it will be quite a few weeks before these are widespread.

Amaryllis - magic

We have three of these magic plants.  Just how do they grow so tall so fast and produce such magnificent flowers? Last year I took a picture every week. It took about 5-6 weeks from just a bulb to flowering and dying. We kept the bulb and did all the right things, but sadly it refused to grow a second season. At least we tried!

Diesels

A year ago I bought a low mileage diesel car which was about a year old. Fuel consumption is low and a year's road tax (just renewed) was nothing.

There seems to be a backlash against diesel cars, but as far as I am aware recent diesels are low emission, clean and efficient.

Until electric cars have a range of 300 miles plus, I am put off electric. Yes, in the end they will be better for the planet, but battery technology still has a way to go.

Ducks

Every day this year so far, we have done a walk. The first day it was by the River Cam and yesterday and today just around the village.

Yesterday, on our walk around the village, we spotted these ducks. They went into the drive of a house, obviously expecting to be fed. They look domesticated, so at best semi-wild.

Minced Pies

We now have our other 2 grandchildren staying. Here they are busy making mince pies in the kitchen with my wife. They tasted very good, but there a few left.

Cyber attacks

From my own limited experience, I know cyber attacks are a real threat.

According to the BBC the UK Foreign Secretary is to warn Russia that the UK will retaliate if the Russians are guilty of cyber attacks that threaten national security. I am sure most governments have a "dirty tricks" department. Some get caught. It is the nature of 21st century warfare.

See www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-42450479 .

Reflections

Anglesey Abbey, a National Trust property about 4 miles from here, has beautiful grounds at any time of the year. A few days ago it looked very "wintery" as the photo shows.

Bury St Edmunds

We love shopping in this old Suffolk market town (Bury St Edmunds). Strictly speaking, it should be a city as the abbey has had cathedral status since 1914 according to Wikipedia. We especially like the market that has some real bargains. At the moment it has a bit of a Christmas theme!

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bury_St_Edmunds

Snowdrops out

These snowdrops were out at Anglesey Abbey yesterday.

Daffodils and snowdrops

Most months we visit Anglesey Abbey, which is about 4 miles away. The daffodils, which were out in November 2015 are just coming through. Another 2 weeks and these will be out. We saw the first snowdrops out. Things seem much later this winter. Blink and it will be spring though!

Fuel prices

Looking at commodity prices, it looks like the wholesale price of oil is moving upwards. At the moment prices are well below prices a few years ago, but the trend seems to be upwards.

Expect higher pump prices in 2018.

Tiny mobile phones

Years ago I visited someone in prison and the searches on the way in were very thorough. Apparently there is a real issue with drugs and smuggled mobile phones. So, there is a ready market for mobiles phones that cannot be detected when hidden within the body.

Imagine my surprise when I could easily find such phones sold via Amazon! OK, I am sure some users just want a really tiny phone, but these are aimed, allegedly, at the illegal market in phones to be smuggled into prisons. Should these be banned?

See https://www.amazon.co.uk/J8-World-Smallest-Mobile-changer/dp/B00O586YB2/ref=pd_sim_107_4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=0HQM62NG9CBSKACSHZMN

Frost

This morning we awoke to a very heavy frost. It was quite late before it became milder.

This photo was taken last week and shows the windmill "next door" on a cold and frosty morning.

Most snow has now gone with just the remnants of snowmen. Already this is a much colder winter than we have seen for several years.

Ancestors

Many years ago, I moved from South Devon, where our family has lived for millennia. We can trace our family in this area to the 1400s. We were probably farmers and fishermen way back. The photo is where we came from.

Media justice?

Like many, I am bored by media coverage of the sexual proclivities of our politicians. If they are guilty of a crime then the law will mete justice. At the moment we seem to have trials by media, with papers out to gain readership and profits by sharing dirt in public. Innocent people are scarred for life.

Throughout history what goes on behind closed doors is the business of the persons concerned only. The exception is if a crime is committed in which case justice should be left to a court of law. 

Mud sticks.

Media justice is wrong.  Let the law decide a person's guilt, not the media.

Edging

Birds in our garden love to scrape the soil for creatures to eat. I can't tell you how many times I have had to sweep up! So, this autumn, I am adding edging stones in an attempt to reduce the summer workload. I have done one bit, but have still to do along the path, which is about twice as long.

Little Egrets

Back in the 1980s, seeing a little egret in the UK would have be rare. Today, whilst sitting in the kitchen at breakfast, one flew overhead. I could tell it was a type of heron, but as it got closer I could see it clearly. Nowadays they are all over the UK.

Next it will be cattle egrets. These are now widely seen in Devon. Another 20 years and they will be common in the UK. Climate change?

Yesterday they were expecting 18 deg C in some parts of the UK - in November!

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/bird-and-wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/l/littleegret/ .

Driverless cars

It seems we are going to see driverless cars on our roads in the UK sooner rather than later. The UK budget is this week and rumours suggest the go-ahead will be given for more on-road tests. Already the collision avoidance software is very good, but the main issue is consumer (driver) confidence. Somehow we find it hard not to still want to drive, even though the software driven car is probably safer!

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42040856  .

Takeaway tax - what a good idea

The UK budget is this week.

To my mind, this is a no brainer - tax takeaways that can't be bothered to use bad materials that harm the environment. Takeaway boxes that are not environmentally friendly should be heavily taxed. These are a major source of litter and such a tax would make suppliers switch to better materials that are better for everyone.  In the end few will pay as they will just use better materials. Switching is easy and they just need a nudge.

I also get annoyed with supermarkets: these days all packaging should be environmentally friendly. The big supermarkets should be blazing the trail and telling their suppliers. Waitrose is bad, with lots of their packaging unclear about whether or not it can be recycled. I find this totally not excusable in this day and age. They should lead the way.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42033760 .

People power

We often have more power than we think as individuals. As an example, a private company slipped in an application for a large gas power station on unused land on the edge of our village. The village council "quietly" nodded it through. It was about a month before most of us found out. Locals were up in arms and very many letters were sent to the district planners. We also found out that some of the data used in support of the application were wrong.

Since the protest, the applicant has reportedly withdrawn the application. The applicant was out to make a quick buck (allegedly) but this was thwarted by people power.

Power to the people!

Roses

We have a pot of roses out on our patio. The colour is lovely. I am not sure how long they will look good.

Black Friday - I hate it!

OK, retailers are having a hard time, but this recent import from the USA makes me want to vomit. It is purely about profits and how to encourage people to spend more. If you can, boycott it. 

In my view retailers have to adapt or go out of business. Online sales are a reality. Those that adapt will remain and those that do not will close. Maybe a good model is a mix of retail places and online? Models like John Lewis comes to mind. You often browse in the shop, but buy online then collect from a John Lewis or Waitrose store.

Like the commercialisation of Christmas, Easter and Halloween, I think Black Friday has no place in UK society. If you like this sort of thing in the USA, by all means keep it there. I, for one, hate it. It is retailing of the worse sort.

All change

In the UK BHS has closed its doors. Many of the shops are now being occupied by other retailers. This one in the Grafton Centre, Cambridge, UK is undergoing extensive changes. I have no idea who is coming here next. Boring to many, but a reminder to me of when these changes happened. Picture taken from a moving bus.

Student Flats in Cambridge

Years ago we bought a car from West's garage in Cambridge. They moved and now they are building new student flats on the site. This photo was taken from a bus tonight in the dark. No doubt these are "posh" flats with en suite facilities. Not a bit like we had back in the 1960s.

The leader of the free world on a visit to Asia

So the president of the USA is on an official visit to Japan, South Korea and China. I am not sure if anywhere else is on his agenda. I hope he is presidential and not the butt of more jokes. Maybe he can stop tweeting and actually engage his ears?

Allegedly his views on the causes of climate change are at odds with scientists who have access to facts and evidence. Oh silly me - this is all rubbish and a Chinese plot. I quite forgot. Fake news.

Daffodil bulbs

We had a few bulbs left over, so these have been planted in these pots and in the garden where we had sweet peas over the summer. Hopefully they will come out sometime in the winter or spring. At the moment they look pretty boring!

Catalonia and Spain

So Catalonia has declared independence from Spain. Basques next? Euro crisis looming?

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-41780116 .

Mugabe loses WHO role

Unsurprisingly, there was widespread condemnation of the World Health Organisation making Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe their goodwill ambassador. This appointment has now been revoked.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-41713919 .

Catalonia - a looming crisis?

Catalonia is quite a rich part of Spain. Spain cannot afford for it to break-away. It is hard to see how the EU would handle this. If Catalonia goes, surely the Basques will want to follow? This would leave Spain in a right mess. By comparison, BREXIT is quite simple and clear. Personally, I think this will grow into the EU crisis of 2018.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-41678086 .

Autumn

You can tell it's autumn! This was our nearest garden centre this morning.

At the other garden centre they had lots of Christmas things on sale. Well, it is October and profits are profits. Personally I think Christmas things should only be allowed for sale in December, but I am a grumpy old man!

Rain

Yesterday it rained.  If it rains in Cambridge, we are quite unlucky as rainy days are quite rare. We get them, but it rains far less in the SE of the UK than in the west.