Son goes home

Today our elder son went back to London after staying with us for a few nights. It was good to see him again but the house is quieter and tidier again. He is a good cook but leaves a right mess!

He earns his living as a professional jazz pianist. Here he is composing his latest jazz compositions at the kitchen table. His family is currently in France visiting the French parents and grandparents. Today he is having a new bedroom carpet fitted.

China - should we worry?

In a word yes.

China is changing. Many are getting richer and are expecting a better life. Exports have struggled more lately and soon China may become too expensive, just like Japan became many years ago. Many of the investors in China are the Chinese people themselves. The Chinese government is trying to manipulate the market but the stock markets in China are in turmoil. If China catches a cold we will all know about it. Yes, we should be worried, but I am not sure what we can do. It may not be too long before the words "Made in China" are a thing of the past. We have grown used to low cost products made in China, but for how much longer?

The Chinese have devalued their currency twice in 2 days to help exports, but are they fighting a losing battle?

Perseid Meteor Shower

The next few nights you may see a shooting star as the Perseid meteor show reaches its peak. At its peak you may see 50 meteors an hour. Of course,this all depends on clear skies. I shall be listening for radio amateur signals reflected off their trails.

Greece and the FTSE 100

Apparently Greece has "all but" done a deal with its creditors on a new bailout deal, yet the FTSE 100 share index is currently down nearly 1%. The stock markets should surely be pleased that the Greek uncertainty is all but over.

Look out for Alphabet

Google is doing a major restructuring according to the BBC. Apparently this was a surprise move creating a new parent company called Alphabet Inc..

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-33857412 .

Distant distant memories

It is funny what lurks deep in the crevices of the mind.

This afternoon we visited some old friends, who live quite near us, for afternoon tea. On their hearth was a brass object of globular shape. Seeing it, I remembered an old bell owned by Jack White and his wife who lived in Slapton, Devon. They had an outside toilet.

I swear I had not thought of that little bell in nearly 60 years but in my mind it was crystal clear. This very very distant memory was there waiting to be triggered. The Whites were a lovely couple. I remember us playing the card game "Newmarket" at their table. One wonders what other memories are buried which will one day surface again.

Public Ownership of key industries?

The possible next leader of the UK Labour Party (Jeremy Corbyn) thinks many key industries like trains and energy should be publically owned again. Although this is very "left wing", it is a policy and philosophy that I agree with. However, I suspect such policies will keep Labour in opposition for many years after the next election in 2020.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33839819 .

Migrants into the EU

For the genuine refugees who have struggled for miles to escape war and strife I have the greatest sympathy. These true refugees should be made welcome in ALL European nations including the UK. We have only to put ourselves in their place to think how these desperate people would like to be treated. No, how we dehumanise these people is shameful.

Rowing the Atlantic

Some fly across the Atlantic in a few hours. A few choose the hard way and row across! 2 young boys set off from New York back in May and made landfall in Salcombe, Devon this week. A great many turned out to welcome them back, including BBC South from whom this video came. They are the copyright owners.

National Trust

Ickworth's wild flower meadow

For a fixed amount each year we get no charge family entry into every National Trust property in the country. We are lucky to have several properties with extensive grounds near us including Wicken Fen, Ickworth and Anglesey Abbey. We have been to 2 already just this week!

Ickworth has a fine walled garden that contains a wild flower meadow. Anglesey Abbey has both wild parts and formal gardens.  The dahlias there are just out now at Anglesey Abbey but will be even better in a few weeks.

Windows 10

Microsoft is offering free upgrades to Windows 10, but beware. The DVD player is not a freeby and I understand this has to be paid for. Like the latest offering of MS Office all is not as it first appears. MS Office 365 is a subscription service so you end up paying more. I think Microsoft is having a tougher time of late. As for Windows 10, I shall not bother. If I was more adept at Linus I'd be tempted. My most reliable PC ever was a baby Asus with 7 inch screen preloaded with Linux. This just worked.

East Anglian Churches blog updated

This Friday we went by train to Norwich with our "London" grandchildren. We visited the Castle Museum and Norwich Cathedral, which is definitely one of the finest in England.

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

FTSE 100 recovery?

Based on some generally good economic news, the FTSE 100 share index is currently up on recent days. Gains are modest, but they are gains. We should worry about China.

Life after death?

What happens when we die? I really have no idea.

I have seen a few dead bodies in my time, including my father who died back in 1987. What struck me then is that it was like a butterfly and a chrysalis: that which made him "him" was no longer there.  His body was just a shell. Somehow, I hope we do fly above the world in immortality. However, I do not remember anything before I was born and if eternity was a total absence of life, like before I was born, would this be so bad?  However, without eternity we lose our moral compass perhaps?

At one time these questions were academic but in recent years my own mortality has come smartly into focus. Nearly 2 years ago I so nearly died. I survived and may yet live many more years. All the major religions of the world talk of life after death, but is this just a way of coming to terms with our mortality? No-one has come back to tell us what is beyond the grave.

Life and death remain mysteries. All I know is we are on a journey and it is the journey that matters, not the destination. Some would argue this is the key to all the major religions: concern yourself with living a good life now and don't worry what happens after we die.  I remain agnostic and open-minded.

Stroke update

Although overall I get less tired (but some things still exhaust me), I still have poor speech and I feel giddy when walking and turning. Thin liquid swallow is still not good - in fact I can only take sips of any liquids - but my taste is returning to normal. Real orange juice was a "no no" as was cheese and bread, but these are fine now.  Wine and whisky still taste odd and I have yet to enjoy these again. Very very slowly things are improving, although I was expecting to be my old self a year ago! Overall, I still feel not right. Others think I am fine. Inside I am not still.

FTSE 100

At the moment, the FTSE 100 has hardly changed and is just 0.07% lower. In recent weeks it has fallen quite a lot. With the uncertainty over the Euro and the UK's membership of the EU, I can see the FTSE 100 remaining volatile for some time to come. It amazes me that it has not fallen more.

UPDATE 1150z:  Currently the FTSE 100 index is down 0.55%. It took a nosedive quite recently. Not sure why - I'll check.

UPDATE 1307z:  Currently FTSE 100 is down 0.68%.

The sun?

There was this very strange yellowy orange thing in the sky. Is this really what they call "the sun"? We have hardly had any sun for days now - just lots of rain. The sun had popped out from behind the clouds. I think I must have been seeing things. Anyway, it has gone again now.

Was that summer?

Yet more rain

After breakfast I managed to cut our laurel hedge and the front lawn. Then it started to rain and it has been raining ever since!

We badly need the rain but the weather is just plain miserable. Apparently the jet stream has moved and now bang over us, although the forecasters suggest that later this week we may have more summer-like weather. At the moment, it feels like late autumn and we have the heating and the lounge gas fire on.

Swifts

This evening, in a further attempt to beat my giddiness, I went for a decent (for me!) walk. One of the joys of an English summer evening is seeing swifts on the wing high in the sky and hearing their calls - a high pitched scream. To me, this is the sound of summer. Their wings are scythe like and they spend most of their lives on the wing.

They arrive late (around the end of April) and go before summer is done. It an ephemeral sound that they make. When you hear it, it is truly late spring or summer. Soon the summer migrants will head south to warmer skies and we will be joined by migrants from the north such as whooper and bewick swans from the high Arctic and Russia as well thrushes like redwings and fieldfares from Scandinavia. To them we represent warmth and mildness!

For now I am content to hear those swifts, although they will soon be on their way. Hopefully, I'll still be around for their return in the spring. Seeing the first swifts in late April brings joy to my heart. The cycle of life that has happened for thousands of years goes on. No doubt this cycle went on when we still lived in caves and when Roman soldiers walked these lands and this cycle will still be going on long after I am dust again.

See http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/s/swift/ .

No internet most of the day (until now)

It is unusual for our internet and phones not to work, but we had been without both for most of the day. Our services come via fibre and our broadband speed is pretty good. So, this is my first chance to update blogs  and check social media and emails. Our service is via Virgin Media.

East Anglian Churches blog updated

Today we visited Clare church in Suffolk and I have updated the East Anglian Churches blog. It is a light, airy and welcoming church.

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

Ode to Joy

Just watching the Proms on BBC TV and they are singing Beethoven's "Ode to Joy". Wonderful. 

I do hope we manage to negotiate a sensible way forward so we stay in the EU. There is much wrong with the European Union, but there is also much that is very good. We have had peace in Europe (well almost) since WW2 and this must largely be due to the European Union binding nations together.

I have much respect for Germany - a nation with a wonderful musical tradition - and hope it continues its path of peace. WW1 and WW2 were sad blips and are history now. Germany is a different place these days. I have visited several places in Germany for work and holidays. It is a lovely country with beautiful countryside and hard working people.

See http://europa.eu/index_en.htm .

Brown lawns

We have just returned from a week on the Isle of Wight. Many parts of the lawns at our bungalow look dry through a lack of rain. There was a thunderstorm here a few nights ago, but I suspect little rain fell.
 
The lawns usually bounce back in the autumn, but this year everything is about 4 weeks late flowering and the lawns have actually remained green for longer. I think summer is finally catching up with the lawns though and I expect they will remain dry for several weeks now unless we have lots of rain or I water them furiously. If lawns are watered they need a lot of water that goes through to the roots. In many ways the grass is better left.  In order for them to look decent and keep the weeds down, it is tempting to cut the grass too short.

MPs salary - too little?

The Daily Mirror newspaper reports that a UK MP is "having to count the pennies" on a salary of £90k a year. Poor man. Does he not understand how REAL people live? For most MPs their salary is to be £74k a year with lots of perks on top.

Home again

After a week away on the Isle of Wight with our son and family we have now returned home. Sadly the weather and the holiday home were both a bit of a let-down (it was wet most days) but we had a great time nonetheless. Funny how your own bed seems special. The little grandchildren didn't seem to notice the weather: they had plenty of fun.

A hard life - just how do they manage?

So UK MPs will now get a basic salary of £74k following a 10% pay rise. If I understand right they also get a host of allowances and index linked pensions. What a hard life.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33552499 

UK weather

Is it any wonder people in the UK enjoy talking about the weather? For several days our son and family have been on holiday on the Isle of Wight. The weather dad been appalling with lots of rain. There is little prospect of it changing any time soon.

Budget reaction

Although for those in work with 2 or fewer children the budget is probably neutral, I think it is fair to say reactions have been mixed. Overall, I think it was quite reasonable, although it would have been better to have gone after the very high earners too.

The UK budget and FTSE 100 - up 0.91%

The UK budget seems to have been generally liked even though it is quite hard if you were heavily dependent on benefits. The FTSE 100 ended the day up 0.91% on the day. I think it will take several days before people properly understand the full implications of the budget. There are quite a few hidden tax rises as well as some tax changes which reduce income tax for some.

China - worse than Greece?

We should be afraid of what is happening in China. There, stock market losses are huge in the last month and these will affect China and the West. The article linked shows parallels with the 1929 Wall Street Crash. Worrying. With Greece and China the world is facing another financial crisis.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-33440565 .

FTSE 100 recovering?

OK, this is just a snapshot and all could change, but at the moment the FTSE 100 is up. I guess the real turbulence will be after Sunday when the situation with Greece becomes clearer. Clearly the countries in the Euro are doing everything to keep Greece in the Euro, but the Greeks are not wanting to play ball" and want things on their terms. Tax avoidance and possibly corruption seem endemic in Greece. Things have to change or they will be on their own again.

Thunderstorms in UK

At the moment the nearest thunderstorms seem to be in the east of Germany and in the Alps, with none in the UK.  Of course, this situation can soon change although it is definitely cooler here today with the winds more from the north. It is probably 8-10 deg C less here than a week ago.

See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en .

FTSE 100 - on the slide

As I write this there is great uncertainty over Greece, which rejected the latest financial rescue package at their referendum last weekend. The FTSE 100 share index fell quite a bit today (down 1.58%).  It looks increasingly likely this "Greek tragedy" will end with Greece defaulting on its debts and leaving the Euro and possibly the EC.  The financial markets will be hard hit especially in those countries that use the Euro. A last minute deal is still (just) possible but I think the markets have assumed Greece is out. Certainly the European finance ministers and heads of government have run out of patience. If Greece leaves the Euro many nations will be impacted, not least Germany that stands to lose an enormous amount. For the Greek people, the future looks very bad for many years. No doubt they will eventually bounce back, but they risk civil war in the meantime. No, this is a real crisis for all of Europe.

See  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business/markets/europe/lse_ukx .

Egypt's disgrace?

A replica of a world famous statue of Queen Nefertiti of Egypt has (rightly) caused outcry. The locals think it  is amateurist and downright ugly.  Even I could have done better. The statue has now been removed. I hope they manage to replace it with something decent.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-33411219 .

Very old films now available on the BFI website

Since lunchtime the BFI ( British Film Institute) has made available online, many digitised old home movies, some of which are well over 100 years old.  Incredible.

See http://player.bfi.org.uk/new/ .

Cranial osteopathy

I have now had 4 sessions in Cambridge to help with my stroke after-effects. I am now less tired (I still get tired but I seem to recover more quickly), still have problems with swallow and speech and still feel giddy when walking.

Some think cranial osteopathy is a "snake oil" treatment but it helps me relax so, for now, I am continuing. Time will tell if it really helps. I just want my symptoms to recede. I still feel below par. The tiredness is better. I just hope the other remaining symptoms get better too.

House quiet again

We had our "London" grandchildren for a couple of nights and for once the weather was hot and sunny, so they were able to enjoy being in the garden and spraying themselves with the garden hose. Our grass was turning brown in places so any hosing helped!

Hot weather and the grass

I am battling to cut both lawns in this intense heat. I have cut the front lawn but still have to do the back lawn.  Later, I think this heat will break and we will get a downpour. Off to do the back lawn now.

UPDATE 1530z:  Both lawns cut now, but the grass is becoming brown with the heat.  Both front and rear lawns need a good long soaking! A good storm with lots of rain for a few hours might help. Watering with a hose really only makes the surface damp unless it is done for a long time. Even in the driest of summers, lawns seem to bounce back when real rain does arrive.

See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en .

UPDATE 2048z:  Watered parts of the front grass for more than 30 minutes as well as the flowers. Wonder if the dry patches will recover?

Hot weather

The intense heat continues with temperatures in the 30's deg C expected here. The thunder risk remains. As I write this at 1010 local time it already feels HOT here. This very hot weather is unlikely to last. In true British fashion, we are always moaning about it being too hot, too cold, or  too wet! We should be glad the weather is so good. It is good that the nice weather is happening around the time of long, light evenings. It is light here until after 10pm.

Thunder storms

This next few days we are at great risk of thunder and lightning. We are in the middle of a heatwave with hot, damp air moving up from the south. As a precaution I have disconnected my amateur radio rigs, PC, antennas and mains plugs.

Luckily I have never suffered a lightning strike but know friends who have. One was living in a very ordinary home, was not a radio amateur or short wave listener, had no big antennas, but his electrics were ruined. Earth's natural electrical activity should always be treated with respect. I don't like thunderstorms at all.  Even if not directly hit, the power surges can cause damage.

As I write this, Greece is having bad storms according to the maps.

See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en .

Hate and the internet

There is no doubt that the internet is a powerful force for good and evil. It allows people to connect, whether fit or disabled and irrespective of class, creed, or sexual orientation,and anywhere in the world. However there is also a dark side. People can use it to spread hate and violence.

There is a fine line between openness and censorship. I am a believer that what a person does in private is his or her affair as long as no-one else is hurt. What is acceptable to one person may not be to someone else. However, I believe it is right to take down anything that is hateful or incites others to act in a hateful way.

I don't think this is ambiguous or likely to lead to problems. Here I am thinking about social media, websites etc. Facebook, Twitter, and similar plus ISPs should act responsibly. All that is required is a light touch. If a post, or website is likely to encourage hate, then it should be taken down. If not, it can stay.

Lunch in the garden

 On a lovely summer day we ate our salad lunch in the garden. Such days are all too rare, but all the nicer when they occur. I'd hate a climate when it was warm all year around. We sat on the patio (LHS). Later, a friend called on the off-chance and we had cold drinks and biscuits outside too. The car needs a wash but this will have to wait until it is cooler.

Tunisia

I feel sorry for this nation which is bound to be adversely affected by the killings yesterday. Tunisia is a peaceful country that just wanted to get on with life as usual. Sadly, this will not be so for some time to come: tourists are likely to choose alternative destinations and desert Muslim nations. Surely in the end this is counter-productive?

Hot days

At last we seem to be in English high summer with high temperatures and high humidity. Although we have passed the  longest day, evenings are still light for weeks to come. The real change tends to come in September. It must be my age but it seems only 5 minutes since last Christmas! We'll blink and it will be Christmas 2015 and the nights will start to draw out again!

When we have long summer evenings it is all too easy to take them for granted. There is something nice about all the seasons: each has its own beauty. Of all the seasons, spring is my favorite with the cold winter gone and done with and new life in the earth.

Greece and falling stock markets

With the continuing uncertainty over the Greek debt crisis it is not surprising that the FTSE 100 is still falling. Until the uncertainty goes, I think we'll see further falls. At the very least expect markets to be erratic.

Swifts

One of the joys of an English summer is the sound of screaming swifts in the air. This is most common in May and June. The swifts are one of the first summer migrants to leave. It always seems a long time until they return again next spring. Usually the first ones arrive here by the end of April. Once, long ago, I found one on the ground. We kept it in a box overnight. The next morning it flew off as if nothing had happened. Swifts spend most of their time on the wing and if they do land on the ground it is not easy to take off again. I found this out much later. It was lovely to handle this scythe like bird.

See http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/s/swift/ .

Greece - still in trouble?

International creditors are still not happy with proposals from Greece over their debt. Talks are continuing  but I think Greece will have to make further concessions or leave the Euro. Although deep in the mire now, they would be in dire trouble out of the Euro with no support from the ECB for their banks.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-33258624 .

Greece - market relief?

This may be just a blip but the FTSE 100 share index bounced back today on the news that Greece has been "saved" in the short-term, although they still have a massive debt to repay and Greece is in a real mess. As I see it, this is a temporary situation and Greece is still in deep trouble. The simple fact is that the Euro could simply fall apart if Greece defaults and Germany would be left with huge losses and they are desperate to avoid this.

No, the Euro is still in deep trouble. This crisis has a way to go yet. There is trouble ahead for sure.

Castle Trust - avoid?

The top of my Gmail seems to have regular ads for Castle Trust offering bonds with very good interest rates. I read somewhere that these funds are "dodgy" and you could end up losing capital. I have no idea whether true or not, but I shall be avoiding them.

Greece - a basket case?

Greece seems to be in a serious mess financially, although the EC seems desperate for the Euro to survive the current crisis. It would appear Greece became a member of the Euro club based on rather dubious figures. Tax avoidance and early retirement ages appear to be a way of life in Greece and this is anathema to countries like Germany. If Greece doesn't get kicked out of the Euro, they certainly need to change. We will see what happens. I expect we'll see yet another fudge and somehow Greece will survive, although it is not clear for how long. I'm very glad not to be Greek right now. Life there must be very hard, especially if you have no work.

UPDATE 1726z:  It sounds like Greece may be on the brink of a financial rescue. Time will tell.