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.