Royal baby

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-32567875 .

I am not sure what I think about royalty. On the one hand I think they must do our tourist trade a lot of good encouraging visits to historic houses and trade in royal trinkets and memorabilia.

On the other had, all royals still have to sit on the loo and have nothing really that is any different from the rest of us. Why do these royals have any right to wealth and privilege?

Stroke - often hungry

One thing I do not understand is why I feel hungry so often, yet do not put on weight.

I recently had a bowel cancer check and that was all clear. I eat a very full breakfast (Weetabix, half a banana followed by a cooked breakfast cooked in very little oil) and I have a good lunch and tea, but already I am hungry again! My weight has been pretty constant for over a year - maybe a few pounds heavier. I drink very little alcohol these days and have no sugar in tea or coffee, but I guess there is sugar in the chocolate drinks I have.

Stroke update

Although, on  average, I am a little less tired overall, I still have very bad days, like today, when I feel very exhausted.  I still have problems with thin liquid drinks and still feel wobbly on my feet. Progress is painfully slow.

Never, ever, take your health for granted, as you never know when things might change. Before Sept 2013 I was fit and healthy. These days, still, I feel just a shadow of my old self.  How I wish I was back to as I was!

At the moment, long travel is a real problem. I have not been down to Devon for 2 years.  Last year the furtherest we managed was Kent and Cheshire, both by train.

Neck and neck still

The UK General Election next week still looks far too close to call. Some opinion polls show the Conservatives ahead and others show Labour.  UKIP seem to be gradually losing support.

At the moment my intention is to vote Lib Dem as they do have a chance of winning here in East Cambs. Labour really have no chance at all having won just 6.5% of the vote last time. UKIP could well split the Conservative vote, so the Lib Dems have a decent chance. Personally, I think the moderating influence of the Lib Dems on either the Conservatives or Labour would be a good thing. I supported the Greens in the European elections but in a "first past the post" General Election they (sadly) have no chance here. Elsewhere, who knows?

FTSE 100 falls

6946.28 today so quite a large fall in the FTSE 100 share index.  I think we can expect quite large  fluctuations in the index in the period close to the UK General Election. It could go up or down as we are very likely to end up with a hung parliament, coalitions and uncertainty for a few weeks.

Glasswells - what a dosy shower they are!

Last October we wrote to Glasswells in Bury-St-Edmunds as our so-called stain protected lounge carpet had a stain we could not remove. A month later, having heard nothing, I emailed again. Eventually someone was sent and as he could not remove the stains, we were promised a free replacement carpet. All this was before Christmas 2014.

It is now April 2015 and we were still waiting, so I emailed  Glasswells again today. Oh," we were waiting for YOU to contact us with a suitable fitting date!". Like heck they were!! Yet more lame excuses. It only would have taken a phone call.  We have now been promised this carpet will be refitted this Friday morning. We will see.

Overall, I am totally unimpressed. Frankly, their service and care has been pathetic.

I hope NEVER to do business with this bunch of amateurs ever again.

Nepal Quake

This puts thing into perspective. Winter is approaching. Many are living in tents. Already 2500 are dead and the number is rising. People are terrified of the next shake.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-32475030 .