Sunday 16-10-02 Snowdogs

Yesterday was spent wandering around Brighton, spotting the Snowdogs scattered around the town. It was a brilliant sunny day, it couldn't have been much more different from Saturday if it tried. The girls were in good spirits, they were chatting with each other and pointing out various things to each other. They did bicker a bit, but once we got into the walking they got on well with each other. 

We stopped at Hove Lagoon to see the first one, but couldn't find it. Apparently it was in the café, but we weren't to know that... We didn't find the one at the King Alfred's Leisure Centre either, but after that we started flying. You can see the photos below. 

We walked from the i360 up to Churchill Square, and then on to the train station. From there we cut down through The Lanes back to the seafront, then we drove to The Level where the kids played in the skatepark for an hour. Then it was on to The Marina, where we saw another couple, and we had dinner at Pizza Express, which was lovely. M & D, our friends (and neighbours), did the same thing, and our paths crossed several times during the day. We had planned to have dinner together anyway, but we were at The Level together too. Our children get on really well, and so they loved the day. 

And I made it home in time to see Antiques Roadshow too, which was nice. 

Saturday 16-10-01 Soaked

We did another Park Run, despite the rain. It wasn't supposed to rain between 9am - 10am, but apparently the forecast was wrong. And it was torrential. Some of the runners were squealing because the rain was coming down so hard. It was bouncing up off the tarmac to knee-height, it was coming down so hard. At one point, and then for the remainder of the race, I felt like I was running in a corset because my top had absorbed so much rainwater. I did think at one point I would be better off taking it off and dumping it in the hedge, and recovering it after the run (but I didn't do that). Nevertheless, I was only 45 secs slower than my time last week. I'm quite happy to have run through the deluge, and I am happy that the deluge didn't slow me down - noticeably. I did predict that PBs would tumble, and I was wrong, but there is always next Saturday morning.

I spent a long time moving and alphabetising my CDs, so they are now arranged nicely in the living room. I realised that I have a couple of CDs missing, and I also have a couple of duplicates, most notably Circlesquare by The Wonder Stuff and Comforts of Madness by Pale Saints - they will probably go on eBay. 
I think I will have to prune my collection; they should fit into two of these units. I will digitise as much of it as I can (I've digitised a lot of it already, but I find it hard to let go of the physical discs) and there are some CDs that I've never listened to, so I can probably get rid of those without too much of a problem. I do find though, that when I get rid of CDs I always want to listen to them the following day/week/month, even if I haven't listened to them in years. So I don't want to sell or bin discs completely so that I don't have them at all, but it would be nice if they were stored tidily across the two units. 

In the afternoon we went to see the GiL, who seemed to be in good spirits. She had been out to The Spotted Cow for lunch, as is her habit most days. For a 97-year old, she is doing well. I think she could do better if she accepted help, but that's not in her nature. Her short-term memory is shot; she kept asking if she'd given the girls money, and she asked me several times how my job was going: "any sign of promotion, Rob?" We'd bought her a few bites to eat, some pork pies and a quiche, and some biscuits. And a bottle of wine, of course. We stayed for a while and then headed home. 

TW went out in the evening, and I caught up with the last episode of Banshee, a really good, enjoyable gangster/criminal/satanic thriller. I don't think I've ever seen such a relentlessly bloody, vicious series. I also watched a bit of Kate Tempest on BBC2, which was great. I'd heard a lot about Kate before, I know that Scroobius Pip is a fan, and I was interested to hear her stuff. I was blown away, and now I'll need to go out and get another CD or two... :(

And that was Saturday. 

Friday 16-09-30 Forgetful

Oh, how we laughed.

I got up as soon as the alarm went off yesterday morning. I say "alarm", but I have the radio programmed to switch on to Radio 4, the Today programme, and so I normally stay in bed and listen to it for a few minutes because they are normally discussing something interesting, or they are about to round up the day's newspaper headlines.
But no time for that this morning, I had sold some comics yesterday on eBay and I had emailed the winner to tell him I would post them today, but I hadn't even packaged them up yet. So out of bed, quick shower and dressed, and downstairs. Bubblewrap, sellotape, scissors and brown paper, and it was done. I told the girls that they needed to get dressed, and the normal morning hubbub ensued. Teas were made, breakfasts were had, questions about locations of school uniform were answered. I was aiming for the 07:47 train, so I gobbled down some own-brand wheat biscuits, gulped my tea, and then headed upstairs to clean my teeth. That done, I was back downstairs, popped my shoes on, gathered up my workbag and comics to post, and headed to the door. Kisses to the children and TW delivered and farewells made, the door closed and I was on my way, leaving the hubbub behind. I popped my headphones on and got back into one of the many podcasts I listen to while travelling between home and the office.

It wasn't until I was crossing the Shoreham bridge that TW phoned. "I could f***ing kill you", she said. Oh, dear. What had I done? I wasn't aware of anything I'd messed up. "You've left your cake on the side", she let me know. In all the rush of the morning, and the packing up of the comics, and the breakfasts and the rush to catch the right train, I had forgotten to take the cake with me to work. Macmillan Cancer fundraising would have to do its best without my deliciousness. I couldn't believe it; that was the third time I'd made that cake, the second time for charity, and I'd forgotten to take it in to work.
To compensate, I donated a tenner while at work. And it made for a funny story, so that was a good thing. And it meant I got to have a big slice after dinner last night, so it wasn't all bad news. But it was completely unintentional.

I had lunch out at the Bangkok Kitchen on London Road with a friend, that was nice. I had a massaman curry, which is peanut-flavoured and is basically a plate of satay.
And TW was out in the evening, so I got to watch the penultimate episode of Banshee, which was as gripping and bloody as expected. I'm really stringing out my enjoyment of the show.
I had two beers which is less than my usual intake on a Friday night, due to the Park Run in the morning. Hopefully I can improve on my last time, which was 30:43. We'll have to see.

TTFN.

Thursday 16-09-29 Cake

Yesterday I worked from home because TMO (The Middle One) wasn't well. She complained that she was dizzy when she woke up, and so TW let her stay at home. I didn't have my laptop with me, so I had to go into the office to get it. Which meant a journey in by train, and then home again immediately. Except it wasn't immediate, because Southern had screwed the trains again, and I ended up waiting for half an hour at Hove for any kind of westbound train. I am seriously considering buying a car just to get away from those bloody trains. It used to be a pleasant experience, where I could read a comic or an e-book, or catch up on a podcast, and while away the 25 minutes between Worthing and Hove. But now, if the trains do run on time, which is less often than it should be, they are often crowded, or delayed, and the whole process is an anxious mess more often than not.
Once I got back to Worthing, I popped into the Co-Op and stocked up on comfort foods - Reese's chocolate bars, pork pies and a third thing that I can't quite remember. I was hoping to score a maple pecan Danish, but unfortunately they had either run out, or not got any in stock to begin with.
I spent the morning (what was left of it), up to about 1pm, trying to refine the parameters on a datapull I was looking at, and then the afternoon on several bits and pieces.
TW & I went out for a run together after work, which neither of us had thought would ever happen. Her pace was slower than mine, and so when we got to the mile mark I went a bit further to stretch out. Maybe in a couple of weeks we can properly run together, who knows? The Park Run beckons again this Saturday, so we'll have to see how that goes.
After the run, I made another coffee and walnut cake for the Macmillan Coffee morning we were having at work. TW made the icing and put it together, and then we sat down to relax. We watched a bit more Tyrant (maybe we didn't on Weds?) and I had a few beers, and then it was bedtime.

Wednesday 16-09-28

I checked my lottery ticket when I got up. True to form, it wasn't a winner. Work was work.

In the evening we watched a couple of episodes from the second series of Tyrant; it is really picking up. I know that the third series is underway, and we've got it recorded (mostly). I'm sure that the bits we are missing will be repeated before we get to that point. TE showed prospective parents and pupils around her school, which she seems to be enjoying. We met her tutor the other day and he advised that he had no issues with her, and she seemed to be settling in nicely - which was our assessment too, but it was reassuring to hear.

Tuesday 16-09-27 A Flutter

Tuesday was a fairly busy day at work. I am currently easing into a new role and there are other bits and pieces that I am picking up because I'm a curious kind of fellow and I find it very hard not to stick my nose into interesting things.
Anyway I got through the day. Then I bought a lottery ticket on the way home and was surprised to see that the price had increased to £2.50. It's getting to the point now where buying a lottery ticket is no longer an impulse purchase. By that, I mean that if I happen to be in the Co-Op buying wine or milk or bread, I have often said, in the past, "oh, and you may as well sell me a lottery ticket too, on top of my planned purchases". £2 is about the limit for an impulse buy, especially considering how infrequently I am lucky enough to win. So that's probably me and the lottery parting ways - not that my contribution will be missed.
When I got home I put a couple of bets on the football using PaddyPower. I only normally gamble 10p or 20p, it's supposed to be a bit of fun. I wagered 20p on Celtic to beat Man City and 10p each on Newcastle vs Norwich and Coventry vs AFC Wimbledon. The Celtic / Man City game sounded like a real belter, if you like that sort of thing. Celtic took the lead, and I considered cashing out, but then Man City drew level, and I thought my bet was over. But Celtic scored again to take the lead, and I cashed out at that point, with 40p. I had made my money back, so anything I got from the other two games would be pure profit. Newcastle went ahead, and I cashed out for 13p, if I remember rightly. the Coventry game never got going, at least not in Coventry's favour and so that 10p was gone. I put another 10p on Celtic to win, with about 15 minutes to go, which was a bit foolish, as the game ended in a draw. So I was 3p up on the night. Overall, compared to my usual luck, that was a good result.

Monday 16-09-26 Forest Friends

morning... pic.twitter.com/BbLlxJSQUL

— forest fr1ends (@forest_fr1ends) August 15, 2016

Monday was spent scrolling through "Forest Fr1ends" ' Twitter feed and laughing uncontrollably, as the scenes got funnier and darker. It is amazing what you can do with a couple of poseable dolls, and whoever dreams up these images / captions deserves an award of some description.
As I watched last week's Antiques Roadshow while this week's was broadcasting, I got to watch last night's episode tonight, which was a real bonus. I love a bit of Antiques Roadshow, although I'm not really sure why.  I guess it is a bit of a tradition as Summer fades and becomes Autumn, and the pace of the show is relaxed and unhurried. The theme tune hasn't changed, as far as I can tell, and I still think of the Adam and Joe pastiche every time every week. I think it's a bit like Ski Sunday, in that a lot of the time people weren't watching it for the skiing, they wanted to see the spectacular crashes. And part of the attraction of Antiques Roadshow is watching people's reaction to the valuation of their goods. Sometimes things which have been in the family for generations turn out to be crappy fakes and worthless, and sometimes a carboot sale bargain turns out to be worth thousands. It is interesting as well to appraise the style of the goods, and decide whether you like the minimalist glassware or the ornate china. TW and I tend to disagree on styles some of the time, so it makes for interesting viewing. I had a couple of cans of Kronenbourg while watching telly, there's nothing like a four-pack to start the week right, and by the time those had been sunk, and the telly was warming down, it was time for bed.

Sunday 16-09-25

Yesterday I spent most of the day nursing a hangover. We were at a house party on Saturday, raising money for Macmillan cancer support, and I drank more than I should have done. I am okay when drinking at home, because I can keep a track of how much I have had, but when I am out and people keep on topping up my glass I tend to lose track and end up overdoing it. At least, that is my excuse and I'm sticking to it.
I had listed a bureau on eBay and it had sold, the auction finished on Saturday. Obviously, because it was a heavy bit of furniture, I advertised it as "collection only", and I was surprised to find that the woman who bought it was coming all the way from Portsmouth. She came and picked it up at midday, and as it turned out she was combining the collection with other errands, so it all turned out well.
TW & I were talking and we couldn't remember where we got the bureau from, nor whether we paid for it. So the £21 we got for it was a welcome bonus. And as it is near the end of the month, the cash injection was most welcome. I'd like to think that we are in a decluttering phase, but I think that there is still more stuff coming into the house than leaving it. Especially comics...
Later on, I packed up twelve comics - two mini-series of six issues each, which I did quite well on. Considering I sold one set as used, I only "lost" £2.30, or looking at it differently, it only cost me that much to read them. The other set I sold as new, since I had only opened them in order to board them, and I actually made a few pounds on them, I sold them for more than I paid for them. Which doesn't happen very often, so that was nice. I don't trade in comics to make money, but I have a bookcase full upstairs, as well as a number of boxes around, and they are now starting to spill out onto the floor. My intention is to read them and get rid; I've got several hundred pounds tied up in those comics and it would be nice to realise a portion of that, as well as make some space in the house. Those comics were posted this morning.
I've started reading Fight Club #2 by Chuck Palahniuk, which is in comic book format. It's a ten issue run, and some of the artwork is just stunning. The story is a bit weird to start with, and it is a bit confusing when Tyler Durden re-emerges, and Sebastian is also in the frame, since I thought they were the same person, but I might need to revisit the story to see exactly where my confusion is... I shall try to sell that as well, when I've finished it, and if I can stay focused, that should be by the end of the week. We'll see.

Southern Rail Lost Property is a Joke

I managed to lose a jacket on Southern Railway a few weeks ago, in the middle of August. I say I lost it, I left it in a carriage and didn't realise until I was out of the station. By the time I doubled back, needless to say, the train I arrived on had departed back to Worthing / Littlehampton and it was out of sight.
I asked the station staff if they had found the jacket, but they professed ignorance. I filled in an online form, but I was fairly pessimistic. I had previously lost a pair of prescription glasses, which never turned up, and I wasn't really expecting any results from this effort either.
Lo and behold, I did (after a couple of weeks) receive an email advising that they had my jacket and I could come and pick it up. And that is where the whole inconvenience and irrationality became apparent.

They advised that the jacket was at Victoria Station, in London, and I could come and pick it up between 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday.
a) I work from 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday, and
b) I live in Worthing and I work in Brighton.

There is no way I can get to Victoria to collect my jacket. Even if I took time off work, losing a valuable day's holiday which I would rather spend with family, it would cost me £18 and take four hours out of my life. Apparently all lost property found on Southern Rail ends up in Victoria. Which means that if you live in Lewes or Chichester or Littlehampton, you would need to get to Victoria to recover your goods.

But wait! There is a courier option! That might be worth exploring. Except that, having finally got through to the humans in the office, it seems that there is a challenge. Getting through to a human is a feat in itself; you have to pretend that you lost the item on a platform, and that it was more than 72 hours ago. The first two times I called, I chose the real options, i.e., that I left the item on a train, and the train terminated in Victoria - since Brighton / Littlehampton weren't options. A recorded message informed me that I should phone Southern, and the call terminated. At no point during the myriad number of options was I offered the opportunity to speak to a real person. Anyway, once I got through to a real person in the Lost Property office in Victoria, they advised that yes, they could courier the item to me. The cost for an item of clothing was £24, and the £5 processing fee would need to be to added to that. So the cost of retrieving my jacket would either be £29 or £18 and a lost day.

I weighed up the options on offer, and told the lovely lady in the Victoria Lost Property office that she could bin the jacket. I wasn't going to pay the outlandish fees they were requesting. They could have sent it UPS for a fiver, probably. Not to mention that, erm, Victoria is right at the centre of the best distribution network in the country, i.e., the railway. How difficult would it have been to put the jacket on the Victoria to Brighton, or Victoria to Worthing train, and leave it in the Customer Service office there for me to pick up?

It seems to me that not only are Southern absolutely crap at organising trains and their running times, but they are out to scalp their customers for returning to them what is rightfully theirs.

I've had enough of Southern and their complete ineptitude, and I am currently investigating the cost of leasing a car to get into work. Yes, it will add to the overall congestion on the roads, but it seems that I can get a car for about £100 a month, which compares favourably to the £160 Southern charge for my monthly ticket. And if it means not paying this inefficient company any more money, it may be worth it in the long run. "Vote with your feet", that's what they say, isn't it?

TTFN.

An Active Weekend

We got up early on Saturday morning in preparation for our second ever Park Run. I think we were both looking forward to it; I had drunk a few cans of beer the night before, and TW had indulged in her passion for prosecco, but we were both clear-headed and up for the challenge. I had been out on a warm-up run on Wednesday night, a little 2.4 mile jaunt to keep my hand in. I couldn't have gone before that, due to the aches in my legs - I was finding it difficult enough walking up and down stairs, let alone running. I did think that I had D.O.M.S. (delayed onset muscle soreness), and I may well have done, but I got through it. That'll teach me to dive straight into a three mile run.
So, we dumped the younger two at the pool, and TW and I and TE (The Eldest) lined up for the run. I set off ahead of them, and made good time, I think - I stopped once for a breath on the way out, and twice on the way back. D was miles ahead and finished in about 23 minutes, but C, another friend who ran with us overtook me on the way back (I had stopped to do up a shoelace) and so I stayed in touch with her, and we ran in together at the end - she finished one second ahead of me, and my time was 31:50, which was an average of under ten minutes per mile. I was pleased with that. TW was pleased with her time, and I went back on to the course to run in with TE. She was a bit embarrassed and didn't want to run, but I think we can encourage her in future to realise that it is about your own personal performance, and sod what others think.
On Saturday afternoon we had made a loose arrangement to go for a walk with D & M and their kids, but it turned out that they had farmed their kids out to grandparents, so we went for a family walk along the River Rife at Ferring, which was a nice breath of fresh air. The girls were in good spirits, despite having been torn away from their electronic devices, and it had turned into a lovely afternoon.
On Saturday evening we swapped one of our kids for one of D & M's, as well as taking in a companion for TE, and had two separate sleepovers. I believe TE watched The Jungle Book (the new version), and TMO (The Middle One) watched a couple of nature documentaries. No, I don't know why either.
They went to bed late-ish, TE finally piped down at about 22:30, and there were no night-time dramas, which was nice. Or if there were, they didn't wake me up.
Sunday morning came, and after eating our fill of pancakes, we went for a six mile bike ride and then visited M&P, my parents, for a brunch of bacon sandwiches. They were delicious, and made even more tasty by the exercise. We cycled from our mansion near West Worthing station down to Goring Gap and back, getting slightly lost on the way. We tried to go inland on the return leg, but ended up back on the seafront, so rode three sides of a square in my estimation. I wouldn't be surprised if it was TW's way of getting an extra bit of distance into the ride.

And that was me, I was done in. For most of Sunday afternoon, I watched tablets be sold on eBay, but TW kept going. Not only did she go for a further bike ride, adding another six miles to her total for the day, but she then got on with painting the back bedroom so that TE (The Youngest) can eventually have her own room.

It was a good weekend, and I think we will want to emulate the levels of activity in future weeks. It would be odd if we turned into one of those "active families" which we don't know very well, but I think we all enjoyed ourselves. Oh dear.

TTFN.

Farewell David Cameron

Yesterday David Cameron announced that he was stepping down as a Conservative MP, triggering a by-election in Witney, near to where the MiL lives.
I suppose it was inevitable that he would take that step, having resigned as PM (Prime Minister) back in June. After you have been responsible for running the country, trying to sort out the inconsequential woes of a few backbenchers wouldn't be quite as thrilling.

But it is not as though Witney is suddenly an unsafe seat. Apparently the vote for the Conservatives in the last election was over 60%. The party there could nominate a plate of jelly and it would probably be voted in with a majority. So there will be no threat to the slender Conservative majority (a working majority of 16) from Cameron's resignation. It's probably best though if they don't nominate any kind of pig.

What upsets me is that Cameron took us into a referendum on membership of the EU, which he lost, and he is able to walk away unscathed from the incident. His PM's pension is safe, his MP's pension is safe, his expenses have been paid and he walks away without consequence. The rest of us have to live with his decision and his inability to win an argument.

I have mentioned Brexit before, and there is no reward in retreading old arguments. What I will say is that Cameron has a degree of security which the rest of us don't enjoy, despite the fact that he was the one who took the gamble, and we were passive onlookers to his efforts. And that doesn't sit well with me. It is all of a piece with the attitude he took in the days and months leading up to his resignation, where he simply wouldn't accept alternative arguments. How can you have a constructive discussion with someone who won't accept an alternative view?

I suppose that the only comfort that we can take now, at this point, is the news that Cameron was the PM who took us out of the EU, despite this being contrary to his own views. I expect and hope that the economic and social uncertainty which will probably be forthcoming over the next few years will be blamed on him and his insulated coterie. So that will be his legacy, despite any good he may have done, and his efforts to blunt the teeth of the right-wingers in the Tory party.

Having said that, I haven't suffered until now because of the Brexit vote, and I hope that those who can have planned for what happens when Article 50 is actually invoked, so that any impact at that point is mitigated. But even if there are people out there who claim that Brexit will have a small impact (if any at all), I think the general uncertainty and lack of investment due to the uncertainty can be firmly laid at Cameron's door.

So on that basis, I guess my distilled message to Cameron would be: farewell, it's probably best that you go now, before you can cause any more damage. After all, a change is as good as a rest (except when it's Theresa May).

TTFN.

First Park Run

Yesterday we attended our first Park Run in Worthing. Park Runs are organised all around the country, they are five kilometres in length and they start at 9am on a Saturday morning.

I had exchanged a couple of texts with our friend and neighbour, D, on Friday night, and he had asked if we (as a family) wanted to join him and his on the Saturday morning, and I had considered it. I was the best part of a bottle of wine down by that time, as TW was babysitting elsewhere, and I thought that probably I wouldn't be in any fit state to run 5k (that's 3.1 miles in old money). I was up and about on Saturday morning making a cup of tea at about 8.30am when I heard activity, so I looked out of the window and there he was, heading to his car. He asked whether I was going to join them on the run, and I was up for it individually, the girls weren't really bothered. But then TW chatted to M, his partner, and all of a sudden we were all going.

We got dressed in double quick time and took swimming stuff for the kids for afterwards, and drove down to the start point, which is at Splashpoint. We got there just as the race organiser was addressing the assembled runners, and there were a number, about 200 or so. We walked then to the start point and set off. The Middle Child was on a scooter, D's kids had a bike and a scooter too, and between them they managed to make their way around most of the course. I say "course", the run is west along the seafront and then back east along the seafront to the start point. So it's nice and flat, although if the wind were stronger, I can see that it may be a challenge.

I was running slowly at the back, and was comfortable. I stopped a few times, and walked, but ran most of the way. My average time at the end was just over 11 minutes per mile, which considering the last time I ran was June last year, I'm quite pleased with. I was 173rd out of 202, and my time was between 34:48 and 35:48. I recorded it on Runkeeper as well, and I reckon, according to that, that my time was 35:19. I could also when I stopped, as my minutes per mile average spiked then. So I stopped five times, apparently, and walked.

TW and The Eldest ran together, and managed to complete the course in about 40 minutes, which they were both happy with. D, being a more committed runner, managed it in about 25 minutes, but then he is due to be running a half-marathon soon, so he needs to be up with the real runners.

Unfortunately one of our other friends and neighbours, C, didn't make it, which was a shame, since she was the one who started the whole thing by suggesting it last week. Still, hopefully we will be able to run as a street next time..?

So I ran unofficially yesterday, but I've signed up on the Park Run website and next time I will have my barcode to register my time properly. Of course, this means that I will have to run mid-week to improve my times on Saturdays. Damnit. But I did think that was coming...

After the run, we sent the girls unaccompanied into the swimming pool - that was no problem, as they are good swimmers. The problem was that they were still in there an hour and three quarters later, at 11:45am. We'd had a coffee and were beginning to cool down, and I wanted to get home. But at least they had a good time. And today I don't ache as badly as I thought I would - result!

TTFN.

Some Brexit-related Thoughts

A couple of days ago, our new Prime Minister Theresa May stated that "Brexit means Brexit, precisely because it does". This is the sort of language an exasperated parent might use with a querulous and unruly child, and it brooks no further discussion.

But I think that there are a couple of interesting things to point out. I'm not going to argue in favour of or against Brexit, but I am intrigued by the fall-out of the vote, and the unexpected things that have happened.

First things first, everyone involved in the vote (from a leadership perspective) has resigned / retired from public view. Farage has stood down as leader of UKIP, Boris Johnson withdrew from the PM leadership race, despite being the bookies' favourite, and Gove stood for the leadership but was knocked out in the early rounds.
Cameron resigned the morning after the vote, despite pledging to stay and negotiate the will of the British people. Poor guy, probably the main things he will be remembered for are Brexit and pig-bothering (at least one of those is an actual fact). Farage and Johnson weren't in any position to promise anything to the British people, such as an extra £350M for the NHS, or a points-based immigration system. None of them were in power, and so they couldn't enact any policies or initiatives to deliver what they were promising. If Johnson had seen through his leadership challenge, he could have issued directive after directive from No. 10, but I believe that when he peered over the edge of the abyss and thought through what he had signed up to, he decided not to accept the offer of the poisoned chalice. Who would want to be remembered as the PM who took Britain out of the EU?

Well, it seems that Theresa May does. Maybe her desire to be PM trumps everything else, and maybe she thinks she can stall until she is voted out of office, but it does seem that something weird is going on. Article 50 hasn't been invoked yet, and we are now two and a bit months after the vote. We need to get our skates on, I think.

The other weird thing is the level of confidence in business circles has risen dramatically. Of course the stock market crashed after the vote, and the £/$ exchange rate plummeted, but since then the FTSE 100 and the FTSE 250 have roared ahead with all guns blazing. My pension, invested as it is in stocks and shares, is feeling positively healthy. And it seems that there is a healthy dose of optimism washing over the nation.

It isn't washing over me, I am still waiting for "the other shoe to drop", but maybe that's because I'm a pessimistic middle-aged man, who is now used to living in a zero-inflation, zero-growth environment. If inflation does start to kick in, I believe I will be worse off than I am now, and thinking back, I believe I had more disposable income five years ago than I do today. Sad, isn't it?

But I hope that the markets have priced Brexit in to future expectations. Although that would be hard to do, considering that currently it seems that no-one knows what to expect from Brexit. Apparently the "experts" have been saying that we would do well if we managed to deflate our economy, and we seem to have done that overnight - the £ is now worth $1.33 (approx) when it was worth nearly $1.50 before the Brexit vote.

All in all, we are in uncharted waters. Some people think we should be able to negotiate trade deals outside the EU now, while others take the opposing view. Some people think we should invoke Article 50 as soon as possible, while others think we should delay (and even now we have no idea when it will be invoked). We are in a state of limbo while our "leaders" decide what Brexit looks like, and whether it is acceptable to the members of the EU. And in the meantime, life goes on, we have to buy goods & services, and city folk have to trade stocks and shares. And currently things seem to be on the up, much like Dennis Waterman, but I can't help feeling that there is more to come, like a particular Vic & Bob ad for yogurt. I guess we will see.

What I am trying to say is that the jury is still out. We need to see how things pan out. Good luck, and see you on the other side...

TTFN.

A Family Bike Ride

Today we went for our first family bike ride. TW has signed up for the London-Brighton Bike Ride and her brother has kindly given her a Specialized on long-term loan. On Monday we visited Halfords for the first time ever and bought her lights and a helmet, and so we were christened.
Today I pumped up the tires on the bikes in preparation, and I looked at the chains, although I wouldn't know the first thing to do with them, even if I could identify what was wrong with them. I took a test ride on my chosen bike, up and down the road, and tested the brakes. I was a little confused because there seemed to be a bit of give in the tires, but they were as hard as rock - then I realised that the bike had suspension, and that was providing the give that I was feeling. I wobbled a bit; I can't remember the last time I rode a bike. But I made it up the road and back in one piece, and it's all about the small wins.
I took the girls to Halfords to buy helmets for them, since we are planning to cycle to Lancing tomorrow, and now that I know where it is (Halfords, that is), and I'm almost on first-name terms with the staff, the world of cycles and their accessories holds no mystery for me. £65 later, all four of us, myself included, were kitted out with protective headgear.
Final touches were made to the bikes, and then we set out, down our road, through the alley to the Co-Op, across the train crossing and into Grand Avenue, when The Eldest calls out "Stop!". It turns out her front tire was flat again, despite the fact that I had only pumped it up less than five minutes ago. A definite puncture. But, when there were five of us riding, the odds that something was going to go wrong was pretty high. We cycled to a friend's house where TW asked them if they had a spare bike we could borrow, but unfortunately they didn't, so my ride ended there. I walked home with The Eldest (TE)'s bike, and she took mine. TW cycled on with the three kids in tow, a little like a proud swan with her brood - at least that is the way I picture her.
I took the front wheel off TE's bike in the front garden, and one of our friends and neighbours helped to extract the inner tube. I blew it up and could immediately see where the puncture was; it was on the join between the valve and the inner. Another neighbour and friend advised that it was a common spot for a puncture. He provided a puncture kit and applied the patch to the tire, as I looked on. At least I can say I learned something, even if I didn't do the actual fixing myself. I checked the tire as I put the bike away tonight and the tire seemed still inflated, so I hope it is the same in the morning.
TW and the girls rode as far as Splashpoint, and they enjoyed it, so it seems that Lancing it is in the morning. Wish me luck and I hope there are no sprains or scratches to report...
TTFN.

A Child-free Week

It would seem that going mobile hasn't lead to an outpouring of any consciousness, whether good or bad. And this in the week where we shouldn't have been as busy as normal because we didn't have the kids! This was the week for their annual pilgrimage to their grandmother's, the GiL, and TW & I had the week to ourselves - just about.
TW took the girls up there on the Friday, and so I had the house to myself when I got home from work in the evening. I watched a bit of Banshee and a bit of The Walking Dead, and probably drank more than I should have. On Saturday I bimbled around the house, waiting for TW to get back , then we went to a friend's 40th Birthday party in Burgess Hill. That was fun, but unfortunately I was the designated driver and so I didn't get to enjoy it as much as everyone else. TW   was enjoying the cocktails, and at one stage she was drinking one so strong that she chose to dilute it with prosecco - needless to say, there were a number of casualties.
On the Sunday we took a stroll into Worthing and then stopped at a pub, the Rose and Crown, for a few drinks on the way home. I was following the cricket and England were trying to bowl Pakistan out to win the match on the final day. A few years ago England wouldn't have been able to take 11 wickets in one day, but we had faith in them, and that was rewarded when they lost three quick wickets for 125 - as I was following it on my phone, I saw the score change from 125-5 to 125-6 and then to 125-7. It was a good feeling. I carried on drinking into the evening, as our new lodger arrived, and again, probably drank more than I should have done.
On Monday evening TW had invited some of her girlfriends around for drinks and so we started the week in a boozy manner. I did leave them to it at one point to catch another episode of The Walking Dead but was interrupted as the ladies came inside. It was during quite a touching moment as one of the main characters met their inevitable fate, and they had switched to slow motion and were laying on the emotional music as the zombies crowded around to rip out his guts and bloody intestines. So I switched that off and rejoined the conversation...
Then on Tuesday evening we went out to Efe's restaurant in Worthing which was delicious. We went with friends and had a lovely evening - that's the sort of thing we should do more of.
Wednesday and Thursday we took easy, to recover, and then last night, Friday, we took my parents to the Amex stadium in Brighton for the first home game of the season, because the trains were on strike. Since it didn't make sense to come home and then go back again to pick them up, we pushed on to Lewes and had dinner at Bill's, which was delicious as well. And it was lovely to spend some time together enjoying good food and each other's company.
After we picked up Mum and Dad, TW asked to be dropped in Worthing to meet up with some friends and I have no idea what time she got in, but we're not expecting the girls back until after midday, so she can have a lie-in this morning.

As well as drinking and eating out and socialising, we've done a couple of other things, like negotiate the train strike, take in a new lodger, and buy a new (New to us anyway - others may call it "pre-loved") car, but I may get to those in time. Or, going on past experience, probably not.

TTFN.

Going Mobile

So this is my current set-up:

With this I reckon I can jot down notes from anywhere - on the train, waiting at the station for the train, in the office even. So if we're not careful this blog could become a stream of vacuous nonsense - even more so than it is already.
The keyboard, made by Samsung, was £5 from eBay (with £3.50 p&p); the stand, made by eCandy, was £5 from Amazon (combined with a few other things to ensure free delivery); and the tablet made by Lenovo was just shy of £50 from eBay. So that's not bad going, I think.
I've been carrying both the keyboard and the tablet around with me for a while now, but I believe that this morning is the first time I've paired them, which goes to show how "productive" I shall probably be. But it is amazing how thin and unobtrusive these items are when you chuck them in a messenger bag. I can have the keyboard on my lap as well, so that I can just type out random strings of words while doing something else, like watching TV - there might be a few more reviews of shows coming up - that'll be something to look forward to!
TTFN.

Ned's Atomic Dustbin and Collapsed Lung @ Concorde 2, 23rd July 2016

Last night I had the pleasure of seeing Ned's again, at the Concorde 2 in Brighton. They were supported by Collapsed Lung, who had a minor hit with Eat My Goal in 1996 and again in '98, but it was used in a number of programmes and adverts, and so I was looking forward to seeing them too.
Doors opened at 6pm, which was early, but I expect that there was a club night or something on after Ned's - they were due to be wrapped up by 10. I caught the train at 5:08, to be precise, from West Worthing, expecting to be in Brighton by 5:30. Unfortunately the train ran slow and I didn't get my connection at Hove, and so didn't get into Brighton until gone 6pm. I headed straight for Sawadee, a Thai restaurant we used to frequent from time to time when we lived there. I had fishcakes to start, a perennial favourite, and then a Massaman curry, which is flavoured with peanuts - if you like Thai but haven't tried a Massaman, I'd recommend it.
Anyway, I headed from there to the Bristol Arms for a restorative orange juice (no really), and then wandered down to the Concorde. Collapsed Lung had already started by the time I got there, so I went straight through to the main room and listened to their stuff. I was really impressed, they had a good vibe going and although there weren't many people there watching, I think those that were there enjoyed it. The tracks had a vibrancy, one of the main guys (Jim Burke) was quite striking in that he was wearing a moustache, glasses and a baseball cap. And certainly the group seemed to be enjoying themselves, which is always infectious. They played a few new songs, I think, including one called "New Song Old Band" which is going to be a single in November apparently - I enjoyed that. And of course they played "Eat My Goal", which went down a treat with its call and response chorus. And then they were gone. I would certainly go and see them again, given the chance, and who knows when that might be?
I had seen on Twitter that Ned's were due on at 8:40, so I wasn't really in a rush to get the venue. I did wonder why they opened the doors so early? I normally like to get there as early as possible, but to be in the venue from 6pm and the main band weren't playing for two and a half hours? That just seems a little bonkers. Still I was caught out like that when I went to see Cud at The Garage a couple of years ago...
Anyway, the tunes which the DJ played after Collapsed Lung left the stage took me right back to the early 90s... Carter USM, The Weddoes, Jesus Jones, the Stuffies, EMF even, Mega City 4, Senseless Things, Prodigy... Excellent stuff. And then the song announcing the band was an old crackly version of "I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside", and Ned's ambled on to the stage.
They started with a couple of songs I didn't recognise, I thought the first was probably a b-side from something off of BrainBloodVolume, and someone has already put up the set listing here. All the songs were recognisably Ned's tunes, but I didn't recognise them all. I thought that at points the gig was a little dark, as in brooding, but maybe that was due to me being a little jaded - I had been out at a friend's birthday party the night before, and I was a little off-kilter still. The crowd loved it all though, there was a vibrant moshpit at the front, and a couple of crowdsurfers too. Jonn, the lead singer, certainly enjoys throwing himself around the stage while the bassist guys are sawing away at their instruments, and I think that encourages the moshing. As the night went on, and more familiar songs were played, that moshpit extended out further and further, and the dancing was infectious. The band certainly seemed to enjoy it, and almost seemed surprised that so many people recognised their songs. They even threw in a new one, called "Self Defence" by the sound of it, and it fitted in perfectly with the set.
All in all, it was a good night, and it was worth going. I was intending to meet up with an old friend who I've known since I was 17, but unfortunately she couldn't make it due to family commitments. I was looking forward to seeing her after such a long time; maybe I can find another gig to tempt her down to the South Coast at some point in the future...? Anyway, having seen Pixies at the start of July, and with the Wedding Present in August, Ride in September and JimBob in December, it's shaping up to be a good musical year.

Dolly Mixtures? Or Liquorice Allsorts?

I had a slice of cake on Friday which had a couple of Dolly Mixtures on top of it, as decoration, and since then I had a hankering for Dolly Mixtures. TW went out yesterday on some errands and asked if there was anything I wanted, to which my reply was "Yes! Some Dolly Mixtures. Or some Liquorice Allsorts". I don't know where the longing for Liquorice Allsorts from, I suppose I must associate them in some way with Dolly Mixtures. It's a little odd, perhaps, as Dolly Mixtures are made by Barratt, and Liquorice Allsorts are made by Bassetts:



When she came back, she had forgotten to get me any Dolly Mixtures or Liquorice Allsorts. "Not to worry", I said.

She went out later as well. "Can you get me some Dolly Mixtures, please?", I asked, "or some Liquorice Allsorts?"
"Sure, of course I will", she replied as she slipped out of the door. I looked through her bags when she got back, but I couldn't see any Dolly Mixtures or Liquorice Allsorts. Maybe she had already put them in the treat cupboard? I thought to myself. I had a look there, but I couldn't see them.
"Did you get me some Dolly Mixtures?", I asked, "or some Liquorice Allsorts?", hopefully. "Oh, sorry, I forgot", she said. Then we went down to the beach for some fresh air, and the girls got in the water as much as they could.

On the way back, she suggested that we stop at the Co-Op so that I could buy some prosecco for her, and at the same time I could pick up some Dolly Mixtures, or some Liquorice Allsorts. Getting the prosecco was easy enough, they stock about four different brands these days, and there is always at least one type on special offer. So I picked up two bottles which were on special offer and headed to the sweet aisle. I browsed the shelves but I couldn't see any Dolly Mixtures or Liquorice Allsorts. I was a bit worried that I would find some of the Co-Op's own brand, which I wasn't sure were going to hit the mark, but as it was they didn't have any Dolly Mixtures or Liquorice Allsorts, either Bassett's or Barratt's or Co-Op's own brand, so I guess I dodged a bullet there. However, I still hadn't been able to sate my desire for some Dolly Mixtures, or some Liquorice Allsorts. Last night I had to drown my longing for Dolly Mixtures or Liquorice Allsorts in some wine and distract myself with a thrilling episode of Banshee.

Today we had a visit from TW's mother and grandmother, and they all went into town, and took the children as well. I was to be left on my own for a couple of hours in silent bliss, which I was looking forward to. "Do you want us to bring you anything back?", asked the MiL. "Oh, yes", I replied, "some Dolly Mixtures, please. Or some Liquorice Allsorts. I did ask your daughter several times yesterday to get me some Dolly Mixtures or some Liquorice Allsorts, but she chose not to". "Okay", said the MiL and with that the crowds headed off into Worthing Town to leave me to my own devices.

I played a lot of slither.io and did some washing up.

When they got back, the MiL handed me some Liquorice Allsorts. "We weren't able to find any Dolly Mixtures", she said, "sorry about that". "Do not worry at all", I said, "at least you were able to bring me either some Dolly Mixtures or some Liquorice Allsorts, which is something your daughter clearly failed to do yesterday".
It was 1pm or so by then, so it was time for lunch, and TW made a salmon and tabouleh deliciousness. After lunch TW said "Can you open the Liquorice Allsorts?" "No", I said, "I've just eaten. I'm not hungry. If you want one, go ahead and open them yourself". "I want you to open them", she said. "But I am not going to", I replied. So TW went and opened the Liquorice Allsorts which the MiL had bought for me, and she ate some. I managed to show a modicum of restraint and wait until the MiL and the GiL had gone, but that was also partly because I was a bit greedy and didn't want to share my Liquorice Allsorts with more people than I had to.

I have been grazing on my Liquorice Allsorts since about 4pm, and I have to say that they have lived up to the hype and expectation. They are Bassett's Liquorice Allsorts originals and I have enjoyed them immensely.
The next time I feel that there is something missing in my life I will consider buying some Dolly Mixtures or some Liquorice Allsorts, and see if that fills the gap.

TTFN.

My New Old Chromebook (Toshiba this time)

So I picked up a faulty Toshiba Chromebook (CB30-B-103) off of eBay for £27. Unfortunately it had no power supply and the screen was cracked. When it arrived I switched it on briefly and it seemed to be okay, but it switched off pretty quickly because it was not charged. I did ask the seller if the unit would come with a charger and he advised "yes", but then followed up stating that this was an error and the unit came as was with no added parts.
So I had to buy a charger separately, which was £11 (£10.99) with free postage. That took a few more days to turn up than expected, but it seems to work well. As it is an after-sales charger, though, I am not intending to leave it unattended in case there is any issue with it.
Then I cast the screen to the TV so that I could check that the Chromebook worked, and it seemed to be fine, so I decided to invest in a new display. The new display arrived yesterday, but I was watching cricket in Hove last night and so I saved the pleasure of fixing the unit until this morning.

Before

I unpacked the new display and got my set of small screwdrivers out, and got to work. It's pretty easy to remove the bezel, since it is plastic, and there were two screws at the bottom which also needed to be removed. I'd watched a tutorial on YouTube and so I was comfortable removing the four screws holding the display in place, and detaching the display wire. I'd also followed almost exactly the same procedure with a Samsung Chromebook and my trusty Acer C720.

The tricky part was reattaching the lower part of the bezel, I had to remove and retry several times. I compared the old display to the new display, and the part of the board under the display was much more rigidly held in place on the original display. So anyway, I got it reattached, the bottom of the bezel could be more secure, but I am using the Chromebook now to write this post. The display was £32.31, with free postage, and so for the grand sum of £76 (oh. Was it that much?) I have a working Toshiba Chromebook 2, which I am quite happy with. Looking on eBay I can't see working versions of these type selling for much less than £90, so I have saved a few pounds and improved my display replacement skills - to be fair, I just like playing about with these things a bit, and display replacement is well within my comfort zone. If you watch the YouTube tutorial, it is as easy as unscrewing a couple of screws and then attaching the new display to the video cable:

After

Now I can play with it for a while and see whether I want to keep it or sell it on; I guess I will need to compare it with the Acer C720 and see which I prefer.

Brighton Station

I use Brighton Station most days and I mostly forget to look up and appreciate what an amazing piece of architecture it is. That is more often than not sure to the trains being delayed or overcrowded. But here are some pictures which I hope show its beauty to a small extent... 

Working From Home

Yesterday I worked from home in order to look after Hyena, the youngest, since her teachers were on strike. She was looking forward to it, but was soon bored by the reality as I had to concentrate on work and also had to come up with things for her to do.
To her credit she tidied her room, brushed her hair and started making her fancy dress for later in the week. Then, after an early lunch, she went off with a friend to her sister's sports day.
Later I listened to England crush Sri Lanka in a T20 International on BBC Radio 5 Extra, since these sports events have been sold off to Sky. I was washing up at the time, so it was a good way to get two things done at once, but I would prefer to be able to watch it on TV - however, I am not prepared to give Sky any more of my money. Since the rugby is also sold off I only got to know that we had beaten Australia 3-0 in Australia on the news later. If these international sports events were protected then we might be able to watch them. My worry is that if fewer people see these events, that will lead to less support for these sports in the future.
TTFN.

The Views From Cissbury Ring

So today we cleared our heads with a walk up Cissbury Ring. The views were spectacular...

Some Thoughts on Brexit

It's been a funny few days since the results of the referendum became clear. I stayed up to see the first results come in, and when Newcastle weren't definitively "In" I feared the worst. When I woke up at 5am and went downstairs to watch the ongoing coverage, those fears were confirmed.
Not that leaving the EU will be the worst thing we ever do; in fact I took a test and was advised that I was "60% In", i.e., I can see that there might be benefits in leaving. I just worried that the potential disruption would outweigh any upside, and unfortunately so it has turned out. There really is no plan for an orderly secession and the UK currency and shares have taken a pounding. I'm kind of hoping that is due to the markets betting the wrong way on the outcome and having to unwind their positions, but we'll see - it's only been two whole business days since the result.
Lots has happened though; Cameron resigned on Friday morning even before I started work, and then Sunday and yesterday (Monday) 20 members of the Shadow Cabinet resigned, and there is going to be a vote of No Confidence in Corbyn later today. If that leads to a leadership contest, which is highly likely in my opinion, he will get re-elected by the members and the split between the PLP and the grass roots membership will become more pronounced.
So while the secession is a slow, drawn-out process which will probably last two years or more, there are already casualties to the outcome.
Cameron has said that the incoming PM will be responsible for triggering Article 50, the official notice that we are leaving the EU, but there are some legal opinions advising that we would need to pass an Act of Parliament in order to do that, and since most MPs are anti-Brexit I struggle to see that happening. And someone could run for PM on an anti-Brexit ticket - i.e., promising not to invoke Article 50. Cameron promised that he would give a referendum and he has, now he's resigned and it turns out that the referendum is only "advisory", which means it doesn't have to be implemented. Yes, there would be uproar, but it might be the best of both worlds.
Or, sod it, let's break away, let's not negotiate with the EU, since they're having a hissy fit ("there will be no informal negotiations before Article 50 is invoked"), and let's see how we get on.

But please, not with Boris Johnson at the helm...?

Thursday 16-06-16 Bremain

So I've come to the conclusion that I am going to vote Remain next Thursday; at least, that is the way I feel today. I was considering voting out, mainly to spite Cameron and his lack of vision: I think that the "deal" he secured from the EU before setting the date for the referendum was paltry, and much less than he was aiming for. Plus, I fancied a change. We've been in the EU for 43 years, give or take, and maybe leaving might set light to the entrepreneurial spirit that we (ironically, since "entrepreneur" is a French word) are so proud of.

But then when you look at the people involved in the discussions, it is hard to tell one from the other, and you certainly can't side with anyone without a heavy heart. There's Gove, Priti Patel, Osborne, Farage, IDS, Gisela Stuart, Cameron, Frank Field, Carswell, Johnson... All of them promising this and that, and having no intention of delivering anything at all. Gove and Patel suddenly discovering a long-lost love of the NHS is one of the most bizarre things I think I've seen recently. Johnson looking forward to getting rid of the "burden" of workers' rights is more close to the mark, I think. All of them have, at one point or another, suggested privatising the NHS and adopting an American-style model, where if you use it, you pay for it. So of course that would leave the worst off out in the cold and unable to access help when required.

I just don't like the terms of the debate. The Outers are making wild promises about how we can all benefit if we don't pay this money to the EU, and the Inners aren't making a positive case for staying in. If we still have to raise and spend the money we're already spending, then really, what is going to change? Apart from the fact that now it'll be "our" decision?

And the Inners, oh... All they have is the fear about stepping into the unknown, and the colossal costs that would be involved. We are one voice among 28 when it comes to the EU, and for the last few years we have been electing UKIP MEPs to represent us, who seem to take the cash and not actually represent the British people or participate to any great extent in the European Parliament. It is something we are part of, but something which we don't participate in. And I think that will need to change - if we stay in. And currently that is not looking likely. So if we do stay in, we need to build up and promote European elections as an opportunity to have our voice heard in the European Parliament, not as a chance for some anti-EU diva to swan in, hoover up the cash, and then disappear.

I did think that there would be a swell of anti-EU sentiment which had not registered in Westminster or Fleet Street, and that seems to be becoming more apparent as people declare their voting intention. It's got to be said, Cameron is a bit silly for calling a referendum where he wasn't sure that he was going to get the result he wanted. If we do end up voting "Out" (as a nation), that'll be his legacy.

So I looked at the figures. Currently annual UK govt. expenditure is approximately £750bn a year. The amount we give to the EU is about £13bn. We get some of that back, but since where that money is spent is decided by the EU, I am not taking that into account. So as a percentage of our annual govt. expenditure, the amount we contribute to the EU is 1.7%. With the amount of upset that a Brexit will cause, I'm not sure that leaving is worth it; that is, the confusion caused by Brexit would be disproportionate to the potential benefit. Plus, we can leave only once. If we stay in now, and things change for the worse, then we can always call for another referendum and change our minds then. I do think that if the vote is a close one, and we stay in, we won't have to wait 40 years for the next opportunity to voice our opinions again.

However, I'm not sure that we can change. We've been in the EU for over 40 years, and it's always been something that happened "over there". The laws which the EU passes aren't designed specifically to do Britain down, but unfortunately we have a very efficient legislative body, which gets the laws into our national legal framework promptly and even (sometimes) with an extra bit of gold-plating. Whereas other countries might bury or lose or forget to schedule legislation which they don't agree with... So we have enacted all the legislation we should, whereas other countries may not have done so. But this is legislation intended to make life better, not more onerous - at least not in every instance.

I keep coming back to the fact though, that we are one of twenty eight. And Cameron did not have a successful negotiation. I am not sure that being in the EU is the right thing in the long-term, but I think that leaving now, when every economy seems to be tanking, is not the right thing either. And for the relatively small amount we pay to the EU (in relation to overall government spending), I think it is worth kicking the can down the road a bit longer. Maybe, if we actively participated, we could make the EU (the institution) a better and more responsive organism. However, I think it's unlikely. But if the polls are correct, it looks like we won't need to worry about that anyway...

TTFN.

Saturday 16-06-11 A Flood

Just as I was about to get on the wagon, TW phones on Friday afternoon at 3pm to advise that the house is flooded; that there is water cascading into the kitchen through the ceiling... Looks like a bad time to give up life's creature comforts!
Luckily, after the initial shock, it doesn't seem too bad; we've restored power and water and gas. But the ceiling will need redoing and the bathroom floor too. Bugger.

Sunday 16-05-22 Decluttering Part II

Sunday mornings are normally a good time for reflection, and today is no exception; if anything today is more suited than normal. TW is asleep upstairs in bed, having been put there by me at about 07:45, and we only have one of our daughters at home, although she has had a friend for a sleepover. The other two daughters are at friends' houses having their own sleepovers.
I've got a few auctions on eBay which are ending this morning, so I am hoping for a flurry of last-minute bidding activity. To be honest, any bids received will be gratefully received, even if it seems that it is more hassle than it is worth to pack the items up and get them out of the house. At least that will be fewer things cluttering up the house.
I am currently going through a minimalism course; I say I am going through it, I am reading the weekly emails and reading the Facebook posts. I did actually stumble across a live Q&A on Facebook with the author Josh Becker - his answers were live, but the questions were typed or sent beforehand. What he was saying made sense, and actually got me thinking.
The book he has written is called "The More of Less" and is the first Amazon Kindle book I think I've paid full price for, because this 12-week course is now free, as a benefit of me buying the book.
Anyway, he was talking about accumulating stuff as a result of hobbies or pursuing interests, and he said that when the accumulation of stuff got to the point where it was actually preventing you from enjoying your hobby, that was when it was time to re-evaluate, and maybe take a more minimalist approach.

This is a picture of my comics bookcase. These are all unread comics, and when / if I ever try to read them, I do find my time is taken up trying to organise all the issues in the series, or looking for a missing issue in the piles of unread and random comics, or didn't I have a variant of this issue, with a stunning cover? I wonder if that is worth anything; I know, I'll check eBay... And the next thing I know, I've wasted 40 minutes and I've not read a single comic. I also have several boxes (about 4) containing organised series of comics which I have read. I don't know why I am keeping them, I thought they might be worth something one day, I suppose, but when I look on eBay the grim reality becomes clear - no-one is interested in paying thousands of pounds for my old tat, even if it is boarded and bagged, and carefully handled and as good as new. I can put a read comic on eBay for 99p, but have to charge for postage, and unless the comic is a special issue, you can probably buy it new from a dealer for £2.20 or so, so actually there is no point in me keeping them.
I have occasionally made some money, but only rarely - Nowhere Men springs to mind, and a few weeks ago I sold a twelve-part series for £20, which meant I was only £5 down on the deal, but it's no way to make an income.
So here is the new approach; for limited series, collect all issues, read them, and put them on eBay as a collection. Have them auto-relist one time, and if there are no watchers or huge amounts of viewers during those two weeks, to the bin they go. I'm not planning to add any more to the boxes already filled, and I may even try to empty those boxes. If I can get a hold on this collection, and reduce it, I may turn some of it into cash, even if it is only pennies.
Once all this is gone / under control, the girls had better watch out, because I will probably then try to reduce the number of toys / dolls / games they have lying about, especially what's on the floor of their bedroom...

TTFN.

Thursday 16-05-19 Chairman of the Bored

I pay attention to a lot of what goes on in the Houses of Parliament and the arguments /discussions between Tories and Labour. I'm beginning to get a bit,  I'm not sure, cynical I suppose when they start spinning the news in their favour. Either party, it doesn't really matter,  but each of them like to use events to support their own narrative.
Each of the parties have a go at each other and nip each others' heads, putting each other down about events. Neither party will admit that things look bad for them. I would like one of those speakers or people arguing to say to an interviewer, " I understand why you might see things that way but actually this is the reason why things look like that but they are different."
I cannot abide the fact that David Cameron's new argumentative approach is that his response is "I don't accept that". The problem is that if you don't accept something, or if you can't see why someone sees things in that way, then you cannot argue against the view. The approach which Cameron is following does not allow for constructive dialogue, if he can't appreciate that someone might see it that way, how can he then persuade you round to his view?
An example of that is at prime minister's question time a couple of weeks ago when Tim Fallon asked him to apologize for the campaign against Sadiq Khan who was voted in as Mayor of London. The suggestion is that the campaign against Khan was racist,  or certainly had racist undertones. Rather than apologizing, David Cameron choose to have a go at Tim Fallon instead. This is a measure of the current level of debate. Rather than take the opportunity to apologize and have an open dialogue with his opponents, Cameron choose to attack.
And it is the same when Jeremy Corbyn asks questions to David Cameron at PMQs. Rather than engage with the question and have a constructive dialogue to try to build a common approach, Cameron chooses to score cheap points off Jeremy Corbyn, which is quite an easy thing to do. He comes across as a bit of a bully, and more often than not be doesn't answer the question, which is a shame. PMQs is a perfect opportunity for David Cameron to display his statesmanship but he chooses to descend into playground child-like point scoring and the ensuing experience is not an edifying one.
I stayed up to watch the results of the local elections a couple of weeks ago and the BBC had John McDonnell and Nicky Morgan on as their studio guests to give an immediate reaction to the results as they came in. Even though the polls had closed, Nicky couldn't stop having a go at John, accusing him of pretending to be approaching the results "more in sorrow than in anger" as a front, being all holier than thou. McDonnell had nothing to gain, except respect. The polls had closed and there were no more votes up for grabs. It was not an enjoyable experience and so I switched off.

I was quite interested to see that Robert Peston had a new series on ITV. So I downloaded it and started watching it. His first major guest was George Osborne. Unfortunately, the conversation was not a challenging one and it seemed that, even though they were covering topics which would be hard going for the Chancellor,  they approached it very softly.
It does get to the point I think, sometimes, where journalists and MPs are talking a different kind of language to the rest of us who live outside of Westminster, and are not fully engaged in the events which occur in the Houses of Parliament. Again I switched off, even before he got to interview Louis Theroux, but I'd had enough by then and so moved on to Occupied.
Occupied is another Scandinavian drama, like Borgen or The Bridge or The Killing, but this one is about what might happen if Russia invaded Norway. It's a thriller written by Jo Nesbo, and it's beginning to get more intriguing. I'll probably write more here about how it unfolds, in general terms at least.
TTFN.