Momentous

Tonight at 11pm GMT (midnight Central European Time) the United Kingdom will finally see the conclusion of its troubled departure from the EU. Brexit actually occurred at the end of January and for the past 11 months we have been in transition, still within the Customs Union and Single Market. This all ends tonight and we become fully independent and sovereign.

No doubt the fallout will continue for months if not years. Some will never accept our new status. Whatever your opinion, what's done is done and we must go on.

More Tea, Vicar?

Good news for Tea drinkers: a recent study has shown that making and drinking cups of tea can improve brain function in the over 80's. There's no suggestion this could be a cure for dementia but to quote a UK supermarket advert, every little helps. Let's face it, unless you really can't stomach drinking Tea, a few cuppas a day is unlikely to do harm is it?

Read the full article from the Telegraph here.

Rest For The Wicked?

There is none LOL. Back in the office today.

Tiers Before Bedtime

Our time in Tier 3 lasted less than 24 hours. London and the South East has tonight been moved into a new Tier 4. Christmas is cancelled.

Covid Blues (In Red LOL)

Today the government placed Berkshire and several other counties in the South of England into the highest Covid restrictions. Non-essential shops must close from Saturday morning and pubs, cafes, restaurants may only provide takeaway services until further notice. We may the first country to start public vaccinations against Covid but it will be many months before life can return to anything approaching normal.

On Her Majesty's Service

Kind of exciting when you received Post from the government. Or worrying if you've been up to no good LOL.

The Office for National Statistics want me to take part in an official study, which will help shape national policy for the coming years. There's even a modest cash payment for taking part. What's not to like?

Naughty Or Nice

Next time you hear about Santa (or St Nick) making a list of the well behaved and the not so, ask yourself why? 

We've kept the nice part of the traditions and forgotten the less pleasant. By European tradition, St Nicholas is accompanied on his rounds by the Krampus, a horned part goat creature. His role is to spirit away and punish the naughty children. It all makes sense now, doesn't it? 

You better watch out, as the seasonal song says LOL...

Just Sayin'

Love Or Hate

Quite a find: Delicious yeast extract flavour potato crisps, or chips as some insist on calling them, LOL. 

Red Handed

I received a reminder over the weekend of a painful incident- back in around 2010- when I joined the Red Hand Gang...

November Sunrise

There have been some absolutely stunning sunrises recently. Here's todays impressive display; despite being quite chilly this morning it was a pretty good walk.

Yum!

Bara Brith: Traditional Welsh Tea Cake, all the way from Caernarfon (Carnarvon). Delicious sliced and served with a thin spread of butter.

Remembrance 100

Remembrance will be different today thanks largely to Covid. A limited attendance service will be held at Westminster Abbey for this annual act of remembering the women and men who have given their lives for freedom. In addition the service will mark the centenary of the Unknown Warrior or Soldier.

Closer to home, the office will be holding a two minute silence at 11 AM. Someone has also kindly baked poppy cakes to encourage donations to the veteran's charity The Royal British Legion.

Remembrance

 

Gunpowder

Covid-19 may have put a stop to mass public firework displays this year but we can still pause and reflect on the true meaning of Bonfire Night. Yep, that's right: religious persecution and intolerance LOL. Have a great evening everyone.

Stay Indoors

England's second national lockdown begins. We've been promised, come what may, this will end on the second of December. Before then Parliament will review and debate the situation and there would be nothing to prevent the implementation of a third lockdown!

The Unknown Warrior

The UK's Royal Mint, in collaboration with the Imperial War Museum have issued this beautiful five pound coin to mark Remembrance 2020. The Unknown Warrior, an unnamed British soldier, rests in Westminster end of the nave of Westminster Abbey. The tomb forms a focal point for the nation's collective act remembrance for all those brave men and women who fought for our freedom.

Hammer Time

It's almost that time of year again when spooky goings on can only mean one thing: get ready to draw the curtains, switch off the lights and pretend no-one is in!

Alternatively there is always this offering from the lovely Kate Bush:

For those interested in these things, Lisa-Marie Walters and tribute act Moments of Pleasure do a very good take on this and many other Kate Bush tracks. Check your Socials, as they say!

Another Chance To See

A short while ago the BBC announced they had purchased broadcast rights to the back catalogue of one the US networks. Pleasingly this included the entire run of the excellent rebooted Battlestar Galactica from around 10 years ago. It really hasn't aged at all. Episodes are being broadcast on BBC 2 and it is also available in binge friendly format on the iPlayer. Happy days: so say we all!

Close Encounter

Could this be Mars, keeping our Moon company?

Fanderson

Have been getting in touch with my inner Gerry Anderson fan or Fanderson as they are known. What do you think of these t-shirts LOL?

FAB, as they used to say on Thunderbirds.

Trick Or..?

Many will know I'm not overly keen on the annual practice of celebrating Halloween. However I noticed today my local Sainsbury was stocking this seasonal set. How tempted was I LOL?

Comrade

Who'd have thought after all these years, I would join a Trade Union LOL? Yes: it's true!

Responsibility

Just heard a Scottish university student being interviewed, from her locked down accommodation. Feel for her that her education has and continues to be disrupted. However I really can not believe she has blamed the uni because they weren't prevented from partying.

Whatever happened to personal responsibility? What does she think has been going on for the past six months?

Keep It Real

We are all aware by now what a nasty virus Covid-19 is, that it has shown little or no mercy to the elderly or to people with serious underlying health concerns. However a report in today's Times suggests a little proportion and perspective is needed at this time.

In the UK, like most countries, citizens have been advised to maintain social distance and to stay at home. To effectively starve the virus of the ability to reproduce. But is staying at home really the safest option? As this table below from the Times indicates, dying following an incident within the home setting is nearly as common as fatalities due to Covid-19. Let's also not forget, the virus isn't by any stretch the highest cause of  daily death in the UK; I'm sure the same will broadly by true of other countries.

Having said all this, it is each individual's duty to follow the instructions given and to look out for others. The reproduction R rate across this country is currently around 2. It needs to be controlled and brought back under 1, until such time as an effective vaccination program is available. Hand washing, social distancing, limiting contact with others and face coverings have to be the norm at least until Springtime.

To keep things in perspective, reproduced here is the table of daily UK fatalities from the Times.

Japan 2020 Part 2

The Olympics and Paralympics that never were would have been over by now but this little gem has just arrived from DownUnder. Issued by the Royal Australian Mint, this lovely Fifty Cent coin marks the Aussie national teams' participation. All being well- Covid permitting- late August next year the games will go ahead.

Watch Out (Part 2)

Keep an eye out for anyone sporting a t-shirt like this. They can only be trouble LOL.

Taking Over..?

Pretty little thing isn't it? This is the Lantana I purchased only a few months ago. It has already more than doubled its size; I hope it won't expand exponentially and uncontrollably as it has in parts of Australia.

354

Three hundred and fifty-four years ago today, in a Pudding Lane bakery a fire got out of hand. The exact cause of that fire and its actual location in London may have been lost over the years but most British school kids still learn about the Great Fire and the diaries of Samuel Pepys.

Black Panther

 The news this morning has covered the announcement of the unexpected death of actor Chadwick Boseman, star of Black Panther, at only 43 years. Reports say he battled cancer quietly and in private.

No doubt in the fullness of time, Hollywood will turn their attention to how to continue the film franchise. Perhaps it is appropriate to consider casting a black female actor in the lead and also simply calling the character Panther..?

Good English

Borrowed...

Award

Today not only marks the day mum died but also (this year) school kids including ll receive their GCSE public exam results. Normally the awards consist of a grade based mostly on the outcome of final examinations, held in late May through to July. Of course this year thanks to Covid things have been different, no one has sat exams. Teachers instead have had to put forward predictions and local assessments for use in determining grades. 

It's been a tough sort of year for these kids, no formal education since before Easter and uncertainty regards how their previous hard work would be assessed. I'm pleased ll has now received mostly the grades he was hoping for, which should enable him to pursue his chosen subjects at Sixth Form college. Well done young man, I know your grandma would have been very proud of you. As am I.

Warm

It's been a tad warm again today; starting to be something of a habit LOL. In fact it's been nearly a week with daytime temperatures of over 34 degrees, that's pretty unusual for us.

Prentender

Could this be a suitable (dark chocolate) alternative to Australia's yummy Violet Crumble pieces? There's only one way to find out!

Wilting

 Temperatures in the UK officially hit 36 degrees Celsius, making today the hottest August day since 2016. Needless to say this recent warm weather has really taken its toll on my dad's Japanese Acer, which I have been custodian of for the past few years. Will give it a good soaking later tonight but I fear the worst.

On the plus side, the agreeable weather gives ample excuse to drink cold cider LOL.

Mayflower

It's hard to believe in these days of super fast travel (although at present not many of us are able/willing to) that a journey from Plymouth, England to the New World could take over three months. The Pilgrims and craftsmen landed late December 1620 at a place they named Plymouth. Sadly not many of those original arrivals would see the following year out.

To mark their Autumnal departure, the UK Royal Mint has issued this beautiful Two Pound coin. Enjoy!

Japan 2020

The Olympic and Paralympic games that never were. Nevertheless the Royal Mint have issued this lovely Fifty Pence coin into circulation. All being well, this time next year the games will be held in Tokyo.

You Are What You Eat

Just sayin' LOL.

Keeping Secrets

On the recommendation of a colleague, I've settled on physiological thriller The Secrets She Keeps, all the way from DownUnder. Originally broadcast in Australia during April this year, it has been fast tracked to UK, by the BBC. The drama centres on two women of differing backgrounds (aren't they always in this type of drama LOL?) played Jessica De Gouw and Laura Carmichael and the web of lies each have told, for their own purposes. Obviously as the story progresses it becomes apparent it is not just the lead characters who have skeletons hidden in the closest so to speak. Gripping stuff.

Blue And White Obsession

My Agapanthus plants are once again doing pretty well in my little garden. Enjoy!

Here Be Dragons

Latest addition in the conservatory. Incense burner all the way from the Smoking Dragons Quarry Pottery in Wales. Not to be mistaken for Puff the Magic Dragon, mind you LOL.

Busy, Busy

Many would argue it's a real team effort...

Feelin' Hot Hot Hot!

Think I may regret tonight's dinner LOL.

Emergency Rations

In case of dire need, pull emergency ring LOL.