Sunday 27th February 2022

And after the full on day churchcrawling and orchid hunting, a quieter day was desired, and made all the easier by the invitation from Jen to go for Sunday lunch, so there would be no cooking either.

What I would do, however, was go to Folkestone for a haircut, despite it being three weeks, apparently, since my last one, it appears I have a hairy had on me bonce.

Jools said she didn't need to go to Folkestone, so it was just me. So I had the additional idea to find the Wall Pennywort near the church. In order to make it easier, I downloaded a picture of the plant in the chuchyard and so would be able to triangulate it wen on site.

That was the plan.

We had coffee.

The fruit and another coffee. So at half eight, I was able to leave sporting my camera and lenses.

Dover, Capel and Folkestone were all quiet, although parking was already three quarters full, but I get a space and use the app to pay.

Sorted.

I walk across the top of The Old High Street, up the the churchyard and to the west end of the church, looked at rhe photo on my phone, compared it with the shot, what I though was on the ground was on the top of a low wall. Bingo.

Now, I though that Wall Pennywort was rare in Kent, but I have since found out that the whole of the est side of Folkestone is infested, with some being in the church roof and in several places on the new High Street.

I had acheived the first of my two goals and now had half an hour to kill, so went to find a place for a coffee.

I thought that maybe a sausage sandwich would be a good idea. They didn't have those, but half a French stick with sausage, bacon and hash browns.

Bring me one forthwith!

I had a table in the window so I could people watch, and once the food came I munched my way through, though did leave the side salad.

I walked quickly up past the civic cinema to the barbers, found it open, and an empty chair, so I was shown in and the guy gets his shears out and is a blur of activity leaving hair everywhere.

Half an hour later, I am all shorn and feeling lighter and cooler.

I walk back to the car and then drive back home via Capel, and again there was little traffic about, which seemed very odd.

Back home have a coffee, have a shower to get the clippings off my scalp, then it was a case of waiting until midday and time to go to Jen's for lunch.

She had cooked roast beef, but no Yorkshire puddings, but the rest was there, and all good. And after clearing away, we play cards, our last hands before Sylv goes back home. And Jen wins.

We were finished in time for us to get home and me be back in time for the League Cup Final, which was goaless after 120 minutes, although four goals ruled out for offside, so went to penalties, which both sides scoring all ten spot kicks each, then Liverpool's keeper scored his, only for Chelsea's keeper to miss his.

Game over.

It was gone seven, and the weekend was running out.

We had supper of croissants, I do some blogging and posting, and suddenly it was nine in the evening, and the weekend had slipped by once again.

No good outcomes

Not many of us western Europeans know much about Ukraine.

Its just there, somewhere between here and Russia.

Ukraine is huge, laid onto the Belelux countries, it covers them all. And then some.

It is also the breadbasket of Europe, in that it grows something like 40% of all the grain grown in Europe. So conflict there has implications of food supply and food prices of what does get through.

Russia, the US and Europe signed a non-agression pact gauranteeing the safety of Ukraine so that Ukraine gave up its nuclear arsenal. Now Russia has broken that treaty.

Like it said this time last week there were no plans to invade. So any treaty for peace that might be signed would need the rest of the world to take Russia and putin at his word. And at the moment, it seems that the only country on Russia's side is Hungary.

In the speech last week that announced the invasion, recorded several days earlier on Sunday, Putin suggested returning Russia to its pre-1917 borders, which would mean Finland, Poland and Sweden would be at risk of invasion to. In the same speech, Putin said he did not recognise Ukraine as a sovereign country.

Already the threashold for charges for war crimes has been breached, and Ukraine signed up for coverage by the International Criminal Court, meaning that the court will have juristiction on crimes commited on Ukranian soil, whether Russia accepts the authority of the court or not.

Whatever the end state is going to be, it will be different to what it was before. Countries like Germany and Finald are changing generation-old positions of neutrality, and the EU is going to supply weapons in support.

The UK is going to publish more shots of Liz Truss standing on an aircraft carrier with yet more flags.

In tRuble; the American version

All in the previous post can apply to the US and the Republican Party.

Remember Trump tried to tie Ukraine providing dirt on Biden's sone in return for providing weapons to the country.

This weekend has been many right wing "news" shows cheerleading Putin rather than Ukraine, as apparently Putin knows there are only two genders, or some other culture war bollocks.

Trump is also awash with Russian money. The Meuller Report made it clear that there was no doubt about the financial links, and then there is the likely video of the golden showers in a Moscow Hotel that Russia has on Trump.

Trump also cheered Putin and Russia on.

Which is where the US is right now, split down the middle, or rather the GOP attempting to restrict voting so it can never be removed from power.

Imagine trumpeting an imaginary culture war over an actual war, and siding with the Reds Under the Bed.

Imagine that.

So then think of the links between Trump, the GOP, Vote Leave, Cambridge Analytica, Johnson, The Conservative Party, Naughty Nigel, Brexit and their links to Russia, Putin and wads and wads of Rubles which America and The City washes, some of which is pocketed.

In tRuble

I can't remember the exact day, but bear with me.

At somepoint in the last decade, the COnservative Party was verging on being solvent.

From what I remember there was a chance they were going to lose their HQ.

So, clearly, something had to be done.

Their traditional support had come from business, but we all know what Johnson thinks of business.

So, the party went searching of money, and found lots in Russia.

Russia, they told us, back the Conservatives because they trust the Tories.

That has not last well, at all

Johnson enobled the son of a KGB Colonel and the rubles flowed in, as well into the City where it was washed into legitimate currency.

All this was done in plain sight.

All well and good if Russia wasn't a threat.

Johnson's response to the Ukraine invasion has been, how can I put this, weak? And only changed due to peer pressure or what the EU or the wider international community has done.

Even now, Ukraine citizens have to apply for visas, though yesterday they didn't if they had family here.

Remember, the same thing happened in Kabul where visas had to be obtained before being allowed to board a flight, even as the Taliban surround the airport.

This is what the Government thinks of those who helped our Armed Forces over two decades. And this is how it thinks it should treat those fleeing the once Red Army. Outside Liverpool Street station there is a statue to remind us of the Kindertransport of Jewish children before WWII.

There is no compassion in this Government's heart, just domatic resistance to do what is the humane thing.

Fear too now that their links to Russian money and influence will emerge. They have been trashing the reputation of anyone who gets too close.

Saturday 26th February 2022

And back to the Kent church project.

I began the project in July 2009, so this is the 13th year. Many churches I have found open, others have been more problematic than others.

In the past it was Preston, Sturry, Hinxhill and Thannington Without that I tried to get into for years, but managed it either by arranging a visit or using Heritage Weekend. But through it all, one church remained defiant.

We first went to Barming one Good Friday, must have been 2011 or 21, and obviously, most had services. Barming was locked, and has remained so on every visit, maybe five or six over the last decade.

A friend managed to get inside a few weeks back, so he gave me the parish's e mail address, and I tried to make an appointment. The first one when we had the orchid management meeting last month, the church couldn't do. But when I suggested this weekend, a warden said she would open up for me.

So, a plan was hatched to visit four of the churches along the Medway, including Barming, and maybe get lucky elsewhere.

And the spring-like weather continued, Saturday dawning clear and bright, though chilly. But it would warm up quickly. We got up, had coffee and headed for Tesco, though we didn't need that much. We thought.

We rushed round and filled four bags with stuff, came back home and while Jools put the shopping away, I made bacon butties and a fresh brew. The bacon smelt delicious cooking, but tasted of nothing, a real disappointment.

But I was sure the rest of the day wouldn't be a disappointment.

I made sure we left leaving 90 minutes to get to the other side of Maidstone, should have been easy.

We cruised up to the M20, and all was going well. We cruised past Ashford, and into the Brexit contraflow, only for traffic to grind to a halt just after the west junction. No way to turn round.

eeeeek!

But there was just a van with a puncture, and we all allowed cars to merge and in ten minutes we were past and cruising again.

The choice was either to go through or round Maidstone. The town's one way system is dreadful, and a trip round the bypass, 270 degrees and many miles round the town is better than half the day spent in jams at traffic lights in the town centre.

We reached Mereworth, more of this later, and turned down the valley road, passing through Wateringbury, Teston and then to Barming.

Half an hour early.

But even this was good, as the churchyard had lots of wild flowers and the light in the spring sunshine and dew covered grass was wonderful. I made use of the time and rattled 50 shots off of the flowers and headstones.

I was sitting by the porch when Sue arrived, I waved and she came over, I said thanks for opening the church and appologised for disturbing her morning. She was very nice saying it was no trouble.

She undid the porch door, and then the inner door, and I was in.

In truth, like many things you anticipate for a long time, the reality isn't as good, but after reading John Vigar's description, the bench ends, made in 14th century Germany, was more that worth the effort.

I snap everything else, say thanks and put a tenner in the collection box.

A short drive away was Teston, where there is a Victorian church just above the main road.

I park and walk up, and inside a warden was cleaning and the good news was that she was very happy to let me snap as she worked. It took ten minutes or so, by which time she had finished too, so I said thanks and I walked back to the car, calling at the village shop for ice cream, of which they had none So I bought two bags of mini cheddars and we munched those on the short drive to Waterningbury.

The church there is on the main road, and was locked.

The plan was to call my friend and fellow orchidist, Ian, and he would come over and show us his local patch of Early Purples.

In the meantime, a warden came along and did open up, but I didn't ask if I could go in, he didn't seem to friendly and locked the door behind him. Anyway, Ian soon arrived and we set off to look for some orchids.

Not in flower, but not long now.

Up from the main road was a narrow lane, lined with huge mansions, one by some gentleman from the Middle East, had huge walls and two very aggressive German Shepherds at the gats who made it clear that this was their patch and we were not welcome. But they were on the other side of the gate and we soon left their barking behind.

Going was slow as my back was playing up, so I had to take rests as the road gently rose. Quite pathetic really, but it did smart.

After ten minutes, the road flattened and we turned off and walked into the wood, and after much slithering, we came upon two areas with about 25 rosettes in each.

At the edge of the wood, there was a low cliff, and below was an orchard, or a "Platt", where they grow the Kent Cob Nut, some kind of domesticated hazelnut, and only found in Kent, apparently.

We walk back to the path and then back down to the car.

I say we would be heading home rather than the pub due to my back, and Ian had stuff on in the afternoon.

On the way back I said we would call in at Mereworth church, which is quite the most wonderfully unusual church in the area, Italianate in design, and painted on the inside with Trompe-l'œil decorations.

It was open, and inside a gentleman was sitting in silence, reading his book and sipping coffee from a thermos.

He greeted me warmly.

Behind him, sun shone through the stained glass in the upper east windows. Quite, quite dazzling. And once I had photographed the rest fo the church, I went and got the big lens to capture the windows and light really close up.

I climb into the car and we drive back tot he motorway, munching in yet another bag of mini cheddars as we go.

It took about an hour to get back, I listen to the football as we go, not a bad day, all in all.

Back home I cook a batch of fritters, they take and hour to prepare and cook, I listen to the football as I work. Norwich had played the evening before, and lost. So Saturday would be punishment as teams around us played and mostly picked up points.

The game's up.

After eating, I watch the evening game, though I can't remember who that was: Citeh v someone. Oh yes, Everton, and Citeh win thanks to some dodgy VAR decisions, as "big" teams seem to.

And that was that.

Another crisis to fuck up

Johnson and his Cabinet of shit still has:

Brext.

Partygate

PPE corruption

COVID.

Cost of living crisis.

And now had a European war which to fuck up.

We're not fighting one, but have to be there for support. With potentially millions of refugees about to escape to the west, the UK chose this moment to firm up visa conditions for those Ukrainian citizens to come to the UK. Unless you have a UK citizen as a blood relative or are married to one; forget it.

A lot of the EU, Ireand have waived visa requirements.

Liz Truss waves flags.

Cometh the hour, waveth the flag.

Downing Street was lit with yellow and blue lights, but actual help to actual people?

No.

This story has now made the news bulletins, with Patel saying what is actually in Home Office tweets isn't true.

The Ukranian Prime Minister used to be a comedian, he has now emerged as Churchillian in stature, dnning combats and taking to the streets to protect the country. He was offered an airlift out: "I don't need a lift, we need weapons".

When under pressure by journaists, our Prime Minister hid in a fridge.

Friday 25th February 2022

Friday. And due to reasons beyond my control, jut a half day at work as Jen and Sylv wanted to take us out for lunch, and then we had another pension meeting.

And if that isn't enough good news, Spring apparently started, with unbroken sunshine, light winds and emperatures int he mid-teens.

It was too good to be at work.

I say "work". I do it from home, with a commute from one chair to another at the dining room table, no boss to look over my shoulder, or one who doesn't take notes in meetings so forgets what we agreed, and has faith in our time off tracking system, which, sadly for him, is not implemented in UK. I only take off what I'm due, honest, Guv.

We lay in until six, giving me 55 minutes before the weekly social meeting. Where everyone was in high spirits, with COVID on the run, apparently, and life now pretty much back to normal in Chennai. In Denmark too, the Government has given up and everything is open there too.

And I don't have a hangover either.

Which is nice.

I have to say, I didn't have a hangover, really, just didn't feel very sharp on Thursday.

Better on Friday, as batteries recharged for a full weekend.

I work through the morning, foiled by IT failurs in some taks, so, at midday I pack up.

And outside, ten minutes later, Jen arrives with Sylv and John in the car to take us to Hythe to meet Jools for lunch in the sit down chippy.

Jen had the heating on full, and in the bright sunshine was soon uncomfortable. She did turn it down a gnat's tadger halfway there, but I can tell you there was a lot of relief on my part when we arrived at Hythe, parked the car and I could escape.

I need to buy some wool, Jen says.

Is there a wool shop in Hythe, I ask.

I expect so, says she.

So I get the phone out and Google for one: 112 High Street.

She was already, by luck, walking in the right direction.

She buys her wool, then leaves me behind, waiting outside as she walks over to John who is in the queue for the chippy. Once I realise and join them, he tells us there is an hours wait. It was already one and Jools and I had to be home by three for a meeting on our retirement finances.

We decide to go to a place on the beach, the old Hythe Bay Restaurant, now called "The Waterfront".

I go with Jools as the heating in our car is set at much lower levels.

We met the others inside, and Jen had secured a table with views, for half of the party, over the lower tables to the prom an, beach and sea.

I was happy.

I was going to order burger, but I switched to fish and chips meaning I was going to have that for two out of three meals. And, apparently, was happy with that.

We had half an hour wait, so I people watched and cracked jokes that everyone ignored.

Quite right too.

We had to leave before the bill was paid, but we left our share.

I drove us home via the A2 back to Dover and home.

It was Friday afternoon, and outside it was glorious, we really should do something, but both of us were shattered, so we go inside for the Zoom meeting, in which we were told we could retire now if we wanted, but things would be fine if we waited three and a half years.

So there it is.

At six there is the music quiz, now only conducted via picture clues, and each person just gets one guess, so you have to be sure.

Usually it taks three or four clus to be fairly sure.

First up was a picture of the late TV chief, Kieth Floyd. So I typed in "Stranglers". As did many others in the quiz.

After each picture, there is a brief pause while those with the correct guess are noted. This time the pause lasted two minutes.

Anyway, over ten of us got it on the first clue, and I was third.

Happy with that.

All I needed was Norwich to win the televised game against Southampton.

It was men against boys, it ended 2-0, but could have been ten.

I have no words.

Thursday 24th February 2022

THursday, and the last day of the three day workshop.

Thanks God.

I mean, I don't think I could take much more.

It was bad the previous two days, but on the third day I had a minor red wine hangover, and nothing, lest bacon and eggs and all the trimmings, would have cheered me up.

We laid in bed until half six, meaning I had just half an hour before work started, which was just enough time to get up, get dressed and have a coffee.

Urggh.

The morning drags.

My head bangs.

Did I mention time dragged?

We were done at half two, half an hour early, the wrap up took an hour and I was glad just to get it over with.

Too cold to go out for a walk, so I begin a really good look for the Pyramidal orchid. It must be out there somewhere.

I fnd what looked like an orchid leaf, then have to go inside to get the camera to record it, then, as I hadn't marked the leaf, I had to find it, and in the process find the Pyramidal rosette; right shaped leaves and well developed. Meaning there might be a second orchid this year.

Eeeek.

Jools sends a message; did I want her to pick up fish and chips on the way home?

I say yes.

So, no cooking. Just feed the cats. Put the badger food out, listen to the radio.

Jools gets back just after six, so we sit down to eat cod and chips with a fresh brew each.

We were pooped.

We have the radio on, we even bail on an evening brew as I really was so tired, I wanted nothing to disturb me all night.

At nine, we give in and go to bed.

Sovereignty

I'll make this short.

The same 5th columnists who shrilled about regaining the UK's sovereignty are nonly to happy the Russian financial backers ignoring the sovereignty of Ukraine to have the sovereign right to join NATO.

Farage and all the Vote Leave Quislings should hang their collectve heads in shame, but then their treason has always been there for all to see.

And it is treason.

As is the Conservative acceptance of Russian money too.

Rightly, they are embarassed, and are attacking anyone who points this out. But Johnson literally made the son of a KGM Colonel an actual fucking Lord in the UK Parliament.

In. Plain. Sight.

They really don't give a fuck about the country they claim to love.

Just money.

And the power that Russian money has bought for them, and the power Putin has had over them.

Wednesday 23rd February 2022

Day two on the workshop, and already my heart sinks at the thought of it.

On the plus side we were to go out for supper in the evening with Bev and Steve from next door.

But first, a very long day.

It was going to be another fine day outside, but sadly I would spend most of my day staring in disbelief at the discussions I was taking part in.

Jools went for a walk as it is now light before she leaves for work, and by the time she returned I was on the phone to Henrik as we discussed the latest events in the world of Quality and wind turbines. None of it good.

But there you go.

And at half seven, the meeting began, so after a recap, I mute the microphone and listen in as twelve people argue about reinventing the wheel. Which I do point out that's it what they are doing, only making it even more complicated.

I wonder which fool will be tasked with sorting the outputs out.

Oh yeah, me.

I do wander off to make breakfast, brews, feed the cats, feed the birds and so on through the morning.

Time drags.

We stop an hour for lunch, and its so nice and calm outside, I take my lunch of leftover tacos out to eat in the sunshine while Scully lies beside me and purrs loudly. On the other side of the garden, birds are waiting in line at the feeders.

Just a shame I had to go back to work, really.

And in the end f was for just two and a half hours, and by the time it ended I had really had enough, so I watched some train videos to calm down. Because, outside, cloud had swept in and the day was turning to dusk quite quickly.

Jools arrives home, we have coffee and the last of the chocolate, and get changed ready for half six when we would meet Bev and Steve as they would take us to Deal.

Half six arrived, and we went out and climed in the back of their Toyota, and off we went into the night, driving through Ringwould and Walmer, parking at the central car park, it was twenty to seven and we had 40 minutes to kill.

Beer?

We went into the Just Reproach and found they had cappuccino flavoured stout, so Steve and I had a pint, Bev ahalf and Jools half a cider.

Very nice.

Steve and I had taken a bottle of red to share, and Jools had fizz, so we wouldn't go thirsty.

We take our seats, pour a glass of wine and wait for the first course.

Caramelised goat cheese

Herb baked chicken

Chocolate parfait

Cheeseboard

All yummy, although my memroies of the end of the meal are a little blurry as the wine took effect.

Bev drove us back to St Maggies where my bed was calling.

Brexit: no happy ending

I have posed the question of, what is Brexit for, several times.

It was sold to the UK population as a sovereignty issue and how much money we could save.

We have saved nothing.

Rather than cutting red tape, it has been increased, just as was predicted by non-believing remoaners.

But for Europe, Brexit was the rejection of the post WWII European dram as wanted by leaders such as Churchill, of a continent united by politics, so that a European war would never happen again.

It it the rejection of that which has shocked our neighbours. Apart from the sheer stupidity of it.

And now it turns out Votel Leave and now the Conservative Party and City of London awash with Russian money which has bought their ear and influence.

We saw with yesterday's feeble sanctions as announced by Johnson, that money has bought indecision on the part of a post-Brexit UK Government which was supposed to be more nimble freed of discussions with 27 other member states. That the EU acted with unity and action in sanctioning hundred of Russian politicians show how much of a lie Brexit really has been.

A Parliamentary debate on Ukraine has been scheduled for, March 7th, some two weeks away.

So much for swift action.

Johnson joked in a defence committee last year that tanks will no longer sweep across Europe, so there was no need for the UK to build more. Less than 12 months later, Russian tanks are sweeping into Ukraine, while he offers thoughts and prayers.

On top of Brexit and COVID, a third crisis of a European war shows how pathetic Johnson and his Cabinet are.

A shambles and a national shame.

Tuesday 22nd February 2022

Tuesday was both a palindrome and an ambigram. As long as you don't live in the US where months come first. I mean. So, this is the shot of the day, as there won't be another such day. Or at least until when the cockroaches take over. And to celebrate I have the first of three days in a "quaity" workshop. From seven thirty until four, sitting listening to others shouting, and generally ignoring me. This was the event I was supposed to travel to, and didn't because of a mix up over restrictions. So, it was all a rush to get everything done ready and had breakfast in time for the start. I had baked the loaf the night before, so I wasn't going to be hungry, just bored, probably. Jools left for work, and I had already set up the office, was talking to a colleague when she left, and then time for the workshop. Sigh. Its seven hours I'm not going to get back, and that's for sure. On the downside, I was only one third of the way through. I decompress with a walk. It was a fine cool day, lots of sunshine expected in the two hours before sunset, so I had better get out. At least now there are wild flowers to look for and snap, so I do that, walking to the end of the street and up Station Road. I was taking a shot of a red deadnettle when a guy walking past stopped to chat. His name was Nigel, or something, and now lives in one of the new houses along our street, so we talk about wild flowers, who owns the area of gravel I was snapping the plants in and the wild garlic his wife had planted. I left him with the warning: don't let it go to seed. I walked up the the first track and past the war memorial. The sun didn't really come out and it began to drizzle. The clouds parted for a minutes and a rainbow formed, but was gone before I snapped it, when the clouds closed up again. I cut the walk shot and headed back home, past the Heliotrop and the bath between our street and Collingwood, in which was a single Herb Rober and a carpet of Russian Comfrey coming into flower. Back home for a brew and then prepare dinner, which involved making some salsay and grating cheese for nachos. Heck, I even had a beer. Even with just listening, I was worn out, but glad I went out for a walk. Football on the radio once the footy finished. And there was another day done. Phew.

Russian into a crisis.

Brexit was supposed to allow the UK to plough its own furrow, to react quicker and with stronger actions than wait for agreement with the EU27.

And yet, yesterday, after days of talking about tough sanctions, Johnson imposed the weakest possible. With just five banks and three billionaires targeted. Meanwhile the EU quickly moved to raise sanctions against all members of the Russian Parliament.

All of them.

The UK indicated it might increase sanctions, but in the meantime Russians will be allowed to take their money out of London, thus keeping their wealth.

This looks very odd.

Or not.

And then there is Liz Truss' suggestion that English football clubs boycott the Champion's League final out of protest. Let's get this straight: when Rashford got involved in child hunger last year the message was he should concentrate on the football, but now he should use his sport in politics after all.

Either both are wrong or right.

So, the UK Government being reluctant to take any actions against Russia is only too happy to allow football clubs to take even stronger action.

And what of Brexit? What was the point if the delays in action blamed on the EU previously were in fact as a result of UK political inertia?

Liz Truss was confronted with a picture showing her and five other female Government ministers standing next to the Conservative Party's largest doner in modern times, a Russian, whose husband is friends with Putin. But this isn't a problem as CCHQ have done "due diligence"? If this was a Labour Government they would be being called traitors by now.

And remember the vocal supporters of Russian claims and potential invasion; Banks and Farrage. All that money for Vote Leave came from somewhere, as did the donations to the Tories. Will they pay the money back?

Will they bugger.

Mogged

JRM has been made minister for Brexit Oportunities, and in an interview he suggested a major change of policy in that there should not need be checks without good reason.

The Government has since rejected this.

So, this is either the case of a poorly briefed Minister or one who talks without speaking, or maybe a combination of both.

@pmdfoster wrote:

This is a story about how No.10 quietly shot down @Jacob_Rees_Mogg the new #brexit opportunities minister…and a story that begs questions over just how low the bar for ministerial competence appears to be set.

It starts on February 14 when Rees-Mogg lauds a report by the right-wing think tank the Institute of Economic Affairs advocating that the UK unilaterally recognises other countries standards to make the most of Brexit.

Then, last Saturday, Rees-Mogg expanded on the idea in an interview with The Times in which he said there was “no point" repeating tests already conducted. "why do we need to put the cost on companies of testing it twice?"

Quite.

That would be a brilliant insight from the new minister -- and indeed one, we shall see, that is widely shared by industry -- except that the entire UK approach to standards post #Brexit is based on testing twice. Something that seems to have evaded Rees-Mogg.

To recap, the UK is introducing, from January 2023 the "UKCA" mark, which is a copycat version of the EU's "CE" quality mark (have a look on the back of your phone...you'll see one there...and everywhere.

And industry has been warning this is a massive waste of time and money.

the government did not intend require firms to submit products for new British saftey test if recognisesd by EU's CE mark...well industry was both surprised, perplexed, but even a little hopeful that the new minister was heralding a change of tack.

They were, to be honest, surpised since only last week BEIS officials were holding industry conference calls warning that (despite endless lobbying) the UK govt wasn't going to budge. The UKCA mark deadline wasn't going to shift...but perhaps Rees-Mogg had other ideas??

So we put this to No 10. Did this herald a change of policy? A shift away from the entire 'sovereignty first' policy that has informed UK approach to trade with EU since Brexit? Hence UKCA. Hence no veterinary/SPS agreement. Hence creating UK REACH chemicals copycat database

And the answer came back....er...no. It didn't. “Our position has not changed.”

The new minister was just articulating his broad ambitions for his new job rather than specific new policies on removing “non-tariff barriers” to trade.

Or put another way, the new minister clearly didn't really understand what he was saying.

Thing is, spouting right-wing free trade platitudes is fine as a backbencher. But as a minster there's a danger someone might take you seriously. Perish the thought.

Clearly Rees-Mogg is there to troll the remainers -- to wibble about the fish being free etc -- and to right to Sun readers asking for suggestions for EU regulations to cut. But at some point, if Brexiters want their project to be taken seriously, they should be serious.

What was fascinating reporting this story -- trying to ascertain if this was a big policy shift or just Rees-Mogg not reading his brief -- the general assumption in Whitehall was latter. "It'll just be Rees-Mogg not knowing what he's talking about".

Or as one exec put it: “We didn’t know if this was a change in policy, or if the minister was just freelancing, but it looked very much like this hadn’t been through the Whitehall government policymaking sausage machine."

Suffice to say, we are where we were...still about to impose a raft of duplicate testing and certification on UK companies (and their EU suppliers) that Rees-Mogg correctly identifies has "no point"...but we're going to do anyway.

o be clear "unilateral recognition" of other regimes is not without its problems -- and the EU (Barnier speech) has always been clear that the UK will not be allowed to keep its role as an EU single market "certification hub" after #Brexit

It's also the case that those 'non tariff barriers' are actually standars that are there to keep folks safe -- from food poisoning or chemical contamination -- and ensure a level playing field for firms on both side of the EU border

What industry really wants, as @William_Bain and Russell Antram of @CBItweets explain, is mutual recognition agreements that ease bureaucratic burdens of trade. Tricky, tbh, particularly with Northern Ireland situation poisoning deeper engagement.

It would be a start to have ministers that are serious about getting across the brief, rather than signalling to the base.

Monday 21st February 2022

Eight weeks on from the winter solstice, and it now getting light soon after six, and still light now, or nearly, when Jools returns home at half five or so. Monday night I didn't have to put on the floodlight on the drive for when she came home.

The year moves on.

And during the day, I checked the beds for new flowers, for signs of the imperialis showing (none seen) and then finally to the pond to check for frogspawn, and I found some fresh that had appeared overnight.

Spring?

Nearly.

And it was to be the last of the stormy days here. In fact the forecast was for winds some 20mph lower than expected, meaning at 40mph, not worth worrying about. Jools went to work, and I had a day at work clearing the decks before I had a three day seminar to attend to. I was supposed to trave to Denmark for this, but the travel advice when I checked last Tuesday was unclear. Unclear tot he point that it wasn't until Friday when I checked again for my boss did I spot that final line that said the ten day quarantine wouldn't be needed if you have proof of vaccination.

Too late by then.

In fact we had stuff booked for this week with our neighbours, and I could have cancelled it, we have done once already, and there comes a point when you have enough upheaval in your life.

So I stayed home.

With the cats.

I start work and sort through the few e mails I had received over weekend, and return to my ongoing task. The new procedure.

I had the bright idea on Saturday to try some new flour. In Japan we had eaten buckwheat noodles, and finding a bag of buckwheat flour I thought that would make interesting bread. Douly so as there was little else.

What I didn't know what that buckwheat flour is used for bisuits and cookies, not for bread. But, anyway, I make a backtch of dough with yeast and everything, and right away it felt very stiff, almost impossible to knead.

But After 15 minutes I put it in a tin to rise, which it refused to do.

I had already guessed this was going to happen, so I roll it into a sausage and make cookie sized disks and bake them. Two tray fulls.

I had to bake them half an hour before they browned, and then a half hour wait for them to cool.

The thin one I tried was OK with butter, but the rest were thicker, and by lunchtime had set almost like concrete. I wasn't going to let them go to waste, and so eat four, but I feared for my teeth.

Once cool enough, I tip the rest away and think about using my last bag of bread flour sor a loaf for the rest of the week.

Once I finished work, I didn't feel like going for a walk. It was cool and breezy, Tuesday was supposed to be better, so I would go then, and hopefully most days now.

Jools had made some filled tortillas for dinner, all I had to do was put them in the oven and make some rice. Which I do.

The cats have settled down now to life with me and each other. Even Poppy has now matured, although won't leave via the flap when dark, she knows how to wait by the front door and one of us lets her out. There is hissing from time to time, but its bearable.

Which is nice.

I cook dinner and wait for Jools to come back, arriving home when it was almost still light.

No ootball to watch in the evening, just music on the wireless, and the wind drops all the time outside.

Which is very good.

Proceed under caution

In an attempt to be world leading, the Prime Minister, Alexander Boris de Piffel Johnson, has become the first Prime Minister to be interviewed under caution by the Police.

This is quite the thing.

All those who receoved questionaires from the Met are also under caution, suspected of breaking the law.

And still Johnson insists he will not resign even if issed with a notice.

"Did you participate?"

"What reasonable excuse did you have?"

Labour's Angela Raynor said: ""This is an embarrassment that for the first time in UK history we have a PM interviewed under police caution."

And as a follow up, Johnson also lied at the dispatch box when he claimed that Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramavich has been sanctions, which he has not.

A spokesperson had to correct the PM's statement later.

The idiot's idiot

Useful Idiots was a term used by those who were conned into supporting Brexit when it was against their interests to do so.

Johnson used the DUP and farmers and fishermen as useful idiots, only to abandon them once their usefulness was over with.

Johnson is Putin's idiot.

The PM has refused to publish a report into Russian interferance in the 2015 and 2017 elections and of Russian funding of the Conservative Party. Johnson made the son of a KGB agent a Lord.

After talking tough on actions yesterday, Johnson imposed sanctions on five Russian banks and three Russian billionaires. Sactions the US had imposed on the same people and banks in 2018.

Meanwhile, the venn diagram of Brexiteers and those who support Russian claims to Ukraine against NATo "agression" seems to be pretty much a perfect circle, with two of Putin's loudest cheerleaders, Aaron Banks and Naughty Nigel.

Who'd have think it?

I mean, where did Vote Leave's money came from and who gave that student half a million quid to pay for wrapround advertising in London when the guy lives in NI?

How queer.

Sunday 20th February 2022

5th day of storms.

Even if the wond wouldn't start blowing until after nine, it was already cloudy and the wind building when we got up.

After coffee, Jools went swimming, and I was left alone with the cats and radio, and little to do other than wash up and clear away.

Oh, and write blogs.

Because I wanted to get ahead, as we were off out for lunch, and then there was football, if I stayed awake, and then tea and #wildflowerhour and then bed. Relaxing is a full time activity, wears you out.

It seems.

So, once all taks were done, bird feeders topped up and cats stroked, I watch some train videos while the radio plays.

Jools returns and instead of breakfast, we have a brew and an orange. Becuae the only table we had was at midday, and we wanted to be hungry. We left for The Lantern at twenty to 12, and crossed the Deal road easy enough, but found the road to Martin from the station closed. No matter there was another way. So I turned round and we went through Martin Mill, hung a sharp right and again at the bottom only to discover the Deal half-marathon going our way.

This must be the end of it, as most were either walking, or running at a walking speed. But they were keeping going. I try not to get too close, but one runner at a time we get past, until we arrive in Martin and turn into the pub car park. We still had ten minutes.

After waiting to midday on the dot, the door was opened and we were shown to our table; various roasts to be had, but really prime rib was the only choice. It was served with roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, red cabbage and roast root vegetables. I order some broccoli spears and pears as well as a beer.

And we wait.

A young couple come in; she is orange and has a glass of white wine, he is a muscular chap with limited vocabulary. He also has no volume control, so we hear every word he stumbled over.

Our meals some and it is wonderful, as I didn't have to cook and there would be no washing up. Also I had ordered a bowl of pigs in blankets and stuffing, in the picture below you can see Jools placing stuffing on my plate, not taking it off.

Anyway, we eat it all up. And although we were going to skip dessert, they had blueberry creme brulee, so Jools had that, I passed.

I drive us home, back n time to make a coffee and relax as lunch settled, as Dad would have said, ready for the Leeds v Man Utd game at two. That ended up being very good, though Man Utd won 4-2, so can't have everything. And that was followed by Wolves v Leicester, which made four and a half hours disappear.

And just like that, the weekend had lipped through my fat little fingers.

Sigh.

Freedom Day 2.0

Johnson is giving the old Freedom Day another outing as last year's went so well.

Oh no it didn't.

So, from April 1st, all legal restrictions will be lifted. Free testing for COVID will end, and sick pay for those with COVID will only start on day 4.

Johnson has refused to publish the scientific opinion behind this policy.

I have no words.

In the last week, the amount of testing dropped two million, so there are fewer positive tests.

Public Health policy is now based on getting the Prime Minister off the hook.

Again, I have no words.

Chaos without Ed Miliband

The Queen's eldest son's charity is being investigated for offering honours for cash. At the moment there is no suggestion Prince Charles knew or was involved.

The Queen's middle son has agreed to pay at least £12,000,000 to stop a civil courtcase in the US regarding sex trafficing and underage sex. As a result of the agreement, neither side will comment further.

The Prime Minister, Cabinet Secretary and many Ministers and senior civil servants are under investigation for breaking COVID laws and guidance. Which may well result in many receiving fixed penalty notices (FPNs) as a legal bar to law breaking would have been breached. A similar bar has been cleared to allow pOlice to investigate.

The Prime Minister and Leaders of both Houses were found to have given The Monarch unlawful advice in closing Parliament down for six weeks in 2019 to avoid scrutiny. This was overturned by the Supreme Court.

The Government raised legislation which cleared several reading in both Houses allowing the Government to break domestic and international law in "limited and specific" ways.

The Government was found last week to break diversity legislation in appointing Dido Harding as head of a new English Heath Authority.

The Government set up a VIP lane to sidestep formal PPE procurement rules and somehow overpaid by some considerable amount for billions of items of PPE early in the pandemic, and only repeated visits to the High Court made the Government release details. Even though much was sub-standard, the Government is not going to try to recover the monies paid, and the Chancellor has written off £4.5 billion in loans to companies for furlough payments that literally didn't exist.

The head of the Metropolitian Police was finally forced to resign of yet more stories of the covering up of sexist and appalling behaviour relating to taking photographs of murder victim's bodies and watsap groups making sexist, racist and sexual comments about current cases. One member of the force used his warrant card to attack and murder a member of the public. His colleagues nicknamed him "rapist" before the attack happened.

This is off the top of my head.

A new head of the Metropitan Police will be appointed by the Home Secretary, and one of that officer's first tasks will be to head the investigation of the Prime Minister, and potentially end his career if the PM is found to have broken COVID laws. And if he was found to have attended gatherings not allowed and against laws and/or guidance, it will show he misled Parliament at the Dispatch Box, an offence Erskine May makes clear he should resign for, and yet Johnson has said several times that even if found guilty and fined, he will not resign.

Welcome to Conservative lead UK, in power 12 years and suppliers of chaos, corruption and lies on an industrial scale.

COVID stupidity

There are no signs or statements of the Chief Medical Officers of England, Wales or Scotland either backing or the opposite of Borsi Johnson's plan to remove al restrictions on March 1st.

"We must learn to live with COVID" might be OK if you're healthy and vaccinated, but those with underlying conditions or compromised immune systems either take a gamble or isolate at home in case they catch it and fall seriously ill or die.

The whole point of quarantine and masks and social distancing was to protect these very people, but according to the Government its all too difficult and expensive.

Over 25,000 people tested positive today, and one was HM the Queen, who is said to be doing OK with mild "flu" symptoms.

74 people died today too.

£12.5 billion was transferred from the treasury to friends of the Government in highly suspicious and sometime illegal PPE contracts. Most of the money will not be recovered, because the Government are not going to bother, instead the poorest in society will have to pay extra in national insurance.

So much for us all being in this together.

Talking of that and levelling up, Johnson has been in power 30 months and there are no firm levelling up plans, apart from the ancelling of the eastern leg of HS2, and cancelling Norther Powerhouse Rail, and it's supposed replacement has been shown by rail industry experts as untruthful.

That's lying.

What this Government does best.

Saturday 19th February 2022

The day after the storm will be celebrated with the arrival of another storm. There will be further gales on Sunday and Monday before things settle down again.

But Saturday dawned clear and bright, at least at first, with once the sun was up, some fine sunshine along with the stiff breeze.

Once up we had to go to Tesco of course, and despite the weather on Friday, we got everything we needed, including milk, although prices are going up, very noticeably.

Back home for breakfast and more coffee and put the shopping away.

Jools had to go to the post office so was going to walk to the office in the village, while I needed to get some bird seed, so said I would go into town.

So I go into town, armed with my credit card and camera, as I had thought to go St Martin's Battery to take some shots of the harbour and town.

A sack of sunflower hearts, a sack of peanuts and a box of fat balls: £98. But should last a couple of months, by which time spring should be well under way and there will be natural food for our feathered friends.

I go through town, along Castle Street and then up the down on the other side, up Military Road to Western Heights. Its a heck of a steep road, especially for a boy of flat Norfolk, but driving is easy enough. St Martin's Battery looks out over the western docks, and the inner harbour with eastern docks is in a fine sweep to the north with the famous white cliffs rising behind the ferry port.

I park the car and walk along past the old gun emplacements, now venues for illicit sexual liaisons. I once went up there at sunset to take some photos,a nd there were some shady people hanging about. They eyed my camera with suspicion: I'm here to photograph the sunset, I said aloud, then I'll leave.

Which I did.

Anyway, no one around at ten in the morning, just fine views of the town and harbour, with ferries scuttling to and fro between Dover and Calais.

I take a few shots and return home, driving back through town and then up Castle Hill and along Reach Road bac to St Maggies.

Once home I gather the plastic tubs and decant the seeds and nuts into something stackable, then wait for Jools so to make a brew.

Tasks for the day done.

Lunch is fishcakes, noodles and stir fry, something healthy and to use some old veg in the fridge.

Once we had eaten it was half one, and I could watch the second half of the football, before settling down to listen to Norwich playing at LIverpool from three.

Norwich played well, held their own for the first half and even took the lead early in the second half. Liverpool made changes, brought on two new players, changed formation and went through the gears. It was good while it lasted, though we lost 3-1, the performance gives me hope, and thing is, we don't have to play Citeh of Liverpool again, while our rivals do.

And as the two teams below us both won, we are back bottom, but with winable games going up in the next six weeks.

Its always the hope that gets you.

As a fan.

At half five, it was Citeh v Spurs, and what seemed what would be a walk over for Citeh turned into something different, as Spurs took the lead, and were 2-1 up going into injury time. Citeh got a penalty, and so at 2-2, that seemed that. But Spurs went down the other end and scored a third.

Football, eh!

Jams in Dover: update

I hear much rubbish talking of lorry jams in Dover, and how much worse they have been since the beginning of the year.

This isn't really true.

The nature of the queues are different, and don't take place every day.

Jools travels from here to Hythe every weekday, so she sees the effects every day, and she says, and traffic radar backs this up, that the Dover TAP is only in operation three days a week, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On other days there is no queue.

What we can say is that the queues are only on the A20 on the approach into town from Folkestone. In general, there are no queues on the A2.

However.

This is happening on much lower traffic flows than seen before January and the pandemic. We saw that in the summer of 2019 when French customs trialled their protocols, and queues of truck built up to Folkestone in a single morning. These are the same protocols in operation now, so different ruslt, except on three days a week.

And because of the paperwork needed to clear customs, the rest of the waiting time for drivers and their goods is hidden.

Waiting times at the Inland Border Facility in Ashford is nearly two days.

Then waiting at warehouses and hubs for paperwork to clear and be approved.

The queues at Dover are there, but just the tip of the iceberg.

In answer to our local MP's statement that 650 jobs have been created, but the reason is to deal with Brexit-related red tape that Brexiteers said would be less than when we were a member state.

Dover is a border town once again. In the 70s, Jools and her brohter used to sell newspapers and snacks to cars waiting to get to the port down Crabble Hill, adding a penny or two on top to give themselves pocket money. I think the border will get harder and the town might be able to get a benefit, but we should remember that since 1992, the Port, Kent County Council and Highways England have streamlined traffic so that hardly any stopped in Dover any more, it was to get traffic from the ferries out of the town and on their way ASAP.

That was the point of the EU SM and CU. All now thrown away and to be replaced by red tape that was always going to be reintroduced, not reduced.

Days in Europa

Something occured to me the other day when I was explaining why Brexit to my boss.

I saw the connection between Brexit and the actions of Hungary and Poland, in that those two countries and the UK didn't want to be tied to EU rule of law, in that it is linked to human and workers rights.

The uses that the other two countries might be more extreme, but the actions of the UK Government isn't quite so bombastic, but there is talk by JRM of lowering various rights, Judges have been called "enemies of the people", there is talk although no reason for the revamp of Judicial Review, the right to protest and of free assembly, Parliament is sidelined as Ministers have learned to love the use of Statuatory Instruments, being able to pass laws with the stroke of a pen or keystroke on a computer, all without anyone having the ability to question it.

Government knows best, although one law for you and no laws for us has been exposed, of course.

And all done in the name of "the people".

Cheered on by a populist press, owned by tax-avoiding billionaires, only too happy to advise the PM how to spend what taxes it does collect.

Power for power's sake so far.

But where will it end?

That is the question

Friday 18th February 2022

Modern science in the field of weather means that it could tell that a kink in weather front in the middle of the ocean two days ago was going to develop into the biggest storm to cross the UK for three decades.

Satellite images showed hour by hour, the depression getting deeper and deeper, and the forecast was for 80mph winds here in St Maggies. In the end, the all time wind speed was broken at The Needles on the Isle of Wight, and here we got battered.

For a country that experiences mostly benign weather, we are rather obsessed with it.

Douglas Adams suggested we do this to stop our brains working.

There may be some truth in that.

But sometimes there is real scary weather here. And Friday we had Storm Eunice swept through causing havoc and damage, though there was a lot of warnings, and those of us who did did not travel.

Joyous that, during the day, my Twitter feed filled up with people watching and tweeting the best lines from Big Jet TV on YouTube.

Jeff films jets landing at Heathrow, and so far so good, but the winds on Friday made for thrilling viewing, as did hearing his live conversations as TV stations across the country asked him for an interview and footage.

Channel 4 are coming across the field.

Let's see how China do now. GO ON SON!

HERE COMES THE A380 FOLKS! BIGGEST AIRCRAFT IN THE WORLD. IT'S A DOUBLE DECKER. SO MANY PEOPLE STILL DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE A380. THIS IS GONNA BE AWESOME.

The Big Daddy from Qatar!

That Jeff was such a good bloke and engaging made the afternoon pass quickly while the winds howled outside.

The storm began at two in the morning and built during the rest of the night, so that by the time we got up, it was wild. And would get only wilder.

We lay in bed until after six, meaning I had only just over half an hour before work was due to start, Jools got ready for work and left, and I logged on for the weekly social meeting. I put the bins out, and once had to run down the street to collect the wheelie bin after the wind sent it toppling, then skidding towards the fields.

From then, the storm peaked here, and the wind howled and raged for some five hours. Our roof just about held, or the flat roof did, although some trimming did come down to cause me some concern, but that was it.

By the time Jools came home, the peak had passed and winds dropped twenty mph, and mocking us, the sun was shining as a few clouds skidded across the sky.

After the music quiz, we go over the Jen's for cards with Sylv and John. Jen has made a huge pan of chilli, so we ate well and I drak wine.

And then we played cards, where a single game of Meld took some two and a half hours, ending at half nine. But I win both the bumper last hand and the pot for lowest points.

Jools drives us home, and there was almost no other traffic about. Quite the odd thing.

Spot the difference

Yesterday, 3 people died in storm-related inidents.

Meanwhile 158 died from COVID.

Guess which ones were the lead story on news bulletins, and which ones failed to get a mention at all?

Truth is we have become numb, and the Government has encouraged that, we should think the pandemic is over and is now little more than flu. Flu doesn't kill at the rate COVID does, it was always a lie, and still is.

And the Cheif Medical Officers of England and Scotland are nowhere to be seen in what briefings thre are, backing the Government's course of action, nor have they spoken out against it, although many other scientists and doctors have.

All remaining restrictions will end on March 1st, so infections will rise, although it is likely the data won't be collected, or if collected, not published.

We will have to pay for testing, so people won't.

A nice comment

From the Churchcrawling group on FB

Bishop Brian Jones, the photographs that have been posted on this site have done more to brighten my world since the Covid pandemic went full on than you can possibly imagine. You have a wonderful eye and quite the talent. I really enjoy your narratives. I’ve even read a few of them to my ESL (English as a Second Language) classes to explain how someone would write a letter to a friend or even a short memoir. Thank you.

And with that, I wish you a very good weekend.

Thursday 17th February 2022

Thursday.

And annual assessment day.

And in short, it would appear honesty is not the best course of action.

As you will see.

We were up and about as usual before dawn, and all settling down for the usual working day.

Jools went for a walk, returned, and after a change of footware, she left for the factory.

I set up the office, have breakast of another toasted naan smorthered in nutella. In update news, I am trying to kick the nutella and once this jar is used up I'll switch to something else. Or nothing. Or just fruit.

I don't know.

At nine the meeting starts, and I was told that my mood, if not my attitude before Christmas, when t seemed I was going to leave, and me beig honest about it, contributed to him marking me down. I am a bit pissed off about it, if I'm honest, I mean I was honest, and he admitted he hasn't been a good manager to me, and that we will both try to do better.

Or something.

I have two new tasks, and that is pretty much that.

So I celebrate with a walk. It was breezy, but sunny. Seemed daft to sit inside.

I decide to go into the village and then down Kingsdown Road and back down the Dip and home, should take about an hour and has two good climbs, and should see plenty of wild flowers.

I hoped.

I met a few folks on the way, most walking their dogs, but a couple of twitchers too. I tell them a few places I have seen raptors, and they seemed happy enough.

As ever, the climb from the bottom of The Dip was tough, but I make it past Fleet House and back across the fields to get home at just gone half eleven.

No one missed me.

I have lunch of breakfast. I'm crazy me.

And get back to work, staring at my new procedure that my role as being le grande fromage has been clarified.

Happy again.

I finish at half three, and thoughts turn to the evening, where we were off out to the theatre, or to the theatre to watch a performance from another theatre.

The plan had been to eat out, but I saw it was due to begin at seven, so instead I defrosted some fine ragu and was boiling the pasta once Jools returned from work.

We eat quickly, Jools changes while I washed up, so we were out just after six, and I was hoping to have a swifter in the Just Reproach before showtime. But it was full and it was half six already, so we go to the theatre instead, get a drink at the bar and go to our seats in the main hall.

We were to see a stage adaptation of La Bell Sauvage, the first of the secd trilogy by Philip Pullman, set in the world of Lyra and His Dark Materials.

Well, not sure what to expect, but it was magical, the acting and set design (digital) were superb, and we laughed and cried through the evening.

A short walk back to the car, and a ten minute drive back to the hill on the downs. Not bad journey for a show in a theatre beside Tower Bridge.