Sunday 26th November 2017

It is rare to have both days of a weekend be blessed with such good weather at this time of the year. But this was such a weekend, and after spending Saturday shopping and listening to the football and snoozing. Sunday was going to be very different, heck, I was even willing to delay watching MOTD until later in the day, maybe even Monday!

But there has to be bacon.

So I rustle up bacon butties, made with lots of crispy smoked streaky rashers, as should be the way. I am turning into a Dane, I swear.

Once the sun is above the other side of the dip, warm rays of glorious winter sunshine pour through into the kitchen. I make Jools', then grill mine, just to the point of perfect crispiness, washed down with a fresh brew. Then, once dressed we are ready to go out.

We know of so many fine places for a walk, which one to choose? Well, as Jools said she also wanted to have ice cream, and the best two places we know of are both in Herne Bay. So if we were to walk at East Blean, then it was a short drive afterwards into the town for ice cream. And being before nine in the morning, we could take the shortest route through Canterbury out to Sturry and then up the downs towards the north coast.

Canterbury was pleasantly quiet, we were round the inner ring road and through the retail parks and out towards Stuffy, and happily enough being stopped at the level crossing to see a RHTT pass through. Train! The up through a couple of small villages, before turning off to East Blean.

East Blean is best known for the successful campaign to save on of the country's rarest butterflies, the Heath Fritillary. None there this time of the weekend, just long muddy paths through ankle deep drifts of yellow and orange leaves. Always on the lookout for fungi and/or photographic opportunities.

We wander along, not really knowing where we were going, just following signs heading further and further from the car park.

We meet a few people on the way, but mostly there was just the two of us, just out enjoying the morning, looking at the birds, fungi, trees and stuff.

Back at the car I find I have managed to stand in some dogs eggs. I say back at the car, it was in the car driving to Herne Bay that I discovered, thanks to the smell. But hey, its the countryside and all that.

In Herne Bay we park near to one of the ice cream parlours, but instead of eating there, we walk down the prom, past the harbour, empty of water due to the low tide. At the old bandstand, there is a cafe and parlour situated in it, and it was there that we ordered our ice creams: Jools has a hot cherry sundae, and I have some chocolate one with an Oreo cookie in it.

When they arrive, both are huge, as their size had been doubled by the use of a can of spray cream. We were never going to finish them, but the chap on the next table was interested to see if we would. He chided us for only eating half, but it turns out that ice cream at half ten in the morning isn't such a good idea.

We leave our half full/empty sundaes and walk to the pier. Or what's left of it, as most was swept away years ago, and half a mile off shore, the head of it sits forlorn, now just a seabird roost.

We walk back to the car, and make our way back to Dover along the Thanet Way, then across the marshes to Preston, Sandwich to Whitfield where we had hoped to see Jen, but she wasn't in, so instead we go home for coffee and a lie down due to a case of acute ice cream poisoning.

Of course there was football on the radio, and on the i player. I struggle to stay awake watching Chelsea and Liverpool battle out a 1-1 draw.

Dinner was to be Boston Ribs; a new thing at the butcher. A bone in rib eye, huge too, a good couple of inches thick, and even if cooked rare took at least four minutes each side. Once cooked and served with garlic mushrooms and fried potatoes, and was amazing. Huge, obviously. But the steak was huge, enough for two meals, but I made it vanish. Although it would require some sitting on the sofa lolling at the TV. What with it being a Robot Wars night, no worries there.

And again, that was your weekend, all gone.

Reality still closing in.

Yesterday, the International Trade Minister, the disgraced former Defence Secretary, Liam Fox, said that talks on the Irish Border should be delayed until it is known what the actual trade agreement will be. I really don't know where to start with this one, as it is so fundamentally stupid, one would think it a spoof. But he really did go on TV and state this. You will know that Britain agreed to the EU timetable in which the three basic issues, trade rights and the Irish border and further talks would be depending on the EU agreeing that "sufficient progress" to have been made. Now, I know you know this, and you certainly know that I know this, so how could it be that a senior minister of the crown could be so clueless?

It is Liam Fox, of course.

Ireland have now hardened their stance and have stated they will veto any further movement on talks unless they receive a written guarantee that there will be no hard border between the Republic and NI.

Arlene Phillips is up in arms stating that nothing should get in the way of the precious Brexit, and there would be no border.

Today, Kate Hoey joined in screaming on breakfast radio on Radio 4 that if there was to be a border, then Ireland would have to pay for it.

Let's take this slowly: WTO rules, the very organisation that Brexiteers claim will free us from trade regulation with the EU will insist that the border is there. If not, a trade dispute will be triggered, and being in such a pickle as we try to forge new deals with the same countries who will object is not the cleverest course of action. And having no import checks or tariffs on the NI side of the border won't work either, as there are agreements; we would have to treat all members of the WTO, meaning no checks or tariffs at any border from any member of the WTO.

Brexiteers scream how unfair this is, that Britain should be be threatened by a "small" country like Ireland. But this is what life outside the EU will be, and progress and ratification of any deal will mean any of the EU27 can veto or block the deal.

And finally the reality is any talks on trade between DD and Michael Barnier will be political talks. Meaning that there is no basis under WTO or trade law that the EU has to keep to those agreements. The actual working agreement won't begin until after Britain leaves. But I'm sure Fox and Hoey know this as well. Or there will be trouble when they find out.

Turns out Brexit was a lot more complex than the simple process the Brexteers would believe and have us believe.

Saturday 25th November 2017

One shopping month until Christmas.

The first frost if the season.

We are still sleeping at half six when the heating switches on I get u to switch it off, but only manage to turn it from the clock to continuous. So, I lay awake waiting for the pump tio stop pushing the hot water round the house, which it doesn't. So, I get up and am surrounded by three cats who all try to tell me how darned hungry they are.

Even before making coffee, my thoughts are of the chores for the day, which is mainly shopping. I wanted some of those lush Belgian beers I got so used to enjoy earlier this year, and thought that Sainsbury's might be a good place to look. So with Jools having a shower, I grab a bag and after putting on my coat and shoes, I drive to Deal in the morning light to see what they had. Saying that, I was livind by the time I got there, as many drivers had failed to put their lights on, and were apparently driving by brail.

I arrive safely, not sure if they do> I mean I can hardly see them, and they must see how bright lights on cars like mine must seem? Are they stupid?

I go into the shop and buy several ciders for Jools, but I find no beers that I fancy, and they had a few. I go to pay via the self service check out that there was only the one teller on duty, and there was a queue of four people with leaden trolleys.

I drive back home with it nearly being fully light, it was now half seven and the sun had risen in the east, but hidden by low clouds. Back home to unload the car and then set out for Tesco for the usual shopping suspects.

There is a new Lidl nearly finished near Tesco, Homebase has been bought out and will reopen under a new name, the new Sports Centre will open in the new year and there are several new shops near to the KFC. All these take business from the centre of town, and this will only get worse. But hey, shopping.

Tesco is quiet at quarter past eight, we get the things we need for the month, mostly cat food if I'm honest. But mincemeat for mince pies, frozen puff pastry for sausage rolls. And so on.

Back home by nine for croissants and coffee and then it was time for me to go out for more shopping. Tis time to the butchers in Preston, mainly to place the order for Christmas. By now the forecasted day of endless sunshine was overdue, but as I drove from Dover to Sandwich and then inland to the former inland sea of the Wantsum Channel, the clouds cleared, and so was a fine and very cold day indeed.

They have a new car park outside, and it is full. Inside there is a queueu, but allowing time for us to look at what is on sale, and my eyes are drawn to a row of steaks called Boston Ribs. I think I may have found the solution to Sunday's dinner.

I place the order for Christmas; nothing too surprising if I'm honest, but we had thought maybe Jen would want us round, but it seems there will be no Christmas in Whitfield.

Finally I get food for the rest of the week and freezer, and say I will see them all bright and early on Christmas Eve in 29 days! Eeek!

I drive back home in the bright low sunshine, driving south difficult as eyes were looking right into the sun. But I arrive home safe and sound to find Jools still busy from chores around the house. But we are both nearly done for the day. I mean we could have gone out to do some stuff, but the week has been hard for us both, so we decide to chill out with Huey on the radio, before having some insalata for lunch. Which brings me to the vinegar incident:

Forever to be remembered as the caramalised balsamic vinegar day.

It all came as the restaurant we went to on Thursday served up balsamci with no bitter or harsh aftertaste; when I asked they told me they caramalised theirs.

So, I like a challenge, so bought a small bottle and set about caramalising it. I found a recipe, thought that had too much sugar,, but with a ratio of 3:1 vinegar to sugar, I set about reducing the vinegar before adding the sugar.

I poured it into a bottle once reduced, and it was like magma.

I put the bottle in the fridge to cool, hoping we could use it for lunch. Half an hour later, I thought I would see how thick it was.

I had forgotten that I took the lid off the bottle in case the steam coming off the gloop caused the glass to crack. So I picked up the bottle and shook it.

A large globule of vinegar landed on my hand, so hot it did not hurt at first. I did realise it would soon smart, and it did.

And being well reduced, it did not pour off, it just stayed attached to my hand, and it began to burn.

Hand under the tap, which did begin to wash the vinegar off and cool my hand down. And after that I held the cold pack for muscle pain until it thawed out, but which point my nerves had stopped screaming.

After all that, the vinegar was too thick to pour, so was useless. It went in the bin, as I waited for my skin to peel.

Silly billy.

As the afternoon went on the pain subsided, and soon I had forgotten I had done it, but my goodness that did hurt for a while.

At three there is football on the radio, and I struggle to stay awake, so take to the sofa and I think I may have dozed for half an hour. By that time Norwich were 1--0 up, but it didn't last and Preston pulled level in the 2nd, so ended a draw, and no wins in 7 games at home for City.

Bah!

I cook yet more party food in the evening. It is easy enough, a plateful each of bite sized Indian snacks. It also means little washing up.

Jools goes upstairs to watch Hinterland on her laptop, and I watch Rick Stein in Mexico, where 90% of food is cooked, laced with salsa, guacamole and put into a taco. I mean, no nattler how good the ingredients are, there are only so many variants.

Not much else to say about Saturday. Sore hand, a draw and more party food.

Friday 24th November 2017

And we have made it my friends, the weekend is just around the corner, and we just have to deal with Friday and the two and a half days off is ours. Mine would be beginning a couple of hours early as we have an appointment at the bank in town later, but for now, you know, the usual stuff.

I should not be tired, but feel worn down by the week. I think I have an easy day ahead, I did the travel expenses the previous day, as the finance department had threatened to block my card, so would not be able to travel. My boss gave me a gentle warning.

There is time to register, and mails to reply to, meetings to arrange, and one final meeting, during which a bomb was dropped. As the implications sunk in, I had to leave as the taxi I had booked was waiting outside. Because even in 2017, banks keep their own opening times, closing at half three, and getting there before closing time meant not enough time for Jools to come home to pick me up; hence the taxi. I always use the same company, and all their drivers know our house with the level crossing sign outside.

The driver is in a good mood, even though business is slack; in a month it will be Christmas and times will be booming.

He drops me off at M&S, I have decided to buy some party food before meeting up with Jools. I have ten minutes, so find what I want. Or think I want. And then on another aisle I find more. Should I put the other stuff away or just buy more? I buy more.

Jools is waiting outside the bank. Not our bank, but Mum's. We are hoping to get power of attorney, so can pay bills for her and so on. We are showed into an office, and we go through the five pages of the form we have filled in. We get to the last part, I sign, and it all seems fine. And then the manager says, you have filled in the wrong form. Or the bank has provided us with the wrong form. And anyway, for this someone from the bank would have to be present when she signed, so they could be sure of Mum's state of mind and intention.

There is no other thing we can do than to arrange to be at the hospital next Friday, when the manager from her local branch will be at the hospital and then we go through it all again. It means another day off work, travel to and back from Suffolk. We should be angry, but what's the point?

We leave the bank and I go round the edge of the St James Development to take the latest shots of work as it all nears completion. In a few months we will have a cinema, new restaurants and shops. But others will close, and the HIgh Street with wither further. Is this progress?

We go home as darkness falls, the weekend had arrived. And we had a bag full of party food.

Back home we put the radio on for the Friday Free for All, and get in the mood. Mum calls, and she is in good spirits, and if things stay the same with her, preparations will begin on Monday for her return to home. She is concerned as well as happy, as this will be a real test then, to see if she can really look after herself. But she says she is walking further and further, and is doing well. I hope so.

I cook a couple of packs of the party food, crack open a beer, and in ten minutes we are eating away, in good spirits.

Due to football, there is no Only Conect, and Monty has put his trowel away for the winter, so a quiet night, early to bed. And ready for the weekend in the morning.

Fake Brexit news

Friday was memorable, for the Murdock sock puppet, Michael "Pob" Gove, bemoaning the amount of fake news on social media. This is clearly because how honestly the press and most of the television media have been treating Brexit. And this coming from the man, who said, when confronted by expert analysis of how bad Brexit would be, that "people have had enough of experts". And let us not forget that he wants to be Chacellor, his wfe works for the Daily Hate Mail and he is in the pay of Murdoch. Yes, this is the state of politics in 2017 Brexitlalaland.

I will take this point to remind you that Brexit, aka the United Kingdom leaving the European Union under the terms of Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, is a purely European Union legal process. Any change to this and the terms of the Article 50 process must be done under the terms of it and the European Parliament, the EU27 and the UCJ.

Talks cannot progress to the next stage of negotiations until, in the EU27's agreement, "sufficient progress" has been made in the three basic issues: money, rights and the Irish Border. Money and rights should have been the easiest of the three. Maybe agreement on the financial settlement might make the EU27 agree to move onto trade, Ireland doesn't think so, and they have the right to veto talks.

Micheal Barnier has been selected, briefed and directed by the EU27 to negotiate on their behalf. He will not go outside their direction, and reports on a regular basis to them. In the unlikely event he agrees with Britain something outside his terms of reference, a deal can be rejected by the EU27 during the ratification process.

The ratification process will take at least 6 months, meaning any deal in Brexit will have to be completed by the end of September 2018. Ten months time.

Each of the parliaments of the EU27 HAS to ratify the deal.

The EU Parliament has to ratify the deal.

The ECJ has to ratify the deal.

Failure to ratify the deal by any of the above will mean Britain exits the EU with no deal.

Whether Britain, Parliament or the British people ratify the deal is irrelevant. Brexit is under EU law, not British.

No one in Britain can stop Brexit. Only by agreement with the EU27 can it be paused, extended or stopped.

Even if trade talks begin in December, nine months to agree a trade framework, mediation process, agreement on standards, documentation and so on, is impossible to complete in nine months. It is almost certain, that even if talks go well, only the basic issues will be talked about, let alone agreed upon.

And all of the trade details would also have to be ratified as detailed above, failure to ratify in any of the above parliaments or institutions would result in no deal.

If it is proven that there was Russian interference in the referendum, this would have no effect in the referendum result, nor cause there to be a legal reason for a re-run. The referendum was advisory only, but the Government has taken it as mandatory. Brexit is taking place under a EU legal framework, the trigger was the notification sent by May on 29th March 2017.

That Britain was not ready, had not identified risks, worked out how to overcome them is purely Britain's fault. Brexit was never going to be easy or simple.

Without a bespoke deal on the Irish border, at 23:00 on 29th March 2019, a "hard" border will have to exist between the Republic and NI as a matter of EU law. For this to happen either NI will have to remain in the SM, Ireland leave either the EU or SM, Brexit be stopped, or some other deal regarding trade be agreed and ratified. NO is already "different" from the rest of Britain in that areas like abortion and, indeed, border trade.

Wanting Brexit and there to be a "frictionless" border means staying in the SM or CU. Otherwise it is impossible. Anyone telling you otherwise is either lying or doesn't know what they are talking about. Or both.

In other news the last two weeks you might have missed (and tanks to @37paday for these):

the Government wins a vote to repeal the European Communities Act (which gives effect to EU law in the UK) even though the Maybot has said EU law will apply for at least a 2 year transition after we leave.

Gov proposes legislating the day Brexit will happen even though it will happen in March 2019 automatically (unless UK & EU agree to extend it - but then UK may be stuck because legislating Brexit day may prevent the option of extending negotiations even if we want to do so).

David Davis tells the EU not to put politics above prosperity.

David David says bankers will get special free movement exemptions but Grimsby which voted 70% leave now wants an exemption for fish exports to the EU (but won't get one)

hard Brexiter John Redwood tells investors to move money from the UK to the EU

EU helps Liam Fox out by stepping into help UK on Bombardier tariff dispute

the Maybot tells Russia to stop interfering in western democracies (but no mention of the U.K. obvs)

the Government still won't release their Brexit impact assessments in contempt of Parliament. Luckily the EU has published their own which are available on their website

the Government said they don't want a hard border in Ireland but don't get that leaving the customs union means a hard border and will mess up the Good Friday Agreement

Home Affairs Committee warned that by leaving the customs union Operation Stack will happen on a bigger scale. In 2015 Kent County Council estimated it cost the economy £250m a day. The Government said the solution will be to park lorries in the middle lanes of the M20

The Maybot said positive talks were held in Brussels today but it was not immediately clear whether she was repeating her internal pep talk or had offered tangible solutions

A spokesman said on Northern Ireland there was a need for an innovative solution but did not clarify how much jam would be involved

The Maybot again warned the EU of Russian attempts to destabilise Europe ignoring the impact of Brexit and the role of Russia in that

Gove and BOJO 🤡 have combined to persuade the Maybot that we do not need regulatory convergence. They were unaware that this is not 1875 and the UK does not set global rules

The US, China and EU are the biggest markets and set the rules

Gove warned of the bad effect of social media on news and decision making but neglected to highlight his view of experts or that he is paid by Murdoch while a cabinet minister

Meanwhile the Times and Telegraph carried articles by the Legatum Institute saying we should not scrutinise Legatum but should agree with its Brexit proposals

the links between Legatum and Vote Leave are unclear but I guess we should trust a distaster capitalist funded organisation

and ignore the impact it may have had on elections and Government policy. After all the will of the people and all that

oh and to wrap up Liam Fox had another go at UK business for not exporting enough and moaning how it does not matter how many deals he does if the lazy fucks are lazy fucks

He ignored that the UK is now the 6th largest economy, exports to the EU had been growing and the EU did not stop UK business trading globally

Final thought for the weekend - if we wanted control of our borders why is the Maybot adamant there will be no hard border with the UK's only land border with the EU

Thursday 23rd November 2017

Independance Day (USA)

54th Anniversary of the assassination of JFK

54th birthday of Dr. Who

54th birthday of Jools Jelltex. (UK)

As is the case on such a day, Jools gets up with the alarm and I sleep on. And on until I can smell the coffee brewing, and so that brings me to the land of the living.

"Happy Birthday" I shout. Thanks, Jools calls back.

I come down, we buy each other no cards or presents, I mean we have all we need. Time is already slipping by and she goes up for a shower and to get ready for work, while I drink coffee and check on the world, and its no surprise to find its still going to hell in a handcart.

Jools leaves, and I put the bins out before starting work at twenty past seven, in case I missed something important the evening before when the laptop was updating. No, nothing too pressing, just prepare for the weekly complaining session. Which calls for more coffee.

From the bangers and mash the night before, there was some mash and a single banger left, so before the meeting, I fry both up until both were hot and crispy, and so was in good spirits for the meeting.

And so the day continues, work piling up and me looking at the chaos on Twitter as the Brexiteers try to make sense of reality. It is messy and will get worse. Would be funny too, if it wasn't going to make us all a lot poorer.

At three I go for a walk to clear my nose, an allergy attack had been threatening to build. So over the fields to Fleet House to look at the bright ornage and yellow leaves in the late afternoon sunshine, contrasting against the clear blue sky. It was fabulous, but chilly. I turn for home.

The day passes and soon afternoon comes and the thought that we are going to be going out for dinner, what with it being Jools' birthday and all that. Jools arrives home at half five, or just gone, and then her brother arrives to deliver a card and wine. Must be for Jools as the wine is white. We talk over brews about Tony and the fall out. And of our health, aches and pains. Seems we are all getting older.

He leaves at half six, leaving us with little time to get ready. I forgo the tux and just pull on my fleece over the t shirt; Jools does something similar and we are good to go. The plan had been to wander round the edge of the new St James development and me to take snaps, but we had run out of time and my heart wasn't in it to be honest.

We just drive into town, park up and walk over the street to the restaurant where our table was waiting. I am a creature of habit, so have insalata caprese followed by penne with a spicy sauce. Nothing to complicated, but good proper food, and very good too. Jools has panna cotta and I have a Vin Santo, dipping the biscotti I got with my coffee into it, then sucking the sweet wine from the biscuit.

We have coffee and are done. I pay the bill and we swap thoughts on the future of the town and his business. Dover will become a border town again, maybe with opportunities for entrepreneurs. Or not, who knows.

I drive us home, back up Jubilee Way, where there is time to check on the football scores and world news before it is time for bed.

Brexit means Brexit. As always

Yesterday, it emerged that all British towns and cities that had applied to be the European City of Culture in 2023 we all told their applications were void as Britain was leaving the EU.

This enabled Brexiteers to crawl out of the woodwork to lambast the EU for being petty and tiny minded. But turns out that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport knew this two years ago, and let the towns and cities compete, spend money knowing that, in the PM's words, Brexit means Brexit. Turn out that as long as the country fits on one of the following criteria: EU, EFTA, EEA, joining EU, candidate for joining EU, seeking to be candidate to join EU, they can apply. But leaving the EU, no. Applications were only allowed as it was initially unclear as to what Britain wanted from Brexit.

Still doesn't really, but leaving the EU and the PM ruling out the Single Market and Customs Union, means Britain doesn't fit into any of the boxes.

Still, Brexit means Brexit, eh?

There is a possibility that the EU might accept the £40 billion that May is offering to trigger part 2 of the talks. That is if Ireland doesn't veto that, but let's assume that it is deemed that sufficient progress has been made, them talks can move onto trade. This is not as straightforward as it seems, as at this point, Britain; the PM, the Cabinet, the Government, Parliament and the country as a whole has to decide what it is exactly that is wanted. It is a simple case of trade and control. Put simply, the more you have of one, the less you have of the other. And then when it comes to trade, is it the EU or America that Britain wants to deal with, as their imposition of regulations will make trade with the other much harder.

The big Brexit lie. Or one of the biggest Brexit lies is about EU red tape. The truth is that free trade areas, like the EU, is about the removal of red tape and regulation to smooth trade between member countries as simple, cheap and efficient as possible. Any free trade area will have the same objectives, and it this that most international trade is moving towards. Dreaming and saying that both is possible is a lie, a lie that will be revealed. There is no cake and eating it. As once you eat the cake, it is gone.

Reality is closing in, the EU cares more about the Irish border issue that Westminister, that sees no problem in imposing a fudge on a divided country, when NI voted to remain. Ireland will be the issue that makes or breaks Brexit, and there is no easy solution. Earlier today, a Downing Street spokesperson seemed to suggest that NI staying in the SM a possibility, that did not last an hour until it issued a clarification.

What there is no doubt about, is that if no solution is found, a hard border will be imposed on Ireland at 23:00 on 29th March 2019. And at the moment, that looks the most likely outcome, with whatever effect that might have on NI and the Republic.