Catching up with the New Year

With all that's been going on, I'd almost forgotten about my blog. I've just been so busy with the work I do for Blue Skies and a few other jobs I'm doing for other people. In fact the work I do for Blue Skies is pretty much a full time job - unpaid of course as I am an NHS volunteer - and payment for me is seeing people leaving the group in a better state than when they arrived.

So much has happened since my last post. The weather has figured enormously and much of the country is still under water, especially the west where much of the Somerset Plains are submerged with villages literally cut off. As I type this, I see that Somerset have declared a 'major incident' and with the forecast predicting more heavy rain in the coming days, the situation there can only get worse. It's not good. There was something I was planning to write about, but it's gone completely out of my mind - as many things do. Unless I write things down and remember where I left the book or piece of paper I wrote them on, I forget. It's getting worse. My mind constantly malfunctions. If it were a computer, I would have thrown it out or sought an upgrade ages ago!

A bout of depression over New Year left me feeling there was little point to 2014. It took a long time for me to 'see sense' again and realise there's lots to look forward to. For the first time in over four years, I have a little money coming in. I'm being paid to look after social media accounts and a website for a friend who is trying to launch his business selling cosmetics and health & beauty products. I will also earn a little money spending time with a dear disabled friend of mine and I have my meagre expenses payments each month. I'm grateful to my friends who have all rallied round to help me which has enabled me to keep going with my volunteering work and avoid having to look for a job - a job I would have no hope of getting given my health problems. I'm in a 'good place' at the moment. There's so much going on in my head, I can't get myself adequately organised to formulate a proper post, but this can be seen as a stop-gap until I'm back in blogging mode once more. rest assured, there's plenty to come...

When promotions go wrong

It's always difficult to know what to buy my wife for Christmas, but this year she helped me by dropping hints about a 'Soap & Glory' gift set called the 'Yule Monty'.

Boots were selling it for £60 but 'money-saving expert' Martin Lewis (bless him) had very cleverly let slip on TV that Boots were going to sell it for less than half price the week before Christmas.

Unfortunately, this has spectacularly backfired as Boots are now out of stock and the discounted gift sets have been bought and re-sold on ebay at double their purchase price and more. I really think it's about time we consider outlawing the re-sale of certain goods - especially goods such as these that have been specially discounted. It just goes to show that at a time of giving and good will to all, greed remains as strong as ever.

Our National Health & Smoking

Once again, smoking is in the news and once again it's another attempt by our health gods and our NHS to rid our hospital sites of smoking - specifically ill people smoking. Of course no amount of effort, penalties or wasted signage will stop people from doing it. Most will find a spot away from CCTV cameras and others will simply sit in their cars. It's a battle no one is going to win.
Of course a proactive approach (I know it's novel) could be taken which would certainly provide an incentive for patients to stop smoking, and that's to provide an e-cigarette for the duration of their stay.

I know they work, I use one all the time and having smoked in the past - cigars and cigarettes - I've never looked back. For me it's the ideal solution. I can use it anywhere, it produces no smoke or smell, there's no harmful tar or chemicals, no litter, gives me something to do with my hands (this is why patches don't work), saves me a fortune and it delivers the nicotine I need. That's my solution to this problem.

Doctor Who at 50

I wouldn't consider myself a Whovian, but there was something very special about last night's 50th Anniversary Doctor Who special. I grew up knowing Tom Baker as the Doctor, and it was quite some time before I discovered he was actually the fourth. 

For me, he'll always be the best and it was his surprise appearance which almost reduced me to tears. An amazing piece of British television history, for which all involved should be very proud.

Frazzle

It was a real pleasure to welcome 'Frazzle' to our group today. I must admit 'Frazzle' isn't a name I would associate with such a creature as he's not exactly built for speed. For 'Frazzle' is a tortoise, and rather a large one at that. I'm told by his keeper that he's 20 years old has many more years ahead of him.

His companion 'Gollum' had found somewhere warm to hide... Next week, we're hosts to a snake! No one can accuse Blue Skies of lacking variety...

Nigel Davenport

It's so sad to hear the news that Nigel Davenport has died at the age of 85. For me, he will always be one of our finest British actors and is possible one of the few actors with a face that 'everyone knows' through his many film or TV credits.

I 'grew up' with Howard's Way during the 80's and I'll always remember for him for his role as Sir Edward Frere, a role he was perfectly cast for. Others will have their own recollections.
Yet another actor to join the BAFTA 'those we have lost' roll... very sad.

We'll catch you...

I received a distressed call from my parents last Friday evening. A car had gone through their fence, the third time such a thing has happened. The last time it had happened, the car missed my father by a few inches as he tended his plants in his front garden.

The difference then was that the driver admitted her mistake and apologised. She was insured and details were exchanged. All was good. This time, it was quite different. The driver had stolen the vehicle, crashed it into my parent's house and fled the scene. There was no apology, no exchange of insurance details, just a wrecked fence and garden, and substantial damage to my parent's home. The police were of course very supportive, but there is no help or advice as to what to do next. They're just interested in taking away the evidence and catching the culprit - the victim just has to pick up the pieces, in this case literally.

We have a good description of the driver - early 20's, short ginger hair, slim wearing a blue top and trousers. He was apparently injured and limping. If there was an offence for leaving a vehicle unsecured, then this should apply to the vehicle's owner who idiotically left the keys in the ignition, an open invitation to any passing would be thief.
No doubt the insurance will cover the cost of rebuilding the corner of the house, for having had a structural engineer visit from South Holland Council, this is what we're told is needed. What isn't 'covered' is the shock, distress and damage caused emotionally. My parents are well into their 70's. They don't need this and an incident on this scale is too much for them to cope with.
The mindless idiot who caused this may be laughing now at having caused so much damage and distress, but the police have his finger prints and we have a good description from a witness. It's just a matter of time before you are caught, and you will be.
Yet again, we have another example of just how lawless this county of Lincolnshire is - particularly where driving and road safety is concerned. This isn't an isolated incident - it happens all too frequently. How long before someone is killed...?

UPDATE
This did finally reach the attention of our local newspaper the Spalding Guardian.
The article can be viewed here: http://www.spaldingtoday.co.uk/news/latest-news/terrific-bang-as-car-hit-our-house-1-5702001