The consequences of industry of one kind and another. Prime Ministers’ allowances and replacements. Christmas trees.

 A friend posted this on Facebook:

“Today, in 1966, 116 children & 28 adults died in a primary school in Aberfan, S Wales as a collapsing colliery slag heap caused a massive landslide. The teacher David Beynon was found, braced against his blackboard, with five little children in his arms.”

Two things:-

1. The dedication of teachers. They deserve respect and deserve to be paid properly.
2. Industry making life dangerous. When MPs consider allowing fracking to be resumed they should look at the statistics for earthquakes in areas where fracking has been taking place.  

That’s all … on that topic anyway. (

Liz Truss, not a quitter (?) was Prime Minister for some six weeks. Does that really qualify her for the ex-prime ministers yearly allowance of up to £115,000?

After all she’ll still have the basic salary of an MP (unless we do have a general election and she is voted out). That’s £84,144 + allowances of various kinds. I know you have to take into account the cost of spending time in London but I have heard that the canteen at the House of Commons does very reasonably-priced meals.

However, they hope to have selected a new Prime Minister by the end of next week. Not really a very democratic way of doing things but there it is. I have a query, though: What will happen if none of the potential PMs gets 100 MPs to nominate them as possible PM? Just a thought!

After yesterday’s rain, today is surprisingly bright and mild. I have hung washing out to dry in the garden. The garden is getting full of fallen leaves. We are debating whether to rake them up now or to wait until yet more have fallen. I favour the latter option. All along my running route there are not just leaves but small branches snapped off in yesterday’s inclement weather.  

Another victim of the inclement weather is my little Christmas tree in a pot. I had to stand it upright again this morning. The poor thing is decidedly too bedraggled to come indoor and do service this year, even if we chop off the bits that turned brown in the drought and did not fully regrow. I need to look for an alternative. I came across this idea: 

“Two entrepreneurs started a side hustle renting Christmas trees to reduce the number that end up in landfill, every Jan, they replant your tree back on their farm so you can rent it again next Xmas. When your tree hits 7ft, it’s retired and planted back in its original forest.”

I need a service like that closer to home. However, even 7 feet is a bit tall for me to consider as a sensible option in my living room. 

Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!