Going to York. Some thoughts about balloons and PPE storage!

Yesterday my daughter picked up her eldest offspring up at 9.15 and then came to collect me at 9.30, for once keeping to her planned time-scale, doubly impressive with two small children to bundle into the car before setting off. We were going to visit her second daughter who is studying at the university of York. And so I became story-teller in chief in the back seat with the small people.

Having arrived at the university halls of residence we spent a bit of time catching up with Granddaughter Number Two while the smallest grandson raided her supply of sweets! Yes, she has a drawer full of sweets! So it goes! 

After that we headed into the centre of York. York is a funny, charming place, all picturesque streets and buildings and then suddenly there is an incongruous modern chain shop store like H & M or Claire’s Accessories. Somehow it looks as though it should be full of niche bookshops, vintage stores, places selling crystals and the like … In fact much of it is exactly that, interspersed with cafes and restaurants and, of course, the famous Betty’s Tea Rooms. And of course, there’s the minster and the castle on its little hill and the walls. A very splendidly dressed witch was giving what sounded like a splendid guided tour - we kept crossing her path and catching bits of her spiel. 

Walking around the centre of a very tourist-based city like York is quite different from walking around Manchester, for example. Most people in a big city centre are there principally for the shopping and though they may slow down to do some window shopping, on the whole they move quite purposefully. In a smaller, more totally picturesque place people dawdle more, stopping to look at places, stopping to take photos and generally not noticing that they are either bumping into or impeding the progress of others. 

 

That was exacerbated yesterday by the fact that there was an ice sculpture trail: Roman centurions, the Back to the Future Delorean car, the London skyline. Small crowds built up around each of these, waiting for their turn to take a picture of their small offspring putting a hand on the ice and declaring that it was cold, or in the case of our smallest group member stating in amazement: “It’s solid!”

Then there were the queues at all the eating places. Betty’s Tea Room had a queue that went half way down the street. Pizza places might look as though there would soon be a space but enquiries revealed that if you did not have a reservation there would be an hour’s wait for a table! Once again, just like the last time we went there, we regretted not having got Granddaughter Number Two, who after all lives in York, to book ahead for us. Too late! Pubs serving food were very obviously full. Even street food vendors had queues outside their little cabins! We did find an out of the way pizza place in the end! 

And that’s where Saturday went!

Today is cold and bright! The ponds are not frozen but all the mud puddles have a skin of ice on top. The shed roof is frosted and the grass is white where the sun has not yet struck it. Then weathermen did say the temperature was going to plummet and it is still only February! 

In the USA they are having Chinese balloon problems. I hear that they have shot the supposed surveillance balloon down now. I wonder what they will find when they examine the debris. In the meantime here is Phil’s contribution to the balloon debate:

“President Xi: I want us to up our efforts to spy on the USA.

 

Head of Chinese Armed Forces: How do you want us to do that, Sir? We already have some really great satellites up there.

 

President Xi: Send up a balloon. It’s somehow more Chinese, don’t you think? And besides, they won’t be expecting it.

 

Head of Chinese Armed Forces: A balloon? Really?...

 

President Xi: Yes a balloon. I like balloons. My kids like balloons. Let me remind you that I’m the President. So you better just do as I say. Balloons it is, right?”

And on the subject of governmental oddness, I would like to know why it is that we are now paying £24m a month to store PPE that cost something like £300m and turned out to be unusable. It’s a bit like buying a car, an expensive car, finding it doesn’t work and then paying for it to be kept in a garage. Would you not take it back to the place where you bought it and demand your money back? Just an idea!

Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!