Up early on a Tuesday morning, waiting for the BT man to come and “improve” our internet connection. Estimated arrival rime: between 8.00 and 13.00! Quite a wide margin then.
One benefit of this is that Phil tidied up the area under the big desk in the study, where the cable comes through the wall, and where there has been a jumble of wires and extension leads and goodness only knows what else for as long as I can remember. He began this yesterday while I was out to lunch and continued while I has my zoom Italian conversation class.
Suddenly, in the middle of the class, my screen froze. My connection was gone. I tried to rejoin. The little symbol swirled and swirled - waiting! I went to investigate. It transpired that Phil had unplugged something and disconnected us! Eventually I was reconnected. All was well.
So today I am up early waiting for the BT man. I’ve cut back the rose bush that grows its tangle around the point where the cable goes through the wall. This is the place where last year Phil inadvertently cut the cable while clearing the rose bush out of the way. This after having warned me many times to be careful not to do just that. Now he entrusts the secateurs to me - if anyone is to cut the cable it will be me!
So far I have not done so.
I have, however, pulled up a small forest of sycamore seedlings. In the garden of the pub next door stands a huge ild sycamore. Last year it’s helicopter seed pods fell all over our side garden. This time they overshot the side garden and landed in the front garden where they were less obvious, hiding among taller flowering plants. It was not until they germinated that their presence was obvious. For weeks I have been pulling up approximately 6 inch high seedlings. Every day a couple more appear. I really cannot have sycamore trees growing outside the study window!
The good friend whose birthday we celebrated yesterday and I talked, among other things, about racism, in particular in France. It seems there is a singer, a black singer, Aya Nakamura, apparently the best known French singer in the world at present. Unlike many popular French singer she sings in French rather than in English. Emanuel Macron wants her to sing Piaf songs during the opening ceremony to the Olympics in Paris. Far right groups have opposed the plan, saying that she is “not French enough”. Presumably this means “not white enough”, or indeed, just not white! What happened to liberty, equality and all that stuff?
A Conservative MP, Dr Dan Poulter, has defected to the Labour Party, in protest about the Conservative treatment of the NHS. A noble reason, no doubt! I wonder what his constituents feel about that! Keir Starmer is very pleased, I understand, and welcomes him with open arms. Here’s a comment from a certain Dr Rob Galloway:
“Dan Poulter was an ex junior dr of mine and literally brought in every policy that has destroyed the NHS.
He is joining the Labour Party so that post election he can be a medical adviser to the next Labour government.
It worries me what advice he will give.
Keir Starmer, if you want a passionately pro NHS doctor I’d be happy to advise.
I’ve also spent my career trying to help the NHS not destroy it.”
There you go!
Life goes on. Stay and well, everyone!
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