This morning I got myself up a little earlier than usual so I could catch a bus and a tram and a taxi to a dental clinic for the penultimate appointment in the ongoing saga of my dental implant treatment. Like someone choosing paint for his bathroom, the orthodontist consulted a colour chart to find one to match my existing crowns. He gave up and has referred me to partner clinic where the new crown will be made, so that they can do a better colour match. This makes today’s appointment my antepenultimate! All I can say is thank goodness it wasn’t raining.
On my way back I called in at the library, where my attempts to withdraw more books was rejected. Well, of course! I still have an overdue book at home, waiting for Phil to read it. So I renewed that loan and all was well. It’s a good job we no longer pay fines at the library!
The Israel - Palestine business is limping along slowly. According to Haaretz: “Although Trump spoke of an 'enduring peace,' the document signed at the summit did not refer to borders, sovereignty, or any mechanism to ensure violence would not recur. And yet, if the cease-fire and Gaza rehabilitation commitments hold, the summit may mark the beginning of a genuine process.”
It may have a long way to go.
Meanwhile Israel says that one of the four bodies returned yesterday has not been recognised as one of their people. And they are complaining that the other bodies are not being returned quickly enough. It’s very sad for the families concerned. However, I can’t say I’m surprised if Hamas is having difficulty locating some of them, given the amount of bombing and shelling which has reduced building to rubble and rubble to dust, exacerbated by tanks rolling over ruins. Maybe some of them are missing because of that very bombing and shelling! But there have been threats to reduce the number of aid lorries allowed into Gaza, as if the Palestinians were deliberately being awkward!
There may also have been some shots fired!
A ceasefire is a fragile thing and needs careful nurturing. Even the BBC’s Middle East correspondent expresses doubts about its holding. Such a mess!
On the news they also talked about Baroness Mone,described thus by Wikipedia:
“Michelle Georgina Mone, Baroness Mone, is a Scottish businesswoman and life peer. She has set up several businesses, including MJM International Ltd in 1996 and the lingerie company Ultimo along with her then husband Michael Mone. Other ventures include naturopathic 'weight-loss' pills, a fake tan product via Ultimo Beauty, overseas residential development and cryptocurrency. Mone became a Conservative life peer in 2015. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mone's husband's company, PPE Medpro, was awarded £200 million of contracts to provide personal protective equipment by the UK government.”
Well, I fail to see how or why she became a peer in the first place as her various “achievements” seem only to have made her wealthy, not to have contributed significantly to the greater good of society. It’s the last item that says the most though. PPE Medpro never delivered and she and her husband still got the money. Today’s news suggested that some spokesman had said they were looking at ways to pay the money back. We shall see! In the meantime, shouldn’t she be de-peered, de-baronessed, de-bagged or whatever?
So it goes!
More cheerfully, around here we are still benefiting from this year’s apple glut. The chap who lives on Hill End Road, part of our regular walk, is still leaving bags of apples on his wall, for passers-by to take away with them. Free apples! A splendidly neighbourly gesture!
Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!
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