Meeting old friends. Delivery options. GP appointments.

 We’ve been out and about today, meeting a bunch of old friends for lunch. We’ve been doing this now for more years than we care to remember. Always good.

It was rather cold but fortunately it didn’t rain on us. As some of our number came down with coughs and snuffles and were unable to attend we have more or less decided we need to do something extra, not limiting ourselves to a Christmas get together. Late spring and/or early autumn have been suggested. 

We arrived home to find that an item I had ordered online had been delivered … into the black box which stands outside the front door and contains stuff like salt and cinders to sprinkle on the path when it gets frosty. It’s quite a useful box, so long as the parcel being delivered is not too large. Our daughter has on occasion had deliveries made into her actual dustbin, which is fine unless it coincides with a refuse collection. 

Out in the wider world there is his news: 

‘Iceland has become the fifth country to boycott next year’s Eurovision  song contest after Israel was given the go-ahead to compete, deepening the crisis facing the competition.

The board of the national broadcaster, RÚV, voted on Wednesday not to participate, meaning Iceland will join Spain, Slovenia, the Netherlands and Ireland in neither participating in nor broadcasting the event, which is scheduled to take place in Vienna.

Last week the contest’s organising body, the European Broadcasting Union, declined to expel Israel over its conduct of the war against Hamas in Gaza.

RÚV said in a statement that “given the public debate in this country … it is clear that neither joy nor peace will prevail regarding the participation of RÚV in Eurovision. It is therefore the conclusion of RÚV to notify the EBU today that RÚV will not take part in Eurovision next year.”’

Willy nilly the Eurovision Song Contest is becoming a political cause! 

Some time ago I had a bit of a rant about the difficulty of arranging a doctor’s appointment because of the new insistence on online booking. It sounds like a good idea … until it doesn’t work and until AI decides what constitutes an urgent need to see the doctor. Here’s a link to an article on that subject by Simon Hattenstone in the Guardian.

Tried using the new online GP booking system? I have – and it was almost as miserable as my chest infection | Simon Hattenstone | The Guardian

Hey! Ho!

Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!