Soft Target

Recently we decided to visit the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth. Looked up train times on the Network Rail web site and agreed that because its impossible to find a parking space at either Horsham or Christ's Hospital station, after 9.30am, to drive to Billingshurst station - should be easier to park. Wrong - no spaces there either. So after a mad chase round we eventually found some parking in the driveway of a friend.

The train arrived on time but such are the engineering works on the line we expected to change at Bognor - well that's what Network Rail web site said. Wrong. The guard told us to change at Barnham. At Barnham the connection was thirty minutes late - so late than when we arrived at Fratton Station Portsmouth the train was terminated, because it was so late. "Station staff will advise passengers about connecting services" wrong, they had no idea at all.

Eventually we arrived at Portsmouth Harbour station one hour and fifteen minutes late - but what the heck, its a day out. Decided to have a meal at Strada before going up the Tower. After the meal we went to book tickets to the Tower but were told the the lifts were not working. However the ticket prices were being reduced to three pounds per adult to compensate. Great.

We eventually arrived back home about 7.30pm and it occurred to us that the meal was possibly the best part of the day and the flower baskets on all the stations. Perhaps we should have stayed at home and gone to the the Strada in Horsham.

Some twenty to thirty "travellers" families arrived in Horsham a few weeks ago. They broke into Warnham Nature Reserve and a farm field, causing damage. After court action and police involvement they all left a few weeks later leaving behind, in the field, their waste as shown above. Now if I had broken into a field and created an unauthorised access on to a busy main road or for that matter dropped some litter in the Carfax I could imagine the Local Authority and or Police coming down on me like a tonne of bricks.

There was subsequently a similar situation with travellers in Broadbridge Heath. Given the trespass and damage caused by these people surely there should be a more "locality friendly" means to deal with their abuses and disregard for the site on which they camp.

Given that it takes time through the legal process for either the Police or LA to put themselves in a position to evict could there not be some form of intervening measure that enables the authorities to impound some of the travellers vehicles as a form of "bail bond" to cover the reinstatement costs of land etc. When the eviction notice is served and enforced either an amount is paid by the travellers to cover reinstatement or the vehicles are sold to cover the costs. Currently the travellers arrive every year and just stick two fingers up.

Alternatively, perhaps we must accept that the law is aimed to control the soft targets of society, like those of us who pay our rates and taxes, and who also try to observe the laws, leaving those who don't give a stuff to go their way unchallenged.

White Trailer Trash

Visited the local petrol station this morning to pick up a paper. Parked the car at the back, got out, and there in front of me, by the refuse bins, somebody had left a divan and two mattresses. See photo.

OK fly tipping goes on, but this garage, which is at the south end of the Horsham by-pass, is only one hundred yards from the amenity tip entrance. Can only imagine that the person/s responsible is/are not of this world, is/are white trailer trash and on benefit and possibly - well more likely -obese. Par for the course.

Gordon Brown, has according to the papers today, given us hope of a bright new tomorrow intent upon " building a lasting prosperity by releasing untapped potential" Unable to think when my potential was last tapped. Also the UK "will emerge from the global slowdown stronger and better, both as a country and a government"

Yeah, great Gordon, but will the people emerge stronger and better? What is this guy smoking?

Still Waiting for the Good News

Horsham Post Office still limps from bad to worse and the impression that nobody actually cares gets stronger and stronger. Yesterday, twenty three people were hanging about hoping to be served by one of four counter staff. If that was not bad enough the large post box at the entrance to the office was full to the brim. I did not mention this to any of the staff, as previous, when I had, I was told that the staff were aware of it One hour later the post box was even fuller. I presume that the Post Office do have a duty of care as regards the safety of mail but perhaps that's been overlooked. Frankly, why buy a first class stamp for a second class service.

Yet another smile passed across my face when I read in the County Times of the latest Financial Recovery Plan (FRP) being promoted by Surrey and Sussex Hospital. And how many plans is that? Must be at least five FRPs that have failed - all have come with the usually high and unrealised expectations from Board and management.

So whats new this time? Well, this FRP is bound of course to be better (not my words) - meet the care challenges, improve services, better financial footing - repaid in three years yeah yeah yeah. But the reality is this. The DoH has given the trust a loan of £54m. However to ensure that this loan is paid back in three years the NHS has given the trust £34m. So, if I have understood this correctly, one part of the NHS borrows money from another part of the organisation to repay the part of the organisation that funds both of them. NHS - "Fit for Purpose" doubt it - join the Home Office. More smoke and mirrors

The start of any political decline comes with what I term the "Pinocchio Moment" Gordon Brown has reached that moment. A moment when more and more lies leads to a longer and longer nose. "I will listen, I will learn I will focus I understand your difficulties" bit late for that Gordon.

The Fundamentals .....

The fundamentals are right. Well that's good then.

According to Gordon Brown low interest rates and strong employment plus sustained growth puts us in a position to deal with the problems of the global credit crunch and other issues. Excellent. I presume that food and fuel inflation is something that we have to take on the chin and is something to be thankful for. Surprisingly bread is not included in the inflation calculations. Meanwhile GB strides on to the world stage and gifts £100m to provide mosquito nets. Not having heard anything of his previous world impacting project - dealing with food shortages in Africa - I assume that it did not go that well - certainly not well enough to boast about.

Just fancy, the price of bread not being in the inflation calculations - could this be a day to bury bad news.

Unfortunately, nobody in Government seems to appreciate that there is a need to tackle the real day to day fundamentals. For example. Thanks to Quango bureauprats, a mother, needing a kidney transplant, was refused the kidney of her recently deceased daughter. even though the daughter was, before her death, willing to help her mother. Yet upon her death her wishes counted for nothing. Well done the Human Tissue Authority. Sounds like a Quango acts like a Quango and makes stupid decisions, therefore it must be a Quango.

There is more. Whilst the Royal Navy does not enjoy the resources of previous years and Queens Regulations may well have to be amended to cover iPods it now transpires that pirates are people to be nurtured. It seems that a directive has been issued by the Foreign Office to all warships that pirates - they hijack vessels, then either ransom or murder the crew -should not be detained. There are two reasons for this (a)detained pirates could claim asylum in the UK and (b)their human rights might be breached in the event that they were, say, sent back to an Islamic state where they would face Islamic law. Beheading, that sort of thing. Seems fair to me.

And now, to the laugh of the weekend. It appears that a Mr.Leventhal, wanting to impress his new girlfriend, it was her birthday, thought that it might be novel to celebrate the event at the champagne bar at St. Pancras station. Fine so far. Given that St Pancras had been promoted as the ideal meeting place for lovers he had the idea of a birthday cake, a small fairy cake, with a single candle. This request was e-mailed to the catering people at the station whereupon a total overload of officialdom broke out. Mr.Leventhal was informed that a full risk assessment needed to be undertaken, but, horror of horrors, a decision could not be undertaken until the Risk Assessment Manger had returned from holiday - which turned out a bit too late as far as the birthday surprise was concerned. Well done St.Pancras. At the height of the steam age there would have been small fires everywhere in and around the station and nobody would have been concerned. How times change.

Sometimes it makes you feel that the fundamentals of Westminster are not the same as for the 60m people living in this country. Brown is shortly off to the United States - leadership what leadership - I fancy lots of us would like to escape as well.

Education education education

It seems from the papers yesterday that the Government is about to rationalise some of its funded vocational diploma courses - BTEC , NVQs, City and Guilds, that sort of thing. Believe it or not there are over 6500 courses of which 65% are attended by less than one hundred people a year. Sounds like a shed load of wasted money.

These courses include such, employment enhancing learning opportunities as "Cash and valuables transit" "Cake decoration" - how on earth could my mother have learnt her skills without such a course - and "Parking Control" I presume the latter leads to a Masters in "Wheel Clamping" and ultimately a doctorate in "Management of Fixed Multi Priced Penalty Parking in the UK"

As usual with Government ideas, the essential review/implementation will not be speedy and is unlikely to take place before 2013. This rationalisation of courses will go hand in hand, with the establishment of a new organisation which will carry the name, the Joint Advisory Committee on Qualification Awards. Supposedly this organisation will do the same job as NICE does for medicine. Very comforting.

If the above reorganisation were not enough, the weekend papers highlighted the actions of a school in Cornwall ,which was promoting an activity week (in term time) and included such educationally mind stretching and child developing subjects as - no lie - shopping, snooker and video games. To be fair, and for £250, there was also a school camp for those that could afford it.

If education is so important why does it seem that it actually does not count. Why are the basics overlooked for the easy bling options. Why is it that some inconsequential certificate, in say nail painting, can be regarded as the equivalent of three GCEs or whatever they are called now.

My last experience of skill based education was about five years ago when I undertook a plumbing NVQ. Of the forty people on the course twenty four were between 16 and 20. This group formed their own class but it was found that 80% of them had to undertake additional study in English and Maths to reach a level to enable them to continue the plumbing course and understand the required theory work. Most of this 80% were straight from school. Having left school in August they were not thought to be up to the required standard come September.

With a third of children supposedly spending over three hours a day playing computer games, and many others dealing with obesity, allied in London, to others causing a major threat to safety - quote Sir Ian Blair- it is not difficult to presume that not many children are actually receiving an education at all. Ok I accept that perhaps its not that bad but when one includes the tactics of the NUT it is a wonder that children receive any form of education at all, particularly if as it seems, some parents dont give a toss.

Three pests have returned to the garden. The deer - mentioned previously, squirrels and magpies. The squirrels have destroyed a bird feeder and the remaining tulips are not looking too bright either.

Have just sown a five rows of potatoes so I must remember to ring Tescos when the crop is ready to harvest.

Is it me?

So, having made our wills about ten years ago, and given the various legislative changes since, my wife and I decided that it was time for the family solicitors to undertake a review.

Two interesting things have come to light - both rather laughable. First, that much heralded NuLab IHT change - where personal allowances can be transferred- has yet to be enacted. Still. Strange, that when the Government seeks to enhance its income its done overnight - like fags and booze -yet when some benefit is set to accrues to the ordinary voter implementation is delayed. What about the proposed new legislation to improve protection for savers deposits.

Why am I not surprised - dismayed but not surprised.

Secondly - and this prompts a mixture from me of tears and laughter - on speaking with our solicitors to fix an appointment to talk about our wills I was told by Debbie the secretary that we must (not should) bring with us our passports as means of identification. Me "But you have known us for twenty years" Debbie "Sorry but that's the law now" I thought that was it but no. Debbie then went to to say "and one other thing would you please bring with you a utility bill to establish your address"

Whilst I recognise that some rules need to be in place to establish identities, surely there must be some allowance for common sense to be exercised otherwise we will march further and further into " PC la la land". Frankly it appears that laws are made and enforced on the soft targets of society, yet other issues, like losing data, pre-releasing prisoners, no control on our borders, eaningless initiatives and pointless reviews, go by mainly unchallenged.

To more important things, like whats been going on in Horsham. Well, my weekly survey of the performance of the main post office has thrown up the following - with twenty seven people waiting there were three counters open (Monday) later in the week there were twenty one people waiting with two people serving. Not actually getting any better. This week the Post Office Pension Fund Trustees are to meet to discuss a pension shortfall of £3.2b - against projected future out turns (profits) of say £50m - good luck. My solution - get rid of the rubbish stock, provide a better service aimed at the customer and perhaps maybe, performance and profitability would improve.

It also seems that HDC have ideas about the future of the Town Hall. Yes its likely to be a restaurant - lets hope its not yet another pizza parlour.

In and around the garden our robin is still trying to become a blue tit but has yet to achieve a wing flap rate that enables him to hold his position on the bird feeder. The deer have once more nibbled the tulips -well gulped them actually -but at least the cherry blossom is starting to appear.

Wish I could get these photos the right way up.

Horizon Scaning and others.....

God help us.

It seems that "Horizon Scanning" is the newest political buzz word of NuLabour. Its a sort of "make the public think we might be doing something, even if we are not, but we would not know what to do anyway, and whats more, we don't have any money." Yes, there are risks out there, whether political, economic, social, but frankly, I don't have the feeling that Government would/could protect me from them anyway. Moreover, its the Government that have set these risks running in the first place.

So with the birth of Horizon Scanning what other great and profound rhetoric has failed in the past. Well there was "Blue Sky Thinking" Has anybody recorded any NuLab BST that has achieved anything. What about "Partnership" and "Dialogue" and the all time classic "Consultation" All the former represent political failings - words can never take the place of action - but perhaps the greatest bureaucratic failing, although politically supported, is that all embracing cop out "multi agency working" The only thing multi agency working achieves is to provide the participants with no responsibility, time out of the office and lots of mileage claims. "Not me Guv" and "I was on holiday" spring to mind.

Anyway back to today. So, according to Gordon and Darling the fundamentals are fine, the economy is fine, inflation is fine, Iraq is fine, schools are fine, the NHS is fine, parliamentary expenses are fine et al. its all fine in Westminster. Its the rest of the country that's got it wrong. Fuel prices up, food prices up, HDC council taxes up.

Time for a little rant. So the MoD is getting hot under the collar about Coroners Reports into the death of UK soldiers - minded to gag publication of evidence, gagging the Coroners verdict. Seems that the truth can be suppressed but what about the Blair WMD document - OK you can report lies but not the truth. And another thing. With seven children by five partners do you (a)obtain financial support from your partners or (b)claim off the state. Answers in no more than ten words. Presume "Horizon Scanning" will be picking up all these potential abuses of the public purse and righting wrongs. I can only hold my breath for thirty seconds.

So what is Francis Maude up to -perhaps silence would be good. Is it time to take the peerage Francis? Conservatism should be for smaller government, efficiency in public services, no government ego trips - like the Dome, Iraq and the Olympics, less waste, greater openness, and then, ultimately tax cuts. Conservative MPs should be hounding NuLab given its ineptness and not leave it to the daily papers. Francis has had a good run but seems to have forgotten that the basics of conservatisum is about smaller government, reducing taxes and giving people the choice how to spend their money. Could it be time Francis to spend more time with the family?

So whose idea was it to have Easter in March. There are 60million people in the UK and we all deserve better than allow some old cleric or rule to dictate when Easter is. OK its an important religious festival but its also a holiday. Should we leave it to a few elders of the CoE to decide or some 1928 enactment. Is this the 21st Century or what.

On a more important note the daffs have been good this year but the snow drops have been unsurpassed

Job for the (Scottish) Boys

I am not an early riser as many of my friends will attest. However I do try and ensure, whenever possible, that I am up and about for at least the last hour of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4.

Towards the end of last week, when the programme was dealing with such issues as, Northern Rock, political expenses and the actions of Mr.Speaker it dawned on me that all the Government ministers appearing on Today were Scottish - certainly by tone of voice. It was either Duncan McHighands or Ewan Lochness or Stuart MacSky- surely there must be one or two Labour ministers that come from say Yorkshire or Dorset or London who can waffle on in our own language about "being concerned" and " taking this very seriously" or "not being complacent" and the all time classic "I have made it clear"

However, for me, the pinnacle of political weasel words are "lessons will be learnt" How many times have we been told this, and yet subsequently, we have no idea, whether anything has actually been learnt. Roughly translated, I suspect that the expression means that a minister wants to give the impression that something will be done, but doubts that the task will be completed or that there is any money available to complete it. Certainly, its most unlikely that he/she will be in post if or when the truth comes out.

Why do we put up with it? Why is it that Governments become inept over time. I have been reading for the second time - its that good -"The Rules of the Game" by Andrew Gordon - which is a superb account and analysis of the Royal Navy leading up to, and following, the Battle of Jutland in 1916. After the engagement there was much recrimination, both political and within the Royal Navy, which in many respects suggests certain similarities to that going on now as regards Iraq and Afghanistan - questions about resources, leadership, strategy and political will/or will not. We never seem to learn. Whilst Jutland is not in the same league as say Iraq the shortcomings are much the same. Supposedly we should learn from history.

Furthermore, one of the major differences between now and say 1916 is that we no longer have, in resource terms, the materials and financial strength of the Colonies/Commonwealth to fall back on. It is, therefore, even more irritating to be told, constantly, by our Prime Minister and other members of Government, that there are "difficult decisions to be made" - this essentially can be translated into -there is not enough money to go round. Perhaps the answer is not to look at war as a political ego trip but use the money instead for more deserving and constructive purposes at home.

Returning to the Today programme, I have a lot of time for John Humphrys and got to thinking that he certainly would by one of the people I would like to meet over dinner. Any others? Well - Andrew Robson or Omar Sharif representing my bridge interests - Christopher Martin Jenkins or Ritchie Benaud, my cricket interests - Simon Barnes the Times Nature Correspondent -Iain Dale political blogger - and finally Matthew Parris.

As for the venue. Somewhere warm. Just East of Cape St.Vincent is a lovely fishing village (possible small town by now) called Sagres, where overlooking the harbour, is a restaurant that serves fresh caught lobster and local white wine. Simple but good.

Mind you, getting there from Faro airport might be a pain.

Apple Cake and Scones

Quite a busy few days. Eldest son returned from Amsterdam to top and tail a photo shot he has been involved with for the last three months or so. Allied to which, and having not seen his younger brother for some months, the latter and his wife and our grandson visited Saturday afternoon, to catch up on things.

With the prospects of a family tea Helen decided to make a lemon drizzle cake. We had enjoyed a slice of the same at Waterstones in Horsham earlier in the week, and so, helped by the download of a recipe from BBC Food, a lemon drizzle cake was made. Just one thing. The recipe came with a suggested cooking time of one hour and forty five minutes. Wrong. It should read forty five minutes. Fortunately, after about forty minutes, Helen felt that the cake had cooked enough, and it had - so it was rescued just in time.

Our grandson, who is just eleven months old, is now armed with eight teeth - four top and bottom. He giggles and laughs a lot and seems interested in everything going on around him. He has also developed, over the last month, quite a fast crawl which I suspect, by the time we next see him, will have progressed into a "stand up and balance" - before falling back down again and crawling away.

One of the projects we have in mind to do, is build a model train layout - just in case our grandson becomes interested. Well thats my story. So this morning, on a whim, after seeing an advert in the County Times, and to get some ideas, we went to Midhurst to visit the Modellers Exhibition. Models of planes,trains ships - you name it they had it. Rather crowded and very smelly.

After no more than an hour we walked back to the car, down the wide Midhurst High Street, which in part can look both rundown yet stylish. Not a place to do serious dress shopping but certainly a place where, as a local, you are likely to bump into people you know and like - comfortable, no pressure shopping.

Before returning to the car we walked across the causeway to the ruins of Cowdray House and quite by surprise we came across the lovely "The Cafe in the Walled Garden" Clean, tranquil and with lovely traditional surroundings and friendly service. We had scones, which came warm, with cream and jam of choice - presented on designer white china. The feel of "The Cafe" for me added to the enjoyment of the food. The apple cake looks good too.

Directly from "The Cafe" you can walk into the walled garden. I understand that the cafe owners have been renovating the garden for the last three years or so and you can see the tremendous amount of work that has been gone in to the design and build of the box hedge borders and plantings. February is not the best time to see the garden but you can still see its potential and the love and care that has gone into it. This is going to be a gem. Just like the apple cake and scones.

History

Rather dull couple of weeks in terms of activities. Bridge has been good, thanks to my partner, additionally I have commenced a garden sort-out - mowers started first time - followed by some borders weeded.

Have watched Brown and Darling doing their thing over Northern Rock - what a shambles. Having been involved at the outset, when the Bank of England took over Johnson Matthey in 1984 - under Bank of England rules - (which amounts almost to being locked in a room with the other clearing banks and told that we could not leave until we had come up with a solution (already shaped by BoE)) the whole NR strategy lacks any form of leadership, understanding or decisiveness. History has taught this Government nothing. Seemingly the Government did not have the courage to take command and for that we will have the NR saga with us for the next six years or so.

If NR had been left to fail there would have been some flak but no risk to £100b of tax payers money. The tax payers are now exposed to a variety of additional costs/expenditure either from trading losses, asset write downs, legal costs, litigation, redundancies and the cost of Government time. Understandably the Government should not be involved in the day to day running of NR but it will and therefore there will be an opportunity cost for that time - ie dealing with the EU or shareholders of NR or the concerns of other high street banks.

We are now where we are. Nevertheless I would like information on four aspects (1) Given that NR is financed short term how is this to be refinanced long term - on competitive basis. (2) who actually is going to want to buy NR after it has been run down (3)Based on general risk and rewards concepts what level of reward should the tax payer expect for risking £100b (4) What is the state of the NR pension fund - is there a deficit. Dont hold your breath.

For years and years bankers operated on the golden rule of matching long term lending with long term deposits - simple really.

Its not just Northern Rock, the UKs problems extend to a trade deficit, falling pound, inflation - fuel, heating, food - data losses, failing local servies. Yet New Labour think its all still fine. Is this denial or are they just living in another world.


When all the dust has settled and Joe Bloggs takes the hit, as we all surely will, our current Government leaders will all find seats in the House of Lords with the words "not me guv, it was the global economy etc etc."

If we are to learn anything of value from NR and other current issues its possibly that, should another Scot wish to become UK Prime Minister then he/she should first gain experience by running and ruining the Scottish economy.

Haggis and Daisy at Balls Cross

One of the great things about a Senior bus pass is that you can - on local village routes - flag a bus down and get off where you like - well within reason. Certainly on the Horsham, Petworth route the drivers are very understanding.

Well, every other month Mike and I meet up at Balls Cross - its convenient for Mike and its convenient for me because the bus from Horsham stops there. Also, the Ball Cross pub, is, in its own way, provides, good food and lots of character - all the things that a local pub should be.

Well, today, I got it wrong. Quiet, it was not. Well, perhaps not so much lacking in quiet but more lacking in appreciation as to what a local pub is about. There we were- just the two of us and Daisy- sitting by the bar, near the open fire and at peace with the world when BANG - in came the walkers/ramblers.

I do not have a problem with ramblers, but is it possible that on, say, a ramblers inductions course, they might be instructed in the basic arts of entering a pub. Simple things, like, shutting the door and shutting the door and shutting the door, and not asking for coffee at 1pm. God help us, its a pub after all. So the ramblers have learnt to put Tesco bags on their dirty boots but shutting doors is more important - especially when its cold.

Balls Cross is in the middle of nowhere, yet from nowhere, somebody from my past appeared - Vince - from my Loxwood days. One or two "Hellos and How are yous" - it only takes a few moments to catch up with twenty years happenings.

And all the time Daisy was asleep under the bar stool. Balls Cross is an idyll - somewhere to take, or meet somebody special. As usual Mike and I put the world to rights and left feeling satisfied.

Yes and the haggis was good too. Middle of West Sussex and haggis - what a pub.

The 14.30 bus arrived on time, and I expect, given a fair following wind, we could well meet up again in March. Doubt if the haggis will still be on the menu. Pity.

Worthing Beach

Sometime last week a vessel carrying 3000 tonnes of timber sank in the Channel. A few days later its cargo started to arrive on the beaches of Sussex - Worthing in particular. Although most TV local news stations had covered this item, nothing quite prepared me for seeing the results first hand.

I do not especially like Worthing, but on Tuesday, when I drove down, there was quite a buzz about the place. More visitors, obviously, and interestingly, no longer a smell of the sea, but the smell of timber. Unsually, for the time of year, beach cafes were open and I suspect that the shops have sold out of digital cameras.

I am not very good at distances but I would think that from say Marine Drive to the far east side of Worthing pier is about a mile. Well, this mile was covered with piles of timber - not just small piles. Piles that tower over a person.

Supposedly the clearance will take about three months and things should be back to normal by Easter(ish). Hope so.

What Next

Whilst the local NHS is still in navel gazing mode as to its future delivery structure it seems that village/sub post offices are the next target for modernisation.

Village post offices do a great job, unfortunately that can not be said for the main post office in Horsham. Visited the Horsham post office yesterday afternoon and joined the usual queue - sixteen of us waiting to be served by four counter staff. Not a bad ratio I suppose. But, why is it, that every time a customer is served, it seems, the counter staff then make a dash for the back office before serving another customer? Do they need a fag or sip their tea? Whatever it is, the queue gets longer, and we all waste more time.

Its not just the lack of customer service that is irritating. Why does the post office have to be cluttered with so much merchandising tat? Who wants outdated CDs and the like? Use the space to provide a proper service. Perhaps that is too radical.

Another matter which puts into perspective the total lack of interest or understanding by local post office management concerns the kiosk selling lottery tickets, stamps and tat. Yesterday, I went there to buy some stamps and asked if my letters could be weighed so that I bought the correct stamp, only to be told that the weighing machines were on the main counter and that I should join the queue. Whoever thought that one up deserves a bonus.

And another thing. Posted a letter, first class recorded delivery on 2nd January, since when I have tried to track the item, only to be told by the Royal Mail web site to "try again later" Seems to be a goner.

Its just a thought, perhaps the main post office should be closed, leaving the sub post offices to continue their excellent service. But what to do with an empty building in the middle of Horsham? Well, why not another estate agent, mobile phone shop, charity shop? Better still what about another Italian restaurant? We only have five at the moment.

What next? Well, I expect with all this rain there is bound to be a hosepipe ban.

GSOH

Probably lacked a sense of humour yesterday after the incident of the electric kettle and the Aga. See across the results of the plastic/rubber bottom of the kettle in contact with an Aga hot plate. Anyway, at least we found a sure fire way of getting rid of the burning rubber smell by making rock cakes.

To make amends it looks like a trip to Scott and Sargent's (or whatever its called now) in East Street to find a replacement.

Friday night at HBC went reasonably well thanks to my partner. We are still some way below the much better players but we came in with a score of 46% which I think was quite good considering the company we were keeping and the short time we have been playing.

Friday is also the day when the County Times goes on sale. Not much of interest but it would be helpful to get a feel for what is happening locally as regards yet another NHS reorganisation. Expect we will be subjected to the usual political unjoinedup thinking, plus PCT managers talking about commitment,concerns and feeling passionate about local issues. Yeah Right. In my experience no news is invariably bad news.

Have also read that the West Sussex County Council is throwing its weight against the closure of local post offices. Is that the same "weight" that was used to reduce the number of new homes that West Sussex is expected to deliver? Why do I not feel assured?

Birds

For some reason I have recently developed an interest in birds. Why I have no idea, but they are fascinating to watch and allied to an existing interest in photography the combination is ideal

From one bird feeder, which was usually left in the garage over winter and brought out when I thought about it, we now have three, all of which are in constant use - with me filling them and then the birds emptying them, whereupon the cycle starts again.

I now have a small library of bird books plus CDs of bird calls and songs and although the latter are helpful its still nevertheless going to take some time, to say, differentiate between calls of the blue tit, long-tailed tit, great tit etc etc..

In the garden we have two types of birds,(a)those one hears and does not see that often - like the green woodpecker and (b)the everyday garden birds.

Whilst the garden birds are obviously the most common, our crowd seem to have a certain pecking order. In terms of seniority there is the nuthatch. Stylish, sleek and fast, spitfire like, with a dull RAF blue upper parts. When the nuthatch is around he is allowed unhindered access to the feeders. Similar respect is shown to the spotted woodpecker, but his visits are not so frequent, but it does amaze me, that for a bird of his size, he seems able to attach the feeders and grip them in a similar way to the tits.

The only birds that appear to operate as a twosome are the goldfinches. Their colours are so striking but why so many colours? The tits operate in amiable gangs. I get the impression that they have all been to Tescos, taken a ticket, and then wait amongst the trees for their ticket number to be called before heading for the nearest feeder.

Fortunately we have in and near Horsham two first class venues for bird watchers. Warnham Nature Reserve (WNR) and the RSPB at Pulborough. Both are well worth a visit.

Tip of the Week. Woke this morning and went down stairs to make the tea. In a senior moment I put the electric kettle on the Aga and then went into the garden to chase a squirrel off one of the bird feeders. On returning to the kitchen there was vast amounts of smoke and and a rubbery smell coming from the Aga. Helen took it all very well. TIP whilst opening windows helps to eliminate nasty smells in the kitchen the effect of baking rock cakes is better.

It still Rankles

Off to Bucks Green village hall this morning for the monthly meeting of NADFAS. Speaker Douglas Skeggs - the talk "Peter the Great" Quite riveting particularly when its easy to slip into the idea that history starts and ends with England The NADFAS speaking "season" runs from October through to July and provide a comprehensive lecture programme on art and related topics. The speaker today was one of the best.

There was an item on BBC Radio 4 Today programme just before Christmas that still rankles with me. It seems that the whisky producers of Scotland have become concerned that other countries throughout the world are producing whisky and calling it "scotch". I can understand them being peeved. However, and according to the spokesperson for the the Scottish Whisky Producers Association, the way round the problem is for detailed protective legislation to be passed through Westminster, and this is what will happen. Frankly I am not against protection being sought, but why Westminster? What is the Scottish Parliament for?

Lewes would not be the same without Bills.

Rain and wind have gone. Sun at last this morning. Eldest son returned from Amsterdam a few days ago and was this morning getting his things together before going to Bray to complete a photo shoot which has been going on longer than he would have wished. There is usually something obscure that he needs, invariably at the last moment, and this time it was an adaptor to convert European electric plugs to UK format.

Yesterday evening at HBC turned out reasonably well - thanks to my patient partner. One or two mistakes which cost us the chance of a top position. However we finished third and earned some points. Onwards and upwards. Still its a little galling that the odd lapse cost us two places.

Despite the sun this morning I had no motivation to get into the garden and sort out the rockery. Its a rockery that was designed/built in about 1985 - long before we arrived - and looks it. If I had any gardening courage I would get a digger in and level the area but the thought of the mess that would be generated puts me off.

On a whim Helen and I decided to go to Bills in Lewes. First went to Bills last summer. Its a lovely mix of Italian Mama and Papa New York deli , plus a hint of Partridges from the Kings Road, softened by being situated in a quiet market town, by the river and across the road from Harveys brewery. Vegetables and fruit piled high in baskets. You eat on long wooden communal tables - almost club like - which when we arrived were filled with office workers, visitors, students and recovering shoppers. I had -scrambled eggs, smoked salmon and a glass of wine followed by a coffee - just watching the world go by. Bills just has that happy buzz. Comfortable style, good simply food, colour and young staff who could not be more helpful.

Here Goes

Usually, at the start of a new year I do two things, sort out the domestic filing, and join an evening class. So far, the filing has been reduced and, as in previous years, I suspect that come February something will crop up that makes me wish that I had not been so dramatic with the shredder.


As for evening classes, there does not appear to be much time, given that I started playing duplicate bridge at Horsham Bridge Club (HBC) after completing a basic bridge course in 2006. Additionally a small group of us meet locally and play once a week in the mornings.


Well, with the filing done and no need to join an evening classes there was nevertheless an urge to do something, but what? Ideally something that did not involve going out in the evenings but would present a challenge and develop a new interest; perhaps also provide an opportunity to vent my spleen ,which as I get older, seems to require more and more venting. After seeing Gordon Brown on the Andrew Marr show on Sunday last I am not sure I am more angry with: Gordon Brown for not answering any of the questions or Andrew Marr for letting GB off the hook.


I suppose at some stage all blogs have to provide a little background on who is behind them. Here goes - am the wrong side of 65, married with three grown up children, one daughter-in-law and one grandson. Interests range from bridge, tennis, sailing, photography, reading, gardening - all the usual things. However, the older I get the more interest I take in politics. Or should it be, the more frustrated I become with politicians - national and local.


That's possibly enough for a start. Forgive any howlers as it will take me a little while to sort things out. As its Tuesday its bridge at Horsham Bridge Club so I must get ready. Will update the site tomorrow with the result.