Okay, I did not think that Jeremy Corbyn was the best Labour leader. He, the party and the nation were let down by too many who supported him but did not listen to his call for Kinder Gentler Politics.
One of the many good things that he did was to use human examples when it came to Prime Minister’s Questions. Today, Keir Starmer asked questions about Matt Hancock. Basically I follow social distancing at work and I have to complete declarations of interest forms. I have not worked on an issue with Carpal Tunnel treatment services as a colleague in my other job provides them, unlike Gina Coladangelo, hired to a post paid by the tax payer where he had to scrutinise him.
The Prime Minister refused to answer them, even the one about Ollie Bibby. Working in healthcare, I understand why the hospital followed the rules it did. But the family and hospital obeyed them. Matt Hancock did not, and initially, this was deemed resolved by the Prime Minister who later took credit for the resignation of the man he said did not need to.
We will find out if the mantra of answering difficult questions by talking about the vaccine roll out works in the Batley and Spen by-election tomorrow.
I never thought I would be happy beating Germany as I was in 2001 when we beat them by five goals to one. Initially when it came to this tie, thought that we were doomed, but then I remembered to believe.
Of course, I am concerned about the next tie, especially as favourites in matches have lost so many games, but we have yet to concede a goal and our strike force may be back on form.
The call in the USA by many is for assault weapons to be banned. Those who are against it cite the second amendment to the US constitution which allows the right to bear arms. But this was made in a time when a well trained person would take almost a minute to shoot three times.
I have discussed this with my wife, and she is of the view that nothing will change in the USA. And to be fair, she may be right. Despite the murder of many young children in Sandy Hook, assault weapons are still legal, and this is probably due to the campaign contributions made by organisations like the NRA to protect the right of Americans to have assault rifles, though this has meant the continued murder of children in schools. Something that does not happen anywhere near as often outside the USA.
There is an argument for firearms to be used to defend schools in the USA, but they forget how Scot Peterson was the "Good Guy with a Gun" at the Parkland mass shooting affecting the Stoneman Douglas High School.
Others point to mental health being an issue, not guns, but we have mental health issues in the UK and other nations without mass shootings. Also the party in the US associated with fighting against Gun Controls, has also worked to limit access to healthcare.
Yesterday my wife started to paint our new garden structure. The children and I helped, but I had got back very late from work on Friday night so needed to get some sleep especially as we were to meet with Isobel and Tony for a meal inside a restaurant.
Yes, COVID numbers are increasing, and one of our members of staff has caught it despite being double vaccinated, but it was nice to meet face to face. At the moment, I consider the nation in a window where things may get worse but we can still meet in relative safety until then. So meeting up was great and much appreciated. It was great to see them, and we plan on trips out to see others, but have yet to make those plans!
My wife today continued to pain our new outhouse while I was working from home. Later, I finished watching this film, 2021 War of the Worlds, known abroad as Alien Conquest. It was awful. Without doubt, the worst film that I have watched this year, this including Left Behind, which I had watched earlier in the year. A good thing about this film was that it had appropriate music to accompany the film, but that did not make for a terrible plot and awful acting. The other good thing about the film is that it makes you appreciate other films and the talent that others have when it comes to acting and writing scripts.
There are arguments that Matt Hancock does not need to resign over his affair with Gina Coladangelo. His actions were a betrayal of the trust his wife placed in him, but his affair is a personal matter.
My wife and I escaped for a day to shop. Normally, this would be my idea of hell, but we have had so little time together alone, that this was paradise. My daughter had gone for a sleep over at a friends yesterday so my son had to look after Leia. It was an uneventful drive there, other than a fire on the opposite carriageway on the M40, though this had all been sorted out for our relaxing drive back.
It was strange to shop and I actually found it hard to be in the fresh air with my mask on as when in the village, shoppers are asked to wear masks (though not everyone did once they got through the entrance).
I actually would love to return with my wife again, so long as it was just the two of us.
The leader of the opposition has taken the Prime Minister to task. He has asked questions about why the UK has such high rates of the Delta variant of COVID-19, but the Prime Minister has refused to answer that.
Freedom day has been delayed. I understand the frustration of employers who were to have opened and now have had to change things as those who they employ, not counting how people have had issues with mental health due to all this. But I think that this is the right decision.
A lot of people have talked about deaths being the reason, but due to the ages being affected by COVID now, it is more about stopping the NHS being overwhelmed with patients requiring oxygen rather than people dying. Yes, there will be deaths, but I suspect that there will be a greater proportion of those in hospital needing oxygen as this is affecting younger people than before who have not been vaccinated, or have just had the one vaccine dose.
Our local hospital over winter was so affected that they were only doing emergency operations at one point, and then stopped doing those, only doing life or death operations instead. The children's ward had adults on oxygen on it, and radiology and staff were being redeployed to look after those on oxygen. If we do not flatten the curve, we risk this being an issue again, and that means longer waiting lists for "routine" issues such as hip replacements, gall bladder operations and the like.
Saying that, it may be that the government are being too hasty for this, but I would prefer a cautious approach rather than a careless one. After all, if the government had placed India on the red list at the same time that Pakistan was placed on it, we would have less cases of the Delta variant circulating and we would have been able to have Freedom Day on the 21st as planned!
Last of all, a reminder;
1 - COVID kills. I have treated people who survived as well as too many who died. A nursing home I am involved in looking after has yet to become full again after COVID killed many of the residents there last year.
Today, my wife and I went back to Mersea to see my brother. Although my children loved meeting my brother yesterday we left them at home as my daughter had to revise and my son needed to look after Leia (David's dog did try to breed with her on Friday).
It was a relaxing lunch, my brother is certainly different when my mother is not about. The sun was amazing and I played a bit with David's dog when he tried to eat my toes. He certainly is heavy and has a lot of momentum when he bounds into you!
Saw my brother today. The older of my two. He had come down from Manchester with a long time friend of ours (and his) and we ate outside in the garden of the cottage they hired. It was good for the kids to see them and Leia got to meet David’s dog.
The problem is that every historical figure will have a shady past. If we cancel one, where is the line drawn where another is not cancelled. An example of this is Gandhi, a proponent of peaceful protest and the father of India, but viewed by many as racist.
Due to this, I think that it is important that history is taught to have the bad remembered along with the good, and that means not tearing down statues.
The truth is relative, that being that there are two sides to any story. This episode shows that, but also shows how one side can be a deliberately twisted form, designed to ensure that the person telling this comes across as looking good, or at least, not looking bad. In this episode the He Said, She Said tale demonstrates one of the reasons why so many allegations of rape are not taken to court.
On a lighter note, my son and I watched an episode of The Bad Batch afterwards. I do like this series looking at life soon after the Galactic Empire was formed. Also, it was good to catch up with Trace and Rafa Martinez. It will be interesting to see if they are seen more often in the Star Wars Universe.
This was all after our return home from Devon. We left at 0530 in the morning and had a clear run home, my wife and I swapping over our drive so that she and the kids could eat breakfast (I ate some cereal before we left). I miss Devon, but it is great to be home again.
Today I was a taxi service for my wife. Well, in the morning after getting back from a walk with Leia.
Leia went a bit mad on the walk, running around in a field. Being the morning it was full of dew and she ended up soaked. When I got back, that meant that she needed a bath. She is so well behaved, mostly (she does not return) and her behaviour when it comes to baths is so much better than she was on her first night with us.
Afterwards I drove my wife back to South Moulton so that she could collect an urn that I told her not to buy. We were tempted to try to collect the glasswork that she and my son had worked on. But we needed to get to Appledore so that we could have lunch there. We went to The Beaver, next to The Royal George. While I did not like the food, everyone else did. The service was what we expected at The Royal George (which we had intended to return to) and I am sure that we will come back when we return to Devon.
Anyway, the roof rack is packed. Time for an early rise tomorrow morning to get back home.
On my morning walk, Leia and I found a hedgehog. It tried to hide by scrabbling into the side of the road, but to no avail. Leia though was very happy to meet something new. But once the hedgehog became prickly, she decided that she was not interested anymore. At least until I stopped recording her!
The photo is from a field where my daughter and I went walking to, this being a field my son and I went to the day before.
As a family we returned to South Molton, but this was after my wife and I had been to Darlington Crystal.
Sadly our holiday is almost over. But we still have tomorrow to enjoy.
Another relaxing day. Today my wife and son went to work some glass. Afterwards, we went to Fremington Quay. This was recommended to us on our first meal out on this holiday, but on getting there, we realised that we had been here before, this being last year, but it was closed.
I did get to go for a walk with my son and Leia, and when in a field, we spooked a pheasant which flew into a tree about twenty metres away. It was then that my son asked it they could fly. We did find a field of flowers and Leia enjoyed running through it.
Later we watched Love, Weddings & Other Disasters. Despite bad acting in places, this turned out to be a good film. I was surprised considering how it started, but it improved and I am glad I watched it.
My daughter stayed at our cottage being ill and revising while my son, wife, Leia and I went to eat in Appledore. It was the best meal by far. The view there is amazing though the service was as good as it was last year and so far has been the worst this holiday.
My morning walk was a visit down the small valley to the stream, Leia taking me up a one in one slope to get back to main path. We did find a new path to explore. Maybe tomorrow...
