Curry Leaves

Today was date night, again.  My wife and I have decided that we do need to take more time together, and now the kids are older, we can do this.  Today, we looked at a replacement car for her, as she would like to change to one that makes it easier to travel to Devon on holiday, or elsewhere.  

So after looking at a car and us both having a go driving it, we got home and then went out again. We have been to Curry Leaves before, and on a Wednesday it is a lot more quiet to how it is on the weekend, but we do love the food here.  And I am sure that we will come back again.  I will, so long as I get to return with her.

It Was The 90s!

Last night, my wife and I went out to see some live comedy.  She had booked this a while ago and it certainly was worth it.  We both love live comedy and we are lucky to live in Colchester where we can access this.  Watching it during the time of the pandemic makes me nervous, and we were one of the few to be wearing masks most of the time, a fact mentioned in the show, but it was great.  When we booked, we did not know that Esther Manito was on as well.  I thought that I had seen her before and while she has been on television, I do not think that I have.  Which is a shame as she was brilliant and she is one to follow in the future.  The video will add unneeded context to one part of her show, but it was nice afterwards to understand the context, and even better to watch the excerpt!

As for the main event, she was great as well.  To paraphrase her, the show had material that I had not seen on YouTube.  I have watched her on television and listened to her on the radio, but watching her live was even better!  We were very glad that they came to Colchester and hopefully will get to watch them again if they return in the future. 

The King's Man

Two things, first the film, second lunch with my wife. We watched this last night, a Twitter friend had posted his review describing it as "a lumpy, clunky and over long action flick - heavy on the exposition, light on humour and character. Ifans brings some joy as the dastardly, balletic villain and Fiennes gets another shot at being John Steed."

He is right, though it is an okay film to watch.  I am glad that I did not pay to watch it in the cinema though it had an interesting take on some historical events.  Overall, like many films this was predictable, mostly.  The humour was predictable, though it was well done.  I am glad I watched it, but this is not a film that I would watch again.

The next thing is that we went to another meal at the Three Horseshoes.  We had intended to travel there with the children, but they were not keen on going, so my wife, Leia (our dog) and I went instead.  It was great!  The food was good but it was so relaxing to just be with my wife (and dog) and not have to worry about how the kids were.  I am so glad that they bailed on us!  

Russia is at fault for Venezuela seeking closer ties with it.

First of all, the title of this post is wrong. The US is at fault for Venezuela seeking closer ties with Russia. There are many in Russia and on the left in the UK who are blaming NATO expansion for the war in Ukraine, or at least stating that this provoked Russia and made the situation unstable. They ignore the right of nations to seek to join NATO and also ignore why these nations feel that they need to join it to protect them from Russia.

The USSR broke up in the early 1990’s with the Warsaw Pact becoming democratic before hand. After Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Armenia had declared independence, the August coup was attempted.  Since then, other nations became independent. 

However, since then some nations that have declared independence have had issues with Russian speaking  areas of their countries. Moldova has had issues with Transnistria, Ukraine with Crimea, Luhansk and Donetsk, Azerbaijan has issues with Artsakh and Georgia with both Abkhazia and South Ossetia.  Not all the areas have a Russian majority population, but the support Russia has given to these areas has made nation’s that have a Russian minority in them nervous.

The issues in some of these areas are complicated but some are simple. Personally I feel that areas have the right to seek independence and should be allowed to do so in a democratic manner, this being a truly democratic manner, not held after a two week referendum process with Russian troops ensuring the outcome.  I also think that violently suppressing independence requests is wrong.

Recently, the president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko held a meeting which appeared to show plans for the invasion of Transnistria, or it’s involvement in the special military operation of Russia in Ukraine. 

Considering what has happened, it is understandable that Finland and Sweden are considering joining NATO.  

I think that it is fair to debate matters and while there have been those in the Stop The War group who have backed Putin over Crimea, Blair did as well, though with him, it was to focus on a common enemy.

Cyrano

My wife and I went out for a date last night. I had wanted to watch Cyrano because I loved the Gérard Depardieu version of Cyrano de Bergerac. We were surprised to find out that this is a muscial, but despite that, I think that it was a good film. Sadly though, it did not match up to my memories of what to me is the original version (I have not watched the other versions though). I am glad that I watched it, I loved the adaptation, but I do not think that I would watch it again. It has made me hunger to watch the version that I had watched second (I had watched Roxanne before).

Watching it while Ukraine is being invaded was made more poignant in a scene before a battle.  Watching fiction when in reality people are dying and thinking the same thoughts before heading into battle was surreal.  Also there is the link to it with Gérard Depardieu now being a Russian citizen.  

I do need to try and improve by vocabulary, I am not as eloquent as my wife and watching it with her reminded me how lucky I am to have her in my life.

Well that was an interesting PMQ's. Keir Starmer asked questions about Roman Abramovich which Boris Johnson did not answer and the same happened when Starmer queried why a new register of property ownership would not apply to existing owners for eighteen months. I know that there are many within and outside Labour who do not like Keir Starmer, but one party leader acted like the statesman our nation needs, and it was not Boris Johnson.

Dobble champion

I am the dobble champion of the house! My daughter, to be fair is normally the best at it and I agreed to play a game before I went to work. She caught be dealing her more cards than I had so we dealt everything fairly and my son joined us to play. I was playing for second place and all three of us were suprised when I won! Needless to say, I have no plans to play this again!