Day five in Greece and our adventure at home

This morning was sad as it was our last morning in Greece, for now anyway. After our breakfast we headed to the airport and then the flight home. This all was uneventful, but things were to change.

My daughter and my mother appeared to have an argument about Leia. I am not certain what the full details are, but it relates to my mother taking her off the lead in a public place despite being told not to do so. Things escalated and I had to take my mother home today, rather than tomorrow which is what I had planned. I am back now, but I am shattered, this despite napping on the way back up (the drive was risky as I started to doze off twice on the drive). Fortunately I can unwind tomorrow, hopefully.

Also, I will need to check that my daughter and my mother can repair any rift that may have formed between the two, unless things have been sorted already. 

Day four in Greece

Today is our last full day in Greece. It has been a great and relaxing time, though I did take some time out to dial into a work meeting that I could not miss as it had come to a very important part.

We swam, ate and unwound. I was surprised to find out that my mother at home has risked losing Leia on a walk by letting her run off lead. She is not able to run after her and is not aware what Leia is like with foxes, rabbits, squirrels and birds. I hope that the kids will ensure that this does not happen again.

Anyway, time to pack for our trip back tomorrow. I am looking forwards to seeing the kids, even if they are only looking to see their mother.

Proportional Representation in the UK

The UK has had elections using Proportional Representation when we were part of the EEC, later to be the European Union. Due to the results, I not in favour of this.

I have heard arguments from those on in the centre and the left of UK politics for Proportional Representation in the UK. My view is that they are turkeys voting for Christmas as such a system will actually benefit the right of British politics.

In 2019, the Brexit party got the highest percentage of votes in the European Elections which meant that Nigel Farage won it, though I will admit with the Lib Dems, centre and left wing parties got over 50% of the vote.. In 2014, Brexit supporting parties won over 50% of the vote (a combination of UKIP, the Conservatives and the DUP equalling 50.5% of the vote, Nigel Farage getting the most votes again this time as part of UKIP. If those elections had been for Head of State, we would have had Nigel Farage in office since 2014, but if for the UK Parliament, that would have meant that he was our Prime Minister since then instead.

In 2009, the Conservatives got the highest vote margin with 27.4% of the vote, UKIP coming second with 16%. Combined with the homophobic DUP (0.6%) and the far right BNP (6.2%), the right wing of UK politics got over 50% of the votes. in 2004, adding up the votes of the Conservatives, UKIP, the Ulster Unionists, the DUP, the BNP and the English Democrats, they come to 48.6% of the vote. The Liberal Democrats got 14.4% of the vote and would have needed to join a much broader coalition to have a chance of getting left wing and centre ground parties over 50%, but with the numbers of parties there, I am not sure that would have been feasible. The possibility of a centre and left wing coalition would have been present in 1999, but that would again depend on the Liberal Democrats, with 11.9% of the vote joining with Labour, and parties, formed due to Labour not being left wing enough also joining it. This is of course assuming that the Liberal Democrats joined such a coalition and did not go it alone or even joining with the Conservatives as they did in 2010.

Day three in Greece

Again, another relaxing day in Zakinthos. Not much to say really, I went for a walk after breakfast, my wife and I swam in the pool in front of our room. We had lunch in the restaurant at the main pool and just spent the day relaxing. I still miss the kids, but less than before, which is strange. I am surprised that I do not miss the dog though! The video is from my walk earlier today, the photo below being from it as well.

Day two in Greece

Zante, or Zakinthos to those in Greece has been amazing. Saying that, other than me taking a short walk down the road, we have not left the hotel. We woke late for breakfast, had a swim in the pool outside out room and while my wife had what she later called the best massage of her life, I watched parts of the Royal Funeral while taking breaks for a swim as well as a walk around the grounds of the hotel. 

My wife is still affected by her knee and swimming, while normally a good exercise for someone with joint issues, appeared to set off her knee. 

Lunch was great, I actually had some wine (I normally do not drink until the evening) but dinner was amazing. The hotel has a guest chef in for two nights, tonight being his last night, and he was amazing. This meal means that this is in the top ten of dinner locations that we have been to. Sadly he will not be here tomorrow, but the meal of today would be a hard act to follow.

My guilt at leaving the kids behind is still present, but not as much as before. I am not sure that they would appreciate it here, and while I know that there is stress for them back in the UK, it is nice not to have to deal with it directly myself,

In a way we’re ALL in a massive queue leading to a coffin

Today is a historic day with the funeral of The Queen taking place. I am not sure if my wife and I will be watching history as it happens, being on holiday, but leaders from across the globe have come to pay respects at her funeral.

I am in favour of The Monarchy, not because I consider them to be better than me (I do not do so BTW), but I prefer them to be Head of State. The option of an elected head of state has no appeal for me. In 2019, the Brexit party got the highest percentage of votes in the European Elections which are, or were, our only elections held under Proportional Representation which meant that Nigel Farage won it. In 2014, Brexit supporting parties won over 50% of the vote (a combination of UKIP, the Conservatives and the DUP equalling 50.5% of the vote, Nigel Farage getting the most votes again. If those elections had been for Head of State, we would have had Nigel Farage in office since 2014. The role is essentially ceremonial, The Monarch in essence doing what they are told, keeping their views private. King Charles, when Prince Of Wales, was outspoken on environmental issues, campaigning for this when it was not a big issue for the political mainstream (i.e. before the electoral performance  of The Green Party in the 1989 European Elections). In addition to this, he has reportedly spoken out in private about being against the deportation of refugees and migrants to Rwanda, a policy that would have seen Paddington being sent to the jungles of deepest Africa and Jesus being housed in an inn in Kigali for fleeing The Massacre Of The Innocents. Now, as head of state, he is going to have to appear to speak in favour of policies that will probably increase our contribution to global warming and may include even more radical proposals on deportation. Nigel Farage, in such a position would have a more prominent platform to spread his lies designed to stir up hatred and division in our multicultural nation.

The fact that so many have come to the funeral is a sign of how Britain is viewed and respected across the globe, Biden is risking death to do so by having to meet Liz Truss (though this has been postponed).  Few have sent representatives other than the head of state. 

I am not ashamed to have a Royal Family. I do understand the anger of republicans that so much money is spent on them when so many are facing a cost of living crisis, and it has been pointed out that the Dutch Royal family are housing Ukrainian refugees while ours are not.

What I am ashamed about when it comes to the Royal Family is the double standards shown (again). The Duchess of Sussex held the hand of her grieving husband and faced a backlash from many about this. I suspect that those who felt that she was wrong to do this will not speak out when other wives do the same on official visits to our nation. It just so happens that those couples are not mixed race and both are white. 

Day one in Greece

My wife and I have taken a few days holiday. My mother is looking after the children and we have just arrived at our hotel and are having food on our terrace looking over the pool.  She needs a break from the kids, and while I appreciate a break as well, I have a gaping hole in my heart as I miss them so much.  I am surprised at how much I do miss them, but hopefully they will miss us and appreciate us more when we return.