Preparing for War

It is so reassuring to know that we have a government that cares for our health and safety; especially in preparation for nuclear war.

The UK government has now advised all UK citizens to make certain provisions in case of being attacked by Putin (I imagine).

According to the government's 'UK Prepare' website, we should keep five particular things in the boots of our cars, just in case we happen to be driving along to Sainsbury's when the bomb drops! A First Aid Kit, A Fire Extinguisher, A Warning Triangle, A Reflective Vest, and A Tow Rope. This (below) is their official picture.

These five things, we are assured, will protect us from any WW3 attack.

Well, I would like to thank our government for their advice; I feel much safer now. 

In case of a nuclear blast here in Brighton I will try to put-out any fire with the extinguisher, offer the wounded a sticking plaster, wear my Hi-Viz jacket just for fun, and erect the warning triangle in case no-one has noticed that we've been attacked. I'm still trying to think of a use for the tow rope.

As well as the above we are also encouraged to keep a good supply of the items below inside our own homes. 

Bottled water, tinned foods, torch and batteries, matches, warm clothes, Swiss army knife, radio, passport or ID, money, and a compass and maps. I think I have all of those, as well as the car stuff.

Well, I don't know about you, but if WW3 is declared, and Putin starts throwing Nuclear weapons at us, I shall open my best bottle of Champagne and sit outside until the blast hits me.

A post-Nuclear world wouldn't be worth living in.

Exercise

At the moment, the only exercise I get is a couple of half-hour walks a day with Billy. By the time each half-hour is up, I am usually hardly able to walk. The strength in my hips and legs has gone. It is worrying.

The best exercise for me, and the one I enjoy the most, is swimming. That DOESN'T mean going down to the sea, or a local pool, but swimming at home in France.

Our pool isn't big, it's 9 metres long by 4 metres wide. Big enough for us, but not for Olympic competitions.

Every time I enter the pool (usually 3 or 4 times a day), I do 10 or more lengths. I'm sure that it does me good. Swimming exercises all parts of the body, and is (mostly) painless.

I'm sure it helps with my mobility, and is preferable to 'going to the gym'. 

My only problem is that I'm in England, and it'd be too cold to swim anyway! But I can dream.

 

I gave it to the cat!

It's an old favourite, but I still love it.

The legend of Gelert

It's Wales's most famous legend. The story of Gelert the Dog.

I was reminded of the story just recently, and will relate it here for the benefit of those who may not know of it.

In the 13th C, Prince Llewelyn the Great, of Caernarvonshire, was renowned as a great hunter, he would go hunting daily.

On one such occasion he called for his dogs, but his favourite 'Gelert' did not appear. Llewelyn went off hunting regardless.

When he returned to his castle, Gelert came bounding over to greet him, but Llewelyn saw that he was covered in blood. Fearing the worst he rushed to his one-year-old son's bedroom and found the walls dripping in blood, with no sign of his son.

He at once came to the conclusion that Gelert had savaged and killed the small boy, and immediately drew his sword and killed his beloved dog with a single strike through his heart.

It was when the dog was making his final pained death howls that Llewelyn heard the faint cry of a child. He found his son lying under his upturned cot, and lying by his side was a giant dead Wolf.

It soon became obvious that Gelert had killed the Wolf who had been trying to savage the small boy. Gelert had bravely saved his young son's life.

The distraught Llewelyn was so upset that he buried his beloved Gelert outside his castle walls, and raised a large cairn over the dog's grave so that the people of the village could see what a brave dog he had been, and also to express his own remorse.

That's it; the legend of Gelert!

 

Complete bloody madness

 

I mentioned yet again, recently, about our Chagos Islands, after President Tru*p pointed out how stupid Starmer is being.

The UK owns some strategically important islands in the British Indian Ocean, which the Socialists want to give to Mauritius, along with a golden handshake of £35 Billion. Yes, you DID read that correctly, but do feel free to read it again if incredulous.

Mauritius is well known to be a China friendly country; and the Chinese are obviously very happy.

It has also been revealed that Starmer has given the go-ahead to Communist China to build a HUGE MEGA-Embassy in the heart of London's financial district (below). They already have an enormous embassy in Portland Place, London W1, so why do they need another even bigger one? For heaven's sake; just look at the bloody size of it. It's the size of a small town!

We hear that there are to be all sorts of 'secret underground rooms'. When the plans were submitted along with the planning application, did no-one ask what these secret rooms were for?

Foreign embassies serve several purposes. They look after the interests of their own nationals, they hope to improve trading links, and they gather information. Foreign diplomats are also afforded special dispensations.

Now that this dreadful decision has been made, it only remains to be seen who will be building this vast edifice (if, in fact, it does go ahead). Will they bring over their own builders and do everything in secret, or will British builders be involved?

China has already 'bought' much of Africa, and it won't be too long before they are doing the same in the UK. Does it come as any surprise that Starmer is wanting to end the production of Petrol/Diesel cars, and is encouraging us to buy EV's instead; knowing that by far the majority of these cars come from China!

As with the Chagos Islands saga, the British people are HORRIFIED at this extremely dangerous decision. I, along with so many others, have serious doubts about Starmer's loyalties.

Tru*p may be wrong about many things, but on the subject of The Chagos Islands and the new Chinese Embassy, he is absolutely RIGHT. Even MI5 agrees with him!

Starmer will visit China at the end of the month! Hmmm.

Spirits

When I left school, I was summoned to The Headmaster's study, and, along with a few fellow leavers, was given a short lecture on 'life after school', etc.

He gave us two particular pieces of advice, the second (I won't mention the first) of which was NOT to drink spirits, as they should be regarded as 'medicine', and should be reserved for later in life when such things might be needed!

Well, I have followed his advice (plus the one I won't mention), and have restricted my alcohol intake to moderate amounts of Beer and Wine.

However, these days I have found myself drinking tiny amounts of either Single Malt Whiskey, or more often Rum. Just a thimble-full before bed.

We do also have quite a collection of Gins in the house. Not my tipple at all, but I'm pleased to see that there's a bottle of Brighton Gin amongst them. These are mostly reserved for Lady M's Friday Night Girl's Club Gin Parties.

I think most of the spirits in this house, are used for culinary purposes. I don't think anyone actually drinks either Cognac or Armagnac, but the bottles seem to empty quickly enough; especially around Christmas.

In France I have several bottles of 'Eau de Vie'. People make far too much (illicitly) and give it to friends, who tuck it away at the back of cupboards, waiting for the day when they need to clean some old tarnished brass. It's lethal stuff, and comes either made from Grapes, Plums, or Pears. It's best use is (diluted) for preserving Prunes or Greengages. Otherwise.... DANGER!

It's a bit dark and miserable at the moment, so I might well have a tiny tot of Captain Morgan tonight..... CHEERS.

 

Water water everywhere, nor any drop...

The Waitrose Supermarket that I visit is positioned very close to the Hove Greyhound Stadium, in fact I have to go past the stadium on my way out.

For the past year or so, this big blue 'SpotlessWater' container/dispenser has been positioned outside the stadium, but I have yet to see anyone use it.

You may have heard about the trouble they've had in Tunbridge Wells and East Grinstead, with their water having been turned off for weeks. South East Water have messed up the system, and residents have been given bottled water instead. If you have no way of collecting rain water, or have no access to a stream, then bottled water would have been your only way to flush the loo, as well everything else. Luckily here in Brighton we have Southern Water, and are not affected.

So, what is this SpotlessWater that one can buy for between 4.3p and 6.3p per litre?

Well, the answer has to be; I have no idea. Yes, it's probably been filtered or zapped with UV light, but what is the point. A few impurities in the water probably does us more good than harm (as long as they're not Russian impurities).

Personally I want my water to be 'drinkable', with no taste of wet dog, or showing the colour of mud. It should be transparent, and tasteless, with (hopefully) all serious impurities removed.

In France we have Spring Water, and we are issued with a Water Purity certificate, so that we know that it's as pure as possible, yet we still see lots of people buying masses of very expensive bottled water (which are probably filled from a tap elsewhere). 

As long as it still flows from the tap, I shall keep drinking the water I pay for. I certainly won't be buying SpotlessWater, or those expensive plastic bottles at Sainsbury's or Leclerc.