Autumn in France.

Kimbo, Susie, and a friend, are at the cottage for a very short break. Kimbo loves it there almost as much as I do. He was raised in France, went to school there, and speaks the lingo. He loves the rustic lifestyle, as well as the excellent food and drink.

Susie is returning home today, but Kimbo will remain there to 'work from home' until mid-week.

Seeing the fire lit, the candles burning, and no electric lights on, makes me very envious. This is how I often spent my evenings in Winter; just as had the previous residents over the past 300 years.

When I originally bought the cottage (ruin), it was just this one room, with a loft above. We lived about 300 yards away at the time in a big old farmstead. However, even in the state it was in at the time, I knew it would make the most wonderful home. It's situation was ideal, it had never really been touched, and all the original features were intact.

There had been no water or electricity, no floor in the room (above), and the roof was falling in. It needed EVERTHING doing to it.

My original intention for the cottage was to make an eco-hideaway (Garconniere) for the future Kimbo. I'd imagined Gas/Wood only for cooking, light, and hot water. And the water supply itself coming from the roof. Sadly over the years we realised that our needs were greater, and all sorts of mod-cons were added; including our beautiful pool (which is currently closed down). Basic modern luxuries cannot be avoided.

It's as if Kimbo knew he was going to love the house. Given the opportunity he would fly out at least once a month to unwind. When you close your eyes and imagine that perfect little cottage in the French countryside; this is it.

Well, we think so anyway!

 

China.

 

One of the most worrying developments of the past few decades has been the way that China has 'bought' Africa.

They have injected money into every aspect of African business life. Mining, manufacturing, leisure, agriculture, and a lot more. They now run an important percentage of the whole African economy; and they haven't finished their spending spree yet!

They have also been doing much the same in Europe. It's staggering how many businesses are now under Chinese control; including (amazingly) the Data Hub used by our own Government Departments to exchange highly classified information.

Here in the UK, even the famous tailor Gieves and Hawkes is now owned by them. And, heaven forbid, the brewer Greene King is now Chinese. In the motoring sector MG cars, Lotus, and LDV are all owned by China, and most of the robotic machinery that manufactures other makes are imported from China, and contain IOT technology. The list is 'almost' endless.

IOT (Internet of Things) technology is in most Chinese manufactured Smart devices. It shares information through TV's, mobile phones, switches, and even door bells. The information gathering is everywhere.

Even inside government itself a couple of 'parliamentary researchers' have been accused of spying for China. The two men were charged in 2024, and the case dropped by Starmer in Sept' 25. Accusations are rife concerning the embarrassment it has caused in government that Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry were caught spying for China. They had hoped that the scandal had been conveniently swept under the carpet, but it's not going away. Serious questions are now being asked by The Conservatives!

Regardless of all the above, the most worrying move by the Chinese is to build a HUGE new Super Embassy in London's Royal Mint Court.

The planning application has obviously caused concern, and the government will give their approval or refusal before the end of the year. It has to be said that they already have a suspiciously large Embassy in London. With Starmer cosying-up to Xi, and President Xi personally asking Starmer for his approval for the new Embassy, I quite expect China's application for this ridiculous giant spy-center will go ahead!

Best to brush-up on your Mandarin; we'll all be speaking Chinese before long.

In absentia

Just before we returned to Brighton 6 weeks ago, the Apples, Grapes, and Figs (in France) were all ripe, and the trees were groaning. Perfect for the annual invasion of Hornets.

I always leave a few traps around. Simple large jars with a 1.5 cm round hole in the lid, and plenty of Beer, Jam, and Sugar inside to attract them.

The Hornets can't resist, and the traps become filled with them. There must be 100 at least inside this jar.

 

Our usual native European Hornets are nasty little beasts, and they have recently been joined by even nastier Asian Hornets who have arrived from Spain. A couple of stings and it's 'Goodnight Vienna'. Luckily I have never been stung by one, but at the same time I've never been afraid of them. Some people run a mile as soon as they see one!

These days, as soon as the Grapes, on the front of the house, start to turn colour, I take them all off and put them on the compost. There are two small-ish Fig trees reasonably close to the house, and they are both pruned back very hard in advance, so no fruit to attract the Hornets. We also have several other Fig trees that are far too big to prune, but they are further away, and cause no problem. 

Kimbo is at the house for a short while and sent me the above photo. He has confirmed that we haven't been burgled, everything is in its place, and even our new satellite internet dish is still on the roof; and working. Tout va bien!

He assures me that he's not on holiday; but WORKING.

My idea of heaven

 

Providing that St Peter hasn't read all the bad bits in my obituary resumé, I'm hoping that he'll allow me into heaven; even if it's to sit in the back seats. The alternative is not to my taste.

What I'm hoping he'll offer me is quite easy, and undemanding. I'm a simple soul.

Heaven (as everyone knows) is situated right beside our house in France, and once again I will be able to occupy my ancient sitting room. The huge fireplace will have been stripped of its wood-burner, and the fire returned to its original state with metre-length (everlasting) oak logs slowly burning over the ancient hand crafted fire-dogs.

In front of the fire will be a Golden Retriever Dog, playing with a Tabby Kitten (Billy is watching from his bed; he's not the playful type). 

Slowly cooking on the fire are some Lamb chops (sprinkled with cumin powder), with some Foil-wrapped potatoes amongst the glowing embers. There is an open bottle of Pécharmant warming by the fire, and the table is set with antique glasses, and dark green Biot plates.  

It is late Autumn, and still not too cold. In the woods there are Cepes and Chestnuts, and my fruit trees are permanently covered in Peaches, Figs, Apples, Plums, and Pears. Haddock's has come back to life, and all the vegetables that I used to grow, are now growing again. Heaven has no slugs or bugs!

Since moving to heaven, my aches and pains have gone, and I have returned to being 100% mobile. I have also regrown my hair, and my teeth are once again that perfect set of my youth. 

In one corner of the room there is a fully decorated Christmas Tree, with a few brightly wrapped presents beneath. On top of the tree, in place of the fairy, sits Mrs Pins; my daughter's Teddy Bear. Billy is looking at his own presents with his usual impatience.

Later in the evening there is a knock at the door, and I find holograms of my three children, and my six grandsons, all eagerly waiting to enter. We sit around the fire and sing carols together, and drink mulled wine.

I'm hoping that 'heaven' will be achievable. I've not been bad, I've never stolen anything, I haven't committed any crime, and I like to think I've been kind to my fellow man/woman.

It's all now in the hands of St Peter.

Muppets - Kermit - Its not easy being green.

Kermit is a hero of mine, and this song is a favourite.

I suppose his 'green' is in fact just 'individuality', and that is something we all possess. We all live our own versions of 'green-ness', and we need to embrace it.

I should add that green is by far my favourite colour, but that's another matter. 

Life in First Class; all right for some!

These snappily western-dressed private plane flyers (above) are allegedly just a few of the top Hamas Billionaires who live a life of luxury away from Gaza; mostly in Qatar, where their huge luxury marble-floored apartments, and very fat bank accounts, are legendary.

When the UN, USA, or Israel sent aid to Gaza, much of it ended up in the pockets of these charming folk. The UN recently claimed that only 29% of all aid sent to Gaza actually reached the people it was destined to help.

I do hope their supporters get to understand this, and don't simply use misinformation as an excuse for their antisemitic hatred. Most of the money donated to help the unfortunates of Gaza, ended-up in the pockets of those who planned the appalling October 7th atrocities.

This is not to say that I don't have huge sympathy for those who are suffering in Gaza, because I do, but until Hamas is eliminated, the search-and-kill process will continue; but now probably from within, rather than from the IDF. The ordinary citizens of Gaza know perfectly well who was responsible for the past two years of hell, and they will seek revenge.

When a new, more democratic and peaceful, government is 'in charge of Gaza', things will settle, foreign investment will pour in, and they will be able to rebuild a life for themselves. I also hope that all those secret bank accounts will be found, and the money returned to who it belongs.

So, did appeasing Hamas, by declaring that Gaza should be called Palestine, do any good? Did it change anything for the people who live there? Starmer mistakenly felt it would, but by alienating both the USA and Israel, he probably did far more harm than good for the reputation of the UK. But that's Starmer for you; he knows his tenure is limited, and he simply doesn't care!

I do see that already Hamas are sending their militants onto the streets of Gaza in the form of 700 'quasi-policemen'. Anyone they don't like the look of, or suspect of being collaborators, will probably be summarily executed (as above); nothing really changes! The different militia groups are already at war with each other, with reports of several killings.

I do hope that Tru*p's peace plan will work, and that those futile words of support for Hamas from Starmer will somehow be confined to history.

Of course, the terrorist billionaires in Qatar will still have their money, their fancy life-styles, and their fans, and I quite expect others will soon join them there.

Israel will return to calm (we hope), but Gaza's civil war is only just beginning. Any group that orders its foot-soldiers to 'cut throats with rusty knives' is not suddenly going to start stroking kittens. They will simply aim their venom against their own people.

Much more truth about Hamas and its hierarchy will soon be revealed, and no doubt their fair-weather foreign supporters will begin to distance themselves.

There but for the grace of god...

 

We have a TV programme in the UK where a large group of volunteer builders, plumbers, and electricians, give their free-time to improve the living conditions of a deserving person or family. The programme, called DIY SOS, has just started a new season, the first (I think) of which was aired a couple of weeks ago.

Isla (above) is an 8 year old child who has a rare genetic condition (Mandibuloacral Dysplasia?), and she needs a specially designed home to make her life more comfortable; which is what they delivered. They converted her unfriendly home into something far more disablement friendly.

Watching the programme humbled me! I suspect I'm not alone in moaning about silly things, but this young girl managed to smile through all her adversities. It made me realise what a charmed life I've led.

Like most people, I've had one or two blips, but in general it has been a smooth and comfortable life. I've achieved most of my aims, and have amazingly managed to do so without becoming bankrupt. I've done things that little Isla could only dream of.

Isla was so excited about her newly fitted-out home, she loved every bit of it, and never stopped smiling. You could hardly imagine a more excited and appreciative child. Her life will never really improve much beyond how she is now, but it will certainly be made far more comfortable. I can guarantee that she won't moan or complain.

We all need to witness people like Isla from time to time, just to re-confirm how lucky most of us are. And to ensure that we are kind to people who are not so lucky.

I send her my very best wishes.