Return to Blighty

We've now been back in Albion for a while; that Green and Pleasant Land, where we Brits never shall be Slaves.

Those polluting Dark Satanic Mills are now few and far between, our Coal Miners have unwittingly given us much cleaner air, and our High Streets have plenty of wonderful Vape Shops, Bookmakers, and Turkish Barbers.

OK, our government wants to be rid of farmers, and replace them with cheap housing estates, illegal immigrants, and/or Wind and/or Solar Farms. But we shall struggle on; it's in our nature!

Contrary to predictions, my big Sainsbury's store had not been stripped of bog rolls or baked beans, nor did I see trollies filled to overflowing with bottled water. In fact everything was as I left it just three months ago. Even the regular check-out ladies welcomed me back.

This may shock you, but I was extremely happy to be reunited with my favourite sliced, wholemeal, seeded bread. French baguettes are all well and good, but I do get a bit fed-up with them. A fried egg on a slice of TOASTED ENGLISH WHOLEMEAL BREAD is heaven on a plate.

I've said it before that my love affair with France is slightly fading. Not with our actual home, which I adore, but with France in general. I rather blame the EU.

Many years ago, a secretive decision was made in Brussels that much of Spain and S W France would be designated as 'Tourist Areas'; which they were. Now that the locals have all reaped the financial benefits of that tourism, and are driving big foreign cars, etc, they're beginning to rise-up against the very visitors who made them wealthy. The Spaniards are frightening-away tourists, and the lack of those imported Euros will no doubt soon begin to tell; it'll take a lot of work to tempt those tourists back. The countries gaining are Egypt, Turkey, Croatia, etc.

So, it's good to be back in our little bijou Brighton home. The Tomatoes growing out front are hopeless; they are tough-skinned and have little flavour. There are no Apples on the tree, but elsewhere my newly planted Herb Garden has done quite well. All of our 'annual bedding plants' died.

It's good to smell the sea air again.