CYCLE AND WALK WAYS

Would the government please stop prefacing every initiative with a cost figure. It means nothing, especially when given to cronies. A £338 million package – what does that actually mean? For a motorway I would guess a maximum of 25 miles. What will the money be spent on – I suspect about half will go on surveys by think tanks!

DILEMNA

No jab, no job, no entry, etc. Public health versus personal freedom. Of course there needs to be a balance. I believe there must be alternatives. Perhaps compulsory mask wearing if not jabbed, although I suspect that those who have flouted the mask laws are also unjabbed. A hypothetical situation – a school with 100 teachers and 50 other staff, 3 refuse to be jabbed. How do the other 147 staff react? If one of the refuseniks is a support teacher could the class teacher refuse them admittance to the classroom? What about meetings – could they be barred? It will be a very divisive issue so solutions need to be found fast. If they were testing 3 times a week they maybe less likely to spread the virus than a double jabbed person!

COVID

ONS survey indicates that rate of increase in the infection may be slowing. It is 7 days out of date so the recent decline in numbers will not have been in the survey. However numbers have increased slightly again. Deaths are still increasing and hospitalisations has levelled off today. We are definitely not over this yet.

LOBBIES

Time to abolish the lobbying system which favours the largest and richest companies. No more perks for M.P.s’ or civil servants. For example – transport investment. At the moment we can be sure that the lobbyists promoting motor transport and motorways and bypasses will receive £millions to support their cases. My alternative would be the creation of web sites for spending ideas where all organisations could submit their arguments online for all to see. Ministers and Parliament would have all the different opinions and the decisions made in clear view of the public.

BOOST FOR RNLI

Farage called the RNLI a taxi service for migrants – result, donations increase by 3000%. Then is compatriot on the shite TV channel slags off our Olympians by saying only gold medal winners are creditworthy. Another moron.

WEATHER

Storm Evert bringing wet and windy weather – not at all summery. Weather likely to be changeable for next 2 weeks before the MET OFFICE tentatively predict a calmer and warmer last couple of weeks of August.

BOOKS

Obviously I would like to plug my (our) books but occasionally I come across books which ‘I love’ for their format and lucidness. ‘The Story of Food‘ is a book I wish I could have contributed to!. Jekka’s complete Herb Book is well organised and informative. Butterflies and Moths – David Carter again lovely layout. I like most Jamie Oliver Cook Books, and Felicity Cloake for her simplicity. More to follow – although I do like romcom novels with happy endings!

CLIMATE EMERGENCY

I have been thinking about the governments incompetence too much! The climate emergency, just like the first lockdown, requires all of us to do our bit at all levels of society. Governments can have a big input, but we should not, must not, rely on them to solve the issue. It is down to us as individuals first and foremost to do our bit. Then all companies and organisations need to do their bit. Local government has a major chance to prove its worth. The problem is bigger than Covid. It needs community action.

GET RID OF PRIVILEGE

So the Queen claims that the laws of the land do not apply to her – even those promoting the environment and improving the climate. 67 times in Scotland alone she has lobbied for herself, family and properties to be excluded from legislation. All for one, and one for all? Abolish this absurd ability for royal amendment before assent from the statute books.

DRYING HERBS

I have started drying some of the mints, Japanes, Atlas Mountain, Moroccan, ginger, curly, Bowers, Spanish, pineapple, black peppermint and some basil. I should have enough tomatoes for chutney soon. I will make a mint chutney next time I have a curry.