Good morning to you all on another cold but otherwise OK sort of day. It’s dry, at least, which is always a bonus. Still, Miss Daisy returns from her morning and afternoon walks covered in mud requiring a ten-minute shower and hose off. I suspect she is very grateful that we installed that outside mixer tap for her so that her showers are at least lukewarm.
Not much has been happening this week (for me, at least). Yesterday morning we (both Penny & I) enjoyed the Moreton Pinkney Beat the Blues January Breakfast Bap. Another one of those great ideas cooked up by a group of villagers. Great to mingle with friends and neighbours while enjoying a lovely breakfast bap, coffee and fruit juice. Splendid.
As I say, it seems as if we’ve done very little else. We have been busy putting the finishing touches to our planned excursion in February/March. Flights and accommodation are all booked, only a few local(ish) transfers to work out – more details to follow.
We have been existing in a sort of twilight zone this week. On Monday we were due to be visited by a carpet cleaner. So, on Sunday evening Ms Playchute and I moved most of the furniture out of the lounge and stacked things up in the dining room. Monday, of course, came and went with no visit from the carpet cleaner. Ms Playchute eventually got hold of them to discover that the sub-freezing temperatures had wreaked havoc with their van and they didn’t know when they might be able to get here. I gather that words were exchanged about the importance of keeping one’s customers up to speed with what was happening which was partially successful. Penny took a call from them on Friday to stay that they still didn’t know when they might make it. We have moved some of the furniture back into the lounge (i.e., a couple of comfortable sitting chairs and the television in particular) – I do hope they’ll be able to get here soon.
Happy Birthday (tomorrow) to our lovely middle son who will be 50 years old! I remember my mother making a comment when I turned 50 which is every bit as appropriate today as it was all those years ago – how on earth did I reach the age where I have two children in their 50s? Doesn’t time fly when you are having fun??!! We’re going across for a birthday meal with them tomorrow evening.
And, Happy Birthday to the marvellous Max this coming Friday. Can you believe he is going to be seven?
Later this week, on Thursday, we’re going out to see A Complete Unknown at the Banbury fleapit with some of our lovely neighbours. We’ve heard a lot about it (I have to say, it’s being promoted just about everywhere – how could we miss hearing about it) and are looking forward to it. And, I’ve got vouchers for pizza afterwards – win, win! There might be a full review next week – who knows?
As to our other viewing experiences, we’re just in the midst of making our way through Pachinko on Apple TV+ which we are thoroughly enjoying. It’s taken from a novel of the same name which traces the story of a Korean family who emigrate to Japan prior to World War II. It’s a fascinating chronicle of four generations of the same family, their desperate living conditions and the discrimination they face in Japanese society. We’ve come somewhat late to the party and many of you may have already seen the first series. If not, however, give it a go – we’ve really enjoyed it although there is a lot of quick, demanding reading to do to keep up with the subtitles.
YCNMIU
Just what we’ve been saying all these years – a report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) calls for a re-writing of the Brexit rules to more closely align the UK with the EU.
Estimates suggest that compared with staying inside Europe’s free trade zone, UK goods exports to the EU between 2021 and 2023 were down by 27% while EU goods imports to the UK were down by 32%, the report said.
Meanwhile, other G7 countries including the US, Japan, France and Italy enjoyed a boom in trade. The UK experienced a 10% decline in total goods trade from 2019 to the end of 2023. Figures from 2019 to the end of the third quarter of 2023 show other G7 countries saw an average 5% increase.
So, surprise, surprise – Brexit has failed to ignite the white-hot surge in trade that the loony Brexiteers insisted it would. Yep, Brexit has been a failure in every way and although it’s rude to say so, I told you so! Pity that the current government seems exceedingly reluctant to grasp the nettle and start working towards a reintegration with Europe. Shame.
I found the following from Edith Pritchett in the Guardian quite accurate:
And finally, once again Pickles has captured one of the finer elements of Penny and my relationship.
Meanwhile, keep breathing, keep happy, keep smiling, keep exercising, be good, be careful, and keep safe. And be gentle to wasps and bees – we need all the pollinators we can get.
Lots of love to you all,
Greg