Life is not all bad at times ...

A gorgeous, sunny valentines day in England, my temperature gauge said 11c. Quite remarkable, considering it was freezing cold and snowy a little while ago.

Rosie has been out in the garden laying down as I collected up dog poop (well I can't say shit as I don't know who is reading this...).

Brilliant isn't it... Rosie, Smudge and Jim have been capping away in the back garden and I have to pick it all up!
I should have joined them, pooping in the garden, then I'd feel less peeved!
It's a good thing I can't bent too well because it all looked revolting. However, it would be a wired world if dog poo was 'nice'...

Despite the plethora of crap, the atmosphere is quite relaxing and spring-like as the sun shines down and nature blossoms.
There are loads of beautiful birds  singing away, celebrating the abundance of sun. So, are we over that weather hump now?
I fear not.
I've know it to snow much later than this... Well even last year, when I woke up from my coma in late March, I could see snow out of the ward windows through my blurry eyes.

However, it's Valentines day and I wrote Julie a card and she did one for me.. Yes, after 35 years of marriage, our love is solid and strong. Its endured many troublesome times, and no doubt there will be a few more but do you know what? We are there for each other and as the years add up, I am so pleased we are growing old together and have a great family that has blossomed from our branch of the family tree.
We have not only joined families together but also cultures. We've loved together, fought together and laughed together. We have forged our strong unit and produced two more generations thus far... So pretty good work wouldn't you agree?

So I agree, this is an over commercialised day, so no flowers bought!
It is a chance though to stop, take stock and see how lucky and beautiful life can be...

Anyway, her card: was wonderfully written as always, full of sentiment, it brought tears of joy to my eyes and an ache in my heart... I am blessed!

So with this in mind I will take this opportunity, seeing as it's my blog anyway, to say 'Happy Valentines Day Julie' and I wish everyone will have the chance of long lasting love and happiness... X

Politics mis-explained

My wife and I were enjoying a nice pot of tea and a scone with cream send jam in the sunshine today.  We'd just had a lovely,  cultured walk around the Gibberd Gardens in Harlow.  We were sitting outside the Gibberd tea room and overheard a father explain politics to his two children aged around 8-9 years.
Both of us feel terrible for not intervening in the indoctrination, brain-washing and utter balls this man was spouting... But protocol, politeness and not ruining the children's opinions of their mis-informed father was our choice, not to react...  One cannot change the world at times, energy fails and bigots exist, no matter what.

Anyway,  he was saying Frederick Gibberd was a great architect and that he designed Harlow for people who were non-aspiratonal, happy to live in bland housing and all looked the same... He was right about Gibberd being a visionary but that was the limit of his correctness.
He didn't like roundabouts, and Harlow does have a load,  however if he did not know how to manage a car around a roundabout, we would not hold that against him.

He then linked in politics...  Asking if they were aware of the main political parties in England..  Really???
Shouldn't he have spent time going around the gardens with his offspring and learning about art, sculpture, nature etc.  Rather than just sitting at the tea rooms!

He explained that conservatives allow those who work hard to make a difference to their lives,  labour was socialist and this was a slightly less extreme from communism and that these were not good for society!

We managed to remain outwardly calm and inwardly seething!

Is it any wonder that the world is full of misinformation and cruelty. These kids will grow up believing this rubbish.

What other 'lessons' are being downloaded to them via the parental units?

I doubt this blog will be read by these ignoramus couple but let's put some facts straight.

Socialism is not evil.
All opportunities are made by hard working people and they are not governed by the politics they follow.

Harlow people have aspirations,  aspirations to make Harlow a great place to live in, a safe community that allows equality.
The houses are similar but certainly not the same.
Harlow has a lot going for it and does not have People who have no aspiration...  Some people choose to live here because of the wealth of opportunities it offers, diversity and proximity to London, Cambridge etc.

The saving grace was that the children did not seem too bothered by dad's blurb as once he finished his misinformation, all they said was... Can we go and look at the sculptures now!!

Thankfully, they did!