I did something last night at home I've not done since 2013...I got absolutely RAT-ARSED on Irish Cream Liqueur! I had 1/2 a bottle, drank from a large mug & drank it as if it was tea! I was well blotted, blokey was killing himself laughing and I have no hang-over!

Did anyone get battered by Storm Ciara in Birmingham City Centre recently? Hubby and I had booked into a hotel for a business meeting but I hate meetings that go on for hours so he went, brave lad he is, and I just went out to the Birmingham Grand Central for a bit of shopping. I got absolutely SOAKED through and loved it! I love storms! Couldn't see where I was going because of buckets of water in my eyes! Got back to our hotel room freezing cold with my shopping bag as wet as I was!

Powerful.. Joshua Dyer (aged 14) was tasked at school to write a poem for Remembrance Day.

An hour later (without any help) he produced this..

ONE THOUSAND MEN ARE WALKING

One thousand men are walking, Walking side by side Singing songs from home, The spirit as their guide, they walk toward the light milord, they walk towards the sun, they smoke and laugh and smile together, no foes to outrun, these men live on forever in the hearts of those they saved, a nation truly grateful for the path of peace they paved, they march as friends and comrades but they do not march for war, step closer to salvation, a tranquil steady corps the meadows lit with golden beams, a beacon for the brave, the emerald grass untrampled, a reward for what they gave, they dream of those they left behind and know they dream of them
forever in those poppy fields, there walks one thousand men.

Joshua Dyer 2019 (aged 14)

Lest we forget

This weeks Super Sunday match comes from Old Trafford. Get your predictions in by 4pm.
Good luck

Forgive me if this question has already been brought up. I don’t log in every day.
I’ve just received my October energy bill and my contract ends next month with the new fixed price contract more than doubled in price. With the variable option being much cheaper.
Martin Lewis says not to bother with looking to switch to another energy provider.
I’m with Octopus.
Do I choose the expensive fixed rate option or go with the variable rate in the hope of prices easing later?
What have most of you good people done?

How has Norwich City manager Daniel Farke kept his job for so long?
Today's 7-0 defeat at Chelsea was their 19th match in a row without a win. 17 defeats and 2 draws.

Dignity in Dying believes that 84% of us support the right to assistance in achieving a dignified death, when desperate to end one's own suffering. How large a proportion of SL users agrees, I wonder?
Those who do (of whom I'm one) might want to sign this letter to the PM, seeking adequate Parliamentary time for discussion of the new bill in the House of Commons: https://action.dignityindying.org.uk/page/92231/petition/1?ea.tracking.id=fb_share&utm_source=fb_share&fbclid=IwAR3a-4zclYV6OYxWnntSAYmD5yfPQkAn_ttSi64br6vjYSHI-oIxU37ZG2w

Tonight's Saturday Night Football from the Premier League. Get your predictions in by 5pm.
Good luck

Does anyone have an email address for EDF electricity to complain to "higher authorities?" Need meter change due to fault. Not turning up, not phoning back and I am fed up.
Thank you

It's Friday Night Football in the Premier League. Get your predictions in by 7pm.Good luck

Boris Johnson claims his government are aiming for a “high-skill, high-wage” economy, but is that really feasible?

I was prompted to write having stumbled across this article from the Australian Times. It's always interesting, and often unnerving, to read how us Brits are seen by foreign eyes. Johnson's ideal, it would seem, will require such fundamental changes in benefits and the way work works that it might just remain a pipe dream.

https://www.australiantimes.co.uk/news/why-boris-johnsons-plans-for-a-high-wage-economy-require-a-major-shift-in-the-way-british-business-works/

Heard today of 5 people I know all had bad after affects from their booster jab.

Tonight is the turn of teams in the Europa League group stages. Get your predictions in by 7.30pm.
Good luck

How does my thermostat tell the boiler what to do ? - there are no wires connecting them and my friend was told she could remove it from the passage and just put it in any room.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-58977839

Another Champions League match. Get your predictions in by 7.30.
Good Luck.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/oct/18/motorist-fined-number-plate-t-shirt

Tonight it's the group stage of the Champions League. Get your predictions in by 7.30.
Good luck

There are a group of people, members of the Woke community, who are employed as Sensitivity Readers. I don't know how many there are.
Their job is to read all new novels looking for reasons to be offended and call it out. One of their rules is an author should only be permitted to write about their own "lived experience".
They also read older novels and say why they should be cancelled. One was a novel promoted by Oprah Winfrey. The Sensitivity Readers group wanted it cancelled because the author is a white American woman and the novels main character is a Mexican immigrant woman. They said she shouldn't be writing about a Mexican Immigrant as it was not her own "lived experience".

News Flash from the English Coastguard.

The Royal Navy intercepted three boatloads of people off the Kent coast this morning.

This placed the Navy in a rather awkward position, as the boats were not heading to, but rather away from Kent and towards France.

Another surprise was that the boats weren't loaded with migrants as expected, but with British Senior Citizens.

Their claim was they were trying to get to Calais so as to be able to return to the UK as migrants and therefore be entitled to substantially more benefits than they currently receive as legitimate British Pensioners.

The Navy it is believed, gave them food, water and extra fuel and assisted them on their journey.

We are in the process of arranging further trips and if you're interested please fill out the document below.

Tonight's Monday Night Football is a London derby. Get your predictions in by 7pm.Good luck.

Cameron Norrie wins Indian Wells title! 😁

What a pair, like the Everly Brothers. On iplayer now 2 older programmes “The Harmony Game” with them discussing their hits, and also “Concert in Central Park ”. Now both 80!! I introduced their music to one of the young girls I childminded - Alex - and when she went to Uni she took the hits CD I bought her as a present. She then ended up introducing her flat mates to their sound and they went out buying CDs/records for themselves. She also got into Paul Simon solos and had a discreet tattoo of “You can call me Al”. We’re still in touch, she’s now a mum herself. 🥰

(I hope this link works)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZwNzQhjcHE

Today's Super Sunday match is Steve Bruce's 1000th as a manager. Get your predictions in by 4pm.
Good luck

If you are concerned about girls education in Afghanistan now the Taliban are back in control you might want to sign Malala’s petition - it’s growing rapidly. She’s got some courage.

https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/get_afghan_girls_back_in_school_loc/?

I don't remember dressing up as a kid for Halloween and going door to door for Trick or Treat. 😈 Did you carve pumpkins? 🎃
To me the best thing is an extra hour in bed, clocks go back on the 31st October. 😴

Flu outbreak stretches NHS resources.
This was the BBC headline...in 2000.http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/6/newsid_2477000/2477943.stm
Office of National Statistics published these figures.
Total deaths in England & Wales were 608,000 in 2020-21.Population 60 million.
Total deaths in England and Wales were 538,000 in 2000-01Population 52 million
This shows that the pandemic wasn't the huge prpblem the press and policians would have you believe? In fact the death rate was worse in 2000-01.

Your thoughts please.

It's back to the Premier League for today's West London derby. Get your predictions in by 5pm.
Good luck

Had a card through the letterbox today from these people. Says a surveyor will call next week to talk about home efficiency. They are offering free boilers, cavity wall and loft insulation.
Sounds too good to be true.
Wonder if it's connected to the scam phonecalls I've had claiming my loft insulation is a health risk and had to be replaced.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/15/new-zealand-council-ends-contract-with-wizard-after-two-decades-of-service
What do you think he might do in retirement, or can you think of another job he should go for?

https://newstoday42.com/2021/10/13/buckskin-stallion-horse-shows-off-his-majesty-after-owner-sets-him-free/?fbclid=IwAR13mpdPYgGieqYb5rx312rfkas7eD_OMsvy2S3in6ooRdVdO20ZJZqOA0g

What are your views on space travel or is Prince William right saying climate change before space?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10090871/Plumber-45-fears-lose-home-judge-ruled-Ring-camera-breached-neighbours-privacy.html

Seems a tad harsh, maybe he might have been a bit more co-operative. On the other hand, if she'd been burgled or something she might have appreciated the cameras.

The story so far.
Former Little Mix singer, who is white, goes solo and releases a song. The video features Nicki Minaj and P. Diddy who are both black.
Current Little Mix singer Leigh-anne Pinnock, who is black, accuses Jesy of Blackfishing because she looks overly tanned in the video.
Jesy explains that she has recently been on holiday to Antigua and she does tan very easily.
The woke handwringers join in the blackfishing accusations.
Jesy and Nicki go on Instagram live and Nicki defends Jesy and says that Leigh-annes accusations are purely down to jealousy because Jesy has a song in the top 40 and Little Mix don't. It is a bit of a rant with a few swear words.
For some reason Charlene White from Loose Women gets involved and has a go at Jesy, saying that after Nicki's rant, she should have jumped to the defence of Leigh-Anne. Like she forgot it was Leigh-anne that started the row.
The latest I read tonight is now the Woke lot have lost the blackfishing argument they are now accusing Jesy of mixedfishing. That is trying to look mixed race based on how curly her hairstyle is.

One of the black women commentators on GB News says there is no such thing as a single black culture. it is many cultures.

Do these symptoms seem familiar

https://marquemedical.com/damaging-effects-of-negativity/

Do you worry too much, only see the bad things in life!

Demi Lovato who identifies as non-binary currently.
She had decided that Aliens will be offended if you call them Aliens. Even though there's no evidence that Aliens exist except in Star Trek.
I said she is non-binary currently because them changes gender regularly.

"The secondary school system in Italy, not unlike some other European countries, offers options to students when they are about to enter high school. Eventually attending a university and making a plan to do so is one option.

But there is another, equally good one. That is to enter a high school that specializes in specific talents and skills. There are a several types. They include technical, pre-professional, and cultural tracks"
Your comments invited.

Please address your thoughts to the present and future value of our education system.

https://bluewater.co.uk/shops/amazon-4-star

https://www.theverge.com/platform/amp/2021/10/12/22722482/dc-superman-son-of-kal-el-comic-jon-kent-bisexual-comics

What do members think. Christopher Biggins on TV this morning is NOT at all impressed. He appears to feel that it is unnecessary and written for all the wrong reasons.

https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/why-does-china-want-to-build-a-kilometre-long-spacecraft-and-is-it-even-possible/?utm_source=pocket-newtab-global-en-GB

Fabulous programme just on BBC 1 with comedian Josh Widdicombe’s ancestry ...
unbelievable . I won’t give it away to anyone who hasn’t watched as of yet but if you love history it’s fascinating.

Winter is coming, and millions of us are facing a surge in our energy bills. The average customer could see their bill rise by hundreds of pounds a year, and for low income households it could be much more. People all over the country could be left with an impossible choice: whether to “eat or heat”.

Support that is available doesn’t go nearly far enough. The Warm Home Discount Scheme, designed to help low income households keep warm over winter, has been fixed for almost a decade. Despite rumours of a small raise, experts like Martin Lewis are pushing for much more. It’s time for us to join them.

We need MPs to take urgent action, and if enough of us sign the petition today, we can focus their attention on protecting their constituents from going cold this winter. And we’ll show them how to do it: by raising the Warm Home Discount Scheme payment.

Will you join me and sign the petition today?
https://bit.ly/3ivRtnu

..and I just heard these figures.
In Germany there are 5 doctors for every 1,000 people
In Netherlands there are 4 doctors for every 1,000 people
In France there are 3 doctors for every 1,000 people
... but in the UK there is 1 doctor for every 2,000 of us lot!!
The number of people who have not been properly diagnosed with Altzheimers
is because of not getting face to face appointments.
..and still these doctors take home a very good wage.
My doctor is a one man band, I have to constantly follow up on things he should be doing.
He drives a very flashy sports car when he does come into the surgery, and
even built a marquee cover for it in extreme weathers, bless. ☺️

My night time visitor. Comes a few times in the night for food. But not happy when he leaves his calling card on the path.