1 March 2023 (Wednesday) - A Glass of Plonk

Finding myself awake far too early I got up and came downstairs. As I opened the door to the living room I jumped as something shot past my feet at lightning speed. Two somethings. “er indoors ^TM” couldn't have secured the puppies' crate last night and they had been waiting (poised like coiled springs) for me to open the door this morning so they could get to the big bed. They'd clearly spent the night out of the crate... as evidenced by the tiddle on the carpet and the poop on the lino.

Oh well... who'd have dogs?

 

I made toast and watched more Downton Abbey in which the chauffeur would seem to have abandoned Lady Sybil (men are all beasts) and Ethel's morality was found to be wanting (by those who were no paragons of virtue themselves).

I then had a look at the internet and sent out a birthday wish with something of a sense of guilt...

Yesterday I mentioned someone with whom I went to primary school. Today was the birthday of another friend I've known since 1969. This chap was a very good friend all those years ago; we went to primary school together, I walked three miles to secondary school (and back) with him every day for many years. But I can never forgive myself for introducing him to the Boys Brigade. The whole idea of Boys Brigade is to brainwash boys into religion. It caught me, but eventually I realised what was going on and saw sense. However my old mucker fell for it, hook, line and sinker. He became a lay-preacher (effectively a voluntary vicar), and eventually he gave up a very well paid job as a bank manager to become a full-time pastor in the Baptist church (which he still is). When the chap who ran our old Boys Brigade died, my old friend gave a sermon at the funeral. I have never heard such a disjointed illogical load of non-sequitur nonsense. My old mate admired the chap who'd died for his "faith". "Faith" was (to him) a wonderful thing – to me it is the ability to hold an unshaking belief in the patently absurd despite overwhelming evidence that your belief is clearly wrong. But my old friend believes every word of the nonsense he now spouts and consequently leads his life in cloud cuckoo land... and it is my fault for taking him there.

 

As I drove to work I listened to the radio with something of a sense of confusion. There was talk about the uncertainty as to how much the government is going to subsidise our energy bills this year.

I really don't understand what is going on with energy bills.

Years ago the government sold off the country's power generating ability to people who would run it at a profit. The people who bought the country's power generating ability did so in good faith; they knew a good thing when they saw it. But now we are hearing mutually contradictory news. On the one hand the pundits on the radio are claiming that the power generating companies are being told to sell the electricity and gas cheaper than they can make the stuff. On the other hand it is claimed that the power generating companies are supposedly making record profits selling it at this loss.

How does that work? What's going on there?

 

Work was work...  we had a phone call. The nice people from the Care Quality Commission were on the way and would be with us in twenty minutes' time. I suggested to the boss that I might threaten them with a fight to scare them off but as the boss said, that wouldn't look good in the newspapers, would it?

Having had the heads-up that they were coming at twenty to nine I was on my best behaviour all day… But they hadn’t shown by the time I went home. I saw that as a result.

 

Being on an early shift I got home earlier than usual. We had a quick walk round the block, then I settled myself in front of the telly. With dogs piled on top of me I watched “Ancient Aliens” on the History channel. Have you ever watched that show? It has to be seen to be believed; the logic employed on that show wouldn’t be out of place in a church (!) It was stated as a categorical fact that aliens exist for the simple reason that the late Prince Philip was interested in UFOs.

 

“er indoors ^TM” boiled up a very good bit of dinner which we washed down with a bottle of Pinot Noir from Lidl. With change out of four quid, it was a very good drop… Hic !