Am I the only one, or is there anyone else out there who would like to apply one of the aforementioned strips across the mouth of the woman in the advert which trails Emmerdale?

I hear that K9 is standing in the elections next week, should be a landslide victory for common sense politics. K9 for number 10....

I love the sound of the lonely sparrow sat in the tree, signing his/her last song of the evening, but the one sound I hate, is listening from another room to a sitcom on the television, and all you can hear is the "canned laughter"

What sounds do you like and dislike?

Does anyone remember this one....

Two little dickie birds, sitting on the wall
one named Prescott, one named Hewitt
Fly away Prescott, fly away Hewitt
Come back ....Cameron, come back .... Cambell
Lets see what a mess you two can make of it!!!!

Okay a little bit of Poetic license...

My youngest son got me thinking last night, "we have to collect packaging labels from food, to see where they all come from" he said, so we duly started our collection:-

Sainsbury's Raspberries from Spain
Tesco Fine Beans (I call them French) from Kenya
Tesco Iceberg Lettuce from Spain
Tesco Smoked Bacon rashers from Denmark
Tesco Corn on the Cob from USA
Tesco smoked Cod fillets from Norway
Anchor butter from New Zealand (sorry SKIP)

So far....

But, do you remember in the 'olden days' when if it was not in season, you just could not eat it. Yes, we are lucky to be able to buy these lovely foods all year round, but if each of us stopped for a moment and looked at our 'Family CO2 allowance'. How much CO2 is embedded in bringing these foodstuffs to our local Tesco's.

I see our family CO2 allowance like a egg timer, in the top half are the grains of sand, and each time we buy something, some sand falls through, so should we check to see where it comes from and are we contrbuting to the ozone layer by it's purchase. I suppose the same thing applies with holiday flights - that would take something out of the CO2 egg timer, a huge chunk!

But if there was a way of allocating each family an allowance, and if you were left at the end of year with sand still in the top half, ie., a credit, the government should pay you a substaintial bonus. Ofcourse they would have to watch how much paper they used sending out the letter with your bonus, we don't want it coming from old tree that have loads of CO2 embedded in them and have to be transported from Brazil.....

I think you get the picture, we don't want our nice french beans from Kenya giving us too much gas..... pardon me.

So will we see the likes of Tesco, Sainsbury and Morrisons setting aside an aisle or two for locally produced CO2 friendly products, like they have aisles for the healthy living goods, organic goods etc.

Today’s report from the Patio - 52° 21’ 29.42” N 1° 16’ 33.56” W at 1300 hrs GMT

Outside conditions and Temperature

Dull and overcast
Fluffy rain first thing
Short sleeves okay, but not for too long

Washing drying time on the line

Not looking to good, only a little movement. Central Heating turned off for Summer, so it (the washing) had better dry…..or else!

Bird Variety Count

Doves
Pigeon
Blackbird
Robin, the two usual ones.
Sparrows
Crow, devouring a stale blueberry muffin, hope it gives him tummy ache

Equalling much twittering in the trees
Dawn chorus heard at:- ???? Hrs, forgot to look at watch, fell back to sleep

Aircraft noise:- Coventry Airport seem to have started Spring/Summer schedule, as noise is getting more frequent.

Found these images of Hothorpe which I meant to put on the last posting.

Their web address is:- www.hothorpe.co.uk

Dear Friends (27)

Paul

An open letter to Tony Blair -

Dear Prime Minister

With regard to Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus

In advance, may I apologise for the length of this letter, and taking your precious time, in reading it.

I have read yet another biased article in the Daily Mail about the aforementioned subject, please don’t worry I don’t make a habit of reading the Mail!.

Every time they decide to run yet another article about MRSA they leave one very small paragraph mentioning the fact that “MRSA is commonly found on the skin”, but they seem, conveniently to miss out the ratio of people walking our cities, everyday with MRSA. I am sure you, know the facts better than I do but, I understand that 1 in 3 people carry the infection and I’ve worked out that of the 659 members of the house of commons about 219 members will be, unknowingly, carriers of MRSA, this figure obviously does not include the many other officials, secretaries, catering staff etc., that are employed there and in the other many other Government offices.

I now speak from experience that the one place that a swab for MRSA is taken is the nose. If you are one of the unfortunate 219, can I ask you to think about the amount of times you might rub your nose, go to the lavatory, and then even though you wash your hands you might well then rub your nose again, plus the other fact of shaking many many peoples hands, even foreign dignitaries, and this concerns me, and I wonder if, in a large organisation such as the Houses of Parliament you have the same sorts of infection control in places such as lavatories etc? that hospitals have?

I recently spent five weeks as an inpatient at The Walsgrave Hospital in Coventry, and must compliment them upon the processes they have in place. Firstly, I was swabbed as soon as I arrived on the Ward in the nose and groin.

The arrangement at Walsgrave is made up of 4 bedded rooms on each ward and there is alcohol hand rub both sides of the 4 bedded room doors, all patients, medical staff and visitors must use this. Patients are encouraged to ask nursing staff if they have washed their hands, in fact they must either change latex gloves or wash their hands between changing each bed clothes in the ward. Whilst I was there they introduced “protected meal times” yet another policy to reduce cross infection, and highly commendable.

Previously, I had to have a stay at the hospital of St. Cross in Rugby, part of the same health care trust as Walsgrave, and was swabbed prior to going into the hospital for a routine operation, unfortunately on that occasion I contracted MRSA, but it was only discovered after I had come back onto the ward, but with no delay at all, I was placed in a isolation side ward. On the day that I was discharged a member of the cleaning staff started to take down all the curtains in my room, upon questioning her she said it was because I had MRSA, and once I had left the room it would be thoroughly cleansed.

The fact that I had surgery to both knees, and I knew that MRSA could be very dangerous if it got into the wound site, concerned me greatly. I then spent several weeks washing my body including hair with a blue liquid, the name of which escapes me, but eventually was given the all clear after completing 2 further swab tests.

My question to you has to be, how does the government, and what urgency do they put on it, the very important message of the 1 in 3, and what steps the general public can do to prepare themselves prior to visiting hospital as either a patient or visitor, if your in any doubt, may I suggest you ask Mrs Claire Rayner, who recently wrote a list in, I believe the “Women’s Own” magazine, about MRSA, a very simple and easy to understand list. Should it be a Government television campaign?

Once again many thanks for taking the time in reading my letter, and I look forward with interest, to hearing what sorts of control you might have in place, I remain

Yours sincerely

P.S., Out of interest, the last time I had cause to write to the government, was when Lord Dennis Heally was Chancellor of the Exchequer, I was complaining about the introduction of VAT on sweets, how long ago was that?, his PPS wrote a very kind letter back explaining that he, Mr Heally, hoped I would appreciate that VAT on sweets would help pensioners have a higher pensions, I don’t suppose you could look at taking it off again?

The cooking pot is awaiting our new friend, proper name "Socks", WE acquired the aforementioned creature this week-end, and this morning it has piddled on youngest akerman's duvet cover. Now we all now that I hate and detest duvets, but I just had to change to darn thing. Any suggestions, if Rabbi does anymore naughties, what I should do with her?

Just leaving Easter morning service this morning, when I was stopped, by two suspicious looking characters (you know who you are) wanting more, sounding just like Oliver Twist. They wanted PLFTPD number 27. I tried to let them down slowly by saying it was a kind of writers block, but they would not stand for it, so i've promised it for this week sometime.

Do you other bloggers find this that once you have started, people want more and more?

Just wanted to share this with you

I held my son this evening
Two grown men standing, embracing each other
Crying ..... as men do
"We will sort it out Dad", he said to me
And I remembered when he hurt his knee, when only 5
"Now now son, we will sort it out" I'd say to him

P

just to let you know that I did not see another Magpie yesterday, so was, according to the song "one for sorrow" awaiting something or other so happen, sure enough it did, my eldest lad went and dislocated his should, for the fourth time. Poor lad he is in alot of pain.

Dear Friends (26)

This is a long one, so be warned, you might need a stiff drink when we get to the bus stop, but otherwise a hot chocolate and a muffin will do.

“That’s it” I said to the kids, we will have to move house, “why” came the reply. Well from the Patio Doors I used to be able to see the spire of St. Marks over the gardens, now because of the development of “25 Executive Apartments” the view has gone, well apart from the weather vane. Yes, if I go upstairs I still have a full view as it was before, but I’m worried (when I am I not) that because of the buildings it will disrupt the sounds of the bells on Monday evening bell practice!

From the Patio Doors

We had a strange new visitor to the Patio today, a little Field Mouse, he or she appeared at the end of the railway sleeper which makes up the steps, ran the full length jumped down and under the fence to next door. I’m assured by the next door neighbour’s youngest child that they have quite a few mice in the straw for their G pigs. Lovely I thought! Visions of Melanie and Emily jumping onto dining room chairs in a “Tom and Jerry” fashion tripped through my mind.

Baby Daffodils are out and add a little splash of yellow to a lawn which looks as if it could do with a huge downpour, seems daft that here we are in March and parts of the country are having hosepipe bans, how long before us?

We await eagerly the arrival of the man to build the new garden wall, which hopefully will retain the Patio, should it start to fall into the garden, (or the sea starts to batter it) then the little man from Compton will arrive to build the garage. 31st March, just heard they are turning up on Good Friday to dig the footings, then the wall holiday Tuesday and Wednesday.

27th April - Had to put out a full loaf of bread this morning which had gone a bit mouldy, The Rain is tipping it down, but there are 14 Sparrows all gathered round it, there could be more, they keep moving around!

1st April, we have a new regular customer at the soggy stale bread bird table, and thats our Robin, if I have got it right, they are very territorial, so it must be the same bird we have seen the last couple of mornings. Just about to send this letter when I was startled by the sight of my first Magpie on the patio, so just waiting to see the next one.... please.

I thought March was meant to go out like a Lamb, well the poor old Daffodils are bobbing their heads around in the wind and rain as if to say, “give us a chance” . Where does the expression "Blowing a hooley" come from?

My next letter after this one will be from Holthorpe Hall in Leicestershire, I’m going on the Parish Week-end so it will give me some opportunity to reflect and write a bit more, that’s if Ashley will lend me his laptop!

Behind the Patio Doors

Why it is that every spare piece of room seems to be stacked up with books, the Lounge has become the Maths Revision room, the Dining room is split between Art and PE, I dare not look in the outside toilet!

A Quote ‘what’ I found

“Be sensitive to a person's sensitivities and
be insensitive to a person's insensitivities“.

Medical

I go to see my GP on Tuesday 28th April to report on how the new tablets are going, it’s a bit like an MOT. I await with patience the appointment to go and see the Pain in the Neck man.

A strange thing happened on the way to the Bus stop

It arrived on time! Then another one behind it, I thought this only happen in London. I wish Stagecoach would buy some of the old Route Master buses.

I got thinking, whilst I was waiting for the bus, that life is strange, how we all like to have labels like; I support Plymouth Argyle, I’m a St. Marker, I went to Harris School and so and so. Some labels we are proud to talk about and at every opportunity we will identify ourselves with these marks, so our friends and other people know how to talk to you in return.

Some amongst us have other labels, which perhaps we are not so easy talking about. Well I’m one of those who finds his more physical ailments easy to talk about, but those ailments which can’t be seen by the human eye are less easy for me. You can tell the way this paragraph is rambling on that I’m delaying even mentioning that I have a Mental Health problem, opps…….(silence)……I’ve said it, the ’M’ word.

So, now that I’ve said it I should explain, apart from the obvious problems that you and I can see everyday, the Tremour, the Myoclonic Epilepsy, the disc problems in my neck - these all have organic reasons, and that is why my treatment still carries on in Birmingham to find some way of correcting the movement disorders.

According to my discharge letter I have; Depression (hard to imagine) Conversion Disorder (and no, I don’t think that anything about concerting £ S D into £ and pence) and the best one of all is Dissociative motor disorder ICD code T09 F444. I just knew there was going to be a number for it! Well I just knew it, with all these Dis words there was going to be another, all these create a Disability, the one word which, as all of you will know I hate. People with less ability than others, can offer so much more in other ways.

Well I know I just said that it would be hard to imagine Paul with Depression, but I’m sorry my friends, I, like I’m sure many of you have days or times in your lives when you feel absolutely low - Depressed.

All the above ‘Dis’ words equal a disabling ability for me to do the simplest of things, so at times, when I feel so very depressed, all I can do is to lie down and cry. I’m lucky to have such a supportive group of family and friends, but they can’t be there when all seems helpless and I‘m at my darkest. For me depression is like been pecked up from the ground like a mouse in a crow’s beak and then been battered this way and that, I can’t do anything to help myself, I’m at the mercy of this black satanic creature, who wants every part of me and there is no once of energy I can find to retaliate.

Sorry if this subject has been a bit long winded and rambled on, but I needed to say it, to confront it head on and start to take control.

I often wonder which is the worse to deal with; Depression or all the other medical problems I have. So here I am, the mask has cracked and fallen away. I’ve let go, I’m naked, everyone one can see me for what is there. I have only the future to look forward to, yes it will be hard, yes there will be days when I forget what I’m meant to be doing, when I loose sight of the light at the end of the tunnel, but equally there will be those brighter days.

A dear friend said to me recently “Letting go of the fear of falling apart is the key!!! Let go, and see what happens!!!!” well here I go, ready or not!

A little joke to end with after that last section I really do need oneng>Moses was sitting in the Egyptian ghetto. Things were terrible. Pharaoh wouldn't even speak to him. The rest of the Israelites were mad at him and making the overseers even more irritable than usual, etc. He was about ready to give up.
Suddenly a booming, sonorous voice spoke from above:
"You, Moses, heed me ! I have good news, and bad news."
Moses was staggered. The voice continued:
"You, Moses, will lead the People of Israel from bondage. If Pharaoh refuses to release your bonds, I will smite Egypt with a rain of frogs"
"You, Moses, will lead the People of Israel to the Promised Land. If Pharaoh blocks your way, I will smite Egypt with a plague of Locust."
"You, Moses, will lead the People of Israel to freedom and safety. If Pharaoh's army pursues you, I will part the waters of the Red Sea to open your path to the Promised Land."
Moses was stunned. He stammered, "That's.... that's fantastic. I can't believe it! --- But what's the bad news?"
"You, Moses, must write the Environmental Impact Statement."

Shalom and God Bless you all

Paul