7th June 2020 - Confused, Catalogues, Clogs, and Crisis - Happy Sunday

Thought for the day :"Lego store has re-opened - People are lining up for blocks"

LINK JOHNS HOPKINS
Office of National Statistics

Well, that was an interesting start to the day.

A knock on the door and a 50 year old man in leggings and a thin blue T Shirt tries to walk into the house and asks if he can come in ... I say No, of course, and will admit I am a little too close to him for comfort, but as he goes I ask him if he knows where he lives and he says "no".

I quickly establish that he knows very little - is obviously cold (it is pretty chilly this morning),and so I call him back while still telling him that he cannot come in.

Sadly, my phone is upstairs, so telling him to stay where he is (he complies) I run upstairs and get my phone and join him again.

So, I establish that his name is Andrew McKay and that he is 50, that he has no idea where he is living but he has a friend called Mike who he does not know anything more about...

After an aborted attempt to call next door, Lynette opens and is not sure to do so I get Andrew back in to the front Garden - it is starting to rain so I give him an umbrella which he clings onto..

111 is the NHS line I realise after mis-dialing - I hate phones !

101 and we get the multiple language options, the multiple police services option, and then the press 1 for incident - it takes about 2 minutes I reckon and Andrew is ready to walk off a few times and has to be enticed back.

Finally get through and give the details, and the police are dispatched which is good. Details are taken but the operator is obviously a new employee having no idea who I am even though I mentioned that I put the Call Center together - but then I have been retired for 14 years so memories are short.

Susie comes to rescue me and she pops up the road to the Care Home, now Called Stradey Park Care Home I understand, and as she comes back with one of the staff, a car draws up with another care worker in scrubs, who calls to Andrew and he gets into the car happily to see someone he knows...

I am still on the phone to the Call Centre so the matter is completed, though in fairness the police still called around to check that everything was okay... 

And so , the good deed for the day - but it was as well that he did not run off, as I would have had to follow as he was clearly a confused and vulnerable individual - however, he was under-dressed in leggings and T shirt, I was also under dressed in a Miami Summer Shirt and leggings and bare feet!!

Had the call gone out it would have been understandable if they picked me up as the more vulnerable!!!

And so - Happy Sunday !!

As for the rest of the month - I spoke yesterday about the 2020 Bingo Card - I found a version 

And so - We get to publishing No 47 on Youtube - here is the list so far...  

 

 

 

 

 

Today's listing from the list we get up to No 46  - The Last thing on my mind,,,

Interestingly, this was one of the ones that I do so regularly I thought I could do happily in one take - which I did and was quite happy with the result - until I had edited it and found :
 1) I had called it "Made of Sand" not "Last thing on my Mind"
 2) I had got "Your Soul in my Hand" instead of the other way around, and
 3) I had left one verse out entirely !!
So Back into the Studio and we get this as the result...

In other news- I found this about Clog Dancing in Wales, and link for posterity..

Welsh Clog Dancing..

And with no comment - regardless of the merits of Black Lives Matter (BLM) this is the scene in London for the demonstrations...  While in Wales we are still isolating and cannot travel 5 miles..

And so I get this ...

George Takei is still on form..

And it is not lunch-time yet !!

Cheers !

6th June 2020 - Which Disaster did you have for June??

Thought for the day :"I do all my own stunts – but not intentionally"

LINK JOHNS HOPKINS
Office of National Statistics

We hit over 40,000 Deaths!

I will leave this here 

Seems like a 2020 Bingo Card - Diesel spill in Russia means that June includes Rivers of Blood!!

Locust Plagues in Pakistan in May  - apparently China suggest importing thousands of ducks as they can eat their wait in locust every hour! 

And outside the White House the Mayor is so incensed by the use of military in her area that she renames 16th Street as "Black Lives Matter Plaza" and has yellow words painted across the road and cancels all curfews..

And reported on CNN (of course)

Still - I must applaud ....

In other news... Susie is getting the Welsh Dresser ready for the kitchen..

And I am making progress in the Warehouse - yes that is a wall at the back !!

And so another Saturday - and a bit more of the same...

Shut-Down Serenade today is Number 45 - When I first Came to this Land

and a video to add

 Cheers !

5th June 2020 - Trying not to mention Politics - Failed

Thought for the day :"You can’t spell cat without a"

LINK JOHNS HOPKINS
Office of National Statistics

I was good yesterday - no politics at all....

I knew it wouldn't last 

I enjoyed this.....watch to the end ...

A full, and Strawberry moon over Stone Henge today I understand - 

The 2nd Amendment..   Roy Zimmerman

And back to the shut down - Macdonalds are only doing drive through and this pops up - good luck to him...  The poster says that he got served !!

So back to Presidential Style. Trump is mobilising the Army to crack down and finally has got his wall - it is around the White House!!v I just leave this contrast here..

and in Summary ...

And we are doing so well here of course ....

On to number 44 in the Shut-Down Serenades... Oh Lord it's Hard to be Humble!!

Have a good day
Cheers !
Oh yes - Schools opened !!

4th June 2020 - Walls and Warfare

Thought for the day:"Of all my body parts my fingers are the most reliable – I can always count on them"

LINK JOHNS HOPKINS
Office of National Statistics

I learned something today

In England one sometimes encounters these "wavy" brick fences. And curious as it may seem, this shape uses LESS bricks than a straight fence.

That's because a straight fence that is just one brick thick is not sturdy enough to stand alone and can be easily toppled with a determined push. For that reason straight fences always have a thickness of at least two layers of bricks and often more, and are also reinforced at regular intervals with vertical posts serving as buttresses.

But a wavy "one-brick" fence stands just fine on its own due to the arch support provided by its shape, which combines both fence and buttress.

Yup - seems about right ....

And many people are finding new ways to cope in the shut-down - this is one...

And with that I think I will leave politics for the day...

And so to the Shut-Down Serenades..... No 43 - Your Gambeson is too Long

A sad tale of getting old .. In Warfare, your armour would be fitted, determined by your height, girth, weight and stature. This is a tale of what happens when you age and are no longer as tall and fit as you were in your early days... And when your Gambeson (the padded coat that goes under your plate armour) is too long - then you have shrunk to the stage where you should hang up your helmet and leave the field to those more capable... "The bards will pamper Victors 'Cos the dead can't pay or sing..." Original Song "Homburg" by Procol Harem

Cheers!

3rd June 2020 - Riots, Refuse and Refreshing Rain

Thought for the day:"When you drink beer – the beer gets drunk too"

LINK JOHNS HOPKINS
Office of National Statistics

Well yesterday I posted a photoshop of Trump outside a Church in the White House, and mentioned that the Bishop was very unhappy with the Church being used as a Propaganda Backdrop and the Bible being used as a stage prop  (my words) 

Today I saw this as well ..

Things are not improving and there appears to be little being done to try and draw to a conclusion. There appears to be no negotiation or movement by the Trump authority, while at all other levels people seem to be looking for mediation.

Still arrest and charge of only one of the four officers who were sacked over the death of George Floyd. Further signs of violence and actions interpreted as Racist are filling the media.

There are few bits of levity - but I saw this one which tickled me slightly...

I am however fascinated by the widespread use of bicycles in the cities of America by the police. I can see the logic, but it still comes as a surprise - though it is obviously harder to set a bicycle on fire if you have to leave it behind you...

But yesterday, the number of people who "went dark" with their profile pictures on Facebook, (Posting a Black image as their Profile Picture) was quite substantial...  As was the posting of Blank Black images on Instagram..

Back to normal again today - but it was a show of solidarity for a day...

All the stories are based upon rioting and demonstrations, which conveniently forgets the fact that we are creeping right up to the 40,000 dead number here in the UK, and still seem to haven no idea where we are meant to be going.  Burry Port Harbour and Beach yesterday was not a good example of social distancing...

It is clear that you are never going to be able to keep the teens apart, let alone other groups.
I hear tales from primary school teachers saying that it is proving impossible to keep the children socially distanced - and how could you expect it at 4 years old?  

Watching young teens diving off the bridge into the Harbour, and jumping off the walls it is clear that safety is not at the front of anyone's mind... 

But had a nice walk in the sun...

Pictures of the rubbish on the beaches of DumbleDor (Durdle Dor) remind us of the numbers that squashed together there at the weekend and also how little they really care for the country. And a big question... where did the all go to the toilet??

and to sum it up ...

And so we are back to the Shut-Down Serenades again. Today we get to number 41... A minor variation on "The Littlest Hobo" otherwise known as "Maybe Tomorrow"

"Nearly there, we paid our fair with this Bardic Song"

Have to get back into the studio today - I am out of songs again ... 

So, our Heat wave is dissipating - and we have some cooler weather today and some light rain which is quite refreshing.

Cheers !!

2nd June 2020 - Lone Ranger - to the Dump, to the Dump....

Thought for the day:"Carving names in trees? – makes you wonder why so many people carry knives when they go on dates "

LINK JOHNS HOPKINS
Office of National Statistics

Got to the dump yesterday - took my time and managed to stack everything I could as I am only allowed one trip a month.

System worked quite well really - I got there 20 minutes early even though they say not to arrive before 5 minutes before but there was a bit of a queue and it was twenty to three when I got the guy checking registrations.  I told him I was early but he was content. Inside they asked what rubbish I was bringing and in my case I had a bit of everything,blue bags, black bags, hard plastic, carpet, metal and wood...  so I just went from section to section - and I was through by 3.05pm - though I will admit I was very hot!!!

My mother would have been proud - she enjoyed a trip to the dump!
We are finally making some progress in the warehouse though it looks to be hot again for that!

In house news - I phoned yesterday to check that the information had been passed to the correct solicitors, and they had received the contact details. They had not progressed them at all - so that is one thing gee-ed up by a day..  58 days and counting to get in by Susie's Birthday.

It is Tuesday so time to change the profile Pictures again ...

A glass of beer by the lakeside in the back garden...   Cheers !

In other news - USA is a firebox...
Had the interesting watch last night as National Guard, Army, Secret Service and Park Police cleared demonstrators, mainly White and Young and Peaceful, from an area in front of the White House, with baton charges, gas and rubber bullets, so Trump could walk out with his entourage (not wearing masks) for a Photo opportunity in front of the Closed down Church. The bishop was later incensed to see the Church used as a Backdrop as he held a bible up in his right hand...  No speech, just a photo opportunity.

I must admit that it required me to use my mediocre photoshop skills...

Quite pleased with the result..

This was an interesting comparison for two Presidents...

I leave that one there..

In other news we are still socially distancing --

Yesterday I saw that it was two years from the death of a friend in Curious Pastimes, Andrew Vaughan who had some major health issues but never let them stop him role-playing Malice the Mage -  I wrote a song for him a number of years ago and decided to record a special Shut Down Serenade for his memory....

Song for Malice.. Who the Heck is Malice??

Meanwhile, the standard serenades reach No 40  - Outward Bound..

"So my Friend, you beat me to Valhalla..

May you find whatever you were looking for"

 Best get some work done I suppose
 Cheers..

1st June 2020 - White Rabbits - Ease of Restrictions - Great!

Thought for the day :"I for one like Roman Numerals"

LINK JOHNS HOPKINS
Office of National Statistics

White Rabbits!!!

And from Fascinating Aïda   - Dillie Keane - on here 68th Birthday 

Song for Dominic Cummings

Dillie Keane

And in other news from the world of books....

And so to the press... No wonder we are so against them at present - this is not true - but it is indicative of the belief of the roll that the police are currently taking...

A little girl was leaning into a lion's cage. Suddenly, the lion grabs her by the collar of her jacket and tries to pull her inside to slaughter her, all under the eyes of her screaming parents.
A biker jumps off his Harley, runs to the cage and hits the lion square on the nose with a powerful punch. Whimpering from the pain, the lion jumps back, letting go of the girl, and the biker brings the girl to her terrified parents, who thank him endlessly.
A BBC reporter, Laura Kuenssberg, has watched the whole event.
Laura, addressing the Harley rider says, "Sir, this was the most gallant and bravest thing I've seen a man do in my whole life.”
The Harley rider replies, "Why, it was nothing, really. The lion was behind bars. I just saw this little kid in danger, and acted as I felt right.”
Miss Kuenssberg "Well, I'll make sure this won't go unnoticed. I'm a BBC journalist, you know, and tomorrow's news will run this story. So, what do you do for a living, and what political affiliation do you have?”
The biker replies "I'm a British Army veteran, a Conservative and I voted for Brexit”. The journalist leaves.
The following morning the biker turns on BBC News to see if it indeed brings news of his actions.
BBC Headline: RIGHT WING UK VETERAN ASSAULTS AFRICAN IMMIGRANT & STEALS HIS LUNCH.
And THAT pretty much sums up the BBC's approach to the news these days.


And so today is the first day of the ease up in restrictions - don't think I will be making much change - though I have a Dump appointment at 3pm!!

And in local news we have a new Golfing term apparently - a "Cummings"

And the rest of the world is going up in smoke.. Riots across the World...  

I'll just leave that here...