View From The Conservatory

Yet another glorious day weather wise. Blue skies and sunshine. Even with the doors open the temperature here in the conservatory is 28degC.

I have been observing the activities of the pasta thieves. We had a pasta/pesto salad the night before last. The excess pasta was put out for the birds. However, it’s not just the birds that seem to like the pasta. Hence the mention of “pasta thieves”.

The Carrion Crows are back. Since they are birds then there is no issue with them eating the pasta. They are somewhat greedy though. Racking up the fusilli in their long beaks, four and five at a time. They only do this to collect them then they move to another area of the lawn where they drop their cache and eat the individual pasta pieces.

I did say “pasta thieves”. The other culprits are the squirrels. I don’t really have a problem with them stealing from the bird table. They also seem to have a liking for pasta. Munching away, jaws going nineteen to the dozen, every now and again their heads popping up to look around. A single fusilli twist projecting from their mouths like a big fat white cigar. Very comical.

There is nothing like nature to put you in a good place mentally.

Fighting hard to displace my general sense of well-being are the guys working to tidy up the trees and bushes over on the roundabout a few hundred yards away. They are doing a grand job but as is the norm these days they are reducing the cuttings to wood chips. The machine makes a horrendous noise and has been running for two days now. Hopefully tomorrow they will have moved sufficiently far away that I won’t be able to hear them.

It’s Budget Day

So today is budget day !!!

Are there going to be any surprises ?

Seems most of what’s of any interest to Joe Public has already been leaked in the news.

Are we heading towards a time when the government, the Chancellor, will just publish the information on the web and by-pass the boring recitation of facts which the media then spend days dissecting.

Watching and waiting with interest.

Kate Middleton Taking Advantage Of Her Position – Not Acceptable – No Excuses

Missed this in the weekend papers but apparently Kate Middleton has taken to parking where ever she wants regardless of parking restrictions.

On two occasions, while her car was illegally parked, her car was approached by traffic wardens intent on writing a ticket. On each occasion a security officer approached the warden and presumably warned him of the error of his ways.

To my mind this does not set a good example. She may be the fiance of a royal but that does not give her any rights to flaunt local by-laws. My opinion would not change even if it was the Queens car. One of the security detail could have taken the car away until she had finished shopping.

Miss Middleton, you are one of the people. You are therefore the subject of the same laws that the rest of the people have to abide by.

NO EXCUSES !!!

Once more, for Emsworth and St George! – What about the rest of the country ?

Lets hear it for the people of Emsworth.

They are doing just what our government should be putting in place. How come the English, as a nation, don’t celebrate our Patron Saint. Yes the flags might fly but that is about it. Yet for St. Patrick’s day all the stops are pulled. Round here the pubs are more likely to be pushing a St. Patrick’s Day special with green beer etc. but for St. Georges day, nothing.

St. Georges day just passes as a notation on the pages of diary.

I think Emsworth has it right. We as a nation should celebrate St. Georges day and it should also be the day that is used to mark a day of respect for our armed forces and most of all as a day to celebrate being English.

I can hear the politically correct brigade saying “Ooo we can’t do that, we might upset some ethnic population Britain”. Well as an Englishman I am upset that we kowtow to everyone elses needs but never to our own.

The government flounders around, making noises about doing away with May Bank Holiday and replacing it with a Bank Holiday on St. Georges Day or perhaps Trafalgar Day in October.

Why do we have to lose May Bank Holiday, why can’t we have additional Bank Holidays ? Do something for the people, not to the people for a change.

Once more, for Emsworth and St George! – East Hampshire – The News.

Major expansion of Waterlooville gets the green light after 15 years

The inevitable has happened.

Approval has been given for some 3,000 new homes to be built closing the remaining green gap around Waterlooville. Apparently this is a reduction on the original 9,000 that was being sought. So something positive has come out of nearly 15 years of discussion and debate.

But lets not be swayed by the fancy artists impressions or the statements that the houses will be in the architectural style of nearby village, Hambledon. Many things can happen over the next few years. Permission to go ahead with the development is somewhat like the salesmans foot in the door. Now the real business will begin. I just hope that our councillors and the planning authorities keep a watchful eye and a tight rein on the developers, making sure that they deliver the goods.

From my perspective the real issue with this development is not the number of houses. No, the real issue is the increase in traffic around the Waterlooville area.

3,000 new houses means that there will possibly be between 3,000 and 6,000 additional vehicles. Many of which will be contributing to the twice daily rush hour traffic congestion. I just hope that our infrastructure is able to cope.

Again, from my perspective, the level of traffic noise has increased over the last 20 plus years that I have lived in the area. This new development is only going to add to the problem.

I will be watching with interest to see how this all rolls out.

Major expansion of town gets the green light after 15 years – Politics – The News.

RIP Jet Harris – A True Diamond Geezer

With the death of Jet Harris the world is missing yet another great artist from the world of music.

One of the earliest tracks that I can remember hearing was Diamonds by Jet Harris & Tony Meehan. That was long before I knew Jet Harris had been one of the Shadows.

I just loved that tune and still do.

For those of you who have never heard it Go Here

My thoughts are with his family.

Ex-Shadow member Jet Harris dies – National – The News.

Camerons Words Could Come Back And Bite Him

David Cameron has reacted to the Libyan government’s offer of a ceasefire by saying he would judge Col Muammar Gaddafi “by his actions not his words”.

Well Mr. Cameron we will be measuring you by your actions, not by your words.

When it comes to the unrest in the middle east there has been precious little action. Now that we have the UN resolution I fear that the actions will be too little, too late.

And what are we going to take action with ?

Old Nimrods that have been saved from the axe because we scrapped the new ones. Fighters that have to fly from the UK or Cyprus because we have no carriers and no Harriers that can fly from them.

As usual our government is suffering from terminal myopia.

Dennis the Menace at 60

Well who would have thought it. A hero from my childhood is still going strong after 60 years. Obviously, to maintain this popularity, Dennis has had to evolve to match the world of the readers but he is in essence still the same.

Overall I feel quite proud that kids are still following a character that was born this side of the atlantic.

Happy Birthday – Dennis

BBC News – Dennis the Menace at 60.

View From The Conservatory

Quite a dull day today although I am happier than in my last post. At least I can eat and drink fairly freely as the gap left by my missing tooth is slowly healing.

Have just spent 10 minutes or so watching a pair of Carrion Crows raiding my garden for food. We had Kung Po Prawns and Rice for dinner last night. As usual I did too much rice. The excess was scattered for the birds which is what had attracted the crows. They are magnificent birds. Jet black, looking so smart. What is amazing is that they are one of the bigger birds to settle in the garden yet they seem to be quite nervous. The image above was purloined from the RSPB web site. I would have posted one of my own photos but to have moved to get my camera would have scared my visitors away. More details can be found by following the link at the bottom of this post.

While on the subject of beasts with beaks, I was doing a bit of sticky beaking myself this morning.

I spotted a guy in a bright yellow jacket outside the front of my house. He had a short ladder leaning against the trunk of the very big Beech tree. He had climbed the ladder and was about to hammer something into the trunk. So of course I went out and asked him what he was doing.

It appears he works for the local council and is carrying out a survey of the trees for which they, the council, are responsible. He was tagging this tree as he is going to make a note about one of the branches which is getting a bit long and heavy. In his view the branch needs some of the sub branches to be removed to take some of the weight off the main limb. Apparently, Beech Trees are prone to dropping their branches.

Seems likely he was the guy I accosted a few years ago when I spotted him taking measurements. At that time one of my neighbours had contacted the council with a view to taking the tree down. So todays chat just reinforced the continued interest, by at least one of the residents, in keeping this tree safe and intact.

While he and I were chatting we were surprised by a small army of council workers either sitting on or following a variety of power mowers. Now during the year we do get visited by these guys. Usually their numbers are limited to 2 or 3 on mowers with a guy following on foot with a leaf blower. Today we were blessed with the arrival of not 3, not 6 but 8. The noise was phenomenal. It’s all very well the drivers having ear protectors but what about the unsuspecting residents.

Anyway, I guess I’d better get back to work. Have to knock off early today as I am going for physio appointment later. Also, big smile, we are expecting a visit from my granddaughter and great-granddaughter. So bye for now.

The RSPB: Carrion crow.