It’s Polling Day !!!


The News, our local rag, has run an article imploring us to use our votes.

If you asked me, I would only be able to name two of our local councillors and only one for my own electoral ward.

The local candidate is Margaret Beauvoisin. I have never seen her, she certainly hasn’t come knocking at my door. Nor have any of her supporters.

So how do I know that she exists ?

Well someone stuck a screwed up leaflet through my letter box and I have read it.

I would have enjoyed the opportunity to discuss with her the issues that are important to me i.e. the slow death of Waterlooville Town Centre. I would have enjoyed the opportunity to discuss how she believes the further annexing of the Town Centre, by pushing additional commercial enterprise into the West Of Waterlooville development zone, is going to be

an asset to our town

Lifted from her leaflet.

Well at least I got a leaflet from the Labour candidate. Haven’t heard a dickie bird from any of the others.

So The News wants us to

Please make sure you have your say at the ballot box

Will there be an option that allows me to say that I have no idea what any of my local candidates stand for ?

Oh, at the beginning of this post I said I could name two local councilors.

The other was Penny Mordaunt and I know she stands for elephants.

‘Please make sure you have your say at the ballot box’ – Local – Portsmouth News.

View From The Conservatory


Today I ventured out into the garden. Thought it was probably safe since the rain and the winds had subsided. The sky is still very grey but all the plants are looking very lush. So here is a sampling from the Wrantz Estate.

The first offering is one of the thousands of Aquilegia that grow in our garden. As soon as they go to seed I shake the pods all around so they pop up in the most surprising places.

The next is just a little humour. This game of chequers has been on the go for several years or perhaps they are just trying to out stare each other.

The Long Game
The Long Game

Gardens are for fun. I’m certain these two are enjoying themselves.

Let's Play Leap Frog

And last of all, for the moment, is this plant which grows in my neighbour’s garden but shares the colours, shapes and style with us by hanging over the fence. Delightful. Just one problem, I don’t know what it is. It does look a bit like Holly though.

Anyone out there know what it is ?

What Is This ?
What Is This ?

You can just see the leaf shape which is very much like a Holly Leaf. Answers on a post card……

Virtual Elephant March


Members of the public can show their support for   International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)’s campaign to protect elephants from poachers by joining the virtual Elephant March

Visit elephantmarch.com.

More “Penny Mordaunt” Headline Grabbing


In these austere times it is so good to know that Ms. Mordaunt has the time to devote to fighting the ivory trade.

Portsmouth North’s Penny Mordaunt has pledging her support for the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)’s campaign to protect elephants from poachers.

Don’t take this the wrong way. I too am against the ivory trade that is based on such cruelty. There are however more important, local, issues that Penny Mordaunt could and should be focussed on.

She said: ‘We must take the lead in the international community to stop elephants dying to fuel the ivory trade.

I believe this country has been a long time supporter of the fight against animal cruelty in general and this cruel crime in particular. Many members of the general public already contribute to various funds and charities.

What the cynics amongst us don’t need is our local MPs jumping on various emotive bandwagons to up their public profiles on the run up to local elections.

Portsmouth North MP backs anti-ivory trade campaign – Environment – Portsmouth News.


Although this is US based and US targeted it is just as applicable to the UK or an country where wives and families are waiting for their loved ones to return.

Jenn Pineo's avatarjennpineo

Dear America,

I’m pretty sure you don’t know me although you’re probably convinced that you do. You’ve seen me (or someone like me) on the news, in the paper or on a Lifetime tv show. You might have witnessed our tearful airport good-bye or clapped at our  reunion. You might spot me by my bumper sticker, license plate or “Red T-shirt on Friday”. It might be my accent or longing for Dunkin Donuts that gives away the fact that I’m not from around here. Another military wife.

I’m not just another military wife though. Actually, none of us are. There are things you don’t know about us. Things that you can’t see in twenty seconds on the news or find in a front page photo. There are things that are hidden in the tearful goodbyes and forgotten in the sweet hellos. I am more than a bumper sticker, a red…

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Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun


My apologies to Pink Floyd but this is good news for employees of local business Astrium

Jobs have been secured in Portsmouth after space firm Astrium signed a contract to send a satellite close to the sun.

The deal is worth £245m for Astrium UK, which has bases in the city at Broad Oak, and in Stevenage.

Astrium sign deal to build Solar Orbiter satellite – Local Business – Portsmouth News.

Nature Lover Mugged – RSPCA Should Be Ashamed


The RSPCA should be ashamed of their actions.

The greatest joy in the life of animal enthusiast David Brown was the wild habitat he owned opposite his cottage that was home to foxes, badgers, hedgehogs and squirrels.

So when he wrote his will, Mr Brown chose to leave his property to the RSPCA – a charity he trusted.

But the RSPCA repaid his trust by selling the land to property developers, and last week, to the horror of his former neighbours, the habitat was flattened – in just 12 hours.

Legally they may not be bound by David Browns “wishes” but morally they were.

From the RSPCAs own website

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals – the UK’s leading animal welfare charity. We rescue, rehabilitate and rehome hundreds of thousands of animals each year. We offer advice on caring for all animals and campaign to change laws that will protect them, which we will enforce through prosecution.

The cynical amongst us  may believe that people at the RSPCA are motivated by self-interest, that the officers of the RSPCA saw this bequest as a way in which they could help safeguard their inflated salaries.

The cynical amongst us will also be distrustful of the RSPCA since they do not seem to exhibit either sincerity or integrity when they have quite blatantly diverted from their stated intent.

And in their own name ..

Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

How cruel was it to clear this site and deprive the many creatures of their homes and habitat.

I believe the RSPCA have been hugely disrespectful to David Brown and have damaged their own reputation.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2136714/Nature-lover-leaves-wildlife-haven-RSPCA–sell-bulldozed-built-on.html#ixzz1tPFrOWEh

Nature lover leaves wildlife haven to RSPCA ¿ who sell it to be bulldozed and built on | Mail Online.

The Thing


In case any of you are wondering how come I’m posting at 06:00 I’ll tell.

This damn cold, man flu or whatever “The Thing” is, it’s pushing me to the extreme.

I can’t lay down and sleep because when I do I cough. And when I cough I can’t sleep. So you see, it’s easier to get up and read or, as at the moment, blog.

“The Thing”, whatever I have, its been going on for three weeks now. Started with a few days of a mildly sore throat which eventually seem to turn into a cold but without the sneezing. Just when that started to fade away “The Thing” came back with a vengeance. Fresh sore throat, different from the first phase, and everything moved down onto my chest. Since then I have felt like shit.

Headaches, presumably caused by obstructed sinuses, temperature going up and down, eyes watering, nose constantly switching between bunged up to dripping like a leaky tap. Now I have the, previously absent, sneezing. Oh, and did I mention the coughing. The irritating dry cough that no medicine or liquid seems to touch. I have been coughing so long now that upper body from waist to chest feels like I’ve been used as a punch bag.

My wife is exasperated and who can blame her. The explosive coughing must be really irritating to listen to. So far she seems to have avoided “The Thing” although she has been coughing too ….. ?
Fingers crossed that is all she gets.

And today we should have been going to my great-granddaughters first birthday but of course we will stay away. Can’t have either her or mum going down with “The Thing”.