UK – WrAnTz

View From The Conservatory

I know we are still officially in Winter, but a little bit of sunshine and elevated temperatures soon convince the plants to venture above soil level.

This is one of two Amaryllis, a gift from my sister. I’m ashamed to say they were neglected and started to grow in the delivery package before I acquired suitable soil and pots. With suitable nurturing it is leaping skywards although at this stage it does remind me of The Little Shop of Horrors.

Outside, on the decking, I now have a number of pots and troughs, starting to show the fruits of bulb planting late last year.

Only yellows at the moment, but time will reveal more, I’m sure.

IFOS 2001 – Retrospective

As for many of us, I have had a bit of time on my hands. Some of that time I am spending going thru my old photos. And so I have come to browse some photos from a little under twenty years ago.

I had recently purchased my first digital camera, an Olympus C-2040Z. 2001 was also the year of the International Festival Of the Sea (IFOS). This was in place of the annual Navy Days and a much grander affair. The focus was shifted, very slightly, away from the Royal Navy warships and the event became a celebration of the sea and the history and heritage from around the world.

Here, I present a selection of pictures from the day that I spent at a super event.

Continental Car Ferry – P&O Catamaran Arriving from France

Far left – RNLB *William* and *Kate Johnston* (ON 682) was a Barnett-class lifeboat stationed at New Brighton in the English county of Merseyside from the summer of 1923

HMS Nottingham – Type 42 destroyer of the Royal Navy

Royal Netherlands Navy frigate HNLMS *Jacob Van Heemskerck* (F812)

Continental Car Ferry – Arriving From France

News Article Should Carry A Warning

I have just read the attached article regarding Colchicine, a drug that could, potentially, be used to treat patients with Covid-19.

https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/2021/02/05/a-drug-used-to-treat-gout-could-reduce-covid-hospital-stays-according-to-new-research/content.html

Whilst I am supportive, of any additional tools made available, in this worldwide fight with Covid-19, I believe the author of this article has been delinquent, in not warning of the risks associated with the use of Colchicine.

I don’t mean risks associated with the proper administration under medical supervision.

What I am more concerned about, is the potential for Joe Public to self medicate, should they, like me, have this medicine in their cupboards.

Colchicine is a drug, used to treat patients suffering from Gout. The article says that use of Colchicine could reduce Covid hospital stays. And whilst that may be true, what the article does not say is that Colchicine is not safe for long term use.

As a Gout sufferer I have been prescribed Colchicine. It was prescribed to suppress my first flare up of Gout, taken over a few days. Subsequently, it was used to ensure that a second flare up did not occur, as I started my daily regime of Allopurinol.

At that time, it was made very clear, by my GP, that Colchicine was to be treated with respect.

Since then, I have held a small supply of Colchicine in reserve, should the Gout return. Thankfully, I have not had to resort to the emergency tablets, the Allopurinol is doing its job.

My sister, also a Gout sufferer, can attest to the diarrhoea side effect, caused by the higher dosages.

My point is that at the time of the initial prescription I was warned of the toxicity of Colchicine.

From the NHS Web site ….

What if I take too much?
Taking too many Colchicine tablets can be very dangerous. It could be fatal.

Symptoms of taking too much Colchicine can include:
● feeling or being sick (nausea or vomiting)
● stomach ache
● bloody diarrhoea
●signs of low blood pressure (such as feeling dizzy or lightheaded)

Come on “The News” do due diligence and balance optimism with a required caution. There are folks out there who may just try self medicating if they start to exhibit Covid symptoms.

Idiocy – Party Goers Waving Two Fingers At Authorities

More than £11,000 in fines issued for baby’s birthday party in Nottingham

https://www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-england-nottinghamshire-55963093?utm_source=upday&utm_medium=referral

A one year old baby doesn’t understand or care about parties. This gathering was all about the adults. Adults that decided to gather, regardless of the rules or the law.

Basically they have all waved two fingers at the government, shown total disrespect to our emergency services and the NHS.

There is no excuse. These people deserve everything they get.

RIP Captain Sir Tom Moore

After his herculean money raising effort, 100 year old Captain Sir Tom Moore has succumbed to Covid-19.

BBC News – Covid-19: Captain Sir Tom Moore dies with coronavirus https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-55881753

Words cannot describe the way, in which this gentleman has inspired folks, of all generations and all walks of life.

All credits to GQ Magazine / Photographer Gavin Bond

Captain Sir Tom Moore, we salute you 👏👏👏

Australian City of Perth In Lockdown

This just goes to prove that you cannot let your guard down, not for a moment where this pandemic is concerned.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-55877150

10 months clear of any locally acquired Covid-19 and just one individual can undo all the good work done by the many. Clearly there was a lapse of attention or judgement and that is all it takes.

It seems that a security guard working in a hotel, has been tested positive for Covid-19, possibly with the UK variant.

One should also keep in mind, Australia has not yet started to roll out the vaccine. March appears to be the soonest estimate for vaccinations to start.

Supplies of the vaccines also look to be in jeopardy, as the EU plans to impose restrictions on exports. Restrictions, on vaccine exports, are being put in place to cover shortfalls brought about by the EUs own bureaucracy and ineptitude.

This is potentially a double whammy for WA residents.

EU Bully Boys and Liars

The EU was late to the vaccine table, late placing orders, late signing contracts.

Three months late !!!

To compensate, the EU Bully Boys, tried to steal the UKs contracted orders. They are insisting that vaccine producer, Oxford-AstraZeneca, fulfill EU order shortfalls by diverting the UKs vaccine supplies.

http://news.sky.com/story/what-is-article-16-and-why-did-the-eu-make-a-u-turn-after-triggering-it-12202915

And, while they are arguing with the vaccine suppliers, they thought it would be prudent to effectively shut down the border between the UK and Ireland. The very sticking point that nearly collapsed the Brexit agreement.

They, the EU, invoked Article 16.

This they did without warning and without informing any of the parties involved i.e. UK, Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland.

Following a flurry of communiques, the EU has made a u-turn, claiming their actions were a mistake, an oversight.

Well that’s just Bollocks !!!

Issuing the paperwork to invoke Article 16 would have required signatures at a very high level.

So, the EU are Bully Boys and Liars.

To me this indicates that the EU, still upset that we had the temerity to leave their club, intend to punish us for Brexit every chance they can.

View From The Conservatory

A, relatively, peaceful afternoon, was disturbed by the raucous sounds of this helicopter hovering close to the road at the back of us.

Initially, we thought it was an air ambulance. However, a quick flash of its side, emblazoned with the word “ELECTRICITY “, gave the game away.

This is one of five helicopters operated by Western Power Distribution. What this one was looking for is anyones guess. Under normal circumstances these helicopters are used for the maintenance and repair of networks and also during emergency and fault conditions.

Still, it gave us a little excitement in our otherwise boring, pandemic, blighted lives.

View From The Conservatory

It’s forecast to be a cold night. But for the time being, this is the effect of the moonrise, with a little bit of mist just to add a bit of mystery.

A Shot In The Arm

This morning we journeyed down into Portsmouth so my wife could have the first of her Covid vaccinations.

I won’t say that we breathed a big sigh of relief but we have probably relaxed a little.

My wife has been closeted away since last June, when we got back to the UK. Since then she has become really concerned about the covid statistics and the implications. Not just for her but for all of us.

She hasn’t ventured outside of our home more than, perhaps, half a dozen times. Most of those excursions have been of a medical nature.

Having the jab does change your perspective a little.

Of course we know that the vaccine doesn’t cure Covid, or prevent you from becoming infected. And, of course, it doesn’t mean you can go out freely. We are, after all, still in lockdown.

What it does show, is that we, as a country, are heading in the right direction, albeit slowly.

Rather these baby steps, than trying to run full tilt, lifting all the restrictions, only to fall flat on our faces. I personally think that the restrictions should not be lifted until at least 75% of the population have been vaccinated.

I’m rather hoping that, by the time the restrictions are lifted, my wife won’t have become a total hermit.

If nothing else, we know that she will be going out again in April, which is when the second jab is scheduled.

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