Update 37
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No significant change to my condition since the meeting with Sam Guglani. I spoke with palliative Michelle on Wednesday and agreed to try one further reduction in the level of steroids. So on Tuesday next my daily dose will go down to 1.5mg - if any symptoms return, I’ll be straight back up to 2mg. Regular readers will recall that when I previously went down to 1mg, I lost all sense of taste.
Every few weeks I check back on those predictions I made on June 24th 2016. I was in France visiting the Normandy beach landings when the EU opinion poll (referendum) result was announced. In my arrogance I predicted three outcomes: 1) Northern Ireland will make a break for independence before Scotland, 2) the British mass market car industry will die, and 3) the Conservative Party will split into at least two parts. So where are we at, almost seven years on from that fateful vote?
1) the resignation of Nicola Sturgeon pushes the prospect of Scottish independence back by several years. The lady emanated a confidence that independence was desirable, but more importantly that it was achievable. To me her possible successors so far have shown no sign that they can offer that same strength of leadership. After the next election, there can be no certainty that the SNP will remain in government. On the other side of the Irish Sea, the DUP are showing a total lack of imagination and an inability to read and understand the polls. A majority of the NI population are as well disposed to the EU as they are to the UK. Numerous businesses are benefitting greatly from the uniqueness of the NI trading status ie: free and simultaneous access to the EU and to the UK.
2) We don’t know what kind of deal is keeping Nissan in the UK but recent statements have implied that their commitment to Sunderland might not be indefinite. Toyota is in a similar position whilst JLR, Stellantis (Vauxhall) and Ford all have established manufacturing plants in other countries - if the economics cease to work then relocations will be inevitable. There are encouraging increases in our output of EVs (electric vehicles) but production is still restrained by a lack of local battery manufacturing. My fingers are crossed that someone can rescue British volt originally planned for a Blyth location.
3) The Conservative Party has already split, with a range of options as to where the division lines should be drawn. I suppose the ERG is one branch, the Northern Research group another, and there are a couple more working up the public face of their offering. What was once seen as the “left wing” of the party no longer exists because Boris Johnson fired almost all of them. In short, the Tories are literally “all over the place”.
Last week I omitted a shot of my proposed cover for the book of 200 songs so here it is
You’ll have noticed that I’ve been keeping quiet about the fate of my iPad Pro. The charge port ceased to function and Apple offered a repair charge of £868 which I felt was excessive and looked elsewhere. In York I found a company called ‘Gamer Tech’ who offered a repair at £69.99 including collection and return. This seemed too good to be true so I sent the iPad away more in hope than expectation but yesterday afternoon DPD returned my device in good working order. What great news and what an efficient system. The company asked me to take the iPad to one of their collection points from where DPD delivered it to Gamer Tech who after the repair gave it back to DPD who returned it directly to our home address. Thank you Gamer Tech and well done for doing everything you promised, a breakthrough for this day and age.
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