Update 49
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I am puzzled about the increasing use of the adjective “illegal” describing the folks crossing the English channel to reach the UK. I can’t work out which law they are allegedly breaking. Every weekend dozens, if not hundreds of small boat owners cross the channel from Brighton or one of the other south coast harbours to enjoy say a pleasant lunch in France or the Channel Islands. Attempting to sail the sea is not an illegal act, whatever the dreadful Braverman has to say about it. I suspect her objective is to unite us against people she wants to portray as our common enemy ie: immigrants - people like her own parents or those of several other ministers.
This photo below may not appear to be a site of maximum danger but last Sunday it was. Friends Calvin and Simon were rebuilding a landing stage on lake 75 in the Cotswold water park. In order to take a look I ventured down the grassy slope to the left of this pic but such was the angle and such was the force of gravity that I couldn’t stop. The edge of the water was getting closer and faster. Thankfully Simon spotted the inevitable, leaped in front of me and pushed me back up away from the water! The new landing stage will service boat trips twixt the mainland and an island at the lake’s centre. When your garden includes a 20 acre lake, there is never a shortage of jobs to be done.
As you’ll gather from that little story, self control of my movements is not improving. And so M and I have agreed I will no longer attempt to carry breakables. We’ve lost track of our glass or ceramic losses. Neither hands nor legs are any longer to be trusted.
“Why is this lying bastard lying to me?” is probably a phrase you’ve heard linked to Jeremy Paxman. It is also the title of a new book by Rob Burley - the doyen of political tv show editors. From his book I learned that the originator was actually Times journalist Louis Heren. I suspect that from here on, Paxman will get the blame - it’s a very quotable quote. Paxman has got together with some fellow sufferers from Parkinson’s disease to produce a podcast titled “Movers and Shakers” …… having spent time with friends who have that awful illness, I can vouch for the title’s aptness.
Next week will see half a dozen former colleagues visiting Cheltenham for a reunion lunch at our Hotel du Vin. This comes on the heels of last week’s Cheltenham lunch with Richard Allinson at the local Ivy. Thank heavens those taste buds are hanging on in there.
Some of you failed to get the link to the better quality video of my ‘guest of honour‘ tribute on May 2nd so here it is…
https://youtu.be/XRbuTAQQw1s - Good luck with this link.
Tim
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