Singing for the UK Prime Minister

This evening we are off to a concert in Ely Cathedral and this reminded me of the occasion many years ago when my wife was singing a choral concert in the same venue when the Prime Minister of the day, John Major, turned up! He was surrounded by bodyguards and wanted to just be "ordinary" but the committee insisted he got front row seats! His daughter was playing in the orchestra.

The Cambridgeshire Choral Society starts rehearsals for the new season later this month. You are welcome to join. Men are especially welcome.

House quiet again

All the grandchildren have now gone home and the house is quiet again. It was lovely to have seen them all in the last 10 days. Having them is great, but we do get tired these days! Would I have it any different? No. We love them all.

Blair - oh, DO shut up

As if anybody would pay good money to hear what this "left wing" (so called) politician has to say. He is rumoured to earn £150k for just one after dinner speech.

Yet again he is telling us all that Jeremy Corbyn is unelectable. At least Mr Corbyn has guts. No, Mr Bliar, shut up - you had your chance and showed your true colours later. I am afraid I trust Mr Corbyn a lot more than you. Who can say what the electorate may want in 5 years' time? I have not voted Labour for several years but like what Mr Corbyn has to say. Maybe a strong left winger and left leaning party is what we will need?

Simple pleasures

It is surprising how the simplest of things give pleasure. Today, for example, our "London" grandchildren took great pleasure in collecting conkers and helping to make tarts with the blackberries collected yesterday.

This evening I enjoyed yet another game of chess with our 7 year old who this morning wanted to vacuum clean the house! No it is often the simplest things that we, and they, remember.

The photo shows them helping in the back garden before lunch.

Daddy-long-legs

It is that season again with lots of spiders in the house and plenty of daddy-long-legs. Luckily neither worry me. In fact, I quite like both.

One year we had 15 daddy-long-legs in our bedroom! I love the way these creatures just bumble around bumping into everything.

Yet more stroke after-effects

This morning my wife was talking about a road in our village. I could not remember at all where this road was. Most things I remember well, but it was as if this part of my memory has been erased. I am pretty sure this is yet another artifact of my stroke and nothing else. Of course, I wonder what else is missing! I need triggers to jolt my memory. Oddly, since the jolt this morning I have had no problem at all remembering where this road is. It is as if I needed the jolt to recall the memory.  Another thing: I seem to be far more emotional than before. Things that would not have made me tearful can bring on the tears nowadays. I am sure this is my stroke. Overall, I still feel giddy, still have problems with many thin drinks and certain things still exhaust me. To others I look perfectly well, whereas inside I still feel very poorly. In many ways if I looked less well I might be better understood.

More on the climbing FTSE 100

The FTSE 100 share index here in the UK recovered further today, presumably based on better short-term news out of China.

UPDATE 2004z:  The FTSE 100 ended the day well up, climbing 3.56% on the day.  People seem to think the crisis in China is over. Think again.  As they say, "we ain't seen anything yet". Batten down the hatches we are all in for a very rough ride. This will make 1929 look like a walk in the park.