Books, peace and a wee dram

7 January

Somewhere within our piles of books is one on macro photography I bought a few years ago, and of course you have probably guess already what is coming next- I can’t find it. The bright spot is that at some time we will eventually get the shelves put up in our bedroom so I can start to sort all my books out and tidy them up. We make big plans of what we are going to do, and they never, or at least rarely get done. Ah well, good job there’s no rush then eh?

I do like a wee dram of a nice malt and I’ve tried around twenty different ones, but there is one I have seen advertised and not been able to find, and that’s The Singleton. Well, Asda had one in a month or so ago so I bought it while it was available. I’m glad I did because there is no doubt that it is smoothest, nicest malt I’ve had. However, I’m finding it to be a little too nice and I’m going through a lot quicker than I normally do; time to slow down methinks.

I notice that adherents of the religion of peace have shown their face again, well sort of anyway. The two men wore face masks so they can’t be identified. That seems to me to be a contradiction really. If they murdered 12 people in the name of their religion, if they are prepared to die for it, then why do hid their faces? Here in Europe they hit a single soldier on the streets of London. They blow-up trains and buses and this latest attack is on a press office in Paris. Have you seen the similarity in the targets? They are all soft targets aren’t they? That speaks much more to me than all their violence and words could ever do. Of course there is the view that some will hold along the lines of freedom fighters and terrorists. I leave you to decide what these barbarians are!

A&E departments are undergoing a massive surge in demand. Closed drop in centres, the 101 number which is pretty useless (I’ve called it twice and was told to see a doctor or go to A&E), lack of GP appointments, are all having an effect. There are other reasons though; the drunken idiots who can’t even stand up take a huge amount of resources to look after. The drug users do the same. Then there’s the out and out time wasters who turn cos they have a paper-cut that needs to dealt with there, at that very minute. All these time wasters should be charged for the cost they incur by their actions.

Yes, I know what you’re thinking. Should smokers have to pay for their treatment; should obese people have to pay for their treatment? Well, yes, they should pay a proportion of their treatment; and remember, I am obese too.

So for today’s photo … 

A fishing boat a couple of hundred yards off the Norfolk coast.             

Today’s funny …

Jim was in a bad mood, and anyone who got in is way was going to regret it. Jim walked into his favourite restaurant and plopped himself down on a chair. “Get me a steak well done with mashed potatoes. ” Three minutes later when his order came, Jim screamed “DIDN’T YOU HEAR ME SAY WELL DONE?!” “Why thank you sir” the waitress smiled, “that was the first compliment I got all day!”