IT'LL BE ALL WHITE ON THE NIGHT

“What are you thinking?”

“I feel a blog coming on”

“Oh very good, while you are writing it why don’t you wear my cowboy hat?”.

Now that, as they say, is another story!

OG is progressing with the renovation work.

The laundry room is now complete and the mezzanine sitting room is waiting for a new carpet to be fitted. Yes, that IS an enormous TV and I must admit that it is my fault. I am normally the sensible one of this outfit, but when we went shopping I couldn’t resist this bargain. It will eventually live in our newly renovated sitting room (renovations to start imminently) where it will reign supreme. Meanwhile it can content itself by dominating this smaller space.

OG has now moved on to demolishing a chimney. That night he complained of feeling tired!

A few nights ago he asked

"Do you love me?"

"Of course I love you!"

"Why?".

Now that was a tough one and anyone that knows OG will understand why. He is such an unusual man. Maybe that's what I should say "Because you're an unusual man". Would that satiisfy him I wonder? Probably not. Mmmm - this is more difficult that it seems!

To give a graphic explanation of what I mean one of our ex-employees who became a great friend put on face book that the wisest man he knows is an alcoholic, dyslexic, builder. This, my friends, is OG. Unusual. Although to be honest Ashley's discription of him is slightly wrong. He is a recovering alcolohic. Hasn't touched a drop for over 35 years.

And finally ..... a good time to keep your mouth shut is before you put your foot in it!

MY BRAIN HURTS

Today, like most of us, my mind is occupied with thoughts of treacherous bankers and politicians.

Over the past five years the FSA repeatedly warned that the economy was dangerously overheating. As we now know Sir James Crosby head of HBOS was made aware of the dangers to his own bank by both the FSA and Paul Moore, the HBOS Head of Group Regulatory Risk. Did he take heed of the warnings? No, he sacked Paul Moore!

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the Treasury was not made aware of the FSA's communications with HBOS. "There were probably 20 or 30 similar discussions going on with other institutions at the time," he said. Well that's alright then, so is this him admitting that he knew 20 or 30 other institutions had been warned too!!!

These unheeded warnings came to fruition, HBOS was one of the banks that had to be massively bailed out and Sir James Crosby resigned. We all said a collective “good riddance”. But hang on a minute – why did Gordon Brown then appoint him deputy chairman of City watchdog, the Financial Services Authority? Is there something I’m missing here?


And how can Gordon Brown possibly claim that this recession could not have been predicted? As I have said many times before, I’m just a simple woman trying to live my life honestly. I love my family, respect my colleagues and am very loyal to my Country. Even I predicted that this would happened.

As we speak the banks are still up to the same old tricks. The big banks are currently offering a raft of “Guaranteed” bonds. High interest, no income, no transparency and gobbledy-gook small print. Despite being advertised as “Guaranteed” the only guarantees they offer are minimum risk with maximum earnings to the bank and maximum risk with minimum earnings to the punter.

And while I’m ranting. How is this going to work?

Take a Country, any Country, with good citizens willing to place their lives and trust in the stewardship of their leaders. Watch these “leaders” rip the heart out of its economy until most businesses either have to implement severe cutbacks or go bust and unemployment spirals out of control putting the good people in fear of their very existence.

At the same time pile Pollyanna tax money into the already overpaid and overstaffed NHS, build new schools for illiterate, innumerate children to be taught by untalented, uninspired teachers, increase the already sickeningly high numbers of disheartened, demoralised and totally unhelpful public sector workers, council workers, Whitehall mandarins, dream up new harebrained Government backed schemes, government reviews, public awareness PC infomercials etc.

This silly old woman thinks “ummm? tax payers are getting a bit thin on the ground here, how are these mad schemes and top heavy public service sector jobs going to be funded?” As I say, maybe I’m missing something here.

And finally …. I smile because I don't know what the hell is going on.

OF ALL THE BARS IN ALL THE WORLD

One of my colleagues at the office collared me a couple of days ago.

"I was talking to my ex's nephew on facebook last night" (There goes that old facebook thing again!) "he's working in the French Alps and I asked him if he knew Vinnie. He said "Vinnie the chef? Yes I know Vinnie, he lives near me"".

"It can't be the same Vinnie surely. What's his name"

"Sam"

"OK, I'll ask Vinnie next time I speak to him".

As I was leaving the office I asked SallyAnn to write his name down for me (old memory isn't what is was you know). As she was writing it down my mobile rang. It was Vinnie! Scary!!

"Hi, Vin, we were just talking about you. Do you know Sam?"

"Yes, that's why I'm ringing. He's standing right beside me. He is a chef at the bar I drink in."

How's that for a co-incidence?

Isn't this image perfect? Noah is now 2 weeks old whereas Sporty Dad is 1308 weeks old. Question. Which one is the baby? Noah is a wonderfully behaved, in fact he sleeps so much that I have trouble visiting when he is awake! On the other hand Sporty Dad is not so well behaved and is always awake when I visit. Only kidding Sporty Dad, you are perfect too.