BC Sunshine

Rain glorious rain. The snow has stopped and as of 12pm it started raining. Of course it'll take a day or two to clear all the snow, but I've never been so glad to see good old British Columbian Sunshine. I don't care if it rains all January.

Back to Nanaimo's usual temperate climate.

We've been having trouble with our 4x4 of late with some damp in the fuel line which has caused cut outs and a good deal of embarrassment on the highway. Half a tank of 94 octane and half a flask of STP fuel additive later and good ol' Sue is purring like a Puma on steroids.

Wife and I are off to party with family, leaving our fearless guard dog (not) with friends so he can courageously cower under the sofa. Bless.

Oh dear...

Just a little wintry amusement to lighten a so far very dark day. Oh well, it will only get lighter from here on in. The darkest day of the year is over thank goodness.

More snow shovelling today as we attempt a snow break out for a Christmas with some of our (over) extended family. Promises to get complicated as always. Wife is slightly emotional missing girls who are going to Englands Lake District for the holidays. This promises to put a damper on the festivities; therefore I cannot relax and have to do my best imitation of an emotional rock. Why do we do this to ourselves?

I'll need a break to get over the break.

A small act of remembrance

Today is Remembrance or Armistice day, a national holiday in Canada, so I thought I'd dust off my Dad's old medals and post them. They're nothing special. No conspicuous bravery, no mentions in despatches, just four bits of metal that say 'He was there'.

Left to right:
France & Germany Star
The Italy Star
1939-1945 Star
War Medal

Remembrance Sunday

Juno Beach, June 1944. Canadian Troops disembarking. In one of the LST's (Landing Ship Tank) pictured in the background is a (then) 19 year old Royal Naval Signals Rating who grew up to be my Dad.

Lest we forget.

I wish, I wish, he'd go away...

Just when you think you can relax, up pops another problem; to wit, Wife's ex. After painful negotiations to get our two girls (Wife's Daughters, my stepdaughters) settled at University, Wife's Ex, who has apparently gambled and lost on the recent stock market nose dive, is pestering us for money so he can duck his parental responsibilities. He comes back from Africa every six months on a free ticket paid by his company, where he gets his living costs paid while he's in Africa on one of those all inclusive ex-pat deals (Fancy quarters, servants, the lot) then throws his money at the girls. They have got used to the fact that 'Daddy' has money and buys things for them and often try to twist his wallet round their little fingers. Hey, I'm just the stepfather who provided a male role model and emotional support during the difficult teenage years, what do I know?

Is it just me, or is it that every time this loser has to face up to his responsibilities (Did I mention that he's got himself into a messy divorce - again?), he comes pestering Wife and getting under our feet, interfering with our plans. To him, it's always someone elses problem. Usually ours.

Wife divorced him for this very reason, in that this guy truly needs to pull his big girl panties on and deal with his own issues rather than fobbing them off onto others and spending the day whining to his mates on some African ex-pats Golf course. He neglects first wife (Now my Wife), who after two kids gets pissed off enough to divorce him. He neglects second wife, who after a few years gets pissed off and begins divorce proceedings for exactly the same reasons. Rather than deal with it himself, he obfuscates and denies before coming sniffing round my doorstep and demanding we solve his problems, making veiled threats against our girls education. Well he can sod off. I'll block his e-mail address and maybe report it as Spam if need be. The cheap emotional blackmail he tries to use just annoys me and upsets Wife. It also poses an indirect threat to our immigration plans. That cannot be tolerated.

If he ever shows up on Vancouver Island, I'll make a report to the RCMP that he has been making threats against us and have the sucker deported. Well, that much will be true, albeit indirectly. He does pose a threat to us in that if we bail him out, that reduces our finances and interferes with our plans to provide a family bolt hole for the girls when things get really tough.

Today I'm not letting wife near the e-mail as it only winds her up and causes me grief. I hate seeing that loser make her miserable.

I just wish the guy would either grow up, or find a bar and decently and discreetly drink himself to death out in the African bush. Hell, I'd even buy him a crate of Jamesons myself if that would help hurry things along. How long before he's out of our life completely?

Update: Wife and I have talked to girls via Skype and made arrangements that will scupper all further interference with their educational finances from annoying ex-spouse. Good.

Fishing story - The fish that wouldn't be caught

I have never seen so many fish and caught nothing before. Standing on the bank of a river some ten or so metres wide looking at a shoal of fish some five or six metres long from beginning to end, just short of a metre wide and solid with fish. From some about the length of my forearm with fingers extended to others as long as my arm (and bigger) in about seven feet of clear water.

Well we cast wet and dry flies all over that damn shoal all afternoon. Drifted flies downstream over their very noses. Nothing. My brother in law lost two lures and I lost one. Did we catch a thing? No.

We saw these fish jumping out of the water and taking the occasional Caterpillar that dropped down onto the water from the trees, we saw them arguing amongst themselves causing sudden flurries in the water as they squabbled for a place in the tightly packed shoal but they just weren't biting.

Brother in law, who is an experienced fly fisherman, was frustrated by the whole experience. I was surprised to say the least and commented that I'd never seen so many fish in one small pool as that and come away with so little.

Later on, we stood and watched from a bridge as another fly fisherman made fruitless cast after fruitless cast onto a big shoal of metre size grandaddy fish. Personally, I reckon we'd just picked the wrong time of day. Hunting and fishing are dawn and dusk activities when the game is most active. To add insult to injury, when we looked in our fishing licence guide, we found that we couldn't have taken any fish home anyway until October 15th. Damn, these regulations are complicated!

We went home empty handed so it was Pork for supper, not Salmon. Still good though.

Volcanic eruptions so far in 2008

I've been indulging myself in a little research, just as a matter of intellectual curiosity. How many volcanoes erupt in any given year, and does this correlate with anything else? So far this year there have been over 54 major eruptions, as listed below. All compiled from the Smithsonian Institute records and other reputable sources.

Volcano         Eruption Date  Location    
Shiveluch             26 Sept  Kamchatka
Piton De La Fournaise 22 Sept  Indian Ocean
Mayon                 11 Aug   Philippines
Asama                 10 Aug   Japan
Kasatochi              8 Aug   Aleutian Is.
Chikurachi            29 July  Kurile Is.
Reventador            29 July  Ecuador
Okmok                 12 July  Aleutian Is.
San Cristobal         22 June  Nicaragua
Masaya                18 June  Nicaragua
Soputan                6 June  Sulawesi
Cerro Azul            30 May   Galapagos Is.
Dukono                29 May   Halmahera
Semeru                20 May   Java
Chaiten               10 May   Chile
Egon                  15 April Indonesia
Karymsky              27 March Kamchatka
Kerinci               24 March Sumatra
Mt. Etna              12 March Sicily
Garbuna Group         11 March New Britain
Bagana                 3 March Bougainville
Lopevi                24 Feb   South Pacific
Veniaminof            22 Feb   Alaska
Heard Is.             22 Feb   Indian Ocean
Mt. Cleveland          8 Feb   Aleutian Is.
Erta Ale               8 Feb   Ethiopia
Suwanose-Jima          7 Feb   Japan
Anatahan               5 Feb   Mariana Is.
Guagua Pichincha       1 Feb   Ecuador
Poas                  22 Jan   East Africa
Krakatau              21 Jan   Indonesia
Galeras               17 Jan   Colombia
Ubinas                14 Jan   Peru
Ol Doinyo Lengai      14 Jan   East Africa
Santa Maria           10 Jan   Guatemala
Fuego                 10 Jan   Guatemala
Soufriere Hills       10 Jan   West Indies
Pacaya                10 Jan   Guatemala
Rabaul                10 Jan   New Britain
Huila                  7 Jan   Colombia
Miyake-Jima            6 Jan   Japan
Sakura-Jima            6 Jan   Japan
Sheveluch              3 Jan   Kamchatka
Bezymianny             3 Jan   Kamchatka
Llaima                 2 Jan   Chile
Colima                 1 Jan   Mexico
Mt. St. Helens         1 Jan   United States
Kilauea                1 Jan   Hawaii
Mt. Erebus             1 Jan   Antarctica
Popocatepetl           1 Jan   Mexico
Arenal                 1 Jan   Costa Rica
Stromboli              1 Jan   Italy
Tungurahua             1 Jan   Ecuador
Yasur                  1 Jan   Vanuatu

All those Volcanoes pumping Gigatons of CO2, SO2, various other gases and particulate matter up to and over 8000 metres into the atmosphere. Kind of makes you feel small doesn't it? Will post more detailed figures as they are compiled, and when I can be bothered to work out how blogger can be persuaded to handle html tables.

Anyway. Sister in law is in town with husband, and he and I are going fishing tomorrow before the girls rejoin the boys for a nice supper and bragging session. All this and Jamesons's Irish Whiskey. Life feels pretty good right now.

Joy

Wife has returned safely and we are happily making up for lost time. As a present for me from England, she brought back a dozen pairs of Marks & Spencers finest gentlemens underbriefs. Upon viewing them I was delighted to see that they have 'Climate control' on the label.

Presumably the climate control function is for keeping one's important little places at the right temperature with all this 'Global warming' hysteria about. Couldnt' find the mini air conditioners or where the batteries go, so perhaps these are homeopathic climate control briefs.

Gas price falls locally have stalled at 129.9 per litre. It'll do for now.

Incoming

I love the Internet. It's like having the whole world of knowledge at your fingertips. Been told something you consider a little far fetched? Google it and sift through the answers. All you have to be is a little sceptical and discerning.

Am currently tracking Wife's flight using this handy little tool. It tells me when the flight took off, when it's due to land, and there's even one of those handy dandy little graphics with a cute little aeroplane showing you the flights approximate position.
Brilliant. It takes all the worry out of the process. This particular tracker does transatlantic flights, unlike others that only track in US and / or Canadian Airspace.

Stuck on stupid

Just been reading the UK online papers in stunned disbelief. Environmental lobby groups appear to have persuaded the UK Government not to build Nuclear or Coal power stations on the basis that 'CO2 and Nuclear are bad'. I know this is a simplistic assessment of the arguments, but when the climate trend since 2000 has flattened out and begun to cool, all the hysterical warmist predictions of runaway fire and flood look increasingly improbable. The current UK government has frittered away the country's resources and made no real provision for any burgeoning chill. Instead it is borrowing double what it was and chucking money at 'the underprivileged' with free Internet and theatre tickets. They truly are 'stuck on stupid' with no place else left to go.

Well, the British public will be the sorry ones. The party almost definitely over, the house is trashed, the windows broken, the booze cupboard depleted and utilities blocked. Worse still, the people who really build and fix things are emigrating / have emigrated because no-one thinks they're needed.

I worry about our two girls who are at University. Hopefully they will surf through the whole mess and be okay, but they are the ones who wanted to study in the UK. Fortunately, we have bolt holes for them in France, the USA and Canada if things really go bad over there.

Wife and I are kitted out with warm clothing and a 4x4 which will leave us able to brave the snow and rain. Will keep a stock of dried and canned goods for when the inevitable trees fall on the power lines this Winter and cut the power.

Boy am I glad we left the UK. Wife returns today, and I shall be standing on the breakwater (Even if it's raining) to welcome her home.

Idle musings

Wife is back tomorrow evening and I am busy preparing for her homecoming.  Kids appear to be well settled into academic life and working hard.  This news is positive.

It's a bit chilly outside at the moment and I'm going to switch the heating on tomorrow if things don't warm up a tad.  The Autumn leaves are beginning to fall, and I'm checking out the BC Fisheries website before tootling off for a late afternoons casting my lures into the water.  The reports seem to indicate that the Fraser River Salmon run is slightly bigger than expected, so that bodes well for an early evenings sport.  Not that I'm likely to catch anywhere near my limit.

Financial musings

I've been watching the news of the stock market crash in the US and UK with not a little disquiet. Wife and I got out of the UK almost at the peak of the property market, paid off the mortgage and invested our money carefully. No stocks or bonds, just a big wodge of cash earning steady interest at fixed interest in several of the larger banks, taking care to spread the load. We're still a bit nervous, but as they say, in a recession cash is king, and we have cash. We also have jobs. Our children's University courses are funded. So far so good. The family is safe. That is what counts.

Well, I'm not saying 'I told you so' but the UK economy is still, in my very staid and sombre economic view at least, horribly over inflated and has a way to go in a downwards direction. Even back in 2004 the writing was on the wall, it was only a question of how long the pressure was going to build before the bubble finally burst. You can only sell debt for so long. Even a comparative financial ignoramus like me could see that you couldn't float an economy on over inflated property values and credit cards forever.

At the time (2004-2006) we had Estate Agents (Realtors) soliciting us to sell so they could earn commission on the sale and so we could get a bigger mortgage for a bigger house, which we didn't really need. I shut down my business because I could see the way things were going in 2004, and took a day job to weather the inevitable financial storm. Turned out I was a bit previous as far as guessing the date of the crunch, but now the storm is with us, and we are hunkered down watching it pass.

There was plenty of warning in the markets, and I'm pretty sure the 'smart money' got out last year (2007) and went into precious metals because the price of gold soared as the UK gas price climbed above the #1GBP per litre mark. We were crossing the Trans Canada at the time, and keeping in touch with things via the various Wi-Fi points in Motels.

Some Neighbours of ours who put their house on the market shortly after we sold up are still on the market a year later at a reduced price. For less than we finally got, and they have a larger, more modern abode than we ever did. Notwithstanding, I feel for them and wish them well but in my heart I know they'll have to take another serious hit on the price before long if they still have to sell. My Brother bought into the district three years before prices peaked, so he won't be hurt too much.

Wife's ex, who she divorced back in the 1990's, is feeling the financial pain because all his stocks and shares have taken a palpable hit. We had some very snotty e-mails from him back in March regarding our Girls' higher education funding, but since we'd already taken care of 'the necessary' I fail to see what he was whinging about. Unless of course the Girls had been wheedling expensive stuff for 'Uni' out of 'Daddy', which, knowing them is pretty much par for the course. Hopefully, Wife and I have taught them a little frugality, and the world will teach them a little more. They both have jobs and support themselves, and I think will not be coming out of University with a first class degree and massive debts, just a First. That will put them ahead of their peers. I approve.

Here on Vancouver Island I am still perplexed that Gas prices locally are still at the 148.9 marker, yet oil has sunk below the $100 a barrel mark and dropping. Screenshot taken at 20:09 New York time 15th September 2008.


What the markets will do in Canada is another thing, and I don't know enough about them to even hazard an opinion. All I know is if you put the price of one thing up, it will have a knock on effect. No price or tax rise can ever be 'revenue neutral'. The UK is currently paying the price for thinking of that nature.

Still here

Well, the LHC is switched on and we're all still here. Another apocalyptic non-event.

Wife is back in the UK. Dog and I are doing boys stuff, fishing, driving, looking for bigger apartments. Mother in Law is debilitated and we have to get a bigger place to accommodate her for six months of every year. Personally, I'd rather have a daily Castor oil enema, but these things happen and have to be dealt with. I'd be happier if she tried a little harder instead of sitting doing nothing then whining before letting her tearducts have full rein when we can't do exactly what she wants. Such are the joys of extended families.

Read the most godawful nonsense in the Telegraph this morning; one of the opening lines of the article was; "Now that the argument for global warming has been almost universally accepted...". I'm so annoyed I'm not going to grace it with a link. Really should stop reading the news.

With the rain falling and harvests failing in the UK (and elsewhere) because of the cooler weather, you'd think some people would learn instead of spouting the party line regardless. I just hate the lie of 'anthropogenic climate change' because it is precisely that, a lie, and for all my many failings, I am (for a given value of 'honest') an honest and moral man who hates such falsehoods.

What the hell, it's a nice day on this part of Vancouver Island and I'm off out to enjoy it.

Last day?

Wife has gone to the UK today, leaving Dog and I to our own rather laid back devices. I was sad to see her go, but she is performing some necessary familial duties to do with younger and older generations, which must be taken care of and cannot be done remotely. Bit of a sniffy goodbye before I waved her Seaplane flight off from the dock, and Wife has promised that she will be back in two weeks, though hell and UK immigration should bar the way. She has her permission to remain in Canada, which we hope one day to translate into citizenship. We both have close family who are full citizens, and want to contribute to a country with a real future.

Notwithstanding, according to some sources the end of the world occurs tomorrow when the Large Hadron Collider is put through it's paces for the first time. I say not, and with good reasons, which are based on the principle that a Nuclear power station cannot explode like an Nuclear warhead. Incidentally, before anyone yells "Chernobyl" or "Three Mile Island", check your facts. Neither were anywhere near a nuclear detonation like Hiroshima.

My point is this; a nuclear bomb may use Uranium and Plutonium, but it is a very different animal from a Nuclear Power station. Just because they both utilise Nuclear fission does not make them the same.

Think if you will of Rutherfords first atom splitting device. Did that cause the end of the world just before World War 1? Obviously not, as we are all still here. The LHC, for all it's size and sophistication is about at that stage. We are at the point where it's all about testing theories and looking for exotic particles which might prove or disprove the relevant postulations. Even if the odd superconducting magnet explodes because someone got their sums wrong. As Dr Stephen Hawking has rightly pointed out, there is a long way to go before we have any chance of creating 'Black holes' on Earth.

I am no nuclear physicist, but I do understand the difference between an experiment to identify exotic matter and a weapon system. The LHC might suffer an 'incident' and stop working, but the world will not end as a result. That is just sensationalist garbage, and those who believe the 'end of days' predictions are bigger fools than I could ever be.

On the other hand, if I'm wrong and the world does get enveloped by a black hole created by the LHC, you can say "I told you so". I can take the criticism.

A boy named Sue

Have just become the owner of a compact SUV for pootling up country and exploring for a parcel of land. Just an old junker to see us through the next couple of years while we're building and constructing our extended family's largely self sufficient refuge. In a fit of whimsy Wife and I have called it 'Sue' after one of my favourite Johnny Cash songs:

The other one is "One piece at a time".


We're looking to the future and making plans despite the hysterical hyperbole about the world going to end when the Large Hadron Collider comes on stream on the 10th of this month. Wife will have just landed at Heathrow to go and see youngest into her first year at University. Dog and I will be pleasing ourselves, getting on with things as we usually do, and I shall be working on the next MSS revision. I will be really pissed off if I don't get time to finish it.

There are going to be some very red faced people on the 11th when Earth just carries on spinning about it's axis. Hopefully we will know a little more about how matter and energy operate so the pseudo-scientists can't pull the wool over people's eyes quite so readily. I agree with Professor Cox when he gave his opinion on the matter.

Certain people do not understand how things work, this makes them afraid of those who try to find out. They are the new Luddites, the fanatic Flat Earthers, the AGW 'believers'. Those of us who understand a little of the science (Although not as much as I'd like), know that reality is not as fluid as some quantum physicists might make out, at least in this timeline. The truth of the matter is far more prosaic.

Wife, Pickups and Barack Obama's birth certificate

Wife is heading back to England for a spell to see youngest into her new University. While she is gone, it will be business as usual for me. I will pine terribly while she is gone, and be forced to talk to Dog who is not the world's most erudite conversationalist.

We're currently in the process of buying an additional vehicle to our existing van, and are opting for an aging pickup. A Ford 1990 F150 Pickup, we've both always wanted a pickup, with the earlier 2.8 litre engine and an extended cab for preference. Just a little something for negotiating logging roads while we look for a parcel of land up country. We did the sums and worked out that one of these earlier and smaller pickups delivers gas mileage equivalent to and better than the MPV we currently use. Our current vehicle delivers 28mpg per imperial gallon at best; according to our research, the desired 4x4 gives up to 30mpg per imperial gallon. This is only 2mpg less than a Honda CR-V or Subaru Forester, and costs a lot less to buy. Besides, reliability of the Honda's and Subaru's of this vintage can get a little ropey. While they are solid as a rock repairwise for much of their career, after fifteen years or so, they are definitely past their best. Pickups seem like tanks, to keep going even though resembling a leaky colander.

In addition, I keep on hearing a nasty little rumour which is doing the rounds, that the Democratic Candidate for the Presidency of the USA is not as required by US law, "American born and bred".

If the 'evidence' as portrayed in the embedded video is accurate and true, then Barack Obama should not have got the Democratic nomination, and even if the majority of voters wanted him to be President, he could not legally take the oath of office. Although I think the FBI or INS would have had something to say about it before now if it were really the case that Mr Obama's US birth certificate were a forgery, as suggested in the video.

However, this could all be just the usual dirty play of US politics, especially when the Democratic faction have gone straight for the low punches with Republican VP nominee Sarah Palin. Wasn't there some kind of convention where the children of any candidate are 'off limits'? Whatever happened to policies and 'substance over style'? It just reduces the race to an undignified scramble for power. Hi ho, glad I'm north of the 49th Parallel. I haven't dared ask our Californian neighbours what they think of it all.

Cooking perfect hard boiled eggs

When your own Mother asks for your advice on a matter, you know you’re getting it right. Especially with a mother as critical as mine. You know the sort of thing; you weigh too much / too little, too tanned / too pale, too severe / too scruffy whatever. Like most sons, there is little about me that my mother cannot and will not find fault with.

When it comes to boiling eggs however, I am the acknowledged expert of the family. Eggs with rich, golden yolks that are just set and treacly but not runny with none of that horrible dark grayish residue on the interface between solidified powdery bright yellow yolk and rubbery white that is the hallmark of the overdone egg from the nightmare days of 1970’s school dinners.

Experiment so far has proven that you can cook up to half a dozen eggs at a time and obtain the desired result and within a small variance produce first class results.

To prepare, select six (or desired number of) relatively fresh extra large eggs. Set these aside to warm to room temperature. Selecting a suitably sized pan, fill to an eggs depth with water, add a large pinch of salt and put on heat until the water boils. Take pan off heat, and using a large spoon carefully deposit the eggs one or two at a time into the near boiling water so that the shells do not crack, bring water back to the boil and set your timer for nine minutes exactly, no more. For large eggs, eight minutes forty five seconds will do, for medium sized eight minutes thirty seconds is an elegant sufficiency. This is a time critical process, and cannot be left to the vagaries of fate, so use the oven timer if need be, not chance it using your watch.

When the timer sounds at the end of nine minutes, take the pan off the heat and flush out the hot water with cold water under the tap until the water in the pan is cool. This is the trick which arrests the cooking process, and prevents the unwanted result of ‘overcooked’ powdery yolks and rubbery whites. When the eggs are cool enough to handle comfortably, remove from water. Crack end of shell and peel, then split in half to eat either hot or cold with condiments or accompaniment of choice.

You see? Men can boil eggs, and do it well.

All over the world

All over the world, with almost no exceptions, politicians are not listening to the electorate. Well, they say they listen, but then they do nothing about it but carry on with the same shit different day.

In Ireland, a significant majority have voted against ratifying the EU's Lisbon treaty which is effectively a top down, one size fits all federal constitution in all but name. The rest of the EU, despite all the pontifications to the contrary from the Europhile camp, look like ratifying the treaty anyway. Which rather confirms my suspicions that Democracy in Europe is effectively pushing up the daisies. In the UK, USA, Europe, and Canada, evidence is mounting that the whole AGW thing is a scam. The politicians stick their fingers in their ears and carry on with putting extra 'carbon' taxes on the economy which will require extra economic activity to pay them. More economic activity = more pollution = more tax = more economic activity needed. Only in the sphere of Gonzo economics can such a move be remotely considered 'carbon neutral'. Sheesh.

I'm in a pile of poo anyway. I got a bit stressed (I tossed the remote at the DVD player in disgust when... oh never mind) last night, and Wife didn't care for my behaviour. Today has not been easy for me. Have been thoroughly told off. Dog is currently in hiding under my chair. Wife is still annoyed. I needs must make amends.

What the hell. At least I'm within 10,000 words of finishing 'First flights'. The sun is shining. Could be worse.

Cool

The snow has finally disappeared off Mount Benson, the skies are delightfully blue, and today the breezes are warm and balmy.

Thus it is I have dredged up a non-alcoholic drink recipe with a definite 'hit' which Wife and I often enjoy.

Requirements:
Two 12 or 16 fluid oz highball glasses
Half an iceberg (The big white cold type, not the green leafy thing)
Roses Lime Cordial
Chilled Canada Dry Ginger Ale
Two slices of Lime
Two Slices of Lemon

Directions; Fill glasses about two thirds full with ice. Pour over one capful (No more) of Roses Lime Cordial per glass. Wipe Lime slice around rim of each glass and cut slice through rind and slip onto the edge of the glass so it stands upright. Do likewise with the slice of lemon. Pour Canada Dry Ginger Ale over ice. Sip slowly.

Of course you can add a shot of vodka or gin to the mix, but Wife and I tend to think this is over egging the pudding.

Good old PJ

I just love the way P J O'Rourke gets his point across;

"Idealists are also bullies. The idealist says, "I care more about the redwood trees than you do. I care so much I can't eat. I can't sleep. It broke up my marriage. And because I care more than you do, I'm a better person. And because I'm the better person, I have the right to boss you around."

Well, according to the Church of St Jones the realist; no they bloody haven't. Although the 'fairness' lobby have managed to screw over the country of my birth pretty comprehensively.

I like PJ. He doesn't mince his words, or pretend to be 'nice'. He seems constantly to ask the question; "What's wrong with enlightened self interest and being well off?" to which the logical answer is; "Not much."

Anyway, wedding anniversary today, on best misbehaviour, nice supper tonight; and the best thing about it is - I don't have to cook it! The only bad thing is - no fishing. Bummer.