THOUGHTS ON THE REFERENDUM

THOUGHTS ON THE REFERENDUM

NOW WE HAVE THOSE WHO ARE AGAINST THE BREXIT RESULT

Yet for the first and only time many went out to vote and took the chance to get out of the EU clutches.  70% of the UK electorate went out to vote and this is surely a legally binding result.

Much more so than us being governed by the conservatives who received only 30% of the vote in the general election.  Now we have accepted this situation as normal and get on with life as normal under our heavily biased PR system. Yet there are those who do not want to accept the most fair electoral result we have ever had in the countries whole electoral history.

Let us look at how things work in Switzerland. Here Referendums are an accepted part of this countries government and it is making much better progress than  our country. Itl may well be that it’s people are more politically interested than people in the UK, but we are now at a time when we must wake up and take part in what is happening around us – only time will tell but as new contracts are made with othewr countries surely we also will move ahead of our present position. Surely much to do with how the UK performs is to do with its educational system and more must be done to make this viable than it is at present. The solution to the problems that makes our teachers unable to teach properly and want to leave their profession are to do with discipline and heavy and unnecessary paperwork and can be relieved in a very short time. It is well time a revised and workable system of education was proposed and another referendum to bring in a government who will bring this about is exactly what we need most!     

SEEKING A COPING MECHANISM* WE ALL NEED IN THESE HARD TIMES

SOUL STUDIES – IN THIS SECTION OF OUR WORK WE ARE SEEKING A COPING MECHANISM* WE ALL NEED IN THESE HARD TIMES; We may lose our tempers, drink, take on Religion or Spiritualism. as we  struggle to find a better way forward; and obviously these Hopes often fail. BUT our  SOUL is the part of ourselves we often refer to in songs and psalms ; It is difficult to define exactly; we may send a message from our ‘shipwreck’; we may call out ‘SAVE OUR SOULS,  HEAL OUR DISTRESS’.  Why do we call for help, can we contact this personal coping mechanism? if you believe we can then join us; that is why we undertake our ‘journey’ in SOUL STUDIES.   Please read carefully the piece written next.

“YOU are with me, I need nothing more. Sometimes I find the peace of still waters; Sometimes I find storm , I feel trouble is near and I fall very low; then, suddenly, there is goodness all around me and I have new strength given. YOUR rod and staff comfort me and YOU restore my Soul; so I Live again, every day is new and fresh, and I may be with YOU for ever!  

Who is this YOU who is with us and restores us? Find out more, join us at our forum.  Or you may recognise where this comes from, then you are very near to the coping mechanism we are discussing here.

A report on our Friends Forum, 29 01 16

First we brought up the job seekers Allowance Scheme for this is the lifeline for many young people.(link for details ) .

 I suggested it was a hard start for young people who had just left school; Certainly extra help or mentoring was needed.    

** M. had been on JSA. in his special case could not get any help. He mentioned he had spoken about his situation before. 

** I asked E. to talk on his experience of teaching thedrop out youngsters. He did this very well and explained in his special school they had a machinery shop.  But, because of bad behaviour, none of his colleagues would take the chance with youngsters in their charge, in this room, as they would certainly damage themselves on the machines. The teacher would then be blamed and their jobs would be in jepordy. However on the positive side, interested youngsters got to go to a motorcycle firm to work on engines and repairs and this was very popular.

** I then noted that, in any year, 6 of 10 did not get to university, even though the government had poured money into the universities. And of the 40% who got to university and  obtained degrees, many did not get the jobs their qualifications ‘qualified’ them for –  and here showed up a lot of ‘skills mismatch’ So, for instance, many with English degrees would  find themselves in bar work, clerical, secretarial work or telephone cold calling.

And ,for those 60% of the young who tried the  further education route the government has recently cut funding by 40%! For instance in Leeds there have been huge mergers of colleges. This was talked of as being to ‘save duplication’ but is it really to save money that cuts are made. Or is there a great chance at Leeds City College, follow the link for more details

   **Government talk is now to take up the slack by increasing the number of apprenticeships and this ideais being pushed hard. A good idea, and no doubt, it will work well in countries with a good manufacturing base. ‘Guided apprenticeships’ can be lined up ready to fill the opportunities that exist. However here in the UK, where we build on service industries, the outlook is more uncertain; will there be sufficient real opportunities available?    

There is further talk of ‘Elite Apprenticeships’ but these are for those who have good A level passes and begin to want an alternative to ‘ordinary university courses’ for ,as said before, the premium on these is now often lost. However Apprenticeships should be set for those  who need help to move their skills up from more basic levels and not simply those already in the higher education stream.

In the theme for this forum we talked on the desperate situation for youngsters, how they needed guidance and hope to have any chance at all to get on jobs ladder.

Not just younger people, but all ages met this very difficult problem; where could courses be ound to follow with the chance of a job at the end?   So the main theme of our Friendly Forums this year is to look at and share possible solutions.  and this work will continue through the year. We will publish the work on our site and in print locally (when possible)

The meeting agreed with many of these thoughts   but S.  came back with ‘it is too much to do – there is far too much red tape to get thru, it’s far too ambitious’

I replied “Ok, but we must be ambitious and at least try for this change so desperately needed. I  wondered how to demonstrate the level of action that was really needed. I took the example of George Fox who worked in the religious field. Here he succeeded in making practical changes in the methods of worship that were allowed;  and all who felt a ‘mission’ are now allowed to join in these meetings and influence the work in progress – (for more  follow link)

“To conclude now; we will make this dreadful problem much more transparent. It is so easily brushed under the carpet but we will bring it out and show just how important this finding of meaningful employment is; for it applies directly to the progress and wellbeing of the whole UK.

“Please stick with us through the project. It will be made to work as we use co-operation and sharing of views as our modus operandi.”   Of course all who are interested in work are welcome to join us in our next meeting.        

HOME

So to All Hallows to eat ‘for anyone and everyone - pay-as-you-feel donation basis.’

All Hallows Leeds 6.   A notice as we walk in,  ‘Asylum Seekers and Refugees Welcome.’   ‘All Welcome’.    So we go to All Hallows to eat and not a bad meal  ‘for anyone and everyone on a pay-as-you-feel donation basis.’   All Hallows  remembers Noah’s voyage in the Ark and the rainbow he saw as the flood ended and calls itself   ‘A church of the rainbow people of God’.

And sometimes we all need asylum and refuge.  here.   I looked up these just above words and their meanings - refuge, safe haven, sanctuary/bolt hole , retreat, harbour. 

After a morning in the dentist’s chair at LDI for some restorative work I certainly needed a bolt hole. And so do we all if we are honest, for life is not always easy, and when it’s somewhere to eat and rest,  a place like the  TRJFP @ All Hallows’ Cafe acting on behalf of our  Father and Friend,   is sometimes worth it’s weight in gold!    See if you can find the meaning of TRJFP.  

HOME

ENJOY JAMAICA

A pretty little island. great for sightseeing if you have a little money to spend.  This way you can also help the people who live here as much of their work is centered around the tourist industry.

Next problem - can you stand the mosquitoes.  You will need plenty of cream to cover your body and keep these at bay.

HOME

Financial Bubble is again in view!

A Financial Bubble is again in view!  We do not learn lessons but instead continue to pump money bonds into Europes failing economy in order to save it says Wolfgang Schaeuble, Gemany’s finance minister.  ‘Structural reform is what is needed’

Mr Schaeuble is right and it’s no good propping up countries financially again and again.  Why not admit the euro for all was a huge mistake and is now much to do with Greece’s problems and similar problems arising.Greece tried to go it’s own way but with a top heavy and controlled financial system it could not shake off it had little chance.

There has to be a difference in each countries financial / fiscal arrangements.  

Each Country  and its people are different, with different working and lifestyles . As I have written before , People need their own currencies and control over interest rates etc.  Without this chance to act for themselves national interest is gone and people  are not going to work hard or feel responsible for how their country is performing.   

Perhaps that the ECB and those controlling Europes finances  can’t realise, or rather want to act on this fairly obvious  fact, fully exposes  ‘the mortgage game’ which is being played by the ECB and those well lined folk in the richer EU countries.  

So it is that countries are involved in a downward financial spiral and this will not stop until the basic steps I have outlined above are taken. No doubt there will be glitches in how fast the downward drift takes place but on a national and home working scale it will be he/ she who looks for fair and different opportunities who will survive by not owing banks too much money and surviving at levels which they can truly afford.                                                                   
HOME
     

Greece is standing up and soon will become a real country again

It begins to dawn on me that 'clever' unscrupulous banks /IMF, (in close cahoots with Germany and perhaps France) have nearly all the European countries on a sort of mortgage. Money is loaned and is to be repaid at an interest tied to that countries performance. If this condition is not kept then the unfortunate renaging country is ejected from the club. Its prime minister and other worthy ministers will then not be able to join the gravy train that travels across Europe to discuss the EU finances and bask in the bright light of conferences and television appearances any more ??? It is good to see that Greece is standing up and soon will become a real country again with its own currency and the chance to control it’s own finances and survive this EU straight jacket - life may take on real meaning for it’s residents again and I'm sure most people will wish it well in it's fight for democracy.                                                                         

HOME

Let us all Celebrate! A new Education for our Children

Now no more ‘prescriptive education’ for our children! Let us all celebrate.

On the 28^th may last year I complained about the prescriptive education our children might receive at the hands of the then secretary of education. It seems that more than 50% of teachers did not like his ways very much and perhaps found working under him something of a straight jacket.

So the hope is a brighter future for the classroom.  Of course there has to be some guidance in what is taught but why does it take several years and only when it is politically a good idea that a change is made. Does a looming election have any effect?

Sadly we may yet again return to Education as  simply the political football of our partisan ‘democracy’; it kills and spoils the sense of adventure and enjoyment that is possible for children and young people as it is kicked around the pitch. 

Can this ‘return’ be prevented – maybe ‘the academy principle’ applied to all schools and much more open access for parents and their ideas is the best answer. 

HOME

Extracted from a recent Link Co-Operative meeting; On the panel were Evans Gallo, Steven Jhakra, and John Broadhead

The Meeting opened with John saying - ‘The Co-Operative principle has been in my mind for a long time now; But can we to our advantage look at LINK Co-Operatives work more seriously. 

Recently, on Radio 4, I heard about a Co-operative operating in East Lothian,  Scotland. This  company, ‘Clansman Dynamics’ , was sold to it’s workers in 2009 by it’s Owner/ Manager, to become  a cooperative venture.  It makes remote control manipulators were work pieces from a few pounds to several tons can be moved around by the operator. Here the workers, some 39, have became part owners of the company and now all can give input to the running of the firm. With open meetings any member may  bring up points and have these discussed and, if adopted by the meeting, acted upon. The enthusiasm and interest in the work going on has now completely increased and profits have doubled since the change.   

So it was decided by our panel members to try this method of working for the Link Co-Operative.

It was already in place to some extent but to give time and develop the principle further was to be our new approach and to make the LINK’S work our work.  

Any  person is welcome to join us simply by giving his / her time and effort as they attend one of our Friendly Forum meetings on the fourth Friday of the month ; but people  are also welcome to join our New Ideas and Admin meetings on the second Friday and this meeting will feed in ideas for our Friendly Forum and help us go further.     

 

Below, to make clear what we are about, our headings describing LINK Co-Operative’s areas of work. Please join us and find out more about these.

 LINK CO – OPERATIVE (a non profit UUA) OFFICE, 102 Woodland Lane, LS7 4QG                                                             CONTACT   0113 4400295   07802 741 346 nvlink@yahoo.com and www.bizbodysoul.com

includes

LINK FRIENDLY FORUM+, (Healing & Maintenance - MEDIA WORKS/ LIBRARY - Soul Studies)

LINK COMMUNITY SERVICES

LINK PROPS ---

LINK BULGARIAN ADVENTURE

LINK PROPERTIES  

HOME

We agreed that our meetings were quite unique

We three of LINK co - op met on 25 April . It rained and it was just we three. We agreed that our meetings were quite unique and people did not know what they were missing and that people in the UK did not do communications and so missed out on much of life. So we went to the pub and agreed that this new meeting format was very interesting and we would do it again! See you next meeting - It's to be May 30th.
Pls check 3w.bizbodysoul.com nearer to then, just to be sure.

HOME

BENEFITS SNARE MANY ; NO EASY ESCAPE FROM THIS TRAP AND WHY

Some TRY to get out finding a job or even take the new route and set up their own self employed business.  Many who succeed then find they are working hard but they have less  money than they got before happily (or unhappily) sitting in the benefits trap. Many say then ‘why should I bother, Job satisfaction only comes with work so I can keep my family!

Advanced machinery reduces the need for labour and the number of jobs available, it is not surprising that the ‘benefits trap’ has become a regular way of life for many and a viable way to survive.  

‘’How can we overcome this huge difficulty facing society? Is it possible to overcome it?  Here is a society running so short of opportunities many are sucked in to soap watching and the national grid goes into overload just as EE comes to a close and all the kettles are switched on to make a cup of tea?

How can fresh initatives be stimulated?  Our ‘soften the fall media’ has a tremendous dumbing down effect; there is now  a huge and sad malaise in society.

Young people are still hoping for a job; even those well placed by family background and education who obtain the passbook of a degree find it difficult to get work with less and less places available.

Here comes the watering down after many schools unfortunate misleadings; the sharpness of hope is taken out of life. 

WE may talk of job experience or even joining the services to get a real training and all these might be possible had we a democratic government working for the people of this country and thinking further than the Westminster game show. Here  MPs are safely cocooned and has others hit hard time they vote themselves higher salaries, how  on earth can such a situation continue.

Look at Daw Mill, here  is a real life example of why the situation will never improve.  

The loss of yet another colliery at Daw Mill in Warwickshire. A fire has been burning for almost a month now and this after lots of work so the mine may continue! Here is the last straw. So sad?  

Yet is this really the true situation? We live now in an age of technology and advanced fire control techniques.  It may not be easy but of course the fire can be put out and there is coal there to be mined, some 56 million tons remain on the site! If UK Coal want to rescue the work of 650 miners there they can do it, yet instead they are working with government to close the mine. This will not just make 650 miners very unhappy but many more people whose work is drawn from supplying the mine with all the ancilliary services it requires, perhaps 2 or 3 thousand jobs and the wellbeing of many families around the area will be shattered, gone for ever.

Is the buck carried by UKCoal?  Is UKCoal part of ‘our’ democratic government and do they really care?

‘We will toddle down to Westminster and play our party games as we always do’ they may say----‘  come on David et al , here is a real chance to show what to do and that ‘we are all in it together’  

20 million or whatever is very little compared with the cost of all these people forced onto benefits and all those skills gone. Now for once we must sacrifice the god of money and save this centre of working for  all the people concerned. We desperately need to build up again all the UK’s industries as a better way forward for all : or surely we all become office boys selling insurance to one another as an extension to the city of London! A truly grim prospect.       

HOME

A Christmas of Goodwill - but if only we had a more generous Council

A Christmas of Goodwill among Leeds residents and visitors from Christkindelmarkt, Leeds - a tiny piece of Germany in the heart of the City Centre - but if only we had a more generous Council and parking charges after 1800 had not suddenly been introduced then the revenue from the attendance at Christlindelmarkt and many other events would be so much increased, much more than that received from a few extra parking charges ---

Christkindelmarkt, Leeds is one of the most established German Christmas Markets in the UK, with traditional wooden stalls, festive greenery, Christmas carousel ride and twinkling colourful lights all creating a unique continental festive atmosphere in the heart of Leeds city centre.

Set in the stylish civic setting of the award winning Millennium Square, Christkindelmarkt attracts many hundred thousands of visitors to Leeds each year and forms an integral part of the city’s annual events programme.

The market consists of over 40 wooden chalet stalls from authentic German traders providing a wide range of seasonal gift ideas for everyone including; handcrafted toys, jewellery, Christmas cards and festive decorations, speciality foods and traditional German delicacies such as gluhwein, bratwurst sausages, goulash, soups, schnitzels, stollen, gingerbread and candied fruits.

The popular Frank-furter Scheune, Kuh Stall and Alp Chalet Bavarian eatery provide visitors with a warm and cosy retreat in which to sample the very best in authentic German food & drink, and the ideal way to celebrate the festive period with family and friends. For further details and information visit www.frankfurter-scheune.com

The market is open:

Monday – Saturday from 10.30am to 9.30pm

Sundays from 10.30am to 7pm (excluding Sunday 10 November, 12-7pm)

Info: 0113 395 0891 or www.leeds.gov.uk/christmasmarket        

HOME

BULGARIAN ADVENTURE - KAZANLAK AND SHIPKA, CENTRAL BULGARIA

I suggest we go to see Shipka’ where the Russian Church is pretty + and may even find English Ronnie with his cars as suggested by Kazan at the Kia garage.

  We travelled thru' Kazanlac to reach this ( tho' I felt we must by pass Kazanlac at first.)  A good very thin YM  helped us to turn round in the right direction, and I had now realised our road, after Shipka,  went on to Gabrovo and Veliko Turnovo.    

Indeed we find the church, very pretty and with silver adornments to spire and other high artifacts. It is possible to spy it in the hills for a few miles as u approach the town. This then is a memorial to the war of approx 1880 where Russia and Bulgaria fought to free Bulgaria from the Turkish ‘occupation’ -- there is a Crypt beneath the church which has details and graves of various ‘worthies’ of the conflict time on display. U are asked to pay for any pics taken also and we did  this by buying from the crypt display cabinets of memorabilia/ trinkets.  It was strange to be examining items in  the displays and to  look up and notice the  rather stern soviet looking woman in her office behind - waiting  to collect your money. 

Outside of the church were the usual stalls but there was no great pressure to buy and a chance to practice Bulgarian. We also took pics around the church. Then we headed down from it’s high situation to see if we could find ‘Ronnie’ . 

Instead we found an English 4x4 and a house/ family; they had moved to to live in BG  some 7 years ago from UK London.

i talked to a young lady through a basement window and  Archie came running out and told me how they, he and his brother, had just begun home schooling and the school at Shipka had beaten them sometimes.  I said sometimes they may have needed the discipline.  Archie also corrected me that he had no sister,for the girl I talked to at first turned out to be Dylan,  his long hair had misled me! 

So Archie would have invited us in and but Mum said they were almost ready to go shopping, so instead we drove on looking for ‘Ronnie”  but did not find him –

Now we were back on the Kazanlack road, and we stopped at a restaurant with one of those natural water springs taken to a tap, and here people regularly pulled in to fill their water bottles with the clear water. All this way side natural water is perfectly free.

My wife ate her sanis in the car, saying why waste money when you could grow your own -  and I , to avoid the starvation and weakness of the Monks went to the restaurant. Here for just 4.40 Leva I had a big swine burger and kartofs and a lettuce leaf and was happy to have an almost full tummy at last!

We are now in Kazanlak and my wife and navigator, finds the market. “Sprit” I shout and go to the end stall with its hardware + elec items. I Point to paving slabs and do, after about 20m trying and using pics of 300mm slabs on bit of tissue from restaurant, at least get the Bulgarian word for ‘Slab’. It is ‘Plozka’    

Next we proceed to where I know there is an old wood yard. Amazingly this as now gone upmarket and is sawing wood to specification. But first I go to shop nextdoor to this selling sand cement etc. I and the man there get on OK considering I have only little Bulgarian and he v. little English. But the technicalities of mortar and concrete are not easy to define this way. However, in 5 minutes his  son who speaks English, arrives on the scene and we make real progress.  Mortar is available ready mixed and we also buy a bag of cement to bring up the strength of the mix as necessary. On the bag are essential words which are difficult to find such as sand cement and telling of mix ratios etc..  Dorrette sits in the car and complains re the heat. ‘Hurry up' she chides.  With the biz owner and his son I say ‘women are like this the world over –   I told her to get out and walk in the cool---'      

HOME

sad to see this prescriptive education forced upon children and teachers

It makes me very sad to see this prescriptive education forced upon children and teachers; it is killing and spoiling the sense of adventure and enjoyment that is possible in their early years

    I was fortunate enough to teach in primary school before the national curriculum became the all consuming rule that it is now. With a class sitting in groups of mixed ability children it was possible to organise so the more able could help the less able. 

Then on each Friday afternoon came the time for ‘class competition’ – all the children sat up straight and one was chosen to be at the board to put up the marks scored and discipline any who spoke out of turn by taking a mark from their team.. I sat and guided what went on and usually found a different group to win each week.  

    There was almost complete silence in the room as these very interested children did their very best in work often of their own choice.

    Now this free method of working with children is gone and with it the value of real education and enjoyment for the children;  now the chance for teachers to teach and use their own skills to the maximum is lost.

    Prescriptive education is now being forced upon our children and teachers and kills and spoils the sense of adventure that can be felt in early education;  can we not allow children to be children at least till they reach 10 years of age and give them worthwhile ideas and ways to keep them through the rest of their lives.   

HOME

We are building LINK co-operative and ---

     Campaigning in 2013             
   LINK co-operative UUA
102 WOODLAND LANE-LEEDS- LS7 4QG   
    07802 741346 , 07400444291,
www.bizbodysoul.com
email: nvlink@yahoo.com     

Friendly yet  Serious Meetings for jobs, health & wellbeing
Providing Community transport at reasonable rates
Opening our Co-op Centre - Saturdays 1900 - join us, ‘drop in’ 
Sending kids clothes to Kenya pls bring any you can
We are building LINK co-operative and it’s various ventures...  Membership is free and all we really ask is that, when you can, you make an effort to attend our meetings and share your experiences.  - This happens as ‘FRIENDLY FORUM’  every month. Usually on Fridays, occasionally Thursdays; details are in this paper or visit  www.bizbodysoul.com 
     I’m John Broadhead, editor and ‘co-ordinator’ - it means I try to make sure everything happens as planned and of course that’s impossible; but we are here whatever and it’s all part of the friendly fun & liveliness of LINK co-operative.
    Working together on the events and getting people along when they need transport, is Steven Jhakra, who runs E Comm, engaging the community and transport. We met outside the ‘every little helps’ shop and Steven helps more than a little in many ways!
    Evans Gallo is our political editor - he talks, rightly, about ‘checks and balances’, definitely a politician!  Sometimes we do politics and we hope to have a benficial influence on life in general , in finding jobs and homes.    

HOME

     

There comes a time where good sense must prevail.

The recent Con/ Lib Dem presentation on the coalitions success is my point. Yes, it has been a success, as, though sometimes a bumpy ride, it gives the first signs of govt parties trying to work together. This is an essential if the UK is to move forward in these straightened times.

It even requires that Labour, and all other parties should join this coalition!  Only when govt goes forward with proper and full debate representing all views can we quickly move forward –

Government is not just about producing a leading nation but is about providing a place to live in wellbeing without the stress and struggle we presently have.

Let mps, ministers , and prime minister come out from their  ‘ivory tower’ and travel extensively and join in debate at street level, then they will see what to do We need to be in this process together.

When we have this real effort to put things right, in education, in job provision, in financial management, and in genuine concern for all people,  then, and only then, can the country pull through.

We have the infrastructure already – rather than build, build, build, let us sensibly and carefully provide what’s needed.  An all party coalition,  taking this ‘street level’ approach and allowing full debate without antagonism, will soon find useful solutions to the many problems we are now facing  

HOME

Friendly fun & liveliness at LINK co-operative.

Now we begin to build up LINK co-operative and it’s various ventures...  Membership is free and all we really ask is that when you can you make an effort to attend our meetings and share your experiences.  - They happen as  FRIENDLY FORUMS every month. Usually on Fridays, occasionally Thursdays; details are in this paper or visit  www.bizbodysoul.com 
     I’m John Broadhead, editor and ‘co-ordinator’ - it means to try to make sure everything happens as planned and of course that’s impossible; but we are here whatever and it’s all part of the friendly fun & liveliness of LINK co-operative.
    Working together on the events and getting people along when they need transport, is Steven Jhakra, who runs
E Comm community transport. We met outside the ‘every little helps’ shop and Steven helps more than a little in many ways!
    Evans Gallo is our political editor - he talks, rightly, about ‘checks and balances’, definitely a politician!  Sometimes we do politics and hope to have a benficial influence on life in general , in finding jobs and homes.

HOME

Adventures with The Trailer. .

A little time ago my able assistant and I were heading towards the local tip with the trailer well loaded.  All was well and this was not the first time we had made such a journey. Then, as we got near to our destination, I imagined I could smell burning, and suddenly there was a terrific bang!  I thought at first ‘engine trouble!’  -- but on stopping to inspect discovered the tyre had been catching against the trailer side, got very hot and so burst!  The solid axle had twisted to cause this to happen and a major repair was needed.

So what could we do?  We could not leave the disabled trailer here on a public road and it would be very expensive to get it removed. Our first task was to empty the trailer. We loaded the contents into the car and took them the short distance  to the Tip.

It then took more than two hours to get the empty trailer back home. This including picking up the spare wheel, freeing the jammed wheel hub and lots of ingenuity to keep the axle in approximately the right position so it could be towed. We had to keep stopping to realign the axle and I/we really thought the mission was impossible! But finally, by some miracle, we got the trailer home and into the back yard. Here it rested for two months or more and the axle was taken to a local garage for some patching together,

Then recently, after lunch, we tried again to fix up our old friend. We added bolts to the axle to help keep the patched welding together. Also we ran a piece of angle iron from the axle to a wooden  block to stabilizer the angle and stop axle movement.

“Why don’t you just buy a new trailer’ people have asked me. Well” I said “I like this trailer it’s been with me for so long and while I have had 3 or 4 different cars ---    ‘Now  I decided to go to Lidle and take the trailer, empty, for a trial run.

I get onto that twisty lane near the church, there is sudden scraping noise and I notice a small wheel overtaking me on my LHS, running in the grass and foliage at the side of the road! I realise that the nuts on the wheel hub were not tight and so the wheel had come off! At first I thought our under carriage repair had failed - so it could be worse.
So think I “ it’s poss. to borrow 2 nuts from the wheel still in place to fix back the wheel now in the hedge. I ring DMB who comes along with the correct wheel wrench. On Dorrette's arrival she manoeuvred the wheel in position while I lifted the trailer up. We went home and wheeled the trailer to it’s parking spot.

Just another day and the Trailer, with lots of TLC, is back in use.  

HOME

WAS IT A DREAM?

I DO NOT LIKE RADIO 4 ALL THAT MUCH,  it always seems so negative and my wife is always listening to it!!! “Come on turn it off – you like radio 4’s drone  better than me –  ‘ yes I do’ Says she.. 

Then , on that venerable station, I heard something new about mortgages – It went something like this  ‘And government have decided on this policy and told the banks that people should be allowed to pay less rather than be evicted. The economy is in such a dreadful state and this allows people to keep on borrowing to keep the economy moving and it looks better this way for those in power.’

The banks do not want to take their share of responsibility for this . They have  provided  money for many houses in the hope of high profits and without proper research into the future of the economy.  

Now, in the completely changed economic landscape, they must do as other landlords do and take the lower rents that people can afford.  If they evict they will get less and lose disgruntled and disappointed customers they have helped to produce. Also there will be lots of wasted, empty and degenerating housing stock.

The signs are not good for returning to days of plenty and money wise I do not see things getting any better. The challenge now is to find  ways that, people may deal with the unavoidable austerity measures that have to be taken.

So WAS IT A DREAM? ---this ‘something new about mortgages’       I think it was not. 

What is vital now  is a new time of transparency and truth to relieve people from the trauma and stress of the more austere times that are coming.

This may well encourage us to work for the recovery of the UK. But it can only  happen when we have a caring and fair concensus government without partisan interests.    

HOME

DANGER! the almost real excitement of the internet.

I walk to Wetherspoons for ‘ breki’.    It is not bad, but not to my ‘new diet’ standards. Sometimes, however, we need a change and let someone else do the cooking – or put it in the microwave!

On box is Levenson enquiry.   I’m not too interested but note that perhaps 30 people are involved in running the court room and many more in preparing the rooms---

Also I note that Sky is apparently giving a whole channel to relaying this to ourselves the interested public. Why are we interested? – it may well be because of the virtual world we are slowly but surely being sucked into.   Here is a great danger – a sort of media infection of the mind, our minds.

I read somewhere that this virtual world that revolves around facebook and twitter and the like, is dangerous because instead of intelligent conversation we talk only with typing ‘yes’ or ‘no’. 

No longer do we have mates around because they are all busy typing away to their ‘101’ or many more 'friends' on the computer.

This makes the likes of Bill Gates and Facebook happy and gives the Stock Exchange something to report on. But is it really good for the likes of you and me?

Is real life passing us by in the almost real excitement of the internet.    

HOME