Charles Kennedy RIP

Bad news today at the death of Charles Kennedy. Nice guy and an honest broker. The house of commons could do with more not less of his ilk. I remember when he resigned as leader (well pushed) because of his drinking problem. Bless him he carried a big burden. He could express ideas and touch the man in the street. He stood against the invasion of Iraq and won much support from the public on that issue. I for one totally agreed on his stand and to this day we are watching the horror of that terrible decision to invade Iraq with no clear exit strategy. The whole affair casts a big shadow over those involved and there is still much to question concerning Blair and Bush over the reasons for it.

Time will tell whether Afghanistan was a similar cock up of monumental proportions. A secondary effect of these interventions was of course a massive drain on the defence budget, a waist of lives and a legacy of wounded service personnel. The British Forces also lost its reputation as a major player when it had to be bailed out in Helmond and required the assistance of those it opposed in Basra to evacuate to the airport at the end of that ill advised expedition in Iraq.

Thursday:
I see the Conservatives are off to a good start with the budget cuts.. Austerity for the poor and tax cuts for the rich. Yes indeed, the peasants cant afford to revolt as they are all on Zero Hour Contracts, so the fat cats are home and dry. I wonder how long it will take for a revolt in the commons and morality overtakes party loyalty.. No time soon I bet. Nice to see one or two of the more morally robust MPs have decided to give their pay rise to charity. Pay rise, while Granny pays for the luxury of having a spare bedroom. Dear Lord where are we heading.

Peg my next door neighbor has a superb ability to make up new words. She has an infected ear and told me today that she had tititus and that a hot wheatbix had done the trick. She meant tinnitus and a hot wheatbag!

Still, it must be a common problem as I was told recently that "Lithuanian Batteries are good", Presumably Estonian ones are'nt or is a Baltic state wide thing?

I am trying to repress the urge to re-invent myself and or go abroad.. I think if it were not for my old mate Bob I would be abroad now. I have several invitations to take up and yet I am putting them off for some reason I am not sure of. One in particular is the urge to not be a burden, as most recently separated people can be. Nothing worse than a sad arse inhabiting your sofa for any length of time. So, presumably I am avoiding trips until I get my sense of humor back and my waist line. My God separation can have a devastating effect on ones diet and off course I cannot get used to cooking for one. The resultant portions are huge. Clever people would suggest freezing some of it. But im afraid all common sense fails when one cant be bothered really and the chip shop beckons. Easier on the washing up to.

Note to self: Clean the bathroom tomorrow. Thank God for my Service background.. God knows what the place would look like had it not been for the ministrations of my Drill Corporal and Sergeant who spent a good six weeks of my first year in the service throwing my kit and bed out of the window for reasons that were sometimes not exactly clear.

My Drill Instructor really did look like Ernie Bilko and his wit and repartee was equally up to his. I well remember him telling me that if my bed block (see pic) didnt improve I would be joining it on the grass in front of the block. Now as we lived on the second floor that was'nt option I much liked.

By far the best line he ever came out with was in about the second week when he stopped us on the square and broke down in sham crying. He grasped the Corporals shoulder to hold himself up as he said "Fuck me slowly, how can it be so hard..................all im asking you to do is walk smartly................I mean how hard can it be....im shouting left right left right and all that arsehole on the back row (me) keeps doing is left right left left left left... is he the missing link or something. Corporal do me a favor and take him away and kill him".

Ahhhhh happy days!