Sunshine here and not the threatened snow. Playing the jazz CD I won. Working on the teeny-tiny garden stuff. Herself has a Craft Fair tonight so things are a bit fraught.

Spoke to Henry onthe fone at his hospital place. Hmm. He’s there but he’s not happy. I sent him love on behalf of all of us.

Talking of politics and people, I’ve known since 1997 that bliar was a total prat and a useless wanker as well. I understand many things but I have never been able to understand why the mass of English humanity believes in a dick-head. PLEASE would someone explain to me why the population of what used to be a proud Nation sign up - more than once - for a pilloch?

It’s lunch time so I mst fade away. Julianna, treasure, how are you? We’re all here for you. Mort’s Mom - hope it’s going OK for you and thanks for your comment. I really appreciated that.

When people are unpleasant to you - they have a problem, not you. Don’t react. Just respond. You can understand why they feel like that and help them to feel better. Some won’t like that - but remember that if you join the argument, you’re part of the problem, not the solution.

Cheers all - Dad

’tis Sunday and the air is cold and fresh, the sky blue and the sun clear. Mark Knopfler playing and Herself off to Surrey for family business. So I thought I’d look at other blog sites which I haven’t understood about before.

They’re all different. I can’t find the right knobs to push. How can I comment? Huh? Having flicked through some I want to comment - but find I’m teknolodgy dumb.

I’ve learned that other blog sites are so much more up-front than mine.

So what conclusion can I draw? I will continue to offer leaden and dull comment which many people who see my blogs think unworthy (’cause I have a hit-meter or whatever it’s called and many people read the site but ignore it) and continue to plough my old rumpled cyber-world furrow. So there.

Moving right along, when real fresh food is easy to cook, why would anyone buy boil in the bag or frozen dinners? I love my food but won’t eat rubbish. Any ideas how we can stop this happening?

I’ve been stuck with communication problems recently. The message you send is measured by the feedback you get. If they didn’t hear you right, perhaps you didn’t communicate it right? Cheers all, Dad

Happily playing what Henry calls my ‘feem toon’. It took a bit of finding but I like it and it just about fits my blog style, I reckon. Many thanks to the techno-skills of the person wot done it for me. If you think you’ve heard it somewhere it’s the main theme music from the TV series ‘Monk’ about a neurotic detective.

Coldish, greyish day today and I’m not feeling all that good. There’s a guy outside putting a new windscreen in Herself’s car so we hope it won’t rain. Otherwise helping the teeny-tiny business by dealing with sundry suppliers. Everyone’s going nuts about Christmas (as are we) so it’s not much fun. Still waiting for a sample of the resin brick wall we’re having made but have ordered 50 sets of laser-cut base + walls for the DIY gardens. That sounds hi-tec!! They sell well. Oh well.

Had some twit on the phone this morning trying to sell me the latest version of his software. Why do they keep getting their scripts from the same rubbish people? ‘Mr.Windsor? (upward inflection of voice) How are you today?’ ‘I don’t know you and I don’t think it’s any of your business.’ It’s not good sales technique to begin by making the prospective customer cross.

Not much else to chatter about so I’ll sign off for now. The best way to get people to listen to you is to listen to what they have to say then acknowledge one or two of their points to show you listened to them before you get started on your own agenda. Too many people don’t really listen, they just use the time someone else is talking to figure out what they want to say themselves. How can you know until the other person has finished? And why should they listen to you if they don’t know you listened to them? Funny thing, communication. Cheers all - Dad

Cold but bright today. Playing Chet Atkins again because I’m in a mental mess and can’t figure out how to escape from it. Have Scott Joplin ready for next. Who needs Champion the Wonder Horse? Huh!

Saw the Doc this morning. Mixed news. Blood pressure down in response to recent new pills. Good. Got stomped on for excess weight, blood sugar (borderline to diabetes) and cholesterol. Shape up! Change now! Get a grip! Hmm. Primary problem lack of exercise. We’ve k nown each other a long time and are professional friends. We like and respect each other and tell each other the plain truth. So I know he’s right. But I can’t get my head right about all this for reasons that are too many and too private to relate.

I always get to the surgery early because he often sees me early which helps him. Sitting waiting and reading the book there’s the urgent hooting and blue flashing lights of a police car passing by. Then ditto of an ambulance. Then more ditto of a fire engine and a fire rescue truck. Someone’s having a bad day. Talking to the Doc, we’ve just got to the bit where we discuss motor racing and the new Masters Formula run in South Africa at the weekend when the lights go out. So does the computer. Chaos! So we finish our chat in the near total dark and then I stroll out. I’m due to have a ‘procedure’ from a Sister after the Doc but no power - no procedure. I try to book my next appointment. No computer, can’t be done. Total shambles. Trying to help I hear that there’s a big fire somewhere (THAT’s what the flashing blue lights were about) and so no power for 3 / 4 hours. Roll up sleeves and help staff with patients, w.h.y. Get big praise and go home. 5 x 3 index cards were so much more reliable.

Have discussed battery problems with car dealership. Taking car in on Friday. Free loan car, free inspection. It’s amazing what people will do for you if you work it the right way. Oh, and if it’s a battery problem, a free battery. Why would I go anywhere else?

Lunch has just been declared so I must away. Firstly, Julianna, you’re a real dish. Hang in there, treasure. Let me know you’re doing OK. How lucky you are to have so many people on this site praying for you and thinking about you. It’s like being wrapped in a cashmere shawl. So who’s a lucky girl, then? And have a happy week.

For the rest of us, we act the way we THINK we are - right or wrong. So re-think yourself. Reinforce the good bits and wipe out the negative bits. And excellence is a habit, not just an occasional act. Why not be an excellent person? Love to you all - Dad

Mixed weather today. Playing quiet wallpaper music because I’m knackered. Herself has started a holiday and is crafting teeny-tiny gardens. Someone has just bought a pair of muddy gum-boots from her web-site. So she’s making them - to go in the post today. And there’s much, much more. Crumbs. The really bad news is that she was going off to see her Mum and Dad yesterday (ticket already paid for) when we got the 07.00 hrs phone call (always bad news at that time). Dad v. ill - don’t come. Dad still in a bad state. Herself v. concerned for Dad and also Mum, because, because. Nothing to do. One brother and wife both highly qualified Doctors. No way I can help her.

Too much excitement this week. Training and counselling job Tues. Year in Industry meetings all day Wed. and Thurs. Shattered.

Reading Henry’s blogs he didn’t say that years ago I took him to Brooklands as it was then pre-re-development(pre-WW2 motor racing circuit with a banked track and an aircraft runway across the middle) in a small, red MG sports car - and we rocketed down the runway with my foot flat on the floor. Then we drove over the small part of the old banked track that we could get to. No-one caught us. I’ll never forget that - or the fact that Henry didn’t scream once.

First electrical fact - I have a desk lamp that switches on just by touching a spot on the lamp - there’s no ’switch’. Just the electric contact between a human body and the lamp. Cool!

Next - I’m seriously fed up with my car battery new last year which is flat as a pancake. So the power line sneaks out from the front door and the battery charger is humming to restore its strength. I can’t be doing with car problems. I bought it. I paid for it. I drive it. So just keep doing what I paid for, why don’t you???

If you have something to discuss, never sit straight across the table from someone. Sit at 90 degrees. Not confrontational. Helps reaching a neutral agreement. Not everyone you have to deal with knows that. But you do. Take care - Dad

See new blog before last - ‘Not too good today’. shows the wrong date hence its wrong place. Don’t know how that happened! Dad