Fast, I know, you couldn’t make it up! I have found myself hoping that May wins (I’d say lesser of two evils, but that’s not true!), but OH is leaning towards Leadsom…on the basis that a really incompetent Tory government is in the national interest… 😀Hmmm, could be £25 well spent if it got rid of the blight….?!

I think it was a case of laughing rather than weeping, Fast. I love your incontinent burglar metaphor. Just about sums them up.

Like you, Happy, I too hope that May wins. At least she’s been at the sharp end and held senior office.

What worries me most is the fact that we don’t have a viable opposition. Surely we’re not going to end up as a one party state. Then there’s Trump the Transatlantic Tosser to worry about in November. The world is not a happy place…

My concern is that the self promoters who rise to the top – whichever party – and whatever level – are generally more interested in themselves than the rest of us. I attended a talk by a county councillor a couple of years ago, where he freely admitted that his primary concern upon being elected was how to get re-elected next time. That doesn’t speak to me of someone who has strong convictions and a desire to better the lot of his constituents… Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely…

Fast, I fear the dark will descend, whether we act or not.

P, I’d say it’s a bit early to be drinking…but it’s quarter to twelve here, so you could just claim to be on UK time… If Scotlanf did leave would we be just ‘Kingdom’ ?!

Too lazy to get out of bed to find the bottle Happy 😉
I agree Carol. The area around Cambridge is gorgeous. A glamorous Herm (new hair and glasses, even tinier) will be an excellent addition to the scholars up there.☺

Oh dear,

I didn’t explain it properly. Moving to Cambridge? I wish!

For a long time I tried to persuade Him Indoors that a move to Cambridge would be great. All the usual reasons, more space for us and to put visitors up in comfort,a garden after 35+ years in a flat with no external access, proximity to BOTH our families, no nosy, noisy, smelly neighbours in the same building, we can have cats again – the list goes on. Not to mention the fact that it’s a beautiful city with the countryside close to hand – like on the city’s edge – with plenty of “culcha” but at less than London prices, but still dead easy to get to London.

Screaming matches, toys thrown out of pram, why bother to move? what’s wrong with our present flat anyway? Even suggestions that I was mentally deranged to want to move. Men, what are they like!

Always one ready to compromise, I very gently suggested a move to somewhere within a five-mile radius of our present home. For all the above reasons. Immediate agreement. For me the priority was getting out of here and I suppose he may have had a point. House-hunting somewhere 80 miles away isn’t easy.
So we will be only a matter of another 20-25 minutes further out, with a bit more greenery of our own.

Slowly, slowly, catchee, Herm. You know how easily 5 can become 10…20…40…80…Remember all those wiles we modern women so despise? Think on’t!

We have our ways to win over the ‘old blokes’, Herm 😉😉

Enraged gorilla might be more fun, once he’s calmed down?? C’mon, you’ve been together long enough to have developed negotiation techniques – of which compromise is just one good one…

Precisely. I know you well enough to be certain you have a whole armoury of properly grownup, honest techniques which don’t require eyelash fluttering, baby talk or pink frills. And I know you know how to use them. No honour (or pleasure, eventually) in the dubious tactics of girlies, even for those who – unlike thee or me – can carry them off convincingly! Think ‘win-win’ / ‘board room’ / ‘United Nations’, not ‘Happy birthday, Mr President…..’ !!!

We have been having fun today, Bay. The house hunt has been underway for a couple of weeks now. So far we’re ony looking at outside views, checking out the neighbourhood, proximity to shops and public transport. With me being a non-driver this is crucial. We’ve seen several that are well worth a proper look.

Fast, you are a good mate who instinctively knows where I’m coming from. I’ve found honesty to be a double-edged sword, much admired and appreciated by many friends and family members, but also the cause of offence, anger and some very unpleasant bollockings from others including, I’m sad to say, on this very forum. A blessing in disguise, though. It was incidents such of these that had me running for cover which in turn led me to this lovely thread and the grown-up, wise and tolerant posters it attracts.

Bay started this flutter of posts Happy. She’s sunning herself in Hawaii. …lucky girl. 😊 P

Haha, Happy. I get your drift. We swam at Lanakia Beach this morning. White sand, Palm trees, green waters. So lovely. 😄😄😄😄

Off to Newfoundland in two days. Bucket list, don’t ask! Early celebration of a significant milestone later in the year. Making huge Mexican meal for the troops when they show up later.

Cheers, all. Bay 🎉🎉☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️

Hi Happy

I’m sorry about your sad Summer. I’ve been hearing from relatives just how bad it’s been. Sending you some sun and cyber cheer. 🌞🌞🌞🌞☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️🌺🌺🌺🍷🍷☀️☀️☕️☕️☕️🏖🏖🏝🏝

Great to hear you’re having fun, Hermaj, and looking forward to further descriptions of the search.
🐈🐈🍁🍁🍏🍏🚜🚜🏞🏞🏘🏘
Cheers, Bay

Hi Purple

It’s still only Sunday here. Well done on another successful fast day to you. I haven’t even tried here. I will fast a few days next week after the family has gone home.

Cheers, Bay 🌺🌺😄😄😬😬🏖🏖

One small mercy to be grateful for, I guess.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-36763208
Still doesn’t solve the problem of a viable opposition, even less the that of the dangerous nutter with the weird hair running for US President.

Sadist Happy?
We are watching the pollies arguing about our election results…and yes, we still have the same PM…just barely. P

I’m in increasing need of a sick bag. If she thinks a load of maudlin sentimentality was going to win the punters over, well here’s one whose reaction would have been to tell her to (expletive deleted) off.

Tell you what – all this family stuff must be wearing her out. Forgive the bitchery, but she’s not looking that great. I’m old enough to be her mum but sure as hell my face is far less in need of Polyfiller than hers is. Meeow!!

One other point. Irrespective of what La Leadson actually said in the interview, I find it sick-making that the (female) interviewer chose to make the principle that “mums know best” especially when it comes to running the country, the focal point of her article. She is as much to blame as Leadson, maybe even more so, as she perpetuates the myth that if a woman isn’t a mother she’s not a proper person.

Where does that leave all of us who are childfree by choice? Are we inferior beings? Also she shows little sensitivity towards those women who would dearly loved to have kids but can’t – I believe Teresa May is among them.

Right, rant over. Maybe the whole pathetic business can be forgotten.

I can’t help thinking it’s a case of two well-meaning individuals, who aren’t as clever as they think they are getting, it all wrong and creating a right pig’s ear… Wouldn’t have boded well for a future PM.

On a lighter note, I’ve just heard someone on Beeb radio ask when Teresa May moves in to No 10, who’s going to do the removals and what about the cat?

I bet she’s rushing back from Brum right this minute to measure the curtains, Herm. And Grazia did once say that Samantha never did like the kitchen at no 10…

More words of wisdom, Fast. Especially about protesting too much – an art I’ve never mastered, I’m afraid. Not a case of virtue so much as a case of can’t be bothered.
I have been on the receiving end of that sort of rubbish – like a female doc who should have known better who suggested I seek psychiatric help to make me want a child. Not that I don’t like kids – not all kids, the same as not all adults – but mum material I ain’t. Not a bad auntie, though. You can love them to bits, but you have the comfort of knowing that at some point the buggers will go home.

No, Herm, it’s me too. I love the sunshine – it’s the humidity I hate – but am really picky about acceptable temperature range: 20-25 suits me fine – warm enough to go out coat less and enjoy the warmth, but not stick/sweaty, which I hate. Unfortunately sitting around doing nada (all I can manage – what a wet ) has the opposite effect on me, food wise – I need to keep busy or I’m tempted to snack. (No, rephrase that:I snack.). And my ankles swell, despite weighing 2/3 of what I used to, and my eyes have given up from reading too much. Apart from that, it’s fine. Let’s be grumpy old gigs together!

(Actually I think the real problem at the moment is lack of chance to acclimatise – 15 to 30, and then back to 15, within week, is a strain on the old resilience. And our SH sisters are probably laughing their heads off at the whingeing Poms….)

Bit of good / interesting news: my DD has had some health problems recently which looked a bit scary but have turned out to be (surprise, surprise!) due to B12 deficiency. Relieved that this seems to be all that’s wrong, and she doesn’t seem to have inherited the other neuro problems, but also furious, because they a)knew I have to get mine via a needle, so it was on the cards, and b) kept doing blood tests and telling her results were normal, and – exactly as happened with me – it was only when a neurologist saw them that he pronounced them definitely not normal and insisted on treatment Apart from nearly 9 months of worry, the reluctance to spend pennies on B12 serum has meant the NHS has shelled out for 3 (yes, 3!) MRI scans. How does that make sense? And how can it happen identically to us both? How many others?

But the bit of interest to forumistas is that when we met for coffee last week she told me she had revolutionised her diet, according to neurologist’s instructions. She is curvy, and needs to watch her weight, though no more than a stone or so more than ideal. She’s seen what 5:2 has done for her father and me, but for years has insisted she couldn’t possibly fast, and has been attending / following one of the commercial organisations – nameless but initials WW, spending energy counting ‘points’ , eating low-fat stuff etc etc – you all know the score. Neurologist has now told her: ditch all that – go low carb, no refined carb, healthy full fat, fruit and veg, intermittent fasting (well, I never!) – she’s feeling better, and has lost 4lb in 2 weeks!!! I gave her my précis of Jason Fung and she’s gone off all excited to evangelise. I am so relieved!! And hooray that the message seems to be getting to neurology departments!

Ha ha Fast! What would mum know? You have to pay an ‘expert’ to know what to do! I’m SO pleased she is on the right track now ☺
Herm, I think what you describe is a pretty normal reaction to hot weather. I am usually indoors, curtains and blinds closed, until the sun drops on hot days. 23-24 with low humidity is the ideal. When out, I’m always wearing a big hat and ducking from shade to shade. I don’t use airconditioning, so little movement until the cool of evening. Every summer, I think I prefer winter, then the icy winds❄ start biting and I long for summer 🌞
The sudden changes are very hard to take. We had down near zero last week, then the last couple days have been in the mid 20s, with 13 overnight. We have swealtered under our winter doona.
The upside was my arthritic joints settled down for a couple of days, only to start aching again as the rain started last night!
30 deg and humidity is not pleasant anywhere, except by a pool or under a tree at the beach 🌅 Make the most of it Herm. At least we are here to whinge about the weather! It beats the alternative. 😅😅
Fasting again today to shift some waist fat. Cheers P

That is very consoling, P. I think the problem is that so many Brits are silly about the sun and sensible people like you and me who stay out of the worst of it are considered weird and even a bit unhealthy. You only have to observe my compatriots with the beautiful delicate, pale skin that often goes with very fair or red hair who insist on sitting out in the midday sun turning lobster red and then whingeing as they peel.

Back in the long-long-ago when I was a smoker I used to get very cross at people who berated me for my disgusting unhealthy habit as they sat there toasting their potential melanomas – the m-i-l being a case in point It was only when the doc warned her of the danger she was definitely in that she finally stopped.