The Iclandic Ash Cloud.....

..... has reined havoc for a while now, personally it hasn't affected me, and I am amazed so much palaver is being made about it. It is a natural thing to occur, It comes from a volcano and there is not a lot we can do about it, I understand it's because of the weather patterns that the affect is so great. Normally we have southerly winds this time of year but they are currently northerly winds.

I am sorry that people's holidays, trips and work has been upset but that is just nature! 6 days of no flying over the UK last month and lots of disruption this month already, I guess this could go on for years! It just goes to prove how small the world is now and how much we take flying for granted!

It amazes me is that every one wants compensation, Easyjet, and I am sure other airlines,  are saying they lost £75m last month and are going to apply to the government for compensation, well where is that money going to come from, the tax payer!!!!???? If you choose to run an airline, that is the risk you take that sometimes you can't fly, and if your business goes bust because of it, oh well, another airline will come along. If you can't get insurance against volcanic ash why should the tax payer pay for your loss of revenue.

I am sure it is going to have an impact on holidays, weddings, sporting events and business (British Airways will be OK as their cabin crew are suppose to be on strike for 5 days next week anyway), that's life, get on with it and be thankful that you are not falling from the skies at break-neck speeds 'cos you have volcanic ash seizing up your aircraft.

I will find the North Star (The Pole star named Polaris)

I am starting to enjoy looking at the stars more and want to learn the names of the different constellations and see if I can locate any planets.
I would like a little telescope but for now, due to finances I shall enjoy looking at them with the naked eye :-)

I do believe that the phases of the moon affect our moods and this is something I also wish to explore. I have been more convinced of this with Aunty Mary's dementia. She certainly seems to be more confused and agitated when the moon is full, to be honest she is normally worse a few day's after.

I shall report back later to see if the diagram above and the instructions below work! I hope it will be a clear night and I remember to do it! haha

Locating the North Star is easy if you follow this simple diagram.
First, find the Big Dipper.  Draw an straight line between the two stars of the Big Dipper as shown, toward the Little Dipper.
The North Star is located at the end of the handle of the Little Dipper.
The North Star always points in the direction of True North.  For this reason it has been used as and aid to navigation for many centuries.

Eco-Warriors RAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!! Oh, and Dementia

As we have been doing so much work in the garden after years of just letting it look after itself maybe we should do just a lit bit more for the environment and get a compost bin and a water butt. I know money is tight but it wouldn't cost that much and the deal from the council using their website is pretty good, http://www.liverpool.getcomposting.com/  .

We have done dug over the centre rockery bit, well K has done most of the digging 'cos as she says' "I like digging, I do!". She finds it therapeutic in the fresh air and doing something physical which I think will help her recovery from depression. YEAH!!!

The garden looks better than ever since we got rid of our gardener, I have been mowing the lawn, and even out the front where our garden meets our neighbours I have been mowing right across instead of going half way. We don't talk much except for polite passing the time of the day, but Kit ha reciprocated, so that is good for neighbourly bridge-building.

I shall put some photos up to show our good work, we are both enjoying it and I am looking forward to a "sensible weekend" spending time with K and getting out in the fresh air. There are so many jobs to do but it is good to do things for the property.

Aunty Mary hasn't been so much recently but we are managing the situation differently since we came back from Feurteventura. We don't answer the door every time she knocks, she is fine and I think by pandering to her needs we are creating the problem. On Sunday just gone we didn't answer the door all day woooo hoooo! Presently there is no door knocking in the night or generally early morning so it seems the dementia tablets are working :-)

A World in Financial Crisis

I believe financial meltdown is well on the way and you just can't keep printing money to throw at the problem. People have much to many expectations and spare time and want physical things to fill that time up. We are all guilty of this, I am aware of my guilt and also aware of the problem so I guess that's a good thing and I will try not to spend money but enjoy what I have got and the time I can spend with others! 

I am particularly interested with what is happening to Euro-zone countries and the problems with Greece and the up and coming problems with Portugal and Spain, again chucking about 750 Billion Euros at the problem is not going to solve it but I don't think that any country leaders know what to do about it without really pissing their people off and are just hoping it goes away before drastic action is really required.

Hung Parliament

Well, today the Conservatives and the Lib Dems have become one and are now putting their team together. I reckon this has done Labour a favour and they were wise not to get involved in the end as I reckon after 4 years of mixed opinions and the Cons and the Libs start blaming each other, Labour will get voted in next time, not that I think that is great news but I shall just have to wait and see!

This hung-parliament is the first our generation has ever seen (well I was a small boy then anyway. It will be interesting to see if a coalition can work together to sort the mess this country is in, let alone Europe and the rest of world.

China killings WTF?!?!?!

Over the last few weeks there has been numerous children in china killed in school. What bring some one to kill innocent children? It seems that the official means to combat this is to give security people long metal pitch forks and pepper spray?!?!

1. What brings someone ot do such a cowardly act?

2. What a bizarre way to deal with it!

I shall attempt to blog more!

Looking at my google account I can see that I haven't bogged for a while. I have written some more poetry but as previously state that is at my scribd page where i have had about 1500 readers so far! I write for myself but I am pleased that some people have read them :-) http://www.scribd.com/nickbest

Things are so so at the moment, but I am feeling more positive and hopefully things are on the up :-) K is still a down but hopefully starting to feel better, she seems much better in herself which is great.

Graeme has come up with a tai chi website idea for us to explore and hopefully make us able to follow our dreams. We all have love  which many people don't have but a little financial luck wouldn't go amiss!

I am going to start a database of my vinyl as it may need extra insurance, that will be fun to do and listten to some old house tracks in the process, I wonder what the replacement value will be?

We have been enjoying the garden recently and we assumed it would be a cheap way hobby, yeah right! We keep buying stuff for it but if we just keep digging it over for a while and plant what we have it will be therapeutic, as Kirsten says: "I like digging  I do!! hahaha :-)

I love Kirsten!!!!!!